The 9th Sunday after Trinity

SERMON - God Is the Unseen Presence in Each of Our Lives!

INI

Text: Proverbs 16:1-9

The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits. Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established. The LORD has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom. Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; though they join forces, none will go unpunished. In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil. When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Better is a little with righteousness, than vast revenues without justice. A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

In Christ Jesus, through whose redemptive work our relationship with God has been restored, dear fellow redeemed:

Does God really exist? There are many people in this world, who are considered to be quite intelligent, who deny God’s existence. They claim that God and religion were invented simply to control and to comfort people. These people call themselves atheists. There are a good many other people in this world, who claim they cannot be sure that God exists. Consequently, they put their time, effort, and trust into other things. They call themselves agnostics.

There really is no good reason, however, to either deny or doubt God’s existence. Just look around you and ask yourself some pretty basic yet profound questions. Where did everything come from? Everything has a source—what is the source of the universe? How can you explain the order and complexity of our universe? Order and complexity are not a matter of chance. They require intelligence!

The apostle Paul addressed these issues in his sermon on Mars Hill as recorded in our Epistle Lesson. Paul told the Athenians: “God, who made the world and everything in it,…is Lord of heaven and earth!” (Acts 17:24) What impact did God’s existence have upon those Athenians, and what does it have upon each of us? Paul explained: “He (God) gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being!” (Acts 17:25b-28a) What impact does God’s existence have upon us? We are completely dependent upon Him! GOD IS THE UNSEEN PRESENCE IN EACH OF OUR LIVES! In our text Solomon warns us—ignore Him to your peril, and encourages us—embrace Him for your blessing!

I.

There is an old saying that I believe is true: “There are no atheists in fox-holes!” The implication of that statement is that when man is faced with imminent danger and possible death, his bold denials of God’s existence end, and his skepticism regarding God’s existence turns into a fervent plea for God’s protection and assistance! Yet, man by nature lives in rebellion against God and continues to delude himself into believing that he is in control of his destiny.

Solomon knew better! With the wisdom granted him by God’s Holy Spirit he informs us: “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits.” Men by nature live lives littered with self-deception. They choose to ignore God, suggesting they are self-made men. They claim sole credit for their accomplishments, or graciously attribute some of their success to other people, when in fact all of their talents, abilities, and successes come from God and would be impossible without God. They often hide behind a mask of public morality and respectability, at times claiming great nobility—yet in private their faults become all too obvious. Natural man is accomplished in justifying any and all of his actions—even the most ruthless and unscrupulous. After all, look at what others have done or are doing—he can, therefore, claim comparative purity! But God knows better, because God can see through all of our human pretenses. He knows that all men are “sinful from the time my (their) mother(s) conceived me (them)” (Ps. 51:5), and that “every man at his best state is but vapor” (Ps. 39:5b).

Solomon writes: “The LORD has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.” There is no one who lives outside the realm and, therefore, the control of God. Not that God has removed man’s free will. No, God created man with an ability to think and to make decisions, but in the end man must bear the responsibility for his defiance towards and rejection of God. Consider Pharaoh in Egypt at the time of the Exodus. God told Moses to tell Pharaoh: “For this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth” (Ex. 9:16). Ten times Pharaoh hardened his heart against God, after which God indeed hardened Pharaoh’s heart and then demonstrated His power and justice by bringing upon him the day of doom—destruction in the depth of the Red Sea. So it will be for all the wicked. King David wrote in his great penitential psalm: “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight—that You may be found just when You speak, and blameless when You judge” (Ps. 51:4). God graciously forgives those who repent of their sins, but those who cling to their sins in wickedness and ignore God, He will justly and blamelessly judge on the Last Day!

Indeed, Solomon says: “Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; though they join forces, none will go unpunished.” The sin underlying all others is pride. Satan rebelled against God originally, because he was proud—he was dissatisfied with the position God had given him and he wanted to be divine (cf. Is. 14:12-15). Adam and Eve thought they could become like God, and so were tempted to join Satan’s rebellion (cf. Genesis 3:1-6). But irrespective of their alliances, everyone who ignores God and continues to rebel against Him will be punished. Indeed, as the apostle Paul reveals that on the Last Day all the wicked will appear before the judgment seat of Christ and “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11). My dear friends, GOD IS THE UNSEEN PRESENCE IN EACH OF OUR LIVES! Ignore Him to your peril!

II.

Embrace Him for your blessing! Solomon writes: “The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.” We are privileged as God’s crown of creation to think, to ponder, to plan, to prepare for the future, but that future is dependent upon God’s guidance and direction. In a slightly different way Solomon expresses the same truth in Psalm 127:1: “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it!” But there is something very special in the way that God guides the words of His beloved children. I would imagine that any number of us here today could think of a time when God provided us just the right words to address a particular situation. I have a close friend, who as a psychologist was required to testify in court one time on behalf of an abused child. After making his initial testimony he was re-examined for three hours by a hostile attorney, whose goal was to undermine his professional credentials and recommendations. He became the center of attention rather than the abuse that had been occurring. Near the end of that three hour period, as the attorney consulted his notes, my friend simply prayed that God would give him the right words to protect the interest of the child involved. His answer to the very next question was completely uncharacteristic for him, but effectively ended the examination. My friend is confident that God Himself provided that answer!

Solomon encourages us to “commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.” Literally, the word “commit” means to “roll off” or to “transfer” a burden from one person to another. The idea of this verse, then, is very close to Peter’s encourage to “cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). When we embrace the Lord and His presence we can make our decisions, determine our plans, and begin to implement them with the prayer that God will indeed bless those decisions and plans. We do not have to bear the burden, but can give those burdens to the Lord! He is a good and gracious Father, who desires our best, and whose name is hallowed and glorified by our best!

Solomon writes: “In mercy and truth atonement is provided for iniquity; and by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil.” It is properly understood that “atonement” for “our iniquity”…our sin is found only in the “mercy and truth” of our God as revealed in the work of Jesus Christ. Jesus came into this world as a result of God’s mercy, and in truth He served as our substitute both in His life and through His death to atone for our sins. But in this verse I believe that Solomon is addressing the direct response of God’s believing children to His mercy and His truth. They, in turn, practice mercy and proclaim the truth. They in faith “depart from evil” out of a love for their Lord, and the result is His blessing! The prophet Micah addresses this when he wrote: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (6:8)

Solomon goes on: “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” There are individuals who enjoy the mutual respect of both friends and enemies. It was said that Louis the Pious, a French medieval king, practiced his Christian faith so well that even his political adversaries would allow him to settle their disputes because they knew he sought to honor God in all that he did, and so his decisions would be fair. Paul urges us: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). My dear friends and especially you children—when you are having problems with a brother or sister, a classmate, or a neighbor down the street, think about ways you might treat them which would please the Lord. If you do that, I am confident that the problems you are having will be resolved, and perceived enemies will become real friends!

Solomon reminds us: “Better is a little with righteousness, than vast revenues without justice.” People delude themselves into believing that possessing more money and more things will bring with it happiness, but they seldom do! “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” Paul assures us (1 Timothy 6:10). Many have strayed from their faith and hurt themselves and others severely as they have pursued wealth, without understanding that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Let us remember, brethren, that God has promised to provide for our needs. To ignore Him in the pursuit of great wealth is foolish! To embrace Him with the knowledge that He is near to us, watching over us, and will provide for us, fills our hearts with peace!

Solomon concludes his remarks by saying, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” Again, what a joy and privilege it is as a child of God to make plans regarding the life God has given us. We should do so with great pleasure, for every day and the ability to perform every deed are gifts from God. Let us, however, acknowledge the Lord and embrace Him as a dear heavenly Father. Let our attitude be that of the hymnist, “Lord, take my hand and lead me,” for then we cannot ultimately fail, and we will ultimately be blessed! Amen.

—Pastor Paul D. Nolting
Soli Gloria Deo!