The Glory Belongs to the Lord
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
We’ve come to the end of the great theological work of Paul. We are at the top of the mountain!
Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle slowly ascended the mountain of divine truth and now he stands at the top. Looking back over the terrain through which he climbed, considering the implications of the things he set forward, comes this dynamic doxology of praise to God. It must be seen as the logical conclusion when God reveals the truth to us.
This doxology expresses genuine praise to God for the depths of His character revealed from chapter 1 through chapter 11.
This is appropriate praise for Him who reigns on high!
God’s Superior Wisdom
God’s Superior Wisdom
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
God has vast knowledge and indescribable wisdom.
A diver can only go down so far into the ocean before the capacities of the human body are tested to the breaking point. We are made to operate at only a certain depth in water, beyond that, the pressure is too much to bear. So it is with the DEPTH of God’s wisdom and knowledge. WE cannot bear what He can, nor can we follow His paths
Depth - This is to an extreme degree, inexhaustibly deep. It is a profound
Riches - Wealth, the wealth of kindness ( & )
Wisdom - The practical wisdom of God.
Knowledge - In planning to save so many in such a wonderful way.
How unsearchable are His judgments —> Another reference to God’s wisdom. These are His decrees, decisions. They are unfathomable, unsearchable. They go out into a place that man cannot go.
His judgments - the way He runs the world.
His path is untraceable!
No man made religion can even come close to the beauty of God’s grace.
In the context of Romans listen to this...
Chapter 1 - salvation is come through the Gospel
Chapter 2 -
Chapter 2 - the work of the law in the hearts of man
Chapter 3 - the sinfulness of man
Chapter 4 - The imputation of righteousness without works
Chapter 5 - The marvelous plan of atonement through the second Adam. The substitute known as Jesus.
Chapter 6 - The new life in Christ…being dead to sin, but alive unto God
Chapter 7 - The sin principles still residing, but hope and victory in Jesus Christ
Chapter 8 - The plan of salvation
Chapter 9 - The children of promise
Chapter 10 - Salvation is by faith
Chapter 11 - God’s working with both Jew and Gentile unto salvation
5 How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!
We do not fully understand election.
We do not fully understand hardening.
God has used everything to make it contribute to the ultimate goal He had determined. He has made the sin of man to so turn out. He made the death of Christ to become the propitiation for the sins of the world. He even made the rejection of Israel to bring about the evangelization of the Gentiles.
We do not fully understand God closing the eyes and ears of people who need his truth, people whom he wants to receive it.
We do not fully understand his timetable.
We do not fully understand (though we try because we want to) the eternal destinies of those who live and die in the period of Israel’s hardening.
We do not fully understand what makes those who live at a time when Israel’s disobedience is removed more “deserving” of mercy (to speak in human terms) than those who did not receive mercy.
And least of all, we do not understand why those who write about Romans, and teach others about Romans, have received mercy, knowing ourselves as we do.
Paul was right. The riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God are too deep for us.
Kenneth Boa and William Kruidenier, Romans, vol. 6, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 346.
God has used everything to make it contribute to the ultimate goal He had determined. He has made the sin of man to so turn out. He made the death of Christ to become the propitiation for the sins of the world. He even made the rejection of Israel to bring about the evangelization of the Gentiles.
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
The whole redemptive work of God in Christ was a manifestation of the God’s wisdom. This kind of plan does not fit into schemes of man.
God’s Supremacy
God’s Supremacy
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”
Verse 34 - We have an inability to properly comprehend God and His ways.
Paul quotes one more time from , where Isaiah marvels at God’s future grace in bringing the people up from Babylon, looking forward to the wonder of the forgiveness of sins.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
,
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
God doesn’t need a counselor, for there is no one wiser than Him. He has never needed a person assistant, or management consultant to help Him rule and rescue the world.
There is no special counsel, heavenly advisor, none would qualify. Who has knowledge enough of all that is involved in the present or what will happen in the future to be the adviser or counselor of God?
Verse 35 is a quote from the book of . This is God’s second speech to Job. FAced with the awesome terror of the evil leviathan, Job needs to know that no creature in heaven is able to make any claim on God.
You don’t say to God, Hey God, you owe me for that one. God is the source of all power and grace.
Paul’s argument here:
Can we think like God?
Can we advise Him?
Does God owe us?
Then why do we sometimes think God is wrong? How can we say He isn’t just, that He isn’t fair? Why do we say things like, “old Billy Bob left this earth to soon” when clearly teaches that God has our days numbered? We say things like that we are saying God was wrong.
The key understanding this last passage is to see it as a conclusion to all that Paul penned from Chapter 1:17 to Chapter 11:32.
Job 11:
7 “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?
8 It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?
9 Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
God’s Self-Sufficiency
God’s Self-Sufficiency
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
This last statement is given as the reason why we will always owe God, and God is NEVER indebted to man.
“From Him” - SOURCE points to God as the great source of all things, the Creator, the Initiator. Nothing exists apart from Him.
“Through Him” - AGENCY - points to God as the great Sustainer of all things. He is the power behind everything.
“And to Him” - GOAL - points to God as the great goal, the last end of all things. The ultimate purpose, the ultimate end of everything is found in God and the goal of everything.
For from
Teaching Romans, Volume 2: Unlocking Romans 9–16 for the Bible Teacher Conclusion: The Glory of the Overflowing Grace of God (11:33–36)
‘For from him’ (since he is the source of all) ‘and through him’ (for he is the sustainer of all) ‘and to him’ (for he is the goal of all creation) ‘are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
This is the doctrinal message of Romans.
All of salvation, from its origin in eternity to its consummation in the New Creation, is a GRACE ALONE by the sacrifice of CHRIST ALONE, mediated to men and women by the SPRIT OF GOD ALONE, received empty-handed by FAITH ALONE.
And because it is all without exception from GRACE, it is all without any exception TO HIS GLORY!
Don’t doubt His plan
Don’t doubt His purposes
Don’t doubt His decision
Don’t doubt His guidelines.
We must seek Him, submit to Him, and honor HIm.
WE must worship and praise God in truth. There is no worship without truth.
WE don’t have to know and understand everything to praise the God who does.
So, when we come to worship the Lord, we come with hearts centered on the Lord because ALL GLORY BELONGS TO THE LORD.
Will you join me in a renewed commitment to “just praise the Lord” in time and eternity?