One of the blessings of going verse by verse through books of the Bible is it prevents you from skipping over hard things.
And here we are running into a section of Romans that starts in chapter 9 and goes through chapter 11.
And so, but I do want to say, try to look at this with fresh eyes today.
We'll be in Romans 9 with the next today and then three more Sundays.
But just join me in a quick word of prayer.
Lord, we're just grateful to come together around your word today.
And I pray that it would have your desired effect on our hearts and our lives.
And help me to remain submitted to your word, to remain humble, to put all things before you.
Just ask that you be honored in this time. In Christ's name, amen.
So we will, Nathan took us through Romans 8, arguably one of the greatest chapters that we find in the scripture.
In Romans 8, connect directly to Romans 9.
And we're going to just start with the first five verses today.
So let's just read together from God's inspired and inerrant word.
Romans 9, 1 through 5.
Paul says,
Back in the book of Romans, it's just a good reminder that we never graduate.
We never graduate from the gospel.
We never move on from the cross, but only a more profound understanding of the cross as we grow in our faith.
And if the gospel is true, then it must stand up against the hardest scrutiny.
We need it because we are banking our souls and trusting our souls to this message.
And arguably, the book of Romans gives us the fullest detailed at length explanation of the gospel.
And so, after reading these five verses, one of the things that I learned that has helped me in the past is when you preach on a particular passage of scripture,
preach the mood of that scripture.
If it's joyous, you should be joyous.
If it's sad and convicting, then that's how you ought to preach it.
And I just want to confess to you that I can't, without God's help, preach the mood of this text.
It is a very sorrowful lamentation.
And so, before we move on, I want you just to notice that why does Romans 9, 1 through 5,
it comes following Romans 8, which is one of the greatest explanations of our future glory in Christ.
That nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.
A promise to save us, to glorify us with Christ.
Romans 8 gives us great assurance, great hope, and great confidence of our eternal salvation.
There's just a tremendous mountaintop that we reach in Romans 8.
And when we get to the summit, we stop there.
And there's just something that just blows my mind here.
After Paul reaches the heights of Romans 8, reaches the summit of that mountain,
he immediately thinks about those who aren't there with him.
He thinks about those who are still lost in the valley, living in darkness.
When it comes to his Jewish kinsmen, when it comes to his family, the people that he knows, the nation of Israel.
And so, this kind of poses a problem.
This is why this matters, okay?
We're asking the question in the next three chapters.
Has God's promises to the nation of Israel failed?
Have they fallen short?
Gone unfulfilled?
Because by and large, the nation at this time had rejected Jesus as the Messiah.
So have those promises failed to Israel?
And if that's true, if they have failed, then how can we be sure that God will keep his word to us?
See the problem there?
Like, that's the question that Paul is going to tackle in the next three chapters.
How can we trust the promises that he has made to us in Christ,
if the promises he's made to the Jewish people have gone unfulfilled?
That's why it matters.
And so he begins this new section answering these questions at length, chapters 9 through 11.
And he's demonstrating that indeed, God has been faithful to his word.
And that he has kept his promises towards Israel.
So in these chapters, he will show, he will prove that within the nation of Israel, right,
as there's a larger circle of ethnic, national Israel.
Within that is a smaller, concentric circle of saved, spiritual Israel.
A remnant that God has chosen for salvation.
Just a very similar connection to us today.
Just because we see a larger circle of the gathered church.
But we know that just because we can see a church gathered doesn't mean that everyone inside that gathering belongs to Christ.
There are, within these larger circles, smaller, concentric circles of the invisible church.
And that's the way it is with this passage.
This is what he's going on to prove.
But before he goes into that at length, he wants us to take a glimpse into his heart for his fellow Jews.
It's very important because I think if we see how he answers this, how he brings us out, it'll help us later look at these amazing but hard doctrines of salvation, sovereign election, and what God talks about.
So there's only two parts, two points really, of our message today.
Part number one.
Or number one.
See Paul's personal connection to unbelieving Israel.
Paul's personal connection to unbelieving Israel.
He says in verse one,
I'm speaking the truth in Christ.
I'm not lying.
My conscience bears witness in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unsecretely anguish in my heart.
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen, according to the flesh.
And so many, many believers give lip service to their sadness for the loss.
That's just so bad.
That's just too sad.
Paul, on the other hand, wants us to understand this is not just sentimental.
A sentimental aside from what he's talking about.
It's not just lip service or how bad he feels about the loss.
He truly, actually, sincerely feels deep sorrow in his soul for his Jewish kinsmen that are living in darkness away from Christ.
As we unpack this verse by verse, he says, I'm speaking the truth in Christ.
I'm not lying.
So he's calling on the very presence of Jesus himself to bear witness that he is not lying.
He is being truthful.
We might be tempted to lie, but if we actually had an awareness that Jesus was there with us,
we would have a much harder time uttering a lie.
And so he's not exaggerating.
He's speaking the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
So giving further certification to this, he says,
My conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit.
You ever notice that when we lie, when lies can out of our mouths immediately,
there's something that convicts us?
It says the law of God is written on our hearts in Romans chapter 2.
And when we lie, we sin against our conscience.
So Paul calls his conscience to bear witness in the Holy Spirit.
All right, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of truth.
So the Spirit himself is bearing witness of the truth of what he is going to say.
And our consciences should be bathed in the light and warmth of the Holy Spirit at all times
to maintain integrity.
A conscience surrendered to God's Word and to the Holy Spirit.
That's what we must aim for.
So then he says he invokes that as a witness to his truthfulness and his reliability.
So you might think like,
Well, Paul, have you been lying to us elsewhere?
Like, why do you feel now the need to say,
Hey, I'm telling you the truth?
Because aren't you always telling us the truth?
It's a fair question.
But here's the point.
Why he feels the need to express his true motives about this.
Because what he's about to say could seem so unbelievable, so incredible,
even exaggerated, that we might be tempted to think that he's not actually telling us the truth.
So that's why he emphasizes this.
Everything from out of his mouth, he truly, sincerely believes.
So he looks at his lost kinsmen, the Jewish people, the Israelites.
All right?
So following, again, the most glorious explanation of the gospel recorded in human language in Romans 8,
he immediately breaks into this lamentation.
His tone moves from the apex of joy to very solemn.
As Sinclair Ferguson said,
Paul goes from ecstasy to anguish.
Just like that.
Paul confesses he suffers great.
That's the word mega.
Great sorrow.
Which means immense sadness and deep distress.
And then he says unceasing anguish.
Which means this constant pain and perpetual torment.
Something that he can't just have a moment of and then put it aside.
And it's after him all day and all night.
This perpetual anguish in his heart about his unbelieving Jewish kinsmen.
Later on in chapter 10, verse 1, he says,
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them, the Jewish people,
is that they may be saved.
So he has this desire for all of them to come to know Jesus as the true Messiah.
But isn't it interesting, again, that on the summit of hope in chapter 8,
he immediately thinks about those who are not there with him.
It reminds me of a missionary who went to Papua New Guinea
and shared the gospel with the tribe.
The Moak people shared the gospel at length,
unpacked it for them, and they're all just sitting there in suspense,
waiting to know what's going to happen,
and tells them that Jesus died and that Jesus rose again,
and that they put their hope and trust in Jesus,
that they will be saved.
And they break out into celebration,
like a joyful celebration,
that if they put their hope in Christ, they will be saved.
And it turned into dancing and praising God.
And then the missionary said,
At some point following that,
they all just broke down weeping and crying uncontrollably.
And he inquired why this was happening to one of the village elders.
And he goes,
I think they've just realized that all their family who has gone before them is not with God.
And then they actually returned back to rejoicing not long after that.
That's what we see here.
Paul deeply and truly loves the Jewish people from whom he was born and raised.
He treasures the rich heritage, right,
of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon, Elijah, and the prophets.
Like he loves his people.
Paul loved their customs and their traditions.
He wrote in Galatians 1.14,
that he was extremely zealous for the traditions of his fathers.
A deep love for them.
And then he says,
For their sake, right,
some of us may feel sorrow in our hearts.
I know I do,
but not to this degree of anguish.
What he says,
most of us could never follow.
Like,
in our conscience,
I'm like,
I don't know
if I could say that.
But he says,
I wish that I myself were accursed,
cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,
my kinsmen,
according to the flesh.
All right,
now,
now understand,
Paul knows in his head
that that's an impossibility.
Because of what he just wrote in Romans 8.
He knows that nothing can separate him
from the love of Christ.
That's in his head,
but his heart is still aching
with conflict for his lost kinsmen.
Indeed,
if it was even possible,
he says he would choose
to be accursed
for their sake.
that's a word
that some of you may be familiar with.
It means anathema,
cut off,
to suffer the fury and wrath of God
is what it means.
To suffer their punishment,
their kinsmen,
according to the flesh.
He's basically saying,
I'm willing to lose Christ
if they only could gain Christ.
Now,
I only picked one place
for you to turn today.
It was hard to settle in,
but I want you to
just join me briefly
in Revelation 20.
Hold your hand,
Romans 9,
and look at Revelation 20.
What does this look like?
You know,
all of us will face
God's judgment one day.
Some of us are prepared.
Some of us are not prepared.
And I want you to think about
where you may be
as well as
what about the state of those
who you love
and you care about?
Your family,
your friends,
those that you have contact with.
And I want you to
think about
approaching the judgment.
Or to envision them
approaching the judgment.
But God is called
the righteous judge.
He always does
what's right.
We've seen a lot of
corruption in our world
and in our nation
with
courts and law
being used
in unjust ways.
God makes no such mistakes.
He is the righteous judge.
And he's vowed
one day
to judge
all humanity
that has rebelled
against him.
Look at Revelation 20.
Go to verse 11.
This is following
chapter 19
of the armies of heaven
coming down
to judge
and make war.
And before the
before the new heaven
and the new earth
in chapter 21
we find this image
of the great
white throne
judgment.
A phrase that
scared the junk
out of me
when I was a kid.
And justly so.
Revelation 20
verse 11
John says
I saw a great
white throne
and him who was
seated on it.
From his presence
earth and sky
fled away
and no place
was found for them.
And I saw the dead
the great and the small
standing before the throne
and books
were opened.
And another book
was opened
which is the book
of life.
And the dead
were judged
by what was written
in the books
according to what
they had done.
And the sea
gave up the dead
who were in it.
Death and Hades
gave up the dead
who were in them.
And they were judged
each one of them
according to what
they had done.
Then death and Hades
were thrown
into the lake of fire.
This is the second death
the lake of fire.
If anyone's name
was not found
written in the book
of life
he was thrown
into the lake
of fire.
I hope that
in a good way
this passage
sobers us
this morning.
We look at God's
throne
that's high
and exalted
and it's white
which means pure
and holy
and at God's
presence
the fallen
creation
just flees away.
Like it's too
unclean
to be in his
sight.
Making way
for the new heaven
and the new earth.
And it says that
all people
all men
the powerful
the great
the strong
world leaders
the rich
the poor
the beggar
on the street
and the most
powerful leader
among us
all stand
before the throne.
And it says that
there are books
plural
see that
books recording
more than likely
every thought
every deed
and every sin
committed
by individuals.
And then there is
a singular
book
the book
of life
that contains
the name
of all those
who have trusted
their souls
to Jesus Christ
the book
of life
of the Lamb.
And it says that
in God's
perfect judgment
he examines
all these things
and it says
if anyone's name
was not found
in the book
of life
they were cast
into the lake
of fire.
The first
death is physical
we all will
suffer that
the second
death
is spiritual
far worse
and if we
do not have
Jesus
approaching this
day
we will perish
under God's
just
and righteous
judgment.
And that
individually
makes me
I will say
I'm
I'm scared
but I'm not
terrified
if that makes
sense.
A reverence
for what
is to take
place there
but I also
can look over
and envision
those that
I know
my family
members
my friends
people that
do not
have Christ
approaching
that throne
they will not
make it
they will not
survive
and so
I want
to
as best
I can
try to get
to where
Paul is
I hope that
you ask God
to help you
see that
to see
yourself
and those
that you
love
facing
this
oncoming
judgment
from God
this is not
just
a sentiment
that
Paul
himself
had
Moses
likewise
shared
in that
when he
was on
Mount Sinai
an Israelite
camp
turned
to
idolatry
in a
pagan
awful
celebration
of depravity
and unbelief
so Moses
feels
God's
righteous
indignation
towards the
nation
he knows
that punishment
will come
and he
jumps
between the
people
and God
and he
offers
himself
much in the
way Paul
does here
to save
you from
turning
there
if you
want to
look at
later
Exodus
32
30
through
33
but he
said
if you
will
forgive
their
sin
but if
not
blot
me
out
from
your
book
that
you
have
written
and the
Lord
said
to
Moses
whoever
has
sinned
against
me
I
will
blot
out
from
my
book
and so
Moses
himself
felt this
need to
intercede
for his
people
but
as we
know
only Jesus
can bear
the punishment
as a substitute
and take
God's wrath
no man
is capable
then finally
we know
that our
Lord
himself
upon
approaching
Jerusalem
before
he was
to be
arrested
beaten
and
crucified
upon
looking over
the whole
city
Jesus
cried out
oh
Jerusalem
the city
that kills
the prophets
and stones
them
who are
sent to
it
how often
would I
have gathered
your children
together
as a
hen
gathers
her brood
under
her wings
and you
were not
willing
so Jesus
himself
felt
broken
heartedness
for the
people
so this
is all
Paul's
personal
connection
with
unbelieving
Israel
now
point
number
two
is
God's
personal
connection
to
unbelieving
Israel
and
if you
look at
verses
four
through
five
back in
Romans
9
says
they
are
Israelites
and to
them
belong
the
adoption
the
glory
the
covenant
the
giving
of
the
law
the
worship
and
the
promise
to
them
belong
the
patriarchs
and from
their
race
according
to
the
flesh
is
the
Christ
who
is
God
over
all
blessed
forever
amen
notice
he
says
to
them
belong
meaning
the
Hebrew
nation
they
were
marvelously
privileged
by
God
he
entrusted
things
to
Israel
that
he
did
not
entrust
to
the
Amorites
to
the
Egyptians
to
anybody
else
he
chose
them
by
his
grace
in a
general
sense
as a
nation
right
God
graciously
gave
them
types
and
prefigures
which
are
these
examples
or
pictures
that
God
designed
beforehand
and he
placed
them
in
history
to
point
forward
to
a
greater
larger
fulfillment
namely
Jesus
Christ
and he
he gave
them
so much
and yet
they
rejected
as
for the
most part
by and
large
they
rejected
Jesus
as
the
Messiah
it
says
in
John
1
verse
11
that
he
Jesus
came
to
his
own
and
his
own
people
did
not
receive
him
so
the
reason
for
highlighting
all
this
was
to
say
how
privileged
they
were
as a
nation
is
to
show
how
tragic
their
condition
is
to be
cut
off
from
God
because
they've
been
given
so
much
so
not
the
true
Israel
some
of us
may
think
someone
may
not
trust
in
God
because
they
haven't
just
had
enough
exposure
to
God's
truth
you ever
felt like
that
before
ever
heard
that
well
this
proves
that
that's
not
true
Israel
is
the
ultimate
example
of that
every
advantage
was given
to them
and they
squandered
it
for the
most
part
they had
so many
things
given
from
God
let's
just
walk
through
these
things
briefly
it
says
first
the
adoption
not
used
in a
general
sense
of
giving
salvation
to
every
individual
born
in
ethnic
Israel
rather
that
God
in a
general
sense
chose
them
and privileged
the entire
nation
to manifest
himself
to
to reveal
himself
to
he gave
them
so many
things
in
Exodus
4
22
God
calls
Israel
my
son
my
firstborn
meaning
that
the
provisions
for the
nation
were like
that
of a
firstborn
son
his
care
and
special
attention
was
given
to
them
all
these
blessings
were
poured
out
upon
them
yet
most
of
them
failed
to
lay
hold
of
that
great
blessing
and
they
squandered
it
the
glory
is
the
next
part
of
this
possibly
referring
to
this
visible
we call
the
Shekinah
glory
this
visible
sign
of
God's
presence
and
a
pillar
of
cloud
or
fire
that
we
saw
around
Sinai
the
tabernacle
the
holy
of
holies
a
visible
presence
of
God
among
them
but
also
you could
easily
say
when
God
reveals
his
glory
to
someone
what
he's
doing
is
revealing
himself
to
someone
he's
revealing
his
character
and
who
he
is
and
his
mighty
deeds
and
he
did
that
for
Israel
he
made
known
to
them
saving
revelation
you
want
to
know
how
to
be
made
right
with
me
I'm
going
to
show
you
yet
the
majority
of
ethnic
Israel
failed
to be
amazed
by
that
glory
and
most
did
not
partake
of
it
so
nextly
we
see
the
covenants
see
that
we
all
know
what
covenants
are
a
legal
binding
promise
a
contract
an
agreement
between
two
parties
and
God's
reveal
it
you
know
if
you
study
the
covenants
it's
just
such
a
wonderful
picture
of
God's
grace
he
condescended
came
down
and entered
into a
contractual
relationship
with
those
who
were
in
Israel
right
you
have
the
Abrahamic
covenant
the
Mosaic
covenant
the
Davidic
covenant
and on
where
God
pledged
himself
to
them
and
swore
by
his
own
name
to
keep
his
word
towards
them
he
didn't
do
that
with
the
other
nations
he
chose
to
do
it
with
Israel
yet
most
of
them
failed
to
see
his
grace
in
those
covenants
and
failed
to
keep
their
part
of
those
covenants
then
fourthly
we
see
the
law
could
definitely
refer to
the
ten
commandments
but
also
countless
other
principles
that
God
gave
so that
we
would
know
how to
honor
him
and
obey
him
!
the
Hebrew
word
law
Torah
which
means
not
just
legal
stuff
but
instruction
teaching
God
gave
us
careful
instructions
right
as a
loving
father
gives
his
child
showing
him
how
he
ought
to
live
in
the
world
specific
revelation
the
scripture
and
y'all
know
that
like
they
so many
of
them
had
exposure
to
the
scripture
God's
specific
revelation
about
his
character
and
what
he
desires
yet
most
of
Israel
again
they
failed
to
see
the
purpose
of
the
law
they
failed
to
lay
hold
to
the
reality
that
the
law
is
a
servant
leading
us
to
Christ
then
you
look
at
the
next
part
the
worship
also
referring
to
like
mainly
the
temple
service
what
happened
at
the
tabernacle
and
the
temple
that
the
sacrificial
and
ceremonial
system
that
God
had
revealed
to
Moses
Exodus
29
and
through
it
God's
people
could
place
their
faith
in
him
and
provide
atonement
for
their
sin
and
as
we
know
the
supreme
temple
service
was
the
Passover
we're
all
aware
of
that
is
Exodus
12
yet
the
majority
of
Israel
failed
to
see
that
those
animal
sacrifices
pointed
forward
to a
final
sacrifice
for
sin
namely
Jesus
Christ
and this
is why
Paul wrote
Christ
our
Passover
lamb
has been
sacrificed
1 Corinthians
5
7
so
Christ
has made
the final
atoning
temple
service
by dying
on Calvary's
cross
and
they
failed
to
see
that
all
those
things
were
pointing
forward
to
him
then
lastly
you
see
the
promises
that
could
be
taken
with
the
word
covenant
the
covenant
and
the
promises
kind
of
summing
it
all
up
all
the
promises
that
God
made
pointing
forward
to
the
coming
Messiah
hundreds
of
prophecies
pointing
forward
to
Jesus
fulfilling
them
bringing
salvation
in
eternal
life
in
his
kingdom
the
new
covenant
though
most
of
them
rejected
the
new
covenant
that
was
coming
to
replace
all
the
old
purchased
by
the
blood
of
Christ
for
those
who
believe
Paul
wrote
in
2nd
Corinthians
all
the
promises
of
God
find
their
yes
in
him
Jesus
Christ
that
is
why
through
him
that
we
utter
our
amen
to
God
for
his
glory
and if
you look
next
you see
the
patriarchs
from
the
loins
of
those
patriarchs
the
fathers
Abraham
Isaac
and
Jacob
came
the
nation
and
God
revealed
himself
specifically
to
those
men
and
from
that
line
came
Jesus
the
Messiah
which
is
next
through
the
Christ
who
is
over
all
blessed
forever
!
Amen!
Jesus
that's
why it's
important
look at
the
beginning
of
Luke
and
the
!
Matthew
you
see
this
lineage
of
Jesus
it's
important
it's
saying
he
was
the
one
he
came
through
the
line
he
was
a
descendant
from
David
Jesus
is
not
just
merely
a
human
being
but
also
fully
God
divine
sovereign
over
all
and
then
Paul
ends
in
praise
if
he
can't
think
about
Jesus
without
busting
out
into
praise
so
in
closing
of
this
part
of
it
the
nation
of
Israel
had
every
advantage
every
grace
given
to
them
to
know
God
and
be
redeemed
by
him
to
worship
him
rightly
so
that
escalates
their
accountability
and their
responsibility
to act
upon the
truth
that was
given
to
them
that's
Luke
12
48
so much
is given
much
is to
be
expected
right
so
some
closing
application
for
us
God
does
not
look
at
the
world
through
good
people
bad
people
he
doesn't
look
at
it
through
a
political
lens
democratic
republican
conservative
liberal
he
doesn't
look
at
it
through
gender
he
doesn't
look
at
it
through
race
he
only
looks
at
it
through
those
who
belong
to
him
and
those
who
don't
and
that's
it
so
those
of
you
today
who
are
without
christ
or
you're
uncertain
about
where
you
stand
with
god
i
want
you
to
see
that
your
attendance
here
is
not
by
accident
or
coincidence
you
may
be
even
unaware
but
this
very
moment
is
ordained
by
god
it
says
in
proverbs
16
9
the heart
of a
man
plans
his
way
but
the
lord
establishes
his
steps
you
are
here
today
we've
been
told
numerous
times
in
god's
word
that
he
guides
and
directs
the
steps
of
our
lives
so
here's
what's
scary
ready
for
this
know
then
that
greater
privileges
have
been
afforded
to
you
than
even
Israel
because
you
live
in
the
time
of
the
fulfillment
of
these
things
Jesus
came
he
fulfilled
these
promises
so
what
about
you
if
you
are
uncertain
about
where
you
are
with
God
what
advantages
has
God
given
you
live
in
the
bible
belt
there
are
bibles
everywhere
so
many
nations
in
this
world
are
without
God's
word
that's
an
advantage
a
grace
given
to
you
how
many
of
you
have
Christian
friends
or
family
members
that
God
has
placed
in
your
life
special
privileges
of
knowing
and
hearing
God's
word
taught
parents
who
took
you
to
church
a
grandparent
who
prayed
for
you
a
father
who
sat
down
and
talked
about
Jesus
with
you
and
yet
why
do
you
remain
opposed
to
Christ
do
you
see
these
things
as
grace
in
your
life
doesn't
owe
you
he
doesn't
owe
anybody
anything
the only
thing
that we
rightly
do
is
judgment
we
don't
deserve
the
grace
of
God
so
have
you
been
faithful
to
lay
hold
of
those
graces
that
God
has
given
you
they're
here
so
know
that
your
sin
puts
you
at
odds
with
God
but
see
your
presence
here
as
grace
and
God
is
beckoning
you
to
come
to
Christ
you're
here
in a
worship
service
hearing
God's
word
taught
there
are
many
people
here
myself
the
elders
people
who
brought
you
who
are
willing
to
talk
with
you
about
this
but
in
Hebrews
3
Hebrews
3
7
through
8
it
says
therefore
the
Holy
Spirit
says
today
if you
hear
his
voice
do
not
harden
your
hearts
in
rebellion
as
long
as
it
is
called
today
that
none
of
you
may
be
hardened
by
the
deceitfulness
of
sin
if
you
feel
any
love
or
desire
or
need
for
Christ
go
to
him
don't
hesitate
you
don't
have
to
walk
an
aisle
to
do
that
you
can
just
do it
in
where
you're
sitting
and talk
to us
afterwards
so
those
are
for
people
who
may
not
know
where
they
are
with
God
but
for
those
of
us
who
do
know
who
have
the
confidence
of
Romans
8
behind
us
I
want
you
to
think
about
how
to
rightly
apply
this
passage
to
yourselves
if
you
have
an
unbeliever
that
you're
with
at
work
the
park
the
school
that
you
go
to
the
gym
what
are
your
feelings
towards
them
do
you
remorse
any
burden
for
them
at
all
and
if
not
why
not
so
what
I
want
to
tell
you
might
hit
you
pretty
hard
hit
me
what
we
believe
about
Romans
9
reveals
a lot
about
what
we
believe
about
Romans
8
okay
this
exposes
our
true
convictions
as we
walk
through
Romans
9
we'll
be
going
over
what
at least
we at
this
church
believe
and
many
others
but
referred
to
as the
doctrines
of
grace
reformed
theology
Calvinism
Augustinianism
all kind
of saying
the same
thing
but
as we
do
that
our
burden
for
loss
and
perishing
souls
can be
revealing
about
what
we
actually
believe
about
those
things
right
if
we
truly
believe
versus
what
we
claim
to
believe
and
I
want
to
submit
to
you
again
that
I
struggle
to
get
to
this
level
of
anguish
in my
soul
for
the
lost
and
our
attitude
should
be
like
Paul's
now
some
nerdy
academic
theologian
may sit
down
with
Paul
don't
you
realize
that
unbelievers
are
sovereignly
in
God's
hands
they're
there
Paul
I
mean
like
Paul
understands
that
he's
about
to
write
about
it
right
but
before
he
does
he
wants
you
to
see
that
his
heart
is
broken
for
his
unbelieving
kinsmen
rightly
understanding
God's
sovereignty
and
salvation
his
predestination
and
election
rightly
understood
will
throw
not
cold
water
on
the
fire
of
evangelism
but
it
will
throw
fuel
on
the
fire
of
evangelism
it
will
give
you
great
zeal
rightly
understood
it
should
not
never
make
us
apathetic
merely
academic
towards
these
things
and
we
have
to
ask
God
to
give
you
that
type
of
sorrow
it
is
not
something
that
you
can
just
psych
yourself
up
into
you
can't
just
work
yourself
up
into
a
frenzy
and
feel
that
way
it
is
something
given
to
God
by
his
grace
it
is
an
overflow
of
our
walk
with
Christ
in
love
as
we
imagine
ourselves
and
others
approaching
that
final
day
so
we
must
ask
God
to
give
us
that
but
in
closing
a
very
I'll
try
to
I
have
a
lot
of
them
but
as
someone
who
loves
sharing
the
gospel
who
loves
connecting
with
unbelievers
and
going to
weird
places
to reach
people
many
years
ago
when this
was
introduced
to me
I
struggled
I
was
like
what
is
the
point
if
God
has
a
people
already
chosen
for
salvation
why
do
we
go
what
does
the
great
commission
mean
in
light
of
this
why
is
there
a
need
for
missions
and
evangelism
genuine
questions
I
was
having
but
again
rightly
understood
this
is
just
catapulted
like
sprung
me
forward
into
more
I'm
just
going
to
give
you
one
reason
right
here
it's
right
out
of
our
text
Paul
desires
to
go
after
them
and
rescue
them
his
heart
breaks
for
those
who
do
not
know
Jesus
as
the
psalmist
said
my
eyes
shed
tears
of
streams
because
people
did
not
keep
your
distress
for
unbelievers
was
not
due
to
his
lack
of
grasp
of
God's
sovereignty
and
salvation
his
distress
actually
demonstrates
how
deeply
and
truly
he
believes
those
things
so
many
souls
are
waiting
anxiously
for the
news
that
God
will
use
to
save
their
soul
so
we
should
go
through
whatever
extreme
necessary
Proverbs
24
verse
11
says
this
rescue
those
who
are
being
taken
away
to
death
hold
back
those
who
are
stumbling
toward
slaughter
Jude
122
have
mercy
on
those
who
doubt
save
others
by
snatching
them
out
of
the
fire
right
that's
why
I mean
rightly
understood
our
hearts
should
long
to
bring
others
with
us
I
have
a
quote
and
then
we'll
pray
Spurgeon
who
did
seek
the
lost
he
says
have
you
no
wish
for
others
to
be
saved
then
be
sure
of it
you
are
not
saved
yourself
he
says
if
sinners
be
damned
at
least
let
them
leap
to
hell
over
our
dead
bodies
and
if
they
perish
let
them
perish
with
our
arms
wrapped
around
their
knees
imploring
them
to
stay
if
hell
must
be
filled
let
it
be
filled
in
the
teeth
of
our
exertions
and
let
not
one
go
unwarmed
or
unprayed
for
join
me
in
Matthew
chapter
9
we'll
close
together
Matthew
chapter
9
begins
with
Jesus
we
should
end
with
Jesus
and
I
want
you
to
see
the
heart
of
our
Lord
towards
those
who
are
suffering
and
lost
Matthew
chapter
9
look
at
verse
35
verse
35
chapter
9
and
Jesus
went
throughout
all
the
cities
and
villages
teaching
in the
synagogues
and
proclaiming
the
gospel
of the
kingdom
and
healing
every
disease
and
affliction
when
he
saw
the
crowds
he
had
compassion
for
them
because
they
were
harassed
and
helpless
like
a
sheep
without
a
shepherd
then
he
said
to
his
disciples
the
harvest
is
plentiful
but
the
laborers
are
few
therefore
pray
earnestly
!
to the
Lord
of the
harvest
to send
out
laborers
into
his
harvest
join
me
in
prayer
for
to
eat
for
time
to the