Jump Start # 3931
Genesis 17:1 “Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless.”
It had been thirteen years since God had last spoken to Abram. Here, in our verse, for the first time in the Bible, the declaration “God Almighty” is used. It is first used by God. This is how He described Himself. He is the Almighty. It is from this concept that we say that the Lord is SOVERIGN. The “sovereignty of God” refers to His character, His position, His authority and His reign. Jesus has all authority in Heaven and on earth.
Sovereign means to be in charge. God is subject to no one. He shares with no one. He is a jealous God and there can be no other like Him.
The sovereignty of God is illustrated by the fact that He is before all things; He created all things; and all things are subject to Him. It is God who gives life and breath to creation. It is God who determines the times and boundaries of our dwelling.
The sovereignty of God is declared through His titles. He is the “most high.” He is the “alpha and omega.” He is the “King of kings.” His sovereignty was demonstrated through the plagues that He was greater than the Nile. He was greater than the sun. He was greater than the crops of Egypt. He has shown that He is the rule of weather. He is the ruler of disease. He is the ruler of demons. He is the ruler of death. In Revelation, Jesus is said to have the keys of death and hades.
Because God is sovereign demands three responses from us:
First, we need to bow to God in reverence. Turning worship into a comedy show is disrespectful to God. Twisting God’s word to justify wrong attitudes and behavior shows that one does not recognize the Lord as the Almighty. The heart of a disciple is thankful to even hold God’s divine word. The heart of a disciple is content with the way God has declared His will.
Fighting God on baptism, divorce, organization, operation of the church only illustrates hearts that believe that they can do things better than God. We know a better way. We want different. And, with that, God is dethroned and the will of the people become the direction that some will follow. The very idea of anything more than the Bible shouts that one does not grasp the sovereignty of God. If it is more than the Bible, it is too much. If it is less than the Bible, it is too little. If it is different than the Bible, it is too different. If it is the same as the Bible it is not necessary.
Second, we need to place God as the Almighty within our hearts. Peter said to “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts…” Make God the absolute in your life. Love Him with all that you are. One way this is done is by trusting Him. He said it and that’s good enough. In our attendance, God needs to be first. In our giving, God needs to be first. In our reaching for help, God needs to be first. First in prayer. First in opening Scriptures. First in following His will.
Many a person will die on the hill fighting changes in worship, but that same person doesn’t live a consistent daily life with the Lord. He may fudge numbers to avoid penalties. He may stretch the truth to make himself look good. He may lie to get out of doing something. His Bible may sit closed all week long in the back seat of his car. He won’t miss his favorite team playing a game on TV, but thinks little of praying without ceasing.
Sovereign in my heart. First in my heart. King in my heart.
Third, we need to appreciate that one day we will stand before Him. We won’t have a casual cup of coffee and shoot the breeze with God. We won’t be telling jokes with God. There is a coming judgment. Books will be opened. One book will be most important to us, the book of life. If our names are not in that book, we will experience what sovereignty truly means. Banished from His presence with no appeal. He is God. He is not like us. He is perfect and we are not. He is sinless and we are not. He is without mistake and we are not. Our hope is the grace that is found in Jesus Christ.
In 1936, the world was stunned with the news of a romance. The king of England, Edward VIII, had fallen in love with an American woman. He was royalty and she was a commoner, not even from the same country. He wanted to marry her, but English law would not allow this. He gave up his throne. He abdicated his reign. He stepped down from being king. The world was shocked. How could someone give up his throne, kingdom and power. Because of that change, the royal line shifted to his brother, George and then down to his daughter, Elizabeth and today to her son, Charles. Edward gave up the throne.
God won’t do that. The eternal sovereignty will not be passed down to a preacher, a church or anyone else. God is the Almighty. And, for that, we are thankful.
Roger