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Do You See the Lord? · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We can turn back together to our reading in Isaiah chapter 6.
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! This evening we're going to look at verse 1 to verse 8.
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! Isaiah chapter 6.
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We'll just read again at the beginning of that chapter.
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In the year that King Uzziah died,
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I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and so on.
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What kind of year have you had so far?
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As we've come into the month of April,
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we've come to that quarter of the way through 2026,
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and you could maybe say,
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well, perhaps things have been going well so far.
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Perhaps things have been difficult to this point.
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Or perhaps maybe it's just been,
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seemed like just another ordinary year in many ways.
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It's the kind of question we can just ponder from time to time.
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How have things been so far?
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We've got young people in here tonight,
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and many of you will be coming up to exam times just now,
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so maybe you don't want to be asked too many questions just now.
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But that kind of question is a kind of reflective question.
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How would you answer that in terms of writing an essay?
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How has your year been so far?
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Reflect on that.
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Or we maybe have some who have been to the 40th reunion this weekend,
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or maybe here for the fellowship this evening.
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And again, that's always a time of reflection.
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Maybe not just one year, but how have your years been so far?
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How has your life gone?
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What direction has it taken?
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Whatever age and stage we're at,
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there's always that time to reflect and to ask,
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well, how are things going for us?
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So how have things been this year?
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Sounds maybe like a bit of a survey question,
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where you're asked a variety of different questions.
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In a survey, they're trying to get to the crux of how things are going.
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For example, the nation that we live in every 10 years has a national census.
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It's a survey where there's a variety of different questions asked,
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and they're trying to ascertain just how the nation is going,
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what direction it's going in.
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And a lot of people get very excited about it,
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especially when they look at questions about faith.
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For some reason, people seem to enjoy finding out how faith is going,
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especially when, for the last number of years,
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the Christian faith, according to the census anyway, is in decline.
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It's said that between 1930 and 2010,
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the number of church members in the United Kingdom had reduced by 50%.
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The last census in 2021,
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it was said that for the first time in the history of these census,
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that Christianity had fallen below 50% of the nation identifying as Christian.
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It was down at 46%.
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So these kind of surveys, they tell us different things,
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but they don't always give a true reflection of everything that's going on.
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Just like when you have a house that may be going on the market, going for sale,
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you have to get a surveyor in to look at it.
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But the surveyor isn't able to tell everything about the house.
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You'll often see in a surveyor's report a line saying,
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I wasn't able to access a certain point.
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It may be the loft space.
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It may be under the floor, into the foundations.
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So the surveyor has only gone by what he can see.
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But in many ways, that might be missing the most important thing about that house.
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Maybe a foundation that is starting to crack,
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or a roof that is showing signs of decay.
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And so there's things that can be missed.
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A survey doesn't always tell us all the answers.
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But as we look at this passage here in Isaiah together this evening, Isaiah chapter 6,
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what we find here is Isaiah the prophet very much taking part in a survey of the nation,
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looking around and seeing what's happening in the land that he lives in,
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among the people that he is living with,
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and where he finds himself in all of this as well.
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And so it's an important time in his life,
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a time when he's looking around and taking stock.
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And we see that in many ways, it seems bleak for God's people.
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And even for Isaiah himself, it seems to be bleak in some ways.
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It's a time of sorrow,
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a situation in the land that's looking very difficult.
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But the deeper you go into his survey,
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you see that there is something else,
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and something greater to be seen.
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It reveals much about the situation that he's in.
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It reveals much about himself.
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But above all,
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this survey that he's doing reveals much more about God,
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and the need to lean on him.
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And Isaiah chapter 6 is very much a chapter
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that we see turning from a sense of despair
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to a sense of delighting in God,
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even in the midst of very difficult situations.
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It's a time for reflection,
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a time for survey.
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As we see in the beginning of this chapter,
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it's about a significant year,
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in the year that King Uzziah died.
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And so there's a significance in that for us.
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It's a time of asking,
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how is their year going?
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How have their years gone?
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And what might lie ahead for them?
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And so as we look at Isaiah's survey
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of the situation here,
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we're going to see five things that he sees
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as he looks around,
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and as he looks at himself.
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We're going to see that there's an ache
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in his heart,
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and among the people.
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There's an ache.
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But we see then that there's an aura.
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There's a sense of seeing something significant
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in the midst of their ache.
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Then there's an awareness,
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an awareness of what is happening.
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Then there's an assurance
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of what their situation that they are in is about.
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And then we see finally,
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there's an availability from Isaiah.
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So there's five things that we're going to see
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together from this passage.
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And the first thing is an ache.
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There's an ache in his heart
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and the hearts of many of the people.
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And we see that in these opening words
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that tell us,
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in the year that King Uzziah died.
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What's the significance of this,
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you might ask?
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Is there any significance in it?
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Well, it is significant.
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I say I record that
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because this is an important point
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in their history,
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in their lives.
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in the year that King Uzziah died.
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So this is a point of reflecting
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this year that they are in,
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this point that they've come to.
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And it's significant
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because it's a time of great pain.
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Uzziah the king has died.
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And sometimes in the history
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of the Old Testament,
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you find that the king's passing
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would not cause pain and grief.
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It would cause rejoicing
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when the king was not a good king.
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And there was often the case
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where the king could be quite hard
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on the people
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and mistreat the people.
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But we find here that
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Uzziah had been a king
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who was a good king.
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And he had been a king
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for a very long time.
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He'd been a king
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for about 52 years.
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And he had been good
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for the people.
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The people had enjoyed
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much blessing
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under his reign.
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There was power.
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There was wealth.
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There was success.
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You could almost say
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unlike anything
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that experienced
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since the days of Solomon.
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There was a real period
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of blessing.
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And so this year,
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the year that King Uzziah died,
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was significant.
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It brought grief
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into their midst.
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It disturbed Isaiah.
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He records it here for us.
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This was a significant point
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in the year that King Uzziah died.
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Because his death signaled
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the end of a great period
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for these people.
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A period of prosperity.
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A period of spiritual consistency
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where he had led the people well.
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And now they were going
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into a period of change
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and a period of doubt.
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And it wasn't all good.
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It's evidence for that
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when you see the first five chapters
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that things were changing.
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That things were going to go
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in a different direction
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for the people.
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There's evidence of it
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in chapter 6
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at the end of the chapter
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when it's speaking
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about the people
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then being taken
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into foreign lands.
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So it's evidence here
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that this year
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in which King Uzziah died
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was an important year.
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A significant year.
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And so there was change
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in their midst.
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They had been looking
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towards Uzziah
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in dependence.
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Depending on him
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as their king.
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Depending on him
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as the one
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who was going to lead them well.
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And that as long as
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he was there
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then things were going
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to be well with them.
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In the year
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that King Uzziah died
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things changed.
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What can we say
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about it ourselves
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when we think of the years
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in which we're living in
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just now.
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Even this year
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2026.
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We could maybe reflect
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on this year
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in many different ways
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and look at
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maybe our own
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individual lives
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and say things like
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well in this year
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when I was given
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a bad diagnosis.
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In this year
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when I lost my job.
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In this year
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when my heart
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was troubled
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in many different ways.
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Or we could look at it
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in a more wider sense
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as well.
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In this year
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when we have seen
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everything taking place
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in the Middle East.
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In this year
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when we are seeing again
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the prices of everything
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going in such a direction
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that it causes
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much worry
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and concern.
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There's so many things
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that are happening
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around us.
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We can reflect
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on this year already
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in a short space of time
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that's seen
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a lot of change.
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And when we see that
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we ask ourselves
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what does that do
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to us?
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Where does it take us?
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How do we feel
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in the midst of it?
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In the sense of
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all of these things
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changing.
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For I say
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in the year
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that King Uzziah died
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caused him
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great concern.
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And as we look
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at our year
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and we see
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all of these changes
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taking place
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does it cause us
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does it cause you
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concern?
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Because it makes us ask
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well what is
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the foundation
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of our life?
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The foundation
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for the nation
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as Isaiah
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is looking at here
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you might think
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initially
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is Uzziah.
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That he was the one
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who was important
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to everything
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and that's the way
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it would seem.
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It was significant
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and for ourselves
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the foundation
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of our lives
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may have been
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a loved one.
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It may have been
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a job.
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It may have been
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the money that we have.
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It may have been
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the peace
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that was relative
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around the world.
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But when things
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begin to change
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suddenly these foundations
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are shaken
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and they make us
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ask questions.
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What is
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your foundation
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as you look
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at the year
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in which you're living?
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Well for Isaiah
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it was
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Uzziah
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was important
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he was important
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for the people.
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So there was
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an ache
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a hurt
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when Uzziah
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died.
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But where did
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that take them?
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Where did it
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take Isaiah?
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Well it takes us
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to our second point
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where we see
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that there was
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an aura.
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There was an aura.
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In the year
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that King Uzziah
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died
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where did he look?
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Well he goes on
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to say
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I saw the Lord
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sitting upon
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a throne
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high
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and lifted up.
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In the year
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that King
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Uzziah
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died
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Isaiah
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saw
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a greater
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aura.
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He saw
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the Lord
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sitting
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upon the throne
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high
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and lifted
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up.
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So in the midst
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of the pain
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of Uzziah's
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death
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and the doubts
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about the future
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what it might
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hold
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there is a reminder
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that Isaiah
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sees.
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It is the Lord
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that is sovereign
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and overruling
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in all things.
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It is the Lord
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that is in control.
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and as we look
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around ourselves
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this evening
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and in this
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year
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or in all
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our years
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through all
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the different
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changes
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through all
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the different
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directions
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we have
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gone
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through all
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the different
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ups and
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downs
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when so often
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we have maybe
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just looked
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to ourselves
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looked to
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our own
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wisdom
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our own
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understanding
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of things
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maybe we are
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being taken
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to the point
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where we begin
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to see
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something
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different
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something else
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where our eyes
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should have
13:45
always been
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fixed upon
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and that is
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the aura
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of God
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the Lord
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sitting
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upon
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a throne.
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You get the sense
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here that the people
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had lost their vision
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of the Lord
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you get it so often
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throughout the Old Testament
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where things went
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into decline
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it is because
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they took their eyes
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of God
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away from God
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they started
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to look to
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idols
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and false
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gods
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of their own
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wisdom
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and that is
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when things
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went wrong
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and perhaps
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even a good
14:17
king like
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Uzziah
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was making
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them take
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their eyes
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off the Lord
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and so
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Uzziah's
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death
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was perhaps
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maybe a good
14:26
thing
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in that sense
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because it
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made them
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look
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somewhere else
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and look
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to the Lord
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Isaiah
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is reminded
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who is
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really in
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control
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Uzziah
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might have
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been a good
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king
14:40
but he was
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a king
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appointed
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by God
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and used
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by God
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and so
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Isaiah
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here is being
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reminded
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that when
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we look
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around
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and we see
14:51
turmoil
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on the surface
14:53
the ache
14:54
the pain
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of Uzziah's
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death
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and the uncertainty
14:57
that it brings
14:57
it brings him
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to a greater
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place
15:00
that the Lord
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is sovereign
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sitting
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on his
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throne
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and what
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did he
15:08
see
15:09
of the
15:09
Lord
15:10
well you
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see that
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there's three
15:12
things that he
15:13
saw of the
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Lord
15:14
first of all
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he saw
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his position
15:16
Isaiah
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saw the
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Lord
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sitting
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upon the
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throne
15:22
so there
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was this
15:23
sovereignty
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there's a
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peace
15:27
in that
15:28
there's an
15:29
assurance
15:29
in that
15:30
an earthly
15:31
king may
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have died
15:33
but the
15:34
Lord
15:34
still
15:35
reigned
15:36
he saw
15:37
the Lord
15:37
in all
15:38
his glory
15:39
and it
15:41
had a
15:41
profound
15:41
impact
15:42
on Isaiah
15:43
he lifted
15:45
his eyes
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up
15:46
I saw
15:46
the Lord
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high
15:48
and lifted
15:49
up
15:49
and so in
15:51
the midst
15:52
of everything
15:52
going on
15:53
in your
15:53
life just
15:54
now are
15:54
you lifting
15:54
your eyes
15:55
up to
15:56
God
15:56
and faith
15:57
as the
15:58
Lord shakes
15:59
our lives
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in different
16:00
ways
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take things
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from us
16:03
removes
16:03
foundations
16:04
that we
16:04
were relying
16:05
on
16:05
are we
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lifting
16:07
our eyes
16:08
to God
16:09
and faith
16:09
and seeing
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that he
16:11
is sovereign
16:12
he saw
16:14
us well
16:15
he saw
16:15
God's
16:16
personality
16:17
how did
16:19
he see
16:19
this
16:20
well he
16:21
sees it
16:21
as you
16:21
hear
16:22
the angelic
16:23
beings
16:24
saying
16:24
holy
16:24
holy
16:25
holy
16:26
is the
16:26
Lord
16:27
of hosts
16:28
the whole
16:28
earth
16:29
is filled
16:29
with his
16:30
glory
16:31
there was
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that sense
16:33
that he
16:34
could see
16:35
the glory
16:36
of God
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not the
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glory of
16:39
usiah
16:40
as a good
16:40
king
16:41
but the
16:42
glory
16:42
of God
16:44
and Isaiah
16:45
understood
16:46
that usiah
16:47
might have
16:47
been a good
16:48
king
16:48
but the
16:49
Lord
16:50
is a
16:50
holy
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holy
16:51
holy
16:52
God
16:52
he is
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far
16:54
greater
16:55
and he
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is the
16:56
one who
16:56
deserves
16:57
all glory
16:58
and praise
16:59
and so
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when your
17:01
life is
17:02
stripped
17:02
bare
17:03
as we
17:03
would say
17:03
when the
17:04
rug is
17:05
pulled from
17:05
under your
17:06
feet
17:06
and things
17:07
are shaken
17:07
in your
17:08
life
17:09
what do
17:09
you have
17:10
do you
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have that
17:13
vision of
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God
17:15
who is
17:16
holy
17:17
holy
17:17
holy
17:18
that security
17:20
with God
17:21
I say
17:24
I learned
17:24
it's not
17:24
about
17:25
Isaiah
17:25
it's not
17:26
about
17:26
himself
17:27
it's
17:27
all
17:28
about
17:28
God
17:28
that
17:29
he
17:29
is
17:30
the
17:30
one
17:30
who
17:30
deserves
17:31
that
17:31
place
17:31
of
17:31
glory
17:32
in
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our
17:33
lives
17:33
so
17:33
are
17:33
you
17:34
giving
17:34
him
17:34
that
17:35
glory
17:36
he
17:37
saw
17:38
his
17:38
personality
17:39
he
17:39
also
17:39
saw
17:40
his
17:40
presence
17:41
you see
17:41
that
17:42
in
17:42
verse
17:42
four
17:42
the
17:43
foundations
17:44
of the
17:45
threshold
17:45
shook
17:46
at the
17:46
voice
17:46
of him
17:47
who
17:47
called
17:47
and the
17:48
house
17:48
was
17:49
filled
17:49
with
17:50
smoke
17:50
there
17:51
was
17:51
a
17:51
sense
17:51
of
17:52
the
17:52
presence
17:52
of
17:53
God
17:54
so
17:55
Isaiah
17:56
was
17:56
gone
17:56
but
17:57
there
17:57
was
17:57
this
17:58
assurance
17:58
that
17:59
God
17:59
was
17:59
there
18:00
God
18:01
was
18:01
with
18:02
him
18:02
God
18:03
was
18:03
with
18:03
his
18:04
people
18:05
he's
18:05
reminded
18:06
powerfully
18:06
of
18:07
that
18:08
he
18:10
might
18:10
have
18:10
felt
18:10
forsaken
18:12
in that
18:12
sense
18:12
of
18:12
the
18:13
loss
18:14
of
18:14
Isaiah
18:14
but
18:16
it
18:16
only
18:16
brought
18:17
him
18:17
to
18:17
see
18:17
more
18:17
of
18:18
the
18:18
glory
18:18
of
18:19
God
18:19
and
18:20
the
18:20
presence
18:20
of
18:21
God
18:22
as a
18:23
great
18:23
reminder
18:24
there
18:24
for
18:24
us
18:25
we
18:25
can
18:26
be
18:26
a
18:26
people
18:26
who
18:27
feel
18:27
lonely
18:27
at
18:28
times
18:28
we
18:29
can
18:29
feel
18:30
isolated
18:30
we
18:31
can
18:31
feel
18:31
afraid
18:32
and
18:32
maybe
18:32
you
18:33
have
18:33
that
18:33
sense
18:33
maybe
18:34
you
18:34
are
18:34
one
18:34
of
18:34
these
18:35
people
18:35
who
18:35
feels
18:35
a
18:36
sense
18:36
of
18:36
loneliness
18:37
tonight
18:38
but
18:39
there's
18:39
that
18:40
great
18:40
reminder
18:41
to
18:41
us
18:41
here
18:42
this
18:42
great
18:43
truth
18:43
that
18:43
if
18:44
we
18:44
are
18:44
saved
18:45
if
18:45
we
18:45
are
18:45
belonging
18:46
to
18:46
God
18:47
we
18:47
are
18:47
never
18:48
alone
18:48
you
18:49
are
18:49
never
18:49
alone
18:50
because
18:51
his
18:51
presence
18:52
is
18:52
promised
18:53
that
18:54
aura
18:55
of
18:56
God
18:56
is
18:56
there
18:56
for
18:57
his
18:57
people
18:57
at
18:57
all
18:58
times
18:58
he
18:59
is
18:59
with
19:00
us
19:00
always
19:00
that's
19:01
the
19:01
promise
19:01
that
19:02
we
19:02
have
19:02
in
19:03
the
19:03
Lord
19:03
Jesus
19:03
Christ
19:04
as
19:04
he
19:04
gave
19:05
that
19:05
great
19:06
commission
19:06
lo I
19:07
am
19:07
with
19:07
you
19:07
always
19:08
even
19:08
to
19:08
the
19:09
end
19:09
of
19:09
the
19:09
age
19:10
there
19:11
is
19:11
that
19:11
presence
19:12
that
19:13
aura
19:13
of
19:14
God
19:14
that
19:15
we
19:15
can
19:15
know
19:15
in
19:15
our
19:16
own
19:16
lives
19:16
as
19:16
we
19:17
look
19:17
to
19:17
him
19:17
so
19:18
are
19:18
you
19:18
lonely
19:19
this
19:19
evening
19:19
well
19:20
you
19:21
can
19:21
know
19:21
that
19:21
as
19:21
you
19:21
look
19:22
to
19:22
God
19:22
as
19:23
you
19:23
lift
19:23
up
19:23
your
19:24
voice
19:24
your
19:25
eyes
19:25
to
19:25
God
19:26
as
19:26
you
19:26
see
19:26
he
19:27
is
19:27
sovereign
19:28
he
19:28
is
19:28
present
19:29
he
19:29
is
19:30
holy
19:30
he
19:31
is
19:31
all
19:31
of
19:31
these
19:32
things
19:32
and
19:33
he
19:33
is
19:34
it
19:34
for
19:34
you
19:34
that
19:35
you
19:36
might
19:36
know
19:36
him
19:36
with
19:37
you
19:37
the
19:39
third
19:39
thing
19:39
we
19:39
see
19:40
here
19:40
is
19:40
an
19:41
awareness
19:41
how
19:43
did
19:43
I
19:44
say
19:44
I
19:44
respond
19:45
in
19:47
as
19:48
he
19:48
saw
19:48
the
19:49
glory
19:49
of
19:50
God
19:50
what
19:50
did
19:50
it
19:51
do
19:51
for
19:51
him
19:51
well
19:54
it
19:54
made
19:54
him
19:54
realize
19:55
what
19:55
he
19:55
had
19:55
been
19:56
relying
19:56
on
19:57
he
19:58
had
19:58
been
19:58
relying
19:59
on
19:59
his
19:59
earthly
20:00
king
20:01
he
20:02
had
20:02
been
20:02
relying
20:03
on
20:03
usiah
20:04
for
20:04
things
20:04
to
20:05
go
20:05
well
20:06
for
20:06
him
20:06
and
20:06
for
20:07
the
20:07
people
20:07
of
20:08
God
20:08
instead
20:10
of
20:10
looking
20:10
to
20:11
the
20:11
heavenly
20:12
king
20:12
to
20:13
God
20:14
in
20:14
heaven
20:14
and
20:15
the
20:15
king
20:15
that
20:16
is
20:16
secure
20:16
on
20:16
his
20:17
throne
20:17
there
20:18
so
20:18
what
20:18
he
20:19
realizes
20:19
now
20:20
is
20:20
seeing
20:20
the
20:21
glory
20:21
of
20:21
God
20:22
is
20:22
his
20:22
error
20:23
he
20:24
becomes
20:24
aware
20:25
of
20:26
his
20:26
error
20:26
you
20:26
see
20:27
that
20:27
in
20:27
verse
20:28
5
20:28
look at
20:30
his
20:30
response
20:31
to
20:31
everything
20:31
that
20:31
he
20:32
has
20:32
seen
20:32
in
20:33
verse
20:33
5
20:34
woe
20:35
is
20:35
me
20:35
for
20:36
I
20:36
am
20:37
lost
20:37
that's
20:39
his
20:39
response
20:39
in
20:40
verse
20:40
5
20:41
woe
20:41
is
20:42
me
20:42
for
20:43
I
20:43
am
20:43
lost
20:44
I
20:45
say
20:45
I
20:45
probably
20:46
thought
20:47
all
20:47
was
20:47
well
20:48
in
20:49
his
20:49
life
20:49
enjoying
20:51
that
20:51
peace
20:52
that
20:52
the
20:52
king
20:52
usiah
20:53
had
20:53
brought
20:54
the
20:54
blessings
20:54
that
20:55
had
20:55
been
20:55
many
20:56
he
20:57
thought
20:57
all
20:57
was
20:58
well
20:58
but
21:02
when
21:02
usiah
21:03
was
21:03
taken
21:03
away
21:04
he
21:05
was
21:06
made
21:06
aware
21:06
of
21:06
his
21:06
own
21:07
short
21:08
comings
21:08
he
21:09
says
21:10
I
21:11
am
21:11
lost
21:11
what
21:13
he's
21:13
saying
21:14
is
21:14
I
21:14
am
21:14
as
21:15
good
21:15
as
21:15
dead
21:16
when
21:16
I
21:16
am
21:17
relying
21:17
on
21:17
earthly
21:18
things
21:18
for
21:19
my
21:19
life
21:19
for
21:20
my
21:20
salvation
21:21
for
21:22
everything
21:22
that
21:22
I
21:22
need
21:23
if
21:24
I
21:24
am
21:24
putting
21:24
my
21:24
trust
21:25
in
21:25
these
21:25
things
21:26
I
21:26
am
21:27
lost
21:27
woe
21:28
is
21:29
me
21:29
and
21:30
what
21:31
has
21:31
made
21:31
him
21:31
aware
21:32
of
21:32
this
21:32
is
21:33
the
21:33
glory
21:33
of
21:33
God
21:34
when
21:36
you're
21:36
driving
21:36
at
21:36
night
21:37
and
21:37
we
21:38
see
21:38
it
21:38
maybe
21:38
more
21:39
so
21:39
now
21:39
with
21:39
the
21:40
cars
21:40
that
21:41
are
21:41
coming
21:41
towards
21:41
us
21:42
and
21:42
the
21:42
brightness
21:42
of
21:43
their
21:43
lights
21:43
it
21:44
can
21:44
be
21:44
hard
21:45
sometimes
21:45
to
21:46
see
21:46
where
21:46
you're
21:46
going
21:47
the
21:47
lights
21:47
are
21:48
shining
21:48
so
21:48
brightly
21:49
you
21:49
almost
21:49
have
21:49
to
21:49
come
21:49
to
21:50
a
21:50
stop
21:50
sometimes
21:51
to
21:53
make
21:53
sure
21:53
that
21:53
you're
21:53
staying
21:58
well
21:59
imagine
21:59
what
21:59
the
21:59
glory
22:00
of
22:00
God
22:00
does
22:01
how
22:02
that
22:02
stops
22:03
us
22:03
in
22:03
our
22:03
tracks
22:04
we
22:04
see
22:04
it
22:04
here
22:05
with
22:05
Isaiah
22:06
he
22:07
has
22:07
just
22:07
stopped
22:08
in
22:08
his
22:08
tracks
22:08
the
22:09
glory
22:09
of
22:09
God
22:10
all
22:11
that
22:11
he
22:11
is
22:11
seeing
22:11
and
22:12
he
22:12
comes
22:12
to
22:12
the
22:12
point
22:12
and
22:13
says
22:13
woe
22:14
is
22:14
me
22:14
for
22:15
I
22:15
am
22:15
lost
22:16
it
22:17
has
22:18
stopped
22:18
him
22:19
and
22:22
that's
22:23
what
22:23
the
22:23
word
22:23
of
22:23
God
22:24
does
22:24
to
22:24
us
22:25
to
22:25
this
22:25
day
22:25
maybe
22:26
it's
22:26
doing
22:27
it
22:28
has
22:28
been
22:28
for
22:28
some
22:29
time
22:29
it's
22:30
making
22:30
you
22:30
stop
22:31
in
22:31
your
22:31
tracks
22:31
and
22:31
all
22:32
you
22:32
can
22:32
say
22:32
is
22:33
the
22:33
same
22:33
as
22:34
I
22:34
say
22:34
a
22:34
woe
22:34
is
22:35
me
22:35
for
22:36
I
22:36
am
22:36
lost
22:37
because
22:38
the
22:38
word
22:39
of
22:39
God
22:39
makes
22:40
us
22:40
aware
22:40
of
22:41
our
22:41
lostness
22:42
it
22:43
makes
22:43
us
22:43
aware
22:44
of
22:44
where
22:44
we
22:45
are
22:45
in
22:46
this
22:46
year
22:47
and
22:47
in
22:47
every
22:48
year
22:48
it
22:49
brings
22:50
us
22:50
to
22:50
realize
22:51
where
22:51
we
22:52
stand
22:52
before
22:53
God
22:53
and
22:55
if
22:55
we
22:55
are
22:55
relying
22:56
on
22:58
the
22:59
world
22:58
when
22:59
we
22:59
survey
23:00
our
23:00
lives
23:01
when
23:01
we
23:01
survey
23:01
our
23:02
situations
23:02
when
23:04
we
23:04
think
23:04
do
23:05
I
23:05
have
23:05
God
23:06
in
23:06
my
23:06
life
23:06
am
23:07
I
23:07
trusting
23:08
in
23:09
the
23:09
Lord
23:09
Jesus
23:10
Christ
23:10
for
23:10
my
23:11
salvation
23:11
if
23:12
not
23:13
well
23:14
we
23:14
can
23:14
only
23:14
say
23:15
woe
23:15
is
23:15
me
23:16
for
23:17
I
23:17
am
23:17
lost
23:18
the
23:19
glory
23:20
of
23:20
God
23:20
brings
23:21
this
23:21
revelation
23:22
to
23:22
Isaiah
23:23
and
23:23
the
23:23
word
23:23
of
23:24
God
23:24
the
23:24
glory
23:25
of
23:25
God
23:25
that
23:26
speaks
23:26
to
23:26
us
23:26
through
23:27
it
23:27
makes
23:28
the
23:28
same
23:28
through
23:28
for
23:29
ourselves
23:29
it
23:31
makes
23:31
us
23:31
realize
23:32
that
23:32
apart
23:33
from
23:33
God
23:33
we
23:34
are
23:35
indeed
23:35
lost
23:36
but
23:39
where
23:39
was
23:39
Isaiah
23:40
here
23:41
he
23:43
wasn't
23:43
turning
23:44
away
23:44
from
23:45
God
23:45
he
23:46
was
23:46
looking
23:47
towards
23:48
God
23:48
God
23:49
and
23:50
so
23:50
it
23:50
is
23:50
good
23:50
for
23:51
us
23:51
to
23:52
be
23:52
looking
23:52
towards
23:53
God
23:54
it
23:55
is
23:55
good
23:55
for
23:55
us
23:56
to
23:56
be
23:56
coming
23:56
under
23:57
the
23:57
word
23:57
of
23:58
God
23:58
when
23:58
it
23:58
makes
23:59
us
23:59
stop
24:00
in
24:00
our
24:01
tracks
24:01
and
24:02
when
24:03
it
24:03
makes
24:03
us
24:03
look
24:03
at
24:04
our
24:04
lives
24:04
and
24:05
makes
24:05
us
24:05
realize
24:06
we
24:07
are
24:07
indeed
24:07
lost
24:08
because
24:10
if we
24:10
don't
24:11
realize
24:11
this
24:12
nothing
24:13
changes
24:14
if we
24:15
just
24:16
carry
24:16
on
24:16
as if
24:17
life
24:18
is
24:18
fine
24:19
nothing
24:19
changes
24:20
and
24:21
sometimes
24:22
it
24:22
takes
24:23
a
24:23
moment
24:23
or
24:24
a
24:24
circumstance
24:25
or a
24:26
providence
24:27
in our
24:27
lives
24:27
to make
24:28
us
24:28
stop
24:29
and
24:30
take
24:30
stock
24:31
and
24:31
see
24:31
what
24:32
is
24:32
important
24:33
had
24:34
Isaiah
24:35
not
24:35
died
24:35
perhaps
24:36
Isaiah
24:37
and the
24:37
others
24:37
would have
24:37
carried
24:38
on
24:38
as
24:38
aware
24:38
thinking
24:39
we
24:39
are
24:39
fine
24:40
as
24:40
long
24:40
as
24:40
we
24:41
have
24:41
Isaiah
24:41
and
24:43
we
24:43
can
24:43
carry
24:44
on
24:44
in
24:44
our
24:44
lives
24:45
thinking
24:45
I'm
24:45
fine
24:46
as
24:46
long
24:46
as
24:46
I
24:46
have
24:47
my
24:47
health
24:47
my
24:48
work
24:48
my
24:48
family
24:49
and
24:49
all
24:49
of
24:49
these
24:49
things
24:50
but
24:52
when
24:52
they
24:52
are
24:52
taken
24:52
from
24:53
us
24:53
that
24:54
is
24:55
when
24:55
we
24:55
become
24:55
more
24:55
aware
24:56
woe
24:57
is
24:58
me
24:58
for
24:59
I
24:59
am
24:59
lost
24:59
we
25:02
see
25:02
the
25:02
wonder
25:03
of
25:03
God
25:03
here
25:04
though
25:04
you
25:05
see
25:06
God
25:06
in
25:06
his
25:06
words
25:07
speaking
25:08
and
25:09
you
25:09
see
25:09
him
25:10
pointing
25:10
!
25:10
us
25:11
towards
25:11
himself
25:12
and
25:12
towards
25:13
all
25:13
that
25:13
he
25:13
would
25:14
do
25:14
for
25:14
us
25:14
because
25:15
when
25:15
we
25:15
think
25:16
of
25:16
these
25:16
words
25:16
woe
25:17
is
25:17
me
25:17
for
25:18
I
25:18
am
25:18
lost
25:19
we
25:20
think
25:21
of
25:21
our
25:21
condition
25:21
and
25:22
sin
25:22
that
25:22
we
25:22
are
25:23
a
25:23
lost
25:23
people
25:24
and
25:26
if
25:26
we
25:26
are
25:26
lost
25:26
we
25:27
need
25:27
a
25:27
savior
25:27
who
25:57
Zacchaeus in the sermon this morning. And we're reminded that the Lord Jesus came to seek and to
26:04
save the lost. The lost. And so in the midst of everything that's changing and becoming aware of
26:14
our situation, that is a good thing. Because we see here it leads to the next point, which is
26:23
an assurance. An assurance. And that's what Isaiah is given here as well. Because he says,
26:33
Woe is me, for I am lost. I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of
26:39
unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. He has seen the glory of God.
26:47
He has seen how lost he is in the midst of it. But then he is given an assurance.
26:56
And what is the assurance that he's given? Well, the assurance that he has given is that as he draws
27:02
near to God, God draws near to him. And that's the assurance that we can have this evening as well.
27:10
That when we begin to realize and become aware of our lostness, our sin, and how we are destined to be
27:19
lost for eternity in it, well, it leads us to see our only hope is through God and his word and a
27:28
Savior who is Christ Jesus. And so the assurance that we come to see is that God will not turn us away,
27:36
but that God is seeking after those who are lost. You see it in the Old Testament. You see it in the
27:44
New Testament. And for example, Nehemiah chapter 1 verse 9 and 10, But if you return to me and keep my
27:51
commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will
27:57
gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen. So we can go so far away from God.
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We can be like that prodigal son who has just gone far away from his father, but God can still reach out.
28:14
There's an awareness, and then we come to that assurance that God will not turn us away.
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Jesus tells us that in the Gospel of John chapter 6 verse 37,
28:26
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
28:34
There's great assurance in that. Where do we go with our lostness? We go to Christ.
28:41
And as we come to Christ, we are assured, whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
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And what did Isaiah find as he came to God? That he was full of glory, that God was full of glory,
28:59
that he was lost and unclean, but ultimately he found that God could save. Because you read in verse 6,
29:08
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongues from the altar.
29:16
And he touched my mouth and said, Behold, this has touched your lips. Your guilt is taken away, and your sin is atoned for.
29:26
So he has given assurance. So he has given assurance. What great assurance there is for us as we come to God,
29:37
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.
29:49
Your sin is atoned for. Where do we go?
29:53
Where do we look for that atonement, that our sin being forgiven?
30:00
We look to the cross.
30:03
We look to the place where Christ died in our place,
30:08
that we might have salvation through him.
30:14
In 2 Corinthians 3, verse 18, Paul says there,
30:18
There is a work going on in God's people as we look to him being turned from one degree of glory to another.
30:37
Little by little, being made like Jesus.
30:43
Seeing his glory more and more.
30:47
Being transformed into his likeness.
30:52
That assurance that we have that the more we look to him,
30:56
the more we see our sin,
30:59
but the more we see our salvation
31:01
in what he has done for us.
31:04
And so for us today, we behold God's glory in Jesus Christ.
31:09
Christ crucified for his people.
31:13
We look to the cross.
31:15
When we speak of surveying everything that's going on around us,
31:20
looking at the year in which we live in,
31:22
where can we turn?
31:24
We can survey the cross.
31:25
As the hymn writer says,
31:27
When I survey the wondrous cross on which the prince of glory died,
31:32
my riches gain,
31:34
I count but loss and poor contempt on all my pride.
31:39
That is what Isaiah was doing here.
31:42
His pride was in the king who was Isaiah,
31:46
who was taken away.
31:49
But it takes him to put all that aside
31:52
and look to the glory of God.
31:57
So where are you looking this evening?
31:59
For that assurance.
32:01
For that hope.
32:03
For today.
32:03
For tomorrow.
32:04
For all eternity.
32:07
As you see your lostness.
32:10
As you are able to say, like I say,
32:12
A woe is me.
32:13
For I am lost.
32:14
Where do you go?
32:15
Well, you can go to the cross.
32:20
And to Jesus Christ.
32:22
Pour contempt on all your pride.
32:27
Everything you have count as loss.
32:30
Compared to the riches that are in Christ.
32:35
Find that assurance in him.
32:39
Well, the fifth and final thing we see here is
32:42
where it leads, I say.
32:44
Isaiah.
32:45
And what we see is an availability.
32:48
Because a great vision of God and his glory,
32:51
as somebody said, inspires us in the mission of God.
32:55
And when you look at Isaiah here,
32:58
when you see his sin atoned for,
33:01
in verse 8 then it goes on to say,
33:02
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
33:05
Whom shall I send?
33:07
And who will go for us?
33:09
Then I said,
33:10
Here am I.
33:12
Send me.
33:14
Here am I.
33:16
Send me.
33:18
What a changed.
33:20
It's just a few verses before,
33:22
when Isaiah is showing where he stands.
33:25
Woe is me, for I am lost.
33:26
I'm a man of unclean lips.
33:29
Well, he's seen the glory of God.
33:31
He's seen his lostness.
33:33
But he's been given that assurance of his sin atoned for.
33:37
And so what now?
33:38
Well, he makes himself available.
33:41
Here am I.
33:43
Send me.
33:45
He was made right with God.
33:48
And so, instead of now surveying the hopelessness of everything around him,
33:54
and the despair,
33:56
Isaiah was dead.
33:57
All the blessings that they've enjoyed,
33:59
they were gone in many ways.
34:02
But his survey takes him deeper.
34:05
And now he realizes it's about the Lord who is sovereign.
34:09
And as we look at the world in which we live in,
34:13
and as we see everything that can make us afraid,
34:17
let's just see that that is just the surface.
34:20
Because the depths of the foundation of this world are a sovereign God.
34:25
And we are to make ourselves available to him.
34:31
So are you making yourself available?
34:34
Are you giving yourself over into the hands of this sovereign God?
34:38
Just like Isaiah saying,
34:40
Here am I.
34:42
Send me.
34:44
You don't know what he's going to send you out for.
34:48
But he has a purpose for every one of his people.
34:52
He has a use for every one of his people.
34:56
It may be something that seems small and insignificant,
35:00
but yet it is to be faithful to God,
35:02
and just to say,
35:02
Here am I.
35:04
Send me.
35:05
To make ourselves available for him.
35:09
That is what is key.
35:10
That is what Isaiah did here.
35:13
And that is what many of God's people have done.
35:17
In the year 1903,
35:21
late in that year,
35:22
there was a pastor in West Wales
35:25
who had become very grieved
35:28
over the worldliness among young people
35:31
and a lack of devotion to the Lord Jesus among the young people.
35:35
And this burden kept growing on him.
35:37
And so he arranged at New Year time
35:40
a special two-day youth event
35:43
so that the young people could come together.
35:46
And they were coming under the Word of God.
35:48
The Word of God was to be preached.
35:50
And messages were preached
35:52
that spoke to the hearts of the young people
35:54
and made a deep impression on them,
35:57
especially on one young girl,
36:00
a teenage girl.
36:01
She was called Flory Evans.
36:05
She was challenged
36:06
by the preaching of God's Word that she heard.
36:10
And God's Word would not go away from her.
36:13
And a month later,
36:14
she found herself at crisis point.
36:17
And so she asked to meet with the pastor
36:19
and speak with him.
36:22
And she spoke to him
36:23
about how God's Word had been speaking to him.
36:26
And she felt herself lost in life.
36:29
She was in despair.
36:31
And she was saying,
36:32
I cannot live like this.
36:35
And the pastor asked her a question.
36:38
He said,
36:38
Could you say,
36:40
My Lord,
36:41
to the Lord Jesus Christ?
36:45
And she began to ponder this question deeply.
36:48
Could she say,
36:50
The Lord Jesus is my Lord?
36:53
And that's what kept working away at her.
36:57
Until she came to the point
36:59
where she was able to say,
37:00
He is my Lord.
37:03
She was converted.
37:07
God had given her a new heart.
37:11
And a heart for the Lord.
37:14
And obedience to him was her new life.
37:18
And God would soon use this young girl
37:21
in a powerful way.
37:22
It was at the end of February
37:25
on a Sunday night.
37:27
And it was after a sermon that evening
37:29
where the young people were gathered together.
37:33
And the pastor asked them a question
37:35
to all the people there.
37:37
What does Jesus mean to you?
37:41
And he was waiting for a few moments
37:44
to see if anyone would speak.
37:46
And there was silence.
37:49
Until, after a few moments,
37:51
Flory stood up.
37:54
And she said,
37:55
I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart.
37:59
It's all she could say.
38:01
I love the Lord Jesus with all my heart.
38:05
But that expression of love
38:07
in that room touched
38:09
many of the other people's hearts.
38:12
And that sense of conviction
38:14
started to spread among the young people.
38:17
And many started to be converted.
38:23
Flory's simple testimony that night
38:25
began to move among the people.
38:30
And at that time,
38:32
the Welsh revival of 1904, 1905 began.
38:38
Did it begin with her?
38:40
No.
38:41
Because it was all of God.
38:44
But God used her.
38:46
And her testimony.
38:48
Just those few words.
38:50
What does Jesus mean to you?
38:53
I love the Lord Jesus with all of my heart.
38:57
He used her.
38:59
Because she said,
39:01
Here am I.
39:03
She could not hold it in.
39:07
Isaiah could not hold it in.
39:10
Here am I.
39:12
Send me.
39:13
And so God sent him.
39:15
And sent him into a very difficult situation.
39:19
But God used him mightily.
39:23
And God can use any one of us
39:25
in a mighty way.
39:28
And so as we look at this year
39:30
in which King Uzziah died,
39:33
in all the uncertainty that it brought,
39:36
in all the pain,
39:38
the ache that there was,
39:40
what it brought Isaiah to see,
39:42
was the glory of God.
39:45
And may our year,
39:46
may your year just now,
39:48
may your point in life just now,
39:50
bring you to see
39:51
that there is no foundation in this world
39:54
that is secure
39:55
other than the salvation
39:57
that is found by God giving his son.
40:01
May we see our lostness,
40:03
as Isaiah says,
40:04
Woe is me,
40:05
for I am lost.
40:08
But may we see with assurance
40:09
that he is able to save our sin
40:12
as atoned for
40:13
through what has been done at the cross.
40:17
And may we then come
40:18
to say,
40:20
Here am I.
40:21
Send me.
40:23
Lord, use us.
40:25
Whatever plan,
40:26
whatever purpose you have
40:27
for every one of us,
40:29
may we say,
40:30
Here am I.
40:32
Send me.
40:33
Let us pray.
40:35
Lord, our gracious God,
40:37
we thank you that your word
40:39
is an active word,
40:40
a living word,
40:41
a word that gives us assurance
40:43
in the midst of the most difficult times,
40:46
in the midst of most uncertain times.
40:49
As Isaiah experienced that
40:51
in the year that King Uzziah died,
40:54
may we look at our own years
40:55
and say,
40:56
In the midst of all that goes on around us,
40:59
may we see the Lord
41:00
high and lifted up.
41:02
May we see his glory,
41:04
your glory,
41:05
in our midst.
41:06
And may we see it working in our hearts
41:09
to see us coming
41:10
to recognize our lostness,
41:13
but the salvation that you give
41:14
through Jesus Christ.
41:16
So we ask all of these things
41:18
for your glory
41:20
and for your sake.
41:21
Amen.
41:24
We're going to conclude
41:26
by singing to God's praise
41:27
in Psalm 116.
41:30
The Sing Psalms version,
41:31
page 154.
41:35
Psalm 116,
41:37
we'll sing from verse 1
41:38
to verse 9.
41:40
I love the Lord
41:44
because he heard my voice.
41:46
He listened when I cried to him for aid.
41:48
I'll call on him as long as I shall live
41:51
because he turned to hear me when I prayed.
41:54
The tune is even tied.
41:55
We stand to sing verse 1 to 9.
41:58
I love the Lord
42:04
I love the Lord
42:06
because he heard my voice.
42:11
He listened when I cried to him for aid.
42:20
I'll call on him as long as I shall live.
42:29
because he turned to hear me when I prayed.
42:38
The court of death
42:42
with grip and entangled thee
42:47
upon me came the anguish of the grave.
42:56
With grief and trouble
43:00
I was overcome
43:04
Then on the name of God
43:10
I called
43:12
Lord save
43:14
The Lord our God
43:19
is
43:20
strengthened
43:21
full of grace
43:25
Both righteous
43:27
and compassionate
43:31
The Lord protects
43:37
all those of childlike faith
43:43
When I was in grave
43:47
When I was in grave need
43:48
He rescued me
43:53
Rest, O my soul
43:57
God, I speak with you
44:02
For you, O Lord
44:07
I've saved my soul from death
44:12
My feet from stumbling
44:17
And my eyes from tears
44:22
That I may live for you
44:26
While I have breath
44:31
After the benediction
44:34
I'll go to the door to my left
44:35
We'll close with the benediction
44:36
Now may grace, mercy and peace
44:39
from God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
44:42
rest upon and abide with you all
44:44
now and forevermore
44:46
Amen
44:46
Amen
44:47
Amen
44:47
Thank you.