Isaiah 45: Sovereign
From 2Timothy2.org
Theological Proposition/Focus: God, the Creator of all things, upholds, directs, and governs all crea-tures, actions, and things, from the greatest to the least, by his wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge and the free and unchangeable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. In his ordinary provi-dence, God makes use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them at his pleasure.[1]
Homiletical Proposition/Application: We must place our confidence in God and his sovereign plan.
Contents
- 1 Introduction:
- 1.1 Image:
- 1.2 Need: We have a tendency to second guess events that happen in life. We need to confidently proclaim God's got this!
- 1.3 Preview: In Isaiah 45 we are going to see that God is sovereign, even when you don't know any better, even if you disagree, and even if everything else seems hopeless.
- 1.4 Text: Isaiah 45.
- 1.5 Setting the Stage:
- 1.5.1 Isaiah prophesied over a period of about 40 years during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
- 1.5.2 Chapters 40-48 include a promise of restoration for Israel. Faced with the impending Babylonian empire, God assures his people that he is in control.
- 1.5.3 Secular scholar's have challenged Isaiah because his prophecies are too good
- 2 Body
- 2.1 Even when you don't know better, God is still sovereign (45:1-7).
- 2.2 Even if you disagree, God is still sovereign (45:8-14).
- 2.2.1 As creator, God has the right of sovereignty (8).
- 2.2.2 Like a potter, God alone has the privilege of decision (9).
- 2.2.3 Like a parent, God knows best (10-11).
- 2.2.4 Like an engineer, God has a bigger purpose in mind (12-14).
- 2.2.5 MTR: Evaluate your own attitude, when have you foolishly disagreed with God's direction for your life?
- 2.3 Intermission 1: The Sovereign is Savior (45:15-17).
- 2.4 Even if it seems hopeless, God is still sovereign (45:18-21).
- 2.4.1 God did not aimlessly create without a plan in mind (18).
- 2.4.2 God has faithfully revealed aspects of his plan (19).
- 2.4.3 False gods lead to an aimless, purposeless life path (20).
- 2.4.4 The righteous God our Savior has a plan (21).
- 2.4.5 MTR: Commit to taking time to learn everything you can about God's plan.
- 2.5 Intermission 2: The Sovereign is Savior (45:22-25).
Introduction:
Image:
Need: We have a tendency to second guess events that happen in life. We need to confidently proclaim God's got this!
Preview: In Isaiah 45 we are going to see that God is sovereign, even when you don't know any better, even if you disagree, and even if everything else seems hopeless.
Text: Isaiah 45.
Setting the Stage:
Isaiah is one of the greatest prophets in all of the Old Testament, if not the greatest. The book of Isaiah is a literary treasure trove filled with profound christology and some powerful descriptions of God and his creation.
Isaiah prophesied over a period of about 40 years during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.
Chapters 40-48 include a promise of restoration for Israel. Faced with the impending Babylonian empire, God assures his people that he is in control.
Secular scholar's have challenged Isaiah because his prophecies are too good
However, the evidence in-favor of Isaiah is overwhelming.
Body
Even when you don't know better, God is still sovereign (45:1-7).
God's sovereignty means that God owns and directs as God desires (1-3).
God's sovereignty does not require that you recognize God (4-5).
God's sovereignty sets Him apart from everything else (6-7)
Image:
MTR: Humbly admit that God is sovereign and part of your life.
Even if you disagree, God is still sovereign (45:8-14).
As creator, God has the right of sovereignty (8).
Like a potter, God alone has the privilege of decision (9).
Like a parent, God knows best (10-11).
Like an engineer, God has a bigger purpose in mind (12-14).
MTR: Evaluate your own attitude, when have you foolishly disagreed with God's direction for your life?
Intermission 1: The Sovereign is Savior (45:15-17).
The path of idolatry leads to shame and disgrace (15-16).
The path of the LORD leads to salvation (17).
MTR: Turn to God for salvation.
Even if it seems hopeless, God is still sovereign (45:18-21).
God did not aimlessly create without a plan in mind (18).
God has faithfully revealed aspects of his plan (19).
False gods lead to an aimless, purposeless life path (20).
The righteous God our Savior has a plan (21).
MTR: Commit to taking time to learn everything you can about God's plan.
Intermission 2: The Sovereign is Savior (45:22-25).
Salvation comes from God alone (22).
Worship belongs to God alone (23).
Complete victory is assured in God alone (24).
Proper confidence is placed in God alone (25).
MTR: Determine to better understand one of salvation, worship, victory or confidence this week.
- ↑ Tripp, Paul David. Do You Believe?: 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life. Crossway, 2021. 129
