Seeing The Face Of God
Memory Verse: 'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” '
Joshua 1:9
Sermon Sentence: You can see the face of God.
Joshua 1:9
Sermon Sentence: You can see the face of God.
Day 1
Read Genesis 33:1-20
Here is the trap that I find myself in often. I want the conclusion of the story. Are you the type of person that reads the pages near the end, so that you can get a glimpse of where this book is going? I have been guilty of that. The problem becomes that when I do that, I lose interest in the journey and give up on the book. It annoys me to know what I desire so much, to know the ending! Now that is totally messed up, I get it. But at the end of this story, the Jacob story, I really hope you don’t just check out. This is how it ends, but please keep wrestling with it. There is SO much value in this 33rd chapter that we will be here for a couple of weeks. You will read it many times in the devotions. If you are at the Manner on Wednesday night (as a man), you will hear it again. The reason for that is because I hope you draw something more than just the first pass from it.
When Jacob wrestled with Jesus, he had his name changed. That meant something very important and that moment was a big moment. But that moment was not only about that moment. That was not the ride off into the sunset moment. There was still more story to be told. Now that Jacob has been changed, what will that change look like when he faces his demons from the past and the conflicts he has always run from? How will Israel live differently with Esau than Jacob did? Jacob could claim to be Israel for as long as he wanted to, but what really mattered was how he showed the rest of the world how he was Israel now.
What do you think that Jacob means in verse 10 when he says that seeing Esau’s face is like seeing the face of God?
How do you think that Matthew 5:8 also speaks to this idea?
How have you seen the face of God in this metaphorical sense?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Here is the trap that I find myself in often. I want the conclusion of the story. Are you the type of person that reads the pages near the end, so that you can get a glimpse of where this book is going? I have been guilty of that. The problem becomes that when I do that, I lose interest in the journey and give up on the book. It annoys me to know what I desire so much, to know the ending! Now that is totally messed up, I get it. But at the end of this story, the Jacob story, I really hope you don’t just check out. This is how it ends, but please keep wrestling with it. There is SO much value in this 33rd chapter that we will be here for a couple of weeks. You will read it many times in the devotions. If you are at the Manner on Wednesday night (as a man), you will hear it again. The reason for that is because I hope you draw something more than just the first pass from it.
When Jacob wrestled with Jesus, he had his name changed. That meant something very important and that moment was a big moment. But that moment was not only about that moment. That was not the ride off into the sunset moment. There was still more story to be told. Now that Jacob has been changed, what will that change look like when he faces his demons from the past and the conflicts he has always run from? How will Israel live differently with Esau than Jacob did? Jacob could claim to be Israel for as long as he wanted to, but what really mattered was how he showed the rest of the world how he was Israel now.
What do you think that Jacob means in verse 10 when he says that seeing Esau’s face is like seeing the face of God?
How do you think that Matthew 5:8 also speaks to this idea?
How have you seen the face of God in this metaphorical sense?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 2
Read Luke 15:11-32
Jesus is the best teacher of the Old Testament I have ever read about. I love to listen to and unpack teachings from the Bible and spend most of my days doing that in the privilege that I have in being a pastor. I think I would probably even say that when it comes to creative consideration, I enjoy the Old Testaments story telling, metaphor hidden, approach to truth rather than the New Testaments approach of just saying the thing. That is nothing more than a statement about how I prefer to be taught and how I learn. I study both. I read both…and daily. Therefore, I am aware that Jesus is in the New Testament. So there is no need to correct what I said in the first line here. Jesus was in the New Testament and he also was fully aware of what we call the Old Testament. He was a Masterful teacher of the Old Testament and you will find yourself aiming at an endless goal if you were to try and pin down all of the many places that Jesus tries to teach us something in the Old Testament.
This story contains a hidden gem of that variety. There is really no denying that He is drawing from our story in Genesis 33 when He tells this story. His is a story about a sibling rivalry. His is a story about a brother that leaves in a very dishonorable way. His is a story of that same brother scared to return to what he left behind. His is a story of the brother returning to see the face of his father, who clearly plays the part of God. This has all of the same flavors and elements of the Jacob story. Then you have to unpack the exact phrase that Jesus used when both parties returning home, “Runs, falls on their neck, and kisses..” the other party. This language is on purpose. It is a story about returning to a broken relationship. That is compared to a story about returning to the father. Love God…love other people. This is what Jesus said sums up the whole Bible.
Why do you think it is valuable to compare these two stories? Or why not?
Do you see the connection the Bible makes between being reconciled with those we have wronged and our relationship with God?
What is the point of Jesus adding the part about the disgruntled brother that was always home in His story?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Jesus is the best teacher of the Old Testament I have ever read about. I love to listen to and unpack teachings from the Bible and spend most of my days doing that in the privilege that I have in being a pastor. I think I would probably even say that when it comes to creative consideration, I enjoy the Old Testaments story telling, metaphor hidden, approach to truth rather than the New Testaments approach of just saying the thing. That is nothing more than a statement about how I prefer to be taught and how I learn. I study both. I read both…and daily. Therefore, I am aware that Jesus is in the New Testament. So there is no need to correct what I said in the first line here. Jesus was in the New Testament and he also was fully aware of what we call the Old Testament. He was a Masterful teacher of the Old Testament and you will find yourself aiming at an endless goal if you were to try and pin down all of the many places that Jesus tries to teach us something in the Old Testament.
This story contains a hidden gem of that variety. There is really no denying that He is drawing from our story in Genesis 33 when He tells this story. His is a story about a sibling rivalry. His is a story about a brother that leaves in a very dishonorable way. His is a story of that same brother scared to return to what he left behind. His is a story of the brother returning to see the face of his father, who clearly plays the part of God. This has all of the same flavors and elements of the Jacob story. Then you have to unpack the exact phrase that Jesus used when both parties returning home, “Runs, falls on their neck, and kisses..” the other party. This language is on purpose. It is a story about returning to a broken relationship. That is compared to a story about returning to the father. Love God…love other people. This is what Jesus said sums up the whole Bible.
Why do you think it is valuable to compare these two stories? Or why not?
Do you see the connection the Bible makes between being reconciled with those we have wronged and our relationship with God?
What is the point of Jesus adding the part about the disgruntled brother that was always home in His story?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 3
Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
One of the most appealing arguments for living out the truths of God is the one made over and over again that goes like this:
That is the formula of attack in this passage here. Paul is writing to the church at Corinth and calling for their lives to be a certain way. He is calling for their relationships to be a certain way. Basically, he is saying, bring people close. Paul seems to feel the reader flinch at those words, so he pivots by telling them about the time that we were hostile to God and as He brought us closer, we were won over by His love and compassion when it was not deserved. He then uses that to launch into an explanation of our lives that includes a call to be ministers of reconciliation. Or sharers of the ministry of reconciliation. To reconcile means to bring back together. The gospel is about hostile people that are brought into love to experience a reconciliation. In order to be that, you have to become new. That is what happened to Jacob. It is what happened to us. And since it happened to us, we are now ambassadors of that idea.
What does verse 21 mean in the way you would explain it to a person new to the Bible?
How do you see yourself as a carrier of the ministry of reconciliation?
What does it mean to be “a new creation” according to what Paul is teaching here?
How does this become your prayer today?
One of the most appealing arguments for living out the truths of God is the one made over and over again that goes like this:
- Do this thing.
- Jesus did this greater thing.
- Therefore you should live like this.
That is the formula of attack in this passage here. Paul is writing to the church at Corinth and calling for their lives to be a certain way. He is calling for their relationships to be a certain way. Basically, he is saying, bring people close. Paul seems to feel the reader flinch at those words, so he pivots by telling them about the time that we were hostile to God and as He brought us closer, we were won over by His love and compassion when it was not deserved. He then uses that to launch into an explanation of our lives that includes a call to be ministers of reconciliation. Or sharers of the ministry of reconciliation. To reconcile means to bring back together. The gospel is about hostile people that are brought into love to experience a reconciliation. In order to be that, you have to become new. That is what happened to Jacob. It is what happened to us. And since it happened to us, we are now ambassadors of that idea.
What does verse 21 mean in the way you would explain it to a person new to the Bible?
How do you see yourself as a carrier of the ministry of reconciliation?
What does it mean to be “a new creation” according to what Paul is teaching here?
How does this become your prayer today?
Day 4
Read Exodus 33:12-23
Moses just needed to get away from everyone. He had that place just outside of the camp that he would escape to and meet with God. It was on the outskirts and it was away from everything. The mountain was crazy. The town was chaotic. The tent of meeting was still. Besides, he had just spent some time raging through the streets of the people rebuking and angry at their complete stupidity and carelessness. He wanted to be done with them, but he also was willing to save them. It had to be a strange feeling for sure! But for now…things were just still and calm in his time with God. That is when God rejected Moses' offer to die for the people. That is not how God is going to go forward in this. So now what? What WAS God going to do in this situation? Moses was surely reluctant to poke the situation anymore in that tense moment.
God’s response finally came after a few moments of worship and prayer. “It is time for the people to pick up camp and leave.” That is exactly what Moses was afraid of! What exactly did God mean? Why exactly did God say this? Was there no way back from this sin for the people? God did not accept Moses’ sacrifice of his own life for the people, so God must be done with them! Is His back finally turned? “Lord, if we go…you HAVE to go with us! I don’t want to go without you….we can’t go without you!” God’s response was humbling: “I am going with you.” What kind of a God was this?! Moses wanted to see His face…to see what kind of an expression there was. But he was only offered to see His glory. And that…that was the most incredible thing Moses had ever seen!
What do you think Moses saw and felt in that moment? What actually happened here the way you are reading it?
What is the “glory” of God?
How would your life change if you got to see a new part of God’s glory today?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Moses just needed to get away from everyone. He had that place just outside of the camp that he would escape to and meet with God. It was on the outskirts and it was away from everything. The mountain was crazy. The town was chaotic. The tent of meeting was still. Besides, he had just spent some time raging through the streets of the people rebuking and angry at their complete stupidity and carelessness. He wanted to be done with them, but he also was willing to save them. It had to be a strange feeling for sure! But for now…things were just still and calm in his time with God. That is when God rejected Moses' offer to die for the people. That is not how God is going to go forward in this. So now what? What WAS God going to do in this situation? Moses was surely reluctant to poke the situation anymore in that tense moment.
God’s response finally came after a few moments of worship and prayer. “It is time for the people to pick up camp and leave.” That is exactly what Moses was afraid of! What exactly did God mean? Why exactly did God say this? Was there no way back from this sin for the people? God did not accept Moses’ sacrifice of his own life for the people, so God must be done with them! Is His back finally turned? “Lord, if we go…you HAVE to go with us! I don’t want to go without you….we can’t go without you!” God’s response was humbling: “I am going with you.” What kind of a God was this?! Moses wanted to see His face…to see what kind of an expression there was. But he was only offered to see His glory. And that…that was the most incredible thing Moses had ever seen!
What do you think Moses saw and felt in that moment? What actually happened here the way you are reading it?
What is the “glory” of God?
How would your life change if you got to see a new part of God’s glory today?
How does this become part of your prayer today?
Day 5
Read Revelation 22:1-5
There is a promise of seeing the face of God right now. That is what we have been working through and trying to understand. God has this way of communicating in His word that we should try to get our hearts around, because it is a constant theme. The kingdom of God IS here! The Kingdom of God is coming soon. Both of these statements are true. As a follower of Jesus, you are declared righteous right now (Romans 8:1)! As a follower of Jesus, you are becoming righteous through sanctification. These dichotomies feels like they can’t both be true, but they are presented as truth.
You can see the face of God now! You will one day see the face of God. The Bible ends on the highest note possible, the reconciliation in complete and total fullness of the very sense of all of the words, of God and His people. There is not happier ending than the one that is promised, sealed, and guaranteed to us as believers in Jesus! One day, we WILL FULLY see God face to face, and by all indications and shadows revealed in His word, He will be running toward us with arms wide open!
How does this passage encourage your day today?
Who are two people that need to hear about this message from you this week? How will you share it with them?
How does this become your prayer today?
There is a promise of seeing the face of God right now. That is what we have been working through and trying to understand. God has this way of communicating in His word that we should try to get our hearts around, because it is a constant theme. The kingdom of God IS here! The Kingdom of God is coming soon. Both of these statements are true. As a follower of Jesus, you are declared righteous right now (Romans 8:1)! As a follower of Jesus, you are becoming righteous through sanctification. These dichotomies feels like they can’t both be true, but they are presented as truth.
You can see the face of God now! You will one day see the face of God. The Bible ends on the highest note possible, the reconciliation in complete and total fullness of the very sense of all of the words, of God and His people. There is not happier ending than the one that is promised, sealed, and guaranteed to us as believers in Jesus! One day, we WILL FULLY see God face to face, and by all indications and shadows revealed in His word, He will be running toward us with arms wide open!
How does this passage encourage your day today?
Who are two people that need to hear about this message from you this week? How will you share it with them?
How does this become your prayer today?
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