Omnipotence-All Powerful
Notes
Transcript
Omnipotence- All Powerful
Omnipotence- All Powerful
This week we are going to look at the third of God’s Omni’s.
We have examined God’s Omnipresence and his omniscience, and this morning we are going to look at his Omnipotence.
Omnipotence simply means “All Powerful”.
What do you think about when you think about power?
I think about storms.
Several years ago, I was in my last semester at SWBTS finishing out my bachelor of biblical studies.
We had been invited to an event at the school that included a dinner.
Before they served dinner a storm broke out and it was going to be bad.
So they rushed everyone down to the storm shelter of the building.
This was an older building so the storm shelter was actually an old bomb shelter.
The lightning, thunder, and winds surrounding us.
Electricity was out.
There was no cell service down in that basement.
The storm was coming and There’s nothing that we can do to stop it.
All we can do is wait out the storm.
We were down in that stuffy basement for about an hour.
When the storm passed we were allowed to exit and go get our dinner and then we were asked to go home.
As we were leaving, it was crazy outside.
There were 100 year old trees uprooted.
power lines were down.
There was destruction and chaos.
That was the power of the storm.
Wind, rain, lightning, and thunder.
Caused the campus to be unrecognizable.
And when we think about it that is just a fraction of the power that God has.
God’s power extends far beyond that of storms, of the ocean, of even weapons of mass destruction.
“There is no power in the universe but that which belongs to Almighty God.”
Any power anywhere derives its strength from God Almighty.
The power of God is an attribute that has been mishandled, misrepresented, and misunderstood, yet it is an essential attribute that makes God, God.
The misunderstanding of God’s power is found in some of the ridiculous questions that are asked about God’s power.
Have you heard this one, “If God is all powerful, could he create a rock so big he couldn’t even lift it?”
Or if God is all powerful could he create a round triangle?
Here’s one thing we need to understand, God is all powerful and he cannot contradict his own nature and reason.
God’s power will not contradict or circumvent the logical impossibilities.
God will always be consistent in holding to his character and purposes.
God’s omnipotence, his power, is always in line with his holy will.
So There are things that God can’t do.
God can’t lie.
God can’t die.
God can’t contradict himself.
God cannot act inconsistently with his holiness, love, immutability, justice, Sovereignty, or any of his other attributes.
God’s character limits God’s power, but his character is perfect so there are no real, logical, or consistent limits to his power.
So God does indeed have all the power b/c he is the truest reality of all things.
IF God didn’t have all the power then he would be weak and unworthy of our worship.
Think about it this way:
Without having all power he couldn’t be sovereign over his creation.
Without having all power he couldn’t work out his purposes.
Without having all power he would be unable to keep his promises.
Without having all power he could be overcome, he could be thwarted, and he could be conquered.
But b/c God has all power he is sovereign over his creation.
He does work everything towards his purposes.
He does keep his promises.
And he won’t be overcome, thwarted, and conquered.
Before we take a look at the power of God, let’s go to him with a word of prayer.
The first thing I want us to look at is the fact that God has unlimited power in creation.
Power in Creation
Power in Creation
We see this in the opening verses of the Scriptures.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
God has the power to take what is not and make it be.
The biblical understanding of creation is that it was created ex nihilo.
That’s a fancy word meaning out of nothing.
So God created all the exists and will ever exist out of nothing.
Every molecule, every atom, ever star, every planet was created by simply being spoken into existence.
God’s power is demonstrated even in the words that he used.
He spoke creation into existence.
If we learn anything from Gen 1.1, we learn that God is sovereign and powerful b/c he created what he wanted to create, when he wanted, and how he wanted.
He wasn’t influenced or coerced by anyone or any thing.
God’s power is on display b/c he was and is able to create just how he sees fit.
The beauty, majesty, and power in his creation is a small picture of his unlimited power.
Thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis have just a miniscule portion of power compared to the power of our God.
By his word alone God created the heavens and the earth.
Let’s take a look at some of the Scriptures that Marvel at God’s power in creation.
17 Oh, Lord God! You yourself made the heavens and earth by your great power and with your outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you!
20 For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.
6 The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all the stars, by the breath of his mouth.
Creation proclaims the power of the Lord.
Creation declares the might of God.
He didn’t need any instrument or tool to create or to act.
He didn’t need any help.
He didn’t need to hire a contractor.
He didn’t need to do any research.
He didn’t need to contemplate and design.
B/c of his omnipotence and his omniscience he knew exactly what he wanted and he simply decided to create and it was created.
He simply spoke and it happened.
And not only did he create all things by the words of his mouth.
B/c he has all power he was able to do it without any difficulty.
The universe wasn’t hard for God to create.
Being all powerful means that the power he uses is effortless.
And his power is limitless.
There are no boundaries or barriers that the Lord hits when it comes to his power and might.
All that God does b/c of his omnipotence is done without any exhaustion or need for recuperation.
Unlike us he doesn’t need to take a break.
He doesn’t need a day or two off.
He doesn’t need to look forward to retirement.
Instead, his work is effortless.
The God we serve is great in power.
He is mighty in his works.
And his creation declares his power and might.
And not only did God create the universe by the power of his word, he also sustains the universe by his own power.
Each and every moment his creation is upheld and sustained by his power.
By God’s limitless power he preserves his creation, not only preserve, but also governs and watches over his creation.
God’s power makes it to where not one molecule gets out of place, not one atom slips.
He holds it all together.
17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
Steve Lawson:
The universe is constantly being maintained by his great omnipotence . Christ keeps the earth on its axis and sustains its rotation in its orbit around the sun. He upholds all the laws of gravity in thermodynamics , which requires strength of an unimaginable magnitude.
As I was thinking and studying about this truth of God’s power and his holding all things together, one commentator started to point out the secular response to this teaching.
That the naturalist would explain that what really holds the world together isn’t God Almighty, but the Laws of Nature.
So let’s give the laws of nature to the naturalists.
There are rules and laws that nature must abide by if the natural world is going to exist.
I’m not going to argue with them on that point.
The Laws of Nature are the way things are.
But the reality is that the laws of nature are more than that.
They are actually phenomenal.
They shouldn’t exist.
There is no way that order, uniformity, and design come about from chaos.
These laws of nature don’t change from day to day, year to year, or even millenium to millenium.
They are always constant, they are the same.
Much like God these laws of nature are, at least, seemingly immutable and unchanging.
It’s almost as if the laws of nature were written by an unchanging, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent creator.
A creator that created a universe that is explainable so that we can see his beauty, majesty, and power.
In fact, without these rules and constants we wouldn’t be able to do the scientific method.
We wouldn’t be able to understand anything about the universe.
Famed scientist Louis Pasteur is credited with saying this:
A bit of science distances one from God, but much science nears one to him.
Science is a beautiful way to look at the world and discover how it works, but the reality is it is all ultimately meaningless if you don’t see the creator behind it.
You’ll never hear me bash science, science is a good thing as long as it isn’t tied to an agenda.
So science is best when it reveals the beauty, majesty, and power of God.
Just as he is revealed in nature.
And I could probably spend a whole sermon on God’s power in creation, but we must move on to the next point.
What we are going to look at now is God’s power in history.
Power in History
Power in History
We need to understand that the purpose of the Scriptures is that we can see how God is working his plan of redemption out.
God has revealed himself to us so that we can see and know his plans and purposes.
So if we want to understand a portion of his power we need to examine what he did in history.
Part of how we read about God’s unlimited power is through the names that he is given.
One of the names of God is El Shaddai, which means Almighty God.
This title of Almighty God or God Almighty is used no fewer than 56 times in the Old Testament.
And it is a title that is only ever ascribed to God.
This is how he reveals himself to Abraham in
Genesis 17:1 “1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty...”
And he proves his power to Abraham by fulfilling his promise of a son, Isaac.
God makes Sarah’s barren womb produce life.
It’s only the power of God that could do that.
Making a dead womb alive at the ripe age of 90.
It is b/c of God’s power that he alone could have fulfilled that promise to Abraham and Sarah.
B/c of God’s power and purposes Sarah give birth to a child named Isaac.
Then when Isaac gets older he recognizes God Almighty in Genesis 28:3 “3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you so that you become an assembly of peoples.”
Isaac is talking to his son Jacob in this passage helping him to carry on the tradition of recognizing God as the Almighty God of his father, and that the promise made to Abraham is going to continue through Jacob just as it had through Isaac.
Later God declares himself God Almighty to Jacob Genesis 35:11 “11 God also said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will come from you, and kings will descend from you.”
One thing we see in these passages with the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is that the power of God is found in the fruitfulness of his people.
God is the one who grants life.
He is the one who raises generations.
It is by his power alone that children are brought into this earth.
And it is through this family, Abraham’s offspring that God is going to bless the earth.
This is the promise that God made Abraham in
1 The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
This is God’s plan and purpose in redemptive history.
To move us toward the one who would deliver us from the bondage of sin and death.
It is through this family that Jesus would be born of a virgin and come dwell with us.
Only an Almighty, that is a God who has all the might could ever accomplish his will, his purposes, and his Glory.
Our Perfect God: A Summary of the Attributes of God 14. The Power of God
His power is unlimited in range, absolutely perfect in mode and action, and without beginning or end. He is independent of everything outside himself and the source of all the power that is distinct in his creatures.
B/c God is All Powerful and Almighty there is no power that exists that doesn’t belong to him.
Meaning that he is source of all power and strength.
God is the only ever all powerful being.
He will never be subject to anyone.
He will never be one who waits around and hopes to accomplish what he sets out to do.
This is demonstrated in the Exodus event.
When God’s people are in bondage.
They are enslaved to pharoah and God calls and raises up a man to deliver them.
Moses is chosen by God to be the leader of the people.
Moses is chosen by God to confront Pharoah and demand the release of the Israelites.
But Pharoah doesn’t want to loose his workforce, so God has to demonstrate his power to Pharoah.
So God brings forth plagues on Egypt.
They are overwhelmed with gnats, frogs, darkness, and eventually the death of first born.
Here’s one thing we can’t overlook:
Pharoah thought of himself as the divine or godlike ruler over Egypt
That’s why he wouldn’t submit to the Lord.
So the Lord had to show his ultimate power to pharoah.
And it was through the deliverance of Israel from his hands that God displayed his ultimate power.
In fact, there is the beautiful song that Israel sings after their rescue that highlights God’s power.
3 The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.
4 He threw Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea; the elite of his officers were drowned in the Red Sea.
6 Lord, your right hand is glorious in power. Lord, your right hand shattered the enemy.
7 You overthrew your adversaries by your great majesty. You unleashed your burning wrath; it consumed them like stubble.
God’s power was on display in the salvation and deliverance of Israel.
Here’s what we see, God’s power is always victorious.
God never loses.
He didn’t lose to pharoah.
He didn’t lose to Jericho.
He didn’t lose to Babylon.
God’s power insures that he is always the victor.
He beat death and sin at the cross of Jesus.
He is victorious b/c he holds all the power.
God is so sure of his victories in any and all circumstances that he even ridicules and laughs at the attempts of the nations that stand against him.
1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and his Anointed One:
3 “Let’s tear off their chains and throw their ropes off of us.”
4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them.
There is no opposition or opponent that is too big, too tough, or too mighty for God to overcome.
We can be assure that he is going to win b/c he is the source of all strength.
He is always victorious.
This is where we can have our hope.
Our hope isn’t in horses or chariots.
In governments or politicians.
In stock markets and financial systems.
Our hope is in the promises of the Lord.
Our hope is in the purposes of the Lord.
Our hope is in the power of the Lord.
And in his power, his plans and purposes always win.
31 A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory comes from the Lord.
The final outcome belongs to God and whatever His power dictates. There is no human or hellish force that can ever overthrow God. He is immovable, unconquerable, and undefeated.
And this promise of victory is even granted to us as his followers and his children.
4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
We may not win every physical battle.
But we will be victorious in the world to come.
There are many of us who are getting beat up on all sides.
We are facing trials and tribulations.
Times of uncertainty that seem to throw off our equilibrium.
We look at the world around us and all we see is chaos.
We see sin running rampant.
We see sin being celebrated.
We hear about women and men who think that freedom is found in abortion and getting to identify themselves however they see fit.
We hear about fellow brothers and sisters being thrown in jail b/c they had convictions and stand against the culture.
We see Christians being hated on b/c of what they believe.
Teachers and coaches loosing jobs b/c they said a prayer in a public setting.
We have brothers and sisters around the world being imprisoned and killed for following Jesus.
Real life sacrifice.
Sacrificing their safety, their homes, their life for the gospel message.
And the reason why they do that is b/c they know the importance of following God.
They also know that the One that dwells in them is greater than the one who is in the world.
They hold fast to Jesus’ promise in
33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
They know that the power that
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.
The power that raised Jesus from the dead will give you the strength to endure.
The strength to push on.
Those men and women who are standing on the promises of God know the power of God.
They don’t rely on themselves to make it through the day.
They don’t rely on their own strength
They have to, they are forced to rely on God’s Power.
They know that’s God’s power is not squelched or overcome.
We need to recognize that God’s endgame isn’t a better world.
Its a recreated one.
An earth that has been made new by the power of his word.
A world that has been purified and cleansed of all unrighteousness.
And we also know that while we are here living this life that God empowers us to live for his glory.
I’ve said this before but it’s important.
I hate the phrase “God never gives you more than you can handle.”
And the reason I hate it is b/c it’s untrue.
There are plenty of people I know who have faced obstacles that are too big, too overwhelming, and too much for them.
Also this phrase makes you the center of power and the center of the solution too.
The truth is God will give you more than you can handle.
there will be times when you are swamped by life.
There are instances where it will be difficult to even get out of bed.
But here’s what is important to know.
God will never give you more than he can handle.
The all powerful God of the universe can handle anything that gets thrown your way.
He is the solution.
He has the power to overcome every situation and circumstance.
When you feel overwhelmed, when you feel like your problems are too much.
When you feel like there is no end in sight.
Run to Jesus.
Run to the creator.
Run to the one who has all the power.
The one who holds together the whole world.
He will give you comfort.
He will be your strength.
One of the promises we can hold on to is
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
The reason that this promise is true and can be counted on is b/c God is all powerful.
He can work all things together b/c he has all the power to do so.
God’s omnipotence is what makes Romans 8:28 true and real.
His power is what makes it possible.
Now one of the things we have to see here is that God only works all things out for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.
Those who have submitted their lives to Jesus can rest assured that God is working things out for their good.
He doesn’t say for their comfort, for their pleasure, for their convenience, but for their good.
God is working it out in his purposes and through his power for his people.
So in order to be a recipient of this promise it means that we must live in allegience to Jesus.
And here’s the amazing thing about God’s power.
God’s power extends to salvation.
God can save people.
God can save those who are far from him.
God can save those who are blinded to him.
God can save those who hate him.
God can save those who think that the whole God thing is a sham.
God can save anyone, any where, and at anytime.
That’s the power of God.
And he proved that power when he raised Jesus from the dead.
Jesus died and was buried.
On the third Day God raised him from the dead.
And in his victory over life and death, Jesus promised that his followers would experience the same thing.
God’s power of salvation is quite possibly the most beautiful display of his power.
The Stars, Sun, and Moon are beautiful.
God’s movement in history is astounding.
But the fact that God would save sinners is overwhelming.
That he would provide salvation for those who stand against him in rebellion is amazing.
And you may be sitting here thinking that there is no way that God could forgive me.
There’s no way that God could save me.
I’m too far gone.
I’ve sinned too much.
Don’t forget the power of God.
Your actions, your sin, your rebellion against God is not stronger than God’s power.
God’s power is greater than any sin you committed.
His grace is sufficient to cover all your sins.
So if you haven’t given your life to Jesus.
Today is the day.
Submit your life and find his grace.
Acknowledge you need for forgiveness and ask the Lord to forgive you.
He’s calling out to you.
Will you answer him.