Key Text:
Hebrews 13:8 NKJV
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Outline
Introduction
Omnipotence Paradox
Body
God Can’t Lie
God Can’t Die
God Can’t Change
Conclusion and Appeal
Thesis Statement:
Christians always take refuge in the things that they know God can do not knowing that they can find equal consolation on the things that God Can’t Do.
(Greetings)
Introduction
Let me begin by an intriguing statement. God Can’t Do Everything.
But one may ask, “Bro. Arn, we thought that God is Omnipotent, that He can do everything.”
Omnipotence Paradox. It’s one of the philosophical ways of understanding God’s omnipotence though its hardly accepted in philosophy and religion. These are trick questions.
- Can God create a square circle?
- Can God create a being more powerful than Himself?
- Can God create a rock so large that He Himself cannot move it?
If God is omnipotent, can He create a mountain that is so heavy that He cannot lift it? If He can create such a mountain, then there would be something He cannot lift, and thus He would not be all-powerful. On the other hand, if He cannot create a mountain that is too heavy for Him to lift, then again, He would not be all-powerful.
If He can -> Then He is no longer all-powerful.
If He can’t -> Then He is not all-powerful
What does it mean to be omnipotent? It means that God can do everything that is in accordance with His nature. And a good example for that is that God can’t force anyone to love Him, because God by nature is love and love does not force.
I repeat what i’ve said earlier.
God Can’t Do Everything. There are things that not only God would not do, but He can’t do.
As christians, we always take refuge in the things that God can do, not knowing that we can find equal comfort in the things that God can’t do.
When somebody is in need of counsel and comfort, we often say, “God can help you” “God can deliver you” “God can protect you”
It always centers on the things that God can… Yes, trusting in the things that God can do gives us comfort. But are we aware that what God can’t is equally comforting?
This morning, let us study (at least) 3 things that God can’t do.
Body
God Can’t Lie
(Illustration) Abraham Lincoln was considered to be one of the most honest political figures in US history. He was fondly called ‘Honest Abe”. Once upon a time, Lincoln was working as a store clerk in New Salem, Illinois. One evening, after counting his cash register, he realized he had charged a customer six cents too much. Instead of waiting for the customer to return to the store or simply pocketing the small amount, Lincoln closed the store and walked a long distance to return the six cents. This instance may seem small, but it reflects Lincoln’s strong commitment to honesty, and that small beginning of honesty prepared him for a much higher office, the office of being President of the United States.
When an honest man or woman gives us a promise in times of need, we are comforted aren’t we?
Take note, what the first thing that God cannot do. Open your Bibles in Numbers 23:19
Numbers 23:19 NKJV
“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do?Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Here, brothers and sisters, we can see that the first thing that God cannot do, is that God Can’t Lie. In fact, gustong gusto ng Diyos na maniwala tayo sa hindi siya sinungaling, that’s why he repeated it several times throughout Scriptures:
Hebrews 6:18 NKJV
that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
Titus 1:2 NKJV
in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
Whatever you read from this Word, know that it factual, it is true, it is reliable, you can trust it, you can lean upon it with your whole being.
Sometimes we have this notion that faith is something that we have when things are uncertain.
Kapag walang pera, walang pagkain. We say, “Oh, let’s live by faith muna.”
No, that’s not faith. Faith is being sure! that’s what the Bible says, Faith is the evidence of things not seen. It is evidence. You’re sure of it.
When the going gets tough, you say to yourself, you say to your family, “God will provide.” I don’t know how He will provide but I know He will because He says so, and He cannot lie. I’m sure of it. That’s faith.
2 Peter 3:9 NKJV
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Did you know that there are 8,810 promises in the Bible.
7,706 in the OT
1,104 in the NT
If we divide 8,810 to 365 (the days of the year) we can have. 24 years worth of promises.
One afternoon, a father went to pick up his son from his school. When he decided to buy some bread, “Stay here, Im just gonna buy us some bread. I’ll be back.”
10 minutes later, a strong earthquake occurred. It was so strong that the school building was destroyed leaving all walls into debris.
All parents came rushing into the destroyed school building. Some are terrified, some are wailing and crying, but the father rushed into the destroyed building and with all the strength that he has removed every debris that he can.
Some tried to discouraged him, “Stop man. You’re only hurting yourself. There’s no way you son would survived that kind of collapse.”
“No, I made him a promise I would come back. I must find him.”
So the father kept digging and digging, determined not to stop unless he finds his boy.
He kept digging for 6 hours… 12 hours… 24 hours… 36 hour… and in the 38th hour, he removed a small debris, and though exhausted, he called out “Armand!”, and a small voice answered, “Dad, I’m here. I’m with 14 more kids down here.”
Later, the child was interviewed. He was asked what he felt while inside those massive debris for 38 hours. He answered, “I wasn’t afraid, my father promised he would come back.”
When life falls apart, when it seems that we are surrounded by countless debris of trouble, know that God cannot lie. He got you. and will always will.
God Can’t Die
Longest Light Bulb that is On
Centennial Light Bulb in Livermore, CA
In 1901, inside the Fire Department of the Livermore-Pleasanton resides the longest light bulb that has (almost) never been turned off. The bulb was first donated by Dennis Bernal which is an owner of an electric company at that time, the bulb has been used and was never replaced ever since despite of the fire department moving locations 4 different times. They decided to carry the light bulb with them.
It is “almost” always on, because for a short period of minutes it’s off when its being transferred from one location to the next.
Longest sabaw or soup but is constantly poured in
For food lovers, one might or might not like this illustration, but if one is to go to Bangkok, Thailand, one of the famous yet cheap restos to go sells The Longest cooking beef stew. A resto in Wattana Panich has been cooking what has been called the perpetual stew/soup which has been cooking NON-STOP for over 48 years already. In fact, this recipe has been passed down through 3 generations already!
There are just but a few of the things in this world that never seems to die down. They keep it going until they are able.
1 Timothy 1:17 NKJV
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
God Can’t Die
1 Timothy 6:16 NKJV
who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
My Experience in Pastoring in Biñan – connect this to a God who cannot Die, we have an ever companion
Challenge in memorizing names
Challenge in handling unique members
Challenge in visiting (mention kuya Arnel – pilay)
Challenge in counseling
I remember, one night I was blankly staring at the ceiling. I was asking myself, am I really called to be a Pastor?
- I felt unfit for the job. I felt discouraged
- I felt overwhelmed. I need to be a good speaker, I need to be a good counselor, a good leader and administrator, etc.
Then someone knocked, the retired Pastor came and handed me some foods.
Then 10 minutes later, again, someone knocked. A family handed me some foods again for dinner.
I thought to myself, “Ayos na trabaho to ah” higa higa ka lang then may pagkain na.
But the point is friends, in every stage of our lives, we will have challenges, trials, hardships in our personal lives, in our families, in our church, in our career and calling, in our ministry, etc.
There will be times that it seems no one understands, but remember – God Can’t Die. That means you have an ever-present Help in time of need.
No one need say that his case is hopeless, that he cannot live the life of a Christian. Ample provision is made by the death of Christ for every soul. Jesus is our ever-present help in time of need. Only call upon Him in faith, and He has promised to hear and answer your petitions. CET 190.1
Whatever may be our situation, we have a Guide to direct our way; whatever our perplexities, we have a sure Counselor; whatever our sorrow, bereavement, or loneliness, we have a sympathizing Friend. If in our ignorance we make missteps, Christ does not leave us. His voice, clear and distinct, is heard saying, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” John 14:6. “He shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.” Psalm 72:12. COL 173.1
God Can’t Change
(Illustration) Pi, often denoted by the Greek letter π, is a mathematical constant that represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference (the distance around the circle) to its diameter (the distance across the circle through its center). This ratio remains the same regardless of the size of the circle. Hence, if you measure the circumference and the diameter of any circle, no matter how large or small, dividing the former by the latter will give you Pi. The value of Pi is approximately 3.14159, but it’s an irrational number, which means that its decimal representation goes on forever without repeating or settling into a permanently recurring pattern.
Malachi 3:6 NKJV
“For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
James 1:17 NKJV
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.
Hebrews 13:8 NKJV
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
2 Timothy 2:13 NKJV
If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
Conclusion and Appeal
To summarize, there are (at least) three things that God cannot do.
God Can’t:
- Lie
- Die
- Change
We have talked about the things that God Can’t Do that gives us comfort and strength, but I would like to end by sharing that there’s also one thing that you and I can’t do.
We can do a lot, don’t we? We can pray to God, we can hurt God, we can choose to accept or reject Him, we can forget about Him, the list goes on and on.
But there’s one thing that can’t do. I love this quote from Ken McFarland:
“You can reject and neglect and ignore Me. You can claim I don’t exist. You can use the breath I have given you to curse Me. You can join forces with My sworn enemy to slander My name. You can spit full in My face and hang Me between Heaven and Earth to die. But there is one thing you can never do. And that is to make Me stop loving you.” – Ken McFarland, The Lucifer Files (Location 309)