Do You See the Lord?

We can turn back together to our reading in Isaiah chapter 6.

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

! This evening we're going to look at verse 1 to verse 8.

! Isaiah chapter 6.

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

We'll just read again at the beginning of that chapter.

In the year that King Uzziah died,

I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and so on.

What kind of year have you had so far?

As we've come into the month of April,

we've come to that quarter of the way through 2026,

and you could maybe say,

well, perhaps things have been going well so far.

Perhaps things have been difficult to this point.

Or perhaps maybe it's just been,

seemed like just another ordinary year in many ways.

It's the kind of question we can just ponder from time to time.

How have things been so far?

We've got young people in here tonight,

and many of you will be coming up to exam times just now,

so maybe you don't want to be asked too many questions just now.

But that kind of question is a kind of reflective question.

How would you answer that in terms of writing an essay?

How has your year been so far?

Reflect on that.

Or we maybe have some who have been to the 40th reunion this weekend,

or maybe here for the fellowship this evening.

And again, that's always a time of reflection.

Maybe not just one year, but how have your years been so far?

How has your life gone?

What direction has it taken?

Whatever age and stage we're at,

there's always that time to reflect and to ask,

well, how are things going for us?

So how have things been this year?

Sounds maybe like a bit of a survey question,

where you're asked a variety of different questions.

In a survey, they're trying to get to the crux of how things are going.

For example, the nation that we live in every 10 years has a national census.

It's a survey where there's a variety of different questions asked,

and they're trying to ascertain just how the nation is going,

what direction it's going in.

And a lot of people get very excited about it,

especially when they look at questions about faith.

For some reason, people seem to enjoy finding out how faith is going,

especially when, for the last number of years,

the Christian faith, according to the census anyway, is in decline.

It's said that between 1930 and 2010,

the number of church members in the United Kingdom had reduced by 50%.

The last census in 2021,

it was said that for the first time in the history of these census,

that Christianity had fallen below 50% of the nation identifying as Christian.

It was down at 46%.

So these kind of surveys, they tell us different things,

but they don't always give a true reflection of everything that's going on.

Just like when you have a house that may be going on the market, going for sale,

you have to get a surveyor in to look at it.

But the surveyor isn't able to tell everything about the house.

You'll often see in a surveyor's report a line saying,

I wasn't able to access a certain point.

It may be the loft space.

It may be under the floor, into the foundations.

So the surveyor has only gone by what he can see.

But in many ways, that might be missing the most important thing about that house.

Maybe a foundation that is starting to crack,

or a roof that is showing signs of decay.

And so there's things that can be missed.

A survey doesn't always tell us all the answers.

But as we look at this passage here in Isaiah together this evening, Isaiah chapter 6,

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

what we find here is Isaiah the prophet very much taking part in a survey of the nation,

looking around and seeing what's happening in the land that he lives in,

among the people that he is living with,

and where he finds himself in all of this as well.

And so it's an important time in his life,

a time when he's looking around and taking stock.

And we see that in many ways, it seems bleak for God's people.

And even for Isaiah himself, it seems to be bleak in some ways.

It's a time of sorrow,

a situation in the land that's looking very difficult.

But the deeper you go into his survey,

you see that there is something else,

and something greater to be seen.

It reveals much about the situation that he's in.

It reveals much about himself.

But above all,

this survey that he's doing reveals much more about God,

and the need to lean on him.

And Isaiah chapter 6 is very much a chapter

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

that we see turning from a sense of despair

to a sense of delighting in God,

even in the midst of very difficult situations.

It's a time for reflection,

a time for survey.

As we see in the beginning of this chapter,

it's about a significant year,

in the year that King Uzziah died.

And so there's a significance in that for us.

It's a time of asking,

how is their year going?

How have their years gone?

And what might lie ahead for them?

And so as we look at Isaiah's survey

of the situation here,

we're going to see five things that he sees

as he looks around,

and as he looks at himself.

We're going to see that there's an ache

in his heart,

and among the people.

There's an ache.

But we see then that there's an aura.

There's a sense of seeing something significant

in the midst of their ache.

Then there's an awareness,

an awareness of what is happening.

Then there's an assurance

of what their situation that they are in is about.

And then we see finally,

there's an availability from Isaiah.

So there's five things that we're going to see

together from this passage.

And the first thing is an ache.

There's an ache in his heart

and the hearts of many of the people.

And we see that in these opening words

that tell us,

in the year that King Uzziah died.

What's the significance of this,

you might ask?

Is there any significance in it?

Well, it is significant.

I say I record that

because this is an important point

in their history,

in their lives.

in the year that King Uzziah died.

So this is a point of reflecting

this year that they are in,

this point that they've come to.

And it's significant

because it's a time of great pain.

Uzziah the king has died.

And sometimes in the history

of the Old Testament,

you find that the king's passing

would not cause pain and grief.

It would cause rejoicing

when the king was not a good king.

And there was often the case

where the king could be quite hard

on the people

and mistreat the people.

But we find here that

Uzziah had been a king

who was a good king.

And he had been a king

for a very long time.

He'd been a king

for about 52 years.

And he had been good

for the people.

The people had enjoyed

much blessing

under his reign.

There was power.

There was wealth.

There was success.

You could almost say

unlike anything

that experienced

since the days of Solomon.

There was a real period

of blessing.

And so this year,

the year that King Uzziah died,

was significant.

It brought grief

into their midst.

It disturbed Isaiah.

He records it here for us.

This was a significant point

in the year that King Uzziah died.

Because his death signaled

the end of a great period

for these people.

A period of prosperity.

A period of spiritual consistency

where he had led the people well.

And now they were going

into a period of change

and a period of doubt.

And it wasn't all good.

It's evidence for that

when you see the first five chapters

that things were changing.

That things were going to go

in a different direction

for the people.

There's evidence of it

in chapter 6

at the end of the chapter

when it's speaking

about the people

then being taken

into foreign lands.

So it's evidence here

that this year

in which King Uzziah died

was an important year.

A significant year.

And so there was change

in their midst.

They had been looking

towards Uzziah

in dependence.

Depending on him

as their king.

Depending on him

as the one

who was going to lead them well.

And that as long as

he was there

then things were going

to be well with them.

In the year

that King Uzziah died

things changed.

What can we say

about it ourselves

when we think of the years

in which we're living in

just now.

Even this year

2026.

We could maybe reflect

on this year

in many different ways

and look at

maybe our own

individual lives

and say things like

well in this year

when I was given

a bad diagnosis.

In this year

when I lost my job.

In this year

when my heart

was troubled

in many different ways.

Or we could look at it

in a more wider sense

as well.

In this year

when we have seen

everything taking place

in the Middle East.

In this year

when we are seeing again

the prices of everything

going in such a direction

that it causes

much worry

and concern.

There's so many things

that are happening

around us.

We can reflect

on this year already

in a short space of time

that's seen

a lot of change.

And when we see that

we ask ourselves

what does that do

to us?

Where does it take us?

How do we feel

in the midst of it?

In the sense of

all of these things

changing.

For I say

in the year

that King Uzziah died

caused him

great concern.

And as we look

at our year

and we see

all of these changes

taking place

does it cause us

does it cause you

concern?

Because it makes us ask

well what is

the foundation

of our life?

The foundation

for the nation

as Isaiah

is looking at here

you might think

initially

is Uzziah.

That he was the one

who was important

to everything

and that's the way

it would seem.

It was significant

and for ourselves

the foundation

of our lives

may have been

a loved one.

It may have been

a job.

It may have been

the money that we have.

It may have been

the peace

that was relative

around the world.

But when things

begin to change

suddenly these foundations

are shaken

and they make us

ask questions.

What is

your foundation

as you look

at the year

in which you're living?

Well for Isaiah

it was

Uzziah

was important

he was important

for the people.

So there was

an ache

a hurt

when Uzziah

died.

But where did

that take them?

Where did it

take Isaiah?

Well it takes us

to our second point

where we see

that there was

an aura.

There was an aura.

In the year

that King Uzziah

died

where did he look?

Well he goes on

to say

I saw the Lord

sitting upon

a throne

high

and lifted up.

In the year

that King

Uzziah

died

Isaiah

saw

a greater

aura.

He saw

the Lord

sitting

upon the throne

high

and lifted

up.

So in the midst

of the pain

of Uzziah's

death

and the doubts

about the future

what it might

hold

there is a reminder

that Isaiah

sees.

It is the Lord

that is sovereign

and overruling

in all things.

It is the Lord

that is in control.

and as we look

around ourselves

this evening

and in this

year

or in all

our years

through all

the different

changes

through all

the different

directions

we have

gone

through all

the different

ups and

downs

when so often

we have maybe

just looked

to ourselves

looked to

our own

wisdom

our own

understanding

of things

maybe we are

being taken

to the point

where we begin

to see

something

different

something else

where our eyes

should have

always been

fixed upon

and that is

the aura

of God

the Lord

sitting

upon

a throne.

You get the sense

here that the people

had lost their vision

of the Lord

you get it so often

throughout the Old Testament

where things went

into decline

it is because

they took their eyes

of God

away from God

they started

to look to

idols

and false

gods

of their own

wisdom

and that is

when things

went wrong

and perhaps

even a good

king like

Uzziah

was making

them take

their eyes

off the Lord

and so

Uzziah's

death

was perhaps

maybe a good

thing

in that sense

because it

made them

look

somewhere else

and look

to the Lord

Isaiah

is reminded

who is

really in

control

Uzziah

might have

been a good

king

but he was

a king

appointed

by God

and used

by God

and so

Isaiah

here is being

reminded

that when

we look

around

and we see

turmoil

on the surface

the ache

the pain

of Uzziah's

death

and the uncertainty

that it brings

it brings him

to a greater

place

that the Lord

is sovereign

sitting

on his

throne

and what

did he

see

of the

Lord

well you

see that

there's three

things that he

saw of the

Lord

first of all

he saw

his position

Isaiah

saw the

Lord

sitting

upon the

throne

so there

was this

sovereignty

there's a

peace

in that

there's an

assurance

in that

an earthly

king may

have died

but the

Lord

still

reigned

he saw

the Lord

in all

his glory

and it

had a

profound

impact

on Isaiah

he lifted

his eyes

up

I saw

the Lord

high

and lifted

up

and so in

the midst

of everything

going on

in your

life just

now are

you lifting

your eyes

up to

God

and faith

as the

Lord shakes

our lives

in different

ways

take things

from us

removes

foundations

that we

were relying

on

are we

lifting

our eyes

to God

and faith

and seeing

that he

is sovereign

he saw

us well

he saw

God's

personality

how did

he see

this

well he

sees it

as you

hear

the angelic

beings

saying

holy

holy

holy

is the

Lord

of hosts

the whole

earth

is filled

with his

glory

there was

that sense

that he

could see

the glory

of God

not the

glory of

usiah

as a good

king

but the

glory

of God

and Isaiah

understood

that usiah

might have

been a good

king

but the

Lord

is a

holy

holy

holy

God

he is

far

greater

and he

is the

one who

deserves

all glory

and praise

and so

when your

life is

stripped

bare

as we

would say

when the

rug is

pulled from

under your

feet

and things

are shaken

in your

life

what do

you have

do you

have that

vision of

God

who is

holy

holy

holy

that security

with God

I say

I learned

it's not

about

Isaiah

it's not

about

himself

it's

all

about

God

that

he

is

the

one

who

deserves

that

place

of

glory

in

our

lives

so

are

you

giving

him

that

glory

he

saw

his

personality

he

also

saw

his

presence

you see

that

in

verse

four

the

foundations

of the

threshold

shook

at the

voice

of him

who

called

and the

house

was

filled

with

smoke

there

was

a

sense

of

the

presence

of

God

so

Isaiah

was

gone

but

there

was

this

assurance

that

God

was

there

God

was

with

him

God

was

with

his

people

he's

reminded

powerfully

of

that

he

might

have

felt

forsaken

in that

sense

of

the

loss

of

Isaiah

but

it

only

brought

him

to

see

more

of

the

glory

of

God

and

the

presence

of

God

as a

great

reminder

there

for

us

we

can

be

a

people

who

feel

lonely

at

times

we

can

feel

isolated

we

can

feel

afraid

and

maybe

you

have

that

sense

maybe

you

are

one

of

these

people

who

feels

a

sense

of

loneliness

tonight

but

there's

that

great

reminder

to

us

here

this

great

truth

that

if

we

are

saved

if

we

are

belonging

to

God

we

are

never

alone

you

are

never

alone

because

his

presence

is

promised

that

aura

of

God

is

there

for

his

people

at

all

times

he

is

with

us

always

that's

the

promise

that

we

have

in

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

as

he

gave

that

great

commission

lo I

am

with

you

always

even

to

the

end

of

the

age

there

is

that

presence

that

aura

of

God

that

we

can

know

in

our

own

lives

as

we

look

to

him

so

are

you

lonely

this

evening

well

you

can

know

that

as

you

look

to

God

as

you

lift

up

your

voice

your

eyes

to

God

as

you

see

he

is

sovereign

he

is

present

he

is

holy

he

is

all

of

these

things

and

he

is

it

for

you

that

you

might

know

him

with

you

the

third

thing

we

see

here

is

an

awareness

how

did

I

say

I

respond

in

as

he

saw

the

glory

of

God

what

did

it

do

for

him

well

it

made

him

realize

what

he

had

been

relying

on

he

had

been

relying

on

his

earthly

king

he

had

been

relying

on

usiah

for

things

to

go

well

for

him

and

for

the

people

of

God

instead

of

looking

to

the

heavenly

king

to

God

in

heaven

and

the

king

that

is

secure

on

his

throne

there

so

what

he

realizes

now

is

seeing

the

glory

of

God

is

his

error

he

becomes

aware

of

his

error

you

see

that

in

verse

5

look at

his

response

to

everything

that

he

has

seen

in

verse

5

woe

is

me

for

I

am

lost

that's

his

response

in

verse

5

woe

is

me

for

I

am

lost

I

say

I

probably

thought

all

was

well

in

his

life

enjoying

that

peace

that

the

king

usiah

had

brought

the

blessings

that

had

been

many

he

thought

all

was

well

but

when

usiah

was

taken

away

he

was

made

aware

of

his

own

short

comings

he

says

I

am

lost

what

he's

saying

is

I

am

as

good

as

dead

when

I

am

relying

on

earthly

things

for

my

life

for

my

salvation

for

everything

that

I

need

if

I

am

putting

my

trust

in

these

things

I

am

lost

woe

is

me

and

what

has

made

him

aware

of

this

is

the

glory

of

God

when

you're

driving

at

night

and

we

see

it

maybe

more

so

now

with

the

cars

that

are

coming

towards

us

and

the

brightness

of

their

lights

it

can

be

hard

sometimes

to

see

where

you're

going

the

lights

are

shining

so

brightly

you

almost

have

to

come

to

a

stop

sometimes

to

make

sure

that

you're

staying

well

imagine

what

the

glory

of

God

does

how

that

stops

us

in

our

tracks

we

see

it

here

with

Isaiah

he

has

just

stopped

in

his

tracks

the

glory

of

God

all

that

he

is

seeing

and

he

comes

to

the

point

and

says

woe

is

me

for

I

am

lost

it

has

stopped

him

and

that's

what

the

word

of

God

does

to

us

to

this

day

maybe

it's

doing

it

has

been

for

some

time

it's

making

you

stop

in

your

tracks

and

all

you

can

say

is

the

same

as

I

say

a

woe

is

me

for

I

am

lost

because

the

word

of

God

makes

us

aware

of

our

lostness

it

makes

us

aware

of

where

we

are

in

this

year

and

in

every

year

it

brings

us

to

realize

where

we

stand

before

God

and

if

we

are

relying

on

the

world

when

we

survey

our

lives

when

we

survey

our

situations

when

we

think

do

I

have

God

in

my

life

am

I

trusting

in

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

for

my

salvation

if

not

well

we

can

only

say

woe

is

me

for

I

am

lost

the

glory

of

God

brings

this

revelation

to

Isaiah

and

the

word

of

God

the

glory

of

God

that

speaks

to

us

through

it

makes

the

same

through

for

ourselves

it

makes

us

realize

that

apart

from

God

we

are

indeed

lost

but

where

was

Isaiah

here

he

wasn't

turning

away

from

God

he

was

looking

towards

God

God

and

so

it

is

good

for

us

to

be

looking

towards

God

it

is

good

for

us

to

be

coming

under

the

word

of

God

when

it

makes

us

stop

in

our

tracks

and

when

it

makes

us

look

at

our

lives

and

makes

us

realize

we

are

indeed

lost

because

if we

don't

realize

this

nothing

changes

if we

just

carry

on

as if

life

is

fine

nothing

changes

and

sometimes

it

takes

a

moment

or

a

circumstance

or a

providence

in our

lives

to make

us

stop

and

take

stock

and

see

what

is

important

had

Isaiah

not

died

perhaps

Isaiah

and the

others

would have

carried

on

as

aware

thinking

we

are

fine

as

long

as

we

have

Isaiah

and

we

can

carry

on

in

our

lives

thinking

I'm

fine

as

long

as

I

have

my

health

my

work

my

family

and

all

of

these

things

but

when

they

are

taken

from

us

that

is

when

we

become

more

aware

woe

is

me

for

I

am

lost

we

see

the

wonder

of

God

here

though

you

see

God

in

his

words

speaking

and

you

see

him

pointing

!

us

towards

himself

and

towards

all

that

he

would

do

for

us

because

when

we

think

of

these

words

woe

is

me

for

I

am

lost

we

think

of

our

condition

and

sin

that

we

are

a

lost

people

and

if

we

are

lost

we

need

a

savior

who

Zacchaeus in the sermon this morning. And we're reminded that the Lord Jesus came to seek and to

save the lost. The lost. And so in the midst of everything that's changing and becoming aware of

our situation, that is a good thing. Because we see here it leads to the next point, which is

an assurance. An assurance. And that's what Isaiah is given here as well. Because he says,

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. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. He has seen the glory of God.

He has seen how lost he is in the midst of it. But then he is given an assurance.

And what is the assurance that he's given? Well, the assurance that he has given is that as he draws

near to God, God draws near to him. And that's the assurance that we can have this evening as well.

That when we begin to realize and become aware of our lostness, our sin, and how we are destined to be

lost for eternity in it, well, it leads us to see our only hope is through God and his word and a

Savior who is Christ Jesus. And so the assurance that we come to see is that God will not turn us away,

but that God is seeking after those who are lost. You see it in the Old Testament. You see it in the

New Testament. And for example, Nehemiah chapter 1 verse 9 and 10, But if you return to me and keep my

Nehemiah 1:9

commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will

gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen. So we can go so far away from God.

We can be like that prodigal son who has just gone far away from his father, but God can still reach out.

There's an awareness, and then we come to that assurance that God will not turn us away.

Jesus tells us that in the Gospel of John chapter 6 verse 37,

John 6:37

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

There's great assurance in that. Where do we go with our lostness? We go to Christ.

And as we come to Christ, we are assured, whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

And what did Isaiah find as he came to God? That he was full of glory, that God was full of glory,

that he was lost and unclean, but ultimately he found that God could save. Because you read in verse 6,

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongues from the altar.

And he touched my mouth and said, Behold, this has touched your lips. Your guilt is taken away, and your sin is atoned for.

So he has given assurance. So he has given assurance. What great assurance there is for us as we come to God,

that he is the one who is able to forgive us our sins. He came with a coal, a burning coal, and touched his lips.

Your sin is atoned for. Where do we go?

Where do we look for that atonement, that our sin being forgiven?

We look to the cross.

We look to the place where Christ died in our place,

that we might have salvation through him.

In 2 Corinthians 3, verse 18, Paul says there,

2 Corinthians 3:18

There is a work going on in God's people as we look to him being turned from one degree of glory to another.

Little by little, being made like Jesus.

Seeing his glory more and more.

Being transformed into his likeness.

That assurance that we have that the more we look to him,

the more we see our sin,

but the more we see our salvation

in what he has done for us.

And so for us today, we behold God's glory in Jesus Christ.

Christ crucified for his people.

We look to the cross.

When we speak of surveying everything that's going on around us,

looking at the year in which we live in,

where can we turn?

We can survey the cross.

As the hymn writer says,

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the prince of glory died,

my riches gain,

I count but loss and poor contempt on all my pride.

That is what Isaiah was doing here.

His pride was in the king who was Isaiah,

who was taken away.

But it takes him to put all that aside

and look to the glory of God.

So where are you looking this evening?

For that assurance.

For that hope.

For today.

For tomorrow.

For all eternity.

As you see your lostness.

As you are able to say, like I say,

A woe is me.

For I am lost.

Where do you go?

Well, you can go to the cross.

And to Jesus Christ.

Pour contempt on all your pride.

Everything you have count as loss.

Compared to the riches that are in Christ.

Find that assurance in him.

Well, the fifth and final thing we see here is

where it leads, I say.

Isaiah.

And what we see is an availability.

Because a great vision of God and his glory,

as somebody said, inspires us in the mission of God.

And when you look at Isaiah here,

when you see his sin atoned for,

in verse 8 then it goes on to say,

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.

Here am I.

Send me.

What a changed.

It's just a few verses before,

when Isaiah is showing where he stands.

Woe is me, for I am lost.

I'm a man of unclean lips.

Well, he's seen the glory of God.

He's seen his lostness.

But he's been given that assurance of his sin atoned for.

And so what now?

Well, he makes himself available.

Here am I.

Send me.

He was made right with God.

And so, instead of now surveying the hopelessness of everything around him,

and the despair,

Isaiah was dead.

All the blessings that they've enjoyed,

they were gone in many ways.

But his survey takes him deeper.

And now he realizes it's about the Lord who is sovereign.

And as we look at the world in which we live in,

and as we see everything that can make us afraid,

let's just see that that is just the surface.

Because the depths of the foundation of this world are a sovereign God.

And we are to make ourselves available to him.

So are you making yourself available?

Are you giving yourself over into the hands of this sovereign God?

Just like Isaiah saying,

Here am I.

Send me.

You don't know what he's going to send you out for.

But he has a purpose for every one of his people.

He has a use for every one of his people.

It may be something that seems small and insignificant,

but yet it is to be faithful to God,

and just to say,

Here am I.

Send me.

To make ourselves available for him.

That is what is key.

That is what Isaiah did here.

And that is what many of God's people have done.

In the year 1903,

late in that year,

there was a pastor in West Wales

who had become very grieved

over the worldliness among young people

and a lack of devotion to the Lord Jesus among the young people.

And this burden kept growing on him.

And so he arranged at New Year time

a special two-day youth event

so that the young people could come together.

And they were coming under the Word of God.

The Word of God was to be preached.

And messages were preached

that spoke to the hearts of the young people

and made a deep impression on them,

especially on one young girl,

a teenage girl.

She was called Flory Evans.

She was challenged

by the preaching of God's Word that she heard.

And God's Word would not go away from her.

And a month later,

she found herself at crisis point.