Romans 9:19-29 | Do We Dare Talk Back to God?

SERMON TITLE: Do We Dare Talk Back to God?

‌SCRIPTURE: Romans 9:19-29 (ESV)

SPEAKER: Josh Hanson

DATE: 10-13–24

TURN MIC ON / WELCOME

It’s good to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And — if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — are 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.

INTRODUCTION

We’re continuing our series in the book of Romans. To quickly catch us all up — after demonstrating to his readers — and us — of his love for his fellow Israelites — a love so deep that — if it were possible — Paul would have gladly gone to hell on their behalf in order to save them. And then — having reminded us of the undeserved blessings God had bestowed upon the Jewish people and that God’s Word cannot fail — Paul began his explanation as to why so many of his fellow Israelites had rejected Jesus as the promised Messiah — God’s promised Savior and Rescuer. For the Messiah was a promise God gave to the Jewish people — and yet they — overall — rejected Jesus. They had him killed. They opposed him while he was here on earth.

Not all of them — of course — but overall — as a people — they did not receive him as the fulfillment of God’s promised Savior. And then Paul begins to explain why this was the case. Why did some — who were ethnically Jewish — reject Jesus while other received him? And Paul’s answer is uncomfortable to our ears. His answer goes against everything we naturally believe about God, ourselves, and how things work int his world — especially how salvation works. For — though many will acknowledge that salvation is by grace alone — meaning it’s not earned by anything we do — we then quickly make our decisions and actions the determining factor in salvation. Meaning — the reason why this group is saved is because they did this — whatever this is for you — while this group over here isn’t saved because they didn’t do this.

To which Paul starts giving examples that counter this natural belief of ours. To those who think it’s being part of a certain group that saves you — redeems you — makes you ethnic, political, national, or whatever — Paul says, “Well there were these two brothers — both had the same dad — Abraham — who God had made a promise to. And one son receives the blessing of God’s promise to his dad while the other son doesn’t.”

“Yeah,” we think. “But maybe it was because the son who was blessed did something that the son who wasn’t blessed didn’t do? Or maybe the son who wasn’t blessed did something that lost him the blessing and the other son didn’t do whatever that was? Maybe that’s what happened Paul.”

To which Paul says, “Here’s another example to explain why some Jews believed in Jesus while many Jews didn’t. There were two other brothers — twins this time! — and their dad was Isaac — Abraham’s son who was the blessed one. And — while they were still in their mother’s womb — God chose Jacob to be the child of the promise and not Esau.” And — why did God choose Jacob and not Esau? To quote Paul, “In order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls.”

In fact — one could argue that God chose Jacob despite his works. You want to know what kind of things Jacob did that God had to take into consideration when choosing him? He” defrauded his brother — Esau — connived with his mother to deceive his father, tried to exploit his uncle, and showed superficial interest in God’s covenant” according to one Bible scholar.

And this is getting uncomfortable Paul. To which Paul says, “Well here’s another example. Remember Pharaoh — the Egyptian leader who enslaved God’s people until Moses was called to lead them into freedom?” Paul — in quoting Scripture about Pharaoh — says, “For this very purpose I (God) have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” God says that he created Pharaoh for a specific purpose: that his (God’s) power would be displayed. And how was God’s power displayed in Pharaoh’s life? In Pharaoh’s humiliation and defeat.

And — to all of these examples — Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Pharaoh — examples that fluster us, challenge us, upset us, maybe enrage some of us — Paul asks, “Is there injustice on God’s part?” His answer: By no means! He goes on to say, “So then he (God) has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.”

You see — humanity doesn’t stand before God innocent — we stand before him guilty because of our sin. And we can trust God’s promise that he never punishes the innocent. The problem is that none of us are innocent. Thus we all stand before God in need of mercy — not deserving of it — not having earned it — but desperate for his mercy. So who are we to demand or expect that God would be merciful towards all? Instead — we should be amazed that he’s merciful towards any of us? The irony is that if it wasn’t for God being merciful towards some — we would never question his justice. This is what Paul is getting at.

Are Paul’s words true of the God you believe in? Meaning — does your view of God, humanity, and how salvation works — align with what Paul is saying — inspired by the Holy Spirit — or have you been arguing with Paul the entire time? I’ve warned you that this chapters were controversial — and they’re controversial because they go straight for our pride. Because we all — even while we acknowledge Paul’s words — we all want to believe that something we’ve done is surely why we’re a Christian — surely why others aren’t is because of something they haven’t done that we did. That the key to salvation ultimately lies within our hands — humanity — and not in God’s.

This is exactly what Paul’s fellow countrymen — his fellow Jews — believed. This is why they were confused and why Paul is trying to clear things up — however uncomfortable his explanation is for them and us. Thus — we should pause and recognize the sacredness of the ground upon which we’re venturing. Salvation isn’t a topic to talk flippantly about. It’s not a subject that should be approached with arrogance or indifference. Neither thinking we’ve got it all figured out or that it doesn’t matter because we’ll never figure it all out are the appropriate responses. Instead — with awe and reverence — and with humility — we’re to step into this sacred ground with Paul. For — our humility — is Paul’s target as we continue.

We’ve in verse nineteen of chapter nine. In verse nineteen — after the examples of Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, and Pharaoh — Paul continues with…

Romans 9:19–29 (ESV)

19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory — 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ ” 26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ ” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”

DO WE DARE TALK BACK TO GOD?

Remember — this is sacred ground — we’re on — holy waters we’re treading. And the first question for us to answer is: Do we dare talk back to God on this matter? The answer is no. Do we have questions, do we need clarity, may we struggle with all of this — yes! But dare we talk back to God? Here’s how Paul puts it in verse nineteen.

Romans 9:19–20 (ESV)

19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

Paul anticipates his readers — and our — next response? And Paul’s anticipation of our objections and questions is what I find most helpful in knowing if we’re understanding him correctly. For — after hearing him say that God chose Isaac and not Ishmael — period. No explanation. Then Paul tells us that God chose Jacob and not Esau — not because of their works but because of his purpose of election. Then — after telling us that God raised up Pharaoh for the purpose of displaying his power — which we know was done in Pharaoh’s judgment and defeat — and summing it all up with, “God has mercy on whom he chooses and hardens whom he chooses” — Paul anticipates our very next question.

“So why does God still blame us for not responding? How can he blame us for anything since he’s in charge of everything? Didn’t Ishmael and Esau and Pharaoh and the Jews who had Jesus killed — didn’t they all just do what God had determined would happened?” That’s the counter argument, right? Tell me you weren’t thinking this already? Haven’t argued it before? Wasn’t about to send in a question to the podcast about this? If Isaac — not Ishmael — was God’s choice. If Jacob — not Esau — was God’s decision. If Pharaoh’s heart being hardened was God’s will. How can he hold it against them? How can he hold it against the Jews who had Jesus killed? How can he hold it against Judas — for betraying Jesus — when all Judas was doing was fulfilling prophecies written hundreds of years prior?

The obvious next question for us to ask — to want the answer to — to even feel that we have the right to demand that God give us his defense. But to which Paul replies…

Romans 9:20 (ESV)

20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

Who are you to talk back to God? Or — as one Bible translation puts it, “Who in the world do you think you are to second-guess God? Do you for one moment suppose any of us knows enough to call God into question?”

Well — do you? Do you dare say to God — as one pastor has put it, “God, I think you you’ve used your sovereignty — your being in control of all things — in an unwise and unrighteous way.”

This is incredibly humbling, isn’t it? Now — if we here at Gateway believe that Paul — like all the authors of Scripture — were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Which means his response to our questioning of God’s fairness and justice in salvation as Paul has explained it — is the response we’re not only to receive — but to live. For — who are we — to question God? Do we dare talk back to him on this matter? Do we really think that we know enough about him, us, and how salvation works to argue back as if we’re the Potter and not the clay?

DOES GOD HAVE THE RIGHT?

Speaking of the Potter and clay — let’s continue with Paul’s words which will lead us to ask another question.

Romans 9:21 (ESV)

21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

Does your God have this right? Again — I know how humbling this is — to see us being spoken of us as nothing more than clay — but we did all originate from dirt, biblically speaking — only our arrogance and pride would cause us to think more highly of ourselves than what Scripture tells us. It’s easy to act like we’re peers with God — with every right to rebuke him — isn’t it? How crazy that sounds to actually hear it out loud thought, right?

So — again — does your God — not your peer — but does your God have the right to make vessels for honorable use and others for dishonorable use? Isaacs and Ishmaels. Jacobs and Esaus. Pharaohs and his former slaves. Where one is honorable because God has chosen to bestow honor upon the individual and the other is dishonorable also because of God’s choice. Or is honor and dishonor still something you believe to be in our — humanity’s hands — even though Paul has said otherwise?

Know that Paul is alluding to the prophet Isaiah’s words here. The verse being referred to says this.

Isaiah 29:16 (ESV)

16 You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

Sometimes it’s helpful to hear the same verse worded a bit differently in English so we understand what’s being said. Here are two other translations of this verse.

Isaiah 29:16 (NLT)

16 How foolish can you be? He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”?

Or this one.

Isaiah 29:16 (MSG)

16 You have everything backward! You treat the potter as a lump of clay. Does a book say to its author, “He didn’t write a word of me”? Does a meal say to the woman who cooked it, “She had nothing to do with this”?

Paul’s Jewish readers would have also remembered the words in Jeremiah chapter eighteen.

Jeremiah 18:1–6 (NLT)

1 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, 2 “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” 3 So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. 4 But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. 5 Then the Lord gave me this message: 6 “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.

We’re the clay — God’s the Potter. We’re the words — God’s the Author. We’re the meal — God’s the Chef. Take whichever metaphor you like if it helps remind you of who you are and who God is — especially when asking what rights does God have. Paul’s not forbidding sincere questions — but he is forbidding us — who are made of clay — from arrogantly questioning the Potter.

And think of this: What are the implications if God doesn’t have this right? Who — then — is really in charge of things? Who’s responsible for a person’s salvation? Who’s responsible for justice against the wicked? Who’s responsible if God doesn’t have this kind of right over his creation — including us? Though we are the pinnacle of God’s creation — as we find throughout Scripture — humanity is made in the image of God. Though we’re made in his image — we are not God. And we dare not think we can take away his right to be God — his right to create us humans to eat wonderful foods like fruit and vegetables and pizza and Cheetohs — while he created baby Koalas to eat their mom’s poop — true story — you can Google it — later! “Well of course he has that right.” But it stinks for the baby Koala’s, doesn’t it?

Yet — we are creatures — God is the Creator.

C.S. Lewis once said, “In years past, people approached God humbly, as a man approaches a judge. But today, each individual is a judge and God is on trial.” Though it seems like putting God on trial is both a current and an ancient problem of the human heart. Do you recognize this temptation in your own life — to put God on trial? That’s what I’ve been trying to break down today — the way we’ve put him on trial when it comes to his rights as the Creator of everyone and everything. Know that this posture — one that puts God on trial — has more to do with critical theory than it does with anything we find in the Bible. Yes — for all that we Christians do in opposing Critical Theory being taught in schools — we best be aware of how it’s appeared in our own theology. Critical theory says that oppression — not sin — is our primary problem. Take this theory to our relationship with God — and — guess what? We demand that he give us an answer to what we perceive to be a misuse of his power in being merciful towards some and not others. We demand that he give us an answer as to why he would create people as vessels for his wrath. We demand that he explain himself.

I know this isn’t the case for all of us — but do we see the danger of what I’m describing? Do you see the danger in your own life for — maybe you wouldn’t call it demanding — but Paul has been making his case — and his questions and responses don’t make a whole lot of sense outside of this being a defense of God’s sovereignty — his freedom — in being merciful towards whomever he chooses to be merciful — without exception. Paul knew this would offend his Jewish readers — but he didn’t allow their offense to keep him from telling them the truth. Will you allow any offense you may have — to Paul’s words — keep you from the truth? Or from answering our question — does God have the right — with anything other than, “Yes. Yes God does have the right.”

GOD’S RIGHT TO BE GOD

So — our answer is yes — yes God does have the right to be God. We’re in verse twenty-two.

Romans 9:22–29 (ESV)

22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory — 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ ” 26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ ” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodom and become like Gomorrah.”

Let’s first understand these Old Testament passages that Paul quotes here. He starts with two quotes from the prophet Hosea. If you don’t know Hosea’s story — God commanded him to marry a prostitute who would be unfaithful to him. If you thought God’s sovereignty in salvation was bad I can only imagine what you think of him having authority over who we’re to marry and sleep with. Anyway…Hosea’s wife — Gomer — gets pregnant. We’re not really sure if Hosea is the father or if another guy is. And God tells Hosea to name the boy Jezreel because God’s going to bring an end to the nation of Israel.

Gomer gets pregnant again — we’re still not sure who the dad is — but God tells Hosea to name this child — a daughter — Lo-ruhama — which is translated as “no mercy.” Why that name? Because — God says, “No more mercy for Israel.” Gomer gets pregnant again — still don’t know if Hosea’s the dad or not — and this son is to be named Lo-ammi — which means “not my people” because God wants the Israelites to know “You are not my people and I am not your God.” You can find all of that in the first chapter of Hosea — a book — as you can tell — that begins with some easy names to skip over if you happen to be pregnant and want a good biblical name for your child.

But here’s what’s so unexpected. Right after telling Hosea to name the third child “not my people” — and telling the Israelites that they are not his people and he is not their God — here’s what we read in the very next verses.

Hosea 1:10–2:1 (ESV)

10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.” 11 And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel. 1 Say to your brothers, “You are my people,” and to your sisters, “You have received mercy.”

The Potter will make for himself vessels for honorable use. The Sovereign One will preserve for himself a people who are his. The Father in Heaven will adopt many into his family as his children. Though they don’t deserve — for none do — many will receive mercy. What hope — unexpected hope — is found in God’s mercy.

Let’s end by dissecting Paul’s question — which really isn’t a question — he’s making a point. His point is this: If God was merciful towards all people — if no one received judgment — then the value of his mercy would be watered down. To quote my favorite line by the villain Syndrome — in the movie Incredibles — “When everyone is super, no one will be.” If you haven’t seen the movie in a while — Syndrome’s point is that if he can make everyone a superhero then no one will be a superhero. It’s his way of correcting what he thought was an injustice in the world — that some had super powers while he — and many others — didn’t.

Well — if — in your view — God has created everyone to be a vessel — or recipient — of his mercy — that none were created to be a vessel of his wrath — you and Paul disagree. For this — according to Paul — is why only some of the Jews recognized Jesus as their promised Messiah and why others rejected him. And Paul’s use of “what if God” isn’t him stating a hypothetical situation — it’s him stating how things are. In the original language the grammar Paul uses means that he’s saying, “Assume what I’m saying is true for the sake of the argument I’m making.” Similar to when Jesus tells his listeners, “If you believed Moses, you’d believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words” as recorded in John’s gospel. The point Jesus is making is that because you don’t believe Moses you won’t believe me.

The point Paul is making is that God — in order to display his wrath — his hatred towards sin and injustice — and to make known his power — has been patient towards those whom he created to be recipients of his justice. His justice is what we all deserve — it’s what we’ve all earned — none are innocent and deserving of his mercy — thus — his mercy towards his people shines brighter than stars on a pitch black night because his mercy towards some is set against the backdrop of his justice towards others. And this is true for Jews — Paul says — and for Gentiles. Thus Isaac and Ishmael. Jacob and Esau. Pharaoh and his former slaves.

Thus — God’s mercy for Peter, James, and John — even though they all abandoned Jesus on the night of his crucifixion. Thus mercy for Mary and Martha — though they both expressed doubts of what he was capable of doing and — thus — who he was. Thus mercy for Paul — even though he was a murderer of God’s people. Thus mercy for the many who responded to Paul’s message about Christ. And — yet — God’s wrath and just judgment for Judas — the betrayer. His just judgment towards those who — after seeing Lazarus walk out of the tomb alive — instead of believing like others — went to the Pharisees to report what had happened — instigating their plans to put him to death. Thus wrath and just judgment for those who rejected Paul’s message — Jews and Gentiles — who opposed him — even turning violent against him.

Thus — if you believe in Jesus — you’re God’s vessel created for mercy. As it’s been said, “You were called out of spiritual deadness and sinful darkness by mercy, through mercy, and for mercy. By mercy, because in our rebellion we didn’t deserve to be awakened and opened and subdued to God. Through mercy, because every influence that worked on us to bring us to Christ was a mercy from God. For mercy, because every enjoyment that we will ever have, forever and ever, will be a merciful enjoyment. And mercy itself will be supremely pleasant to taste and know.” (John Piper)

Sacred holy ground. None deserved God’s mercy — just as none deserve his mercy today. May God’s wrath and just judgment be not what shocks us or surprises us — may his mercy towards any always be what astounds us.

CONCLUSION

Here’s what I hope we’ll all see as incredibly good news today: Our salvation is in the hands of God. And he is a good, just, kind, gracious, and — indeed — merciful God. Thus — even you — no matter how proud you are or how deceitful you’ve been or how unloveable you consider yourself to be — even you are not beyond God’s mercy. For it’s his mercy to give to whomever he chooses. And who am I — and who are you — to question his mercy? So — if today — you find yourself longing for God’s mercy, desiring it, or maybe — for the first time — finding yourself loving this God who is full of mercy — may you receive his mercy with joy and assurance in knowing that you don’t deserve it — but it is yours because he’s given it to you. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Father in Heaven — you are compassionate and faithful, patient and kind, loving and merciful. You graciously give your mercy to those who don’t deserve — for your mercy is not deserved by anyone — for none of us have earned it — in fact — because of our sin and rebellion — we’ve all unearned your mercy. Thus your mercy is yours to give or to withhold. Father, we ask for your forgiveness for the countless time we’ve questioned whether or not you know what you’re doing in being merciful towards some and not towards others — for all the times we’ve questioned you’re right to be God.

Spirit, may your mercy bring renewal, and hope, and life, and joy, and peace to many who hear my voice. May many children of the promise be awakened to your love for them as you call them out of darkness and into your marvelous light. Spirit, keep us humble. Yes — we are your workmanship created for good works to do — but we’re the workmanship — we’re the clay — we’re not the Potter. Help us to trust in the faithful hands of the One who has created everyone and everything — and to trust you not only with our lives — but with the lives of all.

And — Jesus — to you our Savior — who gave his life — in love — so that we might be vessels made for honorable use — to you we say thank you. And we praise you — for without you — and your work on our behalf — we’d all be vessels of dishonor. But — with you — united to you — we are vessels made for honor to the glory of your name. Though we were once not your people — not we are called children of the living God. Jesus continue to mold us into the men and women you’ve called us to be. Shape us — by your tender hands of mercy — as you lead us life everlasting with you. And we pray all of this in your name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)

Though none of us deserve to hear it — know that because of God’s mercy — if you believe in his Son — though you were once not God’s people — now you are children of the living God. Amen.

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