Episode Transcript
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We are doing something special today.
We're having a part two of two part
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a service where we're reading through the
book of Romans and hearing it preached in
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short sections. Were reading two chapters
at a time and then I'm preaching short
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homilies after each chapter. Let's he
turned to God's word in the book of
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Romans, Chapters Nine and ten.
Here the word of our Lord Paul continues.
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I'm speaking the truth in Christ.
I am not lying. My conscience
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bears witness in the bears me witness
in the Holy Spirit that I have great
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sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, for I could wish that I myself
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were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my brothers, my
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kinsmen. According to the flesh,
they are Israelites, and to them belong
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the adoption, the glory, the
covenants, the giving of the law,
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the worship and the promises. To
Them Belong the Patriarchs, and from their
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race, according to the Flesh,
is the Christ, who is God over
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all, blessed forever. Amen.
But it is not as though the word
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of God has failed, for not
all who are descended from Israel belong to
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Israel, and not all our children
of Abraham, because they are as offspring.
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But through Isaac shall your offspring be
named. This means that it is
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not the children of the flesh who
are the children of God, but the
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children of the promise are counted as
offspring, for this is what the promise
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said about. This time next year, I will return and Sarah shall have
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a son, and not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children
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by one man, are forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and
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had done nothing either good or bad, in order that God's purpose of election
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might continue, not because of works, but because of him who calls.
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She was told the older will serve
the younger. As it is written,
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Jacob I loved, but Esau I
hated. What shall we say then?
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Is there injustice on God's part?
By no means, for he says to
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Moses, I will have mercy on
whom I have mercy, and I will
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have compassion on whom I have compassion. So then, it depends not on
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human will or exertion, but on
God, who has mercy, for the
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Scripture says to Pharaoh, for this
purpose, I have raised you up that
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I might show my power in you
and that my name might be claimed in
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all the earth. So then he
has mercy on whomever he wills and he
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hardens whomever he wills. You will
say to me. Then, why does
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he still find fault for who can
resist his will? But who are you,
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Oh man, to answer back to
God will? What is the molded
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say to its molder? Why have
you made me like this? Has the
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potter no right, over the clay, to make out of the same lump
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one vessel for honorable use and another
for dishonorable use? What if God,
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desiring to show his wrath and to
make known his power, has endured with
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much patience, vessels of wrath prepared
for destruction, in order to make known
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the riches of his glory, for
vessels of mercy which he has prepared beforehand,
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for glory even us, whom he
is called, not from the Jews
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only, but also from the gentiles, as indeed he says in Josiah,
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those who were not my people,
I will call my people, and her
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who was not beloved, I will
call beloved, and in the very place
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where it was said to them,
you are not my people, there they
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will be called sons of the Living
God, and Isaiah cries out concerning Israel.
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Though the number of the sons of
Israel be as the sands of the
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sea, only a remnant of them
will be saved, for the Lord will
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carry out his sentence upon the earth
fully and without delay. And as I
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did and as Isaiah predicted, if
the Lord of hosts had not left US
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offspring, we would have been like
Sodom and become like go mora. What
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shall we say, then, that
gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have obtained
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it, that is a righteousness that
is by faith, but that Israel who
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pursued a law that would lead to
the righteousness, did not succeed in reaching
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that law? Why? Because they
did not pursue it by faith, but
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as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,
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as it is written. Behold,
I am in I am laying in
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Zion a stone of stumbling and a
rock of offense, and whoever believes in
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him will not be put to shame. Brothers Maray, my heart's desire here
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to God for them is that they
may be saved. I bear them witness
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that they have zeal for God,
but not according to knowledge, for being
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ignorant of the righteousness of God and
seeking to establish their own. They did
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not submit to God's righteousness. For
Christ does the end of the law for
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righteousness to everyone who believes. For
romoses writes about the righteousness that is based
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on the law, that the person
who does the commandments shall live by them.
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But the righteousness based on faith says, do not say in your heart
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who will ascend it to heaven,
that is, to bring Christ down,
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or who will descend into the abyss, that is to bring Christ up from
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the dead. But what does it
say? The word is near you,
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in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith that
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we proclaim, because if you confess
with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and
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believe in your heart that God raised
him from the dead, you will be
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saved, for with the heart one
believes and is justified, and with the
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mouth one confesses and is saved.
For the Scripture says, everyone who believes
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in him will not be put to
shame, for there is no distinction between
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you and Greek, for the same
Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his
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riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name
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of the Lord will be saved.
How, then, will they call on
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him and whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in
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him whom they have never heard?
And how are they to hear without someone
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preaching? And how are they to
preach unless they are sent? As it
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is written, how beautiful are the
feet of those who preach the good news?
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WHO's? But they have not all
obeyed to the Gospel. For Isaiah
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said, Lord who has believed what
he has heard from us. So faith
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comes from hearing, and hearing through
the word of Christ. But I ask,
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have they not heard? Indeed,
they have, for their voice has
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gone out to all the earth and
their words to the ends of the world.
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But I ask, DID ISRAEL NOT
UNDERSTAND? First Moses says, I
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will make you jealous of those who
are not a nation with a foolish nation.
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I will make you angry. Then
Isaiah's so bold to say, I
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have been found by those who did
not seek me. I have shown myself
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to those who did not ask for
me. But if Israel, he says,
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all the day long, I have
held out my hands to a disobedient
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and contrary people. The moment that
sends the reading of God's word. In
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these two chapters Paul pulls all of
these quotations from the Old Testament, from
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Moses, from Isaiah, from others. He pulls all of these together to
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make this point that what is happening
in history is the gospel goes out into
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the world and is the gentiles are
believing. It's happening for a reason.
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I didn't say. Saying these things, in expressing this reason, particularly as
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he expresses the great sovereignty of God
in choosing these things, in choosing these
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ways, we see and read some
hard things. The basic of message of
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Romans thus far has been that in
love, God saves man because man cannot
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save himself. For some this sounds
very nice. Man Saves me because I
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can't save myself. It sounds very
nice until they realize how deep it goes.
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It's like a surgeon taking shrapnel out
of a soldier's body on the battlefield
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the surgs. At first the soldier
may be happy to see the surgeon.
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Oh, I'm so glad you're here, help me, help me, but
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as the physician digs deeper and deeper
and deeper, there may come a point
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where the soldier starts to push him
away, not that far, not that
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much, give me back my autonomy. But the best healing comes when we
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tries, when we trust Christ completely, when we let him take away all
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of our pride so that we can
have all of him. We must learn
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to trust and the sovereignty of God
and salvation, because God saves man.
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Man can't save himself. God's sovereignty
and Salvay and God's purpose and electing and
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choosing a people as his own is
underlined in several ways throughout these chapters.
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One prominent example is of Jacob and
Esau. We are chosen. That told
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that God chose one and did not
choose the other. Why, Paul says,
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in order that is purpose of election
might continue, not because of works,
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but because of him who calls.
He chooses one and not the other.
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To underline this fact that man does
not choose. Before either one had
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done anything good or evil, God
made a choice. Another way this is
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underlined is by Pharaoh, where Paul
concludes this God has mercy on whomever he
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wills an. He hardens whomever he
hardens. These hard facts are distasteful to
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some people. How can this be? How is this fair? This doesn't
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seem right. Well, Paul of
course anticipates all these objections and to get
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the answers to those questions, I'll
encourage you to go back and read carefully
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Paul's words. You may also find
some help on our website by listening to
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my sermons on these passages. But
when you study these things, when you
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think about these things, you come
to this conclusion. You find that,
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as you submit to God's sovereignty and
salvation, that this humility, this leaning
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entirely upon God, leads to a
great hope, because you discover that your
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salvation depends entirely on him. It
means that your hope is entirely secure.
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It also means that your salvation,
our salvation, is not limited to any
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particular kind of group or people.
God doesn't go out into the world and
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say I like those folks and I
don't like those folks and those people look
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nice or those people are wealthy,
or those people belong to this race or
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those people belong to that race.
No, Paul says very explicitly salvation is
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for everyone who believes. If we
all have nothing to come to the table
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with, if we all have nothing
to offer to God, equally it means
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the salvation can come to us equally, as God chooses and freely gives it.
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Jew or Greek, race, family
background, education, whatever, nothing
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can disqualify you from receiving God's grace. As he says in ten twelve,
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there is no distinction between Jew and
Greek, for the same Lord is the
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Lord of all, bestowing his riches
on all who call on him, for
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everyone who calls on the name of
the Lord will be saved. Remember that
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all of your lives. Remember that
every one who calls on the name of
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the Lord will be saved. Have
you called on his name? Are you
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helping those who have not called on
his name to hear this message, to
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receive the word of faith? If
the salvation of our souls could come about
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simply by trying harder, then telling
the world about Jesus would make no sense.
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But because salvation comes from believing in
him, and since there's no other
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way to salvation except through him,
there comes this mission, this imperative,
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where Paul says he poses this question. If it's true that salvation is for
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everyone who believes, how does this
even happen? How is it that all
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of these gentile people can come to
believe well, the answer is through hearing,
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through preaching. Faith comes from hearing
and hearing through the word of Christ.
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Let that be our mission here,
a covenant as well, to go
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and to make disciples, to go
and tell people about the God who saves,
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and saves completely and saves sovereignly and
saves in such a way that our
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salvation can never be lost, a
God who bestows his riches on all who
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call on him. Because of God's
sovereignty and our salvation, it's a message
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that we can preach with certainty.
It's also something you can sing with certainty.
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Lett's do that now. Let's stand
together and Sing, oh father,
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you are sovereign, number seventy five
in your hymnals. Let's continue on in
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our reading of God's word. Now
in Romans, chapter eleven and Romans Twelve.
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I ask then, as God rejected
his people? By no means,
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for I myself am in Israelite,
a descendant of Abraham, a member of
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the tribe of Benjamin, God has
not rejected his people, whom he foreknew.
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Do you not know what the Scripture
says of Elijah, how he appeals
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to God against Israel? Lord?
They have killed your prophets. They have
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demolished your altars and I alone him
left, and they seek my life.
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But what is God's reply to him? I have kept for myself seven thousand
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men who have not bowed the knee
to bail. So too, at the
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present time, there is a remnant
chosen by grace. But if it is
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by grace, it is no longer
on the basis of works. Otherwise Grace
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would no longer be grace. What
then? Israel failed to obtain what it
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was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened. As
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it is written, God gave them
a spirit of stupor, eyes that would
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not see and ears that would not
hear. Down to this very day,
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and David says, let their table
become a snare in a trap, a
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stumbling block and a retribution for them. Let Their eyes be darkened so they
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cannot see and bend their backs forever. So I ask, did they stumble
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in order that they might fall?
By no means. Rather, through their
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trespass, salvation has come to the
gentiles, so as to make Israel Jealous.
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Now, if their trespass means riches
for the world, and if their
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failure means riches for the gentiles.
How much more will their full inclusion mean?
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Now I am speaking to you gentiles, inasmuch then, as I am
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an apostle to the gentiles, I
magnify my ministry in order somehow to make
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my fellow Jews Jealous and thus save
some of them. For if their rejection
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means the reconciliation of the world,
what will their acceptance mean but life from
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the dead? If the dough offered
as first fruits is holy, so is
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the whole lump, and if the
root is wholly so are the branches.
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But if some of the branches were
broken off and you, although a wild
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olive shoot, were grafted in among
the others and now share in the nourishing
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root of the Olive Tree, do
not be arrogant toward the branches. If
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you are, remember it is not
you who support the root, but the
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root that supports you. Then you
will say branches were broken off so I
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might be grafted in. That is
true. They were broken off because of
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their unbelief, but you stand fast
through faith. So do not become proud,
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but fear, for if God did
not spare the natural branches, neither
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will he spare you. Note,
then, the kindness and the severity of
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God, severity toward those who have
fallen. But Cay it but God's kindness
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to you, provided you continue in
his kindness. Otherwise you too will be
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cut off. And even they,
if they do not continue in their unbelief,
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will be grafted in, for God
has the power to graft them in
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again. For if you were cut
from what is by nature a Wild Olive
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Tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how
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much more will these, the natural
branches, be grafted back into their own
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Olive Tree? Lest you be wise
in your own sight, I do not
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want you to become underware of this
mystery. Brothers, a partial hardening has
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come upon Israel until the fullness of
the gentiles has come in, and in
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this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written, the deliverer
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will come from Zion, he will
banish on Godliness from Jacob, and this
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will be my covenant with them when
I take their way their sins. As
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regards the Gospel, they are enemies
for your sake, but as regards election
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they are beloved for the sake of
their forefathers, for the gifts and the
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calling of God are irrevocable. For
just as you were at one time disobedient
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to God, but now I have
received mercy because of their disobedience, so
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they too have now been disobedient in
order that, by the mercy shown to
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you, they also may now receive
mercy. For God has consigned all to
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disobedience that he may have mercy on
all. Oh the depth of the riches
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and wisdom and knowledge of God,
how unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable
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his ways? For who has known
the mind of the Lord, or who
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has been as counselor or who has
given him a gift that he might be
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repaid for? From him and through
him and to him are all things?
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To him be the glory forever a
head. I appeal to you, therefore,
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brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a
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living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to
God, which is your spiritual worship.
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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of
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your mind that by testing you may
discern what is the will of God,
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what is good and acceptable and perfect. For, by the grace given to
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me, I say to every one
among you not to think of himself more
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highly than he ought to think,
but to think with sober judgment, each
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according to the measure of faith that
God is assigned. For as in one
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body, we have many members,
and the members do not all have the
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same function. So we, though
many, are one body in Christ and
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individually, members of one another,
having gifts that differ according to the grace
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given to us. Let us use
them. If prophecy and proportion to our
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faith, if service in our serving
the one who teaches in his teaching,
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the one who exhorts in his exhortation, the one who contributes in generosity,
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the one who leads with zeal,
the one who does acts of mercy with
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cheerfulness. Let love be genuine.
Abhor what is evil, hold fast to
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what is good, love one another
with brotherly affection, out do one another
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in showing honor. Do not be
slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,
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serve the Lord, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be
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constant in prayer, contribute to the
needs of the saints and seek to show
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hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse them.
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Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep
with those who weep. Live in harmony
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with one another. Do not be
haughty, but associate with the lowly.
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Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil,
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but give thought to do what is
honorable in the sight of all. If
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possible, so far as it depends
on you, live peaceably withal beloved.
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Never avenge yourselves, but leave it
to the wrath of God, for it
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is written vengeance is mine. I
will REPA, says the Lord. To
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the contrary, if your enemy is
hungry, feed him. If he is
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thirsty, give him something to drink
for so, for by so doing you
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will heep burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil,
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but overcome evil with good. God
blesses word to us. Paul begins these
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two chapters by asking and answering this
question. If Salvation has now gone out
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to the gentiles, as predicted in
the scriptures themselves, and if the gentiles
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are pouring into the family of God, does that mean that God has redeted,
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rejected Abraham's children, the biological children
of Abraham, the Jews? This
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is Paul's question and he answers a
clear no. Gives three reasons. At
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least. Here's one. One reason
is that God is always preserved a remnant
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of the believing Jews. He uses
himself as an example. How could God
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have rejected the Jewish people because I
am a Jew? God has not rejected
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us. He is saving me.
He saves the Jews. God has always
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preserved a remnant of believing Jews.
This means that he has kept his promise
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and it shows forth the truth that
salvation is by grace and not not,
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and is based on God's choice,
not man's. The second reason Paul gives
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is that the rejection of the Jews
is not because salvation is by faith,
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but it's because the Jews are rejecting
faith in God. They are cast off,
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not because God is all of a
sudden decided he's not interested anymore.
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He's offering the same promise he's always
offered, but in their rejection they are
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rejecting him. The third thing Paul
mentions is that their stumbling is to their
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own benefit. One once. As
the as their stumbling happens, there are
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things that are happening as a result. Gentiles are being brought in, and
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it is Paul's hope and expectation that
the gent at as this happens, the
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Jews will become jealous and will turn
back to odd indeed, he says there
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will come a day when that will
happen. When the gentiles are fully brought
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in, the Jews will also be
brought in as well. This has all
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kinds of important implications for how we
ought to live as the people of God.
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One of them, he mentions,
is that as gentiles, we have
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no right to stand proud over Jews. Instead, we ought to hurt for
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them, desire their salvation pray that
they know Jesus just as we do.
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But he goes on to make other, broader implications of that, and we
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might sum them all up in this
unity in love. Unity in love is
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what comes when God brings together different
people under the one Lord, Jesus.
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Christ, Jesus died on a cross
to save a people for himself, a
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people chosen in love, predestined for
Salvation and glory and and Eternal Life of
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love and God, since they were
chosen in love and not because of works
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or any kind of outward distinctions.
Paul is eager to make the point that
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we ought to treat each other in
the same way, love is not the
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Gospel itself, but it is the
reason for the Gospel, as it comes
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from God, and it is the
fruit of the Gospel as it is borne
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out in us. And that's what
chapter twelve is all about. Chapter twelve
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is all about making it perfectly clear
how we ought to live our lives in
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love in all of these kind of
detailed ways and caring for one another,
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loving one another, be fervent in
spirit, using our gifts together. If
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Jesus Christ has been, as if
Jesus Christ is the foundation of our church,
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then love ought to be the fruit
that, as we have come into
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saving union with the God of Love, we will be continually bearing forth this
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fruit of him who is in us. It's one of the blessings of being
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a Christian learning to love and being
loved by the King of love. Our
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next hymn speaks to this theme very
richly. It starts with these words blessed
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be the tie that binds our hearts
in Christian love. As you sing these
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words, remember that the tie that
binds us together in Christian love is none
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other than Christ himself, for God
so loved the world that he gave his
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only son Salvation is by grace,
not by nationality, by gender, race
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education, not by wealth or or
not by wealth or strengths or situations or
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sorrows. No, we who believe
in him are bound with him and with
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one another and everlasting life and an
everlasting love. Let's stand together and saying
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blessed be the tie that binds him. Three hundred and fifty nine. The
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Glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
continues now in Romans, chapter thirteen and
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fourteen. Here we see that the
love in the church is now directed outward.
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Romans thirteen. Let every person be
subject to the governing authorities, for
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there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted
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by God. Therefore, whoever resists
the authorities resists what God has appointed,
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and those who resist will incur judgment, for rulers are not a terror to
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cut to good conduct, but to
bad. Would you have no fear of
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the one who is in authority?
Then do what is good and you will
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receive as approval, for He is
God's servant for you or for your good.
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But if you do wrong, be
afraid, for he does not bear
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the sword in vain, but he
is the servant of God and Avenger who
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carries out God's wrath on the wrong
doer. Therefore, one must be in
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subjection, not only to avoid God's
wrath, but also for the sake of
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conscience, for because of this,
you also pay taxes, for the authorities
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are menace ors of God, attending
to this very thing. Pay To all
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what is owed to them, taxes, to whom taxes are owed, revenue,
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to whom revenue is owed? Respect, to whom respect is owd honor,
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to whom honor is owde. Oh, no one anything except to love
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each other, for the one who
loves another has fulfilled the law. For
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the Commandments, you shall not commit
adultery, you shall not murder, you
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shall not steal, you shall not
covet or any other commandment, are summed
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up in this word. You shall
love your neighbor as yourself. Love does
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no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
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Besides this, you know the time
that the hour has come for you
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to wake from sleep, for salvation
is nearer to us now than when we
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first believed. The night is far
gone, the day is at hand.
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So then, let us cast off
the works of darkness and put on the
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armor of light. Let us walk
properly as in the daytime, not in
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orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual
immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and
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jealousy, but put on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and make no provision for
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the flesh to gratify its desires.
As for the one who is weak in
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faith, welcome him, but not
to quarrel over opinions. One person believes
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he may eat anything, while the
weak person eats only vegetables. Let not
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the one who eats despise the one
who abstains. Unlet not the one who
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abstains pass judgment on the one who
eats, for God has welcomed him.
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Who are you to pass judgment on
the Servant of another? It is before
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his own master that he stands or
falls, and he will be upheld,
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for the Lord is able to make
him stand. One person esteems one day
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as better than another, while another
esteems all days alike. Each one should
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be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day observes
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it in honor of the Lord.
The one who eats eats and honor of
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the Lord, since he gives thanks
to God, while the one who abstains
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abstains in honor of the Lord and
gives thanks to God. For none of
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us live lives to himself and none
of us dies to himself. For if
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we live, we live to the
Lord, and if we die, we
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die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die,
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we are the Lord's for to this
end, Christ died and lived again
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that he might be Lord both of
the dead and of the living. Why
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do you pass judgment on your brother
or you? Why do you despise your
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brother? For we will all stand
before the judgment seed of God, for
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it is written as I live,
says the Lord. Every Nie shall bow
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to me and every tongue shall confess
to God. So then, each of
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us will give an account of himself
to God. Therefore, let us not
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pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather never, but rather decide
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never to put a stumbling block or
hindrance in the way of a brother.
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I know, and am persuaded in
the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean
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in itself, but it is unclean
for anyone who thinks it is unclean for
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if your brother is grieved by what
you eat, you're no longer walking in
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love. By what you eat.
Do not destroy the one for whom Christ
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died. So do not let what
you regard as good be spoken of evil,
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for the Kingdom of God is not
a matter of eating or drinking,
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but of righteousness and peace and joy
in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves
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Christ is acceptable to God and improved
by men. So then, let us
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pursue what makes for peace and for
mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the
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sake of food, destroy the work
of God. Everything is indeed clean,
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but it is wrong for anyone to
make another stumble by what he eats.
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It is good not to eat meat
or drink wine or do anything that causes
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your brother to stumble. The faith
that you have keep between yourself and God.
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Blessed is the one who has no
reason to pass judgment on himself for
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what he approves. But whoever doubts, or but whoever has doubts is condemned
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if he eats, because the eating
is not from faith. For whatever does
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not proceed from faith is sin.
In these two chapters and chapters thirteen and
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fourteen, this love chapter that we
had back in chapter twelve really does continue.
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The theme comes up at in the
middle of thirteen, right there in
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the second paragraph, when it says, oh, no one anything except to
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love one another. But really from
the beginning of thirteen it's the same idea.
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We are called to give to one
another, this love, as Paul
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goes on to say, all the
commandments are summed up in this one to
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love, whether that's paying our taxes, submitting to the authority or not causing
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our brother to stumble. But what
we're seeing now is that this love that
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Christ builds into his church, because
he himself is love, this love extends
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beyond the circle of Christians who are
bound up together in Christ. The love
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of God pours from Christ into us
and then out into the world as an
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act of love and trust of God. We are called, for example,
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to love and to submit it to
those he is placed in an authority over
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us, but not just to the
leaders of the world. We are called
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to love all the people of the
world, even our enemies. This love,
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it's kind of like a light that
shines. It's the light in which
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we walk. You might compare it
to the sun. It shows the way.
405
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It's the way in which we live. It's it provides health and life
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for us. That's the love of
the sun by which we walk. It
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is the light by which we walk, but it's also the light that we
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spread. You might imagine Christians as
being millions of little mirrors living in the
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00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:22.269
light of the sun and reflecting that
sun in all the world. That love
410
00:36:22.989 --> 00:36:29.469
shining forth in God, being reflected
from us, has a way of being
411
00:36:29.630 --> 00:36:37.260
seen everywhere in a million bright and
shiny ways. But of course we know
412
00:36:37.420 --> 00:36:43.179
that this kind of love, is
Great Love that Christ demonstrates by giving up
413
00:36:43.260 --> 00:36:47.250
his own life for us, is
not an easy kind of love to mirror
414
00:36:47.530 --> 00:36:55.250
or reflect, because we mirrors get
dirty, we get chipped and cracked and
415
00:36:55.489 --> 00:37:02.440
broken, and we are going to
face real challenges as well. Paul describes
416
00:37:02.519 --> 00:37:06.920
the fact that in the world there
will be temptations to go another way,
417
00:37:07.199 --> 00:37:09.880
to walk out of the light,
to crawl back into darkness, and he
418
00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:15.269
says don't do it. That's where
death is, that's where the old ways
419
00:37:15.309 --> 00:37:19.909
are, where the old man lives. Instead, we must put on the
420
00:37:19.989 --> 00:37:24.750
Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision
from for the flesh to gratify its desires.
421
00:37:27.349 --> 00:37:31.380
But you know what the temptation to
go against love and the laws of
422
00:37:31.539 --> 00:37:35.380
love is not only out there in
the world, but it's in the church
423
00:37:35.460 --> 00:37:42.219
as well, temptations to argue and
to fight, to to divide over secondary
424
00:37:42.340 --> 00:37:46.570
things. The Gospel of love teaches
us that we must find ways to deal
425
00:37:46.650 --> 00:37:52.130
with this, and Paul gives a
lot of specific instructions here that I would
426
00:37:52.130 --> 00:37:55.369
encourage you to go back and reflect
through. But at the core of it
427
00:37:55.489 --> 00:38:01.000
all he's teaching us that what we
what really matters, is unity and Love
428
00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:07.679
in Christ or, as he summarizes
in verse nineteen, pursuing peace and mutual
429
00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:14.949
a building. Christ is building his
church and he uses us in that.
430
00:38:15.429 --> 00:38:20.710
We are those stones themselves, but
we are also his tools. Are we
431
00:38:20.949 --> 00:38:25.269
pursuing the things that he's pursuing?
We ought to, if we are reflecting
432
00:38:25.349 --> 00:38:30.500
him. In hearing the book of
Romans, I hope that you hear this
433
00:38:30.739 --> 00:38:36.699
call to love in such a different
way than if you'd simply picked up this
434
00:38:36.860 --> 00:38:42.610
chapter and read it on at random. The mere command to love is repeated
435
00:38:42.730 --> 00:38:46.530
in every religion and every philosophy.
You don't have to go to the Bible
436
00:38:46.690 --> 00:38:51.650
to learn that love is a good
thing, that love is an important thing,
437
00:38:52.769 --> 00:38:59.159
but the Bible doesn't just tell us
to love, it tells us of
438
00:38:59.360 --> 00:39:04.679
him who has loved. We learn, as we have been seeing throughout this
439
00:39:04.880 --> 00:39:08.960
book, that Christian Christianity, the
command to love one another's flows from a
440
00:39:09.030 --> 00:39:16.670
very important source. It flows from
the fact that God has already loved us.
441
00:39:19.110 --> 00:39:22.469
By loving us, he makes us
capable to love others. He gives
442
00:39:22.510 --> 00:39:28.300
us a spear it that is no
longer inward and self focused, but our
443
00:39:28.460 --> 00:39:34.179
word. We can give our lives
because we have nothing to lose. We
444
00:39:34.300 --> 00:39:40.849
have everything we could ever need in
Christ. We love others by resting on
445
00:39:42.050 --> 00:39:47.250
his delight divine love for us.
We love because he loved us, just
446
00:39:47.449 --> 00:39:55.360
as we live because he lives.
Let us sing of the love of our
447
00:39:55.480 --> 00:40:00.840
Savior and remember what he has done
and for us. In Him. Four
448
00:40:00.840 --> 00:40:13.670
hundred and sixty one not what my
hands have done. Let's continue. Let's
449
00:40:13.710 --> 00:40:23.940
continue reading now Romans, Chapter Fifteen
and sixteen. Here we see, as
450
00:40:23.980 --> 00:40:29.380
we close the book of Romans,
how the precious love of God is manifested
451
00:40:29.500 --> 00:40:37.769
in the individual lives of his people. We, who are strong, have
452
00:40:37.929 --> 00:40:42.809
an obligation to bear with the failings
of the week and not to please ourselves.
453
00:40:42.929 --> 00:40:46.530
Let each of us please his neighbor
for his good, to build him
454
00:40:46.530 --> 00:40:52.239
up, for Christ did not please
himself. But, as it is written,
455
00:40:52.840 --> 00:40:57.719
the reproaches of those who reproached you
fell on me, for whatever was
456
00:40:57.800 --> 00:41:01.960
written in former days was written for
our instruction, that, through endurance and
457
00:41:02.719 --> 00:41:08.030
through the encouragement of the scriptures,
we might have hope. May the God
458
00:41:08.190 --> 00:41:15.230
of Endurance and encouragement grant you to
live in such harmony with one another,
459
00:41:15.070 --> 00:41:21.739
in accord with Christ Jesus, that
together you may, with one voice,
460
00:41:21.980 --> 00:41:28.500
glorify the God and father of our
Lord, Jesus. Christ. Therefore welcome
461
00:41:28.739 --> 00:41:35.690
one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God, for
462
00:41:35.849 --> 00:41:42.090
I tell you that Christ became a
servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness,
463
00:41:42.690 --> 00:41:45.849
in order to confirm the promises given
to the Patriarchs, in order that
464
00:41:45.889 --> 00:41:52.880
the gentiles might glorify God for His
mercy. As it is written, therefore,
465
00:41:52.920 --> 00:41:55.360
I will praise you among the gentiles
and sing to your name, and
466
00:41:57.199 --> 00:42:00.469
again it is said, rejoice,
oh gentiles, with his people, and
467
00:42:00.630 --> 00:42:06.070
again praise the Lord, all you
gentiles, and let all the peoples extol
468
00:42:06.150 --> 00:42:10.389
him, and again Isaiah says,
the root of Jesse will come even he
469
00:42:10.550 --> 00:42:16.500
who arises to rule the gentiles.
In him will the gentiles hope. May
470
00:42:16.579 --> 00:42:22.019
the God of hope fill you with
all joy and peace in believing, so
471
00:42:22.179 --> 00:42:25.260
that, by the power of the
Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope.
472
00:42:28.420 --> 00:42:32.329
I myself am satisfied about you,
my brothers, that you yourselves are
473
00:42:32.409 --> 00:42:37.769
full of goodness, filled with all
knowledge and able to instruct one another.
474
00:42:37.929 --> 00:42:43.610
But on some points I have written
to you very boldly by way of reminder,
475
00:42:44.250 --> 00:42:46.039
because of the grace God had given
me, by God, to be
476
00:42:46.079 --> 00:42:52.119
a minister of Christ Jesus to the
gentiles in the Priestly Service of the Gospel
477
00:42:52.199 --> 00:42:57.800
of God, so that the offering
of the gentiles may be acceptable sanctified by
478
00:42:57.840 --> 00:43:01.710
the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus.
Then I have reason to be proud of
479
00:43:01.829 --> 00:43:07.389
my work for God, for I
will not venture to speak of anything except
480
00:43:07.469 --> 00:43:13.019
what Christ has accomplished through me,
to bring the gentiles to obedience by word
481
00:43:13.059 --> 00:43:16.019
and deed, by the power of
signs and wonders, by the power of
482
00:43:16.059 --> 00:43:21.980
the spirit of God, so that
from Jerusalem and all the way round to
483
00:43:22.099 --> 00:43:27.099
Ilichrum, I have fulfilled the Ministry
of the Gospel of Christ and thus make
484
00:43:27.170 --> 00:43:30.849
it my ambition to preach the Gospel, not where Christ has already been named,
485
00:43:30.889 --> 00:43:36.409
lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written.
486
00:43:37.329 --> 00:43:40.559
Those who have never been told of
him will see and those who have never
487
00:43:40.639 --> 00:43:46.719
heard will understand. This is the
reason why I have so often been hindered
488
00:43:46.800 --> 00:43:51.880
from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room
489
00:43:52.000 --> 00:43:55.110
for work in these regions and since
I have no and since I have longed
490
00:43:55.150 --> 00:43:59.909
for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing
491
00:43:59.949 --> 00:44:02.469
as I go to Spain and to
be helped on my journey there by you,
492
00:44:04.070 --> 00:44:07.070
once I have enjoyed your company for
a while. At present, however,
493
00:44:07.110 --> 00:44:14.099
I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid
to the saints from Macedonia and ACHAEA.
494
00:44:14.619 --> 00:44:17.380
have been pleased to make some contribution
for the poor among the saints at
495
00:44:17.380 --> 00:44:22.179
Jerusalem, for they were pleased to
do it, and indeed they owe it
496
00:44:22.260 --> 00:44:27.010
to them, for if the gentiles
have come to share in their spiritual blessings,
497
00:44:27.690 --> 00:44:31.329
they ought also to be of service
to them in material blessings. When,
498
00:44:31.409 --> 00:44:36.650
therefore, I have completed this and
have delivered to them what has been
499
00:44:36.769 --> 00:44:39.800
collected, I will leave for Spain
by way of you. I know that
500
00:44:39.920 --> 00:44:44.280
when I come to you, I
will come in the fullness of the blessing
501
00:44:44.320 --> 00:44:49.320
of Christ. I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ
502
00:44:49.679 --> 00:44:52.590
and by the love of the spirit, to strive together with me in your
503
00:44:52.670 --> 00:44:58.150
prayers to God on my behalf,
that I may be delivered from the UNBELIEVERSS
504
00:44:58.150 --> 00:45:01.750
in Judea and that my service for
Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,
505
00:45:02.510 --> 00:45:06.789
so that, by God's will,
I may come to you with joy and
506
00:45:06.989 --> 00:45:10.260
be refreshed in your company. May
the God of peace be with you all.
507
00:45:10.300 --> 00:45:16.260
Amen. I commend to you our
sister Phoebe a servant of the church
508
00:45:16.300 --> 00:45:20.780
at s and Crea, that you
may welcome her in the Lord in a
509
00:45:20.860 --> 00:45:24.130
way worthy of the saints and help
her in whatever she may need from you,
510
00:45:24.849 --> 00:45:29.010
for she has been a patron of
many and of myself as well.
511
00:45:30.289 --> 00:45:35.570
Greet PRISCA and Aquila, my fellow
workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their
512
00:45:35.610 --> 00:45:38.480
next for my life, to whom
not only I give thanks, but all
513
00:45:38.519 --> 00:45:44.199
the churches of the gentiles give thanks
as well. Greet also the church in
514
00:45:44.199 --> 00:45:49.400
their house. Greet my beloved epannatus, who was the first convert to Christ
515
00:45:49.480 --> 00:45:53.349
in Asia. Greet Mary, who
has worked hard for you. Greet andronicus
516
00:45:53.590 --> 00:45:59.989
and Junia, my fellow kinsman and
my fellow prisoners. They are well known
517
00:46:00.030 --> 00:46:05.940
to the Apostles and they were in
Christ before me. Greet Ampleotus, my
518
00:46:06.099 --> 00:46:09.500
beloved in the Lord. Greet or
Banus, our fellow worker in Christ,
519
00:46:09.940 --> 00:46:15.860
and my beloved Stacus. Greet a
Pellus, who is lave approved in Christ.
520
00:46:15.579 --> 00:46:20.849
Greet those who belong to the family
of Aristobulus. Greet my kinsman,
521
00:46:20.929 --> 00:46:24.889
herodium. Greet those in the Lord
who belong to the family of Narcissus.
522
00:46:27.170 --> 00:46:32.800
Greet those workers in the Lord,
Trifenna and Triphosa. Greet the beloved Parisus,
523
00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:37.360
who has worked hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen in the
524
00:46:37.480 --> 00:46:39.360
Lord, also his mother, who
has been a mother to me as well.
525
00:46:40.440 --> 00:46:46.230
Greet a syncretus and phlegon, Hermes, patrobus Hermus and the brothers who
526
00:46:46.230 --> 00:46:52.030
are with them. Greet philologus,
Julia, Nereus and his sister, and
527
00:46:52.230 --> 00:46:57.670
Olympus and all the saints who are
with them. Greet one another with a
528
00:46:57.789 --> 00:47:01.980
holy kiss. All the churches of
Christ greet you. I appeal to you,
529
00:47:02.139 --> 00:47:07.260
brothers, to watch out for those
who called division, who cause divisions
530
00:47:07.820 --> 00:47:12.940
and create obstacles, contrary to the
to the doctrine you have been taught.
531
00:47:12.940 --> 00:47:17.610
Avoid them, for such people do
not serve our Lord Christ, but their
532
00:47:17.650 --> 00:47:22.730
own appetites, and by smooth talk
and flattery, they deceive the hearts of
533
00:47:22.769 --> 00:47:28.449
the naive. For your obedience is
known to all, so that I rejoice
534
00:47:28.489 --> 00:47:31.320
over you, but I want you
to be wise as to what is good
535
00:47:31.360 --> 00:47:37.159
and innocent to what is evil.
The God of peace will soon crush Satan
536
00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:40.159
under your feet. The grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
537
00:47:42.559 --> 00:47:47.070
Timothy, my fellow worker, greets
you. So delucius and Jason and Sauso
538
00:47:47.110 --> 00:47:52.349
Potter, my kinsman, I,
territus, who wrote this letter, greet
539
00:47:52.389 --> 00:47:54.869
you in the Lord Guius, who
is with who is host to me,
540
00:47:55.230 --> 00:48:00.219
until the whole church greets you.
Erast us, the city treasurer, and
541
00:48:00.340 --> 00:48:04.699
our brother Cortus, greet you now
to him who is able to strengthen you,
542
00:48:04.820 --> 00:48:08.260
according to my Gospel and the preaching
of Jesus Christ, according to the
543
00:48:08.420 --> 00:48:14.130
revelation of the mystery that was kept
secret for long ages, but has now
544
00:48:14.250 --> 00:48:17.090
been disclosed and, through the prophetic
writings, has been made known to all
545
00:48:17.170 --> 00:48:22.130
nations, according to the command of
the eternal God, to bring about the
546
00:48:22.289 --> 00:48:29.760
obedience of faith to the only wise
God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ.
547
00:48:30.480 --> 00:48:47.750
Ah Men, if you had the
opportunity to stand in space and look at
548
00:48:47.750 --> 00:48:53.510
the earth, you'd have a very
particular perspective of things. Are Unique and
549
00:48:53.550 --> 00:48:59.420
amazing perspective. But you can also
look at the very same things from the
550
00:48:59.539 --> 00:49:05.940
same level or from another level,
another perspective, rather in a similar way.
551
00:49:06.099 --> 00:49:10.769
For Much of the Book Paul has
been talking in grand, grand terms
552
00:49:12.170 --> 00:49:17.090
about big things. He's given us
a high level perspective on the history of
553
00:49:17.210 --> 00:49:22.570
the world, the history of the
Jews, God's redemptive work and the salvation
554
00:49:22.769 --> 00:49:28.960
of the world, and in the
coming of Jesus. In these final chapters,
555
00:49:29.719 --> 00:49:35.960
Paul's zooms down to a very local
level. We're still looking at the
556
00:49:36.000 --> 00:49:39.989
same salvation, we're still looking at
the same work of God, but now
557
00:49:40.150 --> 00:49:45.230
we've moved through the atmosphere, in
the clouds, through Italy and to Rome
558
00:49:45.710 --> 00:49:53.219
and to specific Christians themselves. What
you find here is what the work of
559
00:49:53.340 --> 00:49:59.099
Christ looks like on the local level. What does it look like when a
560
00:49:59.139 --> 00:50:04.619
bunch of dead people have been brought
to life? It looks like this.
561
00:50:06.260 --> 00:50:09.489
Just as we have gathered for worship
today and fellowship, you can imagine these
562
00:50:09.570 --> 00:50:15.090
people doing the same things. There's
Phoebe, just having brought the letter from
563
00:50:15.090 --> 00:50:20.610
Paul. She's the center of attention. Everyone wants to hear about our travels,
564
00:50:20.690 --> 00:50:23.079
what's been going on, how she
is. People are greeting her.
565
00:50:23.199 --> 00:50:28.239
She's got more invitations to lunch than
one person would know what to do with.
566
00:50:30.639 --> 00:50:34.400
Then there's PRISCA and Aquilla, famous
for risking their lives for Paul,
567
00:50:34.519 --> 00:50:39.630
and is continued preaching of the and
is continuing preaching ministry. You find out
568
00:50:39.670 --> 00:50:43.909
about Appennatus, who, you here, was the first convert to Asia or
569
00:50:44.030 --> 00:50:47.389
in all of Asia, and many, many others, name after name after
570
00:50:47.429 --> 00:50:52.340
name, and in the way that
Paul describes them, we see how connected
571
00:50:52.539 --> 00:50:57.539
they are in the Lord. Over
and over again, that word Lord appears
572
00:50:57.579 --> 00:51:01.139
again and again and again and again. Greet those in the Lord, those
573
00:51:01.179 --> 00:51:05.650
who are chosen in the Lord,
those who are servants in the Lord,
574
00:51:05.690 --> 00:51:12.010
who are fellow workers in the Lord. All of these people changed people,
575
00:51:12.010 --> 00:51:16.769
people with different lives, and when
we read closely, we see that these
576
00:51:17.010 --> 00:51:21.960
lives are manifested in all kinds of
different ways, or better to say,
577
00:51:22.079 --> 00:51:24.519
there's all kinds of different people.
He speaks, for example, of her
578
00:51:24.559 --> 00:51:30.519
rody and my fellow kinsman. It's
a Jewish name after Herod. There are
579
00:51:30.519 --> 00:51:37.110
also many Greeks here, people named
after God's that we recognize people that stand
580
00:51:37.429 --> 00:51:43.429
in a Christian church with the name
Herms. Isn't it a wonderful thing?
581
00:51:44.789 --> 00:51:47.900
A wonderful thing, a blessed thing. Some of these names U, as
582
00:51:47.940 --> 00:51:52.260
you look around at the name Tags, very easy to remember, or banus
583
00:51:52.340 --> 00:51:58.179
rufus, Hermes Julia. There's a
little harder, Treffena, Trophosa, a
584
00:51:58.260 --> 00:52:05.289
syncretis flug on. But behind all
of these individual names stands the name that
585
00:52:05.489 --> 00:52:10.929
is above all names, Jesus Christ. In him all of these diverse people,
586
00:52:12.369 --> 00:52:15.679
some who work in government, some
who have been traveling, some who
587
00:52:15.679 --> 00:52:22.119
are scribes, some who are wealthy, some who are not. All of
588
00:52:22.280 --> 00:52:28.599
these people have been brought together under
the one Lord and Savior, the son
589
00:52:28.719 --> 00:52:35.989
of God. Each name here in
Chapter Sixteen represents another soul brought from death
590
00:52:36.110 --> 00:52:40.510
to life in Christ, another member
of his body another display of his glorious
591
00:52:42.349 --> 00:52:46.699
grace. The church in Rome,
with all its people and all its parts
592
00:52:46.739 --> 00:52:54.980
and all its particularities, is a
unique trophy to God's grace and it is,
593
00:52:55.139 --> 00:53:00.409
as we see throughout these chapters,
throughout the whole book, built on
594
00:53:00.530 --> 00:53:09.050
the foundation of Jesus and the Apostolic
Message. One of the other things that
595
00:53:09.210 --> 00:53:14.920
we get a strong sense for in
these final two chapters and indeed throughout the
596
00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:22.280
book, is a sense that Paul
all, that everything he says is integrated
597
00:53:22.360 --> 00:53:27.909
into this mission that he's on,
from the very first words in the book,
598
00:53:27.909 --> 00:53:30.230
where He greets them and tells them
why he has not been able to
599
00:53:30.429 --> 00:53:36.829
come to them and talks about as
a apostleship and talks about how he's not
600
00:53:36.989 --> 00:53:39.829
ashamed of the Gospel and how he's
going to preach it with zeal and vigor
601
00:53:39.909 --> 00:53:45.900
because he believes it's the power of
God into salvation. It all surrounds this
602
00:53:46.380 --> 00:53:53.179
mission that he's on, but it's
not Paul's mission. Ultimately, it's the
603
00:53:53.260 --> 00:54:00.650
mission of Jesus. Jesus is building
a church, he's bringing together a people,
604
00:54:00.690 --> 00:54:06.449
he's binding us up in love.
Jesus is building a he. Jesus
605
00:54:06.489 --> 00:54:12.400
is on a mission to build on
the foundation that is himself. It's why
606
00:54:12.519 --> 00:54:16.199
Paul writes to them this letter to
strengthen them, edify them, build them
607
00:54:16.239 --> 00:54:22.039
up in love. It's why Paul
is asking for their missionary support, why
608
00:54:22.159 --> 00:54:27.070
he talks about why he hasn't come
because he's been preaching the Gospel and how
609
00:54:27.269 --> 00:54:30.789
he's going to go through to preach
the Gospel. He talks about their work
610
00:54:30.909 --> 00:54:37.550
in those efforts and how he's they're
supporting him. The fact that Jesus is
611
00:54:37.710 --> 00:54:42.219
on a mission to build this foundation
and build this church is why we are
612
00:54:42.380 --> 00:54:47.460
here today. If Jesus and the
Apostolic Message is the foundation and the church
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00:54:47.619 --> 00:54:51.940
in Rome is right above that,
I'm not quite sure where we would be,
614
00:54:52.059 --> 00:54:55.329
but kind of high up on the
floors, I suppose. But we're
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00:54:55.409 --> 00:55:00.730
still on that same foundation, like
the Church in Rome. We here at
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00:55:00.849 --> 00:55:07.440
Covenant, our Church that is resting
upon Jesus Christ, through faith in his
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00:55:07.719 --> 00:55:14.239
saving work for us. How could
we do anything else after hearing the book
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00:55:14.239 --> 00:55:16.400
of Romans? How, after hearing
the book of Romans, can we say
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00:55:17.000 --> 00:55:22.710
no, I think I'll rely on
my works when over and over again it
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00:55:22.789 --> 00:55:25.110
has been impressed on our hearts and
our soul, that when we do that,
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00:55:25.590 --> 00:55:30.110
we lie at we end up with
condemnation and death, but when we
622
00:55:30.190 --> 00:55:34.389
rely upon the works of Jesus Christ, freely given to us, we have
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00:55:34.670 --> 00:55:38.659
everything we could ever need, eternal
life itself, a community of people,
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00:55:39.699 --> 00:55:45.300
resurrection from the dead and more.
We stand here today, or sit as
625
00:55:45.340 --> 00:55:52.289
the case may be, together as
a trophy of God's grace, just as
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00:55:52.369 --> 00:56:00.929
Rome was then. But let us
not rest merely as those who have been
627
00:56:01.090 --> 00:56:08.519
made disciples through his word. Let
us take up this same mission and be
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00:56:08.679 --> 00:56:14.800
a part of it, even as
Jesus had called Paul and called the Church
629
00:56:14.880 --> 00:56:21.989
and calls all of us to God
all and to make disciples. We do
630
00:56:22.309 --> 00:56:27.429
that as we continue to follow Jesus
ourselves, but we ought also to do
631
00:56:27.670 --> 00:56:32.340
that in calling other people to join
us. How can we not feel a
632
00:56:32.460 --> 00:56:38.059
sense of urgency for the salvation of
people's souls when we hear the great and
633
00:56:38.260 --> 00:56:44.579
good news of Jesus Christ, that
salvation is for everyone who believes and that
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00:56:44.739 --> 00:56:53.969
everyone who calls upon the name of
the Lord will be saved? As we
635
00:56:54.409 --> 00:57:00.090
follow after the Lord Jesus, as
we hear this message and reflect on our
636
00:57:00.130 --> 00:57:06.719
own salvation, praise God for the
glorious things he has done in our lives.
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00:57:06.840 --> 00:57:14.760
Let us not forget to shine that
light out into the world and as
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00:57:14.840 --> 00:57:20.190
the Lord adds to our number and
as we look around at the people in
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00:57:20.269 --> 00:57:24.949
the particulars of this church, let
us never look at ourselves and be proud
640
00:57:25.030 --> 00:57:30.900
at the things that we have done, because we have done nothing. We
641
00:57:30.019 --> 00:57:37.739
have only and always relied on the
saving grace of God, the only wise
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00:57:37.820 --> 00:57:44.929
God to whom praise be forevermore,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen.
643
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