August 19, 2012
Morning Service

Chapter 9 took us on an exploration into God’s sovereignty.  Paul used the example of God being the potter and we being the clay.  We, as His creation, have no real authority whatever to question Him.  God is God and we are not. 

We are, in essence, drawn to a place of yielding to Him or rebelling against Him.  Do we truly believe scriptures like Romans 8:28 that He is looking out for us and is in control of our lives?  Is our faith strong enough to surrender to His will regardless of the outcome of our current circumstances? Can we trust Him by faith to do what is best for us?

We also discussed that sometimes it is okay to say “I don’t understand” and leave those things upon the altar trusting Him to reveal it to us in His time.

God’s sovereignty came up in Paul’s letter as he explained God’s dealings with the Jewish nation.  God did not simply use them and toss them aside after the Gentiles were included into the Gospel Message. They received the Message first and some chose to accept while others chose to reject it.

Rom 10:1-4  Brothers, truly my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is for it to be saved.  (2)  For I bear record to them that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.  (3)  For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.  (4)  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for everyone who believes. 

·         Paul’s love for his fellow Jews again shines through from his heart.  He was often viewed as a traitor or turncoat for taking the Gospel Message to the Gentiles, but he was simply following the plan of God.

·         The Jews did not lack for zeal or dedication, they just weren’t following truth.  They strived to create their own righteousness by their works instead of relying on their faith.

·         This form of religion is called “legalism.”  Legalism dictates our every move of serving God into a life of “do and don’ts.”  We can earn our righteousness by doing a check list of good deeds and avoiding the evil ones.

·         The Jews sought to follow the law so strictly that they would be declared righteous through it.  The trouble was no one could keep the law, they all fell short in the end.

·         The truth they did not understand was that Jesus had fulfilled all the law’s requirements and offers His Righteousness to anyone who will believe in Him (verse 4).

 

Rom 10:5-7  For Moses writes of the righteousness which is of the Law, "The man who does those things shall live by them."  (6)  But the righteousness of faith says this: "Do not say in your heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven?" that is, to bring Christ down;  (7)  or "Who shall descend into the deep?"; that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.

·         Faith declares that we do not have to do anything or go anywhere to attain salvation, it is available right here right now.

 

Rom 10:8-10  But what does it say? "The Word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart"; that is, the Word of Faith which we proclaim;  (9)  Because if you confess the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.  (10)  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation.

·         Salvation is near (accessible) to us all.  It originates in our hearts and expresses itself through our lips. 

·         We must believe Jesus is who He said He was; God’s only Son.  He was very God incarnated.  He lived a sinless life.  He gave His life, according to God’s plan, to pay the debt owed for the sins of all who would believe upon His name and proclaim Him as Lord. This opened the gates for us to have a relationship with God Himself.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

·         Once we believe, the second part becomes quite natural, confess Him with our mouth.

Luke 12:8-9  Also I say to you, Whoever shall confess Me before men, the Son of Man also shall confess him before the angels of God.  (9)  But he who denies Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

 

Rom 10:11-13 For the Scripture says, "Everyone believing on Him shall not be put to shame."  (12)  For there is no difference both of Jew and of Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call on Him.  (13)  For everyone, "whoever shall call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

·         This was God’s plan from the very beginning, that through faith in Jesus, salvation would be available to everyone, fulfilling scripture quoted here from Joel 2:32.

·         Jesus is speaking to us much like He did in the book of John.

John 7:37-38  And in the last day of the great feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  (38)  He who believes on Me, as the Scripture has said, "Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." 

·         Is there a thirsting in your soul this morning?  A thirst that you just can’t seem to ever quench?  Jesus is what your soul desires to be satisfied.

Mat 11:28-30 Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  (29)  Take My yoke on you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.  (30)  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

·         Are you carrying a burden that is too heavy for you to bear this morning?  Jesus pleads with you to bring it to Him and He will give you rest.

·         Do all of our troubles disappear when we come to Christ?  Certainly not, but we are no longer walk our journey alone, He leads us, guides us and even carries us at times.

·         Why do we wait?  Why do we hold onto things that we cannot keep and not seek the one thing we cannot lose?

This Gospel Message is a love story.  God desires a relationship with you so greatly that he offers His Son, His greatest treasure, as proof.  No greater sacrifice has ever been made.  Surrender all to Him, you will never be sorry you did.