God is Omni
AI Transcript
Amen, amen. Good morning, Redemption Parker. Good morning. So good to see you guys and
Happy Trinity Sunday. This is where the global church celebrates the Trinity, that our God is three persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. One God, the mystery of the Trinity. And for us, it's also Family Sunday. So it is so good to see you kiddos all over the place. So glad you are with us today. ⁓ Every fifth Sunday of the month, we we we try to have a family Sunday.
Where we're all of us together in one room can worship our triune God. Well, today in our God is series, we're gonna be looking at a God who is omni. That word simply means all. But we're not pantheists. They claim that God is everything. We're definitely not saying that. We are saying that God is omni.
All-present, all-powerful, all knowing. So, kids, we got three big words. I know you guys got the things to draw on, but right now lock in for a second. Kids, we got three big words that we're gonna walk out here with, okay? We're gonna learn three big words. Why don't you throw them on the screen? There they are: omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. Why don't you say them after me? Omnipresent.
Lucas. Omnipotent? Omnipotent. Okay, I see you, Logan. Omniscient? Okay, so so om omnipresent. God is omnipresent means that God is everywhere. Pay attention here, kids. I'm gonna ask you a little like a quiz here in a second. Omnipresent means that God is everywhere. Omnipotent means that God is all powerful.
And and omniscient means that God is all knowing. Okay, ready for that pop quiz? I got Snickers. You guys thought I was just gonna be eating these Snickers while I preach, but Lucas already has his hand up. Okay. Questi questi questi I'm gonna you you can keep these up here, but this is for the kids. I know some of you ⁓ hangry adults are like, Come on, I w I want to answer these questions. But
The first question can someone give me the word that means God is all powerful?
Omnipotent dude, good job. You ready to catch this? Annie's got screw it up for that Okay, what about what about God is all knowing? Holdin', yeah, holding. ⁓ get it. Give it up for holding and last last I mean this last one should be the easiest. God is everywhere.
You got it.
What do you get on Christmas? Lots of omni present? Come up here and grab your Snickers. Alright, well hey kids, why don't you actually come up? We're gonna read a story. So why don't you guys come up? We t we we like to do this on Family Sunday. So kiddos, you guys can make your way to the stage.
And parents, this is actually not the time to tune out. This is not like the story before the sermon. Today this is part of the sermon. So you guys need to lock in. Why don't you turn to Daniel chapter four? That's where we'll be. Daniel four. You guys can sit right here. I'll I'll sit on this drum set. actually got what I did. Good job.
Sweet. Alright, these are small pictures, so you gotta really lock in. Daniel four. Once again Nebuchadnezzar had a dream.
Once again his wise men could not tell him the meaning of the dream. And once again Daniel went to the king to interpret the dream. The dream was simple. Nebuchadnezzar saw a tree that grew and became strong, and its top reached to the heaven. The whole earth could see it. It had beautiful leaves and a lot of fruit. You see all that fruit?
Animals rested in its shade, birds lived in the branches, and it gave food to all. Then a watcher, a holy one, or a messenger, came down from heaven and ordered that the tree be chopped down.
its branches and leaves cut off, and the fruits scattered around, but the stump and roots would be left in the ground. Then the dream went on like this Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him. This sentence is to the end, that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever he will. You guys are locked in. Once again
God gave Daniel the meaning of the dream. The tree in the dream was about a real person. The tree was Nebuchadnezzar, a king whose greatness and power reached very far. He was also very proud and an ungrateful king. So God would cause him to be driven from among men to live with animals.
He would eat grass like an ox for seven years until he understood that the most high rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar to turn away from his sins and do what is right. Some good advice, right?
But Nebuchadnezzar didn't take Daniel's advice. Instead he became prouder and more ungrateful to God. A year after his dream the king was walking on the roof of his palace, looking around at the great city of Babylon,
It was a beautiful city with fancy palaces, large temples, walls, bridges, and amazing gardens. King Nebuchadnezzar said, Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty. While the proud boasting words were still in Nebuchadnezzar's mouth.
A voice came from heaven, O King Nebuchadnezzar, the
To you it is spoken, the kingdom has departed from you, and it shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. Immediately, right away, these words came to pass.
His dream came true. Look at him. Nebuchadnezzar became mentally ill, sick in his mind. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox. He thought he was an animal and acted like one. He grew hair wild and his nails became like
Bird's claws. God had given Nebuchadnezzar a whole year to listen to Daniel's warning, a year to decide to follow Daniel's advice, a year to repent, to turn away from his sin, but Nebuchadnezzar was proud and stubborn. He refused to honor God, so for seven years Nebuchadnezzar behaved like an animal. Let's pray.
Lord, thank you for your grace. Thank you for these kids who you have made in your image. God, I pray that as you know them, God, they would know you. That they would come to find their greatest satisfaction in you, God, that you would do a work in their hearts, that you would use our church. God, that you would be glorified in each one of their lives, Lord.
That we pray as we now jump into your word, as we see the story of Nebuchadnezzar, and we look at the character and person and attributes of God that we would be changed. We pray all this in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. right, you guys can head to your seats. Let's give it up for these kiddos.
oldest Eden came home from school a few months ago and without me even a having to ask her, hey Eden, what'd you learn today on this particular day? She was eager to tell me, Daddy, today as we're learning about ancient Babylon, I'm like, what?
Miss Sparks told us the story of King Nebuchadnezzar. She continued. She she told the whole class that the king turned into an animal, looked like a goat, slept under trees, ate grass, and went coo-coo, koo-koo. I mean, what a wild story, right, kids?
⁓ imagine the most powerful person in the world. So think about a president of a powerful nation or your favorite athlete or musician or artist or like the owner of some big company like Apple or Tesla. Imagine one day if they left their office and instead of jumping into their sports car and headed toward their mansion, they instead got on all fours and took off for the boonies. Where for seven years
Years they ate grass, s snuggled with the cows, and slept under the stars. Well, this happened to the king of one of the most powerful nations in human history. The Bible tells us why King Nebuchadnezzar went, coo-coo, coo-coo. This is our verse this morning.
Daniel four, it's actually four twenty-five. So if you're opening up your Bible, Daniel four twenty-five, you will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High.
is sovereign over all the kingdoms on earth, and gives them to anyone he wishes.
Up until this point the the king had already seen the powerful working of Israel's God. He he had seen the fiery furnace just one chapter ago where God protected his people. Out of his own mouth he proclaimed there is no other God, and yet somewhere amidst the success, comfort, power.
Phrase, he believed his own press. I mean, he was the king of the most powerful nation in the world. So he started living like he was omni, all powerful, all powerful.
Glorious, all important, and answerable to no one. But Daniel 4 shows us that there is only one true omni king, the most high God. What Nebuchadnezzar lost sight of, and what we're going to get our eyes on this morning, is a God who is omnipresent.
Omnipotent and omniscient. But my goal this morning is not just to laugh at King Nebuchadnezzar, though it is a wild story. The goal is for us to look ourselves in the mirror. Because maybe we are not eating grass in a field, but we are exhausted from trying to be everywhere. We are anxious from trying to know everything. We are crushed.
From trying to control in our own strength the outcome of our lives. Friends, you are not omni. But there's good news. You were never meant to be. This morning we're gonna take off from Daniel 4 and scan the scriptures to see a God who is omni.
And before we we circle back to land the plane in Daniel 4, my hope is we live in a culture where we are told that we ought to be all, to have all, where we are tempted to strive to be superhuman. that this morning we would take a sigh of relief.
Because we are only human. And this is a good thing, especially when we can rest in a God who is all, all present, all powerful, and all knowing. Well, let's start with our first omni, omnipresence. King David in Psalm 139 says this to God. Where can I go from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me. Your right hand will hold me fast.
In the ancient world, gods ruled over specific territories, over specific regions. For instance, when when God calls Abram out of the land of Ur to somewhere else, this was unheard of in that culture. No pagan gods would would ever have one of their worshippers get up and go somewhere else. Why?
Well, they thought the gods could not protect them if they did. These these so called gods were local deities whose rule and reign was was ⁓ restricted to permitted areas. For instance, if you remember that story in the Old Testament where Nahem or Naaman, the the Thessyrian general was compelled to make his way to Israel. Why? Well, he had leprosy and he heard
That there was a prophet in Israel who could heal him. The prophet Elijah tells him to go into the Jordan River and take a bath. He isn't just going to heal this pagan. He's going to challenge his theology. Of course, Naaman gets upset because he doesn't want to offend the gods of his river back in Syria. But eventually he does it anyways. And after he gets healed, what he does is telling. He wants to take.
Some of the earth from the land of Israel. He wants to take the dirt and go back home so he can use it for an altar of worship. Like all his pagan counterparts, he did not believe that God was omnipresent.
everywhere. But we we but you can't put God in a bag, you can't put God in a box. I mean even the temple itself where God dwelled could not contain the one true God. In first Kings after Samuel builds the temple, the the dwelling place of God, he prays this prayer.
But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built.
Prophet Jeremiah says, I, or am I only a God nearby, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them, declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.
The omnipresence of God means that that not only, like the theologian Abraham Kuyper says, there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence, over which God, who is sovereign over all, does not cry mine. But it also means that there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which God, who is sovereign over all, does not cry any.
here. And why is this good news in a world where we are suffering with compassion, fatigue?
Where I can feel like like a failure as a pastor if I'm not up to speed on every single current event all over the world happening constantly. And then the the pressure to feel like I have to have an opinion about it and take a stance on whatever issue it is and then post it on social media. Well, if God is omnipresent, it means I don't have to
You don't have to have FOMO if you're not up to speed on everything that is taking place in the world. You can just be present where God has you. Maybe we we stop endlessly scrolling and we get to know our actual neighbors.
And if God is omnipresent, think about whose presence we are always in. Imagine if we actually believed the presence of God is everywhere. Not just knew that theologically, but believed the presence of God is everywhere.
Proverbs says, the eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. Second Chronicles says, For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.
And what's amazing about the age that we are now in, the church age, is not only is God still everywhere, he's still omnipresent, but but Matthew 18 says, where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.
Yes, God's presence is everywhere, but there is a particular special presence, the the ordinary means of grace that we get to experience in, you guessed it, the local church. Where God shows up in sacramental ways through things like congregational worship.
The preached word of God, the real spiritual presence in the Lord's Supper, union with Christ in baptism, church discipline, which is what Matthew 18 is all about, prayer, the fellowship of the saints. As Christians, the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity, this Trinity Sunday dwells in us.
This is why we do life on life with each other at RP through our GCs, our men's and women's ministry, our youth group, and our core groups. Because when the body of Christ shows up in your life, God shows up in your life. Are you connected to the body of Christ? Are you known? Like deeply known.
And do you know others? Well, God is not just omnipresent, he's also omnipotent. God is all powerful. The prophet Jeremiah says, ⁓ sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.
Maybe someone in here is going through some things right now, and you just needed to be reminded that your God is all powerful. Whatever you're experiencing this morning, nothing, nothing is too hard for him. God's omnipotence means that he and he alone possesses perfect power.
Th th this power has no limits. I mean think about for I mean think about that for a second. Limitless power. Like we've talked about in this series, it's not just that God has power, but God is power. I remember when I was
In college I came back from Oklahoma for summer break and one of the first things I had to do when I got home was get to the beach and go surfing. I my home at that time was Southern California. And so I did with a friend of mine. Well, the waves were pretty decent size that day at Huntington Beach. I was a bit rusty and the rip current was moving.
As I dropped in on a wave, I absolutely ate it. But worse than that, my leash broke. And so for the next fifteen minutes, though it felt like an eternity, I was fighting for my life. My friend had drifted so far north that he didn't even know I was dying, but I was.
Here I was, this Division I athlete who thought he was something, and yet in a fight with the ocean, fifteen minutes, fifteen minutes in, I was ready to quit. I was done. I thought I was about to die, and somehow my feet touched the sand. As I sat on the shore and waited 30 minutes or so for my exhausted friend to finally paddle in, I sat there worshiping the God.
Whose ocean is only a glimpse of the power he contains. Our God is all powerful. The prophet Isaiah says, Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can.
Fathom, or like the psalmist says, Our God is in the heavens, he does all that he pleases. The question is, will you release the grip on your life and trust in your power?
It's not only tempting, it is a respectable sin in Douglas County to be in control. We want to be the ones in power. Power over our worries, control over every aspect of our lives, but until we realize that we are not in control.
That w that we are not as strong and impressive as we think we are, can we lean into a God who is Himself? Power. Weakness is the way.
Isaiah speaking to the the future exiled Israelites in Babylon under the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar, telling them to look to the one who's all power powerful, encourages them with these words. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not be faint. Weakness is the way of the kingdom.
⁓ let us let go of our control, our closed fist, and then let us open our hands to the God who is all powerful. Not my will, but yours be done. Amen. Amen. Well, last but not least, omniscience. God is omniscient.
He is all knowing. In other words, God doesn't learn or discover or remember or figure things out. He eternally knows all things in one pure act of knowledge. This is God's omniscience. Now I can make a prediction.
And I often do, I'll make a prediction. Like I think the Dodgers are gonna win their third World Series in a row. And and and though I I probably would be right, that's just a good guess. God doesn't guess. He he he he's never had a new thought.
God's never learned a new fact. He's never been surprised, confused, scared, mistaken, or caught off guard. Unlike ChatGPT, he's never been wrong. Before a word comes out of your mouth this afternoon, God already knows it. Before tomorrow comes our way, God reigns over it. And why is this good news?
Well before your story begins to ever unfold, God knows the end from the beginning. The hairs on your head are all numbered.
And like we talked about a couple weeks ago, God loves you. He works out everything for your good and his glory. ⁓ this is such good news. When God finally shows up to Job after all the pain and suffering, the confusion from Job and all his friends, after all the why and how come questions, what does God say?
Job, did you forget? I'm the omniscient one. Where were you when I laid the earth foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know who stretched a measuring line across it, on what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone? This passage goes on and on for actually a couple chapters.
Isaiah 46, 9 and 10 says, Remember the former things, those of long ago. I am God and there is no other. I am God and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say my purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. God is omniscient.
Or in the words of the Apostle John, he knows everything. And though this is a glorious attribute of God, one that ought to cause us to trust the omniscient one even more, it's also a scary doctrine. This is a scary doctrine. Hebrews says this: Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. That includes us.
Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. There will be a day of reckoning, a day when we will be judged for our lives. And the penalty of our sin is death.
Eternal separation from God, and this God knows everything. We can fool a lot of people, but this God sees your thoughts and knows the motives of your heart. And the news only gets worse. There is none who is righteous, no not one. And one day we will all
Be uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we will give an account. Let's not be a church that forgets what our plight was. To understand how bad the bad news was makes us rejoice and be so gospel centered.
We know how good the good news is that the one who is omni, omnipresent, omni omnipotent, omniscient took on limitations, finitude, humanity,
This is why Philippians says, Christ Jesus, who being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage. Rather, he made himself nothing.
By taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man, he, the eternal son of God, humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. The all-present, all-powerful, all-knowing Son of God became a man.
With all the frailty that we live with, yet without sin, so that he could make the greatest exchange ever. Our rags for his riches, our sin for his righteousness. The God who is the omni king became the crucified king.
For you. And anyone, yes, anyone can get in on this for free.
We repent, we we turn from our sins and we put our hope, our trust, our faith, our everything in the one who is omni, all and all. Well, let's end where we started, back at the story of the one who went coo coo, coo coo, 'cause he thought he was omni. Thankfully that wasn't the end of the story for
King Nebuchadnezzar. He finally did come to his senses. Daniel chapter four, starting in verse thirty four.
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven. Took him seven years to get here. And my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High. I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion. His kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.
He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him, What have you done? And then he ends in verse 37. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right, and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride, he is able to humble.
So I end where I began with us looking in the mirror.
Where are you trying to be omni? Where are you trying to be omni? I know I can feel this as one of your pastors. I want to be an omni pastor. I want to do everything and be everything to everyone. But that's a recipe not only for burnout, but for destruction, because I'm not God. Maybe you're trying to be omni.
To your spouse. And though you probably make a a wonderful husband or wife, you are a poor God. Maybe your omni isn't found in yourself, but it's in your money, your hobbies, your retirement accounts, your upcoming vacation, your job, your health, your school, your sports, your kids' sports.
Of course, none of these things are bad in and of themselves, but they are counterfeit gods. But imagine
Imagine in the midst of this culture where we are told that we ought to be all in all self-made men and women, boys and girls, where we are tempted to strive to be superhuman. Imagine if we, God's people, would rest, would rest deeply in our God who is used.
All present, all powerful, and all knowing. Amen. Amen. Let me pray.