Summer 2004
Dakota Community Church
Five Questions From The Mouth Of God
Have you ever wanted to ask God a question face to face?
- Why did this happen?
- Where did I go wrong?
- What are next weeks’ 649 winning numbers?
- What am I here for?
I had a friend once who was hardened toward the gospel and only wanted to ask God why He had allowed his little brother to drown.
In the prison ministry many guys express that kind of sentiment as the reason they will not accept Christ. Hard lives and unfair circumstances have left them wanting to put God on the witness stand.
Tonight I want to turn the tables on that line of thought with:
Five Questions From The Mouth Of God
1. “Where are you?”
Genesis 3: 8-12
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"
10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
11 And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"
12 The man said, "The woman you put here with me-she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."
a.) God knows where Adam is.
He asks us questions that he already knows the answer to because we need to know the answer!
Illustration:
When I was about ten years old I was visiting my grandparents here in Winnipeg and my Poppa took me to the zoo. In those days there was a fountain just inside the gates of the petting zoo area and it was filled with coins. I reached in there and grabbed enough money to later buy myself an ice cream cone. First my Poppa asked me, “What are you doing?” My arm was in up to the shoulder.
Then later he asked me, “Where did you get the money for that ice cream?”
I lied in answer to both questions but only years later did I realize he had known the answer to both at the time was disappointed in my behavior and answers that day.
When God asks you a question you can be sure he knows the answer and that the only thing to do is tell the truth and take the steps of action He wants you to take.
b.) Fear has invaded Adams relationship with God.
Is God asking you questions that you are afraid to answer?
Are you avoiding spending time in fellowship with Him because you don’t want to hear His questions?
- “Why have you been treating your wife that way?”
- “Why are you going to the bottle instead of coming to Me?”
- “Why do you trust Me with your soul but not with your money?”
c.) You never really fail until you blame somebody else.
Adam answers the question all-wrong. “Lord, it’s that woman you gave me, She’s to blame for all of this.”
- Who is to blame for the mess you are in? (The correct answer is “I am.”)
- Adam was given authority over everything on this planet including the snakes.
- I wonder what would have happened if Adam had confessed and repented on the spot?
2. “Where is your brother?”
Genesis 4:8-10
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let’s go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"
"I don’t know," he replied. "Am I my brother’s keeper?"
10 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.
- God is concerned with the way you are treating your brother.
- Who do you minister to?
- Are you the end of the line? Are you the cork in the bottle? Are you the dam that stops the flow of ministry?
God wants you to know that He hears the cry of the one you are hurting and holds you responsible for your actions. Chew on that!
The answer to: “Am I my brothers keeper?” Is often – Yes!
3. “Why did you doubt?”
Matthew 14: 25-33
25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It’s a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. don’t be afraid."
28"Lord, if it’s you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29"Come," he said.
30Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said,
"Why did you doubt?"
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
God will ask you this question every time you start sinking because you look at irrelevant circumstances.
Peter sank because he saw the wind. Have you ever seen the wind?
- That has never been done before.
- The economy is making it impossible to succeed.
- The doctor says there is no hope.
Illustration:
I had been in full time ministry for eight years when I felt God calling me to come to Winnipeg and do a church plant. For a long time my family and my brother and his wife were the only congregation I had. We met in my basement. I worked a number of secular jobs to pay the bills while putting my heart into getting this going.
About three years into it the plant where I was employed shut down for health violations. (It was a hog processing plant and every day I thought about the prodigal son and where I could have missed God. I wanted to let the pigs go and slaughter my co-workers)
At that time I felt the Lord was leading me not to look for another job but to trust Him and go all out with the church. This was not a logical thing to do, we were way to small and there was nowhere near the money to pay me a survival wage.
About two months into it the bills were piling up. (Getting paid but never on time.) I went job hunting and found one right away. This was a good job! The boss/owner was a Christian and the job involved working a printing press, which I figured I could eventually tap for flyers, bulletins and the like. After two weeks payday came but the boss forgot his checkbook at home and would have to catch me next week. I figured it’s all right He is a Christian I’ll get my pay.
To my shame I continued to believe this brothers excuses for six more weeks always thinking there was no way he would not pay me. Finally he confessed he had borrowed money from a number of people at his church and he was declaring bankruptcy.
I was livid! I drove by his house and honestly thought about stealing his barbeque.
Finally I had to give it to the Lord and forgive him.
“Lord,” I said, “why did this happen?”
“Danny,” He replied, “Why did you doubt?”
I saw the wind.
4. “You do not want to leave too, do you?”
John 6:60-69
60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"
61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."
66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.
68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
a.) Jesus never takes away our freedom. You are even free to walk away.
b.) Do you ever wish you could go back to the life you had before you new the truth?
Like the children of Israel have you romanticized your slavery in Egypt? You cannot un-know the truth.
c.) Where would you go, since Jesus has the words of life?
Do not stay in limbo! Move forward!
5. “Could you not watch for one hour?”
Mark 14: 32-42
32They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." 33He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34"My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death," he said to them. "Stay here and keep watch."
35Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. 36"Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will."
37Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
39Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. 40When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41Returning the third time, he said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
What is your answer to this question?
What is holding you back?
What is more important than your relationship with God?
