God is Great!
ROMANS: THE ROAD NOW TAKEN • Sermon • Submitted
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· 7 viewsSermon 25 in Book of Romans series.
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Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
INTRO—
Have you ever had one of your children, or a family/friend’s kid, or a child in a Sunday School class ask a question about an abstract or difficult to explain concept [like Jesus being God & man…or the Trinity…or eternity]? You answered the question, and then came, “Why?” You answered that one, and then came, “Why?” One question just seemed to lead into the next. Well, that’s a little like what we have here in Romans 9-11. Paul states his challenging issue...
Challenge (Romans 9.1-5) … Conclusion (Romans 11.33-36).
Reason for Anguish (9.1-3) = Persistent Heartache over Lostness
Establishment of Hope (9.4-5) = Re-establishing Truth…Not Relinquishing It.
…and what follows are a series of ‘issues’ or ‘questions’ Paul anticipates from his audience. Why (you might ask… :-) )? Paul can anticipate the issues which the recipients of his letter will ask, because he’s gone through this situation already himself. Remember...
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit—
…AND, just like a parent, I desire you [all of us] to understand, appreciate, and live the truth.
Is God Able to Fulfill His Word? (9.6- 13)
Short answer = YES.
....When it looks like God has a problem ‘living up to’ His word, the problem is our understanding and not His actions.
Expounding on the answer… YES!...
Because God is The Author! [Creation & History is HIS STORY!]
The People of God…Israel came through ISAAC only. [9.7]
But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and about your slave. Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her, because your offspring will be traced through Isaac,
…& Hebrews 11.18
The People of God…are a People of PROMISE. [9.9]
The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.
Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”
The People of God…are DETERMINED by God. [& no one else; 9.13]
And the Lord said to her: Two nations are in your womb; two peoples will come from you and be separated. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. Yet you ask, “How have you loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” This is the Lord’s declaration. “Even so, I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau. I turned his mountains into a wasteland, and gave his inheritance to the desert jackals.”
Today… The People of God—come through Jesus Christ…are of the promise in Jesus Christ…are called/determined by Jesus Christ.
Is God Able to be Just? (9.14-18)
Short answer = YES.
...When it looks like God is unjust, the problem is our perspective (frame of reference) and not His actions.
Expounding on the answer… YES!… [Reminder: He is The Author!]
He IS Just… Just Mercy & Compassion. [9.15]
He said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the Lord’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
He IS Just… Just History [bringing Him glory!; 9.17]
However, I have let you live for this purpose: to show you my power and to make my name known on the whole earth.
A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand: He directs it wherever he chooses.
He IS Just… Just Rejection/Condemnation. [9.18]
The Lord instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, make sure you do before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he won’t let the people go.
But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Today… God IS Just—mercy and grace given through Jesus Christ… all of history glorifies Jesus Christ… consequences of belief & unbelief are certain in relationship to Jesus Christ.
Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.
[Context of John 3.16-21]
CONCL—
OK…We can see in vv. 6-18 that GOD IS GREAT, but about v. 14 (at least) the question: “If God is (so) great, can God be good?”…likely entered your mind. That’s what we will pick up next week in vv. 14-29.
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.
So then, he has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy and he hardens whom he wants to harden.