Sunday School Lesson for Nov. 14, 2010: God Is Forever (Psalm 90:1-12)

Psalm 90:2
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.



Psalm 90:4
A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.



Isaiah 40:28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.



Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.



Daniel 7:13-14
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man,[a] coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.





OK, I have a little story. You see, the lesson this week makes the point that God is age…less. Ageless. That He is from ‘everlasting to everlasting’. So let me challenge your ‘sanctified imagination’ for a moment. You see we always think of God as…. , well… ancient. You know, that wizened … old man, who uses that scepter in His hand as a staff. Just waiting till Jesus shows up to take his place in glory and allow Him (the Father) to assume the role of ‘God Emeritus’. Forgive my irreverence here, but if we allow the paradigm to shift just a little, we can gain an insight from the scripture that tells us that God literally does not age. That, though He is eternal He is not ‘aged’ in appearance. In appearance, He is vital and strong. Life literally comes out of Him. Having set this all up, let me get back to my story.

My dad had five children, three sons. I’m the oldest, but my mother would not allow him to name me ‘Junior’. That was not allowed until his last child, the baby boy was born. It’s just as well too, because, as it turns out, he is the ‘spittin’ image’ of my dad. If you took a picture of both of them at age 12 and placed them together, you could make the argument that they are ‘twins’. The resemblance is remarkable.

Now let’s transpose this ‘story’ to Heaven. Scripture tells us that Jesus is the express image of the Father. They ‘look’ just alike. Jesus and the Father could very well be indistinguishable. Imagine the wonder of being in their Holy presence and not being able to tell them apart until (here comes the hoop) … you noticed the scars in Jesus’ hands and feet. Whoa! It’s OK to shout. You looked real close and you saw the marks in his brow from the crown of thorns. Glory! For a moment, His robe slipped off His shoulder, and you caught a glimpse of …. The stripes on His back. You get the picture. Here I am, dancing in my Father’s robes again. Time for me to close.. I’ve got those ‘Holy Ghost goose bumps’ right about now. Have a blessed week..



J wb





John 14:9
Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.



Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed



Zechariah 13:6
If someone asks, ‘What are these wounds on your body ?’ they will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’

.......

I forgot…



A real quick comparison of God, the Father to Jesus, the Son. These are verses I did not include in last week’s lesson…



Daniel’s vision of the Father…



Daniel 7:9-10
9 “As I looked,

“thrones were set in place,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His clothing was as white as snow;
the hair of his head was white like wool.
His throne was flaming with fire,
and its wheels were all ablaze.
10 A river of fire was flowing,
coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated,
and the books were opened.



John’s vision of Jesus…



Revelation 1:12-16
12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man,[a] dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.



We serve a vital God, from whom all of the ‘Zoe’ kind of life emanates. He may be ‘ancient’, but He cannot age. And… Jesus is His express image….. ( I’m jumping up and down on the inside again… J )



Blessings,



..wb