Is God really with us? 2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans[a] of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” - Micah 5:2 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, - Matthew 2:1 12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter. - Zecheriah 11:12-13 3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners.” - Matthew 27:3-7 1 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, 16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet[b]— 17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. - Psalm 22:1-2a; 16-18 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. - Matthew 27:35 V. 39: “39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads V 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” V 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. V 46b, ““My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God Keeps His Promises. We know His promise but there are times when we feel like we don’t experience his presence. How Do I Consistently Experience the Presence of God 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. - John 14:15-24 V.16 - And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever Discipleship = the process of learning from Jesus, living like Jesus, and teaching others to learn from and live like Jesus. V.17 - You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. V.20 - “...I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” V.21: “...he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. -John 6:53 V 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. V 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” and 21, “21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. 1. Jesus Loved Us Before We Ever Loved Him. 2. A Love For Jesus Must Come Before Obedience to Jesus 3. Love Produces Obedience that Opens the Door to Experiencing His Presence Jesus Loved Us Before We Ever Loved Him. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,Christ died for us.- Romans 5:8 A Love For Jesus Must Come Before Obedience to Jesus Receive Me Believe Follow Me Believe Get Up Abide Rise Ask Believe Abid Love Receive Love Produces Obedience that Opens the Door to Experiencing His Presence