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GOD OVER ALL THINGS - GOVERNOR Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor Grace Church, Sunday Worship August 8th, 2010
Govern = to rule over by right of authority: to govern a nation. 2. to exercise a directing or restraining influence over; guide:the motives governing a decision. 3. to hold in check; control: to govern one's temper. Providence = 1. the foreseeing care andguidance of god or nature over the creatures of the earth. 2. God, esp. when conceived asomnisciently directing the universe and the affairs ofhumankind with wise benevolence. 3. a manifestation of divine care or direction. 4. provident or prudent management of resources; prudence. Sovereign = adjective 5. belonging to or characteristic of a sovereign or sovereignty;royal. 6. having supreme rank, power, or authority. 7. supreme; preeminent; indisputable: a sovereign right. 8. greatest in degree; utmost or extreme. 9. being above all others in character, importance, excellence,etc. 10. efficacious; potent: a sovereign remedy.
God has the right and He is able and He does everything according to His own pleasure and for His glory. Last week - God is the Maker of All Things...be in awe and humility This week - God, the Maker has the right to control all things and He does. God GOVERNS or CONTROLS:
Daniel 4:28-37 ESV All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. (29) At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, (30) and the king answered and said, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?" (31) While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, "O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, (32) and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will." (33) Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws. (34) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; (35) all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done?" (36) At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. (37) Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. Psalms 33:6-15 ESV By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. (7) He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. (8) Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! (9) For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (10) The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. (11) The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. (12) Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! (13) The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; (14) from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, (15) he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. Acts 17:24-31 ESV The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, (25) nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (26) And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, (27) that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, (28) for "'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.' (29) Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. (30) The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, (31) because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." Proverbs 21:30 ESV No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD. Proverbs 21:1 ESV The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. Psalm 104 Psalm 90 Isaiah 45:4-7 ESV For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. (5) I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, (6) that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other. (7) I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the LORD, who does all these things. Acts 4:26-28 ESV The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'-- (27) for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, (28) to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 1. God has the RIGHT to Rule - to judge, make laws, enforce and control all that He has made Romans 9:15-24 ESV For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." (16) So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. (17) For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." (18) So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. (19) You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" (20) But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" (21) Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? (22) What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, (23) in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory-- (24) even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? Revelation 4:11 ESV "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 were created." 2. God has the POWER to Rule - Not only does he have the right, but he can do...he is unlimited Revelation 4:11 ESV "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 were created." Daniel 4:35 ESV all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, "What have you done?" Job 42:2 ESV "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3. God DOES EXERCISE his power to Rule - in all things Job 42:2 ESV "I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Psalms 135:6-7 ESV Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. (7) He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. Isaiah 46:10 ESV declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' Ephesians 1:11 ESV 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, Providence...his preserving and governing all - Psalm 104 Nations History Animals Weather Satan/evil Disease Wills Existence Heavens Salvation 4. God’s absolute sovereignty and our responsibility are both true and a mystery Will vs Free Will God is always sovereign (above passages) We are always responsible (for our sins) - We are given commands and held responsible and we cannot rightfully blame God Mystery - we accept by faith because both are in the Bible Exercise our will with trust and faith Philippians 2:12-14 ESV (12) Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, (13) for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (14) Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 5. God’s Sovereignty is Good News Ephesians 1:11-12 ESV 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, (12) so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. Romans 8:28 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. He is in control We are to be moved to action not inaction by this truth CONCLUSION Gospel living God is sovereign and we are responsible for our sins. The problem is - we can only take responsibility for our sins by dying and being judged eternally by God in hell. The good news includes this - God took responsibility for our sins in Christ for all those who trust in Him. |
