“God’s Gonna Do What He’s Gonna Do!”
Jeremiah 32:16-27
David P. Nolte
The poet, Cowper, said, “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform.” God Himself said, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (NASB).
The song Frank and Brenda sang says that God’s ways are msterious.
“God’s gonna do what He’s gonna do
He’s always up to something new
And you never know just who He’s gonna use
So when He calls your name my friend
Find your place and jump right in
If you want to be in on
What God’s Gonna do.”
Let’s consider the Bible Text and think about God doing what He’s gonna do!
At God’s command, Jeremiah purchased apiece of property, and we read, “Then after I had given the papers to Baruch, I prayed to the LORD: ‘O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you! You show unfailing love to thousands, but you also bring the consequences of one generation’s sin upon the next. You are the great and powerful God, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You see the conduct of all people, and you give them what they deserve. You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt—things still remembered to this day! And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name famous to this day. You brought Israel out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders, with a strong hand and powerful arm, and with overwhelming terror. You gave the people of Israel this land that you had promised their ancestors long before—a land flowing with milk and honey. Our ancestors came and conquered it and lived in it, but they refused to obey you or follow your word. They have not done anything you commanded. That is why you have sent this terrible disaster upon them. See how the siege ramps have been built against the city walls! Through war, famine, and disease, the city will be handed over to the Babylonians, who will conquer it. Everything has happened just as you said. And yet, O Sovereign LORD, you have told me to buy the field—paying good money for it before these witnesses—even though the city will soon be handed over to the Babylonians.’ Then this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ‘I am the LORD, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?’” Jeremiah 32:16-27 (NLT).
Consider three aspects of what God’s gonna do!
I. HE’S GONNA DO WHAT HE’S GONNA DO SOVEREIGNLY:
A. Jeremiah called Him Sovereign Lord.
1. Sovereign Lord: He is above all other authority; unparalleled in rank.
2. He commands, we comply; He orders, we obey; He directs, we do.
3. Solomon said, “We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but GOD's purpose prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 (MSG).
B. If God is sovereign He can do as He wills and has authority to issue commands for us to obey. That goes against the grain of human nature!
1. The unregenerate heart is a rebel.
2. Mankind is still like those in the days of the judges. “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” Judges 17:6 (NLT).
3. Mankind wants to be a law unto itself.
4. The core problem in the world today is the failure to recognize and honor the sovereignty of God.
5. There is little fear of God anywhere anymore.
C. But may we recognize and submit to the Sovereign Lordship of God!
1. Let us say, “I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” Psalm 40:8 (NLT)
2. And, “I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands.” Psalm 119:10 (NLT).
3. “Not my will, but Your will be done!”
D. I’m trying to say that God calls the shots:
1. God decides and acts; God does not ask, nor does He need to ask, our counsel or permission! He does it His way, not as we demand!
2. Eddie Snipes wrote, “The sovereignty of God is not a secondary issue but is completely foundational to everything we stand on. If God is not sovereign, how can I trust Him with every part of my life? When I say sovereignty I am referring our God who is all knowing, in total control and has the absolute right to do all things according to His good pleasure. There are countless false teachers today that contradict God Himself and claim their word has power over God and their doctrine overrules God.”
3. But He does not obey us, we must obey Him!
4. Peter needed to learn that apparently. He was staying at a friend’s house when God gave him a vision. “He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.’ ‘No, Lord,’ Peter declared. ‘I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.’ But the voice spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’” Acts 10:11-15 (NLT). If we recognize His sovereignty it will never be, “No, Lord!”
E. God has a plan, a purpose, a self-appointed work to do; and He’s going to do it no matter who opposes Him. We will either oppose or yield to His sovereign will. Let me illustrate: In the waters around Greenland are countless icebergs, some little and some gigantic. Sometimes the small icebergs move in one direction while the hug ones flow in another. That’s because surface winds drive the little ones, while the huge ones are carried along by deep ocean currents. Our lives are being moved by two forces--surface winds and ocean currents. The winds represent false doctrines; human philosophies; worldly influences.. But when weare deep into His sovereign will we are not blown here and there by every influence; we move in the direction He directs us to go.
GOD’S GONNA DO WHAT HE’S GONNA DO SOVEREIGNLY AND
II. HE’S GONNA DO WHAT HE’S GONNA DO SUFFICIENTLY:
A. We read, “You are the great and powerful God, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You see the conduct of all people, and you give them what they deserve. You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt—things still remembered to this day! And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world.”
1. Nothing is too hard for Him! He is sufficient!
2. Gabriel told Mary, “nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 (NLT).
3. Jesus said, “Everything is possible with God.” Mark 10:27 (NLT).
4. Paul adds this, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT).
B. The Lord’s hand is not weakened! His power is not decreased! He is able! He is omnipotent! He is mighty beyond measure!
1. He created and sustains the entire universe.
2. He performed miracles and wonders in Egypt to humiliate the false gods of that land.
3. He produced numerous healings and even resurrections.
4. When He sees fit not to heal, or to solve our problems, or to end our difficulties, His powerful grace is sufficient.
5. He answered and answers prayers as He sees fit.
C. What a Mighty God we serve! Jeremiah said, “Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good. LORD, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. Who would not fear you, O King of nations? That title belongs to you alone! Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, there is no one like you.” Jeremiah 10:5-7 (NLT).
D. The old song says,
“Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?
Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?
God specializes in things thought impossible
And does the things that others cannot do.
God is the same and His Word is dependable
He’ll make a way through the water’s for you
Life’s situations by Him are amendable
Mountains and Hills He will part for you too.”
E. God’s work is sufficient. His grace is sufficient. His power is sufficient. His providence is sufficient. Yet we are often like a man I read about: “A certain poor man spent many years saving money to realize his dream of going on a cruise. When he finally saved the required sum, he bought a ticket. Knowing he could not afford the extravagant food on board, he took what he could afford—bread, crackers and peanut butter.
After a few days of observing the other passengers eating luxurious meals, his peanut butter crackers became stale and tasteless.”Desperately hungry, he begged a porter to allow him to work for food. “Why, sir, didn’t you realize meals are included with your ticket? You may eat as much as you like!”
Many of us live like that man. Not realizing the sufficiency of God’s works and providence that are ours in Christ, we munch on stale scraps. Everything we could ever want or need is included in the cost of admission—and Jesus has already paid it for us most sufficiently!
GOD’S GONNA DO WHAT HE’S GONNA DO SUFFICIENTLY! AND LASTLY
III. HE’S GONNA DO WHAT HE’S GONNA DO SURPRISINGLY:
A. “O Sovereign LORD, you have told me to buy the field—paying good money for it before these witnesses—even though the city will soon be handed over to the Babylonians.” God was illustrating the truth that people would again own property there.
1. God’s command made little sense to Jeremiah, but he complied!
2. Then consider Peter in Luke’s account of a failed fishing trip. He said, “‘Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.’ And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.” Luke 5:4-7 (NLT). You can almost hear the sigh of surrender and the shout of surprise!
B. Joni Erickson Tada, paralyzed in a swimming accident, said, “God is constantly staving off evil, restraining the fury of Satan so that harm and calamity do not overwhelm us. The devil can only do what God allows. Every once in a while, however, God lifts His hand of restraining grace to allow evil people to carry out their wicked plans, but only as it serves God’s higher purposes. Has someone caused you harm? Hurt or maligned you? You can praise God today that He is in control of even that painful situation. If God allowed it, He has a purpose in it. We may not understand His reasons, but we know His intent. It is for our good and His glory.” God’s doings are often puzzling, mysterious and surprising.
C. Last week I read a story that illustrates God’s surprising actions. When Kevon Smith sat down for breakfast at Cracker Barrel with his son Kevon Jr. in Willoughby, Ohio, he had no idea he was going to be blessed just for being a good dad.
Kevon noticed a couple staring and smiling at him and his 3-month-old son, and although he was confused, he just went on with the meal. He noticed an older couple over in the corner, he said. They kept smiling at him and he was looking at my son like, “What is going on?"
But when Kevon left the restaurant, it all made sense, as he saw a note on his car from the couple praising his parenting along with cash to cover his breakfast. The note said, "Today your meal is on my wife and me. Enjoy that baby as long as God intends.” Sometimes God sneaks up on us like that in some surprising way And we say, “I never saw that coming!”!
D. One of God’s surprising actions is the kind of people He called to be His disciples!
1. For the most part none of the religious leaders were disciples.
2. The upper crust shunned Him – but you know that the upper crust is usually pretty crumby!
3. It wasn’t the elite He called; it was fishermen, former demon possessed prostitutes, former persecutors, lepers, beggars, and tax collectors.
4. He cared about the lowly, the outcast, the friendless, the forsaken.
E. He wants to do a sovereign, sufficient and even surprising work in your life, too! As the song said,
“God doesn’t always call the equipped
But He will equip the called
He knows everything that we need
To make sense of it all
He’ll work through our weakness
When we depend upon the Lord,
‘Cause if He said to do it
We have His full support.”
I want to be in on what God’s gonna do. DO YOU?
Pray/invite
To gain all God waits to do in your life, surrender all of that life to Him.
