Encountering God 17 The God Who Knows You
Overview – We have spent over 4 months looking at the subject of Encountering God. We have looked at it from the angle of worship encounters…which I believe has changed our worship experience of God. How do I know that?
Your Enthusiasm during worship: I can tell by the volume of praise and the applause to God that follows songs. Are you aware of what the word enthusiasm means? When you are, you will always want to have it and express it!
Enthusiasm comes from Greek enthousiasmos, which means to be inspired by God, from the word entheos, which means possessed by God.
Enthusiasm – possessed, inspired by God.
Your Position during worship: Many of you have moved forward, and filled in the seats so that you can be in the MIDDLE of worship instead of on the outskirts of it. Bill Hill tells me its the best thing he could have done for his worship experience.
Your Focus during worship: Your attention is on the Lord and not on me or the praise team, or the instrumentalists or even on Debbie. How do I know? I don’t see people with their arms crossed during worship. You all are “engaging” God in worship and not standing passively. Many of you are singing with your eyes closed.
What I believe is happening is that most of the people in this room on Sunday morning are intent on encountering God! Is that why you are here today?
DEFINITION OF ENCOUNTER – Webster’s dictionary defines encounter “To meet, often unexpectedly.”
At least from our perspective. God suddenly and often without warning breaks into our time and space and meets with us. He intrudes on our space, our comfort zone, the four walls of our box we live in…and He changes everything by His Presence. I believe that we are learning how to more fully encounter God, to meet with Him and how to best prepare our hearts for not just a Sunday encounter, but a daily encounter with Him as well.
Isn’t it interesting, though, how you will be going alone in your daily routine when suddenly and without warning God shows up.
You end up encountering God through situation where you meet a person in need or a crisis in which you must respond with the Love of God. Oftentimes, you don’t even realize you had an encounter with God until you look back and reflect upon the occurrence.
Jennifer shared with me that on Wednesday, two different people from her job walked into her office to talk and were in tears before they left. She got to minister in the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit to them. When God uses you…that’s an encounter with God!
We have just 2 weeks left in this series it is difficult to pick just two out of so many encounters with God that are recorded in the bible. This week we are going to look at the Prophet Jeremiah.
Many of you probably have at least casually read the book of Jeremiah, a prophetic book in the bible. I am willing to bet that few of you have ever done a serious study of it. As I began to study for this sermon, I realized just how little I really knew about Jeremiah and his relationship with God.
Jeremiah the prophet was the son of a godly man. His father was Hilkiah, the high priest mentioned in 2 Chron. 34:4 who ministered in the time of King Josiah.
For those of you who are not familiar with the historical scene, King Josiah was eight years old when he became king. The land had been decimated by idols, the temple was littered with debris and was run down and in poor repair. There had been wicked king after wicked king who had forsaken God. Then, Josiah, the young king, at the age of 16, most likely at the urging of his mentor, Hilkiah, the High Priest, ordered that the land be purged of idols.
A few years later, he also orders that repairs be made to the temple.
It was during these repairs that they found something very valuable. They found the “Book of the Law.” No one knew what this book was, they had neglected the Law of God and the writings of the Torah, the first 5 books of the bible to such a degree that there really was no one that had a working knowledge of it. It had not been seen or read in the lifetimes of most everyone in the temple service. So, recognizing this was a valuable book that represented God’s will for His people, they read it aloud to the king. Josiah, young as he was (probably a young teenager) was overwhelmed by what he learned about God and what God expected of His covenant people.
The king and his followers turned to God, repented of their sin and renewed the covenant with God. Folks this was a full-fledged revival. I urge you to read 2 Chronicles 34 to see just what an amazing event this was.
And it was into this revival that Jeremiah grew up. It was within this atmosphere of revival that Jeremiah’s faith was molded and his heart turned tender toward God. Jeremiah the prophet is the product of a revival.
Encounter with God: Jeremiah 1:1-3
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign (Josiah is 21, revival has been going on for 5 years so far). 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month. (that is over 40 years). 4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." 6 "Ah, Sovereign LORD ," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." 7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, ’I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD . 9 Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."
What does it mean that “the word of the Lord came” to him in verse 2?
This statement is found 255 times in the Old Testament alone.
From a prophetic standpoint, it means that God literally breathed His words into the prophet. The prophet was filled with the words. It takes on clarity in verse 9 of our passage, “9 Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth.”
The prophets of the Bible they were sometimes literally overcome by the Spirit of God who came upon that anointed person for their specific task or ministry.
Unlike us who enjoy the promise of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us at all times, the men and women of the Old Testament, were touched or imparted power for a short time or season. Christ had not yet come.
This were profound encounters with God.
Prophets of the Old Testament were unique men upon whom God would literally touch with His Spirit and they would be moved to speak.
Most of you probably would say, “well, what does that look like?”
My personal experience tells me that God spoke through an inner voice. I don’t think it sounded like dictation but rather a rising up, a welling up of words that expressed the very heart of God.
When I have observed believers with a prophetic gift, they don’t’ tell the future. They simply are overflowing with words that express the heart of God for His people. I believe that this is the way that God worked with the OT Prophets as well.
What did this encounter with God do? God revealed His purpose in Jeremiah. Jeremiah learned from this encounter with God that God had a plan for his life.
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations." 6 "Ah, Sovereign LORD ," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." 7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, ’I am only a child.’
God has created you for a specific purpose.
God had created Jeremiah for a specific purpose and plan. And now God was revealing that purpose for which he was created. In Jeremiah’s encounter with God, this very first encounter, that purpose is being unveiled.
St. Paul says of himself that God had separated him from his mother’s womb to be a Christian and an apostle, Galatians 1:15-16.
“But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles…”
Wow. The truth is, God knew you in the womb before you were formed, before you were born, He established a plan for you. He has a purpose for your life just as He does for Jeremiah.
That purpose may be unveiled as you serve and minister in this church. It may be unveiled in your workplace or in your family. But God has a plan and a purpose for your life.
If you don’t know it, then purpose in your heart to encounter God. That is the place where your purpose, God’s plan for your life will be revealed.
Don’t seek your purpose apart from God. Your purpose is wrapped up in God.
Benefits of knowing your purpose:
It gives meaning to your life. We spend our lives in desperation, looking for meaning. God gives our lives meaning because He alone knows and reveals our purpose. You need a relationship with God to be able to unveil your purpose.
“The greatest tragedy is not death, it is a life without purpose.”
If you want meaning, discover your purpose. Work at it. I recommend reading the “Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. If you’ve read it, I recommend re-reading it.
Too many Christians are wasting their lives by not living on purpose.
Are you wasting your life?
It simplifies your life. Your purpose defines what you do and don’t do. You can evaluate what you do by asking, “does what I am doing help me fulfill any of God’s purposes for my life?”
People who don’t know their purpose try to do too many things.
Living based on your purpose removes the waste from our lives.
It focuses your life. Without purpose, you will spin around changing direction, jobs and goals over and over again. You will be 70 and still be saying, “When I grow up, I’ll figure out what I will be.”
Focused light (laser) is so powerful it can cut through steel. A focused life is one that makes a difference.
It motivates your life. Purpose always produces passion. If your life is without passion, it is because you lack a clear purpose or you aren’t pursuing it.
When I speak with Roger, I pick up his passion for evangelism and for worship. He believes with every ounce of his being that he is called to be an evangelist and to use music as a tool. He is motivated to see that happen.
When I speak with Bill Hill about the Western Reserve Trailer Park, he overflows with passion for the lost and the children of the park. Why? Because he knows that he knows that he knows that he is called to make a difference there.
What motivates your life? What makes you get up in the morning?
It prepares you for eternity. When you lack purpose, you live for today and for what you can leave behind. When you have purpose, especially a heavenly purpose, you live for what and who you can send ahead.
Stop making excuses.
Jeremiah’s encounter with God led to him immediately making excuses. “I’m too young.”
Moses’ encounter led him to say, “I can’t speak.”
In once sense, reluctance is good, because it reflects a humble opinion of yourself.
On the other hand, once God has spoken to you, you cannot argue with HIS assessment of you.
If God says you are infinitely valuable and that He is going to use you in a powerful way in the lives of others, then why are you sitting there arguing with Him? Ask Him to show you what you need to do next! Consult with your godly leaders.
What excuses are you making concerning God’s purpose for your life?
I am excited, because we have people in our congregation actively pursuing purpose in their lives.
Jenny Sample went back to school to become a Physicians Assistant.
Lori Hedjuk has returned to school to become a RN.
Grace Dull is going to school to become a nurse as well.
My own wife, Jennifer is working on her Master’s degree so she can become a counselor. She may look young, but she got a late start.
These weren’t easy decisions. In fact, they were difficult, because the decisions are costly in the short run. Time with family, time for self, money for extras goes to pursuing the dream and the purpose for which God calls you.
What has God called you to?
We have heard several words over the past several years, that God is going to grow this church into a beacon of light for our community.
He is doing an amazing work in our congregation. He has transformed the way we relate and minister to one another. He has changed the way we worship.
In making us what He wants us to be, He has brought some of you into this church to become leaders, servants and anointed teachers and workers. God wants to unveil His purpose in you. Will you let Him? Will you say yes to Him? God won’t do this work without you.
Or will you say, “I’m too old” “I’m too young” “I’m divorced” or “I’m not married.”
Will you say, “I’m too busy, too tired, to stressed?” Maybe you are doing too much of the wrong things!
God has a purpose for you and He wants to see it come true. The bottom line is, “Are you willing to let Him use you?”
Folks, I need you to step up and offer your abilities, your calling, your talents and your gifting to make this church into what God has called it to become. It won’t do it without you!
God will equip you.
Jeremiah 1:7-10 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, ’I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD . 9 Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."
God will give you what you need to do what He calls you to do.
God literally placed His words in Jeremiah’s mouth.
He literally will place the ability to do what He calls you to do within you. If He calls you He will equip you…either through other leaders or through His Spirit or both.
If you are willing to let God use you to build His church, His beacon of light to our community, then I want to ask you to step forward.
In January we will be conducting our Discovering Hope class. It is an opportunity to find out how God might use you in our church’s dreams of transforming our community with the Love of Christ. Last week, Roger told me he and Theresa will be coming to it. He told me that he has never “joined” a church in his life, but he feels completely convinced that God is doing something so significant here that he needs to align his life and his family’s life to being a part of it. Won’t you do it as well?
