The God Who Gets Things Done

Introduction:

· “Reports of my death…”

TODAY, WE’RE GOING TO SET THE STAGE, AND LOOK AT THE KEY IDEAS THAT FRAME THIS BOOK. WE’LL SEE THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER HISTORY, HE’S FAITHFUL TO UNFAITHFUL PEOPLE, AND HE’S COMMITTED TO HIS MISISON.

I) God is Sovereign Over History

A. The Lowest Point: How did we get here?

i. When it seems God has LOST control (vs. 1)

1. 930 BC, 722 BC, 586 BC: Years of rebellion à conquered, oppressed

2. God used pagan nations to discipline His very own people (!!)

ii. When it seems that there is no future

1. Exile was a time of loss of identity, culture, and most importantly “God”

2. APPLICATION: Has the church lost its relevance? Is there a future?

B. The Sovereign Hand of God in History (vs 1, 5)

i. God stirs up the Spirit

1. Cyrus comes to power, conquers Egypt, Babylon, sends home exiles

2. Why? Honor YHWH? (probably not); pragmatic? Probably (vv. 2-4)

3. Underneath: GOD orchestrates, arranges kings for his purpose (vs. 1b)

ii. God is the Sovereign Lord of ALL History

1. Not ONE millisecond, OR Person acts apart from God’s control

2. APPLICATION: when you feel discouraged: remember God is in control!  

NOW, THAT SAID, WE CAN’T LOSE SIGHT OF ONE IMPORTANT PIECE HERE.

II) God Is Faithful to Unfaithful People

A. The Human Problem:

i. Israel’s problem was self-inflicted

1. Lost here is Israel’s role: they had forfeited their claim to the land

2. APPLICATION: some of us know that we’ve created our own exile…

ii. God is faithful to His covenant promises

1. God keeps His promise even when He doesn’t have to. (vs. 1)

2. APPLICATION: When we are faithless, in “exile”…! (2 Tim 2:13)

2 Timothy 2:13 ESV

if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.

B. God Would be Faithful to Provide on The Road Ahead

i. The End of Optimism: The Long tough road home

1. Not all could go 900 miles; what waited? ruins, work; opposition.

2. APPLICATION: When God calls you to obedience, it will be difficult

ii. God’s Provision (vv. 6-8)

1. They didn’t have so much as a hammer to their name, God provides

2. EXAMPLE: George Muller and the orphanage

3. APPLICATION: God might be calling you to…and He will provide

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE ALWAYS HAVE TO ASK WITH A STORY LIKE THIS IS ‘HOW DO WE CROSS THE BRIDGE INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT?’

III) God is Committed to His Mission

A. The True Mission of God: Establishing His Church

i. Moving from Old to New: God’s Work of establishing His people

1. What changes? Nation, governed by laws, living in a land àchurch

2. What remains? A redeemed, sanctified people communing with God

3. Ezra: rebuilding a temple, city; NT: a bigger temple, a greater city

ii. The challenging task ahead

1. APPLICATION: The denomination is in the process of a ten-year church planting vision that will require hard work, setbacks…

2. BUT THIS IS GOD’S WORK that he is so committed to!

B. The Supreme Work of Christ

i. “In the fullness of time…” God used human events to fulfill another prophecy

1. God used another ruler and worked through historical events…(Lk 2:1-3)

Luke 2:1–3 ESV

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town.

2. God brought the true temple-dwelling place to be among His people

ii. APPLICATION:

1. Rest in the certainty of God’s sovereign Plan

2. Work in the confidence of God’s sovereign plan (see vs. 8)

Transition:

Conclusion

Brother Andrew – He did what He could not