God's Master Plan, Before Time Began

[Music] we've just completed observing the Passover the days of unleavened bread and we all understand the sacrifice that God gave his son to pay for the penalty of our sins that he shed his blood that we might be forgiven many in the world take that for granted and they take it as grace for license to do whatever they want contrary to the Ten Commandments many in the world reject God in the Bible but even God has a plan for them and they may not know it but if they continue in their current state they may end up in the last great day and they will have an opportunity for salvation at that time after they've learned some hard painful lessons over a period of time though many professing Christians understand the sacrifice of Christ but they don't understand God's master plan they think that's all there is to it you just accept Christ's accept his sacrifice and once saved always saved you don't have to worry about a thing after this but it's only through God's annual festivals and holy days that we have a master plan which we understand we have a booklet given to us by dr. Meredith called the holy days God's master plan the world doesn't know that master plan but we are privileged and blessed to observe all seven festivals and seven holy days throughout the season and understand God's master plan so in the sermon today I want to cover the big picture of God's master plan and ask what is the purpose of life what is God doing here on earth what is his purpose and we'll review that master plan is revealed in the holy days and in the festivals the first festival and it's not a holy day is a Passover which we observed a couple weeks ago and we are reconciled to God by the death of his son my turn to Roman's the fifth chapter Romans Romans 5 Romans 5 and verse 6 for when we were still without strength in due time God died for the ungodly for scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet perhaps for a good one good man someone would even dare to die but God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us yes there are heroes who will give their lives for a buddy in the military of conflict or parent will try to save his drowning daughter or son in the ocean and be willing to give his life but Christ gave himself for sinners not just for good people much more than having been justified by his blood verse 9 we shall be saved from wrath through him for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his son much more having been reconciled we shall be saved by his life so here is the second step in God's plan we shall be saved by his life professing Christians don't understand that second step and the third and the fourth and the fifth step in God's master plan the title of the sermon by the way is God's master plan once we're reconciled we shall be saved by his life and that's an ongoing process we had rod McNair sermon some time ago are you saved we have been saved from our past sins we are now being saved as it says in 2nd Corinthians 2 and verse 15 and we shall be saved he that endures to the end shall be saved Matthew 24 verse 13 and right here we shall be saved by his life it's an ongoing process and we will ultimately be and the world doesn't understand what real salvation is so the first step in God's plan is a Passover the second step is the days of unleavened bread pictured by the Exodus we must be delivered from the bondage of sin my turn there right across the page actually should have stayed there Romans 6 and verse 16 we understood that we have been delivered from the bondage to sin Romans 6 verse 16 do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey you are one slaves whom you obey whether of sin leading to death of obedience leading to righteousness but God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered and having been set free from sin verse 18 you became slaves of righteousness so we've been freed from the bondage of sin and you know even the Ten Commandments those of you who have memorized the long form of the Ten Commandments Exodus 20 verse 1 and God spoke all these words saying I am the attorney or God which have brought you out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage though God has brought it us brought us out of the bondage to sin but we have our part in God's plan we must be overcomers we realize in 1st Corinthians 5 that we need to replace the leaven of malice and wickedness with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth the immediate must transform from human nature to divine nature we overcome sin self Satan and society we need to replace human nature with God's divine nature and he's doing that he is the master Potter we are the clay and he's creating in us his perfect righteous to the degree we cooperate and desire him to do that so the days of unleavened bread reveal our part in God's plan that we have Pentecost the feast of firstfruits in this New Testament church the body of Christ the Israel of God was formed on Pentecost we the Israel God as Galatians 6 in verse 16 will be observing Pentecost just five weeks from tomorrow on the May 20th 2018 and God poured out his Holy Spirit and so the power of creations the power of life the power the resurrection and so God began through the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and we are the firstfruits of his master plan then the first day of the seventh month is the Feast of Trumpets revelation 11:15 announces the greatest event in history the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever that's the announcement but the Feast of Trumpets also portrays seven trumpets the one year day of the Lord that consists of those seven trumpet plagues and then of course the seventh trumpet also consists of the seven last place or the seven last bowls so we have a wonderful trumpet that blows the seventh trumpet that's the time of the first resurrection first Corinthians 15:50 flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God and we will be changed at the last trumpet that's the seventh trumpet in which God's family will be born as immortal glorified children of God that's a wonderful feast that we're looking forward to and the reality when that trumpet blows then we have the day of atonement the banishment and incarceration of Satan the devil for a thousand years that's the tenth day of the seventh month it also is a jubilee announcement you read back in well you might just turn there a little bit Leviticus 25 in verse 10 and verse 9 then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh trumpet on the day of atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land and you shall consecrate the fiftieth year and this is the inscription on the Liberty Bell and the Liberty building there in Philadelphia Pennsylvania proclaim Liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants and when we come out of the world we actually participate in that Liberty as Jesus said in John 8:32 you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free but the Day of Atonement and the coming prophecy will also announce the second Exodus when those who have been in captivity will start their trek back to the the Holy Land and that's also mentioned in Isaiah the eleventh chapter as well then we come to the Feast of Tabernacles picturing the time when Christ will rule for a thousand years over all the nations of the world and the Saints will serve as kings and priests and we will look forward to that time of world peace and prosperity and the will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks and so we will keep the Feast of Tabernacles and as mr. Weston and announcin II and the announcements registration for the Feast of Tabernacles is tomorrow or the 2018 the Feast of Tabernacles there'll be a time when all the nations will really learn God's Way of life and we'll be teaching them then we come to the last great day and that's in Revelation 20 verse 11 verses 11 through 13 might just turn there and to look at the one of the most awesome truths in the Bible and in God's master plan revelation 20 and verse 11 then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it from whom the face whose face the earth and heaven fled away and there was found no place for them and I saw the dead small and great standing before God well if they're dead now standing before God then it's a resurrection this is the second general resurrection as it says in verse 5 the rest of the Dead did not live again till the thousand years were finished and another book was opened 20 verse 12 and another book was open which is the book of life and the books were open as the greek is billy of biblia the plural form of book books the Bible and dead were judged according to their works by the things were written in the books the sea gave up the Dead which were in it and death and Hades delivered up the dead were in them and they were judged each one according to their works when you read through Matthew 10 11 and 12 you find various people such as this I won't turn there but Matthew 10 verse 15 says assuredly I say to you for those cities Jesus was abrading because they weren't responding to the Messiah I say unto you it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for you so even Sodom and Gomorrah will have their opportunity for salvation the last memory will be the pain and suffering of their burning flesh when the fire brimstone rained down upon Sodom and Gomorrah they'll be more teachable they may then accept the sacrifice of Christ mr. Weston isn't a booklet John 3:16 hidden truths of the golden verse I hope all of you have read all of the booklet John 3:16 but chapter 3 is titled is God fair and when you as I challenge people on the telecast here recently go ask your priests or your Minister what will happen if the priest or Minister didn't get to the natives in that remote jungle area and they never heard the name of Christ what will happen to them when they die ask your Minister your priests and you'll be shocked at their answer they have to they will have to say according the immortal soul doctrine that they are burning and hell they are burning in a torment and in fire because there's no other name under heaven by which that you may be saved acts 4 verse 12 and since they didn't hear that name they're not saved and since they have an immortal soul they've got to go somewhere if they're not going to heaven and they've got to go to this burning hell well all that is a myth of course we thank God for the truth and there are people in agony who believe that their relatives are taught being tormented now in some kind of fire under the earth because they were not saved we thank God for the last great day God has a seven thousand year plan he's given to human beings and that plan requires free moral agency turn to Deuteronomy the thirtieth chapter it requires that human beings choose because God has a way of creating human beings in his character he cannot create them as robots they have to come to a place in their lives where they choose the right way of life and they get habit and make it eternal character Deuteronomy 30 verse 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that both you and your descendants may live one third of the Angels followed Lucifer because they rebelled they chose the wrong way the other 2/3 of the angels remain faithful and they are ministering spirits to those who are heirs of salvation that tells us in Hebrews chapter 1 verses 13 or 14 so God gives us free moral agency but he tells us that we need to choose we need to choose a life that's God's plan and that has that seven thousand year plan and he's called us to be a part of his royal family in that plan mr. John Oh Glenn wrote the tomorrow's world Bible study course unless it's 13 through 16 are the Sabbath and the holy days and I meet mr. Dexter Wakefield referred to this in a sermon a few weeks ago on Jonah vs. Nineveh mr. Alwin characterizes the three seasons as follows Passover season God's people made innocent Pentecost season God's people made holy the fall festivals God's people enter into glory and that's something we're all looking forward to I'm sure so to summarize God's annual holy days and festivals reveal God's master plan of salvation next what is God's purpose why did he create human beings what is the ultimate purpose of life and for human beings I have a cartoon here I normally read the comic strips I think both of you know and some of the old-timers may be familiar with this comic strip Beetle Bailey Peter Bailey is a private in the Army and he has a friend in the barracks named Plato Plato is also a private in the army but Plato is a thinker so betul betul Bailey says what are you thinking about Plato and played us has so many things like what is the meaning of life at least Plato's thinking how big is the universe is there life on other planets where is God why do we pronounce yacht why ACH T yacht can there be nothing without something how many angels can sit on the head of a pin why do we have an appendix why is every snowflake different why how what and two lovely secretaries working the office they're talking to one another and I said talking to each other and say did you ever go out with Plato the other secretary says no he's boring he just keeps asking questions but God wants us to ask questions and we as God's people not because we are any better have the privilege of understanding the deep things of God's it tells us in first Corinthians 2 verses 8 and 9 God has given us understanding of the deep things of God and what an awesome blessing that is our spiritual life begins at baptism why are we here Peter said repent and be baptized and for the remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ and you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in acts 2:38 that begins our spiritual life we turn to James the first chapter James 1 we understand this awesome process that is very plain and understandable through the analogy of human procreation and human be cattle and human birth and human reproduction James 1 verse 17 every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning god's character is predictable he has integrity he's loved he's immutable unchangeable in his character verse 18 is a key verse of his own he brought us forth by the word of truth though the New King James water sat down somewhat it then the King James Version it says of his own will he begat us with the word of truth when we received God's Holy Spirit it's the Spirit of Truth and God has begotten us as his children when we received the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit combines with the spirit in man we now become a begotten child of God we know in John 3:16 it says that God gave His only begotten Son but the difference is that Jesus was begotten before his human birth he's the only begotten Son begotten before his human birth all of us are begotten after our human birth but we are begotten by God's Holy Spirit well his only will begat he asked with a word of truth that we might be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures or his creation well you know these scriptures but let's turn back to Genesis 1 and verse 26 to understand what is God doing all these human beings he describes the creation of the flora and fauna of animals and plants in the preceding verses but then in Genesis 1 verse 26 then God said and God the Hebrew word is a lloween let us not me let us make man in our image according to our likeness talking about image and likeness let them have dominion over the fish of the sea over the birds of the air over the cattle over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth so God created man in his own image the image of God created him created he created him male and female he created them then God blessed them and God said to them be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and doers so God has a purpose and as mr. Jacob Hall said in the sermonette God made us in His image he made us in the image of God well this is Jesus said when you've seen me you've seen the father so we understand the attributes of God so we become begotten children when he created human beings he put in them a spirit of man and as dr. Meredith would explain he gave them creative imagination and we have that difference that distinction between animals and humans no animal has a spirit and man as the Apostle Paul described there in first corinthians a second chapter but now john the third chapter john 3 which the world professing Protestant world has misunderstanding when Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and Jesus told him in John chapter 3 verse 3 most assuredly I say to you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God Nicodemus said well how can a man be born when he is old can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born jesus said most assuredly I say to you John 3 verse 5 unless one is born of water and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God that which is born of the flesh is flesh and it seems that Protestants can't get that through their minds they'd understand the difference between be gentle of being a begotten child of God and being born again and we'll explain how Jesus was born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God that was born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit so how was Jesus born and you might horse look horse the page is chapter 316 and golden verse of the Bible and verse 17 for God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved how was Jesus born into the kingdom of God if we're going to be born in the kingdom we're going to become a spirit how was he born Romans the 1st chapter at verse 4 Romans 1 sorry Romans the first chapter well breaking into the thought but starting with verse three Romans 1 verse 3 concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power how according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Christ set the pattern he is the firstborn of many brethren how was he born by a resurrection from the dead so we has begotten children we be born again then that which is a born of the Spirit will be spirit when we are resurrected at the seventh trumpet those who are in the first resurrection Romans 8 verse 29 Romans 8:29 again gives us that transformation and the purpose of life that we are to be born into the divine immortal spirit family of God Romans 8:29 for whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son conformed to the image of his son that means to have the very character the mind the nature of Christ the Apostle Paul said and I think of Philippians 2 we have the mind of Christ we need to have that same kind of attitude that he had in Philippians 2:5 that of a servant we need to have his character spiritual character be conformed to the image of his son his nature his character that we might be that he might be the firstborn among many brethren well God has a purpose and that purpose is that he is creating a family a divine family into which we can be born in the process is that we must grow in godly character dr. Meredith wrote the book which explains so much of this in your ultimate destiny and he writes on page 20 they can find it here God's plan is to bring more full sons of God into his family so that Christ might be the firstborn among many brethren all this was predestinated willed by the mind of God quote before the foundation of the world end of quote Ephesians 1 verse 4 so in the terms of the will of God we who overcome are already eternal have already been given the gift of eternal life through the immutable will of God I'm gonna be shocking to some of you but it really points out in 1st John 5 I won't turn there verses 11 and 12 talking about the witness of eternal life that he who has the son has life that he that has does not have the Son of God has not life and that's a testimony to eternal life first John 5 verse 11 God's plan is to bring more full sons of God into his family so we look forward to that time mr. Armstrong and dr. Meredith used the same phraseology in four words what is God doing what is his purpose and this is shocking to the rest of the world because it doesn't sound it sounds too presumptuous in four words what is God doing God is reproducing himself that's at least 8 or 9 times in the class I'm teaching introduction to biblical doctrines using mr. Armstrong's booklet book the mystery of the ages he uses that expression at least eight or nine times dr. Meredith does also if I can find it here seven page seven of your ultimate destiny the truly awesome purpose of human existence goes far beyond even what the righteous angels and archangels will experience why do we go through trials why are we tested time and again God wants to see if we are willing to totally surrender to him his ultimate purpose is to reproduce in us his mind his love and his character God is reproducing himself it's on page 7 of your ultimate destiny dr. Scott Whannell gave the Bible study this last Wednesday night in Charlotte the family and God's plan and part one he titled why did God create mankind and in the Bible study dr. Scott when they all quoted from mr. Armstrong's book the incredible human potential i blessed page 52 in the hard copy and page 53 in a paperback edition the incredible human potential quote God thus purpose to reproduce himself through humans made in His image and likeness but made first from material flesh and blood subject to death if there is sin unrepented of yet with the possibility of being born into the divine family begotten by God the Father God saw how this could be done through Christ who gave himself for that purpose though that's from incredible human potential by mr. Armstrong page 52 and the hard copy and I think page 53 and the paperback issue though turn to feasts is a third chapter again brethren this is just awesome truth and you and I have that understanding remember jesus prayed to the Father and said I thank you Father that you have not revealed these things to the but two babes yes we understand deep truths of God and yet the worldly noble very few of them are called and very few of them understand Ephesians the third chapter here again God reveals his plan for family Ephesians 3 verse 14 for this reason I bow my knees to the father of our Lord Jesus Christ our former Association rejected the old idea that God is creating a family and yet when you have God as the father and a son Jesus what do you have you have a family he says in verse 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named God is creating a divine family and we are privileged to participate in that awesome master plan well and Jesus said in mark 3 verse 34 35 when his mother and brothers and sisters were visiting and he said who are my mother who is my mother and my brothers Mark 3 verse 35 for whoever does the will of God is my brother and my sister and my mother what an awesome relationship God is inviting us to become a part of and even that Jesus would say that you know the woman that does the will of my father is my mother that's an awesome relationship that he's giving to us but how do we become part of that family what is the process the process is overcoming daily we have to grow in the process of overcoming human nature and replacing it with the divine nature Romans a 12th chapter gives a there are so many scriptures but we'll use just Romans 12 romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable God which is our reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God so that's the process we grow daily we are in a process of transformation from carnality to spirituality and we must be spiritually minded as the Apostle Paul said back in Romans 7 I didn't have they have that my notes but he said to be spiritually minded is life but to be carnally minded is death that's romans 8 and verse 6 for to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life in peace romans 8:7 and every one here should know that verse because it tells you what you are what your nature is like unless you repent and ask God to change your nature Romans 8:7 because the carnal mind is enmity against God or hostile some of the other translations have it for it is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be so then those who are in the flesh cannot please God while you're in the flesh well he clarifies that verse 9 but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you now if anyone have not the Spirit of Christ he has not his so we see during the days of unleavened bread in spite of trials that we must be overcomers in Romans 8 and verse 37 gives us this encouraging statement about overcoming Romans 8 and verse 7 37 in spite of all the trials we experience Romans 8:37 yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us mr. Weston quoted that in a recent co-worker letter or one of his articles I believe well let's turn to one of the most important scriptures there many but this is extremely important that has to do with your salvation Romans Philippians 2 and verse 12 Philippians 2 and verse 12 this is a part of God's master plan Philippians 2 and verse 12 the previous verse he mentions the confession that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father Philippians 2 verse 12 therefore my beloved as you have always obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling we're talking about salvation work out your own salvation how with fear and trembling as dr. Meredith would often mention that those of leaders in the Worldwide Church of God who were prominent leaders they were gave some sometimes inspiring sermons but they went off base why they did not have the fear of God and they were not conquered by God and every single one of us has got to come to the point where he or she trembles before the God of heaven you realize who and what you are in comparison I won't go through all that but I think you know Isaiah the fortieth chapter and then where God is talking about his creation and all the nations nations combined are only a drop in a bucket the compare person to God he said you were making sense but we are more than worms and not just glowing worms as Winston Churchill said we are God's begotten children we are very special he's called us to that special calling but he said you've got to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling as that salvation by works he explains in the next verse verse 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and do of his good pleasure so you have your part in God's plan in their part to a great degree is relying on God the Father and Christ to work in you the NIV Study Bible makes this comment regarding Philippians 2 verse 12 work it out to the finish not a reference to the attempt to earn one salvation by works but merely a the expression of one salvation in spiritual growth and development salvation is not merely a gift received once for all as many Protestants believe it stresses itself in an ongoing process in which the believer is strenuously involved the process of perseverance spiritual growth and maturation or maturing so we have that awesome blessing that we do have our part but at that wonderful promise in verse 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure some of us have been weak willed we don't have enough gumption backbone as we were talking the other day at lunch it seemed that sometime when husband leaves the church the wife automatically leaves with him she didn't have enough backbone to stick up for the truth and vice versa sometimes the the other is true as well the wife leaves and the husband doesn't have enough backbone he's weak willed he hasn't made that commitment and of course it Passover we we do not renew the Covenant that covenant was made at the Passover and when our individual baptism we agreed to the covenant but at the Passover where we knew our commitment we will our determination and dedication persevere on to the end those who endure to the end shall be saved so you know the cartoon about children God isn't finished with B yet we are all a work in progress but we are God's work of art turn to Ephesians the third chapter Ephesians 2 rather visions to the command verse that Protestants use but it is not a perfect it is not a Protestant verse it is God's holy inspired Word Ephesians 2 verse 8 for by grace you have been saved through faith and not of yourselves it is a gift of God they ignore the word faith in the diverse and say we're we're saved by grace no not only by grace but it's by the faith of Christ as we know in Galatians 2 and verse 20 it's the faith of Christ not of yourselves it is a gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast for we are his workmanship the Greek is poema like we are his work of art we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them so we thank God that this is the process that God is working in us for good works and we know Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and I know that's helped me and I'm sure it's helped you in so many occasions and trials turn to 2nd Peter in the first chapter again these are scriptures I've given you two before and emphasize but yet in the master plan that God has of creating in us his character replacing human nature with divine nature it's a process it takes time it takes a lifetime and kited mr. party and when he was here and lived to 94 years of age and I was reading that scripture and 2nd Peter where it talks about the Lord is not slack concerning his promise but long-suffering toward us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance in other words as I was saying God is let me live a long longer life because I have still have other things to overcome and I hope he gives me a few more years because there's all right well I won't share it with you but I've got a lot to overcome and mr. party denies that oh you you mean that I have to overcome some yes you are overcoming right to their very last breath when you're living your but you the basis of that is letting God create in you his divine nature just as it says here and 2nd Peter 1 and verse 2 2nd Peter 1 verse 2 grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who has called us by glory and virtue as we have the mind of God showing us his way of life this way of Love's way of giving sharing helping serving by that divine power verse 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust but we need to partake of that divine nature 2nd Peter 3:18 you know by heart but grow in the Grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to him be the glory both now and forever amen but how do we grow we grow by doing the work of God and some of the Churches of God people have forgotten that they're more of a social club or they may do it be doing good works to a certain degree but Jesus said in John 4:34 my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work we as a living Church of God know that we have a great comission to perform to preach the gospel to all the world and the full counsel of God to preach the true name of Jesus Christ because there are people out there following a false Christianity a deceitful Christ of false apostles and false preachers so how do we grow we grow by doing the work of God and that growth requires also as Jesus said Matthew 5:48 become you therefore perfect even as your father in heaven is perfect that sounds impossible what kind of perfection is he talking about he's talking about the perfection of God's character but what is God's character 1st John 4 verse 8 first John 4 verse 16 God is love and so we must become love as well and we must come perfect in that love and that's the fruit first fruit of the Holy Spirit and I didn't read that I had purposely avoided that reading Matthew the fifth chapter verses 6 through 10 but what does it say in Romans 5:5 I mean Romans the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that's given to us so God gives us His divine love as a gift through the Holy Spirit and we can become loved but it takes a lifetime to do that and we're in that process we thank God for that process dr. Meredith writes in the your ultimate destiny again page 20 the ultimate reality is God's will God had already willed that Abraham was to be a father of many nations so in God's mind it was a fact because God had willed it so in like manner God must have planned from the beginning to reproduce himself and he quotes Ephesians 1 verse 4 just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love Ephesians 1 verse 4 again then he quotes Romans 8:29 for whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren so we see in summary that God has this wonderful master plan that we're going to be ruling with him with Christ as the Bride of Christ as born-again children of God we are now begotten sons and daughters of the Almighty we are now a family of God we are now the Israel of God the spiritual Israel of God now God is creating a royal divine family so dr. Meredith and mr. Herbert Armstrong plainly stated it and for words God's purpose God is reproducing himself next question when did God decide on his master plan was it after Lucifer and his angels rebelled or was it before that it's turned to job the 38th chapter dr. Scott when they all referred to this in his Bible study and I thought oh well I guess dr. Scott read all my sermon notes from last week but encouraging that says at 1st Corinthians 1 that we all speak the same thing that was very encouraging job 38th chapter and of course God is speaking to job out of the whirlwind here job 38 verse 4 where were you job when I laid the foundations of the earth tell me if you have understanding well where were you where ours where was I we weren't here job wasn't in existence who determined its measurements surely you know or who stretched the line upon it - what were its foundations fastened or who laid its cornerstone job must have been somewhat of an engineer and architect because he would have identified with those challenging questions when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy so here we have a plain indication the morning stars being the angels of God the angelic realm already existed before the earth was created before the physical universe was created so we find in time sequence the angels were created first before the physical universe I've been following the question of why the universe war for some time but let's take a look at some other scriptures about when of the universe was created or 2nd Timothy 1 and verse 7 taken Timothy 1 and verse 7 again dr. Scott referred to this in his Bible study and hopefully you'll be able to join the Wednesday night Bible study this coming Wednesday online 2nd Timothy 1 wrong wrong reference well we know that God has not given us a spirit of fear but a power to love and a sound mind that's like the scripture I was looking for but okay rich man thank you but he goes on to say in verse 8 therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or me as prisoner but share with me in the sufferings of the gospel according to the power of God you all go through trials in our growth in godly character verse 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling you know again we've been saved from our past sins we are now being saved and he that endures to the end shall be saved Matthew 24:13 was saved us and called us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began when did God purpose this master plan of salvation before the universe existed because the unit I'm began when did time begin time began with the creation of the universe in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Genesis 1 and verse 1 notice what it says according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus so he knew the plan of salvation before the earth existed and how did he know that because what we read in Deuteronomy 30 verse 19 that the only way he was going to create human beings to become a part of his God divine family and be born into that family was by three moerewa agency I've set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life the only way that we can develop godly character is because we resist evil and we choose good and we practice good we practice the way of life easton taught so you have that before time began titus also tells us the same thing titus chapter 1 verse 1 Paul a bondservant of God an apostle of Jesus Christ according the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness in hope of eternal life in hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie promised before time began what an awesome plan God had so we just thank God that he knows what he's doing I think I've told you that story before when doctor see Paul Meredith back in Pasadena years ago when someone was complaining about some trials and why is God letting me do this why is this happening doctor see Paul Meredith said simple answer God knows what he's doing and God knows what he's doing with each and every one of us he knows every hair in our head but he also gave us hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie promised before time began so he created the universe he created angels and then created the universe before human beings so why does the universe exist we have a tomorrow's world telecast why the universe and one we had just march 18th or a mysterious universe what is the universe to do with with God's master plan the famous astrophysicists Stephen Hawking has wanted to know the answer to that question he died March 14th 2018 at the age of 76 and Stephen Hawking his contributions to quantum mechanics and black holes are well known he wanted an understanding of the universe and he wrote in a brief history of time page 13 he wanted to search for a complete unified theory my wife and I along with dr. Meredith and dr. Meredith daughter Elizabeth Safford saw the movie about Stephen Hawking a theory of everything and quite an amazing movie because at age 26 Stephen Hawking was told that I had only a two or three years to live he had this degenerative disease which of course he ended up being paraplegic that even had later on had a voice box so totally immobile his wife had they had three children and she was amazing in that particular movie taking care of three children and a paraplegic they finally they divorced he remarried she remarried but later on of course he continued his studies into the universe well years ago I became interested in his book a brief history of time and Hawking referred to Edwin Hubble's 1929 observation that wherever you look distant galaxies are moving rapidly away from us in other words the universe is expanding before these studies back in the 20s and the 30s there was a theory that the universe has always existed and it's just steady-state maybe it grows and retreats and so forth but in 1929 Edwin Hubble was an astronomer there in Pasadena Mount Wilson and my wife and I and others have toured the planetarium there and the observatory at the top of Mount Wilson we've also visited the observatory and Kitt Peak west of the Tucson Arizona I've also looked through the telescope at Griffith Observatory there in Southern California but what Hubble the sign that he saw these plate and he was able to find out along with a fellow astronomers Hummel son and Slifer that they couldn't almost believed it but galaxies were moving out into space so it's not a steady state universe it was a universe in which the galaxies are going out into space and how fast are they moving one of the God and the astronomers by Robert Jastrow wrote son of page 12 they said that they found out that the galaxies were moving out into space and it's hard for us to comprehend a hundred million miles an hour I talked with our expert mr. Wallace Bethany said though since then we find objects going out into space and actually as they go out they accelerate in speed and some are going 200 million miles an hour where are they going is God going to be able to catch up with them are we going to be able to catch up with him Stephen Hawking wrote again on the brief history of time page 9 one may say that time had a beginning that the Big Bang in the sense that earlier times simply would not be defined so again the universe did have a beginning and by the way in this is the latest not the latest the next tomorrow's World magazine the May June issue feature article by mr. journal Weston abortion the real story and again this gets back into God's purpose what is it he said we read in Genesis 1 be fruitful and multiply also there are two articles in here of course dr. emeritus continuing the truth behind the Protestant Reformation which be part eight the last part of that Reformation series and if you want the last part part 9 you have to request the booklet so we'll be creating the booklet on the truth behind the Protestant Reformation by dr. Roderick Meredith but also in this same issue is an article by Wallace Smith black holes leviathans of the cosmic deep and then my commentary Stephen Hawking and the universe so you'll want to see that again God's work is going out if we're growing how do you grow it with your heart and God's work I hope you support that by the way I tuned in to mundo de manana website and on the website I thought I would see maybe one of our programs because Mr Mario buys to us such a wonderful example of lip syncing actually the English into Spanish so you'll find mr. Weston and me and what mr. Smith and rod McNair speaking Spanish but when I wanted me the Spanish Website I also found a link to Russian I did oh I've never seen the Russian website before go on and clicked onto that and there's my program on space Wars it's a voiceover not limp saying but in Russian so anyway it's amazing I'm just really thankful that the gospel is going out and all these various languages and hope you pray for it well again that's that's an aside but it's still very important humanity's deepest desire for knowledge is justification Stephen Hawking right enough to our continuing quest and our goal is nothing less than the complete description of the universe so do you know anything about the universe how many galaxies are there there used to be said years ago that there were a hundred billion galaxies in the hundred billion stars or hundred million stars in each galaxy and now with the Hubble telescope they've looked on these black spots paces in the universe and found out there are many more galaxies so that nASA has said we are off by a factor of 10 instead of 200 billion galaxies as we previous thought multiply that ten times and there are two trillion galaxies now the latest Discoverer made you see may 2018 as saying they're actually finding a brand new telescope called the James Webb Space Telescope is going to launch and they'll be finding out even more galaxies this is page 65 of the May 2018 Discover Magazine so they're still exploring looking for even more galaxies and how many stars are there in each galaxy apparently the Milky Way galaxy has a hundred billion stars and that's just the galaxy in which we live I don't know if some of you have seen the NASA website but you can see these awesome beautiful photos we've shown them in our telecast of some of the galaxies the Whirlpool Galaxy is just a beautiful galaxy it's only 30 billion light-years away and 60,000 light years across then there's a tadpole galaxy and the spiral galaxy so you go on the website and these are awesome beautiful galaxies I was just thinking this morning know if there are two trillion galaxies and let's say at the end of the white throne judgment I'm just throwing out numbers here because I know mr. Smith had found out a number that how many human beings have ever lived one estimate was seventy billion let's say that a hundred billion after the white throne judgment are born into God's family and you inherit the universe you inherit the galaxies 100 billion members of the god family inheriting two trillion galaxies that's 20 galaxies each so what are you going to do with your 20 galaxies anyway it's mind expanding hebrews 1 and verse 1 how are we going to ever catch up with those galaxies going out into space and they accelerate in speed as they get out further at a hundred million miles an hour or 200 million miles an hour hebrews 1 verse 1 God who at various times in the various ways spoke in time past of the father's by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things through whom also he made the world's talking about Jesus Christ who being the brightness of his glory and the Express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power what he sat down when he had by himself purged our sins and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high having become so much better than angels he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they the the phrase all things in the Greek is taw panteth in other words the definite article the tha Panta meaning the all and as dr. Meredith brings out as booklet that means everything that basically can be seen or heard that is seen or unseen so think when you think of our Savior Jesus Christ as a high priest he's the word that was made flesh but even now he at the right hand of God the Father upholds the universe by the word of his power that's how powerful he is and we are going to be married to him we are heirs with Christ heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ my turn back there to see that in Romans II a chapter so we are going to inherit all things so that those galaxies going out into space human beings are adventurous you know there are 200 over 200,000 people have volunteered for a one-way trip to Mars space X out of Albuquerque New Mexico now they've Whittle it down to hundred they're going to will it down to 25 bar it takes 259 days to go to Mars and according to NASA so these people want a one-way trip to to Mars we're going to be at the right hand we're going to be on the sea of glass we're not only going to be beyond Mars we're not only going to be beyond the universe because God is outside of time and space and Jesus said in prayer to the Father that they may be one just as we are one but we are born into the family of God and we inherit all things there at the universe we will be able to operate out time outside of time and space one time when we're doing the world tomorrow telecast we were doing the 20th anniversary of Apollo 11 July 29th 1969 the first landing on the moon and since then have been 12 men have been on the moon just look up at the moon as well 12 human beings have walked on the moon I was doing a rehearsal for the telecast and behind me was a green screen and it showed a rocket going off and I had a monitor in front of me and I could see I was sitting on a wooden stool but then the scene changed behind me and it was the planets moving through the planets and I'm here I'm looking at this monitor and honest wooden stool floating through various planets so I started I reached out my arm like Superman and I started oh I was floating flying through all these planets I'll tell you it was a thrill it really you are going to really love it when you inherit the galaxies inherit all the universe it's all things everything that's seen so Romans eight and in verse 31 mr. Weston quoted that and his sermon that was sent out for the days of unleavened bread sent it seven warnings on the exodus route romans 8 and verse 31 what shall we say to these things if God is for us who can be against us who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall we not with him also freely give us all things how shall he not with him also freely give us all things and again that is top anta meaning the all he is going to give us all things the universe and Hebrews 2 of course is the one that gave the the clarification of King David's question in Psalm 8 and again he tells us that we are there's nothing excluded from what God is going to give us Hebrews the second chapter verse 8 quoting from Psalm 8 you have put all things under his subjection to his feet for in that he put all and the all again is top anta in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him but now we do not yet see all things put under him so we have an awesome calling God is going to why did God create the universe he created the universe as an environment for human beings to learn about the creator and they says they are without excuse when you look at the creation in Romans 1 at verse 20 even his eternal Godhead and power are revealed through the creation and they are without excuse so we look up at the heavens and we realize God is going to give that to us as there are inheritance after the white throne judgment everything will be purified and everyone will either be in the kingdom of God or be ashes under his feet God's holy days and festivals reveal God's master plan and that master plan reveals our purpose and meaning of life recall to be sons and daughters of the Almighty it says in 2nd Corinthians 6 verses 17 and 18 we are now sons and daughters of the Almighty so you and I are part of God's divine family even now he promises his salvation as a gift we shall be saved by his life I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and Philippians 1:6 he said he that has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ so God's not going to let you go he's going to work with you right to the very end but we need to be praying as King David did in Psalm 51 and verse 10 creating me a clean heart O God and renew within the extent or a right spirit God is creating his masterpiece of creation his perfect righteous holy godly character and each and every one of us but we need to ask him to do that as King David did create me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me we saw in Romans 8 and verse 32 that God did not spare his own son but delivered a most him up for us all how shall he not with him all also freely give us all things father father designed his master plan of salvation before time began he's now creating a royal divine family we need to love one another as brothers and sisters in the body of Christ we must be conquerors overcomers persevere persevering daily overcoming with God's Word the spirit sword with with the Holy Spirit with Christ in us one final scripture revelation 21 and verse 7 you look forward to the wedding with Christ beyond the sea of glass and see our Father in Heaven and then come back into fulfill our role as kings and priests but we will inherit the earth though Herot salvation we will inherit all things revelation 21 and verse 7 he who overcomes that's what we're doing each and every day overcoming he overcome and overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son it's God's royal family we will inherit the universe so brethren let's live each day by faith and overcome every day with God's help and power and the faith of Christ we are God's family let's fulfill our calling unless fulfill our a special part in God's master plan

Channel: Living Church of God

Views: 4,894

Rating: 4.8666668 out of 5

Keywords: God, salvation, kingdom, plan, mankind, jesus, christ, master plan

Id: kJSnC2iDFYo

Length: 75min 28sec (4528 seconds)

Published: Fri Jul 20 2018