More than God Above (Final) (2)

I

Y

How do you picture God?

is he close?

distant?

Loving?

Judgemental?

permissive?

interested in you, or not?

Happy, sad, angry?

I think sometimes especially living during a time when the very existence of a God is something so many doubt or don't believe in when we do come to believe in God, we don't always think much further than that.

It doesn’t seem to matter as much what that God is like, so long as we believe in one.

Or on the other side

Close your eyes, I want you to think about

G - If you want to meet God, get to know your neighbor

Transition: So how do we get to know who God is? And how do we make sure we aren’t settling for less than the truth.

John’s Gospel is all about that question, “How can we know God?”

1-18 is an intro and it summarizes it’s three part message.

We are going to jump around a little in this because it is long and wordy. But it summarizes what the Gospel of John is going to try and show you if you read it.

1 (1-2)

Explain/ Fill IN

John introduces the Word. The “Word” is God

active in creation, ect.

2 (14) - The Word becomes flesh and dwells amoung us.

Explain/ Fill IN

Revealing God’s glory to anyone who will listen/see

3(18) - The WORD - Is made Flesh w/ us - Reveals the Unseen God.

Explain/ Fill IN

The word is God

The word comes to Earth (Reveals God’s Glory)

The Word makes God Known

(The people respond, by accepting or rejecting)

Point of John: “If you want to know what God looks like, look at his son.”

The whole Gospel plays this out. Its dedicated to showing (like it says in Colossians) that Jesus is the IMAGE of the invisible GOD.

Everything recorded in John Points to that purpose. Every miracle, teaching, word, and event.

ex,. “This was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory”

So what is the point of John?“

If you want to know what God looks like, look at Jesus” - Point repeat.

So we are getting closer… but were not there yet… So how do we look at Jesus?

read the bible?

pray?

Seems like we are kind of right back where we started! b/c I wasnt at the wedding at CANA

What are we supposed to do, those of us who werent there to witness the word on earth?

Lets fast forward to the end of

Jesus is praying for his disciples...

“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one”

remember verse 14? Whose Glory does Jesus have? God’s!

This is the point John is trying to make, this is the good news.

The Word - Became Flesh (to reveal God’s Glory) - That work CONTINUES in us

If Jesus points to God, we point to Jesus.

Here is the crazy thing Jesus is saying...

“If you want to know what God looks like look at Jesus, if you want to look at Jesus look at those who believe.”

therefore.

“If you want to know what God looks like the best place to look is his PEOPLE.”

Y -

The point of the Gosple is that God came near.

Most of the time in the church we tell ourselves that everything is all about something that happened 2000 years ago. That God visited the earth 2000 years ago died and rose and we base our lives on that story. And its true. But its not the whole truth.

because he diddnt just come near 2,000 years ago. He is STILL NEAR. And according to *this* the best way to see him is to find another couple of his followers.

That is the point, that is the story. That is your purpose, what we were created for, Jesus came to make it possible, and if you accept him he works in you so that YOU can reflect God’s glory in your life. In every part of your life. Every interaction, every relationship, every day at work. Not right away but that is the goal, that is the story

Above everything else your purpose as a human being is to REFLECT GOD’S GLORY in your daily life. And when you do that your are the most human you can be, you are the best version of yourself. Because it is what you are made for.

By living like Jesus, together, made possible by his sacrifice, Resurrection, and holy spirit. The church (you and I) IMAGE the word made flesh.

Trans: HOw do we do this?

next week and the week after we are going to talk about how that impacts who we are and how we live that out in our lives but for today what I want you to remember is this.

The best way to get to know who God is, is to look at his childern. You.

COULD SKIP

Trans: HOw do we do this?

next week and the week after we are going to talk about how that impacts who we are and how we live that out in our lives but for today what I want you to remember is this.

The best way to get to know who God is, is to look at his childern. You.

I think we so so often fail to live this out in 2 tremendous ways. We settle for a far away God, who will fix us up in heaven someday and we miss the plot. We miss the call and we miss our purpose

So often we fall short in 2 big ways

We fail to recognize God’s Glory in others.

We fail to take seriously our role in reflecting God’s glory.

SO for this week lets do something about that.

Look for God’s glory in someone else.

(I saw it at the care center this week)

2. When you wake up remember your purpose as revealer of God’s glory.

Pick up again

Lets stop settling for a GOd that will help us one day. Or a God that we only acknowledge when things are going our way. Or when life is easy. and Get BUSY living our our purpose. Revealing him to people who need him.

Who does God want you to call?

Who does he want you to make a meal for?

Who are you supposed to share his glory with?

Who are you supposed to invite to church?

Check on?

Cry with?

Listen too?

Pray for?

I don't care where God has you there if someone you are called to bless.

Doesnt mean you are perfect.

Doesnt mean you will always get it right.

But it really is what you were put on this earth for.

And you will never find anything better than living out your purpose.

W - Look around you

God revealed himself in Jesus, and he seeks to reveal himself in Jesus’ followers. This is the call. This is the PURPOSE of your life.

My friends this is a hard world to live in sometimes. And I know its Celebration Sunday. But lets be real.

This is a hard world to live in...

People get sick and hurt.

We let each other down.

We lose our jobs.

Chronic illnesses and injuries creep back.

People struggle with mental illness.

Drug addiction.

Sometimes its really hard to make enough money to make ends meet.

Things we want so so bad and have wanted for so so long seem just out of reach.

Life lets us down sometimes.

Evil invades our relationships and causes all kinds of pain.

The world is hurting out there...

The world is hurting in here...

And it is in need of A God who draws near.

People are asking, where is God in this. They’re praying, God help.

The word became flesh to reflect God and he died rose and gave us his spirit. So that We could reflect taht glory, that light in the dark places we sometimes walk.

To hurting people, right here and in the places we live our lives.

That is so much more than believing in “a” god and hoping for somethign better when we die.

That is something worth celebrating

Lets pray together.