Our Awesome God: The God Who Does What He Pleases
(topical)
intro
1. Today we will begin a series titled, "Our Awesome God."
2. As I was preparing this message, I put a CD on the computer titled, "1001 Contemporary Sermon Illustrations." I have gotten a few good ones from this CD, but I was surprised they did not have a category about God.
3. This helped to underscore what I have observed: it is out of style to preach about God.
4. Contemporary sermons deal with relational, financial, or social issues; but Christians miss the point if the above issues are not grounded in the nature of God. No matter how successful you seem to be relationally, financially, or socially, without the knowledge of God all your successes are shallow and your achievements worthless.
5. A.W. Tozer wrote, "What I believe about God is the most important thing about me."
6. We live in a day of relativism. Suppose your pharmacist was a relativist. The doctor gave you a prescription for antibiotics, but he said to himself, "All medicines are the same. They all intend to heal. Here’s some strong blood thinner, arsenic; I’ll put that in the bottle instead of antibiotics." Soon the patient dies from hemorrhaging.
7. Such a pharmacist would not only lose his license, yet end up in jail.
8. Yet in the realm of religion and God, anything goes. Take this quotation from Mother Theresa:
"Oh, I hope I am converting. I don’t mean what you think…We become a better Hindu, a better Muslim, a better Catholic, a better whatever we are…"
Note how this contrasts with Jesus words, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things that I have taught you…" (Matt. 28:19-20)
Or His statement, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except by me" (John 14:6)
9. God is MORE important that the pharmacist’s prescriptions, even if the issue does not seem as urgent or pressing.
10. R.C. Sproul wrote the following:
"Recently I was lecturing on the conclusion of the first chapter of the Letter to the Romans. Paul explains that God’s judgment is being manifested to the world. Why is it? Because God reveals Himself clearly to all men. Paul declares that man does not see fit to take seriously the knowledge of God he has. He does not approve the idea of spending much time learning about the character of God.
"When man will not have God in his thoughts, that lack is immediately reflected in what man does. If we think that God is not worthy of our consideration, then that view will have a major influence on our thoughts and on our style of life."
11. I do not know if you agree with those statements, but I do.
12. Focusing upon God, growing in the knowledge of Him seems impractical to some people. My observation is the opposite.
13. The people who enjoy life the most and usually have the deepest and best relationships are people who consciously live life in the presence of God and seek to grasp the nature of God, for they understand what life is about.
MAIN IDEA: One reality that such folks acknowledge is that God is
unlike us in that He does just as He pleases. And, because He does
as He pleases, His purposes are never thwarted.
TS------- This truth can be sub-divided into several thoughts.
I. God Does As He Pleases
1. Turn with me to Psalm 115:1-3
2. Psalms 135:6, "The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths."
3. Daniel 4:34-35
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"
God is unlike us in that He does just as He pleases. And, because He does
as He pleases, His purposes are never thwarted.
4. Do you appreciate anew what it means to be connected to such a God through faith in Jesus Christ?
II. His Omniscience and Omnipotence Guarantee His Success
1. Isaiah 14:27: Turn there
(1) When my kids were young, I would purposely make blunders while playing games so they could have a chance to win…
(2) Does a typical 4 year old have a chance to beat a typical adult in checkers?
(3) Some people think that the competition between God and Satan in this life resemble the 2000 presidential elections, determined by a hair of a difference…
(4) The reason many believers think this way is because God allows Satan and the world so much leeway and freedom….God only exerts His influence when it serves His overall purpose…
2. Is. 46:9-11, "Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do."
3. Is. 55:8-11, ""For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD."As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it"
4. Rev. 17:17, "For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled."
God is unlike us in that He does just as He pleases. And, because He does
as He pleases, His purposes are never thwarted.
5. If you are saved, you are on the WINNING TEAM, GUARANTEED. No choking in the clutch (the 1969 Cubs).
III. God Is Complete In Himself: He Does Not Need Us
1. Acts 17:24-25: turn there
(1) Why did God create us? Kids at camp: "He needed someone to love"
(2) I just said, "That’s not exactly the answer I am looking for"
2. I Chron. 29:14, "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
3. Psalm 50: 7-15, "Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."
4. God’s Image as a Rock
5. Romans 11:34-35, "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"
6. Have you ever met folks who think they are doing God a favor? Whenever we do something for God, we are merely responding to His goodness, doing our duty to Him, not a favor.
7. Snowy weather, people’s vehicles sliding off the interstate; one good fellow went around pull cars out with his truck. One fellow did not bother to say, "thank you," so he hauled him back into the median strip. When we serve God, we are simply giving our appropriate, "thank you."
CONCLUSION
1. God is not desperate. The universe will not fall apart if you do not do your job right.
2. But God loves to include that minority of the population that really want to know Him.
3. And that is the focus of salvation: not just escape from hell, not just knowing our sins are forgiven or that heaven is our home, but the establishment of a relationship to God Almighty.
4. As we explore the Nature of God, we are going to find that He loves you and takes pleasure in blessing you. But these blessings are only realized in their full degree to those who love Him.
