A. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT GOD?
1. Some think a mean old man – He punishes.
2. Some think a hippie God – He is indifferent.
3. Some think a good ole boy – He’s the man upstairs.
4. Some think a bell hop God – He gets me what I want.
5. Some think God is what I imagine – little girl drawing picture of God.
6. Your view of God determines everything in your life, i.e., your view of success, marriage, happiness, etc.
7. Why do we have misconceptions of God?
a. Can’t see Him physically.
b. Spiritual blindness.
c. Biblical illiterate.
d. Rebellion.
e. Project our human desire.
B. SEEING GOD ON THE THRONE AS HE REALLY IS
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’ And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: ‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said:
‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.’ Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’ And He said, ‘Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed’” (Isa. 6:1-10, NKJV).
1. God is holy, i.e., separate, pure, no lying, awesome.
2. When you see God as He really is, then you will see yourself as you really are, i.e., (a) sinful, (b) polluted talk, (c) polluted mind, (d) apart from God, (e) condemned, (f) desperately needy.
3. When you look through the window of your soul, you think less of, (a) yourself, (b) your attainments, (c) your gifts, (d) your position.
4. When you look at others through the lens of God, you see them as they really are: (a) helpless, (b) hurting, (c) confused, (d) lost, (e) drifting without an anchor.
5. When you see yourself, you know you need cleansing, (a) woe is me, condemned to judgement, (b) unclean lips, can’t know proper things, can’t speak proper things, can’t even speak in proper manner, (c) I am undone, can’t get hold of myself or direct myself.
6. We are not called to be successful, but faithful. “Go tell this people . . . but they will not understand.” (a) Isaiah was given a job where he would fail, (b) he must be properly related to God, (c) he must be holy.
7. Isaiah’s response must be your two-fold response, (a) here am I, yielded, (b) send me, obedient action.
C. SEEING THE LAMB ON THE THRONE
“Then I saw . . . the one who was sitting on the throne . . . then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been killed, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne . . . and they sang a new song with these words: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:1, 6-7, 9, NLT).
1. When the earth and humanity end, we see Jesus the Lamb on the throne. A message of grace and mercy.
2. All are present, not just intellectuals or westerners.
3. Just as our blood gives life to every part of our body, Jesus’ blood gives life to His entire body.
4. At this place Jesus will take away pain, sickness, failure, etc.
5. Illustration of Pastor Jonas, he sang, “There’s a land that is fairer than day, and by faith we can see it afar, for the Father waits over the way, to prepare us a dwelling place there.”
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
All PBC lessons are available online at trbc.org/pbc. Go to www.Hopenow.tv for the current program schedule.
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Dr. Towns' email is ELTowns@liberty.edu
Dr. Towns’ web address is www.elmertowns.com
