Jul. 28, 2024

Background:

• About half of Americans can't see clearly
• When we wake up, we struggle to make out the time on the clock
• We fumble for our classes
• Often there is pain in our faith journey as well because we do not see God clearly
• If our view of God is wrong, then our view of life is wrong
• Your view of success is wrong
• We depend on ourselves instead
• The way God sees himself is the way that we ought to see God
• It is important to have a real relationship with God

Key Sermon Points:  

1. What is blocking your view of God?
   1. There are so many things that block our view of God (e.g. people, etc.)
   2. We listen to people and politicians instead of listening to God
   3. It might be money that is blocking our view of God and preventing us from serving God as we should
   4. Our thoughts are obscured and we can't see God clearly
   5. King Uzziah did priestly work when he was not ordained as a priest (2 Chronicles 26:21-23)
   6. Sometimes it takes a tragedy in our lives for us to see God
   7. So many times we serve the blessing and not the One who blessed us
   8. We may know him as our Savior, but not in a day-to-day experience as the Lord
   9. When we begin to walk with God and obey God, our eyes begin to open and we begin to grow with God as our Lord
   10. Isaiah realized that he saw King Uzziah for 52 years on earth, but never saw the King of Kings high and lifted up
   11. The temple couldn't really contain the presence of God
   12. The seraphims were covering their faces because of reverence and they were ready for service and worship
   13. Anytime we have an encounter with God, our attitude, conduct, speech and motives are different
2. We must see God in His holiness
   1. Angelic beings were shouting out Holy, Holy, Holy (i.e. separate, separate, separate)
   2. God is holy, light, perfect, pure, and righteous (1 John 1:5)
   3. All of us must realize how holy God is
   4. Our sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2)
   5. We must pursue peace (Hebrews 12:14)
3. God's holiness confronts his sins
   1. By seeing God, we can see our own sins
   2. We can only put on a facade with people, but God knows the truth
   3. When we are confronted with the Word of God, we can see the work in ourselves that need to be done
   4. We must compare ourselves to Jesus and not to other people
   5. The key to God's eternal reign is his Holiness
   6. God doesn't love sin...he must separate himself from sin
   7. We must be cleansed from all filthiness from the flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1)
   8. He looked at God in his Holiness and then could see his own self
   9. God deals with Isaiah's unclean lips
   10. There is always pain and consequences in dealing with our sins
   11. When we get honest with our relationship with God, he will show mercy
   12. Not only did the seraphim touch Isaiah's lips to purge his lips, but God's Word has to come forth from those lips
4. Isaiah is now ready for ministry
   1. Isaiah didn't see the Lord until after King Uzziah died
   2. Isaiah sees God
   3. Isaiah sees that he's not worthy
   4. Then after Isaiah is purged of his sins, he is ready for God to use him
   5. Then he heard the voice of the Lord
   6. True ministry centers on God's message
   7. Paul didn't speak with men's philosophy, but preached the Word of God (1 Corinthians 2:1-5)
   8. The Word is plural and hint at the Trinity (v. 8)
   9. Isaiah responded to God that he was ready ("send me")
   10. God knew that the people wouldn't be ready to hear
   11. God didn't tell us to be successful...he simply told us to go
   12. We are to plant the seed and let God do the rest
   13. It is important that we see God and let nothing block our vision
   14. We must be confident in what God has called us to do
   15. We must not be afraid