Untitled Sermon

Greatness of God

Synopsis

God’s nature, deeds and attributes are incomparable, for which he deserves all praise.

God is great

Je 10:6

Jeremiah 10:6 (ESV) — 6 There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might.

See also 1 Ch 16:25; 1 Ch 29:11; Ne 1:5; Is 12:6

1 Chronicles 16:25 (ESV) — 25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods.

1 Chronicles 29:11 (ESV) — 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

Nehemiah 1:5 (ESV) — 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

Isaiah 12:6 (ESV) — 6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

God’s name is great

Eze 36:23

Ezekiel 36:23 (ESV) — 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.

See also Jos 7:9; 1 Sa 12:22; 1 Ki 8:42

Joshua 7:9 (ESV) — 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”

1 Samuel 12:22 (ESV) — 22 For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.

1 Kings 8:42 (ESV) — 42 (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house,

God is a great king

Ps 47:2

Psalm 47:2 (ESV) — 2 For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.

See also Ps 47:7; Ps 48:2; Mal 1:14; Mt 5:35; 1 Ti 6:15

Psalm 47:7 (ESV) — 7 For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!

Psalm 48:2 (ESV) — 2 beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.

Malachi 1:14 (ESV) — 14 Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

Matthew 5:35 (ESV) — 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

1 Timothy 6:15 (ESV) — 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

God’s deeds are great

He does great things

Ps 136:4

Psalm 136:4 (ESV) — 4 to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;

See also Jdg 2:7; Is 55:9; Je 32:19; Lk 1:49; Eph 3:20

Judges 2:7 (ESV) — 7 And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel.

Isaiah 55:9 (ESV) — 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Jeremiah 32:19 (ESV) — 19 great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

Luke 1:49 (ESV) — 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Ephesians 3:20 (ESV) — 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

His acts are powerful

Dt 9:29 God’s powerful acts are often associated with the exodus.

Deuteronomy 9:29 (ESV) — 29 For they are your people and your heritage, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.’

See also Ex 15:7; Dt 9:26

Exodus 15:7 (ESV) — 7 In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble.

Deuteronomy 9:26 (ESV) — 26 And I prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord God, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

His great victories in the promised land:

1 Sa 19:5; 2 Sa 23:10

1 Samuel 19:5 (ESV) — 5 For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?”

2 Samuel 23:10 (ESV) — 10 He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.

His powerful act of creation:

Is 40:26; Je 32:17

Isaiah 40:26 (ESV) — 26 Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

Jeremiah 32:17 (ESV) — 17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

Na 1:3; Eph 1:19–20 His great power at work in the resurrection

Nahum 1:3 (ESV) — 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

Ephesians 1:19–20 (ESV) — 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

God’s attributes are great

His great love

Ps 108:4

Psalm 108:4 (ESV) — 4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

See also Nu 14:19; 2 Ch 1:8; La 3:22; Eph 2:4; 1 Jn 3:1

Numbers 14:19 (ESV) — 19 Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.”

2 Chronicles 1:8 (ESV) — 8 And Solomon said to God, “You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, and have made me king in his place.

Lamentations 3:22 (ESV) — 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

Ephesians 2:4 (ESV) — 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

1 John 3:1 (ESV) — 1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

His great mercy

1 Ch 21:13

1 Chronicles 21:13 (ESV) — 13 Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

See also Ne 9:31; Ro 5:17; 1 Pe 1:3

Nehemiah 9:31 (ESV) — 31 Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Romans 5:17 (ESV) — 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:3 (ESV) — 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

His great anger

2 Ki 22:13

2 Kings 22:13 (ESV) — 13 “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

See also Ps 90:11; Ps 102:10; Je 21:5; Je 32:37

Psalm 90:11 (ESV) — 11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?

Psalm 102:10 (ESV) — 10 because of your indignation and anger; for you have taken me up and thrown me down.

Jeremiah 21:5 (ESV) — 5 I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, in anger and in fury and in great wrath.

Jeremiah 32:37 (ESV) — 37 Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety.

God’s gifts are great

He bestows great gifts

Da 5:18

Daniel 5:18 (ESV) — 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty.

See also Ge 12:2; 1 Sa 26:25; 1 Ch 29:25

Genesis 12:2 (ESV) — 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

1 Samuel 26:25 (ESV) — 25 Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

1 Chronicles 29:25 (ESV) — 25 And the Lord made Solomon very great in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

He gives great joy

Ne 12:43

Nehemiah 12:43 (ESV) — 43 And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

See also Ezr 6:22; Ps 4:7; Ps 126:3

Ezra 6:22 (ESV) — 22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Psalm 4:7 (ESV) — 7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

Psalm 126:3 (ESV) — 3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.

The effects of God’s greatness

God’s power is known in the nations

Ps 126:2

Psalm 126:2 (ESV) — 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

See also 2 Ch 9:6; 2 Ch 20:6; Ps 99:2; Da 4:3

2 Chronicles 9:6 (ESV) — 6 but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, half the greatness of your wisdom was not told me; you surpass the report that I heard.

2 Chronicles 20:6 (ESV) — 6 and said, “O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. In your hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand you.

Psalm 99:2 (ESV) — 2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.

Daniel 4:3 (ESV) — 3 How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

People are astonished

Lk 9:43

Luke 9:43 (ESV) — 43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples,

See also Hab 1:5; Lk 5:26

Habakkuk 1:5 (ESV) — 5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.

Luke 5:26 (ESV) — 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

God must be praised for his greatness

Ps 48:1

Psalm 48:1 (ESV) — 1 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain,

See also Dt 32:3; Ps 89:1; Ps 96:4; Ps 145:3

Deuteronomy 32:3 (ESV) — 3 For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God!

Psalm 89:1 (ESV) — 1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 96:4 (ESV) — 4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 145:3 (ESV) — 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

God’s greatness makes him unique

There is no-one like him

Ps 150:2

Psalm 150:2 (ESV) — 2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!

See also 2 Sa 7:22; Ps 71:19; Ps 86:10; Ps 145:3

2 Samuel 7:22 (ESV) — 22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Psalm 71:19 (ESV) — 19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?

Psalm 86:10 (ESV) — 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.

Psalm 145:3 (ESV) — 3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

He is greater than other gods

Ex 18:11

Exodus 18:11 (ESV) — 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods, because in this affair they dealt arrogantly with the people.”

See also Dt 4:7; Dt 10:17; 2 Ch 2:5; Ps 135:5; 1 Co 8:4–6

Deuteronomy 4:7 (ESV) — 7 For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?

Deuteronomy 10:17 (ESV) — 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe.

2 Chronicles 2:5 (ESV) — 5 The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods.

Psalm 135:5 (ESV) — 5 For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

1 Corinthians 8:4–6 (ESV) — 4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

God is greater than human power and pride

Job 33:12

Job 33:12 (ESV) — 12 “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.

See also 2 Ch 32:7–8; Is 40:6–7; 1 Jn 3:20

2 Chronicles 32:7–8 (ESV) — 7 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. 8 With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Isaiah 40:6–7 (ESV) — 6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass.

1 John 3:20 (ESV) — 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.