Sermon at Hesston MB-Hide and Seek

Introduction: How many of you enjoy a game of Hide and Seek?  Do you enjoy hiding or seeking more?  Throughout Scripture, we see the idea of hide and seek.  So because it is the Hide N Seek program today, I plan to share a few Scriptures to remind us of our HNS Theme Verses: Keep me as the apple of your eye; HIDE me in the shadow of your wings, (Psalm 17:8) & ³³ But SEEK first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

Hide-- Throughout Scripture, God Hides Us

·         When was the first mention of hiding in the Bible?  In the garden, after Adam and Eve sinned. Despite their sin, God found them and shared the gospel for the first time (Genesis 3:15-he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel)

·         All of us are tempted to hide when we sin.  But God through Jesus has made a way for us to not hide, but instead be forgiven. Often when unbelievers and believers are involved in sin, they hide from God and hide from the church.  Thanks be to God that because of Jesus, we no longer need to hide, but we can run to the cross and confess/repent because God loves us.  If you are believer, run to Jesus when you sin.  If you do not have a relationship with Jesus, run to Jesus and receive the free gift of grace available to you. 

·         Listen to these examples of God hiding his people for protection. Several Old Testament texts suggest that “hide” can carry the connotation of safety and security.^[1]

o   Psalm 17:8-Keep me as the apple of your eye hide me in the shadow of your wings

o   Psalm 27:5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

o   Psalm 143:9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you.

·         Read Colossians 3:1-4-George Brett Doll

o   “I realized that the Russian dolls illustrate both kinds of “in” When I focus on the bigger doll hiding the smaller doll, I think about how I am “in Christ.” Jesus is like the bigger doll, and I live and move within him. This is very comforting and encouraging as I think about how I, by God’s grace, have received all that Jesus is and does and has done-forgiveness, reconciliation, life, healing, power, wisdom. When I focus on the small doll inside the bigger doll, sometimes I reflect on how Christ is “in me.” Again, by God’s grace, I have new life in me; the very life and power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me. I don’t know how this works, but I know that it is a reality by the ways Jesus works in and through me…Remember who you are: you are one in whom Christ dwells and delights. Remember where you are: you are “in Christ,” safe and secure.” (James Bryan Smith “Hidden in Christ” pg. 43,46)

Seek-- Throughout Scripture, God Is Found

·         Listen to a few examples:

o   Isaiah 55:6-Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

o   Jeremiah 29:13 ¹³ You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you, declares the Lord

o   Matthew 6:33-But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

o   Luke 19:10-For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

·         Seek the things above (Colossians 3:1)

o   Set your hearts on things above in NIV is seek the things above in KJV, AMP, NASB, ESV

o   We are not to strive for a “heavenly” status, since that has already been freely given us in Christ. Rather, we are to make that heavenly status the guidepost for all our thinking and acting.^[2] And this is present tense so it is a continual act and our brothers and sisters in Christ can encourage us in this.

o   Spiritual growth comes only from Christ.  We grow as we fix our eyes on Jesus.  As we look to God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, He transforms us from the inside out.  Want to grow? Focus on God and who He is and what He has done, not on yourself.

o   Last week, we celebrated the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  Pastor Jared said at the beginning of the service, join us again this week because what is true last week on Easter Sunday is also true today.  The same excitement that we had on Easter Sunday can be had every time we gather as the Body of Christ.  As we are in Christ (union with Christ), everything that Christ accomplished is ours.

Closing—Which of these two do you need today?

            Do you need God to hide you?  Ask Him. Do you need to seek more of God?  Ask Him.

Let me close with this Scripture from Exodus 33:21-22: ²¹ And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, ²² and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

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^[1] Moo, D. J. (2008). The letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (p. 250). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

^[2] Moo, D. J. (2008). The letters to the Colossians and to Philemon (p. 246). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.