“But,”
He said, “You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”
Exodus
33:20
Imagine
with me for a moment! What would it be like to experience God? How would it
feel to stand in the very presence of the creator of the universe? Would your
hair stand on end and every nerve in your body explode with the overwhelming
sense of His power? Could you imagine what that would be like?
Actually,
scripture records several occasions when people have experienced God. They all
have a few things in common. One is that the person who experiences God is
never the same. They have been in the presence of ultimate reality and the experience
absolutely changes them forever. Another
thing that happens is that the brilliant light of His glory causes them to see
their own sinfulness. Isaiah summed up his experience with God’s presence pretty
well when he said, “Woe is me! For I am lost.” He immediately knew his own
ungodliness and fear gripped his heart. He understood he was in danger because
at any moment God’s wrath against sin could break out and consume him.
Then
there was Moses. He was a man who wanted to see the Lord. He wanted to know
Him. In Exodus chapter thirty-three Moses asked God to reveal Himself to him
and not hold back any of His glory. That is a bold request! But God made a very
sobering statement to His friend Moses. No man can see God’s face (glory) and
live. Coming face to face with God will kill you.
So
how does a world that is lost, groping around in darkness, and totally enslaved
to sin experience God in all His awesomeness and live to tell about it? If
God’s holiness immediately puts to death all wickedness in His presence, how
can sinful people approach Him?
“And
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as
of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John
1:14
“No
one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him
known.” John 1:18
God
clothed Himself in skin and approached us! John and his companions are telling
us that they have seen God and lived. Just listen to the way John describes Him.
Jesus is the Word that created everything, the Light that pierces the darkness,
and He is the Lamb of God sent to save sinners from God’s wrath so that those
who accept Him could become His children.
This is their testimony to us. Jesus is God!
But
don’t think that you can approach Jesus flippantly. Looking into the face of
Jesus will kill you, just like standing in the presence of God the Father will.
In fact, that is good news. When we come to recognize the glory of God in the
face of Jesus (believe) we immediately come to the same conclusion as Isaiah.
“Woe with me I am lost!” And it is then that Jesus invites us through the Gospel
to die to our old life of sin (repent) so that we can be born again (by faith)
into a completely new life in Him to live eternally as God’s sons and
daughters.
Jesus
is God. Have you experienced Him?
If you have experienced Jesus be sure
to tell us about it by writing out your testimony and turning it into the
church office. You can write it out and put it in the box at the first time
guest table or you can submit it online at our website at www.brevardcommunity.org
Shannon Compton
Life Groups Pastor
