The Gospel Announced: The Gospel is Full of Grace

Romans chapter 11

Romans 11 · chapter mention

and there's some pens being given out

and some sheets if you'd like to take notes

and some sheets if you'd like to take notes

and turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter 11

Romans 11 · chapter mention

which is on page 1137

Romans chapter 11

Romans 11 · chapter mention

starting in verse 1

I ask then, did God reject his people?

By no means.

I am an Israelite myself,

a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin.

God did not reject his people whom he foreknew.

Don't you know what the scripture says

in the passage about Elijah,

how he appealed to God against Israel?

Lord, they have killed your prophets

and torn down your altars.

I am the only one left and they are trying to kill me.

And what was God's answer to them?

I have reserved for myself 7,000

who have not bowed the knee to Baal.

So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.

And if by grace, then it is no longer by works.

If it were, grace would no longer be grace.

What then?

What Israel thought so earnestly it did not obtain,

but the elect did.

The others were hardened, as it is written.

God gave them a spirit of stupor,

eyes so that they could not see,

and ears so that they could not hear to this very day.

And David says,

may their table become a snare and a trap,

a stumbling block and a retribution for them.

May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,

and their backs be bent forever.

Thanks, Kirsty.

Well, let's pray and ask for God's help

as we look at this together.

Father God, we ask that you would

pour out your spirit to us.

We pray that our eyes will be opened

and our ears unblocked spiritually

so we may hear your truth,

that it may penetrate our lives,

that we may have understanding of our minds,

but that it would travel to our hearts,

shaping us and changing us,

and causing us to see the wonder

of your amazing grace,

your saving plan for our lives

and for this world.

And we pray above all that it will encourage us

and fill our lives with hope.

We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

I had a problem recently.

You might be thinking,

I've got lots of problems.

I do, but...

A problem with a laptop.

It wouldn't turn on properly,

and when it did,

things didn't work as they were meant to.

So we went to the shop,

brought it back to the people we'd got it from,

pointed out to the customer service

that we had bought it in this shop,

that it was still under guarantee,

and that they should fix it.

Went off and had a chat to his manager,

came back,

politely said,

sorry sir,

there's nothing we can do for you.

But you made a promise.

You promised.

And now you're telling us that you can do nothing for us.

We left frustrated and angry.

Felt let down and cheated.

Disappointed.

Now we can often feel that same disappointment with God.

God has made a promise.

He's promised to save his people.

He's given his guarantee.

Look back at chapter 10, verse 13.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

This is a great statement on the back of God's promise

to save his people.

But it all seems like a waste of time.

Because we all have friends

and we all have family

who are still not Christians.

And so it leaves us with this one question.

Can God save?

Look at chapter 11, verse 1.

After all these great promises of God coming to save,

he asked this question in verse 1 of chapter 11.

I asked then,

did God reject his people?

Has God gone back on his promise?

Did God promise to do something

he's just not able to do?

And so we begin to wonder,

is God not able to save my friend?

Is God not powerful enough to save my family?

You see, the problem is,

God is the only one who can save people.

But yet so often we seem to think

he just can't do it.

And we feel let down.

We feel cheated.

And in our cries to God,

we're disappointed.

Well, in response to our disappointments,

God wants us to see that his grace

is more powerful than we thought

and much greater than we could ever imagine.

Three things we're going to learn this morning.

First,

God's grace is more powerful

than we thought.

Look at verse 1 again.

I asked then,

did God reject his people?

By no means.

I am an Israelite myself,

a descendant of Abraham

from the tribe of Benjamin.

If you think God has gone back on his promise,

look at me,

says Paul.

Look at my life.

I grew up knowing all about God's promises of salvation.

I can even trace my family line

all the way back to Abraham,

the one through whom God made these great promises.

But the point is,

Paul actually ignored God's promise.

Have a look at 1 Timothy.

Keep your finger in Romans 11

and go to 1 Timothy.

It's on page 1191.

1,191.

1 Timothy.

1 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

Chapter 1.

Here's the man

who grew up

with the greatest privilege,

having all the promises of God.

And here's what we learn about him.

Paul is telling us his story

of faith,

what he was like

before he became a Christian.

Let's read from chapter 1, verse 12.

I thank Christ Jesus,

our Lord,

who has given me strength,

that he considered me,

that's Paul,

faithful,

appointing me to his service.

Even though I was once a blasphemer.

In other words,

he hated Jesus.

And he was a persecutor.

He used to take Christians,

round them up,

and put them in prison.

And he was a violent man.

He was responsible

for stoning people to death.

I was shown mercy

because I acted in ignorance

and unbelief.

The grace of the Lord Jesus

was poured out on me abundantly,

along with the faith and love

that are in Christ Jesus.

He's telling us,

I was a complete rebel.

I turned away from God's promise.

I turned away from his Christ.

Verse 15.

Here is a trustworthy saying

that deserves full acceptance.

Christ Jesus came into the world

to save sinners

of whom I am the worst.

He's saying,

would you look at my life?

If there is anybody

that should not be a Christian,

it's me.

If there's somebody

who God should not have shown grace to,

it's me.

I had every opportunity

that I could possibly have,

but I turned my back on it all

and I pushed it away.

Verse 16.

But for that very reason,

I was shown mercy

so that in me,

the worst of sinners,

Christ Jesus might display

his unlimited patience

as an example

for those who would believe on him

and receive eternal life.

if God's grace

can save me,

the worst of sinners,

then God's grace

is powerful enough

to save anyone

who will believe.

Go back to Romans 11.

You see,

you may have a friend

who's grown up in the church.

You may have a loved one,

someone within your own family,

perhaps a son

or a daughter

or a mother

or a father.

They've been raised

within a Christian home

and all their life

they have heard

the promises

of God's salvation

and people have explained it to them,

people have prayed for them,

but today

they show no interest

and perhaps

they do everything possible

to distance themselves

from God

and you're wondering,

can God save them?

Well, look what it says

in Romans 11,

Romans 11:1

verse 1.

I ask then,

did God reject his people?

Verse 2.

God did not reject his people

whom he foreknew.

You see,

God has made a promise,

a promise to save his people

and those God promises to save,

he will save

and nothing and no one

is going to stop him.

There was a story

in the Independent

in the paper a while back

about a father.

His name was Richard Quarry

who had rescued

his adopted son

called Ethan.

Richard came home one day

to discover

that his son

had been taken

by his estranged wife

and taken all the way

to Zambia.

Immediately,

he made a promise

to himself

that he would do

what it would take

to get his son back.

And the story tells

of a nine-month journey,

having travelled

two and a half thousand miles

across country,

crossing borders,

paying off border guards,

he did everything

and he brought

his son home safely.

Nothing was going to stop him

getting his adopted son back.

You see,

God knows

who his children are.

He knows

who his children are

from before

the creation

of the world

and by his grace

he will not

stop

until all

his children

are home

safely

in his arms.

He will break

every barrier

and he will remove

every obstacle

until

his people

are saved.

God's grace

is more powerful

than we ever thought.

The second big

message

is this,

that God's grace

is much greater

than we imagined.

Look at the second part

of verse 2.

Don't you know

what the scripture says

in the passage

about Elijah

Elijah

and how he appealed

to God

against Israel?

This is the story

of Elijah the prophet

at the time

of King Ahab.

It was the most

darkest

and bleakest period

in the history

of God's people.

Ahab was

described

as the king

who did more

evil

in the eyes

of the Lord

than any of those

before him.

Ahab.

And the history

was a terrible history.

They had all gone

in their evil ways

but he was

top of the pile.

Ahab had led

the people of God

away.

He had set up

all kinds of idols

and involved in

all kinds of

different worship

and with the help

of his notorious

wife Jezebel

they murdered off

any of God's prophets.

And so we read

this in verse 3

as Elijah

cries out to God

Lord

they have killed

your prophets

torn down

your altars

and I am the

only one left

and they are

trying to kill

me.

As far as

Elijah was concerned

he was the

only Christian

left in the

whole of the

nation.

Everybody else

had turned away

from God

or had been

killed

when there was

the opportunity

to show

themselves

they weren't

there.

And so angry

and disappointed

with God

he's crying out

in his frustration

and in his

disappointment

what about

your promises

to save people

God?

What about

all those people

who you said

you would save?

And here I am

I'm the only one.

And Elijah

wants to give up

he thinks it's

all a waste

of time.

verse 4

and what was

God's answer

to him?

I have

reserved

for myself

7,000

who have not

bowed the knee

to Baal.

You think

that I failed?

You think

that I can't

save people?

Elijah

I have done

something much

greater

than you could

ever imagine.

I have saved

7,000

that you know

nothing about.

You see

we can feel

like Elijah.

I'm the only

Christian in my

family.

I'm the only

Christian in my

class

or in my

year at

college.

Maybe you go

to work

every day

and you're

the only

Christian in

your workplace

and you're

wondering

has God

broken his

promises?

Is God

able to

save those

around me?

Well look at

verse 5

grace.

So too

at the

present time

there is

a remnant

chosen

by grace

and if

by grace

then it is

no longer

by works.

If it were

grace

if it were

grace

would no

longer

be grace.

You might

be the only

Christian

at present

in your

family.

You might

be the only

Christian

amongst your

friends.

but do

not think

that God

has ever

forgotten

his

promises.

I will

save those

who I

have chosen

by my

grace.

In fact

the number

that God

saves

may be

greater

than we

ever

imagined.

In

1858

a missionary

from Scotland

by the name

of John

Patton

travelled

with his

wife Mary

to the

South Sea

Islands

known today

as the

New

Hebrides.

The

islanders

were

cannibals

ate

their

defeated

enemies

they

practiced

infanticide

and

widow

sacrifice.

Two

people

had gone

in the

years

before

but

they

had

only

been

there

a few

minutes

when

they

were

butchered

and killed

and only

a few

months

after

John

arrived

on the

island

his wife

and newborn

son

had died.

The only

Christian

on the

island

and he

was

eventually

driven off

after four

years

of brutal

treatment

and no

sign of

any

conversion

nothing.

Thirty

years

later

having

returned

to the

island

he

was

able

to

record

in

his

journal

that

12,000

had

come

to

faith.

A

hundred

and

thirty

three

had

been

trained

up

and

sent

out

to

the

other

islands

with

the

gospel.

At

times

you

might

feel

like

you

are

the

only

Christian

and

that

God

has

forgotten

but

God's

grace

is

greater

than

we

could

ever

imagine.

And

the

third

big

message

is

this

that

God's

grace

is

more

dangerous

than

we

expected.

Look

at

verse

seven

what

then

what

about

all

those

who

are

not

saved?

Why

are

they

not

saved?

Well

he gives

the

answer

what

Israel

sought

so

earnestly

it

did

not

obtain

because

they

sought

to get

it

by

works

but

the

elect

did

because

it

was

by

grace.

In

other

words

he's

saying

you

cannot

earn

your

salvation

it's

always

going

to

be

by

God's

grace.

But

the

question

is

still

there

why

are

some

still

not

saved?

Well

look at

the

answer

at

the

end

of

verse

seven

the

others

were

hardened

the

point

is

simple

but

very

sobering

rejecting

God's

good

grace

leads

to

a

hard

heart

and

two

examples

are

given

for

us

here

the

first

one

comes

in

verse

eight

and

the

context

here

is

all

about

God's

gracious

rescue

God

in

his

grace

had

rescued

his

people

from

slavery

in

Egypt

that

was

their

history

he

had

provided

for

them

he

had

kept

them

all

through

their

wanderings

in

the

desert

he

had

brought

them

eventually

to

the

promised

land

as

he

said

he

would

but

the

people

turned

their

back

on

God

they

walked

away

from

him

and

so

their

hearts

were

hardened

and

we

read

in

verse

eight

as

it

is

written

God

gave

them

a

spirit

of

stupor

eyes

so

they

could

not

see

ears

so

that

they

could

not

hear

to

this

very

day

they

had

experienced

God's

grace

but

they

rejected

God's

grace

the

second

example

comes

in

verse

nine

and

ten

and

the

context

here

is

about

God's

gracious

rule

over

his

people

because

God

in his

grace

had

given

them

a

king

they

had

always

got

their

own

kind

of

king

but

God

gave

them

a

king

after

his

own

heart

king

David

who

was

going

to

shepherd

his

people

a

king

to

care

for

them

and

to

provide

for

them

but

they

rejected

this

good

king

they

turned

against

him

they

fought

against

him

they

wanted

him

dead

their

hearts

in

response

were

hardened

and so

David

says

in verse

nine

may

their

table

become

a

snare

and

a

trap

a

stumbling

block

and a

retribution

for

them

and may

their

eyes

be

darkened

so that

they

cannot

see

and their

backs

be bent

forever

they had

tasted

God's

grace

but they

rejected

God's

grace

can you

see

that grace

is more

dangerous

than we

expected

if we

reject

grace

if we

continue

to push

it away

and hold

it at

arm's

length

it will

lead to

a hard

heart

and it

works

both

ways

the more

we reject

God's

grace

the more

we say

no

no

no

the more

God

hardens

our

heart

because

look at

verse

eight

it was

God

who

gave

them

a

spirit

of

stupor

it was

God

who

gave

them

eyes

so

that

they

could

not

see

but

the more

that

God

hardens

our

hearts

the more

we will

in turn

reject

his

grace

yes

God

is

involved

yes

we

are

involved

but

we

are

without

excuse

it's

like

having

a

heart

disease

and

we

need

to

take

medication

we

need

to

take

our

cholesterol

pills

to

make

it

right

and

if

we

take

our

pills

then

the

arteries

are

going

to

be

unblocked

and

our

hearts

are

going

to

be

healthy

but

if

we

don't

take

those

pills

then

our

hearts

only

get

more

disease

and

eventually

our

bodies

become

immune

to

the

medication

so

that

they

no

longer

work

and

that's

what

it's

like

with

God's

grace

if

we

continue

to

push

against

it

and

reject

it

our

hearts

only

that

we

become

immune

to

it

now

the

thing

is

we

have

all

experienced

God's

good

grace

we

learned

this

right

at the

very

beginning

of

Romans

if

you

want

to

flick

back

to

Romans

Romans 1 · chapter mention

chapter

1

we

have

all

experienced

God's

good

grace

Romans

Romans 1:20

chapter

1

verse

20

we

see

God's

grace

in

his

creation

around

us

Romans

Romans 1:20

chapter

1

verse

20

for

since

the

creation

of

the

world

God's

invisible

qualities

his

eternal

power

and divine

nature

have been

clearly

seen

being

understood

from

what

has

been

made

so

that

men

and

women

are

without

excuse

the

very

fact

that

we

can

look

out

at

creation

tells

us

there

is

a

God

there

God

in

his

grace

has

made

himself

known

not

just

in

creation

but

also

in

our

conscience

chapter

2

verse

15

since

they

show

that

the

requirements

of

the

law

are

written

on

their

hearts

their

consciences

also

bearing

witnesses

and

their

thoughts

now

accusing

now

even

defending

them

the

very

fact

that

we've

got

a

conscience

that

we

know

this

is

right

and

this

is

wrong

God

in

his

grace

has

planted

that

conscience

within

each

one

of

us

so

not

only

have

we

got

creation

not

only

have

we

got

conscience

but

above

all

of

this

God

has

shown

his

grace

supremely

in

giving

to

us

his

son

the

Lord

Jesus

Christ

the

one

who

came

into

the

world

who

came

to

rescue

us

from

the

greatest

slavery

possible

from

slavery

to

sin

rescuing

us

from

death

through

his

resurrection

from

the

grave

he

has

become

the

risen

and

eternal

king

who

continues

to

pour

his

goodness

out

upon

us

each

and

every

day

a

good

and

caring

king

who

has

promised

to

bring

us

to

his

eternal

kingdom

where

there

will

be

no

more

death

or

suffering

or

pain

or

evil

ever

again

God

in

his

grace

has

given

this

to

us

through

his

son

Jesus

and

if

we

keep

rejecting

his

grace

if we

keep

pushing

it

away

it

will

lead

to

a

slow

progressive

hardening

of our

hearts

God

God's

grace

is

more

dangerous

than

we

first

expected

but

let us

be

surprised

by

God

you

see

at

first

we

might

be

disappointed

but

as

we've

seen

with

God's

grace

it

is

more

powerful

than

we

thought

and

much

greater

than

we

imagined

if he

can

save

the

worst

of

sinners

like

Paul

then

he

can

save

people

like

you

and

me

because

if

you

are

a

Christian

it

is

a

miracle

and

God

can

do

that

miracle

in

someone

else's

life

if

he

can

save

the

7000

that

Elijah

knew

nothing

about

then

he

can

save

your

friends

and

your

family

God's

grace

is

always

surprising

it

works

in

people

and

it

works

in

places

we

never

thought

possible

he

is

a

generous

and

a

good

God

do

not

reject

his

grace

and

become

hard

hearted

let's

pray

pray

father

we

admit

that

we

struggle

at

times

we

struggle

with

the

fact

that

we

are

the

only

Christian

in

our

college

in

our

work

perhaps

even

within

our

family

and

we

cry

out

to

God

and

as

we

cry

out

we

are

reminded

of

your

amazing

grace

and

your

power

to

save

and

so

we

ask

father

God

that

you

would

continue

to

do

your

work

that

you

would

give

us

a

heart

that

keeps

on

praying

that

you

would

give

us

a

mouth

that

keeps

on

talking

and

gently

explaining

the

good

news

of

Christ

and

praying

father

God

that

you

will

bring

people

into

your

kingdom

we

trust

you

to

do

this

for

we

cannot

and

we

pray

that

people

would

receive

your

grace

and

not

reject

it

amen

we're

going

to

sing