God and Israel
Series: MADE NEW
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 31st July 2022
Passage: Romans 11:1-36
00:00:00 --> 00:00:07 Morning everyone, great to be here. Keep your Bibles open there at Romans 11.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:13 Got a question for you to kick off with. When can a circle ever be a triangle?
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 There we go. Discuss that. I'll give you 30 seconds.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:23 Is there any mathematicians in the room? I don't mean to explode your brain right now.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 When can a circle ever be a triangle?
00:00:30 --> 00:00:46 The actual technical answer is never. Never.
00:00:48 --> 00:00:52 They are two very two-dimensional shapes.
00:00:52 --> 00:01:02 There is no way possible to actually make a circle into a triangle without it losing its circle-ness.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 If you go and look up the definition of what a circle is and what a triangle is,
00:01:06 --> 00:01:14 it's not possible for either one of them to be made into the other without it losing its original identity and purpose.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:27 However, the two shapes can come together in such a way to create a three-dimensional object where you see a circle, you see a triangle, but it's actually a cone.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:33 And it will depend on which angle you are looking at it as to what you actually see.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:40 Two individual shapes, 2D shapes, can come together and make a more complex 3D shape.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:46 And depending on which way you look at it, you'll see one thing or you'll see the other.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:53 And such is the complexity of God's sovereignty and human responsibility working together.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 It is a complex issue.
00:01:56 --> 00:02:11 And in debating these matters over the centuries, it's not unusual to push either God's sovereignty or human responsibility to such a point that they lose their shape.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:19 Rather than holding them, as the Bible does, in balance together.
00:02:19 --> 00:02:27 God chooses those he will save through faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:35 We are responsible for our rejection of him and the good news of Jesus Christ.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 The Bible declares that they are both true.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:43 The circle and the triangle, but they're actually working together.
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 100% true.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:51 Not 50%, 50%, not 75% or 95% and 5%.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:55 Both are 100% true at exactly the same time.
00:02:56 --> 00:03:01 It's God's mathematics, not Wikipedia's or mine, yours.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 Or to quote John Stott from his Romans commentary,
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 if anybody is lost, the blame is theirs.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 But if anybody is saved, the credit is God's.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:18 This contains a mystery which our present knowledge cannot solve,
00:03:19 --> 00:03:24 but it is consistent with scripture, history and experience.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:25 It is a mystery.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:33 And in attempting to remove the mystery over the centuries,
00:03:33 --> 00:03:37 people have wandered into heresy on multiple occasions.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:42 So the Jews, as we've been reading,
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 God's historic people are responsible for their refusal
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 to put their trust in Jesus Christ.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:53 And they have not come to faith because God has not chosen to have mercy on them.
00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 They're both true.
00:03:55 --> 00:04:00 That's a summary of chapters 9 to 10,
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 as we have so far read in Romans.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 So now we're up to chapter 11.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 And Paul is still wrestling with this big idea
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 of whether God has rejected his historic people.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 The central argument in this chapter
00:04:14 --> 00:04:19 is God has not rejected his people, Israel,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 because the books are still open.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:28 And there is still an opportunity for them to embrace Jesus
00:04:28 --> 00:04:32 as their Lord and their Saviour.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:36 And therefore, the books are still open for us this morning
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 as we gather here in person or online.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:41 There is still an opportunity.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:43 So I've got three things to say,
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 the trustworthy God, the saving God, and the praiseworthy God,
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 if you're someone who likes to take notes.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 Chapter 11 opens with a familiar question
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 of whether God has rejected his people, Israel,
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 and the short answer is no, then a long explanation.
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 And Paul, in the first number of verses,
00:05:00 --> 00:05:06 gives four arguments as to back up the short answer.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 And the first is the Paul argument in verse 1.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 That is, Paul himself is a Jew
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 who's come to faith in Jesus Christ.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:20 This blasphemous Christian persecuting Paul
00:05:20 --> 00:05:24 is a Jew who God has not given up on.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 And he's now being used by God
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 to multiply his gospel work.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 The second argument is in verse 2,
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 the election argument.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 Paul is saying that God has determined,
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 he has foreordained to bring Jews to faith in him.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 Those he has chosen will not fail to believe.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 The third argument, verses 2 and 4,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 2 to 4 is the Elijah argument.
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 It's a historical argument.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 1 Corinthians, sorry, 1 Kings 19.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:57 We read that Elijah thought that God
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 had abandoned his people too,
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 had rejected them,
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 and he was the only one left.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 And yet, as we find out in the chapter,
00:06:06 --> 00:06:07 there are many left.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:11 And there has always been a faithful remnant
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 amongst God's historical people
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 who have trusted by grace.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:20 The fourth argument is in verses 5 and 6,
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 and that's the grace argument.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:27 What guarantees that there will always be
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 a faithful remnant
00:06:28 --> 00:06:33 is not that there will always be a group,
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 a group of good people
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 amongst God's historic people,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 a group of smart people
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 amongst God's historic people
00:06:40 --> 00:06:40 who believe,
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 but because God is always gracious.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 Then in verse 7,
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 Paul takes us back to his point
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 in chapter 9, verse 6,
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 where he says,
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 for not all who are descended from Israel
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 are Israel.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 So in verse 7,
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 he makes the point,
00:07:04 --> 00:07:08 it is not God who has rejected his people,
00:07:08 --> 00:07:12 but it's his people who have rejected him.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:14 Have a look at it with me.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 What then?
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 What the people of Israel sought so earnestly,
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 they did not obtain.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 The elect among them,
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 the elect among them did,
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 but the others were hardened.
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 And last week in chapter 10, verse 3,
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 we read that Israel
00:07:38 --> 00:07:43 did not know the righteousness of God
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 and sought to establish their own.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:51 So Paul tells us here
00:07:51 --> 00:07:57 that they sought righteousness earnestly.
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 God's historic people
00:08:00 --> 00:08:04 sought a right relationship with God earnestly.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 They earnestly pursued it.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 A right standing,
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 a right relationship with God,
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 but they did it on their terms.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 Instead of receiving
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 a right relationship with God
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 as a gift through Jesus Christ,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 they attempted to establish their own,
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 to work for it themselves.
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 Israel earnestly sought
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 a right relationship with God,
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 but they did it the wrong way.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 And that is the case for all of them,
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 except for those that God had chosen.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 And as a result,
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 most of God's historic people were hardened.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 And the hardening here,
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 just to remind us of the last couple of weeks,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 is a legal punishment
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 for having a proud heart
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 that rejects the good news
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 of God's grace in Jesus Christ.
00:09:00 --> 00:09:04 In verse 8,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 Paul again quotes from the Old Testament
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 to show us how it has been,
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 always been.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 And what Paul's doing here,
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 is he quoting Isaiah.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 And Isaiah himself is quoting Moses.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 That is, what we have here
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 is both Paul in the New Testament
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 is quoting the law and the prophets.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 And Paul is saying,
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 Moses warned Israel in his day
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 that their rebellion resulted in God
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 giving them a spiritual blindness.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 Isaiah in his day told Israel
00:09:41 --> 00:09:45 that he had continued through their history
00:09:45 --> 00:09:49 a spiritual blindness
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 because they pursued righteousness
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 on their terms.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 And now,
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 the apostle Paul
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 is telling the Roman church
00:10:00 --> 00:10:00 it's happening again.
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 Right through history,
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 the pursuit of righteousness
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 on our own terms.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 And so,
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 in verses 9 and 10,
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 we have this spiritual blindness
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 is a retribution.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 It's a punishment
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 that exactly fits the crime.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 Hardening
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 is a fitting punishment
00:10:29 --> 00:10:32 for a proud heart.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:34 You see,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 pride and self-centeredness
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 lead to hardness
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 and lovelessness.
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 Rejection of God
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 leads to rejection from God.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 It's a just punishment.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 But these verses
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 are quite confronting.
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 The very people
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 who had earnestly,
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 diligently,
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 zealously
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 sought a relationship
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 with God
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 were the same people
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 who rejected
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 his love for them.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 It's an amazing dynamic.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 And the amazing dynamic
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 is that a person
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 can try
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 so desperately
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 hard
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 to please God
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 with all of their life,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 to serve him
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 with all of their life,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 and end up
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 resisting
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 the very idea
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 of God's mercy
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 on their life.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 And you find that
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 an incredible dynamic.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:41 most people
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 who believe
00:11:42 --> 00:11:42 in God
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 conclude
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 that God
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 is transcendent.
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 You don't have to be Christian
00:11:46 --> 00:11:46 to do this.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:47 They believe
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 that God is transcendent,
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 that he's powerful,
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 that he's good
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 in some kind of way.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 And therefore,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 the assumption
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 with human wisdom
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 is that we need
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 to approach this God,
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 we need to appease
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 this God
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 in some kind of way.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 And I need
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 to improve myself.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 in some kind of way
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 in order to appease
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 this God.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 And such people
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 generally find
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 any concept
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 of free,
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 total,
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 unconditional
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 acceptance
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 dishonouring
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 to God.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 You may have
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 thought it yourself.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 you may have
00:12:36 --> 00:12:36 even heard
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 someone say
00:12:37 --> 00:12:37 something like
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 the idea
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 that a convicted
00:12:39 --> 00:12:39 murderer
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 could just say
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 words of repentance
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 and be right
00:12:44 --> 00:12:44 with God,
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 just like the good
00:12:46 --> 00:12:46 religious person
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 who's volunteered
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 themselves
00:12:48 --> 00:12:48 in the,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 you know,
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 the local hospital
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 all of their life,
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 like as if somehow
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 it's a level playing field
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 for all people.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 people,
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 that's just illogical.
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 How insulting
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 to my life
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 of good deeds.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 How insulting
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 to common decency.
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 How insulting
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 to God.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 And yet the Christian
00:13:16 --> 00:13:16 gospel,
00:13:17 --> 00:13:17 the core of the
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 Christian faith
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 is in fact
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 an assault
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 on
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 our
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 religious
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 works.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 It appears
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 in fact
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 on one level
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 to be assault
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 on good character
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 and on God.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 Through a real
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 desire to please
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 God
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 mixed with a
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 deep pride
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 and a
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 self-confidence
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 the human
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 heart
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 becomes
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 vaccinated
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 against
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 and hatred
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 towards
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 in fact
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 the mercy
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 and the love
00:13:54 --> 00:13:54 of God
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 through Jesus Christ.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 That is the
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 normal
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 human
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 condition.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 We like
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 to bring
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 God down
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 and elevate
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 ourselves
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 up.
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 And that's
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 the case
00:14:09 --> 00:14:09 with so
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 many
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 religious
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 people.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 Where a
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 right standing
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 with God
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 is seriously
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 and earnestly
00:14:17 --> 00:14:17 sought.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 Seriously
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 and earnestly
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 sought.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 And yet at the
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 same time
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 his loving
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 offer of that
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 right standing
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 as a free
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 gift
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 is rejected.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 It may even
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 describe you
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 right now
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 where you're
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 sitting right now
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 in this room
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 or on
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 screen
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 tuning in.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 Christian faith
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 motivated
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 almost
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 completely
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 by fear
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 by guilt
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 or a need
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 for approval.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 If anything
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 else that
00:14:58 --> 00:14:58 Romans has
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 taught us
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 now is the
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 time to lay
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 that down.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 Now is the
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 time to
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 surrender your
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 heart to
00:15:06 --> 00:15:06 Christ.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 now is the
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 time to
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 confess a
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 heart that
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 is not
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 humbled.
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 A heart
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 that is
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 proud that
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 set itself
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 up ultimately
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 against God's
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 grace and
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 his mercy.
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 Do it
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 today.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 Come to
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 Jesus.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 Jesus.
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 So the
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 majority of
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 Israel has
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 rejected God.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 Historic
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 Israel.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 Ethnic
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 Israel has
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 rejected God.
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 So is that
00:15:35 --> 00:15:35 it?
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 Is that the
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 end of the
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 story?
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 Are they now
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 beyond salvation?
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 That's the
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 essence of the
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 question from
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 verse 11
00:15:44 --> 00:15:44 onwards.
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 Again,
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 Paul again
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 gives a
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 definitive no
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 and then
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 goes on for
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 an explanation.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 Then he
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 outlines three
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 stages of
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 God's plan of
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 salvation for
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 Israel.
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 The first
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 stage is the
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 stage that
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 Paul himself
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 is currently
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 in and that
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 is one of
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 hostility to
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 the Christian
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 message.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 Yes, he
00:16:10 --> 00:16:12 says, many
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 early Jews
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 believed but
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 the majority
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 have rejected.
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 Majority have
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 rejected the
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 Christian faith,
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 rejected Jesus
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 as their
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 Messiah.
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 And if this
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 rejection, he
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 says, had
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 not happened,
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 the early
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 Christian Jews
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 could have
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 easily
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 concluded
00:16:29 --> 00:16:33 that the
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 gospel was
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 only for
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 ethnic Israel.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 No need
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 for the
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 Gentile world
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 to know
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 of this.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 And you
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 see this
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 happening in
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 the book of
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 Acts.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 Gospel is
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 preached,
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 first of
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 all, to
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 a synagogue.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 The Jewish
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 community is
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 fractured with
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 some believing,
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 some are
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 hostile.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 Those who
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 come to
00:16:56 --> 00:16:56 faith then
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 go to the
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 Gentiles to
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 see them
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 embracing the
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 Christian faith.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 And as a
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 result, the
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 early church,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 right from its
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 inception, is a
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 multi-ethnic
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 church.
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 This leads to
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 stage two.
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 As they see the
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 church growing and
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 Gentiles coming to
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 faith, in verse
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 11, we are
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 told, these
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 Gentile converts
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 make Israel
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 envious.
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 Paul repeats
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 it himself in
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 verse 14.
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 I take pride in
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 my ministry in
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 the hope that I
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 may somehow
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 arouse my own
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 people to envy
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 and to save
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 some of them.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 Now, we
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 normally would
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 think of envy in
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 a negative
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 sense, which
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 as a general
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 rule, it is.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 But I think
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 that John
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 Stott, writing
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 in his Romans
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 commentary,
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 captures here
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 Paul's thinking
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 in a much
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 better way,
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 where he
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 writes,
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 not all envy
00:18:00 --> 00:18:00 is tainted
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 with selfishness
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 because it is
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 not always
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 either a
00:18:05 --> 00:18:05 grudging
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 discontent or
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 a sinful
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 covetousness.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 At base,
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 envy is the
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 desire to
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 have for
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 oneself something
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 possessed by
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 another.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 And whether
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 envy is good
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 or evil
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 depends on
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 the nature
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 of the
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 something
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 desired and
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 on whether
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 one has a
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 right of its
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 possession.
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 If that
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 something is
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 in itself
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 evil or
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 it belongs
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 to somebody
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 else and
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 we have no
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 right to it,
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 then the
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 envy is
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 sinful.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 But if
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 the
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 something
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 desired is
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 in itself
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 good,
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 a blessing
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 from God,
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 which he
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 means all
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 people to
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 enjoy,
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 then to
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 covet it
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 and to
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 envy those
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 who have
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 it is not
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 at all
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 unworthy.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 This kind
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 of desire
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 is right
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 in itself
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 and to
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 arouse it
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 can be a
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 realistic
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 motive for
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 ministry.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 I think
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 that's a
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 great
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 explanation
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 of what
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 Paul's
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 trying to
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 do here.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 God's
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 historic
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 people will
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 see many
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 of God's
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 historic
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 promises to
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 them being
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 fulfilled in
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 the Gentiles
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 and that
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 will prompt
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 them to
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 want to
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 believe it.
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 Here's the
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 remarkable thing
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 about God's
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 plan.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 Just as
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 the Gentiles
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 could only
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 have heard
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 the gospel
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 because Israel
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 had largely
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 rejected
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 Jesus,
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 now the
00:19:46 --> 00:19:46 Jews can
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 only believe
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 because those
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 who accepted
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 Jesus were
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 largely Gentiles.
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 Paul then
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 writes that
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 the third
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 and the
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 final stage
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 of blessings
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 for the
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 Jews is
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 sometime in
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 the future.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 in verse
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 12,
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 he seems
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 to have a
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 vision of
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 a significant
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 number of
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 them coming
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 to faith in
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 Jesus Christ
00:20:14 --> 00:20:14 which we see
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 again at the
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 end of the
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 chapter.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 If their
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 unbelieving
00:20:18 --> 00:20:20 has had a
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 remarkable
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 benefit,
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 imagine the
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 benefit of
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 their believing
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 in Jesus.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 Jesus.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 In verses
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 17 to
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 24,
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 Paul uses
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 an olive
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 tree as
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 an illustration
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 if you like
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 to bring
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 clarity on
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 how God's
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 salvation plan
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 works.
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 And this
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 is also a
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 warning to
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 the Gentile
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48 Christians that
00:20:48 --> 00:20:48 are there.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 Verse 17,
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 if some
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 of the
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 branches have
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 been taken
00:20:54 --> 00:20:56 off and
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 you,
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 though a
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 wild olive
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 shoot,
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 have been
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 grafted in
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 among the
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 others and
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 now share
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 in the
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 nourishing sap
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 of the
00:21:05 --> 00:21:05 olive root.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 Now,
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 to get what
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 he's saying
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 here,
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 there's a bit
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 of a
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 horticultural
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 lesson to
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 understand what
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 he's getting
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 at.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 And who
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 better to
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 understand a
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 horticultural
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 lesson but
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 to turn to
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 a Scottish
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 New Testament
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 scholar,
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 William Ramsey,
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 he writes
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 in his
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 commentary,
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 in exceptional
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 circumstances,
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 it is customary
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 to reinvigorate
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 an olive
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 tree which
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 is ceasing
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 to bear
00:21:38 --> 00:21:40 fruit by
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 grafting
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 into it
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 a shoot
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 of a
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 wild
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 olive
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 tree so
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 that the
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 sap of
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 the tree
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 enables,
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 ennobles,
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 enables,
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 this wild
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 shoot
00:21:53 --> 00:21:56 to in
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 fact grow
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 while at
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 the same
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 time
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 encouraging
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 the original
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 olive tree
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 to bear
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 fruit.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 This wild
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 olive branch
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 is a
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 dynamic
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 and a
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 growing
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 thing
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 in and
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 of itself
00:22:13 --> 00:22:16 but it
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 can draw
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 and produce
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 life
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 only because
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 it is grafted
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 into an
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 olive tree
00:22:23 --> 00:22:26 because it's
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 there,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 it draws
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 the nourishment,
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 it needs
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 full life
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 and at the
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 same time
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 that that's
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 happening,
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 the presence
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 of the wild
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 olive branch
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 renews
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 the
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 original
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 olive tree
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 in such
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 a way
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 that it's
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 invigorated
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 and it
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 starts again
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 to bear
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 fruit.
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 Verse 13
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 tells us
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 that Paul
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 is applying
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 that metaphor
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 specifically
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 to the
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 Gentiles.
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 They are
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 the wild
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 olive shoots,
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 they've been
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 grafted into
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 God's historic
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 people and
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 all its
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 promises.
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 the Gentiles
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 are being
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 grafted in
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 so that
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 they might
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 be nourished
00:23:09 --> 00:23:12 by the
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 giving gospel
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 of justification
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 by faith
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 which has
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 always been
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 the faith
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 of God's
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 historic
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 people ever
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 since Abraham
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25 right through.
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 They've now
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 been included
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 in justification
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 by faith
00:23:30 --> 00:23:33 and so
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 the lesson
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 here for
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 the Gentile
00:23:35 --> 00:23:35 believers
00:23:35 --> 00:23:38 are growing
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 humility.
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 You're not
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 smarter
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 than they
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 are.
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 You've not
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 seen something
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 or got
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 softer hearts.
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 The Gentiles
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 must not
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 boast.
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 Verse 18
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 Do not
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 consider yourself
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 to be superior
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 to those
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 other branches.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 If you do
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 consider this
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 you do not
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 support the
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 root
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 but the
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 root
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 supports
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 you.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 You will
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 say then
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 branches
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 were
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 broken
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 off
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 so
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 that
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 I
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 could
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 be
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 grafted
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 in
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 granted
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 but they
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 were
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 broken
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 off
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 because
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 of
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 unbelief
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 and you
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 stand
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 by faith.
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 Do not
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 be arrogant
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 but
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 tremble
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 for if
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 God
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 did not
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 spare
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 the
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 natural
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 branches
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 he
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 will
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 not
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 spare
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 you
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 never
00:24:27 --> 00:24:30 and so
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 a genuine
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 response
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 to the
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 good news
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 of the
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 gospel
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 is a
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 reverent
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 fear.
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 Verse 22
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 calls us
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 to meditate
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 on the
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 kindness
00:24:39 --> 00:24:41 and the
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 sternness
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 of God
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44 that is
00:24:44 --> 00:24:46 justification
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 by faith
00:24:47 --> 00:24:49 God's grace
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 to us
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 through his
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 sovereignty
00:24:51 --> 00:24:53 ought
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 never
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 ever
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 ever
00:24:56 --> 00:24:58 lead to
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 presumption.
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 We see
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 throughout
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 Romans
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 and the
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 Bible
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 the
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 ongoing
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 problem
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 of
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 presumption.
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 We saw
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 it in
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 chapter 6
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 and 7
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 presumption
00:25:11 --> 00:25:13 God
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 saves me
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 he's
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 sovereign
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 I don't
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 need to
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 do
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 anything
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 presumption
00:25:17 --> 00:25:21 though
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 Israel
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 were
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 God's
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 chosen
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 people
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 they
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 started
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 to
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00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 they
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00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 choice
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00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 became
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00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 were
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00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 lived
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00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 because
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 Abraham
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00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 their
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00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 became
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 proud
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 and
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 looked
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 down
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 on
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 others
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 and
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 Paul
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 is
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 calling
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 these
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 Gentile
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 believers
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 not
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 to
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 fall
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 in
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 the
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 same
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 presumption
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 of
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 historic
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 Israel
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 so
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 again
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 verse
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 22
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 consider
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00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 kindness
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 and
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00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 sternness
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 of
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 God
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 sternness
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 to
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00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 who
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 fell
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 but
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00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 you
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 provided
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00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 you
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 continue
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 in
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00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 kindness
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 human
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 responsibility
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 work at
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 it
00:26:04 --> 00:26:07 otherwise
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 you too
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 will be
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 cut off
00:26:09 --> 00:26:12 the only
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 way
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 we know
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 that God's
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 sovereign
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 love is
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 upon us
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 is that
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 we
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 continue
00:26:17 --> 00:26:19 we
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 persevere
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 in
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 seeking
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 to be
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 like
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 Jesus
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 until
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 the
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 day
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 we
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 meet
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 Jesus
00:26:24 --> 00:26:27 it's
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 not a
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 circle
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 or a
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 triangle
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 it's a
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 cone
00:26:29 --> 00:26:36 if
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 the
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 continuing
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 disappears
00:26:37 --> 00:26:39 we
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 start
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 living
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 for
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 ourselves
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 and
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 living
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 sin
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 and
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 start
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 to rely
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 on our
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 own
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 performance
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 our own
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 theological
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 heritage
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 marriage
00:26:46 --> 00:26:49 we
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 start
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 relying
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00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 for
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00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 with
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 God
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00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 we
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 will
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 and
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 we
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 should
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 begin
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 to
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 wonder
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 if
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 his
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 kindness
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 is
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 still
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 upon
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 us
00:26:56 --> 00:26:59 if
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 we
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 have
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 faith
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 in
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 Jesus
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 Christ
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 we
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 can
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 be
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 assured
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 and
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 confident
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 but
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 we
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 must
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 never
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 be
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 arrogant
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 and
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 proud
00:27:10 --> 00:27:13 assured
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 and
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 confident
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 but
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 never
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 arrogant
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 and
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 proud
00:27:15 --> 00:27:18 Paul
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 closes
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 off
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 this
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 section
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 by
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 revealing
00:27:20 --> 00:27:20 a
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 great
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 mystery
00:27:22 --> 00:27:24 it
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 is
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 designed
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 to
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 stop
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 the
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 Gentiles
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 from
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 being
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 conceited
00:27:27 --> 00:27:29 when
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 they
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 look
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 at the
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 failure
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 of
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 ethnic
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 Israel
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 to
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 embrace
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 Jesus
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 Christ
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 as
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 their
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 Lord
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 and
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 Saviour
00:27:34 --> 00:27:36 in
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 short
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 Paul's
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 language
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 in
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 writing
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 about
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 that
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 mystery
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 allows
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 for
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 the
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 possibility
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 of
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 a
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 steady
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 but
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 growing
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 flow
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 towards
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 Jesus
00:27:48 --> 00:27:50 amongst
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 his
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 own
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 historic
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 people
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 ethnic
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 people
00:27:53 --> 00:27:55 and
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 so
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 he
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 says
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 here
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 the
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 Jewish
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 unbelievers
00:27:57 --> 00:27:57 are to
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 be viewed
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 always
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 with
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 hope
00:27:59 --> 00:28:01 always
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 with
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 hope
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 the
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 Christian
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 must
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 say to
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 themselves
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 over
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 and over
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 again
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 I
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 disobeyed
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 God
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 I
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 refuse
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 to
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 believe
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 the
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 gospel
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 but
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 now
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 I'm
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 a
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 Christian
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 I'm
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 a
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 child
00:28:14 --> 00:28:14 of
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 God
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 I'm
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 an
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 inheritor
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 of
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 all
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 his
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 historic
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 promises
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 to
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 his
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 people
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 Israel
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 I
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 am
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 here
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 in
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 part
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 because
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 the
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 gospel
00:28:24 --> 00:28:26 reached
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 beyond
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 disbelieving
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 Israel
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 and so
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 if
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 God
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 can
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 reach
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 me
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 even
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 me
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 in
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 his
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 mercy
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 through
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 a
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 Jew
00:28:35 --> 00:28:39 and
00:28:39 --> 00:28:39 through
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 their
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 disobedience
00:28:41 --> 00:28:43 he
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 can
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 certainly
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 reach
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 them
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 through
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 his
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 mercy
00:28:45 --> 00:28:47 and
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 through
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 my
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 faith
00:28:47 --> 00:28:50 the
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 mystery
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 is
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 that
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 God
00:28:52 --> 00:28:54 uses
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 the
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 Jews
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 to
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 reach
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 the
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 Gentiles
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 and
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 the
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 Gentiles
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 to
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 reach
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 the
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 Jews
00:28:58 --> 00:29:00 that
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 in
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 itself
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 is
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 a
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 grounding
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 for
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 a
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 multi
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 ethnic
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 church
00:29:06 --> 00:29:10 all
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 people
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 Jew
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 and
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 Gentile
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 have
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 been
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 disobedient
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 and
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 are
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 lost
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 and
00:29:17 --> 00:29:17 yet
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 all
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 people
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 found
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 by
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 God's
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 mercy
00:29:21 --> 00:29:25 so if
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 you're
00:29:26 --> 00:29:26 someone who
00:29:26 --> 00:29:26 takes
00:29:26 --> 00:29:26 notes
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 maybe
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 write
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 this
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 one
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 down
00:29:28 --> 00:29:30 as a
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 bit
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 of a
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 summary
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 of
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 9
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 to
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 11
00:29:32 --> 00:29:35 God's
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 mercy
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 does
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 not
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 come
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 to
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 all
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 without
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 exception
00:29:39 --> 00:29:41 but
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 it
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 does
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 come
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 to
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 all
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 without
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 distinction
00:29:45 --> 00:29:48 God's
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 mercy
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 does
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 not
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 come
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 to
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 all
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 without
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 exception
00:29:50 --> 00:29:52 but
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 it
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 does
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 come
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 to
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 all
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 without
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 distinction
00:29:55 --> 00:29:57 distinction
00:29:57 --> 00:29:59 this
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 causes
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 Paul
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 to
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 pause
00:30:03 --> 00:30:05 he
00:30:05 --> 00:30:05 has
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 carried
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 this
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 idea
00:30:07 --> 00:30:07 of
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 God's
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 sovereignty
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 and
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 human
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 responsibility
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 to the
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 edge
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 as far
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 as
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 knowledge
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 has
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 taken
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 him
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 as far
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 as
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 revelation
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 has
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 taken
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 him
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 as far
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 as
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 God
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 has
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 wanted
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 him
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 to
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 know
00:30:19 --> 00:30:22 he's
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 gone
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 to
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 the
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 edge
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 of
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 the
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 earth
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 sailed
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 to
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 the
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 end
00:30:24 --> 00:30:26 and
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 if
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 there
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 is
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 more
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 to
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 know
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 of
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 God
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 which
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 there
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 is
00:30:30 --> 00:30:33 God's
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 chosen
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 not to
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 reveal
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 it
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 at
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 this
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 point
00:30:35 --> 00:30:37 and
00:30:37 --> 00:30:37 there's
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 only
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 one
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 thing
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 left
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 to
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 do
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 and
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 that
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 is
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 for
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 a
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 heart
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 to
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 be
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 lifted
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 a
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 mind
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 to
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 be
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 lifted
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 and
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 to
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 overflow
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 in
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 praise
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 of
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 this
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 God
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 the
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 God
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 of
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 the
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 wonderful
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 of
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 the
00:30:51 --> 00:30:51 mysterious
00:30:51 --> 00:30:53 as
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 he
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 draws
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 this
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 to
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 a
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 close
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 recall
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 God
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 here
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 in
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 the
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 first
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 place
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 don't
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 forget
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01 at
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 the
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 end
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 of
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 chapter
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 eight
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 we
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 have
00:31:03 --> 00:31:05 declaring
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 that
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 there
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 is
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 no
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 in
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 no
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 uncertain
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 terms
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 whatsoever
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 that
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 God's
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 promises
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 to
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 his
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 to
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 believers
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 in
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 Jesus
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 Christ
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 are
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 absolutely
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 rock
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 solid
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 you
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 can
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 be
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 confident
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 of
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 your
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 salvation
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 in
00:31:21 --> 00:31:21 Jesus
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 Christ
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 nothing
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 he
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 says
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 can
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 separate
00:31:24 --> 00:31:24 us
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 from
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 Jesus
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 God's
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 word
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 is
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 true
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 it
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 is
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 reliable
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 it
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 is
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 consistent
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 God's
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 promises
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 are
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 always
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 completed
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 and
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 fulfilled
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 not
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 one
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 single
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 bit
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 falls
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 to
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 the
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 ground
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 God's
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 chain
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 of
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 salvation
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 as
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 as
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 Aidan
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 said
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 is
00:31:42 --> 00:31:44 unbreakable
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 those
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 who
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 have
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 been
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 elect
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 will
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 be
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 glorified
00:31:49 --> 00:31:51 and so
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 we start
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 beginning
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 of chapter
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 nine
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 what about
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 Israel
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 then
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 you know
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 has
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 God
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 failed
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 them
00:31:57 --> 00:32:01 has
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 God's
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 plan
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 of
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 salvation
00:32:02 --> 00:32:02 failed
00:32:02 --> 00:32:04 that's
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 the
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 undercurrent
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 of all
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 of
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 nine
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 to
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 eleven
00:32:06 --> 00:32:09 and
00:32:09 --> 00:32:09 that
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 issue
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 as
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 I
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 said
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 at
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 the
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 beginning
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 is
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 a
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 deeply
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 personal
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 issue
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 for
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 the
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 Jewish
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 Paul
00:32:18 --> 00:32:20 a
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 deeply
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 personal
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 issue
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 he
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 is
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 at
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 the
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 beginning
00:32:23 --> 00:32:23 of
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 chapter
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 nine
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 in
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 deep
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 anguish
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 about
00:32:27 --> 00:32:27 his
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 people
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 deep
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 anguish
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 this
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 is
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 not
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 an
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 intellectual
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 exercise
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 for
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 him
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 this
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 is
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 not
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 a
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 lecture
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 room
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 where
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 we
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 got
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 an
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 exam
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 to
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 complete
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 at
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 the
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 end
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 of
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 this
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 understanding
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 God's
00:32:38 --> 00:32:38 sovereignty
00:32:38 --> 00:32:38 and
00:32:38 --> 00:32:38 human
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 responsibility
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 this
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 is
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 not
00:32:41 --> 00:32:41 a
00:32:41 --> 00:32:41 book
00:32:41 --> 00:32:41 that
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 he's
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 writing
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 for
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 distribution
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 per
00:32:44 --> 00:32:44 se
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 so
00:32:45 --> 00:32:45 that
00:32:45 --> 00:32:45 he
00:32:45 --> 00:32:45 can
00:32:45 --> 00:32:45 sell
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 things
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 this
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 is
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 a
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 deeply
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 personal
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 issue
00:32:50 --> 00:32:53 he's
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 in
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 anguish
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 in
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 chapter
00:32:55 --> 00:32:55 nine
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 and
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 at
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 the
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 end
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 of
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 chapter
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 11
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 he
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 just
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 breaks
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 out
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 in
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 spontaneous
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 worship
00:33:01 --> 00:33:06 and
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 there
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 are
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 things
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 we
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 can
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 learn
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 from
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 these
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 verses
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 but
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 I'm
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 going to
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 throw
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 up
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 four
00:33:12 --> 00:33:14 firstly
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 there
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 is
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 no
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 worship
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 without
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 truth
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 Paul
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 is
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 quoting
00:33:19 --> 00:33:19 scripture
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 as he
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 praises
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 God
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 spontaneously
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 in
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 verse
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 34
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 he quotes
00:33:23 --> 00:33:23 from
00:33:23 --> 00:33:23 Isaiah
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 40
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 13
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 and
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 in
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 verse
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 35
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 he quotes
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 from
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 Job
00:33:28 --> 00:33:28 41
00:33:28 --> 00:33:28 verse
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 11
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 knowing
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 scripture
00:33:31 --> 00:33:33 intimately
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 makes
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 an
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 enormous
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 difference
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 both
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 in the
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 ignition
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 of praise
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 in the
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 heart
00:33:41 --> 00:33:43 and
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 in the
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 expression
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 of the
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 praise
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 that comes
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 out of
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 your
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 mouth
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 many
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 books
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 will
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 teach
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 meditation
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 and
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 spiritual
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 techniques
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 to
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 centre
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 on
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 things
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 like
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 visualisations
00:33:55 --> 00:33:55 of
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 incidences
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 of
00:33:57 --> 00:33:57 one's
00:33:57 --> 00:33:57 past
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 life
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 or
00:33:58 --> 00:34:00 visualisation
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 of
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 phrases
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 or
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 images
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 or
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 even
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 of
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 nothing
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 at
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 all
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 in
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 fact
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 there's
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 a lot
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 of
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 meditation
00:34:06 --> 00:34:06 that says
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 you
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 got to
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 get to
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 a point
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 where you
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 don't
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 visualise
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 anything
00:34:09 --> 00:34:09 and just
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 nothing
00:34:10 --> 00:34:12 worship
00:34:12 --> 00:34:15 of the
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 creator
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 God
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 the biblical
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 is totally
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 different
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 than that
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 worship
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 should not
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 come
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 from
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 meditation
00:34:23 --> 00:34:23 in
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 general
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 or of
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 nothing
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 in
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 particular
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 but
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 through
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 the
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 meditation
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 of
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 scripture
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 specifically
00:34:30 --> 00:34:32 the
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 bible
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 must
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 always
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 be
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 the
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 centre
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 of
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 any
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 public
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 or
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 private
00:34:36 --> 00:34:36 praise
00:34:36 --> 00:34:36 and
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 worship
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 secondly
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 there
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 is no
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 teaching
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 there
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 should
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 be
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 no
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 teaching
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 or
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 study
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 of
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 truth
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 without
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 worship
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 that's
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 the
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 point
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 of
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 the
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 truth
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 to
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 look
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 to
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 the
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 truth
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 so
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 that
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 we
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 see
00:34:50 --> 00:34:51 God
00:34:51 --> 00:34:51 and
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 engage
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 with
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 him
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 it's
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 about
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 communion
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 with
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 him
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 Paul
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 does
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 not
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 just
00:34:55 --> 00:34:56 teach
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 or
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 study
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 truth
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 without
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 using
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 it
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 immediately
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 as a
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 basis
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 for the
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 praise
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 of
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 God
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 he
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 never
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 treats
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 truth
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 as
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 something
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 just to be
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 known
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 something to
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 be debated
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 with
00:35:07 --> 00:35:09 something
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 or even
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 just to be
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 applied
00:35:10 --> 00:35:12 but as a
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 gateway
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 into
00:35:14 --> 00:35:14 praise
00:35:14 --> 00:35:16 and so
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 if you
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 study
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 great
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 doctrines
00:35:19 --> 00:35:19 like
00:35:19 --> 00:35:19 God's
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 sovereignty
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 and
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 human
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 responsibility
00:35:21 --> 00:35:21 and
00:35:21 --> 00:35:22 election
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 and all
00:35:22 --> 00:35:22 that
00:35:22 --> 00:35:24 sort
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 of
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 stuff
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 you
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 study
00:35:25 --> 00:35:25 all
00:35:25 --> 00:35:26 of
00:35:26 --> 00:35:26 those
00:35:26 --> 00:35:26 things
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 and
00:35:27 --> 00:35:27 never
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 works
00:35:28 --> 00:35:28 over
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 into
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 worship
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 for you
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 you've
00:35:31 --> 00:35:32 totally
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 missed
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 the point
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 of it
00:35:33 --> 00:35:33 all
00:35:33 --> 00:35:36 and
00:35:36 --> 00:35:36 it
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 itself
00:35:37 --> 00:35:39 the fact
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 that it
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 never
00:35:39 --> 00:35:40 flows
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 over
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 to
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 worship
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 is
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 in
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 itself
00:35:42 --> 00:35:47 and
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 I
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 say
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 this
00:35:47 --> 00:35:48 gently
00:35:48 --> 00:35:50 an
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 indication
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 of a
00:35:51 --> 00:35:51 hard
00:35:51 --> 00:35:52 heart
00:35:52 --> 00:35:55 now
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 is the
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 day
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 for
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 humility
00:35:56 --> 00:35:58 now
00:35:58 --> 00:35:58 is the
00:35:58 --> 00:35:58 day
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 to
00:35:59 --> 00:35:59 confess
00:35:59 --> 00:35:59 that
00:35:59 --> 00:36:01 and
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 to
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 surrender
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 to
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 Christ
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 the
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 God
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 you
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 don't
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 know
00:36:03 --> 00:36:04 fully
00:36:04 --> 00:36:06 Paul
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 never
00:36:07 --> 00:36:07 treats
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 truth
00:36:08 --> 00:36:08 just as
00:36:08 --> 00:36:08 something
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 to be
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 known
00:36:09 --> 00:36:09 or
00:36:09 --> 00:36:10 applied
00:36:10 --> 00:36:11 but as
00:36:11 --> 00:36:11 a gateway
00:36:11 --> 00:36:11 to
00:36:11 --> 00:36:12 praise
00:36:12 --> 00:36:12 of
00:36:12 --> 00:36:12 God
00:36:12 --> 00:36:13 we
00:36:13 --> 00:36:13 are
00:36:13 --> 00:36:14 never
00:36:14 --> 00:36:14 to
00:36:14 --> 00:36:14 study
00:36:14 --> 00:36:14 the
00:36:14 --> 00:36:15 Bible
00:36:15 --> 00:36:15 or
00:36:15 --> 00:36:15 to
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 study
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 God
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 in
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 a
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 detached
00:36:17 --> 00:36:17 cool
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 manner
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 we
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 must
00:36:19 --> 00:36:19 let
00:36:19 --> 00:36:19 ourselves
00:36:19 --> 00:36:20 be
00:36:20 --> 00:36:20 disturbed
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 we
00:36:21 --> 00:36:21 must
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 let
00:36:22 --> 00:36:22 ourselves
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 to be
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 confronted
00:36:24 --> 00:36:26 comforted
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 and
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 challenged
00:36:28 --> 00:36:29 by
00:36:29 --> 00:36:29 the
00:36:29 --> 00:36:29 truth
00:36:29 --> 00:36:31 we
00:36:31 --> 00:36:32 must
00:36:32 --> 00:36:32 always
00:36:32 --> 00:36:33 allow
00:36:33 --> 00:36:33 ourselves
00:36:33 --> 00:36:33 to
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 feel
00:36:34 --> 00:36:34 its
00:36:34 --> 00:36:34 power
00:36:34 --> 00:36:36 thirdly
00:36:36 --> 00:36:38 truth
00:36:38 --> 00:36:38 that
00:36:38 --> 00:36:38 exalts
00:36:38 --> 00:36:39 God
00:36:39 --> 00:36:39 leads
00:36:39 --> 00:36:39 to
00:36:39 --> 00:36:40 the
00:36:40 --> 00:36:40 greatest
00:36:40 --> 00:36:40 joy
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 in
00:36:41 --> 00:36:41 life
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 Paul
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 does
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 not
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 find
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 the
00:36:43 --> 00:36:43 deepest
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 impulses
00:36:44 --> 00:36:44 for
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 praise
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 here
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 by
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 looking
00:36:45 --> 00:36:47 at
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 human
00:36:47 --> 00:36:48 accomplishments
00:36:48 --> 00:36:50 praise
00:36:50 --> 00:36:50 comes to
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 the degree
00:36:51 --> 00:36:51 that we
00:36:51 --> 00:36:52 see
00:36:52 --> 00:36:52 our
00:36:52 --> 00:36:53 weakness
00:36:53 --> 00:36:54 we see
00:36:54 --> 00:36:54 our
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 impotence
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 and our
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 complete
00:36:57 --> 00:36:57 dependency
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 upon
00:36:58 --> 00:36:58 God
00:36:58 --> 00:36:58 when we
00:36:58 --> 00:36:59 understand
00:36:59 --> 00:37:00 our
00:37:00 --> 00:37:01 smallness
00:37:01 --> 00:37:01 our
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 limitation
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 and his
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 limitlessness
00:37:04 --> 00:37:05 and his
00:37:05 --> 00:37:07 bigness
00:37:07 --> 00:37:10 in
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 other
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 words
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 the
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 doctrines
00:37:11 --> 00:37:11 of
00:37:11 --> 00:37:12 God's
00:37:12 --> 00:37:12 complete
00:37:12 --> 00:37:13 sovereignty
00:37:13 --> 00:37:13 in
00:37:13 --> 00:37:14 salvation
00:37:14 --> 00:37:14 are
00:37:14 --> 00:37:15 what
00:37:15 --> 00:37:15 leads
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 Paul
00:37:16 --> 00:37:16 here
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 to
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 the
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 greatest
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 joy
00:37:18 --> 00:37:18 and
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 praise
00:37:19 --> 00:37:21 we
00:37:21 --> 00:37:21 have
00:37:21 --> 00:37:22 never
00:37:22 --> 00:37:22 given
00:37:22 --> 00:37:23 God
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 anything
00:37:23 --> 00:37:25 he
00:37:25 --> 00:37:26 owes
00:37:26 --> 00:37:26 us
00:37:26 --> 00:37:27 nothing
00:37:27 --> 00:37:31 these
00:37:31 --> 00:37:31 are
00:37:31 --> 00:37:31 the
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 ideas
00:37:32 --> 00:37:32 that
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 well
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 up
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 in
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 Paul
00:37:34 --> 00:37:34 in
00:37:34 --> 00:37:34 such
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 a
00:37:35 --> 00:37:35 way
00:37:35 --> 00:37:36 that
00:37:36 --> 00:37:36 it
00:37:36 --> 00:37:37 overflows
00:37:37 --> 00:37:38 with
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 worship
00:37:39 --> 00:37:39 and joy
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 and
00:37:40 --> 00:37:40 lastly
00:37:40 --> 00:37:41 Paul
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 does
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 not
00:37:41 --> 00:37:42 even
00:37:42 --> 00:37:42 get
00:37:42 --> 00:37:43 troubled
00:37:43 --> 00:37:43 by
00:37:43 --> 00:37:44 the
00:37:44 --> 00:37:44 parts
00:37:44 --> 00:37:45 of
00:37:45 --> 00:37:45 the
00:37:45 --> 00:37:45 Bible
00:37:45 --> 00:37:46 and
00:37:46 --> 00:37:46 God's
00:37:46 --> 00:37:47 ways
00:37:47 --> 00:37:47 that
00:37:47 --> 00:37:47 he
00:37:47 --> 00:37:47 cannot
00:37:47 --> 00:37:47 discern
00:37:47 --> 00:37:48 or
00:37:48 --> 00:37:48 figure
00:37:48 --> 00:37:48 out
00:37:48 --> 00:37:49 verse
00:37:49 --> 00:37:50 33
00:37:50 --> 00:37:50 is
00:37:50 --> 00:37:50 such
00:37:50 --> 00:37:51 a
00:37:51 --> 00:37:51 key
00:37:51 --> 00:37:52 verse
00:37:52 --> 00:37:52 here
00:37:52 --> 00:37:54 oh
00:37:54 --> 00:37:55 the
00:37:55 --> 00:37:55 depths
00:37:55 --> 00:37:57 of
00:37:57 --> 00:37:57 the
00:37:57 --> 00:37:57 riches
00:37:57 --> 00:37:58 of
00:37:58 --> 00:37:58 the
00:37:58 --> 00:37:59 wisdom
00:37:59 --> 00:37:59 and
00:37:59 --> 00:37:59 the
00:37:59 --> 00:37:59 knowledge
00:37:59 --> 00:38:00 of
00:38:00 --> 00:38:00 God
00:38:00 --> 00:38:02 how
00:38:02 --> 00:38:03 unsearchable
00:38:03 --> 00:38:03 his
00:38:03 --> 00:38:04 judgments
00:38:04 --> 00:38:05 in
00:38:05 --> 00:38:05 other
00:38:05 --> 00:38:05 words
00:38:05 --> 00:38:06 for
00:38:06 --> 00:38:06 us
00:38:06 --> 00:38:07 it's
00:38:07 --> 00:38:08 if
00:38:08 --> 00:38:08 you
00:38:08 --> 00:38:08 have
00:38:08 --> 00:38:09 not
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 got
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 to
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 a
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 point
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 of
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 mystery
00:38:10 --> 00:38:11 you've
00:38:11 --> 00:38:11 missed
00:38:11 --> 00:38:11 God
00:38:11 --> 00:38:13 how
00:38:13 --> 00:38:14 unsearchable
00:38:14 --> 00:38:15 his
00:38:15 --> 00:38:15 judgments
00:38:15 --> 00:38:17 and
00:38:17 --> 00:38:17 his
00:38:17 --> 00:38:17 paths
00:38:17 --> 00:38:18 beyond
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 tracing
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 out
00:38:18 --> 00:38:19 many
00:38:19 --> 00:38:20 people
00:38:20 --> 00:38:20 feel
00:38:20 --> 00:38:21 that
00:38:21 --> 00:38:21 they
00:38:21 --> 00:38:21 cannot
00:38:21 --> 00:38:22 get
00:38:22 --> 00:38:22 to
00:38:22 --> 00:38:22 the
00:38:22 --> 00:38:22 point
00:38:22 --> 00:38:22 of
00:38:22 --> 00:38:23 bowing
00:38:23 --> 00:38:23 the
00:38:23 --> 00:38:23 knee
00:38:23 --> 00:38:24 and
00:38:24 --> 00:38:24 surrendering
00:38:24 --> 00:38:24 to
00:38:24 --> 00:38:25 God
00:38:25 --> 00:38:25 and
00:38:25 --> 00:38:26 worshipping
00:38:26 --> 00:38:26 God
00:38:26 --> 00:38:26 unless
00:38:26 --> 00:38:27 they've
00:38:27 --> 00:38:27 understood
00:38:27 --> 00:38:28 everything
00:38:28 --> 00:38:29 about
00:38:29 --> 00:38:29 him
00:38:29 --> 00:38:32 Paul
00:38:32 --> 00:38:33 knew
00:38:33 --> 00:38:33 that
00:38:33 --> 00:38:33 was
00:38:33 --> 00:38:33 an
00:38:33 --> 00:38:34 impossibility
00:38:34 --> 00:38:35 without
00:38:35 --> 00:38:35 even
00:38:35 --> 00:38:36 studying
00:38:36 --> 00:38:37 theology
00:38:37 --> 00:38:38 just
00:38:38 --> 00:38:39 philosophically
00:38:39 --> 00:38:39 it's an
00:38:39 --> 00:38:40 impossibility
00:38:40 --> 00:38:41 it's an
00:38:41 --> 00:38:42 impossibility
00:38:42 --> 00:38:42 for the
00:38:42 --> 00:38:43 finite
00:38:43 --> 00:38:43 to know
00:38:43 --> 00:38:44 the
00:38:44 --> 00:38:44 infinite
00:38:44 --> 00:38:46 it's
00:38:46 --> 00:38:46 an
00:38:46 --> 00:38:47 impossibility
00:38:47 --> 00:38:48 for those
00:38:48 --> 00:38:48 who are
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49 time bound
00:38:49 --> 00:38:49 to
00:38:49 --> 00:38:50 understand
00:38:50 --> 00:38:52 timelessness
00:38:52 --> 00:38:54 you
00:38:54 --> 00:38:55 can't
00:38:55 --> 00:38:55 get
00:38:55 --> 00:38:55 your
00:38:55 --> 00:38:55 mind
00:38:55 --> 00:38:55 around
00:38:55 --> 00:38:56 it
00:38:56 --> 00:38:58 a
00:38:58 --> 00:38:58 God
00:38:58 --> 00:38:58 whose
00:38:58 --> 00:38:59 counsel
00:38:59 --> 00:38:59 we
00:38:59 --> 00:38:59 could
00:38:59 --> 00:39:00 fully
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 grasp
00:39:01 --> 00:39:02 whose
00:39:02 --> 00:39:03 ways
00:39:03 --> 00:39:03 that
00:39:03 --> 00:39:03 we
00:39:03 --> 00:39:03 could
00:39:03 --> 00:39:04 fully
00:39:04 --> 00:39:04 discern
00:39:04 --> 00:39:05 whose
00:39:05 --> 00:39:06 nature
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 we
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 could
00:39:06 --> 00:39:07 fully
00:39:07 --> 00:39:08 explain
00:39:08 --> 00:39:09 would
00:39:09 --> 00:39:10 be
00:39:10 --> 00:39:10 no
00:39:10 --> 00:39:11 greater
00:39:11 --> 00:39:12 than
00:39:12 --> 00:39:13 your
00:39:13 --> 00:39:14 mind
00:39:14 --> 00:39:16 and
00:39:16 --> 00:39:16 by
00:39:16 --> 00:39:17 definition
00:39:17 --> 00:39:20 no
00:39:20 --> 00:39:20 longer
00:39:20 --> 00:39:21 divine
00:39:21 --> 00:39:24 because
00:39:24 --> 00:39:24 that
00:39:24 --> 00:39:25 divine
00:39:25 --> 00:39:25 being
00:39:25 --> 00:39:26 is
00:39:26 --> 00:39:26 all
00:39:26 --> 00:39:26 of a
00:39:26 --> 00:39:26 sudden
00:39:26 --> 00:39:27 limited
00:39:27 --> 00:39:31 it is
00:39:31 --> 00:39:31 not
00:39:31 --> 00:39:32 a cop
00:39:32 --> 00:39:32 out
00:39:32 --> 00:39:32 to
00:39:32 --> 00:39:33 call
00:39:33 --> 00:39:33 some
00:39:33 --> 00:39:33 things
00:39:33 --> 00:39:34 about
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 God
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 and
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 his
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 ways
00:39:34 --> 00:39:35 of
00:39:35 --> 00:39:35 mystery
00:39:35 --> 00:39:36 it's
00:39:36 --> 00:39:36 a
00:39:36 --> 00:39:36 point
00:39:36 --> 00:39:36 of
00:39:36 --> 00:39:37 praise
00:39:37 --> 00:39:37 and
00:39:37 --> 00:39:37 worship
00:39:37 --> 00:39:38 the
00:39:38 --> 00:39:39 God
00:39:39 --> 00:39:39 of
00:39:39 --> 00:39:39 the
00:39:39 --> 00:39:40 Bible
00:39:40 --> 00:39:40 is
00:39:40 --> 00:39:41 far
00:39:41 --> 00:39:41 bigger
00:39:41 --> 00:39:42 than
00:39:42 --> 00:39:42 you
00:39:42 --> 00:39:43 and
00:39:43 --> 00:39:44 me
00:39:44 --> 00:39:47 and
00:39:47 --> 00:39:47 so
00:39:47 --> 00:39:48 with
00:39:48 --> 00:39:48 Paul
00:39:48 --> 00:39:49 we
00:39:49 --> 00:39:50 actually
00:39:50 --> 00:39:50 don't
00:39:50 --> 00:39:50 need
00:39:50 --> 00:39:51 to be
00:39:51 --> 00:39:51 worried
00:39:51 --> 00:39:51 about
00:39:51 --> 00:39:52 that
00:39:52 --> 00:39:54 we
00:39:54 --> 00:39:54 don't
00:39:54 --> 00:39:54 need
00:39:54 --> 00:39:55 to be
00:39:55 --> 00:39:55 worried
00:39:55 --> 00:39:55 that we
00:39:55 --> 00:39:56 don't
00:39:56 --> 00:39:56 understand
00:39:56 --> 00:39:57 everything
00:39:57 --> 00:39:57 about
00:39:57 --> 00:39:57 him
00:39:57 --> 00:39:57 and
00:39:57 --> 00:39:57 his
00:39:57 --> 00:39:58 plan
00:39:58 --> 00:40:00 he
00:40:00 --> 00:40:00 has
00:40:00 --> 00:40:00 revealed
00:40:00 --> 00:40:01 enough
00:40:01 --> 00:40:01 for
00:40:01 --> 00:40:02 us
00:40:02 --> 00:40:02 to
00:40:02 --> 00:40:03 be
00:40:03 --> 00:40:03 confident
00:40:03 --> 00:40:03 in
00:40:03 --> 00:40:04 him
00:40:04 --> 00:40:06 he
00:40:06 --> 00:40:07 is
00:40:07 --> 00:40:07 reliable
00:40:07 --> 00:40:09 he
00:40:09 --> 00:40:09 is
00:40:09 --> 00:40:10 trustworthy
00:40:10 --> 00:40:11 he
00:40:11 --> 00:40:11 is
00:40:11 --> 00:40:12 merciful
00:40:12 --> 00:40:13 he
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 is
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 righteous
00:40:13 --> 00:40:15 we
00:40:15 --> 00:40:16 praise
00:40:16 --> 00:40:16 him
00:40:16 --> 00:40:16 for
00:40:16 --> 00:40:17 all
00:40:17 --> 00:40:17 that
00:40:17 --> 00:40:17 he
00:40:17 --> 00:40:17 has
00:40:17 --> 00:40:18 revealed
00:40:18 --> 00:40:19 and
00:40:19 --> 00:40:19 we
00:40:19 --> 00:40:19 praise
00:40:19 --> 00:40:20 him
00:40:20 --> 00:40:20 that
00:40:20 --> 00:40:20 there
00:40:20 --> 00:40:20 is
00:40:20 --> 00:40:21 so
00:40:21 --> 00:40:21 much
00:40:21 --> 00:40:21 more
00:40:21 --> 00:40:21 that
00:40:21 --> 00:40:22 he
00:40:22 --> 00:40:22 has
00:40:22 --> 00:40:22 not
00:40:22 --> 00:40:23 revealed
00:40:23 --> 00:40:26 we
00:40:26 --> 00:40:26 may
00:40:26 --> 00:40:26 not
00:40:26 --> 00:40:27 be
00:40:27 --> 00:40:27 able
00:40:27 --> 00:40:27 to
00:40:27 --> 00:40:28 understand
00:40:28 --> 00:40:28 everything
00:40:28 --> 00:40:29 about
00:40:29 --> 00:40:29 him
00:40:29 --> 00:40:30 and
00:40:30 --> 00:40:30 his
00:40:30 --> 00:40:30 ways
00:40:30 --> 00:40:31 but
00:40:31 --> 00:40:32 we
00:40:32 --> 00:40:32 are
00:40:32 --> 00:40:33 able
00:40:33 --> 00:40:33 to
00:40:33 --> 00:40:34 marvel
00:40:34 --> 00:40:34 at
00:40:34 --> 00:40:34 him
00:40:34 --> 00:40:36 and
00:40:36 --> 00:40:36 so
00:40:36 --> 00:40:36 we
00:40:36 --> 00:40:37 echo
00:40:37 --> 00:40:37 with
00:40:37 --> 00:40:37 the
00:40:37 --> 00:40:38 apostle
00:40:38 --> 00:40:38 Paul
00:40:38 --> 00:40:39 in
00:40:39 --> 00:40:39 verse
00:40:39 --> 00:40:40 36
00:40:40 --> 00:40:41 to
00:40:41 --> 00:40:41 him
00:40:41 --> 00:40:42 be
00:40:42 --> 00:40:42 glory
00:40:42 --> 00:40:43 forever
00:40:43 --> 00:40:45 amen