Edwards' God Glorified in Man's Dependence    (April 11, 2010)

PRESBYTERY SERVICE TONIGHT at 7:30pm.  Pastor Waters preaching followed by the Lord's Supper.   PRESBYTERY tomorrow from 8:30am through lunchtime.  All are welcome.  (For those wondering, I estimate that Ben Wontrop will be examined briefly around 11am but it is hard to say.)

SUNDAY 10:45 AM -- SERMON:  Romans 14:1-2 ("For none of us lives to himself alone.")   We will also enjoy a children's lesson.

SUGGESTED FAMILY DEVOTIONAL TEXT:  Isaiah 45 or Philippians 2

ADULT CLASSES, 9:30am:  Spring Session continues!  Jump right into one of five great classes (Jonah, Parenting, College, Choir and Inquirers).  

HYMNS:  ~ At the Name of Jesus (Trinity 163)
                  ~ My Faith Looks Up to Thee (Trinity 528)

SONGS:  ~ I Need Thee Ev'ry Hour (RUF Version)
                 ~  How Great is Your Love
                ~ Abba Father
                ~ O Lord, You're Beautiful

DEVOTIONAL:  Edwards' God Glorified in Man's Dependence

We return this Sunday to Romans 14 and the great chapter on Christian Freedom.   There is plenty more to talk about.  But what with Presbytery coming up tonight and tomorrow, I don't have time to write more than I did two weeks ago.  For those wishing to study the doctrine of Christian Freedom more, I invite you to read the 20th chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith on your own.   (Which is saying something that it gets its own chapter!)   Follow the link below.  

But if you were here two weeks ago, you will remember what we said was the basis for such a great freedom.   And how it is we can disagree strongly on secondary matters while yet remaining one in Christ.  And that is the grace of the Gospel.  It is by grace alone that we stand.

I was reminded of how great this grace is while eating Japanese for lunch.  No, not because of the food, though it was good, but because during lunch, I discussed with Taylor the classic sermon by Jonathan Edwards penned in 1731 entitled, "God Glorified in Man's Dependence," about how all of salvation is from God, and through God and to God.  Then I remembered that I had outlined this sermon for the Pastoral Reading Group a few years ago and I thought it was worth sharing.  Edwards is so thorough, so systematic, so logical, that if one reads the outline below, one pretty much gets the full thrust of the whole sermon.  Check it out.  They just don't write sermons like this any more (including yours truly).

One last thing.  Check out Edwards' four applications of the doctrine.  Notice how different these applications are from what we are used to hearing today.   Are they practical enough, do you think?  I suppose that depends on what one is looking for.   Enjoy, and see you all Sunday!

Jonathan Edwards

GOD GLORIFIED IN MAN=S DEPENDENCE

 

I. Brief Exegesis of Text (I Cor 1:29-31)

 

A. What God aims at in redemption:  that we should glory in God alone

 

B. How this end is attained: by absolute and immediate dependence upon God     alone

1. God the Son is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption    

2. God the Father is the One who gives us Christ

3. God the Holy Spirit is the One who gives us Aan interest@ (faith) in Christ  

 

II. Doctrine: God is glorified in the work of redemption in this, that there appears in it so absolute and universal a dependence of the redeemed on Him

 

A. There is an absolute and universal dependence of the redeemed on God (Rom 11:36)

1. God is the cause of redemption (Afrom God@)

a. We are dependent on God=s free and sovereign grace

b. We are dependent on God=s power in every part of redemption

2. God is the medium of redemption (Athrough God@)

3. God is the end of redemption (Ain God@)

a. We have all our objective good in God

b. We have all our Ainherent@ (subjective) good in God

 

B.  God is hereby exalted and glorified in the work of redemption

1. We take greater notice of God=s perfections and all-sufficiency

2. We see how great God=s glory is compared to our utter Anothingness@

3. We see that God should have our whole souls and undivided respect

 

III.  Use (Applications):

 

A. Observe the marvelous wisdom of God in the way He reserves all the glory for Himself and in the way that each person of the Trinity is equally glorified in this work

 

B. Those doctrines and schemes that are in any respect opposite to such an absolute and universal dependence on God do derogate from God=s glory and are repugnant to the design and tenor of the gospel and rob it of that which God accounts its lustre and glory

 

C. We learn the reason why faith is that by which we come to have an interest in redemption for faith acknowledges our absolute dependence on God in this affair; in humility, faith abases man and exalts God

 

D.  Let us be exhorted to exalt God alone and ascribe to Him all the glory of redemption.  Let us endeavor to increase in a sensibleness of our great dependence on God by trust, reliance and praise