God is Sovereign

Lifting their voices together in prayer to God they said, Sovereign Lord you

made……. Ac 4:24ff

God is Sovereign

“Most Christians salute the sovereignty of God but believe in the sovereignty of

man.” R.C. Sproul

God is Sovereign

“Beam me up Scottie”.

“I don’t believe it!”

Despota – Despot!

God is Sovereign in creation• “You made the heavens and the earth

and everything in in them.”

• Neh 9:5,6

• Ps 102:25-27

• Ps 102:25-27

• “May the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth bless you.” Ps 134:3

God is Sovereign in history• “They did what your power and will had

decided beforehand should happen!” Ac 4:28

• “I, I am he, and there is no other god, no other saviour, no other rock! I, even I am the LORD the Holy One of Israel. Out of eternity I even I am God, No one can deliver out of my hand, when I act, who can reverse it?”

Is. 43:1-13

“God is at pains to declare that he is God and he alone. And to drive that home through the prophet Isaiah, he is willing to go so far as to claim ultimate sovereign responsibility for all the calamities of the world. "I am the one who forms light and creates darkness, who causes prosperity and creates calamity; I am the Lord who does all these things." (Is 45) Why does God take responsibility for all the disasters of the world? Because God is God, and that means he is sovereign: he acts and none can reverse it”. John Piper

God is Sovereign in revelation • “You spoke by the Holy Spirit through

the mouth of your servant, our father, David”. Ac 4:25

• It does not therefore depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy”. Rom 9:16

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?" Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen”. Rom 11:33

Because God is Sovereign• I begin to look for answers in him and

his character, not in terms of myself.

• I’m more ready to listen than speak in ignorance.

• “Why did you choose some and not others” becomes, “Why did you choose me and not them?”

Because God is Sovereign• I see no one beyond salvation.

• “Why pray?” becomes “Because God’s sovereign I can pray!”

• “So many ask "if God is absolutely sovereign, what's the point of praying?" I reply, "What's the point of praying if He's isn't?”

Because God is Sovereign

• My acknowledgement that I am dependent on Him.

• Obedience to his command. 1 Thess 5:17

• God involving us in His purposes which he says will be accomplished by prayer.

Prayer is…

Because God is Sovereign• In salvation God has elected those who are

to be saved but also determined it should be through preaching and believing! Eph 1:13

• “In all things God works together with those he loves for good” Rom 8:28 (JP translation!)

Because God is Sovereign• We choose to look at events through

what we know of God rather than look at God through the event!

• Knowing the heart and purpose of the God who is sovereign I trust him in life and death, in good times and bad because he is working out his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Facing suffering…