WHERE TO FROM HERE?
- Read Isaiah 6:1-8
INTRODUCTION
The passage we just read begins “In the year that king Uzziah died.” Now, many approach this statement, they read of the passing of the king and think of it as just a historical marker; a way to tell exactly when this vision took place. For some it may be no more than that, but for Isaiah, it was much more. This was a monumental & life shattering event in his life. King Uzziah had died.
This means nothing to us unless we think about who king Uzziah was. King Uzziah was a godly man. He was a godly king. Uzziah became king at the age of 16. He loved God and served Him. The Bible records that Uzziah “did right in the sight of the Lord.”
Uzziah loved the land. He was a farmer. He had cisterns dug all across the country to help water the land because he loved his people.
Uzziah was militarily successful and had no trouble recruiting troops. He had over 300,000 soldiers in his army, and he equipped them with body armor and bows. He built towers in Jerusalem and in the desert to help defend against invaders. He built large weapons to launch huge arrows and catapults to launch huge stones. The Lord gave him success against the Philistines.
Under his leadership, Israel’s borders were expanded and new cities were built. Not since king Solomon had the country been so blessed and so proud. Uzziah reigned 52 years, and during that time the nation saw blessings and prosperity. Now, King Uzziah had died and Isaiah was overcome with despair. He was depressed and discouraged.
He had placed his hope in something, in someone, and things had not turned out like he planned. My friend, the Devil will often allow things to come against us to discourage us, to depress us, to cause us to be frustrated and want to give up. He often does it to Christians.
How many times have we been excited about a new building or a new program, thinking this is going to turn the corner for us? This is the thing that’s going to make the difference, only to have things not work out quite like we’ve planned?
How many times have we been excited, with things going well, when all of a sudden we lose a loved one, or we lose a friend, and it seems that the wind has been taken out of our sails? Let me ask you, have you ever invested your life into the life of another person, only to seem them fall or to see them turn away from the Lord? You love a family. You invest your time with them. You love the children and disciple the parents, only to have the whole thing come apart before your very eyes. You begin to wonder, what’s going on? What’s happening? Lord, now what?
Have you ever been walking with the Lord? You’re growing and excited when all of a sudden you slip up and you find yourself falling into the same destructive, sinful cycle you thought you’d escaped. You’re almost tempted to throw in the towel, to quit on the whole thing.
My friend, I want you to know that that is one of the favorite weapons of the Devil. He would love nothing more than to keep you and I discouraged. He would love nothing more than to have us feeling defeated and overwhelmed where we would never attempt great things for the Lord again.
This evening my friend, I want to remind you of the same things the Lord reminded Isaiah of when he was tempted to be discouraged. First, I want you to remember that God is still on the throne.
I. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE
- Isaiah 6:1
When Isaiah was discouraged, God gave Him a vision of His Holy and mighty self, still seated on the throne of heaven. My friend, I want you to know that God is still in control.
Don’t you know the Israelites were discouraged when they reached the banks of the Red Sea with the Egyptian army hot on their heels? Again, they thought it was all over when they could find nothing but a small boy with a sling to stand against the giant Goliath. Their enemies thought it was the end for Daniel when he was thrown to the lions. Don’t you know, the disciples were discouraged when Jesus was crucified and they were left alone? They thought the end had come.
My friend, when you discouraged and frustrated, remember, God is still on the throne. He is still in control.
A while back I got discouraged, I got frustrated. Things were not going the way that I had planned for the church. I was getting tired of people problems and an outreach we had just attempted seemingly flopped. I didn’t know what to do.
I still remember walking up down the road to my house, tears streaming down my face, singing to myself, “God is in control, we believe that His children will not be forsaken. God is in control, we will choose to remember and never be shaken. There is no power above or beside Him we know. Oh, oh, oh. God is in control. Oh, oh, oh. God is in control.
My friend, when tempted to be discouraged or frustrated, remember, God is still on the throne. But not only is God on the throne, but God is also, still in the world.
II. GOD IS STILL IN THE WORLD
- Isaiah 6:1,3
- Psalm 139:7-12
There are times, especially in the hard times, when you may feel all alone. When you feel that no one understands, that no one is there for you in your struggle. You’re having trouble at home and the place that is supposed to be your refuge in a storm has turned into storm central. You go to church with a vision for what God wants done and for how He wants to work, and it seems that no one shares your vision, your passion, and your fire. Sometimes it seems like you’re alone in the world. It is during those times, my friend, when we need to remember that God is still in the world. There is no place you can go beyond His reach. No valley so dark, that He cannot see. No furnace so hot, He will not walk through it with you.
Shortly before Jesus left, the disciples were fearful and afraid. Seeing their concern Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” And my friend, the promise Jesus made to them He makes to you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. In Christ you have a friend Who sticks closer than a brother.
When you are tempted to be discouraged, remember, God is still on the Throne. God is still in the world, and God is still calling imperfect people.
III. GOD IS STILL CALLING IMPERFECT PEOPLE
- Isaiah 6:3, 6.
There are those who believe God cannot use them. They believe they are not good enough, or gifted enough to be used. Perhaps you are one of them. You believe God can’t use you because you mess up too much. How often does the Devil point out our imperfections in an attempt to keep us from serving God?
Isaiah said, “Woe is me. I am a man of unclean lips.” Remember what happened when God called Moses? Moses said, “I don’t speak well enough.” When God approached Jeremiah, Jeremiah said, “I’m too young.” My friend, God is still calling imperfect people.
One of the best soul winners I ever met was a man by the name of Cid Hutchins. Sid Hutchins would witness to anyone, at any time. During the last few years he was alive, Cid averaged leading one person to the Lord per day. And yet, Cid was an uneducated man. Didn’t finish high school. Couldn’t read all that well. But Cid, loved the Lord and loved telling other people about his Jesus. God used Cid in miraculous ways.
I can’t wait to get to heaven to meet the many people Cid led to Christ. God uses David Wring.
I remember growing up, people used to kid me about the way I talk. I always talk like I have something in my mouth. Even after finishing college I had people kid me about speaking “Mid-Florida Mush Mouth.” Let me tell you my friend, God still uses me. I remember the night I first preached at my home church before leaving for seminary, my pastor introduced me and said, “I guess if the Lord can speak through a donkey, He can speak through Gene.”
My friend, if you are waiting until you get it all figured out before you strive to serve the Lord, you never will, because God uses imperfect people.
IV. GOD IS STILL FORGIVING FALLEN PEOPLE
- Isaiah 6:6-7
Some people feel they can’t escape the past. Some of you feel that you’ve made too many mistakes. You’ve messed up too much. You feel almost that you’ve been branded with a scarlet letter.
Don’t you imagine that’s the way Peter felt after he denied Christ 3 times? Don’t you imagine that’s the way David felt after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed? Don’t you imagine that’s the way Paul felt after he had persecuted Christians and held the cloaks of those who stoned Stephen? He described himself as the “chief of sinners.” And yet, God forgave him and used him to plant churches among the Gentiles across the known world and used him to write nearly ½ of the New Testament.
My friend, don’t let a mistake you’ve made, a sin you’ve slipped into, a wrong decision keep you from approaching God and serving Him. God is still forgiving fallen people.
> 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
V. GOD IS STILL USING WILLING PEOPLE
- v8 Who shall I send? Here am I. Send me.
My friend, You do not have to be popular to be used. You do not have to be educated in order to be used. The majority of the disciples had little education. You do not have to be politically savvy and connected. What God is looking for is willing people. People willing to be used. People willing to go. People willing to pray. People willing to tell. Let me ask you my friend, are you willing to be used by God? Will you right now, tonight, ask the Lord to bring to your mind 5 people He wants you to pray for, He wants you to talk to?
