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Charles Spurgeon

The Plan

Charles Spurgeon • March, 12 2008 • Audio
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Choice Puritan Devotional

In his sermon "The Plan," C. H. Spurgeon addresses the doctrine of God's sovereign eternal purpose, emphasizing that God orchestrates all events in creation according to His divine plan, devoid of chance or accident. He argues that human actions, despite appearing to be free, are ultimately guided by God's mysterious sovereignty, wherein nothing escapes His foreknowledge or control, as supported by passages such as Isaiah 46:10, which affirms God's declaration of the end from the beginning. Spurgeon's assertions highlight the Reformed tenet of divine providence, assuring believers that their lives are meticulously arranged for their ultimate good, allowing them to trust in God’s overarching providence during trials. This sermon serves to bolster the believer's faith in God's unchanging purpose, promoting a posture of trust and hope amidst life's uncertainties.

Key Quotes

“God has determined the end from the beginning.”

“Everything that has moved or shall move in heaven and earth and hell has been, is, and shall be according to the counsel and foreknowledge of God.”

“Let us trust God's heart, where we cannot trace His hand.”

“In the end, we shall read the whole of God's purpose as one grand poem.”

What does the Bible say about God's plan?

The Bible teaches that God has a sovereign plan that encompasses all of creation.

Scripture illustrates that God operates according to a divine plan, evident in passages like Ephesians 1:11, which states that God works all things according to the counsel of His will. Acts 4:27-28 also reinforces this concept, indicating that even the actions of men are ultimately orchestrated to fulfill God's purposes. This underscores the idea that God's sovereignty extends over every aspect of life, ensuring that nothing occurs outside of His predetermined plan.

Ephesians 1:11, Acts 4:27-28

How do we know God's sovereignty is true?

God's sovereignty is affirmed throughout Scripture, demonstrating His control over all events.

The truth of God's sovereignty is grounded in His omnipotence and omniscience, as articulated in passages like Isaiah 46:10, which declares that God declares the end from the beginning. This assurance is seen in how God guides and governs the thoughts and actions of humanity, as shown in Proverbs 21:1, confirming that even the hearts of kings are in His hands. Thus, God's unwavering control over creation serves as a foundational truth within the faith.

Isaiah 46:10, Proverbs 21:1

Why is trusting God's plan important for Christians?

Trusting God's plan allows Christians to find peace and assurance amidst uncertainty.

Embracing God's plan is crucial for Christians, as it fosters a deep sense of trust in His providence and care. Romans 8:28 assures believers that all things work together for good for those who love God. By acknowledging the divine arrangement in our lives, Christians can approach trials with patience and hope, knowing that their suffering has a purpose under God's sovereign hand. This trust enables believers to remain steadfast, relying on God even when circumstances seem chaotic or unclear.

Romans 8:28

Sermon Transcript

Auto-generated transcript • May contain errors

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The Plan by Charles Spurgeon God does not work without a plan. God has not left the world to chance. There are some men who are always kicking against the doctrine of an eternal purpose, and who grow angry if you assert that God has settled what shall occur. It is by the consent of all agreed that men are foolish if they work without a plan, and yet they cry out when we insist that God also, in all His working, is fulfilling a well-arranged design. Depend upon it, however. Let men rebel against this truth as they will, that God has determined the end from the beginning.

He has left no screw loose in the machine. He has left nothing to chance or accident. Nothing with God is the subject of an if or a perhaps, but even the agency of man, free as it is, as untouched and undisturbed as if there were no God, even this is guided by his mysterious power and works out thoroughly his own purpose in every jot and tittle. God wings the thunderbolt, and shall he not guide the most passionate spirit of man? God puts a bit into the mouth of the whirlwind, and shall he not control the most ambitious will? God takes care that even the sea shall come no farther than he bids it, and shall not the heart of man be equally subject to the divine purpose?

Everything that has moved or shall move in heaven and earth and hell has been, is, and shall be according to the counsel and foreknowledge of God, fulfilling a holy, just, wise, and unalterable purpose. God is wonderful in His design and excellent in His working.

Believer, God overrules all things for your good. The needs be for all that you have suffered has been most accurately determined by God. Your course is all mapped out by your Lord. Nothing will take Him by surprise. There will be no novelties to Him. There will be no occurrences which He did not foresee, and for which, therefore, He was not provided. He has arranged all, and you have but to patiently wait, and you shall sing a song of deliverance.

Your life has been arranged on the best possible principles, so that if you had been gifted with unerring wisdom, you would have arranged a life for yourselves exactly similar to the one through which you have passed. Let us trust God's heart, where we cannot trace His hand. In the end, we shall read the whole of God's purpose as one grand poem, and there will not be one verse in it that has a syllable too much or a word too little. There will be not one stanza or one letter redundant, much less one that is erased.

But from the beginning to the end, we shall see the master pen and the master mind drawing forth the glorious array of majestic thoughts. and with angels, and seraphs, and principalities, and powers, shall burst forth into one mighty song,

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent reigns.

We shall see how from the first, even to the last, the king has been ruling all things according to his own sovereign will.

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Charles Spurgeon
About Charles Spurgeon
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (19 June 1834 — 31 January 1892) was an English Particular Baptist preacher. His nickname is the "Prince of Preachers."
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