May 22, 2011
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Telephone: 615-513-4464
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7 PM Midweek Service
Is My God THE God?
Isaiah 41: 21-29
An idol is an image made to represent God (Deuteronomy 4: 15-19). But idolatry is man worshipping himself (Romans 1: 22-25). Just as an image is the work of man’s hand, every man whose salvation is in some aspect dependent upon what he has done is worshipping himself regardless of if he worships an image or not. The god of man’s imagination truly has no hands but man’s hands and no feet but man’s feet because the god of man’s imagination is no greater than himself.
The God of heaven and earth saves whom he will apart from the sinner’s contribution (Romans 9: 16). No child born of Adam has power to save himself (Psalm 14: 2-3). The very term “salvation” declares that the one being saved has no power to save. If one has power to save himself then he does not need to be saved. But the one being saved is entirely dependent upon another to save him. “Salvation-is-of-the-Lord” (Jonah 2: 9; Acts 4: 12). The God of heaven and earth calls on every man to answer this question, “Is My God THE God?”
Produce Your Cause (Isaiah 41: 21)
Everyone ought to be able to make their case why theirs is the true and living God. That does not mean salvation is in how much you know or that you have to articulate in great depth the doctrine of God. But everyone who’s God is THE GOD is able to answer this question: “Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning?” The true and living God declares, “I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.” (Isaiah 41: 4) If anyone asks me to state my case, as to how I know that my God is the true God of salvation, this is my one strong reason, “My God hath wrought and done all. My salvation—from its conception to its consummation—is of the Lord.” No other god of man’s imagination has ever done that.
True God Declares the End from The Beginning (Isaiah 41: 22)
The true and living God declares what shall be before it comes to pass (Isaiah 42: 9; 46:9-10). Man’s god looked through time and chose those he foresaw would believe on him. THE GOD says, “there was no man” (Isaiah 41: 28). God says that HE did the choosing, calling and did not cast away (Isaiah 41: 8-9). Man’s god was surprised by Adam’s fall. God told Adam what would happen beforehand (Genesis 2:17). Man’s god did all he could to save the nation of Israel then went to plan B. True God fulfilled every earthly promise, telling them they would not keep his covenant before he ever brought them into Canaan (Deuteronomy 31: 19-21). The text here in Isaiah is probably speaking, historically, of Cyrus whom God raised to deliver Israel out of Babylonian captivity. But in declaring beforehand that deliverer, God declares beforehand that he shall raise up THE Deliverer, Christ Jesus. Just as he did here, generations before Christ came, God gave very specific details through those he used to pen the scriptures of, not only where Christ would be born and what he would accomplish, but details such as: the betrayal by his friend (Psalm 41:9; Mark 14:10); his being betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, the money returned and the potter’s field bought (Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 26:15), even the exact behavior of those around the cross, right down to the casting of lots for his coat (Psalm 22:18; Mark 15:24). The true and living God declares what shall be before it comes to pass.
God Brings To Pass What He Determined Before To Be Done (Isaiah 41: 23).
Not only does God declare the end from the beginning, but God brings to pass what he determined before to be done. He challenges the false gods of man’s imagination to “do good or evil that we may be dismayed.” The god of man’s imagination does “good” only when man stamps providence as “good.” But if man judges a thing to be evil, he says, “god had nothing to do with this.” God is in control of all things (Isaiah 45:7; Amoz 3:6l; Nahum 1: 3). The man of god’s imagination is dumb but not the true and living God (Isaiah 46: 7). Man bears his god upon man’s shoulder but Christ bears the government and his lambs on his shoulder (Isaiah 9: 6; Luke 15: 5). Man sets his god in his place so that like a stature his god cannot move but true God carries his people, sets them in his holy habitation, setting the bounds of men, not the other way around (Deuteronomy 32: 8). Man’s god is limited by man’s will but the true God is the God of “I will!” (Isaiah 41: 10, 15, 18, 19, 20). God says all others are worse than nothing and worse than a viper (Isaiah 41: 24). The God of heaven has told us plainly what has been, what is now, and what shall be because he is the God who not only purposes but also brings to pass what he will.
God Saves in Christ Jesus his Son (Isaiah 41: 25-29)
God gives a picture of Christ in Cyrus. We associate the “north” with “up”. Christ is the Son of God come down from glory. Raised up by the Father in the body he prepared for him. He is the faithful servant of God who called on the name of the Father from the beginning of his life throughout. Christ came upon the princes of this world, treading them down in victory (Matthew 4; 18; John 12; Revelation. 20). No man has seen God at any time, Christ has declared the name of God (John 1:18). Christ is the First—the Messenger of the good tidings of his covenant and Christ is the Head of his church, who continues to give his messengers to bring good tidings. When the Spirit of God forms Christ in us, Christ speaks in power saying, “Behold!” and we behold HIM (Isaiah 40: 9-10, 26; 41:11, 42:1.) And Christ says “Behold them”—and beholding him we behold them, that is, the vanity of all our idols (Isaiah 40: 15; 41: 24, 29.)
So Back To The Question, “Is My God THE God?”
“Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he” (Isaiah 41: 4; 20). If you can honestly say that your god is not this true and living God then may God be pleased to grip you out of hell right now, that you may know only the fool says, “No God!” And for you who can honestly say this is my God then come out from among the unbelievers and God shall receive you and be a Father to you and you shall be his sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6: 14-18).
SERMONS
After clicking on the following sermon links you will go to sermon notes where you will find an option at
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The Name and Promises of God
Submitting to the Lord
The Just Live by Faith
Is My God THE God?
Of One Mind
Feasting With a New Believer