OceanSide church of Christ

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SAVED BY THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

Victor M. Eskew

INTRODUCTION

A.        When this speaker hears the word “providence” several things immediately come to mind from the Biblical text.

                        1.         The life of Joseph (Gen. 37-50).

                        2.         The books of Esther and Philemon.

3.         Two specific passages:

                                    a.         Genesis 22:8

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:  so they went both of them together.

b.               Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

B.        However, I have never intentionally associated the word “providence” with salvation.  Yet, it is so true that each one of us is “Saved by the Providence of God.”

I.        THE REALM OF PROVIDENCE

A.             The root word of “providence” is “provide.”

1.                Providence involves the provisions God has give to mankind in every realm of life.

2.                In our study, we are going to look at God’s provisions for man’s salvation.

3.                Unless God had provided a means for man to be saved, man would be lost and without hope in the hereafter.

a.         All have sinned (Rom. 3:23).

b.         The soul that sinneth it shall die (Ezek. 18:20).

c.         Man cannot direct his steps (Jer. 10:23).

d.         All we, like sheep, have gone astray (Isa. 53:6).

e.         All our righteousness is as filthy rages (Isa. 64:6).

f.         All we can do it to cry out as did Paul:  O wretched man that I am!  Who shall deliver from the body of this death? (Rom. 7:24).

            B.        The ways of viewing God’s providence.

                        1.         Providence can involve the miraculous works of God. 

a.         Miracles are acts of God that conform to divine law, but that suspend or supersede the natural laws of the universe.

                                    b.         Example:  The land promise made to Abraham.

                                                1)         The promise (Gen. 13:14-15).

2)         Israel, however, was placed in slavery in the land of Egypt (Exo. 1:8-11).

3)         God brought Israel forth from Egypt after bringing ten miraculous plagues upon Pharaoh and his land (Deut. 26:8).

And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders.

2.                Providence also involves our Lord’s working within the natural affairs of men to bring His will to pass.

a.         This is a very unique ability.

            1)         No miracles are performed.

                                                2)         God works within the counsels and actions of man.

                                                3)         God works within the talents and abilities of man.

4)         God works without interfering with man’s free-moral agency.

                                    b.         Example:  The salvation of the Jews through Queen Esther.

                                                1)         God’s name is not found in the book.

                                                2)         The events seem like fortunate circumstances.

3)         The Jews are delivered from destruction and Haman is hanged upon his own gallows.

4.         God’s providential power can be felt throughout the book (Esther 4:13-14).

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.  For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed:  and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

II.      GOD’S TANGILBE PROVISIONS FOR OUR SALVATION

A.             The blood of Jesus Christ

1.                The sentence God pronounced upon sin is death, a bloody, violent, physical death (Gen. 2:16-17; Ezek. 18:20; Rom. 6:23).

2.                The only way to circumvent this sentence was by means of a vicarious death, a sacrifice of one, the innocent, on behalf of another, the guilty (Heb. 9:22).

a.         Animals would not do (Heb. 10:4).

b.         Tainted, sinful human sacrifices would not do (Mal. 1:7-8).

                        3.         God provided a perfect sacrifice in His Son Jesus Christ.

                                    a.         Isaiah 53:10a

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:  when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin…

b.               John 1:29b

c.                

…Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

d.               This death would do two things:  satisfy the demands of divine justice and save the souls of lost humanity (Rom. 3:21-26).

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:  for there is no difference:  for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:  whom God hath set forth to be the propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:  that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

B.              The Word of God.

1.                Little would be know of the sacrificial death of Christ unless it had been revealed to mankind.

2.                God’s Word is the account of this good news, the gospel.

a.         It has been revealed by the Holy Spirit (II Tim. 3:16-17; II Pet. 1:20-21).

b.         It has been endued with power (Heb. 4:12; Rom. 1:16).

c.         It can prick the heart (Acts 2:37) and save the souls of the lost (James 1:21).

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

C.              The church, the fellowship of believers

1.                Having redeemed man by the blood of Christ, God, then, places him into a fellowship apart from the world (I Cor. 1:9; Col. 1:13).

2.                This fellowship is the church.

a.         Acts 2:47; I Corinthians 12:13

b.         NOTE:  The word “church” literally means “the called out ones.”

3.         This fellowship was not a temporary expedient in the plan of God.  No, it was part of the eternal purpose of God (Eph. 3:10-11).

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

III.     GOD PROVIDES THE MOTIVATION FOR MAN’S SALVATION

A.             God’s love

1.                Romans 5:8; John 3:16

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

2.                It is the manifestation of God’s love that causes us to love Him in return.

a.         I John 4:19

We love him, because he first loved us.

b.               II Corinthians 5:14

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.

B.              The reward of heaven (I Pet. 1:3-5)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

C.              The fear of hell

1.                Hell is just as real as heaven.  Jesus spoke of it often (Matt. 10:28).

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:  but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

2.                Paul noted that it was by the “terror of the Lord” that he persuaded men (II Cor. 5:11).

IV.     A GLIMPSE OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE AT WORK IN MAN’S SALVATION

A.             The greatest provision given to man by God with regard to salvation is found in His Son Jesus Christ.  Let’s take a few minutes and look at the providence of God at work in man’s salvation in the life of Jesus Christ.

B.              God was made flesh.

1.                To become the perfect sacrifice, Jesus had to become a man.

2.                Two verses:

a.         John 1:14

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

b.               Hebrews 10:5

Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.

3.                This provision in man’s salvation was accomplished through a miraculous act, the virgin birth (Luke 1:26-35, esp. vs. 34-35).

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:  therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

C.              The arrival of the Son of God had been predicted by the Old Testament prophets (John 5:39).  It was essential for Jesus to fulfill all that had been spoken of Him (Matt. 5:17-18).  It is interesting to see God’s providence at work in bringing the prophecies to pass.

1.                Jesus’ birth

a.         It was prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2).

b.         Joseph and Mary, however, were residents of Nazareth in Galilee (Luke 2:4).

c.         By decree of Caesar Augustus, all the world was to be taxed (Luke 2:1).

1)         Each one had to go to his city of origin to be taxed (Luke 2:3).

2)         This brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem when Mary was very late in her pregnancy.

            3.         Luke 2:6-7

And it was so, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

2.                Jesus in the land of Egypt

a.         Jesus, like Israel, was to be called out of Egypt by God (Hos. 11:1).

b.         The events that took Jesus to Egypt were providential.

1)         Herod had been mocked by the wise men at Jesus’ birth (Matt. 2:12-16).

2)         In his wrath, Herod decreed that all the males from two years old and under were to be slain in Bethlehem and the surrounding area (Matt. 2:16).

c.         An angel warned Joseph of Herod’s evil intentions and sent him into Egypt (Matt. 2:13).

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word:  for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

3.                Jesus’ bones were not broken during the crucifixion.

a.         The types and shadows of the Old Testament were also predictive in nature.

b.         One of the sacrifices of the Old Testament was the Passover lamb.  A stipulation regarding the lamb was that no bone could be broken (Exo. 12:46).

c.         Jesus was the ante-type of the Paschal lamb (I Cor. 5:7).

d.         When Jesus was crucified not a bone was broken.

            1)         Jesus was crucified Friday morning.

            2)         At 6:00 p.m., the Jewish Sabbath would begin.

3)         No one hanging of a cross was to remain there into the Sabbath (Deut. 21:22-23).

4)         To hasten the death of those crucified, the Roman soldiers would break the legs of the one crucified (John 19:31).

5)         When the Roman soldiers came to Jesus, they did not have to break His legs for He was dead already (John 19:33, 36).

But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs…For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

D.             The death of Jesus

1.                The evil desires of the Jewish leaders.

2.                The betrayal of the Son of God by Judas.

3.                Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent and still turned Jesus over to the Jewish mob.

4.                The atrocities of the Roman soldiers.

5.                The means of death, crucifixion.

6.                Hebrews 2:9

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

CONCLUSION

A.        God has provided much in order to save the souls of men.

B.        God worked long and hard to secure man’s salvation.  He paid the ultimate price in sending His Son to die for us.

C.        Man should not reject these provisions.  Instead, he should avail himself of the grace (II Tim. 2:1) and the salvation (II Tim. 2:10) that are in Christ Jesus.  He can do this by obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ (Heb. 5:8-9; Matt. 7:21; Gal. 3:26-27).


 

SAVED BY THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

Victor M. Eskew

INTRODUCTION

A.                When this speaker hears the word “providence” several things immediately to mind from the Biblical text.

                                        1.                 The life of Joseph (Gen. 37-50).

                                        2.                 The books of Esther and Philemon.

3.                 Two specific passages (Gen. 22:8; Rom. 8:28).

B.                However, I have never intentionally associated the word “providence” with salvation.  Yet, it is so true that each one of us is “Saved by the Providence of God.”

I.                  THE REALM OF PROVIDENCE

B.                 The root word of “providence” is “provide.”

1.                 Providence involves the provisions God has give to mankind in every realm of life.

2.                 In our study, we are going to look at God’s provisions for man’s salvation.

3.                 Unless God had provided a means for man to be saved, man would be lost and without hope in the hereafter (Rom. 3:23; Ezek. 18:20; Jer. 10:23; Isa. 53:6; Isa. 64:6; Rom. 7:24).

                    B.                The ways of viewing God’s providence.

                                        1.                 Providence can involve the miraculous works of God.     

a.                 Miracles are acts of God that conform to divine law, but that suspend or supersede the natural laws.

                                                            b.                 Example:  The land promise made to Abraham.

                                                                                1)                 The promise (Gen. 13:14-15).

2)                 Israel, however, was placed in slavery in the land of Egypt (Exo. 1:8-11).

3)                 God brought Israel forth from Egypt after bringing ten miraculous plagues upon Pharaoh and his land (Deut. 26:8).

3.                 Providence also involves our Lord’s working within the natural affairs of men to bring His will to pass.

a.                 This is a very unique ability.

                    1)                 No miracles are performed.

                                                                                2)                 God works within the counsels and actions of man.

                                                                                3)                 God works within the talents and abilities of man.

4)                 God works without interfering with man’s free-moral agency.

                                                            b.                 Example:  The salvation of the Jews through Queen Esther (Esther 4:13-14)

II.                A GLIMPSE OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE AT WORK IN MAN’S SALVATION

E.                 The greatest provision given to man by God with regard to salvation is found in His Son Jesus Christ.  Let’s take a few minutes and look at the providence of God at work in man’s salvation in the life of Jesus Christ.

F.                 God was made flesh.

1.                 To become the perfect sacrifice, Jesus had to become a man.

2.                 Two verses (John 1:14; Heb. 10:5)

3.                 This provision of salvation was accomplished through a miraculous act, the virgin birth (Luke 1:26-35, esp. vs. 34-35).

G.                 The arrival of the Son of God had been predicted by the OT prophets (John 5:39).  It was essential for Jesus to fulfill all that had been spoken of Him (Matt. 5:17-18).  It is interesting to see God’s providence at work in fulfilling the prophecies.

1.                 Jesus’ birth

a.                 It was prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2).

b.                 Joseph and Mary, however, were residents of Nazareth in Galilee (Luke 2:4).

c.                 By decree of Caesar Augustus, all the world was to be taxed (Luke 2:1).

1)                 Each one had to go to his city of origin to be taxed (Luke 2:3).

2)                 This brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem when Mary was very late in her pregnancy.

                    3.                 Luke 2:6-7

2.                 Jesus in the land of Egypt

a.                 Jesus, like Israel, was to be called out of Egypt by God (Hos. 11:1).

b.                 The events that took Jesus to Egypt were providential.

1)                 Herod had been mocked by the wise men at Jesus’ birth (Matt. 2:12-16).

2)                 In his wrath, Herod decreed that all the males from two years old and under were to be slain in Bethlehem and the surrounding area (Matt. 2:16).

c.                 An angel warned Joseph of Herod’s evil intentions and sent him into Egypt (Matt. 2:13).

3.                 Jesus’ bones were not broken during the crucifixion.

a.                 The types and shadows of the Old Testament were also predictive in nature.

b.                 One of the sacrifices of the Old Testament was the Passover lamb.  A stipulation regarding the lamb was that no bone could be broken (Exo. 12:46).

c.                 Jesus was the ante-type of the Paschal lamb (I Cor. 5:7).

d.                 When Jesus was crucified not a bone was broken.

                    1)                 Jesus was crucified Friday morning.  At 6:00 p.m., the Jewish Sabbath would begin.

3)                 No one hanging of a cross was to remain there into the Sabbath (Deut. 21:22-23).

4)                 To hasten the death of those crucified, the Roman soldiers would break the legs of the one crucified (John 19:31).

5)                 They, however, did not have to break His legs for He was dead already (John 19:33, 36).

H.                The death of Jesus

1.                 The evil desires of the Jewish leaders.

2.                 The betrayal of the Son of God by Judas.

3.                 Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent and still turned Jesus over to the Jewish mob.

4.                 The atrocities of the Roman soldiers.

5.                 The means of death, crucifixion.

6.                 Hebrews 2:9

CONCLUSION

A.                God has provided much in order to save the souls of men.

B.                God worked long and hard to secure man’s salvation.  He paid the ultimate price in sending His Son to die for us.

C.                Man should not reject these provisions.  Instead, he should avail himself of the grace (II Tim. 2:1) and the salvation (II Tim. 2:10) that are in Christ Jesus.  He can do this by obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ (Heb. 5:8-9; Matt. 7:21; Gal. 3:26-27).

SAVED BY THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

Victor M. Eskew

INTRODUCTION

A.                When this speaker hears the word “providence” several things immediately come to mind from the Biblical text.

                                        1.                 The life of ____________________ (Gen. 37-50).

                                        2.                 The books of _____________________ and ________________________..

3.                 Two specific passages (Gen. 22:8; Rom. 8:28).

B.                However, I have never intentionally associated the word “providence” with ______________.  Yet, it is so true that each one of us is “Saved by the Providence of God.”

I.                  THE REALM OF PROVIDENCE

C.                 The root word of “providence” is “____________________.”

1.                 Providence involves the provisions God has give to mankind in ________________ realm of life.

2.                 In our study, we are going to look at God’s provisions for man’s salvation.

3.                 Unless God had provided a means for man to be saved, man would be ______________ and without _____________ in the hereafter (Rom. 3:23; Ezek. 18:20; Jer. 10:23; Isa. 53:6; Isa. 64:6; Rom. 7:24).

                    B.                The ways of viewing God’s providence.

                                        1.                 Providence can involve the _________________________ works of God.      

a.                 Miracles are acts of God that conform to ____________ law, but that suspend or supersede the ________ laws.

                                                            b.                 Example:  The land promise made to Abraham.

                                                                                1)                 The promise (Gen. 13:14-15).

2)                 Israel, however, was placed in slavery in the land of Egypt (Exo. 1:8-11).

3)                 God brought Israel forth from Egypt after bringing ten miraculous _______________ upon Pharaoh and his land (Deut. 26:8).

4.                 Providence also involves our Lord’s working within the _____________________ affairs of men to bring His will to pass.

a.                 This is a very unique ability.

                    1)                 No __________________ are performed.

                                                                                2)                 God works within the counsels and __________________ of man.

                                                                                3)                 God works within the talents and abilities of man.

4)                 God works without interfering with man’s ____________-_____________ agency.

                                                            b.                 Example:  The salvation of the Jews through Queen Esther (Esther 4:13-14)

II.                A GLIMPSE OF GOD’S PROVIDENCE AT WORK IN MAN’S SALVATION

I.                  The greatest provision given to man by God with regard to salvation is found in His Son Jesus Christ.  Let’s take a few minutes and look at the providence of God at work in man’s salvation in the life of Jesus Christ.

J.                  God was made ______________________.

1.                 To become the perfect sacrifice, Jesus had to become a ______________.

2.                 Two verses (John 1:14; Heb. 10:5)

3.                 This provision of salvation was accomplished through a miraculous act, the ________ birth (Luke 1:26-35, esp. vs. 34-35).

K.                The arrival of the Son of God had been predicted by the OT _______________ (John 5:39).  It was essential for Jesus to fulfill _________ that had been spoken of Him (Matt. 5:17-18).  It is interesting to see God’s providence at work in fulfilling the prophecies.

1.                 Jesus’ birth

a.                 It was prophesied that Jesus would be born in ____________________ (Mic. 5:2).

b.                 Joseph and Mary, however, were residents of _____________________ in Galilee (Luke 2:4).

c.                 By decree of Caesar Augustus, all the world was to be taxed (Luke 2:1).

1)                 Each one had to go to his city of ____________ to be taxed (Luke 2:3).

2)                 This brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem when Mary was very late in her pregnancy.

                    3.                 Luke 2:6-7

2.                 Jesus in the land of Egypt

a.                 Jesus, like Israel, was to be called out of Egypt by God (Hos. 11:1).

b.                 The events that took Jesus to Egypt were providential.

1)                 Herod had been mocked by the ______________ men at Jesus’ birth (Matt. 2:12-16).

2)                 In his wrath, Herod decreed that all the ________________ from two years old and under were to be slain in Bethlehem and the surrounding area (Matt. 2:16).

c.                 An angel warned Joseph of Herod’s evil intentions and sent him into Egypt (Matt. 2:13).

3.                 Jesus’ bones were not ____________________ during the crucifixion.

a.                 The types and shadows of the Old Testament were also predictive in nature.

b.                 One of the sacrifices of the Old Testament was the _________________ lamb.  A stipulation regarding the lamb was that no bone could be broken (Exo. 12:46).

c.                 Jesus was the ante-type of the Paschal lamb (I Cor. 5:7).

d.                 When Jesus was crucified not a bone was broken.

                    1)                 Jesus was crucified Friday morning.  At 6:00 p.m., the Jewish Sabbath would begin.

3)                 No one hanging of a cross was to remain there into the _________________ (Deut. 21:22-23).

4)                 To hasten the death of those crucified, the Roman soldiers would break the legs of the one crucified (John 19:31).

5)                 They, however, did not have to break His legs for He was ___________ already (John 19:33, 36).

L.                 The death of Jesus

1.                 The evil desires of the Jewish leaders.

2.                 The betrayal of the Son of God by Judas.

3.                 Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent and still turned Jesus over to the Jewish mob.

4.                 The atrocities of the Roman soldiers.

5.                 The means of death, crucifixion.

6.                 ______________________ 2:9

CONCLUSION

A.                God has provided much in order to save the souls of men.

B.                God worked long and hard to secure man’s salvation.  He paid the ______________  _____________ in sending His Son to die for us.

C.                Man should not _____________ these provisions.  Instead, he should avail himself of the grace (II Tim. 2:1) and the salvation (II Tim. 2:10) that are in Christ Jesus.  He can do this by ______________ the gospel of Jesus Christ (Heb. 5:8-9; Matt. 7:21; Gal. 3:26-27).