## Great Aspects Of God

## Exodus 3:10-15

This is the account of where God called Moses to be the deliverer of Israel out of Egypt. You will remember that Moses is on the back-side of the desert and no one is present but he and God. God has told him to go unto Pharoah and tell him to let the people of God go. Moses is hesitant. Then the conversation changes to the children of Israel, and Moses asks God what name he shall use in convincing the Israelites to go with him. God then makes the statement that has been repeated thousands maybe even millions of times since.

(Exo 3:14) "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

In the N.T. we see where Jesus used this same name several times. "I am the bread of life"; I am the door"; I am the way, the truth, and the life", "I am the True Vine; The Good Shepherd"; just to mention three or four.

Have you ever stopped to think why God did not continue in the phrase in Ex. 3:14? Why did He just say, "I AM THAT I AM"? Why did he not go ahead and state what HE WAS? You see, there is no beginning and no ending to God. There are no boundaries. There is no height nor depth limit. God is without boundary. Had he stated what HE WAS that would have limited Himself to that particular claim. "I AM THAT I AM". What is He? He is whatever you need. Whatever He says happens.

- If you need a Comforter, He is a comforter.
- If you need a Provider, He is a provider.
- If you need a Savior, He is a Savior.
- If you need an Anchor, He is the anchor.
- If you need an understanding Listener, He is just that.

There is no limit to what He is. "I AM THAT I AM." We can't explain God. We can't describe Him except what He has given us in the Bible. I want to give you some things about God that all of us have experienced many times and often overlook or forget about.

I. The Goodness Of God

A. Definition:

1. Goodness = the state or quality of being good.

a. Excellence of character, morals, or virtue.

b. Generous and kindly feelings such as goodness of heart.

2. The best or most nourishing part of anything; essence; strength.

3. God.

B. We use the term, "God is good".

1. Of course He is good; He can't be anything else.

2. He is good because He is God.

3. He is not good because of what He does, but He is good because of who He is.

4. He is not God because He is good; He is good because He is God.

(Psa 107:8-9) "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! {9} For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness."

5. He HAS given us that which we do not deserve.

6. He HAS NOT given that which we do deserve.

C. We should praise Him for His goodness.

1. It is far beyond our imagination.

2. We can't imagine what life would be like without the goodness of God being bestowed upon us.

3. I suppose it would be the very likeness of hell itself.

II. The Glory Of God

A. The Glory Of God Is Seen Through The Suffering Of His Saints.

1. Stephen. Cf Acts 7:54-60.

a. Stoned to death for his witness for Christ.

b. And as he was about to die, he saw Jesus…

c. He gave glory to God with his dying breath.

2. John on Patmos.

a. Boiled alive in hot oil.

b. Exiled on the Isle of Patmos and left to die.

c. But God wasn't finished with him yet.

3. Daphne Waldrip:

a. Only God knows the depths of her suffering.

b. But she continued to glorify God and witness to others.

c. God was glorified in her suffering.

B. The Glory Of God Is Seen Through The Sinlessness Of His Son.

1. Through His majesty.

(John 17:4-5) "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. {5} And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."

2. Through His manifestation.

(John 17:6) "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word."

3. Through His message.

(John 17:8) "For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me."

4. Through His might.

(John 17:2) "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him."

C. The Glory Of God Is Seen Through The Substitute for Sin.

1. Only God could die for sin.

2. Only God could pay the ransomed price.

3. Only the Creator could die for the creation.

4. The Son of God became the Substitute for sin.

5. He gave His body to be given to sin; and in doing provided a way of escape for sinful man.

a. See Him as He hangs on the Old Rugged Cross, so despised by man.

b. See Him as He suffers the agony and pain of sin for you and for me.

c. See Him as He looks toward His Heavenly Father for comfort and compassion and the Father rejects Him.

d. See Him as He dies alone without anyone to comfort Him.

6. It's hard for humanity to see any glory in such an episode; but all the while the wicked one was being stripped of his power over mankind.

III. The Gift Of God

(John 3:16) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

(Rom 6:23) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

(Mat 11:28-29) "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. {29} Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

A. What is a gift?

1. A gift is given through grace and love.

2. It cannot be earned.

B. Most of what we give as gifts to friends is merely some type of payback.

1. God didn't owe man anything.

2. If someone takes us out to lunch we feel we must repay the favor.

3. A gift does not demand repayment.

C. Man had nothing coming, thus, God did not pay back…He paid it all.

(Eph 1:4) "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:"

- God is great in His goodness.
- God is great in His glory.
- God is great in His giving.

Do we know His greatness? Have we tasted of His goodness? Do we know of His glory? Have we received His gift? Why not come today and allow us to introduce you to the great I AM. He wants you to come now. Will you obey?