Sovereignty of God

Pastor Martin begins the section on 'The God Whom We Worship and Confess' by laying down the fundamental proposition that there is but one true and living God. He then develops the first of four major assertions about Him: that this God is the God of absolute perfection, perfect in Himself (self-sufficient and needing nothing), perfect in all His attributes (every attribute infinite and held in perfect balance with the others), and perfect in all His ways and works as testified by Moses, David, and the redeemed in heaven.

Returning after a six-week absence, Pastor Martin advances the second affirmation about God: that He is the God of unrivaled sovereignty. He demonstrates from the Old and New Testaments that the enthroned God wills what He performs and performs what He wills without cabinet, congress, or counselor, then applies this to creation, providence, and grace. The sermon closes with comfort for believers and a solemn warning to the impenitent that God is whetting His sword of judgment.

The first of two messages on unconditional election. Pastor Martin gives a simple statement of the doctrine from the Westminster Shorter Catechism, then establishes its biblical basis first through the explicit testimony of key words (elect, foreknow, predestinate) and key passages (Matthew 11, John 6, John 17, Acts 13, Romans 9, 1-2 Thessalonians), and begins the implicit testimony drawn from God's pattern of dealings with Israel, the doctrine of sin, and the doctrine of God's sovereignty.

After a five-month digression, Pastor Martin returns to the Here We Stand series with an extensive review of the 44 previous sermons. He summarizes the Book we believe and obey (authority, inerrancy, sufficiency), the God we worship and confess (one, perfect, sovereign, good, triune), and the Salvation we receive and proclaim (the central figure Christ in the mystery of His person and the majesty of His offices). He closes by introducing Christ's manward succoring ministry from Hebrews 2:18 as the bridge to coming studies on Christ as prophet.

Pastor Martin expounds Revelation 4 as the first half of the great vision of the throne of God and of the Lamb. After the seven letters are dictated, John is beckoned through an opened door in heaven to see a throne set and One seated on it, surrounded by four living creatures and twenty-four elders rendering unceasing praise. He explains that before the church can understand the cycles of conflict to come, she must see the Creator God upon His throne, holy, almighty, and eternal, and hear the elders ascribe to Him worthiness because by His will all things were and are. The vision is a word of instruction and consolation for the struggling church (God is still on His throne, the rainbow of covenant faithfulness still surrounds it) and a word of terror to the impenitent who chafe against a non-negotiable divine sovereignty.