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SARDINES

WE USED TO PLAY A GAME CALLED SARDINES. THE GAME WAS ESSENTIALY A HIDE-AND-SEEK GAME.

ONE PERSON HID, AND AS SOON AS YOU FOUND THE PERSON YOU WOULD HIDE ALONG WITH THEM.

AT THE START THERE WAS A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE SEARCHING INTENTLY FOR THE HIDING INDIVIDUAL - IN CLOSETS, BEHIND DOORS, UNDER COUCHES, ETC.

AS YOU SEARCHED, YOU WOULD SLOWLY SEE LESS-AND-LESS PEOPLE SEARCHING - WHICH MEANT THEY HAD FOUND THE PERSON.

THERE ARE FEW THINGS AS FUN AS A FORM OF HIDE-AND-SEEK (IE - I SPY, GHOSTS IN THE GRAVEYARD, SARDINES, ETC.)

WHEN PETER TALKS ABOUT THE PROPHETS OF OLD, HE SPEAKS ABOUT PEOPLE THAT SEARCHED FOR JESUS.

1 PETER 1:10

PETER SAYS IT THIS WAY IN 1 PETER 1:10.

"10 CONCERNING THIS SALVATION, THE PROPHETS WHO PROPHESIED ABOUT THE GRACE THAT WAS TO BE YOURS SEARCHED AND INQUIRED CAREFULLY..."

IN OTHER WORDS, THE PROPHETS KNEW THERE WAS A GRACE COMING - A HELP, AN EMPOWERMENT, AN ASSITANCE - FOR GOD'S PEOPLE.

IN THEIR EARNEST TO SEE GOD'S PEOPLE COVERED WITH GOD'S GRACE, THEY:

  • SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES FOR IT
  • INQUIRED OF RABBIS FOR IT
  • STUDIED TOWARDS

THE FULFILLMENT OF HOPE, GETTING ACCESS TO THIS GRACE, EXPERIENCING THE MESSIAH - WAS THE GREAT MULTI-GENERATIONAL EXPECTATION OF GOD'S PEOPLE.

PETER IS MAKING THE POINT THAT THEIR SEARCHING AND INQUIRY ALWAYS POINTED TOWARDS THE PERSON OF JESUS.

SEARCH

THIS IDEA OF GOD HIDING AND HIS PEOPLE SEEKING HIM ATTESTED THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE.

PSALM 27:8

YOU HAVE SAID, “SEEK MY FACE.”
MY HEART SAYS TO YOU,
    “YOUR FACE, LORD, DO I SEEK.”

JEREMIAH 29:13

13 YOU WILL SEEK ME AND FIND ME, WHEN YOU SEEK ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART.

MATTHEW 7:7-8

7 “ASK, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK, AND YOU WILL FIND; KNOCK, AND IT WILL BE OPENED TO YOU. 8 FOR EVERYONE WHO ASKS RECEIVES, AND THE ONE WHO SEEKS FINDS, AND TO THE ONE WHO KNOCKS IT WILL BE OPENED.

IN OTHER WORDS, SEARCHING FOR GOD HAS BEEN A PRACTICE ALL THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE - FROM:

  • HERDSMAN TO
  • SHEPHERDS TO
  • KINGS TO
  • WRITERS TO
  • FISHERMAN AND BEYOND

IN OTHER WORDS, SEEKING GOD IS NOT FOR PRIESTS/PASTORS OR EVEN RELIGIOUSLY ELITE.

SEEKING GOD IS FOR BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS, GRAY-COLLAR WORKERS, AND WHITE-COLLAR WORKERS.

WHY?

BECAUSE WE ALL NEED GOD'S GRACE, GOD'S HELP, GOD'S ASSITANCE, GOD'S EMPOWERMENT.

HOW DO WE SEEK GOD?

  • THROUGH SCRIPTURE
  • THROUGH PRAYER
  • THROUGH COMMUNITY

STAY ASKING. STAY KNOCKING. STAY SEEKING.