Web sermon

“A God who desires to be known”

          There are different concepts that people have about what a relationship with God is built on. What kind of concept do you have?

·        Some have a religious concept: “I will work for God and He will accept me” is the root thought of this idea. It is partially true, but the full truth is working for God flows from a deep personal relationship with Him. In other words I do what I do because I am saved, not so I can be saved.

·        Some have a stagnated concept: “I know God.” This is partially true because they may very well have a relationship with God; however, they fail to recognize the dimensions of knowing God that is available. They are usually stuck because of a concept that believes either you know God or you don’t.

·        Some have an extra-credit concept: “I’m not interested in knowing God better; it’s only important that I know God”. It is true that knowing God is vital, but to believe it to the point that we exclude the validity of deeper dimensions of fellowship with God is a huge error.

·        Some just live unconscious Christian lives: “I am what I am”. It is true that we all have our identity. However, our understanding of our identity should not include sinfulness; unchristlikeness in our actions and attitudes; or our failure to mature and make progress. These traits may be part of your experience, but is not part of your individuality as far as God creating you as an individual. So we should not plan on holding on to them.

God is a God who desires to be known and not just to know of Him, or know about Him, or know Him in some official capacity. But God desires to be known personally, intimately, and with an understanding that it is ever expanding in all directions; an ever-enlarging experience.

Exodus 6:2-3

God reveals His personal name to Israel. Before God had been known as “Yahweh” and here He refers to Himself as “Jehovah”. Before He had been known by His position, here He is known by His personal name. It would be similar if I said the former president will be in our worship service next Sunday. The natural question to ask would be which one. If only the position is described it does not tell us anything about the individual who holds the position.

Ephesians 3:16-18

Paul prays that the Ephesians will experience the various dimensions of relationship which are available to every believer. He is a God that desires to be known.

One might wonder experientially how this works. A story I heard several years ago might shed some light. A pastor by the name of David Cobb shared an experience out of his own life. He was on vacation with his family traveling through Dayton, Ohio. He and his family reside in California and had made the drive with relative ease, when his wife said “why don’t we take a break and stop at some restaurant”. David found the next exit that had restaurant and it so happened that they chose a Denny’s. As they exited the car he told his wife to take the kids in and get a table; he will be in a minute.

David started from the car walking toward the corner and headed into the next block when he heard a pay phone ringing. He decided that he would answer it. As he picked up the receiver the operator said “I have a call for David Cobb”.  He accepted it and lady came on the line and introduced herself.  She proceeded to tell him her reason for calling. The pastor heard very little of what she said due to the fact he was stupefied by the miraculous turn of events. David politely interrupts the lady to ask, “How did you get this number?” She explained, in a matter of fact tone, “I needed to talk to Pastor Cobb.” “So I prayed and this phone number popped in my head so I called the operator to place this call.” Then she went back into her reason for calling. One again the pastor interrupted and said, “You don’t understand, I am on vacation and just happened to be walking by this phone in Dayton, Ohio; a place I didn’t even know I would be at, but you reached me by phone. The lady acknowledged his situation but still sought his counsel. He gave her a few words of advice and ended the call.

David made his way to Dennys and sat down with a stunned look on his face. His wife asked, “What’s wrong with you?” He spoke in a tone of amazement, “God knows where I am! God knows where I am!!

Pastor David already knew that God knows where he is. However, he now knows that God knows where he is every moment of every hour of every day. The pastor knows it in a deeper way, a more personal way; and with more conviction than before. Paul prayed for the Ephesians that they would know the breadth, width, length, and depth of the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There are 3 applications:

Application #1: God progressively reveals Himself to believers over a lifetime.

          Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew God as God Almighty. (Creator God) They had experienced God’s mighty power to protect them from their enemies.

          In Exodus 6:2-3 God reveals His personal name “Jehovah.” Moses and Israelites saw that He was more powerful that the Egyptian gods as demonstrated by the plagues. They were delivered from the most powerful ruler and the most powerful nation in the world. However, what was different than before is God reveals his personal name and not just His position. God progressively revealed Himself through the needs and circumstances of the Israelites. Rick Warren points out in his book “Purpose Driven Life” that “God revealed His deeds to the Israelites, but revealed why He did what He did to Moses.” The Israelites had experiences with God, but Moses had perspective about God.

Application #2: My understanding of God today should be greater than it was 5 years ago.

          Sadly some Christians live today with the same basic knowledge they had when they were first saved. There needs to be a paradigm shift. How is it experience? What is God attempting to teach in your circumstances right now? You will know Him in dimensions you have never known before.

When you grieve He will come as a comforter as He never has before. It will be beyond what you have ever known before.

When you are in need He will provide in ways and to degrees never experienced by you before.

Application #3: God expects the dimensions that exist are to be traveled.

          It is a light issue: if we follow the light that is in conviction it leads to salvation every time. If we follow the light of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit it leads to a deeper work. If we follow the light about the deeper dimensions available it leads to a richer, deeper experience with God.

          It is a need issue: the more I experience God the more I realize how unfathomable He is which makes the world less exciting and God more exciting.

          Our journey with God does not include a cul-de-sac. We are wired for such an unfathomable experience. We are disappointed with anything less.