| Isaiah 6:1-8 "Sacred Symbols, Hidden Meanings" |
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| Written by Rev. Don Lee | |
| Saturday, 03 February 2007 | |
 Good Morning Church! Welcome to this service of worship on this most holy of days, Superbowl Sunday! The prophet Isaiah lived in Judah around 742 B.C.E. Considered one the most political and inclusive of the prophets, several of Isaiah’s prophecies were believed, by the early Church to predict the coming of Jesus Christ. During most of Isaiah’s lifetime, Judah lived under the threat of Assyrian domination. In fact, the book of Isaiah actually refers to Assyria as the “rod of God’s anger.” (10:5) Though he lived 2700 years ago, I believe Isaiah speaks to us this morning. If you brought your Bibles today, I invite you to turn with me to Isaiah 6:1-8. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3And one called to another and said:Prayer: God you speak in so many different ways, as diverse as there are people. Open our ears to hear you speak, in our diversity, in each other; that we might enter into holy conversation, and be changed by your Word. In the name of Jesus, the Christ we pray. Amen. Legendary coach Vince Lombardi led the Green Bay Packers to 5 NFL championships during his 9 year tenure, including two Superbowls! (do you know what years? 66, 67) It is said he started every season with a team meeting. Holding a football high above his head so everyone could see it, veterans and rookies alike, he’d say: "Gentlemen, this is a football!" In the spirit of Vince Lombardi, I want to ask you a “back to basics” question. Why are you here? Why are you here? More and more I people are saying they come to church to “pick up” some tools to better help them deal with life; to be happier or more successful or purposeful. God is the ultimate life coach who is trying to help people make the most of their lives. Prayer is a way of seeking inner peace or finding the emotional strength to go about one’s daily business. Sermons should answer the question, “What does this mean and how can I apply it to my life?” The problem is the writings of the prophets are full of warnings against trying to make God into an instrument for the pursuit of personal goals. The “dirt” on the church is that some members are guilty of being engaged in brazen, ongoing, passionate love affairs with God. Some of you remember Harvey Harris! He was truly someone you could describe as “head-over-heals, crazy in love with Jesus!” What’s sad about that is many of us “can’t relate!” There’s no passion, no fire, no joy. Some of us are more passionate about football! “Love God” with your whole being Jesus said. Tools aren’t going to get us there, not even high powered ones! Love is a matter of the heart. The value of Isaiah’s story is not that it gives us tools to live better. Rather his story is a glimpse of his unique experience of God. Thus it holds the potential to move and inspire us through the same symbols and values that inspired and moved the prophet on his journey of faith! 1st) Isaiah Calls us to worship! Verse 1, In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Alicia is one of the Starbuck baristas at Old Denton and Frankford. She just graduated from North Texas and hopes to become a missionary! She is currently in India on her second month-long mission trip, much of that time spent at the Beulah Home, a church sponsored orphanage about an hour’s drive outside of Bangalore. 130 children live at the Beulah Home, mostly girls. She writes in a recent email: “I went with the children to their daily evening prayer time. Usually, we lead it, but this time I observed. And I was blown away. First of all, they don’t drag themselves to prayer time; they seem to bounce joyfully into it. And when they pray out loud, they don’t even take a breath. They have so much to say to their Creator!! At one point, they all prayed out loud at once. It sounded like a sort of speaking in tongues because it was a mixture of Indian dialects….they were all praying earnestly, and the lights went out (which happens from time to time in India), and they did not even miss a beat. They all went right on praying loud and strong. I couldn’t even see my hand in front of me. But, I just took it all in-that beautiful sound of God’s tiny creations speaking up to Him, as I sat in that darkness. It was amazing. I think all of you should come to India just to hear them pray… seriously! I think Alicia is saying, “I have seen the Lord,” in the faces of these beautiful orphaned children. And so she writes in her email, “God has been transforming me to better live in consistent worship, and the kids unknowingly are helping me do this.” Worship exalts the presence of God. If you want to see God, show up the next time our church feeds down at Austin Street, or provides a meal to the children of Christ’s Foundry, or sit in one of our Confirmation classes and listen to the children share about what God means to them. Do you live your worship? We are called to Worship God! Secondly) Isaiah Calls us to Confession Verse 5 And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" I think most of us would agree that Holy Covenant is a church with a commitment to social justice and peace. But a commitment to peace and justice in our world always begins with self-introspection, confession and repentance. Only then will we prepared to address the injustice and violence of others. If you have your Bibles turn with me to Mathew 7: 4-5. 4Or how can you say to your neighbor, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye. I think that’s what you call an “I” infection! This month our Administrative Council is receiving some antiracism training. It’s an important step if we want to move beyond lip-service and truly address the injustice (of racism) in our world. Do we truly believe we are immune from the disease of racism? “What does God require of me?” always comes before “What does God require of us and others.” The Good News is God forgives! Verse 7 The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out."There is nothing you or I have done that God is not willing to forgive! Its time to let go of the shame and guilt we’ve been carrying much too long, so we can be “the force to reckon with” God made us to be. As a Church we are Called to Confession! 3rdly) We are sent Forth. Verse 8-9, 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!" 9 And he said, "Go, and say to this people…” Isaiah discovers in worship, confession, and forgiveness, that his life has meaning and purpose in God, and that purpose becomes the guiding force of his life! And this is where things get strange! The Lectionary reading ends at verse 8 but there’s more to Isaiah’s prophecy. Isaiah’s God-given message? The end is near! Do not repent! Verse 9-13 9And he said, ‘Go and say to this people: “Turn and be healed.” That’s a classic call to repentance in scripture. Begs the question, what is going on here? What I believe we hear in the biblical narrative is Divine frustration! God’s arms being thrown up in exasperation as if to say, “You are such a stubborn people! You refuse to learn by any other way then the hard way!” Ouch! As Jesus explains to his disciples in Matthew 13, verses 13-16: 13The reason I speak to them in parables is that “seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.”Jesus’ point is loud and clear. Others may refuse to hear and see but this is not who you are or who I am as his Disciples. We listen and look for God! Isaiah’s call is derived from his worship of God. That’s true for us as a church as well. We exist to worship God. And all this other stuff is secondary…yes, even football! Instead of seeking “tools” to help us lead happier, more successful, meaningful lives, we need to get back to the basics! When is the last time you told God “I love you.”? One of my favorite prayers is this, “God, we love you, we thank you. All we have comes from you. We rejoice in your presence!” Through sacred symbols and hidden meanings Isaiah calls us to live out of our Worship. Your whole life is to be an act of worship. I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your [your whole self] as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.- Romans 12:1 This morning as we share in communion together, may our prayer be…God we love you, we thank you, all we have comes from you, we rejoice in your presence. Amen. |
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