Text: Jeremiah 32:26-27 “Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,(vs27) Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything to hard for me?
1 Chronicles 29:11-12 “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.(vs12) Both of riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thy hand it is to make great, and to give strength to all.”
St. Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
Premise
The Pulpit Commentary, Vol.11, Pages 52-53, A comment on Jeremiah 32:27. “We are not called to worship mere power. To do so would be to renounce the rights of conscience. We worship God, not because he is almighty, but because he is supremely good and morally great. But starting from this position, we have to take account also of the omnipotence of God. This omnipotence of God shows: 1.The utter vanity of all resistance to the will of God. In view of this obvious inference, the more strange, then, that it is so little acted upon. We need to feel it as well as to believe it. 2. This should lead us to trust that God will overcome difficulties which to us appear insurmountable. The restoration of Israel appeared impossible; the salvation of the world seems too great and difficult to be realized. But if “with God all things are possible”(St.Matt.19:26), how can we fix any limit to the ultimate triumphs of redemption? “The mercy of the Lord endureth forever;” then God will always seek the recovery of his lost children. “Is there anything to hard for me?” Then, in spite of present unbelief, impenitence, wild wanderings that leads us further astray, may we not believe that he will find his children at last? 3. These considerations should lead us to seek the help of God’s strength in our weakness. How foolish for the sailors to weary themselves toiling in vain at their oars against the tide, when if they would spread their sails the strong wind would carry them swiftly on! How foolish of us to toil on only in our natural power and with mere earthly means, when there are heavenly influences of omnipotence ready to help us if we will seek them!
“God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” Psa. 62:11
1. The Power of God is defined as “ability and strength , whereby he can bring to pass whatsoever he pleases; whatsoever his infinite wisdom can direct, and whatsoever the infinite purity of his will can resolve.
2. The Infinity of God is defined as "that perfection of God by which He is free from all limitations. In ascribing it to God we deny that there are or can be any limitations to the Divine Being or attributes".
Exposition
1.Why is the Lord Able?
A. Concerning God's Omnipotence : Psa. 62:11 “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.”; 1 Samuel 2:6-8 “The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.(vs7) The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. (vs8) He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.”
2.How Does the Lord Manifest His Ability?
1. Concerning His Purposes and Promises---Isa.46:9-11 “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, (vs10) Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (vs11) Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea , I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it,I will do it.”
2.Concerning His Grace--- 2 Cor.9:8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”
3. Concerning Submission Of All Things--- Ph. 3:20-21 “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (vs21) Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.”
4. Concerning the Lords Keeping Power---Jude (vs. 24-25) “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (vs25) to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. A-men.”
3.To What Extent Is The Lord Able?
1. Concerning The Extent Of Salvation Of Christ--- Heb. 7:24-26 “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. (vs25) Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (vs26) For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;”
2.Concerning The Infinity Of The Lord's Ability--- Eph 3:19-21 “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. (vs20) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (vs21) Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. A-men.”
Two Conclusions Of My Knowledge And Faith That The Lord Jesus Christ Is Able.
Hebrews 13: 5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said,(Josh.1:5; 1 Chron.28:20) I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (vs6) So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Romans 8:35&37-39 “Who shall separate us form the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (vs37) Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. (vs38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (vs39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”