We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're singing in Psalm 50 in the
Scottish Psalter, the first version of the Psalm. Psalm 50, the first version of the Psalm, page 276
of the Psalm books. We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 5, and the tune is Carlisle.
The mighty God the Lord hath spoken and did call, the earth from rising of the sun to where he hath
his fall, from out of Sion Hill which of excellency and beauty, the perfection is, God shined gloriously.
We'll sing verse 1 to 5 to God's praise.
The mighty God the Lord hath spoken and did call,
the earth from rising of the sun to where he hath his fall.
From out of Sion Hill which of excellency and beauty, the perfection is, God shined gloriously.
Our God shall surely come, his silence shall not be.
Now the world hath from the side.
Well, remain, Lord, has a great einenembroscopy God sl mater.
Before him fire shall put straight stars, shall undabilir,勝手 only 그러네.
J extract them not be.
unto the heavens clear
he from above shall call
and to the earth like wise
that he may judge his people all
Together let my sins
unto the other be
those that thy sacrifice
have made
are God well and with me
Let's come to God in prayer.
Let us pray.
Our gracious Father in heaven,
we come to worship
and praise your name this night
that you are a gracious
and a loving and a kind God.
We thank you for every reminder
as we sing from your word
and as we come and approach it
with holy reverence and holy fear.
We recognize to whom we are coming.
We are coming to the Lord God of hosts,
the maker, the creator of all things,
the one who sustains and keeps
the whole of the universe
and all of your creation.
For your word reminds us that it is in you
that we live, move and have our being.
All things are from you and for you.
We praise your name, Lord,
that you remember us,
that the mighty God, the Lord,
has spoken and did call.
And we thank you that you continue
to call us as your people,
that you continue to speak to us
and to call us to come
and to find refuge,
to find strength,
to find comfort with you,
to find that peace
that passes all understanding.
We live in a world that
there is so little peace around us
and even so often
there's little peace within us.
Maybe even this evening
we come with troubled hearts.
We come with so many things
going on in our lives
and all around us, Lord,
and we can so easily be distracted.
We can so easily feel
a sense of despair and despondency.
But help us, Lord,
that as we survey
the world in which we live,
as we examine ourselves
and even our own hearts,
that you would enable us
to lift our eyes
and to see the glory of God
and to see the person
of Jesus Christ,
the Lord who was lifted up,
the Lord who bore our sins,
the Lord whose death we come
to remember even in this weekend.
Prepare our hearts, we pray, Lord.
We know how unclean we are so often,
but may you cleanse us.
May you forgive our sins
as we come confessing them anew.
We do indeed fall short
of your glory so often.
We sin, O Lord,
and maybe we ask pardon so often,
but then return to the sins
of our hearts.
But help us, Lord,
not just to regret our sins,
but to truly repent
and to turn to you,
the one, the only one,
who is able to forgive our sins.
And may we come and turn to you
even anew this evening.
Turn and look unto Jesus
and feeling out unworthiness,
but seeing his beauty,
his glory.
The one who came into this world
to seek and to save
that which was lost.
And we thank you, Lord,
that even as we have wandered
away from you,
as we have all like sheep
gone astray,
as the word says,
that you sent the shepherd,
Lord Jesus Christ,
to gather his people
to himself.
And we thank you that
you remind us,
even in the psalm that we sung,
that we are to come
to gather together
as your saints,
to be gathered unto you.
Those who have sacrificed
have made a covenant with me.
We thank you, Lord,
that we come seeking
to know that blessing
of relationship with you,
the relationship,
the covenant
that you have shown to us,
how you have kept
your every promise,
how it is all secure
through Jesus Christ,
your Son.
In him there is the yea
and the amen of all things.
And so we pray, Lord,
that you will make us
a willing people,
that you will encourage us
in our hearts,
that you will build us up
in our faith,
that you will strengthen us,
Lord.
Those who have professed faith,
maybe over many years,
that you will give
great encouragement,
that you will remind them,
Lord,
that you know,
as the journey goes on,
we can feel so weary in it,
but that you renew
our strength day by day.
And may we be thankful,
Lord,
for every blessing
and privilege
that has been ours
and is ours
and will be ours
through Christ.
We thank you, Lord,
that your faithfulness
is so precious,
your faithfulness towards us,
your covenant blessings
new each day.
We give thanks, Lord,
that you are the one
who remembers us.
And in our weakness,
Lord,
you are our strength.
And we know in this world
we will go through
times of trouble,
but we thank you
that Jesus said
to take heart,
to be of good courage,
for he has overcome
the world.
So help us to go on
in the strength of the Lord
as your people
to worship
and to serve you
with all our hearts
and to know the blessing
of the communion sacrament,
to know the blessing
of coming together
to remember the Lord's death,
to come and gather
as your saints
and to do so
loving one another,
praying for one another,
encouraging one another.
May your spirit be upon us
and to be with us,
to guard us in peace,
the peace of Christ.
Remember those, Lord,
even here in our midst
this evening
who may be there
longing and desire
is to come
to the Lord's table.
We know, Lord,
the challenges
that that presents,
how active the devil
will be
in discouraging
and distracting,
how unworthy
we are made
to feel in these times.
But, Lord,
may you help
those in that situation here
to know Christ with them,
to know his peace,
to know what it is
to look to him.
Yes, we are unworthy,
but we look to Christ,
the Lamb of God.
Worthy is the Lamb
who was slain.
And so we pray
for every one of us
here this evening
to fix our eyes on Jesus
and to give glory
and praise to him.
May you bless your word
to us this evening
and over these days.
We thank you
that it is a living word,
a powerful and active word.
And we pray
that you will use it
to your glory,
that you will bless us
by it, Lord,
and build up your people,
not just here,
but even in our homes
as people tune in online,
those who are unable
to be with us,
those who would love
to be here.
We thank you, Lord,
that the word reaches out,
that they are part
of our fellowship,
the communion of saints,
and that as they hear
your word
and as they watch on,
may they know
the touch of your spirit,
the blessing of your peace also.
May you bless us together
as a people,
bless us as a town
and as islands
and even as a nation now,
Lord,
that we would see
your spirit come in power,
that we would see,
oh Lord,
your hand upon us for good
when we are in disarray
and turning away
from you,
Lord.
May you come
and speak a powerful
word into our midst,
that we would see
a people turning to you,
a people ruling over us
by your word
and by your spirit.
Remember those who need you
in particular ways as well.
We remember those
who are unwell,
those who are in hospital,
those who are grieving
the loss of loved ones.
Lord,
we know so often
that we can feel alone
in these things,
but we thank you
for a praying people.
We thank you
for the unity in Christ
and the power of prayer
and surround those
who need you
in particular ways.
Oh Lord,
that you will comfort
and draw near to each.
We do thank you,
Lord,
for your church
far and wide.
We thank you
that you have your people,
your saints
throughout the world,
that you have your church
in all corners,
a persecuted church
a growing church,
a church
with its foundation
in Christ Jesus
and therefore
a church
and a people
with that assurance
that the gates of hell
will never prevail
against it.
So we thank you
that your kingdom
comes in power
and we pray,
Lord,
that you will bless
your word
to all ends
of the earth
and you will minister
to us
and that you will guide us
and help us
to be a faithful people,
trusting
and praying always
and looking unto you.
May you continue
with us
then this evening hour
and go before us
into this night
and into the morrow
as well,
Lord.
Take care of us,
guide us
and keep us.
Bless us,
we pray,
and we ask all
with the forgiveness
of our sins.
In Jesus'
precious name,
Amen.
Let's further sing
to God's praise.
We're singing in Psalm 4
in the Sing Psalms.
Psalm 4 in the Sing Psalms.
It's on page 4.
We're singing from verse 3,
verse 3 down to the end
of the psalm.
Psalm 4 in the Sing Psalms
at verse 3.
Know that the Lord
has set apart
the godly as his own.
The Lord will hear me
when I call
and my request
make known.
We'll sing from verse 3 to 8,
the tune is Earshire.
We sing to God's praise.
Amen.
Let's sing to God's praise.
Amen.
Know that the Lord
has set apart
the godly as his own.
The Lord will hear me
when I call
And thy request may go
In anger do not pay God's law
Consider and be still
Present a righteous sacrifice
And wait upon his will
For who can show us any good
I hear so many say
O Lord, shine on us with your light
Show us your face, I pray
You filled my heart with bitter joy
The mother's sake of fire
As they rejoice at harvest time
When pain and wine abound
I will lie down and sleep in these
My heart will rest secure
For you alone, O gracious Lord
Will keep me safe and sure
Let's turn to read in God's word
In the Old Testament
We're going to read in the prophecy of Isaiah
Isaiah chapter 6
We can read the whole of this chapter together
Isaiah chapter 6
From the beginning
In the year that King Uzziah died
I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne
High and lifted up
And the train of his robe filled the temple
Above him stood the seraphim
Each had six wings
With two he covered his face
With two he covered his feet
And with two he flew
And one called 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
Shook at the voice of him who called
And the house was filled with smoke
And I said, woe is me
For I am lost
For 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
Then one of the seraphim flew to me
Having in his hand
Having in his hand a burning coal
That he had taken with tongs
From the altar
And he touched my mouth
And said
Behold, this has touched your lips
Your guilt is taken away
And your sin atoned for
And 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
And he said
Go
And say to this people
Keep on hearing
But do not understand
Keep on seeing
But do not perceive
Make the heart of this people dull
And their ears heavy
And blind their eyes
Lest they see with their eyes
And hear with their ears
And understand with their hearts
And turn
And be healed
Then I said
How long, O Lord?
And he said
Until the cities lie waste
Without inhabitant
And houses without people
And the land is a desolate waste
And the Lord removes people far away
And the forsaken places are many
In the midst of the land
And though a tenth remain in it
It will be burned again
Like a terebinth or an oak
Whose stump remains when it is felled
The holy seed is its stump
Amen
And may God bless
That reading from his word
Before we turn back to that passage
We'll again sing to God's praise
This time in Psalm 37
In the Scottish Psalter
Psalm 37
At the beginning of the psalm
On page 252
We're going to sing
From verse 1 to verse 6
For evildoers
Fret thou not
Thyself unquietly
Nor do thou envy
Bear to those
That work iniquity
For even like unto the grass
Soon be cut down
Shall they
Like the green
And tender herb
They wither
Shall away
Then the psalmist
Goes on to say
Set thou
Thy trust
Upon the Lord
And be thou doing good
And so thou
In the land
Shalt dwell
And verily
Have food
And so on
We'll sing from verse 1
To verse 6
And the tune is
Grafenberg
And we sing
To God's praise
For evil
Do worship
The love
Thy self
Unquietly
Nor do
The love
In me
Bear to those
That work
Iniquity
Born
Even like
Unto the grass
Soon be
God
Thou
Shall they
Unlike
The green
Of tender herb
They wither
Shall
Thou
Wain
Set
Thou
My
Trust
Upon
The Lord
And be
Thou
Doing
Good
And so
Thou
In the land
Shalt
Well
And
Better
Be
Comfort
Delight
Thou
Self
In
God
He'll
Give
Thy
Hearts
Beside
To
Thee
Thy
Way
Father
And
thine
Unto
The
Light
Whe
Shall
Thy
Righteous
こ
test
Plain
And he thy judgment shall bring forth like noontide of the day.
We can turn back now to a reading in Prophecy of Isaiah, reading in chapter 6.
In Isaiah chapter 6, we're going to look at verse 1 to verse 8 together this evening.
We'll just read again in verse 1.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.
Amen.
This evening as we come, we come to prepare our hearts and we examine ourselves as we prepare to take the Lord's Supper together.
Part of that examination is looking around us and we see all that's going on.
But more importantly, we look at ourselves and look within.
And we ask, well, what do we see within ourselves?
As we look at this passage together this evening, what we find is the Lord bringing Isaiah to his knees.
Bringing him to look around and see what's happening to the nation around him.
And then looking within himself and seeing what's going on in his own heart.
But then the focus changes.
And that's the main thing about preparing ourselves.
To take the Lord's Supper.
We look around what's going on around ourselves.
We look at ourselves and we look within ourselves and we feel this sense of unworthiness.
But as we prepare, we want to see that our focus is then turned away from ourselves to someone else.
We look to the Lord.
Have you ever taken part in a survey?
I'm sure the majority of you here this evening have taken part of a survey of one kind or another.
And one of them is perhaps the survey that you've had to do in the last year that the results are now coming out for.
And that survey is the national census that is taken every 10 years.
In that survey, people answer a number of different questions.
They look at the national statistics for all sorts of things.
Age profiles, working status, education, ethnicity, and faith.
And the results of this census have started to come out even in this past week.
And it always makes the main headlines, and especially the results when it comes to faith.
Some people get very excited about these results.
And even in this past week, there's been much gloating among many.
Again, seeing, as it were, a decline in the Christian faith.
The statistics are showing that there is a decline in the number of people who are putting themselves down as Christian on the survey.
To the delight of so many.
Taking great pride in this, that we're now saying that we're no longer a Christian nation.
And the decline, if you like, has been there in terms of the census for a long period of time.
If you look from 1930 through to the last one in 2010,
there was a reduction of about 50% of those who are professing to be Christian.
And now it's below 50% who are saying that they are of the Christian faith for the first time.
But what we have to remember with these kinds of surveys,
that we don't lose heart in them.
For they don't tell us everything.
People may delight in some of these results that are coming out.
But we weep.
We weep at a nation that's turning away from God.
But we weep in a way that we remember the one who is high and sovereign and lifted up.
If you're selling or buying a house, it has to have a survey done.
But very often the surveyor isn't able to tell you everything.
Because there are parts that are hidden.
Or parts that they cannot get access to.
So the survey isn't complete in that sense.
There's the hidden things behind it.
And as we think of our national census that's been taken,
there are things that are hidden from the eyes of those who are gloating.
And they are the things that we see.
Isaiah in his own survey here in Isaiah chapter 6,
coming to realize what is important for a nation.
When he surveys the situation of the land, the nation that he is living in,
when he surveys what's happening all around him,
and where he is in it all,
he comes to realize what's important.
In many ways, in Isaiah's days, like in our own day,
things may seem bleak.
There may be so many things that would discourage us
for our nation and for our people.
But what Isaiah finds, and what we are to see as well,
is in the sorrow of our situation,
we're not just to look on the surface of things.
We're to think of our survey going down much deeper.
Something else and something greater.
It reveals much about the situation that Isaiah's in,
reveals much about himself,
but it reminds him of God.
And so as we examine ourselves tonight,
as we think about all that's going on around us,
as we think of our own hearts,
what we want to see is what Isaiah saw.
The Lord sitting upon the throne.
The one who is overruling in all things.
And our survey, as we see here,
is going to take us to see five different things.
Five different things that Isaiah sees or knows
in this situation.
And if you like, it's a step-by-step,
turning away from just looking around
to coming to fix his eyes on the Lord.
And that's what I want us all to do this evening together as well.
To look around us,
to look within us,
but ultimately to look to the Lord.
And to see and remind ourselves
that the Lord is still lifted up,
high on the throne,
and ruling,
and that we are to trust in him.
The first thing we see here in Isaiah's survey
is the ache,
the pain that there is.
The opening words tell us in this chapter,
in the year that King Uzziah died.
What's the significance of this?
Is there any significance in these opening words,
you might ask?
Well, it is significant.
And it tells us the situation
of which Isaiah is surveying.
The situation in which he is looking around.
Normally, as you read through the scriptures,
you find that when a king passes away,
what's mentioned is the length of his reign.
So normally this would have said,
in the 52nd year of King Uzziah,
but it doesn't say that here.
It says, in the year that King Uzziah died.
There's something going on here,
something important.
And what the Lord is showing Isaiah is
that Uzziah, who had reigned for 52 years,
reigned over a time of prosperity for the people,
a time of much material blessing for the people,
a time of much progress for the people,
but now we are seeing it's a time of great pain for the people.
There's an ache in this nation.
There's a pain in this nation.
A lot has changed with the passing of Uzziah.
The year that King Uzziah died was significant.
It disturbed the nation,
disturbed Isaiah himself.
As he opens this chapter,
we see that it's in the year that King Uzziah died.
It's that signaled the end of a time of great prosperity,
a time of great consistency within the nation.
But was it all good?
Was it all healthy?
Well, all you have to do is read the opening five chapters of Isaiah,
and you see it was not.
There was much material blessing.
There was much prosperity in the land,
but it all was not well.
There was woe.
There was pain.
There was wickedness going on all around them.
Bit by bit,
they were turning away from the Lord.
There was judgment coming upon the people.
And that's made clear for us,
as Isaiah has given his commission later on in this chapter.
It is going to get worse before it gets better.
And that's so often the case in a time of prosperity and blessing
in that one sense where everything's going well for a people,
and yet the people forget the Lord.
And what can we say about our own day?
What can we say as we describe our own day in which we live?
It's so very similar to the year in which King Uzziah died.
When we think about this year,
as we come to the end of what has been a momentous year in so many ways,
we come to the end of the year in which Queen Elizabeth II died.
Having reigned for so long over our nation,
having seen so much blessing over our land,
it comes now to a time of great uncertainty.
As we see our world in which we live and the chaos all around us,
in a year in which war has broken out in the Ukraine
between them and the Russians,
and so much instability in the world in which we're living in,
so much fear and anxiety all around the world,
in a year in which COVID has still been so prevalent in all our lives,
in a year of so much uncertainty in the financial sense,
in a year of so many pressures bearing down upon our people,
what do we say about this year?
There's so much worry, so much anxiety.
There is an ache in so many people's lives,
in so many people's hearts.
It's a time of change,
and a time of change is always a time of great uncertainty,
but it's a time to survey.
As we come to the end of this year,
as we come even to this weekend,
as we come to the Lord's Supper,
God willing, tomorrow,
it's a time when we look around,
when we see all that's going on around us,
we see all the hurt and the ache and the pain that there is,
but are we just looking at it on the surface,
or are we looking deeper?
Well, Isaiah was looking beyond that.
There was an ache.
There was so much pain going on around him.
In the year that King Uzziah died,
it was a significant year.
But what it leads to is a greater vision of what is important.
And for ourselves this evening,
the ache that we know,
the pain that we see in ourselves or all around us,
it should take us to look and see
what is truly important in life.
Well, what did Isaiah see?
And what are we to see?
The second thing we see here is the aura.
It's so often spoken about
that people have this great aura about them.
There's just something about certain people.
They describe this aura that's around them.
But there's no greater aura than what we see in the Lord.
And that is what Isaiah came to see.
In the year that King Uzziah died,
what did he see?
He saw the Lord sitting upon a throne,
high and lifted up.
He saw a greater king.
He saw one who would rule forever.
One whose reign was going to go on and on.
One who is described as the holy seed
is its stamp at the end of this chapter.
Our Lord will reign eternal.
Our Lord will reign forever.
Earthly kings and queens will come and go.
We will come and go.
But the Lord will reign forever.
And what he saw was the Lord sitting upon a throne,
high and lifted up.
So in the midst of the pain of Isaiah's death
and the doubts about what the future may hold now,
there is this great reminder that the Lord is sovereign
and ruling over all things.
Isaiah is reminded who is really in control
and his need to focus on him.
The survey takes him to see the times of turmoil
and the times of trouble that are going on around them
as just seeing the surface.
But now to come and see that the one who's sovereign is the Lord,
that underneath are the everlasting arms of God,
the one who has promised through covenant mercy to his people,
that he will be with them,
that he will uphold them.
And what does he see of the Lord?
Well, we see so much of what he's looking at here.
He comes to see so many things about God.
First of all, he sees his position.
He sees where he is.
He's high and lifted up, sitting upon a throne.
He is the Lord in all his glory.
Isaiah and all the people have been so focused on King Uzziah,
giving praise to him for all the prosperity that they had.
But now he is gone.
Now he is taken away.
And when life seems to fall apart
and everything seems to be going wrong,
where does his focus come?
It comes on the Lord who is sovereign,
the one who is high and lifted up.
Where do our eyes go today?
Where do our eyes go tonight?
As we look around us, as we feel anxious,
as we feel troubled,
do we see the Lord lifted up?
Even as we think of how it speaks here of the Lord God lifted up,
sitting on his throne,
we remember the Lord Jesus,
the one who was lifted up,
not on a throne,
but on a cross.
The one who was lifted up
and that all who would look to him would find mercy,
would find forgiveness,
would find peace.
We come to look at the Lord who came down for us,
who came down for his people.
We see him lifted up,
but one who then ascended up on high
and who sits on the throne
at the right hand of God the Father.
We have a great God
and a great King.
And what did he see of God here?
He was high and lifted up,
but he also saw that this was a holy God.
He was a holy God,
as it goes on to say,
around him with a seraphim.
And they were calling out,
Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord of hosts.
The whole earth is full of his glory.
He is a holy God.
When we think of that too,
how unworthy we are
even to come into his presence.
This is a holy God.
But Isaiah comes to learn
that it's not about a king in Uzziah
who can help.
It's not about himself, Isaiah,
who can help in this situation.
But it's about this holy God.
Uzziah might have done much good
for the nation,
but there is no good apart from God.
And God is holy.
He is deserving of all praise.
He deserves all glory
from us as his people.
And when you think about yourself tonight,
when all your life is stripped bare,
what do you have?
What do you look to?
Who do you look to
to find help and comfort and blessing?
Sometimes we need everything else stripped away.
Just like this nation of God,
this people was having everything stripped away.
They were going to be taken into exile.
They were going to suffer,
but they needed that.
So they might come to see the glory of God,
the only one who could help.
And so where is our focus this night?
Are we giving glory to God,
the one who is holy, holy, holy?
I say I seize the holiness of God.
But then he also sees something else as well.
He saw the presence of God.
The whole earth is full of his glory,
they were saying.
And the foundations and the threshold shook
at the voice of him who called,
and the house was filled with smoke.
The presence of God was there in a powerful way.
I say, Isaiah may be gone,
but God, the Lord, is reminding them
that he is there for them.
And that's so often the reminder
that we have throughout Scripture.
We see and remember the truth
that God promises to be with his people.
That as we call on him,
he hears our cry.
As we, in our desperation,
as we see our great needs in this world,
if we call on him,
he is there.
If we trust in him,
we are never alone.
And maybe you're anxious this evening.
Is the Lord with me?
Can I really know him?
Well, the promise of his word is
that he will be with you always.
That is his promise.
The presence of God is with his people.
Isaiah, he saw the Lord.
He saw the aura, the glory of God.
And that is what we are to see ourselves.
The third thing that we see
as Isaiah surveys here
is an awareness.
An awareness within himself.
So he's been looking around.
He's been looking at the nation.
He's been looking at the people.
Everything that's going on around them.
But now he begins to look at himself.
And how did he respond in this circumstance?
As he saw the glory of God,
what happened to Isaiah
and the death of Isaiah, the king,
and all this being taken away from the people?
Isaiah became aware
that he had been relying on his earthly king.
But the people had been trusting in Isaiah
instead of relying on the heavenly king.
Instead of relying on the Lord
who is high and lifted up.
And now what he realizes is
is he has seen the glory of the Lord
as the error of his way.
And look at what it makes him say
in verse 5.
And I said,
Woe is me
for I am lost.
I am a man of unclean lips
and I dwell in the midst
of a people of unclean lips.
From my eyes
I've seen the king,
the lord of hosts.
The more he sees the king,
the lord of hosts,
the more he realizes
how lost he is.
Oh, that we would see that ourselves.
That we would recognize
those words of Isaiah for ourselves.
Woe is me
for I am lost.
There is a realization,
there is a recognition here
that apart from God
we are as good as dead.
We fall short of his glory.
Isaiah and so many of the people
with him in that day
would have thought all is well.
We have a good king in Isaiah.
We have a great prosperity
in our land.
All is going well.
But underneath
there is something
seriously wrong.
And it's only when we see God
that we begin to realize
no matter how good our life is
apart from God
there is nothing there
at the end of the day for us.
We are as good as dead.
And when Isaiah sees
the glory of God
all he can say is
woe is me
for I am lost.
Have you come to that point yourself?
You begin to see
the wonder of God
the glory of God
and the passion of Christ.
And is it making you say
woe is me
I am as good as lost.
I am not worthy
of the least
of these mercies.
The glory of God
just stops us
in our tracks.
It's never a nice time of year
just now
to be out driving
when the late afternoon
when it's starting
to get dark
or into the evening.
Especially when you're driving
and there's another car
coming towards you.
And it can be so dazzling.
The lights of the other car
can be so bright.
You almost have to slow down
to a stop sometimes
because it's just
putting you into a blindness.
You can't see
where you're going.
Well the glory of God
is just that to us.
It stops us
in our tracks.
The glory of God
is a powerful thing.
And when Isaiah sees it
he's there in the temple.
He sees the glory of God.
And it just stops.
Woe
is me.
The closer we come
to God
the more we hear
of this Christ
who died
for our sins.
The more we see
that it was our sins
that put him there.
The more we see
woe is me.
For I am lost.
So Isaiah was coming
to see that.
And our conclusion
may be that
very same conclusion
as Isaiah
that we
are lost.
And that's where
our survey
or examination
will take us.
We feel
lost.
But we remember
the shepherd
who came
to seek
the lost.
The good shepherd
who came
even for that one sheep
who was still missing.
He came
to bring
that sheep in.
And so as we move on
the fourth thing
that we see here
is the assurance
that Isaiah
has given.
The assurance
in God's word
that when we draw near
to him
he will draw near
to us.
Isaiah
feels
lost.
He is a man
of unclean lips
when he sees
the king
the lord of hosts.
Then in verse 6
it goes on to say
then one of the seraphim
flew to me
having in his hand
a burning coal
they had taken
with tongs
from the altar
and he touched
my mouth
and said
behold
this has touched
your lips
your guilt
is taken away
and your sin
atoned for.
There is this great
assurance
to Isaiah.
There is this great
assurance
that as we see
our sin
and as we repent
of our sin
as we come
to the sacrifice
of the Lord
Jesus Christ
that there
we find the place
where our sin
our guilt
is taken away
and our sin
atoned for
at the cross
of Jesus Christ.
Christ.
In John chapter 6
Jesus says
all
that the father
gives me
will come to me
and whoever
comes to me
I will never
cast out.
So if you come
you have that
promise
you have that
assurance
he will never
cast you out.
yes you feel
woe is me
yes you feel
I am lost
but as you
trust
in the sacrifice
that Christ
has made
as you put
your trust
in him
your sin
is atoned
for
your guilt
is taken
away
through faith
in the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Isaiah
found that
as he came
near to God
God was a
God of glory
that he was
lost and unclean
but that God
was able
to save
and that's
what we have
in the sacrament
of the Lord's
supper.
We remember
what he has
done
what we could
never and
cannot ever
do ourselves
he gave
his body
he shed
his blood
so we might
have that
assurance
that through
faith in him
our sin
is atoned
for
so we
examine
ourselves
to that
end as well
thanks to
God
that the Lord
does not
just point
out our
sins
and say
look
at all
the things
that you
have done
wrong
that's what
we'll do
we'll examine
ourselves
and say
how could I
possibly come
before this
holy God
this God
of glory
how could I
possibly come
and sit at
the Lord's
table
we don't
come through
what we have
done
we come
through what
has been
done for
us
through the
cleansing
blood
of Christ
our sins
are atoned
for
with the
precious
blood
of Christ
so what
you see
is
he is
beholding
the glory
of God
and the
more he
is beholding
the glory
of God
the more
he sees
the wonder
of sin
atoned
for
the more
he sees
the wonder
of the
grace
of God
and for
us today
we behold
this glory
in the
portion
of Christ
we come
through
faith
in him
so him
writer
says
when I
survey
the wondrous
cross
on which
the prince
of glory
died
my riches
gain
I count
but lost
loss
and poor
contempt
on all
my pride
forbidden
Lord
that I
should boast
save in
the death
of Christ
my God
all the vain
things that
char me
most
I sacrifice
them
through
his blood
where the
whole world
the realm
of nature
mine
that were
a present
far too
small
love
so amazing
so divine
demands
my soul
my life
my all
the assurance
that God
gives
that when we
come through
faith
our sins
are forgiven
it makes a
demand
of us
demands
our life
demands
our all
and so the
final thing
that we see
here is
that through
this assurance
that Isaiah
is given
we see
finally
the availability
in verse
8 it says
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
what a
transformation
has taken
place
woe is
me
for I
am lost
but now
through the
assurance
that God
gives
and a
greater
vision
of God
inspires
him
that whatever
he will do
it for
God
and that
is the
challenge
to ourselves
this evening
as we
examine
ourselves
do we
put ourselves
into the
hands of
God
and say
here
am I
yes
I'm a
sinner
yes
I'm
unworthy
but here
am I
Lord
send
me
Lord
use
me
as Isaiah
realizes
that he
is redeemed
he also
realizes
he is
ready
do you
realize
that through
faith
you are
redeemed
and therefore
you are
ready
you are
ready to
come
to the
Lord's
table
you are
ready to
come
to be
used
by God
to be
sent
by God
to whatever
ends
he has
prepared
for you
to make
yourself
available
to put
yourself
into
his
hands
the hands
of this
God
the Lord
of hosts
high and
lifted up
the one
who is
able
Isaiah
realizes
this
and he
says
here am
I
send
me
what a
brilliant
transformation
are you
trusting
and making
yourself
available
are you
coming
in faith
to the
table of
the Lord
trusting
in him
who has
prepared
it for
you
the one
who says
there is
a place
for you
his word
may sear
your heart
but may
touch
your lips
and may
you see
that though
you are
still saying
what I say
a woe
is me
may your
lips be
touched
by Christ
that you
may profess
him
there is
a story
told
it was
late
in 1903
and there
was a
pastor
in West
Wales
who had
been
ministering
for a
number of
years
there
and he
was
growing
weary
and grieved
by the
worldiness
of the
young
people
in that
village
and how
little
devotion
they had
to the
Lord
Jesus
he was
concerned
and troubled
for them
and as
his burden
grew
he arranged
for a
special
two day
youth
meeting
to take
place
over the
new year
many of
the young
people
were invited
and messages
were preached
that spoke
to the
hearts
of many
of these
young
people
the word
of God
was powerful
and it
made a
deep
impression
on them
and especially
on one
young
girl
a teenage
girl
named
Flory
Evans
she was
maybe in
her late
teens
at this
point
but she
was
challenged
by what
she heard
troubled
by what
she heard
so just
a few
weeks
after
this
event
she was
so
troubled
in her
heart
she was
grieving
over her
life
that she
came to
speak
to the
pastor
one
evening
she
shared
how
troubled
she
was
and she
realized
she
couldn't
rescue
herself
but what
happened
in her
life
was this
she came
to the
conclusion
that she
knew
I cannot
go on
like this
and the
pastor
asked
young
Flory
he said
to her
can you
say
my
Lord
of the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
she
couldn't
answer
but she
was left
pondering
this
question
soon after
she was
converted
she gave
her heart
to the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
and now
she was
wanting to
be obedient
to him
but her
heart was
so troubled
by her
own
nature
she was
such a
shy
girl
she
just
couldn't
speak
out
for the
Lord
but one
Sunday
evening
in February
she heard
the minister
ask an
assembled
crowd of
the youth
what Jesus
meant to
them
he was
looking around
the room
for an
answer
not just
in a
general
sense
but to
actually hear
what Jesus
meant
to them
he asked
what does
Jesus
mean to
you
there was
silence
in the room
no one
was speaking
then after
a minute
or so
Flory
stood
to answer
and she
said
I love
the Lord
Jesus
with all
my heart
and as
she spoke
those words
the spirit
of God
moved
in that
place
and those
who heard
her saying
it began
to understand
the love
of Christ
that had
touched
this young
girl's
heart
and there
was a
great
movement
of the
spirit
in Wales
in 1904
this was
the beginning
of a mighty
revival
the Welsh
revival
of 1904
1905
a young
girl
a shy
girl
stood
on the
side
of the
Lord
and said
I love
the Lord
with all
my heart
can we
say that
in a year
when so
much
has changed
when so
much is
going on
around us
may we
see the
Lord
high
and lifted
up
ruling
over all
our woes
and see a
gracious
saviour
who has
come
to save
us
and that we
would come
and worship
him
can you
say
my
Lord
of the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
can you
say
I love
the Lord
with all
my heart
then your
sins
are forgiven
your sins
are atoned
for
because
through faith
in him
he does
that
for you
that love
demands
our all
it demands
a response
and the
greatest
response
we can
give
is to
come
and do
this
in remembrance
of him
we examine
ourselves
we feel
unworthy
we feel
woe is me
for I am a
man of
unclean
lips
but we
lift our
eyes
to the
Lord
the one
who rules
on high
we fix
our eyes
on Jesus
the one
who was
lifted up
may we
see him
in all
his glory
and see
ourselves
unworthy
as we
are
but to be
able to
say I
love the
Lord
with all
my heart
let us
pray
Herrn
Lord
help us
please
help us
lives. Help us, Lord, that we may be able to profess the Lord as my Lord and to say I love
the Lord with all my heart. Lord, help us and strengthen us for it as we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
We're going to conclude by singing to God's praise in Psalm 116.
Psalm 116. We're singing from verse 11 down to the end of the psalm.
I said when I was in my haste that all men liars be. What shall I render to the Lord for all his
gifts to me? I love salvation. Take the cup on God's name will I call. I'll pay my vows now to
the Lord before his people all. We sing from verse 11 to 19 to God's praise and the tune is rest.
I said when I was in my haste that all men liars be. What shall I render to the Lord for all his
gifts to me? I love salvation. Take the cup on God's name will I call. I'll pay my vows now to the Lord.
The Lord before his people all.
The Lord in God's sight is his sin's death.
.
And all things I to thee will give, and on God's name will call.
I'll pay my arms now to the Lord, before his people all.
Within the courts of God's own hearts, within the midst of thee, O city of Jerusalem,
Father, praise to the Lord, dear thee.
After the benediction, I'll go to the main door.
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit rest upon,
and abide with us all now and forevermore.
Amen.