LORD, I VOLUNTEER, SEND ME

INTRODUCTION

1. Last night, we were at end of month vigil service, the pastor told a story of bandits that stormed a house and kill everyone except one. They packed the dead bodies in a truck and ask the survivor to drive the truck. Why was one person left? God has shown him/her mercy. Who is that person? You.
2. Us Military daily recruits youth into the armed service

• They use TV commercials and advert in Newspapers
• They pay to insert propaganda into Holly Wood Movies
• They invest tens of millions to incorporate brainwashing propaganda into video games to lure youth into Military.
• Glamorizing the soldier’s life.
• These worldly advertising has been effective.

3. Yet there is a spiritual war raging that is most important

• The military pales in comparism to ministry
• Instead of weapons of guns, our weapon is the inspired Word of God.
• Instead of uniform, we wear a holy life
• Instead of bullets, we use Bible verses
• Instead of belonging to a unit, we belong to local church (Ministries).
• Instead of fighting other men, our enemies are the flesh the world and Satan.
• Instead of being recreated, we volunteer, make self available

Our text is – “Here I am, send me” (Isaiah 6:8; Luke 10:1-3).

In Topical Sermon: Here Am I, Send Me (Isaiah 6:8-10). The author writes, “God has always sent men to do His work here on earth, Jeremiah. 7:25 (13); Ezekiel 2:3; Matthew 10:16; 28:19-20. Three men whom God called and sent on mission to accomplish His will: Jonah, Moses and Isaiah. Their reactions to God’s call to go can be applied to show how we react when God has called us to action. These 3 men called by God reacted differently:

1. JONAH: Here am I, I’m not going – Jonah 1:1-3

• God called him to a work – preach against Nineveh
• His reaction should be lack of faith (in God) and love (for lost souls) Jonah 4:1-5.
• Today, fear we are often like Jonah – running from spiritual obligations, believing we have good reasons which clear us from responsibility.

1. MOSES: Here am I, send another person (Aaron) Exodus 3:10
2. Moses knew the need which existed, he just couldn’t see himself being used by God to meet the need.
3. He offered multiple excuses aimed at removing himself from God’s consideration as deliverer of Israel (Exodus 3:11-4:17).

• Today: Do we not often rationalize why we are not best suited for some spiritual work – that surely God could find someone other than me to do what needs to be done?

1. ISAIAH: “Here am I, send me”, Isaiah 6:8
2. Motives: Which prompted Isaiah’s response:
3. Saw God’s Majesty and His glory –Isa. 6:1-4
4. Acknowledged man’s (his) sinfulness – Isa. 6:5
5. Ready eagerness: cf 8:3-5, 11-12

• This should be the consistent attitude and action of God’s people today! When was the last time you remember having or acting with such readiness/eagerness in serving the Lord?

Years past, when were young; when we see an Elder person standing in the bus or church or any community place, the young person stood up and allowed the elderly have seat. It was regards as respect but it was volunteering. Isaiah 6:8 – In this verse, Isaiah volunteered to preach the gospel.

• However, Nigerian especial in foreign land, don’t like volunteering.
• We want to be paid cash even for doing nothing
• It is interesting that God didn’t call Isaiah to preach
• He heard the Godhead asking whom they could send.
• God standard knew the heart of Isaiah – He would volunteer just like John 6:5-6 – Jesus ask his disciple how He would feed 5,000 people, Jesus already knew what He was going to do.
• God knew Isaiah would volunteer
• God needed to make the choice himself.
• When God asked who will go and redeemed he world- Jesus volunteered “Father send me, I shall go”.
• You can volunteer to serve God – There is a voluntary call to serve God
• We are all in full time ministry as born again Christians whether at work or vacation. Every believer is on call 24 hours a day. You should be serving God in your thinking, speech, action (behavior).

Listen to This: “Nobody can love God who doesn’t love sinners” – Dr. Jack Hyle

• God is always looking for faithful men and women that He can support and empower to accomplish His will and purpose on earth – 1Chronicles 16:9.
• He has given us a commission to be active in making disciples and to teach them all that He has commanded – Matt 28:19-20.
• God’s method in building His Kingdom in by using willing and obedient servant, people who avail themselves to God’s call upon their lives.

God wants workers (volunteers) and He asks that we would pray for more workers to go into the harvest –Luke 10:2.

• Some may be called to foreign missions or to the ministry.
• Minister the gospel even though our career paths might look much different.
• Others are called to be “sign post”, parent, mentor, disciple to their families, communities and societies.
• Isaiah was one of the most fascinating servant/prophets in the Bible.
• His name means “Jehovah Saves”.
• He was a prophet/seer
• He had many personal experiences with the Lord

1. He prophesied the birth of Christ – Isaiah 7:14
2. He prophesied the death of Christ – Isaiah 53:5
3. He prophesied about John the Baptist – Isaiah 40:3

• Isaiah 6:2-8 – Speaks of an amazing encounter that he had.
• He saw the Lord seated on His throne towering high and lifted up with the train of His robe filling the temple. – Read Isaiah 6:2-4.
• The vision was so awe-inspiring that Isaiah was left broken, deeply aware of his own sins vs. 5 and inadequacy– Isaiah cried and stammered “I am ruined; for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips. My eyes have been the king, the Lord Almighty.
• Vs 6 – one of the Seraphim touched his lips with a live coal taken from the altar and pronounced him clean, his sins atoned for “touched lips, iniquity taken away and sins purged”.
• Following this he heard God head say ‘whom shall I send’.
• ED Jarnet says, “Isaiah’s response was an enthusiastic plea to have been privileged –be one whom God would send even before knowing what he was being sent for (John 12:37-50)

Isaiah saw the presence of God in His glory, His majesty and His purity.

• The presence of God is powerful.
• It’s the essence of His being
• We often time got caught in His anointing but have lost the fear of the Lord.
• The fear of God is not being afraid of Him. But His reverence and respect of His holiness and awesomeness
• Sometime we forget that He created man and He’s the creator of heaven and earth.
• He’s omnipotent, omnipresence and omniscience.

Today, the Lord uses prophets as he did in biblical times

• Prophets are part of the 5 folds ministry today – Eph. 4:11.
• Gift of prophecy are for today – 1Corinthians 12:10.

Jesus is looking for somebody to be His mouthpiece A bitter fountain can’t release the pure words of God) –(Fresh water and salt water can’t flow from the same spring. God want to do transformation in the hearts, so true prophetic voice will speak on His behalf.

He can’t use gossipers, tail bearers, slanders and liars. He can’t use those speaking reckless words that pierce like sword. He wants to use the tongue of the wise that brings healing. He is asking you today:

If you will allow Him to cleanse our hearts and our lips from anything that would defile us, and hinder us – Proverbs 18:21 – Death and life are in the power of the tongue those who love it will eat to its fruits.

Each of us has been given an amazingly important gift, it came in form of message –the message is God’s plan for salvation for His people.

HERE I AM (ISAIAH 6:8b). Isaiah was willing to go wherever God sent him. The Lord wanted someone to warn the people. To call them to repentance. Isaiah volunteered to go and be that person.

NOTE HERE: God could only use Isaiah after his sins were cleansed.

• Centuries ago, Prophet Isaiah in his day obeyed the call to be a Prophet to the nation of Israel
• Today, those who have a relationship into the Lord Jesus (personal encounter) are called to obey and follow the great commission to tell the world about Jesus Christ.

THE INITIAL MESSAGE – ISAIAH 6:9b-10.

• The people of Israel and Judah were often in conflict (disobedient) with the Lord.
• Rebelling against God’s law.
• Rejecting His love.
• So God sent Isaiah to declare their sins back to them as well as the consequences.
• God told Isaiah to preach to the people.
• But knew they will not hear the truth, they will ignore him and his message.
• 11-13 – The Lord paint a black picture for Isaiah;

1. I will take a long time
2. A lot of hardship and pain before the people would hear and repent.
3. Despite sad implications, God ends with His message with hope.

APPLY TODAY:

• The Lord has plans and purposes.
• He wants to accomplish by sending each person out with Him.
• It helps people grow closer to Him.
• Be more like Him.
• Have experiences that will have significant into eternity –Jesus in Matt. 28:18-20.
• Just like Isaiah had to be cleaned of his sins before he could say, Here I am Lord, send me.
• A person must repent of their sins and be cleaned in the blood of Jesus Christ.
• Empowered by the lips
• Isaiah agreed to go for the Lord before he knew what God was going to ask him to say.

Christians should be willing to obey the great commission;

• However God leads them to fulfill it.
• Even when fit, they are not sure what their specific arrangements may be.
• Some people will be called on mission to reach the unreached people.
• Others in secular workplace.
• Others in secular neighbours.
• Others will reach their families for God.

• PROCESS OF COMING TO CHRIST/ SURRENDER

1. Revelation: All surrender to God begins with a clear understanding of who God is. Human heart is such that in order to surrender, you must acknowledge someone or something greater than ourselves. You will never submit to someone who is beneath you or you are bigger than. The revelation of God made Isaiah willing and aware of who God really is.

• He got a glimpse of his majesty, of his authority, of his greatness – these things set the stage/compelled him to surrender
• You cannot come to Christ and surrender except you have a revelation of who He’s.

2. Recognition: Understanding of who God is reveals to you who you are. Just as in Isaiah, Luke 5, after the miraculous catching of fish, Peter was confronted with reality. Luke 5:8.

This experience will happen to anyone once you realize of His nature, His holiness, and  the purity of God. You come to recognize your sins.

3. Repent or Retreat: Once the revelation and recognition happen, a person is faced with a choice either to repent and plead for God’s mercy OR retreat, not wanting God’s forgiveness or thinking God could not just forgive you. Repentance is the right choice – way to go. It means to change your mind or your direction  and walk in a different direction and begin to draw close to God.
4. Readiness: After you have undergone the 3 stages, you are now ready to answer fully- “Here I am, send me”.

• You become humble, in readiness to answer to the Lord
• You thank God for His redemption- ready to use you despite know who you are- cannot do anything without Him.
• The beauty of surrender and the way God uses people.
• You become broken (unclean lips, not worthy of God’s presence or to be use by God).
• When this revelation hits you-you are now like Isaiah ready to go.

Whatever stage you are;

• God is looking for there to choose to follow Him.
• God is looking for those who will lay down their own plans and purpose and pick up His plans for their lives.
• Those who will answer yes to God’s purposes.
• That’s what unlocks the plans of God for their lives.
• No other answer –that’s why “Here I am” is important.

• I will say yes to your will and to your ways.
• I will say yes, I will trust you and obey you.
• When you speaks of truth, speaks with the whole of my heart, I will agree.
• My only answer will be yes Lord.

ON SEND ME LORD! Brian Pusateri writes,

Each of us has been given an amazingly important gift. It came in the form of a message. The message reveals God’s plan for the salvation of His people. We know that Christ was crucified for our sins, buried, and in accordance with the Scriptures, rose from the dead on the third day. This is a unique gift because it was designed to be given away. When was the last time you preached the Gospel? If you feel unqualified to preach or simply afraid to, you are not alone. Please read more….

As Christians we are commanded to preach the Gospel. In Mark 16:15 we read, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature”. In Acts 10:42 it says, “He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead”. In 2Timothy 4:2 we are told, “proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching”. And, of course, Jesus gave us the great commissioning in Matthew 28:19-20.

For a variety of reasons, many of us are reluctant to preach. What stops you from preaching the message of Jesus Christ? Fear is what stops most Christians.

Fears of Preaching the Gospel:

• Fear of offending people with truth.
• Fear that I will personally be rejected.
• Fear of failure, people might reject the message.
• Fear of preaching the wrong message; what I do, affects someone’s eternity. Maybe I don’t know the Gospel as well as I should.
• Fear of potential backlash; will there be repercussions for my actions?
• Fear of ridicule; what if my words and actions don’t match up, I might be seen as a hypocrite.
• Fear of Satan; the devil attacks those who preach God’s truth.

There is one fear, however, we should all have; the fear of inaction. How will we answer to God If we don’t preach? Matthew 12:36-37.

On Daily Devotional: Who Are You Serving?

The Prophet Isaiah displays an amazing readiness to serve God. What about us? Isaiah 6:8.

Why do you do what you do? What is the driving force behind your actions? Are you doing the things you want to do? Are you merely doing what has to be done? Or are you going about your day doing everything in love towards your Creator?

Not everyone knows what his calling is in life. Yet, when God calls you, the voice is unmistakable. In that one moment, you have the opportunity to say, “yes”, to God. You get the amazing opportunity to accept God’s purpose for your life.

Once you surrender your life to God’s will, everything changes. You no longer have to go through a routine. Yes, there will be grunt work, but you will be able to perform that grunt work with joy. Paul writes for us to do all things as if you were doing it for Christ (Col. 3:23-24). I find that washing dishes may be an annoying, endless task, but when I think I am honoring God by fulfilling my role to my husband so he is able study to preach the Gospel, I find a whole new depth of meaning behind scrubbing old food.

Did you catch the implications of that last thought? God’s calling may be, in your eyes, not even worth mentioning. How many women would consider keeping up housework as God’s calling in their life? Yet it very well may be. Your calling may be as simple as to show up every church service and say, “amen”, to the preacher. It may be that your calling is to be the one honest man in a work environment of deceit and backbiting, even if that means that you never get the promotion or raise.

Do not overlook God’s calling in your life because it appears “beneath” you. Whatever God asks of you, have the courage and humility to answer, “Here am I; send me”.