WHO IS GOD?
John 1:1-18
Intro: The age old debate rages today as to whether or not God really exists. There is much conflict in our nation over the fact the man Jesus Christ came and died for our sins. In today’s society many say there’s no God and they call themselves atheist. The Bible does not call themselves atheist but rather say this in Psalms 14:1 and 53:1 these people are fools. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God. They say God doesn’t exist but it bothers them awfully bad when people rise and say the “Pledge of Allegiance.” If there is no God why do they make such a squawk when a child wears a shirt to school proclaiming the name of Jesus? The truth is there is a God and they are bothered by the fact that people do believe it. But the question is this and the subject of my message; “WHO IS GOD?”
A lot of people have this image of God sitting somewhere in outer space on a giant throne somewhere looking over and ruling the world. Some think that God is a mythological person sitting in the clouds casting lightning bolts and weather phenomenons on the earth. But I want to examine the scriptures and see what the Blessed Book says about who God is.
I. THE PRE-EMINENCE OF GOD, THROUGH THE PERSON OF HIS SON
A. The word pre-eminence means superiority
B. (Hebrews 1:1) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets
C. (Hebrews 1:2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hat appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds
D. (Hebrews 1:3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
E. (Hebrews 1:4) Being so much better then the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they
F. (Colossians 1: 12) Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light
G. (Colossians 1:13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkeness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son
H. (Colossians 1:14) In whom we have redemption through his blood , even the forgiveness of sins
I. (Colossians 1:15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature
J. (Colossians 1:18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence
K. Whether people will let him or not He is pre-eminent over creation and the church. He is the superior being. The question we have to ask ourselves here is he pre-eminent in our life.
II. THE PERSON OF GOD
A. All through the Bible we find the person of God. He walked with Adam in the cool of the day. He sat and spoke with Abraham in Genesis 18:1. In the Gospel of John, he declares these truths
B. (John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God
C. Who is the Word? Look at verse 14 for your answer. (v 14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us ( and we beheld his glory, the glory os of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
D. (1 John 1:1) That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life:
E. (1 John 5:7) For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one
F. (Revelation 19:13) And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God
III. THE PRESENCE OF GOD
A. In the Old Testament you read how God would manifest himself in the form of the Shekinah glory of God. When the priest would go into the temple and the Lord visited the Ark of the Covenant over the mercy seat between the wings of the cherubim’s He came in the radiance of the Shekinah glory. His glory could be seen in I Kings 8:10 during the dedication of Solomon’s temple.
B. But there are some times I believe we could tap into that glory realm now and see the presence of God if we wanted to
C. God comes now in the form of the Holy Ghost and his inward touch is expressed in an outward manifestation
D. Shouting, crying, singing, praising, rejoicing, praying, repenting, running.
E. But when God’s presence comes and visits we need to open our hearts and receive it that way he can turn us inside out and usher the Shekinah in
F. The reason we are not experiencing the Shekinah glory is because we won’t accept the filling of the Holy Ghost
G. There has been times God has filled some of us up and we have quenched the Spirit and he has withdrawn and it has been months since he has come back by
H. Then we stand up and cry and lie and say we want to see God move. Let’s do this right now. Let him move in you and then he will move everywhere else.
I. Ask yourself this question, “How many services are you responsible for killing?”
IV. THE POWER OF GOD
A. (Romans 1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
B. Power of God is Given through the Gospel
C. (I Corinthians 1:18) For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God
D. Preaching of the Cross is the Power of God
E. (II Corinthians 6:4) But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses
F. (II Corinthians 6:7) By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left
G. Proof for the Preacher
V. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD
A. Whether you want to believe or not I believe in the divine providence of God
B. God’s ability to exercise care and superintendence over his people with foresight and timeliness
C. (Matthew 6:8) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before you ask him
D. I believe God knows the prayer request but he desires to hear and receive the petition
E. In the journals of time God knew there would be a Living Water Independent Church and he made provision for the church to be founded, established, and rooted.
F. He knows the things you will face in life
G. And he had already provided grace for those times if you will exercise your faith in him
