SEPARATED FROM GOD
ISAIAH 59:1-2
INTRODUCTION: Life is filled with a great many problems. Often when these problems seemingly become overbearing we hear the question asked, “Where is God?” The truth is that this question points at the very heart of man’s greatest problem – separation from God. God loves you and created you to know Him personally. But because man is separated from God, he does not experience the abundant life found in having a personal relationship with God. Most go through life without ever understanding what this God-shaped vacuum is and what the remedy is.
I. Man was Designed and Created for Fellowship
A. Man was originally created to commune with, to love and adore God, and to have God love him.
B. The purpose of our existence is to praise, worship and commune with God.
C. Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV) Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
D. Man was originally created perfect, and was placed in the perfect place, Eden, where Adam and Eve could enjoy daily fellowship with their Creator.
E. God and man were in perfect harmony and enjoyed a close relationship with each other.
II. Man is Separated and Estranged from God
A. Ephesians 4:18 tells us that all men are “alienated from the life of God.”
B. Through Adam all men have been separated from God. There is a wall of partition that keeps man from seeing, knowing, understanding, and fellowshipping with God.
C. While man was created to have fellowship with God; because of his own stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way and fellowship with God was broken.
D. Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”
E. Genesis 2:16-17 the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
F. Death is separation. The very moment Adam and Eve chose to disobey God they experienced the reality of death.
1. They experienced the separation or DEATH OF INNOCENCE AND INTIMACY – Genesis 3:7 “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.”
2. They began to experience PHYSICAL DEATH – the separation of life from the body. The moment Adam and Eve chose to do their own thing their bodies began the irreversible process of ageing, the movement towards physical decay and the eventual separation of the soul from the body. – Isaiah 64:6 “We all fade as a leaf.”
3. They experienced SPIRITUAL DEATH. The ability of humanity to enjoy the fellowship of God was shattered forever, and would – unless some miracle could occur – result in eternal separation in an eternal fiery punishment of hell. – Matthew 25:41 describes it as separation into “everlasting fire”.
- Romans 5:12 …as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin
G. Man’s separation from God is caused by Sin; your separation from God is caused by sin.
H. Isaiah 59:1-2 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
I. Romans 3:23 “… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
J. Center of Sin is Self. Some wrote, "Sin is self-centeredness. Sin is living as though I am the center of the world I see."
K. Sin’s originated with “I” problem – Isaiah 14:13-14 For you have said in your heart: ’I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
L. Man is sinful and separated from God, and cannot know Him personally or experience His love. A wall of partition has been erected by your sin.
M. When you stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon you can hardly believe the view in front of you: a vast chasm one mile down, from four to eighteen miles across, and more than 200 miles long! People at the bottom look like ants. When you stand at the rim, helicopter, airplanes, even jets fly a thousand or more feet below you. Sin produces a chasm between God and man that is deeper and winder than the Grand Canyon -- a chasm so great that no mere man can possibly bridge it to re-establish contact with God.
III. Man can be Reconciled with and Restored to God
A. Nothing man can do can bridge the gap that exists between man and God.
B. There is a story that a man dies and goes to heaven and Peter meets him at the pearly gates. Peter says, "Here’s how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you’ve done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in." "Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart." "That’s wonderful," says Peter, "that’s worth three points!" "Three points?" he says. "Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service." "Terrific!" says Peter, "that’s certainly worth a point." "One point? Wow. How about this: I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans." "Fantastic, that’s good for two more points," he says. "TWO POINTS!!" the man cries, "At this rate the only way I get into heaven is by the grace of God!" "That’s right! Now you have got it!" says Peter.
C. What is impossible with man is possible with God. God has bridged the gap dividing man and God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
D. Romans 5:6, 8, 11 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly... God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us... And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
E. Years ago in a Western city, a husband and wife became estranged and finally separated. They left the city and resided in different parts of the country. The husband, one day, chanced to return to this city on a matter of business. He went out to the cemetery to the grave of their only son. He was standing by the grave in fond reminiscence, when he heard a step behind him. Turning, he saw his estranged wife. The first inclination of both was to turn away. But they had a common binding interest in that grave; and instead of turning away they clasped hands over that grave of their son and were reconciled one to another. It took nothing less than death to reconcile them! It took nothing less than death, the precious blood of Christ, to reconcile man to God. The pronouncement, the proclamation of that, is the gospel message. --McCartney
F. Ephesians 2:13- 14 “…in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of (partition) separation.”
G. How to be reconciled with God
1. RECOGNIZE the cause of your separation from God is your sin. – Isaiah 59:2 … your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
2. REPENT of your sin – Psalm 66:18 If I regard (approve of, allow) iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
3. RECEIVE the gift of eternal life and God’s cleansing from sin by placing your faith and trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. – Romans 10:9-10 if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
H. As our separation began with disobedience so our reconciliation is result of our obedience in receiving the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the free gift of God’s amazing grace.
I. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Conclusion: You were designed and created for fellowship with God. But you have, both by inheriting Adam’s sinful nature and your own sin, been separated from God. This separation ultimately leads to being lost in the eternal fire of hell. But God sent His Son to restore that fellowship by dying on the cross for you, if you will only come to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Will you come today?
