Transformative Encounters: Knowing God and Discipleship
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor drawing attention to two biblical passages: Isaiah 6 and Revelation 6. The pastor describes the awe-inspiring encounter of the prophet Isaiah with the Lord, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and perceiving God's presence. The sermon then transitions to Revelation 6, where the pastor explains the significance of Jesus' sacrifice, symbolized by a lamb standing as though it had been slain. The pastor underscores the profound impact of encountering God's presence and the transformative effect it has on individuals.
The pastor then emphasizes the importance of actively engaging in discipleship and truly beholding God. The congregation is encouraged to write a love letter to God, expressing their personal understanding and experiences of who God is. The pastor also highlights the importance of recognizing and knowing God in order to have a meaningful relationship with Him. He compares knowing God to knowing someone personally, stating that it is difficult to have a relationship with someone you are unaware of. The pastor then reads several passages from Isaiah 40, inviting the congregation to reflect on what these verses reveal about God.
The pastor introduces the topic of being in a relationship with God, emphasizing the importance of understanding what it means to be a disciple and a follower of Christ within the context of a relationship with God. He uses the example of his brother-in-law, Steve, to illustrate the three aspects of a relationship: knowing who someone is, what they do, and the effects of the relationship. The pastor encourages the congregation to acknowledge God's presence throughout their day and reflects on the impact it had on his own life.
The pastor emphasizes the importance of our relationship with God and how it should impact our lives. He encourages the congregation to appreciate and behold God, recognizing that this relationship is initiated by God and is undeserved. The pastor concludes the sermon by leading the congregation in a song called "Behold our God," acknowledging God's power and authority over all creation and inviting everyone to adore and worship Him.
The pastor concludes by emphasizing the importance of truly knowing God, understanding His character, and having a personal relationship with Him. The pastor encourages the congregation to consider how knowing God affects and changes their lives, adding value and meaning to their existence.
Key Takeaways:
- Encountering God's presence is a transformative experience that can profoundly impact individuals. Recognizing and perceiving God's presence is crucial in our spiritual journey. This encounter can lead to a deeper understanding of God's holiness and the significance of Jesus' sacrifice in bringing redemption to humanity. ([12:45])
- Actively engaging in discipleship and truly beholding God is essential. The pastor encourages the congregation to express their personal understanding and experiences of who God is through writing a love letter to God. This exercise can help deepen our relationship with God and enhance our understanding of His character. ([24:30])
- Understanding what it means to be a disciple and a follower of Christ within the context of a relationship with God is crucial. The pastor uses the example of his brother-in-law, Steve, to illustrate the three aspects of a relationship: knowing who someone is, what they do, and the effects of the relationship. ([36:15])
- Our relationship with God should impact our lives. This relationship is initiated by God and is undeserved. Recognizing this should humble us and cause us to worship and thank Him. The pastor concludes the sermon by leading the congregation in a song called "Behold our God," acknowledging God's power and authority over all creation. ([48:20])
- Truly knowing God, understanding His character, and having a personal relationship with Him is important. The pastor encourages the congregation to consider how knowing God affects and changes their lives, adding value and meaning to their existence. ([59:30])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Isaiah 40:9-31
2. Revelation 4:1-11
3. Job 42:1-6
Observation Questions:
1. In Isaiah 40:9-31, what are the characteristics of God that are highlighted? How does the prophet Isaiah describe God's power and authority?
2. In Revelation 4:1-11, what imagery is used to describe the throne of God and the beings around it? What do these images convey about God's nature and His reign?
3. In Job 42:1-6, how does Job's understanding and perception of God change after his encounter with Him?
Interpretation Questions:
1. In Isaiah 40:9-31, how does the prophet's description of God's power and authority relate to our understanding of God's presence and His role in our lives?
2. How does the imagery used in Revelation 4:1-11 help us understand the majesty and holiness of God? What does this passage reveal about our response to God's presence?
3. Based on Job's response in Job 42:1-6, what can we learn about the transformative effect of encountering God's presence?
Application Questions:
1. Reflecting on Isaiah 40:9-31, how can you more actively acknowledge and perceive God's presence in your daily life?
2. Considering the awe-inspiring imagery in Revelation 4:1-11, how can you incorporate more worship and adoration of God in your daily routine?
3. In light of Job's transformation in Job 42:1-6, what is one area in your life that you need to surrender to God to experience His transformative presence?
4. How can you express your personal understanding and experiences of who God is this week? Consider writing a love letter to God as a way of deepening your relationship with Him.
5. Think of a person in your life who doesn't know God. How can you demonstrate God's character to them in a tangible way this week?
Devotional
Day 1: Encountering the Transformative Presence of God
God's presence is not just a comforting thought, but a transformative reality that can profoundly impact our lives. Recognizing and perceiving His presence is a crucial part of our spiritual journey. This encounter can lead to a deeper understanding of God's holiness and the significance of Jesus' sacrifice in bringing redemption to humanity. [12:45]
Isaiah 6:5 - "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."
Reflection: Reflect on a moment when you felt God's presence. How did that encounter transform you or change your perspective?
Day 2: Engaging in Active Discipleship
Active discipleship is not just about following God's commands, but truly beholding and understanding Him. Expressing our personal understanding and experiences of who God is can deepen our relationship with Him and enhance our understanding of His character. [24:30]
Jeremiah 9:24 - "But let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord.
Reflection: What is one way you can actively engage in discipleship today? How can you express your understanding and experience of God?
Day 3: Understanding Discipleship within Relationship
Being a disciple of Christ is not just about following His teachings, but understanding what it means to be in a relationship with God. Knowing who God is, what He does, and the effects of the relationship are crucial aspects of discipleship. [36:15]
John 15:15 - "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
Reflection: Reflect on your relationship with God. How does knowing who God is, what He does, and the effects of the relationship impact your discipleship?
Day 4: Recognizing the Impact of Our Relationship with God
Our relationship with God is not just a religious practice, but a life-changing reality that should impact every aspect of our lives. This relationship is initiated by God and is undeserved, which should humble us and cause us to worship and thank Him. [48:20]
1 John 4:19 - "We love because he first loved us."
Reflection: How has your relationship with God impacted your life? What is one way you can express your gratitude to God today?
Day 5: Knowing God Personally and Intimately
Knowing God is not just about knowing about Him, but understanding His character and having a personal relationship with Him. This knowledge affects and changes our lives, adding value and meaning to our existence. [59:30]
Hosea 6:6 - "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
Reflection: How has knowing God personally and intimately changed your life? What is one aspect of God's character that you want to understand more deeply?
Quotes
1. "This is the person that we're in a relationship with, this is the person we're expecting to spend eternity with, that one day we will get to join that throng of people from every tribe and every tongue in every nation and we will get to see him face to face finally." #!!01:01:56!!#
2. "We serve an almighty God that sometimes we just need to stop and go behold you want a relationship with me and you're this awesome righteous God." #!!01:03:50!!#
3. "It's really hard to have a relationship with someone that you're unaware of until this morning none of you had probably ever heard the name Steve Anastasia you didn't have a relationship with someone that you don't know anything about and if we don't know anything about God we won't have a relationship with him either." #!!36:13!!#
4. "God wants us to know him and so he's shown himself to us in the scriptures and so we're going to read several passages today... think about what this is telling us about God." #!!36:49!!#
5. "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing all these reactions from us to who he is and worship and praise and honor and dedication to the to the one who was slain for us this is a proper reaction uh that he deserves that he is worthy." #!!55:36!!#
6. "I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted who is it that hides counsel without knowledge therefore I have uttered what I did not understand things too wonderful for me which I did not know here and I will speak I will question you and you you make it known to me I have heard you by hearing and I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear but now my eye sees you now I've beheld you therefore I despise myself and I repent and dust and Ashes." #!!57:48!!#
7. "Take time to write to God, write God a love letter and consider your life very carefully and what you know about God." #!!59:46!!#
8. "Our praise for God really stems from what he's done...the reason there is something is because God wanted there to be something." #!!49:20!!#
9. "The real medal of a relationship is how it's affected by you...the measure of our discipleship really the whole point of it is to be affected by who God is and what God does." #!!51:33!!#
10. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory." (#!!52:15!!#)
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