God: The Personal Architect of Our Lives
Summary
The world is filled with impressive architecture, but even the most brilliant human designs pale in comparison to the work of the great Architect—God Himself. Unlike a distant designer who never visits His creation, God is intimately involved with what He has made. He is not only the Creator of the universe, but He also enters into His creation, revealing Himself and desiring a relationship with us. In a world marked by instability and anxiety, God offers Himself as an unshakable foundation, inviting us to know Him personally.
The story of Moses in Exodus 3 is a powerful reminder of our own limitations. Like Moses, we are often feeble, fickle, and fading—prone to failure, inconsistency, and weakness. Yet, God’s response is not to abandon us, but to draw near. He reveals Himself to Moses through the burning bush, a symbol of His holy presence and self-sustaining nature. God’s name, Yahweh—“I Am Who I Am”—declares that He is self-sufficient, unchanging, and eternally present. He does not depend on anything or anyone for His existence, and He is always faithful to His promises.
God’s revelation of His name is not just a theological detail; it is an invitation to trust Him. He sees the suffering of His people, cares deeply, and has a plan for their deliverance. Even when we feel inadequate or unworthy, God equips and calls us to participate in His redemptive work. Moses’ story shows that God uses imperfect people to accomplish His perfect purposes.
This revelation reaches its climax in Jesus Christ. In John 8, Jesus identifies Himself with the divine name, declaring, “Before Abraham was, I am.” Jesus is Yahweh in the flesh—the eternal, self-sufficient God who has come near to offer us a life-giving, personal relationship. He is both majestic and intimate, powerful and present. The invitation is clear: receive Jesus, the great I Am, and enter into a relationship that brings peace, assurance, and eternal favor.
Key Takeaways
- God is not a distant architect but a personal, present God who enters into His creation. He desires to be known by us, not just as a concept, but as a loving and holy presence who draws near even in our weakness and failure. This nearness is a profound comfort in a world that often feels impersonal and chaotic. [01:53]
- Our human frailty—our feebleness, fickleness, and tendency to fade—should not lead us to despair, but to a deeper dependence on God’s perfection. When we recognize our shortcomings, we are invited to look beyond ourselves to the One who never fails, whose strength is made perfect in our weakness. [11:44]
- Yahweh’s self-sufficiency, unchanging nature, and eternal presence set Him apart from all other so-called gods and from anything else we might trust. He requires no external support, never changes His character, and is always with His people. This gives us a foundation for faith that is unshakeable, even when everything else is uncertain. [13:03]
- God’s plan for deliverance is not just for the ancient Israelites but for all who suffer and long for freedom. He sees our pain, cares deeply, and has a plan to make us whole—sometimes in ways we do not expect, and always in His perfect timing. Our role is to trust His heart and respond in faith, even when we feel unqualified. [15:57]
- In Jesus, the fullness of Yahweh is revealed. He is the great I Am who took on flesh, offering us not only forgiveness but a living, personal relationship. To know Jesus is to know God Himself, and this relationship is the source of true peace, assurance, and hope for eternity. [23:15]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:53] - The Architect Who Draws Near
[03:07] - Prayer for God’s Presence
[03:49] - Our Feebleness and God’s Perfection
[05:17] - The Revelation of Yahweh’s Name
[06:59] - Moses and the Burning Bush
[08:12] - God’s Presence in the Fire
[09:35] - Holy Ground and Moses’ Response
[11:44] - Our Failures Point to God’s Perfection
[13:03] - Yahweh: Self-Sufficient, Unchanging, Present
[15:57] - God’s Plan for Deliverance
[18:35] - “I Am Who I Am”: God’s Name Explained
[20:13] - God Uses Imperfect People
[21:55] - Jesus as Yahweh: The Great I Am
[23:15] - Jesus’ Claim and the Response
[25:55] - Invitation to Receive Jesus
[27:46] - Knowing God and Being Known
[29:44] - Prayer of Salvation
[30:23] - Next Steps and Closing Encouragement
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Great I Am—God Who Draws Near
---
### Bible Reading
Exodus 3:1-15 (ESV)
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”
John 8:56-59 (ESV)
“Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
---
### Observation Questions
1. What was unusual about the burning bush that caught Moses’ attention, and how did God use this to reveal Himself? ([08:12])
2. When God called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, how did Moses respond, and what does this show about his view of himself? ([16:50])
3. In Exodus 3, what does God say His name is, and what does this name mean? ([18:35])
4. In John 8, how did Jesus identify Himself to the religious leaders, and what was their reaction? ([23:15])
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think God chose to reveal Himself to Moses through a burning bush that was not consumed? What does this say about God’s nature? ([08:12])
2. Moses felt unqualified and weak when God called him. Why might God choose to use people who feel inadequate for His purposes? ([16:50])
3. God’s name “I AM WHO I AM” points to His self-sufficiency and eternal presence. How does this set Him apart from other “gods” or things people trust in? ([13:03])
4. When Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am,” He was claiming to be Yahweh. Why was this so shocking to the religious leaders, and what does it mean for us today? ([23:15])
---
### Application Questions
1. The sermon said God is not a distant architect but a personal God who draws near. In what areas of your life do you feel God is distant, and how might you invite Him to draw near this week? ([01:53])
2. Moses’ story shows that God uses imperfect people. Can you think of a time when you felt too weak or unqualified to do something God was calling you to do? How did you respond, and what might you do differently now? ([16:50])
3. God’s name “I AM” means He is always present and never changes. When you face instability or anxiety, what would it look like to lean on God as your unshakable foundation? ([13:03])
4. The sermon mentioned that God sees our suffering and cares deeply. Is there an area of pain or struggle in your life where you need to trust God’s plan and timing? What would it look like to surrender that to Him? ([15:57])
5. Jesus invites us into a personal relationship with Him, not just religious knowledge. How can you make your relationship with Jesus more personal and real this week? ([27:46])
6. The religious leaders rejected Jesus’ claim to be God. Are there ways you might be resisting Jesus’ authority or presence in your life? What would it look like to receive Him fully? ([25:55])
7. The sermon quoted J.I. Packer: “There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them.” What is one step you can take this week to grow in knowing God and experiencing His peace? ([27:46])
---
Devotional
Day 1: God Reveals Himself as Yahweh, the Great I Am
God is not a distant architect who merely designed the universe and left it to run on its own; instead, He reveals Himself personally to His people, making Himself known by name as Yahweh, the self-existent, eternal, and sovereign God. In a world filled with instability and fleeting pursuits, He offers us an unshakable foundation and invites us to know Him deeply and personally. The revelation of His name is a revolutionary moment, showing that unlike the powerless gods of the world, Yahweh is the true God who desires relationship with us and enters into our lives to show His love and presence. [06:59]
Exodus 3:13-15 (ESV)
Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.”
Reflection: In what area of your life do you most need to remember that God is not distant, but present and personally involved—how can you invite Him into that area today?
Day 2: Alone, We Are Feeble, Fickle, and Fading
Left to ourselves, we are weak, inconsistent, and prone to failure, just as Moses was when he fled Egypt after his mistakes; yet, our shortcomings are meant to point us to the perfection and faithfulness of God, who never fails and never changes. When we recognize our own feebleness and moments of regret, we are invited to turn our eyes to Yahweh, who is none of those things and who offers us His strength and steadfastness. Rather than being defined by our failures, we can let them remind us of our need for the God who is always faithful and true. [11:44]
Psalm 73:26 (ESV)
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Reflection: Think of a recent failure or regret—how can you let it point you to God’s unchanging faithfulness and ask Him to be your strength today?
Day 3: Yahweh Is Self-Sufficient, Unchanging, and Eternally Present
Unlike anything else in creation, Yahweh requires no external support, never changes, and is always present with His people; He sees our suffering, cares deeply, and has a plan to make us whole in His perfect timing. God’s self-sufficiency means He is not dependent on anything or anyone, and His eternal presence assures us that He will never abandon us, no matter what we face. In every season, we can trust that He is with us, sustaining us and working for our good, even when we feel weak or alone. [15:57]
Malachi 3:6 (ESV)
“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”
Reflection: Where do you feel most uncertain or alone right now? How can you rest in the truth that God is unchanging and always present with you?
Day 4: Jesus Is Yahweh in the Flesh, Offering a Life-Giving Relationship
Jesus boldly declared Himself to be the “I Am,” identifying Himself as Yahweh in the flesh, and offers us not just knowledge about God but a personal, life-giving relationship with Him. The religious leaders recognized the weight of Jesus’ claim, but instead of receiving Him, they rejected Him; yet, Jesus came so that we might know both the majesty and the nearness of God. In Christ, we see the fullness of God’s power and love, and we are invited to receive Him, worship Him, and walk with Him daily. [24:24]
John 8:58-59 (ESV)
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
Reflection: How does knowing that Jesus is Yahweh—the great I Am—change the way you approach Him in prayer and worship today?
Day 5: Knowing God and Being Known by Him Brings True Peace
There is no peace like the assurance that comes from truly knowing God and being known by Him; this relationship guarantees His favor, love, and grace both in this life and for eternity. The invitation is open to all: to turn to Jesus, receive His salvation, and grow as His disciple, experiencing the deep peace that comes from belonging to Him. Whether you are new to faith or have walked with God for years, let the awe of His majesty and the gratitude for His nearness fill your heart and shape your life. [27:46]
Philippians 3:8-9 (ESV)
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
Reflection: What is one step you can take today to deepen your relationship with God—whether it’s through prayer, reading His Word, or sharing your faith with someone else?
Quotes
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Aug 18, 2025. Do you have any questions about it?