Sermon Snippet – God Knows
INTRODUCTION – God’s sovereignty, His ultimate control of all things, includes His omniscience. He knows all things: nothing catches Him by surprise. His knowledge is comprehensive; it is also personal. He knows the details of your life and mine.
1. GOD KNOWS OUR FRAILTIES
“Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear [reverence, respect] Him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14). Verse 12 points us to the Cross of God the Son, Jesus Christ: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” We need forgiveness for our works, words, and sometimes wicked thoughts (Psalm 139:1-4). God also knows when we are overwhelmed by sadness and sorrow. Exodus 3:7 is one specific example of this fact: “And the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people [who] are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows.” With God, knowledge means action, and He miraculously freed the Israelites from the suffering of slavery. Of course He provided solace and strength, for Scripture says that the Messiah “is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3a). Jesus, this promised Messiah, delivers us from the worst – from sin and Satan, death and hell. God knows our frailties and grants us forgiveness of sins and salvation from fears.
2. GOD KNOWS OUR FOOLISHNESS
David prayed, “O GOD, Thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from Thee” (Psalm 69:5). Biblically, “foolishness” is more than being silly; it is a disregard with intelligence. Asaph pondered the seeming success of strident sinners, finally realized that God would take care of this issue, and humbly concluded: “Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins [inner being], so foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before Thee. Nevertheless I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my right hand” (Psalm 73:21-23). I Corinthians 13:11 is a good reminder that we need to grow up spiritually: “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: But when I became a man, I put away childish things.” We all look back over our lives and regret our lack of focus and our waste of time. Twice the New Testament speaks of “redeeming the time” (Ephesians 5:16; Colossians 3:5); the context of the former is toward fellow believers; the context of the latter is toward unbelievers. God knows our foolishness and remedies it by directing us to what really matters now and forever.
3. GOD KNOWS OUR FAITHFULNESS
In John 10:14, Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine.” Our Savior knows that we are His faithful “sheep,” His faithful followers. He comments on this truth; He emphasizes it to encourage us. Similarly, II Timothy 2:19 states, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, ‘The Lord knoweth them that are His.’ And, ‘Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’” The fact that we are faithful is a testament to the primacy of God’s faithfulness to us. Whenever we think, say, or do the right things, we are evidencing the active work of God in us and through us. We do not stumble into faithfulness by chance, nor do we stride into it on our own power. God knows our faithfulness, for He is the “foundation” and the “seal” of it.
CONCLUSION – God knows all – and loves us, still loves us. God the Son died on the Cross “while we were yet sinners” (Romans 5:8); He knew all about us then, knows all about us now, and knows us as His own. In simple gratitude, let us know Him, love Him, serve Him; let us be faithful.