Joseph

Providence
sermon #1
November 6, 2016

Introduction

Prescriptive and Descriptive Texts

prescriptive

descriptive

Genesis 50:20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but
God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people
should be kept alive, as they are today.

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 Competing Worldviews

deism - teaches that God created the world and then

essentially ____________________ it

pantheism - teaches that the creation does not have a real

___________________ existence in itself but is only
part of God

chance teaches ___________________

fate - teaches ___________________

A Definition of Providence

We may define Gods providence as follows: God is

continually involved with all created things in such a
way that he (1) keeps them existing and maintaining the
properties with which he created them, (2) cooperates
with created things in every action, directing their
distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do;
and (3) directs them to fulfill his purposes.

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 (Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem, page 315)

God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct,

dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things,
from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and
holy providence, according to his infallible
foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of
his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom,
power, justice, goodness, and mercy.
(Westminster Confession of Faith)

3
God is the primary cause of

the ___________________ of the universe

everything that ____________ ___________

in the universe

Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the
LORD establishes his steps.

4
 The Extent of Gods Providence

1 Gods providence extends over the entire

___________________. (Daniel 4:34-35)

2 - Gods providence extends over the entire

___________________ world. (Psalm 135:5-7)

3 - Gods providence extends over the affairs of the

________________. (Psalm 22:28, Acts 17:24-26)

4 - Gods providence extends over the ___________,

_____________, and ______________ of our birth,
as well as our _________ in life. (Psalm 139:13-16)

5 - Gods providence extends over all our outward

_________________ and ___________________.
(Psalm 75:6-7)

6 - Gods providence extends over things that are

seemingly _______________ or ______________.
(Psalm 16:33)
7 - Gods providence extends to the ________________
of the righteous. (Psalm 121:1-7, Philippians 4:19)

8 - Gods providence covers all the ________________

of Gods people. (Genesis 22:8)

9 - Gods providence provides answers to all of our

_______________. (Matthew 7:7)

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10 - Gods providence extends to the ________________
and ___________________ of the wicked. (Psalm
11:6)

This is a radical notion: that the providence of God

extends to all places and occurrences.
(Ephesians 1:3-14)

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 The Providence of God and Human Freedom

God acts in His providence without

infringing on our ________________.

relieving us of our ___________________.

5 points

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted,

I am being tempted by God, for God cannot
be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no
one.

The nature of sin is not _________________

by the use God makes of it.

The will of God never contains

_________________ for us to do what runs
contrary to the revealed will of God.

7
 God not only _____________ sin, but He
makes ___________ of it.

God is not ___________________ for sin, but

since God creates, sustains, and upholds all
things, somehow, in the mystery of it all, He
has ___________________ that these things
should be.

This understanding is profitable as it allows us to

ponder the dark side of things.

The providence of God is often a dark impenetrable

abyss to us. (John Murray) (Psalm 74:1-8)

It is not an impenetrable abyss to ____________.

We must be aware that Gods ways are ____________.

When we understand the providence of God,

a number of things follow.

Prosperity should never be an occasion of __________.

Uncertainty should not be the occasion of __________.

8
There is security in ____________.

There is comfort in ______________.

The Christian solace is in this, to know that his

heavenly Father so holds all things in His power, so rules
by His authority and will, so governs by His wisdom that
nothing can befall unless He determines it. (John
Calvin)

We see the providence of God in the death of Jesus.

(Isaiah 53:10, Acts 2:22-24, Acts 4:27-28)