First Baptist Church

Fairbanks, Alaska

805 Sixth Avenue

(907) 456-4923

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Is He Still in our World Today? 

Matthew 5:8 

Mark Howdeshell (November 25, 2007)

Matt 5:8  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God .

Introduction

You’ve heard this question, “Where is God…”, after every major disaster, terrorist act, and in a lot of chronic debilitating illnesses.  The truth is that God is bigger than all that.  He is everywhere. 

I was talking to Torie about this message the other night.  I told her, “You can find God in just about anything and make a sermon or lesson out of it.”  She promptly started playing “Stump the Dummy.”  “Stump the Dummy” is a game where you do anything you can to try and trip up the other person.  You try to put them in a spot that they cannot answer the question or challenge put forth.   

Torie put forth challenges like…snow, penguins, fire, barstool, flowers, dirt, trees, an orange, and several others.  Once I met those challenges, she started making contingencies like…a telephone, but you can’t use communication.  I rejoiced in this statement because it showed that she was thinking about where God could be!!  That was exactly my point in the first place!!!!!!! 

God has blessed me with an ability to think on my feet and to see Him in places that other’s cannot.  I praise Him for that gift.  Let’s try it for a few minutes……give me a challenge this morning….. 

Heart of the Matter 

Recognizing that God is in your daily lives will set you free.  Free from the worry of being alone.  Free from facing things by yourself.  Free from yourself. 

The Meat of the Message 

John 14:15-21

15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

1. RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM
   1. To be able to see God, you must love Him  AND do what He commands.  It is imperative that you have a relationship with Him.  You cannot pick up a phone book, find a name, and instantly know what he/she looks like!  You can do research, setup a meeting in a place where you can find them, or call them on the phone and ask what they look like and get a feel for who they are, but it just doesn’t happen because we pick out the name.
   2. Why is it any different with God?  Yes, we know that God is everywhere and He wants to have a relationship with us, and He is reaching out His hand to meet ours…but we know that because we already have that relationship with Him!  For those that don’t know Jesus, Jesus can be walking down the street right next to them and they’ll never know it!

2. DESIRE TO SEE HIM          
   1. There are examples throughout the Bible where people have climbed trees, clamored together, and ran around a lake for miles just to see and hear Jesus.
   2. If we want to see Him, He’ll reveal Himself to you!

·   “but you will see me”

3. RECOGNITION THAT HE’S THERE…EVEN IF WE AREN’T
   1. If a tree falls deep in the forest, does it make a sound?
   2. People that are in the world cannot see Him, it doesn’t mean that He’s not there.  It means that they cannot decipher what is in front of their eyes. 

·   If you get a premium cable television channel, what do you have to have?

1.    Descrambler box deciphers the “noise” or filters put on the channels.

2.    The signal is still there if you don’t have the box, you just can’t see it!

·   Without the relationship with Christ, and the Holy Spirit acting as our interpreter, the world cannot decipher what God is doing in the world around them.

·   We’re called to interpret in limited capability and to help them “purchase” the right cable television descrambler that will make a difference in their lives forever!!

·   NO UPGRADES ARE REQUIRED!!!!!

4. PROMISE AND BLESSING
   1. He promises to reveal Himself to those that love and obey His commands.  “He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
   2. Luke tells us of the rewards of seeing God…

Luke 10:23-24

23 Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." 

3. Not everyone will receive this blessings…rejoice that you’ve been chosen!!

The Bottom Line   Can you see Jesus at work in the world around you?  Can you look at something and see God?  Have you tried to look for Him?  Bottom line is that He is at work and we’ll be able to see Him in action if we would only look for Him.  The more we see Him, the more we talk to Him, the more we fellowship with Him, the easier it is to introduce Him to our friends and family.  Jesus is there working around us everyday…do you see it? 

INVITATION

This morning’s invitation is simple.  Take this opportunity to seek Jesus at work, not in the world, but in your heart.  Is He prompting you to respond to something?  Does He want you to come to the altar to pray?  Is He trying to get you to do something?  Seek HIM this morning and respond as He desires.

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Last modified: 08/04/08