Discovering God Know the God We Worship

In the Beginning... Genesis 1:1 John 1:1

When was God? Did God begin? Before the mountains were born (Psalm 90:2) Before there was time {en arkhe} (John 1:1) From everlasting to everlasting

One Lord God,3 Persons The Lord is One (echad a compound unity. Deuteronomy 6:4) From Nicene Creed: I believe in God the Father Almighty Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord The Holy Ghost

God Is Alive Elohim lives, false gods do not (Exodus 3:14, 1 Samuel 5:4) Idols do not live (Jeremiah 10:6-11; 44:18) God endures forever (Daniel 6:26) All life stems from God (Genesis 2:7, John 5:25-26)

God’s Names Reveal Who He Is El-Elyon: the most high (Ps 78:35) El-Shaddai: Almighty God (Gen 17:1) Jehovah (Yahweh): the personal name of God “to be, the one who causes to be, self-existent one” (Ex 3:14) Jehovah-Jireh: the Lord will provide (Gen 22:14) Jehovah-Rapha: the Lord that heals (Ex 15:26) Jehovah-Nissi: the Lord our banner/protection (Ex 17:15) Jehovah-Shalom: the Lord our peace (Judges 6:24) Jehovah-Raah: the Lord my Shepherd (Ps 23:1) Jehovah-Tsidkenu: the Lord our righteousness (Jer 23:6) Jehovah-Shammah: the Lord is present (Ezk 48:35) The Lord of hosts (Ps 89:6-8, James 5:4) The Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 1:8)

God has and defines personhood A personality has the freedom to make choices driven by motives Gen 3:15 He has a plan Eph 1:9, 11 He has a will A person knows Acts 15:18 is known Isaiah 45:5 speaks Genesis 1:3 sees & hears Psalm 94:9 grieves Genesis 6:6 angers Deuteronomy 1:37; Hebrews 10:31 is jealous Exodus 20:5 has compassion Matthew 15:32 reigns Psalm 75:7

Holiness: God’s most important attribute The tri-hagion in Isaiah 6 expresses God’s holiness in the superlative God is most high and exalted far above all other gods (Psalm 97:9) He is utterly and totally separate from Creation There is a great separation between God and sinners (Isaiah 59:1-2; Habakkuk 1:13)

We are invited to relationship with God Intimate fellowship with God is available (Psalm 84:2) Sin results in death but relationship with God brings life (Romans 6:23) Jesus, the Son of Man, came to seek and redeem the lost (Luke 19:10) Jesus will send the Holy Spirit to be with us (John 14:15-17)

What has God the Son done for us Jesus Christ came to do what we could not do for ourselves.(John 3:16) He came into the world to bring us to his Father. (John 14:6) He died in our place to pay the penalty for our sin. (1 Peter 3:18) He rose from the dead to show that his claims were true.(1 Corinthians 15:3-6)

Having a relationship with God God is the initiator of covenant relationship and man is the beneficiary (Romans 8:3). The Bible states clearly that there is nothing man can do to make himself right with God (Isaiah 53:6; 64:6; Romans 3:23; 6:23). Therefore, God did for us what we cannot do for ourselves (Colossians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Our sin separates us from His presence, and sin must be punished (Romans 6:23;Matthew 10:28; 23:33). But, because God loves us, He took our punishment upon Himself. All we must do is accept God’s gift of salvation through faith (Ephesians 2:8–9; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Ultimately... God can be known and we can have relationship with Him Relationship is an act and part of worship Man was created for relationship with God Through the free gift of Christ’s atoning death and resurrection, we can know the God we worship.