Title: The God That Makes Himself Known

Text: Ps 9:16

Date: 4-30-06.am

Introduction: Did you see God this morning? Did He speak to you? When we talk about God we usually talk about His nature and His character traits. God is holy and just and righteous. He’s omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent - all powerful, all knowing and always present. Often times we over look the fact He is the God of Revelation. He wants you to know Him and He makes Himself known.

Ps 9:16 The LORD has made Himself known. . .NASB

How does He make Himself known?

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. NASB

Limited You can know there is a God, that He is a great and mighty God. But you can’t know of His love or of His salvation from nature.

In the Old Testament The Lord also spoke directly to men.

Adam & Eve

Noah

Abraham

Moses

The Prophets

He spoke through the prophets

Heb 1:1-2

Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. (HCSB)

2 In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the universe.

(HCSB)

In the first century God spoke directly through Jesus Christ - that’s not to say he didn’t also use dreams and visions. (Anna and ?)

John 7:16 Jesus therefore answered them, and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. NASB

John 8:26-28

26 "I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world."

27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father.

28 Jesus therefore said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. NASB

John 12:49-50

49 "For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me commandment, what to say, and what to speak.

50 "And I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." NASB

John 14:6-7

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." NASB

John 12:45 "And he who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me. NASB

Col 1:15 And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. NASB

Heb 1:3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. NASB

The Bible

2 Peter 1:19-2:1

19 And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,

21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. NASB

2 Tim 3:16-17

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

NASB

Charles C. Ryrie says the Bible serves as the most inclusive of all the avenues of special revelation, for it encompasses the record of many aspects of the other avenues.

George Gallup said, "Americans revere the Bible--but, by and large, they don't read it. And because they don't read it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates."