Sermon Tone Analysis

Romans chapter 9.

This is probably the most controversial chapters in all of scripture.

This chapter is probably the most debated chapter in scripture.

This is the most weaponized Christian against Christian chapter in all of scripture.

This is the foundation of the whole conversation of “are you Calvinist or Armenian?”

It is a tough chapter to wrap our heads around.

It is difficult to understand.

None of those things mean that we should avoid it - in fact, we should, without debate, attempt to understand it.

Peter talks about this in one of his letters.....

And this is kinda funny.

We spent probably 2 months going through Romans 8 and the promises that it contains.

Starting with no condemnation and ending with no separation.

Full of promises.

Throughout the first 8 chapters of the book - Paul shares that the nation of Israel has a special place of honor in the kingdom of God, first the Jew and then also to the greek… and then goes through chapter 8 with all of these beautiful promises and comes to a stop.

Because the question has to be asked.

If the Jewish people are so special, why aren’t all of them saved?

If the nation of Israel has a special place of honor - why don’t they all receive the Messiah?

Has the word of God failed?

Did God break his promise?

Even though we are not all jewish by heritage, we should care about the answer to that question as well.

Because if God does not keep his promises, what good is Romans 8? What good is salvation?

What good is our adoption?

What good is any of it, if God is going to arbitrarily change his mind, then what is my faith in?

We want to see those questions answered.

Chapter 9 and 10 gives Paul’s answer to that question - we aren’t going to be able to get through it all today, I want to focus just on Romans 9.

But you can’t have Romans 9 with out 10. That’s very important.

If you read just Romans 9 - you might develop a God does it all, what I consider an extremely Calvinistic view.

God predestines, God calls, we just sit around and things happen to us.

If you only read Romans 10, then you might develop a theology where God barely involved in your salvation at all.

You work it out.

You are the one who confesses Jesus is Lord with your mouth and are therefore saved.

Its all up to you.

There is truth in both of those chapters, we have to consume them together to understand salvation the way that God intended.

Romans 11 seems to pull the other two chapters together to help us get it.

We should also understand that it is hard.

And Paul didn’t understand it all himself.

He ends these three chapters with this beautiful doxology.

Message

Gods Promises ARE for His People.

God’s promises are secured by His will

God’s promises are experienced by Mercy.

God’s Promises ARE for His People.

Who are his people?

Understanding as a Jewish person.

As a Jewish person, writing to Jewish people and to greeks, it is important to Paul that the things that he writes are grounded in the Old testament.

Vs 1-5 tells us that this passage is wrestling with the nation of Israel, who has all of the things Paul mentions is vs 4 and 5.

The adoption – Israel was adopted national.

Exodus 4:22

The Glory – The glory of God was in the Tabernacle, then the temple.

The pillars that led them through the wilderness.

The Covenants – The covenant with Abraham, the covenant with Moses (giving of the Law) Jeremiah 31 – the new covenant.

The giving of the Law – The law protected Israel and showed God’s favor

The service/Worship of God – They got to be pleasing to God, they got to be involved in the things of God.

The Promises – all of the things that God promised to the nation of Israel by the flesh.

The physical children of Abraham still have the promises of God.

Reminder of vs 1-5….

Pray that we are burdened the way that Paul is.

Vs 6.

Its not that the word of God has failed.

There is a national Israel, and the a guy named Israel.

Not by birthright.

Gen 17:18-21

Abraham had Ishmael… God said no.

Not Ishmael.

Abraham had 6 other sons.

None of these.

Isaac.

Isaac was the one God chose to carry the covenants.

Its not about who your grandpa is.

Not by Works.

So who are God’s people?

Romans 9 tells us that it is people that God Chooses.

Romans 10 tells us that it is people who have faith in Jesus.

God’s promises are secured by his will.

Why is it that we have not all received Messiah?

Paul is telling us… because God gets to choose.

Didn’t God choose Jacob, and not Esau?

It is an old testament truth that not all of Abrahams children receive the promises.

Love in such an exorbitant way that it appears that the other is hated.

Favor.

Overwhelmingly so.

Gen 29:30-31.

Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah.

So God corrected Jacob by allowing Leah to bear children while Rachel couldn’t.

Malachi tells us that while God did bless Esau, he did not allow him to flourish the way that Jacob did.

God kept him from moving that direction.

Jacob flourished, because God decided that he would.

Jacob was blessed, because God decided to bless him.

God Loves everyone… but he does choose.

1 John 4:8,16.

God is love.

Romans 5:8

John 3:16

Matthew 5:44

Psalm 7:11

Psalm 5:5

Romans 11:28

Calvinist: Not of him who wills.

It isn’t the “will” of a person that makes them saved.

But we have to be careful that it isn’t just God doing the things, or we reject Romans 10.