Sermon Notes I

17-Feb-2008
In the Beginning.....
God created man for fellowship
God created man so that we could make a choice to love God ..... or not
Genesis 1:26 & 3:8
Sin or rebellion broke the fellowship. @ Cor 6:14 "what fellowship can light have with darkness?"
Leviticus 26:11-12
God's desire from the beginning was to have fellowship with his creation. Not a distant, glance down from heaven once in a while relationship.
A covenant with Abraham - but within how many generations were His chosen people slaves in Egypt?
Moses and the Law - but how many generations before they had turned their backs on God? How soon were they saying "You go meet with God, then come back and tell us."

So then there was SILENCE from heaven for 400 years after the last prophet.
Heaven was closed, shutters drawn, door was locked, curtain closed

What was amazing during that time: temple worship continued as it had: they were not even notice that God was not there!

But after 400 years, God unveiled His plan to reestablish relationship: Emmanuel, God with us, in the flesh, a baby boy.
But then also: the perfect sacrifice, the spotless lamb.

What did Jesus show us about relationship with God? John 10:30, 37-38
What did he teach regarding God's heart? Matthew 5:3-10

Jesus came to accomplish two things: 1. reopen path to fellowship between God and the crown of His creation, 2. establish or provide a means to maintain the fellowship.

No longer only God with us - but God IN us.

So how do we take advantage of what Jesus did to reestablish fellowship or relationship with God?
Romans 10:9 a) confess Jesus is Lord b) believe God raised him from the dead.
This is NOT a casual acknowledgment. James 2:19 ....even the demons believe and shudder....