2016 Belmont University Lenten GuideSample

This Lenten season, and any season, it is good to ask: to what extent do we see God’s sovereignty—his “bigger-than-ness”—abiding in our lives? Today’s passages illustrate God’s sovereignty in three different ways.

1) God assures deliverance for those whom He has called to be his people. Exodus 12:23 says, “the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.” Through the Passover of the Israelite Exodus, we know God guarantees eternal protection for those who belong to Him. Even though God could have justly subjected the Israelites to the same sufferings that the Egyptians were about to face (after all, many Israelites worshiped idols), He created opportunity for salvation through the sacrifice of a Passover lamb for each house. This unconditional and unmerited gift points to God’s unconditional and unmerited love for his people, and his sovereignty over their deliverance. It also points to Jesus, the final and perfect Passover lamb—freely given to all who believe.

2) God is sovereign, even over the workings of his enemies. In John 11:50, the high priest Caiaphas, who first proposed putting Jesus to death, said, “’It is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.’” Verses 51–52 go on to commentate: “He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.” Caiaphas had no idea about the full implications of what he said and what he would eventually do. We should have tremendous peace in knowing that God works in all things—even his enemies’ actions—toward his glory and our joy.

3) God is sovereign over your future, and the future of the world. Psalm 126:2 says, “…Then they said among
he nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’” If you ever worry about being on the wrong side of history by living according to the Gospel, take comfort in this: the only historic inevitability is that one day, all nations will see God’s power and glory.

As we continue through the Lenten season, take comfort in God’s sovereignty. He’s got everything taken care of.

DAVID BARTEK
Senior
Audio Engineering Technology