Part 1 – Sovereign and Subjects

Session #1 The Sovereignty of God

45 mins

Introduction: Kingdom and Sovereignty

The Kingdom of God means God is King! He’s in charge. He is sovereign.

A kingdom speaks of a sphere over which a sovereign rules, and the rule which that sovereign exercises over that sphere.

"It is said by some that men give free will to everyone but God, and speak as if God must be the slave of men. Aye, we believe that God has given to man a free will - that we do not deny; but we will have it that God has a free will also - and that, moreover, he has a right to exercise it and does exercise it." C.H.Spurgeon

"God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass, yet so as thereby neither is God the author of sin nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established..." Westminster Confession of Faith on "God's eternal decree"

"It is not true that some Christians believe in divine sovereignty while others hold the opposite view. What is true is that all Christians believe in divine sovereignty, but some are not aware that they do, and mistakenly imagine and insist that they reject it." J.I.Packer: Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God - p.16

"History is the autobiography of him who purposes all things according to the counsel of his will." Stephen McDowell

1. The Reality of the Sovereignty of God – Ps 93:1-5

1.1 Past & Present - not Future (Ps 93:1,2)

1.2 Prevailing Power - not Frailty (Ps 93:3,4)

"Breakers" – Breaking or broken?

50 mins

1.3 Precious Promises - now Fulfilled (Ps 93:5)

His government is seen in:

• promises
• precepts.

2. The Response to the Sovereignty of God – Ps 2:1-12

2.1 The Rage of the Rebels (vs.1-3)

2.2 The Ridicule of the Lord (vs.4-6)

Notice that God in heaven only does 3 things:

• he sits
• he laughs
• he speaks.

2.3 The Retort of the King (vs.7-9)

2.4 The Response of the Wise (vs.10-12)

• a) Serve with fear / rejoice with trembling.
  • Fear without joy is torment; but joy without fear is presumption.
• b) Kiss the Son.
  • "Sonship" here speaks of his kingship - so the kissing refers not so much to his person as to his position.