Sermon Central
-
The Infinite Greatness Of God - Part 2 Series
Contributed by Rick Crandall on Feb 25, 2021 (message contributor)
Summary: We know that God is great... 1. Because He has chosen His children (vs. 6-13). 2. Because His will is never wrong (vs. 14-22). 3. Because His mercy is magnificent (vs. 15-18). 4. Because His glory is great (vs. 23-24).
The Infinite Greatness of God - Part 2
The Book of Romans
Sermon by Rick Crandall
(Prepared February 25, 2021)
BACKGROUND
*Here in Romans 9, we are on the front end of Paul's 3-chapter discussion of the Jewish nation, but these Scriptures are not just about the Jews. Here God speaks to us about the love we should have for those who haven't trusted in Jesus, about the promises of God, about the importance of faith in Christ, the supreme sovereignty of God, and much more.
*Last week, we started a 2-part focus on why our God is infinitely great. Please think about God's greatness as we read vs. 6-24.
MESSAGE:
*There is no way for us to overestimate the greatness of Almighty God. Last time, we saw God's greatness in the size of the universe He created. Here's another measure of that greatness: Richard Wimer tells us that if you hold your thumb at arm's length toward the sky, your thumb nail is covering up more than 250,000 galaxies in space! And every one of those galaxies holds 100 to 500 billion stars! (1)
*But Isaiah 40:26 in the New Living Translation says, "Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out one after another, calling each by its name. And he counts them to see that none are lost or have strayed away." Church: I forget people's names every other day, but God knows all of the stars by name! And He made them all!
*Also think about the wonder of the bodies God's created for us. In Psalm 139:14 David said this to the Lord, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." We are "fearfully made." That word means we should stand in awe at the complexity of our creation. We are "wonderfully made." That word means we are a marvelous creation of God.
*For example, think about our hearts. The average heart beats 72 times a minute. That's over 100,000 times a day, almost 38 million times a year, and about 3 billion times over an average lifespan. (2)
*In many ways our bodies are physical miracles that can only be explained by the infinite greatness of God. And tonight's Scripture gives us more evidence of His greatness.
1. NOTICE FIRST THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN HIS CHILDREN.
*Paul began to stress this truth in vs. 6-9, where he said:
6. But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel,
7. nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, "In Isaac your seed shall be called.''
8. That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.
9. For this is the word of promise: "At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.''
*Last time in these verses we focused on the fact that God's Word and only God's Word has the power to save our souls. God's Word has the power to save everyone who will believe the good news about Jesus Christ and receive Him as their Lord and Savior.
*We also were reminded that God will always keep His promises, just as He kept His promise to give Abraham and Sarah a son. The LORD God kept that promise, even though it took a miracle to do it, because Sarah was way too old to have children. But nothing is too hard for the LORD! So, Isaac was born when Sarah was 90 years old, and Abraham was 100. (3)
*But God has chosen His children. Paul continued to stress this truth in vs. 10-13, where he said:
10. And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac
11. (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),
12. it was said to her, "The older shall serve the younger.''
13. As it is written, "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.''
*Well, this is hard for some people to accept, but just as he did in vs. 6-8, Paul pointed out the plain truth that all people are not going to be saved. All people are not going to be children of God.
*Here in vs. 11, Paul talked about "the purpose of God according to election." The original word here and its related words are found over 50 times in the New Testament. All Old Testament believers and all Christians are part of God's "elect." And this word simply means "picked out" or "chosen by God."
