The Eternal God

[!NOTE] Primary Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3:1-12

I. Names that indicate eternal nature of God

A. I AM

B. Exodus 3:1-6

C. Moses had fled from the house of Pharaoh when he tried to deliver the people by his own power but they would not follow him. God was ready to deliver His people by the hand of Moses and appeared to him in a bush that appeared to burn yet was not consumed.

D. God told Moses that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

E. Jesus uses this instance to show that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are alive for God is the God of the living. It also shows that God existed in the time of these patriarchs—over 600 years before Moses.

F. Exodus 3:11-16

G. Moses asked what name he should call God when he talks to Israel. God gave the name I AM.

H. This name indicates the eternal nature of God.

I. “I AM” implies existence.

J. God has always existed

K. Someone in my son Rody’s class asked “Who made God?” People often ask this question and it tough to explain to anyone, especially one who is nine years old. Everything in our world has a cause: men build things, weather is the result of many factors coming together; we can trace back events and things to a source from which they began. However, with God we come back to the beginning of all things; the “uncaused first cause;” the source of all things. Even asking “who made God” implies that one greater would have to bring Him into existence but then one would ask who made that being. Our God is the great source of all things for He transcends all things. Psalm 90:2 - “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

L. Jesus applied the name I AM to himself

M. John 8:54-59 The audience immediately knew the application and sought to kill Him for blasphemy.

N. Jesus existed before all things and created all things; He is eternal.

O. John 1:1-3, 10 – He was from the beginning1 Timothy 1:17: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever.” Colossians 1:16-17: “All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

P. Alpha and Omega

Q. The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet

R. When we use the term “Everything from A-Z” we convey the same idea. We name and explain everything and every idea using the alphabet; everything is inclusive in God. This is different from the pantheistic idea that God is everything; He is not in all things, all things are in Him. Colossians 3:11: “where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. ”

S. Revelation 1:8

T. A name of God that shows His power and majesty as the one who will accomplish His purposes outlined in the book of Revelation. Revelation 22:12-14 – He is a wise eternal judge. He will save His people with His power. Revelation 21:6 – He has accomplished His purpose

U. Isaiah 46:9-10 - God is the whole of existence; everything works according to His purpose.

V. 2 Timothy 1:8-10 - The gospel was an eternal plan. Titus 1:2-3 – God planned salvation from the beginning but manifested it in His own time. Ephesians 3:8-11 – Salvation was a mystery hidden in God.1 Corinthians 2:7-12 – We know the plan by God’s revelation. God accomplished His purpose despite opposition from men and Satan’s attempts to disrupt it.

II. Contemplating eternity

A. It is hard for us consider eternity, much less an eternal God.

B. Some try to use illustrations

C. “When we’ve been there 10,000 years,” yet we have a hard time contemplating 500 or 1,000 years. Illustrations like the eagle taking a grain of sand from the earth to the moon and transferring all of the soil of the earth to the moon fail because again, we cannot contemplate such a great concept of time.

D. To try to comprehend eternity will fill us with awe and dread.

E. Ecclesiastes 3:11 – “Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.”

F. Whether we like it or not—whether we realize it or not—,we are eternal beings and will have to experience eternity though we may not grasp it here.

III. What it means to us

A. The eternal nature of God reminds us of our finite nature and the temporal nature of this world and all that seems important in it.

B. Things that can seem so important and pressing here are insignificant in the scope of eternity. When the World Trade Center buildings collapsed, many papers floated down. Many were probably pressing issues for the day—emails to answer, faxes to send or needing an answer, reports to be read—yet soon became insignificant to those who lost their lives.

C. Do not sacrifice your eternity by the distractions of your temporary existence.

D. Matthew 13:20-22 But do not neglect the important work of today, 2 Thessalonians 3

E. Do not forget that you are part of God’s eternal plan

F. He planned salvation for you. He revealed and preserved His message for you. He sent His Son to die for you. Jesus willingly suffered and died for you. God gave you the gift of eternal existence. You will spend eternity in heaven or hell. God has given the choice of an eternal home to you.