SUBJ: The goodness of God seen as
in reserve forever in the interest of those who trust Him
AIM: That we might rejoice in it
and avail ourselves of it, but especially that we should wonder at it.
INTR: In the same sense that God
has made our salvation to be eternal in Him, His goodness has been laid
up to continue forever for those who trust Him. 1. Human thoughts
about being good tend to be relative and perhaps see God as better than
anyone else of the best we know. None of this is wrong, it is rather
insufficient – David wondered at the goodness of God (“How Great…”)
2. The goodness of God is truly seen in redemption, it manner and what
is obtained in it. All of our comfort and provision comes as a result of
redemption. – Think of inadequate nest eggs 3. The goodness of God is
here understood in the widest sense of being the best and the thought
leaves David in awe of what he has experienced, what he knows and even
what he doesn’t know but is assured of for the future.
THESIS: It is the goodness of God that
leads to repentance: Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his
goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the
goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? It is from the stores of His
goodness that every need is supplied to His people.
I. Of
Goodness and its greatness 1. The word “great” speaks to us of both
quantity and quality 2. Consider the wonder of His goodness employed
for us: 1) As we consider what we deserve (a question: would we be
good to us – I did not always want to do good for my children) 2) As
we fail to realize the true extent of our needs 3. The knowledge of
the existence of God’s goodness becomes to us assurance in the past,
present and future as we look to Him and trust Him. 4. By innumerable
evidences and manifestations he secures our faith to us. 5. Thus, He
enables a sense of wonder in us, as in David. We are able to make
magnified observations. – Psalms 34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and
let us exalt his name together.
II. The Goodness of God laid up
1. Albert Barnes saw this as “treasured up.” 2. What is important is
Who has laid it up and where it is laid up and for whom it is laid up.
1) Goodness is a matter of the heart and it is no different with God.
2) He goodness is secured in the will of God 3) His goodness is
displayed in the purpose of God 4) See: Ephesians 1:3-4 Blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he
hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love: 3. It (His goodness) is
kept in store for every need: 1) For trials and the difficulties
encountered in this world 2) To deal with the rigors of spiritual
challenges we face daily.
III. Goodness that was wrought for them
that trust in Him 1. What was done in redemption – adapted from John
Gill 1) The Law was fulfilled 2) Divine justice was satisfied
(Indignant justice stood in view…) 3) True righteousness was brought
in 4) Peace was made forever 5) Pardon was procured once and
forever 6) Salvation was fully obtained 7) All obstacles to the
manifestation of His goodness were removed 2. Compare Paul’s prayer
for expanded knowledge to the Ephesians: Ephesians 1:19-20 And what is
the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according
to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when
he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places… 3. He has made us to be partakers of the divine
nature and the recipients of His goodness by virtue of what He wrought
for us and what He wrought in us.
IV. Goodness before the sons of
men 1. The determination of God to do good to His people was put on
display for the world to see when His only begotten went to the cross to
obtain their salvation 2. Two views suggested by the commentators I
read: 1) That the reference was to the public nature of the
crucifixion 2) That the testimony of we who benefit is given before
the sons of men 3. In any event the testimony of the cross (the
source of glory for His people) is begun and continued before the sons
of men. 4. The hand of God is seen in its effect on those that trust
Him: Ezra 8:31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth
day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God
was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such
as lay in wait by the way.
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