God Is in Control
Audio Recording
Sermon Outline
Speaker: Rev. Tim Chang
Sermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the Lord
Isaiah 45:1-13 (ESV)
1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
and to loose the belts of kings,
to open doors before him
that gates may not be closed:
2 “I will go before you
and level the exalted places,
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness
and the hoards in secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
I name you, though you do not know me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness;
I make well-being and create calamity;
I am the Lord, who does all these things.
8 “Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;
let the earth cause them both to sprout;
I the Lord have created it.
9 “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,
a pot among earthen pots!
Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
or ‘Your work has no handles’?
10 Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’
or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”
11 Thus says the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:
“Ask me of things to come;
will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?
12 I made the earth
and created man on it;
it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,
and I commanded all their host.
13 I have stirred him up in righteousness,
and I will make all his ways level;
he shall build my city
and set my exiles free,
not for price or reward,”
says the Lord of hosts.
Sermon Outline
1. What does it mean that God is in control? (v. 1-8)
v.1 to his anointed, to Cyrus,
v.3 … who call you by your name.
v.4 …I call you by your name,v.4 …I name you, though you do not know me.
v.5 …I equip you, though you do not know me.
2. Why might we not like his control? (v. 9-13)
v.9…‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?
v.10… ‘What are you begetting?’… ‘With what are you in labor?’”
3. Why is it good news that God is in control? (v. 1, 3)
v.1 … to his anointed, to Cyrus,
v.3…that you may know that it is I, the LORD,
Prayer of Confession
Heavenly Father, you are in full control over the entire universe, and yet, we do not notice how you are present and at work in our lives. We do not trust that you have our best interests in mind, and so we’d rather control our lives. But who are we to question you, our Creator and Heavenly Father, who works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose? May we trust in Jesus, the anointed one, who is our savior and rescuer, who has set us free. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
What connected with you from the sermon or the passage?
How does the story of Israel’s exile and return illustrate how God is in control of all things?
If God is in control of all things, how might that help us respond to hard and challenging times? In what ways do you feel as though it’s not helpful?
How did God’s use of Cyrus challenge the expectations of his people?
In what ways do we sometimes believe we know what’s best for ourselves rather than trusting in God?
How is God’s control over all things a source of comfort and good news for you?
Take a moment to consider how God might be calling you to notice more of his presence in your life. What part of your life might be within God’s plan for you to know that he is the Lord?
What do you sense God calling you to do from this passage?
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