Sermon Tone Analysis

=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>1)  4-13-08…AM…SBC“Knowing An Unknowable God”- Part 2

Immutability ~/ Unchangeableness

*James 1:12-17*

 

Introduction:               “Knowing God” – Packer: Chapter 7

 

1-      We are told time and time again that the Bible is the Word of God – “a lamp to our feet and light to our path.”

2-      We believe rightly and so we take our Bibles and begin to explore for ourselves

 

3-      We read with great intensity, but as we read we get more and more puzzled

 

4-      Sometimes the more puzzled we are, the more we wonder what the Bible has to say about what we are struggling with (discouragement, bitterness, sexuality, parenting, marriage)

 

Ø      If the above statements have never happened to you go home this week and begin to read through:

 

·         Leviticus – this book gets bad rap – we are going to have to study this book sometime

·         Numbers

·         Ezekiel

 

5-      as fascinating as some of the stories are in the Bible, we can feel disconnected from God’s Word

 

6-      What the Bible does is to take us from our 21st century world and transport us in time back to a world of which we know and understand very little

 

·         a primitive, barbaric, agriculture and unmechanised world

 

7-      In our quest to really know God (genuine affection) it all seems very interesting but also very, very far away

 

8-      We can leave ourselves wondering, “*How can the record of God’s words and actions in the Bible, and his dealings with Abraham, Moses and David help us who have to live in the space age, the age of computers, the age of rampant immorality?*”

 

9-      This sense of separation  is an illusion that comes from seeking the connection between us and them in the wrong place

 

10-  *The link between us and them is not found at the level of space, time and culture.

*

 

11-  *The link is God is Himself*

 

12-  *The truth on which we must reside in order to dispel this feeling of separation between us and them is God’s Immutability*

 

 

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*Proposition:   *The bridge between the world of the Bible and the 21st Century world today is the immutability of God

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*READ James 1:12-18*

 

1)      The Meaning:               God is unchanging in His being, perfections, purposes and promises

 

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                                    James 1:12-18

 

Ø      Background explanation of *James 1:12-18*

* *

·         James presents a series of exhortations and numerous admonitions that reflect an *ethical rather than a doctrinal emphasis.*[1]**

(in contrast to the doctrine of Romans and the Christology of Colossians)

 

·         James is interested in proclaiming the gospel of Christ not so much in terms of his person as in terms of the practical and ethical application of his teachings.[2]

Ø      Context of *James 1:12-18*

* *

·         after an introductory address (v.

1), the author lists the themes of testing of faith, gaining wisdom, and being rich (vv.

2–11).[3]

·         *v12* returns to the theme of steadfastness or endurance in the midst of trials [4]

·         The guiding principle of his entire first chapter is the right understanding of wisdom during trials.[5]

·         James strongly denied that God is the origin of temptation, for “God cannot be tempted [lit. he is “without temptation”] by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.”[6]

·         The active agent in temptation is always self.

·         *VERSE 17     *

 

-          James proclaimed God as the true giver of “every good and perfect gift.”[7]

-          God is not involved in the evil we do when we are tempted; instead, he is only the source of good in our lives.[8]

-          *The Father of lights* was an ancient Jewish title for God, referring to Him as Creator, as the great Giver of light, in the form of the sun, moon, and stars (cf.

Gen.

1:14–19).

[9]

 

-          *The God who orders the stars and their changes to indicate “seasons and days and years” (Gen 1:14) and who controls all the changes in his creation does not himself change.*[10]*

*

* *

-          Unlike those sources of light, which, magnificent as they are, can nevertheless vary and will eventually fade, God’s character, power, wisdom, goodness and love have *no variation or shifting shadow.*[11]

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* *

Transition:  We see first of all this morning about God’s Immutability that…

(Source: J I Packer “Knowing God”)

A-    God’s Life does not change               *Psalm 102:26*

* *

1-      God does not grow older

2-      God does not gain new powers or lose the ones He had

3-      God does not get stronger or weaker or wiser with time

4-      “God cannot change for the better for He is already perfect and being perfect, He cannot change for the worse.”

(A W Pink)

5-      *The first and fundamental difference between Creature and Creator is that we are mutable and always changing where God is immutable and can never cease to be what He is*

 

B-    God’s character does not change        *Malachi 3:6*

 

1-      a man of good-character may grow cynical and callous towards sin but not so with God

2-      He never becomes less truthful or merciful or just than He used to be

3-      The character of God is today and always will be exactly what it was in the Bible times

 

C-    God’s truth does not change              *Psalm 119:89; 152*

 

1-      have you ever held a conviction or view that has at some point and for some reason changed

*Illustration:  *view on boys~/girls-----my view on girls’ athletics-----views on retirement

2-      The Words of God stand forever as expressions of His intentions

*Isaiah 40:6*

3-      When we read our Bible we need to remember God’s word is timeless and unchanging

4- Nothing can annul God’s truth

 

D-    God’s ways do not change                 *Romans 5:8*

 

1-      God still seeks fellowship with all mankind

2-      God still hates sin

3-      God is still merciful to us

4-      God never acts out of character

5-      Man’s ways are pathetically inconsistent – But not God’s

 

E-     God’s purposes do not change           *Psalm 33:11    Numbers 23:19*

 

1-      no part of his universal and eternal plan changes

2-      God purposes and plans are made on the basis of a complete knowledge and control so there can be no emergencies that take Him by surprise

 

F-     God’s Son does not change                *Hebrews 13:8*

 

1-      God’s plan for salvation will never change – by grace through faith in Christ

2-      He is still able to save mankind because He was the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice

3-      He is able to secure your eternity so you can never lose it

 

 

2)      The Problem

 

·         Ok Pastor, I hear what you are saying and showing me but what about…

 

Genesis 6:6; 1 Samuel 15:11; Jonah 3:10; Isaiah 38:1-6 (Hezekiah)

 

A-    Does God sometimes change His mind?

 

*1-      **remember first and foremost that God sees the whole picture with infinite knowledge and control while you and I are relegated to a key hole perspective*

 

2-      these passages can be viewed as “God’s present attitude or intention with respect to that situation as it exists as that moment.”

(Grudem)

 

3-      this is to say that God responds differently to different situations

 

4-      Jonah 3:10

 

·         Proclamation: 40 days and Ninevah will be be destroyed

·         The sparing of Ninevah is not explicitly mentioned in the warning but it is mentioned implicitly

·         *the purpose for proclaiming a warning is to bring about repentance*

·         once the people of Ninevah repented this then changed the situation and God then responded appropriately based on the changed situation

 

5-      In situations with Hezekiah (*Isaiah 38:1*) and Moses (*Exodus 32:9*) God said that He would send judgment and that was a true declaration if the situation remained the same – but it didn’t!

6-      With Saul, even if the current situation has made God sorrowful that He made Him King, but He could not and would not go against His eternal plan

 

Ø      there is no suggestion in any of these texts that imply that this circumstances took God by surprise or that they were not a part of His eternal plan

Ø      No change has to be implied when He begins to deal with a man in a new way.

*Illustration*:          Bank Account ~/ Credit Card Statement

 

-          have you ever gone to your bank account and said, “Hey I’m missing money!”

-          but upon further investigation you have remembered what you purchased

-          did things change or did you perspective on the matter change?

-          This is the way it is with God

-          From man’s perspective things changed but they never do from God’s eternal perspective

 

 

3)      The Ramifications ~/ Conclusions