The Lord reigneth. The Lord reigns. If we could just remember that. The Lord reigns. And not just
somebody on the throne, it's Him up there. And always remember,
if you can, when you think about the sovereignty of God. And it's
Christ on the throne now. All God and all of his persons
is sovereign. The wind, that's the spirit,
blows where it wants to go. Sovereign, he does what he wants
to do. God the Father chose whom it pleased him to choose. And
God the Son is on the throne, a man, a human being, is on the
throne of heaven, the Lord reigneth. The government, the government
of the universe is on his shoulders. And always remember these three
realms when you think of God's dominion. He reigns over creation. He's the king of creation. He's
the author of creation. He's the king without whom there
was not anything made that was made. And this is not something
to just be set back as secondary. This is where we live. Paul said,
in him, we live and move and have our very being. He made it the way he wanted
it. You ever wonder why about things in his creation? Why is
there male and female? Why didn't he just make everybody
the same? Well, we know the results of that, some of the results
of that, but he could have done that differently, too. Why this and why that? Because
that's the way he wanted it. It glorifies him. It's a picture
of Christ in his church, isn't it? He operates it the way he wants
to. And he will end it when he's
ready. Not just Earth, but the entire
universe. He tells the sun to shine and
where. He teaches the hens to calve. He calms the storm. He brings
the storm. And then he calms it with a word. With a thought. What we call
gravity is God. What we call the gravitational
pull between planets and moons, that's God. What we call nature
is God's handiwork. Scientists are always trying
to figure out how things work, what things are, what they're
made up of. All they're really learning,
whether they know it or not, is what God did. what he made,
what he's done with it, what his purpose is in it. And we're
learning very, very little about that. It's so vast and so complicated. And when we think we learned
something, a lot of times that we didn't. We thought we were
right, but still think we're right about things that we're
probably wrong about. What we need to know is this.
I'm not much of a scientist, but I know this. The Lord reigneth. He created all things and for
his pleasure they are and were created. He's still creating
things. They are created for his pleasure
and everything he's already created, they were created for his pleasure.
He reigns in providence. And this encompasses every occurrence,
everything that happens, every situation that you find yourself
in or somebody across the world finds themselves in. Every resolution
of everything, every contingency is in his hand. We sit back and
we say, well, one of three things is gonna happen. It's gonna be
this, this, or that. God's already decided it. Every decision by everybody is
in his hand. Every thought is in subjection
to his thoughts, willingly or unwillingly. He worketh all things
after the counsel of his own will. All things of his own will. There can only be one free will.
And it ain't you. It ain't me. Whether you get
that job or don't get that job will be decided by God. Whether
mom lives today or dies, God. If you succeed or fail in whatever
you do will be determined by God. If you have anything to
eat tonight, it'll come from God. The presidential election
will be decided by God. What we call chance is God's
dispensation of things. What we call the odds is God's
prerogative. What we call a natural disaster
is God's doing. Everything we take credit for
is really God. All the glory goes to Him. What
we call our paycheck is God's provision. God is sovereign in
salvation. God made a universe, talked about
that. He runs it precisely as he does,
and everything that happens in it happens in it because he has
a people that he loved and chose in Christ before the foundation
of the world. And all that he did, all that
he does, and all that he shall do is to the glory of his son,
in giving this people to him, this bride to him. The kingdom
of heaven is like unto a king that made a marriage for his
son. Spousing them to him, having
mercy on them by and through him, making them one with him,
and making them ultimately just like him. All creation and all providence
are moving toward that. Everything has to do with Christ
and Him crucified, which is our salvation. So when you talk about
the sovereignty of God and salvation, you better be talking about Him
and what He did. And have you ever thought about that
predestinated to be just like The Lord Jesus Christ, in what
sense are we to be just like Christ and why? Have you ever
thought about that? I have a bride and she's not
exactly like me. In some ways she's like me, kind
of, in other ways not. Why will we be, as the bride
of Christ, why will we be exactly like Christ? There can only be
one perfection. Right? Perfect is perfect. We will still be who we are,
we'll still be individuals, but Christ is the express image of
the glory of God. And if we are going to be glorified,
that can only mean one thing. There's just one glorified, and
it's Him. No one can be more glorious than
Him. And to be anything other than
just like him would be something short of glorified. We got to
be just like him if we're going to be with him. It doesn't yet appear what we
shall be, but we know we're going to be just like him because we
shall see him as he is when we are as he is. We are
predestinated by the sovereign God of salvation to be conformed
to the image of his son. Romans 8, 29. And he did that for his son that
he might be preeminent. That's what it says, that he
might be the firstborn. The reason we are predestinated
to be conformed to the image of Christ so that he might be
preeminent among many brethren. What all is included in that,
in predestination? Have you ever thought about that? That word is taboo in most religious
organizations, predestination. Oh, you're one of those people
that believe in predestination. Well, it's in the Bible. So yeah,
yeah, I guess you'd have to call me that. Would you say that predestination
has something to do with the fact that God reigneth? He not only calls the shots,
he called them a long time ago. Called them all a long time ago. Wow, what a God. God reigneth, the Lord reigneth. Predestination, what all is in
that? Well, salvation, because we're conformed to be just like
Christ. If we're gonna be just like Christ,
that precludes me ever being accountable for my sin. He can't
hold me accountable for my sin if I'm gonna be like his son.
Because if he holds me accountable for my sin, I'm not going to
be with him, and I'm sure enough not going to be like him. Preservation. We're indestructible. We're immortal. Because of Christ. We're infallible. Did you know
that? You and I, as believers in him,
are infallible. Preservation, if I'm gonna be
like Christ, then I can never perish. He's promised that we
won't. And I mentioned preservation
after salvation because salvation is an eternal work, but I must
be preserved in time even before I experience salvation. What
happens if I die before I ever meet Christ? Can't happen if
I'm His. Can't happen. if I am predestinated
to be conformed to his image. What's included in predestination?
Glorification. If I'm going to be just like
Christ, I must be changed. We shall not all sleep, but we're
all going to be changed. And he's going to He's going to change these vile
bodies that we live in. And fashion them. Think about
this now. Christ is going to fashion our
bodies like into his glorious. God reigns in salvation. He decides who is saved. He's already determined how they
are saved. And he's the one that actually
saves them. The Lord reigneth. And that can
only be true if God reigns. That can only be true if he reigns. And do you see how epic a statement
this is? God reigns. What we call an opportunity is
God's saving providence. What men call free will is God's
saving prerogative. What we call the gospel is the
power of God unto salvation. What we call good works is God
working in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. What
we call perseverance is God's preservation. The Lord reigneth in salvation. Well, now we can move beyond
the first three words of this song. And I'll be very brief
tonight. I wanted us to focus mainly on
that because everything It goes back to that. Every blessing that's ours is
ours because the Lord reigneth. The one who loved you and gave
himself for you is on the throne. And we move beyond those three
words, not having but barely touched on. Just barely touched
on. The Lord reigneth. Little do
we even know the reality and the ramifications of that, even
yet. But let's look at the rest of
it. Let the earth rejoice. Let God's earth rejoice. Let everyone that he made, now
think about this, we talked about creation, providence, salvation. Let everybody that he made And
everybody that he rules over and runs them. And when their
heart devises their way, he directs their steps. He's the God of
Providence. And everybody who is subject
to his sovereign will and salvation. Let all of them rejoice that
it's so. That's what this is saying. Are
you glad? Are you glad? that God made this world and
only he can destroy it? Are you glad that he controls
every germ in it? Every fish in the sea, every
molecule? Are you glad that he's calling
all the shots in that world? Are you glad that you depend
upon him and not man for your next meal? Are you glad he's going to choose
the president and not us? Let the earth rejoice that he's
on the throne. Be glad. Let all the isles there
be glad. Be glad. In other words, bow
willingly. Don't rebel. Rejoice. Don't be mad, be glad. Don't be stubborn, be still,
and know that he is God. And glorify him as God. That's in here too, isn't it?
Rejoice that he's on the throne. Are you glad that your children's
souls are in his hand? Are you glad that he makes one
vessel into honor and another out of dishonor from the same
lump? Are you glad it's him that does that? Or would you rather
it be up to them? It's just simply a matter of
glorifying him as God. The Lord reigneth and it tickles
me to death. Isn't that what it is? Glorifying
Him as God. The other day was National Atheist
Day. Did you notice that? I thought
it was a joke at first, but I found out it was real. I don't believe in atheists,
you know that. You can't hate somebody you don't know. The
Bible never says anywhere that man does not believe God exists.
It talks about all of the sin and violence and iniquity of
man and never anywhere does it say Oh vile man that doesn't
believe I exist ever anywhere Even the idolaters of ancient
Athens as recorded in Acts chapter 17 In fact turn over there. I want you to look at this with
me in Acts chapter 17 even the idolaters of of ancient Athens had established
a monument, an altar to the unknown God." Now these are idolaters extraordinaire. But look at Acts 17 verse 22. Then Paul stood in the midst
of Mars Hill and said, You men of Athens, I perceive that in
all things you are too superstitious. I'm sure you've heard this before.
When you look up that word superstitious, you know what it means? Religious.
Superstitious is not You know, being afraid if a black cat crosses
your path or being afraid to walk under a ladder, you know,
or stepping on a crack, you break your mama's back. That's not
what superstition is in the scriptural sense. Superstition is being
a Southern Baptist or a Catholic and adhering to doctrines that
are contrary to the word of God. It's being religious. It's like
the Pharisees having an outward show, you know, cleaning the
outside of the cup, but inwardly it's vile and corrupt. And he said, it didn't take him long,
and he said, you know what? You're too religious. Oh, we're
not supposed to judge anybody. Paul said, you're too religious. For as I passed by and beheld
your devotions, I found an altar with its inscription, to the
unknown God. Could we walk into a Catholic
church and say, you're too religious, you don't know God? I walked
by and saw this statue of Mary, and I said, you don't know God. An altar with this inscription,
to the unknown God, whom therefore you ignorantly worship, Him declare
I unto you. Now listen, what we've been talking
about, God is sovereign in what? First, God that made the world
and all things therein, seeing that He is who? Lord of heaven. He's the sovereign creator. And earth, The whole universe. He's on the throne. He's Lord.
He rules over it. Dwelleth not in temples made
with hands. He doesn't need you. He told
David, I don't need you to build me a house. And he said, go ahead
and build me a house. Didn't he? We do that for his
honor and for his glory and for devotion unto him. But he don't
need a house. He made our house. He don't need
us to make him one. He made this universe. And so
he's putting the proper perspective for them upon these temples and
these places of work. He made all of this. God that
made the world and all things therein. He dwells not in temples
made with hands. Verse 25, neither is worshiped
with men's hands as though he needed anything. If you look
that up there in the language, what he's saying there, he's
not worshiped by you doing something for him. Are you doing anything? And isn't that how people worship?
What can we do for the Lord today, you know? Let's come find out
what He did for us, because that's what matters now. Of course we
want to serve Him, but it ain't all about Him. That's not how
He's worshipped now. He's worshipped in acknowledging
what He has done and glorifying Him for what He has done, praising
His name for all of His works, both physical and spiritual.
He don't need anything from us. He giveth to all. He's the giver,
not you. You don't give Him anything.
You don't do for Him anything. He gives to you. He does for
you. Life and breath and what? He
just mentions life and breath because, by the way, the reason
you're even standing there is because God is the giver. But
all things, everything, He gave it to you. You didn't give it
to Him. and hath made of one blood all
nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and
hath determined that he's the God of what too? Providence. You see what he's talking about
here? Hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds
of their habitation. That's not just talking about
now he established the borders of countries and states and cities. He says to the proud sinner,
you come this far and no further. He gets every step. Everything that we're about,
he's in perfect control of everybody and everything. That they should
seek the Lord. If happily they might feel after
him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.
It's not like you have to find him like some kind of a riddle.
A lot of people think that scriptures are a riddle book, some kind
of a puzzle book that you got to figure out, you know. The
scripture, the message of scripture is blaringly plain. It's Christ
is all and we must have Christ. It's who God is revealed in Christ. It's what we are outside of Christ. And it's how a sinner can be
saved by Christ in his precious blood. It's not a puzzle. For in him, we live and move
and have our being. This is providence, everything.
If I move, that's God. If I live, that's God. We say
we're going to go into town and buy and sell and get gain. And
James said, oh, come on, vain man, what are you talking about?
What we ought to say is if the Lord will, we shall live and
move and have some being and do anything. As certain also of your own poets
have said, for we are also his offspring. For as much then as
we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the
Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone, graven by art
and man's divine. They have eyes that they can't
see God. His eyes are in every place the scripture says beholding
the evil and the good They have hands, but they can't do anything.
God says my hand's not shortened that I can't save you if I want
to They have feet but they can't walk they can't they can't go
anywhere and do anything god said I ride up on the storm And I go where I want to and
save who I want to In the times of this ignorance God winked
at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because
he hath appointed a day. God is sovereign in what else?
Look at this now. God hath appointed a day in which
he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained,
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath
raised him. From the dead There's a lot in that verse There's
a lot in that verse god's sovereignty and salvation This is just a
broad stroke in it of what god did He's going to judge every
man Not only do we live physically and move physically and have
our being in him right now But he's going to judge quick and
dead, spiritually speaking, by his son, Jesus Christ, whom they
all knew. They knew who he was talking
about. Jesus of Nazareth, who died on a cross, and above his
head was written, this is the King of the Jews, Jesus, in three
languages. This is the King of God's people. You will be judged by him. There's
none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must
be saved. When they heard of the resurrection
of the dead, some mocked and others said, we'll hear again
of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. How be it certain
men claim unto him and believed. It's put this way in another
place in the book of Acts. The Lord added daily to the church
such as should be saying, oh, we've got to grow our church.
I don't ever want to do that. I sure want the Lord to add,
though, if it's if it's his pleasure to do that. If we grow something, it'll be
an abomination. If he adds. It'll be a joy. They claimed and believed those
who were ordained to eternal life believed God's sovereign
create you see what he did province salvation The Bible never acknowledges
a sinner who does not believe that God exists, but it does
say in Romans 1 18 Turn there if you'd like I want
to read it to you Never anywhere does it acknowledge any sinner
that says God doesn't exist, but listen to what it does say.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, verse 18, Romans
one, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who
hold the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known
of God is manifest in them for God has showed it under them You think there are any exceptions
to that? Reading the context of this chapter, you think there
are any exceptions to that? God has showed it to you that
He exists. For the invisible things of Him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen. Didn't our
text say the heavens declare the righteousness of God? In
another place it says the heavens declare the glory of God. from
the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood
by the things that are made. Even his eternal power and Godhead,
so that they are without excuse. Because that when they knew God,
they go around saying, God, we don't believe that God exists.
They know God. That's why they hate him so much.
That's why they're determined. Why don't they just shut up about
it if they don't believe in God? Because they hate God so much
they want everybody to know it. They're determined to dishonor
Him. They glorified Him not as God. They knew that there's a
God, and they see the evidence of His glory and righteousness,
but they refuse to bow to Him. You see what we're talking about?
The Lord reigneth. Let everybody in the earth rejoice. They're not going to. Not everybody. But they are going to bow. Neither were thankful. You see
that? They were deliberately ungrateful
to God. They say they don't believe in God so that they can brag
on themselves for all of their accomplishments and all the things
that they have instead of thanking God for every breath, every penny,
every morsel. They're not going to do it. But became vain in their imaginations
and their foolish heart was darkened. It all starts with a hatred and
refusal to glorify God. And it ends with you being such
a blithering idiot that you don't know up from down and light from
darkness. You know anybody like that? Sad, horrible, terrible judgment. Terrible judgment. Do you rejoice
tonight that God reigns? There are two types of people.
Those who bow now And those who bow when it's too late And I want to just skip I know
we're out of time tonight But look at look back at our song
And I want you to see what this is saying just briefly in verse
two It says that there are clouds and darkness about him So far,
it's all been positive at least for those who bow The fact that
the Lord reigns is not real good news for some people. But clouds
and darkness, why? Why darkness? Why clouds? Why is he hidden? Because of
our sin. Because of our sin. Verse 3 mentions
his enemies. God has enemies. Oh, we're all
God's children. No. Most people on this earth
alive at any given moment are the enemies of God. And you know
who that is, his enemies? Everybody outside of Christ.
That's who it is. Everybody. Outside of Christ. His enemies. His lightnings it talks about.
Verse three mentions his enemies. Everybody look at verse six.
The heavens declare. The righteousness. of God and
all the people see His glory. All the people see it, but they
don't glorify Him. Not all of them. That's what
we just read about in Romans chapter 1. They see His glory,
but they refuse to honor Him. And here in verses 7 and 8, here's
the separation. Here's the separation right here,
confounded be all they that serve graven images that boast themselves
of idols. Worship him all you gods, there's
the warning, but confounded be all those that serve graven,
you know what that word confounded, it means put to shame. It's revealed
how foolish, how ignorant, how blind, Rejecting God and his son is
the stupidest thing. That anybody could ever do. And
yet. With every breath. We would,
if not for his grace and many are. Many are with every breath. Stupid, it's going to be revealed
how utterly stupid you are. To refuse him. Starving person
that refuses the bread of life a dead person Rejecting the Prince
of life and it's going to be revealed put to shame Oh But verse 8 Zion heard God's
people heard and had a very different reaction instead of rejecting
a The true God of heaven, the one
who reigns, the one who's on the throne, and picking a God
of your own, making up a God, that's what people do. That's
what an idol is. It's a made-up God. It doesn't matter whether
it's made out of wood or your vain imagination. It's a made-up
God is what it is. And if that's what happens, you're
going to be put to shame. If you choose your God over the
true God, And you'll be confounded. But Zion doesn't do that. Zion
hears of him, hears that he reigns in all realms. And they're glad. And the daughters of Judah rejoiced.
Why? Because of thy judgments, O Lord. Because in sovereign power and
authority, God makes judgments and everyone he makes, you know
what we say? Hallelujah. Because of that, you know what
that word judgments means right there? Well, judgment means wrath. Oh, be careful. You know what
it means right here? The deciding of a case. The Lord
reigneth, and he makes judgments, all of them. All judgment, all
judgment, all judgment is committed to God's Son, the Lord Jesus
Christ. And then verses 9 through 12,
for thou, Lord, art high above all the earth. We reverence him,
and we're glad when he makes a judgment. We're glad he's the
one making the judgments. Because he's high, he's exalted
far above all gods. He's worthy. Who else would you
want making the judgments? Who else would you want to sit
on the throne? Ye that love the Lord hate evil. That's what he
said about Job. Here's old Job. He fears me and
he hates evil. He hates what I hate. He preserveth
the souls of his saints. He delivered them out of the
hand of the wicked. That's what we're rejoicing about.
That's what we're glad about. The Lord is our savior, our defender,
our protector, our preserver. He saved to the uttermost those
that come to God by him. He's able to save them to the
uttermost and he's willing to do it. Light is sown for the
righteous. Do you have any light? God planted
that just for you, planted it in your heart, and it's growing,
isn't it? It's growing. He did it for his
people, gladness for the upright in heart, for those who are in
Christ. God, he's planted gladness in our hearts. It's growing,
isn't it? I'm gladder now than I was five years ago that Christ
is on the throne, that the Lamb The sovereign, invincible, successful
Lamb of God is on the throne. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
and give thanks. Can we do that tonight? Thank
God that He is on the throne, that He is the first cause of everything. And that He doeth all things
well. And that it's the Lord. It's
the Lord Jesus Christ. God's Christ. Let's be thankful
at the remembrance of His holiness. His holiness. Everything He has
done is because of His holiness. He said, I'll make all my goodness
to pass before you, Moses, and I'll have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. Even his
mercy is holy mercy. His love is holy love. His judgment is holy judgment. And as we go from here tonight,
remembering who he is and where he is, And why? And what he's done. You know why Christ is on the
throne? Because of what he did for us. He said, therefore, does
my father love me because I laid down my life for the sheep. And
if he didn't accomplish the work that his father sent him to do,
which was saving our wretched hides, he never could ascend
and sit on the throne. Not as a man, not as our savior,
not as our mediator. So let's just pray as we go. Let's be thankful. Let's pray
together.