Mystery and Assurance, Part 2

Summit life with Jeannie Greer got his impotent power and his infinite goodness we not also suppose that his infinite wisdom of God's wisdom is as high above ours as his power is above ours.

Should it surprise us that there's a lot about the wisdom of God's ways that we just can't grasp yet relatively tiny minds J. Oswald Sanders once said Meza. As we look backwards from eternity is not the unity of God's justice, the greatness of his mercy.

Thankful for that mercy right now, today. Pastor Jenny explained how trusting in the mystery of God's wisdom in his goodness to save us, assures us that he will finish the work he started, let's join him in Romans chapter 9. Astronomers say it is a good thing for us, that the sun not the earth is the center of the solar system. If the earth was at the center. It would never have the gravitational ability to hold the rest of the solar system in order because the earth is not an independent source of the light we would all die. The sun however is 30,000 times bigger than the earth, and because the sun is an independent source of the light, it can sustain an orderly solar system that enables us to have life. So if the son if our son was a person the most loving thing the sun could do would be to keep itself the center.

It really loved us it would insist that it remain at the center so it is with us and God. If God is the pinnacle of joy and having him at the center recognized for his worth and importance, and on display for everybody to see.

That is the most loving thing that he could do for us in verse 25 hopefuls by the court a little farther, he shows us how God actually had a merciful good purpose. Even in allowing Israel to reject it as Israel's rejection of the Messiah. By the way that allowed us Gentiles, Gentiles is meet people who are Jews. All the non-Jews. It allowed us to find God. He quotes Hosea, an Old Testament prophet's prediction of God opening up the door salvation of the Gentiles through the rejection of the Jews is is as it also says in Hosea I will call not my people used to be our name, not my people. She was unloved, all the Gentile nations W call beloved and it will be in a place where they were told you were not my people, they will be called the sons of the living God is saying to Israel through the prophet Hosea all these places in the world because you reject me all these places in the world like Great Britain and the United States in Africa and Asia. They're going to become my people through your rejection because Israel rejected Jesus a lot of us Gentiles were able to find him a Savior. That means that even Israel's rejection of Jesus ultimately serve the larger better purpose and that was the inclusion of lost nations. One day Paul says you'll see that all of God's actions had a good purpose and a good in so the question we started with.

Why did Israel reject Jesus and was that a failure on God's part balls answer four ways over his notes and God was not wrong to let it happen and I was not wrong to hold those who rejected him accountable. So why then you asked Israel reject him. Why notice Paul's answer verse 31 they rejected him because they wouldn't humble themselves. There would humble themselves before the gospel Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness does not achieve the righteousness of the law, but if they could do it by themselves. They think they need grace, they thought that Jesus was Jewish over trophies for them but why is that because they didn't pursue it by faith, but as if it were they pursued as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone which was the gospel.

Paul's answer is, the Jews rejected Jesus because not have got appointed. It they rejected him because they would not humble themselves and accept the gospel they would not accept the salvation could only be by grace through faith and not because of their goodness of their efforts was a big sticking point. All Jesus the Messiah, the Messiah, the Jews been waiting on all these years didn't show up saying that I'm here to reward you and give you a trophy for all. Also, you are he showed up saying that they and all of us had no goodness at all and could only be saved by an act of free unearned grace they would not humble themselves to admit unless you show mercy to me for reasons that have nothing to do with me unless you save me out of your goodness and not out of my goodness, I can never be saved. That was Jesus a central message of they rejected him. Now, just unless you say will see that prove the Jews of that day were especially bad. If you say that you missed the whole point. Romans all of us would reject Jesus in the exact same way unless God gave us the insight to see.

That's the logic of Romans nine to let me draw a handful of conclusions from that. Okay this is the so what part of the message number one we can't escape the sovereignty of God in salvation. You can escape some Christians who deeply love and believe the Bible say which Eddie okay I get the logic of what you're saying but I just can't accept that God would leave some to perish in my view, God must always be doing everything he can to save everybody. I realize that at some point, though, you have to acknowledge something about God's sovereignty right right this way, never held God appear to be apostle Paul in acts nine Jesus appeared to them.

Bright light knocked him off his horse. Paul balls also are you persecuting me I'm Jesus prep you can remember that thing right now is pretty effective right. Why didn't Jesus deduct everybody. Why did he do it to somebody in every nation. He's God he wants to write. He writes the rules some of tried to alleviate the difficulties of God choosing some for salvation by saying that in Romans nine Paul is only talking about a national election as a God choose Israel now shows of the Gentiles, but he doesn't choose individual people within those groups is chooses big groups and let them decide for themselves. But honestly, does not really help. I mean if that's the case why didn't God elect more nations. Why not reveal the Bible in all languages to all people the same time, why would you only choose a juice there's a big one for me.

Why would you make the church that is so consistently unreliable the price. The only vehicle for gospel proclamation wants in a band of angels down to do it for us, why not you have Jesus appear in a 900 foot version of himself with 1 foot on Ellis Island 1 foot in New York Harbor and have CNN do a live broadcast of him explaining the gospel everybody. I thought that would be compelling right why not. He's God he do whatever he wants to see this Vista process, kick the can down the road at some point all of us have to admit and argue God could be doing more to get the gospel to people if that was his only objective.

So even if it's only a national election. And no, I don't believe that it is. But even if it's only a national election is talking about the point Paul is making is the same giving mercy is God's free prerogative and he owes it to nobody. Number two. This tree forces us to wrestle with whether or not we really see ourselves is truly worthy of the gospel.

Swiss theologian Karl Barth said this passage, the more man finds these text to be harsh, the more he is wedded to his own righteousness. Do you think down.

Do you believe that God owes you salvation.

Do you really believe that you are worthy of condemnation you see what I found is that the reason we have a problem with other people getting condemnation. The reason we have a problem with other people going to hell is the guy we don't believe there were worthy of, and they probably are neither Scriptures testimony is unequivocally clear.

You and I are worthy truly, genuinely worthy to be condemned for effort. Do you really believe that down in your soul. If so, then you have less trouble with this truth because you understand that any of us know we got it all is just an act of unimaginable grace number three don't be silly. And suppose you would be more merciful than God and say that some of you even right now saved in your Harwell Bauer in charge. I've done things different, but any time in Scripture God's mercy is contrasted with hours. God comes out favorably every single time when the human race and Kate got off his throne.

He responded by laying down his life. When somebody cut you off in traffic, you fantasize about blaming their car repeatedly with your own.

The only reason that you and I would think we would do things in a kinder and better way than God is because we just don't see things clearly. That's what Paul says in verse 20 view the created thing really think you're in a place to lecture the creator about true goodness and love what you learn about goodness and love. When you from the creator.

The created thing can't save the creator that created it. Hey, I understand goodness and love. And you're not hitting the mark I'm better than you and remind you of what I've explained to you before, think about how much power it took to create the universe right about how much power took the career universe.

We say that God is infinite in power and he is you have to be the created universe is God is infinite in power and is infinite in goodness we not also suppose that he is infinite in wisdom. And here's the question always pressing if God's wisdom is as high above ours as his power is above ours. Should it surprise us that there's a lot about the wisdom of God's ways that we just can't grasp yet with our relatively tiny minds right. I can assure you using the words of Jay Oswald Sanders what will amaze us. As we look backwards from eternity. We see things clearly will amaze us is not the severity of God's justice will amaze us is the greatness of his mercy. Now I know that Peter says right now the apostle Peter says the Angels go around God's throne and they see things clearly, Peter says what they're amazed by is not how severe God's justice is what they cannot get their minds around what they long to look into is the mercy that God showed the sinful people in the gospel. That's what blows their minds. One day when we see what they think it's will blow our minds to subdue not be silly. And suppose that you will be more merciful than God. The only way you would say that is an extreme act of foolishness and arrogance and just Not Seeing Things Right Way, #4. This truth should destroy any last vestiges of pride in us you were saved, not because God saw all goodness in you that was worth saving. You were not say because God saw goodness in unit was were save you now little good left in you like Luke's own is no father Darth Vader right that the end of the first are smaller. By the way, okay, but you I see some good and you that's not what God did with guys you didn't have some good potential natural ability that God knew he could work with if he could just get you back in his spiritual Jim, you are like the guy, the Princess bride. He was only mostly dead, with a little life left in you, the docket fan back in the flame is you that are under 40 have no idea what I'm talking about and that is a shame because it is an awesome movie, but you are not like that. The guy was like I mostly you all did. You were dead utterly and totally spiritually dead number. Romans 310.

There how many righteous, not even one there. How many who naturally seek God, not even one. Not one. This is hard to admit, and it's where many people stumble, but the human heart. Apart from the grace of God is so wicked and so hard.

It takes a miracle of resurrection to open it.

It takes a miracle to make the blind see, it takes a miracle to make the lame wall.

It takes a miracle to make the dead walk out of that grace long my imprisoned spirit lay fast bound in sin in nature's knife dying. I defused a miraculous quickening rape hi Rose, because my dungeon flamed with light. My chains fell off my soul was free. I Rose went forth and followed beef hallelujah what a Savior that destroys my pride. You see, I understand what the writer of amazing Grace was grace that taught my heart to fear. I was too stupid even the know what to be afraid of.

I was casual in my attitude toward God.

I didn't think about God's judgment how to make about his power cuts are going through life thinking I just want to make life work may grace came along and said you want to be afraid was grace that taught my heart to fear the grace my fears relieved it was God who worked in me both to will and to do with his good pleasure. That means from the start to the finish had everyplace along the way.

Salvation is all totally 100% of God. Where is pride in that scenario, my richest gain I count but loss and poor contempt. I despise all my pride number five. We must not let limitations in our ability to understand God's sovereignty keep us from obeying God's clear commands symbol of God's chosen son for salvation and determined to save them. What purpose is there any share in Christ.

Guthrie chose write me when I let it affect the outcome.

I understand question. I see you know the poll never uses these truths to reduce human agency and how God brings things about. In fact, Paul explains that it is only through our efforts that things changed prayer really moves the hand of God sharing Christ, sending missionaries sacrificed by the church makes an actual difference in the eternities of others over the years I've used a quote I found years ago by going to AA Hodgen old Princeton theologian does not have a date of July 40 think yes yes I has God appointed that day. Yeah. You believe your Bible yes can you do anything to change that.

I know what you eat my to stay alive. Whatever genomic when you die what you don't eat and then you die. Would that be the day that God has preordained for you to die but asking stupid questions and Jesse eating is a preordained way that God has appointed for living know how all this works together. I don't know but I know that when I pray it moves the hand of God. I don't know how it all works together.

But somehow, the more I share Christ. The more people seem to keep getting elected in my life I might well if I didn't know it doesn't stop asking stupid questions.

Eating is a worry preordained way upset for living. Prayer is the way that I have set Sue to move on earth.

Sharing Christ is the way that that that the gospel goes forward, don't ask questions that are beyond your pay grade. Yours is not the philosophizing figure me out.

Yours is to obey is not on you to figure out the ways of God.

It is on you to obey the commands of God. It is arrogance and presumption to sit around speculating on the sovereignty of God in simple obedience is commanded. That's why when I get a 19 page email from a seminary student who want to argue with me about these things always just reply back and say you share Jesus with this week. Stop typing the email to go do what he told you to do stop philosophizing and start obey right number six this truth and bookings us to share with you in the least likely. This restart your really going through so she could talk and save anybody God to save anybody. He often will say the most difficult as a display of his glory is only told you what his motive is, to put my glory on display and the harder the situation the more glory he gets your sharing Christ somewhat easy and they come along.

I mean, you know, gotta get some glory from that yeah but you start share was somebody ridiculous that I forgot I want to start showing off by some of you have people in your lives in a ridiculous so if you are ridiculous okay you're sitting here you been ridiculous. What we understand is that God puts on display his glory, and when the situation feels impossible right. That's when he gets glory. I was a student want a worship pastor that they share his testimony and only don't tell my wife about God is just showing off with that guy because what he came through and what he did is so unlikely. Why would he be here.

It's because God put his grace on display. That means that those of you are listening right now. Some of our 258 missionaries around the world that are serving some of the most difficult places on earth. God has promised to save some from every nation, and he can't and he will fulfill that promise. That means you keep Sharon because he is said there can be people from Afghanistan of Saudi Arabia and the Sudan and South Africa on Indonesia Great Britain even some in Hollywood to be Republicans and there can be Democrats there all going to come to faith in Christ because I have determined that I will save some and have a vibrant witness and vibrant worship from every people group on earth.

And so you just keep Sharon because he's promised it both explained it on serving a difficult place makes you I cannot tell the store teams will not.

It's like that with the proverbial woodpecker I tell you guys about right. You will read to see another woodpecker's capital on the telephone about you not making a difference until the boat is making noise right and all of a sudden he's just having a lady into a 400 years not make any difference.

All the sudden sudden lightning strikes at that telephone pole from heaven will split something open and woodpecker like you can look at that event right so he goes he flies to get several of his buddies and bring them back is like there.

She is boys look at what I did my that's what it's like to share Christ in these places. That's what it's like to share Christ with somebody this difficult is I know, I know that when I am just putting it out there and obeying God decide you know what this is time for me to bring life and he does it in a way that gets the glory. So I can keep Sharon and I can keep praying and I keep obey because God is the one who own salvation and nothing is too difficult for God so don't give up on a people group.

Don't give up on that person.

Don't give up on it son or daughter keep asking like Todd something amazing is what you find. The longer you do this is that God seems to delight in moments where you feel we can just come in and impede amazing I see sometimes and appreciate that I'll preach a sermon like PS I'm saying I'm in such good people can get say that if Satan. You know an interest. I'm thinking that I'll get done. I got Melvin and then there's other times I'm up here and I'm like this is so am I get fired. God might revoke my salvation. It's just so bad, right and that'll be the day that I get a bazillion people right and he said have God will use this not to see God in heaven just chuckling look like it's not about you and your strength. It's about me in my power to save you just obeyed. You let me be the wonder you let me be.

What is amazing. Finally, number seven. This truth is the source of our assurance is were restarted right. I can be confident of the God who sought me and bought me in clothing with his goodness. When I had none of my own. We also say God will never let me go me close this message in Romans nine with a letter that we got from one of our members through their small group. Few weeks ago to get ahead of me them with the Romans nine together. I remember sent this letter and I thought, it's better than anything I can say on the right. She said I grew up in a dysfunctional non-Christian home either. My parents were capable of expressing love and my father was always angry and disgusted with us, his children. When I came to Christ at the age of 18. The start of my childhood were deep. One night a teenager and an 18-year-old was laying awake, struggling and crying out to God, became fixated on a question which I pray to God. God, why did you save me. I didn't understand myself well enough to know why the question seemed so important to God. Why would you save me struggle and I wept and I cried that question out to God and suddenly God answered me in a way that was nearly audible in my heart. He whispered this voice I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

You recognize that is the quote we just went through in Romans nine is that I do know where the quote came from but that was the word that was in my heart I didn't understand what it meant. I didn't know where it was from, but I vividly remember the experience the church I was going to the time their basic message was, get your act together and I live in constant fear of not performing well enough then asserted come to the summit church and asserted here real gospel. I can now see that what I wanted to hear. At 18 years old when I asked God why he saved me is I wanted to hear him say that he saw something good in me. He saw something worth saving. I wanted him to say that he was proud of me.

I wanted him to give me the some sense that I was worthy of his love, but now I see this question is a spiritual trap.

No matter what good qualities, God might have seen in me, they are all tainted with sin and selfishness and rebellion any reason which he might have given as a reason to save me would have ultimately become the reason I lost my salvation since I could never be good enough consistently enough to deserve his love. So instead what God said to me was, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion and now I understand.

The guy was telling me the love that he gave me was not a love that could be lost by my failures.

The love that he has for me originates in his character and his goodness. Not in my when God showed me this. It was like a bird fell off my back. I'm free to know his love and trust him and everything I know that I'm secure in his hands. God would not send his son to die for me that I might ultimately be lost. What he began in me, he will complete the salvation and purposes of Jesus Christ cannot be corrupted under there are a lot who are confused or uncertain about Romans nine but for me it's a tremendous comfort and a source of assurance. That's the role Romans, not a supposed play in your life. That's why Paul puts it there as I know it kinda blows your mom but you need to understand what got started and you he intends to finish when you should feel so weak that you can barely hold on. You just know that he still holding onto you because those he foreknew and predestined her to call those you call that she justified it as he justified friend.

He is going to glorify your we feel like you have nothing left you be amazed and you think God that it didn't start with you in with you and sustained not by you is right now in your power to know that because Jesus said who is lever well may come he wouldn't die even if he didn't mean thank you for joining today on Senate life with JD Greer if you missed any of these messages. You can listen again or download the transcript when you visit us online@jdgreer.com wellbore right in the middle of our year-long series in the book of Romans for this week down for a few month and come back to concluded this fall pastor Janie challenge the summit church to be reading their Bibles along with the study because if there's one thing that will transform your walk with the Lord spending blind on one time in God's word. If you'd like to take that challenge and read and study Romans is here we have a tool to help you do that would lead to get you a copy of the second volume of our three-part Romans Bible study today as our way of saying thanks when you donate to support this ministry center might find it completely by listeners like you. So when you get your actually getting to another listener you're helping them experience the gospel deep and meaningful way. Join our nation by getting today and remember to ask for Romans volume 2, 866-335-5220 866-335-5224. Give online career.com you can mail your gift. Just be sure to include in Bible study right to JD clear ministry, PO Box 12293, Durham, NC 77, and Molly Bennett will be glad to have you here on MetLife with Katie Greer, 19