19th February 2025

19th February 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Hebrews 1:3, Genesis 45:5 and Acts 1:16)


Message (Alan Burke)


We all try to make plans, we like to know what we are doing and prepare for every eventuality. Boys if any of are boy scouts then you will know the boy Scout motto, ‘Be Prepared’. Most of us have heard of it, ‘Be Prepared’. It’s something we all do without really thinking of it, we try to be prepared. Think of how you have the spare tyre in the car, that means you are prepared in case you get a puncture. Or all the back up files for things that are stored on our computers, the treasured photos that we make sure there are multiple copies off. Even the fire blankets we have in our kitchens, the fire extinguishers that are dotted around many buildings. None of us can be sure of what is going to happen so we prepare for the unknown. None of us know, but God does!


Today as we think of God’s works of providence I want you to imagine that you have just built a house, you have got the carpets down, every room is decorated, the garden looks lovely. Does it stay like that? No. It doesn’t take long before the dishes are stacked beside the sink, the hob needs cleaned, the oven has cheese burnt to the bottom of it after you made yourself cheese on toast, the dust starts to gather, you start to see the cobwebs, then the kids draw on the walls, the grass starts to grow, things break with wear and tear. You don’t just stop when the house is built you have to give it continual care to keep it. 


What is God’s providence? God’s providence is his continual care and direction over all that he has created, just as we continue to care for our homes the Lord God continues to care for his creation. And he does this in two ways. Firstly he preserves all that he has made secondly he governs all that he has made. Hebrews 1:3 speaks of how he preserves all that he has made. V1-2 is a summary of the person and work of the Lord Jesus and then in verse three, we are reminded how He, the Lord Jesus Christ, upholds all by the word of his power. The thrust of what is being said here is not only that God though the his Son create the world but that he sustains it, he upholds the world, he preserves the world, he maintains, helps, protects, sustains it all. Secondly He governs all that he has made Genesis 45:5, Acts 1:16. 


God governs all creatures, actions, and things from the greatest to the least, all his creatures, and all their actions. What this means is that the Lord God is in control of everything, everything that happens in whatever situation we find ourselves in, This is the Bible’s clear teaching that God governs all his creatures and their actions from beginning to end. We see that in Genesis 45:5. We are all familiar with the story of Jospeh, while the jealously of his brothers was manifested in how they not only conspired to sell Jospeh into slavery God sent him ahead of them, God sent him to Egypt not them. Another striking example of God’s governing is found in Act’s chapter 1:16. We all know how Judas’ betrayed our Lord and Saviour, for thirty pieces of silver, but at the same time it was according to Scripture. God is governing of all creatures, and their actions from the greatest to the least. God ordains the means as well as the ends of human events without violating human freedom and responsibility. He ordained the death of His Son our Saviour so that we who are sinners might become his very children, in his providence he uses the actions of sinful people for his Glory and his purposes. 


His providence does not only include good and pleasant things but things that are far from good and pleasant, in his holy, wise and powerful way, he governs all. This is one of the hardest concepts to understand, much less accept, is the absolute sovereignty of God. He is not only King of all kings. He is Ruler over every molecule, every quantum of energy, every event, and every outcome. He governs all the nations of the earth whether they recognise His rule over them or not, to direct and guide them for His purposes for history in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:9-10; Psa. 67:4; Prov. 16:9).


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q11 What are God’ s works of providence?
God’ s works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving, and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. 
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