Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, Sep. 23, 2001, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

OUR CHURCH NEEDS SOME ISAIAHS TONIGHT!

By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1-13

Text: Isaiah 6:8

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

Introduction: I have given you volunteer cards to participate in our door-knocking campaign as we prepare for Miracle Sunday, Oct. 7. This Saturday we are calling Miracle SATURDAY. We are meeting at the church at 9 AM to go door to door in our area, inviting people to the services, and leaving them a gospel witness, our 8-page tabloid church newspaper.

Tonight I want to challenge you to knock on 1,500 doors this week. In order to do that, I need 30 people who will knock on 50 doors, or 15 people who will knock on 100 doors this week. With that in mind, I want to ask you tonight to be an “Isaiah,” and go for the Lord into the highways and hedges.

In order to do that,

I. WE ALL NEED A VISION

Isaiah 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

I understand that God speaks primarily through His WORD today and not through visions and dreams. However, we DO need to shift our vision from looking at things as MAN sees them and looking at them as GOD sees them.

First,

A. We need a vision of heaven

It is a pure, perfect, promised, and preserved place.
It is a prepared place for a prepared people.
Our lost friends and loved ones will not be there unless we win them to Christ!

B. We need a vision of hell

It is a dark, dreadful, discouraging, dismal place!
It is a definite place for a doomed people.
Our lost friends and loved ones will spend eternity there unless we win them to Christ!

C. We need a vision of the heathen

The grocer, the waitress, the gas station worker, the postman
Your boss, your coworker, your employee, the janitor
Your parents, your children, your brothers and sisters, your dear old Aunt Susie
The city politicians, the men on the garbage truck, the policeman, the wealthy, the middle class, the poor
They are ALL in the same boat! They are ALL sinners! We MUST SEE them that way, and we MUST go AFTER them with the gospel!

D. We need a vision of HIM

Let us witness for HIM!
Let us witness of Him!
Let us bring people to Him!
Let us depend on Him!
Let us keep looking to Him!

II. WE ALL NEED A VIEW OF OURSELVES

Isaiah 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

We need to see ourselves as we are. We need a correct view:

A. Of our iniquity

We are what we are by the grace of God. We do not deserve to carry the pure message of salvation.
We will be BETTER witnesses if we sanctify and purify ourselves.
We will be BETTER witnesses if we have a good TESTIMONY in this world!

Then, we also need a correct view:

B. Of our insufficiency

Yes, we labor.
Yes, we train.
But, without Jesus we can do NOTHING.
It’s not by might, nor by power, but by God’s SPIRIT (Zech. 4:6).
It’s not by wit, nor by wisdom, nor by a winsome personality, but by the POWER OF GOD (Romans 1:16).

III. WE ALL NEED THE VICTORY FROM GOD

Isaiah 6:6-7 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

Overcome with a sense of his own worthlessness and sin, Isaiah reminds us of how we all feel about going soul-winning. We don’t feel that we are up to the task. We are afraid. We don’t feel worthy.

Isaiah got the victory, and I want you to see some comparisons that will benefit you and me tonight from his victory.

His victory came from:

A. A flying representative

Like the flying seraphim was sent to Isaiah, the Holy Ghost was sent from heaven to empower believers for bold witnessing (Acts 1:8).
We need to seek to be FILLED with the Spirit of God!

B. A fiery coal

This fiery coal was placed on his LIPS, and it cleansed him from his iniquity!
Likewise, the word of God has been sent from heaven, by the Spirit of God, and it has been made for OUR lips.
Malachi 2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
God will give US victory; He will give YOU victory, if we will talk more about GOD’s word and some LESS about news, sports, politics, vacations, and jobs! Let’s talk about JESUS!

C. A forgiveness

That word of God will bring cleansing and forgiveness!
Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

IV. WE ALL NEED TO VOLUNTEER TO GO

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

A. The problem was expressed

“Whom shall I send?” asks the LORD.
“Who will go for us?”
God had the same problem that all churches have today — a lack of WORKERS.
Matthew 9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

B. The presentation was made

Isaiah answered God’s call — “Here am I”
Isaiah asked for God’s commission — “send me.”
May God give us many such people who will present themselves to the Lord tonight and volunteer to be sent into the highways and hedges of Albany, Georgia with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

C. The program was given

Isaiah 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Isaiah’s commission may not match ours perfectly, but it has two main components that you and I should note carefully: 1. GO
TELL.
That’s OUR program.
That’s our mission!

Whom shall the Lord send?
Who will go for Him?
Will YOU? Volunteer tonight!