September 14, 2025 • 37 mins
Have you ever wondered how to make sense of God's promises when they seem unfulfilled? Romans 11 takes us on a remarkable journey from confusion to worship as we explore God's sovereign plan of salvation.
Paul begins with a burning question: Has God rejected His people? If salvation comes through faith in Christ alone, what about the many Jewish people who haven't embraced Jesus? The apostle's answer is a resounding "By no means!" He offers himself as living proof—a Jewish believer from the tribe of Benjamin who found salvation in Christ. Throughout Israel's history, God has always maintained a faithful remnant according to His gracious election, just as He preserved 7,000 followers during Elijah's time who hadn't bowed to Baal.
Through the powerful metaphor of an olive tree, we discover how natural branches (unbelieving Jews) are broken off while wild olive shoots (Gentiles) are grafted in through faith. This illustration reveals a profound truth: salvation comes only by grace for everyone. For Gentile believers, this requires humility. If God can graft wild branches into His cultivated tree, how much more can He restore natural branches that return through faith?
The most hopeful revelation comes when Paul unveils God's ultimate plan—a future large-scale revival among Jewish people who will recognize Jesus as their Messiah. While the timing remains mysterious, the promise stands firm. God's redemptive story includes both widespread Gentile salvation and a remarkable restoration of many Jewish people through faith in Christ.
What's most striking is how Paul concludes this complex theological discussion. After wrestling with difficult questions about God's sovereignty and redemptive plan, he doesn't offer neat explanations. Instead, he erupts in worship: "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" When we reach the limits of understanding God's sovereign ways, worship becomes our most authentic response.
Where do you stand in this story? Are you already grafted into God's family tree through faith in Christ? Or perhaps today is your opportunity to become part of His family. The invitation remains open to everyone who trusts in Jesus.
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Speaker 1 (00:23):
1st Baptist Baptist El Dorado, will you join me now
in listening to our sermon fromthis week?
Amen, open with me to Romans,chapter 11.
Romans, chapter 11.
This morning morning, inchapters 9 and 10 last week,
(00:56):
overviewed that now into Romans11.
This important part of Paul'sletter that I think teaches us
so much about the Lord'ssalvation, the Lord's sovereign
will, the Lord's plan for ourlives, for believers, for the
future.
Let me pray for us, lord Jesus,now would you please speak
through your word, by yourspirit, because we need you in
(01:20):
Christ's name, amen.
How do you get from point A topoint B?
That can be a very easyquestion or it could be a very
tricky question.
Really, it just depends onwhere you're starting and where
you're heading.
For Carl Bushby, that's a veryinteresting question because in
November of 1998, he left fromthe very southern point of Chile
(01:47):
and his plan was this he wasgoing to walk home to where he
lived in whole England, inEngland.
Now you're confused right nowbecause you're thinking of
geography and oceans.
He's going to walk home fromthe very south of Chile to where
he lives in England.
(02:08):
He started in November of 1998.
Get this he's set to finallyarrive home in 2026.
He's getting close.
Now I'll put up you can put themap up on the screen of his
route of how this is going tohappen.
And again, what you're sayingis and remember this now no
transportation at all, onlywalking.
(02:31):
What you're saying is that'snot possible.
Well, he waited until a certaintime of year where the Bering
Strait between Alaska and Russiawas frozen over, had to take
kind of an indirect route acrossthat channel, but he was able
to walk from Alaska to Russia ata certain time of year.
(02:52):
Now you also say this I knowour world is big, but even that
I wouldn't expect to take 27years and I kind of agree with
you.
But the reality is this he hashad to stop at times for days,
months, literally, at times evenyears, trying to get the right
visas, trying to let certaincountries literally give him
(03:14):
permission to come in.
He's probably had to tell hisstory 800 times over, 8,000
times over.
But in next year he's set toarrive back home.
How do you get from point A topoint B?
For us this morning it's also aquestion we have to ask Because
(03:37):
we're not going from one spoton the globe to another, we're
trying to go to the mentalheadspace of Paul the Apostle,
because, as we think aboutRomans 9 through 11, this
portion of scripture that's soimportant, we saw last week
where we began and we begin inRomans 9.
(04:00):
Right here I'm speaking thetruth in Christ.
I'm not lying.
My conscience bears witness, inthe Holy Spirit, that I have
great sorrow and unceasinganguish in my heart.
That's point A great sorrow,unceasing anguish.
Where is point B, where we'reheading?
At the end, the very end ofchapter 11.
(04:21):
Oh, the depth of the riches andwisdom of the knowledge of God.
How unsearchable are hisjudgments, how inscrutable his
ways.
For who has known the mind ofthe Lord, who has been his
counselor, who has given a giftto him that he might be repaid?
And look at this, for from himand through him and to him are
all things.
To him be glory forever, amen.
(04:42):
How do we get from thebeginning of Romans, chapter 9,
to the end of Paul's thought inRomans, chapter 11, where
somehow we move from this placefor Paul his emotional mental
state in chapter 9, a place ofsorrow and distress distress a
(05:11):
mere three chapters later to aplace of joy as he rejoices in
and worships the sovereignbeauty of the Lord over all.
How do you get there?
Well, it's simply this you getthere through the sovereign of
God.
The sovereignty of God and hissalvation, the beauty of God's
work somehow has turned Paulfrom distress and sorrow to joy,
and I hope and pray it'll dothe same for us this morning.
(05:34):
Romans, chapter 11 begins likethis.
I ask then has God rejected hispeople?
Last week, in Romans 9 and 10,we talked a lot about that same
question.
Has God rejected his people,those of Jewish lineage,
(05:55):
physically speaking, thephysical line of the Jews?
Has God rejected these people?
Because here's what we know,and maybe you read this this
morning, but in Genesis, chapter12, god makes a very important
promise.
I'm going to read it to youGenesis 12, 1.
Now the Lord said to Abram gofrom your country and your
(06:18):
kindred and your father's houseto the land that I will show you
and I will make of you a greatnation, and I will.
And so we have this momentwhere God calls Abram, not
(06:42):
because of any merit of his own,not because he was extra worthy
or deserved it, but God choseAbraham at the time, abram, and
from him he would create apeople, he would create a nation
, god's family that wouldn'tjust exist to be a holy huddle
(07:04):
but instead would exist to blessthe world.
So all the nations will beblessed through this family.
This was God's plan from thebeginning.
But God chose this family.
We see in Genesis, chapter 15,.
Three chapters later, god madea covenant with Abraham, a
promise that he would do exactlythis Chapter 17,.
(07:25):
Two chapters later in Genesis,god doubles down on that promise
.
God is taking Abraham and fromhim creating a people.
But then we come to Romans andthere would be those that would
be tempted to look at those ofJewish lineage, the line of
(07:47):
Abraham, and say Paul, if you'reright in everything you say
about the gospel, then it wouldseem that there are so many of
Jewish lineage that are on theoutside looking in.
Now, how in the world do youexplain that?
Does that mean that God hasbroken a promise?
Does that mean God wasn't ableto fulfill a promise?
(08:08):
Does that mean that God hadthis people and he gave up on
them?
Does that mean God had a peopleand, despite his best efforts,
was just unable to keep them inhis hands?
And what does Paul want to say?
By no means it doesn't mean anyof that.
And then he wants to give proof, for I myself am an Israelite,
(08:31):
a descendant of Abraham, amember of the tribe of Benjamin.
What's Paul's first proof thatGod hasn't rejected the Jewish
people?
Well, number one, here I am.
Paul says this I'm a Jew, I'mof Jewish lineage, the tribe of
Benjamin.
It reminds me of Philippians,chapter three, when Paul lists
(08:53):
his incredible Jewish resume.
I'm a Hebrew of Hebrews.
As regard to the law ofPharisee, I'm of the tribe of
Benjamin.
I mean, he's got the pedigree,he's got the family history, and
he says this, and yet I've seenthe goodness of Benjamin.
I mean, he's got the pedigree,he's got the family history, and
he says this, and yet I've seenthe goodness of the grace of
God in the person of JesusChrist.
So, number one, if you wantproof that God hasn't rejected
(09:13):
his people, paul just says lookat me.
Number two, a piece of prooflook at verse two.
God has not rejected his peoplewhom he foreknew.
Do you not know what thescripture says of Elijah, how he
appeals to God against Israel?
Lord, they have killed yourprophets, they have demolished
your altars, and I alone andleft, and they seek my life.
(09:37):
But what is God's reply to him?
I have kept for myself 7,000men who have not bowed the knee
to Baal, this beautiful momentwhen Elijah comes before the
Lord and he says this God.
The quote unquote.
People of God are really actinglike the people of the world
(09:58):
right now.
They've sinned in every kind ofway possible, and not only that
.
I'm trying to do the rightthing and be the man of God
you're calling me to be, andthese Israelites are now coming
after me.
God, I don't know if this isworking with your chosen people,
because they want nothing to dowith you.
(10:19):
And God says this don't worry.
Even now, I've saved for myself7,000 people, this remnant of
Israel, this remnant of Jewishlineage that has not bowed down
to the idols of the world.
My people, the children of thepromise, are still there, do not
(10:41):
fear.
I think of a moment in Isaiah,chapter 11.
The people of God.
Once again, israel has sinnedin ways we can't even imagine,
and because God takes sinseriously, he comes to punish
Israel, and they are very muchcut down.
And Isaiah 11, as I go intoexile, isaiah 11 talks about
(11:06):
Israel as literally a treethat's been cut down and now
they've been reduced to thisstump in the ground.
But here's the amazing news ofIsaiah, chapter 11.
God looks at this stump in theground and says this but there
is a holy branch growing forththat from this stump, this tree
(11:27):
of Israel that has been cut down.
They've gone away in their sinand wanted nothing to do with
the God who chose them and savedthem.
Do not worry, because hope isstill there, because there grows
from this stump a holy seed, aholy sprout, a holy remnant.
They may be small in number,they may be under the radar, but
(11:51):
God has not forgotten them.
I love the words of later Isaiah49, where even Israel, the
people of God, has said this theLord has forsaken me of God has
said this the Lord has forsakenme.
My Lord has forgotten me.
That's what some of the peopleof God are saying in this moment
(12:12):
.
God, you've left us, you'veforgotten us.
And what does God say inresponse to these words?
Can a woman forget her nursingchild?
That she should have nocompassion on the son of her
womb?
Even these may forget, yet Iwill not forget you.
Behold, I've engraved you onthe palms of my hand.
(12:33):
Your walls are continuallybefore me.
This is God looking at thatbeautiful remnant, his children
of the promise beautiful remnant, his children of the promise,
and when they're tempted to say,god, have you forgotten us?
God's response is this a womancannot forget her nursing child.
And even deeper than that, Icannot forget you.
(12:58):
The truth is this that if Godhas made a promise and you read
about it this morning in LifeGroup, we've read about it now.
God has made a promise and youread about it this morning in
life group, we've read about itnow God has made a promise, and
and the next promise that Goddoes not fulfill will be his
first.
He's never broken a promise,and even saying that statement
(13:19):
is a bit silly, because you andI both know there never will be
a broken promise on God's part.
And so when he says I havesaved a people, chosen the
people, preserved a people, hemeans it.
And so that's number one issimply this that God has
preserved his remnant.
God has preserved his people.
(13:41):
If you wonder if the children ofthe promise are still here and
have still been here allthroughout history, if God has
given up on them, paul wants toput that to rest.
God cannot do it.
God will not do it.
God is not in the business ofbreaking promises and giving up
(14:01):
on the children of God.
He doesn't do it.
But I also want to see this Notonly has God preserved his
remnant, god has provided forall.
So, in the midst of this, god isnot just saving these of Jewish
(14:22):
lineage, these children of thepromise, but also God's desire
is to bring Gentiles, non-jews,into the family of God.
Look with me at verse 11 ofRomans 11.
So I ask did they stumble inorder that they might fall?
(14:43):
By no means.
Rather, through their trespass,salvation has come to the
Gentiles so as to make Israeljealous.
Now, if their trespass meansriches for the world and if
their failure means riches forthe Gentiles, how much more will
their full inclusion mean?
(15:04):
So a lot of this second sectionof Romans 11, verse 11, verse
through 24, is really gettingthis picture of a metaphor, an
illustration of a tree, a treethat is the family of God, the
children of the promise.
We're going to see throughoutthis illustration.
(15:24):
If you read it on your own,you'll see that there's many of
Jewish lineage who are no longer, are not branches on the tree,
and again, this is through thisillustration, this metaphor.
But they have desired to seeksalvation by their own
righteousness and they have notdone it through the
(15:45):
righteousness that is found inthe Lord, not done it through
the righteousness that is foundin the Lord.
There are many, the remnant,who are strong branches in this
tree.
But then the exciting news aswell is that there are many
Gentiles who the Lord, who Paulsays, have been grafted into
this tree and God has providedsalvation for all, for Jews and
(16:09):
Gentiles, that any can come untoJesus.
But what we see right here inthis moment is Paul is
explaining that of Jewishlineage, many have sought
salvation by any other means,again by their own merit, by
their own righteousness, throughworks of the law, and no one
(16:31):
can come to Christ through worksof the law.
And so there has been ahardening of hearts by many of
these of Jewish lineage.
And in the meantime Paul saysthis many Gentiles are coming
unto faith, gentiles are comingunto salvation.
Now what Paul says is this thisis done that those of Jewish
(16:55):
lineage might be jealous and seewhat is happening.
Now don't trivialize that,because what that sounds like,
if we're just being honest, is akind of grade school jealousy.
I think about something.
I think about my two children.
In our home we've got toys andtoys on top of toys.
(17:21):
In fact, if you'd all come overafter you can all take a toy
with you and I would love that.
And we've got some toys thathadn't been touched in a week,
some in a month, some in a year,some since 30 seconds after
they were opened.
We've got toys all over theplace and there are certain toys
, let's say, you could inserteither one here that sibling A,
(17:45):
it was theirs originally butthey never play with anymore.
But then something happens.
Sibling B will from time totime maybe go to the bottom of
that toy chest, find that toythat sibling A has not even
thought about in three years andpull that toy out and suddenly
(18:08):
sibling A realizes that that isthe most important toy that I've
ever possessed.
That is the thing I want most,need most, and nothing in my
life is more important thanlaying claim to that toy that I
haven't played with in threeyears.
Why?
Because sibling B is nowenjoying it.
It happens every day, everysingle day.
(18:34):
Is that what I'm saying in thismoment?
Is that a bit trivializing whatis happening, this jealousy
that happens here that the Jewsmight see the Gentiles coming to
faith through Jesus Christ andsay, oh boy, if they're coming.
I sure want some of that.
Of course that trivializes it.
(18:54):
Of course what Paul's talkingabout in the sovereignty of God
is not a child's game.
Again, it's not grade schooljealousy.
But it is important to seewhat's happening, that in God's
sovereignty, as the hearts of somany Jewish individuals, their
hearts, are hardened and they'reseeking salvation in any other
(19:18):
way other than Christ, theGentiles are coming in.
And Paul would say, hey, wouldit be that they would look and
see Gentiles coming in throughfaith in Christ Jesus?
And maybe they too would saythat's what I'm missing.
There's the secret ingredientI'm missing that I've been
(19:39):
holding out hope on somethingelse and yet, all the while,
hope has already come and it'scome in the person of Jesus
Christ.
Would it be that that would bethe case, that Jewish
individuals would come untoChrist, that Gentile individuals
would come unto Christ?
And so Paul is saying this iswhat is happening, this Jewish
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hardening of hearts, gentilescoming in as to make them
jealous.
He also wants to make the point,as we look at this tree, that
for Gentile believers we must becareful, because our job now is
not to boast in ourselves.
There could be this temptationamong Gentile believers who come
into the family of God.
They are now grafted into thistree.
(20:24):
And there'd be a temptation tosay this Well, aren't I
something?
And there'd be a temptation tosay this well, aren't I
something?
You know?
God saw that a lot of thoseother branches were laying on
the ground and he looked overand he saw how beautiful my
branch was and he said I've gotto get that branch,
taylor-garren, on my tree,because God is in heaven saying
(20:44):
if I just had that branch on mytree, wouldn't my family be
special?
No, no, no.
Saying if I just had thatbranch on my tree, wouldn't my
family be special?
No, no, no For Jew, for Gentileman, woman, boy, girl, whoever
you are, if you are in Christ,it is in every way, shape and
form, simply by the grace of God.
Unmerited grace, unworthy are we.
(21:06):
And yet Christ has saved us.
It's all his doing, it is notour doing.
And so our job is not to boast,as we saw last week.
What is our job?
To proclaim the excellencies ofChrist Jesus, that more would
come, be grafted into this tree.
(21:28):
Our job is to remain in thevine.
Our job is to preserve.
Our job is to stay grounded inChrist Jesus, letting his
sanctification work in us.
That's what the rest of thissection is talking about.
God has preserved his remnant.
(21:48):
God has provided for all.
Look at this now.
God will produce revival.
God will produce revival.
Verse 25,.
You talk about not boastingLest you be wise in your own
sight.
I do not want you to be unawareof this mystery, brothers.
(22:10):
Look at this now.
A partial hardening has comeupon Israel until the fullness
of Gentiles has come in.
Now, when we say the fullnessof Gentiles has come in, I don't
want you to think that in termsof a, there's a heavenly quota,
there's an exact number, andwhen this you know here is
(22:31):
Gentile.
You know 2 billion, you know 3million 899, and he's in, she's
in, we've met.
No, don't think in those terms.
Think in God's sovereign designbefore the salvation of the
world that, as Israel's heart ishardened, gentiles in large
number come unto faith.
(22:52):
And then we see verse 26,.
And in this way, all Israelwill be saved.
And now I would argue this aswell when Paul says in this way,
all Israel will be saved, Idon't want us also to think in
that moment of a universalsalvation of all Jews from all
(23:13):
time.
There's a few things we've gotto talk about.
Number one how will any inIsrael, or any Gentile or anyone
, be saved once again by comingthrough faith in Jesus Christ?
Number one that is the way.
So, as there is revival we'lltalk about in a second among the
Jewish people, it's not anyonejust waking up and saying, oh,
(23:35):
I'm part of the family of Godsimply because of my works or my
lineage gets me in.
No, no, it's everybody sayingJesus Christ gets me in, jew
Gentile or anyone that's everbeen created.
Jesus Christ gets me in.
But in this moment we seethere's a partial hardening.
The Gentiles come in and inthis way all Israel will be
(23:59):
saved.
As it is written, the delivererwill come from Zion.
He will banish ungodliness fromJacob and this will be my
covenant with them when I takeaway their sins.
What is Paul getting at here?
That there will be a day in thefuture that, at this beautiful,
(24:23):
large-scale level, those whoare simply of Jewish lineage
will come unto Christ, to alsobe children of the promise.
That there will come a day inthe future and what a day that
(24:45):
will be where there will begreat revival among those of
Jewish lineage and they willcome unto Jesus Christ.
Now, a lot of people look atthis and give it what we call an
eschatological kind ofdimension to it.
Eschatology just means the lastthings, and so there are many
(25:07):
who look at this and otherpromises of Scripture saying
that that revival among the Jewswill take place maybe shortly
before the Lord returns, or thatwill kind of inaugurate a lot
of the events of the Lord'sreturn.
Whatever timetable the Lord has.
I'm just excited that there isa day that not only have all
(25:31):
these Gentiles come unto theLord and certainly all along the
way even those of Jewishlineage have come to the Lord in
some number.
There will be a day that, inlarge number, there will be a
revival among those of Jewishlineage and they will see Jesus
Christ as their Savior and wewill see this beautiful revival
(25:53):
and all along the way we willrejoice in it.
You know I love a chart.
You know I love a chart, and soI want to put a chart on the
screen and I made that chart andyou can probably instantly tell
I made that chart.
This just helped me think aboutRomans, chapter 11, right in
the middle.
(26:13):
Think about the timeline there,highlighted in gold.
That is, the family of God,those who are in children of the
promise, children of God fromwhat you see, genesis 12, that
promise you read about thismorning in life group, up until
today, and far beyond the familyof God.
(26:34):
Great news If you are here andyou know Jesus Christ personally
, you can just insert yourselfon that line.
You are part of the family ofGod and you're in great company.
Abraham's there, isaac, jacob,david, your amazing praying
grandmother they're all there inthe family of God.
Now, what you see in Genesis 12and beyond, there's also those
(26:58):
of Jewish lineage who aredescended from Abraham, who are
part of the Jewish family butnot children of the promise,
like we talked about in Romans 9through 11, who, at a large
scale, chose a salvation basedon works or merit, on keeping
the law, and have missed thepart of the grace that has
(27:22):
existed in God for them,crediting them as righteous.
But in the middle you had thefamily of God and you see below
those of Gentile lineage thateven now are coming unto faith.
When you came to know the Lord,one of those arrows was you
(27:43):
Down, maybe Gentile lineage, andnow you've come unto faith in
Christ Jesus.
And yet there will be a day inthe future, as you see above,
that many of Jewish lineage.
I don't know when that day is,I don't know if it's two weeks
away or two million years away,but there will be a day when
(28:04):
revival will come, even amongthose of Jewish lineage.
Now, here's the beautiful thingas well.
It's not listed in the chart,but I also want you to realize
this, that I kind of put the bigarrows as far as the big things
we see in Romans, chapter 11,but please know this there are
those of Jewish lineage who comeunto the family of God through
(28:26):
the personal work of JesusChrist every single day.
It's not that they have to waittill the big revival comes,
jesus Christ every single day.
It's not that they have to waittill the big revival comes.
They come every single day.
There's those of Gentilelineage that come unto the
family of Christ every singleday.
And yet, all along the wayhere's the beauty of it the
(28:47):
family of God goes forward.
The tree of God has been builtand the branches are in and are
being grafted in, and God ismaking for himself a beautiful,
beautiful family of Jews, ofnon-Jews, of you and of me, and
praise God for his family,praise God for his sovereignty.
(29:12):
So God has preserved hisremnant.
God has provided for all.
God will produce revival.
And there's one more thing Iwant to say.
God will proclaim his glory.
God will proclaim his glory.
Now I want to stop there for asecond, because over these last
(29:35):
couple of weeks, if you've readRomans 9 through 11, lord
willing, you and I bothunderstand it better now than we
did a couple of weeks ago.
But I would argue this for you,for me, for anyone that has
ever read Romans 9 through 11,you're probably coming away from
(29:58):
it.
I am too with this sense in theback of your mind that, my
goodness, I sure don't have allthis figured out.
And I can see Paul's point, but, my goodness, and I can see
Paul's point, but my goodness,there's a lot within the points
he's making.
I don't know.
I don't know the timetable ofeverything.
I don't know where this or thatfits in.
(30:20):
I don't know everything, fromthe call of Abraham to even
today, to in the future.
There's so much about God'ssovereign plan that you might
say that I might say, as we readRomans 9 through 11, or really
any part of scripture, that wewould say, hey, I just don't
have it all figured out and Igot news for you.
(30:41):
If that's you this morning, youare in unbelievable company
today because the apostle Paulsays the same thing.
Paul says the same thingBecause at the very end of
Romans 11, for three chapters,as he's walked through God's
sovereign plan of salvation,both for Jews and Gentiles,
(31:05):
anyone who would come unto JesusPaul just puts it all down for
a second and just says this atthe end of the day, I'm just
gonna worship.
He says this oh the depth ofthe riches verse 33, and wisdom
and knowledge of God.
How unsearchable are hisjudgments and how inscrutable
(31:26):
his ways.
For who has known the mind ofthe Lord, who has been his
counselor or who has given agift to him that he might be
repaid?
Here's my translation of thisGod's ways are so much higher
than mine.
God's ways are so much higherabove mine.
(31:46):
I don't have everything figuredout about God's sovereign design
.
I don't know when this revivalwill come.
There's so much about Romans 9through 11 that I'm still
looking through differentcommentaries and trying to
explain.
And then I realized the peoplewriting the commentaries are
still looking for their ownanswers and we don't have it all
figured out.
(32:06):
And Paul would say this out andPaul would say this but we can
worship anyway, that we canworship anyway, for from him and
through him and to him are allthings.
To him be glory forever, amen.
Where does the sovereignty ofGod in salvation lead us?
(32:28):
It leads us to worship.
I praise God that we search thescriptures deeply, never stop
doing it.
I praise God that we think longand hard about his salvation,
about his sovereignty, aboutthese issues, and we will never
stop looking deeply at them.
(32:49):
I also praise God for this.
Even in the midst of trying tofigure out what exactly is the
way that these people will besaved, this revival will come.
Any of that.
I also just step back and saythis I just praise God.
There is a way.
I just praise God that heoffers salvation to any Amen.
(33:13):
You talk about the tree of thefamily of God and a limb that
does not deserve to be there.
My goodness, I'm the one youtalk about.
A limb on the tree of thefamily of God.
That to myself, by my ownmethods and merit and earning it
.
I'm on the outside looking in,earning it.
(33:43):
I'm on the outside looking inand yet somehow, in God's grace,
he has invited me in.
He has grafted me in For you.
If you're in Christ Jesus, he'sinvited you in.
And there's a lot in Romans 9through 11, and we could spend
the rest of our days lookingdeeper at it.
(34:03):
But what I want you to come awayfrom this is simply this we
serve a God that loves to savehis people Gentile, jew, man,
woman, white, black they speakthis language, they speak that
language, they're from here,they're from there.
(34:24):
Every tribe, tongue, nation,people, you name it.
We serve a God that just lovesto save and in God's sovereignty
.
And in God's sovereignty, hehas chosen to use the depth and
the weight and the knowledge ofhis sovereignty to do this to
(34:47):
save, to place his favor on hischildren and bring them unto him
through his very son, jesusChrist.
And so if you're in the roomtoday and your head's spinning
and you say revival here andhardening there and all this
(35:07):
stuff, and maybe for you today,the simple truth of it is right
now you're not in the family ofGod.
And by the time you leave thisroom this morning, you want to
be that branch that has beengrafted into the tree and you
want to be able to say I'm inthe family God.
Maybe today's your day.
Maybe today's the day you comeunto him for salvation.
(35:27):
I'll tell you how to do it byplacing your faith in Christ
Jesus, trusting his death on thecross for the forgiveness of
your sins, believing that he'sLord not just of your life
certainly your life but Lordoverall.
Maybe today's the day you comeand put yourself on that gold,
(35:51):
highlighted line of the familyof God.
Whatever day it is for you,however, you need to respond.
I ask that you would.
Maybe you want to join thischurch family.
Maybe you want to just praywith your pastor.
However, we can help you, serveyou.
I'll be down front to do it.
We'll respond now, right afterI pray and we worship.
(36:15):
Lord Jesus, thank you so muchfor the gospel, thank you for
the truth of Romans 9 through 11.
Thank you for the fact that youlove to save your children.
Thank you for salvation that wedo not deserve, we could not
earn, but is freely given by you.
And so, lord, as Paul says, allglory and honor and power and
(36:39):
praise it goes to you.
Lord, if there's any thismorning that need to experience
life in you, that need to comeinto the family of God even now?
Would today be the first day ofthe rest of their life?
Would today be the first day ofan eternity spent with you?
It is only through your sonthat's possible, but your son
(37:03):
stands ready.
And so, lord, as we respond,would you get all the praise in
Christ's name, amen.
1st Baptist Baptist El Dorado, will you join me now
in listening to our sermon fromthis week?
Amen, open with me to Romans,chapter 11.
Romans, chapter 11.
This morning morning, inchapters 9 and 10 last week,
(00:56):
overviewed that now into Romans11.
This important part of Paul'sletter that I think teaches us
so much about the Lord'ssalvation, the Lord's sovereign
will, the Lord's plan for ourlives, for believers, for the
future.
Let me pray for us, lord Jesus,now would you please speak
through your word, by yourspirit, because we need you in
(01:20):
Christ's name, amen.
How do you get from point A topoint B?
That can be a very easyquestion or it could be a very
tricky question.
Really, it just depends onwhere you're starting and where
you're heading.
For Carl Bushby, that's a veryinteresting question because in
November of 1998, he left fromthe very southern point of Chile
(01:47):
and his plan was this he wasgoing to walk home to where he
lived in whole England, inEngland.
Now you're confused right nowbecause you're thinking of
geography and oceans.
He's going to walk home fromthe very south of Chile to where
he lives in England.
(02:08):
He started in November of 1998.
Get this he's set to finallyarrive home in 2026.
He's getting close.
Now I'll put up you can put themap up on the screen of his
route of how this is going tohappen.
And again, what you're sayingis and remember this now no
transportation at all, onlywalking.
(02:31):
What you're saying is that'snot possible.
Well, he waited until a certaintime of year where the Bering
Strait between Alaska and Russiawas frozen over, had to take
kind of an indirect route acrossthat channel, but he was able
to walk from Alaska to Russia ata certain time of year.
(02:52):
Now you also say this I knowour world is big, but even that
I wouldn't expect to take 27years and I kind of agree with
you.
But the reality is this he hashad to stop at times for days,
months, literally, at times evenyears, trying to get the right
visas, trying to let certaincountries literally give him
(03:14):
permission to come in.
He's probably had to tell hisstory 800 times over, 8,000
times over.
But in next year he's set toarrive back home.
How do you get from point A topoint B?
For us this morning it's also aquestion we have to ask Because
(03:37):
we're not going from one spoton the globe to another, we're
trying to go to the mentalheadspace of Paul the Apostle,
because, as we think aboutRomans 9 through 11, this
portion of scripture that's soimportant, we saw last week
where we began and we begin inRomans 9.
(04:00):
Right here I'm speaking thetruth in Christ.
I'm not lying.
My conscience bears witness, inthe Holy Spirit, that I have
great sorrow and unceasinganguish in my heart.
That's point A great sorrow,unceasing anguish.
Where is point B, where we'reheading?
At the end, the very end ofchapter 11.
(04:21):
Oh, the depth of the riches andwisdom of the knowledge of God.
How unsearchable are hisjudgments, how inscrutable his
ways.
For who has known the mind ofthe Lord, who has been his
counselor, who has given a giftto him that he might be repaid?
And look at this, for from himand through him and to him are
all things.
To him be glory forever, amen.
(04:42):
How do we get from thebeginning of Romans, chapter 9,
to the end of Paul's thought inRomans, chapter 11, where
somehow we move from this placefor Paul his emotional mental
state in chapter 9, a place ofsorrow and distress distress a
(05:11):
mere three chapters later to aplace of joy as he rejoices in
and worships the sovereignbeauty of the Lord over all.
How do you get there?
Well, it's simply this you getthere through the sovereign of
God.
The sovereignty of God and hissalvation, the beauty of God's
work somehow has turned Paulfrom distress and sorrow to joy,
and I hope and pray it'll dothe same for us this morning.
(05:34):
Romans, chapter 11 begins likethis.
I ask then has God rejected hispeople?
Last week, in Romans 9 and 10,we talked a lot about that same
question.
Has God rejected his people,those of Jewish lineage,
(05:55):
physically speaking, thephysical line of the Jews?
Has God rejected these people?
Because here's what we know,and maybe you read this this
morning, but in Genesis, chapter12, god makes a very important
promise.
I'm going to read it to youGenesis 12, 1.
Now the Lord said to Abram gofrom your country and your
(06:18):
kindred and your father's houseto the land that I will show you
and I will make of you a greatnation, and I will.
And so we have this momentwhere God calls Abram, not
(06:42):
because of any merit of his own,not because he was extra worthy
or deserved it, but God choseAbraham at the time, abram, and
from him he would create apeople, he would create a nation
, god's family that wouldn'tjust exist to be a holy huddle
(07:04):
but instead would exist to blessthe world.
So all the nations will beblessed through this family.
This was God's plan from thebeginning.
But God chose this family.
We see in Genesis, chapter 15,.
Three chapters later, god madea covenant with Abraham, a
promise that he would do exactlythis Chapter 17,.
(07:25):
Two chapters later in Genesis,god doubles down on that promise
.
God is taking Abraham and fromhim creating a people.
But then we come to Romans andthere would be those that would
be tempted to look at those ofJewish lineage, the line of
(07:47):
Abraham, and say Paul, if you'reright in everything you say
about the gospel, then it wouldseem that there are so many of
Jewish lineage that are on theoutside looking in.
Now, how in the world do youexplain that?
Does that mean that God hasbroken a promise?
Does that mean God wasn't ableto fulfill a promise?
(08:08):
Does that mean that God hadthis people and he gave up on
them?
Does that mean God had a peopleand, despite his best efforts,
was just unable to keep them inhis hands?
And what does Paul want to say?
By no means it doesn't mean anyof that.
And then he wants to give proof, for I myself am an Israelite,
(08:31):
a descendant of Abraham, amember of the tribe of Benjamin.
What's Paul's first proof thatGod hasn't rejected the Jewish
people?
Well, number one, here I am.
Paul says this I'm a Jew, I'mof Jewish lineage, the tribe of
Benjamin.
It reminds me of Philippians,chapter three, when Paul lists
(08:53):
his incredible Jewish resume.
I'm a Hebrew of Hebrews.
As regard to the law ofPharisee, I'm of the tribe of
Benjamin.
I mean, he's got the pedigree,he's got the family history, and
he says this, and yet I've seenthe goodness of Benjamin.
I mean, he's got the pedigree,he's got the family history, and
he says this, and yet I've seenthe goodness of the grace of
God in the person of JesusChrist.
So, number one, if you wantproof that God hasn't rejected
(09:13):
his people, paul just says lookat me.
Number two, a piece of prooflook at verse two.
God has not rejected his peoplewhom he foreknew.
Do you not know what thescripture says of Elijah, how he
appeals to God against Israel?
Lord, they have killed yourprophets, they have demolished
your altars, and I alone andleft, and they seek my life.
(09:37):
But what is God's reply to him?
I have kept for myself 7,000men who have not bowed the knee
to Baal, this beautiful momentwhen Elijah comes before the
Lord and he says this God.
The quote unquote.
People of God are really actinglike the people of the world
(09:58):
right now.
They've sinned in every kind ofway possible, and not only that
.
I'm trying to do the rightthing and be the man of God
you're calling me to be, andthese Israelites are now coming
after me.
God, I don't know if this isworking with your chosen people,
because they want nothing to dowith you.
(10:19):
And God says this don't worry.
Even now, I've saved for myself7,000 people, this remnant of
Israel, this remnant of Jewishlineage that has not bowed down
to the idols of the world.
My people, the children of thepromise, are still there, do not
(10:41):
fear.
I think of a moment in Isaiah,chapter 11.
The people of God.
Once again, israel has sinnedin ways we can't even imagine,
and because God takes sinseriously, he comes to punish
Israel, and they are very muchcut down.
And Isaiah 11, as I go intoexile, isaiah 11 talks about
(11:06):
Israel as literally a treethat's been cut down and now
they've been reduced to thisstump in the ground.
But here's the amazing news ofIsaiah, chapter 11.
God looks at this stump in theground and says this but there
is a holy branch growing forththat from this stump, this tree
(11:27):
of Israel that has been cut down.
They've gone away in their sinand wanted nothing to do with
the God who chose them and savedthem.
Do not worry, because hope isstill there, because there grows
from this stump a holy seed, aholy sprout, a holy remnant.
They may be small in number,they may be under the radar, but
(11:51):
God has not forgotten them.
I love the words of later Isaiah49, where even Israel, the
people of God, has said this theLord has forsaken me of God has
said this the Lord has forsakenme.
My Lord has forgotten me.
That's what some of the peopleof God are saying in this moment
(12:12):
.
God, you've left us, you'veforgotten us.
And what does God say inresponse to these words?
Can a woman forget her nursingchild?
That she should have nocompassion on the son of her
womb?
Even these may forget, yet Iwill not forget you.
Behold, I've engraved you onthe palms of my hand.
(12:33):
Your walls are continuallybefore me.
This is God looking at thatbeautiful remnant, his children
of the promise beautiful remnant, his children of the promise,
and when they're tempted to say,god, have you forgotten us?
God's response is this a womancannot forget her nursing child.
And even deeper than that, Icannot forget you.
(12:58):
The truth is this that if Godhas made a promise and you read
about it this morning in LifeGroup, we've read about it now.
God has made a promise and youread about it this morning in
life group, we've read about itnow God has made a promise, and
and the next promise that Goddoes not fulfill will be his
first.
He's never broken a promise,and even saying that statement
(13:19):
is a bit silly, because you andI both know there never will be
a broken promise on God's part.
And so when he says I havesaved a people, chosen the
people, preserved a people, hemeans it.
And so that's number one issimply this that God has
preserved his remnant.
God has preserved his people.
(13:41):
If you wonder if the children ofthe promise are still here and
have still been here allthroughout history, if God has
given up on them, paul wants toput that to rest.
God cannot do it.
God will not do it.
God is not in the business ofbreaking promises and giving up
(14:01):
on the children of God.
He doesn't do it.
But I also want to see this Notonly has God preserved his
remnant, god has provided forall.
So, in the midst of this, god isnot just saving these of Jewish
(14:22):
lineage, these children of thepromise, but also God's desire
is to bring Gentiles, non-jews,into the family of God.
Look with me at verse 11 ofRomans 11.
So I ask did they stumble inorder that they might fall?
(14:43):
By no means.
Rather, through their trespass,salvation has come to the
Gentiles so as to make Israeljealous.
Now, if their trespass meansriches for the world and if
their failure means riches forthe Gentiles, how much more will
their full inclusion mean?
(15:04):
So a lot of this second sectionof Romans 11, verse 11, verse
through 24, is really gettingthis picture of a metaphor, an
illustration of a tree, a treethat is the family of God, the
children of the promise.
We're going to see throughoutthis illustration.
(15:24):
If you read it on your own,you'll see that there's many of
Jewish lineage who are no longer, are not branches on the tree,
and again, this is through thisillustration, this metaphor.
But they have desired to seeksalvation by their own
righteousness and they have notdone it through the
(15:45):
righteousness that is found inthe Lord, not done it through
the righteousness that is foundin the Lord.
There are many, the remnant,who are strong branches in this
tree.
But then the exciting news aswell is that there are many
Gentiles who the Lord, who Paulsays, have been grafted into
this tree and God has providedsalvation for all, for Jews and
(16:09):
Gentiles, that any can come untoJesus.
But what we see right here inthis moment is Paul is
explaining that of Jewishlineage, many have sought
salvation by any other means,again by their own merit, by
their own righteousness, throughworks of the law, and no one
(16:31):
can come to Christ through worksof the law.
And so there has been ahardening of hearts by many of
these of Jewish lineage.
And in the meantime Paul saysthis many Gentiles are coming
unto faith, gentiles are comingunto salvation.
Now what Paul says is this thisis done that those of Jewish
(16:55):
lineage might be jealous and seewhat is happening.
Now don't trivialize that,because what that sounds like,
if we're just being honest, is akind of grade school jealousy.
I think about something.
I think about my two children.
In our home we've got toys andtoys on top of toys.
(17:21):
In fact, if you'd all come overafter you can all take a toy
with you and I would love that.
And we've got some toys thathadn't been touched in a week,
some in a month, some in a year,some since 30 seconds after
they were opened.
We've got toys all over theplace and there are certain toys
, let's say, you could inserteither one here that sibling A,
(17:45):
it was theirs originally butthey never play with anymore.
But then something happens.
Sibling B will from time totime maybe go to the bottom of
that toy chest, find that toythat sibling A has not even
thought about in three years andpull that toy out and suddenly
(18:08):
sibling A realizes that that isthe most important toy that I've
ever possessed.
That is the thing I want most,need most, and nothing in my
life is more important thanlaying claim to that toy that I
haven't played with in threeyears.
Why?
Because sibling B is nowenjoying it.
It happens every day, everysingle day.
(18:34):
Is that what I'm saying in thismoment?
Is that a bit trivializing whatis happening, this jealousy
that happens here that the Jewsmight see the Gentiles coming to
faith through Jesus Christ andsay, oh boy, if they're coming.
I sure want some of that.
Of course that trivializes it.
(18:54):
Of course what Paul's talkingabout in the sovereignty of God
is not a child's game.
Again, it's not grade schooljealousy.
But it is important to seewhat's happening, that in God's
sovereignty, as the hearts of somany Jewish individuals, their
hearts, are hardened and they'reseeking salvation in any other
(19:18):
way other than Christ, theGentiles are coming in.
And Paul would say, hey, wouldit be that they would look and
see Gentiles coming in throughfaith in Christ Jesus?
And maybe they too would saythat's what I'm missing.
There's the secret ingredientI'm missing that I've been
(19:39):
holding out hope on somethingelse and yet, all the while,
hope has already come and it'scome in the person of Jesus
Christ.
Would it be that that would bethe case, that Jewish
individuals would come untoChrist, that Gentile individuals
would come unto Christ?
And so Paul is saying this iswhat is happening, this Jewish
(20:03):
hardening of hearts, gentilescoming in as to make them
jealous.
He also wants to make the point,as we look at this tree, that
for Gentile believers we must becareful, because our job now is
not to boast in ourselves.
There could be this temptationamong Gentile believers who come
into the family of God.
They are now grafted into thistree.
(20:24):
And there'd be a temptation tosay this Well, aren't I
something?
And there'd be a temptation tosay this well, aren't I
something?
You know?
God saw that a lot of thoseother branches were laying on
the ground and he looked overand he saw how beautiful my
branch was and he said I've gotto get that branch,
taylor-garren, on my tree,because God is in heaven saying
(20:44):
if I just had that branch on mytree, wouldn't my family be
special?
No, no, no.
Saying if I just had thatbranch on my tree, wouldn't my
family be special?
No, no, no For Jew, for Gentileman, woman, boy, girl, whoever
you are, if you are in Christ,it is in every way, shape and
form, simply by the grace of God.
Unmerited grace, unworthy are we.
(21:06):
And yet Christ has saved us.
It's all his doing, it is notour doing.
And so our job is not to boast,as we saw last week.
What is our job?
To proclaim the excellencies ofChrist Jesus, that more would
come, be grafted into this tree.
(21:28):
Our job is to remain in thevine.
Our job is to preserve.
Our job is to stay grounded inChrist Jesus, letting his
sanctification work in us.
That's what the rest of thissection is talking about.
God has preserved his remnant.
(21:48):
God has provided for all.
Look at this now.
God will produce revival.
God will produce revival.
Verse 25,.
You talk about not boastingLest you be wise in your own
sight.
I do not want you to be unawareof this mystery, brothers.
(22:10):
Look at this now.
A partial hardening has comeupon Israel until the fullness
of Gentiles has come in.
Now, when we say the fullnessof Gentiles has come in, I don't
want you to think that in termsof a, there's a heavenly quota,
there's an exact number, andwhen this you know here is
(22:31):
Gentile.
You know 2 billion, you know 3million 899, and he's in, she's
in, we've met.
No, don't think in those terms.
Think in God's sovereign designbefore the salvation of the
world that, as Israel's heart ishardened, gentiles in large
number come unto faith.
(22:52):
And then we see verse 26,.
And in this way, all Israelwill be saved.
And now I would argue this aswell when Paul says in this way,
all Israel will be saved, Idon't want us also to think in
that moment of a universalsalvation of all Jews from all
(23:13):
time.
There's a few things we've gotto talk about.
Number one how will any inIsrael, or any Gentile or anyone
, be saved once again by comingthrough faith in Jesus Christ?
Number one that is the way.
So, as there is revival we'lltalk about in a second among the
Jewish people, it's not anyonejust waking up and saying, oh,
(23:35):
I'm part of the family of Godsimply because of my works or my
lineage gets me in.
No, no, it's everybody sayingJesus Christ gets me in, jew
Gentile or anyone that's everbeen created.
Jesus Christ gets me in.
But in this moment we seethere's a partial hardening.
The Gentiles come in and inthis way all Israel will be
(23:59):
saved.
As it is written, the delivererwill come from Zion.
He will banish ungodliness fromJacob and this will be my
covenant with them when I takeaway their sins.
What is Paul getting at here?
That there will be a day in thefuture that, at this beautiful,
(24:23):
large-scale level, those whoare simply of Jewish lineage
will come unto Christ, to alsobe children of the promise.
That there will come a day inthe future and what a day that
(24:45):
will be where there will begreat revival among those of
Jewish lineage and they willcome unto Jesus Christ.
Now, a lot of people look atthis and give it what we call an
eschatological kind ofdimension to it.
Eschatology just means the lastthings, and so there are many
(25:07):
who look at this and otherpromises of Scripture saying
that that revival among the Jewswill take place maybe shortly
before the Lord returns, or thatwill kind of inaugurate a lot
of the events of the Lord'sreturn.
Whatever timetable the Lord has.
I'm just excited that there isa day that not only have all
(25:31):
these Gentiles come unto theLord and certainly all along the
way even those of Jewishlineage have come to the Lord in
some number.
There will be a day that, inlarge number, there will be a
revival among those of Jewishlineage and they will see Jesus
Christ as their Savior and wewill see this beautiful revival
(25:53):
and all along the way we willrejoice in it.
You know I love a chart.
You know I love a chart, and soI want to put a chart on the
screen and I made that chart andyou can probably instantly tell
I made that chart.
This just helped me think aboutRomans, chapter 11, right in
the middle.
(26:13):
Think about the timeline there,highlighted in gold.
That is, the family of God,those who are in children of the
promise, children of God fromwhat you see, genesis 12, that
promise you read about thismorning in life group, up until
today, and far beyond the familyof God.
(26:34):
Great news If you are here andyou know Jesus Christ personally
, you can just insert yourselfon that line.
You are part of the family ofGod and you're in great company.
Abraham's there, isaac, jacob,david, your amazing praying
grandmother they're all there inthe family of God.
Now, what you see in Genesis 12and beyond, there's also those
(26:58):
of Jewish lineage who aredescended from Abraham, who are
part of the Jewish family butnot children of the promise,
like we talked about in Romans 9through 11, who, at a large
scale, chose a salvation basedon works or merit, on keeping
the law, and have missed thepart of the grace that has
(27:22):
existed in God for them,crediting them as righteous.
But in the middle you had thefamily of God and you see below
those of Gentile lineage thateven now are coming unto faith.
When you came to know the Lord,one of those arrows was you
(27:43):
Down, maybe Gentile lineage, andnow you've come unto faith in
Christ Jesus.
And yet there will be a day inthe future, as you see above,
that many of Jewish lineage.
I don't know when that day is,I don't know if it's two weeks
away or two million years away,but there will be a day when
(28:04):
revival will come, even amongthose of Jewish lineage.
Now, here's the beautiful thingas well.
It's not listed in the chart,but I also want you to realize
this, that I kind of put the bigarrows as far as the big things
we see in Romans, chapter 11,but please know this there are
those of Jewish lineage who comeunto the family of God through
(28:26):
the personal work of JesusChrist every single day.
It's not that they have to waittill the big revival comes,
jesus Christ every single day.
It's not that they have to waittill the big revival comes.
They come every single day.
There's those of Gentilelineage that come unto the
family of Christ every singleday.
And yet, all along the wayhere's the beauty of it the
(28:47):
family of God goes forward.
The tree of God has been builtand the branches are in and are
being grafted in, and God ismaking for himself a beautiful,
beautiful family of Jews, ofnon-Jews, of you and of me, and
praise God for his family,praise God for his sovereignty.
(29:12):
So God has preserved hisremnant.
God has provided for all.
God will produce revival.
And there's one more thing Iwant to say.
God will proclaim his glory.
God will proclaim his glory.
Now I want to stop there for asecond, because over these last
(29:35):
couple of weeks, if you've readRomans 9 through 11, lord
willing, you and I bothunderstand it better now than we
did a couple of weeks ago.
But I would argue this for you,for me, for anyone that has
ever read Romans 9 through 11,you're probably coming away from
(29:58):
it.
I am too with this sense in theback of your mind that, my
goodness, I sure don't have allthis figured out.
And I can see Paul's point, but, my goodness, and I can see
Paul's point, but my goodness,there's a lot within the points
he's making.
I don't know.
I don't know the timetable ofeverything.
I don't know where this or thatfits in.
(30:20):
I don't know everything, fromthe call of Abraham to even
today, to in the future.
There's so much about God'ssovereign plan that you might
say that I might say, as we readRomans 9 through 11, or really
any part of scripture, that wewould say, hey, I just don't
have it all figured out and Igot news for you.
(30:41):
If that's you this morning, youare in unbelievable company
today because the apostle Paulsays the same thing.
Paul says the same thingBecause at the very end of
Romans 11, for three chapters,as he's walked through God's
sovereign plan of salvation,both for Jews and Gentiles,
(31:05):
anyone who would come unto JesusPaul just puts it all down for
a second and just says this atthe end of the day, I'm just
gonna worship.
He says this oh the depth ofthe riches verse 33, and wisdom
and knowledge of God.
How unsearchable are hisjudgments and how inscrutable
(31:26):
his ways.
For who has known the mind ofthe Lord, who has been his
counselor or who has given agift to him that he might be
repaid?
Here's my translation of thisGod's ways are so much higher
than mine.
God's ways are so much higherabove mine.
(31:46):
I don't have everything figuredout about God's sovereign design
.
I don't know when this revivalwill come.
There's so much about Romans 9through 11 that I'm still
looking through differentcommentaries and trying to
explain.
And then I realized the peoplewriting the commentaries are
still looking for their ownanswers and we don't have it all
figured out.
(32:06):
And Paul would say this out andPaul would say this but we can
worship anyway, that we canworship anyway, for from him and
through him and to him are allthings.
To him be glory forever, amen.
Where does the sovereignty ofGod in salvation lead us?
(32:28):
It leads us to worship.
I praise God that we search thescriptures deeply, never stop
doing it.
I praise God that we think longand hard about his salvation,
about his sovereignty, aboutthese issues, and we will never
stop looking deeply at them.
(32:49):
I also praise God for this.
Even in the midst of trying tofigure out what exactly is the
way that these people will besaved, this revival will come.
Any of that.
I also just step back and saythis I just praise God.
There is a way.
I just praise God that heoffers salvation to any Amen.
(33:13):
You talk about the tree of thefamily of God and a limb that
does not deserve to be there.
My goodness, I'm the one youtalk about.
A limb on the tree of thefamily of God.
That to myself, by my ownmethods and merit and earning it
.
I'm on the outside looking in,earning it.
(33:43):
I'm on the outside looking inand yet somehow, in God's grace,
he has invited me in.
He has grafted me in For you.
If you're in Christ Jesus, he'sinvited you in.
And there's a lot in Romans 9through 11, and we could spend
the rest of our days lookingdeeper at it.
(34:03):
But what I want you to come awayfrom this is simply this we
serve a God that loves to savehis people Gentile, jew, man,
woman, white, black they speakthis language, they speak that
language, they're from here,they're from there.
(34:24):
Every tribe, tongue, nation,people, you name it.
We serve a God that just lovesto save and in God's sovereignty
.
And in God's sovereignty, hehas chosen to use the depth and
the weight and the knowledge ofhis sovereignty to do this to
(34:47):
save, to place his favor on hischildren and bring them unto him
through his very son, jesusChrist.
And so if you're in the roomtoday and your head's spinning
and you say revival here andhardening there and all this
(35:07):
stuff, and maybe for you today,the simple truth of it is right
now you're not in the family ofGod.
And by the time you leave thisroom this morning, you want to
be that branch that has beengrafted into the tree and you
want to be able to say I'm inthe family God.
Maybe today's your day.
Maybe today's the day you comeunto him for salvation.
(35:27):
I'll tell you how to do it byplacing your faith in Christ
Jesus, trusting his death on thecross for the forgiveness of
your sins, believing that he'sLord not just of your life
certainly your life but Lordoverall.
Maybe today's the day you comeand put yourself on that gold,
(35:51):
highlighted line of the familyof God.
Whatever day it is for you,however, you need to respond.
I ask that you would.
Maybe you want to join thischurch family.
Maybe you want to just praywith your pastor.
However, we can help you, serveyou.
I'll be down front to do it.
We'll respond now, right afterI pray and we worship.
(36:15):
Lord Jesus, thank you so muchfor the gospel, thank you for
the truth of Romans 9 through 11.
Thank you for the fact that youlove to save your children.
Thank you for salvation that wedo not deserve, we could not
earn, but is freely given by you.
And so, lord, as Paul says, allglory and honor and power and
(36:39):
praise it goes to you.
Lord, if there's any thismorning that need to experience
life in you, that need to comeinto the family of God even now?
Would today be the first day ofthe rest of their life?
Would today be the first day ofan eternity spent with you?
It is only through your sonthat's possible, but your son
(37:03):
stands ready.
And so, lord, as we respond,would you get all the praise in
Christ's name, amen.
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