The Calling of the Least Likely

Have you ever felt unqualified or unworthy for what God is calling you to do? Isaiah certainly did. Standing before the throne of God, Isaiah was overwhelmed by the holiness he encountered and immediately became aware of his own sinfulness. This is a pattern we see throughout Scripture: God’s presence exposes our brokenness, not to shame us, but to prepare us for transformation. Isaiah’s story begins in a time of national instability and spiritual rebellion. Judah, God’s chosen people, had turned away from Him, embracing pride, empty worship, injustice, and self-reliance. Yet, in the midst of this, God calls Isaiah—not because he is qualified, but to qualify him by grace.

Isaiah’s vision of God’s holiness leads him to confession: “Woe to me, for I am a man of unclean lips.” The closer we come to God, the more we see our need for His cleansing. But God does not leave Isaiah in his shame. A seraphim brings a burning coal from the altar, touching Isaiah’s lips and declaring his guilt removed and his sin atoned for. This act is both painful and healing, much like cauterizing a wound to save a life. God’s holiness convicts, but His grace purifies. Many of us get stuck at the point of conviction, feeling unworthy and unable to move forward. But the God who convicts is also the God who cleanses.

Only after Isaiah is cleansed does he hear the voice of the Lord: “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah responds, “Here I am. Send me.” This is the movement from shame to mission, from “woe is me” to “send me.” God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called. Throughout Scripture, God uses the least likely—Moses, Rahab, Jonah, Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene, even the thief on the cross. Their pasts did not disqualify them; God’s grace defined them.

This is true for us as well. Whether you are a skeptic, a new believer, or a mature Christian, God meets you where you are. You do not have to clean yourself up before coming to Him. His grace is the starting point. The challenge is simple but life-changing: Pray, “Lord, here I am. Send me.” Be alert for the opportunities God will place before you. Remember, the same mercy that touched Isaiah’s lips has touched our lives through the cross. We are not defined by our failures, but by His grace. Let us examine ourselves, receive His cleansing, and step forward in faith, ready to be sent wherever He leads.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Holiness Exposes Our True Condition Encountering God’s holiness is not comfortable; it reveals the depths of our brokenness and sin. This exposure is not meant to destroy us, but to bring us to honest confession. Only when we see ourselves as we truly are can we receive the grace that transforms. The closer we draw to God, the more we realize our need for His mercy. [16:08]
• 2. Grace Cleanses and Qualifies the Unqualified God does not wait for us to be perfect before He calls us. Instead, He meets us in our weakness and cleanses us by His grace. The burning coal that touched Isaiah’s lips is a picture of how God’s grace both convicts and heals. Our shame is not the end of the story; it is the beginning of transformation. [19:10]
• 3. From “Woe is Me” to “Send Me” The journey of faith is a movement from self-condemnation to willing service. When we truly grasp the depth of God’s forgiveness, our response shifts from feeling unworthy to being available. God’s call is not about our ability, but our willingness to go where He sends us, trusting that He will equip us for the task. [24:14]
• 4. Our Past Does Not Disqualify Us Scripture is filled with examples of God using broken, unlikely people for His purposes. What matters is not where we have been, but what God can do through us when we surrender. Grace redefines our identity and empowers us to become witnesses of His mercy. [26:02]
• 5. Responding to God’s Call Requires Surrender To be sent by God, we must lay down our conditions and excuses. The simple prayer, “Lord, here I am. Send me,” is an act of surrender that opens us to God’s purposes. When we pray this with sincerity, God will provide opportunities and the strength to step into them. [32:16]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:38] - Feeling Unqualified for God’s Call
• [02:01] - Isaiah’s Vision and Calling
• [05:03] - The Historical Context of Isaiah 6
• [06:33] - Judah’s Rebellion and Spiritual State
• [09:31] - Why Isaiah Is Called
• [10:18] - Parallels Between Judah and Today
• [13:39] - The Weight of Isaiah’s Task
• [14:22] - Isaiah’s Vision of God’s Throne
• [16:08] - Holiness Reveals Our Sinfulness
• [18:55] - God’s Cleansing and Grace
• [21:25] - The Pain and Power of Transformation
• [23:44] - The Cleansed Become the Called
• [26:02] - God Uses the Least Likely
• [29:26] - Reflections for Skeptics, New, and Mature Believers
• [32:16] - The Challenge: “Here I Am, Send Me”
• [35:01] - Communion: Remembering Grace
• [39:56] - Christmas Reflection and Closing Instructions

Bible Reading

Isaiah 6:1-8 (ESV) — 1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he 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 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Observation Questions

1. What was Isaiah’s immediate reaction when he saw the Lord in his vision? What did he confess about himself and his people? ([03:13])
2. What did the seraphim do to Isaiah, and what did this action mean for Isaiah’s guilt and sin? ([03:38])
3. When did Isaiah hear the voice of the Lord calling for someone to send—before or after he was cleansed? Why is this order important in the story? ([23:44])
4. What kinds of problems and sins were present in Judah at the time of Isaiah’s calling, according to the sermon? ([07:07])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Isaiah’s vision of God’s holiness lead him to confess his own sinfulness, rather than feeling proud or confident? What does this say about the effect of encountering God? ([16:08])
2. The burning coal both hurts and heals Isaiah. What does this teach about the nature of God’s grace and the process of transformation? ([20:47])
3. The sermon says, “God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called.” How does Isaiah’s story, and the examples of people like Moses, Rahab, and Peter, support this idea? ([26:02])
4. Why do people sometimes get “stuck” at the point of conviction and shame, and what helps them move forward to being sent by God? ([22:14])

Application Questions

1. The sermon listed many ways Judah had turned from God—pride, empty worship, injustice, self-reliance, and more. Which of these do you see in your own life or in our culture today? How do you respond when you notice them? ([07:07])
2. Isaiah’s first response to God’s holiness was, “Woe is me.” Have you ever had a moment where you felt completely unworthy or exposed before God? What did you do with those feelings? ([15:49])
3. The burning coal was both painful and healing for Isaiah. Can you think of a time when God’s conviction in your life was uncomfortable, but ultimately led to growth or freedom? What was that process like for you? ([21:25])
4. The sermon challenged us to move from “woe is me” to “send me.” What is holding you back from saying, “Here I am, send me” to God? Is it fear, shame, feeling unqualified, or something else? ([24:52])
5. The pastor gave examples of unlikely people God used—Moses, Rahab, Jonah, Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene, the thief on the cross. Which of these stories encourages you most, and why? ([26:02])
6. The sermon said, “You do not have to clean yourself up before coming to Him. His grace is the starting point.” How does this truth challenge the way you think about your own relationship with God, or the way you view others who are struggling? ([29:55])
7. This week, the challenge is to pray, “Lord, here I am. Send me.” What would it look like for you to pray this prayer sincerely? What opportunities or people might God be putting in your path right now? ([32:16])