Speaker: Paul Hooper, Elder
"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us...We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God" A. W. Tozer
Main Idea
The goodness of God means that God is the final standard of good, and that all that God is and does is good and worthy of approval. To say that God is good means God always acts in a way that is true, noble, right, and good. Goodness is part of His nature and He cannot contradict His nature. It's not just what He does; It's who He is...and who He is never changes.
God tells His Story in Four Acts
Act 1 - The Heroic Fellowship of the Trinity
Act 2 - God creates Angels. There is Betrayal and War in Heaven.
Act 3 - The Desire of God's Heart Enters the Story
Act 4 - Imagine...Jesus Returns...making All Things New
God is Good as:
1. He Provides (Genesis 1-2)
2. He Pursues (Genesis 3:8-9; Jonah 1-2; John 21:1-19)
3. He Promises (Genesis 3:14-24)
Tough Questions:
1. If God is good, why do bad things happen to good people?
- They don't (Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:23)
- Only God is Good (Mark 10:18)
- God is Good...it is our humanity that paints Him otherwise because we are the ones who unleashed sin and evil.
2. Why do bad things happen to believers?
a. To Punish (Psalm 89:30-32; 2 Samuel 12:9-10))
b. To Prevent (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
c. To Purify (Hebrews 12:5-11)
3. Is God good...all the time?
- My circumstances aren't the barometer of God's love and goodness - the cross is!
Our Response (Psalm 145)
1. Praise God (verses 2-3)
- When we praise and give thanks to Him for His provision, pursuit and promises, we experience His enduring love, mercy and faithfulness.
2. Proclaim God (verses 4-6)
- We proclaim God's goodness because we're experiencing the provision of His grace and compassion.
3. Trust God (verse 13)
- When we trust God's promises we experience His blessings.
4. Call on God (verse 18)
- When we call on God, He promises to be near to us.
5. Fear God (verse 19)
- When we fear God, repenting of our sin and surrendering our hearts to Him, we experience His compassion, He saves us, and He fulfills our desires.
6. Love God (verse 20)
- When we love God, He provides, pursues and promises as He watches over us.
"Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk 3:18
