God's Providence - Acts 1:15-26

In Acts chapter 1, we are going to read the entirety

Acts 1 · chapter mention

of verses 15 through verse 26. So starting in

verse 15. At this time, Peter stood up in the

midst of the brethren. A gathering of about 120

persons was there together. And said, Brethren.

The scripture had to be fulfilled, which the

Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning

Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested

Jesus. For he was counted among us and received

his share in this ministry. Now this man acquired

a field with the price of his wickedness. And

falling headlong, he burst open in the middle,

and all his intestines gushed out. And it became

known to all who were living in Jerusalem, so

that in their own language that field was called

hakeldema, that is, field of blood. For it is

written in the book of Psalms, Let his homestead

be made desolate, and let no one dwell in it.

and let another man take his office. Therefore

it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied

us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and

out among us, beginning with the baptism of John

until the day that he was taken up from us, one

of these must become a witness with us of his

resurrection. So they put forward two men. Joseph

called Barsabbas, who was also called Justice,

and Matthias. And they prayed and said, You,

Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which

one of these two you have chosen to occupy this

ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned

aside to go to his own place. And they drew lots

for them, and the lot fell to Matthias, and he

was added to the eleven apostles. Let's pray.

Father, I come before you. Lord, I ask and I

pray for your help today in proclaiming this

text and preaching the word of God as we discuss

a topic that is very, very evident. as we discuss

a topic that is seen throughout scriptures, and

as we discuss a topic that so clearly shows us

who you are. Lord, I ask and I pray for your

help that the Holy Spirit would fill me with

power and strength. Lord, I ask that he would

work in the hearts and the minds of the people

present today, that you would apply your truth

to our hearts, our minds, and our souls. for

our edification, for our encouragement, for our

uplifting, for our support, for our holiness,

for our sanctification, to compel us forward

into good works in this life. Father, I ask and

I pray that you would be honored, that you would

be glorified by the response to this text from

the people and by the preaching of this text

too. the people. I pray this all in Christ's

precious name. Amen. You may be seated. Whoever

said that the Bible is not fascinating and interesting

to be read? I mean, we read that text and we

see some harsh language in there, don't we? We

read that text and we're like, whoa! Is that

in the Bible? It's harsh. It's heavy. But it's

there for a purpose. It's there for a purpose.

Today as we look at this text, as we look at

Acts chapter 1 leading up to Pentecost, as we

Acts 1 · chapter mention

look at Acts chapter 1 verses 15 through 26,

Acts 1:15–26

we're going to split it into two chunks. We're

going to look at verses 15 through 20 and we're

going to see a providential dilemma which is

presented and they address and they talk about.

which is the opening of the office of apostle

for Judas' place. So that's a dilemma. They only

have 11, and they need 12. Christ ordained that

there would be 12 apostles for a very specific

reason, which we'll touch on later. So verses

15 through 20, the providential dilemma, which

is presented and explained. And then verses 20

through 26, We really see this dilemma resolved.

But it's providential as well. So verses 15 through

20, which deal with the requirements and the

conditions for the office of apostle, God's sovereign

providential choice of the replacement. So in

verses 20 through 26, we see the providential

dilemma resolved. Resolved. Leading up to this

text in the book of Acts, we really need to back

up a little bit and go into the Gospels and look

at Christ's ministry and look at Judas and the

disciples and the twelve and Christ's earthly

ministry among men in the public eye. So people

looking in at the disciples, but also... We need

to go back and see what it was like for the disciples

working and serving and ministering alongside

of Judas and Jesus. So in the Gospels, every

Gospel presents a section fairly early on where

Jesus chooses or selects 12 of His disciples

among many. We know that there was a period of

time where there was at least 70 disciples and

there was many more. But he chose, he selected

12 of them in particular. He did this personally.

He chose them out of the lot. He selected them

from the bunch. Those men, he selected, he chose

them. Now it's important for us to realize that

looking at the history of the disciples in Christ's

ministry, there is a difference between being

an apostle, and being a disciple. So there was

a period of time where these disciples had not

yet been given the name apostle. They were disciples

of Christ. Now, we're all disciples of Christ

who know Christ. Disciple means learner. Apostle

simply means one sent, essentially. So in Luke's

gospel, which is the first volume, of the book

of Acts, we see that he clarifies that there

is a distinct difference between being an apostle

and being a disciple. So in Luke, the Gospel

of Luke, chapter 6, verse 13, we read, And when

Luke 6:13

day came, and Jesus had been praying all night,

and when day came, he called his disciples to

him and chose twelve of them. whom he also named

as apostles. So this is the first reference we

have to this unique office of apostle. Jesus

instituting the office, and then Jesus personally

filling the office with the officers, the men.

So he creates the office of apostle, and then

he chooses the men to put into the office, which

is the 12. Not the 11, not the 13, not the 14,

not the 10, the 12. So we see Jesus instituting,

naming the office of apostle and putting these

particular 12 men into the apostleship. Now I

think Mark's gospel is the most clear in regards

to Jesus choosing The apostles and Jesus appointing

the apostles. So in Mark's gospel, we read this.

And listen to the language. And he went up on

the mountain and he summoned those who he himself

wanted. So we'll stop there for a minute. Jesus

called to himself those whom he himself wanted.

And they came to Him. And He appointed, not merely

chose or selected, but He authoritatively appointed

12. So that they would be with Him and that He

could send them out to preach. That was Mark

Mark 3:13–14

3, verses 13 -14. So Jesus doesn't just choose

or select, but Jesus appoints authoritatively

12 men to this office of apostle. And why? Why?

So that they could be with him. so that they

could be around him, so they were near him, so

they were under his teaching and his tutelage

and his instruction, so they grasped him, so

that they could see him and hear him, so that

they could know him, and so that he could send

them out to preach. He's training them for what

they are getting ready to do here in the book

of Acts. Jesus personally wanted these 12. Jesus

chose these 12 out of the masses, out of the

crowds. He personally appointed these men in

particular, not others. There are hundreds of

men Jesus could have called and he could have

appointed as apostles, but he chose these 12.

Specific men. He gave them authority. He taught

them. He instructed them. He mentored them. He

ministered to them. He equipped them. He discipled

them. He spurred them along. He rebuked them.

He poured into those men for three years, Judas

Iscariot. Including Judas Iscariot. Jesus handpicked

his disciples, his apostles. He appointed them

so that when the crowds looked on, they saw these

apostles with Jesus. Jesus, who knows the hearts,

Of all men, Jesus who knows all things, Jesus

who is God in flesh, chose these 12, including

Judas Iscariot. This was public knowledge. There

was an awareness of Jesus and his disciples.

You know, when you were reading the text this

morning in Luke, he sent them out. And the regions

and the villages became aware of who Christ was.

They heard about this master, this rabbi, this

man that could work wonders and he could give

authority to his apostles and they could work

wonders. The towns and the villages, the crowds

and the masses, they heard and they knew who

Jesus was. And for three years, the twelve were

associated with Christ. The 12 apostles were

associated with Christ, and the public knew it,

and the disciples knew it. Judas included. Judas

included. So when Jesus fed the 5 ,000, there

was apostles, including Judas, passing out baskets.

And the crowds saw Judas with Jesus. When Lazarus

was raised and the Jews were standing around

and they were mourning over Lazarus and some

were mocking Jesus, they saw Lazarus there among

the disciples with Jesus near Mary and Martha,

close by when Christ was working his miracles.

When Jesus healed the blind man born blind, one

of the first things he saw was Jesus. and his

apostles, Judas being one of them. When Jesus

sent the twelve out to preach the kingdom of

God and to work miracles, testifying to his deity

and his mission, Judas went out and preached

and worked miracles based on Christ's authority.

Judas Iscariot. Went out. So he was handpicked

to be a faithful follower of Christ. And by all

appearances sake, he was. He was. The people

saw him with Jesus. So how is it that this man,

who was handpicked, personally chosen, personally

appointed, stabbed Jesus in the back. He betrayed

him. He betrayed the Prince of Peace, the Prince

of Life, after three years of being with him.

Just as public as his ministry was and his disciples

and his apostles were, that was all public in

the public eye. So was Judas' betrayal. You can't

tell me that that was not public news which was

known that one of Jesus' personal hand -picked

appointed apostles turned on him and betrayed

him. Jesus of Nazareth, the one that worked the

miracles, he was crucified in Jerusalem. Did

you guys know how all that started? Well, Judas

betrayed him. I'm sure that there was a lot of

talk of it in Jerusalem. And so for the first

century, and for us, it raises some pretty good

questions, doesn't it? It makes us ask some difficult

questions. For the first century world in which

Jesus lived, in which the apostles lived, looking

into the church, think of what they were wondering

in their hearts and their minds. as they encountered

these people, as they saw these events transpire,

and especially in the ranks of the disciples

themselves. Think of the questions and the personal

struggles which they would have dealt with because

of Judas. I'm sure the question of, why did Jesus

pick him? Was this an accident? Did he mean to

pick Judas who would betray him? Was Judas ever

really an actual disciple? Did he really deserve

to be there? Did Jesus really know the hearts

of all men? Is Jesus really God if he can't even

tell that his disciples would betray him? Does

he really know the hearts of all men if he chose

Judas, the betrayer? Was this really part of

God's plan? Was this really part of God's redemptive

plan? that he's been working through history

to bring about. And I think a big question that

they considered and we have to consider, how

can you reconcile the sovereignty and providence

of this great God with Judas' apostasy, betrayal,

and judgment? How can you reconcile those two

things? How can you bring them together? I'm

sure the gathered disciples were asking and needing

assurance as to whether Christ's choice and appointment

of Judas to the apostleship was really part of

God's divine plan. Think about the questions

that would have been raised in their hearts and

their minds. I'm sure many of them would have

thought, could it happen to me? Can it happen

to me? Our text today answers these questions

in the book of Acts in verses 15 through 26.

Our text answers these questions by showing us

the providence of God at work. and the life of

the early church, especially in regards to the

judgment of Judas and the apostleship in his

replacement. So before we go any farther, I want

to define providence. I want to define what it

is. When you hear me use the word providence,

because I'm going to be using it a whole bunch

today. When you hear me use that word, what goes

off in your mind? So I'm going to read from the

1689 Lundus Baptist Confession of Divine Providence,

and we read these words. All things come to pass,

unchangeably and certainly, in relation to the

foreknowledge and decree of God, who is the first

cause. Thus, nothing happens to anyone by chance,

or outside of God's providence. Yet by the same

providence, God arranges all things to occur

according to the nature of second causes, either

necessarily, freely, or in response to other

causes. I'm going to jump down. The almighty

power and unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness

of God are so thoroughly demonstrated in His

providence that his sovereign plan includes even

the first fall and every other sinful action,

both of angels and humans. God's providence over

sinful actions does not occur by simple permission.

Instead, God most wisely and powerfully limits

and in other ways arranges and governs sinful

actions. Through a complex arrangement of methods,

he governs sinful actions to accomplish his perfectly

holy purposes. In the Baptist catechism, one

of the questions is, how does God execute his

decrees? God executes his decrees through his

works of creation and his works of... Providence

in the old Baptist catechism for kids. Can God

do all things? God can do all his holy will.

So in the Baptist catechism, what are God's works

of providence? And this is the very good, concise

definition. God's works of providence are his

most holy, wise, and powerful, preserving and

governing all His creatures and all their actions.

We have a big God that we worship. We have a

big and a mighty and a powerful and a holy God

that we worship and that we serve. We serve a

providential God who has all power in and of

Himself. Now you take that... sovereign, absolute

power of God, and you give it a purpose. You

give it a plan. You give it a direction. That's

providence. Providence is God's almighty and

absolute power over everything, working with

a purpose in this world, which he owns and which

he governs. That's providence. So when you hear

me use the word providence repeatedly today,

Think of God governing his absolute power at

work with a purpose in this world. That's God's

providence. So briefly, let's look at the providential

dilemma in verses 15 through 20 of Acts chapter

Acts 1 · chapter mention

1. So Peter stands up in the midst of this gathering

of about 120, and he presents the problem, the

issue. There's only 11 apostles, and there needs

to be 12. There needs to be 12 because Christ

appointed 12. First, we see that Judas actually

served and actually ministered with the other

apostles in verse 17. He was counted among us

and he had his place in our ministry. It wasn't

that Judas was for three years going around with

a scowl on his face, miserable in his life. And

all the apostles knew it, and Jesus just ignored

it. When Jesus said, one of you will betray me

at the Last Supper, nobody pointed their finger

at Judas. Nobody. So Judas actually performed

duties. He actually ministered. He actually...

did the work and fulfilled responsibilities among

them. He wasn't simply a placeholder, but he

was legitimately, genuinely, authentically in

the apostleship. He was there, he served, he

ministered. Then we see Judas' sin in verse 16

of the book of Acts. We see that he became a

guide. To those who arrested Jesus. He became

a guide to those who arrested Jesus. Think of

it. The Lord of glory who came to accomplish

redemption on behalf of sinful people. You go

out, you proactively seek them out and make a

deal. What will you give me to betray this man?

And then you bring them. to the very place where

that man had loved you so deeply and so much

for three years. He didn't just stand at a distance

and say, that's him over there. He didn't just

give them directions to where Jesus would be,

but he walked up to the Lord Jesus and gave him

a kiss as a sign and a signal, this is the one

you need to take. This is the one that you need

to capture. He's the one. So the sin of Judas

wasn't simply his apostatizing from the apostleship,

but his sin, which he would be judged for, was

his betrayal and his rejection and his denial

and his spitting on the Lord Jesus. That's what

would bring judgment and heap condemnation. on

his head. He became a guide to those who arrested

Jesus. He gave up the perfect Son of God for

a measly 30 pieces of silver. The greed and the

wickedness and the evil in his heart is appalling,

is it not? It's present in all of ours. It's

present in every single one of our hearts. The

difference between Judas and Peter. Jesus came

and restored Peter at the beach. Judas rejected

Christ and would be judged for it. So we see

the sin of Judas in verse 16. And this really,

it's a sad ordeal to walk through. It's a tragedy.

Because you see the opportunity of this man that

was with Jesus and heard from His very lips.

It's a sad ordeal. It's a tragedy to read through

this and think what has come of this man who

spent so much time with... The Lord Jesus. Then

we see the threefold judgment of Judas. We see

this really in verses 18 and 19 of chapter 1

in the book of Acts. We see his physical death,

which when I read it, we think and we hear that

in our ears and we think, wow, that's harsh.

That's heavy. That's a brutal death. The very

reason that it is so harsh and so hard to hear

is because it is a judgment of God. It's supposed

to be harsh. It's supposed to be heavy. He was

punished and he was judged for his sin against

the Son of God. He didn't slide. It's supposed

to be heavy. And His physical death in the scene

which we see with our eyes and we feel in our

hearts when we read that, that is because it's

meant to be a heavy thing. When God judges a

person, it's a heavy thing. It's an intense thing.

It's a frightening thing. It's a sad thing when

they've had the opportunity over and over and

over to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus.

So we see his physical death, his physical judgment.

Then we see the ongoing proclamation of his judgment,

which is the field. It says that it became known

to all who were in Jerusalem to such an extent

that the field got its own name and their own

native language. Everybody was so aware of what

happened to Judas. That it got its own name.

So that field went on through history to proclaim

the judgment of the betrayer of the Son of God.

Giving a warning to all that oppose the church

and giving a warning to those who might consider

rejecting Christ. And we see a spiritual judgment

which we see in verse 25 where it says he turned

aside and went his own way. It's a phrase meant

for punishment, eternal punishment. His physical

death was not the worst part of it. His physical

judgment and the ongoing proclamation of his

judgment wasn't the worst part of what Judas

would experience. The worst part of it is his

spiritual judgment in hell. For an eternity under

the wrath of God, in a place where there's weeping

and gnashing of teeth. Then we see the prophecy

concerning Judas. And this is really important

for us to grasp and to understand this part.

We see this in verse 16 and 20, and I'm going

to read verse 16, where Peter says, Brethren,

the Scripture had to be fulfilled. which the

Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning

Judas. This scripture says that it had to be

fulfilled. Something had to take place. Something

had to come about. A determined event must occur

so that the scripture would be fulfilled. Now,

when we read this, we hear providence. Remember

what it means? God governing, God ruling, ordering,

orchestrating for his eternal purposes. So why

did this scripture have to be fulfilled? Why

did it have to take place? Why did Judas' betrayal,

his judgment, his rejection of Christ, why did

it... have to take place. This is like when Jesus

went to the well and it says he had to go through

Samaria. In the King James it says he must, needs,

go through Samaria. He had to. Why did this scripture

have to be fulfilled? What was so vital, what

was so important? concerning the life and the

judgment and the death and the betrayal of Judas

Iscariot. It had to take place. It had to occur.

This scripture had to be fulfilled and God's

providential sovereign rule over this world so

that the instigation of the suffering and the

trials and the pain and the murder of the Son

of God so that he could give up his spirit so

that he could defeat death, so that he could

ascend, and so that he could reign. Judas had

to happen in the providence of God so that Christ

could atone for sins. If Judas hadn't betrayed

Christ, there would be no redemption for the

people of Christ. It was essential. In God's

providence, this came about. In God's providence,

this wicked man with an evil heart, an unregenerate,

unsaved heart, brought about one of the greatest

goods. One of the greatest goods? The greatest

good. For all mankind, for all eternity and the

entirety of the universe. Christ's death and

his resurrection. It had to be fulfilled. I think

of Genesis 50 where Joseph and his brothers and

the brothers say, This is what's happened. This

is what's going on. And Joseph says, hey, am

I in the place of God? He says, you meant it

for evil. But then he says, God meant it for

good. He does not say, and this part right here,

there's a clip of John Piper burned in my mind

from years ago that I saw. He was talking on

this text. And he says, don't ever let any preacher

tell you God allowed it for good. God was able

to use it for good. And if any of you know John

Piper, he's using his hands a lot. So he did

not simply allow it. He did not simply bring

good out of it. But the text says that God meant

it. He meant the evil which the brothers intended

for harm for good. Meant it for good. So in a

really very real way, this is a providential

dilemma of only having 11 disciples, is it not?

We see this, and this is a God -ordained, God

-orchestrated, God -designed open chair on the

apostleship. It's God -ordained. So the second

part of the text I'm going to briefly run through.

We see the providential dilemma resolved. We

see not only that the dilemma came about because

of providence with Judas, but we also see that

the resolution and the solution to it came about

through providence. Through God's governing of...

things and all things. Peter makes a proposal.

He's a proposal of a solution. He says we need

a replacement. We see that in verses 21 and 22.

We have to replace him. One of us has to replace

him who has been with him the whole time. He

gives clear cut and strict conditions and requirements

for what you, not just anybody could be an apostle.

He gives strict requirements as to who you were

and the experience you had to have. There were

qualifications. Meaning you must have been with

Jesus the whole time. You had to have witnessed

the resurrection and the ascension. And they

must be men. Those are three qualifications that

they present in this text. What was the primary

task of the apostle to be? The primary task of

the apostle was to be a witness to the resurrection

of Jesus Christ. So they were to be preachers

of the gospel. They were to be proclaimers of

the word of God, to take the mission and take

the gospel forward to all nations. And then they

give two candidates, Joseph and Matthias. Some

may choose to pronounce it Matthias. So two candidates,

Joseph and Matthias, two qualified men, two men

who had been with Jesus, two men who had seen

the resurrection and the ascension. They were

qualified. And then we see, and this is the big

part in this last part of the text. The providential

appointment and choice of Matthias. This is amazing

when you look at this text. Let's read verses

24 and 25. And they prayed and said, You, Lord,

who know the hearts of all men, show which one

of these you have chosen. When we read verse

24 right there, do you notice? They haven't made

a choice yet. Show us which one of these you

have chosen. That word, that's eklektos. Which

one of these you have elected? Which one of these

you have chosen to be your apostle already? To

occupy the ministry and apostleship. So God makes

the decision. Just as Jesus chose the apostles,

during his ministry and his life on earth, God

chooses Matthias to resolve the providential

dilemma. It was God's choice to replace him.

It was God's choice in who he would replace him

with. So we see that there's a providential dilemma.

God resolves the providential dilemma. So how

does all of this apply to our lives? In this

area in 2018. I mean, that was the origins. That's

the history. That's just before Pentecost 2 ,000

years ago when the church is getting ready to

explode. How does this apply to my life and to

your life? How does this impact my thinking?

How does this impact your thinking? The providence

of God is one of the most practical doctrines.

that there is. The providence of God can be a

doctrine which is comforting, and it should be

greatly comforting, and a doctrine which is very

difficult and hard, but it impacts our view and

our perspective of who God is greatly and who

we are in respect to who God is. And a few points

of application. First is this. Providence is

not a doctrine of convenience. Meaning, you take

this and leave that. I'll take this as God's

providence and reject that as God's providence.

It's not convenient for us and for our lives,

honestly. And our wanting to make God like us

in that, it's not convenient for our wanting

to make God like us in that. We want God to be

like us and to give us only good things and only

pleasurable and enjoyable and easy things in

this life. Providence is not a convenient doctrine.

Think about this text. There's the providence

regarding Judas. And then there's the providence

regarding Matthias. Very different providences,

right? The providence of Judas is a hard and

a heavy and a difficult providence. The providence

regarding Matthias is an uplifting and encouraging

providence where we see God taking care of his

church and providing for them and supporting

the church. We must not only accept the good,

easy, enjoyable, pleasurable things in this life

as good providences from God and reject the hard

and the difficult things in this life as not

from God. Providence isn't convenient because

if we believe that God is sovereign and that

He is ruling, We must accept it all from God.

We somehow think that when the fall occurred

in Genesis chapter 3, we somehow think that God

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

got locked out of working and orchestrating in

the world and that mankind kind of in the spiral

took over and got left to himself. But we must

never forget that this is God's world. This is

God's creation. He is the maker. He is the creator.

He does as He pleases. And He has always been

working in and through and by His creation to

bring Him glory and to bring His people good.

From the start, 2 ,000 years ago and today. He

has not changed. He is still working in the same

way. We must accept it all and learn to rest

in the character of God. Second, the providence

of God, and this is a hard one, the providence

of God works in and through and by depraved men.

We see that with Judas, don't we? Fallen men.

Fallen mankind in Adam. If God refused to work

providentially in and through and by wicked men

in Adam with evil hearts, then he would not touch

this world because we're all wicked. Because

we're all in Adam. So he works in and through

fallen, sinful man. This does not, and it is

not, opposed or against to man's volition and

man's will. It's not. We see in this text in

verse 25 that Judas turned aside volitionally

and willfully. To go to His own place. It is

not against or opposed. We forget that we live

in a world of means and that God has created

a world of means. And that He works in and through

us and by us and around us and in events and

circumstances orchestrating and arranging for

His glory and our good to bring about His end.

And we are the means, folks. And he is welcome

to work within the bounds of those means, or

God is more than welcome to work any way he pleases

in this world because he owns it. And it's his.

So he can work in whatever way he wishes to work.

We think, I think so many times, I struggle with,

Man's freedom and God's freedom. You know, I

think in my mind, in my small pea brain, you

know, in my small pea brain, I think, you know,

I have a lot of freedom. I do what I want. I'm

free to make my own choices and to live how I

wish. to determine my life and to plan my life.

And I think in my smallness and my arrogance

and in my pride that that somehow limits God's

freedom. That that restricts and restrains the

bounds of the maker and creator of this world.

Folks, my freedom does not restrict God's freedom.

God's freedom, as the great and holy and mighty

and perfect and glorious and sovereign ruler

of this world, he is free to do as he pleases.

He is free to do what he wants. He is free. And

if anything, his freedom restricts my freedom

as the creature. That's what the Bible presents.

That's what providence teaches. Can you change

providence? Can you change providence? No, because

you can't change God. Providence is God's power

at work. It is God working. We cannot. Also,

providence does not remove. The condemnation

and judgment of wicked men and fallen man. Because

it does not take away their will or their volition.

It's not against or opposed to their volition.

As we see in the providence with Judas, Judas

was justifiably judged and punished for his sin.

He brought it upon himself. So providence doesn't

do away, with accountability, man's responsibility,

or man's condemnation and judgment. Providence

works in line with those. Third, we see that

providence works in the life of God's elect and

the life of the church in a special and a unique

way. individually in the life of the elect. I

mean, we see that with Matthias, don't we? We

see God choosing Matthias for the apostleship.

He was an individual to fill that role and that

function. But we also see that he was working

for the church as a whole because why did the

11 need to become 12? Why? Because what is the

foundation of the church? The apostles. And there

needed to be 12. You know what is one of the

most comforting realities? And it really is.

In my life, I think the most comforting reality

in my life is that I know the character of our

great God. And I am okay with His providences

in my life because I know His character. And

so, For God's elect, for God's children, we must

never try to take God out of the difficulties

and the hardships in our lives. Because if God

can't send the difficulties and the hardships

and sovereignly rule and guide and direct them,

then how in the world can He bring good out of

them? And how can we have hope? We must keep

Him in. And He does work in the life of His elect.

And this gives us great hope. This gives us great

hope and comfort knowing what Christ has done

for His people and knowing that God is providential

and powerful and governing. It gives us great

hope. This is straight up. Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

We know that God works together for the good

of those who he has called and those who love

him. And that's in context. That is God working

on behalf providentially for his elect. A little

later in that text, after he gives the golden

chain of redemption a little later, he says,

if God is for us, who can be against us? If he,

who did not spare His own Son but freely gave

us all things, who can bring a charge against

God's elect? Who can bring a charge against God's

elect? God works in the life of His elect. This

brings us great pleasure and great comfort because

we know that God doesn't promise us a life without

pain, does He? He doesn't promise us a life without

pain. He does not promise us a life without hurt

and difficulty. He does not. But God does promise

us that there will always be a purpose in the

pain. There will be a purpose in the hurt. There

will be a purpose and a plan. and the difficulties

and trials of this life. There is no wall that

God cannot turn into a bridge. There is no stumbling

block that Christ cannot make a stepping stone.

There is no trial that God cannot turn into your

purifier and your sanctifier. There is no hurt

that he cannot turn into a help for you. There

is no evil which he cannot bring good out of.

There is no calamity which he cannot Cause for

your edification. We worship and we serve a big

and a mighty God. We worship a powerful God who

loves His elect children and providentially works

in their lives in a unique and a special way.

Working all things together for the good of those

who He has called and those who He loves. So

we can have confidence and assurance just as

the early church could have confidence and assurance

that God is working according to his divine,

powerful, sovereign, providential plan. Especially

if you're a part A vital part of the church.

Because God works and supplies the needs of His

church. So as a whole, God providentially works

in the life of the church because He brings the

number up to 12. He brings the number up to 12.

And He provides the foundation for the church

to go forth. and to proclaim the gospel, a true

and a faithful remnant going into the world,

just as there were 12 patriarchs and 12 tribes,

there are now 12 apostles which would go into

the world and proclaim the good news of the gospel

to all tribes of all men, calling forth God's

elect by the preaching of the gospel. God is

providential. I encourage you to wrestle with

that doctrine in your life. Think about it. Consider

how will that change your perspective of who

you are and who God is.