The sovereignty and mercy of God

Walks with Brodie and Emilia. While on the heal, got him, but soon as I lose focus, stop calling him to heal, gets eyes on cows, game begins. That point nothing I can do but wait until he gets bored. Too far gone.

Theologically we want to say. No Phil, of course you can’t be too far gone. Yet we all have friends who seems so resistant - tempting to wonder, maybe they are beyong saying.

Or we look at our lives compaired to other Christians feel like failures. Same mistakes, am I really a Christian - maybe God has given up on me.

Paul writing to church on edge of hard times. Church made up of Jewish and Gentile believers. He longs that they know depth and power of the gospel of grace. We’ve seen this as we have worked through last 10 chapters. Wants them to have a deep, rich, life giving understanding of the gosple of grace, that they might live in graet unity and power and assurance, obedience. About to begin to apply very practically all that he has been saying, so in chapter 8-11 he draws together really all that he has been saying by talking about key subject. Israel. Maybe that surprises us.

But this morning I hope we’ll see that Paul’s purpose by concluding his discussion on Israel is to give the believers in this church, both Jew and Gentile, and all beleivers everywehre reading great assurance by helping them

Glory in the sovreignty and mercy of God.

Reading: How does Paul use Israel to demonstrate God’s control and mercy?

reading

Over last few weeks dealt with some pretty big bits of Romans. Seen this tension, God chooses those h e will save through faith in the gospel, and yet we are responsible for our rejection of him. Similarly saw that Jews are responsible for their refusal to turn to Christ, and they have not come to faith because God has not chosen to have mercy on them.

Rahter Paul concludes

Romans 10:21 NIV

But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Left with big question v1

and again repeated v 11.

Maybe for us doens’t seem like big question. Why does it matter what happens to Israel? Don’t we have all we need in gospel of grace Paul has been talkign about?

All of God’s promises, of his presence, his blessings, he provision and protection, of redemption. Who were they made to - Israel. OT people

Which means that if God’s people Israel have finally been rejected, then so has his plan.

But thankful answer Paul gives:

Romans 11:1 (NIV)

I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means!

Romans 11:11 (NIV)

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!

Reason Paul gives can be summed up in 2 huge truths.

God is sovereign in salvation

Romans 11:1–2 NIV

I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:

Paul shows that God in his sovereignty has alway had a plan to save his people.

2 ways

First by showing that God has not rejected Jews altogether. But rather by election and grace has always and will always keep a remnant. Paul gives 2 examples.

Talks about himself. A Jew of Jews, if anyone was beyond reaching it was him. Previous career overseeing the persecution of Christians. Yet whom God forknew and whom God called to be his apostle to the Gentiles.

Secondly talks about Elijah, who was prophet in OT in era of unfaithfulness of God’s people. With a King who disobedient.

Romans 11:2–4 NIV

God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

(from 1Kings19)

God’s purposes have not failed, and will not fail - how can we know? Look at Israel

Last 200 years story has been told about Frederick, King of Prussia, who asked his court chaplin for proof in one word that bible is true. Chaplin resorted to what was plain and obvious, something all world could see. ISRAEL.

Israel is nothing less than miracle as far as nations are concerned. Records beyond any other of when and why and by whom it was founded. Records from ancient and modern history. Same homeland has been for thousands of years. Think of all that Jewish nation has endured, in bible and in recent history from wars to exile, to genocide, yet still survives.

Jeremiah 31:35–36 NIV

This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord Almighty is his name: “Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,” declares the Lord, “will Israel ever cease being a nation before me.”

How can we be sure God is sovereign, and will keep his promises - because he hasn’t given up on his peopel Israel, but kept them right at the heart of his salvation plan.

We see that secondly because far from Israel’s rejection of God thwarting his plan, rather it is part of his plan to bring salvation to the world. v11-12

Romans 11:11–12 NIV

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

There is this process of God pouring out his blessings

Israel’s sin, leads to savlation being made available to gentiles, Gentile faith leads Israel back to God.

Pattern repeated 5 times, most helpful with picture of an olive tree + language of grafting in.

Olive tree

In exceptional circumstances, ‘it is customary to reinvigorate an olive tree which is ceasing to bear fruit by grafting it with a shoot of the wild-olive, so that the sap of the tree ennobles this wild shoot and the tree now again begins to bear fruit’.

What God is doing. Olive tree, this people of God, build on roots, patriachs, promises to Abraham, - from which tree grows, but because of rejection, failed to bear fruit, So God cut off fruitless branches and grafted in wild olive shoots, gentiles, who would have otherwise been unfruitful, and by doing gives life to those wild olive shoots, not feeding from the good root, and in doing so so reinvigorated the olive tree, and then those Jews who previously rejected, see this fruitful, beautiful tree - people of God, demonstrating power of God, they are jealous, and in faith respond, and are grafted back it.

What is Paul telling us?

All of this (show bible)

history of Israel, from Abraham, all OT through to Jesus in his rejection, death and ressurection, through pages of NT, early church, and beyond pages to today.

ALL of this is to achieve God plan of salvation for the world - the process of him saving those he forknew, those who chose from before world began, those from Jew and Gentile backgrounds, to bring them all together to be part of one great, fruitful, everlating olive tree, one family - Kingdom of God.

Romans 11:25–26 (NIV)

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.

Until a vast number, represent all of God’s elect, beyond count, from both Jew and Gentile are together before throne after Jesus return.

Secondly though what do we see from this. What does Paul want to show us?

God is merciful to those he choses.

Where does this sovereign plan of God lead? What journey does this road, the rejection of God by his people take?

God himself entering in. Jesus came to experience the rejection first hand.

Romans 11:26–27 (NIV)

As it is written:

“The deliverer will come from Zion;

he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.

And this is my covenant with them

when I take away their sins.”

Jesus came as the true Israelite - a descendant of David - fully man in perfect obedience to his Father - and as Son of God was despised and rejected by people and killed on a Cross. But it was that we see tension of God’s sovereignty and and human responsibility pulled together resulting in mercy and grace to sinners.

Romans 11:22 NIV

Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

Romans 11:30–32 NIV

Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

He is truth that should bring assurance and joy for every believer. God in his sovereignty has decided to pour out his mercy, gift of his grace, and call you to himself with an irrevocable call v29

Imagine you are in dept, owe £100. One day you get a letter saying not only that you debt has been cleared but you have been gifted £1million. It’s yours. Would you go and then in discust object because you didn’t feel like you were part of the decision making process?

Here is thing with topic of soveriengty and election. Big topic. God’s ways are higher than ours. Good to discuss and wrestle - and if you want chance to do that at some point together, let me know or life group leader know and we can find a time.

But that is not purpose Paul writes. He writes that you may know this. That God, from before the world began had a plan to choose a people for himself. AA plan than cannot be thwarted and will not fail. A plan that involved him giving his Son in love, that we who can bring nothing to the table other than our sin, might be part of his eternal family, and experience his eternal blessing. Paul wants you to know that if you are trusting in Jesus you are part of this plan. You are one of his elect, and nothing can seperate you from his love, if we remain in his kindess. If we remain willing recipients of his grace.

Have you recieved grace of God through Jesus Christ? Have you put your trust in him, relying on his death and ressurection alone to save you? Do so today.

If you have then remain in that Kindness.

Hebrews 3:15 (NIV)

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts

How do we respond to these glorious truths?

Loads of things. Unity with all believers everywehre in the gospel. Paul warns Gentiles about danger of arrogance and looking down on Jewish brothers - it was from their heritage that God worked out salvation.

We should have an optimism in evangelism.

Someone said

“As we hold out the gospel it is inevitable that people will be saved”

How do we know this - v25-26, because when God has finished calling people to himself, we will be in heaven with him. Includes many Jews. What a motivation for mission - sooner we tell sooner we can get out of this place!

But surely response that drives all these is most obvious one. How do we respond to a all powerful, all knowing sovereign God, who in his plan has shown us such mercy? Is primary reponse to ask why? - no -stand in awe at Glory of God.

Worship your glorious soverign merciful God.

This is what Paul does, as he finished this section - he bursts out in praise. and we should do the same

Romans 11:33–36 NIV

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

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