Close Encounters Sermon
Good morning and welcome to Sunday school. This morning I would like to begin our lesson with a small skit.
Dave plays a typical husband on a Sunday afternoon ready to spend a good portion of the day planted in front of the television enjoying sports. I’m his wife returning from the grocery store.
Skit: Man seated in easy chair, getting ready to watch TV, soda in one hand, bag of pretzels on lap, carefully adjusting the remote on the table next to him. When he assesses that all is in order, he reclines the chair, puts on the TV. The sound of a football game comes from the set.
Enter: Woman carrying two bags of groceries, car keys in teeth. Mumbles something towards man in chair, who obviously doesn’t hear her.
Woman: Jack, (louder) Jack, (still louder) Jack!
Man: Huh?
Woman: Honey, I’m home.
Man: That’s nice dear. (Takes a sip of soda)
Woman: Didn’t you see me struggling with the groceries?
Man: Huh?
Woman: The groceries!
Man: Oh yeah, did you get peanuts? (Woman mumbles and puts the bags down. Man shrugs his shoulders and changes channel to hockey game.)
Woman: You’ll never guess whom I ran into at the store.
Man: Huh?
Woman: At the store, you’ll never guess whom I ran into at the store.
Man: (Looks at audience) I’ll bet it wasn’t Mr. Peanut. Honey, I’m watching the game.
Woman: (Sits down next to him.) Remember our old neighbor, Mrs. Simpson?
(Man turns the volume up.) Jack are you listening?
Man: Huh?
Woman: Jack, I’m talking to you.
Man: Uh huh. (Woman throws her hands up in the air.)
Woman: She said that she won the lottery and doesn’t know what to do with the money.
Man: Uh huh. (Changes the channel again back to football.)
Woman: She’s hosting a party this afternoon and invited us. (Man switches channel back to hockey.) She plans to give everyone at the party $10,000.00.
Man: Uh huh.
Woman: Are you listening to me?
Man: (Without looking up) Uh huh.
Woman: (Frustrated, gets up and walks to door, puts on coat) Well, if you’re not interested, I’ll just go myself, but I’m not sharing the money with you.
Man: That’s nice dear.
Woman: (Leaves, door slams)
Man: (Yells after her) Don’t forget the peanuts!
Now don’t raise your hands; but have you been there before? Maybe you would substitute a teenager for the husband?
Or a computer for the television?
Or how about a video game controller for the TV remote? It’s not easy to get the attention of some people.
The title of today’s class is “Close encounters of the God Kind -- How does God get your attention?”
Let’s look at a couple historical examples.
Turn with me to Exodus 3:1. We find Moses out in the fields of Midian taking care of his father-in-law’s sheep. An average pastoral Biblical scene, right? Not really.
Moses you remember had been adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter and raised in an Egyptian Palace. He probably received a formal education along side of Pharaoh’s children. He had eaten at the King’s table and no doubt had an appreciation for the finer things in life. So how did he end up in the desert wandering about looking for grass to feed someone else’s sheep?
Exodus 2:11ff tells us that he had been observing the Israelite slaves laboring in the hot Egyptian sun some 40 years earlier, and saw an Egyptian foreman beating an Israelite slave. In a rage he killed the Egyptian and buried his body in the sand. When Pharaoh heard of the murder he tried to have Moses killed, but Moses fled to Midian. There he met Zipporah his wife whose father Reuel had taken him in so many years ago.
We pick up our story at Mt. Horeb, Moses had brought the sheep here to graze. As he wanders around something catches his eye. It is a bush on fire, yet the fire is not consuming the bush. Curious, Moses gets closer to investigate. Can you imagine the things going through his mind? Maybe this is a new type of firewood. Or maybe I’ve been out in this sun too long. I think I would have checked my glasses.
As he got closer he heard a voice. Now if that didn’t freak him out, I’m sure when the voice called his name; that did. Today we would be looking for a speaker or a camera or Alan Funt to jump out and say, “Smile, you’re on candid Camera.” But these things didn’t exist back then.
So when Moses saw the bush that burned with fire yet was not consumed and heard a voice from within it call his name
Ex 3:4 Moses responded with a feeble, "Here I am."
With that the voice said,
5 "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."
And Moses did just that. He might have even fallen to his knees. Then the voice said,
6 "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob."
God had Moses’ undivided attention.
Fast forward a few years to Numbers 22.
The Israelites are in the desert at war with the Amorites. They had soundly defeated Sihon and were on their way to Moab. Balak the King of Moab realizes that this battle is more than flesh and armaments. He discerns that there is a spiritual element in this and that the God of the Israelites was giving them victory.
So he summons Balaam a so called prophet of Israel to come in curse the people. We are all familiar with the story.
On the way to the battle scene Balaam has a close encounter with God.
Riding on a donkey, Balaam’s journey is halted by an angel blocking the road. Although he doesn’t see the angel at first, the animal does and attempts to leave the road. Balaam beats the animal back onto the road to and drives it until it reaches a narrow path between two vineyards with walls on both sides. Unable to get past the angel the animal presses itself up against one wall crushing Balaam’s foot. He beats her again. This time the animal lies down and refuses to budge. Balaam beats it a third time.
Numbers 22:28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,
and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”
29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”
30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.
31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
God had Balaam’s attention.
Fast forward about 200 years. The Davidic kingdom has been established, and Solomon has just taken the throne. We know that his father David had a very close relationship with God. Solomon had observed this relationship firsthand and had seen God at work in his own life. The heritage was there.
1 Kings 3: 4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
Solomon hadn’t built the temple yet
5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both riches and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.
God had Solomon’s attention.
Let’s recap: God used nature – the burning bush, Angels, and dreams to get people’s attention in the Old Testament.
Do we have corresponding events in the New Testament?
Can you think of an example from nature? This is a hard one.
Turn with me to Matthew 2.
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
And jumped into verse 9
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Can anyone think of another example?
How about the fig tree?
What about in Angeles in the New Testament?
There are plenty of them.
· An angel appeared to marry and Zechariah announcing the birth of John Baptist.
· An angel appeared to Mary and Joseph announcing the birth of Jesus.
· Angels appeared to the shepherds and the magi.
· Angeles ministered to Jesus and wilderness.
· An Angel announced the resurrection to the women at the tomb.
· Philip was told by an angel where to begin his missionary journey.
· An angel accompanies John in his vision of revelation.
What about dreams?
· Joseph had a dream and was told to take Mary and the baby Jesus to Egypt.
· Anainas and Paul had dreams about their meeting (Acts 9:10-16).
· Paul later had a dream about a man urging him to come to Macedonia (Act 16:9).
Does God use the same methods to get our attention today?
Nature: I don’t know about you, but when I see an awesome sunset, or catch a hawk or an eagle soaring out in the country near my home, I am reminded of the immenseness of my creator God.
It tugs at my heartstrings when I hear a new dad talk about the birth of their first. They always, always, say that God and only God could have done such an amazing thing.
Other examples?
Angels: Do we have Angels among us today?
Scripture tells us: Hebrews 13:
2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Would anyone like to share an experience they had with what could only have been with an angel?
Dreams: Does god still get our attention through dreams?
I can personally testify about dream I had before we move to Beecher. It was very long and so vivid that when I woke up I had to write it down. Looking back I realize that it was prophetic. The dream laid out the steps we would take to find our home and first church in Beecher. Everything - from the person who showed as homes in the area, to the ice cream parlor we passed on the way our home, to the street address of the first church we settled at.
Anyone else wish to share when God got their attention with a dream?
There are other ways God gets our attention but first
Let me say something about the way that God does not get our attention.
God does not give us cancer.
God did not send three hurricanes to Florida to punish them for the 2000 election.
God did not put terrorists into planes and send them into the World Trade Center to wake up America.
Let me clarify that. My god does not give anyone cancer. My God does not use evil and disease to get people’s attention.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and
destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
My God does not use violent nature to get people’s attention. Go to Genesis 9:13:
I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and
it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the
earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and
the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember
my covenant between me and you and all living
creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters
become a flood to destroy all life.
And my God does not use terrorism to get people’s attention. That would be the false god of the Taliban. My god says:
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6)
Can you think of other ways attributed to God for getting our attention, that are really not Him?
Let me ask you a question, why does God need to get our attention?
Clearly God needed Moses attention because he had a job for him to do. Do we have a job to do for God?
God got Balaam’s attention because Balaam had taken a gift God had given him and perverted it, by selling it to the highest bidder. Do we use the gifts that god gave us for a our own selfish purposes? The media’s really good exposing this sin in the church. They are all too eager to tell us when a minister embezzled funds or acts inappropriately.
God got Solomon’s attention, because Solomon was too busy to hear from god during the day. God had no choice but to appear to him in a dream. Are you ever too busy to sit quietly before God? I know I have been. And I’m not alone. In the church where I work, the pastor has actually scheduled regular prayer and devotion time at the beginning of the day to ensure those who have not prayed before coming to work, are equipped before they pick up the phone.
God got the magi is attention with a star in the east because that’s what they were familiar with. Knowledge of the celestial skies and an interest in astrology was more familiar to them than God was. And although astrology is a work of the enemy, God used that for his good. It was what drew them to him.
We have read about scientists who devise theories that leave God out of the picture and then later conclude only God could be responsible. Darwin did.
1 Cor 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
God still uses angels today to get our attention. Sometimes they come to minister to us. Sometimes they come to deliver a message. I believe it is safe to say that most of the time when we encounter angels today God’s purpose in getting our attention is to remind us that he’s concerned, that He hears our prayers, and loves us deeply.
What should our response be to God when he gets our attention?
I’ve used the acrostic ACTS to help remind us how to respond when God calls.
A = acknowledge. Turn to 1 Sam 3
The boy Samuel was living in the Temple with the priest Eli. You’ll remember his mother Hannah had prayed for many years to have a child. She had promised that if God gave her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. One night as the child lay in bed, he heard his name called. He thought that it was Eli and went to him 3 times to see what the priest wanted. After the third time Eli got revelation.
8 Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”
A = acknowledge. Acknowledge God when you realize God wants your attention. It can be as simple as saying “Good Morning Lord” when you see the sunrise, or “Good Evening Lord”, when you see it set. Or something as profound as “Speak Lord, your servant is listening”.
A also = adoration. When Moses realized that it was God in the burning bush, he not only took his shoes off as instructed but bowed his head and hid his face (Ex 3:6). Ezekiel & John fell on their faces (Eze 1:28, Rev).
I can remember one vacation to Missouri. We went to a park high on the banks of the Missouri River. We were told that the scenery was spectacular. It was. In fact it was so beautiful that we got our bibles out of the car and began reading the praise Psalms out loud. A = adoration.
C = Confession. When God got Isaiah’s attention by revealing himself in a vision, Isaiah’s response was to acknowledge his sin. Turn to Isaiah 6:5
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
Isaiah encounter with God led his to see his sinful state and prompted him to confess. C = Confession
C also = Contrition. In Ps 51, David has just been confronted by the Prophet Nathan about his adultery with Bathsheba. Although we did not look at God getting our attention through revelation by prophets, He does.
In this instance David’s response to God is contrition. After acknowledgement of his sin, David offers an prayer of contrition and concludes,
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
C = Contrition
T = Thanksgiving. This one seems so natural to me that I can’t imagine anyone not being grateful when they encounter God. But, I only found 2 instances in the Bible where someone said the words “Thank you” after a supernatural encounter with God.
Now there are lots of directives through out the Bible saying “O give thanks to the Lord” or “It is right to give God thanks” or “we ought to give God thanks”. But only 2 times does someone actually say those words after they encounter God.
1. Daniel did after God gave him the interpretation of a dream for King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:23)
2. Jonah did when he was spit out of the belly of the fish (Jonah 2:9)
Our response to God should be Thanksgiving.
T = Thanksgiving.
And finally, S= Service. God’s purpose in calling is first to tell us that He loves us, and then to put us into service, showing his love to others, especially those who don’t know him. This is said so in Isa 6:
Isa 6: 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
S = Service.
How should we respond when God seeks our attention?
· Acknowledgement
· Adoration
· Confession
· Contrition
· Thanksgiving
· Service