A Merciful God - Rom. 9:1-29
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For those of you who have been here at Fellowship for an extended period of time, you know that we are intentional about studying God’s Word and applying it in practical ways.
We strive to be theologically biblical. We are not content with simply believing things because they are comfortable or traditional, but we are commited to basing what we believe on truth that is biblical.
And what we believe dictates how we behave. In other words, if God is real, and the Bible is true, then that ought to be changing us.
Now, sometimes we come to passages that make us uncomfortable, or perhaps they require more faith to swallow. These types of passages are often misquoted or misunderstood, and therefore are set aside or steered clear of. These passages, when not understood in the immediate context of the chapter and book it is in, and not viewed with the broader context of all of scripture in mind, can cause and has caused great division and schism within the church. And frankly, the passage we are in today is not exempt.
The beauty of expository (verse by verse) teaching through whole books of the bible is that you can’t skip the hard stuff. And although there is a time and place for topical studies, the meat of the word is found when you walk strategically through the bible line by line.
Now, in our journey in Romans, we have learned some incredible truths.
In Romans 1-3 we saw Paul’s proclamation of the Gospel and how we are created by God and have broken His law. Our nature is inherently sinful and in turn at enmity with Him. The picture painted in the first 3 chapters of Romans is that all of humanity is hopeless in their own efforts to be made right with a holy God.
Then in Romans 4-5 we learned of How God provided righteousness through the Gospel. Although we are inherently hopeless in our sinful nature, God provided a way to be made right with Him through the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Also in Romans 6-8 we saw the Power of God’s righteousness in the Gospel, as the indwelling Spirit now enables a different kind of life. No longer are we bound to live under the deceitful kingship of our old master of sin, but now have everything provided to us to live under the authority of Christ. And as Paul finishes up chapter 8 that we studied four weeks ago, the love of God toward those who are His is everlasting.
In fact, Paul concludes in vv. 38-39 with some incredible promises:
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We affirmed together that the final verses of Romans 8 taught us that:
I don’t deserve to be in God’s care, but He loves me, and nothing can change that!
This is a big claim by Paul, that there is nothing that can change the love that God has for His own.
There is no supernatural power too strong, no earthly ruler too great, no created thing too high or too deep that can thwart God’s plan of His gracious love.
And we walk away from chapter 8 thinking wow! What a great God we have.
I don’t deserve to be in His care, but He loves me, and nothing can change that!
WOW!
But then we come to chapter 9, and Paul answers a question that is on the minds of his readers that solidifies chapter 8.
This week I listened to a well educated and articulate apologist who tried to give insight into this passage on a podcast who gave some helpful points and perspective on the passage, but one area that lacked was his approach to the misplacement of Romans 9-11.
You see we finish chapter 8 on a high of God’s love, and this apologist’s argument was that before Paul get’s right into the followup of this great spiritual truth of chapter eight in chapter 12, that Paul now takes a break and wants to talk about something else.
In essence, what he implied was that there is a disconnection somehow in what Paul is writing.
But I would argue that is not the case at all. Paul is not taking a break and shifting gears to get in another side point to the Romans. What Paul is intending to do is build on chapter 8.
So as we walk through these three chapters over the next five weeks, let me encourage you to commit to being here to hear the whole picture Paul is painting, and to consider the whole context of what Paul is teaching. And if you have to miss for work or some other pre-determined reason, that you would hop on youtube and watch the recorded service. So Paul is continuing His theme that:
Romans is all about the righteousness of God, extended to the unrighteous through faith in the Gospel.
And as Paul has been building this point, Romans 9-11 is not a little detour away from this truth, but a freeway to it.
Now as Erin read just a few moments ago, this passage we are in today is lengthy. And although we could break this passage into 3 or more sermons, we will do our best to outline Paul’s intentional point in one today.
But before we dig into this passionate passage of Paul, I want to preface it with a helpful illustration.
You see we come to Romans 9 and other passages like Ephesians 1, 1 Peter 1, James 2 and 2 Timothy 1 and we learn of the sovereignty of God. And when you think of the sovereignty of God, it is helpful to think of God being God - that God works independently according to His own will.
A biblical understanding of God’s Sovereignty is that God is allowed to be God. He is infinitely more wise than we are, and works out His ultimate will regardless of anything else.
And as we dive into chapter 9 here in a moment, we will see this.
However, in chapter 10 and 11 we will see the complimenting truth of human responsibility. Although God is God, and we are not, he genuinely calls sinners to repentance and faith and holds them accountable to how they respond.
A helpful illustration of these parallel truths is one of a railroad track.
Although it seems like at a point in the future these two parallel points intersect and conflict, our perspective is wrong. The nature of the two points is that they must extend evenly in harmony for the train to function.
And although we will look at this truth of God’s sovereignty today, remember that this is just one track.
Is God sovereignly in control of all things - absolutely!
Does humanity have genuine responsibility when it comes to what we believe and how we behave - absolutely.
Did God choose me to belong to Him, in spite of me - I would affirm yes, absolutely!
Did I need to genuinely respond to His call - I would equally affirm yes, absolutely.
JI Packer in his book that I reference for further reading at the bottom of your notes page entitled “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God” talks about these two parallel truth as an antinomy. He writes,
“An antinomy exists when a pair of principles stand side by side, seemingly irreconcilable yet both undeniable, There are cogent reasons for believing each of them; each rests on clear and solid evidence; but it is a mystery to you how they can be squared with each other. You see that each must be true on its own, but you do not see how they can be true together.” J.I. Packer
Believer’s Bible Commentary Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
D. L. Moody illustrated the two truths this way: When we come to the door of salvation, we see the invitation overhead, “Whosoever will may come.” When we pass through, we look back and see the words “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God” above the door.
With this groundwork in mind, let’s dig into Romans 9.
As Paul continues to build on these promises of God in chapter 8, emphasizing that God can be trusted, we find Paul addressing an implied question about Israel.
If God can be trusted and His plans will never be thwarted, what about Israel?
In reality, God’s original design for Israel was for them to be his people and to proclaim God’s glory to the other nations but they failed.
And not sweeping this reality under the rug, Paul answers it with passion.
1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,
2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.
3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh,
4 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;
5 of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
Paul says here that the words he mentions are true, and this truth is that he would be willing to be accursed - to suffer eternity apart from God - for his people the Israelites.
It is this group of people who experienced the many blessings of God mentioned there in vv. 4-5.
This group was chosen, brought into God’s family, protected by the Shekinah glory in the wilderness, promised the covenants, recipients of the law and the service opportunities of God, and not only were they brought into covenant relationship with God, they were given promises of protection, peace, and prosperity.
This group had innumerable blessings, including (v. 5) the patriarchs and the lineage of the Messiah.
From this group of people, God chose to work and move and bless. And Paul passionately acknowledges their failure and subsequent judgment.
And Paul then faces with that serious theological problem in v. 6.
Where he says:
6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,
Just because God chose to bless and work through Israel, their failure to live out their purpose does not make God’s plan of no effect. It was not in vain.
And Paul is going to now highlight how God’s supreme wisdom worked in Israel’s past.
Israel’s failure didn’t thwart God’s plans, in fact (v.6b-13)
6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,
7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.”
8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”
10 And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac
11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),
12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”
13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
Here we see an important truth: God’s is justified in His wise choice of heirs.
Paul builds a case that genealogy doesn’t equal a right standing before God.
The family these people were born into didn’t equal being part of God’s chosen children.
Paul illustrates this with the descendents of the patriarchs.
For example (vv. 6b-9)
In His supreme wisdom, God chose Isaac, not Ishmael, to bear His name.
Also, in (vv. 10-13)
In God’s supreme wisdom, Jacob was elected as the heir of God’s promises and not Esau.
And it’s important to note, that this wise choice of God was in fact contrary to tradition and in spite of works. This purpose of God according to election (v. 11) was decided before the children were born.
Beyond the cultural understanding of Isaac’s day, and based solely on the purposes of God, Jacob was chosen to be served by Esau.
And we walk away from this countercultural choice learning that God is justified, because He is wise.
Not only do we see God’s supreme wisdom played out in Israel’s past, but also His Sovereign Will. And Paul answers a question, he knew would be brewing. God’s choice of Isaac over Ishmael and Jacob over Esau stirs up a lot of emotions. It goes against everything our culture says is right and just.
And in this chapter, Paul is undergirding our presuppositions of right and just with a deeper truth, and that is that, God is God.
He speaks into this by answering the question:
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
Since God worked in spite of the people, and distributed blessings to some and not others, does this make God unrighteous? Paul responds, certainly not!
And then he explains why God is not unrighteous. His Supreme Wisdom directs His Sovereign Will.
God is not unrighteous (v. 14) and to prove this Paul gives two points highlighting God’s justification because of His sovereignty...
The first highlight is found in vv. 15-16
15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”
16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Paul references Exodus 33 to emphasize that God is free to be merciful.
You see in Exodus 32, the children of Israel made a terrible choice. While Moses was on Mt. Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights, receiving the 10 commandments, Aaron and the Israelites grew impatient and made a golden idol and worshiped it instead of God.
And in response to this stubborn people, in chapter 33 God threatens to refrain from going into the promised land with them.
And what happens next in Exodus 33 is crucial to our understanding of God.
You see Moses appeals to God to remain with them and to show His glory to him. And God responds to Moses’ appeal, in spite of the stubbornness of the Israelites.
So, God shows us Himself, and how He is free to show mercy to those who don’t deserve it.
And the basis for this freedom to show mercy is that, God is God.
v. 16 teaches that God’s mercy is not dependent upon human will (what humans will decide) or exertion (what humans do), but on God.
In other words, supporting the promises of God is divine election and that which is underneath supporting divine election is God’s freedom to be God.
Aren’t you thankful that God is free to show mercy to those who don’t deserve it?
The second way Paul highlights God’s sovereignty is in vv. 17-18:
17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”
18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
And where we say Amen to God being God, and showing mercy to those that don’t deserve it, we tend to cringe at this next set of verses.
Because here we see that not only is God free to be merciful, but that God is free to harden hearts too.
Paul highlights another OT reference in Pharoah and how God worked in Israel’s past.
Many of us know the story of Pharoah and his hardened heart. Moses and Aaron plead with Pharoah to let God’s people go and he refuses and in turn experiences the judgement of God in unprecedented ways.
And without taking the time this morning to study that unfolding, Paul here is emphasizing this account to deepen our understanding of God being God.
And we find with the account of Pharaoh, that God was free to harden Pharoah, just like he was free to be merciful to Isaac and Jacob.
In fact, God’s purpose in raising Pharaoh up as ruler in the first place was to show His power in Him.
God allowed the raising of Pharaoh as a super power in the world, so that God’s name would be declared in all the earth.
And Paul concludes that God is free to be merciful to whom He wills, and to harden whoever He desires to harden. And this proclamation is undergirded by the truth that God is God.
Paul further develops this understanding of God in vv. 19-24, where he answers another objection he anticipated from his audience.
19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”
This is the response of a fatalist.
If God does what He pleases, then we are just pawns and nothing we do or say matters, because it is all just predetermined and I have no choice to change my fate.
And Paul responds and explains in vv. 20-24
20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?”
21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
22 What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
23 and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,
24 even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
God is free to be merciful and free to harden, because He is God.
Paul illustrates this with the potter and the clay.
Just as the potter is granted absolute sovereignty over the clay, so God is granted absolute sovereignty over humanity.
And as we look to the lesson of this clay in v. 21, it points to equal worth among lumps of clay, while the artist’s purpose and design may differ. The proper attitude for clay is to be pliable rather than stiff, receptive rather than rebellious, and grateful for the potter’s touch rather than resentful of the potter’s purpose for us.
And in vv. 22,23 Paul brings up the supposition that God has the right to do what he wants, even with those who never respond to God’s mercy.
Those vessels (people) who never repent, are already fit only for destruction. In there unrepentance, God has every right to exercise judgement.
And although He is patient toward those who are unrepentant, His exercise of wrath and justice emphasizes His glory to the vessels that have experienced His mercy.
And the rub comes in the next statement, that He had prepared these vessels of mercy beforehand for glory.
And this is where we wrestle with this truth.
Romans 9 brings up some crucial, bedrock truth you need to wrestle with. God’s intentional working with Israel serves as an example of who He is. In God’s supreme wisdom (vv. 6-13) He expresses His Sovereign Will (vv. 14-24). And He is free to do this because He is God.
Illustration:Mark Vroegop at College Park Church in Carmel reminds us of this that:
Our problem, really, is with our perspective. When an 8-year old child cries “unfair” when he has to go to bed, he only has his perspective in view. He only sees what an 8-year old sees, and he only values what an 8-year old values. Explaining the rationale behind the decision is not really going to help either because he simply cannot see what his parents can see: an 8-year old child is in no position to know what is truly fair when it comes to bed time. There is something more foundational than an 8-year old value-set. The foundation of bedtime is a parent’s ability to know what is best. Parental values trump eight year-old values when it comes to bedtime.
And likewise, when it comes to the sovereignty of God expressed through His supreme wise choices, God’s values are infinitely greater than ours.
And as you wrestle with it, understand a couple things:
1. Find comfort in the Sovereignty of God.
Even as we struggle with this tension, know that the tension lies in us, not in God. Paul’s intent is to bring assurance of God’s promises - so dwell in comfort that God is in control.
2. As we will see next week, the sovereignty of God does not negate the call for you to believe.
If you have yet to trust Jesus as your Savior, don’t wait another minute. Do so today. Romans 10 is clear when it comes to your need to call on Christ. Divine Sovereignty should not detract from, but should motivate our evangelism and prayers for the lost. God’s sovereignty and human responsibility do not contradict but compliment one another.
3. The sovereignty of God puts God in His place, and us in ours.
This passage reignites the crucial point of life. The purpose of our life is nothing outside of God’s glory.
We are to treasure Him, set our hearts to know Him greater, and to repent of way we pursue other things in a greater way than knowing Him.
Weekly focus:
God is God, and I am not. Although I don’t fully understand His mercy toward me, I will trust Him and praise Him for being my God.
PRAYER
Do you want to know what Romans 9 is all about.
It’s all about the mercy and faithfulness of God.
God is God, and I am not. Although I don’t fully understand His mercy toward me, I will trust Him and praise Him for being my God.