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Romans 15:7-13

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  1. Good morning to everyone. Join me in your copy of God's Word in the book of Romans.

  2. We're getting closer and closer to finishing this wonderful book we've been working through

  3. ! Today we'll be in Romans chapter 15, starting in verse 7.

    Romans 15 chapter mention

  4. But as I usually like to do a really quick recap.

  5. But throughout most of Paul's letter, he's been establishing the strong biblical and doctrinal

  6. foundations of our salvation and our redemption in Christ.

  7. And very important, like if you ever want like a legal argument for our salvation, it is the book of Romans.

  8. That's like what you want to take in your heart and in your soul to God's court one day.

  9. It is a wonderful, wonderful arguments for our salvation all from the Word of God.

  10. And so in these latter chapters, chapter 12 all the way up to chapter 15 here,

  11. Paul is working out the practical gospel implications of everyday living.

  12. Like what does saving grace look like in the life of believers in light of all that God has done for us?

  13. Namely, what he's written about up until this point.

  14. All these wonderful things about salvation, redemption, justification, reconciliation,

  15. all these wonderful things that Christ has brought to us.

  16. Therefore, live this way.

  17. And in fact, what I would argue is these are just as important chapters as the ones who have gone before.

  18. They're linked because your ability to and desire to live out these things kind of display what you actually believe about the first few chapters.

  19. So in light of these things, we live a certain way to glorify God.

  20. And last week we talked about verses chapter 15, 1 through 6,

  21. which Paul calls the strong believers, the mature believers,

  22. those who are further along in their relationship with Christ,

  23. to bear with the failings of the weak believers.

  24. We talked about that at length last week.

  25. To seek to please your brethren as Christ did.

  26. And with the help of God, the scripture, be patient so that you will with one mind and mouth glorify God.

  27. That was sort of where we were last week.

  28. And where we're going today in verses 18 through 13,

  29. Paul gives us more reasons for accepting one another

  30. by showing mutual acceptance, not just between the strong and the weak, but Jew and Gentile.

  31. I know it may feel like Paul has beaten this to death in Romans,

  32. but he continues to, and there's a reason why he does.

  33. To show mutual acceptance between Jews and Gentiles

  34. is an essential outworking of God's great plan of salvation throughout history.

  35. One commentator wrote,

  36. Paul sets the local conflict in Rome against the panorama of salvation and history

  37. in order to stimulate them to obedience.

  38. So Paul is holding up these Jews and Gentiles in Rome

  39. who are in danger of falling out of fellowship with one another because of differences.

  40. And he brings them together, pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ and what he has accomplished.

  41. So let's read our text today.

  42. Romans 15, starting in verse 7.

  43. Connecting it to last week.

  44. Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God.

  45. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised

  46. to show God's truthfulness in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs

  47. in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.

  48. As it is written,

  49. Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing to your name.

  50. And again, it said,

  51. Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.

  52. And again, praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let the peoples extol him.

  53. And again, it says,

  54. The root of Jesse will come,

  55. even one who arises to rule the Gentiles.

  56. In him would the Gentiles hope.

  57. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

  58. so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

  59. Let's pray with me.

  60. Lord, so much in your word for us to treasure.

  61. I pray that your word would be applied to my heart and the hearts of all who are here,

  62. that you would have your desired effect,

  63. that your word would pierce,

  64. your word would convict and challenge and encourage and build up,

  65. exhort,

  66. that you would just have your way during this time.

  67. In Christ's name, amen.

  68. So we're going to walk through this with four points.

  69. Didn't have five for you.

  70. Just four.

  71. So point number one,

  72. how we can walk through this text together,

  73. is receive one another in Christ.

  74. It's verse 7.

  75. Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God.

  76. And Paul understands,

  77. just like we see today,

  78. that division in the church is a stain on the gospel.

  79. Like true division in the church,

  80. fighting among true believers.

  81. And so this verse is the summary verse of the ones that he just talked about before.

  82. So welcome means to accept,

  83. to receive with the utmost special concern.

  84. It's used in Acts 28 when Paul was shipwrecked off the coast of Malta.

  85. And it says that the native people showed us unusual,

  86. extraordinary kindness,

  87. for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all,

  88. because it had begun to rain and was cold.

  89. So show one another this extraordinary,

  90. unusual kindness that goes beyond what normally is expected.

  91. Paul calling all believers to live in unity with not just the strong,

  92. the weak,

  93. the immature,

  94. the mature,

  95. the Jew,

  96. the Gentile.

  97. He's calling all of them to love and welcome,

  98. to receive one another with the utmost concern.

  99. So why are we to do this?

  100. It's far easier,

  101. even as believers sometimes,

  102. just to ignore those people that get on our nerves,

  103. or ignore people that we have minor differences with,

  104. just to disassociate from believers that we have those disagreements with.

  105. But why are we to have the utmost concern for our fellow believers?

  106. Paul gives us the answer,

  107. because of all that God has done for us in Christ.

  108. So, a question for us.

  109. What does your willingness to accept and be patient with other true Christians

  110. reveal about your own faith in Christ,

  111. and your understanding of the Gospel?

  112. What does your willingness to accept and love one another reveal

  113. about your understanding of the Gospel,

  114. or lack thereof?

  115. We have to be reminded of this.

  116. Paul constantly is reminding us,

  117. don't forget where you once were,

  118. and where Christ has brought you from.

  119. I have just one place for you to turn today,

  120. outside of our main text,

  121. but keep your hand in Romans,

  122. and look at Titus chapter 3.

    Titus 3 chapter mention

  123. Titus chapter 3.

    Titus 3 chapter mention

  124. One of those great Gospel passages.

  125. Titus chapter 3, verse 3.

    Titus 3:3

  126. Paul wrote,

  127. So, do not forget that.

  128. That's where we all once were.

  129. Even if you quote,

  130. were a good person before you became a Christian.

  131. The book of Romans has thoroughly proven that no one is good.

  132. We all lived this way.

  133. This is once who we were.

  134. Separator from God.

  135. And then verse 4.

  136. That great word.

  137. But, when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,

  138. He saved us,

  139. not because of works done by us in righteousness,

  140. but according to His own mercy,

  141. by the washing of regeneration, renewal of the Holy Spirit.

  142. So, never forget where you come from,

  143. that we all have our common origin in sin.

  144. That's what brings us together in one way.

  145. And the other way is to remember that we have been brought out of that together

  146. by the mercy of God.

  147. His mercy alone.

  148. We're never to let that grow old in our minds.

  149. So, we're to welcome one another,

  150. to accept,

  151. to show the utmost concern for our fellow believers.

  152. Your willingness and mind to accept others in the body

  153. correlates directly to your understanding and faith

  154. of how God has graciously accepted you in Christ.

  155. Do you see that?

  156. It's connected.

  157. If you aren't able and unwilling to love and accept others,

  158. especially the ones that are hard to deal with sometimes,

  159. Christ says it's easy to love those who love you.

  160. So, that idea,

  161. if you fail to do that,

  162. that shows you,

  163. it reveals that your understanding of the Gospel is weak.

  164. Right?

  165. That's what this reveals.

  166. So, welcome one another in Christ.

  167. Spurgeon wrote about this passage,

  168. Christ did not receive us because we were perfect,

  169. or because He could see no fault in us,

  170. or because He hoped to gain something from us,

  171. not at all.

  172. But, in loving condescension,

  173. He covered our faults and sought our good.

  174. He welcomed us into relationship with Him.

  175. So, in the same way,

  176. and with the same purpose,

  177. we as Christians must receive one another.

  178. So, does your willingness to love and receive others in the church

  179. reflect the faith of the One who has welcomed us unto Himself?

  180. That's what is important to remember.

  181. So, failure to accept or welcome one another in love and compassion

  182. is an affront to the Savior who has welcomed us.

  183. I hope you can see that.

  184. At the very least, this indicates our immaturity,

  185. if we're unwilling to do that.

  186. Maybe we're the weak that Paul just spoke of.

  187. And at the very most,

  188. it might lead us to question our own standing with God

  189. if we have no regard for our fellow believers.

  190. So, in conclusion,

  191. the strong, the weak,

  192. the Jew, the Gentile,

  193. are exhorted to accept one another,

  194. for they have been graciously accepted by God in Christ.

  195. Even though we were sinners,

  196. even though we were separated,

  197. He's welcomed us.

  198. And such mutual acceptance brings,

  199. look at the end of that verse,

  200. great glory to God.

  201. Look, nothing else matters, alright?

  202. Nothing else matters.

  203. Like, if you fail to grasp the concept of God's glory,

  204. then you're lost.

  205. You are lost.

  206. You will never understand the Word of God

  207. and what the purpose of history is.

  208. My glory fades.

  209. Yours fades.

  210. And a few generations will probably all be forgotten.

  211. There's many people, being a history guy,

  212. I can name a whole list of names,

  213. and most of you would have no idea who they are.

  214. Most people.

  215. And they did great things in their time.

  216. Our glory is fading like the flower of the field.

  217. And this life is brief,

  218. but the glory of God remains forever.

  219. Nothing else matters.

  220. And so he's saying,

  221. your unity,

  222. your ability to love and accept one another,

  223. is one of these ways that brings great glory to God.

  224. point number two.

  225. Point two.

  226. Christ has fulfilled God's promises to save the nations.

  227. Christ has fulfilled God's promises to save the nations.

  228. Verse eight.

  229. It goes on.

  230. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised

  231. to show God's truthfulness

  232. in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs.

  233. So there's one of those startling phrases.

  234. A phrase that confused many people in his own time.

  235. Christ came as a servant.

  236. He was the suffering servant that Isaiah spoke of

  237. 700 years before Christ came on the scene.

  238. He was the servant who would act wisely and be exalted.

  239. Jesus,

  240. when he was with his disciples,

  241. he said,

  242. even the son of man came not to be served,

  243. but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.

  244. Mark 10,

  245. 45.

  246. So who did he come to serve?

  247. In one regard,

  248. all of us.

  249. Yes.

  250. But what is Paul referring to in this instance?

  251. To whom?

  252. Christ came to serve,

  253. came as a Jew to serve the circumcised.

  254. And he's just referring to the Jewish people there.

  255. Thus demonstrating God's truthfulness.

  256. That word means faithfulness,

  257. trustworthiness.

  258. He's demonstrating that

  259. and keeping his promises of redemption

  260. that he had made to the patriarchs,

  261. to Abraham,

  262. to Isaac,

  263. to Jacob.

  264. He had promised them.

  265. And in displaying this immense faith

  266. by showing his willingness to obey God,

  267. even to the point of sacrificing his own son, Isaac,

  268. after that happened,

  269. God said to Abraham in Genesis 22,

  270. it's one of those verses you've got to like,

  271. it's one of those verses that you use

  272. to read the rest of the Scripture a lot of the time.

  273. You see like God fulfilling this promise.

  274. Genesis 22,

    Genesis 22:17

  275. verse 17,

  276. God said to Abraham,

  277. I will surely bless you

  278. and I will surely multiply your offspring

  279. as the stars of heaven

  280. and as the sand that is on the seashore.

  281. Your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies.

  282. And in your offspring

  283. shall all the nations of the earth be blessed

  284. because you have obeyed my voice.

  285. So this promise was reiterated multiple times.

  286. It continued to Isaac in Genesis 26

  287. and it continued to his son Jacob in Genesis 28.

  288. So in fulfilling God's saving promises to them,

  289. God's truthfulness,

  290. His faithfulness has been upheld.

  291. It's been established for all time.

  292. God's track record in keeping His Word is flawless.

  293. And I hope that comforts you in our troubling days.

  294. He is a perfect promise keeper.

  295. It may not seem like it comes when you want it to,

  296. or when we think it should come.

  297. It comes when it's supposed to,

  298. in God's perfect ordained time.

  299. And so, in fulfillment of God's promise,

  300. many, many Jews,

  301. not all, but many,

  302. would come to repent of the sin,

  303. believe in Christ as the Messiah,

  304. and as the days go by,

  305. eventually even more and more will do that.

  306. But this was a reminder for the Gentiles

  307. to be humbly reminded

  308. that even their faith

  309. came in a way through the Jewish people.

  310. And so they are to welcome

  311. their Jewish believers in Rome,

  312. where they are.

  313. So it was a reminder to them.

  314. So, it came through the patriarchs.

  315. God fulfilled His Word.

  316. Point number three.

  317. Christ brought praise and glory to God

  318. for His mercy.

  319. Verses 9-12.

  320. Christ brought praise and glory to God

  321. for His mercy.

  322. Look at verse 9.

  323. In an order,

  324. so that, right,

  325. in order,

  326. that the Gentiles might glorify God

  327. for His mercy.

  328. As it is written,

  329. therefore, I will praise you

  330. among the Gentiles

  331. and sing to your name.

  332. And again, it is said,

  333. rejoice, O Gentiles,

  334. with His people again and again.

  335. Praise the Lord,

  336. all you Gentiles,

  337. and let all the peoples extol Him.

  338. And again, Isaiah says,

  339. the root of Jesse will come,

  340. even he who arises

  341. to rule the Gentiles,

  342. and Him will the Gentiles hope.

  343. So, furthermore, right,

  344. Christ came as a servant

  345. to the Jews,

  346. but furthermore,

  347. for the purpose of bringing

  348. blessing and salvation

  349. to the Gentiles.

  350. what Paul described in chapter 11,

  351. verse 11.

  352. As Jewish Christians in Rome heard this,

  353. they were being reminded

  354. to remember this,

  355. to accept and fully welcome

  356. their Gentile brothers and sisters

  357. who were in Rome,

  358. which might be hard for them.

  359. Think about that,

  360. them,

  361. and subdued them.

  362. Now,

  363. they're in Rome,

  364. and they're being told,

  365. hey,

  366. don't look on Him

  367. as that person.

  368. Look at Him

  369. as a brother

  370. in Christ.

  371. Look at them

  372. with love

  373. and compassion,

  374. like you belong

  375. to the same family

  376. now.

  377. And it was foretold

  378. of old,

  379. as you see here,

  380. the Gentiles

  381. might glorify God

  382. for His mercy.

  383. So,

  384. great words

  385. spoken by,

  386. you know,

  387. the ancient prophet.

  388. Even those words

  389. that ring true

  390. even for us today

  391. who are sitting here.

  392. 1 Peter 2, 10.

  393. Once you were not a people,

  394. but now you are God's people.

  395. Once you had not received mercy,

  396. but now you have received mercy.

  397. If you're a Gentile today,

  398. which I'm just going to assume

  399. is most of us,

  400. the majority of us,

  401. if you recognize

  402. that God's showing you mercy

  403. was for the purpose

  404. of being glorified,

  405. to bring glory

  406. to His great name,

  407. to live for Him daily,

  408. and to make everyday choices

  409. that reflect

  410. His greatness.

  411. And so,

  412. as usual,

  413. this is testified

  414. in the Scripture,

  415. and man,

  416. this is one of those times

  417. where Paul just like

  418. lays it on thick.

  419. I remember

  420. I like

  421. killed a baby copperhead

  422. with a huge load

  423. of my shotgun.

  424. It wasn't there anymore

  425. once I shot it.

  426. It was just gone.

  427. This is kind of what

  428. Paul desires to do here.

  429. He's like,

  430. in case you have any doubt,

  431. I'm going to lay it on thick

  432. to prove to you

  433. that this is what God

  434. was doing all along.

  435. And I'm going to give you four,

  436. not just one,

  437. but four Old Testament passages.

  438. And how about this?

  439. How about one from each part

  440. of the writings too?

  441. Like each section

  442. of the Old Testament.

  443. Taking one quotation

  444. from each of his part

  445. and just lay it on thick.

  446. Like,

  447. here's one of your

  448. Bible study tools.

  449. Look at this.

  450. As it is written,

  451. and then you go a little further,

  452. he says,

  453. and again.

  454. And then he says it again.

  455. And again.

  456. And again.

  457. That's how he begins

  458. like each verse.

  459. He's like,

  460. alright,

  461. I'm going to lay it on thick.

  462. Don't miss this.

  463. So look how many times

  464. he's saying that God foretold.

  465. This has always been his plan.

  466. That the Gentiles

  467. would glorify him

  468. and praise him

  469. for his great salvation

  470. over and over and over again.

  471. That's what Paul

  472. is trying to say.

  473. This should be no surprise to you.

  474. And this should make you marvel.

  475. In verse 9,

  476. he takes one from

  477. the former prophets,

  478. the older prophets.

  479. From 2 Samuel 22.50.

  480. Therefore,

  481. I will praise you

  482. among the Gentiles

  483. and sing to your name.

  484. So God's great salvation

  485. would lead the Gentiles

  486. to nations

  487. singing songs

  488. of deliverance

  489. and great praise to God.

  490. Describe the greatness

  491. due his name.

  492. Right?

  493. Verse 10.

  494. Now he takes one

  495. from the law.

  496. The Torah.

  497. He's like,

  498. well, okay,

  499. how about this part

  500. of our scripture?

  501. And he goes to

  502. Deuteronomy 32.43.

  503. Rejoice,

  504. O Gentiles,

  505. and don't miss this,

  506. with his people.

  507. So,

  508. such a great redemption

  509. from sin,

  510. darkness,

  511. and hell

  512. leads to

  513. the Gentiles

  514. rejoicing

  515. and celebrating

  516. on behalf

  517. of God's saving mercy.

  518. And then it says,

  519. with

  520. his people.

  521. So do this

  522. with the Jews.

  523. You see that?

  524. Like he's adding this in,

  525. like,

  526. with the salvation

  527. that the Jews

  528. can already have,

  529. the Gentiles

  530. will come alongside

  531. them as one people.

  532. One united people

  533. redeemed.

  534. And that

  535. they will

  536. rejoice.

  537. Great celebration

  538. over God's

  539. saving mercy

  540. along with those

  541. who are Jews.

  542. Verse 11.

  543. He takes this

  544. from

  545. the poetry,

  546. the writings.

  547. Psalm 117,

  548. which I found out

  549. interestingly

  550. is supposed to be

  551. like the very middle

  552. verse of your entire

  553. Bible.

  554. That's kind of

  555. interesting.

  556. I don't think Paul

  557. was thinking about that,

  558. but,

  559. like,

  560. that's the middle

  561. of the whole Bible.

  562. This is one verse.

  563. If you,

  564. like,

  565. cut it all up

  566. and all that.

  567. But Psalm 117,

  568. it says,

  569. Praise the Lord,

  570. all you Gentiles,

  571. and let the peoples

  572. extol Him.

  573. So all the nations,

  574. everybody together now,

  575. bless the Lord,

  576. bless His grace,

  577. extol Him,

  578. give Him law,

  579. right?

  580. And then,

  581. like,

  582. in the Old Testament.

  583. So,

  584. like,

  585. in case you've lost this,

  586. like,

  587. I'm going to,

  588. like,

  589. pick one right out

  590. of Isaiah for you,

  591. right?

  592. And he says,

  593. this is from Isaiah 11,

    Isaiah 11:10

  594. verse 10,

  595. The root of Jesse

  596. will come,

  597. even he who arises

  598. to rule the Gentiles,

  599. and him will the Gentiles

  600. hope.

  601. And,

  602. right before that,

  603. just by way of reminder,

  604. in verse 9,

  605. previously,

  606. he says,

  607. For the earth shall be full

  608. of the knowledge of the Lord

  609. as the waters cover the sea.

  610. That's what Isaiah foretold.

  611. So that promise,

  612. the root of Jesse,

  613. Jesse was David's father,

  614. through David,

  615. right?

  616. Would be the one

  617. to whom all the nations

  618. would gather,

  619. and He would rule them

  620. in strength,

  621. in justice,

  622. in faithfulness,

  623. in love,

  624. in truth.

  625. The Messiah's resting place

  626. will be glorious.

  627. And all Gentiles,

  628. as Paul's addressing this,

  629. should humbly be reminded

  630. that their own salvation

  631. stems from that Jewish root.

  632. That's 1118.

  633. These are the right

  634. and proper responses

  635. to what God has done

  636. by redeeming us

  637. and saving us.

  638. But do you realize,

  639. you have to think about this daily.

  640. I try to and fail to,

  641. but there was a time

  642. that you were cut off

  643. from God,

  644. separated

  645. because of your sin.

  646. Think about Romans 5.

  647. Do you see that you once

  648. were on the outside

  649. of that saving knowledge

  650. that Israel possessed?

  651. That doesn't mean

  652. all Israel was saved,

  653. but it means that Israel

  654. possessed

  655. at least the ability

  656. and the knowledge

  657. to know God

  658. because God had manifested

  659. Himself to them.

  660. Think of Jesus speaking

  661. to the Samaritan woman

  662. at the well.

  663. He said,

  664. you Samaritans worship

  665. whom you do not know.

  666. We Jews worship

  667. who we do know

  668. because salvation

  669. is from the Jews.

  670. That's what he's trying to say.

  671. Like,

  672. God showed us

  673. who He was

  674. and we were to be a witness

  675. to the rest of the world.

  676. Like,

  677. He's reminding

  678. these Gentiles

  679. that they are connected

  680. to them.

  681. And so,

  682. we once were not a people.

  683. We were cut off

  684. of that knowledge,

  685. but now,

  686. do you realize

  687. that salvation

  688. has come to the nations?

  689. What does that do

  690. to your soul

  691. this morning?

  692. Ephesians 2

  693. reads this.

  694. Paul is reminding them,

  695. remember that you once

  696. at one time

  697. were separated

  698. from Christ.

  699. Like,

  700. there's only darkness

  701. and death

  702. and agony

  703. away from Christ.

  704. And he says,

  705. alienated

  706. or estranged

  707. from the commonwealth

  708. of Israel.

  709. You see that?

  710. The connections here?

  711. And the strangers

  712. to the covenants

  713. of the promise,

  714. having no hope

  715. and without God

  716. in the world.

  717. But now,

  718. in Christ Jesus,

  719. you who are once

  720. far off

  721. have been brought near

  722. by the blood

  723. of Christ.

  724. So rejoice.

  725. If you are a Gentile,

  726. you should never forget

  727. that God has chosen

  728. by His mercy

  729. to include us

  730. in His great salvation.

  731. And this would result

  732. in the praise

  733. of His great name.

  734. So in summary,

  735. these passages

  736. prove that the whole

  737. of Scripture

  738. testifies to the inclusion

  739. of the Gentiles

  740. into God's

  741. uniting,

  742. saving purposes

  743. to bring one nation

  744. under Him.

  745. Every kind of person,

  746. every kind of nation

  747. and tongue

  748. under His sovereign rule

  749. for the purpose

  750. of bringing great glory

  751. to His name.

  752. So if the believers

  753. in Rome,

  754. or if even we

  755. today truly understand this,

  756. what God is doing

  757. throughout redemptive history,

  758. this will make

  759. those little minor,

  760. puny,

  761. pathetic disagreements

  762. we have in the church

  763. just pale in comparison.

  764. We have so much

  765. more in common.

  766. If you truly are

  767. in Christ,

  768. you have more

  769. in common

  770. with anybody.

  771. Even if they might

  772. share a different

  773. political view,

  774. if they share

  775. a different skin color,

  776. this is what

  777. unites us all.

  778. That Scripture

  779. right out of Galatians 3,

  780. 28 is what Paul

  781. is trying to say.

  782. Look,

  783. there's neither Jew

  784. or Greek.

  785. There's neither slave

  786. nor free.

  787. There is no male

  788. and female,

  789. for you are all one

  790. in Christ Jesus.

  791. Galatians 3,

  792. 28.

  793. It's that you have

  794. all things in common

  795. if you are in Christ

  796. with your fellow believer.

  797. And you should dwell

  798. on those things.

  799. Recognize what God

  800. is trying to do here.

  801. Look at what Jews

  802. and Gentiles

  803. hated each other.

  804. Do you understand that?

  805. Like the animosity

  806. was there?

  807. Like you think

  808. that we have

  809. differences today?

  810. Not much in comparison

  811. to how they felt

  812. back then.

  813. But God's desire

  814. is to reach

  815. the nations

  816. for His glory.

  817. And recently,

  818. I was just

  819. reading some

  820. from Voice of the Martyrs

  821. and ran across

  822. this story

  823. from a man

  824. named Waleed.

  825. And he's from India.

  826. and he grew up

  827. in the Muslim part

  828. of India

  829. and was recognized

  830. very early

  831. as this guy's smart,

  832. this guy's gifted.

  833. We're going to

  834. get him to be

  835. an Islamic scholar.

  836. So they sent him

  837. away to Mecca

  838. to study the Quran.

  839. He became just

  840. a great teacher.

  841. He was there

  842. for four years,

  843. fully paid for,

  844. and he became

  845. a sheikh.

  846. He was an Islamic

  847. teacher that taught

  848. at one of the mosques.

  849. And he wore

  850. the white robe

  851. and had great dignity

  852. and respect

  853. of the culture.

  854. He said,

  855. at that time,

  856. I was very proud

  857. and I thought

  858. that I was just

  859. like the best person

  860. ever.

  861. And here's

  862. what's interesting.

  863. Because he was

  864. a scholar,

  865. he was reading

  866. the Quran

  867. and he got to

  868. the part of the Quran

  869. that talks about

  870. Jesus.

  871. And he recognized

  872. there was just

  873. something tremendously

  874. different about

  875. Jesus that just

  876. struck him,

  877. the details.

  878. It talks about

  879. how the man

  880. who does these

  881. things that Jesus

  882. is being spoken of,

  883. he is incomparable.

  884. This is from the Quran.

  885. He is incomparable

  886. because no other

  887. prophet written

  888. about in the Quran

  889. is doing those

  890. things.

  891. So he was just

  892. mind blown by

  893. Surah 19.33.

  894. You can look that up.

  895. But he dealt

  896. deeper into the Quran

  897. and just trying to

  898. figure out

  899. who Jesus was.

  900. And he started

  901. asking his fellow

  902. sheiks like,

  903. we should probably

  904. pay more attention

  905. to this.

  906. What does this

  907. actually mean

  908. about Jesus?

  909. As someone who

  910. does the things

  911. that he does

  912. is supposed

  913. to be incomparable.

  914. Like,

  915. what about him?

  916. So they began

  917. kind of blowing

  918. off his questions

  919. and eventually

  920. got to be

  921. kind of hostile

  922. towards him.

  923. They didn't have

  924. any good answers

  925. and eventually

  926. they started

  927. turning away

  928. from him

  929. and he said,

  930. they started

  931. to hate me

  932. and at one

  933. point they

  934. ambushed him

  935. and attacked him

  936. and threw stones

  937. at him

  938. and the shrieper

  939. just inquiring

  940. more about

  941. Jesus.

  942. But he says,

  943. this served

  944. only to drive

  945. me closer

  946. to Christ.

  947. After the attack,

  948. I prayed

  949. to Jesus

  950. for the first

  951. time.

  952. His prayer

  953. was just simply,

  954. Jesus,

  955. if you are above

  956. and you see

  957. how I am,

  958. please help me.

  959. And eventually

  960. he was kicked

  961. out and rejected

  962. and he kind of

  963. fled his community

  964. and he sought

  965. Christians.

  966. He's like,

  967. I've got to find

  968. Christians to tell

  969. me about Jesus

  970. and oddly enough

  971. he fled to

  972. Ethiopia

  973. and wasn't able

  974. to find many

  975. people even there

  976. to tell him

  977. who Jesus was

  978. and answer

  979. the questions

  980. he had.

  981. But eventually

  982. he began to

  983. read the Bible

  984. and he says

  985. that the Bible

  986. greatly increased

  987. his knowledge

  988. of salvation

  989. and he kind of

  990. wrote something

  991. he said,

  992. I know everything

  993. on earth

  994. shall pass away

  995. but God's word

  996. will never

  997. pass away.

  998. I am learning

  999. more and I

  1000. love to learn.

  1001. And as he

  1002. became a believer

  1003. and he got

  1004. connected to

  1005. the church

  1006. and began to

  1007. see where he

  1008. had come from,

  1009. he says,

  1010. when I came

  1011. to Christ,

  1012. I lost my

  1013. position,

  1014. my health,

  1015. my job,

  1016. my community

  1017. and my family

  1018. but God

  1019. gave me

  1020. double now

  1021. I am so

  1022. blessed.

  1023. So meaning

  1024. it sounds like

  1025. what Jesus

  1026. told his

  1027. disciples

  1028. like when

  1029. they're like

  1030. we've sacrificed

  1031. so much

  1032. to follow you

  1033. and he goes

  1034. no one

  1035. has sacrificed

  1036. to follow me

  1037. they will not

  1038. be repaid

  1039. right?

  1040. And so

  1041. now

  1042. he has shifted

  1043. his focus

  1044. to reaching

  1045. young Muslims

  1046. with the gospel

  1047. and this is

  1048. what he said

  1049. and this ties

  1050. into what

  1051. we're reading

  1052. about in

  1053. Romans

  1054. I believe

  1055. I have a

  1056. responsibility

  1057. I remember

  1058. the reason

  1059. I am saved

  1060. is to be

  1061. his witness

  1062. I live

  1063. for his

  1064. glory

  1065. to witness

  1066. his glory

  1067. to the

  1068. unreached

  1069. people

  1070. that's what

  1071. he said

  1072. so even

  1073. today

  1074. this is being

  1075. carried out

  1076. and I hope

  1077. that that

  1078. challenges

  1079. you

  1080. in

  1081. the busy

  1082. but often

  1083. comfortable

  1084. and easy

  1085. life

  1086. that we

  1087. can have

  1088. he says

  1089. I'm here

  1090. I'm saved

  1091. to be a

  1092. witness

  1093. to bear

  1094. witness

  1095. to the

  1096. glory

  1097. of God

  1098. especially

  1099. to the

  1100. unreached

  1101. peoples

  1102. in conclusion

  1103. our last

  1104. and fourth

  1105. point

  1106. Paul gives

  1107. us a

  1108. benedictory

  1109. prayer of

  1110. intercession

  1111. in verse

  1112. 13

  1113. he goes

  1114. back to

  1115. prayer

  1116. and he

  1117. says

  1118. may

  1119. the God

  1120. of hope

  1121. fill you

  1122. with all

  1123. joy and

  1124. peace

  1125. and believing

  1126. so that

  1127. by the

  1128. power of

  1129. the Holy

  1130. Spirit

  1131. you may

  1132. abound

  1133. in love

  1134. and so

  1135. back to

  1136. prayer

  1137. he's praying

  1138. to the

  1139. God

  1140. of hope

  1141. so

  1142. hope

  1143. here

  1144. is the

  1145. link

  1146. word

  1147. to verse

  1148. 12

  1149. if you

  1150. can see

  1151. that

  1152. in the

  1153. passage

  1154. as we

  1155. just saw

  1156. that before

  1157. Christ

  1158. he says

  1159. remembered

  1160. that you

  1161. were

  1162. separated

  1163. alienated

  1164. we just

  1165. read that

  1166. in Ephesians

  1167. having no

  1168. hope in

  1169. the world

  1170. and without

  1171. God

  1172. that's what

  1173. we just

  1174. read in

  1175. Ephesians

  1176. 2

  1177. but praise

  1178. the Lord

  1179. he is

  1180. both

  1181. the

  1182. source

  1183. of

  1184. hope

  1185. right

  1186. and the

  1187. supplier

  1188. of hope

  1189. it comes

  1190. from him

  1191. Paul is

  1192. trying to

  1193. say

  1194. something

  1195. about

  1196. the

  1197. character

  1198. of

  1199. God

  1200. not

  1201. just

  1202. that

  1203. God

  1204. has

  1205. some

  1206. hope

  1207. in

  1208. his

  1209. pocket

  1210. like

  1211. money

  1212. and

  1213. he

  1214. just

  1215. goes

  1216. like

  1217. that

  1218. he's

  1219. saying

  1220. that

  1221. he

  1222. really

  1223. is

  1224. he

  1225. in

  1226. himself

  1227. is

  1228. hope

  1229. and

  1230. then

  1231. if

  1232. we

  1233. flee

  1234. to

  1235. him

  1236. we

  1237. will

  1238. have

  1239. that

  1240. hope

  1241. biblical

  1242. hope

  1243. is

  1244. this

  1245. joyful

  1246. confident

  1247. expectation

  1248. !

  1249. God

  1250. will

  1251. bring

  1252. about

  1253. it's

  1254. not

  1255. wishful

  1256. thinking

  1257. and

  1258. just

  1259. hoping

  1260. that

  1261. things

  1262. turn

  1263. out

  1264. well

  1265. it

  1266. is

  1267. a

  1268. grounded

  1269. act

  1270. of

  1271. faith

  1272. for us

  1273. to

  1274. hope

  1275. in

  1276. God

  1277. so

  1278. then

  1279. he

  1280. asks

  1281. because

  1282. we're

  1283. weak

  1284. Paul

  1285. asks

  1286. you

  1287. look

  1288. at

  1289. the

  1290. verse

  1291. the

  1292. power

  1293. of

  1294. the

  1295. Holy

  1296. Spirit

  1297. to

  1298. pour

  1299. out

  1300. to

  1301. graciously

  1302. feel

  1303. right

  1304. his

  1305. people

  1306. with

  1307. this

  1308. divine

  1309. hope

  1310. joy

  1311. and

  1312. peace

  1313. he

  1314. expresses

  1315. his

  1316. deep

  1317. desire

  1318. for

  1319. all

  1320. believers

  1321. to

  1322. have

  1323. complete

  1324. satisfaction

  1325. in

  1326. our

  1327. beloved

  1328. savior

  1329. who

  1330. makes

  1331. us

  1332. all

  1333. one

  1334. people

  1335. so

  1336. in

  1337. conclusion

  1338. we

  1339. are

  1340. to

  1341. welcome

  1342. to

  1343. accept

  1344. to

  1345. show

  1346. the

  1347. utmost

  1348. special

  1349. concern

  1350. for

  1351. our

  1352. fellow

  1353. believers

  1354. that

  1355. stands

  1356. out

  1357. from

  1358. a

  1359. world

  1360. of

  1361. sin

  1362. and

  1363. selfishness

  1364. and

  1365. in

  1366. light

  1367. of

  1368. that

  1369. magnificent

  1370. providential

  1371. plan

  1372. of

  1373. God

  1374. Jews

  1375. can

  1376. have

  1377. no

  1378. grudge

  1379. against

  1380. Gentiles

  1381. because

  1382. their

  1383. calling

  1384. was

  1385. to

  1386. reach

  1387. the

  1388. Gentiles

  1389. for

  1390. the

  1391. salvation

  1392. and

  1393. glory

  1394. of

  1395. the

  1396. Lord

  1397. and

  1398. on

  1399. the

  1400. other

  1401. hand

  1402. Gentiles

  1403. can

  1404. have

  1405. no

  1406. grudge

  1407. against

  1408. Jews

  1409. because

  1410. again

  1411. it

  1412. was

  1413. through

  1414. the

  1415. Jews

  1416. that

  1417. God

  1418. had

  1419. brought

  1420. that

  1421. salvation

  1422. so he

  1423. concludes

  1424. right

  1425. going back

  1426. to where

  1427. he

  1428. began

  1429. therefore

  1430. welcome

  1431. one

  1432. another

  1433. as

  1434. Christ

  1435. is

  1436. welcome

  1437. to

  1438. you

  1439. for

  1440. the

  1441. glory

  1442. of

  1443. God

  1444. so I

  1445. want

  1446. you

  1447. to

  1448. think

  1449. about

  1450. how

  1451. this

  1452. has

  1453. a

  1454. bearing

  1455. on

  1456. your

  1457. soul

  1458. this

  1459. reflects

  1460. what

  1461. you

  1462. truly

  1463. believe

  1464. about

  1465. the

  1466. gospel

  1467. if

  1468. we

  1469. very

  1470. least

  1471. is

  1472. just

  1473. very

  1474. weak

  1475. our

  1476. understanding

  1477. of what

  1478. Christ

  1479. has

  1480. done

  1481. is

  1482. weak

  1483. so I

  1484. pray

  1485. this

  1486. morning

  1487. that

  1488. we

  1489. will

  1490. grow

  1491. in our

  1492. understanding

  1493. and knowledge

  1494. of what

  1495. Christ

  1496. has done

  1497. for us

  1498. like man

  1499. he has

  1500. given

  1501. us

  1502. everything

  1503. I

  1504. pray

  1505. that

  1506. would

  1507. fuel

  1508. you

  1509. and

  1510. give

  1511. me

  1512. the

  1513. strength

  1514. to

  1515. love

  1516. those

  1517. who

  1518. are

  1519. around

  1520. us

  1521. particularly

  1522. those

  1523. who

  1524. are

  1525. difficult

  1526. like

  1527. myself

  1528. to

  1529. love

  1530. sometimes

  1531. so

  1532. let's

  1533. pray

  1534. !