, Gretchen as they helped me celebrate my 70th.Summarizing our Isaiah 6 study up to this point: See God. See self. Repent and be cleansed.
Isaiah then says in 6:8 Here I am, send me. He is feeling qualified for ministry.
A formal education like Bible College or seminary is an important venture in one’s preparation for ministry. “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not be ashamed.” But, in my opinion, the greatest training for ministry is described to us in Isaiah 6:1-8: view God (spending time with Him, knowing and enjoying Him), see self, and enjoy the fruits of repentance and of our position as an image-bearer of the Creator of the Universe.
Fruitful. John 15 describes it well. Let the Word speak for itself.
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. 16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow.
At the age of 13, I sensed that God wanted me to be a preacher. My stuttering was so profuse at this time that I fought God for a year. During this struggle, I told God, "People can hardly understand me. How in the world could I be a preacher?" After wrestling with God for the year I finally said that if that is what He wanted me to do, I would. The "call" then seemed to dissipate. I never did become a preacher, but it has been interesting to see how God has used this ol' stuttering tongue through the venues of christian counseling, basketball coaching, speaking and now more of a mentoring role. "Here am I. Send me.
Fruitful ministry. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow.
UPWARD, INWARD, OUTWARD
Next post: seeing ourselves as image bearers of God – our real identity as God's messengers.
