Getting To Know God - Part 1 Series

How To Get To Know God

Getting to know God series – 1

Series based on Exodus 20:1-11

Tom Bartlett, Celebration Church – April 8, 2007 - Easter

Exodus 20:1-3 (NIV) “And God spoke… "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me.”

WHO IS GOD?

God – Jehovah

Isaiah 40:25-28 (NLT) "To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?" asks the Holy One. Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out one after another, calling each by its name. And he counts them to see that none are lost or have strayed away. O Israel, how can you say the LORD does not see your troubles? How can you say God refuses to hear your case? Have you never heard or understood? Don’t you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.”

What sets God apart? (Attributes)

• Holiness

Isaiah 6:3 (NLT) (Angels) “In a great chorus they sang, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty! The whole earth is filled with his glory!"

• Faithfulness

2 Timothy 2:13 (NLT) “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.”

Lamentations 3:23 (NLT) “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.”

• Compassion

1 John 3:1 (NLT) “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children…”

Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV) “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

FOUR KEYS TO KNOWING GOD

Key #1 - Stop looking at God as if He’s like you.

Isaiah 40:25 (NLT) "To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?" asks the Holy One

Key #2 - Don’t reduce him to an idea that is controllable or measurable.

Isaiah 40:27-28 (NLT) “Don’t you know that the LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.”

Key #3 - Allow nothing to take His place in your life.

Exodus 20:2 "You shall have no other gods before me.”

Key #4 – Understand and accept what He’s already done for you.

Exodus 20:1 “…I am…God… brought you out of Egypt…out of slavery…”

• Delivers people from a place not meant for them

• Releases the captives

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

TO KNOW GOD PERSONALLY

Romans 10:9 (NLT) “For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

A – Accept what He’s already done for you

B – Believe and receive this free gift

C – Confess God as your number One

TEXT

How To Get To Know God

Getting to know God series – 1

Series based on Exodus 20:1-11

Tom Bartlett, Celebration Church

April 8, 2007 - Easter

For 430 years the Israelites were captives, slaves in Egypt. What started out as a good thing, a way to survive turned into a place of captivity.

Each day the Israelites were forced to serve the Egyptians. To care for their children to clean their homes, to gather grain and prepare food.

Where was God during this time? Had He not chose these people as His special people?

DOES GOD REALLY CARE ABOUT THE DAILY STRUGGLES WE HAVE? IS HE REALLY CONCERNED WITH OUR LIVES?

Eventually God brings out the people of Israel. He does so in spectacular fashion defeating not only Pharaoh’s plan but his whole army as well.

In doing so He declares many things about who He is, His power and authority and time table among other things.

When they’re finally delivered he takes them to a place to camp, Moses goes up the mountain to meet with God and God gives him the commandments.

Exodus 20:1-3 (NIV) “And God spoke… "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me.”

WHO IS GOD, WHAT IS HE LIKE? IS HE KNOWABLE, APPROACHABLE, TRUSTWORTHY, PERSONABLE?

VIDEO – What is God like? (Highway video 2 min)

The Bible teaches us that God the creator of all is named Jehovah – Yahweh as our Jewish brothers speak it.

The very name of God was given as a way to express who He is. The Jews didn’t write the name of God with vowels. It was spelled with just consonants.