The Goodness of God

Introduction:

Personal Intro: Planting Pastor of Ascend

First time preaching as a Father of 2, Wife to jaycee

We are in the series the “Godness of God” where we are exploring different traits of Gods Character....

This Morning we will be in Psalm 106 looking at the first

2 important Ideas I want us to discuss before we dive into the text this morning…

How do we know Gods Character “The Godness of God”?

What we know to be true about God he has revealed to us through his Word.

A. God in his word reveals directly his character or put more simply what is God like.

B. God character is then displayed through the unfolding narrative of scripture (Gods Acts or Actions)

2. In Gods Word we experience his Character + Actions

We experience the character of God and filter our experience through his Word.... Not the other way around...

Simply Put: your experience does not define God.

We are living in a culture where we define everything through our personal experience… this is dangerous.

Quote: What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us? - A.W. Tozer

Transition: So how do we know God by how he reveals himself through scripture.... We do not get to define God, and secondly one aspect of Gods character that is revealed through scripture that we must understand is this…

The Character of God is Immutable

1) unchanging over time.

2) Unable to be changed.

Malachi 3:6 ESV

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

Numbers 23:19 ESV

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Illustration: Gods character cannot be changed… We do not hold the power to do that. If we all lined up at this stage this morning and tried to push it we couldn’t.

Love, Sovereignty, Majesty, Holiness, Grace, This is who God is… revealed through his word, you cant change it no matter how you try rather you observe it....

SETUP: So Today we are going to look at the “Goodness of God”

Observe

Respond

Transition: Which leads us to our Big Idea for this morning…

B.I= Give thanks to the Lord for he is Good!

Psalm 106:1–6 ESV

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance. Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.

Pray

1. Observe the Goodness of God.

Psalm 106:1–3 ESV

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!

Gods actions flow out of his Character.

What does the text reveal about the Goodness of God? 1) His Steadfast love endures V1

2) The Lord has done Mighty Deeds V2 3) His justice can be observed V3

1) Historical display

The Garden, The Covenants, The Exodus, The Judges, Christ on the Cross,

Gods Goodness is constant through it all

2) Cosmic Reality

Justice= One Day everything will be made right....

Talk about a gospel message for our time…

Pain, Sickness, Disease, Strife, War,

- Gods Goodness leads to the redemption of all things

- The Character of God pours out in such a way that it will one day overwhelm the bad.... Revelation 21:1-5

Revelation 21:1–5 ESV

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

3) Personal Experience

Observed…

We experience Gods Goodness but it is not defined by our circumstance.

How has Gods goodness been displayed in your life.

Your Creator

Your Sustainer

Your Provider

In Gods Goodness he sustains the very breath in our lungs… along with our eternity

His Goodness will not change.

You get to see this....

Transition: So what is the proper response.... which leads us into the the second part of our message today!

Respond to the goodness of God.

Psalm 106:4–6 ESV

Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance. Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.

The Two Options

1) A Response of thanks.

2) A response of ignorance.

A Response of Ignorance:

Illustrate = If the Goods of God is on display… You have seen it…

Observe and walk away

Observe and live unchanged

observe and deny

observe and sin against

A Response of Thanks:

Remember me O Lord… (A cry to be seen by God as one of his chosen ones)

Your relationship and reality has been shifted to to God!

You receive the Inheritance of Gods Chosen ones

So where do you sit: The band is going to come back out....

a minute to lift your praise to God for his goodness

I will close us in prayer and then we will worship.

As we close:

The Goodness of God is on display how do we respond?

Lead in prayer