KNOWING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
Knowing God #2
“One of the world’s most remarkable artists could put his entire life’s work on the tips of your fingers. His name is Nikolai Syadristy, and he is a microminiature sculptor.
“What do mircrominiature sculptors create? Mr. Syadristy has poised three gold camels inside the eye of a needle – along with a pyramid and a palm tree, writes Howard Witt. He has inserted a flea-sized red rose inside a hollowed-out human hair, he has balanced two tiny, working padlocks, complete with keys. He has copied a six hundred note musical score on a chrysanthemum leaf the size of a grain of rice.
‘Microminiature artists must overcome huge obstacles. One sneeze or cough, and months of work can disappear. Static electricity-the spark that comes when you walk on a rug in winter and touch something-is another challenge. ‘When I was working on the oasis scene,’ says Syadristy, ‘I lost two camels because of static electricity. An electrical surge is like a giant catastrophe for these miniatures.
“To carve a chess set balanced on the head of a pin or an electric motor smaller than the belly of an ant, Syadristy must wear thick, Coke-bottle-like glasses and peer though a microscope.
“There are only five other microminiature artists in the world.
“How difficult it is to work with little things! It is through God’s perfect control of far smaller details in creation-molecules and atoms and DNA-that he reveals his unimaginable power” (and sovereignty). Craig Brian Larson, Contemporary Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers, and Writers, (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 1996), p. 237
Has it ever occurred to you that God is a microminature artist? It is mind boggling to think that he is in control of every atom. It is mind boggling to think that the God of the universe is familiar with every detail of every person’s life.
It is mind boggling to think that God is control even when things appear to be out of control.
One of the great attributes of God is that He is sovereign.
Two weeks ago we started on a quest. The quest is to know God better.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 - Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: [24] But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.
If we are going to know God better we need to know His sovereignty. And by “knowing” I don’t mean to have an intellectual knowledge that God is sovereign, but to have a heart knowledge that God is sovereign so that knowledge of his sovereignty affects the way I live.
For a practical look at the sovereignty of God this morning I want us to look at Psalm 97. In this Psalm we will discover:
THE REALITY OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
THE RUDIMENTS OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
THE RESPONSES TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
THE REALITY OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
Psalm 97 begins with a great statement of fact.
Psalm 97:1 - The Lord reigneth;
When someone reigns they are ruling, they are in control, they are kings.
When we say, “God is sovereign”, we are saying, “God is ruler, God is King.”
Louis Sperry Chafer said, “The attributes of God make clear that God is supreme over all. He yields to no other power, authority or glory, and is not subject to any absolute greater than Himself. He represents perfection to an infinite degree in every aspect of His being. He can never be surprised, defeated, or uncertain. However, without sacrificing His authority or jeopardizing the final realization of His perfect will, it has pleased God to give to men a measure of freedom of choice, and the exercise of this choice God holds man responsible.” Lewis Sperry Chafer, revised by John Walvoord, Major Bible Themes (Grand Rapids, Zondervan Publishing House. 1953, Revised Edition, 1974)
God’s sovereignty is attested to in the Scriptures.
Psalm 93:1 - The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
Psalm 96:10 - Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.
Psalm 99:1 - The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
Revelation 11:15 - And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Psalm 95:3 - For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
Revelation 1:8 - I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
When I think of the Lord’s reign, I think of God the Son, the Lord Jesus.
· Jesus reigns as creator.
Colossians 1:16 - For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
· Jesus reigns as the one who holds all things together.
Colossians 1:17 - And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
· Jesus reigns as victor over sin.
God in His reign over earth gave man freedom.
Man chose to rebel against God.
God in his love sent the sinless son of God to pay for our sins.
Romans 5:6 - For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
· Jesus reigns as victor over death.
Revelation 1:18 - I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
As victor over death, Jesus wants to give you victory over death.
John 3:16-18 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. [18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
As victor over death, Jesus wants to give you victory in life right now.
Romans 5:17 - For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
· Jesus reigns as heir of all things.
Psalm 110:1 - The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
Hebrews 1:1-3 - God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, [2] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; [3] Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Our God reigns! He is sovereign! He is King!
This is reality!
This should effect how you, if you are a Christian think about things.
It should effect how you, if you are a non-Christian, think about things.
THE REALITY OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
THE RUDIMENTS OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
What are some of the fundamental principles or rudiments of God’s sovereignty?
Vss. 2-6 – First of all, see here that God is awe-inspiring.
Clouds, darkness, lightnings, fire, melting hills, show Him to be awesome. God has shown himself to be awe-inspiring on many an occasion. Here are three more.
God showed himself awe-inspiring to the children of Israel at Sinai.
Exodus 19:16-19 - And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. [17] And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. [18] And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. [19] And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
Isaiah saw God as awe-inspiring in Isaiah 6:1-4 - In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. [2] Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
[3] And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. [4] And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
At the Transfiguration Jesus showed Himself to be awe-inspiring.
Matthew 17:1-2 - And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, [2] And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Not only is God’s Sovereignty awe-inspiring, it righteous and just.
Psalm 97:2 - Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
Get this in your mind: whatever God does is right and just.
You are not always right.
You are not always just.
But God is.
It is easy for us to wonder if what God is doing is right or just. But in God’s great scheme of things as the all-knowing, all-powerful God, what He does is always right and just!
Isaiah 55:8-9 - For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. [9] For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Not only is God’s sovereignty awe-inspiring, righteous, and just, but God’s sovereignty is above all Gods.
Psalm 97:7 - Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
Psalm 97:9 - For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.
As God, He tolerates no substitutes!
No other God is to be worshipped!
Isaiah 42:8 - I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
You may be thinking, “We’ll I’m safe, I don’t worship any idols.”
I remind you that an idol or a God is not always made with hands, but it is always made in the heart.
Exodus 34:14 - For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
As God, God is the only one who has a right to be jealous!
God is jealous of anything that is more important to you than He is.
What in your life is more important to you than God?
Is hunting more important to you than God?
Are your children more important to you than God?
Is hanging out with your friends on more important to you than God?
Is watching television more important to you than God?
Is getting things done at home more important to you than God?
Is your job more important to you than God?
Are sports more important to you than God?
Are the opinions of your friends more important to you than God?
If you chose any of things above your obedience to and service for God, you have an idol in your life.
It is time for us to turn away from all false Gods and to serve the true, sovereign God. He is King. We should act like He is!
The rudiments of God’s sovereignty - God’s sovereignty is awe-inspiring, righteous, just, and above all Gods.
THE REALITY OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
THE RUDIMENTS OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
THE RESPONSES TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
I see three responses to God’s sovereignty in this Psalm.
· RESPOND IN LOVE
Vs. 10 – Ye that love the Lord
Have ever considered loving the Lord because He is sovereign?
Have you considered loving the Lord because He is awe-inspiring, because He is righteous, because He is just, because He is above all Gods?
Yes, we should love Him if He has saved us and we have everlasting life!
But we would not have everlasting life, if God in His sovereignty had not provided a way of forgiveness for our sins.
God in his sovereignty declared us Christians as righteous and just in His eyes through the death of His Son.
There has been many a good king or queen who has been loved for their rule over a nation.
We serve the King of the universe. Should we not love Him?
· RESPOND IN LOVE
· RESPOND WITH HATRED
Psalm 97:10 - Ye that love the Lord, hate evil:
It makes sense, doesn’t it? If I love the Lord, I will hate what He hates. He hates evil.
Now, I have a word of warning for you. It is very easy for us to hate the evils of drugs, homo-sexuality, murder, and injustice in the world. But I feel that the evil we should hate is the evil that we allow in our own lives.
Do you a habit that displeases the Lord? Hate it and forsake it!
Do you have an attitude that displeases the Lord? Hate it and forsake it.
As a child of God who loves the Lord, I should hate evil in myself more than any other evil there is!
· RESPOND IN LOVE
· RESPOND WITH HATRED
· RESPOND WITH JOY AND THANKSGIVING
Psalm 97:1 - The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.
Psalm 97:12 - Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
If we know in our hearts that God is sovereign.
If we have accepted God’s sovereignty as meaning that God is not only king of the universe, but King in my life.
If we know that nothing can happen today unless God knows about it in advance and that it is permitted by Him.
Then we should be joyful and thankful to our God who is KING!
When Bulstrode Whitelock was embarked as Cromwell's envoy to Sweden, in 1653, he was much disturbed in mind, as he rested at Harwich the preceding night, which was very stormy, as he thought upon the distracted state of the nation. It happened that a confidential servant slept in an adjacent bed, who, finding that his master could not sleep, at length said: --
"Pray, sir, will you give me leave to ask you a question?"
"Certainly."
"Pray, sir, do you think God governed the world very well before you came into it?"
"Undoubtedly."
"And pray, sir, do you think that He will govern it quite as well when you are gone out of it?"
"Certainly."
"Then pray, sir, excuse me, but do not you think you may trust him to govern it quite as well as long as you live?"
To this question Whitelock had nothing to reply; but turning about, soon fell fast asleep, till he was summoned to embark. --G.S. Bowes, in "Illustrative Gatherings." 1862. C. H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, Volume IV, (London, Marshall Brothers LTD. N.D.), p. 201
THE REALITY OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
THE RUDIMENTS OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
THE RESPONSES TO GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY