ROMANS 9B

ROMANS 9B
Introduction:
Recap Sunday AM
The heart cry of Paul is Israel’s salvation.
That salvation does not come through your earthly father.
I want to try and cover the rest of chapter 9 tonight.    
Going to the end of chapter 9 before we try to unfold this passage beginning at verse 14.
The promise talked about is set before us as a stone laid in Zion. 
Verses 32 & 33
Trusting in Him who is that stone brings about our salvation.
Stumbling over that stone takes us down that darksome path.
Let’s try to put the pieces together from verse 14 to this point.
These verses bring to the forefront the predestination thought some more. 

I.    God’s sovereign righteousness   Vs. 14-18

A.    The question is raised,  Is God unjust?
This goes back a few verses. 
Is God unjust because he chose Jacob over Esau before they were even born.
How can he do that  and be just and right?

B.    Paul answers no, not at all.
He quotes from Exodus 33:19.
Moses is experiencing the glory of the Lord on the mountain.
God is telling him there that he will have mercy and compassion on whom he does.

C.    The key is God and not man.
It does not depend on man’s desire or effort.
He sites Pharaoh as an example. 
Vs. 17
This is what God said to Pharaoh in Exodus 9:16
There are times that the hardening of his heart is attributed to God and at other times to Pharaoh himself.
We need to understand that Pharaoh’s heart was already in opposition to God.
God judged appropriately.
Pharaoh resisted God’s will so God hardened his heart further.
God did not arbitrarily harden his heart.  He hardened the rejecting heart.     This goes back to Romans 1:21-32.
Vs 18 says that God will have mercy on who He wants to have mercy on and harden who he wants to harden. 

II.    A defense of that sovereign righteousness   Vs. 19-23

A.    So it is not my fault but God’s.
He relays what might appear to be a conversation back and forth. 
You might very well say so why does God blame me. 
So how can anyone resist God’s will.
If I can’t resist God’s will how can you blame me? 

B.    The example of the potter and the clay.
How can what is formed criticize the one who formed it?
Can’t the potter make what he desires to make out of the clay?
He can make simple everyday bowls and cups.
He can also make fancy, collectable, beautiful pottery.  

C.    God is doing all that he can to get man to accept the mercy that he desires to pour out. 
Vs. 22,24  What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23. What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24. even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
We know that accepting God’s mercy translates into glory. 
We have already talked a bit about glory.

III.    God’s calling of the Gentiles and the remnant of Israel.   Vs. 24-29

A.    God has called Jews and Gentiles alike.
Vs. 24 even us references his calling us as objects of his mercy to receive glory.

B.    Verses 25-29 are quotes for the OT.
Hosea 2:23
God is referencing a nation and a people group.
He is not referencing an individual.
He is talking about the Jew and the future acceptance of the Gentiles. 
God brought Israel out of Egypt to establish a covenant relationship with them.
God’s desire is a covenant relationship with all people.
The last part of this verse includes the Gentiles into the church, this covenant relationship with God. 
I Peter 2:9,10
Hosea 1:10
In spite of Israel’s sin and wickedness God would find a way to see a remnant saved. 
That remnant would end up being many. 
Genesis 22:17
God’s promise to Abraham.
This happened on the Mount where Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac. 
Isaiah 10:22,23
Again as numerous as the sand.
Destruction will come as decreed.
Isaiah 1:9
The rebellious nation.
The impending destruction on the nation.

Conclusion:   
The bottom line of the election process is still our acceptance or rejection of the stone laid in Zion.