Untitled Sermon

Choose Another Hiding Place

INTRODUCTION: Many of us may be familiar with finding a hiding place is if you have ever played the game “Hide and Go Seek”. To play the game required more than one person. Someone would be it and everyone else would hide. Someone would close their eyes and count; and while the person was counting - everyone else would look for a place to hide.

At the end of the count - that person that was it would say “ready or not - here I come”.

Some may not remember the game but you remember to (Song Fugees) READY OR NOT…HERE I COME

Choosing a place to hide meant you didn’t want to be found while playing the game. But at the end of the count - the person that was it would come looking for you

You probably wouldn’t see the person, but you could sense their presence.

And if they were unable to find you - they would declare, “COME OUT - COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE”.

Playing the game HIDE and GO SEEK is supposed to be temporary. None of us is still hiding in the same place.

Because at the end of the game - someone would say COME OUT - COME OUT.......

IT’S TIME TO CHOOSE ANOTHER HIDING PLACE

IN THIS GAME WE CALL LIFE - We know someone is it - and someone chose a good hiding place.

The one who’s it

He initiates the game - He initiates the search; and He has the authority.

The one who’s it - He is the Almighty God - He omniscient and omnipotent. He knows all things and has the power to do whatever He wants to do. He has the power to give life and gives it freely without running out. He has to power to change the game. God is the one that has the power to see what no one else is looking for. He is God and able to sit in Heaven and reside in your home at the same time.

Simply put - there is no body like GOD. HE IS IT; and He freely give us reasons to get closer to HIM

TRANSITION STATEMENT - In this text, we see how the consequences of sin leads to chaos and confusion, but God’s grace covers our wrongs.

BACKGROUND - GENESIS

The book of Genesis tells us - In the beginning God created. He created the heavens and the earth. God saw all that he had made, and said: “it was good”. And over a period of time, the Bible reveals that God formed the land, placed the sun in its place, the moon in its place, and the stars in their place. He created animals for the air, the sea, and the land; and the Bible reminds us again that God said it was good. Then God, created Adam and Eve - blessed them - and gave them instruction to care for His creation.

Simply put - GOD CREATED A PLACE WHERE THEY DID NOT HAVE TO HIDE.

GENESIS 2:25 tells us that there was also a time when - Adam and his wife were naked and not ashamed.

In other words, there was a time and place when Adam and Eve did not have to hide. But something happened.

The text tells us in Genesis 3:1-2, that there was a conversation between a subtle serpent and a willing wife. The subtle serpent was the enemy; and the willing wife was Eve. The Bible tells us, Eve had a discussion with a deceiver, and that discussion led to a decision - that initiated a downfall. The drama in their discussion was a debate about the consequences.

Consequences are results of an action or condition.

Genesis 3:6-7 records the action:

that when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and made themselves aprons.

The text says that when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,....._____, ______, _____; but that wasn’t the first time she saw the tree.

So what happened - what changed for the woman to change her mind? They moved from obeying the creator to obeying creation . Instead of seeking God or waiting on God, the choice was a longing for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

But That choice had a consequence - and the consequence was SIN

A preacher once proclaimed - sin sickens and sin separates

Sin will take you out farther than you want to go; and keep you longer than you want to stay

Sin will make you work harder than you have to

Sin will make you tie up loose end that never needed to be connected

Sin leads to chaos and confusion

TRANSITION STATEMENT - BUT THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE

THERE IS ANOTHER CHOICE

- we must RECOGNIZE OUR CONDITION

Romans 3:23 LEB

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

WE ALL HAVE THE SAME CONDITION

Sometimes we don’t realize how much we’re in sin because we’ve been in it so long.

EXAMPLE - Some people don’t know their condition: I remember drinking water from the sink - later joined the Marine Corps - left home and went to California. In California, we could not drink the water from the faucet because the water pipes contained lead. So we had to drink purified water and bottled water. But when I returned to DC - I tried to drink the water like I used to. I went to my Mom’s kitchen sink - turned on the water faucet, and poured a glass of water. I took one sip and could not finish the glass. I said to my Mother - “What is wrong with the water”? She said, ain’t nothing wrong with the water - it’s the same water you’ve alway had. I said, “Ma - I can taste every chemical in the water”.

It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been in Sin - It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been aware of Sin.

THE GOOD NEWS IS - GOD WILL SHOW UP

TRANSITION STATEMENT - But when God shows up

HE shows up to help and to heal

When God shows up - He’s gonna make it better

When God shows up - we will respond to His call

(I used to think we had a choice in the matter, or we could ignore or hide from God. But God, already knows where we are)

WHEN GOD SHOWS UP - HE’LL INVADE YOUR HIDING SPACE

YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MAKING ROOM - HE’S ALREADY IN THE ROOM

WE NEED TO RESPOND TO HIS CALL

2. RESPOND TO GOD’S CALL

a. Where are you

b. God’s question is not denote ignorance

Psalm 139 NIV

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you. If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Just like God called Moses - and just like He called Jacob.......God has called you by name

e. When God calls - He has a purpose and a plan for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11–13 NLT

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.

3. REALIZE WE’RE COVERED (verse 21)

Genesis 3:21 NLT

And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.

Where’s your hiding place

Psalm 91:1–11 NKJV

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.

So, what’s the other hiding place - in the presence of God

God can remove you from one place so He people can rest in His presence