GETTING SOMETHING WE WEREN’T EXPECTING
Romans 9:30-33
“I’m going to give you something you’re not expecting!”
“You’re going to get something you’re not expecting!”
ISRAEL LOST IT BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD IT MADE!
"What about God's chosen people?"
How does this gospel affect Israel and God’s promise to His people?
Relationship of Israel to gospel (9-11).
Relationship of Israel to God's plan IN THE PAST 9
Jews had forgotten their inability to live a holy life.
Tried to earn acceptance by God by keeping the law.
Result: in spite of their privileged position they no longer enjoyed blessings God promised them, and were left under God's judgment.
PAUL'S SORROW 9:1-5
Paul grieves because his brethren are cursed and cut off from their Messiah, in spite of their privileged position.
God has given them everything–yet they still try to do it themselves!
GOD'S PROMISE 9:6-13
GOD'S PROMISE HASN'T FAILED 9:6a
Problem wasn't with God, nor His Word—He fulfilled all He promised.
Problem was with unbelief and rebellion of the people.
GOD'S PROMISE DIDN'T INCLUDE EVERYONE 9:6b-13
It wasn't for ALL physical descendants 9:6b-9
God only chose one from all Abraham’s children
Heirs aren’t those born physically as Abraham’s children, but those who–like Abraham– trust God's promises.
It wasn't based on works 9:10-13
It isn't those who struggle for them that receive them.
God decides to whom He wishes to give the promises.
Choice based on God's purpose and love; not our works!
GOD'S MERCY 9:14-29
God has the right to have mercy on some, and to harden others 14-21
God chooses to transform people who deserve judgment because of His mercy, in order to receive glory for Himself 22-29
GOD DOESN'T CONDEMN PEOPLE WHO DESERVE TO BE SAVED
GOD SAVES PEOPLE THAT DESERVE TO BE CONDEMNED
BECAUSE OF HIS MERCY!
God demonstrates His mercy 9:25-29
[God shows His mercy in two ways Israel didn’t expect!]
God’s shows His mercy in two different ways:
Neither case works the way Israel thought it would!
1. God shows His mercy to pagans/Gentiles 25-26
Jews didn’t think God would save pagans!
Religious people don’t expect God to reach out to pagans!
God showed His mercy by making us His people.
God reaches out to sinners/pagans and transforms us into His people
Hosea: God would make His a people that wasn't His people (Hos. 1:10; 2:23).
2. God’s shows His mercy to Jews 27-29
Even this didn’t happen the way they thought it would!
Jews thought God would save ALL Jewish people–if you were Abraham’s seed, you had it made!
Religious people expect God to treat religious people well!
Jews deserved God’s judgment
[Egotistical, self-centered]Religious people deserve God’s judgment
God shows mercy by saving a remnant, though they deserved judgment–He didn’t save them ALL, but He did save a remnant
God still saves some “religious” [self-sufficient/proud] people
ISRAEL'S SEARCH 9:30-33
In spite of Israel’s pursuit, they never found what they were looking for.
They got tripped up along the way!
History of Israel confirms truth of the gospel: salvation is by faith alone!
To receive righteousness God provided, you have to come by faith.
[What happened to the pagans?] 30
Pagans didn’t pursue righteousness, but obtain it by faith.
We pagans: Did not pursue righteousness
But we did obtain righteousness
We obtained righteousness based on faith!
We aren’t saved because we pursue righteousness.
We’re saved by faith in Christ.
[What happened to Israel?] 31-32a
Jews pursued a law to make them righteous, but never found one!
The Jews: Did pursue a law to make them righteous
But didn’t find a law to make them righteous
It wasn’t righteousness itself they were pursuing!
Righteousness comes from God–if they’d been pursuing righteousness, they’d have turned in dependence to God, the source of righteousness.
Their loyalty–what they were enthusiastic about–was the law.
They missed the point that to obtain righteousness they had to pursue GOD!
Israel–like all people–wasn’t seeking righteousness
Rom. 3–No one seeks God–No one does good–No one pursues righteousness!
Because they didn’t pursue it by faith
pursued it by works
Religious people who look for a code to make them righteous in God’s sight, never find a code that can do it!
WE PAGANS HAD NOTHING TO LOSE!
Figure skating competition–Sarah Hughes had nothing to lose.
Others were tense; she decided to enjoy the competition.
We pagans never tried to earn salvation.
We weren't interested!
Even though we weren't looking for it, when the message of salvation by faith was presented, many recognized their need and received God's grace.
We achieved righteousness Jews were seeking–only found by faith 9:30
ISRAEL LOST IT ALL!
Jews were interested in righteousness–they were seeking a law that would make them righteous.
They considered themselves self-sufficient to fulfill it.
“Just give us the law we need, and we’ll do it!”
They lost it all because they thought they had it made!
They tried to earn it themselves by their own efforts at keeping the law.
They were trusting themselves.
They thought they were pretty good–they were pretty hot stuff!
They couldn’t get it that way 31-32a
[Max Anders:] Like professional gold miner with all right prospecting tools, laboring diligently, looking for gold and finding nothing.
Along comes a lazy, drunken bum, stubs his toe on a rock on the trail, which turns out to be part of a mother lode which makes him rich.
One searching for everything, but found nothing.
Other searching for nothing, but found everything!!!
They didn’t find righteousness they were seeking.
They remained condemned. Law condemns all who fail at any point.
They didn't recognize their inability to obey it.
They didn't receive righteousness God wanted to GIVE them
Like football: Everyone expects certain teams to win: Cowboys => Forty-niners => Broncos => Rams
No one congratulates Rams for making 2nd round of playoffs! But when New England does it, no one can believe it. They had nothing to lose. Everyone responding, “Wow, can you believe those Patriots?!!!”
That’s what happened with us pagans. Israel was good; they were religious–though not good enough. But when God demonstrated His mercy to pagans, no one could believe it! “Wow, look what God did!”
Israel stumbled over the biggest obstacle–the hardest rock along the trail to eternal life:
They thought they could earn it themselves!9:32b-33
Walker pursuing a goal–doesn’t see rock on road and trips over it. Instead of seeing rock God placed there, they tripped over Him. He was foundation; He became an obstacle!
Is. 8:13-17–They were to trust the LORD; NOT themselves!
Evidence Paul considers Jesus = YHWH!
They trip & fall when they put confidence in themselves!
28:16–The one who trusts the cornerstone the Lord has laid will never be put to shame (LXX)
Biggest stumbling block for Israel–as for moderns–to acknowledge we can’t save ourselves.
Religious people get tripped up by gospel–they can’t admit they need HIM!
Christ has already paid the full price for our salvation.
When we trust Him, we will never again fall short; we will never again be embarrassed.
You can substitute any religious system.
Israel fell short because they thought they could attain it themselves!
Man’s religions always produce same result–we always trip over God’s provision.
This is what makes the gospel different!
No amount of human effort will make it!
WE MUST COME TO GOD BY FAITH IN CHRIST ALONE!
“Whoever trusts in Him will never be put to shame!”
Shame is for those who trust themselves–we come up short!
Religious people never get what they’re expecting–we all get what we least expect!
In Christ, God gives us what we aren’t expecting!
It doesn’t matter whether you’re religious or pagan!
The only way to receive eternal life is by faith in Christ alone!
If you’ve been an active church member for 50 years, . . .
If you’ve never stepped inside a church in your life until this morning, . . .
If you’re a child, student, parent, grandparent–professional, salesperson, factory worker, or janitor!
You must come to God by trusting His Son and receiving His gift of eternal life!
“I am THE way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, but by ME!”
“There’s no other name under heaven, given among men, whereby you must be saved!”
Stop trusting your own efforts and trust what Christ accomplished for us!