God's Glory Made Known To Us!
Romans: Building the Church Through the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Attention - I have a difficult question to ask you this morning.
If God is powerful enough to eradicate evil, why doesn’t he?
Need - We all struggle with the problem of evil. Not just Christians, but all faiths. All belief systems - even atheism has to answer the problem of evil
Why doesn’t an all powerful, all loving God stop evil? It’s a great question with troubling implications. And, if we are going to be honest, we all wrestle with this when we think about it.
Textual Idea: Paul deals with this question as he moves into the next part of the rhetorical argument he is working through in Romans 9.
What is the argument? After Paul argues the point that God has mercy on whomever He will and he Hardens whomever he wills, Paul then gives an argument from his detractors. Look at verse 19?
19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
In verses 20 and 21 he goes on to say...
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
Well, Paul, in today’s passage continues on dealing with the same argument.
And he is proving a very significant point. God is no evil despot as He is being accused.
No! In fact, He is a God not only of powerful wrath, but of great patience!
God puts up with so much from His creation. If I were God, this world would probably be a floating charcoal briquette by now!
But not our God!
And His extreme patience must be taken into consideration when trying to understand the eradication of evil and evil people...
This leads us to the main thought for this morning...
Sermon Idea: God’s Patience with “Evil People” is Glorious!
Interrogative: How so?
Transition: God’s Patience with “Evil People” is Glorious for three reasons...
His Patience with “Evil People”...
Shows off His Character
Makes Known His Glories for His Own
Creates more “Mercy People”
Let take a look at the first point...
1. God’s Patience with “Evil People” Shows Off His Character (vs. 22)
22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
Explanation - Paul starts his argument here with a hypothetical, theological question.
“What if God” - He is leading his readers down the difficult path of attempting to understand the mind and rationale of God Himself. A task, in some regards, that is impossible because, “Who can know the mind of God (Romans 11:34).”
But in this journey down this path, Paul accentuates qualities or characteristics about our God that, if understood, should cause wonder, awe, and whole hearted worship, not the blame being ascribed to Him.
“What if God...” (Who has the right to do anything He desires)
Desiring to show his WRATH - “punishment...from God, referring to divine judgment to be inflicted upon the wicked.”
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).
Desiring to show his POWER - the mighty, spoken of God, the Almighty. The expression “I am strong [dunatós]” means “I am able, I can”;
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).
Endured with much PATIENCE - to be long–suffering. Forbearance, long–suffering, self–restraint before proceeding to action. The quality of a person who is able to avenge himself yet refrains from doing so
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).
These are characteristics of our God! Not all of His characteristics, but some very important ones - especially for the context of this passage.
The New American Standard Bible helps us understand the context a little better by reflecting the proper word order in the Greek.
22 What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?
In other words, God has held back! He, at any moment could have poured His wrath out.
He could have made his power known - even on a more grand and glorious scale than Noah’s flood or the Egyptian plagues...
God, at any point could crush and destroy His creation because we (his creation) have chosen to live in a way that is contrary to His holiness.
“…has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction...”
κατηρτισμένα εἰς ἀπώλειαν
Passive: 'having been prepared for destruction'
Middle: 'having prepared themselves for destruction'
tn Or possibly “objects of wrath that have fit themselves for destruction.” The form of the participle could be taken either as a passive or middle (reflexive).
Honestly, this is a great challenge of this passage.
Verse 22 says nothing regarding whom prepared them for destruction, Paul simply states that God
“has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction.”
I prefer the middle voice rendering - “having prepared themselves for destruction.”
This places the onus squarely on the creature where it belongs and frees the blame from God creating those who are, as Calvin says, “Doomed from the womb.”
The middle voice translation is the position John Stott takes...
The Message of Romans 12. Israel’s Fall: God’s Purpose of Election (9:1–33)
So God’s two actions, summed up in verse 18 as ‘showing mercy’ and ‘hardening’, have now been traced back to his character. It is because he is who he is that he does what he does. And although this does not solve the ultimate mystery why he prepares some people in advance for glory and allows others to prepare themselves for destruction, yet both are revelations of God, of his patience and wrath in judgment and above all of his glory and mercy in salvation.
Side Note - regardless of the position you take...
Passive: 'having been prepared for destruction'
Middle: 'having prepared themselves for destruction'
…it doesn’t much matter for the believer or the unbeliever.
Remember, this portion of chapter 9 is dealing with God’s side of the salvation. And we must rest in the mystery of how God handles this and trust that He is GOOD and JUST and will ALWAYS do RIGHT.
Paul is still answering the rhetorical “blaming God” question back in verse 19. “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?”
In verse 20 he says, “Who do you think you are to question God?” The molded will not talk back to the molder and say, why did you make me like this.
The potter, according to verse 21 has the right to do whatever he pleases with His clay and the clay does not have any right to impugn the motives of the potter.
This is the point, isn’t it? God’s character is on full display.
God is a God of wrath and power. And the fact of the matter is, one day His cup of wrath will overflow and pour out. He will meet out His justice powerfully and you nor I will have any say in the matter.
In reference to the cup of His wrath...
15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. 16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been.
6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” 8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.” 9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” 12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
This is what God promised to do and will do.
This promise is His wrath on full display.
This promise will show His power in ways that you simply cannot understand.
The writer of the Battle Hymn of the Republic attempted to capture the situation when he wrote...
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.
He have loosed the fateful lightening of His terrible swift sword.
His truth is marching on.
However, this day has not yet arrived. It will as sure as I am standing here. God will have His day. God will exert His rightful justice.
While Psalm 115:16 is true for now...
16 The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.
The day will come. The DAY OF THE LORD when He will take back everything and after great tribulation, will create a new heaven and a new earth for all of His children to enjoy with Him.
Why does God wait?
He is waiting for you...
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
God desires for you to fully repent and follow Him and it is only by His merciful patience that He hasn’t pulled to trigger to usher in the end. He will - not sure when - but He will.
Illustration - I was saved in 1991. I shutter to think of the ramifications of not repenting of my sin and trusting Christ and then to see his
Argumentation - Why is it important for you to know the characteristics of God Paul describes here?
Because people, including followers of Christ need to understand that God is not just a God of love, but a
God of wrath - he punishes sin.
He is a God of unimaginable power -
He is a God of great patience
Application - SO WHAT? What should I do now that I know this?
Change the way you view God to more accurately reflect the God of the bible and not the god of your imagination. We all do this. We desire to make God into an image that is palatable to our tastes. We simply cannot do this because it places us as the authority over God.
“God made man in His own image and we’ve been making Him in our image ever since.” - Tony Beckett
Review - God’s Patience with “Evil People” is Glorious!
Because it shows off His character
Shows off His Character
2. God’s Patience with “Evil People” Makes His Glories Known For His Own (vs. 23)
Take another look at verse 22...
22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
But look at the other side of Paul’s theological coin...
23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—
Explanation - The backdrop of sin makes God’s ways stand out more brightly in contrast.
God has put up with the sinful vessels of wrath - those who are going to be eternally destroyed - for a purpose.
What is this purpose?
The purpose for his patience with the vessels of wrath is to make something known. To make something clear and obvious.
What is God making clear and obvious?
“The riches of His glory for vessels of mercy...”
What does this mean?
God has put up with sinful humanity to MAKE KNOWN the RICHES OF HIS GLORY.
Not just for anyone, but for...
“…vessels of mercy...”
If you are in Christ, that’s you!
Another mystery point - He prepared you (the text is clear) beforehand for glory!
Before what?
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
God has known along and prepared you for his mercy!
He does not give you what you deserve, but instead he gives you glory!
I believe “for glory” means eternal LIFE with Him!
So, get the picture so far?
God had put up with sinful humanity to see you come to faith and thus pour His merciful glory over you!
Illustration - Diamond on the black velvet cloth.
Argumentation - God has prepared for Himself a people. A people that will be with Him for ever in glory! His glory! Can you imagine?
I Can Only Imagine - MecyMe
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk by Your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes would see
When Your face is before me
I can only imagine
Yeah
Surrounded by Your glory
What will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You Jesus
Or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence
Or to my knees, will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine
I can only imagine
Application - SO WHAT?
SO WHAT?
If you are “in Christ” you are a “vessel of mercy!”
Do you know what you deserve?
And yet God the Son left heaven, lived a sinless life, died a horrific death, bore the wrath of God on your behalf, and was raised from the dead.
Why? To make you a vessel of mercy so you would not need to endure His wrath.
The benefit for you? You get to know the riches of His GLORIES for all eternity.
What should this cause you to do?
Be in awe of God and worship HIM daily!
Evaluate your trials and challenges in light of eternity.
Rest in your future because of what Christ accomplished for you in the past. This promise is a great cure for anxiety!
Review - God’s Patience with “Evil People” is Glorious!
Shows off His Character
Makes Known His Glories for His Own
3. God’s Patience with “Evil People” Creates More “Mercy People” (vs. 24)
24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ ” 26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ ”
Explanation - This is one of the most beautiful verses in the Bible.
“even us who he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?”
There is one human race - this thought should end racism for Christians. One race one blood.
However, from God’s perspective, there are two people groups.
Jews - Those God called out to be his people, starting with Abraham way back in the Book of Genesis.
Gentiles - AKA, Pagans, Greeks, the world, are those in need of redemption (or those who are the recipients of redemption).
The Jews grand mistake was to believe that salvation was only for them. They, after all were God’s people. They were the ones that God contacted first and created a people out of them. It is understandable to think they could come to this conclusion if they were not careful in there reaching of the Holy Scriptures.
But Paul doesn’t lets the Jews off the hook here. He quotes to Old Testament prophets. Hosea and Isaiah. We will look at Hosea this week and Isaiah next time.
Hosea says some very merciful words...
25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ ” 26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ ”
Isn’t God’s call beautiful?
God is all powerful, none greater than He.
And if he decides to call sinful, rebellious people to himself, it is a breathtaking event.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
The jews thought they deserved this call. They did not.
7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
And it was through this people that He chose that he would produce the Messiah that would not only offer redemption to them but to all of humanity.
God chose Israel to bring forth the opportunity to produce “Mercy People” who were both Jew and Gentile.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Argumentation - Have you considered the fact that if you are in Christ, you are a “mercy person?” Have you also thought about the fact that the more “Mercy People” the more glory God receives?
Application - So What?
First, and most obvious is God is calling you to become a “Mercy Person.” You have, in a very real sense “prepared yourself to be a vessel of God’s wrath.” How so? By the very fact that you break God’s commands, you have hatred in your heart, you don’t truly love God. These are indications that you are a vessel of God’s wrath.
What should you do about this?
Respond to His call! turn from your wicked ways and trust that Christ is your only hope of rescue from the wrath of God! By faith, put on Christ and be sufficiently protected from God’s terrible wrath.
Please, turn to Christ today!
But for those here that are believers in Christ, how should you apply the idea that God makes his glory known by creating more “Mercy People?”
First - live a life of praise because God calls you “His people.”
Second - Help in the process of making more “Mercy People.”
How?
Pray for the people in your life that need transformation from Children of Wrath to Children of God.
Pray for courage and love to communicate the Gospel to them
Actually bring it up to them. The more you love Jesus and the Bible, the more comfortable you will be in talking about Jesus and the Bible.
Folks, if you are a Christian, you are a minister of mercy with the message of mercy that transforms people from vessels of wrath to vessels of mercy!
Praise God that He can and will use you!
Cavina’s God-mother - She spiritually raised Cavina! Wow! What a great investment this woman made in Cavina’s life. One “Mercy Person” creating another “Mercy Person.”
Friends our God is amazing!
Review - God’s Patience with “Evil People” is Glorious!
Shows off His Character
Makes Known His Glories for His Own
Creates more “Mercy People”
Conclusion -
SO WHAT??
God is God and you are not. He does not need to explain Himself to you. The fact is (proved by this text) we can’t intellectually handle all there is to know about God!
So, we can’t “answer back to God.” We cannot blame God.
The potter can do with the clay whatever he sees fit! Making some for honorable use and some for dishonorable use. It is His prerogative and you have no say in the matter. You are not in any seat of authority to tell God what to do.
God has put up with people who are against him for generation after generation. He is very patient to put up with a creation, with a people who are constantly calling Him into question.
This is C.S. Lewis’ accurate perspective in his book,
“God in the Dock.”
“The ancient man approached god or even the gods as the accused person approaches his judge. For the modern man, the roles are reversed. He is the judge and God is in the dock. He is quite a kindly judge if God should have a reasonable defense for being the kind of God who permits war, poverty, and disease, he is ready to listen to it. The trial may even end in God’s acquittal. But the important thing is that man is on the bench with God in the dock.”
Wow! God is so patient with His impenitent people.
Why is He so patient?
To make the riches of His glory known to to you - His vessels of mercy.
Do you get the point?
God is patient with the unbelieving (those who are prepared for destruction) to make known his glory to the believing!
I have a difficult question to ask you this morning.
If God is powerful enough to eradicate evil, why doesn’t he?
Because if he were to completely eradicate all evil, he would have to eradicate all of humanity - including you.
But His plan is way better don’t you think? He puts up with evil to have mercy on whom he will until He says enough.
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
And when this time comes and it will come, God will begin pouring His well deserved wrath on this world so that he can make all things right.
Visualization
Reiteration
Action
Connection Group Reflection Questions