Beginning with the Sovereignty of God

Introduction

Over the last few months, we have heard things like “unprecedented and a new normal” as we have heard about the COVID-19 and not being allowed to meet together. We are experiencing things we have never had to do before. Parents that usually get a break are having to become full-time teachers. Folks are being furloughed and having to learn how to work remotely if they are able to work at all. The church has been told that meetings of more than 10 cannot happen so new ways of gathering have had to be established. Visits to see loved ones in nursing homes and hospitals is not allowed and some have died all alone. In just a few months, we have gone from a decent robust economy to many people wondering if they will have enough food to feed their kids. Some are saying when this pandemic scare is over, maybe we can return to normal. Some others are saying that it will never be the same. Some see this as the beginning of the end, yet some see this as the opportunity to begin again.

Throughout history, many have faced dark times just like we are facing now. And just like now, some were defeated while others figured out a way to survive and even thrive on the other side of the dark times. I am convinced that while God did not cause this pandemic and these times in which we are in, He is certainly aware of it and is using these times to draw His people unto Him.

We thought that normal was the way it should be. Then came this time in which we are experiencing. Do you remember watching TV and all of the sudden you hear, “We interrupt this regularly scheduled program to bring you this breaking news.” Then, when the program you were watching resumed, you missed the story line because it did not return to the point which the interruption began. I feel like that is what has happened in our lives. We will not return to the normal we knew before. Our regularly scheduled program many resume but it will be at a different point perhaps than what we wanted it to be.

So, how to we establish a new normal? It begins with the sovereignty of God.

Isaiah 43:18–19 NIV84

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

The phrase, “See, I am doing a new thing!” and the phrase “I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” indicate that God is the One that is making it happen. God was, is and forever shall be. He is the Author and Creator of all things. He is sovereign. This is evident throughout scripture but I want us to look at one from Jeremiah that will outline seven principles of the sovereignty of God.

Jeremiah 1:4–19 NIV84

The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Ah, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?” “I see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north,” I answered. The Lord said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord. “Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made. “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

1. The sovereignty of God permits Him to reveal Himself to us (vs. 4)

The Word of the Lord will come to you if you ask Him for it. In order to establish a new normal, we should first seek the word of the Lord. I think that many would do well to remember that God is the beginning of all things and He desires for us to consult Him in what we do. God is sovereign and He can do anything He desires. God is personal. He chooses to make Himself known to us and gives us His word. Jeremiah recognized the word of the Lord and we would be wise to do so as we establish a new normal.

2. The sovereignty of God is everlasting to everlasting (vs. 5).

Jeremiah tells us that God says that He knew him before he was formed. How is that possible?

Revelation 4:8 NIV84

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Nehemiah 9:5 NIV84

And the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah and Pethahiah—said: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.” “Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise.

God not only shows His sovereignty by being everlasting to everlasting, He shares with Jeremiah there is a reason for his existence. Jeremiah is set apart to be a prophet and called to a specific task.

Galatians 1:15 NIV84

But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased

Ephesians 1:11 NIV84

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

We are all strategically placed on this earth and called by the One who is everlasting to everlasting.

3. The sovereignty of God equips us, empowers us, and enables us to His will (vs.6-9).

Warren Wiersbe wrote, “What we are is God’s gift to us; what we do with it is our gift to Him.” God will never call us to do something we cannot do. We may think there is no way, but God will always equip, empower and enable. When God revealed His plan to Jeremiah, Jeremiah immediately said “I do not know how.” We have become so routine with the former normal, we think we cannot do a new normal. However, the sovereignty of God shows us that we can! God immediately corrects Jeremiah and instructs him further. We will be made competent to carry out the tasks He assigns us.

2 Corinthians 3:5 NIV84

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

If the sovereignty of God will give us our competence, then we can hear the word of God that Jeremiah heard in verse 8, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you.” What a promise! God’s sovereignty proves that fear can be fully dispelled. God always supports those whom He has called. Jeremiah experiences the fact that the sovereignty of God equips, empowers and enables.

4. The sovereignty of God cleanses and creates (vs. 10-11).

God is Creator. He is always making things new. An example of this is in Jeremiah 1:10-11.

God touched the mouth of Jeremiah. He touched the mouth of Isaiah as well.

Isaiah 6:7 NIV84

With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

When God touched the mouth of His servants, He took away that which was sinful and He placed His word on their lips. There was a cleansing and a new creation. When that which is corrupt is cleansed and removed, a Holy God will come in and then He can plant and build.

What a beautiful time of the year it is. Flowers are budding, leaves are popping out. We are always reminded, even in the middle of a global pandemic that new creation is happening. Jeremiah sees an almond branch. The almond branch in that area in which Jeremiah lived was the first sign of this new life coming forth. It showed God’s promise and His purpose. It showed that God is also prompt is the delivery of His promise.

Years ago I was in a difficult period in my life. I remember going on a hike on a trail that had several cliffs. I sat down at the edge of one cliff and I heard a loud crashing sound. In my perapheal vision, I saw something falling. I turned my head and saw a huge tree falling across the way. I watched it fall and hit the ground with a loud thud. When the branches cleared, I saw at the bottom of that fallen tree, a tender sapling that was springing up. It looked as if the old was being removed so the new could grow. I did not hear the audible word of God, but I felt in my spirit that God was saying to me, “I need to get the old wood out of your life so that the new can begin to grow and to grow effectively.”

God in His sovereignty, cleanses and the creates.

5. The sovereignty of God is patient but holds to righteousness (vs. 12-16).

God reveals to Jeremiah that a boiling pot is about to tip and spew all over those in its path. This is something that we do not like to hear. We think that we can call the shots as we want them and do things our way. In doing so, we leave God out of the picture. God is a righteous God. He is holy. When do things our way, we are doing so in a way that works best for us, not for God. When this happens, we are self-centered and not God -centered. By doing so, we forsake God. We declare by our actions and inaction, that we do not need Him. We choose unrighteousness instead of His righteousness. As a result, judgement happens. In Jeremiah 1:16, that word judgement appears in this conversation between God and Jeremiah. God says, “I will pronounce my judgement on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me.”

The word judgement refers to what is rendered in a court because of a verdict. We are guilty and judgement is proclaimed.

We can’t be wicked and devoted to God at the same time. When we forsake God, we turn to other “gods” that we make.

Isaiah 46:6–7 NIV84

Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it. They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Though one cries out to it, it does not answer; it cannot save him from his troubles.

Idolatry is a consequence to being conformed to this world.

Romans 12:2 NIV84

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

God makes is clear to Jeremiah that He does not like nor want us to be part of idolatry. Jesus made this clear also in Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13.

Luke 16:13 NIV84

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

What are you serving instead of serving God? What have you been doing that is in the way of your serving God?

When we establish a new godly normal, we will recognize our idolatry and pursue God’s righteousness.

6. The sovereignty of God demands obedience (vs. 17).

Notice the first words of verse 17: “Get yourself ready!” I think there have been many of us that have refused to get ourselves ready for the work of God. We think that others can do this. We think that get ready on our own time frame. This pandemic has shown us that what was normal can be disrupted and put into disarray really quick. We learn in this passage that God is sending Jeremiah and encourages him to be diligent and treat the command with seriousness. Do you think that the Almighty God will tell us to do something and for us to be flippant about it? Those of us that are parents understand how it feels when we ask our children to carry out a task and they don’t get serious about it. Imagine how God has felt when we have failed to do what He has called us to do. Be reminded, God has the power to cast to cast into hell:

Luke 12:4–5 NIV84

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

I also see in this verse that God commands for those He entrusts to speak fully what He says to do. Every bit and every detail is important. We must declare the whole counsel of whatever God says to speak!

7. The sovereignty of God will protect and reassure you (vs.18-19).

The sovereignty of God gives you the strength of a fortress that is impregnable with iron pillars and bronze walls. In the Hebrew text, there is a plural meaning to these words to express the abundant strength that is provided by God. God’s protection is like no other. When God says, “He is with us”we can be rock -solid reassured, that He is!

In verse 8, God pledges to Jeremiah His ability and strength. In verses 18-19, He reaffirms this. I am reminded as I have studied this that God indeed is with me and with us. He is our help in ever-present danger. He is capable, He is willing, He is sovereign. So it makes sense to me, that where my old normal may have neglected all of His ways and desires, my new normal will be established first and foremost under the guidance and relevance of His sovereignty. If I do not begin there, I am failing before I begin.