The Reach of God's Providence with Pastor Andrew Courtis

Please join me as we come before our Lord, as we seek his grace and seek his help in this time of prayer.

Let us pray.

Our gracious and loving Lord, I thank you and praise you for the privilege to declare with your people that Christ is the story.

All your word points to him.

All your promises find their yes and amen in him.

What a savior! Help us to love him.

Help us to live for him.

Help us to look to him.

And help us to long for his return.

Help us now.

I pray this in Christ's name.

Amen.

This morning it's my delight to give you a one-off sermon before we transition into Hebrews chapter 11 and learn about the life of faith by talking about a deeply pastoral doctrine, the doctrine of God's providence.

Hebrews 11 · chapter mention

I love all doctrines, I love all theology.

But there is something about the doctrine of providence that has a very special place in my heart.

And I want to declare to you today the wonderful doctrine of God's providence.

But I want to do this with a particular focus because we could go far and wide with such a doctrine.

And perhaps after Hebrews, there might be a short series that can unfold these beautiful doctrines of providence.

But today I want to focus on one particular area.

I want to talk about the reach of God's providence.

How far does it reach?

What areas of life does God's providence touch?

When we talk about the providence of God, we need to understand that we are talking about the precision of God's governing hand.

The doctrine of providence teaches us that God is not passive, nor is he absent in any aspect of life.

What is the providence of God?

I love the words of the London Baptist confession that tells us that God, our good Creator, in his infinite wisdom and power, doth uphold, direct, guide, and dispose all things from the least even to the greatest, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for which they were created.

When we talk about the providence of God, we are establishing that wonderful doctrine that God is not absent, God is not distant, God is not passive in any area of life, but in the words of Psalm forty-six and verse one, that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help for us.

He's very present, he's near, his working, and his providence is seen in absolutely every detail of life.

There is not one part of this universe that does not have the fingerprints of God's fatherly providence.

But the thing with providence is it's hard to see.

It's hard to see for a few reasons.

Number one, we are so full of ourselves that it's hard to actually look past who we are, how we feel, and what we're doing.

But it's also hard to see because it's an invisible hand.

We can't always make sense of it in the present.

We certainly can't predict it for the future.

But we do well to heed the words of that great Puritan John Flavil, who wrote in his work, The Mystery of Providence, that the providence of God can only be read and understood like the Hebrew letters.

We must read them backwards.

And it's only when we learn to look back we can see the hand of God was guiding, directing, disposing, arranging, upholding all things.

The providence of God is a doctrine that we ought to think upon, meditate upon, and enjoy.

It's like warm water that brings us warmth.

It cleanses us, it helps us.

Stephen Shanok, who is another Puritan, had made the comment that we ought to think upon the providence of God in our leisure.

I'm afraid that in our leisure we think upon things that we ought not to.

We waste our time with things that don't matter.

But Sharnok encouraged in your leisure, think about the providence of God.

And he goes on to say that God has given us three sermons in which we are able to constantly listen to the providence of God.

These are sermons that preach to us the providence of God.

Well, when we think about God's providence, I want you to know that the world that we are living in is a world that has come into existence by means of God, our good and almighty creator.

And because God has created all things in his almighty power and wisdom, he also governs all things, directs and guides absolutely everything.

When we think of the providence of God, we need to understand that the providence of God flows out of another beautiful doctrine.

And that doctrine is the decree of God.

The sovereign decree of God is mentioned in Ephesians 1 and verse 11.

It's referred to the counsel of his will.

When we say counsel of his will, the scripture is declaring that God has a will.

And this will, in the words of Isaiah 46, has determined the end from the beginning.

And according to Ephesians 1 and verse 11, God works all things according to the counsel of his will.

The counsel of his will is his decree, but the working of all things is his providence.

Just as God has determined all things, God is directing all things.

This is our God.

And this beautiful providence reaches wide and far.

And there's three areas I want to show you this morning of where the providence of God reaches.

And I trust that these truths will reach right into your heart and warm your heart and give you an elevated view of how glorious and sovereign and almighty God and King.

I want to show you that the reach of God's providence reaches into every person.

God's providence reaches into every place.

And God's providence reaches into every particular.

And that first point has to do with God's providence reaches every person.

First thing I want you to note, and I want to draw from the book of Psalms, in Psalm 103, we read these words in verse 19.

God's throne is above us, and God sits as king over all of his creation.

And the authority of God's kingdom is not limited to a certain territory or to a certain group.

But Scripture tells us that his kingdom rules over all.

And it's from heaven, according to Psalm thirty-three, verses thirteen to fifteen, where the Lord looks from heaven.

He sees all the sons of men.

From the place of his dwelling, he looks on all the inhabitants of the earth.

He fashions their hearts individually.

He considers all their works.

Not one human soul escapes the gaze of God's sovereign eyes, nor does any human life escape the hand of God's work, in which he works in every single human being individually.

That is an overwhelming thought when you think about how many people there are in this world.

It might be overwhelming for some to know that there can be so many people in our church family, let alone how many are in Sydney.

You think about our country, you think about the world, but then you think about all of world history.

Every human being is subject to the governing, guiding hand of God.

God's providence is working in the life of every single human being.

No one can tap out from it.

No one is removed from it.

God is working.

He is working and arranging and bringing about things for the glory of his name in the life of absolutely every single human being.

But what I want you to know is that's not only true for every human being, but as we study the scriptures, we learn something very precious about this reach into every person, and it's this.

The Puritan Thomas Watson noted that when it comes to God's providence over all people, yes, it reaches everyone, but Watson says, God has a near and dear interest in those that are his children.

The providence of God is working and unfolding in every human being's life in this world.

Those that hate God, those that are pursuing their own dreams, those that have their own agendas.

Think about political leaders, think about influencers, think about those in powerful positions.

God's hand of providence is at work even in their lives.

They are responsible for every action they make, but nothing will be apart from the guiding hand of the Creator.

Yet God has a near and dear interest in the life of his elect.

Those that are his own children.

The providence of God is unfolding in a special way.

And what this ought to do for us to know that God's hand of providence is reaching into the life of every single one of his children, ought to make us trust him.

1 Peter 5 and verse 7 tells us that we are to take our anxieties, our worries, and our cares.

We've got plenty of them, don't we?

But what does 1 Peter 5, 7 say?

It says that we are to be casting our cares upon Him.

Why?

For He cares for you.

That is the near and dear interest God has in the life of His children.

He cares for you.

He knows everything that you're going through right now.

He knows every trial that you're experiencing.

He knows every trouble, every hardship, and he cares.

He not only knows, he's interested.

And that care is not just seen in a compassion, but that care is seen in that he is actively working in you.

This near and dear interest, which uh Watson says, He says it as a result of writing an entire book called a divine cordial.

A cordial was a medicine.

It would make you better.

And what was the cordial that he wanted to give his readers?

He wanted them to learn and embrace the doctrine of providence.

So, what did Thomas Watson do?

He wrote an entire book called a divine cordial, and it was a series of sermons based on one verse.

And that verse is Romans 8 and verse 28.

For we know that all things, how many things?

All things work together for good to those who love God, the called according to his purpose.

That is providence.

God is working in everything, in the lives of his children, that it will bring about the ultimate good.

The governing, guiding, directing, arranging hand of God reaches to every person, but in a special way, in a fatherly, tender way.

He is doing a work in the life of every single one of you, in the life of all of his children around the world, that it would all work together for good.

But it doesn't feel like that, does it?

Life hurts.

Trials are heavy.

Suffering stings.

We get weighed down.

We get anxious.

We're worried.

We act out in ways that isn't pleasing to the Lord.

The time of difficulties hit us and they hurt us.

But the writer to the Hebrews reminds us in Hebrews 12, verses 10 and 11, a passage we'll see in a number of weeks, he reminds us that these difficult times that we go through as the children of God are a part of God's working.

Hebrews 12:10

And even in those moments when we go through struggle and chastening, God is still at work in it.

He tells us in Hebrews 12, verses 10 and 11, for they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but he for our prophet, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

Hebrews 12:10

Now no chastening seems to be joys joyful for the present, but painful, nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who've been trained by it.

The writer is saying that when God brings us through a time of chastening and discipline, it's not comfortable in the moment, but it is going to bring about the fruit of righteousness.

It is going to bring about a crop of holiness.

Because what happens in these moments of suffering and trial and temptation is that God is doing a work in which he weans us from the world.

He causes us to depend on him more.

We keep our eyes more on Christ and less on ourselves.

We hold on to that which is secure and let go of that which is fleeting.

God is doing a work in us, in trials, in suffering, in difficulty, so that we learn that He is our sufficiency and not we in and of ourselves.

He knew what it was to be experiencing suffering, to experience slander, to experience hostility, to experience persecution.

I don't think any of us can relate to the depths of difficulty the Apostle Paul went through in his service for the Lord Jesus Christ.

And to the church that gave him the most grief, he reminds them in 2 Corinthians that there is a thorn in his flesh.

Many people debate what this thorn in the flesh is.

Some think it's a physical ailment.

But I think when you carefully look at the text, he's describing this thorn in the flesh as a messenger of Satan.

It appears to be a detractor, an individual who was rising up against the cause of the ministry that Paul would have in their midst and would seek to greatly undermine him.

As the Apostle Paul experienced this horrible affliction, whatever it may have been, we recognize it was terrible.

It was horrible, and he wanted it to go.

And we read in 2 Corinthians 12 and verse 7, and lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

Therefore I most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

What Paul learnt was the providence of God reached into his life.

Even a hard providence was still the providence of God.

And that providence was doing a work in him, and ultimately the work that it was doing in Paul was so that Paul would learn that my sufficiency is not in my gifts, it's not in the revelations that I've received, it's not in anything that I've ever said to you.

Or done.

It is Christ.

It is Him who is my sufficiency.

Christ is enough.

And this affliction has led me to know that that's what I must do.

When we think about the providence of God reaching every person, particularly knowing that the providence of God in the life of the people of God is going to result in a work in which all things will work together for good, then we need to remember that the providence of God in people's lives doesn't mean God will keep you from the storm.

But what it does mean is God will keep you in the storm.

This is what we learn in Isaiah 43 and verse 2.

That when I go through the waters, when I go through the floods, you will be there with me.

Friends, are you going through a storm?

Are you feeling the weight of hardship?

Know and understand that the providence of God is at work in your life.

And God is working all things together for good.

And you know what that good is?

That good is found in the very next verse.

In Romans 8 and verse 29, it says that all of this is going to result in us being conformed to the image of Christ.

God is working in every detail of your life so that you will be conformed to the image of his dear son.

This is the reach of providence into every person.

But providence also reaches into every place.

If you were to get in your car right now and drive to Melbourne with a few stops, I won't tell you how quick I can do it, but I in a few stops, it will take you around 10 hours.

Kept the speed limit, two petrol station stops, just enough to get fuel in, out.

Did it in nine hours, 14 minutes legally.

But it will take you close to 10 hours.

That's a long distance, Melbourne to Sydney, Sydney to Melbourne.

But zoom out.

Look at Australia as a country.

Zoom out further and get in an airplane and go to another country.

This world is huge.

And as you drive along from one destination to another, you're going to zoom past so many little towns that people have lives in, and you've got no knowledge of it at all.

Let alone when you go on an aeroplane, you're going to fly over islands and countries and regions where people have a life.

People that they have families, they have livelihoods, they've got hobbies, they've got struggles, they've got joys and celebrations.

You've got no idea about it.

You know what's going on in your life, you know what's going on in your friendship circle, but there is so much going on in this world.

There are so many places in this world that you and I have not been to.

Some of you have got your passport filled, but even you have to acknowledge there is so much you have not seen.

Even in the places that you've gone, you missed so much.

You went to that restaurant, but what about the one next to it?

There's so many places that you and I have not been to.

We are not across what is going on, but there is not one place in this world in which God is not at work.

God is working in everything and in every place.

No matter where we go, no matter what location it is, God's hand of providence is working.

Psalm 107, verses 23 to 24 tells us those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, they see the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep, for he commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea.

Psalms 107:23–24

They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths, their souls melt because of trouble.

God is at work in every place.

No matter where you travel, whether it be by ship, car, or plane, whether you walk by foot, God is at work there.

God is working in every place to the glory and to the honor of his name.

Whether it be in the depths of the sea or to the heights of the heavens, God's hand is working and guiding and directing and arranging everything in accordance to his divine decree.

This is true in the life of Jonah.

Jonah was plunged into the depths of the sea, yet in the providence of God a great fish had been arranged by the hand of God to be right there in that moment to swallow him up, where Jonah would then be able to be ministered to by the Lord.

And after being thrown up onto dry land, the word of the Lord would come to Jonah a second time.

Or even if you go to the heights and read in Psalm 147 and verse 3, you see that God names the stars.

God's providence is over everything, it's over every animal, it's over every location, it's over every place.

This ought to encourage us deeply because what it reminds us is no matter where you are, a place that you like or a place that you don't like, God's hand is at work.

And shouldn't that comfort us?

Shouldn't that encourage us that no matter where we are, it may be a hard place.

It may be a place that one does not like, it may be a place that one delights in.

But what we know is God is at work.

And it wasn't received well.

He was banished, he was thrown out, and he was happy to go.

He just wanted a quiet ministry where he could study and just instruct individuals.

But then he was called back to Geneva.

He said, I I would I would rather suffer.

I would rather die a thousand deaths than bear this cross to go back to Geneva.

He didn't want to go.

But when he saw that the hand of God is over every blade of grass, he knew he had to go.

And he submitted himself promptly and sincerely to the Lord because he submitted himself to God's providence.

And there he saw the smile of heaven through diligent labor.

The providence of God is over every place, and that ought to encourage us that when you are in known places and unknown places, God is there.

When you are in a place that is doing well economically or not, God is there.

Wherever you go, whatever holiday you go on, whatever work location you must go to, wherever you must live, wherever you must study, know that God is there.

No matter what school, what university, what workplace you are at, God is there and God is working and he's unfolding his purposes.

The hand of God's providence reaches every place.

But finally, we are reminded that the providence of God reaches into every particular.

This is where we get down to the nitty-gritty.

There is not one speck.

There is not one moment or incident or occurrence that happens outside of divine providence.

God's providence is over absolutely every particular.

Stephen Sharnock told us, as I mentioned before, that God gives us three sermons on providence, Psalm 147, Psalm 148, and Job 38 and 39.

Listen to Sermon 1, Psalm 147, and verse 9.

We read these words He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry.

Animals eat food.

And that is because of the providence of God.

God is guiding, directing, and arranging even down to the details of animals that you do not think about, observe, or watch.

And God's hand of providence is at work even among the animals.

We are told in Matthew 10 and verse 29 that not one sparrow falls to the ground outside of the providence of God.

I remember one time I was preaching through the gospel of Luke, and I learned in that particular sermon in preparation that the Lord cares for the birds and not one bird falls to the ground without his knowledge.

And at the time I was going for a bike ride with my family, and as I was riding my bike, this bird was flying along, and I was thinking about that text that wow, not one bird falls to the ground without knowledge.

And then it went through my wheels and then died.

I thought, oh, that's terrible.

Sorry.

Um, I didn't do it deliberately, feathers went up everywhere.

But then I reminded myself again, not one bird falls to the ground without the Lord's knowledge.

And sometimes the Lord will use various means to bring about his purposes.

It's bird's time and it had to go.

But what a thought that even a bird, when it falls to the ground in an incident like that, was by the guiding hand of God's providence.

Gave me an illustration that next day, but I think there were other purposes that bird had.

But God's providence reaches into the birds.

He knows when one falls.

We don't often see them fall, we don't often see them die with our own eyes.

But God does.

He's at work in that.

We're also told in this same text that he knows the numbers of our head.

I know that's not impressive for me, but for some of you that's rather remarkable.

I have to grow a beard just to really be reminded of the intimacy of God's providence and knowing how many hairs there are.

But the reminder that one of the Puritans gave us is that if God knows how many hairs there are, how much more does he care for what's in your soul?

And that's the point.

There is not one particular in which God isn't governing.

God is governing how many hairs one would have.

God is governing how they are fed and when they are fed.

And he is doing this, of course, with other contingencies of secondary causes, and there is responsibility and action and cause and effect all going on throughout this universe, but it is all in accordance to the decree of God, in which God's beautiful hand of providence is unfolding every single one of these things, and he's working it all for his glory and for his splendor and for his majesty.

This is incredible.

There is not one thing outside of this governing hand, and according to Luke 12 and verse 7, that as God cares even for the birds, when a bird falls to the ground, he goes on, our Lord goes on to say in Luke 12 and verse 7, if God cares for a bird that falls to the ground that's of very little monetary value, how much more value are you?

Remember that first point.

God's providence reaches every person.

And not only does it reach every person, God has a near and dear interest in the life of his children.

So if a little bird falls to the ground and God cares, how much does he care for you with what you're going through?

The providence of God reaches absolutely every particular and it's not missed.

God's providence is reaching every place.

One Puritan said prayer honors providence.

And providence honors prayer.

And what that reminds us of is that when we behold the governing hand of God, we ought to respond in prayer.

A prayer of dependence on him, a prayer of thanks, a prayer of confession, a prayer of adoration.

We ought to pray.

And in the mystery of Providence, providence honors prayer.

Because in that moment of prayer, as we pour out our hearts to the Lord, as we seek him, we grow.

We grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and we submit all the more to his governing and guiding hand that directs and disposes all things from the greatest even to the least.

And it ought to be a balm to your soul, a cordial for the sick.

It ought to be warmth for the cold, a blanket for those that are freezing.

It brings us comfort, it brings us joy, it brings us a confidence to serve the Lord with a resolve and with a strength, because we know that our God is a very present help.

This doctrine of providence carries the people of God through.

But I want to finish by reminding you that the providence of God does have an ultimate goal.

The providence of God needs to be understood as the goal being that God is working all things in this world according to the counsel of his will, so that he chiefly will receive the glory, the honor, and the praise.

But secondly, God is working all these things in the life of his people for their good.

But what is that good?

It's not so that you just get the job that you want, you have the money that you want, you go to the location that you want.

The good ultimately is so that you will be made like Christ.

And when we think about the providence of God, it ought to never, ever, ever be separated from God's redemptive purposes in Christ.

You see, I'm afraid that people speak of providence only when things go well.

For example, things go in an inconsiderable direction where all the circumstances are stacked in my favor, and I go, wow, the providence of God.

Or true, but it was also the providence of God when things weren't looking great.

Yes, there is a difference between a happy providence and a hard providence, but both are providence.

Everything is God's providence, which means nothing is by chance, nothing is a coincidence, nothing is random, but everything is by the guiding and directing hand of God.

And I love the providence of God because the providence of God will always bring us back to the Lord Jesus so that we look to him.

I can give you countless examples in Scripture, and as I said, there may be room for a mini-series on this in a few months' time.

But let me remind you of the dearest example to me in the scriptures of God's unfolding providence that culminates in Christ.

I've preached it to you before, but I just want to remind you of the affliction that Elimelech and Naomi went through.

They lived in Bethlehem, and a famine came into Bethlehem.

There was no bread in Bethlehem.

Elimelech made the decision that he will take his wife Naomi, their two sons, Marlon and Killian, and go to Moab.

It sounded like a bad decision because that is a pagan land.

And they shouldn't have left the land of God's covenant promise.

But that was the decision he made.

A decision driven by a desire to protect his family and care for them.

So Elimelech takes Naomi, their two boys, and move to Moab.

And they move to Moab, and Elimelech dies.

Naomi grieves the loss of her husband.

Marlin and Killian had married two Moabite women, Ruth and Orpar.

But then Marlon and Killian die.

We're only in verse 5 of chapter 1.

Affliction upon affliction.

Naomi gets news that after these years had passed, that the famine had broken in Bethlehem, and she goes back.

She goes back as a broken woman.

You could see it on her face.

Naomi means sweetie, but she says, Don't call me sweetie.

She changes the name to call me bitter.

For the Lord has dealt bitterly with me.

Orpar and Ruth want to go with her.

Naomi says, No.

Orpar accepts.

Ruth is resolved.

I am going with you.

Your people will be my people.

Your God will be my God.

She goes with her.

They make it there.

And as they get there, it is now barley harvest.

And Ruth goes out to glean in the fields as the law of God had made provisions in Leviticus 25.

And she just so happened to go onto a field at a certain time when a certain man would rock up by the name of Boaz, who, when he saw her, was impressed by her.

He inquired, Who is this woman?

That is Ruth the Moabites.

He showed her even more kindness.

Why?

Well, she may have been a cutie, but I think something else was going on.

Because Boaz's mum, Boaz's mum was Rahab.

And he had a heart for outsiders.

And he showed kindness to her.

And she comes home with hands full.

And she comes home to Naomi.

And Naomi says, What is all this?

And she goes, Well, I went to this field at this time, and this man named Boaz, Boaz, he's a relative of ours.

You were there.

Wow, he can actually redeem you.

He can look after you.

And then, of course, you know the story.

There is a risky plan, and all sorts of things go on.

She she gives, she ends up giving Boaz cold feet before a proposal, and all of this happens.

And then the time finally comes when, after some debate and so many difficulties and contracts and conversations, that in the end, Boaz marries Ruth.

And they have a baby.

A little baby by the name of Obed.

And the story ends with Naomi holding a baby in Bethlehem.

But you know what's remarkable?

If there was no famine, Elimelech would have never gone to Moab.

If he never went to Moab, his sons would have never, one of his sons would have never married Ruth.

If they never married Ruth, Ruth never would have gone to Bethlehem.

If Ruth never met to Bethlehem, she would have never met Boaz.

If she never met Boaz, they would have never had a baby called Obed.

If they never had a baby called Obed, there wouldn't have been a baby called Jesse.

And if there was no baby called Jesse, there wouldn't have been a baby called David.

And if there was no David, there would have been no covenant made with David.

And if there was no covenant made with David, there would be no descendant coming from the Davidic line, who would be the Lord Jesus Christ, who in Matthew 2 was born right there in Bethlehem.

That is the providence of God.

And that showed that they didn't know it in the moment, but every single detail was finding its culmination in the glory of Christ.

And you need to understand every detail of your life, if you're a child of God, is going to result in the culmination of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's trust the providence of God.

Our gracious and loving Lord, thank you for your governing and guiding hand.

Help us to know that you, you are good, you are strong, and you are gracious.

May we honor you and trust you in Jesus' name.

Amen.