An Encounter with God

Pastor Keith Hassell

Foundation Scripture: John 1:1-14

Movie: Close Encounters, a movie where aliens began to intentionally seek encounters with human beings

Jesus came to this earth so that we might have an encounter with God

I. An encounter with God

A. Jesus is the Word (John 1:1)

B. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14)

C. The shepherds and wise men looked upon God (“Emmanuel”: God with us.)

D. Why did Jesus have to come? To reveal the person and nature of Almighty God (John 14:9 “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.”)

II. An encounter with His Truth

A. God’s Word is Truth (John 17:17 “Thy Word is Truth.)

B. Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6 “I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

III. An encounter with His power

A. Miracles of healing (sicknesses, diseases, infirmities)

B. Miracles of creation (new eyes, new skin, new wine, etc.)

C. Miracles of nature (calming the storm, walking on water, cursing the fig tree, etc.)

D. Miracles of provision (feeding the 5,000 and of the 4,000, coin in the fish’s mouth, boat loads of fish)

E. Miracles of resurrection (Widow woman’s son, Lazarus

IV. An encounter with His authority

A. Authority in teaching (Matthew 7:29 “He taught them as one having authority.”)

B. Authority over demons

C. Authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6 Healing of the paralytic)

D. All authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18)

V. An encounter with His Cross

A. An encounter with our sin

B. An encounter with God’s love

C. An encounter with God’s forgiveness

D. An encounter with His grace (His power working in us to do God’s will)

E. An encounter with God’s victory (over death, hell, and demons)

VI. We encounter God through faith

A. God has come to us, but now we must come to Him

B. Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

C. Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith”