"O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." - Jeremiah 10:23 "Choose this day whom you will serve." - Joshua 24:15 Introduction Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Today we confront one of the most profound paradoxes of the Christian faith—the tension between God's absolute sovereignty and human free will. These two biblical truths appear, on the surface, to be irreconcilable opposites. On one hand, Scripture clearly affirms that God is sovereign over all things, working everything according to His purpose. On the other hand, the Bible consistently calls people to make choices, holds them accountable for those choices, and speaks meaningfully of human responsibility. How do we hold these seemingly contradictory truths together? Are we merely puppets in a divine play, or are we truly free agents making autonomous decisions? Does God's sovereignty negate our freedom, or can these two realities somehow coexist? And importantly, how do we distinguish between free will and free agency, a distinction that theologian J.I. Packer helpfully clarifies in his book "Concise Theology"? As we explore this tension today, I want to propose that divine sovereignty and human freedom are not contradictory but complementary truths. Both are affirmed in Scripture, and both must be held with equal conviction, even when our finite minds struggle to fully comprehend their relationship. I. The Biblical Witness to God's Sovereignty Let us begin by examining what Scripture teaches about God's sovereignty—His absolute rule and authority over all creation. The Bible portrays God as the supreme ruler who governs all things according to His will. In Ephesians 1:11, Paul describes God as the one "who works all things according to the counsel of his will." Nothing happens outside His sovereign control—not the fall of a sparrow (Matthew 10:29), not the roll of the dice (Proverbs 16:33), not even the decisions of kings (Proverbs 21:1). Consider these further testimonies from Scripture: Daniel 4:35 declares that God "does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, 'What have you done?'"  In Isaiah 46:9-10, God says, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'"  Romans 9:19-21 compares God to a potter who has the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use.  These passages and many others present a God who is not merely reacting to human decisions but actively directing the course of history according to His sovereign plan. This sovereignty extends to salvation itself. In Ephesians 1:4-5, Paul writes that God "chose us in him before the foundation of the world" and "predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will." The doctrine of divine sovereignty reminds us that God is truly God—not a limited deity constrained by human choices, but the Almighty Lord who accomplishes all His purposes. II. The Biblical Witness to Human Responsibility Yet the same Scriptures that affirm God's absolute sovereignty also consistently present humans as responsible moral agents who make genuine choices. Throughout the Bible, God calls people to choose: Joshua challenges the Israelites, "Choose this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15).  Moses sets before the people "life and death, blessing and curse" and urges them to "choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:19).  Jesus invites people to "enter by the narrow gate" (Matthew 7:13) and to "come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden" (Matthew 11:28).  The Bible is filled with commands, exhortations,