Sensates:Sensates:

Loving God through the Loving God through the SensesSenses

SENSATESSENSATES

HELP US APPRECIATE THE HELP US APPRECIATE THE AWE, BEAUTY AND MAJESTY AWE, BEAUTY AND MAJESTY OF GOD.OF GOD.

SENSATESSENSATES

Experience and Worship God Experience and Worship God through the five senses, touch, through the five senses, touch, taste, smell, sight and sound.taste, smell, sight and sound.

Ezek 1:4-28Ezek 1:4-28

44 I looked, and I saw a I looked, and I saw a windstorm windstorm comingcoming out of the north-an out of the north-an immense cloud with immense cloud with flashing flashing lightning and surrounded by lightning and surrounded by brilliant lightbrilliant light. The center of the . The center of the fire looked like fire looked like glowing metalglowing metal, , 55 and in the fire was what looked and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. Inlike four living creatures. In

Ezek 1:4-28Ezek 1:4-28

appearance their form was that appearance their form was that of a man, of a man, 66 but each of them had but each of them had four faces and four wings. four faces and four wings.

1313 The appearance of the living The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torchesof fire or like torches. Fire moved . Fire moved back and forth among the back and forth among the creatures; creatures; it was brightit was bright, and, and

Ezek 1:4-28Ezek 1:4-28

lightning flashed out of it. lightning flashed out of it. 1414 The The creatures sped back and forth creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightninglike flashes of lightning. .

2222 Spread out above the heads of Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what the living creatures was what looked like an expanse, sparkling looked like an expanse, sparkling like ice, and awesome. like ice, and awesome.

Ezek 1:4-28Ezek 1:4-28

2525 Then there came Then there came a voice from a voice from above the expanseabove the expanse over their over their heads as they stood with heads as they stood with lowered wings. lowered wings. 2626 Above the Above the expanse over their heads was expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of athrone was a figure like that of a

Ezek 1:4-28Ezek 1:4-28

man. man. 2727 I saw that form what I saw that form what appeared to be his waist up appeared to be his waist up he he looked like glowing metal, as if looked like glowing metal, as if full of firefull of fire, and that from there , and that from there down down he looked like firehe looked like fire; and ; and brilliant light surroundedbrilliant light surrounded him. him. 2828 Like the appearance of a Like the appearance of a rainbowrainbow in the clouds on a rainy in the clouds on a rainy

Ezek 1:4-28Ezek 1:4-28

day, so was the radiance around day, so was the radiance around him. him.

This was the appearance of the This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. LORD. When I saw it, I fell When I saw it, I fell facedownfacedown, and I heard the voice , and I heard the voice of one speaking. NIV of one speaking. NIV

Ezek 2:8-3:3Ezek 2:8-3:3

88 But you, son of man, listen to But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; like that rebellious house; open open your mouth and eat what I give your mouth and eat what I give youyou." ."

9 9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, scroll, 1010 which he unrolled which he unrolled

Ezek 2:8-3:3Ezek 2:8-3:3

before me. On both sides of it before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and were written words of lament and mourning and woe. mourning and woe.

3:13:1 And he said to me, "Son of And he said to me, "Son of man, man, eat what is before you, eat eat what is before you, eat this scrollthis scroll; then go and speak to ; then go and speak to the house of Israel." the house of Israel." 22 So I So I opened my mouth, and he gaveopened my mouth, and he gave

Ezek 2:8-3:3Ezek 2:8-3:3

me the scroll to eat. me the scroll to eat. 3 3 Then he said to me, "Son of man, Then he said to me, "Son of man,

eat this scroll I am giving you eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." and fill your stomach with it." So I So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouthhoney in my mouth. NIV. NIV

Revelation 1:9-17Revelation 1:9-17

1010 On the Lord's Day I was in the On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and Spirit, and I heardI heard behind me a behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, . . .loud voice like a trumpet, . . .

1212 I turned around to see the voice I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And that was speaking to me. And when I turned when I turned I sawI saw seven seven golden lampstands, golden lampstands, 1313 and and among the lampstands wasamong the lampstands was

Revelation 1:9-17Revelation 1:9-17

someone "like a son of man," someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. sash around his chest. 1414 His His head and hair were white like head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were eyes were like blazing firelike blazing fire. . 1515 His His feet were feet were like bronze glowing inlike bronze glowing in

Revelation 1:9-17Revelation 1:9-17

a furnace, and his voice was like a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing watersthe sound of rushing waters. . 1616 In In his right hand he held seven his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. a sharp double-edged sword. His His face was like the sun shining in face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. all its brilliance.

Revelation 1:9-17Revelation 1:9-17

1717 When I saw him, When I saw him, I fell at his I fell at his feet as though dead.feet as though dead. NIV NIV

SensatesSensates

Remind us that the majesty of Remind us that the majesty of God is something to be God is something to be experienced.experienced.Ps 34:8 Ps 34:8 NIVNIV

Taste and see that the LORD is good; Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. him.

SensatesSensates

Help us understand the Glory Help us understand the Glory of God and His redemptive of God and His redemptive work through their artistic work through their artistic expressions.expressions. The artwork of church has given away The artwork of church has given away

to the slides we use in worship.to the slides we use in worship. The expression of God in song helps The expression of God in song helps

us understand him.us understand him.

SensatesSensates

Teach us that there is Teach us that there is grandeur and mystery to God grandeur and mystery to God that surpasses our that surpasses our understanding.understanding.Job 11:7-9 Job 11:7-9 NIVNIV

7 "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you 7 "Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? probe the limits of the Almighty?

8 They are higher than the heavens-what can you do? 8 They are higher than the heavens-what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave-what They are deeper than the depths of the grave-what can you know? 9 Their measure is longer than the can you know? 9 Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the seaearth and wider than the sea.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIESSUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

1. Listen to worship-producing music1. Listen to worship-producing music2. Absorb worship-producing art2. Absorb worship-producing art3. Sing scripture3. Sing scripture4. Create a worship space for yourself: light 4. Create a worship space for yourself: light

a candle, set out meaningful articles, a candle, set out meaningful articles, e.g., a cross.e.g., a cross.

5. Use a “pocket piece”5. Use a “pocket piece”6. Enter into a scripture passage. Be one of 6. Enter into a scripture passage. Be one of

the characters. Experience the passage.the characters. Experience the passage.7. Vary prayer posture: stand, sit, kneel, lie 7. Vary prayer posture: stand, sit, kneel, lie

prostrateprostrate