Intro. To Experiencing God

Jesus Example

John 5:17–20 NKJV

17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.” 18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

1. Who is always at work?

The Father a John 5:17

John 5:17 NKJV

17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

2. How much can the Son do by Himself?

Nothing.

John 5:19 (NKJV)

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

What does the Son do?

What He sees the Father do.

John 5:19 (NKJV)

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

Why does the Father show the Son what He is doing?

Because He loves the Son.

John 5:20 (NKJV)

20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

This is one of the clearest statements of how Jesus Knew what to do. Here is an outline of Jesus’ approach to knowing and doing God’s Will:

The Father has been working right up until now.

Now God has me working.

I do nothing on my own initiative.

I watch to see what the Father is doing.

The Father loves me.

He shows me everything He is doing.

Seven Realities

God is always at work around you.

God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.

God invites you to become involved with Him in His work.

God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purpose, and His ways.

God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.

You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.

You come to know God by experience as you obey Him, and He accomplishes His work through you.

How do we come to know God by experience?

Genesis 22:1–18 NKJV

1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” 6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. 7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. 9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” 15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Here we see Abraham clearly experienced God, for Abraham before this point he had already experienced God.

God told him to leave his country and his family and go to a place God would show him. Abraham trusted and obeyed.

God made a covenant with Abraham to make of him a great nation thou he had no child. Abraham trusted and God provided.

Here we see God asking Abraham to Sacrifice his son the one that God told him He would make a nation of. Abraham trusted God knew best and God provided.

Abraham had experienced God time and time again and each time God proved Himself trust worthy. So when God ask Abraham to do such an outrageous thing Abraham trusted God would provide for Himself a lamb. We know that has foreshadowing of the Son of God to come but Abraham trusted God would provide and if Abraham had to sacrifice Isaac that God would raise him from the dead.

Hebrews 11:17–19 NKJV

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Experiencing God Overview

Over the next ruffly 12 weeks we will be looking at

God’s Will and Your Life

Looking to God

God Pursues a Love Relationship

Love and God’s Invitation

God Speaks, Part 1

God Speaks, Part 2

The Crisis of Belief

Adjusting Your Life to God

Experiencing God Through Obedience

God’s Will and the Church

Kingdom People

Experiencing God in Your Daily Life

If you would like the full effect of the study you can pick up a Workbook from www.lifeway.com It is called Experiencing God - Bible Study Book with Video Access it cost $21.99

Their is a daily Bible Study that will go with each lesson. (5 studies a week)

Each week we will have a memory verse and a time of discussion and teaching that will go along with the Weekly Bible Studies.

Then we will have a 15 - 20 minute video that goes with what we are learning and a closing discussion.