A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF GOD (3):

God, The Giver

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   There are so many facets of God. 

 

B.   This is understandable because God is deity.

1.    He and His ways are far passed our finding out.

2.    We come to an understanding of Him only as far as He has revealed Himself to us through Creation (Rom. 1:20) and revelation (Ps. 19:7-11).

 

C.   We have been involved in a series of lessons entitled:  “A Better Understanding of God.”

1.    God, The Creator                  God’s power

2.    God, The Redeemer               God’s love

 

D.   In this lesson, we want to look at God, the Giver. 

1.    This lesson helps us to understand God’s benevolence.

2.    Since this is the season of giving, I thought it would help us to remember this aspect of God.

 

I.             GOD IS THE GIVER OF A MARVELOUS CREATION

 

A.   In Genesis 1, we read about the creation of all things in six, literal 24-hour days by the word of God. 

 

B.   Exodus 20:11

 

For in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is…

 

C.   After God created man, He turned His creation over to man for his use and enjoyment (Gen. 1:28).

 

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:  and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

 

D.   This world is truly a gift from God.

1.    It’s beautiful sights.

a.    Powerful rivers

b.    Majestic mountains

c.    Deep canyons

d.    Breath-taking cliffs

e.    Fields of flowers

f.     Roaring waterfalls

g.    Dune covered deserts

h.    Endless oceans

i.     Sunrises and sunsets

j.     All the hosts of heaven

k.    Birds, fish, and animals

l.     A colorful human population

2.    The gift of creation is not just for enjoyment.  It is also for our use.

a.    We have been studying the building of the house of God in our Sunday morning class.

1)    Some of the materials were cedar trees, fir trees, huge stones, gold, and brass.

2)    Where did all of those things come from?  They were all harvested from the earth.

b.    Isaiah 45:18

 

For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited:  I am the Lord, and there is none else.

 

II.           GOD IS THE GIVER OF LIFE

 

A.   There has never been a time when God did not exist.

1.    He has always been alive.

2.    We refer to this as God’s being eternal.

 

B.   In the Bible, God is called “the living God” thirty (30) times.

1.    Joshua 3:10

 

And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you…

 

2.    The phrase is often used to contrast the true God and idols (1 Thess. 1:9).

 

For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

 

C.   God is the fountain, the source, of all life. 

1.    Life has always and will always reside in Him.

2.    He has the ability to transfer life into inanimate objects.

a.    God formed man out of the dust of the earth.

b.    His form, however, was cold and lifeless until God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen. 2:7).

 

And the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 

c.    What a gift!

 

D.   Each one of us has been blessed with life from God as well.

1.    Each life is valuable.

Each life is unique.

Each life should be cherished.

2.    We live in a world that often appears to be clueless and unappreciative when it comes to life.

a.    We take life for granted.

b.    We live life in ways that are detrimental to ourselves and to others.

c.    Some individuals chase a dream of some life they desire and in the process they miss their life.

d.    We take life in many ways:  abortion, murder, revenge, anger, wars of power and greed, and even religious views.

 

E.   Life provides purpose.

Life provides enjoyment.

Life provides relationships.

Life provides opportunities to succeed.

Life provides chances to serve.

 

F.    The longer a person lives, the more valuable he learns life really is.

1.    We could put it this way:  The nearer to death a person gets the more precious life is.

2.    If I live to be 80 years old, I only have 15 more years on this earth.

3.    This past week a childhood friend of mine passed away.  He is about two years older than I am.  Ricky is no longer with us.  One day, I will no longer be here.  Life, right now, is precious!

 

III.         GOD IS THE GIVER OF SALVATION

 

A.   God created man and wanted to live in harmony with man forever. 

1.    To do this, man had to remain holy because God is a holy God. 

2.    God also wanted man to choose to remain in fellowship with Him.

a.    He did not create robots.

b.    He would not force man to obey.

c.    Thus, he gave him one prohibition while he was in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:7-8).

d.    If man refused to love his Creator, and, if he chose to violate His will, the sentence was death.  “Thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:8)  (NOTE:  This confuses some individuals because they are not able to truly comprehend the sovereignty and the holiness of God).

 

B.   We know the story.  Man sinned (Gen. 3:6).

 

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

 

C.   NOTE:  Man did not die that day.  Why?  Because God had devised a plan to save man.

 

D.   That plan involves three wonderful gifts.

1.    Jesus Christ (John 3:16)                 Execution of the plan

2.    The Word of God (Rom. 1:16-17)       Revelation of the plan

3.    Eternal life (Rom. 6:23)                    Fruition of the plan

 

E.   It is hard for man to comprehend the blessing of salvation.  God tries to help us understand it by means of contrasts.

1.    Life and death

2.    Reward and punishment

3.    Heaven and hell

4.    Rest and torment

5.    Praise and weeping and gnashing of teeth

 

IV.         THE GIVER OF AN ETERNAL HOME

 

A.   In Hebrews 4, Paul writes:  “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God” (Heb. 4:9).

 

B.   This rest is in a place that has been prepared for us by our Lord and Savior.

 

C.   It is described in many ways:

1.    The joy of the Lord (Matt. 25:21)

2.    The kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:34)

3.    Heaven (Col. 1:5)

4.    A new heavens and a new earth (2 Pet. 3:13)

5.    The holy city of God (Rev. 22:14)

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   James 1:17

 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

 

B.   While we are in the season of giving, we should seek to be benevolent like our God.

1.    We will never out give Him, but we can seek to be like Him.

2.    As we give, let us remember “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).