Greeting

I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord; Giving honor to the true and living God. To my lovely wife Janice; To Pastor; To the First Lady, To the Deacons, Deaconess, and members. I will bless the Lord at all, his praises shall continually be in my mouth. Are you blessed this morning? If you don’t think you are blessed, just hold your breath as long as to can. Hallelujah ! Hallelujah !

Pray

Scripture: Read (Isaiah 6:1-8)

Sermon Title: “What Isaiah Saw”

Introduction:

God condemned Judah for their evil deeds. They had become a sinful nation, evildoers, corrupted, and have forsaken the Lord.

Isa. 6:9-10 (KJV) 9And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.10Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Again, it seems as if Israel has not learned her lesson about disobeying God and losing the greatest respect for God.

EXPOSITION

Four Points Too Consider

Isaiah saw his Lord: It was a time of reverence
Isaiah saw his Sin: It was time of repentance
Isaiah saw his cleaning: It was a time of restoration
Isaiah saw his mission: It was a time recognition

All Christians are called from sin’s darkness and dominion to salvation and service. But Isaiah’s call was a special commission to deliver a message to a sinful people.

Crisis and change often bring people to times of self-examination and even prayer. When a crisis come into your life, the first thing that may cross your mind is, why me? It maybe because of sin in your life or maybe God is testing your faith. God is trying to tell you something.

It was such a time for Isaiah when he went into the temple to pray.

King Uzziah’s reigh had begun with such promise, but unfortunately, pride overtook Uzziah and he entered into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.(2 Chron 26:16)

How many of you know that was a great mistake?

King Uzziah learned his lesson the hard way. When he became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was struck with leprosy and died not in the palace, but in a leper colony. Uzziah was not allowed into the holy of holies. This happen because the priest were the only ones allowed to enter into the holy of holies. They would also have a robe tied around which extended out of the holy place. For if they had unrepented sin in their lives, when they went into the holy of holies, they be killed by God.

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the temple was torn from top to the bottom. And through Jesus Christ we are a royal priesthood. We can go directly to God’s thorn in prayer, supplication and fall at his feet, to glorify, adore, love, praise and honor him. Every day we should fall at Jesus’ feet and thank him for our many blessing. But some of us are like the ten lepers that Jesus had headed. Ten went away healed but only one came back with gratitude. Some people get a little in there pocket, then they change. Some get a little fortune and fame, then they change. Some people get title to there name, then they change. (But before the Lord blessed them, they prayed and cried, they prayed and cried.) We should never forget where our blessings come from. For we should give honor where honor is due. Honor to Jesus.

Isaiah saw his Lord: It was a time of reverence

My brothers and my sisters, Kings, Queens, Presidents and Vice Presidents will all die. But there is a King of Kings and Lord of Lords who’s throne will last forever, who sits high a look low and has all power in his hand.

Isa. 6:1 (KJV)1In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Isaiah needed to see God. He placed so much confidence in a visible king that he felt little need to reach out to the invisible King. Do you have a visible king, perhaps your money, your job, house, car, family, or even your position at church.

Isa. 6:2-4 (KJV)
2Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

Isaiah saw God in the beauty of His holiness. The seraphims, covered themselves in humility. The seraphs said,”Holy, holy, holy.” To say the word holy twice in Hebrew is to describe someone as “most holy.” To say the word three times is indescribable in human language.

As for me and my house, I cry out Holy, holy, holy, my wife cry out Holy, holy, holy, my daughters cry out Holy, holy, holy, my grand children shall cry out Holy, holy, holy. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty.” YOU NEED TO PASS THIS ON IN YOUR HOUSE

So even seraphims cover their faces, in reverence to God. They covered their feet, in reverence to God. Children of God, how more should we reverence God. Aren’t we brought with a price? The price of the precious blood for our Lord Jesus Christ. The seraphs sing their song day in and out. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. But we have a song that the angels cannot sing. “I know it was the blood, I know it was the blood, I know it was the blood that saved me. One day when I was lost Jesus died on the cross…etc.” “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.”

So my beloved, in our desire to stress the love of God, we should never rob Him of his awesomeness. We most always reverence God because his spirit lives within and around us. (Gen 2:7) And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Our holy God gave us a part of himself.

To Worship God, we must reverence him

Worship includes two components:

The attitudes of the worshiper

The attitudes of humility, reverence and repentance are blessed by God’s presence and an unforgettable worship.

The ritual of worship

Within the temple of God there is a beauty beyond description. When the believers come together; touching and agreeing, lifting up holy hands unto Elohim(strong one), lifting up holy hands to El Elyon(most high), lifting up holy hands to El Shaddai(Almighty God).

If I had a witness right now, I would call on Paul and Silas. When they were beaten and cased into the deep prison of the Philippian jail. I heard it was about midnight. They were having prayer service. In midst of the pain and suffering, Jehovah Shalom showed up and gave them peace; In midst of the pain and suffering, Jehovah Nissi showed up. And Paul and Silas stood under the banner of the Lord. At the sound of there prayers, the doorposts and thresholds of the jail shook, chains fail off there hands and feet, and the doors flew open.

If I had a witness right now, I would call on Moses. The Israelites were in battle against the Amalekites. Moses, Aaron, and Hur stood on a hill so the people could see him. As long as Moses kept his hands up “Jehovah Nissi” gave Joshua and others strength to fight under Gods Holy Banner. But when Moses’ arms came down they started to lose. So Aaron and Hur held up Moses’arms.(Exo.17:10-13). But aren’t you glad my brothers and sisters, that when we hold our arms up to Jesus, we don’t have to worry about losing the battle because the victory is in Jesus. For when Jesus put his right hand on the cross, when Jesus put his left on the cross, he open up his loving arms for me and for you. And right now his is seated at the right hand of the Father praying for you and for me. And now I’m safe in the arms of Elohim(strong one). For no one can pick me out of his hands.

When we call on Jesus he will be right there.

If I had a witness right now, I would call on deacon Stephen. Before Stephen was stoned to death, he saw the Lord standing at the right hand of the Father. At this moment I would tell the Satan, you do not want my Jesus to stand up, from his throne. But Stephen had mercy in his heart, even in the valley of the shadow of death.
Acts 7:59-60 (KJV)
59And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

To Worship God, we must reverence him

Isaiah saw his sin: It was a time of repentance

God always calls use unto repentance before he chasten us.

Isa. 6:5 (KJV)5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

In the Old Testament, that which is unclean is sinful. When the Holy God confronts us, personal sinfulness weights heavily on our minds. Now if there is no guilt when you commit sin, I would question if you are born again? Guilt is necessary to be part of God’s people. Guilt is the recognition of personal sin and its devastating consequences. (1 John 1:10 (KJV))10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

(Rom.3:23(kjv)) For all

have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. We must confess,”Woe to me, I am ruined” before God.

What is repentance? Repentance is godly sorrow for sin and turning from it. It is more than just saying I am sorry. I repeat. It is more than just saying I am sorry. (2 Cor 7:10 KJV)10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

In God’s presence we are conscious of sin, sorrow for sin, and have a hatred for sin. This is a natural reaction after coming into contact with the holiness of God. You may ask the question, when have I come into God’s presence? The answer: God is omnipresence(every where at the same time).(Psa. 139:7-10 (KJV)
7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

For when you pray; “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” You are in God’s presence. When you read God’s Word daily, surely you are in His presence.

When we see God, we must be willing to see ourselves as we really are, even if it hurts. John The Baptist preached:Luke 3:7-8 (NIV)7John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

Maybe you have been coming to church and serving faithfully for years. And it seems that you are continually having problems in your life. The reason could be that you have sin in your life, sin that you have not repented of, or God is testing your faith. It is a good thing to see that Isaiah mentioned his own sin before he mentioned the sin of his neighbors. (1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Repentance opens the way for a relationship with God: David was a man after God’s own heart because he confessed that he sinned against God and not just against man. Without repentance, there is no communion with God. Repentance has two sides: turning away from sin and turning toward God. To be truly repentant, we must do both. We can’t just say we believe and then live any way we choose. “Can I get a witness?”

Repentance demonstrates real faith: (James 2:17 (NIV)) 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. Some people just want to be known as religious authorities. They worship their positions and want the world to know who they are for prestige.

But the true of the matter, they do not want to change their hearts and minds. (Psa.51:10(KJV))10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Phil. 2:5 (KJV)) 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Isaiah saw his own sin and said, ”I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips.” What would you say to the Lord? Would you say, “I am a man of unclean lips and Lord you know why I had to curse them out.” Or, I am not quite as bad as sister so in so or brother so in so.

Isaiah saw his cleansing: It was a time of restoration

Isa.6:6-7 (KJV)6Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. The “live coal” from the alter symbolizes both the purification of the blood of Jesus and the fire of the Spirit that enabled the prophet to speak.

Have you been touched by Holy Ghost? It’s hard to do what you use to do, when you’ve been touched by the Holy Ghost. (2 Cor.5:17)(KJV)17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

There is something about the Holy Ghost fire.

· The fire that changed a big mouth coward like Peter to stand boldly under the banner of Jehovah(Nissi) to proclaim that (Acts 2:15-17) 15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, ….. 17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: “I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:” And this remind me of a hymn:

“There a fountain filled with blood Drawn from Immanuel’s veins. And sinners plunged beneath that lose all their guilty stains.” Glory Hallelujah !

There is something about the Holy Ghost fire:

· The fire that caused Moses to turned aside and see the burning bush.(Exo.3:2)

· The fire that gave the Israelites light by night when they fled from Egypt. (Exo. 13:21)

· The fire that caused Nebuchadnezzar to say,” Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. If you are in the fiery furnace this morning; If you look to the left, Jesus is there. If you look to the right, Jesus is there. We have a live coal ever burning in our soul. It is the Holy Ghost. It is the Holy Ghost. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almight.

Can I get a witness??????

There was no reason for Isaiah to continue to feel unworthy. He had been made pure. Mat.5:8(KJV)8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Jesus made us pure with his blood. He gave us the gift of salvation and atoned for our sins.

Jesus settled my account long ago. I had a delinquent account that dated back to the garden of Eden. And the accuser took me to court. As I stood before the righteous judge wounded, bruised, and scorned. The judge said, “are you ready to pay the price for your crime”? Immediately, grace and mercy cried, Oh! No! I have already paid the price. Is your account settled this morning? Do you need to be washed and dipped in the blood of Jesus.

It was a time of restoration.

· Isaiah saw his mission: It was a time of recognition.

Isa.6:8 (KJV)8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Isaiah volunteered before he knew what was required of him. But it wasn’t until Isaiah had been cleansed from his sins that he heard the voice of the Lord. The love of God within you will cause you to react as Isaiah without giving any thought. God positioned Isaiah for his commission and his calling. For this to take place, God must have all of you.

When God says, “Go!” we go. There is no debating. We don’t say, “There he is, send him.” Don’t worry about how the people will respond to you serving God. Isaiah was warned ahead of time that the people would not respond as they should. It doesn’t matter what the people do, we must be faithful.

God sent the people a message not because they wanted it, but because they needed it. The message Isaiah would bring his people was the message he had received. There is forgiveness and purpose with God, if you will just turn your life over to his care and authority.

Conclusion

We must work faithfully and be fully committed in our commission from God. For we are fearfully and wonderfully made but called for God’s divine purpose. God wants all of you and not what you think he should have.

We may not have seen God like Isaiah. John 20:29(KJV)Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Though change and chaos is in the world, I say to you, “God is still on the throne.” If you doubt it, just look around. He might be closer than you think. We must reverence him in all that we do. We must repent, be restored, than recognize that we must GO! Then you can say, “I saw the Lord, high and exalted” and that has made all the difference in my life.”