Divine Symphony

Isaiah 6:1-8

(Click the link below or copy and paste into your browser to hear Sufjan Steven's version of Holy, Holy, Holy)

http://matt0009.110mb.com/Sufjan_Stevens-Holy,_Holy,_Holy.mp3

Symphony
What is the meaning of symphony?
The meaning is literally a "harmony of sounds" L. symphonia "a unison of sounds, harmony,"
Symphony happens when voices or instruments come together to make beautiful music.
There are just a few voices and two instruments in that Sufjan Stevens version of Holy, Holy, Holy and yet it is symphony.
Every Sunday Ruben’s crew leads us to become symphony.
But a “harmony of sounds” is oftentimes not what I hear outside this sanctuary.

The same was true for Isaiah.

Isaiah’s world was in tumult.
A good king had just died from leprosy due to his own lack of respect for God’s holiness, God’s otherness.
And now God’s people were about to go through a long period of crisis, pain, suffering, exile.
Symphony was not what Isaiah was experiencing out in his world.
A unison of sounds, harmony, was not in existence among the God's people.

But when Isaiah steps into the temple sanctuary he gets symphony.
This harmony, unison of sound was so powerful it measured about 8.0 on the symphony scale.
This unison of sound was so powerful the temple shook and swayed.
The pillars that held up the roof were knocking together like an old man’s knees.
And the heavenly beings were in symphony.
One message of harmony and unison.

Holy, Holy, Holy
Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-angel-armies.
God’s bright glory fills the whole earth!

Isaiah thinks it’s all over for him because he cannot sing such beautiful harmony.
Isaiah’s knees shake, and, trembling with fear he says, “Oh Dios mio!”
“I cannot sing such beauty.” Isaiah says.
My lips, my tongue cannot form such symphony.
I live among a tone-deaf people who know nothing of symphony, who know nothing of this Holy Harmony, this unison of sound, this beauty, this glory.
This holiness, this symphony, this unison of sound and harmony is too much for me.

But at that moment one of the great divine singers comes to Isaiah . . .
The divine singer comes to Isaiah with a burning coal from the altar and touches his lips . . .
And says,
“All those ugly sounds your lips have made --- they are gone . . .
All that dis-harmony . . .
All that discord . . .
All that dissonance that has come from your life . . .
Gone . . .
All . . .
Those . . .
Ugly . . .
Sounds . . .
Gone!

And the holiest, the most harmonious voice of all sings out . . .
Whom shall I send?
Sing it with me --- God sings out, “Whom shall I send?”
And Isaiah, seemingly without hesitation, without fear replies . . .
“Here I am, Lord!”
Sing it with me, Isaiah sang out, “Here I am, Lord!”

Praise
Confession
Forgiveness
Mission

Praise
Confession
Forgiveness
Mission

Praise
Confession
Forgiveness
Mission

This is the four-part harmony of worship and Divine Symphony.

Praise
Confession
Forgiveness
Mission

We sing out our awe at the holiness, the absolute otherness of God!
Praise
Then we remember how unholy we are, how much discord and dissonance come out of our mouths and lives.
Confession
Then the sacrament of grace touches our lips and our voice is restored.
Forgiveness

Then we go home and watch the Super Bowl.
No?
That was only a three-part harmony?
What did we miss?

Mission or Commissioning

Our symphony does not end with the benediction.
No, we are sent.
We are sent with a new song on our lips.
We are sent with a message and a mission.
The Divine Symphony is not divine if mission is absent.

What song is God teaching you to sing to your neighbors?
What part does God want you to sing in this beautiful Divine Symphony called Grandview Park?
What’s keeping you from the Holy Harmony?

Don’t wait for a personal invitation.
Don’t think that because God hasn’t sung out your name, you’re not invited.
God didn’t call Isaiah, personally.
God simply sang out, “Whom shall I send?”
And Isaiah, like a giddy child, said, “Oh, oh, here I am. I want to go. I want to sing. Can I? Can I please?”

God’s “Whom shall I send” is constantly echoing from the holy of holies.
God is looking for more singers.
Don’t you want to be part of his Divine Symphony?