Reformation Sunday 2024

Announcements

Call To Worship

Say: Let us now begin to worship the Father the Son, the Holy Spirit, Our Call to worship Comes to us from Reading

Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice Leader-Led Calls to Worship

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” In this greatly rejoice.

(Note how 1 Pet. 1:3–5 is made a Call to Worship by the addition of final words of exhortation that closely echo the scriptural text.)

Introduction

Spurgeon tells a story of children and their parents

300 Sermon Illustrations from Charles Spurgeon Running Back to God (Psalm 69:2, 14)

Infants, when they are among strangers, are pleased with little toys and amusements. But when they become hungry, nothing will do for them but their mother’s breast. So it is with a child of God. He may for a time be satisfied and find pleasure in the things of this world, but he only finds lasting and sure happiness in being embraced in his Father’s arms.

When my boys walk out with us in fair weather, they will run in front of us ever so far, but as soon as they see any danger in the way they quickly return to father’s side. So when everything goes well with us we frequently run a long way from God, but as soon as we are overtaken by trouble, or see a lion in the way, we fly to our heavenly Father. I bless God for the mire, and for my sinking in it, when it makes me cry out, “Deliver me from the mud and do not let me sink” (Psa 69:14).125

For the Next few weeks I’m going to lead us through a study on the Doctrines of Grace, a study of calvinism and the comforts that it brings. This week we are going to get the ball rolling with a brief look at the sovereignty of God.

Background and Definitions:

It is fitting to start this study on Reformation Sunday. What happened in church history was that these doctrines were forgotten or pushed aside from the fore, as was pretty much all doctrine, to increase political power of the church. These doctrines came back to the forefront as the reformers went back to the word, quoting Saint Paul, The Prophets, and of course King Jesus and the early church fathers like Saint Augustine. The major thrust of the reformation was the return to a biblical understanding of Justification, how you and I are saved. So I can confidently tell you it is 100% the work of God.

I want to be clear as to what this is, this is a series where we are digging into Calvinism, Specifally the doctrines of Grace as recovered by the reformers and puritans. This will lead us into topics of predestination, and a bit of who God is, and how he saves men and women, and who we are. This is important, to lay my cards on the table I agree with Spurgeon, John Mac, Martin Luther, The Puritans, Saint Augustine, and of course John Calvin.

The name Calvinism, What is it?

I’m quoting Spurgeon a lot today!

I have my own ideas, and those I always state boldly. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in his dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering, love of Jehovah;

Spurgeon, C. H., and Terence Peter Crosby. 1998. 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 1). Leominster, UK: Day One Publications.

Calvinism is a name that really no one likes for the doctrines of grace, even those like me who believe it is what scriptures teach, but often we don’t get to choose our definitions. John Calvin, pastor of Geneva was famous for in his Institutes of the Christian religion in the 1500’s started to write on this area of the faith, it wasn’t new Martin Luther had written on the same thing with the same convictions 20 years prior. The prior 1500 years of church history had wrestled with this, the major difference then all his predecessors, the printing press. All he did was agree with Saint Augustine, who agreed with the Bible. So his name got attached to it. Calvin himself would hate that this Biblical doctrine has his name on it. Prior to his name getting attached to them they would have been called the Augustinian view salvation.

What is Calvinism?

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Calvinism)

Among the former are the doctrines of Scripture as the only rule of faith, of the bondage of human free will through sin, and *justification (q.v.) by grace through faith. Calvinism is distinguished ..... by its more radical use of Scripture as a criterion of ecclesiastical doctrine and practice, its stress upon *predestination and divine omnipotence and on the importance of the certitude of salvation to the elect, its .... teaching on the Church and sacraments, and its emphasis upon the necessity of discipline within the Church. .... Calvin stressed the continuity between the OT and the NT, allowing the Law a continued role as a moral guide for believers.

What is predestination?

ultimate decision for salvation rests with God and not with man. It teaches that from all eternity God has chosen to intervene in the lives of some people and bring them to saving faith and has chosen not to do that for other people. From all eternity, without any prior view of our human behavior, God has chosen some unto election and others unto reprobation. The ultimate destiny of the individual is decided by God before that individual is even born and without depending ultimately upon the human choice. To be sure, a human choice is made, a free human choice, but the choice is made because God first chooses to influence the elect to make the right choice. The basis for God’s choice does not rest in man but solely in the good pleasure of the divine will.

Sproul, R. C. 1986. Chosen by God. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

What is the Doctrines of Grace?

The Doctrines of grace are how a reformed believer, a Calvinist looks at how God works out salvation Generally done through the Tulip acrostic. (Expand)

This isn’t New

Every church, (and every pastor) throughout Christendom has a doctrine of Predestination, the doctrine of God’s Sovereignty or simply put an understanding of Calvinism. Why? because the Bible speaks of it repeatedly Eph. 2:8-9

Ephesians 1:3–6 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Romans 8:29 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Isaiah 46:9–10 ESV

9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’

It’s not a matter if their is predestination it is a matter of do we believe in the sovereignty of God as the Bible lays it out or some concoction of our own design.

Application/The Point:

To remind you that God is in control.

My prayer is that will bring you some comfort.

We are going to look at some difficult scripture that are the foundations of the doctrines of grace. This is about what God has done and is doing in our world. With the election and Thanksgiving and soon to be Christmas it is fitting to look at how God is working in our world.

When things look out of control, or worry crowds in God is sovereign he is in control.

The 1689 Confession we’ve been going through on Wednesdays section 3 speaks of This topic under the heading God’s decree. Here is section 3.1

Confessing the Faith: The 1689 Baptist Confession for the 21st Century III. God’s Decree

3:1 From all eternity God decreed everything that occurs, without reference to anything outside Himself.1 He did this by the perfectly wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely and unchangeably. Yet God did this in such a way that He is neither the author of sin nor has fellowship with any in their sin.2 This decree does not violate the will of the creature or take away the free working or contingency of second causes. On the contrary, these are established by God’s decree.3 In this decree God’s wisdom is displayed in directing all things, and His power and faithfulness are demonstrated in accomplishing His decree.4

Are you worried about the election?

Are you worried about your health?

Are you worried about your family?

Are you doubting God is able?

This should help you trust your God, help you cry out in the hard moments

Mark 9:24 (ESV)

24 “I believe; help my unbelief!”

What you must do

This is an important issue. As a Christian, as a created being, I have an obligation to believe God’s word and so do you. As A Christian I have to believe what the Bible says, not what I want it to say, so do you. As a pastor I must share God’s word fully without hesitation.

This topic has been, and will be discussed until the Lord returns. Great men have placed their flags all over this topic. C. S. Lewis, my favorite author, he rejected the Calvinistic view of Salvation and sovereignty. This was a point of disagreement between Billy Graham and John Mac.

How do you believe in God, by what you think or what his word has revealed?

Point 1 - God’s Sovereignty in the OT

Look to the word with me in the OT We are going to look at God’s reign over creation.

Genesis 1:1–3 ESV

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

The triune God made this all, do you think he doesn’t rule it? Each day not only had different created things but also he did it to display his soverign riegn!

Look at verse 3

Day One

God without breaking a sweat creates light, he does so, even for us. We wire mired in the darkness of sin and he has brought us into everlasting light of his son he is the father of lights as is said in James 1:17

James 1:17 ESV

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

We sing this one! From one of my favorite hymns

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

His light will not change he is a steadfast sovereign king. I heard that Joe and Kamala authorized the miltary to be able to kill Civilians in the US homeland last week. That demonstrates that they are afraid and change. Our God is not like that he gives us light, his compassion never fails, Jesus never changes.

You may fail, but Jesus never turns.

Application:

(Say something for Dads!)

On the second day

he creates the water

Genesis 1:6–7 ESV

6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.

This is the same God who in the NT is able to walk on them, the same God in Exodus splits the Red Sea!

Have you ever wondered how the hebrew people walked through the waters? Because Moses had told them, that their God had made the water!

Water often meant confusion and choas to the Hebrews and all the pagan worshippers, they were a dessert people, yet our God creates them, seperates them, controls them

On the Fourth Day

God creates the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and he creates the seasons!

He does this with a point. The heavens were considered the place of the gods, To the God of heaven they aren’t even his first thought! The stars and planets are given a duty they govern over the seasons and times

They are not Gods though I believe their are spiritual enties out their amongst the rocks, stars and planets, that a different sermon, they as the Bible says

Psalm 19:1–2 ESV

1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.

Calvin says this:

Pillars of Grace (AD 100–1564) Doctrine in Focus: Divine Sovereignty

We maintain, that by His providence, not heaven and earth and inanimate creatures only, but also the counsels and wills of men are so governed as to move exactly in the course which He has destined.”

Have you seen the Milky way? It is under God’s control!

This is a great way to share the faith, take a firend to the beach, show them his beautiful creation. It is not a mistake! Further the no mistakes in creation is reflected in us, we sovereignly made are not mistakes! (expand)

Day Five

Do you love animals? Dogs, Cats?

Genesis 1:20–21 ESV

20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

God gave them purpose, he has them do s pecfic work in the world. They accomplish great things! This is true of us. God has a point to our lives he has a goal and aim. You have a God given purpose. It’s not hard to find!

Day Six

Genesis 1:26–27 ESV

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

This is your purpose God has ordained! To rule, to gaurd, to build, to plant, to create!

The image - (expand gods gave their image to kings in ancient times) We all image our heavenly father. We look like him so he rules over us. It isn’t the other way around!

And if he is a good father will he not take care of you?

LEt me finishe my look in the OT with this.

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.

Point 2 God’s Sovereignty in the NT

Application:

Jsus say Matt 20:15

Matthew 20:15 ESV

15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’

Spurgeon comments on this 2 differant types of people when they hear God’s Sovereignty

“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?” There is no attribute of God more comforting to his children than the doctrine of Divine Sovereignty.

Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe troubles, they believe that Sovereignty hath ordained their afflictions,

that Sovereignty overrules them,

and that Sovereignty will sanctify them all.

There is nothing for which the children of God ought more earnestly to contend than the dominion of their Master over all creation—the kingship of God over all the works of his own hands—the throne of God, and his right to sit upon that throne.

On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings, no truth of which they have made such a foot-ball, as the great, stupendous, but yet most certain doctrine of the Sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah.

Men will allow God to be everywhere except on his throne.

They will allow him to be in his workshop to fashion worlds and to make stars.

They will allow him to be in his almonry to dispense his alms and bestow his bounties.

They will allow him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving ocean; but when God ascends his throne, his creatures then gnash their teeth; and when we proclaim an enthroned God, and his right to do as he wills with his own, to dispose of his creatures as he thinks well, without consulting them in the matter, then it is that we are hissed and execrated, and then it is that men turn a deaf ear to us, for God on his throne is not the God they love. They love him anywhere better than they do when he sits with his sceptre in his hand and his crown upon his head. But it is God upon the throne that we love to preach. It is God upon his throne whom we trust.

Spurgeon, C. H. 1856. “Divine Sovereignty.” In The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, 2:185. London: Passmore & Alabaster.

Which man are you? Is Jesus your comfort or is he your back up plan? Is he a king or like a divine gumball machine?

JEsus like we sae in the OT must be allowed to rule as he sees fit, as is his right as a king. He is not a king men, he is good and just, he is able to provide for you and care, but you must also bend before his throne

Do you have Christ on the thrown?

Benediction

Say: As we close our service of worship dear brother and sister please stand for our benediction and receive by faith this blessing from God

Jude 24–25 ESV

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.