American Gospel #6
American Gospel • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
So often in life we talk about God’s will and God’s plan. There are times where we enjoy talking about God’s will and God’s plan. Whenever something good happens, we rejoice that God’s plan happened and we saw it happen. Whenever there is a marriage this term is used often - that these 2 people found each other according to God’s plan because usually there’s no other explanation other than God doing something that only He can do! We love talking about God’s will and God’s plan whenever it’s positive… but there are other times where we are tempted to throw out God’s will completely. As we’ve been going through this study we’ve seen that there are many churchgoers and “preachers” who argue against God’s will and God’s plan… They say that God isn’t in control and that Satan is… They argue that suffering and difficult times are not a part of God’s will and God’s plan. Our world needs a corrective about what God’s will and plan are for us as human beings, and specifically for us as Christians.
What is God’s plan for humans in general?
To come to know Christ as Lord and be adopted into His family
What is God’s plan for Christians?
To grow to become more and more like Jesus and to die to self and follow Him daily
Is God’s will good?
2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
10 Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely. When you make him a guilt offering, he will see his seed, he will prolong his days, and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.
17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
God’s will and plan for our lives is great, in fact it is unimprovable upon!
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration.
9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
There are times where we genuinely wrestle with God’s will for our lives. It’s hard to deal with loss. It’s hard to deal with suffering. It’s hard to get through dark days and nights that seem to have no end… Yet, even in those difficult moments and seasons, we don’t have to wonder if God is strong enough go come through and do what we want… In our worst moments, we can rejoice that Jesus knows exactly what we need and that God’s will for our life is perfect and purposeful even if we can’t fully see or understand what He’s doing in the moment.
The last few weeks we’ve studied from the book of Job and specifically we’ve looked at how Job dealt with suffering as well as Job suffered in the first place. As we’ve studied Job and as you’ve read that story in the past, what sticks out to you in that book in regards to suffering?
God volunteered Job to Satan, for one!
Job didn’t curse God and die… He worshipped God faithfully in his suffering
God didn’t fully answer Job’s questions… But He also didn’t leave him
God showed Job that He loves him and that He is always at work doing something good
In seasons of loss, it can be hard to remember that God is working… But that’s the message we have to remind ourselves each and every day. Even in my suffering, even in my devastation, even in my tragedy, God hasn’t abandoned me… He isn’t done with me. He loves me. He is faithful to His promises. Even if the healing doesn’t come, He will use my situation for His glory and for my ultimate good.
Alan Redpath once said this, “There is nothingno circumstance, no trouble, no testingthat can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment, but as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift up my eyes to him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret, for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is.”
Tonight as we conclude this study, we’ll watch the closing 15 minutes and have some time to discuss this section as well as the entire study!
Video
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Such a good reminder to know that God brings good things out of bad and evil things for His glory and our ultimate good. This section began by looking at that truth on the cross as the cross was 100% God’s plan A before the foundation of the earth. Acts 2 even says that it was God’s predetermined plan and no amount of theological gymnastics can get around the ink of God’s Word. At the same time, we see in Acts 2:23 that God’s plan involved humans freely acting out their will. The Jews and Romans made their plans… Yet God’s perfect plan prevailed. This was true in Genesis with Joseph. It was true with Paul in Acts. This is true in our lives as well. We are free to make our plans but we’d better make them in pencil because God’s ink is the only ink that will truly last.
Earlier in the week I saw people posting the YouVersion Verse of the Day - if you have the app then you might get those notifications throughout your day and if you don’t I’d encourage you to download it because it’s a great app to have and there are dozens of translations and Bible reading plans. The verse of the day earlier this week was Proverbs 19:21 and it shares this
21 Many plans are in a person’s heart, but the Lord’s decree will prevail.
God isn’t oppose to us making plans and doing actions and we’re certainly free to do those things… But Scripture time and time again tells us that God’s plan will come to pass. Isaiah 46 tells us that His plan was declared from the beginning. The amazing part of this is that God’s plan is good. So good, in fact, that we can’t make it better if we tried our best! Our days our numbered by the Lord. His plan for our life is perfect. What a joy to know that in the middle of my uncertainty, God’s got it all figured out. That doesn’t give your or me a license to coast… that truth should be our motivation to get to our feet and glorify God, proclaim the Gospel, and make disciples.
As we strive to trust in God in the good and difficult moments of life, just as Job did, let’s look at some of our discussion questions from tonight.
What is problematic with putting ourselves in God’s shoes?
Why is it important to remember that God sends us trials and not temptations?
What is significant about God’s patience? Why is His patience such a good thing for us?
How can Daniel 3:16-18 provide us with a helpful prayer to pray whenever suffering strikes our lives?
Is the Gospel “Just Jesus” or is it Jesus + something else?
What are some helpful steps to better trusting in God’s perfect plan?
Does the truth of God’s perfect plan mean that we do not have a responsibility each day?
Is your suffering purposeless or purposeful? How can this help you in difficult moments?
Overall thoughts on this study?
1. a