Romans 9:1-9 | Love for the Lost

SERMON TITLE: Love for the Lost

TEXT: Romans 9:1-9 (ESV)

SPEAKER: Josh Hanson

DATE: 9-22-24

TURN MIC ON / WELCOME

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our series in Romans this weekend. And — today — we’re going to begin in chapter nine. If you were here with us last weekend — you know we took our time to recap all that Paul has covered in the first half of his letter as it’s been two years since we were last in it. Which is somewhat fitting given that Paul — in chapter three — started a thought that he seems to have gotten distracted from and it’s not until our chapter — chapter nine — that he returns to his thought. I don’t know if we got distracted — but we had some other goals to accomplish before we returned to Romans — finishing our Finding Jesus series — one sermon on every book in the Old Testament — and our series in Mark, Acts, the Ten Commandments, First John, and Daniel.

But — here we are — back in Paul’s letter to Christians living in Rome — a letter we’re going to focus on until we come to its end. We’ll take breaks here and there — but know that Romans will now have the bulk of our attention over the next year or so.

So — with that in mind — let’s turn to our verses for today. We’ll be in Romans chapter nine — looking at verses one through nine. If you have your Bible — please turn with me to Romans chapter nine — we’ll begin in verse one.

Romans 9:1–9 (ESV)

1 I am speaking the truth in Christ — I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit — 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”

DO YOU LOVE THE LOST?

Were you moved by Paul’s love for those who were lost? Lost — here — doesn’t mean that they ignored directions in their map app — lost means that they’ve not yet believed in Jesus Christ as God’s promised Messiah — as the Rescuer whom the Old Testament promised would one day come and bring salvation to all who trust in him.

Now — I know that the idea of there being people who are lost — who are not in a right relationship with God — who are under his judgment at this time — is about as off putting of an idea as there is in our day. Who do I think I am to say that some are right with him and others are not?

To which — I’d ask — who are you to say otherwise? You see, the issue isn’t that I’m dogmatic and you’re not — the issue isn’t that I’m making an objective statement and you’re not — the issue isn’t that I’m saying that my view is universal — is true for everyone — and that you’re not — if you don’t like my view — whatever your view is is just as dogmatic, claims to be just as objective, and is just as universal — or true for everyone else — in the same way as my view.

We just have two different views. Which means — now — the question we must answer is: Which view is true?

Your view may be that everyone is right with God and we’ll all end up in heaven or eternal bliss or whatever you want to call it. Others may view that everyone’s eternity will be based on what we do — if your good works outweigh your bad works then you’ll be good to go. Still others may have an atheistic view of eternal life and nothing that we do in this life matters eternally. Or — like me — you believe that all people will experience eternal life. For some — this eternal life will be lived in the presence of God — while for others it will be lived in separation from him. And — it’s not our works that determine where our eternity will be lived — instead — whether or not we believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation is the only means by which eternal life with God is possible.

For this is why Jesus came — to give life and to give it abundantly to all who put their faith in him alone. He came to seek and save the lost — which means — being lost is something that’s part of all of our stories. Some of us have been found — while others haven’t as of yet.

Maybe you’re here today and this is you: You’ve yet to believe in Jesus — to trust in him — as your Savior. You know something’s wrong with the world, wrong with humanity, maybe even wrong with you — and you’re looking for an answer — a solution — my hope is that you’ll see how Jesus is the only answer to your, my, and everyone else’s wrongness.

Or maybe you do believe in Jesus — I hope that you do and that — if you do — Paul’s words — describing his love for those who are lost have deeply moved you. For that’s where Paul’s focus lies after having soared to the heights of heavenly hope with the words…

Romans 8:38–39 (ESV)

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What marvelous, soul-lifting hope for those who believe in Jesus Christ. Nothing is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Once you are found — you’ll never be lost again. And — for Paul — this truth moves him towards those who’ve yet to receive this promise. For his next words are words expressing his love for — and his mercy towards — and his concern for those who are still lost. He writes…

Romans 9:1–3 (ESV)

1 I am speaking the truth in Christ — I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit — 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.

This sorrow and anguish — that Paul has for his fellow Israelites who’ve rejected Jesus as their Savior — leads him to say that he wishes — he knows it’s not possible, but he wishes — that he could be cut off from Christ if it would lead to their salvation. Essentially Paul is saying, “God, if it were possible, I’d gladly go to Hell if it would result in them believing in Jesus.” This is how much Paul loved the lost. But Paul knows he can’t go to Hell for their salvation — he’s not their savior — only Jesus saves — but his words are inspiring, right? Or — at the very least challenging. How much do you love those who are lost?

Some of us — who have children who’ve abandoned the faith — can deeply relate to Paul’s words. You know the anguish of loving someone who does’t — as of now — love Jesus. You know the heartache, the despair, the desperation for them to believe. In your love for them you may — if you’re able to admit — gotten a bit to preachy to them — which has only added to the messiness of the relationship. Yet you so love them — if they only knew — that like Paul — you’d give up whatever it’d take for them to believe in Jesus.

Some of us haven’t yet experienced this pain. Your children — or fellow family members — or whoever you care most about — all currently follow Jesus. Consider yourself blessed — not someone who’s figured out the secret formula — but someone who is greatly blessed. Yet we all — if we know our Bibles — know that this grief — of loving those who don’t love God — is something that God’s people have always had to wrestle with.

Whether it be Adam and Eve and Cain who rejected God.

Or Samuel — God’s prophet — whose two sons did not follow in their father’s faithfulness.

David whose son — Absalom — rebelled against his dad — tried to have him killed — as he took over the kingdom.

Or the many good kings — in Judah’s history — who end up having a son who becomes a wicked and evil king.

The anguish that Paul is expressing is an anguish and sorrow that’s felt by many in the history of God’s people — including God’s people today. May gentleness, mercy, and kindness be part of the atmosphere of our faith family so that those who are hurting and grieving — due to the lostness of a loved one — may find restoration for their exhausted spirit.

ISRAEL IS LOST?

Back to Paul’s statement: think about what he’s saying. Those who are known as God’s people — the Israelites — are accursed. They’re cut off from Jesus Christ — God’s Messiah — the promised Savior. Which means — God’s chosen people — are on their way to eternal judgment — are on their way to Hell — to separation from God for all eternity. What a statement that should cause us to pause.

For all of their history — a history full of rebellion and wandering in the wilderness and living in exile — never would one think that — after all of their history that they would one day go so far that they would be cursed by God. And — yet — this is what Paul is saying. For — if he wishes he could substitute himself in their place and be accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of his fellow Israelites — then our only conclusion can be is that this is their reality. Israel is accursed and cut off from Christ. And to be cut off from Christ — is the very definition of being lost and without hope — especially eternal hope — which means they are headed to eternal destruction.

Now — if you know where we’re headed — we’re going to encounter God’s sovereignty in salvation in the coming weeks. God’s sovereignty is his control, power, and ability to orchestrate all things to accomplish his plan. And — especially when it comes to God’s plan of salvation for mankind — God’s sovereignty has been the subject of countless books, podcasts, debates, and discussions among Christians. And it’s usually a topic that evokes strong emotions among those involved.

Yet — something to notice — as we examine Paul’s words in the coming weeks — notice how little Paul spends analyzing God’s sovereignty — or our free will — and — instead — notice how he begins by demonstrating great mercy towards those who are lost. Paul’s the one writing the words that we debate, discuss, and analyze — yet he doesn’t do any of this. Our response is so vastly different than his. He expresses sorrow and grief over those who’ve yet to receive Christ as their Savior and Lord as he goes into a lengthy defense of God’s sovereignty in our salvation. And I think we’d all be better off — including our unbelieving friends, co-workers, neighbors, and family members — I think we’d all be better off if we — those who believe in Jesus — followed Paul’s example. How much do you love those who are lost? How much are you grieved for those who don’t yet believe in Jesus?

It’s easy — I get it — as Christians — to live as either practical atheists or practical universalists. To live as if people we know and care about aren’t headed to an eternity in Hell where they will be forever separated from God. Either everything just ends for them — that’s practical atheism — or they’ll end up in Heaven regardless of what they believe about Jesus — that’s practical universalism.

But — if we believe — if you really believe — that all people will live somewhere for all eternity — either Heaven or Hell — in God’s presence or separated from him — in eternal life or in eternal death — if you believe this — how can any of us dare to live as if we don’t? Eternities are at stake. How much do you love the lost?

As a church who exists to glorify God by making disciples of Jesus Christ — we have the vision of us being disciples who are growing in our generosity and in our Kingdom-mindedness. Being generous — financially giving to the ministry of Gateway — helps the gospel — the Good News of what Jesus has accomplished in his life, death, and resurrection — go forth so that those who don’t yet believe might hear the gospel and respond. Whether it be through the curriculum we use in our next generation ministry — a curriculum called the Gospel Project — because we want to share the hope of Jesus with the kids and students among us because we believe they will all spend eternity in either God’s presence or in separation from him — to local and global ministry partners who are sharing the gospel to those who’ve yet to respond to it — your generosity helps us to be a church who proclaims the gospel to those who are lost.

This is also related to our vision of us being disciples who are Kingdom-minded. For we believe that God is doing a work beyond the ministry of our church and local community and we want to see his Kingdom expand — his reign and rule in the hearts of more people all around the world — to grow and increase. So we must have a vision and passion for God’s Kingdom to expand beyond our local church.

With this in mind — here are some next steps for you to consider. First, start supporting this church financially if you’re not already. We tell you how to do so every week during the announcements. Online giving is a great option for most of us. But it’s hard to say we’re a generous people if we’re not giving generously to the ministry God is doing in our local church.

Second, sign up to get updates from one of our ministry partners so you can start praying with and for them. Go to our website — gatewayepc.org/ministry-partners for more info. Get to know them and what they’re doing. Show an interest. Demonstrate your love for them by building a relationship with them. Send them encouragement. Maybe even visit them or find other ways to support what they’re doing in taking the news of Jesus to those who are lost.

Third, a lot of folks you know stopped going to church during COVID and haven’t come back — I’m not just talking about going to Gateway — I’m talking about going to church period. But here’s a little secret: the vast majority would come back if you personally invited them. A month or so ago I ran into someone at Walmart who I hadn’t seen at Gateway in years. I invited them to come back and — guess what? They’ve started coming back. The next week — I ran into someone else who had stopped coming during COVID — I invited that individual back as well. Who’s someone you could invite to come to church with you? Here’s the easy conversation starter question. You ready? You won’t even have to write it down. Just ask them, “Where do you go to church?” And if you hear them say, “I go to such and such” say, “Great!” If they say, “I used to go to such and such, but it’s been a while” say, “Would you like to come to church with me on Sunday?” And — if they say, “Church! Why would I go to church?” Say, “That’s an interesting response. Why don’t you go to church?” And be open to listening to them. Either way, it’s not all that complicated.

Fourth, maybe you that parent of a wayward child. Or it’s your sibling or parent or best friend. What can you do to demonstrate that you love them — and that God loves them too? Maybe it’s taking them out for coffee and asking them how life’s going. Or out for dinner to talk about their struggle at work. Or some other act of kindness where you take time to show them that they matter to you — regardless of what they believe about Jesus at this time. For — remember — Jesus showed a lot of people that they mattered to him long before they believed that he was their Savior.

Some — I think — simple ways for us to fight apathy and reject practical atheism and universalism in our lives. But our sorrow and anguish for the lost will prove itself to be true in the cost we’re willing to pay in how we live our lives. Because all love comes at a cost — that’s what we see in Jesus’ love for us. And if he was willing to give his life — in love — for you and me — what might he be asking you to do — in love — for others?

CONCLUSION

Now — to end on a beautiful reminder — God has made some wonderful promises to us — in his Word — about his love for the lost — which is meant to compel us in our love for them. For God has told us that his love for them is like…

Luke 15:4–24 (NLT)

4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! 8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” 11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. 13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. 17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.” ’ 20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ 22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

The lost — experiencing God’s love for them in Jesus Christ — is a reason for Heaven to rejoice — a reason for us to join in Heaven’s party as those who were lost experience God’s love. And his Word also tells us…

John 3:16 (ESV)

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Another reason for us to rejoice and celebrate and love those who’ve yet to believe in Jesus. God so loved the world that he sent Jesus to be our Savior. And whoever believes in him — will not perish — but is guaranteed eternal life. May God’s love for you — and his love for those who are lost — compel you to demonstrate his love for them — to them. Let’s pray together.

PRAYER

Father, what a truth to behold — you so loved the world that you gave your only Son — Jesus Christ — so that whoever believes in him will not perish — but have eternal life. And Father is it amazing to think that — in heaven — there is rejoicing when one lost sinner repents. A party is thrown — a party like no other. For — like a father running to his prodigal son — you run towards your lost children whom you love.

Holy Spirit, increase our faith in you — the One who inspired the human authors of Scripture — so that our trust in God’s love for us — and those who are lost — increases. Often — the sorrows we face — due to those we love not believing in Jesus — can cause us to waver in our trust in your promises to us. So — Spirit — we ask you to strengthen our trust in our vision of what it means for you to be a loving God.

And — Jesus — you are the Word of God who came to fulfill God’s love to the world: The Messiah promised to come — the great Rescuer — the One who would — in love — save his people from their sin by offering his life as a sacrifice for our sin. You came and demonstrated the truth we’ve been looking at today: that our God loves the lost. And those who believe in you shall not perish — but are guaranteed eternal life. For your love cannot fail.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we thank you for your love for us and for the world. And we pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)

May you go and show God’s love for the lost — to the lost. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.