Reflecting on the Holiness of God (Part Three) Dr. Jim Cecy Introduction: Isaiah 6:1-5 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Review of Part One-Two I. The Reports of His Holiness II. The Review of His Holiness III. Our Responses to His Holiness Response #1. We respond to Holy God by worshiping Him Observation #1. True worship begins by being in awe of God’s holiness. Observation #2. True worship begins by being overwhelmed by our own unholiness. Observation #3. True worship begins by being aware of the unholiness around us. True worship is about heart and not art!

Now in Part Three...

Response #2. We respond to Holy God by serving Him Isaiah 6:6-13 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.” Then 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!” He said, “Go, and tell this people:’ Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ “Render the hearts of this people insensitive, Their ears dull, And their eyes dim, Otherwise they might see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their hearts, And return and be healed.” Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, Houses are without people and the land is utterly desolate, “The LORD has removed men far away, And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. “Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, And it will again be subject to burning, Like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump.” Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” (NASB) — “true and proper worship” (NIV) — “reasonable service.” (KJV/NET) — “spiritual worship” (NRSV/ESV) • You cannot worship a God you will not serve. You cannot serve a God you will not worship. • True worship and effective service are vitally linked together. • Effective service for God must always be preceded by intimate worship of God. • “To concentrate on service and activity for God may often actively thwart our attaining of the true goal — God Himself!” (Roy Hession, “We Would See Jesus,” p. 14) • Deuteronomy 10:12 “...what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul...”

Principles for Effectively Serving Holy God Principle #1. We need to receive His cleansing. Isaiah 6:6-7 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.” 1. Our Initial Need: Salvation 2. Our On-Going Need: Sanctification 1 Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” • Holy God is NOT looking for perfect people to serve Him. • Holy God is NOT looking for people who are great in the world’s eyes. • Holy God IS looking for people who make personal holiness a daily issue. (2 Timothy 2:20-22; 1 Cor. 1:26-29)

 

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Principle #2. We need to respond to His calling. Isaiah 6:8 “Then 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!’” • Observation #1. Cleansing comes before calling • Observation #2. God does the calling (Ps. 32:8; Prov. 3:5-6) • Observation #3. God uses ordinary people to serve on His behalf • Observation #5. Isaiah doesn’t hesitate to answer • Observation #6. Isaiah doesn’t send someone else • Observation #7. Isaiah humbly accepts the call 2 Timothy 2:4 “No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.”

Principle #3. We need to review His purposes. Isaiah 6:9-10 He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’Render the hearts of this people insensitive, their ears dull, and their eyes dim, otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and return and be healed.” God's purpose is not that we have a great ministry — God’s purpose is that we have a faithful ministry! (1 Cor. 4:1-2) Jeremiah 18:18 “Come, let's make plans against Jeremiah . . . . So come, let's attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.” Reasons God Allows Minimal Earthly Results Reason #1. To show the world who God’s servants really are (Ezekiel 2:3-5). Ez. 2:5 “...they will know that a prophet has been among them.” (cf. Matt. 5:16) Reason #2. To purify God’s servant so he can be what he is supposed to be (Ezekiel 2:6-8). Ez. 2:8 “Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.” • “Our service in His (God's) mind is to be far more the potter’s wheel on which He can mould us than the achieving of those spectacular objectives on which we set our hearts.” (Roy Hession, We Would See Jesus, p. 15) cf. Ps. 115:3; Rom. 8:36 • God is looking for holy people with a holy calling who understand that it is God’s holy purpose that we be found faithful, no matter what the results. • Isaiah’s Question: “Lord, how long?” (Isaiah 6:11a). • God’s Answer: And He (God) answered, “Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant, houses are without people and the land is utterly desolate. The LORD has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.” (Isaiah 6:11b-12)

Principle #4. We need to rest in His timing. Isaiah 6:13 “Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, and it will again be subject to burning, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump.” • In the midst of all the disappointment God promises to raise up a remnant of true believers. (cf. Is. 55:11) • We labor faithfully for decades and the fruit comes generations later. Galatians 6:9 “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.” Concluding Challenge: • Man’s way is to use great people. God’s way is to raise up holy people. • Man’s way is to pressure people to serve the Church. God’s way is to call them to serve Him. • Man’s way is to expect results. God’s way is to expect faithfulness. • Man’s way is to quit if it doesn’t work. God’s way is to rest in the Lord’s timing. • Man’s way produces frustration and burnout. God’s way produces blessing and fulfillment. “So Send I You” by John Petersen So send I you to labor unrewarded To serve unpaid, unloved, unsought, unknown. To bear rebuke, to suffer scorn and scoffing So send I you to toil for Me alone. As the Father hath sent Me, so send I you © 2013 Dr. James M. Cecy, Campus Bible Church, Fresno, CA. 93726 www.campusbiblechurch.com

 

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