Romans: Session 23
It's not finding anything. Yeah. Marigot Bay as the Lord.
Praising the Lord, is that the technology works, you know, do you think that's in there somewhere? And David never had to deal with technology, right? Well, probably the technology and his gay, but let's, before I get the running amok. I'm better pray. Father. I thank you so much for the privilege of being here. This morning. We thank you. Those are gathered for the purpose of reading and understanding studying your word so that we can do your truth so that we can apply it to our lives so that we can live. Holy even As You Are. Holy Father father. I pray that your holy spirit with the art teacher this morning. I pray in Jesus name. Amen. Just a couple of Administrative things here. I will officially finish. Romans today. As far as the first part of Romans, we're going to pick up chapter 12 beginning, next year, sometime, and all that will have covered in 1. Through 11 is all doctrinal, as we had talked to you about chapter 12 to 16 is all practical. Now that we have the doctrine. How are we supposed to live? That's what you going to see in chapter 12 through 16th. So officially June 5th brother, Rick will be starting his lessons on hermeneutics. Was just going to be bigger things going to just compliment the whole study of Romans because we used much of this, how many principles as we went to Rome to see, Paul did that. So, what do we do next week or next week? Urban Denise meat is it is the study of biblical interpretation. How do we interpret scripture? Yes, the science?
Actually is used by archeologists to Divas.
Yeah.
Right, right. That's it. That's an intro into what we're going to be doing next week. I thought what I would do is take a week off. We have not a week off, but a week from this for all Romans and we're going to talk about what is reformed theology. We hear these these words thrown around, we say what in the world is reformed theology. If I ever be reformed what are we, you know, the denomination? Is that a reform denomination? We're going to look at what is reformed theology. It's going to kind of be a quickie just overall understanding of reformed theology from the perspective of the scriptures, of course, and where the Reformation came in. During that time. How old is develop, where we are? Why are we called Protestants? All those kind of things, I'm going to do a try to do a quick 45 minutes, overview of reformed theology. So that's next week. Hey, yeah. Yeah, we're still thinking, right? I have to because there's no other top. That's it, right.
Call bump you to another week. Okay? Okay, so we are in this final part called the sovereignty over salvation and we have seen a lot of how, how this all fits together with God, salvation, and I'm going to give you the final view of this map. You see, we have made progress, you know, all the yellow means where we've gone. And so what is left left and Romans chapter 12 through 16, which will pick up. Like I said, next year. So little review, do what we learned about last week. So with this phrase, what in this way, all Israel will be say, what does that mean? What are we? What does that mean? From what we talked about last week?
Correct.
Yes, right. I means the salvation of true Israel Jews and Gentiles at the context. Is everything about this, Olive Tree, Olive Tree. We said is what true Israel and we see that the Gentiles were Wild Olive Branch grafted in, and that the Jews are going to be the natural. Olive branches will be a Salvation to what extent, how much, whatever in the end times, when the fullness of Gentiles come in. The Jews will be coming in and then at that point, all Israel will be say yes.
The word, remnant.
Sure.
Young ones that were saved from Jezebel when he was, but I was just reading Jeremiah. Talking about.
Drawing going to happen to the Babylonian. God Will Save A remnant.
About this Remnant, that will be preserved through the whole thing. Absolutely some all this up. Now. We we come into chapter in does chapter 11 verses 33 through 36. We see as Paul concludes, his setting for of God's Great planet in the history of Salvation in chapters 1 through 11. We taking the time and detailed going through that and he and the section of inverse 32 right before he talks about how God has consigned all Jew and Gentile to disobedience in order that he might what show Mercy to all. So Paul response. He breaks out in Praise doxology. It's like wow, this is just the most awesome thing ever to God's wisdom. Some ways are far beyond. The understanding of human beings, you know, I know we think we're really, really smart really intelligent, but we are not with regard to the God, and he henceforth does everything for his glory. That's what we're going to see that the setting of this section. This passage of scripture, even though there's one two, three, four versus going to delve into this passage of scripture in more detail than I have in other passage is because it is just worth, just ripping apart is so amazing. If we can gather this information and hide it in our heart it will help us in every area of our life. Okay. So let's read this. In Romans chapter, 11 verses 33 through 36 is the depth of the riches and the wisdom and knowledge of God. How on searchable are his judgments, how inscrutable his ways for who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor or who has given a gift to him, that he might be repaid for from him and through him, and to him are all things to him, be glory forever. Amen. That's a great reviews that actually has a benediction at the end of our services that time. So we'll look first of all, the dimensions of God are incomprehensible. Lots of these big words were going to use here. And I love how he starts out. He starts out. This this phrase. Oh the depth of the word that has the word bath off. Okay. Think up bat. What is a bat? It's it's it's a it's a it's a place where you can put things, they do like a bathtub is where you fill with water. You know, you think of the Indy in the Tabernacle. There was the labor there was the bat that filled with water. Where the priest washed it. Okay in the word actually means this unfathomable unfathomable in comprehensible. Okay, so it is something that is we can't fathom and we can't comprehend. Do. I got to have this question? How do we know God? How do we know God has a way back in Genesis chapter one? We talked about how God reveals himself. Remember we there was we had this one, remember remember this? So I'm 19 verses one and two, the heavens declare. The glory of God, the sky above claims his handiwork day to day. Pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
What is that? What do we call that revelation of God natural Revelation General. It is such that we can look at God has revealed himself in creation, but it can't stop there. Right? If all we saw was creation. We would have the knowledge that there is a God, but something has to go deeper. We could go to several passes, but I'm, I'm struck with the one in Matthew 16, where Jesus is talking to his disciples and it says, who do men say that? I am some Saviour, one of the Prophet, Elijah, whatever. And he says, well who you say I am. And that's what he says. In Matthew chapter 16 verse 15. We said to them, but who do you say that? I am remember, Peter. Good old Peter Simon, Peter replied. You are the Christ, the son of the Living God with good job. Peter, you are really smart guy. Is that what Jesus said? No. And Jesus answered blessed. Are you Simon bar-jonah for flesh. And blood has not revealed this to you. But but my father who is in heaven, so, how do we know God? We don't know. We cannot know God without him doing what revealing himself. Spirit. Yeah.
Okay, then we have to ask the question. Okay, that's how we know God natural. Revelation specific Revelation that God gives us in his word. But does that mean we know everything about. No. So we get the ticket. In fact, that's why I use this word back off unfathomable incomprehensible cuz God cannot be comprehended God. You cannot know him to the death yet. Think about it in. Own our world. When you, when we come into contact with primitive civilizations, is it? They who make the first connection to us and, and help us? Or is it the other way around himself to us? Just like we revealed ourselves to the people in the Amazon.
You know, and here's the thing this bath is. Contains is possesses three different nouns. Write. The first one is this word riches spell, this word riches. He is eating and we're talking about a back as it were that cannot be fathomed. Cannot be comprehended and in this is God's riches and really what is this mean? God owns everything, you know, he owns the cattle on a thousand hills, by the way, he owns the cattle on all not just a thousand of them. Anyway. What is a basket used as a measurement? It was a, a quantity of something. I ate something that was maybe a back to might think where we would put something. And that's what helps me to understand this word back off. It's just a giant back that we can't fathom. And it is filled with the first now, and there's riches gods. Owns all things. Everything. How about the things that we own this got on that? Yeah, he does. Yep. We're just stupid. What's the next thing? It is a part of this unfathomable bath. It is his wisdom. You're not the Greek word, Sophia. It is. The idea that God is the word, wisdom is, the idea of living skillfully. So God is skilled in all things. And then the third. Now me see is his knowledge. It's gnosis God. What knows all things? That is God's riches. That's wisdom. It's not like I think about the sea setting the stage for us here of what he's going to say cuz he's going to ask us a few rhetorical questions, right? so the first thing he starts out with the word, how, how is course of conjunction of comparison and he starts out by saying this From this bath off and merges the following. Alright? Because God's riches are there because God's wisdom is there because God's knowledge. Is there any see that? How how can comparison how unsearchable are his judgments? This word? Unsearchable, is an adjective. Of course. It's used only once in the New Testament and that is Right. In this passage here. It needs to be marked by being impossible to find or discover the depths or the end not able to be examined. So it is impossible to discover. What his, what is judgements. His his, we can't even, we can't even discover them. I mean, when you think about them, all the things that we've learned in the Book of Romans, we've we've taken And understood because God has revealed it to us in his word. But can we really get it? I think about that. Sometimes my wife and I have read the scriptures.
Really get this. Do we, we don't really understand that. I mean, we we try for trying to take this truth and we're trying to buy Faith, just put put it to practice and I like, but do we really get it? It's kind of, like, I always use this when we look through the glass Darkly. I always put pick up the windshield in winter time. After you've been riding on the scalded roads in the windshield is all foggy. You can't see. You're trying to run the wipers and you just got. That's the way I feel sometimes. When we look at these things is that. We're just looking through this glass. That's foggy. We can't really see. Rick. Did you ever end up? Short passage, if you really want to expand the door, Quebec a joke.
Yep. Yeah, absolutely. So we see, first of all, what flows from this back to back off? It's his unsearchable judgment. We're not able to discover that God makes these judgements his rulings and everything, and we go along with them and we believe them, we trust them, but we can't figure them out. Okay, this next thing he talks about is his inscrutable way. Now. This word inscrutable is only used two times in the New Testament. And in this form, it's used only once since right here, and actually needs to be marked by being impossible to plot travel, Orcutt race to the end of her up untraceable. Yeah, for an engineer. That's what we do. We like to take things and we like to calculate and plot and triangulate. And we try to do all these things and that's how we we Figure out things in life. That's how we design thing. How bridges are designed all that kind of stuff, but when it comes to God, His ways are untraceable. I was think this is kind of neat, because we can't even Trace his steps. We're not even able to plot where he is, or where he's been. They're untraceable impossible to trace. So that I believe is the summary statement that had her statement for what's coming next cuz he's going to start by asking some questions here. She says, and in this part, in this part B, the knowledge of God is in comprehensive and absolute until what is he do. He starts with this explanatory conjunction with. We all know this word for and we see that this works when it's use, he's saying stand by for more information. I'm about to yell down deep and because we've set this stage this back off is filled with the riches in the wisdom and knowledge of God. And as a result of that his judgments or unsearchable ways are inscrutable. I'm going to ask you some questions, you who think you're so intelligent. Let me ask you some questions. Go back to Joe, right? That we got the chapter, 40, 40, 241, you know. God starts asking jokes was funny because Jarvis. And I'm You know, going off a little Rabbit Trail, but it's it's pertains, you know, it's kind of like, you know, jokes feeling sorry for himself. All these people are judging him, falsely, whatever. And then God never, I was think it's great that God never answers. Joe. He never says, you know, Joe this is what's going on behind the scenes and I are having this little battle over you. I just want to let you know that know, what did he say? Where were you? When I created the Earth? Do you know how heavy is the snow at? These are just simple little things. Do where is it in a job? At the end of that? I am kind of small. That's really where Paul's getting here. This is the same issue. It also goes back to what we just going through, in terms of who is Sabra, and what is sovereign mean. You know, and I told you the story that I've had numerous times where I've discussed this issue of sovereignty with people and they'd agree. Most Christian. Most evangelicals, Boo, Boo, Boo read yet. God is Sovereign. And you ask him how Sovereign is got Will he violate the will of man? Will he oversee? What will he invade? Their total? Depravity? Is he able to do that? Yeah, he is if he does and that's the only way we're saved, you know, but anyway, so he starts off with it. And I know I'm getting really into the, the weeds here in the details. But this this is really important. This is an interrogative pronoun, who is able to who has known the Lord's my and again, Uses of the verb form the tents, the heiress tents, which in all definitions, I've read study is it's, it's a snapshot in time. Okay, not as we would consider past present future. The snapshot in time. I was think of that snapshot, no matter what you want to think about. It is, is a point in time that cannot be repeated. So, really what he saying, in all of time, is there ever been a person, is there ever been a situation or snap shot at any time that anyone has known the mind of God in the mind of the Lord? And he uses a very special form of the word know and it's a word conosco, which means to know experientially. Has anyone ever had the experience at any point of time, anywhere at any It is known God's mind. That's a rhetorical question, right?
Or just known God's Mind through experience. Okay. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my God, I can know God experientially. What? There is a point in in Philippians chapter 3 word, says, where was Paul saying that? I might know Christ things that they were conosco and that it didn't make sense because what we're experiencing in life is bringing us into a closer relationship with Christ, right? But what he's saying, is that the weave, can we really know God's mind? Can we really know it? And it really, he's pointing out. We might make all this as part of the bath off of God's knowledge. In other words. There's there's no one out there who has ever lived know who will ever live know. God mind.
No. Again, how do we know God? What do we need for us to know. Anything about God? He has to do what he has to reveal it to us. Does he reveal everything? No snapshot? Yeah, the same person who has known the money. God who has been God's counselor. Now we're building on that. The statement over the depth, the riches, the wisdom, knowledge of God, Hound sortable, or judgments, and how it's bootable his building on this going into more detail. So who has been his counselor. Am I to, to become, who has become God's, counselor Miller words, who is giving God advise? We do it all the time though, right? We say we do god, listen to I know a better way for this to happen. You know, I got a few only with see it my way things would run smoothly. I just feel like I'm you know, if I didn't have this pain, I could serve you better. If I had more money, I could give more get up and we just we just go through this bargaining process with goddess. Is it? We have the ability to counsel him. Who can counsel God?
You just think about that when we we talked about. This back off of God's wisdom. God is skilled in every area. Every area needs. No one to teach him how to do stuff. God is no one's apprentice. And how did he create it? Speaking it into existence. You don't think about this as far as application? Okay. What is the implication to us? The God doesn't need our Council.
Yeah.
He's everything. Yep. College that weekend.
Yeah, cuz you think about that, what the part of our bargaining with God sometimes is that we would want we inform him of things, right? You don't have to worry about all. Yeah. Taking care of it. Absolutely, never been able to learn. God has never been able to. We've never been up to know what's in God's mind. It will never be able to understand God's ways and we'll never be able to counsel God because he knows everything. Next time, you pray and say, God. I really think this would be a better way of doing things. Be careful, cuz in, in, in the some way you are becoming Gods counselor. You were thinking that you had the ability to become a counselor. And by the way, it's part of a night and I have kind of put these rhetorical questions in the framework of the bathhouse of the three things were mentioned the beginning, but the knowledge, their riches and the wisdom of God. So in this, who has been got counselor the back off of God's wisdom and we have no God, why am I going through this? Do you think I would see it would serve you better? My focus will be more on you if I wasn't going through this.
Along with that.
God has put eternity in us and we are still part of that. From the beginning to the end but we are still part. Yeah, we are. We know that they're coming. Yep. Yep. Okay, so, we talked about that. We don't know the mind of God. We cannot this who, this interrogative, pronoun person that person who has known the mind of God, who has been his counselor. And then, third thing is, we're talkin about the benevolence of God, is immeasurable, and he goes back to the word who here, in verse 35. And i p means what? Interrogative pronoun. Okay to it doesn't mean that I could and address for computers. Anyway, so has given who is Gibbon? Nnnnn, the word means to give in advance. The other words who has become God's supply chain. I want I think this is, you know, I'm a very crappy person. So I take these things and and I and I see this big bath and I see all these things coming forth and I'm standing at these rhetorical questions that he's asking, who has been got supply chain supply chain problem. Now, But the reality is, he says, who has given to him that he might be repaid. God, you owe me, right? You know, the scriptures tells in Psalms about God laughing, you know, it. And you're about to have ridiculous. That is. Got who is given to God that he's expecting to be paid back. No one. So it is kind of like the back off. God's riches. So if you answer these questions, what is the answer? Who has been, who knows the mind of God. The one who has in his counselor, who has been able to give to God and specs War return. No one answer to those questions, right? So, that's where we are. Brothers and sisters. This is an amazing God. No one is not none of our help. Is a coupling. He doesn't need our help. He doesn't need us. You realize that. But but but you say, okay, if he doesn't need this, why are we here? That's what he answers next, right? Do you like get to the point we say wow, this is totally self-sufficient. He needs nothing. So why in the world is Paul ending, this whole thing about God's salvation plan?
Describing what God has done for us. Why ain't the world has he done all that if he doesn't need any that? The resource of God is eternal. I love this starts out with the word for again, and he's digging deeper. Okay, he understands our question will, since the rhetorical questions have been answered that? He doesn't need anyone. Then. Why is he done what he's done?
I need goes to a serious and uses a series of prepositions very important prepositions. Here. He says, first of all he says and what is the purpose behind all this? From him. What does he say in verse 36, for from him? Is that shows that God is is it is the preposition of source? From God. God is the what? He is the great originator. Great originator. Everything that we see has come from God. He is the originator. What was God? Just like the DIA said a God, who created all things. And then just kind of let them go in the wound, the creation up and just let it wind down and took off. Is that what he said? Now? The second one tells you, no, cuz he uses it s to preposition. Here is a preposition of means. Another words, God is the course or process of everything in life. So he is we consider him to be the Great sustainer. What keeps the Earth revolving around the Sun? What keeps the Earth rotating at a thousand miles an hour? If you feel like we're we don't we don't feel like we are what what keeps our revolving around the Sun and the Moon around us and what keeps the whole solar system from that moving at 500,000 miles an hour through space. What keeps that finger of all things through him? Are all things the very life and breath in the oxygen that we breathe. The rain that comes down the sunshine that warms the earth, and the cause of things to grow who was involved in that.
So from him, he originated all things through him. He sustains all things. And now this next one to him is the preposition of Direction.
God said all things? Or clothing. To him. It's the idea of focus or purpose. Other words. There is a purpose in this. We're not just some. Primitive piece of slime, that happened to evolve into what we know today. I mean, there is even make any sense. Logical even scientific sense that Evolution took place is God, is the one that created all things with such details since meticulousness sickness, you know, what are the things that why do we get well,
What is it about our bodies and I had a discussion with our doctor about this? I thought it was really cool because doctors, you know, about medicine all about taking this putting his cream on all I can say, is that old do. Did that medicine itself fix? My problem. No, he says, it helps your body in the healing process. Bingo. And what's behind the healing process where that come from. Your body has a natural abilities, natural ability that come from, God, is the one that created our bodies, and he gave our bodies, the ability to heal. It's from him. He was so meticulous in his design. And it's all for one purpose. And you say, what is the purpose? Why am I here? Why? Why we here is it just, you know, so I can go through suffering and just so I can have a short time on the earth and, you know, get what I can get gravel Agosto. I can cuz I'm going to be out of here soon. What is the purpose of it? And that's the next statement? Glory to glory to him, be glory.
Forever. And when we saw him all of chapters 1 through 11 up. What is we would call this the ultimate purpose for the glory of God? The glory of God?
When we say that God does everything for his glory. What does that mean? We exist.
You know, we got to go.
To show who he is.
The keys magnified. Our experience.
Didn't hear anybody use those at praise, you know, when somebody's playing that piano and it's so beautiful in that principle, that that it is. That lets their Glory. They dig done a great job. You know, or somebody painted a beautiful picture with that. Wow, that shows that, that that's, that's his glory, her glory expression. The glory is an expression of who won, is what their attributes are and if they are displayed for us to see. So when God created all things and even in his involvement in the fall of human beings, we can talk about that some other time. And the fact that he brought about Redemption and he would send Christ to the cross. It was all for the glory of God so that we might be hold.
The attributes of God on display his Justice. His Mercy, his Holiness, his eternal love his great. All these things are on display in the salvation of human beings.
36.
He is actually saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega. Yes. Yep. Yeah, it is. To him be glory to him be glory forever, right?
Yep. And by the way, how does God feel about sharing his glory? And you remember that? You remember this passage from Isaiah chapter 42. I am the Lord. That is my name. My glory, I give to no other.
Ignore my praise to carve a idols. And we could say any Idols, why am I going through this process? Why am I going through this pain, both physical, and emotional mental, or angry sir anxieties. Why am I here? The right answer would be for the glory of God. That we don't always know how that plays out. But because no one knows the mind of God. No one is his counselor. We have to trust that the Eternal God wear. All Things are from him and things continue through him, and all things are moving towards him knows exactly what's going on in our lives and it will fill his purpose. And we know along with so much scripture that those who are children of God, the all things work together for good. At the fine by God, in our lives to them, who are called according to his purpose. And with that, let's go to this final one 1st Corinthians, 10:31. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God, that's why we're here. Anyway, so whether were eating during any what I like about this versus just talking about the normal things in life. Not just coming to church. Just open the Bible in the morning, not just being on your knees in prayer. Those are not just only to be those activities that glorify God but everything whether we eat, what do we drink? Whatever we do or to do it all it contributes to the glory of God, right? So what if that's the case, doesn't matter how we live Oh, yeah, absolutely. I've been reading through the pentateuch. I'm in The Book of Leviticus 80 and there's a lot of hard things would have been against the one thing is very, very clear. It says be ye, holy. Why? Because the Lord your God is Holy. And when we Are Holy as God is, Holy obviously will never be on this side of Eternity. But when we h, It brings what glory to God. This is this passage of scripture just lifted me up and I wasn't levitating anywhere, but I would just my heart. My soul. It just caused me to realize that whatever I'm going through in life is for God's glory. And for his purpose and there is nothing too difficult, and I'm not going to counsel God, you know, you know. Because God is truly all in all Anyway. You Want It?
Yep.
Elements of eating and drinking.
Yeah, yeah, that's that's true. That's what those are. Those are the two things that we do which is Passover. It was a full meal with the family and an empty chair waiting to, amen. All right, let's pray. Father. I thank you so much for who you are. You are unsearchable. You are inscrutable. There's nothing that we can say we can inform you of anything. We can't teach you anything. We can't give you anything. And the whole reason why we exist is to bring glory, to you to display your amazing Eternal attributes or father. Help us help us with all the things we've learned here. To live lives that are holy to confess our sins to repent of our evil ways and to turn to you every day to clean to you. So that we might radiate Your Glory here on Earth, the glory of your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, father, prepare our hearts for worship as we going to the next service, meet. Our hearts, be filled with your attributes, As we sing the song as we pray together, as we hear your word read as we hear the message that you have for us father. May we go away. Just still with your presence. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen, Lord willing. We'll see you next week.