How This Should Affect Our Lives

The point: Approach the study of God's sovereignty with faith, recognizing that some truths transcend human reason, and with a disposition of a little child, allowing God's Word to judge our thoughts.

Illustrates the distorted image of God as narrow-hearted, refusing salvation to those banging at mercy's gates, which is a misrepresentation of His sovereignty in grace.

And so it's this area that we have spent the most time with seeking to lay out from the scriptures this very clear teaching and to answer some of the natural and frequent objections to the doctrine of God's sovereignty in the realm of grace. As we've sought to see this teaching established from the scriptures, we've tried to clear away some of the caricatures whenever you state that God is sovereign in grace, that he saves according to his purpose, immediately people throw up the caricature, the distorted image of a reluctant God, a God who somehow stands in heaven with a very narrow heart and...

4:10 - 5:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Approach the study of God's sovereignty with faith, recognizing that some truths transcend human reason, and with a disposition of a little child, allowing God's Word to judge our thoughts.

Illustrates the false idea of man as a neutral creature, arbitrarily chosen by God for salvation, rather than a sinner heading for destruction.

And so it's this area that we have spent the most time with seeking to lay out from the scriptures this very clear teaching and to answer some of the natural and frequent objections to the doctrine of God's sovereignty in the realm of grace. As we've sought to see this teaching established from the scriptures, we've tried to clear away some of the caricatures whenever you state that God is sovereign in grace, that he saves according to his purpose, immediately people throw up the caricature, the distorted image of a reluctant God, a God who somehow stands in heaven with a very narrow heart and...

4:10 - 5:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He defines God's sovereignty in creation, providence, and grace, emphasizing the latter as the most difficult for men. Martin reviews caricatures of the doctrine and addresses…

Depicts all mankind as a carload speeding towards hell, and God's sovereignty in grace as His reaching in to rescue a people for Himself.

The picture of the Bible is that all of mankind. Mankind is in that carload of humanity heading at breakneck speed into the pit. And the doctrine of God's sovereignty and grace is that though God could have allowed the entire human race to perish for reasons known only to him and locked up in his heart, he has reached into that carload of humanity and his purpose to take out of it a people for himself to be the objects of his grace. Where is this doctrine established?

5:24 - 5:55 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate an attitude of deep humility in the presence of God, acknowledging our creaturely status and His infinite transcendence.

Emphasizes human frailty and dependence on God, contrasting it with the pride that makes us 'strut around like we own the world.'

We're living in a fool's Paradise sin blinds us to what we are and who God is and what is pride. But one of the effects of the blinding power of sin here. We are little creatures of the dust here. Not by any choice of our own utterly dependent upon God for the very breath.

15:17 - 15:39 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first effect of embracing divine sovereignty is deep humility, which is defined as moral sanity—a right view of God and self. Martin uses Romans 9 to show how Paul silences…

A vivid metaphor for the moral insanity of trying to reduce the infinite God to the limits of human understanding or judgment.

Little creature of the dust. Thou art God, infinite, transcendent, above me, beyond me. Who am I to bring the mighty God and compress him down to the size of my size seven hat? What moral insanity to compress the mighty God to the confines of my little pea brain.

19:02 - 19:27 Read in full sermon

The point: Fall down in humility before God, acknowledging that His ways and judgments are incomprehensible, and stop trying to bring Him to the bar of human judgment.

Martin shares his personal struggle for five or six years, trying to bend God to his own judgment regarding absolute sovereignty, leading to trembling and gratitude for God's patience.

That's the whole thrust of Paul's answer. But nay, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? And I tell you, beloved, at times it makes my heart tremble that God didn't chastise me. And for five or six years, I've tried to bend God to the little two-by-four bar of my judgment as I fought him in my heart on the truth of his absolute sovereignty.

23:02 - 23:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Develop unqualified submission to the dealings of God, choosing to walk the course He has marked, even when His ways seem strange or contradictory to His promises.

Compares life's trials to a glass dropped on a tile floor, shattering into a hundred pieces, to describe how God's dealings can seem senseless and incoherent.

They seem to lack any coherence. It looks at times as though our lives are like that glass dropped on a tile floor and nothing but shivers in a hundred pieces. Nothing seems to hang together with any order or any sense. If you're a child of God and you've been that for any length of time, you know what I'm talking about.

25:26 - 25:46 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second effect is unqualified submission, distinct from fatalistic resignation. Martin illustrates this through Job's response to trials, Eli's submission to chastisement…

Distinguishes between fatalistic resignation (like paying income tax) and active, deliberate submission to God's will, even in difficult circumstances.

Now, let me define what I mean by submission. I don't want to play with words, but I believe there's a difference between resignation and submission. When you resign yourself to something, that's sort of fatalistic. You just sort of can't fight City Hall attitude.

27:42 - 27:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second effect is unqualified submission, distinct from fatalistic resignation. Martin illustrates this through Job's response to trials, Eli's submission to chastisement…

Presents Job as the classic example of a righteous man enduring profound, inexplicable suffering, yet responding with worship and submission to God's sovereignty.

In the midst of our trials, the reason of which the reason of those trials has not been revealed to us. And of course, the classic example is Job. If there's any man who could expect the obvious blessing of God, it was Job. Do you think God would ever say anything like this about you or about me?

29:36 - 29:57 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray this truth of God's absolute sovereignty into your heart, so that when all comes crashing down, your stay will be the knowledge of a God on His throne.

Uses Eli's response to God's judgment on his household as an example of submission to the chastening rod, saying, 'It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.'

God brings his stroke upon us in chastisement, and it will come for whom the Lord loves. He chastens and scourges every son whom he receives. If he are without chastening, the writer of the Hebrews tells us, then are ye illegitimate children and not sons. Now, what are we going to do when chastisement comes? The writer of the Hebrews says, if ye endure chastisement, then God dealeth with you as sons. What does it mean to endure chastisement? Turn to 2 Samuel for a moment, will please. We could look at an example in 1 Samuel 3 in Eli's case. Let's look at it just briefly. Then we'll look at one...

33:58 - 35:00 Read in full sermon

The point: Make plans with the attitude 'if the Lord will,' so that when plans are frustrated, there is no despair, but rather a trust that God has something better.

Illustrates David's surprising worship and submission after the death of his child with Bathsheba, demonstrating acceptance of God's right to act as He wills.

restrained not his own sons. But here's a picture of submission to the chastening rod. And then in 2 Samuel chapter 12, we have the illustration or the incident. King David's sin with Bathsheba has brought forth this child. The prophet has come and said to David, Thou art the son of the Lord. And he said to David, Thou art the son of the Lord. And he said to David, Thou art the son of the Lord. And he said to David, Thou art the son of the Lord. And he said to David, Thou art the son of the Lord. And he said to David, Thou art the son of the Lord. And he said to then the news comes and the ser...

36:16 - 37:23 Read in full sermon

The point: Make plans with the attitude 'if the Lord will,' so that when plans are frustrated, there is no despair, but rather a trust that God has something better.

Uses the example of frustrated vacation plans to show how a lack of submission to divine sovereignty can lead to disproportionate frustration and a 'world going to pieces.'

a right to do as he did and so if this truth has been burnt into our hearts by the spirit it will produce in us not only deep humility in the presence of god but unqualified submission to the dealings of god in the midst of trials in chastisement and i want to mention a third area that's so practical in the plans that we make it's not wrong to make plans we've got to plan ahead paul says in many of his letters i purpose to come unto you but i was hindered i have prayed that i might see you in the will of god i plan to come to you by winter or by such and such a time there's nothing wrong with ...

38:47 - 40:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate unshakable confidence in the purposes of God, especially in the face of the devil's power, fallen humanity, and global despair, knowing that God's purposes cannot be restrained.

Recounts a sad poem found in a girl's dormitory, expressing utter despair and lack of hope in the world, contrasting it with the confidence found in a sovereign God.

about the devil being the prince of the power of the air the god of this world the spirit working in men if we take seriously what the scripture teaches about fallen man that he's blind that he hates the light that his will is in rebellion against god it is not object to god in the face of these things lead to realistic attitudes are one of despair and spirit for a scriptural confidence in the sovereign god any person who thinks it off and take seriously with the bible teaches about the devil fallen man and this whole world under the trouble all should be a man filled with desp meat filled wit...

42:54 - 44:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate unshakable confidence in the purposes of God, especially in the face of the devil's power, fallen humanity, and global despair, knowing that God's purposes cannot be restrained.

Quotes stanzas from Luther's hymn to illustrate the unshakable confidence in God's purpose that enabled Luther to stand against Rome, despite overwhelming opposition.

found them listen who's talking now here's a little monk standing up to all the mighty power of rome with pope and bishops and armies and authorities and what does he say listen a mighty fortress is our god of bulwark never failing our helper he amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing was still our ancient foe that seek to work us woe his craft and power are great and armed with Christ and his power are great and armed with Christ and his power are great and armed with Christ and his power are great and armed with Christ and his power are great and armed with Christ and his power are great an...

47:11 - 48:32 Read in full sermon