Attributable Presence of God

Introduction

Welcome:

Good morning everyone, it’s a joy to see you all here. I want to thank Edna for leading today’s worship. I want to thank Wongel and Surafel for providing the food. And I want to thank all of you for giving your YES to the new thing God is doing in house of Bethany and in this city. God bless you all!

Purpose:

The purpose of these gatherings is to develop our servant-leadership, unify our team in vision, mission and the culture of House of Bethany, and strengthen our fellowship.

The mission of House of Bethany is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship God, walk together, and win hearts to Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. In short, worship God, walk together, and win hearts. This vision/mission is why we exist, what we’re here to accomplish, who we are and where we are going as a church.

Topic:

Today, we are going to speak on one of our VALUES in House of Bethany: The Presence of God.

Prayer:

In Jesus name, I give this message into your hands.

Body

Story:

In pastoral ministry, I learned a powerful lesson about God's presence: it is revealed in different ways, according to His will for each individual in that moment.

A few years ago I learned this lesson after preaching a message. I gave an altar call and many people came forward, and it was a powerful time in God’s presence.

Later, I spoke with people who shared their encounters with God that day. One experienced His love, another encountered healing, while another felt the holiness of His presence. Different encounters, but the same God. God's presence was being revealed in different ways in that room, according to His will for each individual in that moment.

Aspects of Gods Presence:

When we talk about the presence of God, it’s important to understand that it’s a deep and multi-faceted theological topic. We have different aspects of God’s presence, such as:

Transcendent presence: This is what Isaiah describes as, ‘his ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts.’ It’s understanding that there is a divine presence but it seems far to reach.

Imminent presence: God’s presence is close and reachable. This is when John says, ‘the word became flesh and dwelt among us.’ Emmanuel, God with us. He is close and with us.

The indwelling presence: His presence is not just with us but is in us through the Holy Spirit.

The manifest presence (Shekinah glory): This is Gods presence and glory — the weight of who is filling the room in a tangible way.

Omnipresence: God presence being everywhere all at the same time.

Eschatological presence: The ultimate presence of God that will be fully revealed at the end time when believers enter eternal life after Jesus second coming.

Attributable presence: this is when God attributes are specifically identified, recognizing, and experienced.

And It’s this aspect of Gods presence that we will be exploring.

Transitional Sentence:

We’re going to learn 3 attributes of God’s presence that’s revealed to us in scripture and our responses to them.

Main Points

First Attribute: God’s presence is Holy

Explanation:

God being holy speaks of his moral excellence and perfection; God being set apart or distinct from others. His holiness is beautiful and at the same time dangerous if not approached appropriately.

For instance, according to Exodus 30:7-9, the priests were ordered by God to not burn any incense in the tabernacle that was prohibited or estranged. Anything outside of the incense instructions prescribed by God was dealt with severely.

In Leviticus 10:1-2 there are two individuals who decided to ignore God’s prescription. Whether intentional or out of ignorance we don’t know but either way they disobeyed the Lord.

Illustration:

Leviticus 10:1–2 NLT

Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the Lord by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.

Application:

Why did this happen? Because God is holy and anything that is unholy can’t come into his presence. The symptom of Aarons sons sin was a strange incense but the root was the lack of reverence for the holiness of God.

And how often do we bring worship to God that’s strange to him because of a lack of reverence for his holiness?

A couple days ago just as I was getting ready to spend time with the Lord, I was convicted. Almost immediately after I sat on my couch, God said to me, “Sam go to Ecclesiastes 5:1” and it said:

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil.”

Than he said to me go to Matthew 5:23–24

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”

As soon as he said this, he said, “Go and apologize to your wife for what happened the other day. Until you do, your worship will be strange to Me.”

See my sacrifice would have been a fool's sacrifice—strange fire, unholy to God—if I hadn’t reconciled with my wife first. Only after I did so did God accept my offering in His holy presence.

All I’m trying to tell you is that God’s presence is Holy and our response should be reverence.

Second Attribute: God’s presence is Refreshing

Explanation:

In other words, God presence revitalizes us. When we’re hungry or thirsty and have a drink or eat, it refreshes us. One thing I have understood in my relationship with the Lord: He gives us the hunger and thirst, and He is the one who satisfies them.

Illustration:

Isaiah 55:1–2 NLT

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.

John 7:37–38 NLT

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ”

John 6:35 NLT

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Matthew 11:28–30 NLT

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Application:

When we hunger and thirst, the promise is that he will refresh and satisfy us in his presence.

Third Attribute: God’s presence is protection

Explanation:

It’s a refuge.

A refuge in scripture was a fortified place of safety. When people were in harms way, they would seek refuge — a place of protection and safety.

Illustration:

Proverbs 18:10 NLT

The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.

Psalm 59:16 NLT

But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.

Application:

The natural response for many of us is go elsewhere when we are in distress, anxious, or feel stuck — it can be vices, overworking, social media, shows/movies, over or under eating, withdrawal or isolation, anger, shopping and more but the scripture says that there is safety and protection that can be found when we run to Him. He is a refuge when we feel distressed, depressed, stuck, or anxious.

Conclusion

Prayer (Call up Edna and set the tone for prayer)

So what? Why should this matter to us?

Exodus 33:15 (NIV), “Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.

Without his presence, we are nothing. Without his presence, people can’t tell us apart from the world. Without his presence there is no holiness, no true satisfaction, no true peace or joy — without his presence we are left to ourselves.

Call to Action:

In House of Bethany, let’s pray that we become a leadership that are about his presence. Let’s ask God for more of a hunger and desire for his presence. Let’s ask God for his presence so we can be set apart. For people to see and experience his presence in and among his people.