Sermon Tone Analysis

The LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

[1]

Great questions are not meant to reveal information to the interlocutor; great questions are meant to compel the one questioned to discover what should have been obvious.

All of us have a tendency to wear masks.

In fact, the Greek term from which we get our word “hypocrite,” was used of an actor who donned a mask to play a part.

Wearing such masks has become an unconscious part of our human condition.

Though it is painful to admit, each of us wear masks to maintain a semblance of self-esteem, to maintain a sense of self-control in our daily walk.

This is, after all, the basis for the statement Paul provides in the Corinthian Letter.

“Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” [1 CORINTHIAN 13:12].

Few of us would be comfortable living lives that were emotionally naked; none of us are comfortable exposing our vulnerabilities.

We are uncertain what others might think of us if they knew us; thus, we wear masks so that those with whom we associate won’t know who we truly are.

Even our spouses only gradually are able to peel away out masks to discover who we really are.

If we are uncomfortable appearing emotionally naked before our family, friends and colleagues, you may be assured that it can be even more devastating for an individual compelled to appear spiritually naked before the world.

We imagine that we are self-sufficient—strong and capable of handling any challenge.

Modern culture trains us to esteem such self-sufficiency.

God is available for tasks deemed too difficult to handle; but overall, we imagine ourselves able to handle any problem.

Especially we who bear the Name of the Son of God are careful to avoid appearing as sinful.

We readily see the sinful condition of others, easily pointing out their sin; yet, we resist anyone who speaks of us as sinners.

“I’m not as bad as…” and we fill in the name of some poor soul whom we deem more blameworthy than ourselves.

However, as we spend time in the presence of God—reading His Word and seeking His will in prayer, we discover who we are; and the exposure of the real self is not always pleasant.

God strips away the façade we have so carefully constructed to hide our lives; He does so in order to teach us dependence on Him who gives us life.

Throughout the Word of God are a number of great questions of life.

God poses the questions, and as we hear His Word, we are compelled to examine who we are.

The answer to the questions He poses is sometimes painful, seldom pleasant; however, if we respond wisely and truthfully, the result will redound to our good and His glory.

One such question worthy of examination is the first question God asked that is recorded in the Word of God.

It is a simple question.

God raised the question of Adam when he sought to hide himself from God. God called out to Adam, hidden among the trees of the Garden of Eden, “Where are you?”

GOD SEEKS MAN; MAN DOES NOT SEEK GOD — It is a grave error for any individual to imagine he or she searched out God. God may reveal Himself, but no person can discover God.

Neither can an individual actually seek God; for in the flesh, the individual is dead to God.

The works of the sinful nature preclude searching for God; rather, God seeks man.

Ever since the fall of our first parents, people flee from God’s presence.

Before the Fall, Adam and Eve appear to have enjoyed an intimacy with the Creator that is foreign to our experience.

In the verse preceding our text we read, “[The man and the woman] heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden” [GENESIS 3:8].

The wording leads us to believe that God’s presence was anticipated and enjoyed daily.

Moreover, when God made His presence known, we are left with the impression that the first pair enjoyed discoursing with Him.

After sin entered into the world, when they knew of God’s presence, they hid themselves!

We attempt to hide ourselves from God’s presence to this day.

Do you doubt that last statement?

Let’s do a little exercise and see whether that is indeed the case.

Few of us would argue that those outside of Christ want little to do with God.

The churches of the nation are not exactly filled with people seeking the Son of God.

I had a delightful Dutch gentleman in a congregation I pastored in the Lower Mainland.

Gerry had been a sergeant in the Dutch Army during the days before the Second World War.

On one occasion we were discussing church attendance.

He told me that before the war, the Dutch churches were practically empty on a Sunday morning.

People were far too busy to think of worship or for hearing the Word of God.

However, after the Nazis invaded—the very Sunday after they entered Holland—he said all the churches were filled with people.

It was a time of deep distress; the people wanted deliverance.

Thus, they filled the churches.

Of course, that didn’t last; spiritual matters were soon neglected as they were before the occupation.

In that respect, the situation wasn’t far different from what was observed in the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001 in the States.

In the weeks immediately following that dark day, churches were filled as people prayed and attended services seeking answers.

However, within a matter of weeks, the busyness that keeps us from thinking of God or His will reasserted the claim we allow it to exercise over our lives.

We were again able to sleep in on a Sunday morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast as the children watched Sunday morning cartoons, perhaps engaging in some sporting event in the afternoon, or just vegging in front of the tube.

Pastors really don’t expect much of nominal Christians—they aren’t likely to seek God, except when they are experiencing a crisis.

In their estimate, God is a convenience reserved for their use when necessary and ignored the remainder of the time.

Assuredly, those who are openly hostile to the Holy One are not prepared to search for Him; they are having far too much fun to waste time looking for God or thinking of His will.

However, wouldn’t we expect that those who aver themselves to be committed to the cause of Christ would avidly seek God?

Well, Christians who are committed to Christ do go to church on Sunday, do they not?

They will be present Sunday morning, though Sunday evening is usually reserved for down time.

Most will tolerate the preacher’s message on a Sunday morning if he doesn’t drone overly long; if he is a good speaker—bonus!

Church members will occasionally attend a special meeting, especially if the speaker is scintillating or if there is a great musical group making a presentation; they may even bring guests to share in the entertainment that is presented.

I am not seeking to be caustic or to appear cynical when I say that I have often identified with God’s Word to Ezekiel: “As for you, son of man, your people (who are talking about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses) say to one another, ‘Come hear the word that comes from the LORD.’

They come to you in crowds, and they sit in front of you as my people.

They hear your words, but do not obey them.

For they talk lustfully, and their heart is set on their own advantage.

Realise that to them you are like a sensual song, a beautiful voice and skilled musician.

They hear your words, but they do not obey them” [EZEKIEL 33:30-32 NET BIBLE].

If there is a congregational meeting, all the church members will be present; most will assure you of their commitment to the cause of Christ, or they wouldn’t be present at a church meeting.

The presence of all church members, and others as well, is especially assured if there is some controversy generating strong emotions among the members.

One of the surest ways to fill the church building is to let it be known that there is a church fight brewing; people you haven’t seen for months, and perhaps for years, will come to make their concerns known.

So, surely we would say that committed Christians seek God.

However, announce a prayer meeting and see how many committed Christians make that meeting a priority.

I belonged to a congregation with a membership exceeding 24,000 souls.

There were two services each Sunday morning—each service saw over 3,500 people present.

There was a third service in the evening with another 3,500 people in attendance.

There were Sunday School classes that ministered to perhaps so many as 5,000 people and a Sunday evening Training Union that served another 1,500 or so people.

What do you suppose was the attendance at the Wednesday evening prayer service?

I have been present on more than a few occasions when so few as forty people were present for prayer—and almost always the only prayer offered was from the pastor.

It is not terribly different for us.

Do you wonder why this is so?

It is not because prayer is hard work—it is!

However, those who are called by the Name of God will do hard things when they are challenged to do hard things.

It is not because they don’t believe God answers prayer—they will quickly affirm their confidence that God answers prayer.

I can only conclude that we shrink from meeting God because we fear exposure when we are in His presence.

We fear meeting God.

We draw back; it is not merely that we are overwhelmed by awe—it is genuine terror.

We know that He is not like us—He can only be described as “Other.”

We know that we will appear before Him with no place to hide from His penetrating gaze.

When we truly pray, we are unmasked.

Thus, we shrink from coming into His presence.

Have you ever listened to our own language when we are facing serious difficulties?

How often have we said, “I guess there is nothing left but to pray?”

Why is it that we speak thusly?

We attempt to fix our problems, manipulate the situation so that we can gain an advantage, try to work through the difficulties.

When we fail, we will at last resort to prayer.

The reason is that though we are redeemed, we are still fallen creatures.

We don’t spontaneously rush into God’s presence because we know that in His presence there can be no pretence.

Perhaps I can convince you that I am righteous and godly.

I can control my language and my actions when I suspect you may be watching.