GETTING IN TOUCH WITH GOD
 

Text: Ezekiel 8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.
2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.
3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.
4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain.

Intro: This passage is chosen because it presents a contact between God and His servant in a very forceful way. Ezekiel could have no doubt on this occasion that he had indeed, been in contact with God.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

I. God gave man five senses and has used each of them to remain in touch with him.
A. He used most of them in His judgment of sin
1. He Saw man’s wickedness
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
2. He FELT.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
3. Evil is a STENCH to Him
Isa 65:5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.
Ecc 10:1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
4. He Spoke
Gen 11:7 Go to, go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
5. He Heard
Psa 78:56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

B. Under the Law, Truth was communicated to Israel in many ways.
1. Smell - The Incense and the Ointments
2.Taste - Eating a portion of the Peace Offering
3. Touch - Placing of the hands on the head of the Sin Offering
4. Hearing - “There will I communicate with Thee.”
5. Sight - The Pillar of Fire by night and of Cloud by day.

II Translate these into our present relationship with God.
A. See: We see Jesus
Heb 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

1. By faith, we can see our future!
I Cor 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

B. Feel; Our hands had touched
1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

1. In confessing our sins, we must touch (identify with) Jesus. Not just, “ I have sinned.” but “I have sinned against GOD!”
2. Experiencing Christ will bring us to the desire of Paul;
Phil 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
C. HEAR
1. Mat 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
2. John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me:
3. John 18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

4. Babble of the world says; “worry, fret, stew, and hurry!” but Jesus says:
John 14:27 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

D. Smell ( The lingering fragrance of one who has left the room.) Song. OUT OF THE IVORY PALACES.
Illustration: My parents said that the dog I left behind when I went into the Marines, missed me so much that he curled up on my old work jacket and died!
Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
1. An obedient Christian is a sweet smell to God.
II Cor. 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
Phil 4:18 But I have all and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

E. Taste (“You are what ye eat)
Psa 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in
I Pet 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Never in all history has man been so conscious of his diet; yet, never has he fed his inner man with such ‘junk food’!
1. Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
2. Except you eat --
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
48 I am that bread of life.
49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
a. On what do you feed?
Psa 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Shame on Christians who can tell you the t.v. schedule by heart or quote the starting line-up for every major league team but can’t quote a verse of scripture to tell a lost soul how to escape hell! Can you name more of the last super-bowl team than of the twelve Apostles?
4. Feed on the Word!
Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Psa 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

III Conclusion: How real is He to you? With how many of your senses can you honestly say, “I am in touch with God?”