Well, it'd be great if you could have your Bibles open at Isaiah chapter 6.
And as you're turning there, let me just say thank you for having me today.
It's been a real joy to be with you and to be able to preach and see your faces.
And we will be praying for you in London City Presbyterian Church.
We are so thankful for our partnership in the gospel,
for the connections that we have with this congregation.
And we're so glad that we are in this together.
And it's been a real joy just to worship with brothers and sisters in Christ in London.
Especially for me.
So thank you for today.
Well, I want to get going this evening with a question.
And the question is this.
Can you remember the last time you were awestruck at something in life?
When was the last time something caused your jaw to drop, your eyes to pop out your head?
When was the last time you gasped in amazement?
Or you were stunned into silence at something you beheld?
The last time I was left awestruck happened just last year.
It was a Sunday evening.
I had just finished preaching in London City Pres.
And along with three other friends from the congregation,
we decided that we would go and join the really, really, really long queue
to see the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall.
We rushed out of church, sprinted across Tower Bridge,
and we managed to find the back of the queue.
And we were among the last to join before the queue closed.
It was 7 p.m.
And we queued for nine and a half long hours.
And then at 4.30 a.m. on Monday morning,
we wearily wandered in to Westminster Hall.
And I suspect some of you may have done the same.
But as for as long as I live,
and I'm no diehard royalist in that sense,
but as for as long as I live,
I will never forget the scene that greeted us that morning.
We walked into this room,
pregnant with ancient history.
And there in the middle of it
was the longest reigning monarch
of Great Britain and the Commonwealth.
A coffin just seven foot.
But there was something that left me awestruck.
When you had to fall past it,
you had to look up.
She was raised in a plinth,
and there was the royal standard.
There was the imperial crown
with its 3,000 diamonds,
with its 300 perils,
with its emeralds and rubies
just glistening, dazzling, mesmerizing.
There was a scepter and the orb
propped up on top of the coffin.
I just can't put it into words,
but it will be for me
one of the most memorable experiences
I've ever had.
And I had to remind myself,
Andy, this is just a dead monarch.
But even still,
as I stood in front of a coffin
with the remains of our late queen,
I couldn't but stand in awe and respect.
We'll contrast that
with the prophet Isaiah's experience
when he wandered into the temple,
and he was given a glimpse,
not of a dead monarch,
but of a living,
the living and glorious king of glory.
Tonight, I want us,
my prayer for us
is that we would be left awestruck
at the sight of the glory of God.
That tonight we would be stunned
into silence at the grace of God.
That we would gasp in amazement
as our glorious king
invites us into service of Him.
Let's just pray and ask for God's help
as we come to this passage.
God, we pray that you would open up our eyes
as we've opened up your word.
We pray that you would turn up the volume
of the Holy Spirit speaking tonight.
We pray that as we come
to behold you afresh in your word,
that we would see you for who you are.
And that as we leave here this evening,
we would leave transformed
as a result of this life-changing vision.
We pray this in your son's glorious
and precious name.
Amen.
What we have in Isaiah chapter 6
is the occasion when Israel's young,
pious prophet went up to the temple
to worship God,
but he did not come back out
the same way he went in.
There in the temple,
Isaiah had a life-transforming vision
of who God is.
And we've got four points
we're going to consider this text with.
God, because Isaiah receives
a vision of who God is.
Guilt, because in light of who God is
he becomes overcome
with his sinfulness and guilt.
Grace, because there in the presence of God
he experiences the amazing forgiveness
that God offers.
And finally, gratitude,
because Isaiah responds
with a heart filled with thankfulness.
God, guilt, grace, gratitude.
Verse 1.
In the year that King Uzziah died,
I saw the Lord.
Isaiah's opening statement
dates this experience to 740 BC.
It also informs us that he had this vision
at a timely moment in his own personal life
as a prophet
and for the nation as a whole.
2022 will go down in the history books
as the end of the second Elizabethan age.
It will go down in the history books
as the end of an era.
It will go down in the history books
because it will probably be
the last time there will be
such widespread mourning
in our nation over one individual.
You can well imagine
that the day when Isaiah
walked up to the temple,
that sad situation
that had overcome the nation of Israel,
the passing of King Uzziah,
overwhelmed him and burdened him.
He was God's prophet for the people.
King Uzziah,
just like our late queen,
had been one of the longest reigning
monarchs of Israel.
52 years.
For most of his reign,
it was a time of peace
and prosperity.
It was the end of an age.
And so picture Isaiah walking up
to the temple with a heavy heart,
but don't you just love God's timing
when Israel's throne was vacant,
God gave Isaiah a vision
of heaven's throne occupied.
When everything fell out of control
in the nation,
God gave Isaiah a vision
of the one who was in complete control.
The one who was gloriously
working his purposes out
for his people.
I don't know what's going on
in your personal life.
I don't know what's going on
in this congregation's life.
I do know what's going on
in the world
from what we read in the headlines,
but our world feels out of control.
And so maybe it's a timely vision for us,
it's a timely moment for us
to get a fresh vision
of who God is.
The first thing that Isaiah saw,
we read in the year
that King Uzziah died,
I saw the Lord
sitting upon a throne,
high and lifted up.
Note God's position
to reflect the fact
that He is the preeminent one,
the supreme one,
the most high one,
the exalted one.
When you went to see
the queen lying in state,
our coffin,
they had really raised her up
in a plinth,
so you really had to look up.
It was befitting.
She was worthy of honor.
She was worthy of our respect.
But here,
we can only wonder
how high Isaiah had to lift his head.
because he saw the one
who sits enthroned
above the circle of the earth,
the most high,
the one above all powers,
all authorities,
all dominions.
I don't know about you,
but for myself,
one of the problems I suffer from
is spiritual amnesia.
Constantly forgetting
how glorious God is.
I suffer from this problem
that when I forget who He is,
I'm tempted to reduce Him
down to a size
where I'm comfortable with Him,
where I try and fit Him
into my life
instead of realizing
that my life fits
into His purposes.
I need to be reminded
of just how great
and glorious God is,
and that is where
this vision begins.
Isaiah saw the Lord
sitting on His throne
high and lifted up.
And then he goes on
and he says
he saw the train of His robe
and it filled the temple.
For the young ones,
you might be studying history
at school,
you might remember
that in history
that we're taught
about the ancient kings,
whether it's in Babylon,
Mesopotamia,
that the greatness of a king
would be reflected,
demonstrated,
showcased in the length
of the train of His robe.
The greater a king,
the longer the robe.
The more victories he had
over his opposing kingdoms,
the more they would increase
the size of his robe.
Well, here's Isaiah.
He catches a glimpse of God
and we read
that he saw
that the train of His robe
filled the temple.
In the Hebrew,
the idea is he saw
the hem of His garment,
just the outer edge.
And it filled the temple.
And the point is
how overwhelming
God is in His greatness.
How much more there was
to God that Isaiah couldn't see.
He just saw the very edge,
but it filled the temple.
God's far more glorious
and greater than you and I
have ever dared to imagine.
vision.
We need our eyes open
to this sheer overwhelming
vision of who God is.
Again, I don't know about you,
but in my spiritual life,
whether it's I wake up in the morning
and I check the headlines
on my phone,
or whether I just wake up
with all the worries
of the day or the week ahead,
I can find that they fill
the vision of my mind and heart.
And the one who should loom
the largest in my mind and heart
doesn't.
Well, here Isaiah's vision
of who God is
calls us afresh
to see that God
ought to loom large
in our minds,
hearts, and souls
because He truly is
far greater than we've ever dared
to imagine.
Now, Isaiah's vision
of who God is
deepens with what happens next
because He gets a glimpse
of these creatures
called seraphim.
The only time we ever read
about these creatures
is here.
In the Hebrew,
the word seraphim
at its root
literally means to burn.
These are burning,
fiery creatures
created by God
to dwell in the
holy presence of God.
We're told about
these seraphim
they've got six wings.
With two,
they covered their feet.
With two,
they flew.
And with two,
they covered their face.
Think about this.
These creatures
created by God
holy and sinless
to live in His presence
have to cover their face.
Such is the dazzling intensity
of the beauty
of God's holiness.
With two,
they cover their feet.
Such is their awareness
that in the presence of God,
they are on holy ground
and they are unworthy
to be in His presence.
With two,
they flew.
Such is their awareness
that they were created
by God
to do His bidding
at any moment
to be His heavenly messengers,
to carry out His will.
You know,
when you're young,
your parents tell you,
don't look at the sun.
You can't look at the sun.
These holy creatures
made to live
in God's presence,
made to do God's bidding,
could not look
in the face
of their maker
and king.
strange,
but when I was
looking at the Queen's Coughing
with the Imperial Crown,
it was mesmerizing,
but you know
when something's overwhelming
in its beauty
and its power,
it's dazzling,
you can't
linger long.
You have to look away.
The posture of these seraphim
is significant
because
in just a moment
we're going to see
their posture reflected
in Isaiah.
So get this,
as we think of the Lord
high and lifted up,
the train of His robe
filling the temple,
we've got these seraphim
who surround them,
who shield their faces,
who are ready to serve,
but then notice
that we are told
that in verse 3,
one called to another
and said,
Holy,
Holy
is the Lord of hosts,
the Lord of angel armies,
the whole earth
is full
of
His
glory.
These angels
sing to one another
about the
extraordinary
nature of God.
And they sing
in antiphonal praise.
One says,
Holy,
another one says,
Holy back,
another one says,
Holy back,
the Lord
of hosts.
The whole earth
is full
of His
glory.
It's the only time
in the Bible,
here in Isaiah
and then in Revelation,
that we read
of any of God's attributes
repeated three times
and it's
His holiness.
It is a
supersuperlative.
In Hebrew,
you want to make a point,
you'll say something
is the best
of the best,
you'll say
King of kings
or Lord of lords
or songs of songs.
You repeat something
three times
and it's in a category
altogether
of its own.
It is set apart,
it is separate,
it is the purpose
of saying that God
is holy,
He is in a class
all of
His
own.
I don't know
what you think of
when you think of
the holiness of God
but listen to
A.W. Tozer.
We cannot grasp
the true meaning
of the divine holiness
by thinking of someone
or something
very pure
and then raising
the concept
to the highest degree
we're capable of.
God's holiness
is not simply
the best we know
infinitely bettered,
it stands apart,
unique,
unapproached,
incomprehensible
and unattainable.
The natural man
is blind to it.
He may fear
God's power,
admire God's wisdom
but His holiness
he cannot
even
begin
to imagine.
God's holiness
is truly
extraordinary.
You know what else
it is?
It's also
truly thrilling.
these fiery creatures
burned to the very
bottom of their being
in delightful praise
of God
in all of His holiness.
We sing about
what we delight in.
We sing love songs
because we love
love and lovers.
We sing about
our favorite football teams.
Here these angels
sing about
their glorious God
because they delight
in Him.
I want you to notice
that in response
to the singing
of God's holiness
we read in verse 4
and the foundations
of the thresholds
shook at the voice
of Him
who called
and the house
was filled
with smoke.
Anytime you read
about God
being worshipped
in the splendor
of His holiness
like in Psalm 96
you'll read
that the nations
tremble,
the earth shakes.
Brothers and sisters
as we catch
a glimpse
of God
and His holiness
in this vision
we should be shaken
to the core
of our being.
Let me be really honest
with you.
My life
is marked
by callous worship
careless living
compromised godliness
and casualness
in my Christianity
and passivity
in my service
when I have lost sight
of God
and His holiness.
Amen.
And so as we
enter the temple
as it were
and see this vision
we're being called
back to who God is.
Now our first point
is the longest point.
Isaiah gets this vision
of who God is.
Well now we come
to our second point.
After seeing God
for who He is
Isaiah comes
to see himself
for who He is.
There's no
coincidence
that John Calvin's
Institutes of the Christian Religion
is split into two books.
knowledge of God
and knowledge of self.
When you get a knowledge
of who God is
you will come to a true discovery
of who you are.
I don't know if any of you
like watching
crime scene
crime dramas
you know
CSI
NCIS
you know
you know those moments
when you're watching them
and there's a crime scene
but they go into
it's a home
or it's a
it's a bit of a car
and they open it up
and it just looks
pristine clean
perfect
and then they turn off
the lights
and then they put up
their UV lights
their ultraviolet lights
and they turn them on
and this room
that you thought
was perfectly clean
is revealed
under the ultraviolet lights
to be filthy
and dirty
there's blood everywhere
there's bodily fluids
here there and everywhere
there's fingerprints
it's a crime scene.
Well here's Isaiah
this young pious prophet
he comes into
the presence of God
and under the x-ray
gaze of God
he has exposed
to him
his sinfulness
you know
one of the things
that can happen
we come to church
right
and some of us
dress up
we put on our
Sunday bed
we give the impression
to those around us
that we're good
we're doing well
and yet
if you want to be
exposed for who
you truly are
just come into
the presence of God
it's here we discover
our true sinfulness
remember
what was Isaiah's
calling as a prophet
he was given
the task
to speak the word
of God
to the people
of God
what is it
he becomes
overcome with
verse 5
woe is me
for I am lost
for I am a man
of unclean lips
this is a man
whose calling
is to preach
the word of God
and he realizes
that under the x-ray
gaze of God
his mouth
is filthy
he is disgusting
he's dirty
he's guilty
he dwells
in the midst
of a people
of unclean lips
maybe there's
that connection
that out of the
overflow
of our hearts
what's truly
in our hearts
it manifests
in our mouths
as Jesus said
notice why
he is so
overcome with his
guilt
for my eyes
have seen
the king
the lord of hosts
you know
one thing
that I think
contributed
to my
me being awestruck
in the presence
of the
of the queen
in Westminster Hall
is I probably
had never been
that close
to someone
in human terms
was that great
I realized
that there was
a distinction
between me
and her
everything
she had guards
protecting her coffin
the flag
the crown
the scepter
the orb
all of it
she's in a
different category
in that sense
and that is
what overcomes
Isaiah
this sense
that he's
in the presence
of his king
he is the
created
and this
one is
his creator
and what
he becomes
most conscious
of that he
confesses in
God's presence
is his
filthiness
his uncleanness
he feels so
utterly
exposed
before the
blazing holiness
of the Lord
but here's the
wonderful thing
our God
reveals himself
and reveals
Isaiah
to himself
not because
he wants to
condemn him
or destroy him
but because he
wants
to
redeem him
God
guilt
grace
then one
of the
seraphs
seraphim
flew to me
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
your sin
atoned for
here we see
the gospel
of grace
in this passage
and you need
to see it
this is a
case of
open heart
surgery
and you need
to see it's
God who takes
his initiative
the medicine
is taken from
the altar
the place of
sacrifice
without the
without a
sacrifice
without the
shedding of
blood
we know from
the Old
Testament
there can be
no forgiveness
of sin
it comes from
an altar
that's on fire
that's got
burning coals
on it
which is a
picture of
God's holy
wrath
against sin
and this
seraphim
flies to
Isaiah
and he
touches his
lips with
his burning
coal
and instead
of him
being destroyed
he's cleansed
you want to
hear a better
gospel verse
in all the
Bible than
what the
angel said
behold
this has
touched
your lips
your guilt
is taken
away
your sin
is atoned
for
this is the
gospel in
high definition
salvation
God in
salvation
comes to
take away
our guilt
and to
atone for
our sin
and the
altar
is the
cross
but do
you want
to know
the thing
that should
stun you
and I
into silence
the vision
that Isaiah
has of God
sitting on
his throne
high and
lifted up
the train
of his
robe
filling the
temple
the seraphim
singing
holy
is the
Lord God
of hosts
the whole
earth is
full of
his glory
do you
know that
that vision
is the
vision
of the
pre-incarnate
glory
of Jesus
Christ
for in
John's
gospel
John says
Isaiah said
these things
when he
spoke of
Christ's
glory
the one
who sat
on the
throne
who was
worshipped
and adored
by the
angels
is the
same one
who came
into the
sin sick
world
and hung
on the
cross
the altar
of sacrifice
shed his
blood
so that
sinners
like you
and me
could be
cleansed
our guilt
taken away
our sin
atoned for
the thing
that should
stun us
into silence
is this is
all for
you and me
our king
coming to
save and
rescue us
there were
many stories
after the
queen's
passing
of how
she
there were
moments in
her life
where she
kind of
stepped out
of her role
and did
some incredible
things for
some people
none of
them come
close to
this
none of
them
our
glorious
king
the king
of angel
armies
the creator
of this
universe
stepped off
his throne
and came
to die
in our
place
to shed
his blood
so that we
could be
forgiven
the birth
place of
hope is
the self
sacrificial
love of
God
and now
we come
to the
final
point
what is
the
response
and it's
nothing but
gratitude on
Isaiah's
part but I
don't want you
to miss
this
the first
time when
God speaks
is in
verse 8
the first
time that
Isaiah hears
his king
is in
verse 8
and I
heard the
voice of
the Lord
saying
whom
shall I
send
and who
will go
for us
the same
God who's
in the
business
of
cleansing
unclean
filthy
sinners
redeeming
them by
amazing
grace
is the
same
God who
seeks to
enlist
them
in his
glorious
service
you know
it's such
a thought
that should
cause us
to gasp
in amazement
God has
angels
that are
perfect
that can
do his
bidding
and yet
he chooses
to use
unclean
sinners
saved by
grace
to be
his
servants
he chooses
to use
people like
you and
I to
be his
envoy
his
ambassadors
to make
him known
in this
world
and it
is because
of gratitude
in Isaiah's
mind and
heart
that he
responds
with those
glorious
words
here
I am
send me
John Calvin
says
disregarding
Isaiah's
response
this shows
how great
is the
cheerfulness
that
springs
from
faith
it's
interesting
Isaiah
didn't need
to be
coerced
into
service
Isaiah
was just
overwhelmed
that his
king who
loved him
who showed
him such
grace
who cleansed
him
would
want to
use
him
and here
am I
send
me
use
me
and
brothers
and sisters
our
response
to
understanding
to
catching a
glimpse
tonight
and understanding
something of the
grace of God
tonight
should be to
want to go
and serve him
as he calls
us
you know
I said
there's
something of
the angels
posture
in
Isaiah
they
covered
their feet
because they
realized
they were
unworthy
they had
wings that
could fly
because they
realized
they would
go at
God's
bidding
whenever
he called
they
covered
their
face
because
they
knew
they
couldn't
behold
the
dazzling
intensity
of the
beauty
of
holiness
well here's
something
that is
completely
different
when he
comes again
when we
lay down
our crowns
at his
feet
at the
last
we
will see
him
as he
is
and in
the twinkling
of an
eye
we will
be made
just
like
him
such
is the
amazing
grace
of God
that he
has made
us
saved
us
uses
us
in his
service
and then
will give
us the
incredible
privilege
of beholding
him
face
to face
that my
friends
is grace
upon grace
this story
as I
close
wasn't told
of Queen
Elizabeth
it was told
of Queen
Victoria
it appeared
in a
London
newspaper
many years
ago
the conclusion
of a sermon
that she
heard
she approached
the preacher
and said
oh how
I wish
the Lord
might come
during my
lifetime
when the
preacher
asked her
what her
desire
was based
on
she
replied
I
should
like
to lay
my
crown
at his
feet
and when
at the
end
he
comes
brothers
and
sisters
we
will
be
given
a
crown
of
glory
and I
should
like
to lay
mine
down
at his
feet
the
King
of
Kings
the
God
of
Gods
worthy
of all
our
praise
let's
bow our
heads
and pray
to
those
!
those
!
those
!
those
!
those