A Peculiar God
1. As the years pass, we see children get taller and taller.
2. If we look carefully, we can see changes in adults; they shrink.
3. When people become approximately 40 years old, they begin to get smaller.
4. The cartridge between the bones begins to decrease.
5. For every ten years that passes, we get shorter by 4/10ths of an inch.
6. Children increase in height while their parents decrease.
HOW GOD MADE US AND OUR WORLD IS TRULY AMAZING. WHEN WE LOOK AT WHO GOD IS AND HOW HE ACTS IN THE WORLD, WE FIND THAT HE IS IN MANY RESPECTS UNUSUAL.
a) Just moments ago we heard two Scriptures read (Isa. 55:8-9 & 1 Cor. 1:27-28).
b) We heard how God’s ways are not our ways.
c) His thoughts are not our thoughts.
d) From the First Corinthian letter we heard how God uses things we may never think of using.
2) Today we want to consider God’s peculiar nature by using Bible illustrations.
3) We begin this study with the book of Exodus.
a) Moses and the people of God had been delivered from Egyptian bondage.
b) Ex. 17:1 says there was “no water for the people to drink.”
c) Suppose we were responsible for just a thousand people.
d) These people are hot, thirsty, tired, and they want something to drink.
e) How would we meet that need?
4) Most of us would try to find a water source.
5) In our culture, we might buy water, bring in a water truck, or seek out another source of water.
6) Here is how God provided water for thousands and thousands of people – Ex. 17:6 – READ.
7) God provided water through a rock.
8) We have some large rocks sitting close to the edge of our paved parking lot.
9) Imagine someone creating a drinking fountain from them by hitting them with a rod.
10) We would probably laugh at anyone who tried such a thing, but this was how God provided water.
11) From Exodus we turn to the book of Numbers, the 21st chapter.
12) As the Hebrew people journeyed through the wilderness, they often complained.
13) God finally got tired of the moaning and groaning.
14) There is such a thing as the sin of ingratitude.
15) As punishment for the people’s sin, God sent snakes—deadly snakes among the people.
16) Num. 21:6 – READ.
a) It didn’t take long for the Hebrews to change their minds about their situation.
b) They asked Moses to pray to God and have the snakes removed.
c) God offered a solution to those who had been bitten – verse 9 – READ.
17) What would we do if someone were bitten by a poisonous snake?
18) If professional medical attention were not available, we might try to treat the victim ourselves.
19) In boy scouts we were taught to use either a snake bite kit or try to take it out with our own mouths.
20) Who among us would offer the kind of remedy found in Num. 21?
21) Which of us make a snake and encourage a bitten to look at it for healing?
22) Again and again God has used methods that seem so strange and even inferior.
23) Consider another Old Testament example.
24) There was once a giant (1 Sam. 17) who threatened the people of God.
a) If Israel sent a man against this giant and lost, the Hebrews would become slaves.
b) If the Hebrews won a single fight with this giant, the Philistines would become slaves.
c) Israel was afraid to engage in this contest.
d) A challenge was put to Israel for Israel forty days, and twice a day (1 Sam. 17:16).
e) 80 times the people of God had been challenged but they refused to accept the offer.
f) There was a “boy” (verse 33) who was willing to face the giant.
g) While the giant was dressed in full battle gear, the boy had no armor.
h) David said the giant had a sword, spear, and javelin (verse 45).
i) David also lacked all these weapons—all he had was a slingshot.
25) Who would go up against a well-armed man with little more than their bare hands?
26) In this case it was a young man who had God’s approval.
27) God used a boy to overcome a powerful and well-armed giant.
28) This is absolutely contrary to the way man thinks and acts.
29) Samson used the jawbone of an ass (Judg. 15:15) to take out 1,000 men.
30) What man today would dare try such a feat?
31) What expert in martial arts can take on a thousand men all at once?
32) God does not think and act as we do.
33) God even used rejected men like Joseph and Moses to do great things.
WHEN WE TURN TO THE NEW TESTAMENT, WE FIND GOD CONTINUING TO ACT IN WAYS THAT AMAZE AND SURPRISE US.
a) Most of us remember Jesus’ first miracle—He turned water into wine.
b) Do we remember where this miracle occurred?
c) Most of probably do; it was Cana of Galilee.
2) Did we know that John mentions the location of the miracle two times?
3) It is found in Jn. 2:11 and Jn. 4:46.
4) Why mention the place? Why mention the place two times?
5) It was not because Cana of Galilee was one of the most important communities in the first century.
a) Cana is mentioned twice, at least in part, based upon what has already been said.
b) God operates in ways that often surprise us; He does not think and act as we do.
c) In the first century, where was the religious capital for Israel? Jerusalem.
d) Anyone that was someone or wanted to be someone went to Judea and especially Jerusalem.
e) Today we might compare it to being a politician.
f) If we are a powerful politician, we will spend time in Washington, DC.
g) Was Cana, the place of Jesus’ first miracle, “Cana of Judea?”
h) No. It was “Cana of Galilee.”
i) Galilee was north of Judea and Jerusalem.
j) Galilee and the people from this area were often despised by Jews in Judea.
k) Galilee was not the place for noble, powerful, and important people.
l) People asked how a Messiah could possibly come from Galilee, Jn. 7:41.
m) They said Galilee didn’t produce prophets, Jn. 7:52.
6) If we had sent Jesus into the world, we probably would have sent Him right to Jerusalem.
7) This is the way human beings think.
8) Send Jesus to the capital and have a big party to announce His arrival.
9) God did not take this kind of approach.
10) Jesus was born in the most humble kind of surroundings.
11) His parents were not powerful people.
12) He was born into a very hostile environment and actually had to go to another country for a while.
13) The Lord began His miracles in an area that was not highly regarded.
14) All this is amazing and contrary to the ways of mankind.
a) Thinking about Jesus, let’s turn our minds to one of His parables.
b) The Lord once spoke of a “seed” — the “mustard seed.”
c) Jesus used this seed to discuss the kingdom of God (the church).
d) By using this parable He meant the church would start out small but become very large.
15) In life, people generally like to start out big and get a lot bigger.
16) Who wants to start out as a nobody or nothing and gradually expand?
17) We want to be #1 from the get go. God could have done that, but He did not begin big.
18) Heaven’s church started out like a very small seed.
19) If we want to build something, we may go to the place where it is the easiest to be successful.
20) God started the church in Jerusalem — the most hostile environment in first century times.
21) Starting a religious group in the most difficult area doesn’t make a lot of sense to most people.
22) Consider too the apostles.
23) Jesus picked 12 men. Most of us would like to start with a lot more than that.
24) If we are going to conquer the world, who wants to rely upon only 12 key people?
25) Most human beings would have selected people from Jerusalem; the finest scholars available.
26) Jesus went after common men; people such as fishermen.
a) Other events in the life of Jesus demonstrate today’s principle again and again.
b) I want to read several of the opening verses from the 5th chapter of Mark.
c) If you helped out with the door knocking on the campaign we had, this should be interesting.
d) As you were out and about, maybe you saw some houses that made you think twice.
e) “Do I really want to go that door and knock?” may have been on your mind.
f) Perhaps there were doors you bypassed because things looked spooky.
27) Mark tells about a situation Jesus experienced with His disciples.
28) Mk. 5:1-6 – READ.
29) Mark paints a pretty clear picture of this fellow.
a) He was a violent man.
b) People had tried to bind him with chains but he could not be contained.
c) He liked living in the local cemetery.
d) Night and day he cried out with strange words and cut himself.
e) This man came running to the Lord and worshiped Him.
30) If such a man had come running towards us, we would probably run back to the boat (verse 2).
31) We would probably not want to study the Bible with such a person.
32) Jesus was willing to help him.
33) Again and again God acts in ways which cause us to sit back and shake our heads.
WHEN WE REALLY BEGIN TO REALIZE GOD’S THOUGHTS AND METHODS ARE NOT OUR WAYS, WE WILL BE HELPED IN SEVERAL WAYS.
a) This knowledge will help us when we pray.
b) We need to remember that God may not answer prayer in the way we would.
c) God may not work in our life the way we think He should work.
d) The church may not go like we think it should.
e) The world may not go like we think it should.
2) One of the most fundamental points about God for Christians to know is Isa. 55:8-9.
3) What the prophet said would help so many people in and out of the church.
4) There are those who mock the idea of baptism. “How can water help me?” ask some.
5) If I were making the plan, I would have probably chosen another way.
6) If I were devising worship, I might have made some changes.
7) God’s ways are not our ways, but we must make them our ways if we want to be saved.
8) Today we ask a simple question.
9) Even if you think some of God’s ways are strange, do you love Him enough to be obedient?
10) Will you say “yes” to the ways of God, even if they seem odd?