Isaiah 14:12-23    OT p. 611 or 858

[12] How you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low!

[13] You said in your heart,
"I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
on the heights of Zaphon;

[14] I will ascend to the tops of the clouds,
I will make myself like the Most High."

[15] But you are brought down to Sheol,
to the depths of the Pit.

[16] Those who see you will stare at you,
and ponder over you:
"Is this the man who made the earth tremble,
who shook kingdoms,

[17] who made the world like a desert
and overthrew its cities,
who would not let his prisoners go home?"

[18] All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
each in his own tomb;

[19] but you are cast out, away from your grave,
like loathsome carrion,
clothed with the dead, those pierced by the sword,
who go down to the stones of the Pit,
like a corpse trampled underfoot.

[20] You will not be joined with them in burial,
because you have destroyed your land,
you have killed your people.

May the descendants of evildoers
nevermore be named!

[21] Prepare slaughter for his sons
because of the guilt of their father.
Let them never rise to possess the earth
or cover the face of the world with cities.

[22] I will rise up against them, says the Lord of hosts, and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity, says the Lord.

[23] And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, says the Lord of hosts.

[NRSV]

INTRODUCTION:

There's an old old story about a man who was dressed in a devil costume and was walking to a Halloween costume party. All of a sudden it began to rain torrentially. The man ran for the first shelter he could find.

It just happened to be an old wood frame church whose members were in the middle of a service. The man ran to the door, which because of the humidity and rain had swollen shut.

When it wouldn't open with a turn of the handle, he began jiggling and shoving on the door. Lightning flashed and thunder crashed as the rain blew all around. The man grunted and growled every time he hit the stubborn door.

The sounds of him trying to get into the church and out of the rain kept getting louder and louder and everyone was completely distracted. When the door finally burst open, the man ran directly into the sanctuary to the shock of everyone there.

The entire congregation panicked. They cleared the room as fast as greased lighting. All that is except for one unfortunate lady who was trapped beneath the feet of this confused stranger.

With eyes as big as saucers, filled with fear and trembling the woman pleaded, "Oh please! Oh please! You know I've really been on your side all along!" (1)

We laugh at stories about the devil. We laugh out of nervousness and make fun because we know that evil is very real. How else do you explain the pipe bombs that were planted last week. Or the mother who drowned her five children. Or the continued use and abuse of illegal drugs? Or child abuse? How else do you explain those kinds of things?

The prophet Isaiah realized the reality of evil. He even offers us this story of the origin of Satan. He tells us of the fall of "Day Star, son of Dawn!" who tried to ascend to heaven but was thrown down to Sheol, the place of the dead, for all eternity. Isaiah points to the reality of evil in the world.

This isn't going to be one of those scare the fool out of you sermons. That's not my style. But, if there's evil in the world, then what are we supposed to do about it? How are we to combat that evil? How are we supposed to overcome it? Well, the simple truth is, WE'RE NOT!

We're not called to battle evil. Jesus already did that on a hill in Jerusalem called Calvary. We're not called to overcome evil. Jesus already did that for us through His death and resurrection. The stripes of His suffering; the wounds of the nails He took for us; the cruel crown of thorns He wore as they mocked Him; the blood stained wood of the cross and the empty tomb are all glorious beacons of the Son of God's defeat of whatever evil their is in the world. Sin and death have been vanquished.

They've been thoroughly defeated, just haven't given up yet. They haven't surrendered to their crushing loss yet. And the only real power they have is the power we give them.

They are more like a rattlesnake whose head has been chopped off. The head of that snake will continue to try and strike you. It will still try to stick its fangs in you and inject its poison into you. And if it does it will still hurt you. But that snake's head, if left alone, is nothing to be afraid of.

That's why Jesus came. So, what do we do in the face of the evil we see in the world today? How do we deal with it? Where do we turn? The prophet Isaiah, in his writings, gives us three things we can do.

I. INVOLVEMENT IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST:

A. First, the surest way not to be sucked into the dealings of the fallen star is through INVOLVEMENT IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST.

That's what Vacation Bible School was all about this week. VBS was based on Luke 10:27. "Love God with all your heart, soul mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself." The theme was "Way To Go."

The kids learned that Jesus IS the "Way To Go". The stories and the characters in those stories told the kids HOW to be INVOLVED IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST.

Isaiah tells us the first step to that involvement.

B. We can find that in Isaiah 6:1-8.

[1] In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.

[2] Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.

[3] And one called to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory."

[4] The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. [5] And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!"

[6] Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs.

[7] The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out."

[8] 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!" [NRSV]

Notice, that when presented with the opportunity to serve God, to become involved in the Mission of Christ, Isaiah said "Yes!" Isaiah answered boldly with the words: "Here am I; send me!"

That's what we are called to do as well. Let me give you a great example of someone who said, "Here am I; send me!" and the difference it made in one man's life.

Most of you know John Wayne as an actor. You may not know what happened to him before he died. This is that story!

Robert Schuller's teenage daughter, Cindy, was in a motorcycle accident and had to have her leg amputated. John Wayne was a big fan of Robert Schuller. When he heard Dr. Schuller announce that one of his programs, John Wayne wrote a note to her saying:

"Dear Cindy, Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you will be all right. Signed, John Wayne"

The note was delivered to her and she decided she wanted to write John Wayne a note in reply. So she wrote:

"Dear Mr. Wayne, I got your note. Thanks for writing to me. I like you very much. I am going to be all right because Jesus is going to help me. Mr. Wayne, do you know Jesus? I sure hope you know Jesus, Mr. Wayne, because I can't imagine Heaven being complete without John Wayne being there. I hope, if you don't know Jesus, that you will give your heart to Jesus right now. See you in Heaven."

And she signed her name.

She had just put that letter in an envelope, sealed it, and written across the front of it "John Wayne" when a visitor came into her room to see her. He asked her what she was doing. And she told him that she had written a letter to John Wayne, but didn't know how to get it to him.

The visitor said: "That's funny, I am going to have dinner with John Wayne tonight at the Newport Club down at Newport Beach. Give it to me and I will give it to him."

She gave him the letter and he put it in his coat pocket.

There were twelve of them that night sitting around the table for dinner. They were laughing and cutting up and the guy happened to reach in his pocket and felt that letter and remembered. John Wayne was seated at the end of the table and the guy took the letter out and said: "Hey, Duke, I was in Schuller's daughter's room today and she wrote you a letter and wanted me to give it to you. Here it is."

They passed it down to John Wayne and he opened it. They kept on laughing and cutting up and someone happened to look down at John Wayne. He was crying.

One of them said: "Hey, Duke, what is the matter?"

He said, "I want to read you this letter." He read the letter. Then he began to weep. He folded it, put it in his pocket, and he pointed to the man who delivered it to him and said: "You go tell that little girl that right now, in this restaurant, right here, John Wayne gives his heart to Jesus Christ and I will see her in Heaven."

Three weeks later John Wayne died.

You never know how your witness to another will effect their life. We're not called to be effective or successful. We're called to be faithful. All we have to do is be INVOLVED IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST and say: "Here am I; send me!"

II. EXPOSE IT TO THE LIGHT OF CHRIST:

A. Second, we can face the evil in the world today by EXPOSING IT TO THE LIGHT OF CHRIST. The things of night, the things that looks glamorous and beautiful in the dark, look seedy and flawed in the light of day. We see them for what they really are.

Why? Because the darkness hides all the imperfections. But the daylight exposes them for what they are.

An old story tells of a desert nomad who awakened hungry in the middle of the night. He lit a candle and began eating dates from a bowl beside his bed. He took a bite from one end and saw a worm in it, so he threw it out of the tent. He bit into the second date, found another worm, and threw it away also. Reasoning that he wouldn't have any dates left to eat if he continued, he blew out the candle and quickly ate all the rest of the dates. (2)

St. Augustine said, "it is of no advantage to be near the light if the eyes are closed." And yet, there are many people who live their lives like that. They close their eyes to the darkness around them. They prefer darkness and denial to the light of reality.

But again Isaiah offers us a way to live that gives both light and life. It exposes what is wrong and offers what is right and good and glorious in God's sight. In Isaiah 9:2 he writes:

[2] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness--
on them light has shined.

If we follow those verses to their familiar conclusion we know that the these verses point to the coming of Christ. It is He who is the Light of the World.

B. And when we EXPOSE OUR LIVES TO THE LIGHT OF CHRIST everything changes. The light shines through us and we are able to make a difference.

A couple took their young son with them on a trip to Europe where they visited many of the cathedrals on the tourist trek. When they returned home the little boy's Sunday School teacher asked him, "Did you learn what a Saint is?"

The boy remembered the many stained glass windows which depicted the Christian saints so beautifully, and he said, "A saint is someone who the light shines through." (3)

That may very well be the best definition of a saint that has ever been heard. And it's a good example of what it means to expose ourselves to the light of Christ.

When we EXPOSE EVERYTHING IN LIFE TO THE LIGHT OF CHRIST, then we become conduits of that light and the light of Christ shines through us.

III. SUBMIT IT TO THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST:

A. Finally, we're called to SUBMIT EVERYTHING IN LIFE TO THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST.

Isaiah tells us again about the coming of Jesus. In 11:1-2. He writes:

[1] A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

[2] The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

It is to this Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ to which we need to submit everything in our lives.

(Using Fire Can and Dissolvo explain:)

We know that in life there are going to be those times. We will have given our lives to Christ, we will be doing everything we know how to do to be INVOLVED IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST. We will have looked at every aspect of our lives and will have EXPOSED EVERYTHING IN LIFE TO THE LIGHT OF CHRIST.

And yet the storms come. They flare up and threaten to overcome us and consume us completely. And when they do, they fill us with fear.

That's when the Spirit helps. That's when the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, quenches the fire of our fear and brings in it's place "the peace that passes all understanding," the peace of Christ.

We know that fire and water don't mix, do they? Through the Holy Spirit, the water of our baptism puts out the fire raging in our lives.

Sometimes, it's not the fire of tragedy at all. Or the storms of life. Sometimes it's simply Temptation. or the Sin that occurs from giving in to Temptation.

But again, know this, no amount of temptation can separate you from the love of God in Christ. No amount of sin can take away Christ's love for you or His sacrifice on the Cross for you.

All you have to do is SUBMIT IT TO THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. And when you do, once again the waters of your baptism will be poured out and both the Temptation to Sin and the Sin itself will be no more.

Why? Because your salvation has been bought by the blood of the lamb, the son of God, on the Cross of Calvary.

All you have to do is to remember to SUBMIT YOUR LIFE TO THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST

CONCLUSION:

There was a little girl who was asked what she would do if the Devil came knocking at her door. She answered: "If the Devil ever comes knocking at my door, I'll send Jesus to answer the door. Then when the Devil sees Jesus, he'll say: "Oops, I guess I must have the wrong house."

When we're INVOLVED IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST there's no room for anything but Christ. His love, His purpose, His Mission fill our heart, soul mind and spirit. His Mission fills our lives.

When we EXPOSE EVERYTHING IN LIFE TO THE LIGHT OF CHRIST then there is no darkness to frighten us, there is no fear to hold us back because all has been made clear. Anything that is not of Christ has been exposed and cleaned out.

And when we SUBMIT EVERYTHING IN LIFE TO THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST, He guards the door of our heart. And He won't let sin enter in and get a foot hold in your life if you will simply give him control of your heart.

Here's a little poem to help you remember.

Jesus is stronger than Satan or sin,

Satan to Jesus must bow.

Therefore I triumph without and within,

Because Jesus saves me now. (4)

BE INVOLVED IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST!

EXPOSE EVERYTHING IN LIFE TO THE LIGHT OF CHRIST!

SUBMIT EVERYTHING IN LIFE TO THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST!

Respond like Isaiah, "Here am I; send me!" And see what a difference it makes.

1. Parables, Etc. (Platteville, Colorado: Saratoga Press), October 1990

2. George Maronge, Jr. Birmingham, Alabama, Leadership-Vol. 12, #2

3. The Pastor's Story File (Platteville, Colorado: Saratoga Press), December 1994

4. The Pastor's Story File (Platteville, Colorado: Saratoga Press), April 1995, Author Unknown

5. The Autoillustrator, (Greeley, CO, 1993) adapted.