Embracing Divine Revelation: Humility and God's Sovereignty
Summary
In our exploration of Luke 10:21-24, we delve into a profound moment where Jesus expresses gratitude to the Father for revealing divine truths to the humble and concealing them from the self-proclaimed wise. This passage challenges us to reflect on the nature of divine revelation and the doctrine of election. Jesus rejoices in the Spirit, acknowledging the sovereignty of God, who governs all things. This moment is deeply Trinitarian, involving the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and it highlights the joy Jesus finds in the Father's will.
The question arises: why do some accept the Gospel while others reject it? The answer lies not in human merit or intelligence but in the grace of God. Our salvation is not a result of our own righteousness or understanding but is solely due to God's grace. This leads us to the doctrine of election, a topic that often stirs controversy. Yet, Jesus Himself rejoices in this doctrine, thanking the Father for His sovereign will.
The passage also emphasizes the mystery of God's will, where He chooses to reveal Himself to some and not to others. This is not a matter of fairness but of divine prerogative. God's grace is unmerited, and His decisions are rooted in His good pleasure. As believers, we are called to recognize the privilege of knowing Christ, a gift not given to all. This should lead us to a place of humility and gratitude, acknowledging that our understanding of God is a result of His revelation to us.
Key Takeaways:
1. Divine Revelation and Humility: Jesus thanks the Father for revealing truths to the humble, reminding us that understanding God’s mysteries is not about human wisdom but divine grace. This calls us to approach God with humility, recognizing that our knowledge of Him is a gift, not a right. [10:48]
2. The Doctrine of Election: The doctrine of election, though controversial, is a source of joy for Jesus. It underscores God’s sovereignty in salvation, reminding us that our faith is not due to our merit but His grace. This should lead us to gratitude and awe at the mystery of His will. [13:22]
3. God’s Sovereignty and Human Response: The passage challenges us to consider why some accept the Gospel and others do not. It is not about human effort but God’s sovereign choice. This understanding should foster a deep sense of humility and reliance on God’s grace. [15:06]
4. The Mystery of God’s Will: God’s decision to reveal Himself to some and not others is rooted in His good pleasure. This mystery calls us to trust in His wisdom and goodness, even when we do not fully understand His ways. [18:42]
5. The Privilege of Knowing Christ: Jesus highlights the blessing of knowing Him, a privilege not granted to all. This should lead us to a profound sense of gratitude and responsibility to cherish and share the Gospel with others. [28:31]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:25] - Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving
[01:05] - The Nature of Divine Revelation
[01:58] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
[02:52] - The Question of Belief
[03:47] - The Doctrine of Grace
[04:37] - Understanding Election
[05:36] - Controversy and Conviction
[06:27] - The Joy of Jesus
[08:12] - Trinitarian Joy
[09:00] - Jesus' Strange Prayer
[10:48] - Sovereignty and Revelation
[11:42] - Personal Journey to Acceptance
[13:22] - The Mystery of Election
[15:06] - God's Sovereign Choice
[16:57] - The Essence of Grace
[18:42] - The Good Pleasure of God
[19:35] - The Privilege of Revelation
[20:32] - Concealment and Revelation
[21:23] - Jesus' Delight in the Father's Plan
[22:06] - Wisdom and Revelation
[24:32] - The Good Pleasure of His Will
[26:09] - The Revelation of the Son
[27:00] - The Focus on Jesus
[28:31] - The Blessing of Understanding
[29:25] - Conclusion and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Luke 10:21-24
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus express gratitude for in Luke 10:21, and how does this reflect on the nature of divine revelation? [00:25]
2. How does the passage in Luke 10:21-24 illustrate the Trinitarian nature of God? [08:12]
3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of Jesus thanking the Father for concealing truths from the wise and revealing them to babes? [10:48]
4. What does Jesus say about the privilege of the disciples in seeing and hearing what they do, according to Luke 10:23-24? [28:31]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon explain the doctrine of election, and why is it considered controversial? [05:36]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's grace is unmerited and not based on human wisdom or merit? [17:52]
3. How does the sermon describe the joy Jesus finds in the Father's will, even when it involves concealing truths from some? [21:23]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between God's sovereignty and human response to the Gospel? [15:06]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt privileged to understand a spiritual truth. How did that impact your faith journey, and how can you cultivate gratitude for this privilege? [28:31]
2. The sermon discusses the doctrine of election and its controversial nature. How do you personally reconcile the idea of God's sovereign choice with the concept of fairness? [05:36]
3. In what ways can you approach God with humility, recognizing that your understanding of Him is a gift and not a right? How might this change your daily spiritual practices? [10:48]
4. Consider someone in your life who has not accepted the Gospel. How can you pray for them and engage with them in a way that reflects God's grace and sovereignty? [02:52]
5. The sermon highlights the mystery of God's will. How can you learn to trust in God's wisdom and goodness, even when you do not fully understand His ways? [18:42]
6. How can you actively share the Gospel with others, recognizing the privilege of knowing Christ? What specific steps can you take this week to share your faith? [28:31]
7. Reflect on the joy Jesus finds in the Father's will. How can you find joy in God's plans for your life, even when they are not what you expected? [21:23]
Devotional
Day 1: Divine Revelation Through Humility
Understanding God's mysteries requires humility and grace, not human wisdom. Jesus thanks the Father for revealing divine truths to the humble, emphasizing that our knowledge of God is a gift, not a right. This calls us to approach God with humility, recognizing that our understanding of Him is not due to our own intelligence or merit but is a result of His grace. As we reflect on this, we are reminded that the mysteries of God are accessible to those who come with a humble heart, ready to receive His revelation. [10:48]
"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'" (Isaiah 57:15, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to practice humility to better understand God's will and revelation?
Day 2: Joy in the Doctrine of Election
The doctrine of election, though often controversial, is a source of joy for Jesus. It underscores God's sovereignty in salvation, reminding us that our faith is not due to our merit but His grace. This understanding should lead us to gratitude and awe at the mystery of His will. Jesus rejoices in the Spirit, acknowledging the sovereignty of God, who governs all things. As believers, we are called to embrace this doctrine with joy, recognizing that our salvation is a testament to God's grace and sovereign choice. [13:22]
"Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will." (Ephesians 1:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude for God's sovereign choice in your life today?
Day 3: God's Sovereignty and Our Response
The passage challenges us to consider why some accept the Gospel and others do not. It is not about human effort but God’s sovereign choice. This understanding should foster a deep sense of humility and reliance on God’s grace. As we reflect on this, we are reminded that our response to the Gospel is not a result of our own doing but is a response to God's sovereign call. This should lead us to a place of humility, recognizing our dependence on His grace for our salvation. [15:06]
"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you rely more on God's grace rather than your own efforts in your spiritual journey today?
Day 4: Trusting the Mystery of God's Will
God’s decision to reveal Himself to some and not others is rooted in His good pleasure. This mystery calls us to trust in His wisdom and goodness, even when we do not fully understand His ways. As believers, we are called to trust in the mystery of God's will, recognizing that His decisions are rooted in His good pleasure and wisdom. This trust should lead us to a deeper faith, even when we do not fully understand His ways. [18:42]
"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" (Romans 11:33, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God's wisdom and goodness? How can you begin to trust Him more in that area today?
Day 5: The Privilege of Knowing Christ
Jesus highlights the blessing of knowing Him, a privilege not granted to all. This should lead us to a profound sense of gratitude and responsibility to cherish and share the Gospel with others. As believers, we are called to recognize the privilege of knowing Christ and to respond with gratitude and a commitment to share the Gospel with those around us. This privilege is a gift, and we are called to steward it well by living lives that reflect His love and truth. [28:31]
"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." (John 17:3, ESV)
Reflection: How can you actively share the privilege of knowing Christ with someone in your life this week?
Quotes
The only correct answer we can give to the question why you’re a believer and your friend isn’t is there but for the grace of God go I. We are not believers based on any merit of our own but purely by the grace of God. Those friends that you may be thinking of or relatives who are presently unbelievers, may still become believers before they pass away, and we hope that that will be the case. [00:04:58]
What we’re looking at here is in the very practical sense, the doctrine of election, that doctrine that produces so much controversy. Just this week, I got a lengthy letter from a dear brother from our Armenia who made his way to Australia and then to the United States and came to study the doctrines of grace and became convinced of the truth of the solas of the Reformation. [00:05:36]
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit. In fact if you look at this brief passage you will see that it is Trinitarian through and through. It has reference to the Father, reference to the incarnate Son, and here reference to the Holy Spirit by which Jesus is moved on this occasion to a profound sense of joy. [00:08:17]
Thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and revealed them to babes. Now, when I became a Christian, it took me five years kicking and screaming to embrace the doctrines of grace. I told you at other times that when I was in seminary, I had a little note that I had written and I put on my desk and it said, “You are required to believe to preach and to teach what the Bible says is true not what you want the Bible to say is true.” [00:11:02]
At first, I was halfway converted to the Reformed faith until I began, I read through the Scriptures to see the beauty and the sweetness of the tender mercy of God’s grace, which left me with the most penetrating theological question I’ve ever had to deal with and still have not been able to answer adequately which is— why me? Why I have received this wonderful gift of being able to know the greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ. [00:12:34]
Instead to our apparent astonishment, Jesus thanks the Father, not only for not opening the eyes of the unbeliever but He thanks the Father for concealing the truth from them. I’ve had people say, “Oh I believe in predestination but not double predestination.” I believe that, “Yes God does from all eternity elect some people unto salvation, but he leaves the rest to themselves and gives them the opportunity to come. [00:14:19]
What I’m saying here is God for His eternal purposes looks at a fallen humanity what Augustine called a mass of perdition, and He chooses to give justice to some and mercy to others. He chooses to give the grace of salvation to some and to withhold it from others; and of course the protest that you hear all the time about that is the exclamation, “That’s not fair!” But God is not an entitlement deity. [00:16:37]
He knows that no sinner deserves salvation. No sinner even deserves the opportunity for salvation. The only thing that we've deserved from God dear friends is eternal damnation because by nature, we are in revolt and in rebellion against his authority and his sovereignty. He owes us nothing. That’s the essence of grace is that it’s undeserved and that it is unmerited all together. [00:17:25]
If you see the loveliness of Jesus this morning, I ask you where did that sight come from? Like Paul on the road to Damascus, he saw the light not because he was looking for Christ. He was looking to destroy Christ. He had no interest in the kingdom of Christ other than to extinguish it, but God in his sovereign mercy threw him to the ground and revealed to him who Jesus is. [00:19:27]
Here’s one I want us to get this morning if you don’t get anything else. Jesus praised God and thanked God not only for revealing it to some but for concealing it from others. How could he do that? Other than the incarnate Son of God’s sheer delight in the perfection of His Father and of his Father’s plan for which the second person in the trinity and the third were in full agreement with the Father from all eternity and even in His incarnation and witnessing and feeling and receiving the fury of the rejection of people against him even then Jesus knew that the Father’s will was being accomplished and He could delight in it. [00:20:56]
When we asked the question of the Scriptures why is it that God chooses to save some but not all, the answer that the scripture gives is for the good pleasure of His will. Now I believe that every word of the sacred Scripture is inspired by the Holy Ghost. I also know that sometimes the Holy Ghost has to condescend to our weakness of understating and stoop to our frailty of mind and sometimes even give Himself for our benefit over to redundancy. [00:24:42]
Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things that you see. Do you realize how blessed you are John, Peter, James, Thaddeus? Let me tell you how blessed you are. That prophets and kings in the Old Testament desired to see what you see and they have not seen it and to hear what you hear and haven’t heard it.” [00:28:32]
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