In you shall all the nations be blessed

There are huge things going on in God's kingdom in Acts 9-11. Not that there aren't always big things happening, but in this passage we find something especially significant.

In Genesis 12:3 we find that God makes a promise to Abraham. He says this

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

In Acts 9-11, God is fulfilling this promise. Until then the chosen race were the Jews. What is important in this passage is that the chosen race becomes all those who place their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Jews and now Gentiles as well.

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying "In you shall all the nations be blessed." So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:7-9)

You and I are sons of Abraham. And in this passage (Acts 9-11) we see the beginning of the new covenant in which all those who put their faith in Christ, Jews and Gentiles, shall be saved.

What great news! God could have excluded us be he chose, in his infinite wisdom, to include us into his family.

God is in the heavens and he does all that he pleases. Thank Him that he was pleased to save us for his glory.

Saul's Conversion

The conversion of Saul/Paul is a wondeful story given to us as a hope for ourselves and for those we pray for to be converted.

In 1 Timothy 1:15b–16, Paul says, "I am the foremost of sinners; (16) but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life."

Saul was a strong opponent against Christianity. After his conversion he called himself the foremost of sinners. But Paul received mercy. Why? So that in him Christ might display to us his perfect patience. Paul's conversion was to glorfiy God by putting on display his perfect patience and kindness for us (those who were to believe for eternal life)to see.

Today a person like Paul would be considered the last person that would ever become a Christian. He hated Christianity. He "breathed murderous threats" against followers of Christ. But God saw fit to save him and his conversion is a huge event in which God shouts a very loud, "HEY, the chief of sinners was converted. Trust in me, I can do the impossible!"

In Paul's conversion we see among other things that God is two things:

Patient
and
Powerful.

We can trust our God who loves us and is powerful enough to do all that he pleases.

God is Holy

This Sunday we will look at four ways we see God's holiness:

God's holiness is seen in his works. - Ps. 145:17 - Everything that God does is perfect and without any blemish or hint of sin. Holiness is the rule of his actions. Every action that God takes is pure and perfect. He is completely just and righteous in all his works. His ways are incomparable.

God's holiness is seen in his law. - Romans 7:12, Ps. 19:8-9 - The law leaves no room for sin. It demands holiness; perfection. God's law deals not only with actions, but also demands pure motivations. Because God is holy; his commands demand holiness.

God's holiness is seen in his hatred of sin. - Proverbs 15:26, Romans 6:23 - Sin only earns us the wrath of God. God hates it so much that He demands punishment for those who sin. Even just one sin earns us the an eternity in Hell, separated from God.

God's holiness is seen in the cross of Christ. - John 3:16, 2 Cor. 5:21, Romans 3 - The price for sin is so costly that only God's son could pay the price. An eternity of good deeds on our part would never pay the price for sin. A.W. Pink said, Because God is holy, acceptance with him on the grounds of creature-doings is utterly impossible. The best we can give is filthy rags. But Christ gave his life, took upon himself our sin, and made for us peace with God. (Romans 5).

This is the basic outline (taken from A.W. Pink's book Attributes of God) of what I will be talking about this Sunday. I will try to keep it as short as possible so that you can have the time you need with your students.

Comments on Attributes of God

Take a minute and share what you thought about the Attributes of God study this past Sunday. Also as a way of testimony share how your students responded to the "Immutability of God."

Immutability

Here are some additions to the material that you will be discussing with the students this Sunday: (I will be sharing some of this during my teaching time, but it would be good for you to study it in order to discuss it a little more in depth with the students.)

A.W. Pink said that you can say that God is immutable in three different ways:

He is immutable in his essence.
He is immutable in his attributes.
He is immutable in his counsel.

This means that God's nature, unlike ours, is unchangeable. God is the I AM (Ex. 3:14). He always has been and always will be. He is fixed. Pink states that God has never grown nor improved. God does not grow or become more holy or more loving. God is. Period.

Malachi 3:6 "For I the Lord do not change." He is unaffected by anything outside himself. He cannot be changed by anything. For example, God's love cannot be changed. His love for you is based in his nature and not in your actions. The fact that God is love is a fact that always has been and always will be.

It is absolute truth that God is love.

God's attributes are a part of his being. God not only shows love; he is love. God not only give justice; he is just. God not only shows mercy; he is merciful.

His attributes will not change. He is powerful, supreme, sovereign, holy, faithful, good, patient. It is a very glorious and joyous thing that God is unchanging.

God's counsel and his purpose are unchangeable (Hebrews 6:17, Ps. 33:11, 1 Sam, 15:29, Num. 23:19). Because God is all-knowing and all-powerful he is not does not get surprised by anything. He knows what he wants completely and will bring it about. His will does not change. There is never a need for God to have a plan B. God's thinking does not change and therefore he does not have to amend his words.

God does not change. His truth remains the same. His ways remain the same, his attributes remain the same (the fact that he is immutable will never change), his purpose is solid, like a rock. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Encourage the students to apply this to their life. When they see that God does not change and that his promises to them do not change no matter what they will be moved to trust God and his promises. God is not human. His promises do not fail. We can trust our lives to our Father who is immutable.