![]() Main Menu Links Bulletin Board Contact Us |
Seven Acts of God For Man Hopewell Church of Christ November 16, 2003
Introduction In this message, I want to present seven acts of God for you. It is comprehensive as if your life is already past. It stretches from eternity to eternity---what God did before the foundation of the world to what he will do for you beyond this life. Even though these apply to everyone, it is important that we see the personal application. Therefore, I will say that God did these seven things for you. "And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:17.) The song says, Whosoever surely meaneth me. #1: God created you "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Gen. 1:26-27.) According to the non-Christian view, there is no purpose or reason for man’s existence. They do not know how the world began or where the first matter came from. Evolution has rejected and denied even the word, create. It is not a part of their vocabulary. In so doing, they have denied the existence of the Creator. But even so, God created even those who deny that they were created. Man came into existence by the powerful spoken word of God on the sixth day. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. . . For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." (Psalm 33:6, 9.) "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: [17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." (Col. 1:16-18.) There are powerful implications of the truth of creation. To know and understand that you are created in the image of God Almighty affects what you think about yourself. It is not an insignificant thought. If one believes that he evolved from the lower forms of life without a Creator, one will think of oneself in a drastically different way. It will affect your life, attitude, behavior and self-esteem. Imagine thinking that you are just one step on the evolution ladder above apes! No, God created you. #2: God planned your salvation before the creation Twice the author of Revelation said that our redemption was planned in the mind of God before "the foundation of the world." "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev. 13:8.) ". . .and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was and is not and yet is." (Rev. 17:8.) "But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: [20] Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you." (1 Pet. 1:19-20.) "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." (Eph. 1:4.) (See also Eph. 3:10, 11---"the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.") What is the significance of saying that He chose us in Christ, that He Jesus death was foreordained, and the book of life existed before the foundation of the world? It means that our salvation, your salvation, was not a last minute plan on God’s part. Our redemption was secured by the blood of Jesus from the very beginning. It was never in doubt, never inadequate, and never haphazard. Everyone made in the image of God could be saved by the same method---by faith righteousness. God was not careless about what he did making man with the freedom to choose. He understood the implications of it. He knew man whom he had made. He planned our redemption even before we were created. #3: He removed your sins and accepted you David wrote about what the Lord had done for him: "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. [2] He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. [3] And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord." (Psalm 40:1-3.) Paul reflected personally,
"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; [13] Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. [14] And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. [15] This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. [16] Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting." (1 Tim. 1:12-16.) God "made us accepted in the beloved." (Eph. 1:6.) He ‘reconciled us unto God in one body by the cross." (Eph. 2:16.) "For by grace are you saved, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:8-10.) "Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. [26] Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." (Acts 3:25-26.) "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. [18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." (Rom. 6:17-18.) When Peter preached redemption in Christ Jesus on Pentecost, he did not say that repentance and baptism were for the remission of past sins. (Acts 2:38.) Jesus’ blood on the cross was shed for the remission of our sins. (Matt. 26:28.) What if that passage actually said, for the remission of past sins? It would mean, of course, that future sins were not covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. If baptism washed away only your past sins, then you would need to be baptized over and over again. In conversion, you were united with Jesus Christ in redemption. As long as you remain by faith in Christ, you possess salvation in Him. One of the great things that God has done for you is to forgive you and accept you in His Son. Imagine the consequence if you have not been forgiven! Think of the tragedy of bearing your own sins, having rejected the sacrifice of God’s Son on the cross. "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. [12] As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." (Psalm 103:11-12.) #4: He answered your prayers God invites his children to always pray to Him. He has promised that he will hear us when we pray. "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." (1 Peter 3:12.) "Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asks receives and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks it shall be opened." (Matt. 7:7-8.) "If I shut up heaven that there is no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people. . . If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chron. 7:13-14.) Think about it. God has promised that he will hear his people when they pray. We have often prayed. God has answered in every area where it is possible to do so that does not violate his will, first of all, and where it does not violate the free choice of others. James gave some reasons why some prayers are not answered. He said, "You have not because you ask not. You ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lusts." (James 4:2-3.) Earlier, he wrote, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him." (1:5.) #5: He defeated the Devil for you "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; [15] And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Heb. 2:14-15.) "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4.) "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. [29] Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house." (Matt.12:28-29.) Because of the work of Jesus in defeating Satan, we can live freer lives now than anyone could before. There is no demon possession today. Nations are not controlled by Satan to persecute God’s Kingdom. We need not fall spiritually to the temptations and deceptions of Satan. We are not ignorant of his devices. (2 Cor. 2:11.) #6: He raised you from the dead "And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power." (1 Cor. 6:14.) "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: [26] And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:25-26.) Man being raised from the dead will be like the creation of man in the beginning. The Bible says that we should not marvel at this miracle; it will occur. God will do this to bless you and to give you eternal life. We will be raised immortal and incorruptible. "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, [29] And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:28-29.) #7: He loved you "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16.) God is no respector of persons. He does not love one above another, or hate one and love another. He loved you so much that while you were a sinner, Jesus died for you. There is no love so great and so comprehensive as the love of God. "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; [19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." (Eph. 3:17-20.) The song writer penned these words: The Love of God Could we with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made Were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry Nor could the scroll contain the whole though stretched from sky to sky In the Greek, there is a special word for the kind of love that God has for man. It is the word, agape. It is without respect of persons or partiality, without reservation, for the eternal good of the one loved, the highest and best kind of love. "Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13.)
|