Where is God?

WHERE IS GOD?

Introduction: I still clearly remember several years ago kneeling beside the bed of our then three-year-old Tara and leading her into a sinner's prayer. She enthusiastically repeated after me the prayer of forgiveness and inviting Jesus to come into her heart and make her his child. I asked her afterward, Tara, where is Jesus? Without blinking an eye, she said, "Right here, pointing to her little heart." It is true when we ask Jesus to come into our hearts; He comes in.

            Two little boys were best friends at church, but they both had a reputation for getting into trouble. One Sunday, one of the boys was homesick, but the other boy, not wanting to let his friend down, was twice as bad as usual. As he was running through the sanctuary after church, the pastor grabbed him and sternly said, "Where's God?!"

            The little boy was frightened and didn't know what to say. The pastor continued, "I want you to go home and think about it, and I don't want you to come back until you can tell me where God is." The boy went home and called his sick friend on the telephone. "Guess what," he said. "They've lost God, and they're trying to blame that one on us, too."

            That is how children perceive. How do we understand the presence of God? We grown-ups and even seasoned Christians often wonder where God is, especially when we go through hard times. Some think God is uninvolved in my life so I can live my life the way I like it. And still, others believe they are smarter than God and try to run from Him. Can they run from God? Others deny the existence of God. In what category do you fit in today?

            This morning we will pick up our study on the attributes of God based on "Behold Your God," series. We will try to find out where God is and whether He has any physical address like us human beings do. What does the Bible mean when it says that God is near to us or that He is far from us? How are we to live our lives based on the answers we will discover today? The passage for our study is taken from Psalm 139:1-12: WHERE IS GOD?

            Let's draw from experts who tried to answer the question, where is God? A.W Tozer, "God dwells in His creation and is everywhere indivisibly present in all His works. He is transcendent above all His works even while He is immanent within them."

            John Arrowsmith, "A pagan philosopher once asked, "Where is God?" The Christian answered: "Let me first ask you, where is He not?" For those who think they can run away from God, here are the words of C.S. Lewis, "We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God." What is the basis of their understanding? I believe it is God's Word!

            What do the scriptures say about where God is? Before we look into the biblical view of God's omnipresence, let me clarify how Hindus and Buddhists view this vital doctrine of God. They believe in Pantheism, which is similar to polytheism (the belief in many gods) but goes beyond polytheism to teach that everything is God. A tree is God; a rock is God, an animal is God; the sky is God; the sun is God; you are God, etc.

            The Christian view of God's Omnipresence means God is present everywhere. There is no place in the universe where God is not present. The difference between Pantheism and the Christian view is that yes, God is everywhere, but He is not everything. Yes, God is "present" inside a tree and a person, but that does not make that tree or person God.[1]           It is good to be informed of what others believe, but we must hold on firmly to what we believe to be accurate from God's Word. What does the Bible say about God's Omnipresence?

I. GOD'S OMNIPRESENCE. (God is Everywhere): The book of Genesis opens up with these words, "In the beginning, God." God spoke, and everything came into existence. 

            God had no beginning, and He will have no end.  He always has, and He ever will exist from eternity to eternity. In John 1:1-3, we read, “In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him." According to these scriptures, God and Jesus are the same, and they have no beginning and no end.

            From Adam to the three Patriarchs: Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac were very aware of the fact that God is everywhere, as God has appeared to them on numerous occasions. We see God getting involved with and in the lives of people at crucial moments in the History of humankind.

            For instance: When Adam and Eve sinned against God, God has walked right where they were and confronted them of their sin and pronounced judgments on both of them, including the Devil, who deceived them, (Gen 3). When Cain killed his brother Abel, God rebuked Cain and punished him, (Gen 4). Later on, when the wickedness increased on the earth, God appeared to Noah and ordered him to build an Ark to preserve His creation, (Gen 7).

            After the flood, God appeared to Abraham and gave him a call to be a blessing to the nations. (Gen 12) From that point on until today, God has not stopped getting involved in the affairs of people. It is safe to say that God is present everywhere, even when we don't see Him, and He is deeply involved in providing for and sustaining humanity and all that He created.

            Psalm 104 and 105 talk about God's providential care over humankind and His creation. Psalm 104: 24, 27-30, "O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom, you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures…They all depend on you to give them food as they need it. When you supply it, they gather it.

            You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied. But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust. When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth.” Depending on God for His provision seems to be working for animals. God is the one who is sustaining them.

            What do you think would the same principle work for human beings as well? It would, and Psalm 105 is historical evidence of how God provided for His people and how he will continue to provide. I can testify to how my family and I have experienced God's providential care time and again. In Acts 17:28, we read, “For in him we live and move and exist."

            In other words, we cannot live without God. This realization of God is everywhere, and he alone is capable of sustaining all life, and He is in all places observing and governing, can either bring great rejoicing or dreadful fear, but this fact must not be ignored and forgotten.

            Yet some people think they can run from God thinking that they can manage their lives on their own better, but can they? Let's ask David, who perhaps entertained such thoughts and see what we can learn from his understanding of God's Omnipresence.

II. HIDING FROM GOD?

            In Vs1-6, we read about David's recognition of God's intimate knowledge of him. God knew everything about David; his every thought, word, action, and move. God was familiar with his travels and restful moments at home. There was nothing hidden from God, and all were exposed to God. Such knowledge was too incredible for David that he could not understand it.

            Then he makes this poetic confession: Vs. 7-12, "I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.

            I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness, I cannot hide from you. To you, the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.” The truth of these verses is you cannot simply hide from God. He is everywhere. He encompasses the heavens, the earth, and even underneath the ground.

            There is no such place as "No God Zone." Proverbs 15:3, "The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good." 2 Chro 16:9, "The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." How are we to live in the light of God is everywhere? When it comes to sin, we must have a fear of God. That God is observing us, and one day we have to give an account of all that we now do here on earth. On the other hand, we have absolutely nothing to be afraid of because He is watching over us. He will make all things to work together for our good.

III. WHERE IS GOD WHEN IT HURTS?

            As nothing escapes God's attention, so is our pain, sorrow, and suffering. When God saw the suffering and the ill-treatment of His people, He stepped in and delivered them of their misery. God is near to those who are hurting and broken-hearted. He is closer to you when you are afraid, feeling lonely and depressed. He will not abandon you in your misery.

            God sees what you are going through and feels your pain. He is there to comfort you and heal you and provide all of your needs. If you are wondering where God is when you need him the most, and you feel like you are all alone, listen to this poem of "Footprints in the Sand."

            “One night I dreamed a dream. I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord. When the last scene of my life shot before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life.

            This always bothered me, and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma. "Lord, you told me when I decided to follow You, you would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life, there is only one set of footprints. I just don't understand why, when I need You most, you leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

            This poem reminds us that our faith in God does not excuse us from experiencing hardship and sadness. The reality is that we all go through ups and downs in our lives. Sometimes God walks beside us, and other times He must carry us, and He will. Amen!

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[1] https://www.gotquestions.org/pantheism.html

Being Missional

BEING MISSIONAL

Introduction: Who are the people you are most comfortable with?   Where do you feel most at home?  What foods do you love the most? A few weeks ago, we talked about the calling of Abraham, the calling of Jesus and the calling of the disciples, and how that call now has been given to all the followers of Christ. Let’s talk about being missional about where and to who Jesus might be calling us to take his message of the gospel of good news? I Corinthians 9:19-23.

            What is involved in following the call of God? It requires hearing the call, a sense of being sent, and uncertainty and willingness to cross over, flexibility, focus, mission, and having a burden for lost souls — a bit of background of the city of Corinth.

I THE CITY OF CORINTH IN THE FIRST CENTURY.

            What do we know about the city of Corinth and the Church in Corinth? Corinth was a critical cosmopolitan Greek city located about fifty miles west of Athens. It was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. Corinth was on a major trade route and had a thriving economy. Greeks, Romans, Jews, and a mixed multitude of sailors and merchants flocked to this crossroads. By the end of the second century, Corinth had become one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Corinth was a sin city. Degradation, immorality, and pagan customs abounded. 

            There were many religions represented, even a temple with a thousand sacred prostitutes, and pleasure was worshipped more than principles. Yet God in His mercy had a plan and purpose for Corinth. What do we have in common with the city of Corinth?

             Like Corinth, our cities are infested with Sin. Immorality is rampant. People worship sports stars and celebrities than worshipping the true and living God. Some don’t even believe in God and follow their own devices. Our town Sharon, in particular, has some similarities; we have a substantial Jewish population as well as people from other faiths and diverse cultures.

            Coming back to our text, what was the purpose of God in sending the Apostle Paul to the city of Corinth? So that he might establish a Church. In Acts 18:4, we read, “Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.” Paul stayed in Corinth for eighteen months and established a church. After a while, the church in Corinth ran into some problems such as divisions, gross immorality, lawsuits, and marriage problems.

            There was also confusion about certain rituals of worship and food offered to the idols. All these and many other issues prompted Paul to write two letters to the Church in Corinth. God sent the Apostle Paul to Corinth to plant a church among a sizeable Jewish population; similarly, part of Hope Church’s calling is to reach out to the Jews in Sharon. What are we doing about it?

            In the first letter, Paul was seeking to build and strengthen the church in an unbelieving, idolatrous, and ungodly society.  He reminded them of their position in Christ. I Cor 1:2, “I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.”

            He was talking to these believers about a whole new way of living that is not about who is the smartest, the strongest, or the most influential. In the passage we read, Paul was reminding the Corinthian believers of their missional calling. To motivate them to reach out to others who were different than them, he used himself as an example. The Apostle Paul’s missional approach holds insights for our approach to the members of other faiths and cultural communities.

II THINKING MISSIONAL

            Some of you may have your concerns and reservations when we encourage you to attend events where we interact with people of other faiths such as Muslims or Hindus.  You may be wondering these people are killing Christians back in their home countries,

            how can I possibly love them? To find some answers, let’s seek some wisdom from the Apostle Paul. Before we address what it means to be missional, let’s talk about what God’s Mission is on the earth. God’s mission is the redemption of humanity even before Adam’s fall.

            John 3:16, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” “Being missional is engaging in the mission of God as the primary concern and overriding objective. People sometimes compare the relationship between church and mission to the relation between fire and burning. One does not truly exist without the other.”[1] How could we cultivate Missional thinking?

            The first thing we have to do in developing missional thinking is to learn to give up our rights. Phil 2:6-8, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”

             For Americans, when so much of our life revolves around our civil liberties, perhaps this is one of the hardest things to do. Yet God is asking us to relinquish our rights, even our right of being right for the sake of being right. I Cor 9:19, “Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.”

            Elsewhere Paul challenges the believers to imitate him as He imitated Christ. If Jesus and the apostle Paul were willing to give up their rights, are we higher than them that we just can’t let go of our rights so that many people will come to know Jesus? Secondly, we need to learn to identify with people whom we are trying to reach. Paul identified with both law observant and not observant Jews, and even to Gentiles without compromising his faith. 

            Vs. 20-21, “I have become all things to all man so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel.” Here is a real-life story of a young man who identified with the youth of Amsterdam. David, a young American missionary in the 80’ had little success in his efforts to reach the teenagers of Amsterdam until he found the courage to adopt their form of dress and hairstyle a Mohawk.

            As David and his teammates identified with the street kids and the punks, they began to respond. Many showed a deep desire for truth, and some became Christians. David risked criticism from other Christians to communicate the gospel more effectively in the street culture. David was willing to enter their world rather than expecting them to enter his. How far are you ready to go to identify with a particular group so that they can receive the gospel?

            It is most comfortable for us to interact and spend time with people who look like us think and talk like us and have a similar lifestyle. But being missional is more than that; it is connecting with others who may not necessarily share our customs and values and share with them the love of Christ through patience and our exemplary lifestyle.

            That was what Jesus, Paul, the disciples, and the other earlier missionaries did, and even today, some are doing the same. We try to identify with people so that somehow, we may win some for Christ. The BIG take away from these verses is that we are not meant to merely relate as believers among each other in our church and shun those who are outside of our faith.

            These verses call for us to make every effort to build and maintain relationships and make the most of every opportunity. Thirdly, we cultivate missional thinking by seeking to find common ground with everyone, as the Apostle Paul did. Vs. 22-23, “When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ.

            Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.” When we meet someone for the first time, our goal should not be to give them the gospel but to develop friendship by finding common ground. Find out their interests and build a conversation around it, as Jesus did with the Samaritan woman at the well. (John 4:1-42). If there is an opening, then share the gospel.

III. BEING MISSIONAL

            We must realize that every Christian in the Church is called to be involved in the mission of God; it is not just the job of the pastor and the elders but it is our job together. From time to time, we need to be reminded of how God has saved us from the pit of darkness and for what purpose He kept us alive. 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, and God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”

            Being Missional is showing the goodness of God to the people around us. How do we do it? God’s goodness can be seen in a nurse who is kind despite the workload. It is seen in the patience of a middle school teacher. It is seen in the integrity and honesty of a businessman. It is seen in the caring love and concern of a police officer. God’s courage and protection are seen when a firefighter dares to rescue people from a burning house.

            God’s compassion flows when we reach out to people in need beyond the call of duty. God’s father heart is expressed through the time and attention a parent gives to a child. God’s love is manifested when a husband and wife love each other. God is pleased when we are kind to strangers and accept them for who they are as they, too, are made in God’s image. By these and a myriad of other ways, we can remain missional. After hearing this message, I hope we will try to become “all things to all people so that by all means, we might save some.” Amen!

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[1] Les Welk, Think Missional: Becoming the people God intended. Page 3

One Boday Many Parts

ONE BODY MANY PARTS

Introduction: At a meeting of the American Psychological Association, Jack Lipton, a psychologist at Union College, and R. Scott Builione, a graduate student at Columbia University, presented their findings on how members of the various sections of 11 major symphony orchestra perceived each other. The percussionists were viewed as insensitive, unintelligent, and hard-of-hearing, yet fun-loving. String players were seen as arrogant, stuffy, and unathletic.

            The orchestra members overwhelmingly chose "loud" as the primary adjective to describe the brass players. Woodwind players seemed to be held in the highest esteem, described as quiet and meticulous, though a bit egotistical. With such widely divergent personalities and perceptions, how could an orchestra ever come together to make such beautiful music?

                In March of 1981, President Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr., and was hospitalized for several weeks. Although Reagan was the nation's chief executive, his hospitalization had little impact on the nation's activity. The government continued. On the other hand, suppose the garbage collectors in this country went on strike, as they did in July 1986 in Philadelphia. That city was not only in a literal mess; the pile of decaying trash quickly became a health hazard.

            A three-week nationwide strike would paralyze the country. Who is more important--the President or a garbage collector? We can learn a couple of lessons from these two illustrations. In an orchestra, it doesn’t matter which instrument you may play unless you come under the direction of the conductor, you cannot produce soul-stirring music.

            In the second illustration, in an organization, though, we need a leader at the top, but so the insignificant persons who play an essential role in keeping the organization healthy and functioning. Today we will look at how Jesus connects with His Church, also known as the body of Christ, and what our role would be as individual members in His body. We will find some answers in the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Church in Corinth. I Corinthians 12:12-27

I ONE BODY MANY PARTS

            Vs. 12-13 “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So, it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.” In the N.T, among several metaphors used to describe the Church, such as the temple, bride, family, the metaphor of the human body comes closer to home.

            The same governing principles of functioning and wellbeing apply both to the human body and the body of Christ. Here are some of these principles: one body many parts. The church is made up of a wide range of people, from various socio-ethnic, gender, economic, age, education, language, and cultural backgrounds. It is the Holy Spirit that brought them together.

            The parts of the body are interconnected and joined together to the head. The members of the church are mutually dependent and interconnected to the head of the Church, our Lord Jesus Himself. As the head directs the body, our Lord Jesus Christ leads the church. The overall health and effectiveness of the body depend on the health of its parts. Same works for the Church.

            Every part of the human body, however small or insignificant it maybe is essential as it contributes to the health of the body. Similarly, in the Church, no one is unimportant, every member is necessary for its mission to be successful. In Vs. 14-17, Paul emphasizes the fact that each part of the body is unique and significant, and they need the help of the other members, not only for their survival but of the whole body.

           

            For example, can the foot afford to say to the eye, I don’t need you? Or can the mouth afford to say to the nose I don’t need you? Try walking without the help of your eye or try eating your food without the help of your nose? Our bodies will be dysfunctional, and our life will be miserable. God knows the function of each part, and he placed them accordingly in our bodies.

            Vs. 18-21, “But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” Similarly, we can not afford to say to others we don’t need you.

            In verses,  23-25 the Apostle Paul reminds us how indispensable the weaker and vulnerable members are and the responsibility of the stronger members to take care of them. There is another crucial factor Paul brings out concerning the members in the body of Christ is that we are to take care of those who are particularly suffering and hurting.

            Vs. 26, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.” We all might have experienced this scripture at one point or the other. A few years ago, I struggled with “Gout.” The gout flares were painful. It often used to start with one of the big toes, but it impacted my whole body, and my entire family was affected by it.

            Similarly, if one member of our Hope Church is sick and hurting, it affects the whole Church. For that very reason, we at Hope Church are in the process of putting together a “Mercy Ministry Team” to be able to come alongside and support of those who might be suffering.

            I could go on comparing the similarities, but you get the point. If I were to ask you which part in the human body is essential for its survival, what would you say? The head! Right? Without the conductor, the orchestra can not produce beautiful music; without the head, the body will die sooner than later. Similarly, the body of Christ needs the head, that is the Lord Jesus Christ himself. For the next few minutes, let us talk about how Jesus is committed to His Church.

II. CHRIST’S COMMITMENT TO HIS CHURCH.

            Several scriptures talk about the fact that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. The Church, the body of Christ, belongs to Christ because He has purchased it with His blood.

            Acts 20:28, “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.” According to this scripture to who does Hope Church belong? It belongs to Christ. I, as your pastor and the elders of Hope Church, are not the owners but only stewards to guard, feed, and shepherd the members that God has entrusted to us.

            Since Hope Church belongs to Christ, who is ultimately responsible for its survival and effectiveness? It is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. How is Jesus committed to His Church in general and Hope Church as his representation in the Sharon community? Revelation 1:5, “All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.”

            Romans 5:8, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. His commitment to us is that He loves us and frees us from our sins. Since Jesus Christ is the head of the Hope Church, we worship Him and try to honor Him in all that we say and do. Christ holds everything and everyone together so that His Church will continue to grow. Colossians 2:19b, “He holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.” What is the member's commitment to Christ and to one another?

III. MEMBERS COMMITMENT TO CHRIST AND TO ONE ANOTHER.

            As we learned in the beginning that it is the Holy Spirit, who places each member as He sees fit in the body of Christ. Once we become the members of Christ’s body, we have a duel commitment to Christ and to one another. John 15:4-5, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.            For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” We need to be connected to Christ for our personal spiritual growth. Apart from Jesus, we can not do anything.

            What makes a Church to grow and be fruitful? It is the partnership between Christ and His followers. Ephesians 4:16, “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Though it is the Christ, who keeps His body together, each member of the body has a crucial role to play for its body to grow and remain healthy.

            Let us apply this to Hope Church. God has brought us from different places, walks of life into this body of believers called Hope Church.  Here we are His witnesses and representing Christ in our community. Every member here is essential and their contribution is vitally valid.

            Christ has assigned a particular task to individuals and equipped them with a specific skill or talent to do that task. As is each of the members do their God-given work in the Church, it helps other members to grow and become mature so that the whole Hope Church will be healthy and growing in Christ’s love. The growth of Hope Church depends on Christ and each of us.

            How can we practically contribute to the growth of the members of Hope Church? The scriptures give us several pointers; I call them the “one another verses.” Consider the following: “Be at peace with each other” (Mk 9:50). “Love each other with genuine affection.” (Romans 12:10) “Take delight in honoring each other.” (Romans 12:10) Accept one another as Christ has accepted you.” (Romans 15:7). Serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13).

             I already see a number of us faithfully following these, “One another Scriptures.” I would invite those who are not actively acting upon these scriptural commands to consider today to follow them, not only for their spiritual health but the overall health of Hope Church. I encourage all of us to read, meditate and, more so, apply these “one another scriptures.” My prayer is that we will follow these scriptural commands, so that we might grow and become all that God wants us to be both at a personal level and as a Church. Amen!