Then use the following guide to help you lead your Bible study.

SEEING GOD FACE-TO-FACE

No one’s really sure what Isaiah was doing before God called him to a special job. But there’s no doubt that seeing God on His throne, “high and exalted,” revolutionized his life.

His first response at seeing God was to realize his absolute unworthiness. He said he was “ruined.” After seeing God, he realized he was good for nothing compared to God’s greatness.

That’s how people usually respond when they encounter God.

Look at these examples:

Moses—Exodus 3:1-6
Moses hid his face when God identified Himself.

Peter—Luke 5:1-11
When Peter realized Jesus was the Messiah, he fell to the ground and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”

Soldiers—John 18:1-6
Soldiers went to arrest Jesus just before His crucifixion. They said they were searching for Jesus of Nazareth. When Christ identified himself, saying, “I am He,” they fell to the ground.

Really seeing God as He is changes you. You realize you can’t stand in the face of His holiness.

What happened after Isaiah declared he was ruined, though? God was gracious to him. A seraph—a member of God’s court—took the message of God’s forgiveness to him. Then, when God asked for a representative, Isaiah was eager to volunteer for this holy and gracious God.

VOLUNTEERING FOR A GOD-SIZED TASK

If you look a little further into the chapter, though, you’ll see Isaiah wasn’t so anxious to complete his task when he understood what it was going to involve.

Read Isaiah 6:9-13.

The message God gave Isaiah to share was not a happy one. He asked: “How long do I have to do this?” And the answer was not what he wanted to hear. But Isaiah was faithful for many years—even to his death. He was executed under King Manasseh’s reign.

Other examples of servants who shrank from difficult tasks—Read all or part of their stories and talk about why they hesitated and how God changed their hearts.
Moses—Exodus 3:1-4:17
Jonah—Jonah 1-4

Examples of servants who were faithful, even in the face of persecution—Read their stories and talk about what gave them the strength to be faithful.
Stephen—Acts 6:8-8:3
Paul—2 Corinthians 11:21-12:10

When God gives us a task, it’s not always easy. But when we’ve seen Him face-to-face and He’s cleansed and changed us, we’ll obey.

MODERN-DAY VOLUNTEERS

God has enlisted modern day servants who volunteered, like Isaiah, to be His messengers. Ask three students to read these stories aloud:

Lin Pinter, a 68-year-old woman, spends her days in the village huts and city prisons of West Africa. She teaches the Bible to people who can’t read, and she hugs convicted murderers. “I don’t see anywhere in the Bible where they talk about retirement,” she says.

Scott and Mentanna Campbell live in Paris, France. They reach out to university students who think they have no time or need for God. Scott found surprises when he and Mentanna moved to Paris. “I assumed they’d heard the gospel and said ‘no,’” he said. “But I realized they’d never heard the gospel.”

Challenge students to think about their own lives. Ask the following questions. In a large group setting, ask students to write their answers. In a small group setting, ask students to discuss the questions.

• Think back to Moses, Peter, the soldiers who arrested Jesus, and Isaiah. They all immediately realized their helplessness when they saw God. Have you had such a life-changing encounter with God? If so, how did it happen? What did you learn about God? If not, why do you think God hasn’t revealed Himself to you yet?
• Have you heard God asking for a volunteer? What has He asked you to do?
• Why do you think Isaiah volunteered so quickly when God asked for a representative? If you’ve heard God call, how have you responded? What action do you need to take today in response to His call?

Read Romans 10:14-15. Tell your students: God wants your feet to be the ones that bring good news. Will you accept the mission?