Not Far From Each One of Us

Paul's sermon at Mar's Hill is a popular one for all budding theologians to dissect. It is perhaps a perfect example of contextualization....in layman's terms....adapting the methodology of preaching to your audience. Paul's approach at Mar's Hill was uniquely designed for them. Although the message of the Bible never changes, sometimes the methodology does. Paul met them "where they were" and presented the gospel to them. Today I want to talk about the fact that God is "not far from each one of us."

Recently I have been thinking about the fact that God is always at work redemptively in both our lives and that of the world. In Romans we read that "the powers that be are ordained of God." (Rom 13:1). There is a temptation to believe (especially in a world where evil seems to triumph) that somehow the world is spinning out of control while God sits somewhere in a far away universe. Nothing could be further from the truth. Even the most evil despot or dictator can only operate within the Sovereignty of God's supervision. There is a beautiful illustration of this truth in the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (KJV)

At times it may seem like the Lord is far away, but the scriptures reveal that reality is much different than perception. The psalmist captures the essense of the omnipresence of God as well.

Psalm 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. (KJV)

Many believe that God only dwells in ornate temples and cathedrals. Or perhaps that some other medium (or mediator other than Jesus Christ) is necessary in order to reach God. While this may be true of other (false) religions- this is not true of the God of Christianity. The God of the bible is not far from each one of us- regardless of our perception. I often like to think of the analogy of a radio. When you turn on your radio, your receiver is designed to produce a sound when you turn to the proper frequency. Does that mean that the frequency is only there when you turn on your radio? Of course not- the signals and sound waves are there all the time- but only when you tap into the frequency can you hear it. Or how about a light switch? We tend to think that the power is only there when we flip the switch and the light comes on. But the truth is that the power was there all along, we just tapped into it's usefulness by flipping the switch.

Paul had to set the folks straight at Mars Hill, and he did so with great power from the Holy Ghost. Let's read those words today:

Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (KJV)

I'm also going to post the same passage from the NASB:

Acts 17: 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' (NASB)

God wants us to seek Him. Not because He is far away, but because He desires that we hunger and thirst after righteousness. I am convinced that He initiates this desire within us. Jesus said that no man can come to God, unless he is drawn by the Father (John 6:44). And once He has called unto us and knocked upon the doorpost of our hearts, He desires that we do take the next step and draw nigh unto Him. What many do not realize is that without God- you and I have no promise of the next breath! (Acts 17:28). The scriptures say that "in Him we live, and move, and have our being.." Whether we choose to acknowledge Him or not does not change the fact that God is in control of our lives. No one has the power to retain their spirit, should God decide to call us home (Ecclesiastes 8:8).

This should excite us if we truly grasp it! We must be careful not to embrace the idea of pantheism (in other words- everything IS God...ex. rocks, trees, etc.), but we must also reject the idea that God is far removed from His Creation. He loves you and I- the hairs on our head are all numbered- we are of more value than many sparrows. God created all things and then made man to enjoy them and have dominion. He is not far away from you when you fall on your knees to pray. He is not far away when your lips utter praise to His name. He is not far away when the doctor has given an evil report. He is not far away when the minister is delivering the eulogy at the funeral service. He is not far away when your children are born...when you make your wedding vows....when you witness for Him...when you're sad...when you're lonely.....when you're depressed.

All other religions are man's attempt to reach up to God. The bible declares that God reached down to sinful mankind- became one of us-lived among us-faced every temptation that we face- died for us- and rose again! From the very beginning, God has demonstrated His love for mankind, and His desire for fellowship. Even now, the Father is seeking us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). I want to encourage you today- God has not given up on the world- and He has not given up on you! Rise up and "grope" through the darkness if you must (Acts 17:27 in the NASB) in order to find Him- but by all means reach out and touch Him- He is here and He is near!!

Be a Fan