What is God like?
God is…
God is… Invisible!
Q. How do we know?
Q. How do we know?
1) Experience
Q. How do we know?
1) Experience
2) The Bible says so…
Q. How do we know?
“No one has ever seen God…”
John 1v18a
Q. How do we know?
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
1 Timothy 1v17
Q. How do we know?
“God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honour and might for ever. Amen.”
1 Timothy 6v15b-16
Q. Why is God invisible?
Q. Why is God invisible?
A. “God is spirit…” John 4v24a
Things that have, do and will exist…
Things that have, do and will exist…
UNCREATED SPIRIT
Things that have, do and will exist…
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
Things that have, do and will exist…
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
Things that have, do and will exist…
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
angels
Things that have, do and will exist…
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
angels
heaven?
Things that have, do and will exist…
PHYSICAL CREATION
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
angels
heaven?
Things that have, do and will exist…
PHYSICAL CREATION
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
rocks
angels
heaven?
Things that have, do and will exist…
PHYSICAL CREATION
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
rocks
x-rays
angels
heaven?
Things that have, do and will exist…
PHYSICAL CREATION
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
rocks
x-rays
angels
heaven?
X
Things that have, do and will exist…
PHYSICAL CREATION
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
rocks
x-rays
angels
heaven?
X
X
Things that have, do and will exist…
PHYSICAL CREATION
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
rocks
x-rays
angels
heaven?
X
X
m
a
n
Hang on… don’t people see angels in the Bible?
In fact… don’t people see God in the Bible?
How come the Bible says spiritual beings are invisible AND visible?!?
God is… Invisible!
God is… Invisible!
…because he’s a spiritual being…
God is… Invisible!
…because he’s a spiritual being…
BUT, sometimes the Bible says that people see God and angels… so what do we do with that?
God is… Invisible!
…except
…except when he’s not!
“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up.’”
“When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’
And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’”
“‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.”
Exodus 3v1-6
…except when he’s not!
Other examples:
…except when he’s not!
Other examples:
…except when he’s not!
Other examples:
…except when he’s not!
So… what’s going on?
…except when he’s not!
So… what’s going on?
God makes something happen, which people can see,
so they know he’s there!
So… is that why people could see Jesus?
What about…
What about Jesus?
What about Jesus?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1v1
What about Jesus?
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1v14
What about Jesus?
“The Son is the image of the invisible God.”
Colossians 1v15a
GOD
GOD
Father
is
GOD
Son
Father
is
is
GOD
Spirit
Son
Father
is
is
is
GOD
Spirit
Son
Father
is
is
is
is not
GOD
Spirit
Son
Father
is
is
is
is not
is not
GOD
Spirit
Son
Father
is
is
is
is not
is not
is not
Things that have, do and will exist…
PHYSICAL CREATION
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
rocks
x-rays
angels
heaven?
X
X
m
a
n
Things that have, do and will exist…
PHYSICAL CREATION
SPIRITUAL CREATION
UNCREATED SPIRIT
God
rocks
x-rays
angels
heaven?
X
X
m
a
n
JC
“For this reason [Jesus] had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”
Hebrews 2v17