Presence driven

Over the last few weeks we have been talking about being a people who are passionately committed to the presence of Jesus.  I have found preparing and preaching these sermons to be at the same time, the most enjoyable and provoking, experience I have had in quite some time.

It has been enjoyable because stripping away everything else and focussing on Jesus has brought an increased peace and adoration in my life that has been very refreshing.  

It has been provoking because I know there is so much that Jesus has for me to experience.  I don't want to walk on the fringe of His presence, or experience His presence in measure, I want to know the fullness of His presence.  And thankfully, Jesus sent Holy Spirit to lead me into that very place!!

Here is a very brief outline of the ground we have covered:

1.  Are we open to His presence or committed to His presence?  We will seldom sacrifice, or be known for, things we are simply 'open' to.  It is those qualities, experiences and skills that we are committed to that define us.  And Moses declares in Exodus 33:16 that the presence of God was to be the defining quality of our lives.

2. Welcoming His presence.  King David teaches us how to welcome the presence of God (the 2nd time around) into the centre of our lives.  In 2 Samuel 6 (and 1 Chronicles 15) David models obedience, sacrifice, passion and humility in pursuing the presence of God.

3. The fullness of His presence.  Jesus set an incredible standard -- He healed and delivered everyone who encountered Him.  And if that wasn't noteworthy enough, He went on to say that we would do the same as He did (John 14:12).  When someone sets a world record, it usually isn't expected to be matched, and whomever might do it is usually in pretty elite company.  But Jesus set a never before seen standard, and then declared that it was the new norm for His followers.

4. A hindered presence.  Mark 6 records for us an incident that seems to stand in marked contrast to the pattern Jesus set.  Immediately after raising a young girl from the dead and healing a woman who had been sick for 12 years (Mark 5) Jesus went into a region and was unable to heal and deliver as many people as He intended to.  The Bible records in a disappointing light that, "...He could heal only a few...".  What would cause most of us to rejoice, the Bible mentions it almost regrettably.  Not for those that got healed, but because Jesus wanted to do so much more.

5.  And this week....well you'll just have to come to church and find out.

 

Comments

[paul]

Good stuff Scott - your a great teacher and an awesome friend! Now I wanna come to your service for the rest!

[Debbie]

Thanks Scott for sharing your heart in this article... May we all truly desire to be "People of His Presence"... Whole heartedly pressing in for MORE OF HIM!!

The song "Hopelessly devoted" just came to my mind... but in our case, I pray we would be "HOPE-FULLY DEVOTED" TO HIM!!

God bless you Scott!
Dancing in Daddy's Arms,
Debbie