The Personal and Eternal Nature of God

 

Summary

In our exploration of "The God that We Worship," we delve into the profound significance of God's names, beginning with the encounter between God and Moses in Exodus 3. Here, God reveals Himself as "I am that I am," a declaration that underscores His self-existence and eternal nature. This revelation is not merely about a name but about the essence of God, who is personal and relational. Unlike the nameless, faceless gods of ancient cultures, our God has a name that signifies His personal nature and His historical relationship with humanity.

In today's culture, many claim belief in a higher power, yet often this belief is vague and impersonal. The God of the Bible, however, is not an abstract force but a personal being who demands our obedience and holds us accountable. This personal nature of God is foundational to our relationship with Him. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we all have a personal relationship with God. The question is whether it is a relationship of reconciliation or estrangement.

God's self-revelation to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob places Him within a historical context, emphasizing continuity and faithfulness across generations. This challenges us to see the God of the Old Testament as the same God revealed in the New Testament through Jesus Christ. Understanding this continuity is crucial for a robust faith and worship experience.

The name Yahweh, often translated as "I am who I am," speaks to God's self-existence, a concept known as aseity. Unlike us, God is not dependent on anything for His existence. This self-existence is a fundamental distinction between Creator and creation, underscoring God's sovereignty and the foundation of our worship. As we gather to worship, we acknowledge that our very being, life, and motion are sustained by God, the source of all existence.

Key Takeaways:

- God's revelation to Moses as "I am that I am" highlights His self-existence and eternal nature, setting Him apart from all creation. This understanding calls us to a deeper reverence and awe in our worship, recognizing that God is not dependent on anything outside Himself. [13:42]

- The personal nature of God is central to our relationship with Him. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are in a personal relationship with God, and the quality of that relationship—whether reconciled or estranged—determines our spiritual state. [06:39]

- God's historical relationship with humanity, as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, challenges us to see the continuity of His character and promises from the Old Testament to the New Testament. This continuity enriches our understanding of God and deepens our faith. [08:17]

- The concept of God's aseity, or self-existence, is a profound theological truth that distinguishes God from all creation. It reminds us of our dependence on Him for life, being, and motion, and calls us to worship Him as the source of all existence. [14:08]

- Our understanding of God must be rooted in the full revelation of Scripture, both Old and New Testaments. Neglecting the Old Testament leads to a shallow understanding of God's character and His redemptive work throughout history. [09:54]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:22] - Introduction to God's Names
- [00:59] - Moses and the Burning Bush
- [01:27] - God's Eternal Name
- [02:07] - The Unknown God vs. Yahweh
- [03:24] - The Personal Nature of God
- [05:02] - Inescapable Personal Relationship
- [07:12] - Historical Context of God's Revelation
- [08:46] - Continuity of God in Old and New Testaments
- [10:00] - Importance of the Old Testament
- [11:03] - Significance of God's Name
- [12:03] - Interpretations of Yahweh
- [13:42] - Self-Existence of God
- [16:07] - Dependence vs. Independence
- [23:56] - The Power of Being

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The God that We Worship

Bible Reading:
- Exodus 3:13-15
- Acts 17:22-31

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Observation Questions:

1. What name does God reveal to Moses in Exodus 3, and what significance does this name hold? [00:59]
2. How does the sermon describe the difference between the God of the Bible and the nameless gods of ancient cultures? [02:07]
3. According to the sermon, what is the nature of the relationship between God and humanity, and how is it inescapable? [06:39]
4. How does the sermon explain the continuity of God's character from the Old Testament to the New Testament? [08:46]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does the name "I am that I am" reveal about God's nature, and how does this understanding impact our view of God’s sovereignty? [13:42]
2. How does the sermon challenge the common perception of God as an abstract force, and what implications does this have for personal accountability? [03:24]
3. In what ways does the historical context of God as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob enrich our understanding of His promises and faithfulness? [08:17]
4. How does the concept of God's aseity, or self-existence, distinguish Him from creation, and why is this important for our worship? [14:08]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your personal relationship with God. Would you describe it as reconciled or estranged? What steps can you take to improve the quality of this relationship? [06:39]
2. How does understanding God’s self-existence and sovereignty influence the way you approach worship? Are there specific changes you can make in your worship practices to reflect this understanding? [14:08]
3. Consider the continuity of God’s character from the Old Testament to the New Testament. How does this continuity affect your faith and trust in God’s promises? [08:46]
4. In what ways can you ensure that your understanding of God is rooted in the full revelation of Scripture, including both the Old and New Testaments? [09:54]
5. How can you move from a vague belief in a higher power to a more personal and accountable relationship with the God of the Bible? What practical steps can you take this week to deepen this relationship? [03:24]
6. Reflect on the sermon’s discussion of God’s personal nature. How does this understanding challenge you to live differently in your daily life? [05:02]
7. Identify one area in your life where you might be relying on your own strength rather than acknowledging your dependence on God. What specific actions can you take to shift this reliance? [16:32]

Devotional

Day 1: The Self-Existence of God
God's revelation to Moses as "I am that I am" highlights His self-existence and eternal nature, setting Him apart from all creation. This understanding calls us to a deeper reverence and awe in our worship, recognizing that God is not dependent on anything outside Himself. The concept of God's aseity, or self-existence, is a profound theological truth that distinguishes God from all creation. It reminds us of our dependence on Him for life, being, and motion, and calls us to worship Him as the source of all existence. As we gather to worship, we acknowledge that our very being, life, and motion are sustained by God, the source of all existence. [13:42]

Isaiah 40:28-29 (ESV): "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength."

Reflection: In what ways can you cultivate a deeper sense of awe and reverence for God's self-existence in your daily worship practices?


Day 2: The Personal Nature of God
The personal nature of God is central to our relationship with Him. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are in a personal relationship with God, and the quality of that relationship—whether reconciled or estranged—determines our spiritual state. In today's culture, many claim belief in a higher power, yet often this belief is vague and impersonal. The God of the Bible, however, is not an abstract force but a personal being who demands our obedience and holds us accountable. This personal nature of God is foundational to our relationship with Him. [06:39]

Psalm 139:1-3 (ESV): "O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways."

Reflection: How can you intentionally nurture your personal relationship with God today, acknowledging His presence in your daily life?


Day 3: Continuity of God's Character
God's historical relationship with humanity, as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, challenges us to see the continuity of His character and promises from the Old Testament to the New Testament. This continuity enriches our understanding of God and deepens our faith. Understanding this continuity is crucial for a robust faith and worship experience. It challenges us to see the God of the Old Testament as the same God revealed in the New Testament through Jesus Christ. [08:17]

Hebrews 13:8 (ESV): "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

Reflection: Reflect on a promise God made in the Old Testament. How does seeing its fulfillment in the New Testament strengthen your faith in God's unchanging character?


Day 4: Dependence on God
The concept of God's aseity, or self-existence, is a profound theological truth that distinguishes God from all creation. It reminds us of our dependence on Him for life, being, and motion, and calls us to worship Him as the source of all existence. Unlike us, God is not dependent on anything for His existence. This self-existence is a fundamental distinction between Creator and creation, underscoring God's sovereignty and the foundation of our worship. [14:08]

Acts 17:28 (ESV): "For 'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are indeed his offspring.'"

Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you struggle with self-reliance. How can you practice greater dependence on God in that area today?


Day 5: Rooted in Full Revelation
Our understanding of God must be rooted in the full revelation of Scripture, both Old and New Testaments. Neglecting the Old Testament leads to a shallow understanding of God's character and His redemptive work throughout history. God's self-revelation to Moses as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob places Him within a historical context, emphasizing continuity and faithfulness across generations. This challenges us to see the God of the Old Testament as the same God revealed in the New Testament through Jesus Christ. [09:54]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV): "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Reflection: How can you incorporate both Old and New Testament teachings into your daily study to gain a fuller understanding of God's character and His work in your life?

Quotes


Now the first thing that we notice, of course, in this text is something so obvious, so elementary that it’s easy for us to overlook, and that is the fact that God has a name. Remember when we looked at the situation in Athens where the inscription on the altar there was to an unknown god, a nameless god, and as I mentioned at that time that unknown god of Athens was a god who was without form and void and darkness was upon his face. [00:16:39]

But when we press people as to the nature of the god who is affirmed we get very ambiguous statements like a supreme being, something greater than ourselves. What’s that? You know, cosmic dust, nuclear power, or nuclear energy, but the polls don’t ask the question specifically how many of you believe in Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? [00:02:49]

How many of you believe in a God who demands absolute obedience and before whom we face an ultimate judgment, and our eternal destinies will be declared by His judgment—either eternity in heaven or in hell? How many people believe in a God like that? You see, a god without a name is safe. [00:03:24]

So what I’m saying is that in spite of the fact that the polls indicate that we are a theistic nation, it could also be said that in many ways we are practical atheists in this country, because though we embrace an amorphous god, we tend to flee from the God who is named here in the sacred Scriptures. [00:04:10]

Now the fact that God has a name indicates Biblically that He is personal. That’s where the fear factor comes in. I mean, I’m not going to worry about a god who is a personalityless superior power, because if there’s some force up there of cosmic dust, what difference does that cosmic dust feel with respect to my obedience or disobedience? [00:04:35]

But Judaism and Christianity at the outset declare emphatically that the God who created heaven and earth is a person. And we are persons, and that’s what makes it possible for us to be in a relationship to Him. And I might add, a personal relationship to God is inescapable. [00:05:23]

What is often overlooked is that we always have a personal relationship to God, because we are persons, and God is a person. And a relationship is established in Creation between God and us, a relationship that is inescapable. I can deny the existence of God. All that does is put me in an estranged relationship to God, which is still a personal relationship. [00:06:26]

Notice that when God reveals Himself to Moses he sets it in a historical context. I am the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob. Abraham is not Isaac; Isaac is not Jacob; Jacob is not Abraham. Those are different persons, different individuals, but it is the same God who relates to each one of those persons. [00:07:47]

The one whom Jesus Calls Father is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of Joseph, the God of David, the God of Jeremiah, the God of Ezekiel, the God of Nehemiah, the God of Malachi, the God of John the Baptist, the God of Jesus, the God of Paul, the God of Peter. It’s the same God who remains the same forever. [00:09:03]

I honestly don’t know how we can ever understand Jesus if we don’t first master the Old Testament. So we go back here now to understand God’s character, God’s self-revelation understanding that He has a name, that He is personal, that He has a history. The New Testament occurs what?—in the fullness of time, in the Father’s appointed time. [00:10:05]

It’s called the attribute of self-existence, or sometimes called aseity. This calls attention to perhaps the most fundamental difference between God and man and indeed all other creatures, that God alone is self-existent. Now that is a philosophical concept or a theological concept, but it’s one we must understand. [00:14:08]

Everything else is dependent, derived, contingent, owes its existence to something other than itself. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my parents; they wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for their parents. You know, because we are dependent and derived. We’re finite creatures. We’re fragile. Take away your food; take away your water; take away all those things that we need to live for very long and we simply die. [00:16:09]

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Transcript
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