Isaiah 6:1-13 Genuine Worship

1. Genuine worship begins as I get to know God. (Isaiah 6:1-4)

My worship is affected by my experience. (6:1)

FIVE FACTORS WHICH AFFECT MY WORSHIP

There are five factors which affect my worship. These factors include:

1. My family

Many people are raised in a family with some form of worship experience. Maybe they went to church once or twice a year. Many they went more often. The fact is that most people have been introduced to some form of Christian worship.

Other families have spent time in worship of other things. Maybe your family spent Sundays watching sports activities. That also forms your worship experience. Instead of worshiping God, you spent that time worshiping another activity.

No matter which form your worship took, your family had a strong influence in the way you worship or not worship.

2. My friends

Friends can impact the way you worship. They can influence you just as much as your parents. Perhaps you moved away from home. Who influenced you then? People you met, became acquainted and now enjoy friendships.

Maybe you met your friends in a bar, or a sports game, or even a small group. Your friends brought you to church. Your friends brought you to a youth group. Your friends could help bring you to the point of needing to know God so that you could worship Him.

3. Circumstances in my life

Perhaps you had a circumstance in your life which drew you closer to worship. This was the case with Isaiah. He was drawn to a moment of worship when his king died. Perhaps you went to a funeral of a loved one. Or perhaps you went to a wedding. A song was sung that touched your heart.

Perhaps you went through a difficult time in your life when you cried out to God. You realized your need for Him. Whatever the circumstance, these can bring us to a point of wanting to worship.

4. My Spiritual background

My family, my friends, my circumstances all influence my worship. Depending on when, where, and with whom I grew up, I experienced worship differently. For some it was a country church. For others a mega-church. Maybe you grew up Catholic, Lutheran, or Episcopalian. Maybe you grew up Baptist or Pentecostal.

You grew up in the South, the Northeast, or California. You grew up in the city, or the country. These regions have a spiritual background. The northeast is less Christian than the Bible-belt here in the Midwest.

5. How I view God

The last factor that can affect my worship is the how I view God. In simple terms, I can view God as good, bad, or ugly. The other factors (family, friends, circumstances, spirituality) can help or hurt the way I view God. Since these other factors can introduce me to worship.

This is what happened to Isaiah. Because of his circumstance, Isaiah was put in a situation where he was open to seeing who God was.

Isaiah 6:1

At the same time, these same factors can prevent me from genuine worship. My family’s history can influence how I view God. If for example, my father was not a kind and loving man, that can influence how I perceive God to be. When I come to the Scriptures, I may question how what the Bible says about God can be true. I look at the Scriptures and I reflect on my own life and I say: “It’s doesn’t seem to be possible.”

My circumstances can be so difficult that I can become indifferent to God. I could look at my situation in life and go: “Why do I need God?” “My life is fine without God.” When I come a difficult in life, I may say: “Why did God do this?” as if to express the fact that I don’t understand what is going on in my life. At times like this, as Christians, we can point people to God through worship. We can help them “see God” (Isaiah 6:1).

My worship is a testimony to other people. (Isaiah 6:1)

I can worship God with joy and enthusiasm.

Psalm 100:1-2

I can worship God as if I know nothing.

Acts 17:23

My worship is also a testimony to God (Isaiah 6:2-4)

THREE WORDS MY WORSHIP SHOULD SAY TO GOD

1. God, You are holy and I must come in humility (Isaiah 6:2)

2. God, You are worthy to be praised (Isaiah 6:3)

3. God, You are mighty and You can do anything (Isaiah 6:4)

These three responses from the angels are the responses we should have when we worship. We may not say the words out loud, but our hearts should say to God: You are holy, worthy, and mighty. Our worship should be God-centered, and God-focused.

2. Genuine worship grows as I get closer to God. (Isaiah 6:5-7)

There are three steps of growth that happen as I get closer to God in worship.

1. As I get closer to God, my sin gets exposed. (Isaiah 6:5)

When I get closer to God, He is going to reveal my sin. It’s like this. If my kids are outside playing, they will get dirty. As they approach the house, we are not going to let them inside with dirty clothes. We can see how dirty they are and we don’t want them to get closer, without first getting cleaned up.

2. Yet, as I draw near to God, He cleanses me. (Isaiah 6:6-7)

That’s the second step. You get cleaned up when you come before God. Here, an angel brings a fiery hot coal to clean Isaiah’s lips. If I want to come closer to God, He is going to get me cleaned up. As a child of God, he wants me to come to Him clean and ready to listen to Him.

3. As I am cleaned, I want to get closer (Isaiah 6:7-8)

What happens when I get clean, I can get closer to God. My kids get cleaned up and can come into the house. I’ll help them get clean, they will want to come into the house. The same is true with us. As I get cleaned up, as my sin is confessed, as I have repented from my evil works, I want to draw closer to God.

A result of drawing closer to God is a desire to serve Him. This leads us to the next step I worship.

3. Genuine worship will lead me to serve God, no matter the cost. (Isaiah 6:8-13)

Worship is not just when we gather. Worship is also when we scatter.

1. A call to serve is always given.

When you come to the presence of God, you will always see a need that should be addressed. God will show you His compassion and He will always show you a way to serve Him. That is the result of worship. Worship always leads to an opportunity to serve God.

Here is another trinitarian verse. The entire being of God – the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit are all involved in the call.

2. A chance to respond is always available.

When that call to serve is given, there is a chance to respond. We can be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and do what He asks. There will be a cost to serving God. In Isaiah’s case, the cost was the fact that many people would not listen and turn to God. This is the cost of not listening to God.

There are other costs that bear down on the person who listens and obeys God. Jesus said that the one who loses homes, family, and friends will gain more later. So Jesus acknowledges the cost that comes with doing what God tells you to do.

Worship is not just about music. It is not just about singing. It is not just about coming together to fellowship. Worship leads us to glorify God no matter the cost.