March 24, 2025 • 50 mins
In this powerful message, Pastor Karl dives into Romans chapter 11, exploring God’s cosmic plan to save anyone who desires salvation. He unpacks the heartbeat of Romans: God’s unstoppable mission to redeem sinners by grace through faith and our response of worship and service. Focusing on the Greek word "sozo" (salvation), Pastor Karl traces God’s saving work through Israel’s past, present, and future, showing how His promises to Israel shape His promises to us as Gentiles. He emphasizes that God uses us to make His chosen people jealous, drawing them back to Him, while warning against pride and anti-Semitism in today’s world. With passion and clarity, Pastor Karl calls us to humility, readiness to share our hope, and active participation in God’s global plan through church planting and proclaiming the Word. Discover how you’re part of this divine story—and why grace is greater than disobedience.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Thank you for
the opportunity that Sean I had last weekto be gone visiting our fam.
We had a great time.
I appreciate David being here and sharing.
Most of chapter ten with us.
It was good.
But I want to ask you this question.
What if you could know
God's cosmic plan
to save anybody who desire to be saved?
(00:26):
Well, what if you could know
how God choosesto respond to your disobedience?
Well,like if you could know God's cosmic plan
and how we respond to those who reject.
Wouldn't that be amazing?
If you could knownot just his plan for your life,
but his cosmic plan for you?
(00:49):
Think about it.
Chapters nine and ten.
Sorry.
Nine through 11.
Tell us about God'scosmic plan and how he responds.
When people reject him and reject it.
The entire book of Romansis divided into four sections
(01:12):
the Wrath of God, chaptersone, two, and three.
The Grace of God.
The last part of threeall the way through chapter eight.
We just close that out.
And the the last little series.
And now we're in this section,
about the plan of God, chaptersnine, ten, 11.
(01:33):
So so we're at the tailend of looking at God's plan.
That's why I asked if you could knowGod's cosmic plan.
Wouldn't that be awesome?
But we can.
It's chapters nine, ten, 11.
Next week we start thethe fourth section of the Book of Romans,
which is about the will.
So the wrath of God.
The grace of God, the plan of God and the.
(01:54):
And the will of God.
Chapters 12
through 16 where it gets super practical.
But before we get to towhen Paul says, look, this is
how now how you live inlight of all this stuff,
we gotta finish out this onelittle section
about the plan of God.
Now, I want to encourage you with this,
(02:16):
that God has a plan and you're part of it.
So be encouraged.
But be humble
because God doesn'thave to include you in it.
So be encouraged.
You're part of God's cosmic plan,but be humble
because God doesn'thave to let you be a part of it.
(02:38):
You understand?
The heartbeat of Romans.
Is God's unstoppable
plan to save sinnersby grace through faith.
That's the heartbeat of it.
And I would add to that statement this
our proper responseas an act of worship and service.
(03:01):
That's the heartbeat of Romans.
His unstoppableplan to save anybody who needs saving.
And once that happens,our response in serving
and giving our lives as an act of worship,that's the proper response.
That's what Trump 316 is all about.
Now, last week,David did a good job of introducing
(03:22):
a Greek word that used four timesin chapter ten, four times in 21 verses.
It comes from the Greek word,the root word sozo,
which means salvation or to be saved.
And the, the, the, the,
the study of soteriologyis the study of salvation.
(03:42):
Who saved by what?
Like what they're saved from? And by whom?
Who does the saving?
So that's the study of soteriology.
Salvation from the Greek word sozo.
In chapters nine talks about Israel's past
and God's saving work.
Chapter ten talks about Israel's presentand what he does
(04:04):
now, and chapter11 talks about Israel's future.
And it all has to dowith the saving of humanity.
So, so.
But here's what we have to understand.
And this is where it gets.
Even though chapters 9 to 11is about Israel.
It has also to do with us.
And we have to understand the interplay
(04:24):
and the interconnectionbetween Israel and us, because the truth
is, God's promises to Israel shapehis promises to us.
Okay.
So God called the people out
and adopted them as his own,and he called them
Israel put his name on this peoplethat were not a people.
(04:46):
And through Abraham created this.
People called Israel put his name on them.
We know them as the Jews.
Everybody follow me so far.
Okay, so he's saying them.
He chose them to be his own.
And his interaction with thatpeople is all about their saving.
Now, as a nation,
they rejected the idea of the Messiah
(05:08):
who would be their Savior as a nation.
And so God then turned the invitation
of salvation to us non-Jews.
Bible calls him, calls us Gentiles.
So God said, I'mgoing to take this, people.
I'm going to give them my name.
I'm going to call him Israel.
They're going to be the Jewish people,and I.
(05:29):
I'm going to save them.
They rejected the Messiah, their Savior.
And so God said, fine, you rejectmy Savior, though not all of you.
There's always a remnant that has hasn't.
But as a nation.
So I'm going to turn my attentionnow to the Gentiles.
So God's promises to Israel shapehis promises to us.
You follow. Okay.
(05:53):
Now, just because we have
those who have believed believein this message of God,
his love for us is expression of his lovefor us through Jesus on the cross,
and call ourselves Christians.
We have to understand thatJesus was not a Christian.
You okay with that?
(06:15):
Okay, we call ourselvesChrist followers and Christians,
but Jesus was never a Christian.
He was a Jew, a fully Jew,
circumcised on the eighth day,
bar mitzvah,
obeyed the laws and fulfilled the laws.
As a obedient Jew.
(06:39):
Jesus never became a Christian.
And he said, you don't have to.
You Gentiles don't have to become Jewish.
What God has done is said,
I want to adopt you into my family,
even though youwere never part of my people.
(06:59):
You understand?
But it's not like Jesus converted
to Christianity.
And, but but here's here's some more.
Most people think that Jesusis a Christian.
And that's why America is so great.
Because America is a Christian nationfollowing Jesus, right?
And we createAmerican ism with Christianity
(07:22):
and assume that Jesus is a Christian.
So he's on our side.
You know, you understand this.
That's not how this works.
Though
Jesus was never a Christian,and though we never have to become Jewish.
God's made incrediblepromises to the Jewish people.
(07:44):
Those promises still stand, andthose promises will still be fulfilled.
But God's promises to Israel shape
his promises to us.
And now what God has done.
And this is what chapterten and 11 are about in Romans.
What God has donenow is use Gentiles to make Jews
jealous that we get what was originallyintended just for them.
(08:10):
Did you know that
God uses us Gentilesto make his people jealous?
That we get what was intended to them?
That's why I say God's promises to Israelshape his promises to us.
And this was God's intent.
Chapterten and 11 are about the invitation
(08:33):
to us
by God to be a part of his family.
But it's also about Godstill fulfilling his promises
to his people as a nation.
These two chaptersparticular are so important
for us to talk about todaybecause of this wave of unprecedented
(08:54):
in the last few generationsof anti-Semitism
that have swept through social mediaand college campuses.
We're seeing it on a global levelas never before.
Since the Holocaust.
This incredible wave of anti-Semitism
where both the, the, the,the unrepentant world
(09:17):
and oftentimes the evangelical worldis turning against Israel
because of what
they're believingon the geopolitical scheme of the globe.
And it's horrific.
Christians.
And the church should love the Jews
(09:41):
because we are eternally indebted to them.
And church,I want to tell you to be very mindful
and very cautious and very intelligent
about this anti-Semitic wave
that is taking over every screenthat you're on
(10:04):
and every campus.
That our kids attend.
God has made promises
to his peoplethat will stand and will be fulfilled.
And the only reason we get to experienceany of that is because God
has invited usto participate in his plan for his people.
(10:28):
He certainly isn't done with them.
And to set up chapter 11,
I want to go back to chapter ten,
verses 14 through the rest.
And I want to begin
with the purpose,God's purpose of this whole thing
and God's purpose for us in this world.
(10:48):
And he is the fact that he has turnedhis attention
to us, to make his people,the Jews, jealous.
So they will come back to him,and they will do.
But to set up chapter ten, verse four downand to go all over the Bible
doing that today. Okay.
You get your little fingers readybecause I want you to like
(11:09):
follow along here in your Bibles.
But I want to start in first Peter 315
in our hearts honor Christthe Lord as holy.
How do you do that?
How do you honor Jesus as holy?
Well, you're always preparedto make a defense to anyone who asks you
for the reasonfor the hope that is in you.
How do you honor Jesus?
(11:30):
You're ready at the drop of a hat,to give a reason for the hope
that you haveof forgiveness and salvation.
And when we have been adoptedinto God's family and understand
what he's done to adopt us as his own,though
we are not his original people.
(11:51):
And someone asks us about that hope
it is dishonoring to Christand not be ready
to give a reason to understand.
Yes. You okay?
But when youwhen we open our mouths about this,
(12:13):
make sure that we dowith gentleness and respect
and be belligerent about it.
There's enough about my lifethat's belligerent.
Like I don't need to add this, like,just be gentle when it comes to Jesus.
And in this message, we do itwith gentleness and in respect to people.
For it isthis everybody who says that they follow
(12:34):
Jesus has a responsibility and a commandto be ready at the moment's notice.
So here's why I believe it.
Here's why I have hope.
And friends just
if you're not ready right nowto give a reason
for the hope that you have tosomeone who has no hope.
(12:55):
The Bible saysit is dishonoring to Christ.
So if you don't know how to do thisand you're not ready,
you better learn.
Go to our app.
Go to Unfiltered and Uncensored.
And I've done an entire multi-hour thing
on how to share your faithin a way that's natural and fits you.
It's not difficult.
(13:18):
Because God has invited uswho were not his, into his family.
Should we dothe same thing to others on this family?
And this is what Paul's getting at.
In the last part of of Romans ten,I need to set this up
because it sets up 11.
And I want to dive in just a little bit.
(13:39):
How then what they call on himin whom they have not believed.
Remember God's cosmic plan to offersalvation to anybody who needs saving.
And so Paul's saying, well, he'll do it.
But how can they call on himif they've not believed in him?
And how can they believe in himif they've not heard about him?
And how can they hearwithout someone preaching
(14:00):
and how can they preachunless they're sent
as it's written?
How beautiful are the feet of thosewho preach the good news?
Let me make this point.
There is a
chain reaction in what we call salvation.
And the chain reaction is this
someone is sent to preachso someone can believe and receive.
(14:24):
But people don't believe and receiveuntil someone has preached,
has spoken the good news.
And this is the pointI want to make about this.
This is why we're so committed tochurch planting.
This is why we're so committedto the mission work that we do,
both in America and in other countries.
This is why we're so committed to it.
Did you know that there arethat there are 200 pastors
(14:46):
in Ukraine right now who know that there
if things go as they go in, pretty soonthey're going to die.
And there's a revival going on in Ukraineright now
of these people who want to plant churchesbecause they know
that their countrymen are being killed.
I don't care what you believe aboutthe political state of Russia and Ukraine.
(15:10):
The fact is, people are dying in real time
and there are Christians therewho want to plant churches,
and they've asked us to step into thatcountry
and train 200 to go out and plantchurches. Why?
Because how can they believeunless they've heard?
How can they hear unless someone's prettyshocking someone, unless they've seen.
(15:30):
How beautifulis this that we get to do it?
Do you understand?
And I have the opportunityto get to be on the frontlines
and literally on the front lines.
How beautiful is that?
(15:51):
Why? Because this is God's global plan.
In Cuba.
Because we started this churchplanting movement there.
There's 120 churches that havestarted there because of what we've done,
and 100 pastors who have gone throughthe description of what we do or to plant
(16:11):
churches, because there's a revivalgoing on in Cuba right now.
They have no food and no resources,but there's a spiritual revival
going on that that that little islandis coming to faith.
It's amazing.
That's one of the churches
in Cuba that we helped put there,
(16:32):
completely packed.
With people are coming to faith.
That's Guatemala.
That's where
we have those five academies in that slumright there,
where they get food and educationand love and medicine
and the gospel.
(16:54):
That's a picture of a of a church
that we're that we're helpingfund and build in Guatemala.
Those are our lead pastors in Guatemala.
That are just absolute warriors
who are giving themselves andtheir families and their lives to church.
(17:15):
And because they know that,how can people believe
when I say, you're not going to hearsome of those people are going to be
unless they're saying, guess what?
We're sending?
This is why we do what we do.
Excel
leadership networks out thereto help lead 100 churches.
(17:36):
We started last year in thestates, 100 more this year.
Because this is and guys this is part of
this is part of how you are part of God'scosmic plan.
We see all the timethat you don't give to us.
You give through us.
We send a majority of our money
away, away from us.
(17:58):
Because this is so important.
This is God's cosmic planto turn his attention to those of us
who are not Jews, to make the Jews jealousthat they'll come back to him.
But we have to send peopleand we have to send people,
and we have to send people that.
That's why we're not threatenedto start a church in Fresno.
We're not threatened to start
to help start a churchin, in in Riverstone, right next door.
(18:22):
We're not threatened by it,by the proximity
of starting other churchesand coaching other churches
and helping others who are threatenedby that. It's all part of God's kingdom.
Most churches will
never start a church down the roadbecause they're threatened by them.
The goal for the church next doorif we need to like it.
Just part of God's plan.
I agree.
(18:44):
You understand what I'm saying?
We're headed to Mexico in a few weeks.
I'll be preaching a churchthere and building stuff there.
You you either need to goor you need a fund.
I'm just telling you right now.
It's part of God's plan.
You need to go or you need to fund.
(19:06):
We've had QR codes upto give you information.
If you haven't, take advantage of that.
That's that's that'syour fault is not mine.
So so go figure that out.
Now. So faith comes from hearingand hearing through the word of Christ.
The only way to gain faith,
the only way to grow in maturity,is to learn and proclaim the Word of God.
(19:31):
You hear it, and you receive it,and they're responsible to share it.
Faith doesn't come by doing.
Faith doesn't come by singing.
Faith doesn't come by.
Faith comes by the Word of God.
We got it.
This is why this is so important.
That's why Paul just saidthis whole thing starts with preaching,
(19:52):
not just from the pulpit,but certainly from the pulpit,
but in your lives to the proclamationof God's Word, to people in your huddle,
those close to youwho don't know Jesus, who are struggling,
the proclamation of His Word,and you better be ready at the drop of a
hat to give a reasonfor the hope that you have.
That's what Paul's saying.This is part of his plan.
(20:14):
Look at this receipt to follow with meon on the screen back there.
Look at 18, 19, 20.
But I asked, have they not heard?
Sure they've heard.
For the voice
has gone out to all the earth,and their words to the ends of the world.
But I ask, did Israel not understand?
Just like, why didn't they believe?
Don't know.
First Moses says, I will make you jealous.
(20:35):
There's that word I'll make you.
He's talking to his own people.
I'll make you jealous of those who are nota nation with a foolish nation.
I'll make you angry.
Guess what? We are.
We're the nation.
He said, do my peoplenot believe me in the promises I made?
Because they haven't heard?No. They've heard.
They're just. They're just.
(20:56):
They've ignored me.
So I don't make them jealous by.
By a bunch of fools.
So what kind of flip side is.
And so we are in Isaiah.
So bold to say,
have I been foundby those who did not seek, or
I have been found by thosewho do not see me?
(21:16):
I have shown myself to thosewho didn't ask for me so I can look.
They weren't even looking for meand I showed myself to them.
You and I weren't looking for Jesus.
And he showed up.
Though
the majority of Israel has rejectedthe Messiah,
a remnant has always believed.
(21:37):
And even though the Spirit of Godhas turned his attention
to us non-Jews to make Israel jealous.
And the key to understanding chapter 11that we're getting into right now
is that fact
that God is using us
to make Israel jealous becausehe wants his kids to come back home?
This is a deeply theological truth,
(21:58):
and we have to understand this.
If we're going to send the messageof the of
of all of Scripture.
And I love verse 21 of chapter ten.
But of Israel he says, all day longI've held out my hands to a disobedient
and contrary people all day long.
(22:21):
Do you know he's done that for youand for me
all day long?
He's held out his hands
to an obstinate,
reluctant, difficult person like me.
And like you.
Because his cosmic plan
(22:41):
is for our salvation.
And he's not willing
to give up on any of us.
How long are you
and I going to resistthe outstretched hand of God?
(23:05):
God constantly pursues those who are
disobedient,
obstinate, and contrary. Why?
Because grace is greaterthan disobedience.
His grace is greater.
And he wants to us toexperience is undeserved
(23:25):
an unmerited favor and blessing,even for the disobedient.
And so chapter verseone of chapter 11, you.
We got to understand this principleof the preaching of the Good news
because he, God, is making his kidsjealous
because we get to be includedin his promises.
(23:46):
So then Paul says,I ask then because of that,
because of that deeply theological truth.
Has God rejected his people?
By no means.
Paul says, for I myself as an Israelite,a descendant of Abraham,
a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
He said, we can't start thinking thatbecause they've rejected the Messiah,
(24:07):
that God's done with themand done with his promises,
which is what some in the evangelicaland the Christian American church think,
that God got so upset with his people
because they denied him that he gaveall those, for he turned all his promises.
He hasn't, Paul said he hasn't rejectedhis people because I'm one of them.
If he rejectedthis, people would rejected me.
(24:28):
God hasn't rejected his people at all.
He's just includedother people in the promise as well.
That's what he's saying.
And then he gives his example.
God has not rejected his people, whom he,
Oh, yeah.
Whom he foreknew.
Do you not know what the Scripture saysof Elijah?
(24:50):
How he appeals to God against Israel?
Lord, they have killed your prophets.
They have demolished your altars, andI alone am left, and they seek my life.
But what is God's reply to him?
I have kept for myself7000 men who have not bowed
the knee to bear what he said.
He's drawing on Old Testament history.
He says, if you think God is getting this,people just remember Elijah.
(25:10):
Elijah,the prophet of God, goes up the mountain
to do the battle with, with,with the prophets of Baal.
And he does battle with them.
And God shows himself faithful in that.
And all these prophets of Baal,just in this battle, just get slaughtered.
And and in after that great victory,
Elijah goes to this great moment of, ofjust a down
(25:33):
to whenever there's a mountaintop,there's a valley after it, right?
He goes, this great mountain, top of theheat sinks down in this deep depression,
and he runs away in isolation.
Let me just say this, thatthat's part of the devil's plan for God's
people is to isolate us,because in isolation comes defeat
and isolation comes depression,and isolation comes frustration.
(25:57):
And we,when we silo ourselves and our isolated
away from God's people, it'svery it's a very, very dark place.
And some of you understand this.
And so he's in
isolation and he's in despairand he cries out to God.
He's like, God, I'm the only one, sure,but I'm the only one on your team.
Everybody else is against you.
And God says you, what do you.
(26:18):
I got 7000 that you don't know about.
Don't tell me you're the only one.
You're not alone in this.
And yet what he says.
God hasn't rejectedme. He's got a remnant.
Still, God hasn't rejected his people.
He's still faithful to his promises.
Look at verse five and six.
So to at the present timethere is a remnant chosen by grace.
(26:41):
They're God's not because they're Jews,not because they're obedient,
but by God's grace.
But if it is by grace,it is no longer on the basis of works.
Otherwiseyour grace would no longer be grace.
God has an abandoned his people.
God has abandoned the Jewish nation,and he's included us in it all by grace,
(27:02):
not by works, nor by birth.
And if it's by works or by birth,
every one of us is doomed.
He's faithful to his peoplebecause he's a God that's full of grace.
And he's invited us into those promisesbecause he is a God
full of grace.
(27:24):
To understand.
What then?
Israel failedto obtain what it was seeking.
The elect attained it, butthe rest were hardened as it is written.
Verse eight.
God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyesthat would not see, and ears
that would not hear down to this very day.
And David says,let their table become a snare and a trap,
(27:47):
a stumbling blockand a retribution for them.
Let their eyes be darkened so that theycannot see and bend their backs forever.
What he's saying is, look,they chose to reject me.
And so I confirm that choice.
And this is what he does for us.
The more one says no to God,
the easier it is to say no to God.
(28:09):
God doesn't make one say no to him.
He just confirms the choice.
It's exactly what Paul referencedin the previous two chapters
about Pharaoh hardening in his heartand God hiding in after him.
Whatever decisionyou and I choose to make about
Jesus, God will confirm that choice.
And if you and I choose to close our eyesto the light of the gospel,
(28:31):
if we chose to close our mindsto the truth, it close to choose
to close our heartsto the relation of it, God will confirm
that choice.
But conversely,
if we choose to open our eyesto the light of the message of Jesus,
if we choose to open our mindsto the truth of that, open our hearts
(28:51):
to the relationship,God will also confirm of that choice.
You understand?
As a nation,the Jews chose to reject the Messiah God.
Confirm that choice, though there's alwaysa remnant that chooses by grace
to believe,
(29:12):
and God is faithful
even to the disobedient.
Verse 11.
So I ask, did they stumble in orderthat they might fall?
By no means rather,through their trespass,
salvation has come to the Gentilesso as to make Israel jealous.
There it is again.
They said, look, they they stumbled,but they didn't fall.
Here's a difference.
A stumble is a stumble is it a trip?
(29:35):
I'm okay.
Have you ever done that in public?
I've.
I it it's all right.
Right? It's different than the old lady.
I fall in and I can't get up.
And so look, you all going to stumblebut a stumble in the fall.
(29:56):
A fall means that you're done.
And Israel's not done.
And God's promises tohis nation is not done.
They've stumbled,but they've stumbled. Why?
But to say why?
So that we can be includedin the promises.
(30:16):
So that Israel becomes jealous.
He's not done with them.
He's wooing them by being so good to me
and to you.
Now, if they're trespass, verse12 means riches for the world.
And if they're future, riches.
(30:38):
And if their future means richesfor the Gentiles,
how much more will our full inclusionmean?
What he's saying is this,
by their stumble, it meant riches for us.
How much better is the world going to be
by their inclusion again?
I mean, how great is that going to be?
(31:00):
Now watch this verse 13 through 15.
Now I'm speaking of the Gentiles.
So now he changes.
He's talking to us in as muchthen as I'm apostle to the Gentiles,
I magnify my ministry in order
somehowto make my fellow Jews what jealous.
So that what
saved some of them.
For if their rejection meansthe reconciliation of the world,
(31:22):
what will their acceptance mean?
But life from the dead.
Here's what he's saying.
It is biblical to brag
about how good God is to you.
Not how good you are,not what you've done,
but how good God has been.
(31:45):
He says, I will magnify my ministry.
I'm going to brag about itbecause God has been so good.
And the more and,
The more that the worldwho has not experienced
the goodness and grace of God, hearsabout the goodness and grace of God.
(32:05):
It's intended to make themwant to experience the
goodness and grace of God.
Our problem?
We don't have a problem. I'm bragging.
We don't have a problem highlighting.
Everything about us and my
kid and my business and my blah blah blah.
(32:26):
It's amazing.
Once a youth sports starts up,
parents turn into some of the mostgrandiose bragging in the am I right,
Andy?
Yeah, either
the most grandiose bragof the most grandiose complainers.
Okay, but.
(32:47):
We know how to do it.
We just do it about the wrong things.
And Paul saying, don't do it.
Just brag about God's grace.
Because it makes people want it.
Look at verse 17.
But if some of the branches were brokenoff, he's
the that the Jewish national symbolis an olive tree.
(33:11):
Okay.
That's thethat's the national symbols on olive tree.
And, and and Paul is going to talkabout this forming an analogy
when you cut off branches and graftnew ones in.
Okay. So that's whatthat's what he's talking about here.
So the national the Jewsare the net of the natural olive tree.
Gentiles are these wild offshootsthat get grafted into it.
(33:31):
Look says,
but if some of the branches are broken offand you all the a wild olive shoot,
we're grafted in among the othersand now share in the nourishing
root of the olive tree.
Don't be ignoranttowards those natural branches
right?
Then you will say branches were broken offso that I might be grafted in.
(33:53):
Well that's true, they were broken offbecause of their unbelief.
But you stand fast through faith,so don't become proud.
But fear for of Goddidn't spare the natural branches.
Neither will he spare you.
Here's what he's saying.
Like because we have,we have gained Christ, the Jewish Messiah,
(34:14):
and the promises of Godintended for his people.
We can't say because God favors me.
He says if God was willing
to cut off his own natural branch
and gracious enough to graft you inso you get to partake of all this stuff,
don't you get pride in that powerfuland prideful and arrogant
(34:38):
and think those stupid Jews.
Golly!
Because what if Godis willing to break off his own branch?
What makes you wild? Shoot.
Think that he won't break you off to
because of your arroganceagainst his people?
(34:58):
This is true both personally,
politically, and nationally.
Do you understand?
This is whyhe's starting to be encouraged.
God's got a plan and we're part of it.
But be humble because he doesn't have toinclude us in it.
(35:22):
Pride cuts us off.
Grace graphs us in.
The verse 22.
Note, then, the kindness and severity
(35:42):
of Godseverity toward those who have fallen.
But God's kindness to you, providedyou continue in his kindness.
Otherwise you'll be cut off.
The kindness of God.
Listen, friends, we've been given
gifted and grafted.
We've been given the gift of salvation.
(36:05):
Not because we've earned it.
We've been grafted
into a relationship with him,
or gifted in the Holy Spiritin that relationship,
and grafted into his promisesand into his family.
As long as we continue in faith.
(36:26):
Understanding.
That's by his grace.
I'm going to jump down to verse 25,
lest you be wise in your own sight.
I do not want you to be unawareof this mystery.
Brothers,a partial hardening has come upon Israel
until the fullness of the Gentileshas come in.
Let me explain that the mystery of God
other place is calledthe mystery of the gospel.
It's a Greek word mystery onand all it is.
(36:48):
It's a mysterythat Gentiles would be included
in the Jewish faithsaved by a Jewish Messiah.
That's a mystery that the Jewscould never fully understand,
and that's why they rejected it.
The mystery of God
that he, in his grace, would include us.
(37:11):
Not asking us to become Jewish,not asking us to obey law,
but just simply by his grace.
The mystery that by his gracehe has included us in his family.
You and I don't deserve it.You and I can't earn it.
It's simply by the grace of God,because grace is greater than you.
Fill in the blank.
(37:31):
And it says, until the fullnumber of Gentiles has come in.
Listen, I can't explain this.
I can only tell you the fact of it.
There is an eternal tickerthat God is watching
of non-Jewswho are going to come to faith.
And when the last clicker clicks
and that number is complete,
(37:52):
then that will be the end timeswhen the nation of Israel will come back
to Christ.
It's amazing.
And right now that ticker is ticking
till the full number of Gentileshas come in.
And this is why Paul's prayer
(38:13):
in Ephesians six is what it is.
Ephesians six, verses 19 and 20.
Talks about give me words and wisdom.
I may proclaim the mystery of the gospeland fiercely proclaim it as I should.
That's my prayer for myselfevery single morning that words
(38:34):
will be given me there fills your mouthon the mystery of the gospel.
Because I know there's an eternal clickerthat's clicking.
And this is why it's so importantfor us to plant churches.
Because the moment that happens.
(38:55):
Listen, let me read 2020.
And as regards the gospel,they are enemies.
They're talking about Jews as regardsthe gospel.
They're enemies for your sake.
But as regards election,they're the beloved
for the sake of the forefathers, for thegifts and calling of God are irrevocable.
Here'swhat he's saying regarding salvation
and God's mystery to include us there.
(39:16):
Enemies of that, the Jews as a nation,their enemies so they don't get it.
But regarding God's choosing of them,they're beloved of God
because God made a promise to Abraham,Isaac, and Jacob.
And God is always faithful to his promise.
For the the, the gifts
and coming of God are irrevocable.
(39:39):
They will come back.
The gifts and corner are.
He's not going to renege on his promises.
Here's why.
After God's promises are not seasonal,they're eternal.
And all Israel as a nation will be saved
when that final clicker clicks in the endtimes.
(40:04):
For just as you were at one timedisobedient to God,
but now have received mercy because oftheir disobedience, they were disobedient.
So God turned his mercy towards us.
So they too
have now been disobedient, in orderthat by the mercy
shown to you, to us,they also may now receive mercy.
(40:25):
For God has consigned all to disobedience,
that he might have mercy on all he said.
Look, they were disobedient,so God can be merciful to us.
By his grace he was under his grace
is going to, and even our disobey is goingto make God turn his mercy towards them.
(40:46):
We're all disobedient so that God can have
mercy on us all.
Let me let me explain this.
There will come a time
when God will save
and keep and fulfillall his promises to the nation of Israel,
(41:08):
and all the Jews will come to faithin the end times.
It's a promise. It'sin the book of revelation.
But I want to understand something.
When God
talks about saving his nation,it's not being saved.
Diachronic.
That's a fancy wordfor saving all Jews from all time.
Since the beginning of time.
(41:28):
The Bible talks about saving Jews.
Synchrony.
Sin chronically,which means all Jews at the time.
So there will come a timewhen the Jews at that time
will all come to faith,
because God has turned his mercyand grace to us,
and because we have preached his word.
(41:52):
And that will make the Jews jealous
in the end times,and they will come back to faith.
This is all part of God's cosmic plan,
and you and I get to be a part of it
in humility, because he doesn't
have to use us to do it.
So that he may have mercy on us all.
(42:16):
This God's
mercy and grace are not his rewardfor my goodness.
They are his response to my need.
God's mercy and grace is not a responseto your goodness.
It's a response to your need.
That's why he's merciful.
That's why he's gracious.
Not because we've earned it.
Because we need it.
(42:40):
Let me just wrap up with this.
It's been a lot of Bible today.
You okay?
I got three, like, three more verses. Yes.
And so in light of all this,this is this is, just imagine Paul,
we only have one descriptionphysically, of Paul,
and the description is of a short,bald man
(43:05):
with bow legs
and a big hooked nose
that the only description you haveis not of an attractive man.
So that's why I identify so well with him.
I mean, there is
the short bald guy, bald and a big no.
He just.
And I imaginePaul, he's writing all this down.
(43:27):
And then at the end of this understandingGod's cosmic plan for his people
and then turning that plan to usGentiles, though always leaving a remnant
that is faithful to him.
And ultimately,one day when the clicker clicks
and all his people come back to him,Paul can do nothing is really oh,
the depth of the riches and wisdomand knowledge of God.
(43:48):
How unsearchable are his judgment,how inscrutable his ways,
his amazing.
And he'sdrawing on the truth of Isaiah 55,
that God's ways are higherand far above yours.
And my thoughts, his ways are far above.
How incredible is this in light of allof this God, you know what you're doing.
(44:09):
If you left after me,I'd have done it different.
I'm so glad you didn't leave it up to me.
Your ways are right.
Your ways are higher.
Your ways are profound.
I can't even understand them.But I know they're right.
And then he ends with this.
For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
(44:31):
To him be glory forever. Amen.
I love how he writes this,because notice what he says, for from him
and through him and to him are all things,
all one syllable words.
In essence, he'smaking it as simple as possible.
If you can utter a one syllable word,you know the truth of the gospel,
(44:52):
for from him and through him and to himare all things.
Some of you right nowdon't believe in your Savior.
It isn't really one syllable.
Right?
For from him and through himand to him are all things.
How much more simple can it be?
Oh, God, you are so greatand your plan is so inscrutable.
(45:15):
I can't understand it,
but at the end of the day,I am so overwhelmed with who you are.
Jesus
forth from you
and through you and to you are all things.
To him be glory forever.
Amen.
Like he'sso wrapped up in this thing. Why?
Because God's cosmic plan
(45:36):
is not just for salvationof anybody who needs to be saved.
It's also his cosmic planfor the glorification of his son.
And that's how Paul ends this section ofRomans and the glorification of the son.
For from him and through himand to him are all things.
To God be the glory forever.
(45:57):
Amen,
Amen.
And the fact that you and I,
in spite of ourselves,
get to be adopted into this.
What that means about you.
(46:17):
You know, means about God.
I don't know about you.
This makes me walk around with a littlebit straighter back and higher head.
BecauseI know it's not anything I've done.
It's not because of the grace of God.
Because grace
is greater.
(46:40):
Praise be to God,
father.
Thank you.
You didn't have to,
but you chose to in your mercyand by your grace,
turn your attentionand your promises to people like me
and people like us.
(47:00):
Thank you.
Thank youthat you're not done with your people.
Thank youthat you're not done with your nation.
And thank you that we get to be supportersof your people and of your nation.
What an honor that is for us.
Thank you
for the honoryou've given us to invest our lives
(47:23):
and our money in planting churches.
To accomplish your global plan,
your cosmic plan of the saving of many.
Thank you for the responsibility
you've given us to give a reasonfor the hope that we have.
(47:45):
That others may step into your cosmic plan
of being saved.
For. For you and through you.
And to you are all things.
You to be glorified forever.
Friends, in this moment,
I want to give you a chanceto align your life
(48:08):
with the cosmic plan of God
with the life of His Son,
and step into the reality and the destiny
that he has intended for you.
By faith.
Because of God's grace.
(48:29):
I invite you of this moment to say, God,I'm yours.
It's real simple.
You simple words, God, I'm yours.
I receive
what Jesus did for me on the cross.
I accept that work
of forgiveness in my life and I step into.
(48:50):
Both my
present and my destiny.
To glorifyand magnify the name of your son.
Help me in this moment.
(49:10):
Learn and know what I must now do.
Because of what you've done.
To follow you more faithfully,
more purposefully, with great humility
and thanksgiving.
God, you are a good God.
(49:32):
Thank you for your wordthat speaks so clearly
in your name.
I pray now
listen.
You all have been through three weeks of
deeply theological and doctrinal truthsfrom Romans nine 1011. It.
Yeah, those are some tough chapters.
Most people don't preach on thatand most people don't read it.
I'm proud of you. Great job.
(49:54):
I would encourage you to go backand read 1911 again with some new eyes.
Read chapter12. Chapter 12 is a lot of fun.
It's going to get a lot of funnow as we go finish this book out.
Now, here's the other thing.
I ask those little cards in front of you.
You made some decision.
You want to talk with a staff person?
Fill that out, please.
Put it in the little boxon the, on the on the wall back there.
(50:14):
Take it by the start.
Here, booth, stop by the welcome center.
Like, communicate with us.
I'd love to talk to you, Jeff.
Love to talk to you, Ali.
Love talk to likeany of would like to communicate with us.
That's why we stand around after service
and let other people clean upso we can just get.
Listen
(50:35):
for him, through him and to himare all things.
To him be glory forever.
Amen.
Stand upand let's sing it like we believe it.
Thank you for
the opportunity that Sean I had last weekto be gone visiting our fam.
We had a great time.
I appreciate David being here and sharing.
Most of chapter ten with us.
It was good.
But I want to ask you this question.
What if you could know
God's cosmic plan
to save anybody who desire to be saved?
(00:26):
Well, what if you could know
how God choosesto respond to your disobedience?
Well,like if you could know God's cosmic plan
and how we respond to those who reject.
Wouldn't that be amazing?
If you could knownot just his plan for your life,
but his cosmic plan for you?
(00:49):
Think about it.
Chapters nine and ten.
Sorry.
Nine through 11.
Tell us about God'scosmic plan and how he responds.
When people reject him and reject it.
The entire book of Romansis divided into four sections
(01:12):
the Wrath of God, chaptersone, two, and three.
The Grace of God.
The last part of threeall the way through chapter eight.
We just close that out.
And the the last little series.
And now we're in this section,
about the plan of God, chaptersnine, ten, 11.
(01:33):
So so we're at the tailend of looking at God's plan.
That's why I asked if you could knowGod's cosmic plan.
Wouldn't that be awesome?
But we can.
It's chapters nine, ten, 11.
Next week we start thethe fourth section of the Book of Romans,
which is about the will.
So the wrath of God.
The grace of God, the plan of God and the.
(01:54):
And the will of God.
Chapters 12
through 16 where it gets super practical.
But before we get to towhen Paul says, look, this is
how now how you live inlight of all this stuff,
we gotta finish out this onelittle section
about the plan of God.
Now, I want to encourage you with this,
(02:16):
that God has a plan and you're part of it.
So be encouraged.
But be humble
because God doesn'thave to include you in it.
So be encouraged.
You're part of God's cosmic plan,but be humble
because God doesn'thave to let you be a part of it.
(02:38):
You understand?
The heartbeat of Romans.
Is God's unstoppable
plan to save sinnersby grace through faith.
That's the heartbeat of it.
And I would add to that statement this
our proper responseas an act of worship and service.
(03:01):
That's the heartbeat of Romans.
His unstoppableplan to save anybody who needs saving.
And once that happens,our response in serving
and giving our lives as an act of worship,that's the proper response.
That's what Trump 316 is all about.
Now, last week,David did a good job of introducing
(03:22):
a Greek word that used four timesin chapter ten, four times in 21 verses.
It comes from the Greek word,the root word sozo,
which means salvation or to be saved.
And the, the, the, the,
the study of soteriologyis the study of salvation.
(03:42):
Who saved by what?
Like what they're saved from? And by whom?
Who does the saving?
So that's the study of soteriology.
Salvation from the Greek word sozo.
In chapters nine talks about Israel's past
and God's saving work.
Chapter ten talks about Israel's presentand what he does
(04:04):
now, and chapter11 talks about Israel's future.
And it all has to dowith the saving of humanity.
So, so.
But here's what we have to understand.
And this is where it gets.
Even though chapters 9 to 11is about Israel.
It has also to do with us.
And we have to understand the interplay
(04:24):
and the interconnectionbetween Israel and us, because the truth
is, God's promises to Israel shapehis promises to us.
Okay.
So God called the people out
and adopted them as his own,and he called them
Israel put his name on this peoplethat were not a people.
(04:46):
And through Abraham created this.
People called Israel put his name on them.
We know them as the Jews.
Everybody follow me so far.
Okay, so he's saying them.
He chose them to be his own.
And his interaction with thatpeople is all about their saving.
Now, as a nation,
they rejected the idea of the Messiah
(05:08):
who would be their Savior as a nation.
And so God then turned the invitation
of salvation to us non-Jews.
Bible calls him, calls us Gentiles.
So God said, I'mgoing to take this, people.
I'm going to give them my name.
I'm going to call him Israel.
They're going to be the Jewish people,and I.
(05:29):
I'm going to save them.
They rejected the Messiah, their Savior.
And so God said, fine, you rejectmy Savior, though not all of you.
There's always a remnant that has hasn't.
But as a nation.
So I'm going to turn my attentionnow to the Gentiles.
So God's promises to Israel shapehis promises to us.
You follow. Okay.
(05:53):
Now, just because we have
those who have believed believein this message of God,
his love for us is expression of his lovefor us through Jesus on the cross,
and call ourselves Christians.
We have to understand thatJesus was not a Christian.
You okay with that?
(06:15):
Okay, we call ourselvesChrist followers and Christians,
but Jesus was never a Christian.
He was a Jew, a fully Jew,
circumcised on the eighth day,
bar mitzvah,
obeyed the laws and fulfilled the laws.
As a obedient Jew.
(06:39):
Jesus never became a Christian.
And he said, you don't have to.
You Gentiles don't have to become Jewish.
What God has done is said,
I want to adopt you into my family,
even though youwere never part of my people.
(06:59):
You understand?
But it's not like Jesus converted
to Christianity.
And, but but here's here's some more.
Most people think that Jesusis a Christian.
And that's why America is so great.
Because America is a Christian nationfollowing Jesus, right?
And we createAmerican ism with Christianity
(07:22):
and assume that Jesus is a Christian.
So he's on our side.
You know, you understand this.
That's not how this works.
Though
Jesus was never a Christian,and though we never have to become Jewish.
God's made incrediblepromises to the Jewish people.
(07:44):
Those promises still stand, andthose promises will still be fulfilled.
But God's promises to Israel shape
his promises to us.
And now what God has done.
And this is what chapterten and 11 are about in Romans.
What God has donenow is use Gentiles to make Jews
jealous that we get what was originallyintended just for them.
(08:10):
Did you know that
God uses us Gentilesto make his people jealous?
That we get what was intended to them?
That's why I say God's promises to Israelshape his promises to us.
And this was God's intent.
Chapterten and 11 are about the invitation
(08:33):
to us
by God to be a part of his family.
But it's also about Godstill fulfilling his promises
to his people as a nation.
These two chaptersparticular are so important
for us to talk about todaybecause of this wave of unprecedented
(08:54):
in the last few generationsof anti-Semitism
that have swept through social mediaand college campuses.
We're seeing it on a global levelas never before.
Since the Holocaust.
This incredible wave of anti-Semitism
where both the, the, the,the unrepentant world
(09:17):
and oftentimes the evangelical worldis turning against Israel
because of what
they're believingon the geopolitical scheme of the globe.
And it's horrific.
Christians.
And the church should love the Jews
(09:41):
because we are eternally indebted to them.
And church,I want to tell you to be very mindful
and very cautious and very intelligent
about this anti-Semitic wave
that is taking over every screenthat you're on
(10:04):
and every campus.
That our kids attend.
God has made promises
to his peoplethat will stand and will be fulfilled.
And the only reason we get to experienceany of that is because God
has invited usto participate in his plan for his people.
(10:28):
He certainly isn't done with them.
And to set up chapter 11,
I want to go back to chapter ten,
verses 14 through the rest.
And I want to begin
with the purpose,God's purpose of this whole thing
and God's purpose for us in this world.
(10:48):
And he is the fact that he has turnedhis attention
to us, to make his people,the Jews, jealous.
So they will come back to him,and they will do.
But to set up chapter ten, verse four downand to go all over the Bible
doing that today. Okay.
You get your little fingers readybecause I want you to like
(11:09):
follow along here in your Bibles.
But I want to start in first Peter 315
in our hearts honor Christthe Lord as holy.
How do you do that?
How do you honor Jesus as holy?
Well, you're always preparedto make a defense to anyone who asks you
for the reasonfor the hope that is in you.
How do you honor Jesus?
(11:30):
You're ready at the drop of a hat,to give a reason for the hope
that you haveof forgiveness and salvation.
And when we have been adoptedinto God's family and understand
what he's done to adopt us as his own,though
we are not his original people.
(11:51):
And someone asks us about that hope
it is dishonoring to Christand not be ready
to give a reason to understand.
Yes. You okay?
But when youwhen we open our mouths about this,
(12:13):
make sure that we dowith gentleness and respect
and be belligerent about it.
There's enough about my lifethat's belligerent.
Like I don't need to add this, like,just be gentle when it comes to Jesus.
And in this message, we do itwith gentleness and in respect to people.
For it isthis everybody who says that they follow
(12:34):
Jesus has a responsibility and a commandto be ready at the moment's notice.
So here's why I believe it.
Here's why I have hope.
And friends just
if you're not ready right nowto give a reason
for the hope that you have tosomeone who has no hope.
(12:55):
The Bible saysit is dishonoring to Christ.
So if you don't know how to do thisand you're not ready,
you better learn.
Go to our app.
Go to Unfiltered and Uncensored.
And I've done an entire multi-hour thing
on how to share your faithin a way that's natural and fits you.
It's not difficult.
(13:18):
Because God has invited uswho were not his, into his family.
Should we dothe same thing to others on this family?
And this is what Paul's getting at.
In the last part of of Romans ten,I need to set this up
because it sets up 11.
And I want to dive in just a little bit.
(13:39):
How then what they call on himin whom they have not believed.
Remember God's cosmic plan to offersalvation to anybody who needs saving.
And so Paul's saying, well, he'll do it.
But how can they call on himif they've not believed in him?
And how can they believe in himif they've not heard about him?
And how can they hearwithout someone preaching
(14:00):
and how can they preachunless they're sent
as it's written?
How beautiful are the feet of thosewho preach the good news?
Let me make this point.
There is a
chain reaction in what we call salvation.
And the chain reaction is this
someone is sent to preachso someone can believe and receive.
(14:24):
But people don't believe and receiveuntil someone has preached,
has spoken the good news.
And this is the pointI want to make about this.
This is why we're so committed tochurch planting.
This is why we're so committedto the mission work that we do,
both in America and in other countries.
This is why we're so committed to it.
Did you know that there arethat there are 200 pastors
(14:46):
in Ukraine right now who know that there
if things go as they go in, pretty soonthey're going to die.
And there's a revival going on in Ukraineright now
of these people who want to plant churchesbecause they know
that their countrymen are being killed.
I don't care what you believe aboutthe political state of Russia and Ukraine.
(15:10):
The fact is, people are dying in real time
and there are Christians therewho want to plant churches,
and they've asked us to step into thatcountry
and train 200 to go out and plantchurches. Why?
Because how can they believeunless they've heard?
How can they hear unless someone's prettyshocking someone, unless they've seen.
(15:30):
How beautifulis this that we get to do it?
Do you understand?
And I have the opportunityto get to be on the frontlines
and literally on the front lines.
How beautiful is that?
(15:51):
Why? Because this is God's global plan.
In Cuba.
Because we started this churchplanting movement there.
There's 120 churches that havestarted there because of what we've done,
and 100 pastors who have gone throughthe description of what we do or to plant
(16:11):
churches, because there's a revivalgoing on in Cuba right now.
They have no food and no resources,but there's a spiritual revival
going on that that that little islandis coming to faith.
It's amazing.
That's one of the churches
in Cuba that we helped put there,
(16:32):
completely packed.
With people are coming to faith.
That's Guatemala.
That's where
we have those five academies in that slumright there,
where they get food and educationand love and medicine
and the gospel.
(16:54):
That's a picture of a of a church
that we're that we're helpingfund and build in Guatemala.
Those are our lead pastors in Guatemala.
That are just absolute warriors
who are giving themselves andtheir families and their lives to church.
(17:15):
And because they know that,how can people believe
when I say, you're not going to hearsome of those people are going to be
unless they're saying, guess what?
We're sending?
This is why we do what we do.
Excel
leadership networks out thereto help lead 100 churches.
(17:36):
We started last year in thestates, 100 more this year.
Because this is and guys this is part of
this is part of how you are part of God'scosmic plan.
We see all the timethat you don't give to us.
You give through us.
We send a majority of our money
away, away from us.
(17:58):
Because this is so important.
This is God's cosmic planto turn his attention to those of us
who are not Jews, to make the Jews jealousthat they'll come back to him.
But we have to send peopleand we have to send people,
and we have to send people that.
That's why we're not threatenedto start a church in Fresno.
We're not threatened to start
to help start a churchin, in in Riverstone, right next door.
(18:22):
We're not threatened by it,by the proximity
of starting other churchesand coaching other churches
and helping others who are threatenedby that. It's all part of God's kingdom.
Most churches will
never start a church down the roadbecause they're threatened by them.
The goal for the church next doorif we need to like it.
Just part of God's plan.
I agree.
(18:44):
You understand what I'm saying?
We're headed to Mexico in a few weeks.
I'll be preaching a churchthere and building stuff there.
You you either need to goor you need a fund.
I'm just telling you right now.
It's part of God's plan.
You need to go or you need to fund.
(19:06):
We've had QR codes upto give you information.
If you haven't, take advantage of that.
That's that's that'syour fault is not mine.
So so go figure that out.
Now. So faith comes from hearingand hearing through the word of Christ.
The only way to gain faith,
the only way to grow in maturity,is to learn and proclaim the Word of God.
(19:31):
You hear it, and you receive it,and they're responsible to share it.
Faith doesn't come by doing.
Faith doesn't come by singing.
Faith doesn't come by.
Faith comes by the Word of God.
We got it.
This is why this is so important.
That's why Paul just saidthis whole thing starts with preaching,
(19:52):
not just from the pulpit,but certainly from the pulpit,
but in your lives to the proclamationof God's Word, to people in your huddle,
those close to youwho don't know Jesus, who are struggling,
the proclamation of His Word,and you better be ready at the drop of a
hat to give a reasonfor the hope that you have.
That's what Paul's saying.This is part of his plan.
(20:14):
Look at this receipt to follow with meon on the screen back there.
Look at 18, 19, 20.
But I asked, have they not heard?
Sure they've heard.
For the voice
has gone out to all the earth,and their words to the ends of the world.
But I ask, did Israel not understand?
Just like, why didn't they believe?
Don't know.
First Moses says, I will make you jealous.
(20:35):
There's that word I'll make you.
He's talking to his own people.
I'll make you jealous of those who are nota nation with a foolish nation.
I'll make you angry.
Guess what? We are.
We're the nation.
He said, do my peoplenot believe me in the promises I made?
Because they haven't heard?No. They've heard.
They're just. They're just.
(20:56):
They've ignored me.
So I don't make them jealous by.
By a bunch of fools.
So what kind of flip side is.
And so we are in Isaiah.
So bold to say,
have I been foundby those who did not seek, or
I have been found by thosewho do not see me?
(21:16):
I have shown myself to thosewho didn't ask for me so I can look.
They weren't even looking for meand I showed myself to them.
You and I weren't looking for Jesus.
And he showed up.
Though
the majority of Israel has rejectedthe Messiah,
a remnant has always believed.
(21:37):
And even though the Spirit of Godhas turned his attention
to us non-Jews to make Israel jealous.
And the key to understanding chapter 11that we're getting into right now
is that fact
that God is using us
to make Israel jealous becausehe wants his kids to come back home?
This is a deeply theological truth,
(21:58):
and we have to understand this.
If we're going to send the messageof the of
of all of Scripture.
And I love verse 21 of chapter ten.
But of Israel he says, all day longI've held out my hands to a disobedient
and contrary people all day long.
(22:21):
Do you know he's done that for youand for me
all day long?
He's held out his hands
to an obstinate,
reluctant, difficult person like me.
And like you.
Because his cosmic plan
(22:41):
is for our salvation.
And he's not willing
to give up on any of us.
How long are you
and I going to resistthe outstretched hand of God?
(23:05):
God constantly pursues those who are
disobedient,
obstinate, and contrary. Why?
Because grace is greaterthan disobedience.
His grace is greater.
And he wants to us toexperience is undeserved
(23:25):
an unmerited favor and blessing,even for the disobedient.
And so chapter verseone of chapter 11, you.
We got to understand this principleof the preaching of the Good news
because he, God, is making his kidsjealous
because we get to be includedin his promises.
(23:46):
So then Paul says,I ask then because of that,
because of that deeply theological truth.
Has God rejected his people?
By no means.
Paul says, for I myself as an Israelite,a descendant of Abraham,
a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
He said, we can't start thinking thatbecause they've rejected the Messiah,
(24:07):
that God's done with themand done with his promises,
which is what some in the evangelicaland the Christian American church think,
that God got so upset with his people
because they denied him that he gaveall those, for he turned all his promises.
He hasn't, Paul said he hasn't rejectedhis people because I'm one of them.
If he rejectedthis, people would rejected me.
(24:28):
God hasn't rejected his people at all.
He's just includedother people in the promise as well.
That's what he's saying.
And then he gives his example.
God has not rejected his people, whom he,
Oh, yeah.
Whom he foreknew.
Do you not know what the Scripture saysof Elijah?
(24:50):
How he appeals to God against Israel?
Lord, they have killed your prophets.
They have demolished your altars, andI alone am left, and they seek my life.
But what is God's reply to him?
I have kept for myself7000 men who have not bowed
the knee to bear what he said.
He's drawing on Old Testament history.
He says, if you think God is getting this,people just remember Elijah.
(25:10):
Elijah,the prophet of God, goes up the mountain
to do the battle with, with,with the prophets of Baal.
And he does battle with them.
And God shows himself faithful in that.
And all these prophets of Baal,just in this battle, just get slaughtered.
And and in after that great victory,
Elijah goes to this great moment of, ofjust a down
(25:33):
to whenever there's a mountaintop,there's a valley after it, right?
He goes, this great mountain, top of theheat sinks down in this deep depression,
and he runs away in isolation.
Let me just say this, thatthat's part of the devil's plan for God's
people is to isolate us,because in isolation comes defeat
and isolation comes depression,and isolation comes frustration.
(25:57):
And we,when we silo ourselves and our isolated
away from God's people, it'svery it's a very, very dark place.
And some of you understand this.
And so he's in
isolation and he's in despairand he cries out to God.
He's like, God, I'm the only one, sure,but I'm the only one on your team.
Everybody else is against you.
And God says you, what do you.
(26:18):
I got 7000 that you don't know about.
Don't tell me you're the only one.
You're not alone in this.
And yet what he says.
God hasn't rejectedme. He's got a remnant.
Still, God hasn't rejected his people.
He's still faithful to his promises.
Look at verse five and six.
So to at the present timethere is a remnant chosen by grace.
(26:41):
They're God's not because they're Jews,not because they're obedient,
but by God's grace.
But if it is by grace,it is no longer on the basis of works.
Otherwiseyour grace would no longer be grace.
God has an abandoned his people.
God has abandoned the Jewish nation,and he's included us in it all by grace,
(27:02):
not by works, nor by birth.
And if it's by works or by birth,
every one of us is doomed.
He's faithful to his peoplebecause he's a God that's full of grace.
And he's invited us into those promisesbecause he is a God
full of grace.
(27:24):
To understand.
What then?
Israel failedto obtain what it was seeking.
The elect attained it, butthe rest were hardened as it is written.
Verse eight.
God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyesthat would not see, and ears
that would not hear down to this very day.
And David says,let their table become a snare and a trap,
(27:47):
a stumbling blockand a retribution for them.
Let their eyes be darkened so that theycannot see and bend their backs forever.
What he's saying is, look,they chose to reject me.
And so I confirm that choice.
And this is what he does for us.
The more one says no to God,
the easier it is to say no to God.
(28:09):
God doesn't make one say no to him.
He just confirms the choice.
It's exactly what Paul referencedin the previous two chapters
about Pharaoh hardening in his heartand God hiding in after him.
Whatever decisionyou and I choose to make about
Jesus, God will confirm that choice.
And if you and I choose to close our eyesto the light of the gospel,
(28:31):
if we chose to close our mindsto the truth, it close to choose
to close our heartsto the relation of it, God will confirm
that choice.
But conversely,
if we choose to open our eyesto the light of the message of Jesus,
if we choose to open our mindsto the truth of that, open our hearts
(28:51):
to the relationship,God will also confirm of that choice.
You understand?
As a nation,the Jews chose to reject the Messiah God.
Confirm that choice, though there's alwaysa remnant that chooses by grace
to believe,
(29:12):
and God is faithful
even to the disobedient.
Verse 11.
So I ask, did they stumble in orderthat they might fall?
By no means rather,through their trespass,
salvation has come to the Gentilesso as to make Israel jealous.
There it is again.
They said, look, they they stumbled,but they didn't fall.
Here's a difference.
A stumble is a stumble is it a trip?
(29:35):
I'm okay.
Have you ever done that in public?
I've.
I it it's all right.
Right? It's different than the old lady.
I fall in and I can't get up.
And so look, you all going to stumblebut a stumble in the fall.
(29:56):
A fall means that you're done.
And Israel's not done.
And God's promises tohis nation is not done.
They've stumbled,but they've stumbled. Why?
But to say why?
So that we can be includedin the promises.
(30:16):
So that Israel becomes jealous.
He's not done with them.
He's wooing them by being so good to me
and to you.
Now, if they're trespass, verse12 means riches for the world.
And if they're future, riches.
(30:38):
And if their future means richesfor the Gentiles,
how much more will our full inclusionmean?
What he's saying is this,
by their stumble, it meant riches for us.
How much better is the world going to be
by their inclusion again?
I mean, how great is that going to be?
(31:00):
Now watch this verse 13 through 15.
Now I'm speaking of the Gentiles.
So now he changes.
He's talking to us in as muchthen as I'm apostle to the Gentiles,
I magnify my ministry in order
somehowto make my fellow Jews what jealous.
So that what
saved some of them.
For if their rejection meansthe reconciliation of the world,
(31:22):
what will their acceptance mean?
But life from the dead.
Here's what he's saying.
It is biblical to brag
about how good God is to you.
Not how good you are,not what you've done,
but how good God has been.
(31:45):
He says, I will magnify my ministry.
I'm going to brag about itbecause God has been so good.
And the more and,
The more that the worldwho has not experienced
the goodness and grace of God, hearsabout the goodness and grace of God.
(32:05):
It's intended to make themwant to experience the
goodness and grace of God.
Our problem?
We don't have a problem. I'm bragging.
We don't have a problem highlighting.
Everything about us and my
kid and my business and my blah blah blah.
(32:26):
It's amazing.
Once a youth sports starts up,
parents turn into some of the mostgrandiose bragging in the am I right,
Andy?
Yeah, either
the most grandiose bragof the most grandiose complainers.
Okay, but.
(32:47):
We know how to do it.
We just do it about the wrong things.
And Paul saying, don't do it.
Just brag about God's grace.
Because it makes people want it.
Look at verse 17.
But if some of the branches were brokenoff, he's
the that the Jewish national symbolis an olive tree.
(33:11):
Okay.
That's thethat's the national symbols on olive tree.
And, and and Paul is going to talkabout this forming an analogy
when you cut off branches and graftnew ones in.
Okay. So that's whatthat's what he's talking about here.
So the national the Jewsare the net of the natural olive tree.
Gentiles are these wild offshootsthat get grafted into it.
(33:31):
Look says,
but if some of the branches are broken offand you all the a wild olive shoot,
we're grafted in among the othersand now share in the nourishing
root of the olive tree.
Don't be ignoranttowards those natural branches
right?
Then you will say branches were broken offso that I might be grafted in.
(33:53):
Well that's true, they were broken offbecause of their unbelief.
But you stand fast through faith,so don't become proud.
But fear for of Goddidn't spare the natural branches.
Neither will he spare you.
Here's what he's saying.
Like because we have,we have gained Christ, the Jewish Messiah,
(34:14):
and the promises of Godintended for his people.
We can't say because God favors me.
He says if God was willing
to cut off his own natural branch
and gracious enough to graft you inso you get to partake of all this stuff,
don't you get pride in that powerfuland prideful and arrogant
(34:38):
and think those stupid Jews.
Golly!
Because what if Godis willing to break off his own branch?
What makes you wild? Shoot.
Think that he won't break you off to
because of your arroganceagainst his people?
(34:58):
This is true both personally,
politically, and nationally.
Do you understand?
This is whyhe's starting to be encouraged.
God's got a plan and we're part of it.
But be humble because he doesn't have toinclude us in it.
(35:22):
Pride cuts us off.
Grace graphs us in.
The verse 22.
Note, then, the kindness and severity
(35:42):
of Godseverity toward those who have fallen.
But God's kindness to you, providedyou continue in his kindness.
Otherwise you'll be cut off.
The kindness of God.
Listen, friends, we've been given
gifted and grafted.
We've been given the gift of salvation.
(36:05):
Not because we've earned it.
We've been grafted
into a relationship with him,
or gifted in the Holy Spiritin that relationship,
and grafted into his promisesand into his family.
As long as we continue in faith.
(36:26):
Understanding.
That's by his grace.
I'm going to jump down to verse 25,
lest you be wise in your own sight.
I do not want you to be unawareof this mystery.
Brothers,a partial hardening has come upon Israel
until the fullness of the Gentileshas come in.
Let me explain that the mystery of God
other place is calledthe mystery of the gospel.
It's a Greek word mystery onand all it is.
(36:48):
It's a mysterythat Gentiles would be included
in the Jewish faithsaved by a Jewish Messiah.
That's a mystery that the Jewscould never fully understand,
and that's why they rejected it.
The mystery of God
that he, in his grace, would include us.
(37:11):
Not asking us to become Jewish,not asking us to obey law,
but just simply by his grace.
The mystery that by his gracehe has included us in his family.
You and I don't deserve it.You and I can't earn it.
It's simply by the grace of God,because grace is greater than you.
Fill in the blank.
(37:31):
And it says, until the fullnumber of Gentiles has come in.
Listen, I can't explain this.
I can only tell you the fact of it.
There is an eternal tickerthat God is watching
of non-Jewswho are going to come to faith.
And when the last clicker clicks
and that number is complete,
(37:52):
then that will be the end timeswhen the nation of Israel will come back
to Christ.
It's amazing.
And right now that ticker is ticking
till the full number of Gentileshas come in.
And this is why Paul's prayer
(38:13):
in Ephesians six is what it is.
Ephesians six, verses 19 and 20.
Talks about give me words and wisdom.
I may proclaim the mystery of the gospeland fiercely proclaim it as I should.
That's my prayer for myselfevery single morning that words
(38:34):
will be given me there fills your mouthon the mystery of the gospel.
Because I know there's an eternal clickerthat's clicking.
And this is why it's so importantfor us to plant churches.
Because the moment that happens.
(38:55):
Listen, let me read 2020.
And as regards the gospel,they are enemies.
They're talking about Jews as regardsthe gospel.
They're enemies for your sake.
But as regards election,they're the beloved
for the sake of the forefathers, for thegifts and calling of God are irrevocable.
Here'swhat he's saying regarding salvation
and God's mystery to include us there.
(39:16):
Enemies of that, the Jews as a nation,their enemies so they don't get it.
But regarding God's choosing of them,they're beloved of God
because God made a promise to Abraham,Isaac, and Jacob.
And God is always faithful to his promise.
For the the, the gifts
and coming of God are irrevocable.
(39:39):
They will come back.
The gifts and corner are.
He's not going to renege on his promises.
Here's why.
After God's promises are not seasonal,they're eternal.
And all Israel as a nation will be saved
when that final clicker clicks in the endtimes.
(40:04):
For just as you were at one timedisobedient to God,
but now have received mercy because oftheir disobedience, they were disobedient.
So God turned his mercy towards us.
So they too
have now been disobedient, in orderthat by the mercy
shown to you, to us,they also may now receive mercy.
(40:25):
For God has consigned all to disobedience,
that he might have mercy on all he said.
Look, they were disobedient,so God can be merciful to us.
By his grace he was under his grace
is going to, and even our disobey is goingto make God turn his mercy towards them.
(40:46):
We're all disobedient so that God can have
mercy on us all.
Let me let me explain this.
There will come a time
when God will save
and keep and fulfillall his promises to the nation of Israel,
(41:08):
and all the Jews will come to faithin the end times.
It's a promise. It'sin the book of revelation.
But I want to understand something.
When God
talks about saving his nation,it's not being saved.
Diachronic.
That's a fancy wordfor saving all Jews from all time.
Since the beginning of time.
(41:28):
The Bible talks about saving Jews.
Synchrony.
Sin chronically,which means all Jews at the time.
So there will come a timewhen the Jews at that time
will all come to faith,
because God has turned his mercyand grace to us,
and because we have preached his word.
(41:52):
And that will make the Jews jealous
in the end times,and they will come back to faith.
This is all part of God's cosmic plan,
and you and I get to be a part of it
in humility, because he doesn't
have to use us to do it.
So that he may have mercy on us all.
(42:16):
This God's
mercy and grace are not his rewardfor my goodness.
They are his response to my need.
God's mercy and grace is not a responseto your goodness.
It's a response to your need.
That's why he's merciful.
That's why he's gracious.
Not because we've earned it.
Because we need it.
(42:40):
Let me just wrap up with this.
It's been a lot of Bible today.
You okay?
I got three, like, three more verses. Yes.
And so in light of all this,this is this is, just imagine Paul,
we only have one descriptionphysically, of Paul,
and the description is of a short,bald man
(43:05):
with bow legs
and a big hooked nose
that the only description you haveis not of an attractive man.
So that's why I identify so well with him.
I mean, there is
the short bald guy, bald and a big no.
He just.
And I imaginePaul, he's writing all this down.
(43:27):
And then at the end of this understandingGod's cosmic plan for his people
and then turning that plan to usGentiles, though always leaving a remnant
that is faithful to him.
And ultimately,one day when the clicker clicks
and all his people come back to him,Paul can do nothing is really oh,
the depth of the riches and wisdomand knowledge of God.
(43:48):
How unsearchable are his judgment,how inscrutable his ways,
his amazing.
And he'sdrawing on the truth of Isaiah 55,
that God's ways are higherand far above yours.
And my thoughts, his ways are far above.
How incredible is this in light of allof this God, you know what you're doing.
(44:09):
If you left after me,I'd have done it different.
I'm so glad you didn't leave it up to me.
Your ways are right.
Your ways are higher.
Your ways are profound.
I can't even understand them.But I know they're right.
And then he ends with this.
For from him and through him
and to him are all things.
(44:31):
To him be glory forever. Amen.
I love how he writes this,because notice what he says, for from him
and through him and to him are all things,
all one syllable words.
In essence, he'smaking it as simple as possible.
If you can utter a one syllable word,you know the truth of the gospel,
(44:52):
for from him and through him and to himare all things.
Some of you right nowdon't believe in your Savior.
It isn't really one syllable.
Right?
For from him and through himand to him are all things.
How much more simple can it be?
Oh, God, you are so greatand your plan is so inscrutable.
(45:15):
I can't understand it,
but at the end of the day,I am so overwhelmed with who you are.
Jesus
forth from you
and through you and to you are all things.
To him be glory forever.
Amen.
Like he'sso wrapped up in this thing. Why?
Because God's cosmic plan
(45:36):
is not just for salvationof anybody who needs to be saved.
It's also his cosmic planfor the glorification of his son.
And that's how Paul ends this section ofRomans and the glorification of the son.
For from him and through himand to him are all things.
To God be the glory forever.
(45:57):
Amen,
Amen.
And the fact that you and I,
in spite of ourselves,
get to be adopted into this.
What that means about you.
(46:17):
You know, means about God.
I don't know about you.
This makes me walk around with a littlebit straighter back and higher head.
BecauseI know it's not anything I've done.
It's not because of the grace of God.
Because grace
is greater.
(46:40):
Praise be to God,
father.
Thank you.
You didn't have to,
but you chose to in your mercyand by your grace,
turn your attentionand your promises to people like me
and people like us.
(47:00):
Thank you.
Thank youthat you're not done with your people.
Thank youthat you're not done with your nation.
And thank you that we get to be supportersof your people and of your nation.
What an honor that is for us.
Thank you
for the honoryou've given us to invest our lives
(47:23):
and our money in planting churches.
To accomplish your global plan,
your cosmic plan of the saving of many.
Thank you for the responsibility
you've given us to give a reasonfor the hope that we have.
(47:45):
That others may step into your cosmic plan
of being saved.
For. For you and through you.
And to you are all things.
You to be glorified forever.
Friends, in this moment,
I want to give you a chanceto align your life
(48:08):
with the cosmic plan of God
with the life of His Son,
and step into the reality and the destiny
that he has intended for you.
By faith.
Because of God's grace.
(48:29):
I invite you of this moment to say, God,I'm yours.
It's real simple.
You simple words, God, I'm yours.
I receive
what Jesus did for me on the cross.
I accept that work
of forgiveness in my life and I step into.
(48:50):
Both my
present and my destiny.
To glorifyand magnify the name of your son.
Help me in this moment.
(49:10):
Learn and know what I must now do.
Because of what you've done.
To follow you more faithfully,
more purposefully, with great humility
and thanksgiving.
God, you are a good God.
(49:32):
Thank you for your wordthat speaks so clearly
in your name.
I pray now
listen.
You all have been through three weeks of
deeply theological and doctrinal truthsfrom Romans nine 1011. It.
Yeah, those are some tough chapters.
Most people don't preach on thatand most people don't read it.
I'm proud of you. Great job.
(49:54):
I would encourage you to go backand read 1911 again with some new eyes.
Read chapter12. Chapter 12 is a lot of fun.
It's going to get a lot of funnow as we go finish this book out.
Now, here's the other thing.
I ask those little cards in front of you.
You made some decision.
You want to talk with a staff person?
Fill that out, please.
Put it in the little boxon the, on the on the wall back there.
(50:14):
Take it by the start.
Here, booth, stop by the welcome center.
Like, communicate with us.
I'd love to talk to you, Jeff.
Love to talk to you, Ali.
Love talk to likeany of would like to communicate with us.
That's why we stand around after service
and let other people clean upso we can just get.
Listen
(50:35):
for him, through him and to himare all things.
To him be glory forever.
Amen.
Stand upand let's sing it like we believe it.
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