 Hello everyone, welcome back from the break. Hope everyone's back It's a to do a quick read of what we discovered in the last class We finished the section of look at the third and fourth point of what is worship and try to understand a little bit more on on the verse John chapter 4 verse 23 and 24 what it really means to worship him in spirit and in Truth, okay Sorry guys, I wanted to I wanted to give us another scripture. I don't know where I wrote it And where it's gone. So Great, okay Okay, never mind. Sorry apologies Okay, so yeah, we saw that it is the Holy Spirit that Who abides in us and powers as to worship him in spirit? And we also worship him in truth, which it simply means Worshiping him according to the revealed word of God Okay So that was the last section of the chapter but What I want to do right now is just share briefly on the topic of encounter Because on in the fourth point It's not in your notes, by the way, I'm going to share my screen and I'll share these share this PDF Later in the stream section. Okay, so you don't have to look at your notes. You all you have to do is look at the screen, okay? John has already heard me speak on the subject apologies John It is going back to the fourth point You know we see that worship is a response to an encounter with God, isn't it and this word Encounter is such a big deal in in the context of worship in You know in the Christian in a Christian walk keep talking about this word encounter with the Lord I had this encounter with God so I felt like you know adding this to the subject We'll just help us understand a little bit more better. Okay, and I hope that's all right as mentioned You know, I will share this PDF in the class stream section for you to You know, take a look at it later. All right so Encounter What what is an encounter? You know, what is the dictionary definition to it? Okay? It says Encounter by definition simply means to experience or be faced with Unexpectedly be faced with or experience something hostile difficult or whatever. Okay, so that's that's what an encounter is. Okay, and Coming face to face with an unexpected Okay, there's an unexpected, you know encounter with the reality. Okay more definitions on encounter means Some things up with my computer. Okay, sorry Encounter means to meet face to face unexpectedly and Encounter in involves an element of surprise Of an element of suddenness it means to meet someone or To meet someone in a way that you have not expected it to be Okay, it means to meet someone or meet someone in a way that you have not expected it to be The last definition says an encounter does not mean a second-hand report about a person or a situation It means a face-to-face Meeting, okay, you know, I'm sure we've all had this we've come across a situation where You know, your friend will tell about another friend that you have not met yet It's like, okay, hey, you know what this person is like this. This is the so-and-so person is like that He looks like this, you know, she looks like that Etc. Etc. And then when you come face to face with that person you are confronted with the reality I mean, it's like you say, okay, you are nothing like how I imagined you to be Getting what I'm saying, right? So it changes the perspective, okay So the fourth point there as it mentions is an encounter does not mean a second-hand report So when you and come when you encounter someone or something, okay You have like the first hand report, you know, you've tasted and you've seen you've experienced it That is what an encounter is so to encounter God Means to meet him face to face and expect that something unexpected will happen as a result of that encounter Okay to encounter God means to meet him face to face and expect that something unexpected will happen as a result of that encounter It is a divine appointment which is marked by his presence his power and his deliverance When you encounter Jesus, you are forever changed by the experience. Okay, so Why an encounter with God matters? Why is it important? You know Why is it important? You know, what's the big deal about it? Why do we have to learn about it? Why do we have to, you know, go a little bit more deeper into this? Okay, and how is it related to worship? We'll see that in the sections to come. Okay So why an encounter with God matters? You need an encounter with God to start a relationship with God It's a very simple point, right? It is somewhere in our life. We encountered the love of God We encountered the grace of God. We encountered his mercy in our lives We've tasted somewhere in our journey, right? We've encountered that So that encounter, that initial encounter initiated a relationship with the Lord Right? So we need to have an encounter with God to start a relationship with God And so if you don't see flashes of lightning or hear the audible voice of God, you don't see the heavens open Doesn't mean that you haven't encountered him Okay, if you don't see things like what Isaiah saw or Ezekiel saw Doesn't mean that, okay? It's because at some point in our lives we've encountered his love of grace, like mentioned, you know, we are where we are And what is happening in those moments is that God is planting a seed in our hearts Okay, and this seed is the beginning of something beautiful Okay So that's why it's important, okay? The first point is that we need an encounter with God to start a relationship with God And then the seeds are never meant to stay as seeds, isn't it? Encounters with God builds our faith Okay, so your relationship with God builds our faith Okay, so your relationship with God starts with an encounter, but it continues by faith Okay, so seeds are never meant to stay seeds. They are made to grow Okay, so likewise faith isn't meant to stay a seed in our hearts, but it is destined to grow So in order for a seed to grow into a healthy tree We need a good soil, water, sunlight, etc, etc So similarly, life isn't always going to be easy In those wilderness seasons, you need to have faith to continue And encounters are like water to our heart. They increase our faith Encounters with the Lord is like water, like a good soil, like a good light of sunrise hitting us It increases our faith. It helps that seed to keep growing and growing So encounters with God builds our faith So let's look at a few very familiar encounters from the Bible that people have had And you all know all of these characters that we are looking at Okay, so Abraham's encounter with God You know what happens in his journey of faith, he's not as a father of faith, isn't it? It's very interesting in the life of Abraham and Sarah and Jacob One of the first things that God does in this encounter is that he changes their identity It changes their identity. It's like he's bringing them into his reign, into his rule, into his kingdom, into his family That's what baptism also means. Baptism simply means immersion. It's like bringing them into his fellowship So Abraham becomes Abraham Jacob, his name is changed to Israel and in Genesis 30 to 30, Jacob names that place as Peniel Which means I have seen God face to face So we know the encounter of Abraham. We know the story of Jacob. This is just a few And you know the encounter of Paul Okay, so who is Paul according to the Bible? We see that Paul is a devout Jew. He's known as the Pharisee of the Pharisees He's a religious. He's a persecutor of the Christians. He persecuted the church. He killed those who believed in Jesus In Acts chapter 8 verse 3, you see that Paul, Saul began to destroy the church Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison And Acts chapter 9 verse 1 and 2 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples He went to high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus So that if he found any there who belonged to the way, the way were the Christians, the people of Who followed Jesus were known as the people of the way, right, who belonged to the way Whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem You see, he was a very passionate persecutor of Christians And what happens? Encounter with the Lord He encounters Jesus He goes blind for three days And he's a changed man And what is happening there is that he's having a revelation of Jesus and the cross Why do you persecute me? Jesus asked him, isn't it? So he is having this encounter with him And in that encounter, there is this revelation of who this Jesus is So in every encounter we have, guys There is a revelation of who this Jesus is Just like we read in Psalm 145 There is new reason It means there's this new revelation, ongoing revelation Just like the creatures in Revelation chapter 4 They have unlimited perspective, ongoing revelation of who God is Which leads to unending worship That is what is happening in every encounter And that's what happened here In Revelation chapter 6 verse 14 We see that, may I never boast Except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, Paul writes Through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world A guy who persecuted the church Who murdered Christians Who went to the officials Asking for letters, official letters So that he can take Christians into prisoners But one encounter with him, with Jesus Changes everything, his entire course of life There's just another character But one of my favorite encounters in the Bible Is mentioned in John chapter 20 Can we all just go to John chapter 20 please Is everybody doing alright? Yeah, with me I hope you are John chapter 20 everybody John chapter 20 verse 1 onwards I'll read it for us It says, early on the first day of the week Early on the first day of the week While it was still dark Mary Magdalene went to the tomb And saw that the stone had fallen She went to the tomb And saw that the stone had been removed While it was still dark she ran Verse 2 So she came running back to Simon Peter And the other disciple The one Jesus loved And said, they have taken the Lord out of the tomb And we don't know where they have put him Verse 3 So the Peter and the other disciples started for the tomb Both were running But the other disciple outran Peter And reached the tomb first So John runs faster than Peter And he reaches the tomb first Verse 5 Interesting, pay attention He bent over And looked in at the strips of linen lying there But did not go in It's amazing the details The Bible records Why does it have to mention that But it did not go in, it's amazing Verse 6 Then Simon Peter Who was behind him arrived And went into the tomb So Peter sees the strips of linen lying there Verse 7 As well as the burial cloth That had been around Jesus' head The cloth was folded up by itself Separate from the linen Finally the other disciple Who had reached the tomb first So Peter went inside He saw and he believed And believed Verse 9 They still did not understand From the scripture That Jesus had to raise Had to rise from the dead Verse 10 Here's where the story takes a different turn Verse 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes But Mary stood outside the tomb Crying She did not go back As she wept She bent over to look into the tomb Mary sees two angels In white Seated where Jesus' body had been One at the end One at the head And the other at the foot They asked a woman Why are you crying? They have taken away my Lord They've taken my Lord away, she said It has to be the first time in the Bible Where a person sees angels And where the angel doesn't say Do not be afraid Mary must have been like I couldn't care less about you But I can't find Jesus I'm not impressed with angels Like Moses God says I will send my angels before you If your presence does not go with me We're not going I must have been Mary's stage here Two angels, it's all cool And every time you read in the Bible You see God sending one angel To meet with a person And then here Mary stood outside the tomb crying And you must have been like This is just too special a moment I'm going to send just two angels And she still doesn't care And Mary is like They have taken my Lord away You see where her heart is She said And I don't know where they have put him Verse 14 At this She turned around And saw Jesus standing there But she did not realize that it was Jesus Woman He said Why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for? Mary thinking he was the gardener She said, sir If you have carried him away Tell me Where you have put him I will get him Jesus said to her Mary She turned toward him And cried out In Alameic Which means teacher Just look at that Verse Verse 15 When Jesus asked her Why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for? She says Tell me where you have put him And I will get him Oh boy How many of us know how heavy a dead body is It's pretty heavy And It's not impossible But it's very hard For it to be carried by one single person It's very heavy But here Mary is saying Mary was willing to love On a dead Jesus Like I don't want I don't want any more deliverance I don't want any more healing I don't want any more blessing I don't want him for what he can do I want him For who he is And at that point Jesus calls her by her name Mary She turned towards him Verse 17 Jesus said Do not hold on to me Mary For I have not yet returned to the Father That means there was something else On Jesus' calendar That he wanted to do But then it was Her desperation for Jesus That made Jesus stop by Okay Jesus said Do not hold on to me For I have not yet returned to the Father Mary But go instead to my brothers And tell them I am returning to my Father And your Father To my God and your God Mary Magdalene went to the disciples I have seen the Lord And she told them that He had said these things to her That last verse in verse 18 I have seen the Lord The result of hunger The result of desperation The result of just waiting A little longer on him The result of Just wanting Jesus For Jesus And not something that he can do But I have seen the Lord And When I was reading this scripture A few Many years ago Once again Holy Spirit just so beautifully reminded me And he asked me to Go to second Song of Songs If I can quickly find it Song of Songs Chapter 3 Okay Song of Songs Chapter 3 This thing of John 20 John Chapter 20 was Which is so beautifully Kind of prophesied So many Hundreds of years ago Song of Songs Chapter 3 It says verse 1 onwards All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves I looked for him But did not find him I will get up now And go above the city Through its streets and squares I will search for the one my heart loves Pay attention to this So I looked for him But did not find him Verse 3 The watchman found me As they made their rounds in the city Have you seen the one my heart loves Scarcely had I passed them When I found the one my heart loves I held him And would not let him go I held him And would not let him go Song of Songs Some agree Some don't agree As a metaphor Or as an analogy Between The church As the bride of Christ And Jesus as the bridegroom But then the same imagery In a way it's happening here In John 20, 20, isn't it? When Mary was just waiting Waiting for the one that her heart longed for When she found She held on to him So much that Jesus had to say Don't hold on to me, Mary For I have Not yet returned to the Father Okay So A powerful encounter You know, and that Results She's the first evangelist It's awesome, isn't it? So three lessons for Mary's encounter With Jesus that we can take away Intentional Hunger, desperation, brokenness And humility Intentional First verse, John 21 Early on the first day of the week The Sabbath got over While it was still dark Mary Magdalene went to the tomb She must have not slept all night She was intentional She already planned She intended to go And look for Jesus She was intentional She was hungry When Simon and John went back She stayed outside the tomb Crying She was desperate She wanted to go to an extent Asking Tell me where you have laid him I will go get him I don't know what she wanted to do But she was desperate She was broken She was humble enough to say I want him I want more of him Desperation This desperation, brokenness, hunger Those things are like magnet It's like What to say, a black hole Right? When we walk in that such desperation Haven't Just can't ignore And time and time again We read in the Bible that God says I saw the tears of Anna I saw the cry of Hagar and her kid And he always responds And so God always responds When we get desperate for him When we get broken before him Before him Okay, that's point one And two Sorry, the second lesson In her encounter, Mary's encounter With Jesus is that she was focused She couldn't care less about the two angels So she wasn't impressed Yeah, angels If it was me, I was like Angels You know But she was focused I want Jesus I'm looking for the one my heart loves I just pause and ask yourself this question Who is it The one that your heart loves Is it Jesus Is your heart looking for something else Or someone else besides Jesus Is your heart focused Or is your heart fixed Is your eyes fixed On Jesus And finally The third point is persistence And patience With intentionality And focus Is relatively easy to have An encounter with God Is already promised That when we draw near to him He will draw near to us She waited Peter and John went back home But she stayed back She persisted She was patient So those are the three lessons From Mary's encounter with Jesus It's a beautiful encounter It's one of my favorite encounters in the Bible And so And just going on to another section What are the results Of an encounter Okay The effects of an encounter Could be different It's so different to different individuals We may experience Something that you've never known before A new confident in God's love A fresh infelling of the Holy Spirit A boundless joy in the goodness of God But whatever happens We find that many people experience The following changes One, an encounter will lead us to a repentance You see that in Psalm 51 At the end of the encounter Most people will come face to face With their own sinfulness When Isaiah Has this encounter with the Lord That he sees He says, woe unto me For I am a man of unclean lips When we come face to face With The Holy One The Most Holy One You kind of see yourself as we Okay, now I know who I am Right And that leads to repentance And there's a sense of new direction Okay, when Peter and Andrew Ordinary fishermen encounter Jesus Their lives took a drastic new direction From fishermen they went on to become The fishes of men And finally The last result of an encounter with the Lord Is a transformed heart When Jacob had an encounter with the Lord His relationship with his brother Esau changed So all of the above Repentance, new direction Transformed heart Just leads to one thing That is worship Right, so as we Saw on that fourth point in your notes That worship Is our response To an encounter With the Lord Okay, so ask yourself this question What if you encounter God today What would you do What have you done with the encounters You have had with God so far And what's an encounter with God That has marked your life Okay This quote is actually by Bill Johnson I forgot to give credit there But he says You were created for encountering God And you will never be satisfied Until you continually live In the experience for which You were created Okay, you were created for encountering God And you will never be satisfied Until you continually live In the experience for which you were created Okay So that's the end of That's just a brief study On encounter Why is it important for us to have An encounter with the Lord What have we done with the encounters That we've had so far You know, what can we learn From some of the encounters That people have had in the Bible As just as one example Three lessons that we could take away From Mary's encounter With Jesus Is that it should encourage us It should push us It should motivate us To be focused, to be hungry To be desperate And humbly seek after him more Right Everybody doing well Are you guys with me Did I lose you all Okay So I mean after just looking at all of this Do you think that an encounter With the Lord is important Yes Do you long for an encounter with him The teacher side and me Wants to continue With the chapter But just feel like We need to just pause at this moment We just pause And just like Mary Can we just wait on him Just to stick this time Just to stick this time And just settle our hearts And just lift your prayers Up to him And say My heart's been divided For too long My heart has been fixed On too many other things But you Lord I've been focused on everything else But you Lord I've been focused on my worries My fears about tomorrow I've been focused on My insecurities I've been focused on my pain What I'm going through I've been focused on the storms all around me But I just want to stand still right now In your presence I want to recognize your presence I want to acknowledge your presence And just say that I am hungry for you I'm desperate For you God Can we just take another 30 seconds Or a minute And let the Holy Spirit minister to you Yeah Is that okay Just take a minute or so Let's take a break from all the theory That we've learned So many things So many points So many steps Just open up our hearts So Father we I pray in your name This incredible privilege that we have To come to your throne of grace Just as we are And to call you Abba Father And so Father Everything that we are learning about Worship Lord I pray that we will worship you In spirit and in truth Lord Beyond the points Beyond the theory Of our understanding Beyond the definitions of worship That you would release an encounter That we will walk into an encounter with you God That defies definition So we open up our hearts And I pray Father That you would encounter each and every single person Father in this class Lord I pray that That you would see the hungry heart A desperate heart Lord I pray that you would see a humble heart I thank you Lord Amen Amen Yes Is there anything that you Does anybody want to share Any insight from what we've learnt What kind of stood out to you What would be your key takeaway Feel free to share Yes Divya please go ahead Yeah thank you Vesta So this Encounter With God All those encounters mentioned In the Bible Has always been very fascinating Because I think each person Has a You know a unique revelation about God Maybe it is And one thing that is really common Is the holiness Aspect of God And Yeah And how even in the Old Testament Like God is revealing Himself progressively Like I am Jehovah Jaira Jehovah Rafa So that progressive revelation Through different encounters So yeah And one thing that One thing that I really You know did not know Was even after becoming a Christian For a long time I mean I always try to do things for God But It was a constant struggle for me And There was a time when God put this word Inside me Like be still And know that I am God And it was a Very It was very precious for me Because yeah I was like those disciples Maybe in the storm They are just you know They are not looking And they are not realizing They are just telling me still And know that I am God Have a revelation of who I am So yeah And then counter with God Really helped me with the Response You know to the right response Me trying or striving to do things Yeah Yes I just want to share Thank you David Thanks for sharing Anybody else But today We will conclude with that Anybody Yes Alice correct Yeah Because take away from me was like When you were sharing the Greatness of God Becomes more greater When we Obey Him So the obedience become The factor to To see More greater God To see The greatness of God And more and more deeper way So yeah So that was like key take away Thank you Alice Thank you for sharing Just one more person Yeah Thank you for sharing He has the power to cleanse us From all the sins You just need to seek his heart Person Key take away from today's lesson And we will conclude Share something Sure Isaac please go ahead Yes and In the Story of the encounter For us encounter with the Lord I'm just saying that Sometimes in our lives It is the Lord himself Who prompts The encounter Because from what I saw From Paul's encounter with the Lord His motive was different In fact he was Going about Persecuting Killing, destroying Christians What I'm saying God saw Maybe he needed him Or we needed him So I said God From the encounter Because it was not Paul's intention To have an encounter with the Lord In fact it was the contrary But God Encountered him On the way to Damascus Yes Take care of yourself Thank you Isaac Yes Alright guys Thank you all for sharing Thank you for being part of class today I hope everybody could take away something From today's class I will share the encounter notes On the class stream section Okay I will stop the recording Thank you all for joining Take care Have a good day Bye bye I'll see you all next week Thank you Pastor Thank you guys God bless you Thank you