009 - 02 - Lesson 2: How We Come to Know God
Notes
Transcript
Increasing in the Knowledge of God
Increasing in the Knowledge of God
Lesson 2: How We Come to Know God
Introduction
Introduction
God expects us to seek him, to strive to know him (Psalm 24:3-6). But God also seeks us (Ezekiel 34:11-12; Luke 19:1-10)!
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
11 “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Extra Insights:
Old Testament Theology, Volume 1: Israel’s Gospel 5.7 How God is Revealed
The story of when, how and why Yhwh acts at the exodus suggests a framework for understanding what the First Testament means by “revelation.” Is revelation a matter of words (propositional revelation) or is it more personal than that might imply? Or is God revealed more in deeds than in words? Is all history an indirect self-revelation of God?
General revelation is God’s testimony to his character and works given to all human beings indiscriminately through the created order.
Special revelation is the teaching about God and his works that he has given to us through the prophets and apostles and which is now contained primarily or exclusively in the Bible.
Bray, G. (2018). Special Revelation. In M. Ward, J. Parks, B. Ellis, & T. Hains (Eds.), Lexham Survey of Theology. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
The Revelation of God
The Revelation of God
God has revealed himself in creation.
The creation “speaks” day after day. - Psalm 19:1-2
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
God made the world so that we would seek him. Acts 17:24-28; Psalm 19:6-7
24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
God bears witness to himself through the natural order. - Acts 14:15-17
15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
The creation of the world plainly reveals God’s invisible attributes such as his eternal power and divine nature, leaving the world without excuse. - Romans 1:18-23
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
God has revealed himself in Scripture.
We seek God through his word. - Psalm 119:1-8
1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
It is crucial to remember that the main subject of the Bible is always God, that the main character of the Bible is always God, that the hero of every story is always God.
God has revealed himself in Jesus.
God has made God known (exegeomai, “set forth in great detail, expound). John 1:18
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Thought Principles:
What did you like?
What questions do you want answered?
What do these stories teach us about people?
What do these stories teach us about Jesus/God?
What is God teaching us/me in the stories?
Your Notes and Questions
Your Notes and Questions