Have You Seen the King?
“Have You Seen The King?”
February 4. 2007
Pastor Steve N. Wagers
GardenviewBaptistChurch
Jacksonville, FL
“Have You Seen the King?”
Isaiah 6: 1-13
Pastor Steve N. Wagers
February 4. 2007
Sermon Outline
1. A Forceful Contemplation!
A) His Unmistakable Power
B) His Undeniable Purity
2. A Fearful Consideration!
A) He Faces the Depravity of Man
B) He Finds the Remedy for Man
3. A Faithful Consecration!
A) The Answer Given by a Willing Man
B) The Assignment Given to a Working Man
In 1851, a man by the name of Matthew Bridges, an Anglican pastor, composed words which he desired to exalt our “suffering, now victorious Lord.” It was specifically written for a man named George Elvey, a noted organist at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England, where British royalty would often attend.
It is one of the great hymns of the faith depicting the Lord Jesus as the reigning monarch of Heaven. Bridges wrote the words:
Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark! How the heavn’ly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And, hail Him as they matchless King
For all eternity.
There is coming a day when everyone’s vocabulary will be reduced to 4 final words. These words will sum up what many have lived their lives for; yet, sadly they will be what many have had to die to admit. At the appointed time, however, it will be all that there is to say. Those 4 final words will be: JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
There has been much debate, down through the years, concerning the doctrine of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Some claim that He is Lord, and will always be Lord. Others claim that He is only Lord as someone yields to His Lordship.
The truth of the matter is that HE IS LORD! The question of His Lordship has already been asked, and answered for all eternity. The fact remains, both now and forever, JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.
The name Jesus is His human name. The name Christ is His holy name. The name Lord is His Heavenly name. He is our Master, we are His slaves. He is our Sovereign, we are His subordinates. He is our Ruler, we are His servants. He is our King, we are His subjects. JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
His Lordship determines our spiritual relationship. His Lordship defines our personal ownership. His Lordship demands our perpetual stewardship. His Lordship decides our eternal fellowship. Jesus Christ is Lord, thus there is only one remaining question, “Is Jesus Christ YOUR Lord?”
The prophet Isaiah came to grips with the Lordship of Christ in Isaiah 6. In this chapter, the prophet Isaiah goes to church and he records what he experienced at this church. In this church service Isaiah hears a voice, and has a vision like never before.
Simply put, when Isaiah went to church, that day, he saw the king. From his encounter with the king, we see 3 things that lead us to consider the question, “have you seen the king?”
1. A FORCEFUL CONTEMPLATION!
There are certain, specific dates in history that we will never forget. The date of December 7, 1941 will always be known as the bombing of Pearl Harbor. November 22, 1963 will forever be remembered as the assassination of JFK. September 11, 2001 will always develop mental pictures of 2 of the world’s greatest landmarks crumbling to the ground.
The prophet Isaiah had a memorable date in his life as well. Isaiah doesn’t attach a number to his, but he records it in a way that it resonates louder than any ordinary number. He simply refers to it as “the year that king Uzziah died.”
This was a traumatic experience to a Jew living in that day. Under the reign of Uzziah, Judah, for more than 50 years, enjoyed a time of peace, prosperity and plenty. For the most part, life under Uzziah’s reign had been good.
However, now he is gone, and the thought of someone else occupying the throne seemed impossible. Yet, it is here where Isaiah’s attention is life from an earthly king to a Heavenly King.
Isaiah had a forceful contemplation of the King of Kings. He came to realize that while the throne of Judah was vacant the throne of Heaven was occupied. King Uzziah had been proven to be mortal, but the King of Heaven was immortal.
One king had died, as all kings do; but, One King lives forever, as no other king can. Isaiah’s contemplation of this King led him to see 2 things. First, he sees this King and:
A) His UNMISTAKABLE POWER!
We read in verse 1, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” In verse 4, he speaks of One who is so powerful that, “the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”
Isaiah gained a new, forceful contemplation of the fact that the same God who created this world controlled this world; and, He can do anything with this world, to this world, by this world, to this world, or in this world that He chooses to do.
What a comfort that must have been to Isaiah’s heart. But, what a comfort that is to our hearts as well. To know that in spite of anything and everything that happens, God is powerful enough to be in control of it all.
In the midst of terrorist attacks, financial crisis, cultural dissipation, and spiritual hostility, He’s still on the throne, He’s still in charge, and He’s still in control.
When the plane hits the tower, He’s still God and He’s still on the throne. When the doctor says you have cancer, He’s still God and He’s still on the throne. When the boss says, “You’re fired,” He’s still God and He’s still on the throne. When the whole world seems to be falling apart, He’s still God and He’s still on the throne.
Philip Melancthon, the great Reformation theologian, once said to his friend Martin Luther, “Today we will discuss the governance of the universe.” Luther replied, “Today, we will go fishing and leave the governance of the universe to God.”
Thank God, we can say with Edward Mote:
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.
Isaiah not only saw His unmistakable power, but:
B) His UNDENIABLE PURITY!
The attribute of God that most caught Isaiah’s attention was the holiness of God. We read in verses 2-3, “Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. [3] And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
His “train”speaks of His royal robes. The word “seraphim” literally means, “burning ones” and describe the 6-winged angelic creatures that continually fly in the presence of God. The song that they are singing is the chorus, “Holy! Holy! Holy!” In essence, they are singing, “Holy to God the Father! Holy to God the Son! Holy to God the Spirit! Holy to the Great 3-in-1!”
One of the main tools for creating emphasis, in Hebrew poetry, is what is known as “the element of repetition.” In the same way that we might underline, italicize, or put it in boldface type and stamp with an exclamation point; the Jewish writer often repeated a word to make his point.
To repeat it 3 times indicated that the writer was elevating the word to its highest crescendo, and level of importance.
For example, although God is love, the Bible never speaks of Him as “love, love, love.” Although God is merciful, the Bible never speaks of Him as “mercy, mercy, mercy.” Although God is gracious, the Bible never speaks of Him in terms of “grace, grace, grace.”
However, the Bible does say that He is “Holy, Holy, Holy!” Holiness is not something that God does, holiness is who God is. It is not something that He possesses; but, it is something that He personifies. It is who He is, and it is what He is.
Isaiah got a firsthand look at His unmistakable power and His undeniable purity. It was a forceful contemplation of the King of Kings. Secondly, notice:
2. A FEARFUL CONSIDERATION!
At this church service, Isaiah not only saw God, but he saw himself. The first look was to see who God was; the following look was to see who he was, and it yielded a fearful consideration. For one thing:
A) He FACES the DEPRAVITY of Man!
When Isaiah saw the Lord, notice his immediate response in verse 5, “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 mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of host.”
J. H. Jowett comments, “When Isaiah saw the Lord in His holiness, he saw himself in his sinfulness. When Isaiah saw the Lord in His holiness, he saw himself in his hellishness. When he swathe Lord for who He really was, he saw himself for who he really was.”
Isaiah comes clean before God. What he had covered, God had uncovered. It took deity to reveal depravity. It took God to reveal guilt. It took a clear picture of God to gain a clear picture of himself, and it wasn’t a pretty picture.
The truth of the matter is that without a clear picture of who God is, our picture of who we are is a portrait of deception. Billy Sunday was right, “Most people don’t want to see God anymore than a criminal wants to see a policeman.”
We don’t want to see God, because when we do, we will see ourselves, and we won’t like what we see. We cannot see God and continue to be the same old person.
Man has blamed everyone and everything but himself since the Garden of Eden. But, Isaiah comes to the realization of the fact that he is to blame, and he faces his own depravity.
However, he not only faces the depravity of man, but:
B) He FINDS the REMEDY for Man!
The problem Isaiah faced was grievous, but the remedy that he found was glorious. It the midst of man’s depravity he found God’s remedy. We read in verse 6, “Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar.”
A coal was brought from the altar and placed upon his lips. The “coal” speaks of judgment. The “altar” represents a place of sacrifice. Thus, from the altar came the fire to cleanse, and forgive his sin.
At the cross, Jesus was the “coal” that lay upon the “altar.” He endured the fire of God’s judgment so that when we come to the altar and accept Him as our personal Savior, we walk away with our sins forgiven.
It is described in verse 7, “And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.”
I once read a story of some men who were out in a prairie, when suddenly an awful prairie fire came up. The fire was raging, and the wind was whipping the flames furiously toward these men. They realized that they could not outrun the flames, and were trapped.
The flames were moving closer and closer when one man screamed, “We’re going to die! We’re going to die!” Suddenly, one of the men said, “I have a plan.” He reached into his pocket and took out some matches and started a fire at their very own feet.
He then told the men to step over into the burned off place. HE said, “We’re safe, because the fire cannot come where the fire has already been.”
One way or another the fire of God’s judgment is going to fall. It fell more than 2000 years ago at a place called Calvary. Thus, when the judgment of God comes to sweep men and women into hell, there is only one safe spot: the burned off spot called Calvary. That is the only remedy for man’s depravity.
Finally, notice that we see:
3. A FAITHFUL CONSECRATION!
Isaiah has seen the Lord, and he has seen himself. He faces his own depravity, and he finds his only remedy. It is now that he gains a birds-eye view of the purpose of life.
He now sees the very reason for which he was created. Thus, he faithfully consecrates himself to God’s purpose for his life. Notice:
A) The ANSWER GIVEN by a WILLING Man!
God asks an interesting question in verse 8, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us.” Up until this point, Isaiah would not have given the proper answer; but, remember, he has seen the king, so he answers, “Here am I; send me.”
He doesn’t say:
There he is, send him.
Here am I, but send the pastor (that’s what we pay him for.)
Here am I, but send the missionary.
Here am I, but send the seminary trained professional.
He said it the only way a man who has seen the king can say; “HERE AM I, SEND ME!” It’s interesting to note his exact wording. He doesn’t say, “Here I am,” which would have referred to his location. But, he says, “Here AM I,” which speaks of his vocation.
IN other words, he wasn’t saying, “Lord, I’m right here if you ever need me.” He was saying, “Lord, here am I. You can take me anywhere you want to take me. It doesn’t matter to me, but it’s all up to you.”
I remember when I used to say, “Lord, I’m willing to go anywhere that you want me to go;” but in the back of my mind I was saying, “But, I sure hope you don’t send me to Africa, India or China.” I knew that the thing to say was, “Lord, here am I, send me,” but it was only words from my lips.
But, there came a day when I caught a fresh glimpse of who God was; and, thus, who I was. There came a time when I realized how big God is and how little I am; and, now I can say from the depths of my soul, “Lord, here am I, send me!”
Have you seen the King? Have you seen His rule, and His reign? If so, then you say with Isaiah freely, fully, forcefully and faithfully, “Lord, here am I, send me.”
From the answer of a willing man we see:
B) The ASSIGNMENT GIVEN to a WORKING Man!
We often stop at verse 8 without every seeing the outcome of Isaiah’s willingness to go with the Lord, for the Lord and to the Lord. In verse 9, God outlines Isaiah’s assignment.
First, he is to go to an unconverted people. “And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.”
He is to go to an unconverted people to herald the news and sound the alarm. He is to preach the Word of God to them. God warns him that, for the most part, his message will fall on deaf ears, but he is to go nonetheless.
He is not only to go to an unconverted people, but to an unconcerned people. We read in verse 10, “Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.”
The warning is clear. He is to go and share the Word of God with people whose heart will grow harder and harder. The more he preaches their “heart” will become “fat;” their “ears” will become “heavy;” and, they will “shut their eyes.”
Ultimately, the more Isaiah preached, the more the people hardened their heart until the Babylonian captivity when only, as described in verse 13, only a “tenth…shall return.” Regardless of their response, he has a responsibility. He made himself to available to God; thus, he must follow the assignment God gave to him.
Does that assignment sound familiar? It should, because we have been given the very same one. We are to go to an unconverted, and an unconcerned people at the factory, the school house, the office, or at home and tell them what the Lord has done for us.
It may fall on deaf ears, but readiness is our responsibility, the results are God’s responsibility.
I think of a godless king who lay dying on the battlefield. With the sound of the armies and weapons still resonating off the hillsides, his sword bearer bent low to hear the final, whispered request of his fallen leader.
The king spoke in resigned, somber tones. He whispered, “Servant, go and tell the dead that the king is coming.” The servant, without thought for his own life, whisked his sword from its scabbard and thrust it into his own heart, that he might go into the world of the dead and tell them that the king was coming.
I am often amazed at how we sing, “I love to tell the story,” but we don’t love it enough to live it, or share it with our family, friends, co-workers, classmates, and loved ones who are on their way to hell.
If you have seen the King then you have a clear-cut assignment to go to the dead of this world and tell them that the King is coming. Will you go? Will you be whoever, go wherever, and do whatever the King asks you to do? If you have seen the king, you have no choice but to go.