Encountering God's Holiness: Awe, Fear, and Reverence
Summary
In reflecting on the reasons many people find church boring or irrelevant, it's crucial to consider the nature of encountering God as depicted in Scripture. When individuals in the Bible encountered God, their reactions were anything but bored or indifferent. Isaiah, Job, and Habakkuk, for instance, experienced profound awe and fear in God's presence. This suggests that when church feels irrelevant, it may be because the focus has shifted from God to human-centered activities. The essence of worship should be an encounter with the living God, who is anything but boring.
A significant issue today is the tendency to create a version of God that is comfortable and non-threatening, often emphasizing His love and mercy while neglecting His holiness, justice, and wrath. This selective portrayal of God is akin to modern idolatry, where we fashion a deity that suits our preferences. True understanding of God requires embracing His holiness, which encompasses both His greatness and goodness. Holiness is not just moral purity but also God's otherness and transcendence, setting Him apart from all creation.
God's holiness is tied to His being, which is unchanging and self-sustaining, unlike humans who are dependent and ever-changing. This distinction highlights God's supreme nature and the awe-inspiring reality of His existence. The concept of God's holiness should evoke a sense of fear and reverence, as seen in various cultures' reactions to the sacred. This fear is not about terror but a profound respect and acknowledgment of God's majesty.
In Christ, the barrier of fear is removed, allowing us to approach God with confidence. Yet, even with this access, a healthy fear and respect for God's holiness should remain. This balance of fear and love is essential in our relationship with God, ensuring that we never lose sight of His greatness while embracing His invitation to draw near.
Key Takeaways:
1. Encountering God: Biblical encounters with God are marked by awe and fear, not boredom. This suggests that when church feels irrelevant, it may lack a true focus on God. A genuine encounter with God is transformative and never dull. [01:57]
2. Modern Idolatry: Creating a comfortable version of God by emphasizing only His love and mercy while ignoring His holiness and justice is a form of idolatry. True worship requires embracing the full character of God as revealed in Scripture. [04:55]
3. Holiness Defined: God's holiness encompasses His greatness and goodness, setting Him apart from all creation. It is not just moral purity but His transcendent majesty and otherness. Understanding this is crucial for a proper relationship with God. [09:48]
4. God's Unchanging Nature: Unlike humans, God is unchanging and self-sustaining. This distinction highlights His supreme nature and the awe-inspiring reality of His existence. Recognizing this difference is essential in understanding God's holiness. [12:30]
5. Fear and Reverence: A healthy fear and respect for God's holiness should remain even as we approach Him with confidence in Christ. This balance ensures we never lose sight of His greatness while embracing His invitation to draw near. [25:00]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:34] - Survey on Church Attendance
- [01:15] - Biblical Encounters with God
- [02:41] - The Irrelevance of Church
- [03:39] - Encountering the Living God
- [04:16] - Concealing God's Character
- [04:55] - Modern Idolatry
- [05:36] - Fashioning a Comfortable God
- [06:17] - The Holiness of God
- [07:34] - Understanding Holiness
- [09:00] - Holiness and Moral Purity
- [09:48] - God's Otherness
- [10:43] - Supreme Being vs. Human Being
- [12:30] - God's Unchanging Nature
- [14:03] - Dependence on God
- [15:32] - The Power of Being
- [16:25] - Fear of the Holy
- [19:46] - The Inner Sanctum
- [21:34] - Encountering Holiness
- [24:17] - Access to God Through Christ
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Isaiah 6:1-5
2. Job 42:1-6
3. Habakkuk 3:16
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Observation Questions:
1. How did Isaiah react when he encountered God, and what does this reveal about the nature of such encounters? [01:15]
2. What was Job's response to God's manifestation, and how does it reflect his understanding of God's character? [01:15]
3. In the sermon, what was the psychologist from San Francisco's complaint about her minister's portrayal of God? [04:16]
4. How does the sermon describe the difference between God's being and human beings? [12:30]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does the sermon suggest about the reasons why some people find church boring or irrelevant, and how does this relate to their experience of God? [03:39]
2. How does the concept of modern idolatry, as described in the sermon, challenge the way people often perceive God? [04:55]
3. In what ways does the sermon explain the importance of understanding God's holiness beyond just moral purity? [09:48]
4. How does the sermon describe the balance between fear and confidence in approaching God through Christ? [25:00]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt church was boring or irrelevant. What was the focus of the service, and how might a greater focus on encountering God have changed your experience? [03:39]
2. Consider your own understanding of God. Are there aspects of His character that you tend to emphasize or ignore? How can you strive for a more balanced view of God? [04:55]
3. How does recognizing God's unchanging nature and self-sustaining being affect your daily life and faith? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of this truth? [12:30]
4. In what ways can you cultivate a healthy fear and reverence for God's holiness while embracing the confidence to approach Him through Christ? [25:00]
5. Think about your current relationship with God. How can you ensure that it is based on His true character as revealed in Scripture, rather than a version that feels more comfortable to you? [06:17]
6. Identify one area in your life where you might be creating a "comfortable" version of God. What steps can you take to confront this and embrace the full character of God? [05:36]
7. How can you encourage others in your church community to focus on encountering the living God during worship services? What role can you play in fostering this environment? [03:39]
Devotional
Day 1: Encountering God Transforms Our Worship
When individuals in the Bible encountered God, their reactions were marked by awe and fear, not boredom or indifference. This suggests that when church feels irrelevant, it may lack a true focus on God. A genuine encounter with God is transformative and never dull. The essence of worship should be an encounter with the living God, who is anything but boring. When we shift our focus from human-centered activities to God-centered worship, we open ourselves to the profound and life-changing presence of God. [01:57]
Isaiah 6:5-7 (ESV): "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!' Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.'"
Reflection: Think about your current worship experience. How can you intentionally shift your focus from routine activities to seeking a genuine encounter with God this week?
Day 2: Avoiding Modern Idolatry
A significant issue today is the tendency to create a version of God that is comfortable and non-threatening, often emphasizing His love and mercy while neglecting His holiness, justice, and wrath. This selective portrayal of God is akin to modern idolatry, where we fashion a deity that suits our preferences. True worship requires embracing the full character of God as revealed in Scripture. By acknowledging all aspects of God's nature, we avoid the trap of idolatry and deepen our relationship with Him. [04:55]
Jeremiah 10:14-15 (ESV): "Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish."
Reflection: Reflect on your understanding of God. Are there aspects of His character that you tend to overlook or downplay? How can you embrace a fuller understanding of who God is?
Day 3: Understanding God's Holiness
God's holiness encompasses His greatness and goodness, setting Him apart from all creation. It is not just moral purity but His transcendent majesty and otherness. Understanding this is crucial for a proper relationship with God. His holiness is tied to His being, which is unchanging and self-sustaining, unlike humans who are dependent and ever-changing. This distinction highlights God's supreme nature and the awe-inspiring reality of His existence. [09:48]
1 Samuel 2:2 (ESV): "There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God."
Reflection: Consider how you perceive God's holiness. What steps can you take to deepen your understanding and appreciation of His transcendent nature?
Day 4: Recognizing God's Unchanging Nature
Unlike humans, God is unchanging and self-sustaining. This distinction highlights His supreme nature and the awe-inspiring reality of His existence. Recognizing this difference is essential in understanding God's holiness. His unchanging nature assures us of His reliability and faithfulness, providing a firm foundation for our faith. As we grasp the significance of God's unchanging nature, we can find peace and confidence in His eternal promises. [12:30]
Malachi 3:6 (ESV): "For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you experienced change or uncertainty. How does knowing that God is unchanging provide comfort and assurance in your life today?
Day 5: Balancing Fear and Reverence with Confidence
A healthy fear and respect for God's holiness should remain even as we approach Him with confidence in Christ. This balance ensures we never lose sight of His greatness while embracing His invitation to draw near. In Christ, the barrier of fear is removed, allowing us to approach God with confidence. Yet, even with this access, a healthy fear and respect for God's holiness should remain. This balance of fear and love is essential in our relationship with God. [25:00]
Hebrews 12:28-29 (ESV): "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a balance of reverence and confidence in your relationship with God? What practical steps can you take to ensure you maintain a healthy fear and respect for His holiness?
Quotes
The number one answer that people gave for dropping out of church was this: Church is boring. The number two answer given by these people who quit going to church was the answer: Church is irrelevant. Let me ask you that question: Do you ever get the feeling the Church is boring? Have you ever been bored in church? Don’t lie! Have you ever felt that what was going on in church was irrelevant. You know, asking yourself, “What in the world am I doing here?” [00:00:49]
Well, when I heard the results of that survey I thought again to the narratives that we find in sacred Scripture, particularly in the Old Testament of what happens when people encounter God. We’ve already seen what happened to Isaiah when he got an unveiled manifestation of the character of God. Let me ask you this. Was he bored? No! No way! I mean, he was on his face, he’s screaming in pain, you know, and cursing himself. [00:01:15]
You will never, ever find in the Bible an example of somebody’s meeting the living God and being bored. Because there is nothing less boring in all of reality than God Himself. And can you imagine somebody like Isaiah, having this experience of seeing God high and lifted up, and walking out of that situation – going out on the street – and saying, “Hmm . . . so what? Big deal! That was irrelevant!” [00:02:41]
If God is holy – in fact if God is, that’s all we have to say – it’s the most relevant affirmation any creature can ever understand. And that’s why it boggles my mind when people are saying that the reason they don’t go to church and that they drop out of church is because they’re bored and because they find it irrelevant. That tells me one thing. It tells me that when they come to church, they are not having any kind of encounter with the living God. [00:03:39]
She said, “Well he never talks about the wrath of God. He never talks about the justice of God. He never talks about the sovereignty of God and he certainly never talks about the holiness of God. All he talks about is the goodness of God, the love of God and the mercy of God. He just tells us what we want to hear. But he’s afraid that if he preaches the whole counsel of God and sets forth the whole character of God as God reveals Himself in Scripture, that people will be upset and they will quit going to church.” [00:04:55]
Well we’re more sophisticated than that. Instead of fashioning idols out of stone or out of wood, what we do is we go to the Scripture with scissors and paste and we construct for ourself a god who has been stripped of the attributes that we don’t like; the attributes that frighten us. I remember once lecturing on the holiness of God and some little old lady objected at the end and she says, “Well my God is a God of love.” [00:05:58]
You see, the same place where we find out that God is a God of love is the same source that we get that He is holy. So like it or not, the God who is, is a God who is holy. And if we’re going to relate to God as He is, we have to take His holiness seriously. Well what are we talking about? What do we mean when we say that God is holy? What comes into your mind when you think of that word holy? What does it mean to be holy? [00:07:04]
Now the Bible does use the term “holy” like that. And when the Bible says, “You shall be holy even as God is holy,” that’s the reference it’s making there. That we are supposed to mirror and reflect the character of God – His righteousness – we’re supposed to behave in such a way that mirrors His own behavior. But that’s the secondary meaning of the term “holy” in the Bible. It’s a legitimate use of the word “holy” and one of the ways in which it is in fact used, but it . . . in terms of numerical frequency, is second. [00:09:28]
The primary meaning of the term “holy” refers to what we would call the “otherness” of God. The greatness of God. The sense in which God is different from you, from me, and anything in this created order. Now, it refers to His transcendent majesty. That majesty that is high and above anything in the created realm. Now, sometimes when we talk about God – particularly when we’re teaching theology and things of that sort – we can define God as the Supreme Being. [00:10:08]
But God is never changing. God never grows older or taller or heavier because He is eternally perfect in who He is and what He is. Now the biggest difference between every creature and God is this: That I as a creature cannot live by my own power. I had a beginning in time, didn’t I? I have a birthday and so do you. How long can you live without oxygen? Not very. How long can you live without water? Not very long. [00:12:36]
Because you’re a dependent creature. You’re fragile. Your life could end this afternoon. But God can’t die. He doesn’t need water. He doesn’t need food. He doesn’t need anything because He has the power to be in and of Himself. And not only does He have the power to be in and of Himself, but He holds the power of everybody’s existence. You know, the Bible says, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” [00:13:41]
And there’s a sense in which even in Christ we will always have – I hope – a healthy fear, the fear of respect, the fear of awe, that when we contemplate who He is, we will still have the capacity to tremble before Him. [00:25:16]
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