 The title of our sermon this morning is God is King God is King a primary text Ephesians chapter 1 verses 3 through 14 and This morning In our ongoing series now entitled the essentials we come to the subject of God's sovereignty God's sovereignty Our aim in this series is one sermon one hour one fundamental or foundational subject These sermons I pray will serve as helpful Introductions to those subjects that we believe to be essential in the growth and development Maturity of someone new to the faith or someone new to our church However, I also pray that these sermons devoted to these foundational or fundamental subjects will serve as helpful reminders For those more familiar with our theology for more those more familiar with our church and our practice here And it has been a tremendous blessing to my heart To be able to consider these subjects afresh with you And I pray it'll stir you up by way of reminder as well that we serve a great God and he is worthy worthy of our worship and praise amen Now we are loosely following the general course of our confession of faith in this series the second London Baptist Confession of faith of 1689 and so we began our series on the essentials for the doctrine of revelation We have subsequently been working through theology proper or the doctrine of God and this week We come to the subject or the theme in the Bible of God's sovereignty In the time that we have together this morning we're going to hear a sermon about free and glorious grace the free and glorious grace of God and the world at large Including most of the professing church would absolutely hate it No doctrine appears to be more despised by the natural man and the biblical truth that God is absolutely sovereign over all things including salvation human pride has a death grip on the natural disposition of the human heart and In pride the natural man revolts against every notion that God has decreed all things has created all things Orders all things sustains all things controls all things and rules all things God freely works all Things after the counsel of his own perfect and immutable and Involvable will And with a prideful death grip on his own supposed freedom on his own supposed autonomy the natural or carnal man Nashes his teeth most at the biblical truth that God is absolutely sovereign over all things including salvation He abhors God's determined choice that it is settled in heaven before the foundation of the earth Was ever laid He despises that the potter does in fact have freedom and Power over the clay from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor in Luke chapter 4 highlighting or exemplifying this Abhorrence of his doctrine in Luke chapter 4 the Lord is preaching in Nazareth where the subject of God's sovereignty came up in one Of his sermons there one of his earliest sermons in the Gospels in Nazareth in the synagogue The subject of his free and sovereign choice came up beginning in verse 25 there Luke records many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah When the heaven was shut up three years and six months and there was a great famine throughout all the land but to none of them Was Elijah sent except to Zarephath a Gentile in the region of Sidon to a woman who was a widow and Then there were many lepers who were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet and none of them was cleansed Except naming the Syrian another Gentile Now in other words what the Lord is highlighting here in Luke chapter 4 verse 25 is that God's grace God's sovereign election God's sovereign free Choice is not limited by their ethnicity or them being Jews It's not limited by their claim to be descendants of Abraham his free sovereign will Bore no claim to his grace on their part. God didn't owe them anything They didn't have some special claim to God's grace because of who they had descended from or who they were who their ethnicity What their ethnicity was their external Religiosity earned them nothing and God would extend his grace even to the Gentiles in other words. God is sovereign Oversalvation Now how do they respond to this account in Luke chapter 4 verse 28 then? So all those in the synagogue these are religious people quote-unquote, right? So some of your religious people in our day these would be Folks sitting in churches all over this country right now Presuming to worship God if the Lord were to walk in preach the same sermon they might react similarly Verse 28 all those in the synagogue when they heard these things they were filled with wrath How many times have you been witnessing to someone talking to someone you begin explaining God sovereignty and all of a sudden? They become filled with wrath wrath with hostility with defensiveness, right? They were filled with wrath verse 29. They rose up and thrust him out of the city They led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built that they might throw him down over the cliff Then passing through the midst of them. He went his way. They were going to kill him During his first sermon in Nazareth. Why because he asserted the free Sovereign electing determined will of God Almighty Shortly after Shortly after recorded in John chapter 6 The Lord again is preaching to the masses that followed him to Capernaum this time after the feeding of the 5000 Where the Lord multiplied the bread and the fish? Jesus says to them Don't labor for the bread which perishes Your father's eight bread Bread which came down from heaven. They ate that bread in the wilderness and they are dead The Lord explained to them Jesus says I am the living bread partake of me Find life in me figuratively eat of my blood drink of art eat of my flesh drink of my blood Right partake of me find life in me. Many said this in verse 65 No one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by my father And in verse 66 what was the response? verse 66 from that time And upon those hard words Many of his disciples went back and followed him no more The prideful Self-entitled carnal man dead in his sin enslaved to his lusts Entrenched in his rebellion in his rebellion Rises up clenches his fists grits his teeth and shouts. That's not Fair That's not fair. I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul Paul asks In Romans chapter 9 verse 14, what are you saying then? What are you saying? Is there Unrighteousness with God right? That's not fair. Are you asserting that there is unrighteousness with God? Certainly not Paul asserts. There is no unrighteousness with God. Why verse 15 there in Romans chapter 9 Because God says to Moses I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whomever. I will have compassion in other words God's mercy God's compassion based entirely Entirely on God's own sovereign choice So then Paul continues it the granting of God's mercy Right, so then God granting mercy is not of him who wills Nor of him who runs in other words. It's not based on human decision. It's not based on human effort It is based on God there in verse 16 who shows mercy God is sovereign over all things including salvation It's generally at this point that the natural man gets most uncomfortable And upon hearing this we could read those texts in their bare form Straight out of the Bible and professing Christians would get uncomfortable He begins to rationalize other options what can't mean that He rebels against this perceived violation of his own fallen reason He assumes a defensive posture. He has an emotional reaction and he gives an offensive response It all begins With fallen man attempting to discern the ways and workings of our inscrutable God in a way that satisfies his own sense of what seems right to him his little tiny created brain Defying the sovereign rule of his Creator Well as we said regarding God's divine providence The scriptures are clear the scriptures are unvarnished. They are unflinching unapologetic The Bible does not mince words the word of God is unequivocal This is not shadowy or doubtful or up for debate our God is in the heavens He does whatever. He pleases. He is in sovereign control as the king of all creation God is working all things according to the counsel of his own Decreed or immutable or unchangeable will I think with me for a moment when we make assertions like that from the word of God if anything happens outside the decreed will of God then it is happening outside Outside the sovereignty of God. Let's understand what we're talking about God The Bible says decrees for ordains all things whatsoever that come to pass if anything happens outside of God's Decreed will then it happens outside the sovereignty of God and If anything happens outside of the sovereignty of God then that simply means that God is not sovereign This doesn't necessarily mean or imply that God is Directly and immediately personally working on the planet everything that actually happens He doesn't have his hands so to speak in everything that happens as if he were directly Immediately working to bring that thing to pass Sin exists for example, right and God does not sin So God's not immediately working sin in the creature What it does mean is that God is sovereign over all things that do happen including sin he ordains it and By his we've used these terms before a permissive will or efficacious will by his permissive will allows it It comes to pass it or according to his effective working or it comes to pass by his allowance He has decreed to let it happen doesn't mean that he commends it doesn't mean that he approves it But God certainly ordains it Decrees it therefore His sovereign control then extends to all things extends to all things extends the nature To nations even the decisions and actions of men as we said last week from the smallest of Microscopic particles to the largest of galaxies and the expanse of this universe God for ordains all things including the sovereign determination of who will be saved This is the doctrine of God's sovereignty If God is not sovereign Then God is not God. Do you see how many would say? Listen, we all agree that God is sovereign right Armenian Calvinists We would all say that God is sovereign. We would all say that God works all things after the council of his own will But it's how they would say it's how God applies his sovereignty That differs or how God applies his sovereignty that matters. He applies his sovereignty in some cases And he doesn't apply his sovereignty in other cases. That's a bunch of hogwash That is rationalization. That's defense. That's something that can't be found in the Bible. You can't use that you can't Find that in Scripture to defend that worthless position. It doesn't exist in the Bible This is the God who works how many things all things How many things does all things include? I think all things includes all things God works all things after the council of whose will your will What's gonna happen down the road? He looks down the corridor of time He sees what you you autonomous creature you are going to decide in your little pea brain And he says based upon your decision. I'm going to do this that or the other thing. No God works all things after the council of his will God is not sovereign. God is not God When we begin to consider this doctrine Frankly when we begin to consider any doctrine from the word of God, but particularly a doctrine like this It's important to first concern ourselves with the disposition of our own hearts When you speak with someone I'd encourage you to have this kind of a conversation with them before you speak When you come to doctrine in the word of God I would encourage you exhort you from the word of God that we should come to the word of God with this Disposition of heart that we're about to describe right we are in the position of learner Learning Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ we need to be taught we need to understand we need the spirit of God to guide us We need the revealed word of God to understand right and we need to be willing to follow the word of God wherever it leads It's exceedingly necessary when considering a subject like this that we consider the disposition of our own heart Jeremiah reminds us that the heart is deceitful above all things Desperately weak that means that you have a deceiving enemy within your own breasts We know that our heart is self-justifying. We're prone to prideful Emotional responses were often given to defending a case rather than seeking the truth Somebody said something and why don't immediately our the first response out of our flesh is to defend ourselves and to fight for what? We think we know think we believe It's the first response out of our sinful flesh All of this will get in the way of Christian maturity You will stunt your own growth if you approach the word of God in that kind of ignorance be humble Be teachable and let me give you three characteristics of a humble and teachable heart This is going to be crucial for considering this subject today that we'll consider in a in a general sense But it's also going to be critical for the sermons that follow when we get to predestination Unconditional election Let me give you three characteristics of a humble and teachable heart one You have to approach the task of learning the word of God in faith approach Study of the word of God in faith approach learning the word of God in faith approach the revealed word of God in faith Trust the Lord with what he has clearly revealed labor expend great effort to apprehend all that he has revealed we need his word amen and The more that I study the more that I read the more sense of desperation I feel for how much more I need to study and read the more that I Think I know the more I realize I don't know We need the word of God Thomas Watson describes Some truth in the word of God as not Against reason, but above reason. There's nothing in the word of God that is presented in the word of God It is unreasonable or irrational our God is alone wise and all wise Right. There's nothing there unreasonable or irrational Thomas Watson describes some truths in the Bible as standing above reason transcending reason outside reason in other words our little brains don't have the capacity to understand or God has not revealed that to us those things which are hidden are for God those things revealed are for us and our children Okay, there are many truths that very well may be demonstrated by reason That doesn't mean that we approach the Bible with a cold hearted rationalism or that we approach the Bible Subjecting the text to our own Ration rationalism or our own logic our own reason We cannot subject incomprehensible omniscience To man's feeble capacity to understand The problem in other words the problem lies not with the revealed word The problem lies with the creature that it is revealed to right our own limits Revealed truth is never against reason, but often revealed truth is above or transcends reason Watson then says this I think this is helpful Watson then says where reason cannot wade There faith may swim In other words where reason couldn't get the tip of its big toe in that pond Faith can swim around in there swim around in the depths of the ocean of God's revelation and Worship and praise God as a result of it Can swim there where reason cannot even wade We must walk according to what is revealed and we must walk according to all that is revealed And we must trust the Lord for where that leads us Approach the task in faith to This effort Must always be in dependence upon the Holy Spirit This effort must always be in dependence on the Holy Spirit One of the reasons This effort to understand Study learn apprehend the revealed word of God One of the reasons that this effort is undertaken in faith is because we need The Spirit of God to convict us to humble us to teach us to guide us to help us understand The Spirit of God is the one who leads right? He's the one who reveals 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verse 10 these things God has revealed to us through his Spirit for the Spirit searches all things even the deep things of God We need him to grant us by his grace the capacity to understand We need him to grant us by his grace the faith to trust in his word We need to ask for that help every time we come to read his word whenever you sit down to read Whenever you sit down to study pray Ask for the Spirit's help ask for the Spirit's guidance, right and approach the word of God in faith independence upon the Holy Spirit 3rd 3rd You must be ready and willing then to follow Wherever the revealed word of God leads We approach the task in faith We approach the task independence upon the Holy Spirit and then the disposition of our heart should be that we are ready and willing to follow the word of God wherever the revealed word of God leads us Even and especially when it leads us somewhere where we don't expect didn't see coming You can think of it this way think of it this way You in this effort in this journey you step out onto a path That is illuminated by the word of God a path in front of you in front of your feet that is Illuminated by the word of God. We have credence for that in Scripture. Don't we your word is a lamp under my feet a light to my path So you step out onto this illuminated path, right? It's illuminated by the word of God as the pathway as you begin to walk the pathway is Lit up before you and so you follow the lit path and you keep walking you keep walking Just keep walking just keep walking sometimes faster Sometimes you walk a little more slowly, but you're always walking in what the word of God has revealed as The path before you is eliminated, right? Sometimes you walk into a room and the whole room lights up Right the whole room lights up amazing truth that God has revealed in his word. You'll come back to that room over and over and over again Finding more and more stuff in there that's lit up by the word of God You're gonna see more and more revealed by greater and greater light that has given the longer that you walk around that room with the Lord sometimes You walk into an area lights come on and fireworks go off God's sovereignty was that experience for me. I remember walking into that room the lights came on it Seemingly they came on in an instant. I'm like wait a minute I've seen this everywhere in the Bible. How could I have missed that and fireworks go off, right? and other at other times The pathway may be dim Pathway may be dim hard to discern difficult to see but you have to keep walking along the path Working along the path until the Lord gives more and more light We always in this path in this walk. We always need guides The Lord is gracious to give us guides We can't just walk the path in our own wisdom thinking we can figure all this out ourselves Listen, this is the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints Plural it's been given to the church. You've been delivered to the church, right? You learn in community We learn these things in community. We all need guides. We all need help So if you think to yourself that you're going to lock yourself in the darkness of your own closet Sit down with your Bible and figure all this out. You're gonna come out of heretic That's what that's where heretics come from. Okay? We need guides At other times along the path there may be obstacles that you encounter big rocks of pride Walls of obstinacy sometimes with reinforced concrete quicksand of apathy the fog of ignorance or neglect the cement of Traditionalism you're gonna walk along the path and you're gonna find obstacles there disputes over doubtful things Contensions strivings about the law temptation to speculation temptations to controversy You simply cannot go off the path into the dark Deuteronomy 29 verse 29 the secret things belong to the Lord our God They remain shrouded in darkness But those things which are revealed those things along the lit path that the word of God directs us to They belong to us and our children forever When you get off the path We say to the law and to the testimony If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. Do you see? but in all your effort After learning the word of God or walking along the path all this time You must be willing to follow wherever the word of God leads Wherever revelation leads we must be willing to follow Even and especially when it leads you somewhere you did not expect You can't open a door to a lit room and Then slam it shut and refuse to walk in there because it offends you. I don't like that wall that room I'm not going to deal with that room. I feel comfortable with these rooms over here I don't know if God's word has revealed it a walk in there figure that out You can't proof your text proof text your way along a preconceived path These are the things I believe I've got these four verses that prove it to me And I'm going to stay along the path. It is beaten and worn that feels comfortable to me Can't do that can't neglect other passages selecting some Neglecting others you must apply what theologians have called the analogy the faith taking all relevant scripture into account walking into every room You must approach the task in faith You must expend great effort independence upon the spirit of God as you do and you must be willing to follow wherever He leads that's reasonable. Isn't it? It's nothing irrational or unreasonable about that. That's how we should approach the word of God when we come to any subject in the Bible But particularly subjects like this that tend to that our fallen prideful hearts and minds tend to bristle against so then Ready and willing to follow his word where it leads us taking his hand as it were by faith Relying on the spirit of God for understanding. Let's go to the text We'll begin by addressing the sovereignty of God in a more general term in more general terms today And we'll look at more specific aspects of his sovereignty related to predestination and election in future sermons that this general Subject of God's sovereignty is found throughout the Bible cover to cover Genesis to Revelation The very Marrow you could say of biblical revelation is God's Sovereignty it's all over the Bible. There are many texts from which we may learn much about this subject And we're merely going to scratch the surface this morning and scratching the surface the surface though Let's go to a key text in the Old Testament turn with me to Daniel chapter 4 Daniel chapter 4 as you're turning to Daniel chapter 4 The southern Kingdom of Judah Daniel among them Has been taken captive. They've been exiled under the powerful King of Babylon King Nebuchadnezzar And Nebuchadnezzar believes himself to be sovereign Nebuchadnezzar believes himself to be the King of kings the Lord of lords He believes that it has been the power of his own might That has secured him the great kingdom that stretched out before him So much so that in Daniel chapter 4 verse 30 the King spoke saying is this not great Babylon that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty and any Biblical Thinking God-fearing person would have fled for their lives Expecting at any moment that lightning would strike after those words came out of his mouth Or at the very least that he'd be eaten by worms You're right like Herod Look at verse 1 Daniel chapter 4 verse 1 Nebuchadnezzar the king To all peoples Nations and languages in other words This is something that Nebuchadnezzar wanted to declare to everyone He wants everyone to know this amazing what he's about to declare Considering that Nebuchadnezzar is the pagan king of Babylon right but listen to what Nebuchadnezzar says To all people's nations and languages dwell on the earth peace be multiplied to you I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the most high God has worked for me How great are his signs? How mighty are his wonders? His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation These are the words of Nebuchadnezzar. These are the words of Nebuchadnezzar while he had a clear-headed understanding of God's Sovereignty in his right mind. He understood God's sovereignty and we'll see by his own testimony That wasn't always the case Wasn't always the case that Nebuchadnezzar saw things this way. Nebuchadnezzar was about to get an object lesson from God himself Concerning who is sovereign and who is not okay verse 4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in my house flourishing in my palace I Saw a dream which made me afraid and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me Therefore I Issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream now they bring them in and Nebuchadnezzar's own wise guys Couldn't interpret the dream so they brought in eventually Daniel Daniel known to be wise was brought in Daniel was known to be able to interpret dreams and Daniel hears the dream from Nebuchadnezzar in preparation to interpret it essentially a tree Grows in the midst of the earth that's verses 10 through 12 a holy one comes down out of heaven and cries in verse 14 But divorce for verse 14 with me Chop down the tree cut off its branches Strip off its leaves scatter its fruit let the beast get out from under it in the birds from its branches nevertheless Leave the stump and roots in the earth bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field Let it be wet with the dew of heaven and let him graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth Let his heart be changed from that of a man Let him be given the heart of a beast and let seven times pass over him Now this is a description what you find here is a description of what God would soon do to humble Nebuchadnezzar and to teach him a very important lesson. What is the lesson going to be about? It's a lesson about the sovereignty of Almighty God And here's the lesson verse 17 This decision is by the decree of the watchers and the sentence by the word of the holy ones in Order that it has a purpose the dream has an intention this decree has a purpose It's in order that the living all living may know that the most high Rules in the kingdom of men gives it to whomever he will and sets over it the lowest of men Now the decision the decision the sentence is in order that it's for the purpose that All men the living all people may know that the most high rules in the kingdom of men gives it to whomever whomever He God he gives it to whomever he will and he sets over at the lowest of men The word there in verse 17 rules is actually a noun in the Hebrew Serves as an adjective an adjective to describe God meaning that the most high is Ruler right literally sovereign the most high Sovereign in the kingdoms of men Sovereign among men by implication then you Nebuchadnezzar are not The most high is sovereign you Nebuchadnezzar are not and no one else is No one else is the most high God Establishes kings the most high God establishes kingdoms and he determines all of this in his own will Proverbs chapter 21 verse 1 even the king's heart Even the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord and like rivers of water. He turns it wherever he wishes Of course now So we follow the the account all takes place Exactly as the Lord had said that it would Nebuchadnezzar is walking around his palace one evening his heart lifted up in abhorrent absurd pride Not in his right mind that very hour as The words were coming out of his mouth look at what my great strength has put right as the words were coming out of his mouth He was driven from among men lost his mind and put out in the field eating grass like an ox When the time had passed then Nebuchadnezzar by the grace of God returned to his senses Nebuchadnezzar learned his lesson We find his confession then verse 34 drop down to verse 34 with me at the end of the time I Nebuchadnezzar Lifted my eyes to heaven my understanding returned to me and I blessed the most high He understands who is most high. I Bless the most high praised and honored him who lives forever for his Dominion that word literally means sovereignty or rule his sovereignty Right for his sovereignty is an everlasting Sovereignty and his kingdom is from generation to generation all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing he does according to his will in the army of heaven and Among the inhabitants of the earth No one can restrain his hand or say to him. What have you done? Answer me this Nebuchadnezzar and he put to you a question answer me this Nebuchadnezzar when God reaches forth His hand to do something in other words when God Sovereignly decrees whatsoever that shall come to pass and then he works in his providence to execute his decree in Sovereign power Who is there who can stop him? No one God is sovereign. No one stops God's hand. God Accomplishes all things that he decrees and what does God decree all things Who is there to whom God must give an account is he accountable to you? No, he's accountable to no one and no thing no one and nobody He does according to all his will. This is the doctrine of God's sovereignty right the doctrine of God's sovereignty this lost pagan idolatrous Babylonian Came to his senses understanding what most professing Christians today despise and reject and this is a lost pagan idolatrous Wicked Babylonian What should this lead then Nebuchadnezzar? What should this lead us to do? How do we respond to this? We respond in awe We respond in wonder We respond in worship and in praise and in devotion and in trust. We respond in faith We respond in following after him We respond in obedience We sang the hymn earlier sing it with me He leadeth me He leadeth me by his own hand He lead We could sing right sovereign Lee. He leadeth me right for His faithful follower I would be for by his handy That's right his faithful follower. I will be because It's by his sovereign hand that he leadeth me. That's how we respond. We respond in faith We respond in obedience to his sovereign rule over us. We respond in trust. We respond in devotion We respond in worship and praise Turn with me to Isaiah back a couple of books Isaiah chapter 10 Isaiah chapter 10 beautiful example many many many many examples in the Bible of God's sovereignty Look at Isaiah chapter 10 Look at me beginning at verse 5 in Isaiah chapter 10 verse 5 through the prophet God proclaims a woe His wrath Against Assyria now listen in verse 5 Woe to Assyria the rod of my anger and The staff in whose hand is my indignation now How does God refer to Assyria in verse 5 this pagan? Nation this enemy of Israel is the rod of God's anger they are his Instrumental means right they are a secondary cause you could say they are a means of God's Anger in other words God is sovereign over Assyria. Do you see Verse 6 what is God going to do with Assyria? He says in verse 6. I will send him against an ungodly nation That nation is Israel God's own people here described as ungodly. I will send him against an ungodly nation and against the people of my wrath I will give him charge why because God is sovereign God is sovereign He will give him charge to seize the spoil to take pray to tread them down like the mire of the streets Who is sending Assyria in verse 6? God sovereign God is sending Assyria What is God specifically going to do to Israel through the instrumental means of Assyria? Seize spoil take pray and tread them down God is sovereign. Do you see here? What is on astonishing and staggering display is the sovereignty of God over his creation? Okay, look at verse 7 Yet he who's the he the he there is Assyria Yet he yet Assyria does not mean so Fascinating isn't it nor does his heart think so But it is in his heart to destroy and cut off not a few nations He's going to cut off many nations in a serious heart is to destroy and to cut off many nations Okay, they don't intend from the heart here to do the work of God They don't intend here to be the instrumental means of God to judge Israel. They aren't setting out to obey God They're not even setting out to consider God in any way shape form or fashion, right? But what is in their heart to do? God purposes intends Determines and means to accomplish his decreed end. He tasks them To do all his will the judgment of his rebellious people Israel Assyria is going to be used to judge Israel Assyria had their intentions. God had decreed his intentions and it's God's will that comes to pass This is the sovereignty of God and notice in verse 5 Isaiah chapter 10 verse 5 Who is the judgment actually proclaimed about at the beginning of verse 5? It's actually proclaimed against Assyria We've just heard about how God is going to use Assyria to judge Israel But the whoa the wrath of Elohim so to speak is determined against Assyria Now how what is going on? God God is going to use Assyria the intentions that are hard to bring judgment against his people Israel And then God in sovereignty is going to use that as the instrumental means by which he judges Assyria for their wickedness and their sin against his people God is Sovereign God proclaims a woe against Assyria God sovereign over all things decreeing all things whatsoever that come to pass intends to judge Assyria for their free Immoral and wicked actions against his people Israel at the very same time that he sovereignly intended Assyria's free Though immoral and wicked actions as a judgment against Israel. It's fascinating, isn't it? This is the doctrine of God's sovereignty look at verse 12 Verse 12 therefore it shall come to pass when the Lord has performed all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem that he will say I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and The glory of his haughty looks now. Why is God intending to punish Assyria like this because Assyria? rejects God's Sovereignty look at verse 13 because or for he says Assyria says by the strength of my hand I have done it and By my wisdom I am prudent who does that sound like sounds like Nebuchadnezzar, doesn't it? Also, I have removed the boundaries of the people I've robbed their treasuries So I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man look at the swelling pride of wicked Assyria Right Assyria rejecting God's sovereignty God will turn and judge Assyria verse 14 my hand has found like a nest the riches of the people and one Gathers eggs that are left. I have gathered all the earth. There was no one who moved his wing nor opened his mouth with even a peep In other words Assyria's got his thumbs under his overall straps, and he's saying look at all I've done They couldn't even lift a finger against me, and he forgets The most high who rules among the kingdoms of men so then God points out the absurdity of Thinking that we are in control of anything. He points out the absurdity of Assyria's pride saying in verse 15 Shall the axe? boast itself against him who chops with it Fascinating isn't it shall the saw? Exalt itself against him who saws with it as if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up Or as if a staff could lift up as if it were not wood I think with me all of these tools right the axe the saw the rod the staff all Instruments in the hands of another all instruments here in the hands of God The people of Assyria act freely and they act wickedly God is just and God is righteous when he executes judgment against Israel for their Idolatry and God is just and God is righteous when he executes judgment against Assyria for her wicked actions Assyria acts in accord with her own intentions and Yet it is the Lord's decreed purpose that in in every way is Fulfilled and what we find out is that Assyria is no different than an axe a Saw a rod or a staff that God can pick up and wield as he sees fit and for that matter Israel is absolutely no different and for that matter Neither are you and neither am I right Will the thing formed Say to the one who formed it. Why have you made me this way the absurdity of it? All right, as if the lump of clay is going to complain against the potter. It's foolish Let's get an example from the New Testament turn with me to Ephesians chapter one Ephesians chapter one. This is another locust classicus on Classic text on the sovereignty of God Ephesians chapter one Look there beginning at verse three. This is the text read in your hearing earlier And notice in Ephesians chapter one beginning in verse three That Paul is Unfolding the work of God in our redemption in our redemption and we'll get into more detail about this in the weeks to come as Paul unfolds the work of God in our redemption He insists in the passage several times on pointing us to the end or the purpose For which we were redeemed in other words the glory of God right several places in the text This is one long sentence from verse three to verse 14 several times in the text Paul refers to our redemption being for the glory of God verse six to the praise of the glory of his grace, right? Look at verse 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory He points us to the end or the purpose for which we were redeemed namely the glory of God Secondly he insists on pointing us again to the origin or to the source of Our redemption namely the good pleasure of God's own will God is sovereign even over salvation. We see that in several places throughout the text Let's read the text together verse three Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Praise the Lord Just as here it is. He chose us in him before the foundation of the world That is a crystal clear unvarnished unapologetic Assertion of God's sovereign election of those who will be saved He chose us in Christ before Anything came about before the foundation of the world That we should be holy and without blame before him in love verse five having Predestined in case that wasn't clear enough He predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself He looked down the corridor of time and foresaw all those who would make no No, he predestined us to adoption As sons by Jesus Christ to himself according to their choice No according to the good pleasure of his Will of their decision. No his will. It's by their fate. No, it's according to the good pleasure of his will To the praise of the glory of his grace by which he made us accepted in the beloved verse 7 In him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Which he made he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence Having made known to us the mystery of his will According to his good pleasure. Do you see God is sovereign. It's according to his good pleasure According to his good pleasure according to his good pleasure Which he purposed in himself he purposed it in himself not according to your good pleasure He purposed this in himself that verse 10 in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together and one all things in Christ who's gathering? God is gathering God's doing the gathering that he might gather together in one thing in one all things in Christ Both which are in heaven and which are on the earth in him In him also we have obtained an inheritance verse 11 Being predestined According to our faith No being predestined according to our will no being predestined according to our autonomous choice No being predestined according to the purpose of him who works some things no all things He works all things according to the counsel of our will no his will you see it is in arguable folks in Arguable, I don't want to hear frankly. It's it's absurd to hear that these things are are shadowy and They're they're difficult under no they are not They are difficult to those who are entrenched in ignorance or Entrenched in traditionalism or entrenched in defensiveness or entrenched in emotionalism, right? These things are not unclear. We need the faith To go where the word of God leads us along the path of his revelation and to trust him and say Lord Right, I believe what you reveal You know I now I got to take a passage like this and I got to go back and how does this fit together with all those passages? That I know in scripture that say whosoever will and whosoever will and whoso and those passages are true also But we can't neglect we can't slam the door shut on this room and walk out because we don't like what it seems to assert How many things does God work after the counsel of his own will all things? Specifically included in the all things of verse 11. He's talking here particularly of all things related to our redemption All things certainly include kings Certainly includes nations and here all things includes our election our redemption our adoption our acceptance All decrees by God pressed back in time, right? Paul here Takes all of those decrees regarding our redemption and he pushes them back through the annals of time into the eternal immutable councils of the Godhead Where God in eternity passed before the foundations of the world were laid decreed all things whatsoever that should come to pass In him you also trusted verse 13 after you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also having believed you were sealed with The holy spirit of promise who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory It's fascinating to me that Particularly with respect to salvation when someone comes to the understanding that it is God and God alone who freely and Sovereignly decrees and elects predestines those whom will be saved All of a sudden it wrenches out of the death grip of natural man The ability to say I Have some modicum of control here There's some things that I can't I can walk and I'll I can exercise faith I can do I can do this that the other thing I can work there is something that will earn favor and I have that within my control. You know what? I'm not dead yet, and on my deathbed. I can turn to the Lord and say Lord, please forgive me for all I've done and it's all gonna Right no, no, no. It just it rips it wrenches all human sovereignty Out of your hand it kills Your pride and I have to turn them to God and say God be merciful to me the sinner Right Lord be gracious to me. I Don't deserve it. There's absolutely nothing I can do or I am at your mercy Look at how I've sinned against you. You are my sovereign ruler You are my king my creator and look at how I've sinned against you Lord and there's There's nothing I can do I Can't save myself. I can't redeem myself. I can't cleanse myself Lord. You alone can do that All I can do Lord is trust you All I can do is trust you to cast myself upon you because you've said that you are rich in mercy and abounding in grace You've said come to me all you who are weary and heavy-weight, and I'll give you rest take my yoke upon you Right learn from me And so Lord I trust you I trust you that's faith right that's faith. It's Acknowledging that and that's where a biblical understanding of the sovereignty of God Leads it's the just the The crushing the crushing of human pride and self-will and then you can trust that all things work together for good To those who love God to those who are the call and according to his purpose. Why can we trust that? Why can we trust that because? We serve a sovereign God who in power works all things according to the counsel of his own will. That's why Jonah chapter 2 verse 9 salvation is of the Lord Well, very simply put then What should be our response to this biblical understanding of the sovereignty of God Isaiah? Came to understand the sovereignty of God In chapter 6 we don't have time to go there But in chapter 6 and closing Isaiah saw God High and lifted up on his throne the throne of his sovereign rule And what was Isaiah's response? What was Isaiah's response right? Isaiah chapter 6 verse 1 the key in the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up the train of his robe filled the temple Above it stood Seraphim each one having six wings with two he covered his face with two he covered his feet with two He flew one cried to another and said holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts The whole earth is full of his glory the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out and the house Was filled with smoke and so I said whoa is me Right. I am undone Because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips in my eyes I've seen the king the Lord of hosts First response is repentance right in faith You notice Isaiah doesn't run screaming for his life right He clings in awe and wondering in repentance. I am undone. I'm undone Recognition of his own rebellion recognition of his own sin One of the Seraphim flew to him having his in his hand alive coal Which he had taken with the tongs from the altar and he touched his mouth with it and said behold This has touched your lips your iniquity is taken away your sin purged Isaiah Trusted the Lord for that forgiveness. That's faith right. I also heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send who will go for us? Then I said here am I send me Flowing from faith flowing from forgiveness Flowing from an acknowledgement of God's sovereign rule over him The second response is Isaiah's willing and fervent service his devotion to God fueled by his vision of God's sovereignty One commentator said this he said since God is the true sovereign sovereign There is no greater privilege than to serve him all Before his glory makes other pursuits diminish Not all are called to the prophetic office. God calls people to be carpenters Lawyers doctors sound engineers and garbage men, but those who have seen the sovereignty of God See all of their labor as an opportunity to extend his reign and serve his kingdom. You see that, right? It's when we realize how great is the God we serve how total is his sovereignty Overall and how glorious is his kingdom that we want to serve him in all we do Isaiah had not even learned what labor God had in mind for him But when he heard the question whom shall I send his newly consecrated lips broke forth here am I send me? If we see just a portion of what he saw we will do the same Considering not the difficulties but the high privilege of serving so great a Lord It's a difficult ministry in for Isaiah Chapter 9 the Lord said go and tell this people keep on hearing but do not understand keep on seeing but do not perceive Make the heart of this people dull Make their ears their ears heavy shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears And understand with their heart and return and be healed It's a tough calling. All right, then I said Isaiah said Lord how long doesn't question Whether he should what's the point he doesn't respond with right? What's the point then I wire? Why are you doing that? God doesn't do that. It's just obedience. Okay, how long should I do that for and how's all? How long should I do that for? The third response of Isaiah is humble and trusting obedience to God's commands even in the midst of difficult difficult ministry God answered him until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant until the houses are without a man The land is utterly desolate The Lord sovereign Lord has removed men far away Forsaken places are many in the midst of the land, but yet a tenth will be in it remnant All right will return to be for consuming as a terribent tree or as an oak whose stump remains when it is cut down So the holy seed shall be its stump. God has decreed A remnant God has decreed is Messiah a promised Messiah through whom he will save the world from their sins Save his people from their sins and Isaiah proclaims him Paul comes to an understanding of the sovereignty of God the sovereignty of God over all things even over salvation And he responds this way in Romans chapter 11 beginning in verse 33 oh The depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out who has known the mind of the Lord Who has become his counselor or who has first given to him and it shall be repaid to him for of him and through him and To him are all things to whom be glory forever Amen All praise honor and glory to our sovereign Lord. Let's pray together Let's take a few moments now considering the sovereignty of God consider Your place under his sovereign rule How are you doing as a faithful devoted servant of the Lord? You're not if you're here today, and you've not been saved Submit now in repentance and faith this sovereign king brothers and sisters and if you You professing him as Lord, let's follow him with all our hearts. Amen Let's pray and we'll pray together and you'll be dismissed Our sovereign Lord our king would we pray to you Now Lord that you would for the glory of your own name You would gather in all of your elect Gather your people and Convert sinners. I pray Lord that you would Take those who are yours and through your word by your spirit Make them a chaste virgin ready for her bride her bridegroom and Prepare us Lord for that day We need you Lord to do this. Please Lord Work in us according to your goodwill according to your good pleasure have your way with us Lord We pray for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ for the glory of your name. We pray all these things in his name. Amen