I'm only going to read one verse
that's very familiar to you. You can turn there if you'd like,
but Romans 8 28. Romans 8 28. And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to His purpose. Let me first say, this does not
say according to God's purposes. It is singular, God's purpose. God's one purpose may be revealed
to us in many ways because there are many things involved in God's
one purpose. There are many things spoken
of in scripture as being the purpose of God or because of
the purpose of God. But it is all one purpose. So
as you might think, I want to talk about God's purpose today.
Carapoole said when he was here, and I believe scripture supports
this, but he said, God does not plan, he purposes. And I'm not
trying to be critical here. I know some of you have said
the word plan, and I'm not trying to be critical here, but I think
someone else has said that here before, too, that God doesn't
plan, he purposes. But we're gonna look a little
more concerning purpose and plan. I looked the word plan up. The
English word plan is not used anywhere in scripture, so I looked
it up in the online dictionary. Plan can be used as a noun or
a verb. The noun means a proposal for
doing something, or an intention of what one is going to do. The
verb portion means decide on and arrange in advance, or design
or make a plan of something. These verb definitions are not
too bad, but think on this. God does not propose something,
who is he going to propose to? God decrees them and they are. God does not intend to do a thing,
he does them. God does not decide and arrange,
he says it will be. Again, I'm not trying to be hypercritical
here. We see the meaning of plan and
it has a meaning that is close to what the word purpose means
as far as scripture is concerned. But let's look at the meaning
of the word purpose in our text. We have to be picky about our
text, about words. As others have said, words is
all we have. And I want to be sure that I'm
saying what God is saying when I'm speaking to you, because
I want to say what God's saying. There are words that are a long
way back. People understood what the word
meant, and it took on a whole different context at that time.
But over time, just like what man always does, he morphs or
changes things to his own liking. so that words that may have been
used before and understood as to their meaning now have to
be explained somewhat. So the word here in our text
is purpose as it is translated into English. Purpose here means
a setting forth. It also says it means figuratively,
means proposal or intention. God's purpose is not changing,
It is only being set forth or that is revealed. His purpose
will stand. It is already settled and it
will be done. But we do not see all that is
in God's one purpose, us. We don't see all of that. God
is not purposing many things. He has purposed that many things
be done to one end. What do we read in scripture
in Isaiah 46.10? declaring the end from the beginning, and from
ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, my
counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. We read in
our text that all things work together for good to his people,
and that according to his purpose. We do not always know what things
will happen because of God's one purpose. We only know those
things if first, they are revealed in scripture. And some things
God has revealed to us in his word that they, when he reveals
us in his word, that they are according to his purpose. And
we will look at some of those things. But also we can look
around us and see things happening. And if it happens, we know it
is the purpose of God that it happened. If it's not the purpose
of God to happen, then it will not happen. That is why this
verse is such a comfort to God's people. Because he is in absolute,
total, sovereign control of all things. And that's like saying
water's wet three times as Scott Richardson would say. So let's
look further at man's purposes and God's purpose. Man's purposes. Man has many
purposes, or here we can definitely say plans, but those do not always
come to fruition, if you will. As I was up there in Connecticut
and sitting around and talking with everyone, God brought something to my mind,
something that I know is true, and I know most of God's people
know this to be true. I am just like everyone else.
In and of myself, I am no different than everyone else born of Adam.
I have the same likes and dislikes as others. Some of the same thoughts
about things I have that others have. And when I'm talking about
these things, I'm not necessarily talking about sin and not sin.
The scripture tells us that all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God. It says that straight out there,
so there is no question about that. The truth of God is we
all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Because
of this, I can surely say that I am like everybody else but
God. God in his purpose does something
for those who are just like everybody else that makes them different
than everybody else and it has nothing to do with what they
have done or what they have not done for that matter. It says
in our text that according to God's purpose, he calls us and
in doing so, we love him. and everything around us which
is happening according to his purpose is for his called out
people's good. Certainly those who have not
been called yet are included in that, but the only way we
know this is true of someone is if God calls them out and
they believe in their heart and confess with their mouth. Then
we have good reason to say that all things work together for
good to them. But if we are different, it is
because of God. 1 Corinthians 4, 7, very familiar. For who maketh thee to differ
from another? And what hast thou that thou
didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it,
why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? Without
God, I am without hope and dead in this world. I can plan and
purpose to do great many things, but in a state without God, and
maybe even especially in a state without God, your purposes will
come to naught. What have we read before in Proverbs
16, 33? The lot is cast into the lap,
but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. The lot, that
is all of life's circumstances are cast into man's lap. These
being cast into man's lap and man without God feels he can
make any decision he wants. Man feels he can make any plan
that he wants and purpose all things by himself. That's the
way we are by nature. But the scripture says the whole
disposing thereof is of the Lord. That means that God will judge
everything a man does as well as he will control all a man
does so that it fulfills his purpose. He decides what is done
by you, for you, and in you, and by you, and all of these
lots. What else do we read about man
and his decisions? Ecclesiastes 7.29, we read, lo,
this only have I found, that God hath made man upright, but
they have sought out many inventions. We read week before last that
what God created, he himself said it was very good. But as
we read here, man has sought out, that is they desire, many
inventions or imaginations. The word therefore many means
much or great. So we can say from scripture
that man both contrives or comes up with many ways, or they come
up with one large way to suit themselves. This includes inventions
of the mind. even if they do not specifically
create something physical. But they do sometimes invent
material things to manifest forth. They are out for their own ways. They will say out loud manifesting
they are out for their own way by saying things like this, I
will choose God when and if I want to. But this is an invention,
because we will not choose God. Because our will does not want
to, as we are born from Adam. Men can say things with the utmost
sincerity, but if they are saying something that goes against what
God says, they are lying on God. They are out for their own way. The whole of creation is not
about man. It is about God. But man wants
to vaunt himself up. May we be brought to where Job
was brought when it comes to our purposes, Job 17 11. My days
are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my
heart. May he take away our purposes
and reveal to us his purpose. Even the Apostle Paul tells us
that his purpose is not what matters, but God who decides
what we will do and what we will not do, Romans 1.13. Now I would not have you ignorant,
brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, but was let
hitherto, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as
among other Gentiles. God knows what he is doing and
may it be that he takes away from us that pride that we know
what we are doing and we'll make our own wise choices. Take that
away from us. Rather may it be that he causes
us to see the destruction and misery that is in our ways. And
see the majesty and glory and grace and salvation that is in
his purpose. So now let's look at God's purpose. As I've said at the beginning,
God does not have several purposes. He has his purpose and it is
all to one end. That end is to the praise of
his name who gave himself for sinners. He does not have several
purposes. He is just hoping that one of
them will work out. He has purposed and has carried
out and is carrying out and shall ever carry out his purpose. Let's begin to look at some things
that are of God's purpose. Just a few, I'm not gonna name
all of them, just a few. Romans 9-11. For the children
being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand. Not of works, but
of him that called. So number one, we see something
that is of God's purpose, election. God chose a people in Jesus Christ
before they had done neither good or evil. It in fact says
it had nothing to do with our works. but all of his purpose
that we were chosen in him. But we can see a little more
about God's purpose in Ephesians, Ephesians 1.9. Having made known
unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure
which he hath purposed in himself. We can see right here that he
will reveal or make known unto us his will. and that will be
done according to his pleasure. You will be revealed what God
is pleased to reveal to you and to me. This he purposed in himself. He did not discuss this with
anyone or get someone else's idea about the matter because
there was none to understand him. So now we are seeing some
things of God's purpose, things that come about because of his
one purpose, which comes by him, and this second one is making
known the mystery of his will. What else do we read? Verse 11,
Ephesians 1. In whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.
So we have next, number three, predestinated to obtain an inheritance. We will obtain this, not based
on what we would do or would not do, but based solely on his
purpose, which he himself works out. So there briefly we have
seen three things that are in his purpose. Election, making
known the mystery of his will. Predestinated to obtain an inheritance. All of God's purpose was in one
place though. The only one that could be counted
on to carry out the will and purpose of God, Ephesians 3 11,
according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus
our Lord. But what is the end of this purpose,
if you will? And maybe there's a better way
to say it, but what is the end of God's purpose in Christ? Ephesians
1 6, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath
made us accepted in the beloved. All of God's purpose was to give
glory to his name in the face of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ
is the grace of God, and it is to the praise of that grace,
which was born of a virgin, God Almighty came down and confined
himself to the womb of a virgin. He went to the cross in the sinner's
state. He willingly, knowing all things,
did this for his people. People who did not love him,
people who actually hated him. He did all this when we were
about purposing our own way, which spit in His face. But because
He was willing to do this and He was the only one who could
do this, then we were made accepted before a holy, just God because
of what He did. We can do nothing. That is why
it is to the praise of the glory of His grace. He loved us so
much. that he gave his life for us.
And I know people might sometimes think of God as some kind of
magician. Jesus Christ is no magician.
He is the one, the only one, God, who wanted to be gracious
to a people, to show that he is a gracious God. He desires
the praise of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. God desires the praise
of Jesus Christ. This is the purpose of God that
man praise his son, Jesus Christ the Lord. So we see from these
things that man, although he has invented many ways, none
of them glorify God. They are all about man and they
lead to destruction. Even evil men are there for the
purpose of God. What do we read in Romans 9 verse
17? For the scripture saith unto
Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I
might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth. We know that those who have pride
God is able to abase. But woe to you if God is not
pleased to abase you. He may be doing to you when you
are purposing your inventions, he may be doing to you what he
did to Pharaoh. And this is so that he, that
is God, might show his power in you. He might drown you in
your invention of free will. Whatever invention it is, his
name will be declared throughout all the earth. All men will bow
down to him one day, although it may be too late for them.
We think we have choices, but as one preacher has said, we
have the illusion of choice. But it is God who disposes and
judges all that we do with that lot which is cast into our lap. He controls all things and nothing
happens that is not purposed of God. Isaiah 14, 24 we read,
the Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, surely as I have thought,
so shall it come to pass. And as I have purposed, so shall
it stand. Who is going to tell God no? Maybe there might be some fool
who will say, no, God. But it is in vain, and those
who do this will come to know one day that you do not tell
God no. Isaiah 14, 27, we read, for the
Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who? shall disannul it, and
his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? There
is no one and no thing that can stop him doing what he has purposed. He purposed to bring glory to
his name. This he would do by being gracious
to some and becoming a man, and then dying in man's stead. Not
all men Those who because he purposed to do so, who were chosen
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Everything that goes on happens
because he purposed it. Isaiah 46, 11, calling a ravenous
bird from the east, the man that executed my counsel from a far
country. Yea, I have spoken it, I will
also bring it to pass. I have purposed it, I will also
do it. I know men and women like to
think they have a choice. They do have a choice, but the
problem is they will always make the wrong choice because we are
all the same. We have all gone out of the way.
We have all turned everyone to his own way. If God had not purposed
to save some, then none would be saved. What do we read in
2 Timothy 1, 8 and 9? Be not thou therefore ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be
thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the
power of God, who hath saved us and called us with an holy
calling, not according to our works, but according to his own
purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before
the world began. So there's a couple of more.
Number four, salvation. Number five, grace. Salvation
is in the purpose of God and all of what is given to us was
given to us in Jesus Christ. Having been chosen in him from
before the foundation of the world, We need to think about words
because they are what God has given us. And he himself tells
us these words are the record God, he gave of his son. So we
should be picky with words. Think about what words can do.
What did Satan do in the garden? He lied on God with words. He
spoke false words against God. He said to Eve, yea, hath God
said? So much so that Jesus Christ
had to come destroy those works, which are the fruit of Satan.
Lies are his fruit, but Christ came to destroy those works.
It was the purpose of God to do so. First John 3.8, he that
commit a sin is of the devil, for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that
he might destroy the works of the devil. All men of Adam are
alike. We are of the same lump. We come
forth from the womb, speaking lies, and coming up with inventions
and imaginations, trying to ascend to his throne on our own. There
is nothing but destruction and misery in our ways. But Christ,
in the purpose of God, came down and took away that sin, and is
now seated at the Father's right hand. seeing to it that his purpose
is carried out, declaring the end from the beginning. He purposed
to do this in Christ Jesus so that he might have all the glory
and praise. Jesus Christ came and he carried
this purpose out, and this to the salvation of sinners. All to the praise and glory of
his name, amen. Dear Lord God, thank you for
once again allowing us to be here, dear Lord. Be with all
those who stand or sit to support the preaching of your word, dear
Lord. Cause us, give us that desire
to look into your word, to see exactly what it's saying, dear
Lord. I don't know everything. I want to learn more of you,
dear Lord. calls me to learn and teach me of Yourself, Your
Son, dear Lord. All these things we ask in Christ's
name. Amen.