Youth and the Awesomeness of God, Part 2 (Part 1 of 2)

Recapping the Series: God as the Epitome of Awesome

If you remember from last week, we started a series on the awesomeness of God. This is an awesome subject because it pertains to our God—who He is, what He does, and His total control over everything. God is the highest awesome, the epitome of awesome. By comparison, all non-God things are non-awesome.

We examined this from Psalm 39:5-8, where compared to God's eternal, higher-quality existence, our lives are closer to non-existence. Humanity's existence is finite and fallen, making God's far more stellar, immense, and amazing.

Even awesome human feats—like winning gold medals or setting world records—are insignificant compared to God's awesomeness. This seems extreme, but how could anything be awesome compared to God? Our video games, devices, relationships—none measure up.

Yet, those things become legitimately awesome through participation in God's awesomeness if we are redeemed, growing in sanctification, and giving attribution and gratitude to God. Even suffering or adversity, not awesome in themselves, allow us to experience God's awesomeness.

This revolutionizes our lives. Doing homework or schoolwork isn't awesome in itself. I hated schoolwork. But the experience can become awesome through God in those circumstances.

In the workplace—like my time in child support, taking 110 calls a day, most from mean people—it wasn't awesome. But it provided income. How do we experience such things with joy? By beholding God's awesomeness.

The Three-Step Process to Experience God's Awesomeness

The series follows a three-step process:

1. Examine God as revealed in Scripture. If you don't behold God, you won't behold Him as awesome. Many don't because they lack time beholding Him as He is.
2. Examine what God says about humanity and Jesus Christ.
3. Be enamored with God's sovereignty and awesomeness.

This isn't strictly sequential but a process for any Scripture study: What does it say about God? Humanity? Our need for Christ? Then be enamored with God.

Mysticism turns inward—"I feel, therefore it's truth"—a repackaged sensualism. People define God like Greek gods—too human-like, fornicating with mortals. Even atheists reject a straw-man God, labeling Him genocidal or homophobic from out-of-context snippets.

Believers can do the same, defining God their way, missing His awesomeness. John Calvin said we don't understand ourselves without beholding God first.

Like a car manual from the manufacturer, Scripture tells us how humanity functions, as created by God. Understanding God reveals our sinfulness, incapacity to please Him, and deserving wrath—making us desperate for Christ, where God's love is found. In Christ, we're freed from sin, equipped to experience God's awesomeness.

Beholding God's Sovereign Control

Tonight, we behold God exercising total control. Nothing happens unless decreed by Him.

Psalm 115:3: Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Nations ask, "Where is their God?" The Psalmist answers: He's in the heavens and does whatever pleases Him. This refutes non-existence with His awesome sovereignty. You can't "do whatever pleases you" if restrained.

Beholding God naturally leads to expressing His awesomeness. If someone says your God doesn't exist, you respond: Not only does He exist, He's amazing—doing whatever pleases Him.

Isaiah 14:27: For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?

God's purpose precedes any thwarting. His outstretched arm—like holding back a sibling—can't be turned. No one stops God.

This is awesome for those in Christ—God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. No one stops His good purposes in your life.

Romans 8:28: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Beholding God makes verses like this hit harder. Even John 3:16 gains depth: The omnipotent God, whose purposes can't be thwarted, so loved the world He gave His Son.

Isaiah 43:13: Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; when I act, who can reverse it?

"I am he" (ego eimi)—Jesus' words in the garden knocked guards down. From ancient days, God acts irrevocably. For believers, no one delivers you from His hand—your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Safest place ever.

For unbelievers, terrifying: Stuck in the hand of the God offended, unable to escape wrath. Sinners hang over hell by God's mere pleasure (Jonathan Edwards). Fear Him who can destroy body and soul.

Irreversible Salvation and Divine Protection

Recognize the incredible protection of being in the hands of this God who acts, and who can reverse it? God has saved you—who can reverse that? God has sent his Son to die for you specifically—who has the ability to reverse that? Nobody has the ability to reverse that. You don't even have the ability to reverse that.

For those who genuinely behold the awesomeness of God, you don't want to fall away from this awesomeness. You don't want to be out of the hands of this God. You don't want to be on the opposing end of this awesomeness. When he says you can't leave my hand, I've acted to save you, nobody can reverse that—that is one of the greatest assurances you will ever know.

Of course, we also recognize there is suffering and adversity, even being in the hands of this God. He is only concerned about your good and powerful enough to achieve it. Whatever you experience is because he permits it, and it will be for your good. You will become more like Christ—more awesome. You will have a deeper experience of God through adversity, more desperation for Christ, more desperation for God.

Whatever comes into your life, God is permitting it. Otherwise, nothing could penetrate the hands of God to reach you. He allows it because he has promised it will be for your good, and nobody can reverse that.

Some people give too much credit to Satan. When adversity strikes, the immediate response is often "Satan is attacking." That could be true, but he attacks only with God's permission. He is not more powerful than your God. He never has been, nor will he ever be as powerful or amazing as your God.

Jesus told Peter, "Satan has asked to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you." We know the story of Job, where Satan comes before God, claiming that if God removes his goodness, Job will recant. In chapter two, God says to Satan, "You incited me against Job." Who attacked Job? Satan, right? Ultimately, it was God. Yet we know the benevolence of God upon Job, his eternal security, and that God did it for Job's benefit and his glory.

Isaiah 46:10
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times what is still to come. I say, my purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

God reveals all of history—or at least what we need to know. He knows the entirety of history, your future, because he decreed it. As sovereign King, he decrees your existence, all things in your life, and salvation is among them. That's an awesome God.

Even if you desire a romantic relationship leading to marriage, when it happens, you'll look back and say, "That's one of God's purposes." He has planned every benevolent, good thing for you perfectly. He rules over those experiences so they unfold exactly as planned. Why not trust him?

Daniel 4:35
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him, "What have you done?"

You are nothing compared to God. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven—angels, demons, supernatural realms—with humans, no matter who you are or where you exist. Nothing prevents him. What pleases him in your life is that you become like his Son, Jesus.

Closing Applications

Notice the recurring theme in these verses: alongside God's sovereignty is his pleasure. God created for his pleasure, saves for his pleasure. He condemns to hell not for pleasure directly, but so his people know who he is and glorify him by praising him. Everything God does is for his pleasure.

First, be as concerned about God's pleasure as he is. God is not the God of gray areas—either something pleases him or offends him. Be most concerned about what pleases him.

Second, trust God more and more. The most recognizable trait of God is his trustworthiness. The Old Testament shows his power and unwavering purpose; the New Testament reveals that purpose: to save you in Jesus Christ. If God is this much in control, this awesome, with unthwartable purposes, his promises are irreversible. He promises eternal life, blessed living, enjoyment of him to those who call on the Lord, who are humble and trust him. How can you not trust him?

Third, thank God more and more. When you see your entire destiny ordained by God, who chose to save you in his sovereignty, respond with utter gratefulness. Everything is worked for good—adversity included—so thank him constantly, even in trials. He was under no obligation to save or bless you, yet he did, because of his love.