Experience An Epiphany
Theme: What is an epiphany? A Close Encounter with the God-Kind
The Bible: Isaiah 6:1-8
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 So I said:
“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 my eyes have seen the King,
The LORD of hosts.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said:
“Behold, this has touched your lips;
Your iniquity is taken away,
And your sin purged.”
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Prayer
*Who is Uzziah? King of Judah, for 52 yrs, a prosperous and popular king that grew Judah and gave his people; security, comfort, and confidence.
Army with 310,000 men. Increased Judah by 50%. Agriculture, science, finances. The Bible says that as long as Uzziah followed after God. God prospered Him.
Life Point: No man is perfect!
Ex. Asked wife what she thought of you in first yr. of marriage = Sweet replies. Around the 3rd year we did the same little experiment. Not so sweet.
The Bible: Eccl 3:16-17a Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, Wickedness was there; And in the place of righteousness, Iniquity was there. I said in my heart, ‘God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,”
The Bible: Proverbs 20:9 Can any of us really say, "My thoughts are pure, and my sins are gone"?
*Who is Isaiah? Isaiah was a prophet/royal scribe who also looks to Uzziah for security, comfort, and confidence in his position.
I imagine people viewed both Isaiah and Uzziah and said man they have all together, they are good to go. He had the nice job, the nice car, the nice position
Life Point: We may look to man for our position, but we must look to God for our purpose.
The Bible: Proverbs 16:9 We make our own plans, but the LORD decides where we will go.
Message point: How do we have a close encounter with God?
A) We remove all other distractions.
B) We look for God where, God is…“the temple”
Message points: What happens within an encounter with God?
A) WOE! Isaiah’s confession
The first 5 chapters, Isaiah was woeing everyone! But when you encounter God we notice our own woes. But not in a self condemning kind of way instead we say to God.
Thank you for your grace and mercy and in turn we can be more graceful and more merciful with others.
People who are always talking down about other peoples Christianity or sin issue have not had their WOE.
B) LO! Isaiah’s cleansing
That coal was like in the old days with the fire and burning a wound to stop the issue of blood. That would eventually kill; it also served to instantly sanitize it. Just like that God closed the area of his sinfulness and cleansed it.
C) GO! Isaiah’s commission
Isaiah now possessed the why factor. Why on earth am I here on earth? There are something’s about life friend you will never understand until you meet your creator.
Message point: We receive a purpose for living when we meet God!
Don’t you want a life in which you follow after God for the fulfillment of our divine purpose? Let me ask you this question isn’t about time you experienced an epiphany?
Prayer
