Kingdom Competitor

King Uzziah had been a good king for Judah, or at least as good of a king as one could be back then. But his death, coupled with the rise of Assyria, left the kingdom in a season of uncertainty.

Isaiah had already been serving in prophetic ministry for several years, yet Uzziah’s death marked a pivotal moment. It was during this time that Isaiah received his famous calling from the Lord, and his ministry truly ramped up.

Isaiah was not just some random guy off the street. Many scholars believe he came from an influential family and that his father, Amoz, may have been related to King Uzziah. If true, that would have made Isaiah a cousin of the king. This would have given him access to national leadership, influence, and a recognizable name.

And it is right here that the Lord meets Isaiah.

Whether Isaiah was literally taken into the throne room of God or experienced it through a vision, one thing is certain: he was about to witness something incredible.

He sees the throne room of God. The train of God’s robe fills the temple, and angelic beings known as seraphim worship the Lord of Hosts, crying out:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; His glory fills the whole earth.”

The threefold repetition of “holy” is no accident. It emphasizes the absolute holiness of God. He is completely set apart. Nothing compares to Him. No person, no power, and no created thing is like Him.

Standing in the presence of God’s holiness, Isaiah immediately recognizes his own unworthiness and cries out:

“Woe is me, for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Armies.”

And here’s what amazes me about this passage.

God does not destroy Isaiah. He does not cast him out.

Instead, one of the seraphim flies to him with a burning coal taken from the altar and touches Isaiah’s lips, saying:

“Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.”

Notice this.

All of us are sinners and unworthy to stand before a holy God. None of us has earned that right, and none of us ever could. We all fall short. We all mess up. We all carry imperfections that reveal our need for grace.

Yet we serve a loving God who, despite our faults and failures, invites us into His presence. He is the One who makes us clean.

For us, that cleansing comes through Jesus Christ. Through His death and resurrection, our sins are forgiven, and we are justified before God. Because of what Christ has done, we can stand confidently before the throne of grace.

Then, as the coal leaves Isaiah’s lips, he hears the Lord ask a question:

“Who will I send? Who will go for us?”

Isaiah could have been satisfied with simply being forgiven. He could have experienced God’s grace, walked away, and continued living his life.

But following God was never meant to stop at personal salvation.

We are invited to participate in God’s mission. We are called to join the divine narrative and carry the good news of Jesus to the people around us. That’s exactly what Jesus commands in Matthew 28 when He tells His followers to go and make disciples of all nations.

Isaiah’s response is simple but powerful:

“Here I am. Send me.”

As athletes, I think this question still echoes today.

Who will go?

Who will represent Christ on their team?

Who will be a light in the locker room, during practice, on road trips, or in the weight room?

Who will be willing to live differently when everyone else is chasing approval, status, or success?

God may not be calling you to become a prophet like Isaiah, but He is calling you to be faithful where He has placed you.

Will you answer that invitation?

Will you say:

“Send me, Lord.”

You don’t need to have it all together.

Truthfully, none of us do.

I’m searching for Jesus every day just like you are. The Apostle Paul called himself the chief of sinners. Jonah ran from God’s calling. Moses struggled with speaking. Peter denied Jesus and became known as a betrayer before becoming a leader of the early church.

Yet every one of them was redeemed and used by God.

The same God who called imperfect people throughout Scripture is still calling imperfect people today.

Because of Christ’s finished work on the cross and His resurrection, we have the Holy Spirit guiding us. Our sins are forgiven, and we are being made new day by day.

Will we still stumble? Absolutely.

Will we need to repent when we drift off course? Yes.

But God’s grace continues to meet us, and His mission remains the same: to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world.

God could accomplish His purposes without us if He wanted to. But He chooses to invite us into His work because He desires a relationship with us. He wants our hearts. He wants our love.

And if we truly love Him, we will care about the things He cares about and the people He cares about.

For athletes, that starts with the people already around us.

Think about your team.

Think about your teammates, coaches, trainers, roommates, and friends.

You don’t have to reach everyone. That’s not your responsibility.

But you can be faithful to the people God has already placed in your circle of influence.

Jesus changed the world through relationships. He invested deeply in Peter, James, and John. He discipled the Twelve. He sent out dozens of followers. Eventually hundreds became witnesses to His resurrection. Kingdom expanded one relationship at a time.

Too often we think changing the world requires doing something massive. But most of the time, God changes the world through ordinary people faithfully loving and discipling those around them.

What if Christian athletes took seriously their role as ambassadors for Christ?

What if we brought biblical truth, genuine love, and Christlike character onto the playing field?

What if every athlete viewed their team as a mission field?

Lives would be impacted. Relationships would be transformed. The gospel would be shared.

So don’t ask, “Who is going to reach my team?”

God has already placed you there for a reason.

The question is not who will go.

The question is whether you’ll respond like Isaiah:

“Here I am. Send me.”

Written by Tate Tobiason

Adapted from August Chapel message.