God's Relentless Pursuit: Encountering Hope and Grace
Summary
In the sermon titled "Encountering God" by Mark Anderson delivered on December 17, 2023, the central theme revolves around the intimate presence of God in our lives, especially during times of need. Anderson begins by illustrating how God seeks us when we are lost, heals us when we are hurting, and sets us free from bondage. He uses the parable of the Good Shepherd to demonstrate God's relentless pursuit of us, emphasizing that God is always present, even when we are unaware of His proximity.
Anderson then delves into the dual nature of God's power and vulnerability, highlighting Jesus' humanity and the solidarity He shares with us. He points out that Jesus, while performing miracles and demonstrating divine power, also lived an ordinary life, experienced rejection, and sought companionship. This duality underscores the deep connection between God and humanity.
The sermon further explores the compassion of God, who shares in our emotions and pain. Anderson references Henry Nouwen, emphasizing that God's love is manifested not by removing our pain but by sharing it with us, leading to new life and resurrection. He stresses the importance of recognizing and receiving God's presence in our lives.
Anderson also discusses the concept of grace, portraying Jesus as the embodiment of hope and truth. He illustrates this through the story of Holly Vine at Jingle Publishing, showing how God's entry into our lives is transformative. The sermon is part of a series called "Heavenly hope in a heavy world," focusing on encountering God amidst our struggles.
The speaker addresses the need to face the darkness within ourselves and the world to truly receive Jesus at Christmas. He presents hope as a perspective rooted in God's unchanging goodness, urging us to trust in God rather than in our own righteousness or worldly systems.
The message of Christmas, according to Anderson, is the transformation from slaves to friends and beloved children of God. He challenges the audience to reflect on their own needs and how they can experience God's radical engagement and solidarity in their lives.
Anderson reflects on the accessibility of Jesus, born in a humble stable, making Him approachable to all, from shepherds to wise men. This accessibility is a testament to Jesus' dual identity as both Lord and a vulnerable baby.
The sermon concludes with the reassurance that God is always present, likening His unseen presence to a game of peekaboo with a child. Anderson encourages the audience to recognize and receive Jesus, assuring them that they are never forgotten or abandoned, even when God's voice or presence seems absent.
Key Takeaways:
- God's pursuit of humanity is relentless and personal, akin to a shepherd leaving the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep. This pursuit is not dependent on our ability to perceive God but is a constant reality of His nature. God's presence is a given, even when we are oblivious to it, and His desire is to rescue and restore us to wholeness. [08:13]
- Jesus' life exemplifies a profound union of divine power and human vulnerability. His miracles and acts of compassion are as significant as His experiences of rejection and longing for companionship. This duality invites believers to see God not only as almighty but also as intimately acquainted with the human condition. [21:35]
- The mystery of God's love is revealed in His willingness to share in our pain and suffering. The divine empathy is not about eradicating our struggles but about entering into them with us, offering solidarity that leads to resurrection and new life. This perspective shifts the focus from seeking escape to finding purpose and presence within our trials. [24:46]
- Grace is central to the Christian experience of encountering God. Jesus, as the True Light, did not come to condemn but to offer hope and truth through His presence. This grace is not earned but given freely, reflecting God's desire to be known and to transform our lives from the inside out. [03:21]
- The accessibility of Jesus, born in a stable, breaks down barriers between the divine and the marginalized. His birthplace allowed the outcasts, such as shepherds, to witness the divine, and it affirmed to Mary and Joseph the truth of His identity. This accessibility challenges us to see God in the unexpected and to embrace His lordship in humility. [19:11]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Encountering God"
#### Bible Reading
1. John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
2. Luke 15:4-7 - "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
3. Isaiah 53:3-4 - "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted."
#### Observation Questions
1. According to John 1:14, what are the two key attributes that Jesus embodies? How do these attributes reflect in His life and ministry? [03:17]
2. In the parable of the Good Shepherd (Luke 15:4-7), what actions does the shepherd take when one sheep is lost? What does this tell us about God's nature? [09:33]
3. Isaiah 53:3-4 describes Jesus as a man of suffering. How does this passage align with the sermon’s depiction of Jesus' vulnerability and solidarity with humanity? [21:56]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of Jesus being "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14) challenge our understanding of God's character? How can this duality be seen in our daily lives? [03:17]
2. The parable of the Good Shepherd emphasizes God's relentless pursuit of the lost. How does this parable illustrate the nature of God's love and grace? [09:33]
3. Reflecting on Isaiah 53:3-4, how does Jesus' experience of rejection and suffering provide comfort and hope in our own times of pain and struggle? [21:56]
4. The sermon mentions that Jesus' birth in a stable made Him accessible to all, including the marginalized. How does this aspect of Jesus' life challenge our perceptions of accessibility and inclusivity in our faith communities? [19:00]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt lost or distant from God. How did you experience God's pursuit and presence during that period? How can you remain aware of God's presence in your current circumstances? [09:33]
2. Jesus' life exemplifies both divine power and human vulnerability. How can you embrace and reflect this duality in your own life, especially in your interactions with others? [21:56]
3. The sermon emphasizes that God's love is shown through His willingness to share in our pain. How can you practice this kind of empathetic love in your relationships and community? [24:10]
4. Grace is central to encountering God. Think of a recent situation where you received grace. How can you extend that same grace to someone else this week? [03:17]
5. The accessibility of Jesus challenges us to see God in the unexpected. Identify a place or situation in your life where you might be overlooking God's presence. How can you become more open to encountering God in these unexpected places? [19:00]
6. The sermon calls us to face the darkness within ourselves and the world to truly receive Jesus. What is one area of darkness in your life that you need to confront? How can you invite Jesus into that space for healing and transformation? [05:38]
7. Reflect on the concept of hope as a perspective rooted in God's unchanging goodness. How can you cultivate this perspective in your daily life, especially during challenging times? [05:38]
This guide is designed to help your small group delve deeper into the themes of the sermon "Encountering God" and apply its lessons to their lives. Encourage open and honest discussion, and remind participants that encountering God is a personal and transformative experience.
Devotional
Day 1: Relentless Divine Pursuit
God tirelessly seeks to restore and heal, like a shepherd for his sheep. This pursuit is rooted in love and is not contingent on human awareness or response. It is a divine initiative that seeks to bring the lost back into the fold and to mend the broken. God's presence is a steadfast reality, offering rescue and restoration to wholeness. [08:13]
Luke 15:4-5 - "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders."
Reflection: Can you recall a time when you felt lost and later realized that God was with you all along? How did that experience change your perception of God's pursuit?
Day 2: Divine Power and Human Vulnerability
The life of Jesus embodies the union of divine strength and human frailty, inviting believers to recognize God's intimate knowledge of the human condition. Miracles and compassion are as integral to His identity as His experiences of rejection and desire for relationship. This duality offers a profound connection with the divine. [21:35]
Hebrews 4:15-16 - "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Reflection: How does the understanding that Jesus experienced human vulnerability influence your relationship with Him during your own times of weakness?
Day 3: Divine Empathy in Our Pain
God's love is not about removing our struggles but about sharing them with us. This divine empathy leads to solidarity, resurrection, and new life. It is in the sharing of our pain that we find the true depth of God's compassion and the transformative power of His presence. [24:46]
Isaiah 53:3-4 - "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted."
Reflection: In what ways can you invite God into your current struggles, allowing His empathy to transform your perspective on suffering?
Day 4: Grace as the Heart of Encounter
Grace is the essence of the Christian journey toward God. It is through Jesus, the embodiment of hope and truth, that grace is freely given, not earned. This unmerited favor reflects God's desire to be intimately known and to transform lives from within. [03:21]
Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Reflection: How can you live out the reality of grace in your daily interactions, showing others the hope and transformation you've received?
Day 5: Accessibility of the Divine
Jesus' humble birth in a stable symbolizes the breaking down of barriers between the divine and the marginalized. His accessibility invites all, regardless of status, to witness the divine and to embrace His lordship with humility. This challenges us to find God in the unexpected and to approach Him with open hearts. [19:11]
Luke 2:15-16 - "When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger."
Reflection: How can you emulate the accessibility of Jesus in your own life, making room for those who may feel marginalized or overlooked?
Quotes
"When you can't see God, He's still there. You can't hear His voice, He's still there. In the darkness, when you feel alone, you're not." [29:35] (Download)
"Christmas is this glimpse of God in Jesus, Jesus who is God's hope made real to us in the flesh. Christmas Jesus is our glimpse into God's holy, powerful, loving, suffering character." [30:29] (Download)
"If we're lost, God comes seeking; if we're hurting, then God comes healing; if we're in bondage, he comes to set us free; if we are in debt, he pays the ransom." [08:13] (Download)
"He comes in weakness, helpless, ordinary, homeless, needy, vulnerable. There's the solidarity. How far will he go? That far. Helpless he's helpless here in the manger and he's helpless up on the cross." [22:22] (Download)
"Our gracious and compassionate God feels everything that we do; our joy, our sorrow, pain, suffering, heartbreak, rejection, betrayal, loneliness. This aching longing for Shalom, the Kingdom of Heaven to come to earth, when you feel that, you're feeling His heart." [24:46] (Download)
"God doesn't want to helicopter us out of the pain... He comes and engages these people in pain to feel that pain with and then becomes one with it. He shares that pain and out of this pain, this death, comes Resurrection life, eternal Resurrection Life springs from this solidarity with us in our pain." [25:38] (Download)
"That's why Christmas is good news even if your situation doesn't change; you know you're not alone, you know He's going through it with you, and that life will come from this as the suffering gets redeemed." [26:18] (Download)
"We have gone from slaves in Egypt to Servants of the king to friends who know the Master's business - the children of God, beloved Sons, beloved daughters, beloved children. That's the message of Christmas." [13:16] (Download)
"The truth of Christmas is Emmanuel, God With Us. And what do we see when Emmanuel comes to be with us? We see radical engagement - he doesn't stay far off, he comes to radically engage us in our need to the point of radical solidarity, becoming one with us." [15:48] (Download)
"Because the Son of God was born in a stable, they can get to him. That's how accessible he is." [19:11] (Download)
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