The sermon titled "Meeting God As He Is" by Gary Shepard focuses on the theological concept of God's sovereignty and holiness, emphasizing how individuals will encounter God in His true nature upon death. Shepard argues that many people misunderstand God, thinking of Him through a lens of personal imagination or cultural misconceptions, highlighting that when they face God, they will meet Him as He has revealed Himself in Scripture, specifically through Isaiah 45:18-25. He stresses the importance of recognizing God as the singular Creator and a just Savior, stating that true knowledge of God comes not from human reasoning but through divine revelation. The sermon serves as a call to acknowledge the reality of God's sovereignty over life and death, urging believers to understand their relationship with Him in light of His justice and grace, which fundamentally shapes their hope and assurance in salvation.
Key Quotes
“Every person dies, whether it be sudden, whether their dying be prolonged. They all die and they go out immediately to meet God.”
“None can ever know the true God by their own reasoning, or by natural inquiry, or by their own intellect, or by sight.”
“The just God and the Savior: He is a just God and a Savior at the same time.”
“When we meet God, what is He going to be? Just what He said in His faithful unchangeableness that He said He'd be...”
The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over all things, with no accidents or mistakes in His divine plan.
The sovereignty of God is a foundational truth within Scripture, emphasized in passages like Isaiah 45:18-25. Here, God declares Himself as the Creator who has established the heavens and ordained all circumstances. As stated in Romans 8:28-30, all things work together for the good of those who are called according to His purpose. This means that He governs the world in such a way that even the evils and struggles are under His control and ultimately serve His redemptive purposes for His people. God's sovereignty assures us that nothing happens outside of His will, which provides security and hope amidst life's uncertainties.
Isaiah 45:18-25, Romans 8:28-30
God's justice is evident in His requirement of righteousness and His provision of salvation through Christ.
The justice of God is a crucial aspect of His character, woven throughout Scripture. In Isaiah 45:21, God presents Himself as a 'just God and a Savior,' indicating that His righteousness demands justice while also providing a means of salvation. This balance is essential; God's holiness requires Him to address sin, and it is only through the sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ that His justice is satisfied. Romans 3:26 encapsulates this, showing that God is just while also being the justifier of those who have faith in Christ. Therefore, God is not arbitrary in His justice but is faithful to His own nature in dealing with sin while extending grace to His people.
Isaiah 45:21, Romans 3:26
Understanding God's grace is essential because it highlights our dependence on Him for salvation and sustenance.
God's grace is the unmerited favor He extends to sinners, allowing for salvation that is not based on our works but on His sovereign choice. As expressed in Ephesians 2:8-9, it is by grace we are saved through faith, not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. This principle is critical for Christians because it underscores the reality that our salvation is entirely dependent on God's initiative and not our own efforts, reminding us to live in a state of gratitude and humility. Moreover, grace empowers us to live out our faith, as demonstrated in Romans 5:20, where we learn that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Thus, recognizing the depth of God's grace leads believers to worship Him sincerely and reflect His grace in our relationships with others.
Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 5:20
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