Sermon Central
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All Is Well In 2012 Series
Contributed by James Westervelt on Dec 28, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: Hope for the new year - it may look hopeless, but God sees it differently.
ALL IS WELL IN 2012
The theme God gave me for the New Year is this: “All is Well in 2012.”
You may be thinking, ‘How can you say, ‘All is well in 2012’ when:
-Islam is destroying the Middle East?
-Communism is destroying China?-Hinduism is destroying India?
-Narcotics are destroying Central and South America?
-Disease is destroying Africa?
-Materialism is destroying America?
-Sin is destroying the whole world! The “isms” of the world seem to have replaced Christianity.. The Church seems to have become irrelevant.
But not everything is as it SEEMS.
There are at least three reasons why I believe “All is Well in 2012,” even when it doesn’t seem like it.
Turn with me to a very unlikely Psalm – Psalm 2 – for God’s Word to us for this new year:
I. All is well in 2012 – because God is still on the throne!
Ps. 2:1-6 “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together
against the LORD and against his Anointed One.
“Let us break their chains,” they say,
“and throw off their fetters.”
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
It should not upset us when nations plot against us, when rulers take a stand against Christianity, when people rebel against God’s laws and authority. God is still on the Throne – He is still in control.
He will scoff at the scoffers; He will get angry at the angry; He will enthrone His Son as the KING of the whole world.
But how does this knowledge help us now?
By giving us confidence to stand up for truth and righteousness in a world full of falsehood and unrighteousness.
We believe the future is bright, therefore, we can live confidently in the darkness. We can say with assurance, “Jesus, You are the King of the universe.” (Repeat with me,) “All is well because God is still on the throne.”
II. All is Well in 2012- because God is continually working out His purposes.
Ps. 2:7-9 “I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
You see, from the very beginning of time, God had a plan and He has been working out his purposes step by step.
On Christmas Day, God the Son became a man (verse 7) “He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”
On Resurrection morning, the nations became His inheritance, and the ends of the earth, His possessions, because He purchased them with His own blood on the cross (verse 8) “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”
At His Second Coming, He will destroy His enemies- and for 1000 years He will rule the world with an iron scepter
(verse 9) “You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Now at the birth of Jesus, did it look like God was working out His purposes – especially when Herod was killing all the babies of Jerusalem? No, but He was!
When Jesus was dying on the cross like a common criminal, did it look like God was working out His purposes? No, but He certainly was!
Today, when nation is rising against nation and sin is abounding, does it look like God is working out His purposes? No, but He is! Soon, Jesus will break through the clouds and make everything right!
But how does this truth help us right now? It gives us hope. God’s plan isn’t going to end until it is finished. Jesus came into this world at just the right time; Jesus died and rose again at just the right time; Jesus will come again at just the right time, and that may be very soon!
2 Pet. 2:8+9 says, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Since God is continually working out His purposes in history, and in our lives, we can say with confidence, “Jesus, You are Lord of life’s circumstances.” (repeat with me)
