What God Is Like
Commentary
The Bible has God as its single subject. On every page, no matter what the story or who the characters, there is always the understanding that the chief character, whether on stage or off, is God.
He comes to accost Adam and Eve in the garden, to prepare Noah, to call Abraham, to commission Moses, to raise up judges, to choose kings, to speak through prophets, to send his emissaries.
And notice:
There is never a description of God. Never are we told anything about his appearance. We haven't the slightest idea of what he looked like, or, contrary to Hollywood's deep-booming echo, what he sounded like.
All we know about God is what he does: accosts, prepares, calls, commissions, chooses, speaks, etc.
Therefore, if you mean to tell about God, you have to tell what he does.
Surely all this has to do with the commandment against images. Never is God to be seen in our image or any other. God is not made; he makes. God is not given from; he gives.
In all this, we are protected from imagining God to be like us (in our image), or less than ourselves. Thus his sovereignty and freedom are protected, even from our imaginings.
We know him not because we can see him or touch him or even hear him.
We know him by what he does. Easter tells us most about who and what he is, because here all see his greatest act in the resurrection and in the salvation and assurances that are now ours.
OUTLINE I
Jesus, King of Our Lives
Acts 13:15-33
Introduction: This long historical resume is meant to lead to a quotation from Psalm 2, which is one of the royal psalms. In Israel, when someone was chosen to be king, they were considered to become a "son of God" at their coronation. This royal psalm, therefore, is associated with such a coronation. The same idea can be found in Isaiah 9:6. Although we (mis)use it as a reference to the birth of Jesus, the truth is that it refers to a coming "grown-up" king.
A. In the book of Acts, Jesus is seen as having been exalted as the Son of God at his resurrection. Refer to Acts 2:32, 33. The implication would be clear to a Jew. Jesus is made King, Ruler, Lord of our lives. Little wonder Paul can speak of us as slaves. Our lives are in his hands. God intends for him to rule over us.
B. But kings have other functions than to command obedience. They are also given responsibility for those under their rule. The well-being, peace, and good life of those in the kingdom are on his agenda. Therefore, we discover, throughout the New Testament, assurances of his care and watch over us.
C. Kings are charged with more than the physical care of their charges. They are also called to defend and protect their subjects. Little wonder that the New Testament sees Jesus as our advocate, as a constant presence to guide, direct, and enlighten. Both Paul and the writer of the Gospel of John (see chapter fifteen and sixteen) share this insight.
Conclusion: Quote the hymn, "Truehearted, Whole-hearted," to drive home these insights:
True-hearted, whole-hearted, faithful and loyal,
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be;
Under the standard exalted and royal,
Strong in Thy strength we will battle for Thee.
Peal out the watch-word! Silence it never!
Song of our spirits, rejoicing and free;
Peal out the watch-word! Loyal forever,
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be.
True-hearted, whole hearted, fullest allegiance
Yielding henceforth to our glorious King;
Valiant endeavor and loving obedience,
Freely and joyously now would we bring.
Peal out the watch-word! Silence it never!
Song of our spirits, rejoicing and free;
Peal out the watch-word! Loyal forever,
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be.
True-hearted, whole-hearted, Savior all-glorious!
Take Thy great power and reign there alone,
Over our wills and affections victorious,
Freely surrendered and wholly Thine own.
Peal out the watch-word! Silence it never!
Song of our spirits, rejoicing and free;
Peal out the watch-word! Loyal forever,
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be.
OUTLINE II
The Shepherd Messiah
John 10:22-30
Introduction: Do some work on the role of the shepherd as one who leads the sheep, feeds them, protects them, and may, indeed, lay down his life for them. It will be helpful to turn to Psalm 23 and use it as background material. Surely Jesus knew it well and may have had it in mind when he spoke these words.
A. If You Are The Christ. Note it is clear they have something different in mind. How could this plain carpenter from Nazareth ever be thought of as the wonderful, powerful, princely, military leader they had in mind? How would this traveling preacher ever raise an army sufficient to restore Israel's glory? Little wonder he told them they'd never believe him. They couldn't imagine him to be their dreamed-of Messiah.
B. The Shepherd Messiah. No self-respecting religious Jew ever thought of a shepherd as religious, much less a symbol of religion. They worked on the Sabbath, kept none of the rituals, and could never really be clean. Yet Jesus identifies his messianic role with the shepherd role. The shepherd is a servant of the sheep and he is the protector of the sheep. Pursue the comparison further and use Psalm 23 again to illustrate.
Conclusion: Point out that the sheep know the shepherd. Note that, until we are willing to trust him as the sheep does the shepherd, to follow, to depend on him, we will never see him as our shepherd. When we do, we will begin to understand his concept of being Christ --or the Messiah.
OUTLINE III
God's Lamb
Revelation 7:9-17
Introduction:Do some work on the lamb figure as it keeps cropping up in both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament.
Check out Exodus 12, Isaiah 53, John 1, etc.
A. The Enthroned Lamb. Here is the epitome of symbolizing sacrifice as the central motif of the salvation story of the New Testament. Here we see straight into the heart of God and learn it is God himself who suffers the ultimate denial in order to save us.
B. The Blood of the Lamb. From the story of the blood on the doorposts in Egypt to this statement, blood is associated with salvation. Why? Because blood is the holder of life. The giving of the blood is the same as the offering of the life. It is through this self-giving act that those who accept God's sacrifice on their behalf discover their sins forgiven and their slates wiped clean. The white robe is the symbol of salvation.
C. The Lamb as Shepherd. Christ is both. He opens the door to the presence of God. It is God who gives all the gifts.
Conclusion: Lead the people away from gentle and cuddly lamb-images and let them see the costly nature of this love.
Charles Wesley understood. Quote his hymn as a conclusion:
O Love divine, what hast thou done!
Th' incarnate God hath died for me!
The Father's co-eternal Son bore all my sins upon the tree!
The Son of God for me hath died:
my Lord, my Love, is crucified.
Is crucified for me and you,
to bring us rebels near to God;
Believe, believe the record true,
ye all are bought with Jesus' blood;
Pardon for all flows from his side:
my Lord, my Love, is crucified.
Behold him, all ye that pass by,
the bleeding Prince of life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your Savior die, and say,
was ever grief like his?
Come, feel with me his blood applied:
my Lord, my Love, is crucified.
He comes to accost Adam and Eve in the garden, to prepare Noah, to call Abraham, to commission Moses, to raise up judges, to choose kings, to speak through prophets, to send his emissaries.
And notice:
There is never a description of God. Never are we told anything about his appearance. We haven't the slightest idea of what he looked like, or, contrary to Hollywood's deep-booming echo, what he sounded like.
All we know about God is what he does: accosts, prepares, calls, commissions, chooses, speaks, etc.
Therefore, if you mean to tell about God, you have to tell what he does.
Surely all this has to do with the commandment against images. Never is God to be seen in our image or any other. God is not made; he makes. God is not given from; he gives.
In all this, we are protected from imagining God to be like us (in our image), or less than ourselves. Thus his sovereignty and freedom are protected, even from our imaginings.
We know him not because we can see him or touch him or even hear him.
We know him by what he does. Easter tells us most about who and what he is, because here all see his greatest act in the resurrection and in the salvation and assurances that are now ours.
OUTLINE I
Jesus, King of Our Lives
Acts 13:15-33
Introduction: This long historical resume is meant to lead to a quotation from Psalm 2, which is one of the royal psalms. In Israel, when someone was chosen to be king, they were considered to become a "son of God" at their coronation. This royal psalm, therefore, is associated with such a coronation. The same idea can be found in Isaiah 9:6. Although we (mis)use it as a reference to the birth of Jesus, the truth is that it refers to a coming "grown-up" king.
A. In the book of Acts, Jesus is seen as having been exalted as the Son of God at his resurrection. Refer to Acts 2:32, 33. The implication would be clear to a Jew. Jesus is made King, Ruler, Lord of our lives. Little wonder Paul can speak of us as slaves. Our lives are in his hands. God intends for him to rule over us.
B. But kings have other functions than to command obedience. They are also given responsibility for those under their rule. The well-being, peace, and good life of those in the kingdom are on his agenda. Therefore, we discover, throughout the New Testament, assurances of his care and watch over us.
C. Kings are charged with more than the physical care of their charges. They are also called to defend and protect their subjects. Little wonder that the New Testament sees Jesus as our advocate, as a constant presence to guide, direct, and enlighten. Both Paul and the writer of the Gospel of John (see chapter fifteen and sixteen) share this insight.
Conclusion: Quote the hymn, "Truehearted, Whole-hearted," to drive home these insights:
True-hearted, whole-hearted, faithful and loyal,
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be;
Under the standard exalted and royal,
Strong in Thy strength we will battle for Thee.
Peal out the watch-word! Silence it never!
Song of our spirits, rejoicing and free;
Peal out the watch-word! Loyal forever,
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be.
True-hearted, whole hearted, fullest allegiance
Yielding henceforth to our glorious King;
Valiant endeavor and loving obedience,
Freely and joyously now would we bring.
Peal out the watch-word! Silence it never!
Song of our spirits, rejoicing and free;
Peal out the watch-word! Loyal forever,
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be.
True-hearted, whole-hearted, Savior all-glorious!
Take Thy great power and reign there alone,
Over our wills and affections victorious,
Freely surrendered and wholly Thine own.
Peal out the watch-word! Silence it never!
Song of our spirits, rejoicing and free;
Peal out the watch-word! Loyal forever,
King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be.
OUTLINE II
The Shepherd Messiah
John 10:22-30
Introduction: Do some work on the role of the shepherd as one who leads the sheep, feeds them, protects them, and may, indeed, lay down his life for them. It will be helpful to turn to Psalm 23 and use it as background material. Surely Jesus knew it well and may have had it in mind when he spoke these words.
A. If You Are The Christ. Note it is clear they have something different in mind. How could this plain carpenter from Nazareth ever be thought of as the wonderful, powerful, princely, military leader they had in mind? How would this traveling preacher ever raise an army sufficient to restore Israel's glory? Little wonder he told them they'd never believe him. They couldn't imagine him to be their dreamed-of Messiah.
B. The Shepherd Messiah. No self-respecting religious Jew ever thought of a shepherd as religious, much less a symbol of religion. They worked on the Sabbath, kept none of the rituals, and could never really be clean. Yet Jesus identifies his messianic role with the shepherd role. The shepherd is a servant of the sheep and he is the protector of the sheep. Pursue the comparison further and use Psalm 23 again to illustrate.
Conclusion: Point out that the sheep know the shepherd. Note that, until we are willing to trust him as the sheep does the shepherd, to follow, to depend on him, we will never see him as our shepherd. When we do, we will begin to understand his concept of being Christ --or the Messiah.
OUTLINE III
God's Lamb
Revelation 7:9-17
Introduction:Do some work on the lamb figure as it keeps cropping up in both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament.
Check out Exodus 12, Isaiah 53, John 1, etc.
A. The Enthroned Lamb. Here is the epitome of symbolizing sacrifice as the central motif of the salvation story of the New Testament. Here we see straight into the heart of God and learn it is God himself who suffers the ultimate denial in order to save us.
B. The Blood of the Lamb. From the story of the blood on the doorposts in Egypt to this statement, blood is associated with salvation. Why? Because blood is the holder of life. The giving of the blood is the same as the offering of the life. It is through this self-giving act that those who accept God's sacrifice on their behalf discover their sins forgiven and their slates wiped clean. The white robe is the symbol of salvation.
C. The Lamb as Shepherd. Christ is both. He opens the door to the presence of God. It is God who gives all the gifts.
Conclusion: Lead the people away from gentle and cuddly lamb-images and let them see the costly nature of this love.
Charles Wesley understood. Quote his hymn as a conclusion:
O Love divine, what hast thou done!
Th' incarnate God hath died for me!
The Father's co-eternal Son bore all my sins upon the tree!
The Son of God for me hath died:
my Lord, my Love, is crucified.
Is crucified for me and you,
to bring us rebels near to God;
Believe, believe the record true,
ye all are bought with Jesus' blood;
Pardon for all flows from his side:
my Lord, my Love, is crucified.
Behold him, all ye that pass by,
the bleeding Prince of life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your Savior die, and say,
was ever grief like his?
Come, feel with me his blood applied:
my Lord, my Love, is crucified.
