The Reality of the Father’s Sovereignty Session 3

3 Stanzas and a Chorus   Stanza 1: God the Father chose us! – – Chorus: “to the praise of the glory of His grace” (4-6a)   The Reality of the Father’s Sovereignty

3 Stanzas and a Chorus   Stanza 2: The Father sent the Son to redeem us!   Chorus: “that we should be to the praise of His glory” (6b-12)   The Reality of Christ’s Sufficiency

3 Stanzas and a Chorus   Stanza 3: The Father sent the Spirit to seal us!   Chorus: “unto the praise of His glory (13-14)   The Reality of the Spirit’s Security

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever....

The Secret Is Out   Mysteries in the Bible are divine secrets previously unknown at this level of detail.

The Great Mystery   That mystery is the previously unrevealed ultimate purpose of God to reunite everything in Christ to the praise of His glory.

The Creation’s Condition   Romans 8:22-23   II Corinthians 5:4

The Mystery Revealed   Ephesians 1:9-11   Ephesians 2:7   Ephesians 3:10-11   Ephesians 3:21

The Mystery Summarized “The mystery of His will... [is] that... He might gather together [again] in one all things in Christ,... [so that] unto Him [will] be glory in the church by Jesus Christ [forever].”

The Great Mystery   God has chosen us to be one of the witnesses to vindicate His maligned character.

A Dog Show Parable

  His character and skill were vindicated by the restored dogs he displayed at that grand demonstration.

Demonstrations of His Glory   The “end-time demonstration” of His glory   “Real-time demonstrations” of His glory

These demonstrations show God is first! Demonstrations of His Glory

The cast is chosen, and we have a part!

God’s Sovereignty   God decides what He will do. His sovereignty applies to   His creative acts   His providential acts

God’s Sovereignty   “Providence” is His continued management of all things.

Psalm 103:19 The Lord hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all.

Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, [who leads forth] their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, [and because] he is strong in power; not one faileth.

God’s Sovereignty   God decides what He will do. His sovereignty applies to   His creative acts   His providential acts   His redemptive acts

God’s Sovereignty  God delights in what He does.  The perfection of His decisions makes them delightful to Himself and a joy to His illuminated creatures.

  His attributes don’t fight each other.   Everything He does, He does with everything He is.   Everything that God is, He will always be. God’s Sovereignty

  His attributes are not limited in any way. God’s Sovereignty

Like a River Glorious Every joy or trial Falleth from above, Traced upon our dial By the Sun of Love; We may trust Him fully All for us to do—

They who trust Him wholly Find Him wholly true. Stayed upon Jehovah, Hearts are fully blest; Finding, as He promised, Perfect peace and rest. Like a River Glorious

This Is My Father’s World This is my Father’s world, O let me ne’er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world: The battle is not done; Jesus who died shall be satisfied, And earth and heaven be one. This Is My Father’s World

How Firm a Foundation “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand. How Firm a Foundation

Romans 10:13-14 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?

and how shall they hear without a preacher?  Somebody must tell them if they are to believe. That is evangelism! Romans 10:13-14 (cont.)

Some Cautions   We have a responsibility to evangelize while God has assumed the responsibility to be at work in the hearts of the lost.

Acts 18:9-10 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

II Timothy 2:9-10 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Some Cautions   Election is not a doctrine that can be ignored; it is to be embraced.   Neither is it a doctrine to be argued; it is to be celebrated.

Romans 9:14, What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

Romans 9:14, (cont.) Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?

Revelation 15:3-4 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

Revelation 15:3-4 (cont.) Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

Romans 11:33-36 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? Romans 11:33-36 (cont.)

For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Romans 11:33-36 (cont.)

Romans 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:28-30 (cont.)

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30 (cont.)

I Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father...

Some Distinctions 2nd: Predestination 3rd: Election 3rd: Election 1st: Fore- knowledge 1st: Fore- knowledge

Some Distinctions   Election—He chose you.   Predestination—the purpose for your election   Foreknowledge—the basis for your predestination and election

Some Conclusions  We rejoice in His decisions, though we “see through a glass darkly” (I Corinthians 13:12).

Images contained herein may have been obtained from the following sources: The Learning Co’s ClickArt Click Edit  1998 The Learning Co., Inc. and its subsidiaries, 88 Rowland Way, Novato, CA USA. Acknowledgments All images protected by copyright and may not be duplicated or re-used in any way without written permission from the source supplier. All images protected by copyright and may not be duplicated or re-used in any way without written permission from the source supplier. Some images  Corel Stock Photo Libraries/Clipart © Corel Corporation, 1600 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 8R7 Canada