Transformative Relationship: Knowing and Loving God
Summary
In this sermon, I explored the concept of knowing God versus being in a relationship with Him. I emphasized that being a Christian is not just about knowing facts about God or memorizing scripture, but about life transformation and maturing in our relationship with Him. I stressed that the point of gaining knowledge about God is to inspire us to love Him and to be in a relationship with Him. I also shared a story of a missionary who explained God's love for us by saying that when we truly love someone, we don't send someone else to communicate that love, we go ourselves. This is what God did for us by sending Jesus Christ.
In the second part of the sermon, I delved into the book of Ephesians, discussing how the first three chapters talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the character of God, while chapters four to six show how our story fits into the gospel of God. I highlighted that God is good because His will is dependable, He chose us, He adopted us as His own child, He redeemed us, and He lavished His grace upon us. I also emphasized that God is actively working in our lives, conforming and shaping everything according to His will.
Key Takeaways:
- Being a Christian is not just about knowing facts about God, but about life transformation and maturing in our relationship with Him. ([51:46])
- God's love for us is so great that He sent Himself in the form of Jesus Christ to communicate it to us. ([54:15])
- God is actively working in our lives, conforming and shaping everything according to His will. ([35:36])
- The chief purpose of our lives is to glorify God, which we do by living in our purpose and recognizing that our purpose is not to feel comfortable or joyful, but to glorify God. ([38:56])
- Salvation is available through believing in Jesus Christ, and when we believe, God seals us with the Holy Spirit, guaranteeing our inheritance. ([41:48])
Study Guide
Main Points from the Sermon:
1. Being a Christian is not just about knowing facts about God, but about having a transformative relationship with Him. It's not about just knowing about God, but loving who He is and serving others. ([51:09])
2. God is described as glorious, splendid, brilliant, radiant, and magnificent. Yet, through the Holy Spirit, He reveals and discloses Himself to us. He is great and unfathomable, yet He wants to know us. ([53:18])
3. God has a plan for every person and He is actively working in our lives, conforming and shaping everything for the purpose of His will. ([34:57])
4. The chief purpose of our lives is to glorify God. This glorification happens when we live in our purpose, what comes to us naturally when we are in Christ and submitted to His will. ([38:56])
Bible Chapters for the Group to Read:
1. Ephesians 1
2. 1 Corinthians 10
Discussion Guide:
Observation Questions:
1. In Ephesians 1, how does Paul describe our relationship with God?
2. How does 1 Corinthians 10:31 relate to the idea of glorifying God in everything we do?
Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to have a transformative relationship with God, as opposed to just knowing facts about Him?
2. How does the description of God as glorious, splendid, brilliant, radiant, and magnificent impact your understanding of His character?
3. How does the idea of God actively working in our lives, conforming and shaping everything for the purpose of His will, provide comfort or challenge to you?
Application Questions:
1. How can you move from just knowing about God to truly loving Him and serving others?
2. In what ways have you experienced God revealing Himself to you?
3. How can you live in a way that glorifies God in your everyday life? Can you share a specific example of how you might do this in the coming week?
Devotional
Day 1: Knowing God Beyond Facts
The sermon emphasizes that knowing God is not about filling our heads with facts but about building a relationship with Him. It's about intimacy and understanding His nature, not just knowing about Him. This knowledge inspires us to love God and serve people, not just to accumulate more knowledge about Him ([55:38]).
Bible passage: Hosea 6:6 - "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
Reflection: Reflect on your relationship with God. How can you move beyond just knowing about Him to truly knowing Him?
Day 2: God's Plan for Your Life
God is actively working out your life according to His plan and purpose. He is not a distant observer but an active participant in shaping our lives. This understanding brings comfort and assurance that our lives are not random but purposefully guided ([34:57]).
Bible passage: Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Reflection: Reflect on the events of your life. Can you see God's hand guiding and shaping your journey?
Day 3: Salvation Through Belief
Salvation is available to us through belief in God. This is a profound truth that underscores the goodness of God. He has made a way for us to be saved and to have eternal life ([56:21]).
Bible passage: Acts 16:31 - "They replied, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.'"
Reflection: Reflect on your journey to salvation. How has your belief in God transformed your life?
Day 4: Love God, Love People
Living out our purpose is simplified into two commands: love God and love people. This is the essence of our Christian walk and the manifestation of God's goodness in our lives ([57:21]).
Bible passage: Matthew 22:37-39 - "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
Reflection: Reflect on how you are living out these two commands in your daily life. How can you love God and people more?
Day 5: God is Knowable
God is not a distant, unknowable entity. He is a good Father who has revealed Himself to us. He is knowable, and this knowledge brings us into a deeper relationship with Him ([58:00]).
Bible passage: 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: Reflect on your understanding of God. How has your knowledge of Him deepened over time?
Quotes
1. "Father, things are really going haywire in the world and we pray that you would do all that you have in mind for each of these countries. I pray also for the persecuted Church. Father, we can't imagine what they go through, those who are truly tortured and even if the people turn their shoulder and pick up their noses, Lord, even a little hurt like that, you can take each one of them Father because Jesus took them all." - 27:48
2. "We have taken on the Mantra of Enlightenment that says if we just educate ourselves, if we just fill our heads with enough knowledge and facts about God then we'll have everything that he wants for us. But we totally miss the point of all of that knowledge. It's to inspire us to love God and so we don't want to just know about him, we want to be in relationship with him." - 52:28
3. "God loved you and I so much he went to himself to communicate it to us. He went himself. Glorious father, great and Majestic and yet he's knowable. God is good because he's Noble, he's knowable, we can actually know him." - 54:52
4. "Upon belief in God, the Holy Spirit certifies, he validates, he authenticates with his Signet ring your salvation and he will witness and testify to your in christness because he'll say no the seal hasn't been broken. I've been there the whole time. I've been guaranteeing it and sealing it all the way through. God is good because he seals and guarantees your inheritance of eternal life." - 47:23
5. "God is good because he's knowable. God is good because he's working out your life according to his plan and purpose. God is good because salvation is available through believing. God's good because he is sealed and guaranteed your inheritance of eternal life. God is good because he's made living in our purpose simple: love God and love people." - 56:21
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