God Wants Closer

GOD WANTS CLOSER

Please open your Bibles to Genesis ch. 3, and you will need to keep your Bibles open for this sermon, for I will be referring to quite a number of Scriptures.

INTRODUCTION

We are just about 2 months into a new year. How many of you made New Year’s Resolutions this year? Anyone? Great! Perhaps I should ask: How many have already broken one of those resolutions?

I like to make New Year’s resolutions, because I think it gives us a target, something to work toward. I have a question for you: What if you could know what God’s resolution was for you? What if God dropped into your life around January or February a letter that let you know, "THIS is what I have in mind for you for 2003?"

Well, I believe we can actually find out what plans God has for us. I am here tonight to tell you what God wants for you in 2003. If he made a list of things he wanted you to accomplish, I can tell you what would be the number one item. But to discover that, we’ll need to spend some time looking in His Word.

This sermon will be a little different than some that you hear. I’m not going to take a specific text. Rather, I’m going to preach a sermon all the way through the Bible. That can be dangerous, but I think we’ll be OK if you follow along with me in your Bibles. Sometimes we get up close and examine one particular chapter and verse (and we need to do that), but tonight I want to stand back and look at the whole scope of Scripture, and try to point out a common thread that runs throughout.

1. Presence of God with Adam and Eve

Gen. 3:8 "8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day:…"

Wasn’t this an amazing time in history? What beautiful fellowship must have existed during these days! The way God speaks here, it seems that it must have been a habit for Adam, Eve and God to get together in the evenings and walk together in the garden.

But this day, something was wrong. You’ve probably read the story -- Adam and Eve had disobeyed God, and look at the last half of the verse: "and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden."

Fellowship with God was broken -- they were driven out of the beautiful garden, and ever since that time, humans have not been born in a right relationship with God. No one, from that time on has ever been born with that close fellowship to God.

But God isn’t satisfied with the way things are. God wanted closer!

2. Presence of God outside the camp -

Ex 13:21-22 "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and b night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."

Wow! God’s showing himself to people and leading them in a visible form.

But God’s still outside the camp.

But God isn’t satisfied with the way things are. God wants closer!

3. Presence of God on the mountain -

Ex. 19:10-12 "10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, 11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai. 12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:"

That must have been amazing -- to see the presence of God on that mountain speaking to Moses. But there were limitations. A border was set up around the bottom of the mountain, and even the priests of the people were not allowed to go up into the mountain. So the people are where they can see God -- one man, Moses, is allowed to approach God and speak with Him -- it’s certainly better than total separation…

But God isn’t satisfied with the way things are. God wants closer!

4. Presence of God within the Tabernacle -

Ex. 33:7 "And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp."