The Good For Which All Things Are Worked Together

Acts 8: 4: Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. 5: Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

Romans 8: 28 tells us: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. It is true that believer's love God. Yet, God's Son is truly the One who loves God. God purposely works all things together for his good Son. As God does the same for you and I who have been called by him, the good for which the Lord purposely works all things together is to bring us to the feet of our good Lord and Savior. The book of Acts teaches us this.

First, it begins with Christ the King gathering his scattered apostles and disciples to be witnesses of him. The Holy Spirit was poured out for this one purpose. Every message preached has been concerning the triumphant resurrection of Christ who overcame death and hell on behalf of his people. The healings have shown us that Christ our King-Messiah has overcome sin having borne our infirmities and our sin in his own body. Before Stephen died he declared the glory of God's Son as he looked up into the heavens, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:56.) Likewise, the persecution mentioned in this passage was for the same purpose of glorifying the Son of God. We see it in what came to pass: Acts 8: 4: Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. 5: Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

Secondly, this is he of whom the Father spoke, saying, Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth (Psalm 89:27.) All the prophets spoke of his dominion, such as Daniel, who said, And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed (Dan 7:14.) Even the heavenly angels foretold of his power, saying, He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Luke 1:32, 33.)

Not only this but God glorifies his Son through persecution by further condemning those who persecute the church and will not bow to him in faith (Mat 23: 34, 35.) Would the Lord really destroy a people to bring honor to his great name? The Lord commanded Moses to stop the children of Israel at the sea, saying, that he would harden Pharaoh's heart and the hearts of the Egyptians so that they would follow. The Lord purposed to destroy them for this reason, I will get me honor upon Pharaoh and upon all his host. (Exo 14: 4; 17.) Would the Lord allow his saints to die in order to bring honor to his name? He told John he would: And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled (Revelation 6:9-11.)

The carnal mind looks upon a death such as Stephen's as a horrible, cruel thing, thus they say the Lord would not possibly do such a thing! Yet, behold how the Lord describes Stephens' death at the end of Acts 7: 60:...And when he had said this, he fell asleep. John beheld the Lord say...that they should rest for a little season. When the last breath is drawn from the physical body of a believer, even this is worked together by God to bring us to this One who is the good end of all God's purpose. We fully enter into his rest. So Stephen's death is described here as the pleasant rest called sleep, perfect rest! So what does it matter how we die? What does it matter if we are slain by wicked men? What matters to the believer is that the Lord bring honor to his name by avenging his own blood and the blood of his saints upon all them that believe not on him.

Mark it down! Everything that God does (and God does everything) he does for the purpose of glorifying his dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in bringing us to believe on him. He truly is the One who loves God, the One for whom God works all things together and he is the good for which all things are worked together. Would you want it any other way!

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SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH Of Princeton, New Jersey

LOCATION & TELEPHONE
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553
Pastor's Telephone: 615-513-4464

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
11 AM Morning Worship
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service
(The first Sunday of each month, morning worship begins at 10am followed by observing the Lord's Table. Afterwards we have lunch together.)