The title of our message tonight
is His Sovereign Will and Purpose. We serve a God of purpose, and
He has a will for every man. You know, a preacher once said
preaching was not designed to teach us something new in every
sermon, something that we did not know before, but its main
purpose is to put us into remembrance of things that we do know. One
thing to always remember is that all scripture, beginning to the
end, is absolute truth. God's Word says in Timothy 3.16,
all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. 2 Peter 1, 20 and 21, the word
of God says, knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture
is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in
old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost. And then in 1 John 5, 7, the
scripture says that there are three that by record in heaven
the Father, the Word, which is Jesus Christ our Lord, and the
Holy Ghost. And we must always remember that
these three are one. We worship one God in three persons. One of my favorite verses that
describes our Lord Jesus Christ is in Isaiah, and we all know
it, and you're real familiar with it. But it says, for unto
us a child is born, and to us a son is given. and his name
shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, the Everlasting
Father, and the Prince of Peace." We're going to look at some things
that the Holy Scripture say about our Lord Jesus. Not what the
world says, but what God's Word says. You know, our Lord Jesus
is absolute sovereign. creation, providence, and salvation. And we're going to look at all
three of those for a few minutes. But the word absolute means not
diminished in any way, but total. As a believer, I need to realize
that nothing just happens. Our Lord has a purpose and a
plan for everyone and all things. In other words, nothing happens
without the permissive or the directive will of God. If you
will, Turn to Romans chapter 11, verses 33 through 36. Romans chapter 11,
33 through 36, the word of God says, O the death of the rich is both
of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are
his judgments and his ways past finding out. For who hath known
the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counselor, or who
hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto
him again. For of him, and through him,
and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. If you will, turn to Isaiah chapter
46. Our God is absolutely sovereign in
all things. Verses 9 and 10. He says, Remember the former
things of old, For I am God, and there is none else. I am
God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times to things that are not yet done, saying,
my counsels will stand, and I will do all my pleasure. Now we're
going to look for a minute at what the scripture says about
Christ and creation. Turn to a very familiar scripture. It's in the book of Colossians. Galatians chapter 1, verses 16 and 17. This is speaking of our Lord
Jesus Christ. God's word says, 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. And listen to this, and he is
before all things, and it is by him that all things consist. And then in the book of John,
Chapter 1, verses 1-3 says, In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the same was in the beginning with
God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not
anything made that was made. These verses plainly explain
and show that Jesus Christ is absolutely sovereign in creation. Now concerning his sovereignty
and providence, there's many, many verses throughout the Bible,
but we're going to look at two of them. One of them is in the
book of Daniel, and it says that all of the inhabitants of the
earth are reputed as nothing, and he doeth according to his
will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the
earth, and none can stay his hand, or say, what doeth thou?
The Bible says it is God which worketh in you both to will and
to do of his good pleasure. Now, if you would, please turn
to 1 Chronicles 29. First Chronicles 29, speaking of our Lord here, of
His sovereignty. Verses 11 and 12. The Bible says, Thine, O Lord,
is the greatness and the power and the glory. and the victory
and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the
earth is thine. Thine is the kingdom, O Lord,
and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor
come of thee, and thou ringeth over all. And in thy hand is
power and might, and in thy hand it is to make great and to give
strength unto all. And our Lord is also absolutely
sovereign in salvation. The world don't like the word
sovereign. One thing I never heard of whenever
I was in religion was the word that God was absolutely sovereign
in providence. But that's not the case. But
in Acts 4.12, The Word of God says, and it's so easy to understand,
neither is there salvation in any other. There is none other
name under heaven given among men, whereby that we must be
saved. I have had so many people to
tell me, I have made my peace with God. That's impossible.
We have to go through our great high priest, and that's the Lord
Jesus Christ. In John 14.6, our Lord Jesus
plainly says, he says, I am the way, I am the truth, and I am
the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me. All the
promises of God for his chosen people are in Christ Jesus. There is no love of God outside
of Christ. He says in 2 Corinthians 1.20, For all the promises, the scriptures
back that up, for all the promises of God in him are yea, and in
him, amen, and to the glory of God by us. God's word says in
Galatians, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of our Godhead
body. and we are complete in him. The believer's main focus
should be upon the person, our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ said
in Matthew, all power is given unto me in heaven and earth.
God's holy word says in John, he that believeth on a son hath
life, and he that believeth not on a son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God abideth on him. God has a definite plan
and a purpose for the world, and he is always in control of
all things, and is constantly at work in accomplishing his
plan. And God controls, and he uses everyone, even the devil,
in working out his plan. Job, like every true believer,
he knew that the Lord was sovereign in providence. He knew that the
Lord is the first cause of all things. Satan and other second
causes can only do what God pleases to permit them to do. As for
the Lord's elect, they must always remember what it says in the
Book of Romans. that we know that all things,
all things, Job know this, all things work together to good
to them that love God. But he don't stop there. It says
to them who are the call according to his purpose. The book of Job
is said to be the oldest book in the Bible. Job lived before
Moses did. And with that in mind, the gospel
of redemption is older than creation. In Revelation, it speaks of Christ
our Lord as a lamb slain on the foundation of the world. The
Bible says in the book of Romans, for all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God. You know, our God is a covenant
God. He made a covenant with Noah,
Abraham. He made one with Moses, David,
and other Old Testament prophets. And the Lord always keeps his
promises. Speaking of Christ Jesus, God's
word says that his blood is a covenant that is everlasting. Hebrews
13, 20 says, now the God of peace that brought again from the dead
our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood
of the everlasting covenant, And then we're gonna look at
one more place. Let's look at Matthew 26. The Lord, just before
his crucifixion at the last Passover supper, Matthew 26. In verse
26. Him and his disciples were breaking
bread. He says, as they were eating,
Jesus took the bread and blessed it. He broke it, and he gave
it to the disciples and said, take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup, and he gave
thanks, and he gave it to them, saying, drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the New
Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Listen to this. But I say unto
you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until
the day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. All
of God's elect are his disciples. Our Lord Jesus said in John 14,
he said, I go to prepare a place for you. And then he says that
I'll come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am,
there you may be also. We're going to go to our text
now, if you would. Job 19. Our text is going to be from
Job 19. This was some 3,000 years before
Christ come to this earth. But the Lord had put his faith
in Job to know that his redeemer would live. Our text is 23 through
27. It says, oh, that my words were
now written. Oh, that they were printed in
a book. But they were graven with an iron pen and led in the
rock forever. Job says, for I know, I know
that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter
day upon the earth. He was talking about Christ when
he was born in Bethlehem. And he lived for 33 and a half
years on this earth before he went to the cross. And though
after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I
see God. whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another, for my reign is
consumed within me. You know, Job went through great
pain and suffering, but like all true believers, in their
heart and in their soul, they know that regardless of what
happens to them in their life, it's for the will of God, it's
for His glory, and it's for our spiritual good. Most of the time
it's for our spiritual good. At times it may be for our physical
good. But it says, if you will, look at
the last part of verse 21, just above there. You know, Job, he
knew, he didn't, it says here, it says here at the top of verse,
at the bottom of verse 21, Job said, the hand of God hath touched
me. Job knew that what he was going
through, it was by the permissive or the directive will of God.
He knew that. He knew that with all of his
heart. He didn't say the hand of Satan did this. He said, I'm
at the hand of God, did it touch me? And then Job says in chapter
13, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. Job went through
many trials. We go through many trials today,
all of us. Job said that a man is born of
a woman, but his days are few and full of trouble. You know? And it seems like I've been here
at no time. And then already, you know, it is. Life's like a vapor. It
appears for a little while, and it's gone. I know when you're
young, you don't realize that. But when you get some years on
you, you look back, and you say, where did it go? It goes fast. But if you will, look at 1 Peter
1. Verses six through nine. God's word says, wherein you
greatly rejoice, for now, now for a season. If need be, you
are in heaviness through manifold temptations. that the crown of
your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perished, though
it be cried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor
and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, whom having not
seen, yet love, and whom, though now you see him not, yet believing,
you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving
the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. If you
remember back in Genesis, whenever Adam committed that first sin,
Adam and Eve died spiritually, not physically, but they died
spiritually. And sin passed upon all men, but fellowship of God
come to an end. And God, in his holiness and
in his justice and in his righteousness, he must condemn sin because the
law of God had been broken. But the Lord He knew there would
be a Redeemer, a mediator between God and man, a Savior. The payment
of sin is blood, and that blood must be perfect and without spot, must be spotless. And the only
one that could redeem God's chosen people The only one that could
redeem him was an almighty God himself in the person of our
Lord Jesus Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5.21, God's
word says, speaking of the Lord, he says, for he hath made him
to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him. And then God's word says that
salvation is of the Lord. If you will, look at John 19. His perfect obedience is our
righteousness. We have no righteousness within
ourself. His blood sacrifice is our justification. It says
in verse 28 of John 19, it says, after this, Jesus, knowing that
all things were now accomplished, that the scriptures might be
fulfilled, said, I thirst. Now there was a vessel full of
vinegar, and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it up on
his spit, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus, therefore, had received
the vinegar, he said, it is finished. The work of salvation is finished. It has been accomplished. He
bowed his head and gave up the ghost. But Bible plainly says
in Ephesians, for by grace are you saved through faith, which
is a gift from God. Everything is a gift from God
that we receive. We have nothing to offer him. And that not of ourselves, it
is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Something
to take note of in Genesis is that when Adam and Eve sinned,
they sinned their shame and their nakedness, And they sowed big
leaves to cover themselves up. But this was unacceptable in
the eyes of God. So in Genesis 321, the Lord made
coats of skins, and he clothed them. Adam stood there, and he
received it. He didn't kill the lamb. He didn't
shed the blood. He didn't make the coats of skin.
And he didn't cover himself. God did it all. And this is pointing
to Calvary, our Lord Jesus Christ. Concerning all of God's elect
in the Old Testament, Hebrews 11, 13 says, they all died in
faith, not having received the promises. And as the pastor said
to you every day, you can change that word faith to the Lord Jesus
Christ. These all died in Christ. Having
not seen, they were looking ahead. far off, and they were persuaded
of him and embraced them, and they confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They all looked forward
to the Lord's coming. We, on the other hand, we look
back at his coming, but we also look ahead to his coming. He
could come at any time. Titus 2.13, looking for that
blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and
our Savior, Jesus Christ. Okay, if you will, go back to
your text, Job 19. In verse 27 of our text, it says,
Whom I shall see for myself, and my eye shall be whole, and
not another, will my ring be consumed within me. What is Job here saying? When
he says that both my rings be consumed, he's saying that he
has an earnest desire to see and to be with her Lord. We all
do. All of God's elect, they have
a desire to be like Christ. He says over in the book of John,
Beloved now are ye the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what ye shall be. But we know that when he shall
appear, that ye shall be like him, for you shall be able to
see him. Imagine that, to be able to see
him as he is. And you know, the Lord's gonna
have the preeminence in all things. If we look at Revelation 5, I'm
just about finished. Revelation 5. Verses 11 to 13,
Revelation 5. Verse 11, and I beheld, and I
heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the
beast, and the elders. And listen to this, and the number
of them was 10,000 times 10,000, and thousands of thousands, saying
with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive
power. and riches, and wisdom, and strength,
and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in
heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as
are in the sea, and all that are in them, hear thy saying,
blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that setteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. That's the record that God has
given us of his son. It says in 1 John 5, verses 11
through 13. This is a record. You know, the
Bible says, believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved. But it's to believe on the Christ
of the Bible, of the Holy Scriptures. He is absolutely sovereign in
all things. It says, as I said, this is a
record that God hath given us, to us, eternal life, and this
life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life,
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things,
listen to this, these things have I written unto you that
believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that
you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of
the Son of God. And that's the Son of God that
is in the Holy Scriptures. It's all in Christ. We need to
look to Christ, and we need to keep looking to Christ each and
every day of our lives. I'm so full of sin, but it's
not about me. It's all about Him. I thank God
for His mercy. I thank Him for His grace. I
thank Him for His love. And I thank Him for His precious
blood. I'm finished.