God knows all things
1) Next month there will be another country fair.
2) Many of the items at the fair are basically the same year after year.
a) Much of the food is the same; many of the vendors are the same.
b) There are the same types of animals, and there are some of the same contests.
3) In some places fair visitors are given an opportunity to make a guess about something and win a prize.
4) The guess may be based on how many jellybeans are in a jar.
a) Over the years I have made a few guesses, but someone has always been a better estimator.
b) Maybe there is a secret to estimating the number of jellybeans in a jar that I do not know.
5) I suspect that very few people guess the exact number in these contests with just one try.
6) If such is done, it is very unlikely they could immediately repeat the feat with a different jar.
a) Our knowledge is, in many respects, limited; sometimes we must operate by a “best guess.”
i) God is not limited in the area of knowledge; He knows everything about everything.
7) Were He to be presented with a giant jar of jellybeans, He would not need to guess.
8) Because He has all knowledge, He would know how many jellybeans are in the jar.
9) He would also know all the colors, where each came from, how old each one is, who would eat them, etc.
10) Last week we studied some Old Testament statements regarding God’s knowledge.
11) Tonight we want to examine this same topic but from the perspective of the New Testament.
a) There are fewer statements about this subject in the New Testament, but it a definite topic.
b) For instance, Jesus spoke of God’s knowledge in Mt. 6:4.
c) He said God sees people when they pray. He has full knowledge when it comes to prayer.
d) We might pray “in secret,” but God knows everything about our prayers.
12) We might be shocked, amused, and saddened if we could see people pray by themselves.
a)
Were this
knowledge available to us, we might see some people who fall asleep
during the process.
b)
In other
cases we might find someone who gets distracted.
c)
They start
out praying privately, but their attention is soon turned to something
else.
d)
We would
probably find others who would offer a mock prayer:
e)
“Well, God
if you are really out there, show me just how powerful you are by doing
this or that.”
f)
We would
also see good hearted people who are praying with sincerity.
g)
God knows
everything about prayer, even if we do not speak in out loud.
h)
Because of
God’s knowledge, a prayer in the mind is just as good (powerful) as
words that are spoken.
13) Someone might wonder how we can prove that statement.
14) The words of Jesus in Mt. 6 prove this point.
15) We have considered what is said in verse 4 – let’s look at Mt. 6:8 – READ
a) Before we pray God knows what we need.
b) God does not need us to tell Him what we need. God does not need updated on our lives.
c) Prayer was not designed for God’s benefit.
16) I have seen parents who accept “lists” from their children at various times.
17) A mom or dad may not be all that sure what their child wants for a present.
18) Some parents ask their children to give them with a wish list of what they would like.
a) Prayer is not like that; God knows what we will have on our list.
b) He also knows what will help us and will hurt us.
c) Since He has this information, a prayer said mentally is just as good as one that is expressed verbally.
19) If this is not the case, what would we say about a person who cannot speak?
20) Is a person who cannot speak going to have less success in prayer because his vocal cords do not work?
21) What someone who has have a medical condition that hinders their prayers?
22) Will God not know what is in their mind until they regain the use of their voice?
23) God knows about prayer. In fact, Rom. 8:26 says the Holy Spirit helps with some prayers.
24) Having an understanding of God’s knowledge should encourage us in the area of prayer.
a) The fact that God knows all about people and prayer is great blessing.
b) We may not always get the words right. We may leave out a few things.
c) Some items may not get all the attention they need in prayer.
d) God’s knowledge of prayer is perfect and it extends to all who prayer.
e) In some cases God is not going to positively react to a person’s prayer.
f) If someone is praying to an idol for food, God is aware of that prayer.
g) Since the requests are being made to a false god, He will not respond to those petitions
h) Whatever involves something or someone on this planet is information known to God.
25) When we look at the New Testament, we find that God’s knowledge is not limited to mankind.
26) It includes non-human items.
a) Our next passage is Mt. 10:29, 30.
b) Verse 29 refers to birds and Jesus assures us deity knows all about the birds on the earth.
c) I did a quick net search on how many species of birds there are and it seems we do not know.
d) Estimates range from 10,000 to almost 20,000.
e) Some estimates for extinct species are put at more than 150,000.
f) Imagine 100,000 different species of birds since the beginning of time.
g) How many birds (and this is just one creature) have lived since the beginning of creation.
h) We have no way of knowing, but God knows.
27) Listen to Mt. 10:29 – READ
a) God knows all the details about every bird that has ever lived or is now living.
b) He is aware of all the future birds—every single detail of their existence is known to Him.
c) This same level of knowledge extends to everything else on our planet.
d) We sing songs about the power and glory of God. We praise Him for His knowledge.
28) Those songs are not idle words. They reflect significant Biblical truth.
29) God’s knowledge should cause us to fall before Him and say, “You are God.”
30) “You are worthy of my praise, my honor, my glory. You are worthy of my life—all that I am and have.”
31) In verse 30 of Mt. 10 we have another illustration of God’s knowledge.
a) Most of the people present tonight have hair on their head.
b) What if we pointed to one person at random and said, “How many hairs are on that head?”
c) We could not do it. We might be able to slowly separate them and finally get an exact count.
d) Perhaps we could shave the head and get an accurate number that way.
32) This small piece of information would be difficult for us to obtain.
33) Listen to what Jesus said – verse 30 of Mt. 10 – READ
a) God knows the number of hairs on the head of every single person without counting.
b) This is another demonstration of the fact that God knows the minutest details about things.
34) God is not just aware of what is on the inside of man.
35) Acts 1:24 says God knows the “hearts” of “all men.”
a) At times people may describe someone they know as “complicated.”
b) A man may find a woman to be “complicated.”
c) A woman may find a man to be “complicated.” We are puzzled by some things.
d) Why does a person think and act as they do? We may never know.
e) What motivates a person to do what he does? We may never know.
f) God knows the heart. He knows what people really desire and treasure.
g) He knows what motivates them. He sees what we cannot.
36) Rom. 11:33 refers to the “depth” of God’s knowledge.
a) “Depth” is an interesting word; Jesus used this term when speaking with Peter.
b) In Lk. 5:4 the Lord told this apostle to fish in “deep” water.
c) God’s knowledge is complete in every sense so it can be called “deep.”
37) John (1 Jn. 3:20) specifically said God “knows all things.”
a) Paul said (2 Tim. 2:19) that “God knows those who are His.”
b) Then in the Hebrew letter we find: “No creature is excluded from His sight (Heb. 4:13).
c) “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with him whom we have to do” (same verse).
38) I once read of a story about a photographer; he went to take a picture of a ship (The Great Eastern).
39) This was a large steamship from the 1800’s.
a) The hull was black and coasted with tar.
b) The photographer finished what he wanted to do and went back to his darkroom to develop the film.
c) As the ship began to appear in the picture, the word “Lewis” appeared on the Hull.
d) This surprised the man; he immediately returned to the wharf to look for those words on the ship.
e) He did not see them. How could Lewis appear on a photograph but not on the hull?
f) Today the answer would be something along the line of a ghost story.
g) This fellow went to the shipping office; he was told that “Lewis” was indeed on the hull.
h) It was, however, covered with tar.
i) By using sensitive film and a strong camera lens, these words were made visible in the picture.
40) God, as it were, can see straight through the tar.
41) Since there is nothing hidden from Him, there is nothing He does not know.
a) Our world is often portrayed as a place of many mysteries.
b) People see something flying in the sky and there was a “UFO.”
c) This is not quite right. We may not know what it is, but God knows.
d) It is “unknown” only to us.
42) In the early days of America one of the things that helped people stay relatively good was God.
a) People believed that God was watching them.
b) When you have time, take out a dollar bill. On the back you will see an “eye.”
c) This eye is at the top of what looks like a pyramid.
d) If you count the steps on the pyramid, you will find that they number 13.
43) America was still in the process of being formed.
44) People believed God was watching over this country as it was being founded.
45) People also believed God was watching over each individual.
a) There was thus an emphasis on values like honesty.
b) People were expected to be honest with money and their dealings with others because God was watching.
c) Honesty and integrity were expected in marriage because of the all seeing eye.
d) Honesty was expected between parents and children and children with their parents.
46) Today many do not realize the full extent of God’s knowledge or care about it.
47) Either choice is a very bad mistake.
48) God not only knows all, He remembers all.
a) One day He will use His knowledge to judge the world.
b) As we sit here tonight, God knows every single thing that is in our hearts.
c) The deepest thoughts, dreams, ideas and secrets are clearly visible to Him.
d) What does God see in our life? What are we really like? The true self cannot be hidden.
Tonight if you know this to be true, and you know God is not pleased with what He se