Last Wednesday night we did a study that helps us see why most people in this world are religious
and have at least a basic understanding of right and wrong.
We looked at God's common grace and His natural law.
Well, tonight I want to sort of continue that line of thinking
by looking at how God is at work in every aspect of this universe.
He's always at work in everything.
Theologians call this God's providence.
I've given you on the outline a condensed version of last week's handout.
Look briefly at the major points.
If you are interested and you weren't here last week, you can read it when you get home.
If you looked at God's common grace and natural law,
common grace is the idea that God demonstrates His grace toward all people on a regular basis.
Jesus talked about it, so did Paul.
Timothy Keller has a good explanation about it.
Natural law.
God has revealed Himself and His law in a general way to all people.
He's written it on our hearts.
It's a part of being created in the image of God.
And Paul writes about it there in Romans chapter 2.
He also talks about in Romans 1 how God has revealed Himself to everybody through nature,
through what He's created.
And God considers His revelation enough to make people aware enough about Him
that when they reject what He has revealed about Himself,
all people are guilty of sin.
They're without excuse.
Wayne Grudem explains this a good way there.
But we looked at that in detail last week and that's not for tonight.
Let's look at Roman numeral 2 now.
God's continuing work in His creation, the doctrine of providence.
I want to define it by looking at two things.
Millard Erickson.
Erickson is a Baptist theologian.
He is probably the second most read,
or his Christian theology is second most used in Southern Baptist seminaries.
Wayne Grudem is number one.
But Erickson is very respected.
He writes,
While creation is God's originating work with respect to the universe,
providence is God's continuing relationship to His creation.
By providence, we mean the continuing action of God by which He preserves in existence
the creation He's brought into being,
and He guides it to His intended purpose for it.
The Bible teaches that God created everything.
And the Bible teaches that God didn't just create this world.
He didn't just create it and wind it up and let it go.
God has continued since the day of creation
to be involved in guiding everything now in this fallen sinful world
according to His intended purpose.
He is God.
He's in control.
The abstract of principles,
that is still a governing document at Southern Seminary.
Teaching on the faculty there.
You've got to sign that along with Baptist faith and message.
It is the earliest written statement of faith of Southern Baptists.
Now Baptist 1689 wrote the second London Baptist.
I remember that date.
I don't remember when the first one was.
Baptists have been writing statement of faith since Baptists have been in existence.
But the first one,
Southern Baptist Convention was started in 1845.
The first statement of faith that was written by a Southern Baptist.
It was the abstract of principles.
And they have a section on God's providence.
Look at it.
God from eternity decrees or permits all things that come to pass
and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and all events,
yet so as not in any wise to be the author or approver of sin,
nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures.
God's in control.
But when you and I do sinful things and stupid things,
we can't blame God.
But even in the midst of our sin and stupidity,
He's still in control.
And He can work in it, through it, around it
to accomplish what He wants to accomplish in this world and in our lives.
The idea of God's providence means that nothing happens by chance.
There are no accidents.
I saw one smart aleck one time make a statement like that,
and then he stumbled and fell,
got up and said, I'm glad that's over.
The outcome of things like rolling dice, flipping coins,
are ordered by God and stated there, you see, in His Word.
The lot is cast into the lap,
but it's every decision is from the Lord.
And there's a lot of places in the Old Testament
where God's people and pagans like in the book of Jonah,
which is a lot of places where God's people,
they so trusted that God was in charge.
Another way to describe this,
they so trusted in God's sovereignty,
that He was in control,
that they cast the lot, cast the die,
with the trust that God would make it what He wanted it to be.
It's just a matter of information.
When is the last time
believers cast lots in the Bible?
Huh?
That's right.
In Acts chapter 1,
they chose Judas' replacement
by the casting of a lot.
And that was it.
Now,
we can do a study on that sometime,
but from that point on,
after that,
the Holy Spirit came
to indwell all Christians.
And from that point on,
as you read through the New Testament,
the apostles,
they made decisions
based on prayer,
their knowledge of God's Word,
and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
They made decisions
based on their God-given wisdom.
And when you see churches making decisions,
that's what they did.
And then we're casting a lot.
That's why we don't do that.
Now,
there's nothing wrong with,
you know,
if,
you know,
if I've got $5,
and I think,
I either ought to give it to Tommy or Millage,
which one should I give it to?
Flip a coin.
I don't see anything wrong with that.
Do you?
We can do that.
But the idea is,
God is in control
to the minutest detail,
even in the flip of a coin.
The lot is cast into the lap,
but it's every decision is from the Lord.
And Paul said
that God works all things
according to the counsel of His will.
I mean,
the Bible is just real clear
God's in charge.
God's providence is sometimes described
in terms of God's sovereignty.
It's really hard,
or at least it is hard for me,
to distinguish between
a definition of God's providence
and the definition of God's sovereignty.
I don't know if I was trying to get everything on two pages.
Wayne Grudem defines God's sovereignty
as God's exercise of power over His creation.
Very similar.
In fact,
if you read,
if you ever do a study of God's providence,
whoever's writing,
whoever's trying to explain it,
whoever brings out Scripture,
they're going to bring in that word sovereignty
to explain it as well.
And here's some good examples
of how the Bible is filled
with statements
about God's power,
God's authority,
God's sovereignty.
Job said to God,
I know that you can do all things.
No plan of yours can be thwarted.
The Lord does whatever pleases Him
in the heavens and on earth,
in the seas,
in all their depths.
It's everywhere.
And in Isaiah,
I say,
the Lord says,
my purpose will stand
and I will do all that I please.
What I want us to see in this,
this is helpful to us.
If we are truly Christians
and we believe
that God is who He's revealed Himself to be
in His Word,
we really believe
that the Bible is God's inerrant Word,
this should be comforting to us.
This should assure us
that God is in control.
Miller Derrickson says something along this line,
providence is in certain ways
central to the conduct
of the Christian life,
central to how we live our lives.
It means that we are able
to live in the assurance
that God is present
and active
in our lives.
We are in His care
and He can,
and can therefore face the future
confidently
knowing that things
are not happening
merely by chance.
We can pray
knowing that God hears
and acts upon our prayers.
We can face danger
knowing that He is not
unaware
and uninvolved.
But here's the rub here.
God is sovereign.
God's in control.
But everything doesn't happen
in our lives
like we want it to.
Everything that happens
to us and around us
is not just,
is not right,
is not good.
There are Christians
probably,
I don't have any idea,
but there's probably
Christians
who are grieving
the death
of their loved one
in El Paso
or Dayton, Ohio.
God's sovereignty
doesn't take away
the pain.
It does not
in any way
lessen
the loss,
the grief
that your child,
your spouse,
your parent,
your friend
has died
a senseless death.
So here's where
we've got to really trust it.
God knows
what He's doing.
We wish
that wasn't
what He allowed.
but He did.
Romans 8, 28
is one of the most,
one of the best
one verse statement
of God's providence.
And I think it helps
just to know
and we know
that in all things
God works for the good
of those who love Him
who have been called
according to His purpose.
not that everything
is good
but He is working
for ultimate good.
The story of Joseph
is the best example
of that.
It's one of the best
examples
of God's providence
or God's sovereign power
that you have
in all the Bible.
I want us to look
just,
you know,
sort of
in a general way.
I'm assuming
that everybody here
is familiar
with the story
of Joseph.
Joseph.
You should be.
Genesis 37
through 50
tells it.
Let's look
at some highlights.
Number one,
God works
through sin
to accomplish
His purpose.
God is not
the author
of sin
but He does
work through it.
God doesn't
cause sin
but He does
work through it.
God works
through the sinful
choices
of people
to do
His will.
As Job
said,
sin cannot
or nothing
can thwart
the purposes
of God.
Sin cannot
thwart
the purposes
of God.
Think about
the sinful
choices
of Joseph's
brothers.
They hated
their brother.
They were
jealous
of their brother
and nobody
made them
be that way.
They couldn't
stand the fact
that their
father favored
Joseph.
I think
that's a flaw
in the parent
and Joseph
probably shouldn't
have said all
he said about
his dreams.
He might have
fanned the flames
a little bit
himself
but they chose
to hate him,
to be jealous
of him.
They wanted
to kill him
remember.
But one
of the
brothers,
one of the
brothers
intervened
and led
them to
sell him
into slavery.
God allowed
that to happen
and we don't
always see it
but we see it,
look at it
on the scripture
there.
God used it
for a great
purpose.
As for you,
this is what
Joseph said
to his brothers,
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.
And that
was God's
way of saving
the nation
of Israel
from starvation
back where
they lived.
That was God's
way of preserving
his chosen
people
and the
Savior who
came from
them.
Number two,
God works
through suffering
to accomplish
his purpose.
Joseph suffered
for years at
the hands of
his brother,
Potiphar's wife
and the cup
bearer who
forgot about
him,
resulting in
Joseph staying
longer in
prison.
But you have
to take your
hat off to
Joseph.
Through it
all,
he knew
that the
Lord had a
purpose for
this.
He knew
that the
Lord was
with him
and he
remained
faithful.
Look at
these examples
from Scripture.
The Lord
was with
Joseph and
he became
a successful
man and
he was in
the house
of his
Egyptian
master.
at the
end of
that chapter.
But the
Lord was
with
Joseph and
showed him
steadfast love
and gave him
favor in the
sight of the
keeper of the
prison.
This is God's
providence.
God worked
through the
sinful actions
of Joseph's
brothers
to put
Joseph in
Egypt.
God took
care of
Joseph in
Potiphar's
house after
he was
wrongly accused
by Potiphar's
wife.
God took
care of
Joseph in
prison and
then eventually
elevated him.
The next one
here, God
worked through
success to
accomplish his
purpose.
When Joseph
became second
in command
over all
Egypt, the
Lord used
that, that
success for
good.
Look at this
in Genesis
41.
Then Pharaoh
said to
Joseph, since
God has shown
you all this,
interpreting the
dream, there is
none so
discerning and
wise as you
are.
You shall be
over my
house and
all my people
shall order
themselves as
you command,
only as
regards the
throne, will
I be greater
than you.
God worked
through the
sin and the
suffering to
make him
successful and
provide a place
for his family
to come and
then to say to
them, there's
that passage
again, we read
a moment ago,
as for you,
you brothers,
you meant evil
against me, but
God meant it for
good to bring
about that many
people should be
kept alive as
they are today.
Now, let's
think about it.
The providential
workings of
God or the
sovereign work of
God, if you
want to think
about it that
way, should
help us to
trust that God
is involved in
the world.
He's involved in
this country.
He's involved in
our lives.
God's life is
for an ultimately
good purpose.
The world's not
going to last
forever.
It's going to
come to an end.
The United States
may not last
forever.
It may not last,
it may not be
anything like the
next 50 years as
it has been the
last 50 years.
We're not going
to live in this
world forever.
God is at work,
but we don't know
how he's at work.
It's wrong for us
as Christians to
think, well, God's
going to work in
this mess of a
country that we're
in right now and
everything's going to
turn out well.
It may not.
We may implode and
never not exist 50
years from now, 100
years from now.
We don't know, but
God is at work.
In times of
crisis, we don't
usually understand
what God is doing
as he works.
We don't usually
understand how he's
involved, what he's
doing, why he's
doing it.
That's where faith
comes in.
And we're not
talking about blind
faith, faith and
faith.
We're talking about
faith in God who
is good and who
is in control and
who has a plan that
he's working out in
this world that will
ultimately lead to
his glory and his
people's eternal
blessings.
More often than not,
we have to look back
over time to see how
God has been at work.
That's what Joseph had
to do.
He didn't see, he
didn't understand all
that in the middle, but
he could look back and
see it.
That's what he said in
chapter 50 verse 20.
But we'll never
understand everything.
Why God allowed
someone's sinful
choices to cause us or
somebody we love to
suffer?
We may not ever
understand that.
We may never know
that.
But there's nothing
wrong with asking
why.
Some people say, it's
wrong to question God.
It's wrong to question
if God knows what he's
doing.
It's wrong to question if
God is good.
But it's not wrong to
question and say, why?
The psalmist does.
Because, you know,
between you and God,
between me and God, we
all in here may be
honest.
And we just talk to him
and tell him what we
struggle with.
But we don't do a whole
lot of that in front of
one another.
Do we?
We keep that pretty
close.
Talk about everything
being great when it's
not.
Well, the psalmist, he
wrote this.
And a lot of the psalms
are written by David
King.
Look at this, just two
examples.
Why, O Lord, do you
stand far away?
Why do you hide
yourself in times of
trouble?
And then the other
one.
How long, O Lord, will
you forget me forever?
How long will you hide
your face from me?
Me?
Some people just get
mad at God because he
doesn't do what they,
because he doesn't do
what they want them to
do.
What, yeah, what they
want him to do.
Or they just ignore him.
Psalmist is just being
honest.
He feels distant from
God.
And he's talking to God.
You ever ask, you ever
been ticked off or your
spouse ticked off at you
and they ever ask you,
when are you going to
talk to me again?
Or you may like it and
hope they never talk to
you again.
You know, some, who's
according to who you're
married to.
How long are you going to
be mad?
You might ask somebody,
how long are you going to
be mad?
How long are you going to
be mean to me?
How long are you going to
cook what I want you to
cook?
How long before you fry
another chicken?
At least you're
communicating, right?
The psalm, what I want
you to see is the psalmist
is communicating.
It's okay to tell God
what you think because he
already knows it.
And if you think bad, you
know what I think?
God, I just think Jeff's a
jerk.
Lord, I know that's wrong
to think that.
So help me not to think
that.
That's a decent prayer.
If you think that, the
psalmist does stuff like
that.
And those are models for
how we should pray.
The Bible speaks very
little about why everything
works the way it does.
As someone pointed out, God
is not in the habit of
explaining, but he is in
the habit of sustaining.
And that's what a lot of
times he's just going to do.
Just get us through.
And when going back to the
tragedies, if it's your
loved one, friend who dies in
any kind of tragedy, even if God
told you why, it wouldn't help.
They'd still be gone.
Your heart would still be
broken.
And so God is going to mainly
sustain us.
Give us what we need for the
hour, the day, the week, the
month.
But we can trust that there is a
reason.
And we may not ever know it.
Or we may not ever know it this
side of heaven.
We may not know it just
une darüber before the