All-Present Series

THE PASTOR’S POINTS

sermon ministry of

CEDAR LODGE BAPTIST CHURCH

Thomasville, NC

A fellowship of faith, family and friendships.

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March 23, 2003

We have been studying the "omni" words that apply to God. This morning we come to omnipresence. I looked the word up in the Holman Bible Dictionary. If you’re familiar with using dictionaries, you will appreciate what I found for the definition of "omnipresence". It simply said, see God. A further click of the mouse and I found this paragraph:

God is present in His world in a unique manner. He is never separated from any part of His creation. As spirit, God has the perfect capability of being present everywhere in the world at once. (1)

As proof of God’s omnipresence I offer to you a little-known incident in the life of one Edward Hinkle. Although this took place in private, it was seen by the ever-present eye of God and recorded in heaven above.

It seems, as a young boy Eddie checked out the Baptist churches and was impressed especially when he saw for the first time a baptism by immersion. He was greatly interested in it, and the next morning proceeded to baptize the family’s three cats in the bathtub.

The kitten bore it very well, and so did the young cat, but the old family cat rebelled. It struggled with him, clawed and tore him, and got away. With considerable effort he caught it again and proceeded with the ceremony. But she acted worse than ever, clawed at him, spit, and scratched his hands and face. Finally, after barely getting her splattered with water, he dropped her on the floor in disgust and said: "Fine, be a Methodist." So began the lifelong love affair of Mr. Hinkle and felines everywhere.(2)

The 139th Psalm is not like baptizing a cat. It is much easier (and relevant) for the human being to understand and with which we can identify. In fact, I believe it is the model for understanding the entire purpose of the Bible. That purpose is expressed this way:

All the Bible is an invitation to read of God, realize God’s love and free offer of grace

receive God’s gift of salvation, and rely on God every day.

These four words form the structure of our message today on the All-Present God.

Invitation to Read of God

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

You understand my thought from afar.

You scrutinize my path and my lying down,

And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.

Even before there is a word on my tongue,

Behold, O LORD, You know it all.

You have enclosed me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the dawn,

If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

Even there Your hand will lead me,

And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,

And the light around me will be night,"

Even the darkness is not dark to You,

And the night is as bright as the day.

Darkness and light are alike to You.

Psalms 139.1-12

Intimate Knowledge

God has such an intimate knowledge of us. He searches and knows us. To search literally means penetrate. God pierces right through our facades. To know carries the idea of intimate understanding. The bottom line is that God has more than substantial knowledge of each human being - He has total knowledge of who we are, what we’ve done, how we operate - even our deepest seemingly hidden motives are known by our all-knowing God.

Infinite Knowledge

God is totally unlimited in all knowledge, known and unknown to man. There is nothing that surprises God.

Inescapable Knowledge

Jonah tried to escape from God’s presence. His submarine ride convinced him it was not a good idea. In the New Testament we find the final judgment of God includes this all-seeing God as the angels carry-out His orders:

15And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the

chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid

themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16And said to the

mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on

the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17For the great day of his wrath is