When God Speaks - Part 2

Last week, we discussed God's authority and power when He speaks. He can breathe life into creation and speak into our hearts and lives. The words that God speaks have a tremendous weight along with them. They mean something to whom He is speaking. What is most amazing about the fact that God speaks is that he speaks to us.

Read Exodus 3:2-6

In this passage, God calls to Moses from the burning bush. The progression here is important. God initiates the conversation with Moses. Moses is drawn to the bush, because it isn't burning up even though it is on fire. Then, Moses hears the voice of God and he realizes what is happening. Immediately, he is ashamed and fearful, because he recognizes that as a sinful human being, he has no right to be in the presence of a holy God. So why does God reveal himself to Moses? The answer is simple...and complicated, but can be summed up in one word - grace.

We sing about grace and talk about grace, but what is it? To explain, let's begin with God. Scripture describes God as holy and perfect. Holy in a scriptural sense means to be set apart. God is set apart from the world, other gods and from us. God is also perfect which means complete, lacking nothing. God doesn't need anything to be God. He is complete on his own. Now, let's talk about us. Because God is perfect, we seem pretty crumby in comparison. For athletes, musicians, or any kind of skill you have, imagine standing next to an Olympian or professional in your area of skill. Your skill in comparison wouldn't seem so spectacular. It's similar in our relationship with God. When Jesus is talking to his disciples in Matthew he calls us to be holy as his father is holy or sometimes translated perfect as our father in heaven is perfect (Matt. 5:48), but we are nothing in comparison to God's perfection and holiness.

Though we are created in God's image, because of the fall, we fall short of His glory. Because of our sin, we have no right to stand before God, which is why Moses was so afraid. The beauty of this interaction is that God speaks to Moses anyway. Regardless of Moses' sin, God reveals himself and calls Moses to follow God and to rescue God's people. This is grace - that God chooses to reveal himself to us and to guide us  along his path regardless of our sin and brokenness. He enters into relationship with us not because he needs us, but because he wants us to experience his love and mercy.

When God Speaks - Part 1

Hi Friends! It has been an amazing summer! God has blessed the youth ministry with some awesome opportunities to share his word and to grow in faith and wisdom. Fall officially begins in just a few days, but you are already back to school and into the rhythms and routines that come along with it. Personally I love the fall. It means football games, hiking, cool temperatures, and youth group kickoffs! Both of our groups kicked off this past week and it was great to see you all again! If you missed it, keep checking back here for our discussions topics.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be discussing what it means that God speaks. He speaks the world into creation. He speaks through fire, dreams, donkeys, whispers, and many other ways. Most importantly, he speaks to us! The God of the universe communicates with his creation. Communication is so important in our lives. We are connected to people all the time through cell phones, facebook, and other media. We also interact with one another at school, at home, church, or sporting events.  Communication is a vital part of our lives and God created us that way.

• Why do you think God designed us with a need to communicate?
• What does this design tell us about the nature and desire of God?

God's emphasis on communication reminds us of our need to hear from Him. God chooses to communicate with us and to reveal himself to us. God reveals himself to us in two basic ways - through general revelation and special revelation. General revelation is what God reveals to everyone, like creation. Special revelation is when God speaks to a specific people for a specific purpose, like when God speaks to Moses through burning bush. Whenever God speaks, He wants us to listen. This weeks conversation is focused on God's authority.

Read Genesis 1:1-3

The world begins with God's voice. He speaks and light is created. His speech and his words are powerful. We experience the power of words everyday when someone gives us a word of encouragement or someone criticizes us. People's words have the power to shape and mold our attitudes and actions. How much more powerful then is the word that God speaks to us? Hebrews 4:12 says this: 

 "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

God's word is so powerful. His words matter because of who He is. Our God is the only God who speaks in the scriptures. It separates him from the idols that many worshiped throughout scripture. Psalm 115:3-5 says:

"Our God is in heaven he does whatever pleases him.But their idols are silver and gold made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see."

God is not an idol. He is alive in the world and he is moving in each of our hearts. He speaks to us through his word, prayer, creation, and many other ways. 

• How does our belief that God speaks affect our view of Scripture? The world we live in? Our day to day behavior?

 Next week, we will be discussing how it is by God's grace that we are able to hear and understand him.
***Lesson content is adapted from The Gospel Project for Students - The God Who Speaks from Lifeway Publishing.