I. Divine Concurrence is the mind-stretching concept that God not only observes human actions but also "works with" human
   actions to bring them to their appointed ends. Divine concurrence literally means that God's purposes "run together" with
   man's actions.

II. An example of divine concurrence: Acts 2:23; 4:27,28 (the crucifixion of Christ)
    The Bible says the following:
        God had a "set purpose" (NIV) or "predetermined plan" (NAS)
        Man executed that plan by "nailing Christ to the cross" with the help of "wicked men".

    So, who was responsible for the death of Christ?
    What percentage of responsibility did each person bear?
    Was the cross an evil act or a good act?

III. The conclusion to which divine concurrence brings us is this:
      The same act, in its entirety, can belong both to God and to man (and if evil, to Satan) – all at the same time.

    A. Like railroad tracks (going in the same direction, ending at the same place)
        1. Man moves along one track
        2. God moves along the other
        3. The ties between the two tracks represent connections between the human and the divine.
            a) Man can tap into divine power and guidance through prayer
            b) God can intervene and influence what's happening on the other track
        4. Sometimes Satan moves along a third track which, interestingly enough, goes in the same direction and ends at the
            same spot as the other two tracks.

     B. The movers on the tracks
          1. Each one who moves is 100% responsible for his actions.
          2. The movers, though equal in responsibility, are not equal in power
               a) God laid the tracks
               b) God created the ones who are moving upon them

     C. The motives of the movers
        1. Each mover has his own motives (God's are good; Satan's are evil; man's can be either.)
        2. While man's motives may be frustrated and Satan's motives will be frustrated (eventually),
            God's motives are always realized.

IV. Conclusions
     A. God is sovereign
     B. Man is free
     C. God can move through man's freedom to accomplish His purposes.

V. Other examples of divine concurrence
     A. Judas' betrayal     Lu 22
          1. Judas   v6    "consented and watched for an opportunity"
          2. Satan   v3  "entered into Judas  (SATAN POSSESSION)
          3. God v22  "The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed"
              a) Motives of each?
               b) How do you know Judas felt responsible for what he did?  (HANGED SELF  Mt 27:5)

     B. Peter's denial   Mt 26 and Lu 22
          1. Peter    Mt 26:70  "denied it before them all"
          2. Satan   Lu 22:31  "Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat"
          3. Jesus   Mt 26:34  "This very night you will disown me"
               a) Motive of each?
            b) Don't you think if you were warned ahead of time you were going to do something awful, you would be determined
                to change the outcome of the prophecy? Why didn't Peter?
           c) Interview with Peter   Mt 26, Mk 14, Lu 22
                1) Peter, did you realize what you were doing at the time you did it?  (NOT TIL COCK CREW   Mt 26:75)
                2) Did you feel guilty about what you did to your Lord?  (YES, WENT OUT AND WEPT BITTERLY  Mt 26:75)
                3) Did you ever feel constrained to act as you did or were you free at all times?
                4) If you had your life to live over again, would you change anything?

     C. The role of Pilate in the crucifixion    Jn 19
        1. Pilate  v10  "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"
        2. Jesus v11  "You would have no power over me at all if it were not given you from above."
           a) Motive of each?
           b) Interview with Pilate   Mt 27,  Mk 15,  Lu 23,  Jn 18
                1) What were you thinking when Jesus appeared before you the morning of His crucifixion?   Mk 15:1
                2) What did you think when  your wife warned you Jesus was no ordinary man?  Mt 27:19
                3) Did you think Jesus was guilty?  (NO)   Jn 18:38
                4) Why didn't you try to save him?  (POLITICAL REASONS)
                5) Did you make your decisions freely or were you a puppet?

     D. The sale of Joseph    Gen 50:20
          1. Joseph's brothers "intended to harm"  Joseph
          2. God "intended it for good"
               a) Motive of each?  "saving many lives"  v20
               b) Interview with Reuben    Gen 37, 42-44
                1) Reuben, what prompted you to take the drastic action of selling your brother to a traveling caravan?
                      (FAVORITE  37:3; DREAMS 37:7)
                2) Why didn't you kill him like your brothers wanted you to?  v37:22
                3) What were you thinking at these critical times in your life:
                    · when you found out you had to go to Egypt to get food?
                    · when you stood before Pharaoh's second-in-command who was really your long-lost brother only you didn't
                      know it then?
                     · when you were told to go back to Canaan to get your brother Benjamin?  Ge 42:22    (BEING PUNISHED)
                    · when you opened your sack of grain and found the pouch of silver that you thought had been left in Egypt as
                      payment?  Gen 43:18  (AFRAID MAKE SLAVES)
                    · when you were asked to dinner at Joseph's house and were seated according to age?
                      Gen 43:33   (ASTONISHED)
                    · when Joseph finally revealed himself to you? Gen 45:3  (TERRIFIED)
                     · when you ended up living in Egypt?   Gen 46:34   (GRATEFUL, AFRAID;  "shepherds detestable")
                4) Did you at any time in the course of these events get an inkling that you were part of a divine plan?
                5) Did you make your decisions freely?

     E. The hardening of Pharaoh's heart    Ex 9:  God 7x;  Pharaoh 9x
          1. Pharaoh  v34:   "He and his officials hardened their hearts"
          2. God  v12  "The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart"
               a) Motive of each?
               b) Interview with Pharaoh    Ex 7-12
                    1) Why wouldn't you let the Hebrews depart from your land?   (ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE)
                    2) During the plagues that settled on your country, you promised twice to release the Hebrews.
                        Each time you changed your mind. Why?  (WHEN RELIEF CAME, MAYBE NO MORE PLAGUES
                        Ex8:8,15; 9:28,34)
                    3) Eventually, however, you did let the Hebrews go. Why this time did you not back down?
                        (AFRAID ALL DIE    Ex 12:33)
                    4) At any time in your decision-making process, did you feel like you were being used by Moses' God?

VI. Personal application
     A. Let's strive to be more aware each day of the following truths:
          1. God is actively working right now in my life.
          2. However, I am responsible for the choices I make.
          3. With my choices come consequences
          4. If I seek God's guidance, He will help me make the right choices.
          5. God cares about what happens to me and promises to bring good out of every circumstance, no matter how bad it is.

    B. Let's express our gratitude to God by recalling a time in which God took a bad situation and brought good from it.
          1. Did you make a mistake?
          2. Could you see Satan at work?
          3. Was God also at work?
          4. What good came out of the situation?
          5. Praise God again today for His mighty care for you.

VII. Read:   "God Moves Through Man's Freedom"    pp 1-6  (HAND OUT after reading; only 1 per family)