Rom 9-Will We Let God be God

| Will We Let God be God?! Romans 9:8b-20

August 5, 2007(New Living Translation) It is the children of the promise who are considered to be Abraham’s children. 9For God had promised, “Next year I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” 10This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he grew up, he married Rebekah, who gave birth to twins. 11But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message proves that God chooses according to his own plan, 12not according to our good or bad works.) She was told, “The descendants of your older son will serve the descendants of your younger son.” 13In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”14What can we say? Was God being unfair? Of course not! 15For God said to Moses,“I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”16So receiving God’s promise is not up to us. We can’t get it by choosing it or working hard for it. God will show mercy to anyone he chooses.17For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you, and so that my fame might spread throughout the earth. 18So you see, God shows mercy to some just because he wants to, and he chooses to make some people refuse to listen.19Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not listening? Haven’t they simply done what he made them do?”20No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to criticize God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who made it, “Why have you made me like this?” PRAY Scripture Memory:Romans 9:20 (NIV) – Who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?  Intro:Most of you are familiar with the concept of predestination. Some of you agree with this doctrine, some of you struggle with it and some just plain disagree with it…. The issue of “goodness” and “evil”The issue of “justice” and “fairness”The issue of God-centered vs. man-centered faith 1. The issue of “goodness” and “evil” What makes a person “good” or “evil?” What part does our own “goodness,” or lack thereof, play in our relationship to God?This is a matter of understanding the difference between being children of promise rather than children of the flesh (vv. 8-9 – It is the children of the promise who are considered to be Abraham’s children. 9For God had promised, “Next year I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”)Ø Being a child of promise means being a child as a result of God’s promise rather than by any human decision.Ø Being a child of the flesh means being a child as a result of human decision. Ø  Being a child of promise points to supernatural causes.Ø Being a natural child points to natural causes.John 3:5-8 (NIV)5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” Ø  Being a child of God is not a matter of being “good or bad” (vv. 10-13)10This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he grew up, he married Rebekah, who gave birth to twins. 11But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message proves that God chooses according to his own plan, 12not according to our good or bad works.) She was told, “The descendants of your older son will serve the descendants of your younger son.” 13In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”So does that mean that it does not matter what I do?In a sense, that’s right. In another sense, that’s just the wrong question.What is God’s plan for each of us who are His children? – that we would be conformed to the image of His Son, that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29 (NIV) For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.Therefore…The bottom line: Being good (or getting better) does not make anyone more acceptable to God. However, anyone who is truly acceptable to God, by virtue His supernatural work in their hearts, desires to be more like Christ and is moving in that direction.Question: Is the desire of your heart to become more Christ-like and does this desire show itself in the priorities you set in life? 2. The issue of “justice” and “fairness”Ø  Justice and fairness are not synonymousJustice – The maintenance or administration of what is just (morally right or good) through assignment of merited rewards of punishments. (Webster’s)Fairness – impartial; implies equal treatment of all concerned. Webster’s)God it completely just. However He is not fair.Explain… |   | Ø  Being a child of God is a matter of mercy and compassion, not “fairness” (vv. 15-16)15For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” 16So receiving God’s promise is not up to us. We can’t get it by choosing it or working hard for it. God will show mercy to anyone he chooses.Mercy means choosing to show compassion to one who justly deserves judgment.Compassion means sympathizing with someone’s need with a desire to alleviate that need.Doug & his employee who didn’t listen to instructions….Being a child of God involves, 1st of all, God’s mercy…Secondly, being a child of God involves His compassion.If you are a child of God, here this morning, I am sure that you are aware, at least at some level, that is due to God’s mercy and compassion rather than because of any goodness with you.The real question is not “Why doesn’t God save EVERYBODY?” Rather it is why does He save ANYBODY?” This is why, when we are honest with ourselves, the best of us often doubts our salvation at times. Ø  Does God make people not listen and then condemn them for this? (vv. 17-19)17For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you, and so that my fame might spread throughout the earth. 18So you see, God shows mercy to some just because he wants to, and he chooses to make some people refuse to listen. 19Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not listening? Haven’t they simply done what he made them do?”Literally: He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires Question: What does it mean that God hardens a person’s heart?The example of pharaoh with Moses in ExodusThey CAN not believe because they WILL not believe. The example of letting air out of a balloonThe bottom line: God is just. Gen. 18:25 – Will not the Judge of all the earth do right? Deut. 32:4 – He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.God does not condemn anyone for anything that he/she doesn’t choose of their own volition.The question is not, “Is God just?”The question is: “How can God be both just, and the one who justifies those, like us, who justly deserve His wrath?” (Rom. 3:26)Question: How many of us would REALLY want God to be just with us (apart from the finished work of Jesus Christ)? – NOTE: It impossible for God to be fair, while at the same time, just and merciful. Sometimes we think that we would LIKE God to be “fair.” However, when we think this way we are often saying “why can’t God just save everyone?” Do we really want this, though?!? 3. The issue of God-centered vs. man-centered faithIt’s all about GodTwo types of religion: God-centered and man-centeredView of God:Man-centeredGod’s chief attribute is “love”God-centeredGod’s love is defined in the context of  His justice, His holiness, His omniscience, etc. View of Man:Man-centeredpeople makes mistakes, aren’t  perfect, need forgiveness (stress is on horizontal sins)God-centeredpeople are a rebels against God, need reconciliation (stress is on vertical nature of sin) View of Heaven and Hell:Man-centeredSalvation from the consequences of sin (unhappiness & Hell)God-centeredSalvation is from guilt and power of sin It’s all about God. Are we willing to allow God to define what is right and what is wrong? Or do we reserve that prerogative for ourselves?Are we willing to allow that MAYBE God understands things better than we do and to trust Him to do what is right?Are we willing to trust in Him with all of our hearts?Are we willing to consciously and intentionally repent of our demands that He fit into OUR definitions and understanding of things?Are we willing to acknowledge His sovereign goodness and His righteous judgment in all of His dealings with people… even those near and dear to us?(Proverbs 3:5-6) Summary / Review: (BLUE) A Truth to Remember: God is just. But that does not mean that He is fair (at least in terms of treating everyone equally). A Challenge to Consider:Are we willing to let God define Himself without demanding that He fit certain parameters that we feel good about? One thing I heard this morning was…      |