Psalms - 2 Ways to Know God

2 Ways to Know God

Text: Psalm 19

Thesis: To prove that God has revealed Himself through general and special revelation and we

              can come to know Him and His will because of this revelation.

Introduction:

(1)    An agnostic claims that one cannot know whether God exists.  An atheist would claim that he/she knows that God doesn’t exist.

(2)    The Bible clearly reads, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1.1).

(3)    Nevertheless, one will not accept that as prove of God’s existence until he/she first believes that there is a God and the Bible is His inspired Word.

(4)    God knew that man would need much more than just special revelation to accept the truth and that just general revelation alone would likewise prove inadequate.  It would take both; thus, God has revealed 2 ways that man may come to know Him:

Discussion:

I.                   God has revealed Himself through GENERAL REVELATION (Ps. 19.1-6):

A.    All creation reveals God.

1.      The heavens, in all of their vastness, their order, their splendor, and their majesty, are a truly awesome revelation of Him.

2.      The message is ongoing from day to night.

3.      It is a “silent” message that speaks loudly every time the sun rises.

a.       I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139.14).

b.      God’s power and glory is seen each day (Rom. 1.18-23).

B.     We can know that God exists!

II.                God has revealed Himself through SPECIAL REVELATION (Ps. 19.7-11):

A.    The “law of the Lord” includes all manner of teaching or instruction.

1.      This was revealed to us in order to let us come to know God more fully and to know His path for our life.

2.      Without instruction, we would be lost not having the first idea about where to begin walking (cf. Jer. 10.23).

3.      God revealed His instruction in many various forms, but the point is that He did reveal it to us.

4.      His instruction is perfect/complete (cf. 2 Pet. 1.3) and is to be desired over and over again (cf. 2 Tim. 2.15).

B.     We can know that the Bible is the Word of God!

1.      It was confirmed with miracle (Heb. 2.1-4; John 20.30-31).

2.      It is not a science book, but it speaks correctly about science, etc.

3.      It contains prophecies that do not contain such vague references as found in works from men like Nostradamus, but it has exact details, etc. that came to pass exactly as written (e.g., in Isa. 44.28; 45.1 – God called Cyrus by name 250 years before the actual event recorded in Daniel).

4.      It does not contradict itself. – Perfect Harmony!

III.             Man then is to have APPROPRIATE REACTION (Ps. 19.12-14):

A.    Here David utters a prayer for forgiveness and acceptance.

B.     What else can one do standing in the presence of the Almighty God?

1.      Remember Isaiah who fell to his knees for forgiveness (Isa. 6).

2.      We are not even in the same league with God.

C.  The psalmists desire to be pleasing to God in all that he does.

Conclusion:

(1)    Jesus told us that we can know the truth and that the truth will set us free (John 8.32).

(2)    God has revealed that truth to us in 2 various ways that are both equally, vitally important.

(3)    Let us, like David, react to God’s revelation by turning from sin and desiring to do right.