Series – ‘Serving God with our whole body’

Today

‘Eyes that see from God’s perspective’

Isaiah 6:1-10

God has perfect eyesight

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the

days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be

Psalm 139:15-16

God has perfect eyesight

He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand

Psalm 121:4-5

Looking up – Isaiah’s vision of a holy God

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the

train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim … And they were calling to one another:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.’

Isaiah 6:1-3

Looking up – Isaiah’s vision of a holy God

‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live

among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King,

the Lord Almighty.’

Isaiah 6:5

Looking up – Isaiah’s vision of a holy God

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send?

And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’

Isaiah 6:8

Looking up – Isaiah’s vision of a holy God

He (God) said, ‘Go and tell this people: “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing,

but never perceiving.” Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their

eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.’

Isaiah 6:9-10

The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside

everything is said in parables so that, they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and

ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!

Mark 6:11-12

Looking up – the rebellious Israelites

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died

Num 21:6

Looking up – the rebellious Israelites

Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze

snake, s/he lived

Num 6:9b

Looking up – to the cross

Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must

be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life

John 3:14

Looking through spiritual eyes

‘The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your

whole body will be full of light.

But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you

is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Matt 6:22-23

Looking around – serving others

… consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others

Phil 2:3b-4

“True humility is not thinking less of yourself;

it is thinking of yourself less”

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Looking ahead – a vision of the future

Where there is no vision the people perish …

Prov 29:18 KJV

Where there is no prophetic vision the

people cast off restraint (become

discouraged)

Prov 29:18 ESV

… let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, … Let us keep our

eyes fixed on Jesus … So do not let yourselves become

discouraged and give up

Heb 12:1-5 GNB