Himusanthem
(
Acts 17:24-31
God, who made the world and everything else has a plan. You are included in that plan. You being here today contributes to the final achievement of His plan. Therefore it is good that you have chosen to be here today. God is working out His future and you are a part of that future, praise God and His son Jesus.
It can be seen in the reading for today that the world is ordered according to design. Each people and nation is who they should be and whom they were planned for. Even this nation, the boiling pot of all nationalities is woven into God’s tapestry of time. What a marvelous scenic view He has prepared.
Wise men of old understood that the God of the universe had ordained an
event, the birth of a king, the King eternal. They saw His star announcing His
arrival and so they came. (Mat.2:1-12 [verse 2]) People of wisdom understand
that God has communicated with His creation for their benefit. Mary, the future
mother of Jesus was given words to marvel at -
Lk.1:31-
“You will be with child and give birth
to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great
and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of
Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
Jesus was not an afterthought and neither are you. God is not surprised at your presence. Before creation Jesus was written into the architecture of the universe. Consider the following passages – 1Pet.1:17-21; Rev.13:8 and Jn.17:24 (5) . From these we see clearly the awesome, farseeing vision of God. What He purposes, who can thwart?
Reason with me for a minute, if God planned for Jesus’ birth, life, and death as a means of accomplishing something, then you are also written into the pages of His story.
· Heb.11:40 – something better planned for us
· Math.25:34 – A Kingdom awaits you
· 2Cor.5:16-21 – A new you with a new do
· 2Tim.1:9 (8-12) – Given then, received now
· Eph.1:4 (3-14) – The now from then
There is, even as we gather together today, the unfolding of the Master’s Mystery. Your face was drawn into that stories picture, what an awesome God we have privilege to serve. What is yet to be read is exciting stuff. I can hardly wait to see what Jesus has prepared for you who love Him. Eph.2:10 gives us insight, the Church has purpose; His purpose. To accomplish that purpose there is another that must be allowed to be fulfilled, His reworking who we each are.
God’s
working out the big picture of the world starts with the minute detailing of the
personal lives of His people. RO
8:28 And we know that in all
things God works for the good of those who love him, n who n
have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew
he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be
the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he
also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also
glorified.
There is a predestined event that overshadows the future of everyone – the judgement. (1Pet.1:12-9) It Comes!