Who Are You?
Gtcotr/ss080705
Key Scripture: Acts 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?"
The Holy Scriptures give us a foundation for our lives. They contain information and instruction on how we are to live, grow our families, worship God and treat our fellow man.
This book we call the bible is filled with God’s divine word, penned by chosen men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Every word is true and when understood in context, God’s word holds no error.
Our church, along with many other churches, synagogues, ministries and religious organizations, has been charged with providing inspiration, education and motivation from the bible to each individual and every family who is willing to listen.
This morning I would like to leave the familiar path of inspirational and motivational preaching, and for the moments we have left, systematically share some fundamental truths. Today’s message will be aimed at educating us adults concerning just who we are in light and perspective of Who God is, Who Jesus is, and Who some of the other players in this game of life are.
So without further ado, lets turn in our bibles to Genesis. I will be reading from the King James Version (Authorized Version).
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Our human minds cannot fully comprehend God and eternal concepts, however, we accept the little we do understand and add faith to those things which we do not understand, so that for us, the bible is true.
After more than 25 years of diligent prayer, personal study and learning from many teachers, I have to admit that I understand very little, but the little I do understand is both precious and powerful.
What I am about to say this morning is not intended to establish doctrine but rather provide insight and stimulate consideration concerning what we believe about God.
I am well aware that some of the statements which I will make this morning may actually raise more questions in the minds of many who are viewing both here in our church and from around the world.
May God give us all greater clarity concerning His Word.
In the beginning …
* Time as we understand it is measured by the rotation of planets around the sun in a heavenly pattern of predictable orbit.
* It is around the movements of these celestial bodies that days are marked, seasons are calculated and time is measured.
* Without these heavenly bodies and their rotations, there would be no measurement of time.
* Prior to the creation of the heavens and the earth, time had not yet begun.
* Therefore, as far as we can understand, Moses’ explanation of the beginning, as he wrote here in Genesis 1:1, was fixed to be that moment when God first created the heavens and the earth and set them in motion.
… God Created …
* This Hebrew word for created, ‘bara’, ברא in its most studied meaning, does not suggest formation from materials that were preexistent. Rather bara definitely states that something was made from things which were not in existence. (Hebrews 11:3)
* The heavens and the earth were not merely formed from existing cosmic materials, but rather were created from nothing.
… God …
* This is the Hebrew word, ‘Elohim’ אלהים
* From the root ‘El’, = Strong
* From the word ‘Eloah’ meaning God (singular form of God)
* ‘Elohim’ is the plural form of the One True and Living Almighty God
Through the ages, church fathers and scholars of all centuries have studied and speculated on Moses’ use of the plural form, Elohim, here to denote God.
Many have concluded that this mysterious use is the most early and direct reference to the Trinity. One God in three persons, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.
I say that after more than two decades of study, I cannot conclude God’s intent here, however it does give cause for us to attempt a better understanding of just who the players in this game of life are and how they relate.
So for today, allow me to begin opening the scriptures to give some insight into Who God is, Who Jesus is, The Holy Spirit, Satan, the Angels and Mankind. This morning we will only cover the first three.
This will help us keep perspective as we continue studying and applying the Word of God to our lives and families.
First:
Who is God?
* Not, What is God?, but Who? Much has been said about what God is but often we fall short in describing Who He is.
* First let me say that with all confidence and conclusion:
“The Lord our God is one God” Deuteronomy 6:4
* Jesus found it necessary to quote this in:
Mark 12:29 “Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is One Lord.”
* And so did the Apostle Paul move to make this clear in:
Galatians 3:20 “God is One”
* It is this One God Who created mankind and called us His children.
* We know God as our Heavenly Father
* He and He alone, Eternal, All Powerful, Sovereign and Ever Living, Is God and there is no other.
Then Who is Jesus? And where does He fit in? Is He God too?
John 1
1 ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
* Again, ‘in the beginning’, goes at least as far back as Genesis 1:1, where God began to mark time for humans to reference.
* God’s Word was with Him there in the beginning.
* The ‘Word’ of God herein, refers to Jesus. We see this in:
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
* Jesus was with God in the beginning of revealed history.
John 1
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
* God had a Son, born or a virgin, perfect and sinless.
* Jesus, although with God in Genesis 1, has never, is not now, nor will He ever be the One true and living God.
* Jesus is the Son of God, God’s Word which took upon flesh, destined to rule God’s kingdom both in heaven and in earth.
* Everything God created was made for the Son
* Stephen said that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. Acts
* Jesus is both Immanuel and Messiah
* We know the Son as Savior, Lord, Brother, Friend and King.
* His name is Jesus, He is Messiah, Savior of the World, Redeemer of mankind and King of the Universe for all ages to come.
This brings us to a third consideration:
Who is the Holy Spirit?
Genesis 1
1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
* The Holy Spirit is The
> Omnipotent
> Omniscient
> Omnipresent
presence of our Father God.
* The portion of God’s character and being which can be transferred to another.
* The agent of God’s spiritual DNA, His spiritual genes, which when received into the human heart, has power to convert and transform.
* We know Him as counselor, comforter, guide and teacher who imparts gifts, endues with power, leads men to repentance and orchestrates God’s plan in the earth.
* The Holy Spirit is not an experience, The Holy Spirit is God!
Ezekiel 2:2 “And the spirit entered into me when He spoke to me. …”
