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Are you worshipping the right God? (June 9, 2013)

The ABC’s Q&A program from Monday May 27 this year was on the topic of Religion, Marriage and Euthanasia. Listen to a few of the comments from that show. You heard this:

Obviously ethically wrong. My grandmother says if you are nice you will get into any heaven worth getting into – how could you disagree with that. The worst crime in the New Testament is the crucifixion of Jesus. How can the problems of the world be solved by a sacrifice for the sins of a non-existent forebear? It doesn’t make sense. We are all pretending Jesus was a great guy but He said if you don’t believe in Me you will be condemned eternally. What kind of God is that?

They have decided what is right and wrong, how heaven and hell should operate, how God should act. And they don’t like the God of the Bible. Basically, they have said this:

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I could never worship a God who …

I could never worship a God who kills His enemies in the Old Testament. I could never worship a God who has a heaven that you can’t get into by being good. I could never worship a God who crucifies His Son. I could never worship a God who sends people to hell for not believing in Him.

There are so many variations on these statements.

I could never worship a God who allows tsunamis to wipe out whole villages. I could never worship a God who could cure cancer but doesn’t. I could never worship a God who wants all the glory for Himself.

And even Christians can struggle with these questions. We can wonder why God does some things and allows some things. And this is especially true when it affects us. Why did God allow my mum to get cancer? Why did God let me lose my job?

I could never worship a God who runs my life in ways I don’t like. Tonight I want to talk about this. Let me be straight-forward.

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Christians and non-Christians struggle with some parts of the Bible – some parts of God’s plan of salvation – some parts of how God runs His world and universe – and some parts of how He runs our lives. I am convinced that the main reason many Christians struggle with these areas is that they are worshipping the wrong God. They have a mental picture of who God should be – what the Christian life should be – but they are wrong. Let me describe two Gods. The Santa Claus God and the Sovereign God. The Santa Claus God made us, loves us and is like a doting father – He seems to exist to make our lives better. Santa God wants us to be healthy and happy. So our prayers are about us. We pray about our bunions and ask Him to intervene and make our boss nicer. People are really important so He should not allow bad stuff to happen to us or to innocent people. He should stop the Boston Bombers and aid the officers of the law. When we are good – He should reward us. When we are bad he should punish us – but very, very mildly. This is the god who has a wonderful plan for our lives – and once we sign up – He exists to make sure our lives run smoothly. Let me suggest that while this God might be who we would like to exist – He is a lie from the pit of hell. Then there is the Sovereign God. The true God. He exists for His own glory. We exist to glorify Him. He does as He pleases. Men are of no significance when compared to Him except that we are made in His image. If you think about it – if God is God – this is the only God there can be. I want you to finish this sentence:

All things were created through him and for …

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There are two ways we can answer this: Here is how those who worship a Santa Claus God finish this sentence.

All things were created through him and for us. Santa God exists to serve us. He made us to serve us. When things don’t go well – it is His task to intervene and help us. Santa God comes in various forms. At one extreme he loves everyone – would never create hell – and should make life wonderful for all men. At the other extreme – Santa God just does these wonderful things for those who love him – his special people.

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But there is another way to answer this question. Here is how those who worship a Sovereign God finish this sentence.

All things were created through him and for Him. One tiny word – but there is a world of difference between – God who exists to serve us and God who exists for His own glory. It changes how we view God, how we view our worship, our lives – it changes everything. All of you are pretty theologically astute. You have read Desiring God and the Holiness of God and the Bible – so you know which is the true God. But is this lived out in your lives? Is this how you think about God and live for God? When things go wrong – when there are problems – which God fits your response? Scripture is very clear about which God is the God of the Bible. Colossians 1:15–20:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

This verse should blow our minds. There is nothing that exists that He did not create. He didn’t have to create anything. But He did. The untold trillions of stars and planets stretching over unimaginable distances of space. Stars no created eye will ever see – but they were made so men and angels might exhale at the wonder of our God who creates such glories. Animals, plants, microbes, fungi – all created so we might say – wow! The heavens declare the glory of God. God made man – you and I – not because He was incomplete and needed us – He made us so we might give Him the glory due His name.

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The world does not revolve around us. We revolve around God. We exist for His pleasure. Exodus 3:14 – God says:

I am who I am. God has always existed. He needs nothing or no one. Everything He created is to magnify the greatness of His name. God has to answer to no one for His actions. He does whatever will bring Him the most glory. Psalm 115:1–3:

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Not to us – but for Your glory. Because God is sovereign and awesome – He does whatever He pleases – we the creature – have no right to question His actions. Daniel 4:34–35:

[I] praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Compared to God whose dominion is everlasting – every single man and woman and child are accounted as nothing. No one has any right to question Him and ask why He does what He does. I hope this is not too radical for you. We are so sinful we think the world exists for us. We are nothing. Only He is something. We exist and have meaning only because we reflect is glory and bear His image. Isaiah 64:8 puts it this way:

But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.

God made us – He can do anything He wants with us and we have no right to complain. He can save us, condemn us, use us for good or not. We can have an easy life or a hard life.

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A lump of clay has no right to demand to be made into a beautiful vase or complain if it ends up a discarded lump. The Potter does as He will. And more than that – we have no capacity to question or complain. Romans 11:33–36:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

The greatest minds in history cannot even scratch the surface of questions about what the universe is – where it came from – where it is going – how it holds together. No man is capable of delving into more than the very surface of how life exists and is sustained. If you want to question how God is running this universe – create your own – from nothing – and run it as you see fit. Till then – bow the knee before Him. God’s plan for this universe is so far beyond our ability to grasp – it is ludicrous that we would consider questioning how or why He does what He does. But, that raises a few questions.

• Is this your view of God – sovereign, absolute, doing as He pleases, worthy of all worship?

• Can you worship a God who runs His universe in a way you might not like – and makes decisions you can’t understand – and sees no need to explain Himself?

• Do you believe that it is completely right that God does as He pleases – has no

need to justify His actions – and sees us as merely His creations to glorify Him?

• Can you submit to God when terrible things happen to you or those you love and accept God works all things together for good?

Because if you do not – then you will find yourself frustrated, disappointed, angry and disillusioned. We might decide it is wrong for God to wipe out those who oppose His plan. We might decide hell is barbaric and unfair. We might decide God should grade people on a curve and let the best 50% into heaven – or even let everyone in. We might decide God should constantly intervene in our world – restrain the evil of

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man and the natural effects of the fall. We might decide it is wrong for God to expect the worship and obedience of His creation. We might decide God should not put us through refining trials. We might decide how God should run this universe and our lives. But this makes us God and the centre of the universe. Basically, we have put ourselves in the place of God – and that is a very dangerous place to be. Proverbs tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. That word ‘fear’ could be translated awe. Accepting God for who He is and marveling at His awesomeness. If I could understand God and His ways – then He is no God I would wish to worship. A God I could get my mind around could not create the universe, sustain the universe or save anyone. And yet – we constantly decide God is running His universe poorly. And in this we walk in the footsteps of Job. The book of Job begins with Job being described as the greatest man of the east, blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. It seems proper that he was the kind of guy who deserved great blessing. But, you know the story – the Lord took all that he had — wealth, possessions, position, children and even his health. We are meant to wonder – what was the deal? The bulk of the book is taken up by a dialogue between Job and his friends. His friends followed their logic which was based on an inadequate view of God and said — God is should reward righteousness and punish evil. Job is being punished, therefore he must be a sinner. Job rejected their logic, but still, he couldn’t work it out. He knew God was sovereign, but he also believed that he had done nothing so wicked as to deserve the calamities that had befallen him. Finally, God answered Job. Here is this guy – he is really hurting. Lost his riches, his kids, his health. His wife said – just curse God and die will you. His friends say – just fess up to those secret sins.

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He is crying out – what have I done to deserve all of this? You sense this undercurrent of frustration – even anger in Job. Then after 37 chapters, God finally answers. He appears in a whirlwind. God doesn’t apologise – or even offer an explanation. He doesn’t say: Job, my son – I know you are hurting. I know these things are hard to understand – but let me show you how I am working all things together for good and I trust that will help you. Nope – God basically says:

Man up! You are on shaky ground. It is sin to question My ways and My righteousness. Who are you – a mere creation to question Me? When you can answer easy questions like – how I created the universe – how I made life – how I sustain the galaxies – then you can think about questions like my plan for your life.

Just listen to what God says when He finally does speak. Job 38:1-7:

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

For four chapters, God asks Job the same basic question. You are surrounded by the glory of creation. Stars, seas, mountains, animals. This is the easy stuff. Do you understand it? Can you comprehend the inner workings of the universe? Then how can you dare to seek to question the ways of the Creator in His sovereign plan? In chapter 40:2 the Lord said to Job:

Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.

Job was faced with God Himself questioning Him from the whirlwind. He was faced with the reality of divine power and might. He replied twice to God. Finally, Job starts to get it.

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No more questioning of God’s ways. Chapter 40 verse 4:

Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.

Job had a wrong and inadequate view of the Lord. Now he began to grasp who God truly was and who he was. Compared to you I am nothing – you won’t hear any more questioning from me. And Chapter 42 verses 2 to 6:

I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

His first reply showed that he finally understood the reality of man — I am insignificant. His second reply showed that he finally understood the reality of God — You can do all things. Things too wonderful for me, which I can never know. I repent of my incorrect thinking. That was Job’s light bulb moment. Man is so insignificant – who are we to question the way God runs His universe – when we can barely grasp anything about the universe. This same answer comes again and again in Scripture when men question the ways of God. This is the answer given to Moses, to Jeremiah, To Ezekiel, to Habakkuk, to Jonah – to so many of the prophets who questioned what God was doing. But perhaps my favourite answer is the way God put it to Isaiah. The exiles in Babylon were feeling cut off and abandoned by God. How could God do this to His chosen people? God’s answer comes in Isaiah 40-66. But let me read how God starts this section. Isaiah 40 verses 12-15:

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed

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the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.

Entire nations are less than a drop of water in a bucket to one who has measured the trillions of tons of ocean in His hands – yet knows every drop. He knows the measure of every star and galaxy. So which mere man would think to offer correction and counsel to God concerning His ways? Verses 21-23:

Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

Verses 25-26:

To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.

Men are grasshoppers before the Creator. Before there was a Hubble telescope – God created, sustained and knew every star and planet. So who are we to question Him? Here is the point. Verse 27:

Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”?

The Jews were wailing that God didn’t see them tucked away in Babylon. How can He abandon His chosen people like this? He is not running their live properly. God says – do you really want to do this – do you really want to question My sovereign plan for you? Brothers and sisters – the point is that there are secret things that belong to the Lord

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– and they are beyond our capacity to understand. Are there answers to the questions we struggle with?:

Why does God allow suffering? If I am a child of God – why did I lose my job or get cancer? Why is there a hell at all?

Absolutely! Are there answers to the questions you struggle with? Absolutely! Every thinking person sitting here this evening has questions you have struggled with. Inerrancy, election, natural disasters, evil, the path your life has taken – some other question that has raised the issue of the goodness or the power of God in your mind. A friend who dies. A child who deserts the faith. A tsunami. Are there answers – absolutely! But can we understand those answers? In this life – we are not equipped to fully understand these answers. Why does God allow a child to be abused and killed? Why did God create us with the capacity to sin? What do we do for all eternity? With our limited minds – do we have the capacity to understand the answers even if they were explained to us step by meticulous step? Partially – but certainly not fully. We know that the answers relate to what brings God glory. God says to Job – it would be far easier to explain to you how I created the galaxies and planets and plants and animals from nothing – and how I sustain them – than trying to explain my purposes in your life. But the reality is we can’t even understand the easy stuff – how God created the universe – let alone the hard stuff about the nature of God. Newton, Einstein, Hawking – the greatest minds in history – can barely scratch the surface of describing the universe – let alone explaining creation. The great minds argue over whether there is the possibility of a unified theory – let alone what it is. They don’t know if anything can travel faster than light let alone how. They argue about whether string theory is real or if there is a multiverse or whether there was anything before this universe existed.

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And even if we could understand these questions we might barely scrape into the class of Universe 101. So how can we understand God – His glory – His holiness – His justice – and how these attributes are expressed in history? The closest we can get is to say that everything God does is for His glory. That is the closest we can come to a unified theory of the universe. So, it is pride, hubris and nonsense to question the way He runs His universe. I don’t know how else to put it. If God is God – then there is no way we can fully understand Him and His plans. We have to have a Job moment – I am nothing. I repent in sackcloth and dust. You instruct me – I obey. What is the point? We have to trust the power and goodness of God – we have to fear God – we have to worship and obey God. We have to be so overwhelmed by God that we accept His plan and follow Him in loving obedience. A.W. Tozer wrote this:

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.… Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.1

1 A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1992), 1.

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When we have a right view of God – everything else falls into place. We are commanded to walk by faith. When we believe that God is all-powerful and all good – therefore we can trust Him to work all things together for good for those who love Him. Then when trials come – we trust God. When things happen we don’t understand – we trust God. And it is our understanding of God that gives us purpose in this life. We find a wonderful example of this in the life of the prophet Isaiah – in Isaiah chapter 6. In the year that King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. He saw the Lord – lifted up – supreme – surrounded by the Seraphim. Seraphim are angels. Incredibly powerful beings. The only beings who are permitted to minister in the presence of the Lord. Their name probably means burning ones. We understand men like Moses having to cover their face before God – but these Seraphs are not men. These burning ones are far mightier and purer than any man – but even they cannot look upon the face of God. They have to cover themselves in the presence of God. They cannot look at Him. They cannot have their body uncovered before Him. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” The Hebrew language struggles with superlatives.

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To emphasis something they double it. For example in the Old Testament if you wanted to talk about the purest gold – you would say – gold, gold. But in all the Old Testament there is no example of a triple superlative – except one. This one. The essence of God – is His absolute perfect holiness.

And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.

Imagine this. Isaiah looks and sees this sight. A Temple, with a throne – and the Lord high and exalted. Supreme – the train of His robe filling the Temple. Seraphim are scattered throughout the Temple and as their service of worship they cry out one to another: One Seraph calls out … Holy … across the Temple another Seraph answers … holy, and then amid the darkness and thunder and smoke – another cries … holy. And all cry – Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! Notice that at the sound of their voice – the foundations of the whole Temple shake – it is almost as if even the Temple cannot bear the presence of the holiness of God. Then the house fills with smoke – probably the smoke of the altar of incense. The picture is of thunder, lightning – the end of the earth. Nothing can stand in the presence of absolute holiness. This God is holy, almighty, unstoppable – He needs no one and nothing. Creation trembles at His name. The mightiest say His attributes with awe. And the effect on Isaiah is incredible. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then God says, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Here is how I picture this. God asks this – and there is a long pause. Isaiah looks around. There is no one else. God is clearly talking to Him. God is inviting Him to be a part of His unstoppable purposes in the world.

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Did the foundation shaking God need Isaiah? Of course not! But you cannot say no to this God –so – Here I am – send me. But then comes this:

“Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

I am appointing you a prophet – you are to deliver the message – but no one will listen. Then Isaiah asked:

“How long, O Lord?” How long do I have to do this?

And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.”

Surely this is not God’s plan for Isaiah’s life – called to preach and no one listens! Yes it is! The only thing that enabled Isaiah to stay faithful was this vision of a transcendent, holy, powerful God. A God who knows what is right. If God says it must happen – ours is to say – Here I am – send me. What we think about God is the most important thing about us. If changes how we pray. We don’t spend most of our time praying for bunions and help with our boss. We pray that God would open the eyes of our hearts to know Him more. We pray that we might be used to show His glory to a lost world. It changes how we live. Our lives are not us centred – they are God centred – we live to bring Him glory. Isaiah 52:7:

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

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When Christians question the plan of God and the goodness of God – I send them to Job and to Isaiah 6. I want them to know God. I want them to walk by faith in this God. When non-Christians ask me these questions I ask them:

You don’t like the way this universe runs. Is it possible that if there is a God who created this universe and sustains it – that His ways might be beyond us – and His reasons beyond our understanding?

I tell them that the God of Scripture has declared – I am who I am. And we need to accept that. We need to let God be God. But then I tell them this. This awesome all-powerful God has done something about the mess this world is in. Colossians 1:15–20:

He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. … For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

This God who is so awesome – who is obligated to no one – He chose to become man and die for us. This God is love. This is the only God who is real, who has the power to save, who deserves our worship. This is the God who gives us life to the full. It may not be the life we think He should give us – but it is a better life than anything we could choose for ourselves – and ultimately – this life leads to heaven. May we learn to sit in awe of God, trust Him to run this universe and our life and trust Him to take us to eternity when our time here is done. In this we submit to the One true God.