Sermon: God’s Pursuit by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Date: March 17, 2019
Key Scripture Passages: Luke 13:31-35
Sermon Notes:
Our Potential
Have you ever looked at someone and thought such wasted potential?
Have you ever thought about how God looks at us?
Genesis 1:27-31 ESV states:
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
God, the source of all goodness and life, created man, and God was pleased with His creation. But Man was separated from God by falling for temptation. Sin tainted man and the world.
God’s Pursuit of Us
And every day since, God has pursued us. The Bible is the story of God’s pursuit of Man. He wants us back. He wants reconciliation with us. He wants to heal and restore us to our former potential. God created each of us with intention and purpose.
There are times when I am sure God gets frustrated with us. Our passage today shows Jesus expressing that frustration.
Luke 13:34-35 states:
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Yet, there is hope. There is always hope, because God’s love and mercy are unfailing. He loves us unconditionally. God will always be there when we need Him. He may wish we lived up to our potential more. But He loves us and continues to pursue us. God gave us His Son to teach us and to die in our place. God gave us His Spirit as a comforter and guide. God empowers us towards the potential.
The Bible is the story of God’s pursuit of us and how we should pursue Him. God sees the potential in you and wants the best for you, no matter what you have done or left undone. God pursues us, in spite of ourselves, and He will continue to do so, until the end times. There is always hope.
Further Suggested Study:
Date: March 17, 2019
Key Scripture Passages: Luke 13:31-35
Sermon Notes:
Our Potential
Have you ever looked at someone and thought such wasted potential?
Have you ever thought about how God looks at us?
Genesis 1:27-31 ESV states:
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
God, the source of all goodness and life, created man, and God was pleased with His creation. But Man was separated from God by falling for temptation. Sin tainted man and the world.
God’s Pursuit of Us
And every day since, God has pursued us. The Bible is the story of God’s pursuit of Man. He wants us back. He wants reconciliation with us. He wants to heal and restore us to our former potential. God created each of us with intention and purpose.
There are times when I am sure God gets frustrated with us. Our passage today shows Jesus expressing that frustration.
Luke 13:34-35 states:
34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”
Yet, there is hope. There is always hope, because God’s love and mercy are unfailing. He loves us unconditionally. God will always be there when we need Him. He may wish we lived up to our potential more. But He loves us and continues to pursue us. God gave us His Son to teach us and to die in our place. God gave us His Spirit as a comforter and guide. God empowers us towards the potential.
The Bible is the story of God’s pursuit of us and how we should pursue Him. God sees the potential in you and wants the best for you, no matter what you have done or left undone. God pursues us, in spite of ourselves, and He will continue to do so, until the end times. There is always hope.
Further Suggested Study:
- Genesis 1
- Luke 13
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