The Attack on God's Sovereignty
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Introduction
Sermon Introduction
Good Morning, Church.
I hope it is well with you all on this Lord’s Day...
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Today we will be talking about God’s sovereignty or God’s providence.
So, let’s define our terms so we are all on the same page.
The Westminster Confession of Faith defines providence as this:
“God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.”
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The Reformation Study Bible says this on the subject:
“There is a crucial difference between the providence of God and fortune, fate, or luck. The key to this difference is found in the personal character of God. Fortune is blind while God is all-seeing. Fate is impersonal while God is a Father. Luck is dumb while God can speak. There are no blind, impersonal forces at work in human history. All is brought to pass by the invisible hand of Providence.
In a universe governed by God there are no chance events. Indeed, there is no such thing as chance. Chance does not exist. It is merely a word we use to describe mathematical possibilities. But chance itself has no power because it has no being. Chance is not an entity that can influence reality. Chance is not a thing. It is nothing.”
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In other terms, God is in complete control of everything and His plans are unchanging.
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Now, please turn your Bibles to the very first book of the Bible, Genesis.
If you are in the Table of Contents then you have gone too far.
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We will be conducting our study in Chapter 50 and focus on verse 20.
Our message this morning called “The Attack on God’s Sovereignty”
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While you find your place in your Bible...
I want to share with you some news I came across this week that directly relates to this message.
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While siting in my Ethics class on Thursday my professor informed us of some breaking news.
Due to the controversial passing of Canada’s “Bill C-4”...
Which in effect bans biblical teaching and communications regarding sexual ethics...
YouTube decided that it would censor Pastor John MacArthur’s recent sermon due to the fabricated lie that it consisted of “hate-speech”.
The “hate-speech” that MacArthur said was this....
Are you ready for it...
“There is no such thing as transgender. You are either XX or XY, that’s it. God made man male and female. That is physiology, that is science, that is reality.”
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This is insanity. Speaking biblical truth is now “hate-speech.”
But that is not all.
Remember I said this relates to our message.
The laws being passed today...
The cancel culture we live in...
All of it is a direct attack on the doctrine of the sovereignty of God.
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To claim that one is transgender is to claim that God made a mistake.
To claim that the LGBTQ+ community is right is to claim that God is wrong.
No church, God does not makes mistakes.
God is not wrong.
Our God...
The one true God is completely sovereign.
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And if YouTube doesn’t like that they can ban this message too because the Pastors at REBC are not folding.
We stand by our sovereign God and Hi perfect Word no matter the cost.
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Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Before we consider our text, please join me in prayer...
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Let’s turn to our text for today:
Reading of the Text
Reading of the Text
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Before we expound and examine this verse...
Lets make sure we all understand the context.
1) Joseph’s Story
1) Joseph’s Story
We have to go all the way back to Genesis 37 where Joseph, who was 17 at the time was pasturing flock with his 10 other brothers.
His brothers where not big fans of Joseph because he brought back to his father, Isreal, a bad report of their work.
Add in that Joseph was the favorite child, even getting a coat of many colors as a personal gift from his dad...
And you start to see an intense sibling rivalry.
But that is not all...
Joseph then has a series of dreams that quickly escalated this already strained relationship with his brothers.
Genesis 37:5-11 says:
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.
6 He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed:
7 Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.”
8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?”
11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
One day Isreal asked Joseph to go and check up on his brothers as they were pasturing the flock.
As they say him approaching the brothers plotted to kill him.
However, Ruben’s quick thinking led to the Joseph keeping his life but being thrown into a pit.
Ruben actually planned to go back for Joseph an rescue him from the pit...
But the brothers end up selling Joseph into slavery before Ruben could save him.
As a slave he was sold to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh.
Despite this, God was with Joseph as it says in Genesis 39:2:
2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.
Joseph was so successful that he became the overseer of Potiphar’s house and was in charge of everything.
However, after sometime Potiphar’s wife tried to tempt him to have relations with her.
He kept refusing her advancements but eventually she grabbed him and he ran.
She was they able to falsely accuse Joseph that he tried to assault her.
This lead to Joseph spending time in prison.
God giving him the ability to interpret dreams eventually got him an audience with Pharaoh who himself needed some dreams interpreted.
Joseph revealed to Pharaoh that his dreams were about an upcoming 7 years of plenty and then followed by another 7 years of famine.
Joseph also share a great plan on how Egypt and the surrounding countries could survive this and it was most pleasing to Pharaoh...
So much so that Joseph became second in command in all of Egypt.
That 17 year old kid that was first sold into slavery by his brothers was now 30 years old.
Eventually during the years of famine, Joseph’s brother head to Egypt for food.
After a series of tests by Joseph to his brothers, that at the time do not recognize him, he eventually reveals himself to them.
Upon reveling himself to his brothers he says, in Genesis 45:5–8:
5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.
7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.
8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
This is followed by Joseph being reunited with his father Isreal and his whole family moving to Egypt.
When Isreal dies the brothers panic. They are afraid that now that their father is gone that Joseph will have his revenge.
Genesis 50:15-19 says:
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.”
16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died:
17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?
And then we get to our main text.
Verse 20 starts of by saying...
2) God’s Perfect Plan
2) God’s Perfect Plan
Verse 20a: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good,
This is one of the most misquotes bible verse.
Unfortunately, I have see many renowned pastors fall into this mistake.
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You may have hear it said this way...
“You meant evil against me, but God turned it for good.”
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But that is wrong.
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The actual verse says....
“You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”
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This seems like a minor difference but it is not.
God did not turn Joseph’s brothers act into good.
God intentionally, before the foundations of the world, meant those actions for good.
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The Scriptures leave no real room to argue this.
In the original language that this text was written; in ancient Hebrew, the verse says:
“You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.”
The same Hebrew word for “meant” is “He-Shab” and it is used twice.
“He-Shab” also be rendered as “planned” or “intended”
So the verse would read:
“You ‘He-Shab’ evil against me, but God ‘He-Shab’ it for good.”
When someone says: “You meant evil against me, but God turned it for good.”
They are changing the whole meaning of the text.
Whether knowingly or not they are adding their own meaning to the text.
They are also participating on the attack of the doctrine of God’s sovereignty.
You see, church...
Just as intentional as Joseph’s brothers where to commit this evil act, God was also just as intentional but meant this same act for good.
Consider this again from the Reformation Study Bible:
“Another aspect of providence is called concurrence. Concurrence refers to the coterminous actions of God and human beings. We are creatures with a will of our own. We make things happen. Yet the causal power we exert is secondary. God’s sovereign providence stands over and above our actions. He works out His will through the actions of human wills, without violating the freedom of those human wills. The clearest example of concurrence that we find in Scripture is in the case of Joseph and his brothers. Though Joseph’s brothers incurred true guilt through their treachery against him, the providence of God was working even through their sin. Joseph said to his brothers, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive”.
God’s redemptive providence can work through the most diabolical actions. The worst offense ever committed by a human being was the betrayal of Christ by Judas. Yet the death of Christ was no accident of history. It was according to the determinate counsel of God. Judas’s act of wickedness helped to bring about the best thing that ever happened in history, the Atonement. It is not fortuitous that we refer to that day in history as “Good” Friday.”
Let’s look at the rest of the verse to better understand this.
The rest of verse 20 reads:
3) Eternal Consequences
3) Eternal Consequences
Verse 20b: to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Yes, many people where kept alive do to what God purposely meant to do.
Think about it.
What drove Joseph’s brother over the top with hatred?
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It was Joseph’s dreams that he had back when he was 17.
Who gave him those dreams?
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Exactly, God did.
Yes, our God is sovereign and in complete control of every situation.
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Imagine if God never gave Joseph those dreams.
Imagine if Joseph’s brothers didn’t “hate him even more”.
Well, they probably would never have sold him into slavery.
They wouldn’t have had a great relationship but their jealous probably would not have been at the level it was where they considered murdering him.
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By human standard, if we could save Joseph fro being sold into slavery we would think that is a good thing.
Right?
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But did you ever think about it all the way through?
If Joseph was not sold into slavery then he would have never ended up in Egypt in the presence of Pharaoh.
Pharaoh’s dreams would not have been interpreted.
Egypt would not have been prepared for the 7 years of famine.
Egypt and the countries around them would suffer and die out.
That includes Isreal, Joseph, his brothers and their whole family.
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We are not just talking about a few characters in the Bible dying.
We are not just talking about a family or country dying.
This is much worse than that.
If the Israelite people are no more then God’s promise to Abraham is broken.
There would be no messiah coming from the chosen people.
There would be no incarnation of Jesus Christ.
There would be no sacrifice on the cross and a way for salvation.
There would be no resurrection and no washing of our sins.
So, then all people would not just die physically but no one would ever have eternal life.
Our whole existence would be in vain.
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But thank God, that the very same action that Joseph's brothers meant for evil, God meant it for good.
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Just because something happens in your life that would be defined as evil does not mean that God has not always meant that very same action to be for good.
In fact, if you are a believer, then you are promised what is says in Romans 8:28:
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Yes, from the very beginning God planned all this.
Yes, from the very beginning God has always been in control.
Just take a look at Ephesians 1:11–12:
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
The Bible could not be more clear.
God works all things according to the counsel of His will.
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He is not just responding to us.
God is not surprised by anything that happens because He first planned it.
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I would advise you to read and study the Book of Job.
God’s sovereignty is on full display.
From the very start of the book we see that when God and Satan speak it was God who mentioned Job first.
God was in full control of the situation and had a great and good purpose of it...
One of those being our own benefit from studying this amazing book of the Bible.
I would also suggest reading God’s response to Job in chapters 38 through 41.
Before God’s response Job demanded to speak face to face with God to see why he was suffering unjustly.
After God’s response, in which case He explains His own sovereignty, Job was nearly speechless.
Job never got an answer to his question...
He never found out why he was suffering...
But at that point he could care less.
He realized He was out of line to question the one and only and completely sovereign God.
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Paul in the new Testament shares a similar sentiment regarding questioning God’s goodness and His complete sovereignty.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
You see church, we as humans naturally hate the doctrine of God’s total and complete sovereignty.
Why?
Because of pride.
Don’t it was just a coincidence that the LGBTQ+ community uses the rainbow as their symbol.
That was God’s symbol.
Don’t it was just a coincidence that they hang their banner under the name of Pride.
Satan’s arrogant fist shaking at God can be clearly seen.
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But we love our pride.
All of us are guilty of it to a degree.
We want to be in control.
Just like Satan want s to be in control.
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Our pride and love of control leads us to question God.
We question the verses in His Word that make us uncomfortable like the serpent of old and ask...
“Did God really say?”
“Did God really say He created them as both male and female?”
“Did God really say that for those who practice homosexuality will not inherit the Kingdom of God?”
“Did God really mean for Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery or did He turn it around for good?”
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When confronted with these questions...
Take up the fighting stance of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
IT IS WRITTEN, in Genesis 1:27:
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
IT IS WRITTEN, in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11:
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,
10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
IT IS WRITTEN, in Genesis 50:20:
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
You see church, no matter our best efforts...
By the authority of the Scriptures, God is in total sovereign control.
Keep in mind Proverbs 19:21:
21 Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
And Proverbs 16:33:
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
So, I pray that everything that drives you and motivates you is founded on the Word of God.
I pray you will be in constant study so you will not be deceived when some one says...
“Did God really say?”
And instead lean on the everlasting Word of God...
Building your life on this foundation; truly the only real solid foundation.
Closing Illustration
Closing Illustration
As this message comes to a close...
I would like to share this:
In the 1967 Star Trek episode “The City on the Edge of Forever,” Captain Kirk and Commander Spock are traveling through time and end up in 1930s America.
There, Kirk saves a young lady from sure death when he pushes her out of the path of an oncoming car.
Soon, however, the two do-gooders learn that may not have been such a good move.
The young lady organizes a powerful pacifist movement that delays the country’s entrance into the war, giving Hitler time to develop the atomic bomb first.
He achieves world domination.
When they discover the outcome of their kind act, Kirk and Spock know that they have to go back and undo their “good deed.”
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Sometime we wonder why “bad things happen to good people”
Why someone we loved die so young.
Why many injustices seem to go unpunished.
But there are two things we need to remember.
First, we never need to doubt in the providence of God...
There is a reason...
It is not in vain for those that put their trust in Jesus...
Even if we may not understand it on this side of eternity.
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Second, there was only ever really one time that something bad happened to someone good...
And that was a part of God’s ultimate sovereign plan.
The ultimate “what you meant for evil God meant for good” act.
That would be amazing event at the cross.
When Jesus volunteer gave His life for His sheep.
In Matthew 21:42:
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
And Acts 2:23:
23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
Yes, the cruel cross was always a part of God’s perfect plan.
The cross was God’s doing.
Part of the plan was messy.
Part of the plan included the Son of God being rejected.
Part of the plan had evil men do evil things to the God who is love.
But this plan was completely marvelous.
Because ruined sinner like you and me don’t have to receive what we deserve.
Wretches like us are saved by the ultimate act of love.
God’s plan was messy, and violent, and bloody...
But was ultimately wrapped up in the greatest love.
So, we can agree with the Scriptures that is was marvelous in our eyes.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
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All the Glory to God.
Amen.
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Now if you will all stand to your feet...