Knowing God by J. I. Packer Reflections on Chapter 7: God Unchanging “…the crucial point is surely this. The sense of remoteness is an illusion which springs from seeking the link between our situation and that of the various Bible characters in the wrong place. It is true that in terms of space, time and culture, they and the historical epoch to which they belonged are a very long way away from us. But the link between them and us is not found at that level. The link is God himself. For the God with whom they had to do is the same God with whom we have to do.” – J. I. Packer Reflect and Discuss
5. So, if there really is no distance nor difference between us and the Scriptures, and the connecting link is our unchanging God, how differently will you approach the Word of God now? How differently will you live and obey the Word of God now? Reflect on Packer’s concluding remarks, “…amid all the changes and uncertainties of life in a nuclear age, God and his Christ remain the same—almighty to save. But the thought brings a searching challenge too. If our God is the same as the God of New Testament believers, how can we justify ourselves in resting content with an experience of communion with him, and a level of Christian conduct, that falls so far below theirs?”
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Seeing Jesus in the Burning Bush (EXODUS 3:1-15) Pause & Reflect 1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
Apply & Be Doers of the Word (1) POWERFUL HEAT: Jesus is the flame of the burning bush that gives off powerful holiness, glory, and heat. As He led His people in the wilderness through a cloud for shade by day and fire for heat by night, we ought to take heart again of the powerful, holy and unapproachable presence of Jesus. No one dips their hand into the fire without getting burned. No one should play around with fire. Fire demands respect. It demands distance. Take off your sandals. Hide your face. Be in awe. Have respect. Feel the heat. Fear the burn. (2) ILLUMINATING LIGHT: Jesus is the flame of the burning bush that illuminates darkness, making it repel and making a way for us to approach the burning bush of His presence. Do not cover the light. Let His light shine. Expose the dark corners of your heart. Let the light shine. Let His light shine through you! Stop covering or hiding! Look at Jesus who loves you at your darkest! (3) ETERNAL PRESENCE: Jesus is the flame of the burning bush that never is consumed – that always keeps on burning. Fire always needs more energy to keep it fueled – gasoline, wood, igniter, etc. Yet Jesus is the flame that never burns out. This is His presence with you. When all else fails, when there is no one else to turn to, when everyone else passes away (with time, illness, sin, and death), Jesus’ eternal presence will never burn out to be with you and in you. His presence always remains forever, unto eternity, for you. Seek Him through His shadow on your family, your spouse, your friends, your career. Only Jesus is your eternal presence, always with you to the end! Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (HEBREWS 10:24-25) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Aiden Song - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - James Han - Winnie Kim - Philip Oh - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Jeff Park (California) - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Joshua Lee (new graduate, Johann’s brother) - Angel Lee (new high school graduate, Texas Tech) - JJ Kim (new high school graduate, flight school) - Andy Kim (new high school graduate, UNT) - James Kim (new high school graduate, UTD) - Alex Park (new high school graduate, UTD) - Unice Kim (new high school graduate, UTD) - Shane Chung (new high school graduate, UTD) - Catherine Medlock - Shona Song - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Alex Koh (Houston, postgraduate dentistry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jung’s (Jae, Mary) – Boston, MA - Hanbit Kang (Austin) - Gu Min Chung (Army, Korea) - Jeanie Yoo (Baylor) - Hannah Lee (new high school graduate, Houston) - Sarah Kim (new high school graduate, Harvard) - Noah Cha (new high school graduate, Rice University) - Janice Yoo (new high school graduate, Arkansas) Your browser does not support viewing inline PDFs. Click here to view the PDF. Your Sins have Hidden His Face from You: Why God’s Face Appears Hidden from our Face (ISAIAH 59:1-13) Pause & Reflect 1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
3 For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness. 4 No one enters suit justly; no one goes to law honestly; they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies, they conceive mischief and give birth to iniquity. 5 They hatch adders' eggs; they weave the spider's web; he who eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched. 6 Their webs will not serve as clothing; men will not cover themselves with what they make. Their works are works of iniquity, and deeds of violence are in their hands. 7 Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. 8 The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace.
9 Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake us; we hope for light, and behold, darkness, and for brightness, but we walk in gloom. 10 We grope for the wall like the blind; we grope like those who have no eyes; we stumble at noon as in the twilight, among those in full vigor we are like dead men. 11 We all growl like bears; we moan and moan like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. 12 For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities: 13 transgressing, and denying the Lord, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.
The central truth of this word was – Because the Father God turned His face away from His eternal and beloved Son, He now forever has His face turned towards you. Nothing can separate you from His face turned towards you. His face is never hidden from among us. But because of our sins, we make His face hidden by distorting His powerful sovereignty and omniscience. We make His face hidden by the depravity in our face – from head to toe infected with the nature of sinful desires contrary to holiness. We make His face hidden by the intentional denial of His presence within us. Let us not hide His face with our sins, but hide our face before His glory. Fall facedown, so that you can walk courageously faceup with His face before you! – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Apply & Be Doers of the Word (1) In silence and confusion, do not question His knowledge and sovereignty. He has heard. He is still in control. He answers in His way. He remains in power for all time. Be at peace in His changeless character. Let God be God! Do not distort His character. Before Him, we are utterly facedown. Without Him, we can do nothing. Apart from Him, we are nothing. There will be times coming in your life where there’s a period of silence and confusion. Let God be God. Let sin be sin. See His face is never hidden before you! (2) Fall facedown daily. Repent daily by opening the Scriptures daily. Reading and meditating on the Word is the continuous action of mental repentance. Let His thoughts become your thoughts. Humility is the prerequisite to opening the Scriptures. You cannot approach the Bible with the attitude – “okay what’s in it for me today, what applies for me right now.” *Do not conform the text to apply to you. Rather, apply yourself wholly to what the text says. Let the Word be the Word. Do not add to it. Do not take away from it. From head to toe, the Word of God redefines who you are. You are totally fallen, totally lost, totally depraved in your face to see the light of His glorious face in Jesus Christ. You are approaching holy words, holy ground, and holy presence. Do not keep your sandals on, but like Moses, know that something must always be removed and taken off in ourselves before the LORD. Do not come to LORD’s Day resurrection Sunday worship like any other day of the week. Be ready to be transformed in your mind, body, and soul, from head to toe, and be washed with the grace of Christ. (3) Examine your motives. Be intentional to follow Jesus. Practice confessing and testifying His ways. Be intentional in honoring the Lord. Let it be your motive to honor the Lord, to look away from evil, to seek the holiness and righteousness in Christ alone. Do not live like He’s an imaginary friend. Live like He’s the Lord of your life – because He is! Do not come late to a worshipful gathering when you make to class or to work on-time every day. Serve one another. Build up His Kingdom. Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (HEBREWS 10:24-25) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Aiden Song - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - James Han - Winnie Kim - Philip Oh - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Jeff Park (California) - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Joshua Lee (new graduate, Johann’s brother) - Angel Lee (new high school graduate, Texas Tech) - JJ Kim (new high school graduate, flight school) - Andy Kim (new high school graduate, UNT) - James Kim (new high school graduate, UTD) - Alex Park (new high school graduate, UTD) - Unice Kim (new high school graduate, UTD) - Shane Chung (new high school graduate, UTD) - Catherine Medlock - Shona Song - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Alex Koh (Houston, postgraduate dentistry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jung’s (Jae, Mary) – Boston, MA - Hanbit Kang (Austin) - Gu Min Chung (Army, Korea) - Jeanie Yoo (Baylor) - Hannah Lee (new high school graduate, Houston) - Sarah Kim (new high school graduate, Harvard) - Noah Cha (new high school graduate, Rice University) - Janice Yoo (new high school graduate, Arkansas) |
6:30pm,
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