← ArchiveWhen in RomansWhen in Romans: Unfailing Word: Trusting God’s Faithfulness (Romans 9:1-6)DateSeptember 1, 2024SpeakerDr Josh BurnhamTextRomans 9:1–6Passages in this sermonRomans 82:08Romans 92:43Romans 285:39Exodus 19:611:32Luke 3:819:13Malachi 121:10Genesis 1221:47John 1322:18Psalms 11523:58Acts 230:28TranscriptMachine transcribed. Click any line to jump there.0:00We'll be right back. We'll be right back.0:30I saw some dancing today.1:00So as you see, we are back in the book of Romans. My name is Josh Burnham, one of the pastors here, and I have the joy of bringing you the word of the Lord. As we've already sung and as we will see in the word of God today, we gather because Jesus Christ took our place. We gather because we were called, we were redeemed, we were adopted, we were elected in the name of Jesus Christ. So for all of you who are new today, we're going to welcome you.1:29We're not going to do anything odd. We just want to say thank you. So if you're not new, whether you're a member or if you're not new, let's welcome everyone that God has brought in our midst with a big hallelujah on the count of three. There you go. Three, two, one. That was, so we believe every new person is here because God is wanting you to know him. He is drawing you here. Whether it was an invite, whether you saw online.1:58So we're so excited that you're here. We jumped the gun. So we just want you to know, we believe God is working in your life. We believe that fully. Book of Romans, we left off in March, Romans 8. And I pray that Romans 8, 28 will echo in your mind. Paul says this very clearly. We know that all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called, called according to his purpose. So may that central truth echo in your mind and your heart for the rest of the book of Romans.2:27And when we left off, we left off in this triumphant call to worship, in this triumphant call to faith. And now we are back in Romans 9 in this reminder that God has called us. And we have a responsibility to respond to him by faith. Romans 9, if you have your Bibles with you.2:56Paul is writing to a growing local church in the world's greatest city at that time. City of Rome. The world's the greatest city and the greatest empire. And in Rome, we have Orthodox Jews who have come to faith in Jesus Christ. They have been waiting for the Messiah. And they have heard that Messiah was born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth, crucified in Jerusalem, and he rose again.3:21And they have said, by faith, we believe this is who we have been waiting for. The adoption and the law, the promises and the covenant, it is all fulfilled in this man that we call Jesus. On the other hand, you have people who were not of the covenant, people who have never heard the love of God.3:40They never have heard the law of God. They do not know that there is one true God. And he sent his one and only son to die for them. So when they heard for the first time that God loved them and he sent his only son to die for them and forgive their sins, these Gentiles said, we want this Jesus.4:08And they came to faith. And in Rome, you have Jewish believers and Gentile believers now figuring out what do we do. And they're asking questions together. Questions like this. Has the gospel of Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament fully? So Gentiles are asking, do we have to obey the law ever again?4:36The Jews in their midst who have come to faith, the Messianic Christians are asking, has the Lord Yahweh rejected his covenant people? They're asking, what about my brother? What about my sister who's holding on to the law, but they don't have faith? Then you have collectively both groups asking, well, if the Jews who have the law and have the word don't know Jesus, has God failed?4:58And I believe these are still questions that we ask today. Many of you are asking the question, God, do I have to obey the law? What do you want me to do? And God, are you still near to me? You know what I'm going through, God. God, where are you?5:27Or maybe the question, God, have you failed? Is your gospel enough? And these are answers that we will find in the word of God this very day. May the echo of Romans 28 reverberate as we read these words in Romans 9. He can work out all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes. Join me in the reading of Romans 9. Today's message, unfailing word, trusting God's faithfulness.5:55If you don't have your Bibles with you, we will have scripture on the tiny screen in front of me and the big screen behind me. Romans 9. Hear the word of the Lord. I speak the truth in Christ. I am not lying. My conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.6:22For I wish that I myself were cursed, cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, temple service, and the promises.6:46The ancestors are theirs. And from them, by physical descent, came the Christ, who is God over all, praised forever. Amen. Now, it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.7:17Has God failed? Paul says, oh no. God will never fail. Let's pray. Father, bless the reading of your holy word.7:43Draw near to your people. May we hear your voice and respond by the Spirit as you call each and every one. Father, for the one today in our midst who feels like you have failed, your word is not enough.8:08For the one who is wondering, where is God when I need him? Lord, meet them today with a supernatural and spiritual encounter by the blood of Jesus Christ. And through your spirit, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. And amen. Trusting God's faithfulness.8:36Well, the first question we're going to answer is this. Has God failed? Again, Romans 8 leaves off with this powerful reminder. Verse 39. Paul says, Romans 8, it's one verse from where we began reading. Neither height nor depth nor anything in all creation, not future, not past, not breadth, can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.8:53So, so this is the triumph of faith. And in two verses now, Paul says, I have great sorrow. That's two verses. So what, 10 seconds of reading? What has happened? How does Paul go from nothing can separate us from the love of God to I have great sorrow and unending anguish?9:23It doesn't take us long to see the burden. Paul says right here in verse 3, he says, I wish that I myself could be cut off and cursed from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters. Paul's wrestling, as many have throughout time.9:51God, you love the world. You sent your son Jesus to die on behalf of guilty sinners. God, why are people not coming to you? God, if you love us like you say you love us, and if you've demonstrated your love like you say you've demonstrated your love, Father, how could anyone reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? If you've ever asked those questions, you're not alone. Paul is asking that and answering that in this very chapter.10:20He says, I wish I could become cursed, anathema, eternally damned, he says. I wish I could become eternally damned that my brothers and my sisters might not be cut off for their benefit. You might read this and ask, well, who is he talking about? Who doesn't know Jesus and who would not say yes to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?10:51Well, these are not your run-of-the-mill Roman pagans. Paul tells us who he's praying for, this burden that he has. He says, these are Israelites. This is a very special word used for a very special people. The Israelite designation are those are covenant people of the one true God. He says that to these Israelites belong the adoption.11:20That's the word used when God called them out of Egypt. He said, you are mine and I am yours. Exodus 19.6 says that you will be my treasure. In Hebrew, we say gulah. You'll be my special treasure. These are people who are the treasured of the Lord. These are the people who have the glory of God, right? The Shekinah glory. The glory that filled the tabernacle when it traveled. And then when they built the temple, it was the one who filled the temple and the Ark of the Covenant.11:49They had the glory of God. They had the covenants of Noah and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. And then Jeremiah, where God says, I will no longer write my law upon tablets. I will write it on the tablet of their hearts. These were the people who had the law, not just the giving of the law, but the receiving of the law in Greek. These are people who had the word of God.12:17These were those who had the temple service, the tabernacle service that pointed to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. These were those who had the promises connected to the covenants. They had the ancestors. These were those who were dissent by blood. How could all of these tangible demonstrations of God's mercy fall on deaf ears?12:42Despite all that Adonai did for his people, many rejected salvation in Jesus Christ. And Paul is lamenting over his brothers and sisters who do not know. And today, many of us are living the Roman dilemma. There are some here today that you have not trusted in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. And you are here and you have heard the songs that Jesus died for you.13:12You have seen his presence. You have seen God work in your life. And you still say, I don't want that. And you're not the first person in the world that's been in that dilemma. That is the Roman dilemma. And for those of you who have come to Christ, you say, well, how could anyone do this? How could anyone know that God loves them and not say yes to Jesus Christ? You were once that person. And then there are those that you are weeping over, brothers and sisters, who have not yet given their life to Jesus Christ.13:41And Paul would simply say to you, don't give up. Don't give up. God's word has not failed. The Lord's arm is not too short to save. And the question that we must ask ourselves in the reading of this word is, will you open your heart to God today or will you harden your heart? If God's people who had every tangible reminder of God's grace could harden their heart to faith, what makes you think that you are different and better?14:06See, sometimes we have this today mindset. We think that, well, that would never happen to me. That's Bible time. I'm different. And Satan is speaking in our ear and saying, yeah, Josh, you are different.14:33Yeah, Josh, you have stronger will than Abraham did. Josh, I know the Israelites, they saw the hand of God in the Ten Commandments. But, yeah, they were faulty. You're not like that. Yeah, I know that the Israelites walked through dry ground in the Red Sea, but, Josh, you're better than them. And we begin to hear the lies of Satan where you would think, I would never fail the Lord.14:59Ask Peter how that works. Lord, I would never, if the whole world falls away, I will never deny you. And Jesus says, I will keep that receipt for later. Will you open your heart to God's grace or will you harden your hearts today? Paul is weeping and lamenting the fact that there are those whose heart is closed off to the gospel.15:26And he says, the Lord has not failed. He is still working. Keep praying. Keep worshiping. Keep inviting. Keep evangelizing. God's grace. He is still actively at work. And we read this and we ask, well, then, who can be saved? If they had all of this, what is there? Is there any hope for me? Well, let's look at verse 6 through 12 now.15:56Now, it is not as though the word of God has failed. Why is he answering that question? Because someone asked the question. The Roman church is asking, well, God, has your word failed? He said, no, because not all who descended from Israel are Israel. Neither are all of Abraham's children his descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac.16:24That is, it is not the children of physical descent who are God's children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. For this is the statement of the promise. At this time, I will come and Sarah will have a son. And not only that, but Rebecca will conceive. And through one man, our father, Isaac. For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad16:51so that God's purpose according to election might stand, not from work, but from the one who calls, she was told, the older will serve the younger. As it is written, I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau. As we're reading, if you think, well, this is confusing.17:20Who's what's descended and how does this work for me? And if you say, well, I don't like this idea of election. If I knew you were going to preach on that today, I would not have come back. Well, if you don't like the idea of election, though, remember Romans 28, verse 28, chapter 8. For God works all things out for the good for those who were called. That's the word of election.17:49And we will unpack this. Being a physical descendant of Abraham does not automatically qualify you as a child of promise. That's exactly what Paul is saying. Simply put, ethnic ancestry is not in itself salvation. Let me put it in modern terms. Even if your dad was a Baptist pastor, does not make you saved. Because that is trumped by having Abraham as your grandfather.18:17And Paul says, ancestry alone does not save you. Scripture makes it abundantly clear. The Lord does not have spiritual grandchildren. We are saved by faith. That's not a New Testament concept. The Old Testament people were saved by faith. But somewhere along the line, they forgot the faith portion of their faith. And they put things on autopilot.18:48And they began to believe, well, we're saved by what we do and who we know and where we go. We're not saved by faith. And Paul is bringing them back to the basics once again. Not simply Paul alone. Remember what John the Baptist said. John the Baptist bristled at people who thought they deserved grace. Luke chapter 3, verse 8. John the Baptist, which I like, because the older I get,19:18the more ornery I become. I am growing into John the Baptist as I get older. He says, produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don't say to ourselves, we have Abraham as our father. For I tell you that God can raise children of Abraham from these stones. Which is an interesting illustration. That language is not unique.19:47This is the language that Paul chooses. He said, if you are holding on to your heritage as salvation, God can save the rocks before he can save you. You're saved by faith. You see, there have always been two Israels, even from the beginning. Those of physical descent and those of faith. Which one are you? And to hammer things home. And it's a verse that really peaks our sensibilities.20:15But here in verse 14, he says, if you miss any of this, listen to verse 13. As it is written, I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau. If you read that and you just simply continue to the next verse, I don't think you've read that well. What does it mean that God loves someone, he hated someone else? Really, in the Greek,20:44it's a strong contrast that heightens comparison. God wasn't saying, I can't stand Esau, that rebel rouser. I've never loved him. I have always hated him. No, we are giving very concrete absolutes to say, wow, this is what a covenant person by faith looks like and this is what a person that is cursed and cut off because of lack of faith looks like. It's an echo of Malachi 1, 2. What is the word of God21:14saying in this? First, it's very clear that election is an indispensable foundation of the Christian faith. If you say, well, pastor, I don't believe in election. I would say, well, then, okay, close your Bible because you don't believe the Bible. Now, we will look at what election actually means, but it was God himself that called Abraham21:43from Ur. God called him in Genesis 12. It was God that called Moses from the burning bush. It was God that called Samuel in the middle of the night, not once, not twice, but three times. And Eli said, listen, I didn't call you to Samuel. He said, if the voice calls again, then say, speak, your servant is listening. And the Lord called Samuel in his grace three times.22:13three times. It was Jesus himself in John 13, 18, that said, I know those whom I have chosen. So it's clear salvation-wise that God chooses his people. He said, pastor, what does that mean? Hold on, we'll get there. But we're starting where the Bible starts. God calls us first. He called Israel first. Abraham is Abraham22:42because God called him and then Abraham responded by faith and left his homeland and then God called him a new name. God says, I have elected you, I have called you, I have chosen you. Second, we see biblically that clearly God took the first step so that you could be saved. Abraham did not seek Yahweh on his own. Moses did not find the burning bush on his own. I think my phone's over there, so I'm safe. Moses didn't ask Siri, hey Siri, take me to the burning bush.23:13God called him from the bush. Samuel did not cry out in the middle of the night. The Lord called him and the disciples did not invite Jesus to be their rabbi. Andrew and Simon didn't say, Jesus, we're about to let down our nets and leave everything so that you'll become our rabbi. Does that sound good? No, Jesus comes to them23:42and says, hey, leave your nets, I'll make you fishers of men. God took the first step. Salvation depends not on human will or effort, but on the Lord. This is the essence of our faith. Let me give you an Old Testament reference. Psalm 115 verse 1 says, not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible presents God as calling24:11and inviting fallen humanity back to himself. and a central motive in the New Testament is God is the good shepherd. What does the good shepherd do with the hundred sheep? There are 99, but what does he do with the one? The one sheep does not find its way back on its own. The shepherd goes and he finds. And he said, well, pastor, I like this. I don't have to do anything on my own then. You've missed the point.24:41Divine election never lessens human responsibility. Never lessens. It was Moses when hearing the voice of the Lord had to take off his sandals. God didn't say, boy, I'm about to take your shoes off. Get ready. The Lord didn't say to Ur, to Abraham, you are leaving Ur. I will force you25:10to leave your homeland. He says, no, go. It's by faith. There is a human responsibility as we encounter the word of God and the grace of God. The Bible teaches that God's sovereignty and his chosenness that each person must freely accept or reject Jesus as Savior. God choosing his people does not lessen human responsibility.25:39human responsibility. It was Bernard of Clairvaux that said, take away free will and there will be nothing left to save. Take away grace and there will be no means left of salvation. We read this and we ask then, well, how can anyone be saved? If we cannot be saved of ourself and it's not human condition, how can any of us be saved? Look at verse 14.26:08What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not. Paul is reading our mail because in verse 13 when we hear I have loved Jacob but have hated Esau, we say, well, God doesn't love anyone then, right? And Paul says, is there injustice with God? Absolutely not. He tells Moses, I will show mercy on who I will show mercy,26:38I will show compassion on whom I have compassion so then it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy. For scripture tells Pharaoh, I raised you up for this reason. Now let me remind you, in Exodus, before Pharaoh, before it says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, it says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. It was Esau that sold his own birthright because of fleshly desires. Divine, sovereign grace27:08sovereign grace does not lessen human responsibility. How can anyone be saved? From the trash heap of our lives comes one word, this beautiful word and it's a word called mercy. For he tells Moses, I will show mercy on whom I show mercy. Mercy is simply27:39not getting what you deserve. Not getting what you deserve. How can anyone be saved? I believe that this is given to us in the word of God to take us off of our high horses. If anyone thinks that he has earned grace, Paul says very clearly, no one has a claim on God's grace because of what they've done. John Calvin said, it is because of salvation. It is the cause of salvation28:10and the source of all blessings is Yahweh's mercy. How can anyone be saved? Because of mercy. We read this and we think, what do I need to do or can I earn salvation? You don't understand who my parents are and you don't understand what we've given or what we've done or where we've been and I would say, I don't, but God does and he says, it's not enough. So,28:42So, if it's not human will, then if I can't earn salvation, how must I be saved? It's called mercy. Not getting what you deserve and I believe God gives us this reminder because if you and I were responsible for our salvation, we would be justified in singing our own praises. I know my heart and I just need you guys to know this. If I win the 5K29:13for the nations, you will never hear the end of it. I mean never. When the trumpet of the Lord blows and if I am taken away in the clouds, I'm going to stop halfway and say, I won. Don't forget it. And many of you are like me because if we could earn grace,29:41earn grace, we would toot our own horns and blow our own trumpets. And Paul says, there is not a single person that can earn their way into heaven. Only the fool reads Romans 9 and boasts in themselves. May we never be that. How can we be saved? It is God's mercy. How can we be saved? Well, there must be a response. We must respond30:11to God's mercy and compassion. The internal work of the Spirit convicts us of sin. It's the internal work of the Spirit that enables you to respond but the gospel demands a response. We must repent and believe. It is Acts chapter 2. It is Peter, preaching. He said, you crucify Jesus and this congregation says, what must we do? They realize that the mercy of God demands a response30:40and Peter says, repent and be baptized. Their repentance didn't earn salvation. Their baptism didn't earn mercy but the gospel demands a response. Sovereignty does not lessen human responsibility. have you responded have you responded to God's grace? How can anyone respond and be saved? Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change31:10of action. Repentance is not agreeing mentally with the gospel. Repentance is saying, Jesus, I will follow you no matter the cost because you are worth my life because you gave your life for me. Repentance that leads to no change is not repentance. It's emotionalism because I know this, when Jesus saved my life, he saved all of me.31:39Now he is still uprooting weeds and chasing out sin and casting out darkness and elevating light. There is still sanctifying work in my life to the glory of the Father. But I know this, the moment that I gave my life to Jesus by faith, he changed everything about me. And the reason that gives me hope is because if I could have earned my salvation, then I could unearn it. Praise be32:09Praise be to God that my salvation is assured and secure in the gospel. So we go back back to the question, has God failed? Verse 27.32:32Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, though the number of Israelites is like the sand of the sea, not all who descended from Abraham is Abraham. He says, there will be a remnant that is saved. Saved how? By faith. In whom? Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Church, the fact that this glorious word is read in this sacred assembly 2,000 years later33:01on the Lord's Day is a reminder that there is a remnant of faith still on the earth. that God's work is still happening in our world because there are still people who live by faith. Who is Israel that will be saved? It is those who are being saved by faith in Jesus Christ. And if you, by faith, have given your life33:31to Jesus Christ, you are part of that tree. You are grafted in. You are adopted. this is the hope of the gospel. I know election is a weighty subject. Maybe you read this and you ask, how can I be saved and what does this mean for me? Or maybe you felt the weight of saying,34:00of saying, Pastor, how good is good enough? What must I do? Or I know I'm saved but I struggle with being secure in my salvation. Can I lose my salvation? I've been praying for my neighbors. I've been praying for my friends. I've been praying for my family. Why aren't they coming to faith? Paul would say, do not give up. Do not give up. Because God's grace34:29is greater. God's mercy is more. How does election and human responsibility match up? That's on my list to ask the Lord one day. But I know this to be true because the Bible says it. I know that salvation is an act of the Lord in my life. And I know35:00that when I hear the gospel that Jesus died in my place and he lived the life that I could not live and he died the death that I deserve to die and he rose again and that by faith whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. I believe that to be true. I believe that God convicts me of my sin and when he convicts me I need to repent. I believe that when God calls out in the middle of the night that he empowers us to say speak Lord your servant is listening. I believe that35:30when he calls Abraham to leave the land of Ur and to go to the land of promise the land by the way he says you go ahead and leave and then I will show you. Abraham left. Church I believe we have to respond to the gospel. That is our mandate and our charge. If you've never responded to the love of God to the mercy of God would you do so today? I'm not asking you to do so because of me. I'm asking you36:02because if God is calling you he is calling you so that you will respond. It's not a token call. God isn't saying well I guess I'm just going to give a blanket invitation because I know you won't believe it anyway. Church when Jesus died on the cross the invitation to come know Jesus is open to all who will believe by faith. Would you respond? Pastor how how can I be saved? Simply36:32Simply saying praying with your heart Lord I know I'm a sinner. I can't do it on my own. And I believe in my Mississippi mind the Holy Spirit saying yeah duh keep praying. Lord I know that Jesus took my place I believe it. I will follow you no matter the cost. would you come to saving faith. Maybe you37:02Maybe you hear this and you lean the other way and you say well I am chosen and I have the promises and I have the law and look at me. I want I want to I would say I don't want to gently tell you this. I want to give you what the word says. Get off your high horse. How dare any of us think that we have earned grace. Any of us. And may we just come to God and say37:32God forgive me that I think I have made myself who you made me. we should leave here humble and broken and and with this burden for other people who don't know Jesus. Pastor how does sovereign grace election and free will meet I don't know but I also believe I don't have to reconcile friends. Today if you've never38:02you've never given your life to Jesus this is the day. Come to faith. Today if you've walked in here with your chest out and your head high because of what you've done may you leave here with your head high and your chest out because of what Jesus has done. And if you're simply broken and say has God failed? Listen to the reminder. He is not. God's word is enough and his grace is sufficient. And until38:32And until Jesus returns his spirit will continue to do his work. Do not give up. Do not grow weary and do not forget the echo. God works all things out for the good. Those who love him and are called according to his purposes. As we do every week our pastors will be down front to minister to you and to pray. Pastor James is on this side. I'll be down here if you just want to come pray. But may39:03But may we leave here, before we leave here, may we leave here responding to the gospel in a way that is good, holy, righteous, and spirit led. Father,39:44God bless.40:14God bless.40:44God bless.41:14God bless.← Previous in When in RomansWhen in Romans: God Did (Romans 8:1-11)Next in When in Romans →When in Romans – Salvation 101: The Path to Righteousness (Romans 10:1-13)More sermons on Romans →
