Youth and the Awesomeness of God, Part 3

The Series Approach to God's Awesomeness

We've been going through our series on the awesomeness of God. The main idea is a three-step approach: first, we examine passages of scripture that reveal who God is, what He does, and how He has revealed Himself. Then we look at what God says about humanity and about Jesus Christ. Finally, we aim to be enamored with the awesomeness of God.

That's the purpose of studying scripture—to reach a point of being enamored with God's awesomeness, which brings privileges and benefits to our lives. When we're enamored with God, it affects us deeply because we understand what makes Him awesome and how it impacts us. It causes us to enjoy it, love it, and want to spend more time dwelling on it. The awesomeness of God is awesome.

When we compare God's awesomeness to anything else, we see that nothing else measures up. God is the highest awesome, so all non-God things are non-awesome in comparison. We've drawn logical conclusions from scripture: God's existence is the epitome of existence, while man's existence is like non-existence by comparison. We are more like non-existence next to God's existence, more like non-awesomeness next to His awesomeness.

Activities like entertainment become non-awesome compared to God. Even an action-packed movie with explosions and CGI pales in comparison. The genuine experience of anything awesome depends on our understanding of God's awesomeness, our gratitude, and attributing it to Him.

The church camp we just returned from was awesome only because God is awesome—not because of repelling or the ropes course. Relationships—friendships, romantic ones, marriages, family—are awesome because God is awesome and gives good gifts. We fail to experience God's awesomeness in them when sin dominates.

Consider two married couples: one at each other's throats, the other thriving. The struggling couple envies the happy one, but every marriage is inherently awesome because God made it so. Sin hinders us from seeing it. Even in conflict, enjoying God's awesomeness enhances the marriage. Beholding God reveals how not awesome sin is, correcting issues and improving our experience.

Another example: if you're single and isolated while others have relationships or circles, it feels less awesome. But for those living in God's awesomeness, everything is by His good pleasure for your best—like Joseph in Genesis, sold into slavery yet declaring, "What you intended for evil, God intended for good." Slavery became awesome because God worked it for good, even saving Israel. Where you are is exactly where God wants you.

Focusing on God's awesomeness over sin's deceptive appeal frees us to enjoy Him in every circumstance—a great privilege.

God's Sovereignty and Pronouncements on Humanity and Christ

Tonight, we'll examine God's sovereignty and a New Testament claim about Christ. God pronounces mankind as not awesome: spiritually dead, whitewashed tombs, sons of Satan, brood of vipers, dead in trespasses and sins, incapable of understanding God, deserving damnation. Man is nothing, a mere breath.

But God's pronouncements about Christ are dramatically different. From last week: be concerned about God's pleasure as He is, because that's where our pleasure comes from. Trinitarianism shows God as highest good, reciprocating pleasure within the Trinity, inviting us into that fellowship.

Trust God more—He's in control of every detail. Being His puppet or robot under the omnipotent, omniscient Creator is desirable; He won't err. Thank God more, for He decrees good, works permitted evils for good, as in Joseph's words and 2 Peter 3:9—patient, not willing any perish.

Ecclesiastes 7:14
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything after Him.

Understanding God's works means nothing else is needed—His awesomeness is infinite. When times are good, be happy; God made them so. Holiness brings true happiness: "Abide in me... my joy will be in you" (John 15). Joy produces happiness.

When times are bad, consider God's sovereignty over both—He harmonizes them for completeness. Bad times aren't mistakes; they're God's. Suffering draws us to Him, preventing comfort in this life. Isaiah 45:7:

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things.

God creates both. Job told his wife, after losing everything: "Shall we accept good from God, and not disaster?" (Job 2:10, ra' in Hebrew, same as "evil" in Genesis 50:20—permitted for good.)

Beholding God's sovereignty over disaster and eternity, then hearing His words on sinful man, contrasts sharply with:

Matthew 3:17
"Behold, a voice from heaven said: 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.'"

God is sovereign, unimpressed by us, offended by sin—yet fully pleased with Christ. This should make us desperate for Him. Jesus, equal with God, took on humanity, suffered sinlessly, lived dependently, saved us, united us to Himself. We can be treated as the beloved Son.

Further verses on sovereignty:

Job 42:2 I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.
Psalm 115:3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
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?
Isaiah 43:13 Yes, from everlasting I am he. None can deliver from my hand; when I act, who can reverse it?
Isaiah 46:10 I make known the end from the beginning... My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.
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?"

Responses to God's Awesomeness

Seeing God's awesomeness, humanity's pronoucements, and Christ's should: (1) cause us to despair of ourselves healthily—sinful me isn't good, it's terrifying; (2) make us desperate for Christ—needing His righteousness, pursuing likeness to Him, redefining our time; (3) make us dead to sin—God hates it, but delights in Christ; diligently identify and eliminate it to please God.

Despair of the old me, desperate for the new in Christ, dead to sin—consumed by Him in every area.