The Sovereignty of God

The Need to Begin with God’s Word

Amen. Thank you all so much for leading us and Praise this morning and thank you all for joining us as we continue our sermon series called who is God. And so for us to answer that question, we must go to God's Word.

We must allow the God of truth to speak truth into our lives. We can't begin with our human ideas and opinions because guess what? We are often wrong, right? We must begin with God's Word and when we're asking who is God, what is he like?

We must study his scripture and I'm reminded of men in the Bible that have Misrepresented God and what God thought about that in the story of Job. God directly said this to Job's friends. My anger burns against you for you had not spoken of me.

What is right like my servant Job. And so for us to try to Understand who who God is and what he's like is a huge understatement for us to Think about something else that's less than the God of truth is to be led astray is to make God Out of our own hands to make him an idol.

And so it is the most important thing for us to understand who God is. I love what pastor Stephen has preached and said the most important thing about you is what you think about God. It is so important that we start with God's Word and we work down to us.

That's how we're going to have right theology. That's how we're gonna know the God of the Bible the God of truth. We can't begin with man and our wrong ideas and opinions and our philosophies. And so that's our aim through this sermon series to know God According to what he teaches us in his word and to rightly speak about him.

God’s Self-Existence and Spirituality

So a few weeks ago, we've started looking at the attributes of God. This is talking about all of who God is and the first attribute we looked at was God's a seedy. This simply means that God is Self-existent.

He is eternal and he is dependent on no other in The in the scripture God reveals himself to Moses in the burning bush. He says I am who I am and so the Lord is not defined or determined by any other than himself.

The God of the Bible is the only true eternal God. And so last week we looked at the attribute of the spirituality of God. And this simply means that God is spirit and perhaps the clearest place in the scripture that teaches that God is spirit is in John chapter 4 verse 24.

It says God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. And so God is a spirit because he is infinite he is everywhere at once he is omnipresent. He doesn't have a material physical body like man does and so I love this because the second person of the Trinity Stepped down into creation and took on flesh and dwelt among us.

And so this is Jesus Christ. He bridged the gap between God who is what he doesn't have a physical nature. He is transcendent and eternal and Jesus bridges the gap. We are able to worship the triune God and spirit and truth by having a relationship With him and so the idea is that since God is spirit we must worship him in spirit.

We must worship him with all of our heart with all of our soul with all of our mind with all of our strength. We must worship him in truth. We must worship him accurately According to what his word reveals to us and we worship in spirit and truth meaning we don't have to gravitate to certain Physical locations.

We don't have to observe certain rituals or rely on traditions. He is with us wherever we go. He has his spirit Indwelling in his people and so this morning I want to look at the next attribute in our in our sermon series and we're going to be looking at the sovereignty of God and so I want to talk about that word sovereign.

God’s Sovereignty in Scripture

I want us to see Explicitly how the Bible teaches us that God is sovereign and ultimately he is ruling and reigning over his creation. So the Bible clearly tells us in 1st Timothy chapter 6 verses 15 and 16 Paul is talking about God he who is the blessed and only Sovereign the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords who alone has immortality.

Who dwells in unapproachable light with whom no one has seen or can see to him be honor and eternal Dominion. Amen. And so that word sovereign there could be applied to Man, it could it could refer to a human ruler like a royal king or a royal minister.

And it's referring to the type of authority and the type of power that they possess. And so we start talking about the God of Scripture the creator of all things. He is all-powerful and his authority is most supreme and he is the one that truly does whatever he pleases.

The Bible is so Clear in Psalm 115 verse 3 our God is in the heavens and he does all that he pleases. I want you to think about this the sovereign God of the universe. He is the one that truly possesses free will.

He has the freedom to exercise his will not only in heaven But also on earth and all of his created order. Psalm 135 verse 6 says whatever the Lord pleases He does in the heaven and on earth and all the seas and all the deep.

This is the doctrine of God's sovereignty. This is the foundational truth to all Christian theology. We're talking about the God who is and the God who is is the God who reigns? He upholds the creation by the word of his power.

And as I begin to think about these truths about the sovereign God, I'm left with this feeling I can totally trust him. This is a God that reigns over all the world. This is a God that has a purpose for my life.

This is the God who knows all things. This is a God that can keep his promises when he says you can have salvation and my son Jesus. No one in all of creation can rival that authority or power and say you can't do that.

Satan can't come into the picture and say well God actually can't keep his promises. God is sovereign. He is all-powerful. He knows everything who's going to look to God and say you can't do something to put your trust in the sovereign God Has everything covered you can trust him fully?

And so the Bible declares Hallelujah for the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. His sovereignty truly is the bedrock doctrines of all doctrines. I want you to think about every moment of every day. God is reigning and he is ruling over every aspect of life.

He reigns over events. He reigns over creation. He reigns over nations. Circumstances human minds. He reigns over human hearts and get this he even reigns over human wills. The book of Proverbs is so wonderful because it outlines how the eternal sovereign God works and how man is different.

Man is temporal. Proverbs 21 one says the King's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord and it is the Lord. He turns it wherever he wills. And so with that being said, would you please turn with me in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 1.

I want us to examine One particular verse verse 11 and we're going to be looking at its surrounding context as well. So if you would please follow along with me this morning in Ephesians 1 verse 11. Where we read in him talking about Christ in him we have obtained an inheritance having been predestined.

According to the purpose of him who works all things According to the counsel of his will and so this morning I want us to focus in on four key words. We're gonna be looking at the word predestined purpose counsel and will and I want to begin with the word counsel here because it seems like God's counsel within himself as The Trinity this seems to begin first.

And so I want you to do is just take a moment. Think back as far as your mind will let you go. Think back before the foundation of the world before there was any outer space before God even created the angels.

Think back to a time where it was God and God alone where it was God the Father God the Son and God the Spirit. What was going on as they were counseling together? They were considering every possible Conceivable outcome within a created world.

And so we see this context in Ephesians 1. We see the Trinity taking place before the foundation of the world. In verse 3 read about God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ in verse 14 talks about the Holy Spirit.

And so out of that divine counsel brought forth their will and so this is the second point the triune. God's will means they made a decision a Choice was made and please don't miss this their decision to create is all-inclusive.

It encompasses all that will come to pass and it is God who works all things after or according To the counsel of his will and this is important to make sure we're understanding Paul's train of thought by comparing scripture.

With scripture, we're starting to see other passages scripture in a different light in James chapter 4. We read this come now you who say today or tomorrow? We will go into such-and-such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit.

Listen yet. You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life for you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes? Instead you ought to say if the Lord wills we will live and do this or that.

I think James's point is clear. We don't know what the future is going to be like sure. We can make plans according to our own minds and our own hearts and the things that we want to do. But ultimately things could go way different according to how God has a purpose in his plan that he is working out.

Right, I think it's great to prepare for the future, but we need to recognize God if you have different plans for me I am trusting you you are the sovereign creator God. God alone knows the future and it's because he's working all things together after the counsel of his will.

Proverbs once again says many are the plans in the mind of a man. But it's it's the purpose of the Lord that will stand. And so here in Ephesians 1 we see something else coming out of the the immediate context out of God's will.

Comes forth the choice of his elect. These are those that he is setting his heart and his affection and his love on to be his own possession. Look earlier with me in the context starting in verse 3. Where we read blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Whom has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Let me pause. I read this and I have to ask the question who is the us and I notice Earlier in the passage Paul is writing to the Saints who are in Ephesus, right?

This is a very specific personal letter. God is setting his heart upon the Saints, right? These are Christians, right? This isn't some nameless and faith faceless corporate entity group that God has no idea who they're going to be.

It's very personal it's very Specific and it picks up again in verse 4 even as God even as he chose us in him Before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him. Why would he do that in love?

In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will. And what I love about this is that God has a people that he has chosen. He has marked out everything that's going to happen in their life.

He knows who their parents are gonna be. He has a purpose in that he has a purpose for them being male or female. He has a purpose for who they're going to marry. He even has decided the exact moment when they're going to put their faith in Jesus Christ.

I want you to understand that there is no end to all that God is prescribed as the author of his eternal master plan. And so this brings us to the third word, which is God's purpose. So think about the train of thought out of God's counsel from eternity past came forth his will and God's purpose is His divine determination to execute his will in fact.

It is certain that God will accomplish his will because he is the one declaring the end from the beginning. I want to direct your attention to what the Prophet Isaiah had to say about the sovereign God.

He says in Isaiah chapter 46. He says remember this and stand firm. Recall it to mind you transgressors. Remember the former things of old for I am God and there is no other I am God and there is none like me.

Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things yet Not done. Saying my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose. Calling a bird of prey from the east the man of my counsel from a far country.

I have spoken and I will bring it to pass. I have purposed and I will do it now. This is such a key passage in the context of what Isaiah is saying because he's making a contrast. He is contrasting false gods idols made by human hands that can do nothing with the eternal Sovereign God the King of Israel and the Lord of hosts.

The Prophet Isaiah says this to the false gods. You give us an explanation of what has happened in the past and declare to us about the things that will come in the future. Isaiah's point is clear idols can do nothing.

Only the true living God gives us an explanation about the past and he is able to give us prophecies about the future. He is the one who is working all things according to the counsel of please listen to this his will.

This is his world. Everything is happening according to the way that he wants it. There is nothing random. Isaiah says this again to idols. Behold you are nothing and your work is less than nothing an Abomination.

Is he who chooses you? I'm hoping that you see how important it is to make sure we follow the God of truth the God that has revealed himself in time and in his word and His Son Jesus Christ, we cannot make idols made with our own hands or our own Imaginations and I've met people who say that well, I believe in the God of Bible.

I don't think he knows the future. And that really takes me back because if we're grounded in God's sovereignty, we know what first John 3 20 says. It says that he knows everything. We know that God is omniscient that he is sovereign.

He is reigning in every aspect of life. Then you got other people that say well God is all-knowing, but he looks down somehow the tunnels of time and learns about future people's decisions. And I have to ask the question is God like man that he should learn and I know the answer is absolutely not.

He is all-knowing. He is all-powerful and he is sovereign. He never learns anything. He is he has an eternal purpose to redeem and undeserving people to himself that he might put his glory on Display think about this all of God's attributes are being put on display for his creation.

And we're familiar with a lot of God's attributes, right? We know that God is love. He is gracious. He is long-suffering. He is patient. He's merciful and these are things that make us feel good and we should feel good and encouraged by these things.

But we must let the whole Council of God speak. We must look to the totality of Scripture and we do that. We must understand that God is holy. He is just he is wrathful against sin. So when we're asking the question about who the God of the Bible is He is sovereign and he is putting his glory on display.

God’s Eternal Purpose in Christ

And so our main text is Ephesians 1 11. I want to pause for a moment and invite you to turn with me just a page over. Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 3 and I want us to look at verses 9 through 11 together this is where the Apostle Paul is talking about the grace of God working in his life and how he is preaching about the unsearchable riches of his Lord Jesus Christ and Let's pick up in verse 9.

We read God who created all things so that through the church the manifold wisdom Might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So I want to highlight a few things as we go through this passage number one. I want us to understand that God created all things it makes perfect sense from God's eternal counsel and Eternity past before the foundation of the world.

The Trinity was counseling and then made a decision to create and they created all things. This kind of ties in to the fact that a couple weeks ago We've talked about God's a seedy how he is eternal and uncreated.

God is self-existing however, everything else that exists is created by God everything including time and Space. God wonderfully crafted together. This this is all according to God's counsel. This means that everything including history was created by God.

The book of Proverbs speaks to this the Lord has made everything for its purpose. Even the wicked for the day of trouble. So as we're talking about God's sovereignty, we need to keep in mind. It's because he is the creator and we are the creation.

I Church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authority in the heavenly places. Now I think about God's putting his glory on display for whose benefit well, obviously for fallen sinful, man.

We look at all creation and we behold our wonderful creator and made my study in this. I came across a 20th century theologian by the name of a W pink. He said this from all eternity God designed that our world should be a stage on Which he would display the manifold grace and wisdom and redemption of lost sinners.

I love thinking about it in those terms. God's universe is like a stage and it's for our glory that just beholding the wonderful complexities of all of who God is and his attributes and how he is Determined to reveal himself, but it's not just for human beings benefit in the text.

It says that this was to be made known to the rulers and authority in the heavenly places. Later in the book of Ephesians. We realize that this is referring to Angels, it's referring both to ain't fallen angels and holy angels alike.

Angels long to look into the things of salvation. They don't fully understand, right? So God is putting his wisdom his glory on display for for sinners for human beings. And he's also doing this for the angelic hosts.

Which brings us to the third point here, which is God's eternal purpose. Verse 11 says this was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord. I love this this term eternal purpose.

Acts chapter 2 calls this God's Definite plan first. Peter 1 20 says Christ was foreknown Before the foundation in the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake. The Bible elsewhere calls Jesus Christ the land slain before the foundation of the world and what I want us to understand is that God had a Purpose to create a world in such a way that it would fall into sin.

So that the second person of the Trinity could take on flesh and be our Savior all to the praise of his glorious grace. God has only had plan a and he has never had a plan B. That's why you can put your trust in the sovereignty of God.

Knowing that he will execute everything that he wants to he is in the heavens and he does whatever he pleases. So turn back with me to Ephesians chapter 1 verse 11. Well, once again the train of thought here is out of God's counsel came forth his will and he is determined to Accomplish all of his purpose which now brings us to the word Predestined now, I've had wonderful conversations with people about this.

Predestination, Providence, and the Cross

I've also had the conversation with professing Christians that claim to believe in all of God's Word and they immediately say well I don't believe in predestination and I'm taken back. I'm like, but you're a Christian and you believe the Bible so you really Do believe in predestination and I get we may understand it differently.

But I want to encourage you to embrace what God's Word teaches if you see the word like predestination. Boldly say, of course, I believe in God's Word. He has revealed that to us and so Predestination is God's guarantee that his sovereign will his eternal master plan will be brought to pass from God's perspective.

Everything is a done deal. Everything created has a pre a predetermined purpose in God's world. Even things that seem random to us like even sawdust that's blowing in the wind and just firing around in random directions.

That seems random to us. It has a purpose because it's in God's created order, right? We may roll the dice and its outcome is random to us, but it's every decision is from the Lord. Once again, the book of Proverbs says the lot is cast into the lap kind of like the rolling of dice.

But it's every decision is from the Lord. So I want you to think about this too. Imagine if you were at the cross of Calvary where Jesus was being beaten he was suffering and dying. Right from from a human standpoint, we might be tempted to think oh, no.

Why is God the father allowing this to happen? It almost seems like maybe Satan is winning or these wicked men and their wills are somehow thwarting God's purposes. And this breaks my heart because when I read about the sovereign God of Scripture Everything was happening to the glory of God.

It had a purpose and so please listen carefully to this next passage. I want you to carefully consider. Look with me at Acts chapter 4 verses 27 and 28. We should have it on the screen there where we read for truly in this city.

There were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed both Herod Pontius Pilate along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel. Pause. Think about all these sinful men all coming together to kill Jesus the Lord of glory, right?

They had sinful hearts and sinful motives, but pay attention to verse 28. All this was taking place to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. There is a lot going on in that verse.

We see once again. This was all predestined, right? It makes sense. This was determined in the counsel of God before the foundation of the world. So, of course it was going to happen. It had a purpose it was Predetermined and it says your plan, right?

Think about his eternal master plan and even before that you said you saw to do whatever your hand had Predestined and this reminded me a lot of our previous sermon series where we talked about the hand of God, right?

His Providence working in all things. We looked at the life of Joseph. This is a perfect example of God's hand being in everything because we understand Secondarily that the brothers had wicked hearts wicked intentions and they sold their brother into slavery, right?

And that's true. They did that but ultimately we understand what they were meaning for evil. God was meaning for good. Genesis 45 said it was actually God in an ultimate sense was the one brain Joseph into each herb.

Into Egypt from where where they were living and we see that God's providential hand is working even in our lives today. We were looking at the cross of Calvary Jesus suffering and dying we must understand this was sovereignly determined to take place.

That's why in the Old Testament. It was prophesied. It was predicted to happen in very precise detail and notice whose will it was. Isaiah 53 says this yet. It was the will of the Lord. It was Yahweh.

This was God the Father yet. It was the will of the Lord to crush the suffering Servant and this is an amazing truth. Nothing random happens in God's world, right? These were wicked men that put Jesus on the cross and they will be held accountable for their sin because they wanted to do it.

They Wanted to kill Jesus. But don't think for a split second that somehow God was not Sovereign at Jesus being on the cross or any other moment in our life. God knew exactly what was taking place because he is the one Declaring the end from the beginning and he is the one working all things after the counsel of his will.

God’s Sovereignty in Creation and Daily Life

And so as I begin to close, I hope you're thinking. Okay, Jeremiah. God is sovereign. So what I want to kind of conclude with two major thoughts of how this practically works out in our life. And if we embrace that God is sovereign that he has a purpose in all things.

It will totally change how we live our lives and it will change how we read multiple passages in Scripture. So first thought here once again, we've already touched on it many times, but God is sovereign in creation.

This means that he is ruler over all of his creation that everything came into being by God. Speaking it from nothing the Bible declares in Psalm 33. By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts.

For he spoke and it came to be he commanded and it stood firm. And so everything is God's he is the creator of all things. This would include time itself. Time was created by God. And so that means all the events that take place within time and space is happening exactly how God wanted it to be remember.

The Prophet Isaiah says about God for I am God and there is no other I am God and there is none like me Declaring the end from the beginning from God's perspective. He sees the end and it's as though he's working all the way back to the very initial starting point.

God has created a the universe as a stage. I love that a stage that he and he has prescribed the plot that's going to take place. I Come across this quote from a very famous man named John Calvin. I love thinking about the word stage in a plot because he says this and I agree wholeheartedly.

Because of what the Bible teaches us all the universe is but a theater to display the glory of God. Friend, this is the Creator God that we must submit to if we try to go our own way and do our own thing.

Against what God has graciously revealed to us in his word. That is the most foolish thing that we could possibly do. In fact, the Bible tells us in Psalm 2 you have rulers. You have Kings conspiring and plotting together to overthrow the sovereign God and to take down his anointed one.

The Bible says God he who sits in the heavens he laughs. It's so foolish to try to go against what God has graciously and lovingly revealed to us in his word. The wisest thing that we could do is look to our Creator and say God my life is in your hand.

Please teach me by your word in the way that I should go. The Bible declares in Revelation 4 11 worthy. Are you our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will?

They existed and they were created. If we put our trust in the sovereignty of God the creator of all things who has a purpose in all things. This will have a direct impact on how you start seeing every little things in your life.

You'll see in a magnificent new way. God had his hand in that he is teaching me something you'll begin to look at the world around you differently and you'll start to see other passages in Scripture and a brand new light.

A Comforting verse to my heart and many of you know is Romans 8 28 and a lot of times I see this verse being misapplied. I hear people capitalizing on the word good and they they mean it for some Prosperity sense or for somehow their temporal happiness and I'm like no this has everything to do with the Sovereignty of God putting his glory on display and working in and through our lives.

Listen to this and we know that God causes all things to work together. For good to those who love God to those who are called according to his purpose. Do you see how God's sovereignty changes everything?

Because if I'm in Christ, then I can look at my circumstances and I can say I'm not sure what's going on. But God is teaching me something here. He is molding me and then we can understand that the good is for our sanctification.

Verse 29 says that That he is conforming us into the image of his son Jesus Christ. So if you were in Christ, you can be confident in God's sovereignty that no matter what your circumstances look like.

You can count it as joy. God is strengthening your faith, even though you're going through hard circumstances. This is meant to make you rest more in the Savior and you may say well Jeremiah at work. My boss is really rude and makes me upset and I just want to remind you God is sovereign, right?

We should be saying God, please teach me patience. Please teach me how to love this individual the way that you first loved me. You may say well I just lost my job and I'm really upset. I don't know what's going on.

But God is sovereign, right? He has a purpose and what's going on in your life, right? It's the Lord he gives and he takes away blessed be the name of the Lord God. I don't know what's going on. But thank you for all the many blessings that you have given me.

Please teach me to seek first your kingdom and your righteousness and to trust that you're going to take care of the rest. You may say but Jeremiah you don't understand. I'm really sick and I was planning to live longer than what I had planned to but It's in these moments that we have to allow our heart to look to the sovereign God.

To know that all of my days are in his hand, right Lord. Teach me to live as Christ because to die is gain. Please help me in whatever time that you've allotted to me to point others to your truth because Lord.

Oh how I long to see your face. We're living in very chaotic times right now. You may say Jeremiah. I don't know if you've seen everything, but there's a worldwide Pandemic there's a virus going on and I get that and I feel that and my life has changed too as a result of that.

But God is sovereign. He has a purpose in these things and my prayer God. Please teach me to rejoice always and not to be anxious about anything because you are sovereign. You're working all things together after the council of your will that's where my heart has to go.

I'm reminded of a story that comes out in Luke chapter 13. There was a disaster that took place and a lot of people are running around crazy. They're upset and asked Jesus What's the significance of this going on?

I love his response. He says I tell you unless you repent You will all likewise perish. Everything is going on crazy and how should people respond in disasters? Even if it's on a global scale repent look to the Savior's look to the Savior and Jesus Christ in him alone.

How should unbelievers respond during kovat 19, which is most definitely a judgment from the sovereign God on a fallen sinful world. They must repent or they too will likewise perish. I urge you to think about everything that's going on and for you to realize that your life is like a mist.

It's going to vanish away, right? How are you going to stand before God in eternity on Judgment Day? Are your sins going to be covered and forgiven by the Savior or are you gonna bring forth all of your sinful works before God?

And say yep, that's me that will result in hellfire that will result in judgment from a holy and just God. And so when I asked how should Christians respond during these these hard times of trial I hope the answer is obvious at this point.

We should be trusting that God is working all things together for his glory and for our sanctification. So let us pray and ask for wisdom how God is teaching us how he is Molding us and how he is molding and strengthening our faith.

Sovereign Salvation, Regeneration, and Glorification

And so lastly we talked not only about God being sovereign in creation, but God is sovereign in salvation as well. There this this is so important to understand that God chose us for himself and he chose us by himself.

I Want you to look one last time with me again in Ephesians 1 look again at verse 4. Even as he chose us in him before the foundation in the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in Love in love.

He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ. According to the purpose of his will why to the praise of his glorious grace? With which he has blessed us in the beloved and I'll have people tell me look I don't care what you're saying, but I chose to follow after Jesus and I would say you did.

But Jesus chose you long before you were born long before even the foundation of the world of the world. He chose you first and we must understand that this is the order of how things works because God is sovereign.

God did not somehow look down the tunnels of time and learn something because last time I checked God learns nothing. He is all-knowing. He is all-powerful. And I thought about this too. What if God looked down the tunnels of time?

You know what he would see he would see wicked men dead in their sins. He would see men who loved the darkness unable to discern spiritual truth. He would see sinful men not seeking after God. The wonderful truth and many of you know what I'm talking about is we have experienced God's mercy in his grace in his love.