The Sovereignty of God | Luke 3:1-6 (Pt. 1)

Scripture: Luke 3:1-6

Hi everyone! I hope everyone has had a great Monday so far. We're back with more discussion on the Sovereignty of God. I'm going to cover this topic in four separate posts, and it comes from a sermon by Pastor Bryan Loritts from the Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, NC. The sermon is linked here. All credits for content go to him! The sermon has 3 main points, but today we're going to take a look at the background and how it points to His Sovereignty.

Okay, so I think we can all agree we're in a kind of...imperfect time. I don't know about you, but every time I go on Instagram or sit and watch the news for more than 2 minutes, I get angry about something. You can look at anything going on right now and say, "I don't see God in that." Well, the people of Luke's time can relate.

In this passage, Israel, God's chosen nation and people, were not having a fun time. First, you see all those very hard to pronounce names in the first two verses? Those are 7 terrible, oppressive leaders. They were the spitting image of unjustness. Secondly, God wasn't talking to his people. It was Israel's fault, of course; they had rebelled and rebelled against God for years, not repenting from their sin. So, God went silent. For 400 years. Israel was in the midst of an oppressive government, without a word from their God.

BUT--it's not all gloom and doom. This is God's sovereignty come into play. God may have been silent, but he wasn't absent. There's a big difference between those two words. God wasn't speaking, sure, but he was moving. God was setting the world up for what He would do next, which is noted in the second half of verse 2. God would speak to His people again, through John the Baptist. But, for 400 years, God was arranging the world, allowing powers and nations to rise and fall. For example, God rose up the Greeks and allowed them to conquer a massive amount of territory so that there would be a common language, so the Gospel would be able to spread faster and easier in 400 years' time. Isn't that amazing?

But, Israel wasn't aware of that. They didn't know God was using this silent time to set up the global stage.

Right now, in 2021, in the middle of a pandemic and a broken country and a broken world, God is moving. He may feel silent, but He is still present. Whatever you feel like He's not answering you about, keep praying. Keep reading scripture. You may be able to look back in 10, 20, or 30 years and see how this confusing and painful situation or time in your life was the perfect puzzle piece to God's plan for you. Keep your head up, Christian. He's still there!

That's all I got today, folks! Please, please, reach out if you want to chat or need prayer! I am always here. If you don't have my number, feel free to submit the contact form on the contact tab and I will get back to you! Thanks! - Elizabeth <3