These Things And All Things

Q: What does the Bible say about revelation from God?

The Bible teaches that God reveals spiritual truths to the humble and those who seek Him sincerely, not to the wise and proud. In Matthew 11:25, Jesus thanks the Father for hiding truths from the wise and prudent, revealing them instead to babes or the humble. This dynamic underscores a fundamental principle in Scripture: that divine revelation is not attained through intellectual pursuit or human wisdom, but through spiritual humility and dependence on God. Ephesians 3:9 reinforces this by stating that the mysteries of God are hidden in Him, available to those who earnestly seek with their whole hearts (Jeremiah 29:13). The apostle Paul similarly emphasizes that spiritual understanding comes from divine illumination rather than human understanding, as seen in Matthew 16:17.

Q: How do we know that Jesus is the way to God?

Jesus affirmed that He is the only way to the Father, emphasizing Himself as the sole mediator. In John 14:6, Jesus proclaims, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.' This assertion underscores the exclusivity and necessity of Christ for salvation. According to Scripture, no one can approach the Father without going through the Son, establishing the vital role of Jesus in reconciling humans to God. This is echoed throughout Scripture, where the emphasis remains on God's sovereign choice in salvation—illustrated by passages like Acts 13:48, where it states that 'as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.' The doctrine of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone is foundational to Reformed theology, reaffirming the necessity of faith in Christ as the only means to know God.

Q: Why is God's sovereignty important for Christians?

God’s sovereignty reassures Christians that He rules over all creation, ensuring His will is ultimately accomplished. God's sovereignty is a central tenet of Reformed theology, affirming that God has absolute authority over all aspects of the universe, including individuals' lives. As stated in Matthew 11:27, 'All things are delivered unto me of my Father,' showing Christ's sovereign dominion. This sovereignty provides comfort to believers, as they are assured that every event in the world, whether seen as positive or negative, works toward God's glorious purpose (Romans 8:28). Moreover, the believer's salvation is fully dependent on God's sovereign grace, as Ephesians 1 explains how believers are chosen in Christ 'before the foundation of the world.' Understanding God's sovereignty allows Christians to trust in His plans, find peace amid trials, and grow in faith.

If you have your Bibles, please turn back to Matthew chapter 11. Matthew chapter 11. Let's go ahead and start reading in verse 19 what the brother read a while ago. It says, the son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, behold, a man of goodness and a wine bidder, a friend of publicans and sinners, but wisdom is justified of our children.

Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. Woe unto raisin and beseda, for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in tire and silence. they would have repented long ago and sat clothed in ashes. But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Siloam that the day of judgment been for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted into heaven, shall be brought down to hell. For if a mighty works which had been done in thee had been done in Siloam, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."

And these verses here is going to be our text. At that time, Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and the prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father.

And no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son. And he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. You know, when our Lord, whenever He come to this earth, He come to save sinners. And He come to do the will of His Father. You know, His righteousness and His holiness was equal with God because He was God. And while he was here on this earth for 33 and a half years, he committed not one sin. And while he was here, he committed many acts. He performed many, many acts of love and kindness. He healed many people of their sicknesses.

Verse five of this chapter says, and we're speaking of Christ here, he says that the blind receive their sight, and the lame to walk, the leopards are cleansed, and the deaf here, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

But as we read before, in spite of all this, all of this good that he done, he was despised and he was hated, and he had many enemies. and very few friends. But most of his enemies, they were the religious leaders of that day and the political elite. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the scribes, the teachers of the law, the Hadarans, a political party allied by King Herod, then the Roman authorities, people that had high influence and the rich. And as we read before, he was falsely accused of many things, and the civilities. were that he would perform some of his greatest miracles, he was rejected.

You know, in John, God's word says, he was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He'd come into his own, talking about the Jewish people, and his own received him not. But you know, he found some friends, and they were And where did he find them? He found them among the publicans and the sinners. He found them among fishermen and the unlearned. He found them among men who had no influence at all in this world.

Look at verse 25 here of our text. It says, At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and the prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. He says here, I thank thee, O Father. You know, as a side note, Christ's ministry lasted for about three and a half years.

And as the God man, he was 100% God, but he was also 100% man. And he come to this earth, he experienced pain, he experienced hunger, he experienced grief, he experienced rejection. And he was also severely tempted throughout his earthly life. But he never gave in, and he lived a completely sinless life. But one thing to look at right here, he prayed many, many times to the Father while he was here.

And our Lord, he sets a good example for us. We need to talk to him every day, for he is our God. You know, God's word says in the book of Psalms, God is our refuge and strength. a very present help in time of trouble. And that's something that most of us face about every day of our lives.

In verse 25 in our text series, our Lord says, I thank thee that you had hid these things from the wise and the prudent. But wise, those who consider themselves too wise or too proud of their human understanding above others, they rest in that. They have faith in their own, in their works and the things that they do. But God just leaves them to themselves.

You know, the greatest sin that a man can commit is a sin of unbelief. It's a sin of not believing the record that God has given us of his son. It's not believing that Jesus Christ is almighty God. It's not believing that he would come to this earth and he was born of the seed of a woman and that he walked on this earth for 33 and a half years and he come to die for the sins of those that the father had placed in him before the world began.

But he says that you have hid these things. He says that you have hid these things from the rising of Bruton, or the proud, or the unbeliever. What are these things he's talking about? He's talking about the truth of the gospel. He's talking about spiritual things that the natural man cannot see. He's talking about things that only God can open the eyes of a believer up to see and to understand.

You know, the truth is hid where men are not looking. In today's world and false religion, most men are not looking to Jesus Christ. They're looking to God. You know, he says that no man can come unto the Father but by me. But when you look at the world as a whole today, how many worship God and they don't even think nothing about Christ? But they're looking in the wrong place.

Ephesians 3, 9 says, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery. which from the beginning of the world have been hid in God, who created all things by the Christ of God. It's hid in Christ. Life is in Christ, it's not in our works.

The Bible plainly says over in the book of Isaiah, we are all as an unclean thing and all of our righteousness are as filthy rags. If you would, turn to Colossians chapter two. Let's look at verses 2 and 3. He says in verse 2 of Galatians chapter 2, that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love into all reaches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ, in whom we are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, the treasures of grace. As believers, we know that we need his graces every day of our life.

The treasure of forgiveness. We need to cry to God every day. We need forgiveness. You know, the Christian we have, every day we cry. But believer, we cry for mercy. We cry for mercy every day. And then we repent every day. And we keep right on repenting because God has revealed to us who we are. And we thank Him for that.

You know, the treasures of grace, forgiveness, mercy, we need that every day. Peace, we need His peace every day of our lives. Love, you know, it's not that we love Him, but when you meditate and think about it, Almighty God would love somebody like me. That's beyond my thinking, you know. But we need it every day. We rest in Christ Jesus, the work and the sacrifice that he did while he was here. And we know that all spiritual life is in Christ. It's all found in him. How is it revealed? Well, it was not revealed by the natural man. If you turn over a few pages to Matthew 16, he'll tell us here how it's revealed whenever on Peter's confession here. Matthew 16, look at verse 13.

It says in verse 13, when Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? And they said, some say that thou art John the Baptist, some, Eliza, and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He said unto them, But whom do you say that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood have not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. It is revealed by the revelation of God. What does that mean? It means to remove or to uncover the veil. And it's how God discloses divine knowledge to a believer. A natural man are blind to the truth of God's word.

You know, saving faith is only found in Christ. And it's also hidden in the scriptures. If you will, turn to 2 Timothy chapter 3. You say, well, you say it's only hitting Christ, and then you're having to look at the Scriptures. You cannot separate the Scriptures from our Lord Jesus Christ. He says here in verse 15, and Paul's talking to Timothy here.

He says, and that from a child, From the child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to do what? Make thee wise unto salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. As I said before, you can't separate the incarnate word from the written word. You know, in John chapter 1, the scriptures say, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And then 14th chapter, 14th verse, it says, and the Word was made flesh. And then in Psalms 47, you know, there's not anything that a child of God, a believer wants more than anything is to know Christ.

That's right at the top of the list. Not to know about Him, but to know Christ. And only God, only God can reveal the mysteries of the gospel. And He reveals those mysteries only to those that are in Christ. And it says in Jeremiah chapter 29 verse 13, he says, and you shall seek me, and this is a promise, and you shall seek me and find me when you shall search for me with all your heart.

That's in Jeremiah. Let's go back to the text. Here in verse 25, you know, the word of truth remains hidden to the man that doesn't look to Christ. And there's so many people in this world that don't. But even in the day that Christ was here, those people was there. Romans 10 says, for I borrow them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

That's where the righteousness, He is all of our righteousness, our redemption, our sanctification. John 14 verse 6 says, I'm the way. He didn't say I am a way. He said I'm the way. And He's the truth. And He is also the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. And there's many reasons for that.

The first that I particularly love is in Ephesians chapter 1. It says, in whom we have the redemption. We have the redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. You know, we talk about the forgiveness of sins, but if we could sometime get down and really think about it and meditate and think about what that means. Be one of God's chosen people, placed in Christ, we're the foundation of the world. You know, meditating on Christ will also, will always bless a believer's soul.

Verse 25 of our text here in Matthew 11, it says, at that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because I have had these things from the wise and the prudent, and have revealed them unto babes. Who are the babes?

You know, when God opens the eyes of one of his elect, they realize how much they need him. They see him for who he is, and they know that they need him for everything. And I want to emphasize that word everything. We need him for everything, not only in our spiritual life, but we need him in his physical life.

You know, Christ comforted his disciples by calling them little children. He was emphasizing his deep love and his tender care for them. You know, a child is humble and very eager to learn. So, you know, like, you know, when God opens the eyes of one of his sheep, he may be five years old or he may be 75 year old. But if he's 75 year old, he's still a child. And that's where he opens his eyes up to him.

It says right here, you know, we're talking about Peter and John. They were unlearnt men. But it says here in Acts, now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, they perceived that they were unlearnt and ignorant men. They marveled because they realized that he had been with Christ. The believer has a sincere desire to always strive to grow through the power of God to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's read verse 26 here in our text. He says, even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight. You know, we see here the absolute solemnity of God. You know, God takes what ways that he pleases to glory himself. His grace is his own, and he may give or refold it as he pleases. Romans 9, 15 states, where he said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. God's people realizes that he's God. He rules and he reigns.

Notice Christ said here, even so, Father, for it seemed good in thy sight. You know, to cry you God, the Trinity of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, they are always in perfect agreement on all things. Let's look here at verse 27. It says, all things. All things are delivered in her text here.

All things are delivered unto me of my father. And no man knoweth the son but the father, neither knoweth any man the father save the son. And he to whomsoever the son will reveal him. They say, sure, that all things are delivered unto me of my Father.

And when Christ here says all things, he means all things. If there's one thing that we can never do is exalt Jesus Christ too much, worship him too much. Christ has all authority, all power over everything. Our Lord has absolute sovereignty over all of creation. So we'll turn to Galatians chapter 1. One verse that plainly explains this is verse 16 and 17 here in Galatians 1. He has absolute power over all things. Why?

Because He created all things. It says, For by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth. Visible and invisible, wherever it be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and it is by Him that all things consist. And the Bible speaks of this throughout the Scripture, all Caesar and John, that all things were made by Him, without Him was not anything made that was made.

Then in Hebrews, The Bible says that in these last days, God was spoken to us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds. Now, why did God create? You know, He didn't have to. He's God. He was completely satisfied. But He decided to create the heavens and the earth. Why did He do that?

A good verse that explains this right here is in Revelation 4.11. It says that thou art worthy, O Lord, and he is, to receive all glory, and he is worthy to receive all honor, for he has all power. And it says here, for thou hast created all things, And for their pleasure, they are and were created. They were created for his pleasure. God's people, they believe it, because they know that God's word is absolute truth.

You know, our Lord Jesus Christ is absolute sovereign in salvation also. You know, we don't go to God to save, to get saved, like so many in false religion does. But he comes to those to whom he has chosen to save. John 15, and this is Christ speaking. He says, you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you. You know, the word ordained means to destined or for ordained. It's something to be predetermined by a higher power, and this higher power is God Almighty. You know, let's take a look at verse, Acts 13. Acts chapter 13. Acts chapter 13, look at verse 44.

Paul and Barlimas had been sent to the Jews to preach the gospel. He says here in verse 44 of Acts 13, and the next Sabbath day come almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and they spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. And Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said, it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you.

But seeing that you have put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have sent thee to be a light of the Gentiles, and thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and they glorified the word of the Lord.

And listen to this, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And I thank God for that. as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 2 Thessalonians says, God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth.

Salvation is all of the Lord from start to finish. In Galatians it says, but when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman and made under the law. to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. We were redeemed by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know, Christ fulfilled the law completely.

He satisfied the holiness and the justice of God, and also throughout the believer's life. And we can understand this. Throughout the believer's life, it's the Spirit of Christ that keeps us from falling. We don't keep ourselves from falling. It's the Spirit of Christ. You know, Paul refers to the Spirit of Jesus Christ as the source of his spiritual deliverance and his help.

Let's also turn to Jude, to the book of Jude. The little book of Jude is just before the Revelation. There's only one chapter. Speaking of the Spirit of Christ, verses 24. And I thank God for this. It says in verse 24 of the book of Jude. This is speaking of the Spirit of Christ. we live in. You know, in John it says, we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him. It's speaking of Christ. For we shall see Him as He is. Can you imagine being like Christ? I can't. No sin at all. No evil thoughts. No evil deeds. Being completely, completely sinless.

But that's another promise that He has promised us. You know, all salvation is of the Lord. And that gives it to believers. such peace and rest and joy, and knowing that right there. We'll go back to our text here. Our text says here, all things, all things are delivered unto me of my Father.

You know, God is absolute sovereign in creation and salvation, but he's also in this Blessed is the heart of a believer. He's also absolute sovereign in providence in our day-to-day lives. Everything that happens to us is by the permissive will of God. You know, the word of God, from beginning to end, teaches that God is absolute sovereign and controls everybody and everything. And he works out his own foreordained purpose and plan for every one of his believers.

And one place in Scripture that Pliny teaches this is in Daniel 4.35. And it says, And we know that all 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 say unto him, What doest thou? You know, what's being said here is that All human beings, all human beings, it don't matter how powerful they are, it don't matter how wealthy they are, or how important that they may think that they are, they are completely insignificant when it's compared to the infinite will and the power of God. Let's read our text here in Matthew 11, verse 27. Let's go back to it.

All things are delivered unto me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. You know, John 1 of 8 says that no man hath seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

In the bosom of the father, that represents the deepest, most intimate, and affectionate relationship that is imaginable. It shows that the son shares the very heart and the character of the father. And the reason for this is that they are one. And the Bible plainly speaks this.

The word of God says, Christ says, I and my Father are one. And then in John 14, Christ says, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. You know, only God is great enough to understand God. A man cannot know him by his own strength and intellect, but the Lord Jesus Christ can and does reveal the Father to those whom he has chosen. So whoever comes to know the Son will come to know the Father.

In John 17, Christ prayed for all believers, and this is another promise that he's made to each and every one of his children. He says that they all He's talked to all believers and only believers. He says that they all may be one as our Father are in me and I in thee.

But they also may be one in us. You know, Christ has the power. It's a wonderful promise. Christ, he has the power, the authority, and the will, and the love to keep that promise. And we look to Christ. He is our strength. He is our courage. And he helps us to get through today. And no matter what we face in this life, we know We know, the Bible tells us that we know that it's for His glory and it's for the good of His people. Amen.

These Things And All Things

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about revelation from God?

How do we know that Jesus is the way to God?

Why is God's sovereignty important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

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These Things And All Things

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about revelation from God?

How do we know that Jesus is the way to God?

Why is God's sovereignty important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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