Intimacy with GodGOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE FOR INTIMACY

Review

Intimacy with God is obtained through spiritual formation, discipleship and transformation.

God created each of us to relate to Him is a specific way. We call these streams of the Lord.

History has life lessons for us that help us gain wisdom and understanding from the life of others.

Today’s plan

Look at the options for where we start Start with our present condition and Jesus Identify some basic relationship aspects Offer a pathway for growing in intimacy with

God

If you made a list of the three ways God relates to people, what would they be?

1 2 3

Where do we start?Many places to learn God’s lessons.

Eternity Past Adam and Eve Abraham the Father of the Faith Mary and the birth of Messiah The Apostles and the birth of the church age The Gentiles ingathering Old Testament New Testament

Why I’m starting with Jesus

The Story of Jesus is the revelation of God for men “in our day.”

Jesus is the fulfilment of the law, so knowing Jesus allows us to know the law

We cannot go back to a sinless state, so while studying the story of the garden is insightful, I’m going to focus on our present condition

It sounds cool

Born into sinSurrender you

life and become a follower

Grow in GodSanctification and holiness

Life with JesusJohn 13:1-5

Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (2) During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, (4) *got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. (5) Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

Repeated elements of intimacyNow before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (2) During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, (4) *got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. (5) Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Separation Love Betrayal Humility in Service Washing and cleansing

The ways of God and intimacy include

Separation God came walking in the cool of the day Israel in bondage, separated from God

Love Betrayal

Eve and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil Humility in Service

God covers the sin of Adam God provided a ram for Abraham

Washing and cleansing The Blood

Big Picture with Historical Perspective

People of God in bondage in Egypt

God establishes a new way of dealing with them (Passover) Into your house Blood on the doorpost Eating with family Go

People of God trapped in bondage to sin

God sends the Passover lamb (Jesus) Christ in you, into your heart Blood of Christ (atonement) Family, body, fellowship Go and make disciples

Intimacy with God is a lifestyleNot an event

Process of being forgiven Process of being cleansed,

sanctified, renewed Process of enlightenment Process of character

development Obedience and love Humility and grace Suffering and sacrifice Revelation, anointing, gifts and

glory

Signs of Intimacy

God is looking for Obedience Character Purity Giving Contentment Gladness, rejoicing, delight Peace Humility

We are looking for Significance Fulfillment Spiritual Gifts Promotion Honor and Praise Knowledge of good and evil Power Anointed

John 13:6-12 So He *came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" (7) Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter." (8) Peter *said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." (9) Simon Peter *said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." (10) Jesus *said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." (11) For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, "Not all of you are clean." (12) So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?

Imagery

Feet = daily walkWash = make clean spirituallyBathed = personal hygieneBetraying = sin, rejection

Discipleship

Scriptural Reading John 13 – 17Focus on relationship with God through Jesus

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