God Is Not American
Notes
Transcript
Handout
As we embark on this study of THE CHURCH: Who & What Is It… we need to take a look at the God we serve.
When it comes to approaching God we need to come with a humility. In our western thinking and mindset we often approach with an arrogance in this area of God Almighty...
ar•ro•gance \ˈer-ə-gən(t)s, ˈa-rə-\ noun
14th century: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions
We (as American Christians) have come to a place where we think that God thinks and functions in OUR American mindset or way of thinking and living.
We use the phrase “God Bless America” like we deserve it, and we use it so frequently that we have come to a place in our minds that God is American
We often confused our american freedoms with our freedom we have in Christ!
We hold the constitution and the declaration of independence in the same regard and standing as the pages of scripture.
As we place God in this “American” box we both limit Him and misunderstand Him on multiple levels
We look at the pages of scripture through the LENSES of our American world view rather than look at our world through the pages of Scripture to have a biblical World View
There were two pastors having an argument over where God was from, one from New York and one from Texas. They both bragged about their perspective states and the blessing bestowed upon them. This would go on for years. Just so happened that both these pastors died and went to heaven… as they walked up to the pearly gates God greets them and in a big burly voice they hear… BUONGIORNO!!! I have an Italian pastor friend of mine who loves to tell that story.
Peter who was a Jew was speaking to non-Jews… Gentiles in fact and he stated this of God… Acts 10:34
Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality,
God is no respecter of persons, he does not show unjust favoritism!!!
I want us to ponder God, think on Him from a biblical position this morning… as you do consider these facts first… Consider
What Makes Up Our Universe?
What Makes Up Our Universe?
All the stars, planets and galaxies that can be seen today make up just 4 percent of the universe.
The other 96 percent is made of stuff astronomers can't see, detect or even comprehend.
"The overwhelming majority of the universe is: who knows?" explains science writer Richard Panek, ..."It's unknown for now, and possibly forever."
How Well Do We Know Our Ocean?
How Well Do We Know Our Ocean?
NOAA National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
To date, we have explored approximately five percent of the ocean.
Much remains to be learned from exploring the mysteries of the deep.
The ocean is the lifeblood of Earth, covering more than 70 percent of the planet's surface, driving weather, regulating temperature, and ultimately supporting all living organisms....
Yet for all of our reliance on the ocean, about 95 percent of this realm remains unexplored, unseen by human eyes.
Can We Comprehend The Human Brain?
Can We Comprehend The Human Brain?
(One Professor writes answering the question how much do we know...) “I think the problem with that is: we don’t know enough about the brain to know how much we know about the brain. … how can we say we know 10% about the brain if we have no idea what 100% even looks like? Sure, if we knew there were a million things to know about the brain, and if we could say that we knew ten thousand of them, we could say that we knew 1% about the brain. But … we don’t even know how much there is to know about the brain, nor can we count the number of things we know about the brain. Yes, the brain is that complex.”
Now Consider GOD…!!!
Now Consider GOD…!!!
ALL THIS… and we think we have a grasp on God! Isaiah 40:12 addresses the universe and oceans...
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, And marked off the heavens by the span, And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure, And weighed the mountains in a balance And the hills in a pair of scales?
Isaiah 40:13-14;18 discusses the concept of the mind and what we can compare...
Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding?
To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
Further down Isaiah 40:21 shows we have nothing to compare Him too because He has made all things!!!
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
I want us to Consider God for just a few moments this morning…
God has Communicated
God is Creator
God has Control
God gives Choice
The only way I can express Him to you is by His own description… Through His Word! 2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
God Has Communicated
God Has Communicated
Let that sink in for just a moment…
God creator, sustainer, author of our salvation… desires to communicate with us!
He gave us His Word… God Breathed (Talking, Spoken Word)
Know this Book, and when you read it you find the extent God communicated… John 1:1-3;14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
He came to the very place, to the very ones He created…!!!
God is Creator
God is Creator
2 Peter 3:5 tells us the power of His Word in creation!
For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
Lui Giglio coined the phrase well… God is the star breather!!!
The heavens 4% we know God Breathed
The ocean depths listened to His voice as the world was formed from the waters!
And you and I THINK we can grasp with our little 3 LB Brain (that we don’t fully understand either)
Then we dare call God into question! DON’T let this concept escape your understanding… don’t forget!
Not only did He, with the power of His Word bring life and all creation...
God Has Control
God Has Control
Creation listens to its creator… mankind should take notice and follow suite!
His creation listen, He has control...
Moses and the crossing of the Red Sea
Jesus calming the storm
God stopping the rain for Elijah
The fire not harming Shadrack Meshack and Abendigio
The lions not harming Daniel
The sun standing still as Joshua fought
The darkness at the death of God’s one and only Son Jesus Christ
He is God and He controls with the Power of His Word!
God Gives Choice
God Gives Choice
Don’t forget Who God is! As you consider the MAJESTY of this Great God…
And then we carelessly state… “God’s on my side”
How foolish, how careless! Your picture and concept of GOD is TOO SMALL!
DO NOT BRING GOD TO YOUR LEVEL!
This is a formidable, awesome in power, Holy God we are talking about here!
Psalm 14:1 says:
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.
Isaiah 44:6 states:
“Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.
Joshua 24:14-15 boldly challenged Israel:
“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
God is NOT American, Jewish or even Italian. He is far greater than that!!!
He has given ALL people the opportunity to choose Him, to choose His Son who came in the flesh
The problem… (the “god” of our land) is us. In our arrogance we have placed ourselves on the throne
Choose wisely… know the ONE you choose (READ Job 38-42 this week)
God needs taught, in our church, our world, and our homes… I leave you today to consider what Moses states to Israel in Deuteronomy 6:4-9
“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.