"God, Are You There?"
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· 4 views"Where is God? Why did He let this happen?" Questions we all have... that we all ponder... Why does it seem that at times, God is not there? It is easy to lose track of where God is in our world, but... He never leaves us. It is often us who leave Him behind... Getting busy with our world, we walk away from the One who loves us most, AND DON'T EVEN REALIZE IT! So, How do we change that? How do we ensure that we never lose sight of God? Let's seek an answer together...
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Where is God?
Where is God?
Ill. — Boy walking home from Sunday School
It is so easy to lose track of where God is in our world…
One day you can be walking with God, and all is well… The next, you’re wondering where He went!
You can be going to church every week…
You can be praying every day for your needs… your family’s needs… for the needs of the people you know…
You can be reading your Bible everyday…
You can even be serving in ministry… And lose track of where God is…
Don’t believe me?!?
Look at Elijah.
I. Elijah’s story (1 Kings 17-19)
A. God sends famine
1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
B. God sends Elijah to Zarepheth…
lives with/cares for a widow woman
heals her son
C. God relents — says He will end the drought…
1 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.”
(this is where I have fun!)
Elijah and the prophets of Baal
Rain comes — Elijah outruns Ahab!
D. Trouble!!!!
Ahab tells Jezebel what happened… (have you ever noticed that no matter how exciting the story, you only focus on 1 point?)
2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
ii. What does Elijah do?!? FLEES — He sends his servant away and runs…
1 Kings 19:4 (NIV)
4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.
Do you hear his words?
“Where are you God?”
Elijah went from serving, worshipping, and experiencing God in absolutely amazing ways to terrified and fleeing for his life!!!
How did that happen?!?!?
He lost sight of God!
8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
I think sometimes we take that verse, and we apply it to every part of our lives… we allow it to to be our guide instead of God… (expound)
II. Elijah thought God had left Him, but… really… Elijah had lost Him.
How does that happen?
— I’m glad you asked! —
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom.
43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them.
51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
I. Mary and Joseph were faithful people… From Jesus’s birth, scripture tells us…
39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.
A. Luke 2:41
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.
B. When Jesus was twelve… Once again they had travelled with family and friends to worship at the Temple....
43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
They travelled a full day before they found him missing!
James Smith — “It is always a sad discovery to those who know and love Jesus to find that He is not with them!”
C. It is possible to think God is with you, when really He is not…
Sampson found this out the hard way
20 Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.
D. How does this happen?
44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
They assumed He was with them.
assuming Jesus is with us, does not mean that He is…
there are a lot of Christians living their lives, assuming that Christ is with them… supposing that all is well… while it is not!!!
the Skit Guys - “How We Pray” is a great ill. (explain)
43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
They were caught up in the group.
they were in a hurry…
their family and friends were ready to go… service was over!
they didn’t intend to leave him!
Listen! It is not possible to be busy with the Lord’s work, without Him!
2. But… That is exactly what we try to do!
3. And we don’t even realize it…
E. So, What do we do?
Don’t go any farther!
45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
If you don’t “see” Jesus in your life… If His light isn’t brightening your day… Turn Back!!!
Seek His Face!
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Don’t look within your circle!
44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.
45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.
They spent 3 days looking for him within their circle… within their world… (expound)
They didn’t find Him there… And we won’t either!
Why? Our circle is often the distraction!
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Where did they find Him?
in the Temple…
46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
Why did they go to the Temple?
probable to pray…
Mary reacts like any mom would!!!
Look at Jesus’s response to her…
Luke 2:49 (NIV)
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
F. Jesus’s words are profound!
Luke 2:49 “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”
Those words are profound!!!!
“tou patros mou dei einai”
let’s break that down...
“tou patros” — “the father’s place”
“mou” — “for me” or “mine”
“dei” — (pr., act., ind. verb) “It is necessary”
“einai” — (pr., act., ind. verb) “to be in a place”
So… Jesus says, “Didn’t you know? For Me, it is necessary to be where my Father is!”
Did you hear that?!?!
“It is NECESSARY — I MUST — be where my Father is!”
Is that how you feel?!?
Is that what brings you to church?
Is that what brings you to Bible study?
To serve?
Church… I think that’s where we’ve failed…
That’s where we’ve fallen short…
We’ve left God behind!!!
We’ve “left our first love”!
We’ve allowed our circle to fool us…
We’ve allowed our Bible reading… our visiting friends and people we are comfortable with… our discussions at work… our service to others… even the ministries we serve in… to mis-lead us…
It’s not about Bible study… or worship attendance… or outreach… or programs… or even ministries… IT’S ABOUT RELATIONSHIP!!!
“tou patros mou dei einai!”
I MUST be with God!!!
Our relationship with God changes everything else!
Ministry… Worship… Outreach… Love… all flow from that relationship!
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.