Experiencing God .1

Acts 1:6-11

Acts 1:6–11 ESV

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Introduction:

- seems strange to modern readers

- Jesus had been appearing and disappearing quite a bit

- The heavens were the space of divine beings

- Shekinah glory cloud

- He was moving from the physical world into the spiritual world

- God often goes out of His way to act in ways we can understand

- If this event occurred in modern times no doubt it would have been done

differently but it was not for a modern audience but for an ancient one

- God wants you to understand to experience Him, not just know about Him

Acts 1:6–11 ESV

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Experiencing God

- CCC and Community Church West Milton

Henry Blackaby - book used as an outline

A. Designed to experience and be moved by its creator

B. He pursues us

C. We pursue Him

Let Him set the Terms

A. We are not talking about knowing about Him, but knowing Him

1. speaking to Him

2. Allowing the scriptures to speak to you

3. Viewing your Bible as a conversation

B. Our knowledge of God gives us a frame work for the conversation

1. but we are not studying to pass a test

2. we are seeking to Love and be loved

3. He is faithful to us we should be faithful to Him , He is speaking, we should treasure his words

He is forgiving, we should be patient...

4. We should not seek to add to His words or attempt to create alternate paths to obey Him.

Don’t ignore what He tells you and substitute your own ideas

(God wants me to be taking communion…don’t replace it with your own Chick-fil-a run

God has chosen to speak to us through our meditating on the Bible don’t replace it with your favorite tv show)

Walk the paths He has laid out for us and He will walk with you.

C. If you genuinely are seeking to experience God, then you can, He is not hiding…He is ignored,

He is not difficult to find He is relegated to the edges of our schedules.

(Dear Lord, I’ve got 15 minutes to read and pray today…Let the fire fall!)

Be not deceived God is not mocked, that which a man sows that will He also reap.

Waiting for the Fulfillment

A. They left that mountain filled with joy and expectation

B. They returned to the upper room where they had broken bread and drunk the wine…and sought God, waited eagerly for the next step

C. Are your eyes fixed backwards? wishing for times long gone? If so do not expect the revival fire to fall,

- The disciples were not looking backwards to when Christ walked among them they sang for joy for God was still with them

- Our goal is not recreate an experience, or regenerate a feeling we once had, but to experience the living God.

- Our Lord is calling come and follow me! Let us together return to the table and rededicate our hearts and minds to the pursuit of God.