PART 1 - He is God

Prayer

In Jesus name, amen!

Welcome

Main Passage

Exodus 32:1–6 NASB 2020

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we do not know what happened to him.” Aaron said to them, “Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then he took the gold from their hands, and fashioned it with an engraving tool and made it into a cast metal calf; and they said, “This is your god, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” So the next day they got up early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to engage in lewd behavior.

Title

PART 1 - Potter & the Clay: He is God

Introduction

Context

Last week, we asked the question is “God just.”

We walked through Romans 9:14-18. Answering the question Paul’s readers were most likely asking when they read, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated (chose not),” Is God fair in His choosing Paul asks or put in another way, is God unjust for choosing one instead of the other. Choosing Issac instead Ishmael; Jacob instead of Esau.

Not necessarily His choosing on who would receive salvation and who wouldn’t but who salvation would come through.

Last week we tackled 3 reasons why God is fair in his choosing:

It’s who He is.

God is the standard

God has a purpose.

Paul says in Romans 9:17-18

Romans 9:17–18 NASB 2020

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very reason I raised you up, in order to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the earth.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. (Ex 9:16)

We answered 2 questions last week:

Did Pharoah have a choice? (Pharaoh had a choice - Ex 7:22 - 11:10)

What does it mean for God to harden hearts? (Romans 1:24;26;28)

In response to Paul’s statement, “So then He has mercy on whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills,” Paul anticipates the next question his audience would naturally ask.

Romans 9:19–33 records that question and his answer.

Bible

Romans 9:19–21 NLT

Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?

Transitional Sentence

Today we will look at the first half of Paul’s response. Paul’s 3 responses to the objection

MISUNDERSTANDINGS PAUL CORRECTS (NEGATIVE V. 19-21)

These are not Paul’s conclusions—they represent the wrong assumptions behind the question.

Response 1: God is not the cause of human disobedience (V.19–20a)

Romans 9:19–20 NLT

Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God?

Explanation

The conclusion or assumption behind the statement, “God has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires…” is God is the reason for people’s disobedience. Paul would call this foolish, presumptuous or pretentious. God is not the author or cause for Pharoah/human disobedience.

Illustration

Tim Keller

“God hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was giving him over to his own stubbornness. Pharaoh decided to resist God; God reinforced him in that position. God gave Pharaoh what he chose. When God hardens someone, he doesn’t create the hardness; he simply allows the person to go his or her own way. God hardens those he wants to harden. And all those whom he hardens want to be hardened.”

Application

Response 2: The clay cannot judge the creator (V.20b)

Romans 9:20 NLT

Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?”

Explanation

We pass judgement on God when we ask Him why,

Illustration

Jeremiah 18:1–6 NASB 2020

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Am I not able, house of Israel, to deal with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, house of Israel.

Job 38:1–3 NLT

Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.

Application

Response 3: We do not have rights over God (V.21)

Romans 9:21 NASB 2020

Or does the potter not have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one object for honorable use, and another for common use?

Explanation

Again, this is not Paul’s answer to the question but he is correcting their assumption behind the question and the assumption is:

Whether the potter does or IF He desires to use one object for honor and the other for common use, who do we think we are to have the right over God’s choice?

The right is not ours but God has every right.

Illustration

Exodus 32:1–6 NLT

When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!” Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord!” The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.

Application

The moment we think have a right over God instead God having a right over us, we create and shape God in a way that is more pleasant or palatable rather acknowledging that he is our creator.

So what

Now what

Prayer

In Jesus name, amen!