Great Things Of God

 

 

“Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.”

I Samuel 12:24

Introduction:

  1. Today we glorify, praise, and thank God our Father for great things He hath done and will do for us.
  2. We are not Deists, who start with a Creator God but remove Him from the natural world, deny He interacts with men or does anything, even revelation, in order to worship reason and science.
  3. “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3).
  4. To God be the glory, great things He hath done … great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done … O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give Him the glory, great things he hath done! (See the Trinity Hymnal, 1990, Revised Edition, #55).
  5. He has done great things in general, and God’s people often appeal to them (Job 5:9; 9:10; 37:5).
  6. He has done great things for His church (Psalm 71:19; 106:21; 126:2-3; II Sam 7:23; Joel 2:20-21).
  7. He has done great things in His word that by the Bible we have a divine library (Hosea 8:12).
  8. He has done great things in salvation by Jesus Christ His only begotten Son (Luke 1:49; Mark 3:8).
  9. He has done great things for persons (II Sam 7:21; I Chron 17:19; Mark 5:19-20; Luke 8:39).
  10. This sermon/study is only a very small sampling of great things revealed for us in God’s scriptures.
  11. Repeating His great things is part of worship e.g. creation and Egypt (Ps 77:9-15; 111:4; Rom 15:4).

Great Things in General

  1. Creation in general (Gen 1:1), light (1:3), stars (1:16), by His fingers (Ps 8:3; 147:4).
  2. Creation of the angels and their judgment, election, and providential use (Heb 1:7,14).
  3. Creation of the woman for man’s companion (Gen 2:18-25; Eccl 9:7-10; Prov 5:19).
  4. The Flood showed great power, righteousness, and grace toward Noah (Gen 7:17-24).
  5. The rainbow is a perpetual reminder of the flood and of His promise (Genesis 9:8-17).
  6. The Tower of Babel displayed confounding languages for disobedience (Gen 11:1-9).
  7. All things were made for Him, even the wicked for judgment (Prov 16:4; Rev 4:11).
  8. Chance events are entirely under His control and rule for His purposes (Prov 16:33).
  9. Herod Agrippa was eaten by worms and killed for not giving God glory (Acts 12:23).
  10. Future: The melting of earth by fervent heat in a coming flood of fire (II Pet 3:10-14).
  11. Future: A new heavens and earth without bondage but all righteousness (Ro 8:18-23).

Great Things for His Church

  1. The Exodus out of Egypt with plagues and payments was sweet revenge (II Sam 7:23).
  2. He made a land of milk and honey for Israel after slavery in Egypt (Deut 6:10-12).
  3. Taking Canaan included hardening hearts and stopping the sun (Joshua 10:13; 11:20).
  4. He mocked Sennacherib before killing 185,000 soldiers in a night (Isaiah 37:21-38).
  5. Overthrow of Babylon to end 70 years and begin 70×7 years to Christ (Dan 9:24-27).
  6. The humbling of Nebuchadnezzar and raising up of Cyrus (Daniel 4; Isaiah 44-45).
  7. The destruction of Jerusalem matching detailed prophecies and timing (Lu 19:43-44).

Great Things in the Bible

  1. The Law of Moses was the envy of the world for its wonderful precepts (Deut 4:5-8).
  2. Its exceeding breadth was a marvel to David who had seen all perfection (Ps 119:96).
  3. Its exclusive distribution revealed God’s great favor to His church (Psalm 147:19-20).
  4. It is inspired and preserved, both of which depend on each other to profit us (Is 30:8).
  5. Its every word is purified for man’s spiritual health (Psalm 12:6-7; Pr 30:5; Luke 4:4).
  6. Its internal integrity is perfect for arguing by individual words (Matt 22:32;43; etc.).
  7. It is a divine library of 66 books by 40 writers of different genres (II Peter 1:20-21).
  8. It transcends verb tenses by His power to perform His promises (Romans 4:17; 8:30).
  9. Knowledge and wisdom on any topic may be found by the diligent (II Tim 3:16-17).
  10. More sure than His voice from heaven, it destroys vanity of visions (II Peter 1:16-19).

Great Things in Salvation

  1. The will and choice of salvation passed over fallen angels and most men (Ro 9:11-24).
  2. The discrimination of God’s love gives it value and provokes our response (I Jn 4:19).
  3. The Just and Justifier of rebel men is great wisdom in salvation (Rom 3:26; Eph 1:8).
  4. The virgin birth was a great miracle to Mary and Joseph and us also (Luke 1:26-38).
  5. The incarnation of God with us and of us is a great mystery of the gospel (I Ti 3:16).
  6. The rent veil and darkness were great events in fact and in meaning (Matt 27:45,51).
  7. The resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ are two very great events (I Tim 3:16).
  8. The residual resurrection power of Jesus is a past event for our hope (Matt 27:52-53).
  9. Jesus promoted over angels is a glorious political change in the universe (I Pet 3:22).
  10. The facets of salvation are inspired concepts/words to exalt our deliverance from sin.
  11. The adoption of enemies to be sons of God is beyond comprehension (I John 3:1-3).
  12. Regeneration of dead sinners is a great phase of salvation changing sinners (Ep 2:1-3).
  13. Gospel conversion of Gentiles is an event that changed the world and you (I Ti 3:16).
  14. Future: Our resurrection and glorification in heaven forever awaits (I Cor 15:51-57).

Great Things Personally

  1. He humbles Himself to help things in heaven and in earth – even you (Psalm 113:5-6).
  2. He promises to not lose a single one of His elect through Jesus Christ (John 6:38-39).
  3. He cares for details down to hairs on your head and single sparrows (Matt 10:29-31).
  4. Sarah on two occasions was protected when taken to another’s wife (Ge 12:17; 20:3).
  5. Hagar, a pregnant, rejected Egyptian, was seen and blessed in distress (Ge 16:10-13).
  6. Matchmaking for Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Salmon, Boaz, Elkanah, Aquila, and others.
  7. Fearful Jacob defeated God wrestling, got a new name, and Esau kissed him (Ge 32).
  8. Moses was specially cared for, saw Jehovah, had great miracles, and Korah (Ex 3:14).
  9. Fearful Gideon was taught a fabulous lesson of faith by both tests and confirmations!
  10. Barren Hannah was seen and gave birth to great Samuel and five more (I Sam 2:21).
  11. David was liked, chosen over Saul and brothers, and given a son forever (I Chr 28:4)!
  12. A little orphan girl in a captive land married the king and saved her people (Esther)!
  13. Hezekiah got 15 more years, the sun reversed, and Sennacherib routed (Isaiah 38:1-8).
  14. Manasseh was the worst king of Judah but forgiven and restored (II Chron 33:12-13).
  15. Job had a hedge of protection and blessing around him that the devil knew (Job 1:10).
  16. Job got twice as much in the end to illustrate God’s pity and tender mercy (Jas 5:11).
  17. A widowed wife of a prophet was to lose her two sons but for some oil (II Kgs 4:1-7).
  18. Naaman the Syrian and the widow of Zarephath were healed and helped (Lu 4:25-27).
  19. Four women with sinful pasts were the only ones in Jesus’ genealogy (Matt 1:3,5,6).
  20. The Gadarene was the only one Jesus crossed the sea for and delivered (Mark 5:1-20).
  21. The widow of Nain felt His compassion and had a funeral interrupted (Luke 7:11-18).
  22. A poor widow was noted for two mites in the most auspicious history (Luke 21:1-4).
  23. A woman in Bethany was honored over some apostles for her gift (Matthew 26:6-13).
  24. Peter was to be specifically addressed that Jesus was coming to see him (Mark 16:7).
  25. Mary saw Jesus first after His resurrection in a male-dominated religion (Mark 16:9).
  26. John was allowed to write he was the one sitting closest to Jesus (John 13:23; 21:20).
  27. An Ethiopian (Gentile) eunuch was found in the desert for conversion (Acts 8:26-40).
  28. Stephen was comforted with a vision of Jesus standing as he was stoned (Acts 7:55).
  29. All men forsook Paul on trial in Rome, but the Lord stood with him (II Tim 4:16-18).

Conclusion:

  1. This sermon/study is only a very small sampling of great things revealed for us in God’s scriptures.
  2. There is no reason for you to doubt or fear any circumstances that develop in your life as God’s son.
  3. There is every reason for heart, mind, and mouth to be filled with praise and thanksgiving to Him.
  4. Repeating His great things is part of worship e.g. creation and Egypt (Ps 77:9-15; 111:4; Rom 15:4).
  5. Do you know that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever? Learn it and do it!