When God Calls, You Can Answer
This Weeks Announcements and Events
If you would like to purchase a copy of the new hymnal, Pastor will be placing that order in two weeks. Please sign up in the entryway of church before February 21.
There will also be a sign-up in the entryway for those who would like to take the strengthfinders through Grace In Action. Please sign up so that we can make sure that you receive the code for the assessment.
Prayer Requests for this Week:
Ted Johnson – health issues
Sarah Sauer – health issues
Mike Knicker – health issues
Evie Schroeder – Recovering from stroke
Amy Pauers
Mel Murray – Fractured Vertebrae
Walt Zimmerman – Health Issues
Brianna (Mike and Alexis Wolosz’ granddaughter) – dealing with health issue
Bill ( a friend of Chris Taylor) – On a ventilator
Linda Fry – Pancreatic Cancer
On Our Calendar this week
Wednesday February 9
4:30 pm – Confirmation
Sunday February 13
9:30 am – Worship
11 am –Sunday School
He touched my mouth with the coal and said, “Look, this has touched your lips, so your guilt is taken away, and your sin is forgiven.” Then I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:7–8)
When God showed himself to Isaiah and called Isaiah to be a prophet for the LORD, Isaiah was terrified. Why would a holy God show himself to an unholy man like Isaiah and ask him to be the one to go and proclaim the very Word of God to the unholy people that Isaiah lived among? Isaiah knew that he was unworthy to stand in God’s presence, and just as unworthy to serve God among the people. But God wasn’t concerned with how Isaiah felt. He had a solution to Isaiah’s problem: A coal from the sacrifice on the altar to cleanse him of his sin and remove his guilt. This gave Isaiah the ability to answer God when he called out, asking who will go. And Isaiah’s answer was “me. Send me Lord. I will gladly go and do the work you have in store for me.”
What is stopping you from being able to serve God? Is it the guilt of the sins of your younger days? Is it perhaps the guilt of something you have done or left undone in your life? Is it the feeling that you are unqualified or ill-equipped to serve him? Or is it something else that is stopping you from gladly answering as Isaiah did?
Whatever it is, God has removed your guilt forever and has completely forgiven your sin. Jesus was the sacrifice that has touched your lips and your heart. He was and is the sacrifice through which your guilt was taken away and your sins were atoned for. You have received the gifts of his sacrifice as the waters of your baptism poured from your head, washing away your sins, and the bread and wine touched your lips, cleansing you of your guilt. Through these things, God has made you qualified to stand in his presence and answer boldly, “Here Am I. Send Me.” And he does just that. He sends us out into the world to proclaim this beautiful message of the gospel to the people of our community, our city, our county, country, and our world. That is our privilege, as his children. Amen.
The song for today is “I Hear the Savior Calling” by Koine
I Hear the Savior Calling - Christian Song - Christian Hymn with Lyrics