Sermon Notes, February 10, 2019 AM
Do You Know God?
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A. I
would like to ask you two questions. They are actually comprised of the same
words although the second one eliminates two of them.
1. What do you know about God?
2. Do you know God?
3. The first question is concerned with facts. Most of us have some degree of
knowledge about God. We know something about His nature, righteousness,
justice and mercy.
4. The second question is concerned with relationship. It is a far different thing to say
that we know God rather than knowing “about” God. To know God implies that we
have a relationship with Him.
5. The difference between “religion” and “relationship” is intimacy with God.
B. Luke 11:1-13 is an intersection of these two questions.
1. The disciples had been learning about God.
a. They had seen the miracles and ministry of Jesus.
b. They had heard Him teach and had been given the commission to go and tell
others that the kingdom of God was near.
c. In their minds they had been learning about God. However, they wanted more.
When they heard Jesus pray they noticed it was not a ritualistic Jewish prayer or
a recitation of words. They recognized the intimate relationship Jesus had with
God the Father. Thus, in Luke 11:1 they said, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
C. How did Jesus answer their request? Did He tell them to assume a certain physical
posture when they prayed? Did He tell them to follow a certain religious ritual when
they prayed?
1. Jesus said, the key to prayer is to know the one to whom you are praying.
2. His response provides the answer to both questions.
a. Knowing “about” God.
b. “Knowing” God.
I. HE IS FATHER
A. From the very beginning Jesus’ prayer was radically different than the prayers with
which the disciples were familiar.
1. Jesus addressed God simply and beautifully as, “Father.”
2. In the 39 books of the Old Testament the word, “Father,” is used just 15 times.
a. None of those references were used in prayer.
b. A Jew might refer to God as “LORD” or some other title but not as “Father.”
2. In the Gospels alone God is referred to as “Father,”
3. Followers of Jesus have the privilege of calling God, “Father.”
a. Paul wrote in Romans 8:15, “For you have not received a spirit of slavery
leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by
which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit
that we are children of God, and if children,
heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be
glorified with Him.
b. J.I. Packer wrote, “A Christian is one who knows God as father.”
C. This relationship changes everything.
1. God is not out to get us. He is our Father.
2. God is not unapproachable. He is our Father.
3. God is not uncaring or unconcerned. He is our Father.
D. The Reformation preacher, John Wesley, led a strict life of service. He attended
church all of the time, preached, served as a missionary to Indians in colonial
America and yet was unfulfilled and unsatisfied. The more he studied about God
the more he came to realize He is our “Father.” He wrote, “I had the faith of a
servant, not a son.”
II. HE IS MAKER
A. Jesus prayed, “Hallowed be Your Name.”
1. To be hallowed means to be holy, worthy of worship, adoration and praise.
2. Why is God worthy?
a. When the apostle Paul went to Athens he saw a city full of idols. Acts 17 says
that he even saw an idol to the “unknown God.” Listen to what Paul said to
the philosophers at Mars Hill. “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very
religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the
objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN
UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to
you. 24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of
heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He
served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself
gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one
man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having
determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that
they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him,
though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and
exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His
children.’ 29 Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that he
Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and
thought of man. 30 Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is
now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because
He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a
Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising
Him from the dead.”
B. God is so awesome.
1. He has created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). The Psalmist said,
“The heavens are telling of the glory of God, and their expanse is declaring the
work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1).
2. Psalm 100:1 declares, “Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has
made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His
pasture.”
3. Psalm 139:13-14 adds, " For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my
mother’s womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully
made.”
C. Everything about God’s creative power calls us to know Him.
III. HE IS SUSTAINER
A. Jesus instructed the disciples to pray, “Give us our daily bread.”
1. What do you know about God? He is the one who knows what you need.
a. He knows your physical needs.
b. He knows your emotional needs.
c. He knows your spiritual needs.
B. To know “about” God means that you know He provides. To “know” God means
that you trust Him to provide.
1 .When we pray "Give us this day our daily bread" we’re showing that we’re
depending on God a day at a time.
2. Jesus urges us, "Don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing….Do
not worry about tomorrow" (Mt 6:31, 34).
3. Paul stated, “He gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25).
4. Does God know what we need? The primary purpose of prayer is not to get
something but to be with someone.
IV. HE IS FORGIVER
A. Would Jesus have instructed his disciples to pray, “Forgive us” if God was
unwilling to forgive us of our sins? To the contrary, God has always been willing to
forgive people when they turn to Him.
1. Exodus 34:6-7 - Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The
Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding
in lovingkindness and truth; 7 who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who
forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.”
2. Psalm 103:12 – “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our
transgressions from us.”
3. Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though
your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like
crimson, They will be like wool.”
4. 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
B. God’s forgiveness is available to you. He does not force it on you but He makes it
available because Jesus gave Himself as an atonement for your sin.
V. HE IS HELPER
A. God is not against you. He is for you more than you could ever imagine.
1. He wants to lead us away from temptation.
2. He wants you to be saved.
3. He wants you to come to Him with your deepest need.
B. To illustrate the confidence God wants us to have in Him, Jesus told this parable
in Luke 11:5-8, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and
says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me
from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and from inside he answers
and says, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I
are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will
not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his
persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”
1. This parable is not depicting God as a reluctant giver.
2. It is depicting the friend as having so much confidence that he continues to
knock.
C. Jesus then went on to say, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and he
who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).
D. Jesus wants us to know that God is:
1. Approachable.
2. Agreeable. “If a son asks for a fish will he give him a snake? If he asks for an
egg will he give him a scorpion? If you know how to give good gifts to your
children how much more does God give good gifts to those who love Him.
(Luke 11:11-13).
3. Friends are attentive. There is nothing too large or small for God’s attention.
CONCLUSION:
A. Going back to the two questions at the beginning of this lesson.
1. What do you know about God? I hope you can see that He is Father, Creator,
Sustainer, Forgiver and Helper.
2. More importantly, “Do you know God?” He wants to be your father. He wants you
to be His child. He wants to forgive you, save you and give you eternal life.
B. Will you allow Him to do so through faith in Jesus as the Son of God, repentance
from your sins and baptism into Christ? May we encourage you today!
