Maria is going to come and read this morning. It's on page 1131 if you're using a church Bible.
Okay, Romans chapter 11, verse 33.
Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God.
How unsearchable his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out.
Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Who has been his counselor?
Who has ever given to God that God should repay him?
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever. Amen.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, and in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.
And this is your spiritual act of worship.
Thanks, Maria.
Alex is just handing around some pens and there's a piece of paper.
If you want to take notes as well, it's got headings, which you can follow along if you want to take that.
And just to remind you that today we come to the end of our little mini series, which we call Glorious Salvation.
And some of those themes that we've been looking at will be the theme of our Summer Bible Week.
So I hope it's given a taste in some ways of that.
So come along to the Summer Bible Week, which is in July.
Put that into your diary.
The lectures are repeated morning and evening.
So if you can't get to the morning, you can go in the evening.
Don't forget to pick up your summer program as well.
And you'll see on the inside that during the month of July and August, there are different people who will be preaching.
Some names you will recognize, others you won't.
But they are all related in some way to Munster Bible College and those who have been teaching or helping at that.
So do come along during the months of July and August.
Pray for those who will be preaching and teaching.
Let's pray and ask for God's help as we look at his word together.
Our God, you are great and you are glorious.
For you have done good and mighty things.
Father, we pray that you would give us a fresh glimpse.
Paint a picture upon our hearts and upon our minds.
Engrave your salvation deep upon our lives.
That we may see the wonder, the beauty, the magnificence of you, Lord Jesus.
And that in response, we would be a people who live for your glory.
Amen.
We ask for your help to us today.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
I don't know about you, but art was really never my strongest subject.
In fact, it was terrible.
And that caused a bit of a problem because exam time was getting close.
Running out of ideas, I went to one of the art rooms and collected all the leftover drawings
and put them neatly into a folder, all belonging to other people.
And the day came when we had to hand up our work and I proudly presented my work.
And I passed.
I took all the praise and all the glory for something that was not mine.
I robbed the glory that belonged to someone else.
Now, when it comes to our salvation, we can claim the glory for ourselves.
We can look upon it as something that I achieve.
God accepts me because I obey him.
God loves me because, well, I love him.
God saves me because I chose him.
It's all about me and what I've done.
It's my performance, my effort.
It's what I deserve.
But every time we say I in regard to salvation,
we are stealing or robbing the glory from God.
Rather than God being great and awesome and magnificent,
well, then I become great.
It's to Johnny be the glory forever.
Amen.
It's taking praise and glory for something that is not mine.
You see, when it comes to our salvation,
God alone should get all the glory.
Have a look at verse 36, Romans 11, verse 36.
This little section here, maybe it has a little title,
verses 33 to 36, it has doxology.
Maybe that's the title.
It's not inspired, it's not from God,
but somebody has put it in afterwards.
But really, it's just a hymn of praise, of exaltation,
a great outburst of uncontained emotion towards God.
And it comes at the very end of 11 chapters
that has gone into great detail,
showing us and detailing to us God's amazing gift of salvation.
And as he traces God's plan of salvation,
he gets to the end and he can't help but just burst out in praise.
And here's what Paul, the author, says in verse 36.
Thinking of God's amazing salvation, verse 36.
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him, to God, be the glory forever. Amen.
Salvation is planned by God, provided by God,
purposed by God, so God gets all the glory.
Martin Luther, our friend that we've been looking at over these weeks,
now with the Lord, of course,
rediscovered that salvation was nothing to do with us,
it was all of God.
And here he bursts into praise as he contemplates and thinks about it,
follow along as I read.
He says,
Christ, the Son of God, was given,
not for the righteous and holy,
but for the unrighteous and sinners.
If I were righteous and had no sin,
I should have no need of Christ to be my reconciler.
Therefore, let us praise God the Father
and give him a hearty thanks.
For this his immeasurable mercy,
that he has delivered us out of the kingdom of the devil
by his own Son,
when such was impossible to be done by our own strength.
Let us extol and magnify the glory of Christ,
who has delivered us into the kingdom of Christ,
to whom be glory world without end.
Amen.
So who gets all the glory?
God alone.
Well, let's see how all this is true.
We're going to look at two big ideas.
First, we're going to see the glory of God displayed,
and then we're going to look at the glory of God declared.
So the glory of God displayed.
I want you to imagine
that you're walking through an art gallery,
maybe like the Louvre in Paris
or some other national art gallery.
And as you walk through the different rooms,
you're confronted by all these amazing pictures on the wall,
all by famous artists throughout the centuries.
Each portrait, each scene that you look at,
just takes your breath away.
Well, these verses, verses 33 to 36,
is like walking into the art gallery of God.
On display as we walk through our pictures
and scenes of God's salvation,
each one reflects the glory and the beauty
and the magnificence and the power of God.
And every scene that you look at
causes you to stop and gaze in wonder
and worship of what an almighty God we have.
So let's walk through the gallery of God's glory together.
Three things we see as we look at God's glory.
First, the riches of God.
That's the first scene that we're confronted with.
The riches of God.
Look at verse 33.
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God.
On display before us is the deep, never-ending riches
of God's goodness and kindness towards us.
There we stand, as it were, in the gallery,
looking at God's riches before us,
and we are conscious of how deep and how great our own sin is.
But as we gaze at his riches,
we are overwhelmed by how deeper and greater God's grace is.
It is like a wave that washes over us.
Let me show you a glimpse of his riches.
Go back to chapter 3, verse 22.
The end of verse 22.
Romans chapter 3, the end of verse 22.
Talking about the human race of all people of all times.
The end of verse 22.
It says,
There is no difference, for all have sinned,
and all fall short of the glory of God.
We simply do not measure up.
But God, if you like, in his riches, verse 24,
are justified.
That is, we are declared not guilty,
freely, by his grace,
through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Move on, look at chapter 5, verse 17.
We can so easily become overwhelmed
by our own guilt and shame,
but here, look at the riches again.
Chapter 5, verse 17.
For if by the trespass of one man,
death reigns through that one man,
how much more will those who receive
God's abundant provision of grace
and of the gift of righteousness
reign in life through the one man,
Jesus Christ.
Here we see the riches of God,
his wisdom,
declaring us not guilty,
the riches of his knowledge,
knowing what we are like,
but pouring out his grace upon us.
Gaze and wonder
at the magnificence of God.
And as we gaze at that scene,
we move on and we see another picture.
We see the scene,
the plan of God.
Go back to Romans 11,
and verse 33.
We're going to be jumping backwards and forwards
to get a picture of these things.
So back to Romans 11, verse 33.
The end of verse 33.
How unsearchable his judgments
and his paths beyond tracing out.
There before us,
we see God's plan,
his judgments,
his paths,
all his plans and decisions
that he has made
to bring about our salvation.
So if you're here this morning
and you're a Christian,
look at God's plan
through your life.
You are a Christian,
not by chance.
It has been ordained by God
from before time began
and has been revealed to you
by God's own design
and you've come to experience it
by the power of his Holy Spirit.
And he wants us to stop
and look at his plan.
Look at verse 34.
Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counsellor?
Did God ever draw alongside you
and consult you
and ask you what he should do
as regards to saving the world?
Did God come looking to you
and ask you for advice
and say,
what should I do?
Did God ever turn to you
in a state of panic
and say,
help,
what am I going to do
to save this person?
No.
It all starts with God
and it all ends with God.
God acted out of his loving initiative
and he intervened in our lives
according to his will.
Have a look back at chapter 5,
verse 6.
Just wonder here
at God's plan
as it unfolds before you.
Chapter 5, verse 6.
You see,
at just the right time,
when we were still powerless,
Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die
for a righteous person,
though for a good person
someone might possibly dare to die.
but God demonstrates
his own love for us
in this,
while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
God acted
by his own will
and decree
in our lives.
And the wonderful thing
about God's plan
of salvation is
it cannot be undone,
it cannot be overturned,
it cannot be reversed.
Look at these wonderful words.
Chapter 8,
verse 38.
That God not only initiates
and brings about our salvation,
but he keeps our salvation.
Chapter 8, verse 38.
For I am convinced
that neither death
nor life,
neither angels
nor demons,
neither the present
or the future,
nor any powers,
neither heights,
nor depth,
nor anything else
in creation.
So whatever you could imagine,
not even sin,
not even Satan,
not even suffering,
will be able
to separate us
from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus,
our Lord.
Look at the plan of God.
The magnificence
of God's plan,
initiating
and securing
our salvation
from beginning
to end.
But we move on
to another scene.
Look at the gift
of God.
Go back to chapter 11,
verse 35.
Look at verse 35.
Who has ever
given
to God
that God
should have
to repay him?
Just think,
what did you bring
to the table
for your salvation?
What did you contribute?
What gift
did you bring
to God
to say,
here God,
look at what I've done,
now save me?
What did I
ever give
to God
that his arm
was forced
that he should
ever have to give
in return to me?
Absolutely
nothing.
Our salvation
is an extraordinary
gift
from God.
Something God
delights
to do.
Something God
takes great pleasure
in doing
because he
loves
to do good.
Go back
to chapter 9,
verse 16.
So if ever
we think
it is something
that we do
or we have earned,
look at chapter 9,
verse 16.
Speaking about
our salvation,
it does not
therefore depend
on man's
desire
or effort,
but on
God's
mercy.
Or look at
chapter 11,
verse 5.
Speaking about
God's continued
working of salvation
in people's life.
Chapter 11,
verse 5,
so too
at the present time
there is a remnant,
there are a people
chosen
by grace.
And if by grace
then it is
no longer
by works.
If it were,
grace
would no longer
be grace.
There is
nothing
we have done
to force
God's
favour.
There is
nothing we can
do to win
his approval.
There is
nothing we
will ever
become
that God
is going
to look
and say
I love
you more.
God
owes us
nothing
but in
his grace
he has
reached out
to us
and welcomed
us
and treasured
us
and saved
us
because he
delights
in pouring
out his
grace
upon us.
So here
in chapter 11
is this
wonderful
invitation
to walk
through the
gallery
of God's
glory.
On display
before us
is God's
glorious
salvation
to undeserving
people like
you and me.
and we
are just
to sit
not rush
but pause
and wonder
that God
who spoke
the universe
into existence
would come
down
into the
person of
Jesus Christ
and take
all my sin
and all your
sin and die
in our place
and would
declare me
not
guilty.
just sit
and bask
in the
knowledge
that God
forgives
rebels
like us
and adopts
us to be
his children
that we
would have
the same
rights
as the
Lord Jesus
that we
have access
to our
Father God
that we
can cry
out to
him
any time
any place
knowing he
will never
ever put
his hand
against us
but will
welcome us.
delight
in the
joy
that God
would choose
to show
such mercy
and that
God
loves
to do
so.
Walk
through the
gallery
of God's
glory
and see
his salvation
on display
and wonder
that God
did it all
for you.
the glory
of God
is put
on display.
Second
the glory
of God
is now
to be
declared.
Imagine
if you
would
for a
moment
again
walking
through
a gallery
and as
you look
at all
the various
scenes
and portraits
all around
the wall
and you
notice
people
as they
look at
them
they're
praising
the artist
they're
commenting
to each
other
amazing
incredible
and so
as you
walk around
you come
to
Da Vinci's
Sunflowers
and
you get
out a
little
scraper
from your
pocket
and you
start
scraping
off the
corner
and you
scrape
out Da Vinci
and you
just put
your own
little
signature
in the
corner
Johnny
Grant
or whoever
it's
ridiculous
isn't it
a ridiculous
attempt to
to try and
take the
glory from
the true
artist
and try and
receive praise
for yourself
well in the
same way to
claim salvation
is something
that I
achieve and
that I
deserve
is a
ridiculous
attempt to
try and
take the
glory that
belongs to
God
to ourselves
just as an
artist paints
a picture
so that we
can enjoy
all that
they've done
they paint
it and
put it
there so
that we
can be
amazed and
enjoy the
sheer brilliance
of what they
have done
so God
the ultimate
artist has
intervened and
saved us
so that we
can simply
enjoy
all that
he has
done
and in
response
as we
gaze at
his
brilliance
we are
to declare
his
glory
so first
to God
be
the glory
look at
verse 36
his
conclusion
to this
great
hymn
of praise
verse 36
for from
God
and
through
God
and
to
God
are
all
things
to
God
be
the
glory
forever
Amen
salvation
is
from
God
he
determined
it
salvation
is
through
God
he
accomplished
it
and
salvation
is
to
God
the
purpose
of
salvation
the
goal
of
salvation
the
whole
plan
of
salvation
is
all
about
God
you see
sometimes
we think
the purpose
of salvation
begins
and ends
with us
that God
looked down
upon us
and said
I need
to do
this
for you
and it
it's
all about
us
well it
is in a
secondary
sense
but in a
primary
sense
God
saves us
for the
purpose
of bringing
glory
first and
foremost
to him
he acts
in such
a way
so that
we would
respond
in glory
listen to
this
from
Ephesians
chapter
1
chapter
1
verse
4
just
listen
to
these
words
for he
that is
God
chose us
in him
before
the creation
of the
world
to be
holy
and blameless
in his
sight
why did
he do
that
to the
praise
of his
glorious
grace
or here
follow on
the screen
here's another
verse
from the
same
chapter
and you
also
were
included
in
Christ
when
you
heard
the
word
of
truth
the
gospel
of
your
salvation
having
believed
you were
marked
in him
with a
seal
the
promised
holy
spirit
who is
a
deposit
guaranteeing
our
inheritance
until
the
redemption
of those
who are
God's
possession
why
did
God
save
you
why
did
he
save
me
to
the
praise
of
his
glory
so
that
attention
would
be
drawn
to
him
God
saves
us
that
is
the
reason
we
are
saved
is
to
give
him
all
the
glory
we
have
not
been
saved
to
escape
hell
and
get
to
heaven
although
that
is
in
some
sense
true
we
are
not
saved
simply
to
make
our
life
better
although
our
life
is
exceedingly
better
because
of what
God
has
done
we
are
saved
primarily
so
that
we
might
declare
the
glory
of
God
that's
the
reason
God
delights
in
saving
us
that
is
why
he
pours
out
his
mercy
and
his
grace
is
so
that
his
name
becomes
famous
that
the
world
would
see
what
a
mighty
and
great
God
we
have
to
God
be
the
glory
forever
Amen
now
the
question
is
how
do
we
go
about
giving
God
the
glory
well
all
life
is to
be
lived
for
the
glory
of
God
look
at
chapter
12
verse
1
you
see
if we
didn't
have
chapter
headings
or
big
numbers
like
12
there
we
would
just
keep
reading
and
that's
in
a
sense
what
we're
meant
to
do
as
we
wonder
at
God's
salvation
what
do
I
do
in
response
chapter
12
verse
1
therefore
because
of
God's
glorious
salvation
I
urge
you
brothers
and
sisters
in
view
of
God's
mercy
as
you
walk
through
the
gallery
of
God's
glory
as
you
see
all
that
he
has
done
for
you
what
can
you
do
but
offer
your
bodies
as
living
sacrifices
holy
and
pleasing
to
God
this
is
your
spiritual
or
reasonable
act
of
worship
in
response
to
God's
salvation
our
whole
life
is
now
to
serve
God
we
no
longer
serve
God
to
try
and
gain
favour
or
get
his
attention
so
that
he'll
bless
us
more
or
give
us
more
we
serve
God
because
he has
saved
us
and
given
to
us
everything
and
all
that
we
need
because
he
has
blessed
us
with
every
spiritual
blessing
in
Christ
here's
how
our
dead
friend
Martin
Luther
put
it
we
are
both
joyful
and
happy
because
of
Christ
in
whom
so
many
benefits
are
conferred
upon
us
therefore
it
is
our
only
one
occupation
to
serve
God
joyfully
without
thought
of
gain
you
see
we
declare
the
glory
of
God
as
we
serve
him
and
the
way
in
which
we
serve
God
is
not
by
wandering
off
into
some
private
little
excluded
commune
and
singing
hymns
to
God
all
on
our
own
although
you're
quite
welcome
to
do
that
and
it's
good
to
praise
the
Lord
it's
by
serving
one
another
in the
context
of
everyday
to
day
life
listen
again
to
Martin
Luther
here's
what
he said
although
the
Christian
is
free
from
all
works
that
is
free
from
trying
to
earn
salvation
God
he
ought
he
to
empty
himself
take
upon
himself
the
form
of
a
servant
and
serve
help
and in
every
way
deal
with
his
neighbor
as
he
sees
God
through
Christ
has
dealt
with
him
and
still
deals
with
him
we
want to
serve
God
well
just
think
in the
ways in
which God has served you and the way in which God deals with you, he does not treat us as our sins
deserve. So in the same way, deal with one another and serve each other. So no longer are we striving
to use our good works to make God love us, but now God has given us good works to serve others
for the good of others, for the glory of God. What will it look like? Well, continue on. Chapter 12, verse 9.
Here's what serving God or serving one another is going to look like in the context of every day-to-day
life. Let me just read a few examples. Chapter 12, verse 9. Love. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil.
Cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
This is how we bring glory to God. Verse 13. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice
hospitality. Invite people to your homes. Or invite them out. Spend time with them. That's how we bring
glory to God. Or verse 17. Do not repay evil with evil, but be careful to do what is right in the eyes of
everybody. Sorry, I should have read verse 14. Let's go back to verse 14 again. Bless those who persecute
you. Bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Mourn with those who are mourning.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people
of low position. Do not be conceited. Verse 21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good. You see, living life to the glory of God is not confined to one hour on a Sunday morning.
It's not about separating ourselves from the world and surrounding yourselves by a nice group of
Christians and singing hymns and praying, although we should sing and we should pray. It is lived out in
the context of every day-to-day life, 24-7, in the nitty-gritty hardship of life, whether you're at home with
your kids and spending time with them, whether it's working alongside a grumpy colleague, whether it's
serving an annoying neighbour and being friendly to them, or giving hospitality to those who are
outsiders. In all of this, we are responding and we are serving God for his almighty salvation in our
lives and we are saying glory to him as we serve one another. All of life is lived for the glory of God.
Look at chapter 15, verse 7. In some ways, this brings it all to a conclusion. Chapter 15, verse 7.
1. Accept one another then, just as Christ accepted you. Why? Why serve one another? Why love one another?
Why mourn with those who mourn? Why rejoice with those who rejoice? Why forgive each other?
Here's the reason. In order to bring praise to God. To bring him glory. So let me encourage us all
to walk regularly through the gallery of God's glory. Do not rush, but stop and gaze and wonder at the
pictures and the scenes on display. His riches, his plan. Everything worked out for our good. And in response,
serve one another in love. To God be the glory forever. Amen. Let's pray.
Our Father God, would you please help us to sit, to reflect, to think upon the beauty, the power
and the greatness of our almighty God. And may you work in us in such a way that we delight
in all that you have done and enjoy all that you have done and live our lives in service to you.
Father, may we bring glory to you. Father, may we bring glory to you. Father, may we bring glory to you.
May all the praise go to Jesus so that your name is exalted and you become known throughout the world.
Father, we pray for your help that we might do it well. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Amen.
We are going to sing together two songs, which I hope help us in some way to respond to what we have been thinking about this morning.
The first one, let your kingdom come, let your will be done, so that everyone might know you.