The God of Infinite Goodness

When you see a huge bulldozer knocking over trees you say 'that's power,' but it leaves a jagged mess. Creation is not raw power — it is power disciplined by wisdom so delicately balanced it can create an atom.

See, when I see one of these huge bulldozers knocking trees, I say, man, that's power. But it doesn't leave behind it a wonderfully sown, beautifully graded log. I mean, it's a pretty jagged mess that's felt the raw power of the blade. But you see, there's not raw power in creation.

25:57 - 26:15 Read in full sermon

Martin has spent the week 'blowing his mind' watching a flowering bush outside his window — each cluster has flowers with five petals, long central wand, two bridesmaids either side, and on the top petal alone an etching like a peacock's tail. 'All of that is in the seed.'

And some of you are going to have to tell us what it is. I can't remember the name of that flower bush that's out right below our picture window. But I've been fascinated. There are all those things in their bud, and then when they burst open, every single flower in the whole cluster of flowers has five petals, same number of beautifully arched little, I want to call them little wands, like little fairy's wands coming out.

26:33 - 26:59 Read in full sermon

Adam in Eden was placed into a sea of divine goodness — perfectly balanced ecology, wonderful diversity of sights, sounds, tastes, appetites, senses — with nothing to perceive except goodness.

And if I may use a metaphor that in some ways is incongruous but I don't know a better one to use. When God was done with His creation the creature was immersed in a sea of divine goodness when he was placed in the Garden of Eden. A perfectly balanced ecology a wonderful diversity of sights and sounds and tastes, perfectly balanced appetites and senses and capacities to appreciate everything, and God looks at all of it without and everything within, and He says it is all very good. Why, of course, how could it be any otherwise?

28:05 - 28:48 Read in full sermon

The serpent's deception in Eden was an attack on God's goodness: 'There is a mean streak hidden in the heart of God; He's keeping you under His thumb by forbidding that tree.' Every sin flows from believing this lie.

He's given you taste buds to appreciate the full spectrum of all the things that He given for food He given you each other Everything seems to say God is good But He really not good There's a mean streak hidden in the heart of God. And I'm coming to let you in on it. And the mean streak is this. He's made that tree in the midst of the garden a no-no because He wants to keep you under His thumb.

29:43 - 30:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Change your attitude to a rainy day from one of an inconvenient meteorological accident to a manifestation of the goodness of your God.

'Oh, it's raining today' — indefinite pronoun, industry talk. The psalmist says 'thou waterest the earth.' Change your attitude to a rainy day from an inconvenient meteorological accident to a manifestation of your God's goodness.

The psalmist would say, thou waterest the earth.

38:48 - 38:50 Read in full sermon

Deuteronomy 22:6-7 — if you find a bird on her eggs you may take the eggs, but not the mother bird. God feels for the misery of the mama bird bereft of her young.

sitting on some eggs and you said, well, I know that those eggs are a lovely delicacy. I'd like to have them for my snack tonight after church. You know what God said in the Levitical law, Deuteronomy 22, I think it's verses 6 and 7? He said, if you take the eggs, you can't take the bird.

44:01 - 44:18 Read in full sermon

God forbids muzzling the ox that treads out the corn — He would feel for the frustration of the hungry ox doing legitimate labor and not being allowed to partake of its fruit. His goodness extends to beasts.

There might be a preservation of that particular species. God made that a law for people in Israel God said when you turn your ox loose to grind your corn you can put a muzzle on it Because he said I would feel for the misery of that poor ox who in performing legitimate work for you and is hungry feels the frustration of not being able to partake of the fruit of his own labor. So God says, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. What is God saying?

44:32 - 45:09 Read in full sermon

The book of Jonah closes strangely: God rebukes Jonah, saying, 'Ought not I to have shown concern for this great city with so many people and much cattle?' God's compassion includes even the beasts that would fall under judgment.

You know how it ends? Where God rebukes him and says, Ought not I to have shown concern for this great city of so many people with so many children and much cattle? God says, listen, my erring prophet, you want me to send fire from heaven and judge the city? Listen, I'm not only moved with compassion and pity for men and children, but even the beasts that would fall under the rod of my anger.

45:23 - 45:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not be embarrassed by the biblical teaching of God's distinguishing goodness — when objectors raise famine or war, tell them to swallow their blasphemy and look at how much mercy God pours on rebellious sinners.

When people ask 'how can God be good when there are famines and wars,' Martin says, 'You swallow your blasphemy.' Where are the questions when God sends rain and good crops to nations whose creatures worship sticks and stones?

with the biblical teaching concerning the goodness of God when someone says how can God be good look at the famines hey wait a minute my friend you wait a minute you put your blasphemy back in your throat and swallow it I don't see you asking questions when God sends rain and good crops upon a given area that is presently under famine and year after year the creatures who receive His goodness worship sticks and stones against the dictates of their own conscience and the witness of creation why don't you come forward then and say why does God tolerate this you swallow your blasphemy friend I do...

56:08 - 56:53 Read in full sermon