GOD'S SELF-LIMITATION

Deut. 10:14-15

A. "BEHOLD, THE HEAVEN AND THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS IS THE LORD'S THY GOD, THE EARTH ALSO, WITH ALL THAT THEREIN IS. ONLY THE LORD HATH DELIGHT IN THEY FATHERS TO LOVE THEM, EVEN YOU ABOVE ALL PEOPLE, AS IT IS THIS DAY." 1. This is one of the most illuminative statements of God's special attachment to His people:
  1. He is possessor of all the universe; unseen, unfallen worlds.
  2. They were all created by His power and for His glory
  • Yet God, our God, limits Himself to His people:
    1. Comparatively few in number - Deut. 7:7
    2. 'little flock' - Luke 12:32 B. LET US TAKE A CLOSER, PRAYERFUL LOOK AT THE IMPLICATION OF OUR OPENING TEXT
  • The Wealth of the universe is the Lord's:
    1. He made all for His glory - Ps 19:1-6
    2. They all deserve His love and affection
  • Yet, note, please God SELF-LIMITS HIMSELF to His people:
    1. Poor, sinful, and undeserving - Is. 64:6; Rom. 3:23; Gal. 3:22
    2. Made of clay--miry clay - Gen. 2:7; Is. 64:8; Ps. 40:2
  • How the Infinite One demonstrated His self-limitation to His people:
    1. In the gift of His only begotten Son - John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son."
    2. In adopting human nature in the person of His Son and carrying it into the highest heaven - Heb. 2:12-17
    3. Thus - God identifies Himself with humanity for ever and ever
  • But what do such limitations imply further?
    1. God divested Himself - in the person of His Son - of all the divine prerogatives and took the form of a servant--a slave - Phil. 2:6-8
    2. He became poor - so poor - that he hath not where to lay his head - Matt. 8:20; 2 Cor. 8:9 C. WHAT A CHALLENGE TO GOD'S PROFESSED PEOPLE
  • God's self-limitation was motivated:
    1. By His love for them - Deut. 7:7-8; John 3:16
    2. In the adoption of their nature - thus subjecting Himself to their experience - Heb. 2:14-17
    3. Men get hungry, thirsty, lonely, sick, and eventually die
    4. Thus did God in the person of His Son - Is. 53:1-12; 63:9
  • Writes Paul, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" - Phil. 2:5-11
    1. Are we so minded that we will limit ourselves to the saving of souls for the kingdom of God - at any price - 2 Cor. 5:14
    2. Are our services for God and men marked by corresponding sacrifice?
    3. Is it not painful for us to view our love for Christ and humanity in the little we have to show in sacrifices?
  • We do have vivid portrayals of persons who were willing to limit their affections and their efforts to the cause of soul-winning:
    1. In the person of Paul - Acts 21:13; 2 Cor. 11:24-31; Gal. 6:17
    2. We have the panoramic portrayal of the martyrs of Christ in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews
    3. We think of the many missionaries who left their homes, their relatives and friends, shared the life of the people they worked for and whom they had learned to love, and finally died for them
  • Dear fellow believers:
    1. Do we appreciate God's infinite love so graphically demonstrated to us in the person of His only Son
    2. Are we willing to imitate that love in limiting ourselves, our efforts, and our sacrifices to His service and to the saving of souls for whom Christ died?
    3. What a thought-provoking testimony to God's love and affection to His people
    4. May my life, your life, become so affected by the knowledge of God's love for us that we will limit ourselves to God's service.


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