June 11, 2006

Pentecost 1 (Holy Trinity)

One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the awful behavior that was going on. So He called one of His angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time. When he returned, he told God, "Yes, it is bad on Earth, 95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not.”  God thought for a moment and said "Maybe I had better send down a second angel to get another opinion." So God called another angel and sent him to Earth for a time too. When the angel returned, he went to God and said, "Yes, it's true. The Earth is in decline: 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good."  God was not pleased.  So He decided to E-mail the 5% that were good, because He wanted to encourage them, to give them a little something to help them keep going. Do you know what the E-mail said?  … No?  … Okay, just wondering: I didn't get one either.

The truth is, no one received that email.  Both angels were misinformed.  The 5% must have been hiding something pretty well.  Because friends, God’s Word tells us clearly: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  None of those people out there, none of you in here or I have done everything exactly as God wants us to.  Don’t be looking for an email from God patting you on the back for how perfect you have been.  It won’t be in your inbox anytime soon.

Oh, I am not saying that you are awful people.  You are children of God.  The Holy Spirit has given you faith in Him.  And because of that, you have been able to do a lot of good with your lives to thank God.  But have you been perfect?  Are you children of God because of what you have done for Him?  Are you right with God because you’ve done everything perfectly?

If anyone could say that they have been a pretty good person, wouldn’t it be someone like Isaiah?  The powerful prophet of God who spoke so powerfully to people about the Lord?  And what about the angels?  Shouldn’t they be able to stand before God without any kind of fear?

Well, let’s take a look at the scene described in our text.  Isaiah is given a vision of the Lord in all of his power and authority, sitting on his throne.  Above Him were seraphs, fiery angels that were praising Him.  But look – even these glorious, powerful beings were covering their faces in God’s sight!  Even they had to shield themselves in the presence of the Creator’s holiness!  They were demonstrating great reverence and humility for the One on the throne.  And their song?  Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty!  Holiness is being set apart from all others.  Repeating it three times not only emphasizes the Trinity, the 3-in-1 God, but also, it emphasizes how holy God is!  As the divine and eternal Creator, the Lord is simply unique, without equal, without peer.  Even the angels must acknowledge it.

Then look at Isaiah.  The man of God.  The powerful prophet.  What’s he doing?  He’s trembling and crying out in fear!  “Woe to me!  I am ruined!  For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty!”  Why is that?  Wasn’t Isaiah a pretty good person?  Then what’s he so worried about?

He’s worried, because a great separation exists between God and man.  God is holy – separate, perfect in every way, without sin, and powerful.  Every human being is far from God.  We are imperfect, flawed by sin, and weak.  Isaiah knew, as every sinner knows when confronted with the searing honesty of God’s law-mirror, that he was by nature sinful.  Isaiah reached the conclusion that every human, that you and I must reach daily!  “Woe to me!  I’m not worthy!”  God’s holiness separates God from every sinner.  His power and justice threaten every one of us with punishment.  Isaiah had nothing to offer God that would appease Him.  He was empty-handed.  He had no words to speak that could change the situation.  Isaiah’s best was nothing in the presence of God’s absolute holiness and power.  Isaiah was afraid because his eyes had seen the Lord, and from Exodus 33:20, he knew that no one could see God and live.

Isaiah especially felt that unworthiness on his lips.  His speech.  He felt unclean with the things he had said, and the things he didn’t say that he should have said.  Do you feel that way, too?  Are your lips always making words that would be fitting before the throne of God?  Does every word that comes out of your mouth bring honour to the Lord?  Or are there a lot of words you’d like to put back in your mouth?  Do you talk about people in a way that you shouldn’t?  Or hurt others with your bitter sarcasm and criticism?  Or are there times where you know you should say something, but you don’t?  You remain quiet in fear?  In lazy passiveness?  When you knew your lips should have moved and said what was needed and loving?  If you were Isaiah, would your lips feel clean before the Lord on the throne?

It is impossible for any sinner to stand in the presence of a Holy God unless the Lord removes his sin!  Isaiah, you, and I need our unclean lips to be cleaned before we could ever rightfully stand in the presence of God.  That, friends, is the reality about GUILT.  We are guilty compared to our perfect God.  We can’t hide that.

But look what happens next!  Isaiah tells us: “Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.  With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”  God didn’t make Isaiah sit there and tremble in fear and guilt.  Help comes immediately from the altar of God’s grace!  God brings forgiveness and cleansing to Isaiah!  Right where Isaiah felt guilty – his lips.  God assured him that he was forgiven for his sins of speech.  Notice – Isaiah did nothing to get it!  It came from God!  Forgiveness and atonement are God’s works, not man’s.  Forgiveness comes from the altar of sacrifice.  A sacrifice for sin was needed.  And God’s gracious forgiveness completely removes guilt and sin, leaving pure JOY!

That coal wasn’t just for Isaiah.  We too, have been forgiven by an act of God’s love.  Romans 5:8 clarifies: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  And our Gospel lesson today from John 3 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  Christ Jesus, the very holy Son of God, the same one sitting on this throne, came here to be sacrificed on the altar to provide us cleansing forgiveness.  And his sacrifice took all our sins away. Our cleansing comes from his sacrifice.   And know this – for all those times that your lips have failed to do what God wants them to do, God says to you, “I forgive you for that.”

Friends, since my lips feel rather unclean on a daily basis, that is good news for me!  That fills me with JOY!  And there is no way that Isaiah, me, or you could have ever done anything to get that.  We needed a Saviour!  We needed our Triune God!  The Father’s love for us to set this plan in action.  The Son’s willingness to be sacrificed on that altar.  And the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts to lead us to trust this.  Even though it’s nothing we deserve, we can get off our trembling knees and stand in God’s presence in joy!  More joy than guilt!  No more fear!

Max Lucado tells a story about Joe Allbright, a fearless West Texas rancher.  He was a square-jawed, rawboned man with a huge physique and intimidating features.  Everyone knew him and respected him.  One of his sons, James, was a Max’s friend in high school.  James was a big boy and a huge football star.  Max was the guy who guarded the bench.  One Friday night after an out-of-town game, James invited Max to stay at his house.  By the time they reached the Allbright property, the hour was way past midnight, and James hadn’t told his father he was bringing anyone home.

Mr. Allbright didn’t know Max or his vehicle, so when Max stepped out of his car in front of Mr. Allbright’s house, he popped on a floodlight and aimed it right at his face.  Through the glare, Max saw this block of a man standing there in his underwear, and he heard his deep voice: “Who are you?”  Max gulped.  He was frozen and couldn’t speak.  He started to say his name, but then he didn’t, because he realized that Mr. Allbright didn’t know him.  His only hope was that James would speak up.  But it took forever.  Finally he interceded: “It’s OK, Dad.  That’s my friend Max.  He’s with me.”  The light went off, and Mr. Allbright threw open the door.  “Come on in, boys.  Food is in the kitchen.”

What changed?  What made Mr. Allbright flip off the light?  One fact.  Max had aligned himself with his son.  His sudden safety had nothing to do with his accomplishments or quick wit or wise words.  He knew his son.  Period.  For the same reason, we never need to fear God’s judgment! Not today. Not on Judgment Day. Jesus, facing into the light of God’s glory, is speaking on your behalf, “That’s my friend,” He says.  And when He does, the door of heaven opens.

Like Isaiah, God has made you clean.  He has made atonement for the barrier that once separated us – making us at-one with Him.  You are forgiven!  And that gives us joy – real joy!  More joy than the guilt we once had!  Joy that wins out over the guilt!  Joy that makes us want to do something back for God!

God’s forgiveness makes us eager to serve Him!  Now that your lips have been cleansed, now that you are forgiven for all the words that you would liked to have put back in your mouth, don’t you want to use those mouths of yours to praise Him?  To tell others about Him?  To speak words of love?  Let’s use our voices to praise God!  Like the angels did – Holy! Holy! Holy!  And let’s be eager to serve like Isaiah was.  When God asked “who will go for us?” Isaiah was jumping up and down with his hand up in the air: “Here am I.  Send me!”  Let’s serve God with the same enthusiasm!  He has given us the most amazing gift!  Let’s build each other up with our words instead of tearing them down.  Let’s praise this amazing, Triune God with our lips and voices!  Because He has given us more joy than guilt!   Amen.

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