Scripture Reading: Psalm 139:1-12

"God knows instantly and effortlessly all matter and all matters . . . all causes, all thoughts, all mysteries, all enigmas, all feeling, all desires, things visible and invisible in heaven and in earth, motion, space, time, life, death, good, evil, heaven, and hell . . . Because God knows all things perfectly, He knows no thing better than any other thing, but all things equally well. He never discovers anything, He is never surprised, never amazed. He never wonders about anything nor does He seek information or ask questions."

(A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy)

The notion that God knows everything is both comforting and chilling. It is comforting because when we experience heartaches and sorrows, we can go to God with the full assurance that He knows exactly how we feel. How comforting to think that we serve a God who understands us even more completely than we do. He knows our fears and distresses like no one else.

But the idea that God knows everything is also chilling because we cannot hide anything from Him. He knows all about the secret sins we harbor in the recesses of our minds, where no one sees. He knows the depth of our selfishness and the greed and lust and pride that color our motives.

May God help us to find great strength and comfort with the understanding that God knows us through and through. And may we be drawn to a greater purity, knowing that everything we think and do is open before His eyes.

Due to technical difficulties the first 2 minutes of the sermon are missing.

Originally Presented: August 26, 2007

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:18-25

Among other things, this passage in Romans 8 is intended to be an encouragement to Christians concerning suffering in their lives. In the first century the Christians in Rome suffered greatly. This passage was meant to give them, and us, a perspective through which to understand and endure the trouble of life.

Romans 8:19-22 is something of a commentary on Genesis 3:17,18. In Genesis we see that, in response to Adam's sin, the earth was cursed. The results of this curse include weeds, thorns, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, flooding, drought. Paul's description of God's curse in Romans 8:19 is to say "creation was subjected to futility." In verse 21 he refers to God's curse as a "slavery to corruption." In Romans 8:19, Paul personifies the physical creation, saying, "The whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth."

But this passage is not a funeral dirge, nor a hymn of despair. It is a song of hope and strength. According to Romans 8:20 God subjected the creation to futility in hope. The purpose of suffering in the world is to illustrate the horror of sin so that man would hasten to God as the only hope there is for life and peace. God brought plagues on the people of Egypt that they might "know that I am the LORD" (Exod 7:5).

The 'groaning' of creation echoes the groaning of the children of God, eagerly waiting for the completion of our salvation in Christ, namely the redemption of our body (Rom 8:23). But this waiting is not a passive waiting it is a persevering waiting. Knowing the final outcome of our salvation in Christ, we suffer with endurance and hope and even joy.

The wisdom and the knowledge of God are not exactly the same characteristic, but are related. God's knowledge is "that perfection of God whereby He . . . knows Himself and all things possible and actual . . . ." (L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 66). God's wisdom is "that perfection of God whereby He applies His knowledge to the attainment of His ends in a way which glorifies Him most" (Berkhof, Theology, 69).

"Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever; for wisdom and power belong to Him" (Dan 2:20). It is an amazing thing to think about the blending of God's attributes. God applies His perfect knowledge, by His unlimited power and His glorious sovereignty, to His creation in order to demonstrate His unsearchable wisdom and to attain the goals established by His holy will.

God's wisdom is on display in creation. In Psalm 104, after describing the wonders of the earth and the universe, the Psalmist exclaims, "O LORD, how manifold are your works" (Psa 104:24).

God's wisdom is on display in the redemption of Christians. "In him [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight" (Eph 1:7,8).

Let our response to God's matchless wisdom be the response of the Psalmist … "May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works . . . I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being" (Psa 104:31,33).

Originally Presented: August 12th, 2007

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:16-25

There is an interesting and significant dynamic suggested in the wording of Romans 8:17. In that verse Paul links suffering and glory. Citing that Christians are "fellow-heirs with Christ," Paul says, "if, indeed, we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." There are numerous Bible passages which unite the ideas of suffering and glory (e.g. 2 Cor 4:17,18; Col 1:24-27; 2 Tim 2:12).

This section of Romans gives us a Biblical and eternal perspective of the many trials and heartaches we experience during our lifetime. Romans 8:18, alone, provides us with some helpful guidelines for dealing with pain. "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Rom 8:18).

First, we are reminded that our sufferings are experienced during "this present time," and that there is an "age to come." Christians realize that the sufferings of life are not only temporary, but, in terms of eternity, short-lived. This is how Paul can refer to his multiplied and grievous troubles (cf. 2 Cor 11:23-28) as "light" and "momentary" (cf. 2 Cor 4:17).

Second, the age to come is glorious. The phrase in Romans 8:18 is "the glory that is to be revealed to us." It is no small comfort to remember that eternal life entails a final end to sorrow and tears and pain and death and sin. Words cannot describe the wonder and glory of being able to experience the infinite God directly, in His presence, and without sin. Whatever we struggle with in our lives, there is no comparison with what awaits children of God. That is a strength-producing truth.

God said to Abraham, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless" (Gen 17:1). The Psalmist declared, "Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases" (Psa 115:3). The power of God is His ability to do everything and anything He purposes to do.

In his massive book, The Existence and Attributes of God, Stephen Charnock (1628-1680) wrote: "The power of God gives activity to all the other perfections of his nature. . . . How vain would be his eternal counsels, if power did not step in to execute them! . . . As holiness is the beauty [of all God's attributes], so power is the life of all his attributes in their exercise" (Charnock, Attributes, 2:15).

We see God's power reflected in the creation of and the sustaining of the universe. In all the purposes for God's use of His power, two grand purposes stand out: (1) eternal life for those who believe in Christ, and (2) eternal penalty for those who reject Christ.

God is able to save Christians from the power of death and hell and, at the resurrection, to raise their bodies from the grave in an eternal form. It is in the power of God that the longing of our souls to live forever is satisfied.

On the other hand, one day the Almighty will stand up against all those who rebel against Him and will consume them with the power of His wrath. And because God is omnipotent, there will be no escape … forever. The only refuge there is from the power of God's wrath is the power of His love, which He has displayed in His Son.

Originally Presented: August 5, 2007

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:12-16

When Romans 8:16 says, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God," we must consider as to what that witness of the Spirit is. There is no question of greater importance than the question as to whether or not we truly are children of God. What is the witness of the Holy Spirit within us that gives us assurance that we, indeed, belong to God?

(1) There is, in our spirit, a longing for and a growing understanding of spiritual things (Jn 16:13; 1 Cor 2:12).

(2) There is, in our spirit, a desire to obey the commands of God (Ezek 36:27).

(3) There is, in our spirit, a desire to know Jesus Christ better (Jn 16:14).

(4) There is, in our spirit, an increasing awareness of and a deep concern about our sin (Jn 16:8).

(5) There is, in our spirit, a genuine love for other Christians (1 Jn 3:23,24; Gal 5:22).

(6) There is, in our spirit, a mind increasingly set on eternity and a longing for heaven (2 Cor 4:17,18).

The Spirit who indwells us (Rom 8:11) and leads us (Rom 8:14) profoundly changes us and in these inner changes there is a witness within us that we are children of God. There is no peace like the contentment of knowing that you belong to the Almighty God as His own child, in Christ Jesus.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1-7

John MacArthur captures the essence of the holiness of God, in its differing aspects, in the following definition. "God's holiness is his inherent and absolute greatness, in which he is perfectly distinct above everything outside of himself and is absolutely morally separate from sin" (MacArthur, Biblical Doctrine, 183).

God's holiness is that He is utterly unique, with no adequate point of comparison ... "'To whom will you compare Me that I should be like him?' says the Holy One" (Isa 40:25).

God's holiness also is that He is utterly separate from evil … "Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? . . . You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong" (Hab 1:12,13).

When Isaiah got a glimpse of the true purity of God he exclaimed, "Woe is me. I am ruined; I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" (Isa 6:5).

The proper response to the holiness of God is a deep sense of humility and shame, for it is next to the purity of holiness that we see how truly wicked and evil we are. In comparison with a holy God we are all hideous. "There is none that does good . . . there is not even one" (Rom 3:12). Let us bow down and plead for God to have mercy on us. His mercy is our only hope.

Originally Presented:

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:14-17

n this paragraph Paul is describing one of the wonders of the work of the Holy Spirit in the soul of a Christian. Having said that those who are led by the Spirit of God are His children (Rom 8:14), he states what is one of the grandest declarations in all the Bible regarding a human being. By God's Spirit we cry out, "Abba! Father!" (Rom 8:15).

This stunning statement is made more stunning when we consider that no one under the Old Testament system of laws had the right or privilege to call the Almighty Creator 'father'. Abraham, the friend of God, never called God 'father'. David, the man after God's own heart, never called God 'father'. Nor did Moses, nor Jeremiah, nor Daniel. It is only in Jesus Christ can people have such a relationship with God so as to call Him 'father'.

And the statement here is both deeply personal and passionately intense. The personal relationship is seen in the word 'Abba'. It is an Aramaic word implying tenderness and affection. Jesus prayed to His father using this word in the garden of Gethsemane (cf. Mk 14:26). The intensity of the relationship is seen in the verb here … 'crying'. It is a word of urgency. It describes the call of the blind men to Jesus … "Son of David, have mercy on us!" (Mt 9:27).

It is not overstating the case to say that the entire Christian experience is summed up in calling God 'Father'.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 6:1-7

If there is one attribute which could be said to be more central than the others, it would be God's holiness. "If he were stripped of this, he would be a dead God, more than by the want of any other perfection" (Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God, 2:113). In Amos 4:2, God swears by His holiness and in Amos 6:8 He swears by Himself.

The word 'holy' comes from a verb which means "to cut" or "to separate." Thus we get the idea that something is separated or set apart from the whole or from what is common. The holiness of God has two aspects.

First, God is set apart from His creation, and thus utterly unique. "Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" (Exod 15:11).

Second, God is set apart from what is sinful. "Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? . . . You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong" (Hab 1:12,13).

"God's holiness is his inherent and absolute greatness, in which is perfectly distinct above everything outside of himself and is absolutely morally separate from sin" (MacArthur, Biblical Doctrine, 183).

Our response to this attribute of God should be silent, joyful awe and contrite repentance. "But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him" (Hab 2:20).

Originally Presented: July 22, 2007

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:9-14

There are four passages in the New Testament, using the words 'dwell' or 'indwell' in which the Holy Spirit is said to live in Christians and two of them are in Romans 8 (cf. Rom 8:9,11; 1 Cor 3;16; 2 Tim 1:14). There are other passages in which the Spirit is said to be in Christians, but the words 'dwell' or 'indwell' indicate a certain intimacy and influence and permanence.

What reality could be more wondrous for a human being than to be a residence for the infinite God? It lifts human life to the highest levels imaginable. According to Romans 8:9,11, the Holy Spirit indwells all Christians and only Christians.

The evidences of the presence of the Holy Spirit and the purposes of His residence in someone are manifold. First, the Spirit owns us and draws us away from sin. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Cor 6:19,20).

Second, the Spirit confirms our Christianity to our own hearts and causes us to delight in God.

". . . but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Rom 8:15,16; cf. Eph 1:13,14).

Third, the Spirit enlightens our understanding concerning spiritual things. "But just as it is written, "Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him."

For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God

(1 Cor 2:9,10).

Fourth, the Holy Spirit encourages us in prayer and even intercedes on our behalf. "And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" (Rom 8:26).

Fifth, not only does the Spirit guide us into truth, but encourages us to guard the purity of the truth. "Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you" (2 Tim 1:14).

It is no wonder that we are commanded "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (Eph 4:30). The Holy Spirit is the One who has breathed life onto our dead hearts. Let us revere Him and love Him and obey Him.