Preparatory Communion Service - Examining Our Surroundings and Ourselves

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.

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

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

We can read the whole of this chapter together

Isaiah chapter 6

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

Isaiah chapter 6

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

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

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.

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

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,

Isaiah 6 · chapter mention

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

John 6 · chapter mention

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

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

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