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God is….Sovereign Psalm 103:13-19

In the journey of life, all of us will find ourselves in situations that leave us perplexed - asking questions that sometimes don’t have answers - or answers that don’t come quickly or easily. We’ve been conditioned to believe that every question must have an answer. How many times, when you’ve gone through a painful trial, have you asked the question: Why? Why this? Why now? That is, quite possibly, the most asked and the least answered question in the universe.

The “why” question is sometimes asked out of genuine . For example: Why does Minute Rice take 5 minutes to cook? Why is the name “Charlie” short for “Charles” when both names have the exact number of letters? Why are there Braille dots on the keypad of the drive- up ATM? Why are there floatation devices under the seats of airplanes instead of parachutes? Why do we sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” when we’re already at the ball game? Sometimes the “Why?” question is asked out of curiosity.

But quite often - the “why” question is asked out of . The question so many people are asking today is: Why is God allowing COVID-19 to wreak so much havoc around the world? Not a few of us : If God is all-powerful and loving - why is He allowing so many people to get sick? Why doesn’t God ease the of people? It seems to me that’s what an all-powerful, all-wise, loving God should do!

I’ve observed (and I’m sure you have as well) that when bad things happen - it’s not uncommon for people to draw wrong conclusions about God. Years ago in an episode of the TV program, The X-Files - Agents Mulder and Scully were discussing a hospital chaplain who claimed that God speaks to him. When Mulder expressed skepticism that such a thing could ever happen - Scully asked, “Don’t you think that God can talk to people?” Mulder scoffed, “God? God is just a spectator of what happens in this world. God only reads the box scores.” Is that an accurate picture of the God we worship and adore? The Bible begs to differ!

We’re returning this week to the series titled God is…. We’ve been looking at the attributes of God. The attributes of God help us understand 2 God’s nature and character. They help us understand who God is and how He works in our world and in our lives. Today, we’re going to look at an attribute of God that, I believe, is very relevant in this time in which we’re living. I’d like to talk with you today about the sovereignty of God. The sovereignty of God is the biblical teaching that God is the Creator, Sustainer and Supreme Ruler of the universe. The words sovereign or sovereignty appear 305 times in the Bible. The prefix, sov means “over” – and the word reign means to “rule from a throne.” God’s sovereignty means that our Heavenly Father rules and reigns over everything that’s happening in our world – even the threat of COVID-19. God is in control of everything. A verse from today’s text underscores this very truth. That verse is Psalm 103:19. David wrote: The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

The 2003 Civil War film, Gods and Generals wasn’t well-reviewed by most movie critics – but there’s a scene in that film that shows Confederate General Stonewall Jackson’s belief in the sovereignty of God. To me, it’s surprising the film doesn’t try to conceal the fact that Jackson was a devoted Christian. Throughout the film, his dependence on God is seen, but never more strikingly than in the early morning hours of July 21, 1861 prior to the first Battle of Bull Run. At the break of dawn, Jackson called out to God in prayer, asking for His will be done. As the battle begins, things don’t go well for the Confederate Army – as Union quickly overpowered them. The Confederate line broke and the soldiers began to retreat. They ran to the next line of reinforcement, which was held by Jackson’s brigade. Morale was all but gone as the retreating soldiers ran to Jackson’s position. As Union soldiers were closing in, someone yelled to the soldiers over the din of battle - telling them to look at Jackson. At that moment, Stonewall Jackson was sitting tall in his saddle with cannon shells exploding all around him. Someone yelled, “Look at Jackson - standing like a stone wall!” Stonewall Jackson, as he would be known from that day on, rode his horse back and forth across the front line, shouting orders as the musket balls whistled through the air. His bravery inspired the Confederate soldiers to fight with a new resolve.

When the fighting stopped, Stonewall Jackson returned to the battlefield to assess the losses. A weary Jackson knelt beside a fallen soldier. One of his captains asked him, “General, how is it that you were so brave with 3 bullets flying all around you?” Jackson said, “Captain Smith, my in God teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in my bed. God has fixed the time of my death. I don’t concern myself with that. I concern myself with being ready whenever death comes. If everyone believed this – they would be just as brave.”

It’s highly likely we’ll never find ourselves in a situation where bullets are flying overhead and artillery rounds are exploding around us – but we will find ourselves in situations where our belief in the sovereignty of God will be put to the test. Is God bigger than the things that threatens us? Is God bigger than cancer? Is God bigger than unemployment? Is God bigger than the Coronavirus? Is God wringing His hands in – concerned that He’s losing control over this global pandemic? Of course not!

Paul wrote these unforgettable words in Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who him, who have been called according to his purpose. This promise has comforted me more times than I could possibly count. In times of anxiety, , perplexity and despair – these words have been a source of strength and . Hand on heart, I can say that there’s no doctrine that has meant more to my life than the fact that God is sovereign and rules over everything!

What does the Bible say about God’s sovereignty? I’d like to share eight biblical truths with you. I’ll go through these quickly. First, the Bible affirms the fact that:

1. God is eternal. Moses wrote these words in Psalm 90:2: Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, You are God.

2. God created all things. Colossians 1:16 says: Because by Him everything was created, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him.

Teddy Roosevelt is considered by many to be one of the greatest presidents of all time. Among his many admirable traits is the fact he was humorous and colorful. One evening, Roosevelt and his astronomer friend , went outside to look at the sky, searching for a tiny 4 patch of light near the constellation Pegasus. When they found it, Beebe said: “There is the galaxy of Andromeda. It’s as large as our Milky Way. It’s one of a hundred million galaxies. It consists of one hundred billion suns, each larger than our sun.” Looking up, Roosevelt patted William Beebe on the back and said, “Okay, I think we’re small enough.”

3. God sustains all things. Colossians 1:17 says: He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Hebrews 1:3 adds that Jesus ….sustains all things by the power of his word.

4. God rules over all things. We read this in 1 Chronicles 29:11-12: Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

5. God knows all things. Listen to these words from Psalm 139: Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up; you understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; you are aware of all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you know all about it, Lord.

6. God can do whatever He pleases. By this I mean that God can do all things that are consistent with His nature. Psalm 135:6 says: The Lord does whatever He pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depths. God said to the prophet Jeremiah: I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?

7. God is sovereign over earthly leaders. Proverbs 21:1 says: A king’s heart is a water channel in the Lord’s hand: He directs it wherever He chooses.

The French emperor Napoleon has been depicted by many artists standing defiantly with his right hand pushed between the buttons on his military jacket. Napoleon was driven by his unbridled ambition to rule the world. On the morning before the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon mapped out his strategy to defeat Wellington and the army of England. He said to 5 his officers, “At the end of the day, England will sit at the feet of France and Wellington will be the prisoner of Napoleon!” Upon hearing that, one his commanding officers said, “But we must not forget, sir - man proposes - but God disposes.” Napoleon flew into a and screamed, “Napoleon proposes and Napoleon disposes!” The writer, Victor Hugo wrote these words, “At that moment, the Battle of Waterloo was lost. God sent a storm of wind, rain and hail. Napoleon’s troops were immobilized. By nightfall, Napoleon was the prisoner of Wellington - and France sat at the feet of England.” God is sovereign over earthly leaders.

8. God’s purposes will never fail. God is in complete control of the course of history. We read these words in Psalm 33: For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

All of these truths affirm the fact that God is unrivaled in His majesty. He’s unlimited in power and knowledge. And He’s unaffected by anything that happens outside Himself. God is the supreme Creator, Sustainer and Ruler of the universe – and He holds our lives in His hands.

Now – all of this sounds very academic, but the sovereignty of God actually has some very practical implications in your life and mine. What difference does God’s sovereignty make in our lives? First:

1. It assures us that God is in control of everything we’re going through today. Dr. John Piper said that God’s sovereignty is: “The strong wood of the tree that keeps our lives from being blown over by the winds of adversity. It’s the rock that rises up for us out of the flood of uncertainty and . It’s the eye of the hurricane where we stand with God and look up into the blue sky of his majesty when everything is being destroyed. It enables us to say with the hymn writer, ‘When darkness hides His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace.’”

If we were to write our autobiography, the pages of our book would be filled with the accounts of mountaintop experiences and times we’ve walked through dark valleys. All of us have experienced brokenness and setbacks. We’ve grieved over our weaknesses. And yet, we’ve also 6 experienced God’s mercy and . We’ve experienced times of deprivation and times when God met our needs in a miraculous way. All of us have had our faith sorely tested, but through it all – God has shown us He’s in complete control. And so, when someone we love lies in a hospital bed and we don’t know what the outcome will be - God is in control. When we hear reports that our global economy is tanking and we’re sliding into a recession – we don’t need to panic – because God is in control. When we’re out of work and out of money – we don’t need to panic – because God is in control. Nothing will ever happen in our lives that God does not either decree or permit. God is in control!

Here’s what I’m driving at: When we rest in the fact that God is in control – it enables us to live with the tension of the unanswered why questions of life. What does God’s sovereignty mean? It means we can stand in the midst of a painful, confusing situation with the assurance that God will somehow bring good out of it and bring glory to Himself. We don’t have to like it or understand it – but we must embrace this truth by faith.

2. God’s sovereignty gives us to face our days. Joshua 1:9 says: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. The command to fear not in various forms appears 365 times in the Bible. But on what basis can we live without fear? We can live without fear because God has promised to always be with us.

What happens when we’re blindsided by sickness – or a financial reversal – or whatever tragedy that might come our way? Fear and anxiety can paralyze us. If this universe is operating on random chance – we have a very good to be afraid. But when we know that God is in the details of our lives – controlling, directing and ruling over them for our good and His glory – we can experience the peace of God that passes all understanding.

The story is told of an American tourist who visited the city of Brussels, Belgium. She was eager to see where and how the world’s finest lace was manufactured. Her tour guide took her to a nondescript building where she was introduced to the plant manager. After greeting one another, the manager took the woman to a darkened workroom in the 7 basement of the building. The only light in the basement came from windows near the top of the exterior walls - slightly above street level. Taped to the windows were exquisite, intricate patterns. The workers sat at tables facing the windows and were carefully hand weaving the patterns. The American, accustomed to well-lit workplaces, asked why the artisans worked in such little light. The manager said, “Years of experience has taught us that the finest lace is produced when the workers are in the dark and the pattern is in the light.”

We sometimes find ourselves in the dark – struggling to understand why things happen to us – and why things happen in this world the way they do. But God is in the light! God knows the pattern – and He promises that He’ll make everything beautiful in His time.

3. God’s sovereignty deepens our and in Him. In his book, The Invisible Hand – the late Dr. R.C. Sproul talks about how the course of human history was changed by the simple gesture of Jacob giving his son Joseph a coat of many colors. Sproul said that if there had been no coat - there wouldn’t have been and among his brothers. If that never happened, Joseph would have never been sold to the Midianite traders and taken to Egypt. If Joseph never went to Egypt, he would have never served Potiphar. If no Potiphar – there would have never been the incident with Potiphar’s wife and no prison. If he never went to prison, he wouldn’t have met the cupbearer and baker – and he would have never met with Pharaoh. And Joseph would never have become Prime Minister. And if Joseph had never become Prime Minister, the Children of Israel would never have settled in the land of Goshen. If that never happened, the Children of Israel would have never been slaves. If the Israelites never went to Egypt, there would have been no Moses. No Exodus. Without the Exodus - there would have been no Law given at Mount Sinai - no unfolding history of redemption – leading to the ultimate act of redemption as seen in Jesus Christ on the cross.

Dr. Sproul says that Joseph went from the pasture to the pit - from the pit to the prison - and from the prison to the palace. And God was with Him every step of the way - causing all things to work together for Joseph’s good and for God’s eternal glory.

8 Here’s what I’m getting at under this last heading: God never leaves Himself without the means of accomplishing His eternal decrees. God is in the smallest details of our lives — all of the trials and tribulations - all of the suffering and struggles — all of the joys and blessings. All of these things are woven into the tapestry of His plan for our life. Because of this – God is worthy to be trusted.

Most of us are still rattled by everything that’s happening in our world. The story remains unresolved – but we can take all of our fear, anxiety and confusion and give it to God – knowing there’s much more happening in this world and in our lives than meets the eye. As the hymn writer, William Cowper said: “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace. Behind a frowning providence, there hides His smiling face.”