Practical Theology Session 26-Intimate Names

Hello there, Ruby Mountain bible church family. Great to try out a virtual teaching session as you will know we are all separated and we cannot be face-to-face due to the governmental requirements of band Banning public meetings for the next 15 days and yet we're looking forward to having this opportunity to do something a little bit different and to try and Distress the Lord through this time and yet still find ways to virtually via technology temp to minister the word of God to one another and so thank you so much for your patience and your willingness to work together to trust the Lord through this time, but looking forward to working through really continuing our look at the names of God as we continue our look at practical theology school setting and kind of hijack the words of the Apostle Paul. I am absent in the body. However, I am present in the spirit. So anyways where it would be doing this little different. We also we is and Daniel Pastor Daniel and myself and we're toying with a new format here. Meaning of the lectures and so there's a combination of a video and you know kind of visual audio combo here in a video format. So we're just how do you transition a blessing for you means to minister to one another during this time, but we are looking forward to feedback if you got any thoughts on this end and where hopefully this'll this will be a positive way to administer each other during this time. But anyways, let's let's go and begin with a word of prayer session 26 as we continue our luck at practice Theology and the intimate names of God bless begin with a quick word of prayer and then we'll we'll jump in. 7th Heaven, thank you so much for this time here this evening Lord. Thank you so much for the opportunity to get into your word Viet though it be in a virtual type format more. We just thank you for this opportunity. We thank you for the blessing that technology is but we pray that I would be not a distraction but something that is only helped end in o + blood during this time. So we trust you and all the circumstances of Life shooting these inconvenience, less-than-ideal circumstances perhaps but Lord, we recognize that we are to rejoice in all things and and so we look forward to what you have in store for us during these couple of weeks as we shift gears and Fellowship from virtual standpoint, we look to your provision of technology excetera to just try and meet the needs of our church body at this time. So we just met this time together. We ask for your blessing upon it in Jesus name. Amen. All right. So if you have your eyes on the screen and we work our way through this as you can see on our goal is to continue our look at practical theology run session 26 look into MIT names of God. Now you've been with us last couple weeks. We have been looking at the names of God and we grouped them together to five major categories. Not that these are categories, but we're just trying to streamline a rather large topic pursuing the name of God, but we looked at first the fundamental names of God being the most frequently used names of God in scripture God's Transcendent name third laid his fearsome names for Italy his faithful names that was last week and then today and I'll probably one more session. I'm looking at probably today and one more. The complete are serious, but the intimate names of God and so we're going to look at that this evening make as far as we can and then we'll look at probably some more intimate names of God next time but I will actually begin tonight in the Book of Revelation. If you have a Bible Revelation chapter 1 as you see them on the screen Revelations 1 vs 48 time to read this section. And where do I get a title of God that is well-known only appears in the Book of Revelation in the scripture, but the title of God knows Alpha and Omega and is you'll see my purpose for starting here this evening is which I'll explain more moment is is really though we're looking at God's intimate names meaning his personal that would be his the names that describe God as caring and loving and intimate and Eminent to use a theological term. That means god is close. He is. He's a God now at hand Bible says he is involved interested in our lives on her personal number of names of God that describe him in that way. However, appreciate intimate goodness. In light of God's infinite greatness. And so that's why I begin in Revelation chapter one and let's read this section just briefly when relationship ever won the Apostle John Visions from God of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ particular the second coming of Christ in the events leading up into a is John introduces The Book of Revelation. He says this Revelation 1 verse 4 says John to the seven churches, which are in Asia Grace be unto you and peace from him, which is in which one is in which is to come in from the seven spirits with her before his throne and Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness the first and the prince of kings of the earth and loved us and wash my hands in his own blood and it's made us Kings and Priests unto God in his father to him be glory Dominion forever and ever Man or seven behold he comes with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all cancers of the Earth shall wail because of him even so and then the notice notice verse 8 in particular. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending says the Lord and which is to come the Almighty. Only appreciate God's goodness in light of God's infinite greatness. So before we look at the instruments names of God, that would be his imminent meaning close personal names of God. Then I went first consider my contrast God's Transcendence. At least one more time by considering the title Alpha and Omega here for just a few moments ago. This is the New Testament in the Book of Revelation. We just read the first appearance in Revelation chapter 1 verse 8 couple versus later and verse 11 of the same chapter the title of. Once again and then Revelation 21 verse 6 as well as Revelation chapter 22 in verse 13 also reveal this title. Now the title is taken from the Greek alphabet as many of you were perhaps are aware. And the alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet Omega is the final letter of the Greek alphabet and the meaning of this title Alpha and Omega is actually given to us right in these verses in Revelation 1 21 and 22 win. The title of Cheers is interpreted for us as you can see in the text that we just read or write their up on the screen and put up there for you. This title means according to these passages. that God is described himself as a alpha omega meaning he is the beginning and the ending or in other words the one which is and which was and which is to come the almighty or is he described himself in another one of those passages in Revelation the first and the last so this title is what Scholars call a mirror ISM merism which is actually a literary device which takes the extremes of something and uses it as a shorthand way of referring to you, T. Another words an example of this in English, which we've probably all used is saying A to Z A to Z what we're doing the English alphabet and when we say A to Z what we mean is totality we say A to Z and we mean everything in between in other words everything we're referring to it as a means of referring to something exhausted like everything. Well, it's the exact same has the exact same function in Greek when we say Alpha and Omega title refers to the Infinity of God in every possible way other words. God is infinite both in time in power as well as space and every other category. Princeton's God being infinite in time. We called his eternality that is he exists before above and beyond all else. But when we refer to God's Infinity in power, then we sometimes call that omnipotence potency get from the Latin root means total power and what we're referring to is the fact that God can do anything anything that is possible to be accomplished both in reality and hypothetically can accomplish it. But also when we talked about God's Infinity, it would also apply to space in other words. God is also my present. That's the Latin word that you might be fun. But it means that God is Not confined to any one place but rather dwells in all space simultaneously is Spirit the Bible says and as such he is not limited to space in in the way that they are you and I are. And so these ideas are all referred to. in through the title Alpha and Omega not the size and limitlessness of God is what Aunt cause us to stand in stunned silence in wonderment before him. In fact is I have their own your in your notes. So I'm 145 and verse 3. Let me to read that briefly. It is 8 to fix Psalm where David and he react she responds with praise when he considers the boundless Infinity of God. Let me read that song great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. His greatness is unsearchable. In other words when David considers the greatness of God, which he calls in this text unsearchable meaning bound less. Then he responds with praise. He says great is the Lord and greatly to be praised the omnipotent omnipresent one. Then our natural response is to be stunned into silence to be just almost bewildered at the size and magnitude and Majesty of God. Yet but they're in your notes consider. This it is this very idea of God's eyes Infinity is omnipotence etcetera that might cause one to wonder if God is a part from us in the sense that he is a loop or unconcerned with mirror earthlings such as ourselves as we sometimes, you know, sometimes referred to us as animated dirt balls in on him saying the Bible says Genesis 2:7 God formed a body of the dusty Brown breathed into our nostrils the Breath of Life man, Adam the first man became a living Soul the Bible says and so as I would like to find out where nothing but animated Falls, right, but the fact is we are mere earthlings and we're just on this little speck of dust in 1 quart of the Galaxy and so when we think about the size of Galaxy the size of God, it was great. Then the galaxy in the Bible says he can expand the heavens by the hand. Then we might be tempted to think that God is just too big to really care about us that God is we would were not important enough for him to grant us any sort of attention. However, if we're tempted to think that that would be incorrect because the Bible actually says the opposite which brings us to our next title go to book of Jeremiah chapter 23, just briefly Jeremiah chapter 23 now. let me to tell you this the context of this chapter what God is doing to the Prophet Jeremiah is he is condemning the false prophets of his day because the false prophets were declaring false messages, which was perverting the people in Jeremiah is condemning them for that but in the midst of this condemnation of all promise. Jeremiah calls God Elohim cutter Cove Elohim Cairo, which is translated God who is near or God is near God is not my clothes.

And there's some lessons here for our learning. So let me begin just quickly by reading a few versus here. If you got the bible Jeremiah 23 verse 16 says that dust says the word house harkonnen not under the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you they make you vain they speak a vision of Their Own Heart noticed that other words they invent ticket and not out of the mouth of the Lord for 17. They say still wanted them but despise me. The Lord have said you shall have peace and they said everyone that walks after the imagination of his own heart. No evil shall come upon you. Edward you see what the false prophets are doing their giving like a blank check morally speaking. They're just telling folks do what you want to do. No big deal, you know, we're good. No evil will come upon if we will experience. Peace 18 hour. Continue who is marked his word and hurt at behold Rivas Whirlwind it shall fall grievously upon the Lord shall not return until he's executed until he has performed the thoughts of his heart. in other words, I think it's kind of fascinating contrast of the heart their own heart the heart of false prophets verse 16 with the heart of God verse 20, which are not one in the same right there and then doing the wrong. Passing it off as a work for the Lord and God says, no nipple correct it He says I have not sent these prophets yet. They ran. I have not spoken to them yet. They prophesied but if they had stood in my Council and it caused might be able to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil ways from the evil of their doings notice for 23 Mi a god at hand of the Lord and not a god far off can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him says the Lord do not I still Heaven and Earth says the Lord. Is there no of course I would encourage you on your own to go ahead and finish reading the chapter what I want you to see what I want to point out is really today in chapter 4 sporty. God warns his people not to heed ball products. Why cuz these false prophets talk of people that they could get away with any scent of any time yet. God reminds them that this is not the case because as he says he is a god at hand not a god a far-off. This reality of The Nearness of God serve as a terror to the wicked. That's what he's doing here this morning. He says you can't get away with it. I can see you wherever you go in the lighter in the dark cuz I feel the Earth in heaven. He says I'm 24 and this reality of The Nearness of God's to the wicked yet on the other hand contrast this princesses with James chapter 4 verse 8. James says draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh unto you. What's James doing? An at setting is actually using The Nearness of God as a source of comfort to the righteous? In other words, the very thing that terrorizes the wicked is the same thing that Comforts The Righteous you're with us even in Sunday school these last couple weeks as we've been looking Psalm 139 we camp on some of these concepts of how the omnipresence of God the omniscience of God that he is omniscient means he has all knowledge again comes from the Latin My Sunshine is the Latin word for which we get our English word science, which means knowledge omniscience then means knowledge in those ideas of God being all-knowing Google all present all-powerful. Those are ideas that come for the righteous, but when you want to run from God and disobey God it actually is a source of When you think about the idea that you can't get away from him? But when we consider The Nearness of God as a source of comfort for the righteous, there's a particular famous poem that I'm sure I would venture to say most of you all have heard this poem before Reddit. Is it this famous poem by unknown author capture these ideas very well on the way. I want to share that with you. Now. I say unknown author it is kind of humorous, but I was first exposed to this poem when I was a young lad my mother had plaque in one of our bathrooms that had this poem on it that and I forget I was pretty young when I first read it and I just never gotten over and I was just always fascinating me but and it's kind of hilarious because nobody knows quite sure who's right and they all got upset at each other. There's a couple lawsuit over it. I don't actually know who is the author to this famous poem. But have you ever heard the poem Footprints in the Sand You heard about that you really great, and it captures these ideas. Well, I've been Nearness of God that serves to come for the righteous. Let me just reproduce that here briefly. Let me read that for you. You have it there in your notes up on the screen. Let me just read this quote one night. I Dreamed a Dream as I was walking along the beach with my Lord across the dark sky last scenes from my life reach scene. I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand one belonging to me and 1/2 my Lord after last seen in my life flash before me. I look back and Footprints in the Sand I noticed that many times along the path of my life is especially at the very lowest and saddest time. There was only one set of footprints this really troubled me. So I asked the Lord about it Lord. You said once I decided to follow you walk with me all the way but I noticed that during the status of most Troublesome times in my life. There was only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you the most you would leave me. He whispered a precious child. I love you and I will never leave you never ever during your trials and tests when you saw only one set of footprints. It was then that I carried you.

Now, I don't know again. How many of you may have been exposed to this before fabulous piece of work. It really is a blessing though. We can't because of that we're not exactly and we can't confirm this many believe that this poem was in fact taken from the book of Deuteronomy. The imagery that is was taken for Deuteronomy chapter one where God describe himself with these words quote Dreadnought need to be afraid of them. The Lord your God in this again think of the contacts Moses to speak to the second generation of Israel that came out of land of Egypt. They witnessed their fathers died in the wilderness excetera and yet now they are looking to go to the land but they're afraid right of the Giants xcetera. And losses trying to encourage him and he says this. Between a Dreadnought need to be afraid of them the Lord your God which goes before you he shall fight for you according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes and in the wilderness where you have seen how that the Lord your God get this bear thee as a man doth bear his son in all the way that you went to this place. Edwards what Moses is doing his lightning god to a father and a loving father who are you know, they're up on my shoulders and I'm walking around with him in the idea is one of just gentle care and concern and has really bad idea to wander through the wilderness. There would have been young children and their mess that we've been having a hard time keeping up and the loving gracious caring father would pick up the child and his shoulders and walk with in the idea here. Is that what those are saying is God did that for you? And so he's using that as a source of comfort for the nation and trying to encourage them to to go on and faithless and trust the Lord. Now this may well be the passage that the Footprints in the Sand poem is leaning upon but either way do you see the idea God is Elohim tutterow. He is a God who is near he cares about? What a blessing that is. The reality is that God loves us his infant size power and strength does not make him aloof or just interested in us, but rather the opposite recall Frances, Isaiah chapter 41 verse 31 where again, I know we've actually already read that entire chapter earlier in our study of practical theology. But recall this chapter where infinite brightness 4:30 voice vs. Isaiah informs us that this power of God is personally available to anyone of us who trust in Yahweh. Get this Isaiah 40 verse 31 says after describing all in God's infinity and power nipple tennis all my presents excetera. It says were 31, but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall Mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint in other words Limitless boundless power is available to you and I. Employs his power and he puts it to work. our good I love the Old. King James translation of Ephesians chapter 1 when Paul's talking about the power of God displayed in the resurrection. That is to us word. He says I love that Old King James us word. But the point is it stored us God who is Limitless and power has decided to direct that power and put it to work for our good is Ultimate Glory absolutely, but our good brings him glory. And so wow. What a blessing to recognize God is he is near and his power is available for us rather than being aloof or disinterested God is actually the opposite which brings us to our next title Genesis chapter 16 verse 13. Let me just recreate the contact. I want to look at a title. Known as l r o t e l r o t which is translated in the phrase. God sees God sees now recall our past study in type of fuel do we actually already look at this episode the life of Abram when we call his wife Sarah being Barren suggest a Brahm that in order to have a son. He she give to Abram her handmade Hagar the Egyptian handmade remember this? Well, they do it and it worked Hagar conceives In A. She conceives by Abram spies her master.

There are being jealous envious over there decides to drive Hagar was pregnant with ishma L drive her into the Wilderness. Let's pick up the story and that is Hagar buy a fountain of water in the wilderness by the fountain in the way to assure. He said Hagar Sarah Sarah is made with, style and whither wilt thou go and she said I sleep on the face of my mistress Sarah and Andrew divorce him and her return to your mistress and submit yourself under her hands and Angel Ward 7 her I will multiply your seed exceedingly. It shall not be numbered for multitude in the angel of the Lord seemed to her behold thou art with child and shall bear a son and shall call his name is smell because the Lord has heard die Affliction that would have built on that in the next. Cuz neither connected El rookie the God who sees in the next one team, which means God hears, but I'm getting ahead of myself. He will be a wild man. His hand will be against every man and every man's hand against him and he should go on the presence of all his Brethren and often do this. But if you are at all familiar with the descendants of Ishmael, do they turn into the Arabs? First of all, just such a fascinating description in her without God seest me or let me through this up on the screen. I like the new King James translation better of this verse but Ashley on the next screen For next slide past study on Hagar and Ishmael after being driven from the home by jealous, Sarah Hagar and Ishmael found themselves a missed an arid Wilderness facing imminent death, of course is still in the womb at this point that it was within these circumstances God appeared to them and provided for them and promise for them promise to them a glorious future. So Hagar humbly response to God with these words on this is where I throw in the new King James translation, which it clarifies this little bit but knows how it phrases it then she called the name of the Lord has spoken to her. You are the God who sees me at the title. See that all capitals letter with letters. You are the God who sees me or l r o p a God who sees what she said and I also hear seen him who sees me there for the well was called beer-lahai-roi. Observe it is between Kardashian. And that's of course. They said the new King James translation of Genesis 16 verses 13 and 14. But the point is God here. I forgot visit padar provides Borough promises to her future of blessedness for her son. She responds with liebling the scene commemorating this scene. By naming the well beer the high road. And the idea is that she is recognizing you are the God who sees me. So don't miss the point. The point of this passage is really breathtaking when you think about it, the lonely the lowly ridiculed and rejected handmade. I mean, she's a nobody but she discovers that she personally is watched over by the almighty God himself. She did not earn his watch care nor did she deserve his want care, but she did desperately need it and she freely received it. The point is considered what an awesome God we serve that he has his eye on all of us. Even the lowliest of low. What is El rookie the God who sees he is concerned. He's interested in us. That's the point he cares about us. As I said this goes hand-in-hand beautiful with the next title. Psalm 116 verses 1 and 2 says 116 verses 1 and 2 says that I love the Lord cuz he has heard my voice and my supplications because he is inclined his ear unto me. Therefore. Will I call upon him as long as I live? These vs. And another couple of passages which I'm going to have talked about here in just a second. Give us a fascinating insight to another title of God or name of God that I want to consider for just a moment name Elohim, Elohim, which translates in the praise God hears God who hears office will help you and this is how I remember it. But remember that the hear o Israel the Lord. Our God is one Lord and the ship called the Shimmer because the first word of the of the sentence is here hear o Israel the Lord. Our God is one Lord and on it goes this year is in Hebrew.

Well here that you know this idea of Elohim Shema. That's how I remember. It means the God hears and 1/16 Begins the song with a jubilant eruption of devotion as I like to say, he declares that he loves the Lord and determines to devote himself to the bar all the COS and he puts it in verse want to do because he has heard my voice and my supplications because he has inclined his ear unto me. Yahweh is not only a God who sees but he is also a God who hears he hears. He listens he heeds. Call Fran since the context of God's statements to Moses at the burning bush. In Exodus chapter 2 verses 22 to 2823 224 the Bible says that and it came to pass in process of time that the king of Egypt died and my children Vistaril Side by reason of the bondage and I cried and their Cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage and God. Heard are groaning see that Elohim, God heard their groaning and God remembered his Covenant with Abraham. And Isaac was Jacob and God looked upon the children. God had respect unto them or he acknowledged them. He investigated he heard he was concerned and he comes to their aid which we see in the next scene Exodus chapter 3. For instance when God appeared to Moses in the burning bush. The scripture says that in chapter 3 verses 48 does quote and when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see. Called in him out of the Bush and said Moses spoke to him and he said,

He said draw not night either but put off your shoes from off your feet for the place whereon you stand is Holy Ground moreover. He said I am the god of like Father the god of Abraham Isaac and Jacob both of his face or he was afraid to look upon God lord said I have surely get this seen the Affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their Cry by reason of their taskmasters for I know their sorrows and I am come down to deliver them a hand of the Egyptians. I love this passage the Lord hears he knows and he comes down to deliver. The idea is that God again. You see it. He is El the God who sees he is Elohim, the God who hears he knows our sorrows and a thumbs down. To deliver a head Egyptian. This is the god that we serve what a mighty God we serve and if we've mentioned before this is worth noting again that just briefly but before one of the most dramatic ways to contract Yahweh with the false gods of the Nations you pick these various Pantheon's Pantheon's of the Israel of the contrast. Yahweh with these false nations in one of the great place of the does. This is Psalm 115 now undertake the time to just quickly read the song and I want you to know. How Yahweh is the Living God which call from our past Eddie's. We've already looked at his elk the Living God. But I want you to see that the Living God is one who can see here move and act on our behalf in contrast to both got to do I so Lord knows that I named steak again. Don't forget don't miss that the charge that is receiving from the PA the Pagan Nations that he's in a go to the verse two is they say where is your god, which is probably in there is more than just this but probably want to core ideas. They're getting that there is that Yahweh was worshipped uniquely in the nation of Israel. Remember Yahweh did not have an idea or an image to represent him. That was very unique in the ancient world is where was considered weird in that sense. And so from a pagan perspective. They look at Israel in the way that they worship. Where is an image like there's a pimple but where's the image? So they say where is your god is the Israeli of someone 15 answers back in verse 3 and says our God is in the heavens. He's not confined to the temple. He is everywhere anywhere he wants to be and he has done whatsoever. He is. Please notice the on my presence and look at its of God being underscore their inverse three are silver and gold men's hand. I have they put they see not yours, but that you're not noses have they but they smell. They have hands but they do not handle have they but they walk that make them are like unto them. So is everyone that trust in them every once in a while you are what you worship you are what you worship. Yes. It's You are what you eat you are who your friends are in other words, these are all things that are very important in shaping us, but spiritually speaking at the core of our identity you are what you worship. Where do I get that idea? This is really one of my key texts. He says they don't make them they don't make idle are like unto them. So is everyone that trust in the never rise above your idol is powerless. So are you if God is powerless. So are you the point is he who has Limitless power and knowledge and present excetera who works on our behalf. We even become invincible as my dad used to say we become invincible. Tell God says I love that as long as I'm in God's will I'm Invincible till God says different and it's really powerful idea with a notice if that's true if God can speak cetera. What should we have? Should we respond first name Israel? Is there helping she trust in the Lord. He is there helping Shield fear the Lord trust in the Lord. He is there help in their Shield. The Lord has been mindful of us. He will bless us. I love that cares. He thinks about us. He investigates we got is a God who is Karen concerned about us? And he says he is mindful of us. He will bless us. He will be small and great. You can go on but the point is do you see the loving care and concern of God has elk. I believe in God or the shimmy the Living God he can see rookie here, moving act on our behalf intimately acquainted with us involved in our lives. He knows everything there is to know about us recalled recently which describes how the Lord has searched. That's a known as he knows our downsitting an uprising understands our thoughts from afar off. He is compass us about our path my are lying down. He's acquainted with all of our ways there is not a word in our tongue, but low the Lord knows it all together. The point is in in again. I mean God knows everything there is to know about us omnipotence omniscience and on my presence, you know the song that's against someone 39 David continues whither shall I flee from your spirit with a shall I flee from your presence. If I send up into heaven you were there if I make my bed in hell behold you're there if I take the wings of the morning and when we are most part of the sea, even there your hand lead me and your right hand shall hold me. Again, I mean you can go to a person on your own and we got like three or four letters to get through Psalm 139 with these are the ideas that are important for us to realize that God hears. He needs he sees he cares. What a mighty God we serve but to what extent does God care to what extent does God involve himself in our lives? Well that brings us to our next title namely the title Manuel Emmanuel now, I know we just talked about this when I mean, you know, every thought every Christmas we talked about this let me rehearse some ideas with you briefly Matthew chapter one for instance vs. 18225 record. It's one of the birth narrative scenes of the Lord Jesus Christ, but who is it powerful? And let me just read this section briefly and contemplate with me for just a few moments on this idea of God Ari Manuel because it is really powerful and showing us how much God cares in degrees God's love and concern is displayed toward the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise when before they came together. She was found with child of the Holy Ghost and Joseph her husband being a just man and you're secretly married. I white for that which is going to Steven her is of the Holy Ghost and she shall bring forth a son and I shall call his name. Yahshua for he shall save and Save

That's why Jesus is named Yeshua, Jesus Yeshua, because it means y'all way safe for he shall save his people from their sins, which was spoken by the prophet saying Behold a virgin shall be with child and should bring for the Sun and they shall call his name. Emmanuelle, which be interpreted is god with us then Joseph being raised from sleep. Of course, you know, the story did is the Angel of the Lord of endemic cook under him his wife and he knew her not till it brought forth her firstborn son and called his name Yeshua Jesus. Now show me all the familiar with us, but think a little deeper about this with me for just a second. God is not the Living God who sees hears Moon and acts but he is also the loving God descends to take upon himself the sinfulness of the human race also that he might bring us to himself. What did God Emmanuel means god with us this title under store underscores to Grand realities? I mean more than that but these are claims the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see that God With Us Jesus Christ is God come to Earth. Even the name Yeshua, which means of his deity becoming Human coming to work. But secondly the title Emmanuel announces that God is Not aloof or disinterested in humanity rather. He loves us enough to descend from his lofty Abode and take up residence upon the Earth how much God loves it and the Tramp Emmanuelle in shrines this idea in a name in a title. Now I know we talked about this. Anyway, I was kind of distant past because y'all in the fuming you do not have the Bible totally memorized. You may not recall what Psalm 113 describes but let me read it just briefly. I want you to note that our God is high and lifted up as someone 13 will describe he must humble himself to look at the things both in heaven and upon the Earth yet. He doesn't

Speechless come to our Aid descends to Earth becomes human Stoops to being our servant and then selflessly substitutes himself as a sacrifice. Think about this with me for just a second sole in 113. Listen this first one praise. Ye the Lord hallelujah, praise. Ye the Servants of the Lord Praise. Ye the Lord praise the Lord praise the name of the Lord blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same. The lord's name is to be praised Rising Sun setting as well as Place distance from the rising to the going down in other words from Horizon to Horizon and all the day God is to be praised. The Lord is high above all Nation his glory above the heaven who is like unto the Lord. Which I had seen the last night. He Brew phrase who is like the Lord meet Kaya is a prophet named. With that phrase. Mikaiah, what's his name? You got it. You got it. Like I got the name Micah mean who is like unto Yahweh Our God who dwells on hybrid who humbles himself to behold the things that are in heaven. And in the earth, you see that he's so high. He must lower himself just a look at us. But he does more than that for seven. He raises up the poor out of the desk. He left the knee the other Dunhill that he may send him with Princess, even the princess of his people. He makes the barren woman to keep house and be the joyful mother children. Hallelujah, praise. Ye the Lord. And we want you to consider here is again, as I said a moment ago, we can only appreciate God's goodness toward us when we recognize his infinite greatness. In other words. We have to learn to gain perspective on how much God loves you have to consider how high and lofty he is and how to become one of us has to Humble himself lower himself down just to look it up. Now, let me give you a obviously a very finite incomplete illustration of I want you to consider this just briefly. God who is so fine with adopt and self-assembly behold the things that are having a nervous about this with me just for a moment I found in that okay.

cast of stoop down to see us in a similar way that we were much larger must stoop to Simply Behold a tiny little bug for instant no-see-um bug is Note that is Midwest is just that they're so tiny. You can't see him. That's why they're called noseeums. But if you've ever discovered one of these little creatures do they bite like a booger they really hurt and is but they hurt in the point is that we are so much alike. We have to stoop and even get a magnifying glass to be able to find these little things are hard to find infinitude in your starting to get the picture of how large and great and awesome. Our God is and then how low he must do in order to be hold us at the pump in the Bible says he did much more than that. He doesn't simply look at it. He speaks to us. He comes to our Aid and it says he raises at the Port of the Dust by Sarah, but he did more than that. Bible says he just send into Earth's he became human. That's the word Incarnation. He ruined himself in flesh incarnate you wrote himself in flat. Even becoming our servant of what Jesus said he came not to be ministered unto but to minister to serve and to give himself a ransom for many or to selflessly substitute himself as our sacrifice and this idea is what is so profound in that it helps us recognize the depth of God's love. This with you before if it's been awhile. I love contrasting Vic the Christian idea of incarnation with the Pagan ideas that were, not only in the first century world and older than Apple. And I do this by whoever this quote from The Iliad by Homer to record the conversation between the Greek gods Juno and Vulcan. He says that Juno the god Athena the Greek god, Juno says the Vulcan quote Sun. It is not the etiquette of the Gods to suffer on behalf of humans and quote. Remember this I think is a profound. Juno says the Vulcan son. It is not the etiquette of the Gods to suffer on behalf of human. In other words with very few exceptions. In fact, the only one that doesn't do that, but all Greek and Roman writers separated humanity and deity leaving Humanity in misery without remedy in other words. The Greco-Roman gods were viewed as distant aloof uncaring unconcerned. They didn't care about their underlings. They didn't care about their subject. We would wallow in misery and they didn't they didn't care. They were distant. They were loose. They were unconcerned about us and our problems. That's the way the Greco-Roman world you there God know about you, but that's not real not real comforting not real you with modern-day Islam. The religion of Islam also despises the doctrine of incarnation believing it to violate the Dignity of God. They believe it's been nice God to descend to become human to become like us so they teach against the deity of Jesus Christ. They do not believe Jesus is God in current God in humans left Islam teaches. Jesus was just But the Bible's teaching the exact opposite the Bible teaches that God descended to Earth if you rub himself in human flesh, he died in our place and all of this is meant to exhibit to put on display to unveil to pull back the curtain on the infinite love of God or his lowly and lost creatures. This is a uniquely. That's what I wanted to see don't miss that it is a uniquely Christian idea of the Incarnation or Emmanuelle. I want you to wallow in the Revel in it. How to do so I want to reproduce for you a quote that I have. I think I've used it at least on one other occasion, but it's a quote that I that I got from one of my professors in college and ever since I just been fascinated by it and I looked it up and I hit a spider bites in the resource the Cross of Christ by John Stott who the lake Jones. He was a minister Anglican. I believe it was an Anglican Minister who his whole life he served as a single man, by the way, he never married so that he could you know function all his faculties to work. Do you know that Ministry in his book The Cross of Christ? She says that I could never myself believe in God if it were not for the cross. The only God I believe is the one Nietzsche ridiculed as the God on the cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who is immune to it? I have endured many Buddhist temples in different Asian countries instead respectfully before the statue of the Buddha. His legs crossed arms folded eyes closed that's only part of it that prays detached from the agonies of the world. Stop news on to say but each time after a while. I have had to turn away and into imagination. I've turned instead of that lonely Twisted tortured figure on the cross nails through hands and feet back lacerated limbs ridged Rao bleeding from Thorn Pricks mouth dry and intolerably thirsty plunged in God forsaken darkness. That is the god for me stop declares and I would join him, but it's. Finishes with the statement. Speaking of Jesus. He laid aside his immunity to pain. He answered our world of flesh and blood tears and death. She suffered for us our sufferings become more manageable in the light of his there is still a question mark against human suffering. He says but over it, we may boldly the cross that symbolizes the Divine Suffering The Cross of Christ is God's only self-justification in the world. Such as ours. In other words what stuns and attracts stock and I totally in agreement with him to the Cross or to me that the Christian God is our God unlike the Greco-Roman God.