God's Presence: A Journey of Love and Community

 

Summary

In the journey of humanity, the question of "Where is man?" is deeply intertwined with our relationship with God. From the beginning, God has not abandoned humanity, but rather, He has allowed us the space to choose our path. This divine distance is part of God's grand design to cultivate a community of love, a project with cosmic and eternal significance. Throughout history, God has been present, from His interactions with individuals like Enoch and Abraham to the formation of a nation through Israel. Abraham, known as the friend of God, marks a shift from individual relationships to a familial and national covenant, illustrating God's desire to be more intimately involved in human affairs.

The narrative of God's presence continues through the Exodus, where God promises Abraham that through his descendants, all nations will be blessed. The tabernacle becomes a focal point for God's presence, symbolizing His proximity to humanity. This theme of overcoming distance is crucial, as it prepares the way for the coming of Jesus Christ, who embodies the kingdom of God on earth. Despite Israel's demand for a king, which God warns against, He remains with them, using the monarchy to establish His presence through priests and prophets.

The exile period teaches Israel that God's presence is not confined to a temple or government. Even in Babylon, they discover that God is with them, emphasizing that His presence permeates the atmosphere around them. This understanding is further developed in the New Testament, where Jesus, as Emmanuel, becomes the embodiment of a life with God. His life and teachings reveal the Christ-likeness of God, making Him accessible to all.

The church, as the continuing incarnation of Christ, is a community animated by the Spirit of God, living out the Abrahamic blessing to all nations. This diverse body of believers, united by Christ, transcends cultural and social barriers, demonstrating that God's presence is available to all. The book of Acts and the lives of figures like Mother Teresa and Dietrich Bonhoeffer illustrate this ongoing story of God's presence in the world. Ultimately, the revelation of Jesus Christ points to an eternal future where God's presence is fully realized.

Key Takeaways:

- God's presence in human history is a deliberate act of love, allowing humanity the space to choose while still being intimately involved in our journey. This divine distance is part of His plan to cultivate a community of love with cosmic and eternal significance. [05:09]

- The shift from individual relationships with God to a familial and national covenant, as seen with Abraham, illustrates God's desire to be more fully involved in human affairs. This progression highlights the importance of community in experiencing God's presence. [06:17]

- The exile period teaches that God's presence is not confined to a temple or government. Even in foreign lands, Israel discovers that God is with them, emphasizing that His presence permeates the atmosphere around them, offering comfort and guidance. [10:49]

- Jesus, as Emmanuel, embodies the life with God, revealing the Christ-likeness of God and making Him accessible to all. His life and teachings provide a clear picture of what it means to live in communion with God, offering a model for believers to follow. [13:55]

- The church, as the continuing incarnation of Christ, is a diverse community animated by the Spirit of God. This body of believers transcends cultural and social barriers, demonstrating that God's presence is available to all, fulfilling the Abrahamic blessing to all nations. [15:33]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:39] - God's Presence in the Garden
[05:09] - Divine Distance and Human Choice
[06:05] - Abraham: Friend of God
[07:03] - Covenant with a Nation
[08:28] - Israel's Demand for a King
[10:35] - Exile and God's Presence
[12:09] - Living with God Without a Government
[13:10] - Jesus: Emmanuel, God with Us
[14:38] - The Church: Continuing Incarnation
[16:55] - Pentecost and the Spread of the Gospel
[18:29] - Christ is All in All
[19:10] - Revelation and the Eternal Future

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 5:24 - "Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away."
2. Genesis 12:1-3 - "The Lord had said to Abram, 'Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'"
3. Matthew 1:23 - "'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' (which means 'God with us')."

#### Observation Questions
1. How does the relationship between God and Enoch, as described in Genesis 5:24, illustrate the concept of "walking with God"? [05:52]
2. What is the significance of God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, and how does it relate to the idea of a familial and national covenant? [06:17]
3. In what ways does the concept of "Immanuel" in Matthew 1:23 reflect the theme of God's presence being accessible to all? [13:55]
4. How does the sermon describe the role of the tabernacle in symbolizing God's proximity to humanity? [07:19]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does the sermon suggest about the purpose of "divine distance" and how it contributes to God's plan for humanity? [05:09]
2. How does the shift from individual relationships to a national covenant with Abraham illustrate God's desire to be more involved in human affairs? [06:17]
3. What lessons can be drawn from Israel's experience in exile regarding the nature of God's presence? [10:49]
4. How does the sermon portray the church as the continuing incarnation of Christ, and what implications does this have for believers today? [14:38]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. How did you navigate that period, and what steps can you take to cultivate a closer relationship with Him now? [05:09]
2. In what ways can you, like Abraham, be a blessing to those around you? Identify one specific action you can take this week to bless someone in your community. [06:17]
3. How can the understanding that God's presence is not confined to a specific place or institution change the way you experience your faith in everyday life? [10:49]
4. Jesus is described as "Immanuel," meaning "God with us." How can you embody this truth in your interactions with others, especially those who may feel isolated or alone? [13:55]
5. The sermon highlights the church as a diverse community animated by the Spirit of God. How can you contribute to fostering unity and diversity within your own church community? [15:33]
6. Consider the examples of Mother Teresa and Dietrich Bonhoeffer mentioned in the sermon. What qualities or actions from their lives inspire you to live out your faith more fully? [16:01]
7. How can the promise of an eternal future with God, as discussed in the sermon, influence your daily decisions and priorities? [19:10]

Devotional

Day 1: Divine Distance and Human Choice
God's presence in human history is a deliberate act of love, allowing humanity the space to choose while still being intimately involved in our journey. This divine distance is part of His plan to cultivate a community of love with cosmic and eternal significance. God has always been present, from His interactions with individuals like Enoch and Abraham to the formation of a nation through Israel. This divine distance is not abandonment but an invitation to choose a path that leads to a deeper relationship with Him. The space given to humanity is a testament to God's respect for human freedom and His desire for a genuine, loving community that chooses Him willingly. [05:09]

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (ESV): "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

Reflection: What is one decision you face today where you can choose to draw closer to God, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone?


Day 2: Covenant Community
The shift from individual relationships with God to a familial and national covenant, as seen with Abraham, illustrates God's desire to be more fully involved in human affairs. This progression highlights the importance of community in experiencing God's presence. Abraham's relationship with God marks a pivotal moment where the divine plan expands from personal encounters to a broader covenant with a family and eventually a nation. This covenant is not just a promise but a call to live in a way that reflects God's love and justice, creating a community that embodies His presence on earth. [06:17]

Genesis 17:4-5 (ESV): "Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations."

Reflection: How can you contribute to building a community that reflects God's love and justice in your church or neighborhood today?


Day 3: God's Presence Beyond Boundaries
The exile period teaches that God's presence is not confined to a temple or government. Even in foreign lands, Israel discovers that God is with them, emphasizing that His presence permeates the atmosphere around them, offering comfort and guidance. This realization is crucial as it shifts the understanding of God's presence from a physical location to a spiritual reality that transcends boundaries. It reassures believers that no matter where they are, God's presence is with them, providing hope and direction even in the most challenging circumstances. [10:49]

Jeremiah 29:4-7 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 'Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.'"

Reflection: In what ways can you seek God's presence and guidance in a situation where you feel out of place or uncomfortable today?


Day 4: Emmanuel, God with Us
Jesus, as Emmanuel, embodies the life with God, revealing the Christ-likeness of God and making Him accessible to all. His life and teachings provide a clear picture of what it means to live in communion with God, offering a model for believers to follow. Jesus' incarnation is the ultimate expression of God's desire to be with humanity, breaking down barriers and making divine love tangible. Through His teachings and actions, Jesus invites everyone into a relationship with God, showing that His presence is not limited to a select few but available to all who seek Him. [13:55]

Colossians 1:19-20 (ESV): "For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross."

Reflection: How can you embody the presence of Christ in your interactions with others today, making His love and grace tangible to those around you?


Day 5: The Church as a Living Incarnation
The church, as the continuing incarnation of Christ, is a diverse community animated by the Spirit of God. This body of believers transcends cultural and social barriers, demonstrating that God's presence is available to all, fulfilling the Abrahamic blessing to all nations. The church is not just a gathering of individuals but a living organism that reflects the unity and diversity of God's kingdom. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church is called to be a beacon of hope and love, breaking down walls and building bridges across divides, showing the world the reality of God's inclusive love. [15:33]

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV): "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to help your church community reflect the unity and diversity of God's kingdom?

Quotes


God hasn't left him alone but now, you see, God showing up in the garden and apparently they were on very friendly terms at that point, but still he would come and visit and then obviously give them some distance a little space right and and and that that sense of God when man disobeys God hiding himself from us so that we can hide from God that's exactly right and that's crucial to the plan of God in human history to bring that community out of human history which is almost nothing compared to time. [00:04:34]

It's very interesting that Abraham is the first one who is called the friend of God yep and so a different kind of relationship is now developing because instead of just having an individual here or there we have a family a family a natural union so we've gone from the individual to the family right and uh this is God's way of being more fully in the human condition without standing over it. [00:06:07]

The tabernacle then becomes part of that with God that's right sensibility that's right it is it gives a focal point for human beings to locate God in relationship to themselves now that really is crucial to this whole story because even today you know you ask where is God from here right wherever here he is and for living that's a crucial question and you see in the spiritual life of people at the present overcoming distance as they experience is is really a major uh project. [00:07:21]

The people of Israel finally say we don't do this anymore we need a king we need a king and God says it's not a good idea and so he says to the last of the judges Samuel now tell them what's going to happen this king you want is going to make your life miserable and sure enough and that statement to say they're not rejecting you they're rejecting rejecting me one of the most profound statements in all of this with God's story but he didn't reject them yep he said okay we'll work this out. [00:08:32]

They thought God isn't here and lo and behold he was there God's here right he's here and you have these wonderful stories Daniel is so magnificent that book is so magnificent because it is always bringing in there is a God in heaven yeah oh you have a dream we can do something about that there is a God in heaven right yeah and and the first heaven in in Hebrew cosmology is the atmosphere that's right right that is that's exactly right it is not far away as I'd like to say it goes all the way down to your socks. [00:10:57]

They learn we don't have to have a government to have a God right and and to live with God to live with God we can live with God without the government right and and incidentally without a very impressive temple exactly because what they had in the second temple was pretty grimy it really was and but there was a lot of learning there because God was still present now the Shekinah did not return to the second temple as it was in the first temple that is the visible presence of God did not return. [00:12:26]

Jesus then becomes the embodiment of a with God life that's right he is the Shekinah in person and he returns to the temple and of course there's a future to that but we can't go into it but now the the life of Jesus is so important because it is helping us catch a picture right this with God life that's right and so that's Emmanuel right Emmanuel he is it and he comes in the form of a person and now a face is put on God and it is the face of Jesus. [00:13:30]

The church, the book of Acts well that's the continuing incarnation is the church and the way that forms is he of course says now we're dealing with the Jewish people they're the ones that have been prepared for this right and they are the ones through whom the Abrahamic blessing comes to all of the earth and all the famines the there and so now you get a uh you get a body of people animated by the presence of the spirit of God. [00:14:36]

God has become accessible in Jesus and a body has been formed and a body formed that is this community of loving persons with God at the very heart of that community and of course Acts tells that story it does indeed and and you see it up to today Richard you find people spread out in history and in time and place uh they don't look like there's a lot of them but they aren't actually for show tell and God doesn't necessarily set them on exhibit but you have these wonderful people. [00:15:27]

The blow up is on the day of Pentecost because that is the point at which everyone comes from all the nations around yep and they are imprinted and in many cases inhabited by this God that came in Jesus through his spirit now and they spread out across the world and take that message out completely non-secretarian as we might say it's it isn't just religion it is a life now and it's available to without any. [00:16:55]

It's so funny to watch them kind of twist and turn to get around his devotion to Jesus which is just the whole deal for him when I was a teenager it was cost of discipleship that kept me because I couldn't find it anywhere but I would and I have this old tattered copy that I would read over and over as a high school kid because it gave me a picture of and then of course life together right now in the bible but this this projects on into the future that's right. [00:18:08]

They have begun to understand who Jesus was yep they didn't they couldn't get their minds around it and that's why at the end of the last chapter of John John says these things are written that you may know that Jesus is the Christ and I always like to think of the lone ranger you know at the end of the old sequences who was that masked man the lord I'm sorry that was before my time oh well yes you're a spring chicken. [00:18:48]

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Transcript
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