The Basis For Christian Joy – Part 3
Luke 10:17-24 (21)
February 17, 2019
As you know, we are in sort of a mini-section here in Luke’s gospel
Where we are taking the opportunity to talk about
“The Basis for Christian Joy”
And the reason we are doing this is because
In this passage we have a unique revelation.
Verse 21 marks the only time in Scripture
Where it is specifically stated that Jesus “rejoiced”
We are NOT going to assume that this is the only time He ever did.
• “Joy” is in reality a fruit of the Spirit.
• That means that joy is part of the very nature of Christ.
• And we are aware of other realities, like that in Luke 15 which reminds that us that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who don’t.
Certainly then Jesus would have rejoiced in things like:
• The salvation of Matthew
• The salvation of the woman at the well
• The salvation of Zaccheus
It’s hard to imagine Jesus not rejoicing
• With lepers who were cleansed
• Or paralytics who could walk
• Or parents who had their dead children raised.
We are not insinuating that Jesus never rejoiced.
Yet, this is the only time Scripture specifically states His rejoicing.
And since it is also coupled with the clear rejoicing of the 70
And Jesus issuing commands about their rejoicing;
It becomes a good opportunity for us to discuss this topic.
WHAT DO CHRISTIANS REJOICE IN?
• IT CAN’T BE STUFF – since we are told not to love this world or to store up treasures here on earth, and since we see believers who joyfully accepted the seizure of their property
• IT CAN’T BE COMFORT – since we are commanded to count it all joy when we suffer various trials, and since we see believers who were beaten and rejoiced that they had been counted worthy to suffer for Christ.
• IT CAN’T BE OUR REPUTATION – since we are considered fools for Christ, and since Peter told us if anyone suffers as a Christian he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
• IT CERTAINLY CAN’T BE THE FLESH – since we crucify the flesh with its passions and desires and our greatest longing and joy is to walk in truth.
Well, if we don’t rejoice in all those things like the world does,
THEN WHAT DO CHRISTIANS REJOICE IN?
WELL THAT’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN LOOKING AT.
• It all started with the 70 returning from their spiritual mission and they were rejoicing.
• Jesus commended that rejoicing and then actually took the opportunity to take their understanding of joy even further.
We have here 4 reasons for Christian rejoicing.
#1 SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY
Luke 10:17-19
This was the initial rejoicing of the 70.
• They had expected to go and most likely to be rejected,
• And yet they were surprised when they realized that the demons were subject to them.
More than just the ability to cast out demons, they saw the lost saved.
Jesus COMMENDED this by saying that as they went
He had been “watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.”
Beyond that Jesus revealed to the 70
• That not only did they have authority over the enemy, but they themselves were also off-limits from him. He said, “nothing will injure you”
Nothing can inflict a spiritual injury that can pull you away from Me.
And that statement quickly led us into the next point of rejoicing.
#2 SECURE SALVATION
Luke 10:20
Certainly spiritual authority is a reason for rejoicing,
But comparatively speaking, there is something far greater to rejoice in.
“that your names are recorded in heaven.”
And we talked about this.
• We looked at the various places this terminology was used.
• And we discerned that we are talking here about the heavenly roster, the “Lamb’s book of life.”
• It is the record of the redeemed.
• It is the registry of the bride of Christ.
• Those whose names are recorded there gain entrance into the heavenly city.
• Those whose names are not recorded there are thrown into the “lake of fire”.
And we also learned that this book was written “before the foundation of the world.”
• It was the sovereign decision of God to choose a bride for His Son.
• And even when this bride proved unworthy, the Father sent the Son to come and pay the price of her redemption.
That is why the book is also called
“the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain”
It is the list of those whom Christ atoned for on the cross.
And since Christ promised that
He will not erase our names from the book,
WE REJOICE THEN IN THIS SECURE SALVATION.
So certainly we rejoice in spiritual authority and victories.
But ultimately we rejoice in the victory
That was won on our behalf through Christ in saving us.
And we rejoice that regardless of what we face in this life,
We know we have an eternal home that awaits.
That is why Christians rejoice.
Well, this morning we want to look at THE 3RD REASON.
And it has already been alluded to quite extensively.
We talked about how God chose us before the foundation of the world
And recorded our names in the book of life.
That understanding leads to the 3rd basis for Christian joy
#3 SOVEREIGN GRACE
Luke 10:21-23
And while Jesus commended rejoicing in spiritual authority…
And while Jesus commanded rejoicing in secure salvation…
Jesus Himself celebrated the reality of sovereign grace
“At that very time (literally hour) He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit”
As Jesus explained the reality of God’s sovereign decision
To record the names of the 70 in the heavenly roster;
It no doubt flooded Jesus’ mind again to the sovereign work of God
That has occurred in regard to salvation.
AND AT THIS EVEN JESUS REJOICED.
However what may seem peculiar to some is WHAT specifically He rejoiced in.
He said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.”
Now let’s think about this for a moment.
Just to make sure you understand the setting for His statement of praise.
I want to read this passage to you from Matthew’s gospel
Because I want you to see where Matthew links this statement.
Matthew 11:20-26 “Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. “Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon inthe day of judgment than for you. “And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.” At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.”
Now you recognize that first part of the passage.
• We looked at it in Luke 10 back in verses 13-15 as Jesus was preparing to
send out the 70.
• Jesus just spoke of those cities that would not believe despite the miracles
they saw, and Jesus announced their judgment.
But Matthew then skips the information about the 70 going and returning
And rejoicing in their authority.
Instead, Matthew jumps straight to the statement of praise from Jesus.
(Incidentally when Matthew says “At that time” He doesn’t use the word HORA that Luke uses (hour) he uses KAIROS (time))
But Matthew undoubtedly links the statement of Jesus’ praise
About the truth being hidden from the “wise and intelligent”
To those cities that saw Him and didn’t believe.
Does that help you understand what we are seeing here in Luke’s gospel?
• The “wise and intelligent” are those who have seen the miracles of Jesus and heard the preaching of Jesus but have not believed.
• It is cities like Capernaum and Bethsaida and Chorazin
Incidentally then, the “infants” would be those who did believe.
• He uses “infants” because they are uneducated, untrained, have no experience, and thus are not leaned upon for insight by anyone.
But perhaps the peculiar part in all of this is that Jesus is rejoicing.
Jesus actually says, “I praise You Father…that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.”
So it is puzzling to some that Jesus would rejoice in this,
Or praise God for this.
I thought we were supposed to praise God when sinners got saved,
But here Jesus is recorded as rejoicing in the fact
That God hid the truth from them.
And let me just point out (as a side note) for a moment:
That in our world there are many WHO HATE the doctrines of grace.
• I’ve encountered many who vehemently fight the doctrine of election as it is supposedly unfair and makes God look like a monster. (so they say)
• They fight it, they argue with it, they hate it.
• But, read Luke 10:21 and you will see that Jesus praised God for it! Jesus rejoiced in it!
When Jesus contemplated the sovereign grace of God
And the fact that God hid truth from some and revealed it to others, THIS DID NOT GRIEVE JESUS, IT LED HIM TO PRAISE.
That tells us where we should land on this doctrine.
You can’t hate a doctrine Jesus clearly rejoiced in.
But let me also tell you that there are two reasons why even genuine believers may hate this doctrine.
1) PRIDE
• Let me be the first to tell you that the doctrines of grace and God’s sovereign election are absolutely pride crushing.
• There is no room for man to get any glory when salvation is a matter of God’s sovereign prerogative and not man’s will.
• Election ends in SOLI DEO GLORIA (the glory of God alone)
And some people, who think too highly of the ability and will of man, and who think too highly of their evangelistic skill struggle with this doctrine.
2) IGNORANCE
• They just don’t understand it. They don’t understand what the Bible teaches about it.
So we’re going to take some time here
And see if we can’t certainly take care of that second problem
And trust that God will take care of the first one.
BUT JESUS HERE IS FOUND IN SEEMINGLY PECULIAR FASHION.
He is rejoicing in the Holy Spirit and He is praising God
For hiding things from the wise and for revealing them to infants.
(If He had just praised God for revealing it to infants we’d have no problem, but it’s the fact that Jesus adds praise to God for hiding these things from the wise)
What are we to make of that?
Well, there is actually a much longer and more detailed passage of Scripture that takes this reality and explains it much more fully.
And I think if we can look at it
That it will answer a lot of the questions that you may have
About why Jesus is rejoicing here.
TURN TO: 1 Corinthians 1:18
Now the statement actually comes as Paul is rebuking the Corinthians for their pride and division in the body.
• Namely their division is regarding which spiritual leader they identify with.
• Some actually seek to gain credit by saying they are “of Paul”
• Paul balks at this notion by saying that he wasn’t crucified for anyone, and no one was baptized in his name, and beyond that he “didn’t baptize anyone”.
And then Paul says (17) “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”
Now that’s an interesting statement.
We understand the preaching the gospel part.
But Paul says he was specifically sent
To preach the gospel “NOT in cleverness of speech”
That is to say he was NOT TO USE
Worldly logic or wisdom or manipulation or debate.
And someone would say “Why?”
And Paul’s answer “so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”
So we learn that to preach the gospel
While trying to debate it on an intellectual or “wise” level
Is to actually make void the message of the cross.
That’s a pretty serious issue, wouldn’t you say?
That if you add human wisdom and logic to your presentation of the gospel, all you are doing is stripping the message of all it’s real power.
Incidentally, that’s not the only time Paul said this:
1 Timothy 6:20-21 “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge” — which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.”
Paul told Timothy to stick to the treasure of the gospel and avoid the so called “knowledge” of this world. Men who cling to that actually go “astray from the faith”.
That’s a remarkable statement!
(and we could say so much here about the present-day fascination with scientific argument and “apologetics” that has infiltrated our preaching)
But you have Paul making it clear that in the preaching of the gospel
He is avoiding worldly wise and knowledgeable arguments.
If you want him to clarify it even more just look to chapter 2 here in 1 Corinthians.
(READ 2:1-5)
It’s clear again isn’t.
• He avoided “superiority of speech” and “wisdom”.
• In fact he “determined to know nothing”
• Because he wanted their faith to rest on God’s power not his power of debate.
Paul saw the addition of human argument
As a weakening of the gospel, not as a valuable supplement.
ARE WE CLEAR THERE?
WELL, LET’S SEE WHY.
And the reason is because Paul understood the same thing Jesus understood.
(1:18) “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
“the word of the cross” is the message of the gospel.
• It highlights the sinfulness of man (why the cross was necessary)
• It highlights the inability of man (you couldn’t be righteous on your own)
• It highlights the sufficiency of Christ (God crushed Him and accepted you)
• It highlights the grace and love and mercy of God (to atone for us)
And Paul reminds that the world thinks that is “foolishness”
“foolishness” there is MORIA in the Greek.
It’s where we get our word for “moron”.
That’s what the world thinks about this message.
They think it’s moronic.
He’ll actually tell you why later in verse 22 saying, “For Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom”
• Jews want demonstrations of power, not the weakness death on a cross
• Greeks want demonstrations of wisdom, not the foolishness of scorn and shame on a cross.
In other words the notion that the God of the universe
Would subject Himself to such abuse and shame
Was beyond believable to them and they rejected it.
Now, we know there is MORE TO THEIR UNBELIEF than that.
We also know that:
• “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving” (2 Cor. 4:4)
• “unrighteous men suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18)
• “everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed” (Jn. 3:20)
But we understand something of why the world hates the cross.
AND THE POINT IS THAT for those seeking “earthly power”
Or for those seeking “earthly wisdom”
THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS NOT ENOUGH TO TURN THEM.
Those people think that message is foolish.
(And that’s why so many today have abandoned that message for something more spectacular or for something more intellectual)
But Paul says the gospel is foolish to them.
FURTHERMORE: Paul says that God made it like this on purpose.
(this was no accident)
(1:19) “For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”
Paul quotes there from Isaiah 29:14
And in our search for understanding, we have to look at this quickly.
(You’re more familiar with this than you know)
Isaiah 29:13-14 “Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote, Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.”
Recognize that passage?
• We just talked about it last Sunday night
• Jesus applied it to the Jews in Matthew 15
It is a passage that speaks of people who don’t love God.
• Their religion is external, but they do not believe.
• And God’s response was that He would deal in such a way with them as to
show the utter foolishness of their plan.
They thought that through their own “works” and “intellect”
That they could devise a religious scheme
That would make them pleasing to God.
God was going to show just how foolish their plan was.
AND THE MEANS BY WHICH GOD SHOWED THEM FOOLISH
WAS THROUGH THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS.
So, when we preach the cross,
We aren’t just revealing the salvation of God,
WE ARE ALSO exposing the foolishness of worldly wisdom.
AND TO PROVE THAT, Paul in effect tells the congregation to just look around at each other, while he asks this question: (1:20) “Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?
THE ANSWER: They aren’t here. (they don’t believe, they aren’t saved)
In all their wisdom, and in all they know, and in all their ability,
They don’t know the most important piece of information
That has ever entered the world.
THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO BE JUSTIFIED IN THE SIGHT OF GOD.
• They can operate on the brain…
• They can put a man on the moon…
• They can build a bomb that will split an atom…
• They can design buildings that will reach the heavens…
• They can explain mysteries you and I know nothing about…
• They are smart…no doubt about it.
They know how to answer all the problems of physics or how to explain the wonders of chemistry or biology, BUT NOT how to be just before God.
What else can be deduced but:
That their great knowledge and wisdom has ultimately failed them?
To which Paul says:
“Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”
I mean, you can actually become a rocket scientist, but if you still don’t know how to be just before God, what is your education really worth?
THE POINT: MAN’S WISDOM DOES NOT LEAD TO SALVATION
And again, God DETERMINED for it to be this way.
(1:21) “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”
Now take that statement for a second.
“For since…the world in its wisdom did not come to know God”
Remember Romans 1?
Romans 1:18-22 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools,”
Since the world didn’t use their wisdom to know God,
God ultimately condemned them by making the truth of salvation that which was too foolish for them to believe.
(1:22-25) “For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
And what Paul is saying then is becoming clear to us.
1. When I come I only preach the cross even though it is a foolish to the wise.
2. But I preach the cross because it is God’s ordained message and the way that He saves those who believe.
3. So in this message (which the world regards as foolish) God actually puts His power and wisdom on display because He saves people with it.
4. Thus, God proves His wisdom as superior to the world’s and God proves His power as superior to the world’s.
In other words, the world can mock all they want
About how foolish the message of the cross is,
But the reality is that their “wise” message isn’t saving anyone,
But God’s “foolish” message is.
You may think it foolish, but in the end, you’ll see who the real fool is.
• So you have arrogant man who in their “wisdom” decided not to seek God because they didn’t need His help.
• And you have God then who proved their “foolishness” by saving men in a way they were too smart to reject.
Can you see the issue here is credit and the glory of God?
Can you see that God is not about to let man get the glory for salvation?
He makes a mockery of the wisdom of the wise because the glory is His.
But the result was salvation, but not to the wise or the strong.
And Paul again says, “Look Around”
(1:26-31) “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”
So perhaps now you’re seeing more as to why God did it this way.
• By orchestrating a salvation too foolish for the “wise”
• And by orchestrating a salvation too weak for the “strong”
God not only shamed their supposed wisdom and strength,
But He also put His own glory on display.
If a smart man is saved by his intellect
Or a strong man is saved by his strength,
Then the glory for salvation goes to the wise man and the strong man.
But if a foolish man is saved in spite of his foolishness
And a weak man is saved in spite of his weakness
Then all the glory goes to God.
Jeremiah said the same thing:
Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”
Now that is an explanation as to why God hid salvation from the wise
And revealed it to infants.
But that is not all there is to understand.
For in chapter 2 Paul begins to explain HOW the foolish and the weak were able to come to the knowledge of salvation.
(READ: 1 Cor. 2:6-16)
There Paul does acknowledge that he does in fact preach a deep wisdom.
• It is a wisdom of God that far exceeds earthly wisdom.
• It is a wisdom that the wise didn’t understand, and they proved it by crucifying Christ.
• It is a wisdom which man could never think of and which on his own he could never understand. In fact it is wisdom that is contained in a mystery.
But the question is, how do the foolish come to know this wisdom that is too deep even for the wise of the world to understand?
And here is the answer:
(10-12) “For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,”
The Holy Spirit is the agent which takes foolish men
And reveals to them the things that only God knows.
• It is knowledge not obtained through worldly studies.
• It is wisdom too deep for philosophy.
• It is wisdom which only comes as a revelation of God’s own Holy Spirit.
A natural man can’t understand it.
Only a man whom God chooses to grant it to can get it.
And if you want the ULTIMATE APPLICATION here to all of this insight,
Paul gives it in chapter 3.
(3:18-20) “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”; and again, “THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.”
Paul says you must become foolish.
• That is, you must deny your reliance upon your own understanding as sufficient for salvation.
• You must deny your reliance upon your own power as sufficient to save.
• You must embrace the message that the world regards as foolish.
• You must embrace the power that the world rejects.
And if you will humble yourself in that way,
Then you will receive the spiritual revelation of God’s salvation
Which is in fact far superior to anything the world knows.
Now, I realize that that was a sort of A CRASH COURSE through Paul’s explanation of why God shamed the wise and exalted the foolish.
But take that information and let’s return now
And listen again to what Jesus said.
Back in Luke 10
“At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.”
Now we’re going to have to stretch our explanation of this passage into next week, but do you at least now see the basis behind it?
You have Jesus praising God
For hiding the truths of salvation from the wise.
Well, now we know why.
• He was shaming their wisdom and their arrogant pride to think they could figure out salvation on their own.
• He was shaming their power and their arrogant pride to think they can accomplish salvation on their own.
And that’s why He only revealed salvation to “infants”.
Those too ignorant and those too weak to accomplish anything on their own.
And in doing so He proved that all wisdom and all power is His.
That is why Jesus said, “this way was well-pleasing in Your sight”
You did it according to Your will
Because it pleased You and glorified You.
It also helps us understand why Luke says that Jesus began by rejoicing “greatly in the Holy Spirit”
Because it is the Holy Spirit who is the agent of this revelation
• It is the Holy Spirit who took that mystery of God’s salvation and revealed it the infants and allowed them to be saved.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS
• Jesus witnessing the spiritual victories of the 70 and then discussing the
secure and sovereign salvation of the 70.
• And as Jesus contemplates that these 70 are not the wise and intelligent like
the people of Capernaum or Bethsaida who rejected the message, but are
instead the foolish infants by worldly standards Jesus rejoiced!
He rejoiced that God had proven Himself wise by humiliating the wise.
He rejoiced that God had proven Himself gracious by saving the foolish.
He rejoiced that God had proven Himself powerful by saving the weak.
JESUS IS REJOICING THAT THE FATHER IS SHOWING HIMSELF SOVEREIGN AND THUS GLORIFYING HIMSELF!
Does that make sense?
By seeing the salvation of the 70
(the weak and foolish infants of the world)
Jesus was blown away by the Father’s wisdom and power to save even infants like them and He praised God!
He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit
And He praised the Father
Now, we’ve got a lot more to talk about in this passage
But this morning I simply want to leave you with this simple element.
Jesus “rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit” because it was the Holy Spirit who revealed the depths of God to men who could not have otherwise known it.
Can you rejoice in that?
Absolutely!
• Can you rejoice that God chose to show you truths that you would have never discerned on your own?
• Can you acknowledge that you could have never searched or studied enough to have figured out how to save yourself, but God chose to reveal it to you through His Holy Spirit?
Yes, we can rejoice in that.
And incidentally, this is called Sovereign Grace!
That God sovereignly chose to reveal to you
What you could never have grasped on your own.
We most certainly can rejoice in that.
WE ALSO SEE THAT Jesus Praised the Father because He had “hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and…revealed them to infants”
Can you praise the Father for that?
• Can you praise God’s wisdom?
• Can you praise God’s power?
• Can you praise God for being wiser than the wisest man and stronger than the strongest man?
• Can you praise God for elevating Himself above all human wisdom and power?
Jesus did, and we do too!
Now, we’re going to work through this text a bit more next time,
But this morning just take these two basic truths.
• REJOICE that the Holy Spirit revealed to you the knowledge of salvation.
• PRAISE God that He sovereignly chose to reveal it to you.
Romans 11:33-36 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
