11/04/12
“The Wisdom of
God’s Purposes”
God’s Purposes”
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Scripture Reading: Hebrews 12:1-10
Please take your Bible with me and open to the Book of Colossians at chapter one.
If you knew God’s chosen goal for your life, would you choose that over everything else? A wise man once said this. “God’s will is what I would always choose if I knew the outcome gave God the greatest glory.” God is so wise that He will never make a mistake with your life. He is so good, He will never hurt you. And He is so generous that He will supply all your needs. We all know the benefit and purpose of good personal goals. But, do you believe God has a specific goal marked out beforehand intended just for you? Look with me at the words of the Apostle Paul and see if this wasn’t true of him. And if you find that it was true of him, ask yourself if it isn’t true of you as well. Colossians 1:19 “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (20) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (21) And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (22) In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:…” Today’s sermon title is: “The Wisdom of God’s Purposes.” Shall we pray? First I want to say something to you about God’s concern for you. Second, I want to say something to you about God’s good work on the Cross. And third, I want to say something about why God allowed Jesus to be crucified. |
First, God’s concern.
How do you measure concern? Look with me at the level of concern God had for you and me. It’s at verse twenty-one. (21) “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled…” Can you see God’s concern here? How do you respond to people who have nothing good to say about you? How do you respond to those who do things that evidence their complete disrespect for you? How do you respond to people who just plain don’t like you? Well, here’s the level of concern that shows through when you consider what kind of people God has to deal with. Look again at verse twenty-one. (21) “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled…” He concerned Himself with people who were enemies and alienated from Him. This passage is actually a description of the heart of mankind. Are you surprised? Think, for a moment, what kind of souls they were that carried out the arrest, trial, sentencing, and the execution of Christ Jesus. Would you have chosen such people for your friends? Would you have thought to be reconciled to them? Paul sees the hearts of those for whom Christ died. And here is how he describes them: alienated, enemies, and doing wicked works. You see, Christ’s work on the Cross was for those who not only lived sinful lives of disobedience; it was for those who had chosen alienation from God. They had chosen enmity over friendship. And simply put, God determined to be-friend the ones who had previously chosen to de-friend Him. |