Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, July 16, 2000, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

YOU CAN HIDE, BUT YOU ARE NOT HIDDEN

By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading : Genesis 3:1-10

Text: Genesis 3:8

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

Introduction: A popular expression of our day is, “You can run, but you can’t hide.”

Are you hiding from God? I do not say that it is impossible to hide from God. Adam and Eve hid themselves. However, I will say this: You can hide from Him, but you are not hidden!

Many people THINK they are hidden from God, but they are not. They remind me of a small child I saw walking through a room. Realizing that his parents had seen him in the room after they had just ordered him to bed, the little tot covered his eyes with his hands. He figured that since HE could not see THEM, that THEY could not see HIM. Likewise, many people who try to hide from God put Him out of their mind, but that does not mean that they are hidden.

Some people hide from God in their homes. They try to get away from the presence of God. They don’t listen to Christian radio or television. They don’t go to church. They don’t answer the door when the saints of God come to visit them. Sometimes a man who is hiding from God will send his wife or children to the door so he can hide. Sometimes the man will hide in the bedroom. We had a man in this church for a few months once that we tried to visit for three years. Although he was a professing Christian, he was not an active member of a local church during that time. He would never answer the door! He gave reasons for it later, but I believe he was just hiding.

Some people hide from God in churches. That is, they attend a church large enough so that they will not be noticed. That way they can go when they want to, miss church when they want to, and no one will say anything to them about it. Some people go to a church where they know they will not be urged to trust Christ as Savior. Some Christians attend church where they know they will not have their sins preached against or where they know they will not be pressured to faithfully serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are YOU hiding from God? If so,

YOU CAN HIDE, BUT YOU ARE NOT HIDDEN

I. FROM THE INSPECTION OF GOD’S SIGHT

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

A. He inspects the world

2 Chronicles 16:9a For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth …

B. He inspects the woods – see our text

C. He inspects the wicked

1. Job 34:21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

Hebrews 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Psalms 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

YOU CAN HIDE, BUT YOU ARE NOT HIDDEN

II. FROM THE ILLUMINATION OF GOD’S SON

John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

A. He shines through the darkness

Psalms 18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
Have you ever noticed how bugs scatter when the light is turned on? Are you a bug? Are you hiding from the Light of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ?
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

B. He sees through the darkness

Psalms 139:12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
We have tried to invent devices that allow us to see in the dark — night vision glasses and scopes.
We have tried to invent devices that enable us to see through solid objects — X-rays, MRI scans, heat sensors.
The greatest scanner of all is the LJC scan — the Lord Jesus Christ scan. He can see in the darkest corner of your home or your heart. He can see into your room. He can see in your closet. He can see in your mind.

YOU CAN HIDE, BUT YOU ARE NOT HIDDEN

III. FROM THE INTERROGATION OF GOD’S SCRIPTURES

Acts 9:4-5 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

I believe the pricks Saul felt were from his conscience and from the word of God he had heard Stephen preach.

Adam hid himself in the garden …

Genesis 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

Like the very best guided missiles,

A. The scriptures have automatic pursuit

Psalms 147:15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth very swiftly.

B. The scriptures are armor-piercing

1. One of the reasons that men hide from the preaching of God’s word is that they know the Bible is more powerful than their own defenses.
2. Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

C. The scriptures are always powerful

There are no “duds.”
Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

YOU CAN HIDE, BUT YOU ARE NOT HIDDEN

IV. FROM THE INVESTIGATION OF GOD’S SPIRIT

Psalms 139:7-9 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

A. The Holy Ghost reproves the sinner

Of sin, righteousness, and judgment

B. The Holy Ghost reinforces the scriptures

He says, “Amen,” to the truth!

C. The Holy Ghost reveals the Savior

He glorifies the Son of God.
He draws men to Him.
He reveals the gospel to the heart.

COME OUT OF HIDING! You are not hidden from the LORD.

Come to God today and be saved through faith in Christ Jesus!

Come to God today in service!