Celebrating A Missional Life

Isaiah 6:1-8

Isaiah 6:1–8 (NLT)

1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.

2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.

3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.

7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

INTRODUCTION:

A- Comments from family

B- One of Mrs. Caroline’s favorite passages of scripture:

1- It is a passage written in the face of sorrow.

a- Good King Uzziah had died.

b- His godly leadership was missed by many.

2- It is a passage that speaks to us today.

a- Mrs. Caroline Kee has left our company for her heavenly home.

b- She will be missed by many of us.

3- It is a challenge for us today.

a- It reminds us that her life was lived as an on-mission servant of Jesus.

b- It challenges us to examine our own lives - are we living lives as on-mission servants of Jesus.

TS: There are two things about Isaiah’s experience that stand out and call for our self-evaluation.

I- A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH GOD. (Isaiah 6:1-7)

Isaiah 6:1–7 (NLT)

1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.

2 Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.

3 They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.

7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

A- Personal encounters with the living God can happen in the middle of sorrow.

1- Isaiah’s encounter with God happened at a time of great sorrow for Isaiah and many other people in Israel.

2- You can have a personal encounter with God in the midst of the sorrow of this occasion.

3- For Mrs. Caroline, it would be a joy for you to meet the savior, if you have not already done so.

B- Personal encounters with the living God bring a recognition of need for personal cleansing.

1- When Isaiah encountered God’s presence, his first recognition was of his own sinfulness and need of personal cleansing.

2- You and I are all sinners in need of personal cleansing.

(Romans 3:23)

Romans 3:23 (NLT)

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

(Romans 6:23)

Romans 6:23 (NLT)

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

3- Mrs. Caroline desired that her memorial service include the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ and the opportunity for people to come to know her Lord.

(Romans 5:8)

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

C- Personal encounters with the living God can result in a transformed life.

1- Isaiah experienced the cleansing grace of God.

2- You can experience God’s saving grace, too.

(Romans 10:9-13)

Romans 10:9–13 (NLT)

9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

II- A PERSONAL DECISION TO LIVE MISSIONALLY. (Isaiah 6:8)

Isaiah 6:8 (NLT)

8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

A- A personal decision to hear God’s call.

1- Once Isaiah had experienced the cleansing encounter with God, he heard the Lord issuing a call.

a. It was a call to be God’s messenger.

b. It was a call to be God’s representative.

2- Mrs. Caroline experienced a cleansing encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ and heard her master’s voice to serve him.

3- God is calling to every born-again child of God to serve him.

B- A personal decision to answer god’s call to live missionally.

1- Isaiah not only heard God’s call… he answered positively!

“I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

2- Mrs. Caroline echoed Isaiah’s response.

a. She personally invested her life in the Lord’s mission:

going visiting … witnessing and inviting people to church

promoting missions in the church (WMU)

Teaching her own children to live on-mission for Jesus.

Encouraging other people to live missionally

Even when she could no longer go, she prayed and supported those who could.

3- What are you and I doing? How are we answering God’s call?

are we personally invested in Christ’s mission?

(Acts 1:8)

Acts 1:8 (NLT)

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

are we personally going?

are we personally encouraging others to go?

are we supporting the mission of Christ?

Are we teaching our children, grandchildren and those under our influence to live missionally?

What kind of missional legacy are we leaving behind us?

CONCLUSION: