God is In Control

God is not a Puppeteer

We as believers in Jesus have one hope. Do you know what that hope is? It is that God is in control. Let me explain to you guys what that doesnt mean.

Remember Memphis and Gary during assembly…the bear and the cat? Well like those guys I have here a puppet. I can name this puppet, I can make him move, move him where he needs to be, make him talk etc.

When we say God is in control that doesnt mean we are His puppets. God does not control our every move. He does not make us speak or control every decision in life that we make. God has created human beings to have what I like to call a creaturely will. Meaning, we have our own responsibility to make choices and keep ourselves and each other accountable for our actions.

(Give example of me stealing and being held accountable) We are not God’s puppets.

But what we do mean though is that God works in many ways to accomplish what He Wills.

Another word Christian’s use to describe how God is in control is saying that God is Sovereign. This means that God is all powerful and because he is all powerful He has all control over creation that includes you and me.

So when we say God is in control what we are saying is that we have the hope that God will accomplish what He desires for our lives which will be for the purpose of good and for the purpose of His Glory. And too be honest everything that we learned about God this week such as: His righteousness, mercy, love is how God works in this world.

God’s warning to King Neb

King Neb in chapter 4 is writing a letter to His people, telling them what happened to Him with His encounter with the God of Israel.

This encounter starts off with a dream that made him afraid. Looking for someone who could interpret this dream, he called one of the exiles Belteshazzar whos name is Daniel. Daniel interpreted the dream for King Neb which gave more reason for the King to be afraid.

Daniel warns the King that the dream he had was about his own prosperity and power but because King Neb would become to prideful God would punish him.

His punishment for not repenting of his sins, that is practicing righteousness and being merciful to the oppressed will be that he lives as an ox eating grass on the field.

God’s Control over King Neb

Well it turns out, King Neb did not listen to Daniel and this is what he says.

Daniel 4:28–36 ESV

All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me.

Read verse 28-30

God in warning King Neb about the punishment for his disobedience, gave into his sin anyway and recieved his punishment. Though God gave the King an opportunity God held the King accountable for his decisions which cost him his power, his Kingdom, and honestly his life. God had complete control over the King and His kingdom and God wanted King Neb to know that.

Daniel 4:28–30 ESV

All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

Daniel 4:28-

Now king Neb did eventually become a man once again and “comes to his senses.” But we gotta ask why God did this? What did God want to teach the King and us as well?

Man kinds accountability towards God

The Key to answer this question is looking at what King Neb did wrong. Yes he disobeyed but what showed his disobedience.

Read verse. 30

The fact that King Neb that he was so powerful and so mighty made him think as though he was like God Himself, deserving of glory.

What he was basically saying in that moment is God is not in control but I am.

This is something all of us struggle with today.

We have trouble allowing God to be in control over our lives when in realty God is in control no matter what and He does hold us accountable for our actions and how we live our lives.

So. What do you do? What does God want all of us to do?

1 Timothy

1 Timothy 6:11–16 ESV

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

God wants us to believe and trust in His Son Jesus Christ. He wants us to give our lives and to give all glory to Jesus just like how He wanted King Neb to give his life and glory to God.

The amazing thing about when we trust Jesus with our lives we know that God will work in our lives for His good, for His glory, for His purpose, and for our salvation and relationship with Him.

This is why your leaders have been with you all week. This is why your teachers have been here all week. This is why I am here teaching you now.

So that you can trust your lives to Jesus Christ forever because He is in Control.