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Memorial Drive

1/3/16

UNSETTLING DAYS – SOVEREIGN GOD

Romans 11:33-36

Intro –

Troubling situations and circumstances …

Tendency to be “man-centered” rather than “God-centered” …

The Text …

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36)

The Nature of the Text …

Doxology – to speak words of glory (praise)

Paul – Not an easy read!

So why a jubilant, poetic praise here?

A Footnote On the Text … Two Ways of Translating the Text

Paul is praising the depth of: the RICHES, the WISDOM, and the KNOWLEDGE of God

Paul is praising the depth of the riches of: the WISDOM and the KNOWLEDGE of God

Note: Riches/Wisdom/Knowledge all in THE SAME GREEK FORM

That Paul would praises God’s RICHES specifically fits with “FROM Him”

  • GOD’S TRANSCENDENT CREATIVITY: “for FROM Him … are all things”

Just how RICH is God?

Psalm 50:10-12 All the cattle on a thousand hills are mine!

Deut. 10:14 To the Lord your God BELONG heaven … earth … all in it!

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry ‘Mine!’” (Abrham Kuyper)

God simply says, ‘I want this’ and there it is … Everything that IS, is His, and He can make more of anything He wants out of nothing at all.” (Explicit Gospel, 22-23)

Application …

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”(Rom. 8:32)

“And my God will supply all your needsACCORDING TO HIS RICHES in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 4:19

  • GOD’S SOVEREIGN WISDOM AND KNOWING: “and THROUGH Him … are all things”

God knows … well, everything!

“… before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it all.” (Ps. 139:4)

“Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name …” (Isa. 40:26)

“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, and guide the (constellation of the) Bear with her satellites? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, or fix their rule over the earth?” (Job 38:31-33)

Application …

“For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:14)

“How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?”

“Father, I really don’t understand ______. Are you sure you’re on top of this?

How can I ever “scrutinize” God when His judgments are “unsearchable” and His ways are “in-scrutable? “for FROM Him and THROUGH Him … are all things!”

God “… who works ALL THINGS after the counsel of His will …” (Eph. 1:11)

Job 38:2-7 Were YOU there when I created everything that is?

“This is kind of what happens every time we presume to put God under the microscope of our scrutiny, our logic, or our preconception of what He should be like or what He should do … YOU are going to scrutinize what I do? Do you know how small you are? Do you know how inadequate you are to even comprehend your OWN life? You can’t comprehend and figure out your own shortcomings, your failures, why you’re drawn to sin, and why there are things that master you, and yet you’ll scrutinize me?” (Explicit Gospel, 29)

  • GOD’S PERFECT SELF-SUFFICIENCY: “and TO HIM … are all things”

If EVERYTHING is God’s, I have NOTHING to give Him that isn’t already His!

“… He (is not) served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things.”Acts 17:25

I can never put God in my debt. There are no deals to be made. Security can never come from thinking that I can in some way obligate God to me.

… The Truth ABOUT God, And My Response TO Him, Gives Hope and Peace and

Security

The measure, the means, and the movement of all things is safelyand securely in the hands

of God Himself! Response? “To HIM be glory forever!” So WORSHIP !!!

WORSHIP will FOCUS your attention on the One who brings peace and hope and security!

“Then Job answered the Lord and said, ‘I know that YOU can do ALL THINGS,

and that NO PURPOSE OF YOURS can be thwarted.” (Job 42:1-2)