Introduction: We will be looking at the forest today, not the trees. We will look at the individual trees in the weeks to come. In this passage there are a number of words that might catch our attention. My prayer is that these words or ideas would not hang you up and prevent you from seeing the glorious purpose intended by Paul in this passage. Paul’s intention is to encourage us that our Sovereign God is directing all things to a glorious end for those of us who know Jesus and that nothing in all this world can prevent that from happening. Rest Assured! Verse 28 - To achieve his good purpose His sovereignty extends to . Verse 29 - That purpose is achieved through the divine of foreknowledge and predestination. God had all this worked out before He even started. Verse 30 - He continues to work in every of our salvation from the initial call to the final glorification. Verse 31 - Because our God is behind these things nothing can stop it, He is the . No one can stand against Him. Verse 32 - There is nothing God will not to achieve His desired outcome or purpose. Sending Jesus was proof of that. Verses 33-34 - Nothing we have or will do can this plan. The blood of Christ covers it all. Verses 35-39 - Paul shows us the power of the of God which hold us. Nothing can break that hold. Discussion Questions: 1 What are some things about God that are beyond the full grasp of our finite minds? 2 What does it mean to say that God is sovereign? 3 What does it mean to say that man has free will? 4 Is it possible for God to be absolutely sovereign and man to be absolutely free? 5 How should we approach topics that are hard or even impossible for us to fully understand?