Let's skip the page number.
We're reading from Romans chapter 9, which is on page 1135 in the Red Bibles.
So page 1135.
Romans chapter 9.
Starting in verse 1.
I speak the truth in Christ.
I am not lying.
My conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit.
I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,
those of my own race, the people of Israel.
Theirs is the adoption of sons.
Theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law,
the temple worship and the promises.
Theirs are the patriarchs.
And from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised.
Amen.
It is not as though God's word had failed, for not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children.
On the contrary, it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.
In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children,
but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.
For this was how the promise was stated.
At the appointed time, I will return and Sarah will have a son.
Not only that, but Rebecca's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac.
Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad,
in order that God's purpose in election might stand,
not by works, but by him who calls,
she was told,
the older will serve the younger,
just as it is written,
Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.
Well, if the end of that reading troubled you,
it's been troubling me all week,
so we need to pray and ask for God's help.
It is written,
Jacob I loved,
but Esau I hated.
Father, we confess that your word does speak truth.
It tells us about you,
and it tells us about ourselves.
And sometimes it is hard for us to grasp and understand,
and so this morning we pray,
would you please pour out your spirit upon us,
so that our minds understand what is difficult in your word.
But we also ask that you would pour your spirit into our hearts,
so that we accept the things that you say,
and we pray that this would change our lives,
so that we love you more,
and that we love others more,
especially that we would love those who do not yet know the Lord Jesus.
Father, please be gracious to us this morning.
And speak to us afresh,
through your word,
for it is truth,
and it is good for us.
We pray this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, just over a year ago,
the news broke of a very tragic farming accident.
You probably remember it.
Three members of the Spence family,
the father and two sons,
died in an attempt to rescue each other
when one had fallen into a slurry tank.
Knowing the dangers,
but without a second thought,
one followed the other
to try and save their father.
Their actions revealed their heart.
They had a deep love for each other.
They were willing to lose their life
in an attempt to save the life of another.
Now, Paul has that same kind of heart too.
Look at verse 1.
He says,
As I speak the truth in Christ,
I have something really important to tell you.
I'm not lying.
My conscience confirms it
in the Holy Spirit,
in the Spirit.
This is serious.
I have great sorrow
and unceasing anguish
in my heart.
Well, what is it that's burdening his heart?
What is it that's troubling him?
Well, look at verse 3.
He says,
For I could wish
that I myself
were cursed
and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my brothers,
those of my own race,
the people of Israel.
Do you see what he's saying in verse 3?
He says,
I am willing to go to hell.
I would be willing to be cut off from Christ
if it means my people become Christians.
I would be ready, he's saying,
to have the gift of eternal life
taken away from me
if it means that somebody from my family
gets eternal life.
Looking back on that farming tragedy,
we might think it crazy
for somebody to jump into a slurry tank
and lose their life.
But the thing is,
when you have a big heart,
when you see your loved ones in trouble,
you will do anything.
We're going to look at four big things
that flow from this text this morning.
And the first big one is this.
Christians long for other people
to become Christians.
You see, this is what's Paul's great desire.
His big longing is that his own people
become Christians.
Look at chapter 10 and verse 1.
He says,
Brothers,
my heart's desire
and my prayer to God for the Israelites
is that they may be saved.
Or chapter 11, verse 14.
He says,
It's my hope
that I may somehow
arouse my own people to envy
and save some of them.
Now, if you're a Christian,
you will identify
with Paul's heart
because there is no greater agony,
there is no greater pain
or heartache
than to have friends
or family
who do not yet know
and love the Lord Jesus.
Look again what he says
in chapter 9, verse 2.
He says,
I have great sorrow
and unceasing anguish
in my heart.
I long
that my mum
or dad
or maybe it's your sister
or maybe it's one of your own children
or maybe you're thinking of a friend
that you work with
and it's your longing
and your desire
and your heartache
for them
to become
Christians.
You see,
this is
a serious matter.
Go back to chapter 2
and verse 5.
It's a serious matter.
It's weighing
on his heart
because
it has an eternal consequence.
Romans chapter 2, verse 5.
He's already spoken about this.
Romans 2, verse 5.
Because
of our stubbornness,
because of our unrepentant heart,
we're storing up wrath
against ourselves
for the day of God's wrath
when his righteous judgment
will be revealed.
Verse 16.
This will take place
on the day
when God will judge
men's secret thoughts
through Jesus Christ
as my gospel declares.
Do you see?
It's a serious matter.
And with that in mind,
our heart's desire
is that people
would come to know
the joy
and the beauty
of the gospel.
that people
would see
that in Jesus,
which is what
Romans 1 through to 8
has been telling us,
that in Jesus
there is forgiveness,
that there's peace
with God,
that we can have
a brand new beginning,
that we can be welcomed
and treasured
as God's children
and be given
the guarantee
of eternal life.
of course,
Paul's wish
in verse 3
of chapter 9,
his wish
that he could be
cut off from Christ,
he knows
and we know
that he can't do that.
It is just simply
expressing
what we all feel
as we think about
our friends
and our family
who are not yet Christians.
You see,
there is nothing
more important
in this life
than to be
a follower
of Jesus Christ.
Don't you long
for the day?
Hasn't your heart
ached?
Haven't you
shed tears
for people
who don't yet
follow Jesus?
Christians
always long
for other people
to become
Christians.
The second
big thing
that we want
to take
from this
this morning
is that people
who don't
become Christians
can't blame
God.
People who
don't become
Christians
can't blame
God.
You see,
while we may
desperately
want
to become
Christians
or want
others
to become
Christians,
we can never
blame God
if they don't.
It's not
God's fault.
Look at
verse 4.
Chapter 9.
Here Paul
is looking
at the
privileges
and the
opportunities
that his
own people
have had.
Verse 4.
He says,
theirs
is the
adoption
of sons.
It's talking
about the
privileged
relationship
that they
had with
God.
There's
the divine
glory.
In other
words,
they had
known God's
presence come
down amongst
his people.
There's the
covenants.
They knew
about God's
commitment to
them.
They had the
receiving of
the law that
God had spoken
to them and
had given
them his
very word.
They had the
temple worship
and the
promises.
The promises
of Jesus
to come and
the gospel
that was to
come.
There's,
verse 5,
are the
patriarchs and
from them
is traced
the human
ancestry of
Christ who
is God
over all
forever
praised.
Amen.
You see,
they've been
given every
opportunity
possible,
including the
fact that
Jesus is
one of their
own people
and they
could trace
his family
line all
the way
through.
But even
though they
had heard
the gospel,
even though
they'd had
the promises
of it all,
even though
they have
this rich
history and
heritage,
they still
do not
love the
Lord Jesus.
Perhaps
there's someone
in your
family who
has heard
many times,
but still
they are not
believers.
Maybe you're
like that.
Maybe you're
here and
you've heard
the truth
many times,
but yet you
still don't
believe.
Well, if we
don't believe,
and as much
as it may
weigh on
our hearts,
we can never
turn round
and point the
finger and say
it's God's
fault,
he's failed,
he's let us
down.
Look at
verse 6,
because he
says this,
it is not
as though
God's word
had failed.
God has
not stopped
working.
The gospel
does not
fail.
You see,
people become
Christians not
just when they
hear the good
news,
but when they
also combine
it with
faith.
again,
look at the
pattern we
have in
verse 4.
He's listing
all the
privileges,
all the
opportunities.
They have
this and
they have
that.
And we
could say
where they
went to
church,
they've had
the Bible,
they took
communion,
they were
taught in
Sunday school,
they went
here,
they went
there.
But look
how this
list of
privileges
finishes in
verse 5.
It says,
and from
them is
traced the
ancestry of
Christ.
He doesn't
say Christ
is theirs,
or that
they have
Christ,
he simply
just says
Christ came
from them.
In other
words,
Jesus doesn't
belong to
them,
and they
don't belong
to him,
because they
have never
ever joined
themselves in
faith or by
faith to
Jesus.
Despite all
the privileges
and all the
opportunities,
they have
never responded
in faith and
trusted Jesus.
You see,
we can have
all the
opportunities
and all the
privileges,
but it will
count for
nothing until
there is
faith.
So people
who don't
become
Christians
can't
blame
God.
The third
big
thing we
want to
learn this
morning is
this,
that becoming
a Christian
is always
God's work
and not
our own.
It's always
something God
does,
not something
we do.
You see,
even though we
may fail to
respond as
we should,
even though
God in
his goodness
has given
opportunity
after opportunity,
he doesn't
stop making
people Christians.
He still
keeps on
working in
people's lives.
That's the point
of verse 6,
it's not as
though God's
word had
failed.
So two
things from
this we want
to learn.
First,
becoming a
Christian
is dependent
on God's
gracious
promise.
Becoming a
Christian is
dependent on
God's
gracious
promise.
Let's
read verse
6 again.
It is not
as though
God's word
had failed,
for not
all who
are descended
from Israel
are Israel.
Now,
that sounds
confusing,
that last
little statement,
but this is
what he's
saying.
Just because
you've heard
the good news
about Jesus,
just because
you've had
this privilege
and this
background,
doesn't mean
to say that
you will
automatically
be a
Christian.
So,
how do you
become a
Christian?
Well,
read on,
verse 7,
Nor because
they are his
descendants are
they all
Abraham's
children.
On the
contrary,
it is through
Isaac that
your offspring
will be
reckoned.
Now,
again,
it's confusing,
it's difficult
to get our
heads around
it,
but one way
to help us
to do this
is to think
back to the
story in
Genesis where
we read about
the beginning
of Israel
and Abraham
and his
first children.
Because in
that story in
Genesis we
read that
Abraham had
two sons.
The first
son he
called
Ishmael.
The second
son he
called Isaac,
that's being
referred to
here in
verse 7.
They're both
physical
descendants of
Abraham.
Abraham is
their dad.
They both,
if you like,
had the same
opportunities,
the same
privileges.
However,
only one of
them belonged
to the true
people of
God.
Only one,
if you like,
became a
Christian and
that was
Isaac.
Why?
Because God
had given
the promise
of salvation
to one
but not to
the other.
look at
verse 8.
In other
words,
it is not
the natural
children who
are God's
children,
but it is
the children
of promise
who are
regarded as
Abraham's
offspring.
The true
people of
God or
people who
become
Christians
are those
who are
dependent on
God's
gracious
promise to
us.
it is
never about
our
privileged
position
before
him.
You see,
some people
think,
like the
Jewish people
here in
this passage,
that it is
all about
position,
it is all
about
privilege.
So people
could say,
oh well I am
a Protestant
or I am
a Catholic
or I am
a Baptist,
but the
point is it
does not
matter what
your pedigree
is,
it does not
matter what
your position
is,
salvation
only comes
to us
because
God
promises
it.
Look at
verse 9,
for this
is how
the promise
was stated,
at that
appointed
time I
will return
and Sarah
will have
a son.
Again,
if we are
to go back
into that
story,
we remember
that Abraham
and his
wife Sarah
at this
time were
very,
very old.
Sarah
was well
past the
age of
having
children.
It was
physically
and
biologically
impossible
for her
to have
a child.
But God
had made
a promise
to them
and said
that I'm
going to
come back
and at
that time
when I
return
you will
have a
child
because
what was
impossible
for Sarah
suddenly became
possible
through God's
promise.
And this
is illustrating
the fact
that salvation
is only
possible
because of
God's
promise
to us,
not because
of our
privileged
position.
In other
words,
becoming a
Christian
is always
God's
work.
And this
is repeated
again,
but in a
slightly
different way.
Becoming a
Christian is
not just
dependent on
God's
gracious
promise,
it's
dependent on
God's
gracious
choice.
Look at
verse 10.
Not only
that, he
continues,
but Rebekah's
children had
one and
the same
father,
our father
Isaac.
You see,
as we follow
the story
through of
Abraham and
Sarah and
the two
children,
in this
case,
Isaac,
well, we
learn that
Isaac also
had two
sons.
In fact,
these two
sons were
twins.
They were
called Esau
and Jacob.
So if
Isaac had
received the
promise of
salvation,
does that
mean his
children will
also have
the automatic
right to
salvation?
Well, look
what it says
in verse 11.
Yet,
before the
twins were
born,
or had
done anything
good or
bad,
in order
that God's
purpose in
election might
stand, or
to put it
this way,
in order that
God's purpose
might be
driven by
his choice.
Not by
works,
but by
him who
calls people.
She was
told the
older will
serve the
younger.
God
made a
choice.
And I
know we
find that
hard to
take in.
I know
we're
struggling to
hear that.
But
according to
God's
purpose,
he chose
between the
two boys,
between the
two twins,
he chose
one and
not the
other to
receive his
salvation.
Verse 13,
just as it
is written,
Jacob I
loved,
but Esau
I hate
it.
What?
Are you
sure that's
what it
says?
I thought
God loved
everybody.
What does
the great
verse say?
That God
loved the
world.
how can
God
hate
someone?
Well,
the sense
is something
like this,
that Jacob
I have
chosen,
but Esau
I've
rejected.
Jesus
said the
same kind
of thing.
Keep your
finger there
in Romans
9 and go
back to
John
chapter 6.
John's
gospel
chapter 6.
John's
gospel
chapter 6
verse 37.
This is
Jesus
speaking
about those
who will
come to
him,
those who
will be
Christians.
John
chapter 6
verse 37.
Jesus
says all
that the
father
gives
me
will
come
to
me
and
whoever
comes
to
me
I
will
never
drive
away.
Verse
39.
And this
is the
will
of him
who sent
me,
that I
shall
lose
none
of all
that he
has
given
me,
but raise
them up
at the
last day.
God's
will,
God's
purpose,
God's
choice to
call people
to himself.
And that's
what Paul is.
He's essentially
saying the same
thing here.
in other
words,
God has
chosen to
give his
saving
love to
some
and not
to others.
And we
may think,
well,
if God
made a
choice like
this,
maybe it's
because
Jacob
must have
been a
better boy
when he
was growing
up.
Or maybe
it was
because
God
knew that
one day
Jacob
would
trust
in
God
and he
knew
how he
was going
to turn
out and
that's
why he
chose
him.
Well,
it's got
nothing to
do with
those things.
It's got
nothing to
do with
our
character.
Look at
what it
says in
verse 11.
This is
Romans 9
verse 11.
Yet
before
the twins
were born,
before they
were born,
or had
done anything
good or
bad,
before they
even had an
opportunity
to come
running in
and say
something nice
or to
throw a
tantrum,
God made
his choice.
It wasn't
as if God
looked down
and said,
oh,
Jacob is
going to
be a
good boy,
I'm going
to choose
him,
or Esau
isn't going
to believe
in me,
so I
won't
choose
him.
No,
the point
is this,
that becoming
a Christian
depends on
God's
gracious
choice of
us,
not our
character,
not about
who I
am.
Becoming a
Christian is
always
God's
work.
And the
fourth
thing that we
want to take
from this
is this,
that although
these things
we're struggling
with,
and I know
you've got
questions,
and I know
there's lots
of puzzles
that we're
trying to
work out
here,
but if we
try and
work all
those things
out,
in some
sense we'll
get bogged
down.
And what
we need to
try and do
is to
accept and
to go with
it,
because if
we hear what
God is saying
to us,
it will
change our
lives in
an incredible
way.
It will
change our
lives in
an incredible
way.
Three things
that this
will change
our lives.
The first
is this,
it creates
humility.
It creates
humility.
You see,
if God has
made me a
Christian,
that means
there is
nothing in
my life
that I can
point to
and say,
God made
me a
Christian
because,
or God
chose me
because I
was a
good boy.
If you're
a Christian,
it's not
because of
who you
are or
what you've
done,
or because
you've
decided to
do something,
it's simply
because God
chose to
give his
love to
you.
have a
look back
in
Deuteronomy
chapter 7.
Deuteronomy
chapter 7
and verse
7.
Deuteronomy
7,
verse 7.
Deuteronomy
The Lord
did not
set his
affection
on you
and choose
you because
you were
more numerous
than all
the other
peoples,
for you
were the
fewest of
all peoples.
In other
words,
he didn't
choose you
because of
anything
about you,
but,
verse 8,
it was
because the
Lord loved
you.
You see,
the question
here is
not what
about
everybody
else.
The amazing
thing is,
is that
why would
God love
me?
Why would
he love
me?
That's
what's
amazing.
And if
we can
grasp that,
then it
takes away
all notions
of superiority.
That means
I can never
ever look
down on
somebody and
say,
I'm better
than you
because I'm
a Christian
or because
I chose
to follow
or because
God saw
something
beautiful in
me.
It just
creates
humility.
It makes
me love
other people
and serve
them and
care for
them in
the same
way in
which God
did that
unconditionally
for me.
So first,
it creates
humility.
Second,
it brings
about
security.
You see,
if God
has made
me a
Christian,
then salvation
is not
dependent
on me.
If I
chose to
become a
Christian,
if it was
about me,
then that
means I
can choose
not to be
a Christian.
So I can
kind of jump
in and be
a Christian
and then
decide at a
later point
not to
be a
Christian.
Now,
I don't
know about
you,
but I've
got an
issue about
that because
I choose
to sin
every single
day.
I choose
to disobey.
I choose
to ignore
God's
word.
So am I
in or am I
out because
of my
choices?
But if I
understand that
it is God
who chose
me,
then my
salvation is
not dependent
on how good
I am or
how bad
I am,
but God
has promised
to me.
He chose
me.
And that
means I'm
secure forever
no matter
if I
failed or
whether I've
been a
good boy.
Romans 8
verse 38.
This is why
he can say
this.
Romans 8
verse 38,
for I am
convinced that
neither death
nor life,
neither angels
nor demons,
neither the
present nor the
future,
nor powers,
neither heights
nor depth,
nor anything
else in all
creation,
will be able
to separate
us from the
love of God
that is in
Christ Jesus
our Lord.
Why will we
not be
separated?
Because of
the work God
has done in
our lives.
And then the
last thing that
it brings about
is it leads
to responsibility.
If I am a
Christian,
then this
truth will
change my
heart and
give me an
incredible love
for other
people who
are not yet
Christians.
That's how
this text all
started in
verse 3.
As Paul
looked in at
his own
heart, the
great sorrow
and unceasing
anguish that
he had, how
he wishes
that he could
be cut off
from Christ
so that
others would
become
Christians.
And here's
the wonderful
thing, that
if you are
a Christian,
God has
chosen you
and God
has called
you to be
his witness
where you
are amongst
those people
who are not
yet Christians.
Maybe you're
the only one
who is a
Christian at
this time in
your family.
perhaps you're
the only one
who believes
when you go
into your
workplace.
Maybe you're
the only
Christian in
your neighbourhood.
God has
chosen you
and God
has called
you and
he's called
me so that
we would be
his witness
placed in the
middle of all
those people
so that
through you
they can hear
the good
news and
respond in
faith and
become
Christians
to.
It is
puzzling.
It raises
questions.
But let
these three
things that
we've just
touched on
at the end
settle in
your hearts.
God has
called you
to be a
Christian.
He has
chosen you
and it
brings about
humility.
It brings
security.
But it
leads to
responsibility.
Let's
pray.
Let's
pray.
Father,
we prayed
at the
beginning
that your
word is
truth.
And there
are many
things that
are in
it that
are confusing
to our
own minds.
And there
are many
things that
we find it
hard to
accept in
our own
hearts.
things that
are
faithful to
us.
And so we
pray for
your ongoing
work of
your spirit
to bring
clarity
and to
bring
acceptance
in our
hearts.
And that
above all
that we
would be
people who
bow in
humility
before you
and thank
you for
our amazing
salvation,
for your
amazing love.
and to
know that
no matter
what,
whether I've
had a bad
week or a
good week,
that your
love still
remains and
we are
secure.
And in
the knowledge
that you
will go on
making
Christians and
that your
gospel has
not failed,
help us
that we may
go out
into this
week with
a message
and with
a truth
about the
Lord Jesus.
Help us
as we go,
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.