Teaching Note 2

Faith Insight 2: The God Who Makes Himself Known

“And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel:

“I AM has sent me to you.”’”— Exodus 3:14 (ESV)

In our lesson today, we answer the question:   How can we know God? The Scripture's remarkable answer is that we can know God because He has chosen to make Himself known.  The Bible begins not with humanity searching for God, but with God acting:

“In the beginning, __________ created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

Now consider Moses at the burning bush. Moses was not searching the wilderness for a new understanding of God. God called to him: “Moses, Moses!” When Moses asked what he should say if the Israelites asked the name of the God who had sent him, God answered: “____________________.”

God was making Himself known. This pattern runs throughout Scripture. Faith does not begin with our ability to find our way to God. It begins with ____________________________________________________________.God's self-revelation reaches its fullest expression in Jesus Christ. 

John writes: “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.”— John 1:18 (ESV).

Jesus did not come merely to give us additional information about God. In Christ, God entered human history and made Himself ________________________________________. 

Jesus could therefore say: “Whoever has seen me has seen __________ __________.” John 14:9 (ESV)

This changes the way we think about faith. Christian faith is not an attempt to reach an unknown and distant God through enough effort, knowledge, or religious activity. It is our __________ to the God who has already taken the __________—the God who creates, speaks, calls, reveals, and ultimately comes to us in Jesus Christ.

Before __________ followed, God called.

Before __________ went, God spoke.

Before ____________________followed Jesus, Jesus said, “Follow me.”

And before we can walk with God, God makes Himself __________.

That means the question of faith is not merely, “Do I believe there is a God?”

A deeper question is:  ______________________________________________?

FOR REFLECTION

What two things in Scripture has God revealed something about Himself that you need to trust more deeply?

1.

2.

A PRACTICAL RESPONSE

Sometime this week, slowly read Exodus 3:1–15. Instead of reading only for information about Moses, ask a different question:  What does this passage reveal to me about God Himself?  Note how you should respond:

A SIMPLE PRAYER

Father, thank You that You have not left us to find You on our own. You have made Yourself known through Your Word and most fully through Your Son. Open my heart to know You more deeply, trust what You have revealed, and respond when You call. Teach me to walk with You. In Jesus' name, amen.