Transcription
“It is also not served by human hands, as if he needed something (Acts 17:24-25).
- Isn’t that extraordinary? God doesn’t need you.
- He certainly doesn’t need me.
- He doesn’t need our worship groups!It’s not like God came in on Thursday afternoon and started saying.
- “Wow.
- I can’t wait till Sunday for the guitars to play again!I’m very lonely.
- I need a stir here.
- ” He doesn’t need our worship.
- He doesn’t need our money!.
In the past eternity, before there was anything, God was. And it was completely full of joy and joy. And even there he was already a God of love, because, in the complexities of God’s unity, in the categories we will see in this series, the Father loved the Son!There was alterity in God Himself!He didn’t create us because he was alone and thought, “You know, my work as God would be a little more acceptable if I did one or two to carry my image, for them to flatter me from time to time. “He doesn’t need us.
But don’t get me wrong. That doesn’t mean he’s not reacting to us, don’t let him rejoice in us, don’t hate us, it doesn’t mean that. He is reacting to us, but not by an intrinsic need for his own being or character, but he is responding for all his perfections and will not because he does not foresee the future, not because he lets things out. hand no because he renounced his sovereignty. Not because I’m not sovereign, not because I have a psychological problem. Not because I need something, but because of the perfection of all that is, characteristics and attributes; always responds according to its attributes. All the time. He’s never less than God.
Can you imagine how difficult it was for Paul to point the cross at a handful of sophisticated scholars whose notion of religion was based on “one hand washes the other”?And then, to complicate things further, Paul adds another line: “The God who made the world and all that it contains, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in sanctuaries made by human hands, nor is he served by human hands, as if he needed something; because he himself is the one who gives everyone life, encouragement and everything. We need him.
It also comes from Genesis 1, 2 and 3. La life, breath and everything. When the Lord Jesus lived at the beginning of the first century, he taught that no sparrow falls from heaven without God’s permission. Even the hair on your head. This means, in my case, that God makes a very quick account and knows everyone. Even the ones that disappear. And every time I breathe, it’s with your permission, Paulo reminds us. We need it for life, breathing and everything, for food. For health. I’m a completely dependent creature, I’m not the creator.
Now, how are you going to have a relationship with such a God?He’s not just a sweet grandfather, and he’s not far away. It’s as sovereign as the deists want it to be, but it’s much more personal. And you don’t need it. You don’t have to negotiate anything. In fact, the only reason you’re still alive is because of your permission. A friend of mine was teaching last week at a seminary in Dallas, a good man, a New Testament teacher. He’s already written important books. He has three children. One is a missionary in Siberia, another is a missionary in Russia, and the other is a missionary in Afghanistan. I’d gone out to work out. He went home, went to bed and died. There was nothing I could do about it. If your heart keeps beating, it’s because God allows it. If he ever says, “Silly, they’ll ask for your soul tonight,” tumors. Or if you say, “Come home, my son. The time has come. Your work is done,” go.
How do you negotiate with such a God?” My god?I’ll give you 10%! He owns his life!He owns the whole planet!Sir, will I become a missionary, will that make me a better person?”I will become a deacon in the church. No, no, no, no, no, there is not a single way to have a relationship with this kind of God. If you show a sovereign grace. Because he doesn’t owe you anything. You and I are rebels. And we have nothing to negotiate.