Grace Church San Diego

The God of the Bible is the Lord of details.  He is not the God of the Deists -- the modern thinker who believes if there is a God he minds his own business and leaves us to manage the affairs of this world.  The story of Christ's continuing work to advance the Gospel is a story of his control and ordering of all things for his purposes.  Here is what we mean:

Paul arrives in Jerusalem, intent on making his mercy gift to build unity in the church, then he planned to move on to Rome.  But God had a different plan. Paul was to bear witness to the assembled nation in the temple courtyards, after which he would appear before the royal powers of Judea, all the whole enduring a multi year imprisonment with some freedom, after which he would be shipped to Rome at the expense of the Empire -- and there bear witness to the Christ before Casear.

In this process God reveals his hidden work. He takes in hand a vast variety of tools and circumstances, all of which he ordained, to accomplish his will -- and he does all this without violence to the free choice of the various people. 

He uses the earned citizenship of Paul's father which Paul inherited.  He uses the intensity of the angry mob and the theological division in Israel's leaders. He employs the training Paul received.  He utilizes the institution of Roman law which he had ordained as sovereign of the nations.  He positions Paul's nephew to overhear a death plot against his uncle.  He places a tribune over Paul who is concerned for justice.  He employs the self-serving actions of soldiers and politicians -- all of this he uses to press the Gospel forward, to place Paul before the people of power in Judea, and ultimately before Caesar himself.  All this is done through a man who is being arraigned without cause and who appeals that charge to Caesar.

Here we find the many sided sovereignty of God and his infinite wisdom in employing the best means to accomplish the best ends. 

And Paul trusts God.  How we respond to the events God brings to us in life is always a statement about God -- it is always personal.  Paul trusts and God uses him for his glory.

At Grace Church we believe that God is Sovereign in San Diego and in our lives, and we desire to trust him and be used by him for his glory.

Recent Sermons view all ›