The Holy Seed

* Baked Pumpkin Seeds

 Isaiah’s Commission

6 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. ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

⁵ “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.”

⁶ Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. ⁷ With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

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!”

⁹ He said, “Go and tell this people:

¹³ And though a tenth remains in the land,
    it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
    leave stumps when they are cut down,
    so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.”

 

This is the word of God for the people of God

Thanks to be God

The Holy Seed

(Isaiah 6:1-9, 13)

11.10.24.

Mars Hill UMC

 

A Bigger Vision to Overcome Fear

Isaiah 6 starts with sad news: King Uzziah has died. King Uzziah ruled Judah for 52 years, from 792 to 740 B.C., one of the longest reigns for a king. He was a good king, known for success and stability. His death marked the end of an era, and for Judah, it was a time of fear and change. They lost their leader and faced an uncertain future.

In this crucial moment, Isaiah went to pray in the temple. He felt a heavy sense of loss, just as we often do during uncertain times. But while he was there, God appeared in a vision. Isaiah saw the Lord sitting high on a throne, the hem of His robe filling the temple. Isaiah was grieving, but the vision was clear: God was in control, ruling even over the temple. Isaiah recognized that God was the true King, the eternal ruler who never dies. This vision was bigger than any fear or loss he felt. God's presence brought him peace.

When we face loss or fear, what we need is a vision of God that’s greater than our fear. It’s easy to feel anxious in uncertain times, but God’s presence calms our hearts. Last week, we had an election, and no matter who won or lost, some people were happy and others disappointed. Elections and other big changes make us feel uncertain. But God’s power is always steady. He isn’t just upon His throne far away—His robe fills our world, our country, and our hearts. He’s our true ruler. Let’s ask God to take away our fear of loss and fill us with His hope.

During this same week, I was dealing with my own personal fears. I prayed, “Lord, I’m afraid. I’m not ready for this change. I don’t feel qualified.” God reminded me of Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.” In His timing, God sent these words and a song to remind me of His bigger vision. God lets us face fear, not to leave us there, but to lead us to His greater plan.

 

Holy, Holy, Holy

In verses 2-5, we see God’s holiness. Isaiah saw angels with six wings, calling, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.” This reminds us of John’s vision in Revelation, where four creatures around God’s throne also sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!”

In Isaiah’s vision, the whole temple shook, and smoke filled the room. John also saw this in Revelation: “The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power.” It’s a powerful reminder of God’s holiness.

Think of other times in the Bible when God appeared in fire: the covenant with Abraham, the burning bush for Moses, the pillar of fire in the wilderness, the fire that stirred the hearts of two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and the flames at Pentecost. Each time, people were awed and humbled by God’s holiness.

Isaiah was no different. He saw God’s glory and cried out, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” He recognized his unworthiness, just like people throughout church history, whose spiritual awakenings began with repentance.

 

A Live Coal

Right after Isaiah confessed his sins, an angel flew to him with a live coal from the altar. The angel touched Isaiah’s mouth with the coal and said, “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed, and your sin is blotted out.” But why did the angel touch his mouth and not another part of his body? Because words have power. God created the world by speaking, and His Word fills creation. Before God could send Isaiah, He purified his mouth, his words.

Richard Foster once said, “A live coal is a fire because it is associated with fire, but it still remains wood.” God doesn’t erase who we are. Instead, He reshapes us, making us new without taking away our individuality.

 

Commission

After cleansing Isaiah, God asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Like Moses at the burning bush and Peter when he saw Jesus, Isaiah felt unworthy. But this time, with renewed confidence, Isaiah replied, “Here am I; send me!” God had given him a second chance, transforming him into His messenger.

I had a similar experience in high school. I was the leader of a Christian club and felt God calling me to organize a Christian concert at our school festival. It seemed impossible, but I was sure it was God’s calling. Then, right before the concert, my friends who were helping with the event decided to quit because they felt I was micromanaging. I didn’t realize I was pushing too hard. I prayed, repented, and admitted my mistakes to my friends. They forgave me, and we moved forward. The concert was a success, and years later, one friend even told me that our weekly worship meetings saved her life. Praise God! Just as He did for Isaiah, God used my weak, imperfect words to share His message.

 

Renewing Vision and Repentance

Recently, I had another moment where I felt embarrassed and afraid of change. I wanted to quit, making all sorts of excuses. But God asked me to look back at His promises in my life. As I wrote down 13 promises, I remembered a vision He gave me in high school: “Resettle the ruined cities through the truth that sets you free” (Isaiah 54:2-3, John 8:32). This became my life’s motto. My original family was once a “ruined city” because of past struggles and my own stubbornness. But God transformed us into a family that ministers.

When we first arrived in Houlton, there was no women’s group at the United Methodist Church. But each year, God sent new people, and now we don’t have a surviving, but a thriving group. Each week, we gather in different homes. Neither church had a Sunday school at first, but today, there are nine volunteers and sixteen children at Hodgdon, along with ten volunteers and seven children in Houlton. We also have fourteen kids in our after-school program, many of whom have started reading the Bible. God has been working here, no matter my mistakes or weaknesses.

As I wrote down this vision, I felt God’s presence deeply, and like Isaiah, I repented: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” I saw that I was trying too hard on my own strength instead of relying on God’s power. I repented for missing out on the pain of others, for my lack of empathy, and for being so focused on myself.

 

The Holy Seed

A few weeks ago, I was carving pumpkins with the kids in our after-school program. Normally, I’d scoop out the insides and toss them. But this time, I saved the seeds according to friends’ suggestions. It reminded me of what God does with us. When I repented, I wanted to throw away my whole self. But God saved my “seeds.” He seasoned me, salted and buttered, then baked me in His fire. Like those seeds, I became something new—a healthy snack, something useful.

In Isaiah’s vision, God’s words were ones of judgment for people’s hardened hearts. But in verse 13, we also hear hope: “The holy seed is its stump.” God calls us His “holy seed.” Our lives might be tangled with sin and mistakes, but He cleanses us, transforms us, and makes us into something good.

Like Isaiah, we can see God’s vision, feel His holiness, repent, be transformed by live coal, and share His words. When God asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” may we all say, “Here am I; send me!”