One-to-one Week 2: God’s Unfolding Plan
Key Question: Why are we waiting for Jesus to come back?
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Sometimes people are confident that God does have a plan, but find it hard to perceive that plan in action here and now. Last week we asked Do you think God knows what He is doing? For many they can say yes in general, but aren’t really sure if there’s a plan in their lives.
The thing is that if this is all there is then it’s not a great plan. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul lays out the Gospel (especially verse 3 and 4) but then says if Jesus wasn’t raised then there is no resurrection (v14) and all this is meaningless and futile (v19).
The key to this step is understanding God must finish what He started. We’re going to outline the key points in history (again, those that God thinks are key) and ask why can’t God stop here?
What we will do is try and lay the big picture out as a sequential plan and look at the main events. After each event we will ask the questions ‘what if God had stopped here?’ ‘What would He have?’ ‘Where would we be?’
The emphasis is both to see where we would be and even more to see what God gets out of the plan. We want to know whether it was a good solution.
1. We have to begin with God. In the beginning that is what there was. In His whole plan, God could have stopped here. He is self-sufficient and self-satisfied. God would have been perfectly happy, He does not need us to be fulfilled.
‘what if God had stopped here?’
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‘What would He have?’
God would have Himself and would be satisfied.
‘Where would we be?’
We wouldn’t exist.
‘Is this a good solution?’
It is certainly satisfactory for God and no harm to us.
2. Creation. God then created things, things with a pure purpose. Amongst that creation God created a pure man, sinless and free.
‘what if God had stopped here?’
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‘What would He have?’
God would have Himself and us and would be more than satisfied.
‘Where would we be?’
We would be good and living fulfilled lives as servants of God.
‘Is this a good solution?’
It is better than satisfactory.
3. Sin. God gave us free will and allowed us to choose to reject Him. We all have (Romans 3:23) and this is where the picture gets less bright. Once God allows sin we are going to have problems.
‘what if God had stopped here?’
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‘What would He have?’
God would have a creation that is not fulfilling its purpose, prepared only for destruction. He would have to destroy us all.
‘Where would we be?’
We would be doomed for destruction.
‘Is this a good solution?’
It is fair, but certainly doesn’t seem good. God would have to destroy what He made and we would all be destroyed. He’d have been better not allowing sin.
4. The Curse. It doesn’t seem that important in itself but the curse is a key event. If God had not cursed us we would have continued to believe that everything was ok and would have gone obliviously to destruction. The pain and suffering are not good, but necessary to show there is a problem.
‘what if God had stopped here?’
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‘What would He have?’
God would have to destroy us.
‘Where would we be?’
We would live lives of pain and trouble and then be destroyed.
‘Is this a good solution?’
It seems even worse than just destroying us after our sin. First we’d suffer then we’d die. God shouldn’t point out the sin if there is no solution for it.
5. Incarnation. The immensity of what happened at the incarnation is hard to explain. God became man, to dwell with us and lived perfectly among us. If this was just to show how good we could be it doesn’t solve our problem, just highlights our lostness.
‘what if God had stopped here?’
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‘What would He have?’
God would still have to destroy us and the coming of His Son among us would just highlight how depraved we are.
‘Where would we be?’
We would live lives of pain and trouble, recognising there is a better to live and then be destroyed.
‘Is this a good solution?’
It seems even worse again. First we’d suffer, then recognise guilt, then we’d die. God would also have to watch His own Son from a distance. There had to be a greater reason for the incarnation.
6. The cross. Sadly His coming leads inevitably to death. We hate being shown our depravity and the end was obvious. It was also part of God’s plan. Only God could afford to pay for the sin and yet only man could die for it. The incarnation then was the only way to pay for sin and His public crucifixion was the most depraved act of mankind. At the cross our sin was paid for, but the cost was His life.
‘what if God had stopped here?’
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‘What would He have?’
God would have made a way to forgive us but we’d be a bride without a groom. It would be like killing a child to fix the child’s toy, which has no value without the child. He would have allowed His own Son to be killed and would be far worse off than anyone can imagine.
‘Where would we be?’
Actually, we’d have a way of salvation, but we wouldn’t know about it. The door would have been opened but we wouldn’t know where to look.
‘Is this a good solution?’
Very no. It’s madness, to let Jesus die. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords destroyed by men. Definitely not a good solution.
7. The resurrection. This part of the plan seems to be more positive. Finally good seems to be winning over evil. Jesus conquered death and it had to happen to show God is almighty. He finished the payment on the cross, but without the resurrection there was still no hope. He also appeared to over 500 people and showed the marks in his hands and feet. He proved He conquered death and rose again.
‘what if God had stopped here?’
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‘What would He have?’
God would have redeemed us and made a way for us to be restored. However the job is not done. If Jesus remained on earth then His Kingdom would be on earth and we would not be completely released from the sin that destroys us.
‘Where would we be?’
We would have the choice to be part of the New Kingdom on earth, redeemed but not totally free from sin.
‘Is this a good solution?’
It is certainly a step in the right direction. Jesus is alive and there is a reason for the Universe again and we have been bought back by His unending love.
8. The ascension. Jesus rose into heaven (although I’m not technically certain that heaven is a place in the sky) and disappeared from sight. Having appeared to people to show He had conquered death He then left. If he hadn’t left we would not be able to choose to believe in Him because He would be physically there, 2000 years later. As much as we needed Him to prepare a place, we also needed the freedom to fail and be redeemed. For God to receive the love He designed us for He needed us to be able to choose because love is a choice.
‘what if God had stopped here?’
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‘What would He have?’
God would have redeemed us and made a way for us to be restored. He allows us the free will to choose to love Him and this required His ascension. Would it be the same if Jesus were still here?
‘Where would we be?’
We would have no choice but to believe in Jesus and though we would be redeemed we would be incapable of love
‘Is this a good solution?’
Although it means we are alone right now and that we cant categorically prove that God is, we also have a great freedom in our love. We have been set free for good works and have hope for the future.
9. The return. If Jesus wasn’t coming back then there is no hope for our resurrection. If God is not going to return and intervene in history again to end all injustice and to show His glory then we don’t have that eternal hope. Jesus has to come back, to bring justice and to deliver His people from the bondage of death.
‘what if God had stopped here?’
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‘What would He have?’
God would have brought justice on the earth and His Son would be glorified and He would have a bride.
‘Where would we be?’
We have the chance to be set free from sin forever. We are the bride of Christ
‘Is this a good solution?’
The Universe can see the plan of God and bears witness to His love as well as his power. We have full redemption and a place in heaven. Jesus is restored and glorified.
10. Judgement and Eternity. There has to be a judgment of sin, a purging of evil so the presence of God remains pure. There has to be a clearing of all that is unfit for His presence and a readiness for eternity. There has to be a marriage of the Lord to the Bride to show we are fit to be with him and then we will be with Him forever.
‘why must God finish here?’
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‘What will He have?’
God would have a perfect bride, who loves Him and who is fit for His Son. He will have an eternity with a people who choose Him and who live with Him and for Him.
‘Where will we be?’
Those who choose Him will be exalted above the angels, the bride of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We will be renewed in a body that does not perish and a soul that has no place for sin. We will be utterly free.
‘This is THE good solution’
It had to be this way. Once God had decided to create a being capable of love and free choice sin was inevitable.
Once sin was inevitable the only 2 solutions are complete destruction (which would make the creation seem pointless) or redemption.
The only form of redemption that could work is for a man to pay for another man with His life, but only God was pure enough to pay that price. So the incarnation was necessary and His death was the only solution.
However to destroy His Son would be the defeat of all creation so Jesus had to rise. God had to have Him back to show power over death and to reveal to man the solution for their souls.
To enable us to freely choose Him and to love Him for what he has done there needs to be some separation. It’s not that God has left us to sort it out but He had to ascend to heaven to maintain our free-will. But He just as surely has to come back again to take us with Him.
At the end there needs to be place that is pure and a people that are pure so judgment is needed to ensure that the Holiness of God is kept pure.
If there wasn’t a people who loved Him in a place that is perfect for an eternity that is glorious then starting down the road of creation is worse than pointless. He knows that stopping anywhere else but this eternity makes Him look bad or naïve. God knew what He was doing. We have to believe with Him that it is worth it. Think of all it cost and how much suffering and grievance this earth costs Him and how many times he could have wiped it out. Now how good must the end be?