The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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It says, "To
receive with meekness,
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the implanted Word,
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which is able to save your souls
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and to be diligent to present
yourself approved to God,
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rightly dividing
the Word of Truth."
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Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Our study today is,
Salvation by Faith Alone,
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the Book of Romans.
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Hello, and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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We are so excited
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to be having the opportunity
to present this lesson,
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Salvation by Faith
Alone in the Book of Romans.
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And we're glad
that you are joining us.
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We hope you have your Bible,
we hope you have pen and pad.
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And if you don't have
the Sabbath School quarterly
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and you would
like to follow along,
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you can go online
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to ABSG.Adventist.org
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and download the lesson.
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That should be on your screen,
but please do join with us
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because this is
going to be a great study.
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We have...
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Let me just introduce the
panel that we have here today.
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It has been such a joy to
work with each one of you,
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Pastor CA Murray,
Mollie Steenson, Jill Morikone
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and my own pastor John Lomacang.
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Hasn't it been a
joy just to get...
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I think we've all been learning
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as we've been
going through this.
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It's not just our own study
but everybody brings something
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just as you say that
put them a bean in the pot
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and we've been feasting
on this pot, have we not?
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Indeed yeah. Amen.
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Well, we are going to
look this Sabbath at Romans 9.
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And the title of the lesson
is 'Children of the Promise'.
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Before we begin,
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I would very much like it
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if Mollie Steenson,
if you could say a prayer
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for God's
anointing and His presence.
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Yes, Holy God, praise You
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and thank You for
Your presence here, Father.
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Lord, we just bring ourself...
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We just present our
hearts to you, O God,
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and ask You Lord,
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that you would look
into our hearts and Lord,
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if there be
anything unlovely and unlike,
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You just root it out is
our prayer in Jesus' name,
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Father, that we can
stand before Your people
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with clean hands
and a pure heart.
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Now, Father, we ask
for a coal from the altar
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to be placed on our lips,
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the words we speak
today will be anointed of you
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and bring hope and deliverance
to everyone that hears.
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That's our
prayer, in Jesus' name.
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Amen. Amen.
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Well, I want to kind
of hurry things along
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because I want to
spend a little time
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in Sunday's lesson.
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And let's look
at our memory verse
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and say that together,
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and people sometimes
get so upset by this verse.
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I want to take
time to look it over.
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This is Romans 9:18
from the King James Version
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and saying this together,
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"Therefore hath he mercy
on whom he will have mercy,
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and whom he will he hardeneth."
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Let me read that to
you from me the Amplified.
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It says, "So then,
He," speaking of God,
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"Has mercy on whomever He wills,
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whomever He chooses
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and He hardens or makes stubborn
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and unyielding the
heart of whomever He wills."
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Now, to understand
properly the character of God,
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we've got to
understand this scripture,
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and to understand the scripture
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you have to
understand the character of God.
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Paul uses Pharaoh, and that's
the example that I want to use.
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He has used the
example of Pharaoh.
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But I want to say this,
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God's mercy is
not based on anything
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that God sees in a person.
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It's not based on
your worth or your...
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He is not judging you
the value that you have.
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God wants all men to be saved,
that is His heart of love.
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But His purpose in election
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also does not depend on
a man's desire or effort
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but He chooses on
the basis of His purpose.
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So when it says
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that, "He hardens
whom He will harden."
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In Exodus, the Bible portrays
that Pharaoh hardened his heart
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against God repeatedly,
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but it also says that
God hardened Pharaoh's heart.
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And what you'll
find that, in the Bible,
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God is often
presented as doing something
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or doing something that He
did not prevent from happening.
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So they'll say, "Well, He did it
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because He didn't prevent it."
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What happened with Pharaoh?
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He repeatedly was
in stubborn rebellion
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and God just gave him
over to a hardened heart.
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That's the flip side of mercy,
is the hardening of the heart.
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He just allowed
justice to run its full course
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and let Pharaoh have
what he had deserved.
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See, God had purposed
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that He was gonna show
His power through Pharaoh
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but the way He showed His power
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would depend
upon Pharaoh's choice,
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because when you think
about the king of Nineveh,
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when God sent Jonah to
Nineveh, what happened?
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He's saying, "Okay,
I'm gonna destroy you,"
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but when he went and
preached, what happened?
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The king of Nineveh repented.
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He brought his whole
nation into repentance.
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That's right. And God relented.
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So I think that
that was very important
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for us to understand that,
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had Pharaoh
submitted to God's will,
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God's name would have been
magnified through the world
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but He didn't.
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So God's name was magnified
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through the
judgments on Pharaoh.
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So let's look at Sunday,
and this is Paul's burden.
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Sunday's lesson begins
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with one of my
favorite scripture passages
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from Exodus 19:4-6.
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God is speaking to
the children of Israel.
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He is yet to speak the
Ten Commandments to them
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or appear on the mountain
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but He tells Moses,
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"Tell the
children of Israel this.
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You have seen what I
did to the Egyptians,
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how I bore you on eagle's wings
and brought you to myself."
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That's covenant love language.
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God is saying,
"I love you so much
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that I bore you on wings,
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an eagle's wings to
bring you to myself.
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And I destroyed
the Egyptians for you.
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Now therefore because of
my covenant love for you,
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if you will indeed obey my voice
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and keep my covenant,
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then you should be a
special treasure to me
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above all the people
for all of the earth is mine
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and you shall be to
me a kingdom of priest
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and a holy nation."
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These are the
words He says to Moses
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that you are to go
tell the children of Israel.
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When God chose Abraham,
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He said, his descendants
would be missionaries for Him
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to the whole world.
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He said the whole
world will be blessed,
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His covenant people were
to be the seed of Abraham
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or to be a blessing to
the people of the earth.
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They were to reveal
the character of God
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and take His
truths to a pagan world.
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So His election of
Israel as a covenant people,
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a royal priesthood was not
based on the size of Israel,
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it was not based on
any merit that Israel had
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but rather that it was based
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on the purpose of fulfilling
His plan of salvation.
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So now, the
lesson asks us, what...
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How is God's faithfulness
portrayed in Romans 9:1-12?
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"Amid human failures".
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Because what's happening
here, Paul's about to...
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He's preparing to
announce to the Jews,
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the rejection of
Israel as God's people
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that are going to carry
out His covenant purposes.
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Now the Jews believed,
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I mean, they
thought they were it.
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They believed that
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because they were the
physical descendants of Abraham,
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that they were in.
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They were in with God
so tight, it didn't matter.
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Did you know
that the priest taught
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that anybody who
was uncircumcised
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would not go to...
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I mean, anybody
who was circumcised
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would not go to hell?
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The priest...
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It didn't matter how
they lived their life,
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what their character was like.
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So Paul's going
to announce that,
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"Hey, the
physical nation of Israel
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is not going to be the one,"
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there's going to
be a special remnant
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but he knew that the Jews would
vehemently reject this idea.
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So now he is kind of softening
the blow with this approach.
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Let's read Romans 9:1-12.
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He says, "I tell
the truth in Christ,
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I am not lying,
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my conscience also bearing
me witness in the Holy Spirit,
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that I have great sorrow
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and continued grief in my heart,
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all for I wish that I
myself were cursed from Christ
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for my brethren
and my countrymen
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according to the flesh."
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That reminds me of
Moses, when Moses told God,
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"Blot me from
your book of life."
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I mean, what love Paul
had for his country men
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to say that he
wished he could be cursed
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from Christ on their behalf.
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He says, "Those
who are Israelites
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to whom pertain the adoption,
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the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law,
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the service of God,
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and the promises of
whom are the fathers
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and from whom according
to the flesh Christ came,
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who is over all the
eternally blessed God."
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Amen.
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But it is not the Word of
God that has taken no effect
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and he knows that
they're thinking it,
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he tells them, "Hey,
physical Israel, isn't it?"
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They're gonna think, "Hey,
you're setting the Word of God
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had no effect."
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He said, "Because
they are not all of Israel
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who are of Israel."
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And verse 7 he says,
"Nor are they all children
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because they are
the seed of Abraham
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but in Isaac your
seed shall be called."
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We know that Abraham
had a son through Sarah,
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the son of promise was Isaac.
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He had a son
through Hagar, Ishmael.
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And then he had sons
through Keturah, no matter...
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I don't know how
many sons Abraham had.
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But he had many sons.
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But it was only in Isaac,
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the child of promise
that his seed would be called.
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So Paul's beginning
to reason this out now.
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He's saying, God didn't
choose all of Abraham's seed.
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He only chose
the child of promise
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to carry out this covenant
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and Abraham's seed
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Isaac was of supernatural birth.
00:11:06.19\00:11:09.50
He's like a type of
Christian, if you will,
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because we're children
of the promise, are we not?
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That's what Paul
tells the Galatians in 4:28,
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"We're children of the promise."
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But only those who received
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and accepted
God's promise to Abraham
00:11:22.88\00:11:25.88
through the seed of Jesus Christ
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were the true
children of Abraham
00:11:29.28\00:11:31.89
and heirs
according to the promise.
00:11:31.92\00:11:34.02
So now, it wasn't their heritage
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or their ancestry,
00:11:35.99\00:11:37.43
it depended on something
other than fleshly descent.
00:11:37.49\00:11:40.30
So he goes on in
verse 9 and he says,
00:11:40.36\00:11:42.86
"For this is
the word of promise,
00:11:42.90\00:11:44.80
at this time I will come
and Sarah shall have a son,
00:11:44.83\00:11:48.14
and not only this
00:11:48.17\00:11:49.50
but when Rebecca also had
been conceived by one man,
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even by our father Isaac
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for the children
not yet been born,
00:11:54.84\00:11:56.88
nor having done any good or evil
00:11:56.91\00:11:58.71
that the purpose of God
00:11:58.75\00:12:00.15
according to
election might stand,
00:12:00.22\00:12:03.05
not of works but
of Him who calls,"
00:12:03.08\00:12:05.42
saying, "It's up
to God, election."
00:12:05.45\00:12:07.89
His purpose in election,
00:12:07.92\00:12:09.26
CA, it doesn't
matter how good you are
00:12:09.29\00:12:10.93
if God didn't
elect you to be a pastor,
00:12:10.96\00:12:12.69
you wouldn't have been one.
00:12:12.73\00:12:14.20
So he said, it was
said to her, to Rebecca,
00:12:14.20\00:12:19.47
the older which
was Jacob, excuse me,
00:12:19.50\00:12:26.34
Esau was born first,
00:12:26.37\00:12:27.98
the older shall
serve the younger.
00:12:28.01\00:12:30.31
So God chose Esau, over to...
00:12:30.35\00:12:34.22
or chose Jacob over Esau.
00:12:34.28\00:12:36.25
I'll get it right here.
00:12:36.28\00:12:37.75
So what He's doing here,
00:12:37.79\00:12:39.45
see, it wasn't even
all the seed of Isaac
00:12:39.49\00:12:41.92
that was chosen.
00:12:41.96\00:12:43.43
It was through
Jacob that this election
00:12:43.49\00:12:47.20
and His purpose
was to be carried out.
00:12:47.23\00:12:49.50
And all Paul is doing is
establishing God's salvation,
00:12:49.53\00:12:55.67
His election flows along
spiritual lines of faith,
00:12:55.70\00:12:59.54
not because of
their physical ancestry.
00:12:59.57\00:13:04.51
So what does the Bible say?
00:13:04.55\00:13:07.02
Paul says, "We must be
led by the Spirit of God
00:13:07.05\00:13:10.32
to be sons of God,
00:13:10.39\00:13:11.72
the covenant
promises come through faith."
00:13:11.75\00:13:14.29
And I just want to say this
00:13:14.32\00:13:15.66
while I'm thinking of it
because I'm rushing so much.
00:13:15.69\00:13:18.83
It is not...
00:13:18.86\00:13:21.53
Because your
parents are Christians,
00:13:21.56\00:13:24.40
that doesn't
make you a Christian.
00:13:24.43\00:13:27.00
You may be a third
Adventist generation,
00:13:27.04\00:13:29.64
that doesn't make you
an Adventist Christian.
00:13:29.67\00:13:32.17
It is only those who
have personally embraced
00:13:32.21\00:13:36.81
the seed of the
promise Jesus Christ.
00:13:36.85\00:13:39.51
So Paul is showing
that from the plan, God's...
00:13:39.55\00:13:45.62
From the beginning
God's plan through Abraham
00:13:45.65\00:13:49.49
was that there
would be a spiritual seed.
00:13:49.52\00:13:51.86
There's going to be
a remnant to carry on
00:13:51.89\00:13:56.03
because the
children of the promise
00:13:56.06\00:13:58.50
are those who believe
00:13:58.53\00:14:01.00
the promise is given
to the God of Abraham...
00:14:01.04\00:14:04.37
Are in the God of Abraham
00:14:04.41\00:14:06.27
and that their faith is
imputed as righteousness to them
00:14:06.31\00:14:11.01
just as God imputed
righteousness to Abraham.
00:14:11.05\00:14:14.65
That's right.
00:14:14.68\00:14:16.02
I don't know if
it was well said,
00:14:16.05\00:14:17.39
it was a little bit jumbled
but the points were in there.
00:14:17.42\00:14:21.89
You know, I appreciate
00:14:21.92\00:14:23.53
and I want to
build a little pontoon
00:14:23.56\00:14:24.89
between where you
started because...
00:14:24.93\00:14:29.70
There are
certain nuggets in Romans
00:14:29.73\00:14:31.73
that are right on the surface.
00:14:31.77\00:14:33.10
You can pick
them up fairly easily
00:14:33.13\00:14:34.74
and understand them,
then you get to the point,
00:14:34.77\00:14:37.71
we've got to dig a
little deeper to get the truth.
00:14:37.74\00:14:39.37
That's right.
00:14:39.41\00:14:40.88
Over the last couple of lessons,
00:14:40.94\00:14:42.28
we were at that point
00:14:42.31\00:14:43.65
where it's not
sitting on the surface,
00:14:43.71\00:14:45.05
you got to dig a little deeper.
00:14:45.08\00:14:46.41
And you've got a little...
00:14:46.45\00:14:47.78
You must have an understanding
of the cultural milieu
00:14:47.82\00:14:52.22
to try to get at this
00:14:52.25\00:14:54.22
because there are certain things
00:14:54.26\00:14:55.62
that are almost code language
00:14:55.66\00:14:57.39
that certainly his
audience understood
00:14:57.43\00:14:59.96
but we may not
00:15:00.06\00:15:01.36
unless we are
digging a little bit deeper.
00:15:01.40\00:15:02.80
Number one,
looking at these texts,
00:15:02.83\00:15:07.87
you may think that we
serve a capricious God
00:15:07.90\00:15:10.91
who is kind of,
not only capricious
00:15:10.94\00:15:12.61
but little mean.
00:15:12.64\00:15:14.81
I take you, I reject you.
00:15:14.84\00:15:17.08
And you can come
away with that idea,
00:15:17.15\00:15:20.22
a couple things we
need to re-establish.
00:15:20.25\00:15:23.82
One, he that loveth not knoweth
not God, for God is love.
00:15:23.89\00:15:27.79
And that's not some
time, that's all the time.
00:15:27.82\00:15:30.26
That's what He is,
not just what He does,
00:15:30.33\00:15:32.63
that's what He is.
00:15:32.66\00:15:34.00
And then Malachi
3:6, "I don't change."
00:15:34.00\00:15:37.60
So you've got to kind
of put those both together
00:15:37.63\00:15:40.10
in your understanding of
where we're going with this.
00:15:40.14\00:15:41.97
Yes, exactly.
00:15:42.00\00:15:44.31
That He's not capricious
and He does not change.
00:15:44.34\00:15:47.68
So if He loved yesterday,
He's going to love today.
00:15:47.71\00:15:51.31
If He loves
Shelley, He loves Mollie,
00:15:51.35\00:15:54.22
He loves Jill, He
loves Pastor Lomacang.
00:15:54.28\00:15:56.65
I almost called him
Lomie, Pastor Lomacang.
00:15:56.69\00:15:58.42
That's okay.
00:15:58.45\00:15:59.79
So He loves all the time.
00:15:59.82\00:16:02.06
He loves everyone,
00:16:02.09\00:16:03.46
there is no one who
is outside of the realm
00:16:03.49\00:16:05.43
or the purview of that love.
00:16:05.46\00:16:07.30
Now, given that understanding,
let's read the next two texts.
00:16:07.36\00:16:10.47
I'm in Romans 9,
00:16:10.50\00:16:13.34
dealing with the
subject 'Elected'.
00:16:13.37\00:16:15.54
This is Monday.
00:16:15.57\00:16:16.91
Romans 9, I start at verse 12.
00:16:16.94\00:16:18.94
Romans 9:12.
00:16:18.97\00:16:21.58
"It was said to her,
00:16:21.61\00:16:23.14
the older shall
serve the younger
00:16:23.18\00:16:25.25
as it is written
Jacob I have loved
00:16:25.28\00:16:27.95
but Esau I have hated."
00:16:27.98\00:16:33.19
Yeah, let's stop there.
00:16:33.22\00:16:34.56
Let's stop there.
00:16:34.59\00:16:35.92
Lest I lip over into
Miss Steenson's area.
00:16:35.96\00:16:40.80
The lesson takes pains to note.
00:16:40.83\00:16:42.80
And we should understand
00:16:42.83\00:16:44.33
that we're not
talking about salvation.
00:16:44.37\00:16:48.50
I accept you to be
saved, I reject you to be saved.
00:16:48.54\00:16:53.11
And, Shelley, you did this well.
00:16:53.14\00:16:54.74
I think you made
this point very clear.
00:16:54.78\00:16:56.85
We're talking
about being elected
00:16:56.91\00:16:59.08
to fulfill a specific purpose.
00:16:59.11\00:17:02.78
Because one is called
to fulfill that purpose,
00:17:02.82\00:17:05.75
it doesn't mean
that the other one
00:17:05.79\00:17:07.49
who is not called
has no business with God
00:17:07.52\00:17:10.76
or God has no use for them.
00:17:10.79\00:17:12.69
They're just not called
for that specific purpose.
00:17:12.73\00:17:17.57
We believe that the call to
ministry is a call from God.
00:17:17.60\00:17:22.24
Everyone is not
called to be a minister.
00:17:22.27\00:17:25.44
There are some who...
00:17:25.47\00:17:26.81
A pulpit minister,
a pastor should I say,
00:17:26.88\00:17:29.04
because there are
doctors who minister,
00:17:29.08\00:17:31.15
there are lawyers who minister,
00:17:31.18\00:17:32.61
there are teachers who minister.
00:17:32.65\00:17:34.45
Adventist teachers
and Adventist classrooms
00:17:34.48\00:17:36.69
and Adventist schools
00:17:36.72\00:17:38.05
are ministers of
the highest order.
00:17:38.09\00:17:39.55
They are not
called to be pastors
00:17:39.59\00:17:41.09
but they are called to minister.
00:17:41.12\00:17:42.69
In fact, their life is ministry.
00:17:42.72\00:17:44.96
And we have great ones here
at our Thompsonville School.
00:17:44.99\00:17:47.86
So because one is not
accepted for position A,
00:17:47.93\00:17:52.50
does not mean they are
rejected totally by God.
00:17:52.53\00:17:55.07
God has something
else for them to do,
00:17:55.10\00:17:57.17
more in line with their talents.
00:17:57.21\00:17:58.61
So when we look at, "I
have accepted Jacob and Esau,
00:17:58.64\00:18:03.01
I have hated."
00:18:03.04\00:18:04.48
We must look at
it through that lens.
00:18:04.51\00:18:07.92
In accepting one
and rejecting the other,
00:18:07.95\00:18:10.95
let's just take a
look at the words,
00:18:11.02\00:18:12.75
the language that are used.
00:18:12.79\00:18:14.12
Yes, please.
00:18:14.19\00:18:15.52
Because it will help us to know
00:18:15.56\00:18:16.89
and understand what
we're talking about.
00:18:16.93\00:18:18.26
"I have loved one,"
of course that is agape.
00:18:18.29\00:18:20.66
It's not an
emotional attachment,
00:18:20.73\00:18:22.40
it is not setting
on a erotic attachment.
00:18:22.43\00:18:24.67
It is love at the
level of principle.
00:18:24.70\00:18:27.44
It is love in a moral
sense, "I have loved this one,
00:18:27.47\00:18:33.04
I'm going to use this
one to do this for me."
00:18:33.07\00:18:36.64
Hated is miseo,
00:18:36.68\00:18:39.05
which is an
interesting kind of word.
00:18:39.08\00:18:41.55
It has a lot of nuance to it.
00:18:41.58\00:18:43.08
It doesn't...
00:18:43.12\00:18:44.45
It can be translated hated
00:18:44.49\00:18:45.82
and the Bible
translates it hated
00:18:45.85\00:18:48.59
in some of its translations.
00:18:48.62\00:18:52.69
But there are other
translations that say,
00:18:52.73\00:18:56.03
I've loved less or
I've loved differently.
00:18:56.06\00:19:00.20
Or I have the
word rejected is there.
00:19:00.27\00:19:04.17
But it seems, it simply means,
00:19:04.24\00:19:06.01
it's like trying to put a
round peg in a square hole
00:19:06.04\00:19:09.51
or a square peg in a round hole.
00:19:09.54\00:19:11.71
They're not suited
for this particular thing.
00:19:11.75\00:19:14.25
So rather than
what we would call hate,
00:19:14.28\00:19:17.85
it's more than
that you are not suited
00:19:17.89\00:19:20.89
to do a particular task.
00:19:20.92\00:19:22.36
Shelley is more
suited for that task.
00:19:22.39\00:19:24.86
Mollie has another
task that she should do.
00:19:24.89\00:19:27.60
So it's using
one for this purpose
00:19:27.66\00:19:30.87
and not using one
for another purpose.
00:19:30.90\00:19:32.53
And you touched on something
that I think is very important.
00:19:32.57\00:19:34.87
In the Semitic
mind what God allows,
00:19:34.90\00:19:39.61
He is actively
spoken of as doing.
00:19:39.64\00:19:42.01
So if He allows a
heart to be hardened,
00:19:42.04\00:19:45.18
it will be written as,
"He hardened his heart,"
00:19:45.21\00:19:47.88
but you see,
we've got to understand
00:19:47.92\00:19:49.98
God only has one
way of doing things.
00:19:50.02\00:19:53.46
He loves and
everything is done through love.
00:19:53.49\00:19:56.12
And if love hardens your
heart, what else can God do?
00:19:56.16\00:20:01.80
Because He cannot
change the way He functions.
00:20:01.83\00:20:04.03
He just loves.
00:20:04.07\00:20:05.87
And if you
don't want to be loved
00:20:05.90\00:20:08.30
or if love chafes you,
00:20:08.34\00:20:09.67
or if love hardens you,
00:20:09.70\00:20:11.57
He has no other mechanism
because that's all God has.
00:20:11.61\00:20:15.78
Now Satan has a
hundred mechanisms.
00:20:15.81\00:20:17.41
He can coerce, he
can force, he can lie on,
00:20:17.45\00:20:20.38
he can do all kinds of things.
00:20:20.42\00:20:21.75
The only arrow God
has in His quiver is love
00:20:21.78\00:20:25.29
and He cannot change that
00:20:25.32\00:20:27.02
because that's the way He is.
00:20:27.06\00:20:29.36
So if love hardens you,
well, then you're gonna be hard
00:20:29.39\00:20:32.19
because He cannot
change what He does.
00:20:32.23\00:20:34.10
He cannot change who He is.
00:20:34.13\00:20:35.53
He can no more be
unfaithful to Himself
00:20:35.56\00:20:38.33
than a leopard can
change his own spots
00:20:38.37\00:20:40.90
or an Ethiopian his skin.
00:20:40.94\00:20:42.44
That's what God does.
00:20:42.47\00:20:43.97
And so the New
Living Bible says,
00:20:44.04\00:20:49.64
"I have rejected him,"
00:20:49.68\00:20:51.45
but it also says, "I
have another purpose for him
00:20:51.48\00:20:55.78
in the margin, I
have another purpose."
00:20:55.82\00:20:57.89
So that rejection is
not an outright rejection,
00:20:57.92\00:21:00.59
it is another purpose.
00:21:00.66\00:21:04.16
The lesson says, "He is here
speaking of particular roles
00:21:04.23\00:21:08.50
that God is calling upon
certain individuals to play."
00:21:08.53\00:21:12.47
So it's the role and
function that God has given you.
00:21:12.50\00:21:16.91
Just a couple of
texts, 2 Peter 2:3-9,
00:21:16.97\00:21:19.87
we know God is not
willing that any should perish.
00:21:19.91\00:21:22.08
And we need to
reemphasize these oft times
00:21:22.11\00:21:25.28
because you may think
00:21:25.31\00:21:27.32
in a light reading that
God is rejecting people.
00:21:27.38\00:21:30.75
And of course,
we talked about this
00:21:30.79\00:21:32.25
in last week's
lessons, John 3:16-17.
00:21:32.29\00:21:37.96
"For God came not into
the world to condemn the world
00:21:37.99\00:21:40.46
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:21:40.50\00:21:43.23
So God is not
trying to keep you out,
00:21:43.30\00:21:46.23
He is looking for
reasons to get you in.
00:21:46.27\00:21:48.90
And He wants you to be saved.
00:21:48.94\00:21:50.91
So in this rejection,
we're not talking about,
00:21:50.94\00:21:54.11
and this is important,
00:21:54.14\00:21:55.48
we're not talking
about individual salvation.
00:21:55.51\00:21:57.81
And this is where many stumble.
00:21:57.85\00:22:00.22
They're thinking, "Well,
He's rejecting that person.
00:22:00.25\00:22:02.45
That's not
fair, that's not God."
00:22:02.48\00:22:04.12
No, it is not God.
00:22:04.19\00:22:05.52
He's talking about fitting
you into a particular position
00:22:05.55\00:22:10.16
for a particular function.
00:22:10.23\00:22:12.36
And for other people
00:22:12.39\00:22:13.73
He has other kinds of functions.
00:22:13.80\00:22:15.10
I'm gonna read a
couple things from the lesson
00:22:15.13\00:22:16.46
and then I'll be done.
00:22:16.50\00:22:17.83
Again, Paul is not speaking
of individual salvation,
00:22:17.87\00:22:20.40
lesson says it
two or three times
00:22:20.44\00:22:22.14
because in that area
God extends mercy to all
00:22:22.17\00:22:25.71
and we can praise
the Lord for that.
00:22:25.74\00:22:29.38
"It is His will
that all men be saved,"
00:22:29.41\00:22:32.15
1 Timothy 2:4.
00:22:32.18\00:22:34.18
"The grace of God, that bring
us salvation has appeared,"
00:22:34.22\00:22:36.55
praise God, "On to all men".
00:22:36.58\00:22:39.05
So we all have
that's Titus 2:11.
00:22:39.09\00:22:41.36
"But God can choose
nations to play roles.
00:22:41.39\00:22:44.69
He can choose
people to play roles.
00:22:44.73\00:22:47.10
They can refuse
to play those roles
00:22:47.13\00:22:49.73
but they cannot
prevent God's choice."
00:22:49.76\00:22:52.33
Now, He can put His
hand on you, Shelley,
00:22:52.37\00:22:54.40
and you say and say, "I
want you to do this for Me."
00:22:54.44\00:22:56.84
And you can say,
"I'm not doing it."
00:22:56.87\00:23:00.38
You can choose
to reject the call
00:23:00.41\00:23:02.38
but you cannot change
the fact that God called you.
00:23:02.41\00:23:06.92
Yes. You know,
He makes the call.
00:23:06.95\00:23:08.95
You can say, "I
don't want that call."
00:23:08.98\00:23:10.69
But He did call you,
that does not change.
00:23:10.72\00:23:13.05
Now, Israel was called.
00:23:13.09\00:23:15.62
And after nearly a millennia,
they never fulfilled that call,
00:23:15.66\00:23:20.40
they never did
actually get it right.
00:23:20.43\00:23:22.33
But the fact is they were called
00:23:22.36\00:23:25.40
and God called them
and He wanted to use them
00:23:25.43\00:23:27.77
and as they allowed
Him, He did use them.
00:23:27.80\00:23:31.74
There were times when
they actually get it right
00:23:31.77\00:23:33.58
for short periods of time,
00:23:33.64\00:23:35.11
but ultimately they
didn't get it right.
00:23:35.14\00:23:37.31
And when of
course, the Messiah came,
00:23:37.35\00:23:39.65
the ultimate rejection came
in the killing of the Messiah.
00:23:39.68\00:23:44.05
So we need to understand
00:23:44.09\00:23:46.42
that God does not call one
00:23:46.45\00:23:52.56
or reject one unto salvation
00:23:52.59\00:23:55.43
but He does call people
00:23:55.46\00:23:57.30
and use people
for particular times.
00:23:57.33\00:24:00.34
Oh, 3ABN.
00:24:00.37\00:24:02.24
Danny was looking
for someone to lead.
00:24:02.27\00:24:04.21
There are... What?
00:24:04.24\00:24:05.57
Four Shelton
brothers and one sister.
00:24:05.61\00:24:08.21
So it wasn't
Ronnie, it wasn't Kenny...
00:24:08.24\00:24:11.31
Tommy. It wasn't
Tommy, wasn't Tammy.
00:24:11.35\00:24:14.52
He called Danny.
00:24:14.55\00:24:15.88
Now does that mean
that He rejected Kenny?
00:24:15.92\00:24:17.72
No, Kenny is a preacher.
00:24:17.75\00:24:19.25
Did He reject Ronnie?
No, Ronnie is a preacher.
00:24:19.29\00:24:22.76
Did He reject Tammy?
No, Tammy works here.
00:24:22.79\00:24:25.56
But Danny got the
call to lead 3ABN.
00:24:25.59\00:24:29.56
So everybody's getting used
00:24:29.60\00:24:31.20
but He had a
particular function for Danny
00:24:31.23\00:24:34.34
and Danny, praise God,
has filled that function
00:24:34.37\00:24:37.21
these, almost 33 years.
00:24:37.27\00:24:39.04
That's the call. Amen.
00:24:39.07\00:24:40.54
And that's what God
wants to do for each of us
00:24:40.58\00:24:42.38
to give us something to do.
00:24:42.41\00:24:43.91
You know, Ellen White says this
and then I'm done, or I'm over.
00:24:43.95\00:24:46.88
"No more surely is there
a place in heaven for you
00:24:46.92\00:24:50.79
than there is a
particular role and function
00:24:50.85\00:24:52.49
that God wants all of
those people to fulfill
00:24:52.52\00:24:54.49
down here on earth."
00:24:54.52\00:24:55.89
He's got
something for everybody.
00:24:55.92\00:24:57.29
Amen. Amen.
00:24:57.33\00:24:58.66
Every one of us have a
purpose and a function.
00:24:58.69\00:25:00.13
Amen. Amen.
00:25:00.16\00:25:01.63
Everybody has a part to play
00:25:01.66\00:25:03.20
and if we'll all play our parts,
00:25:03.23\00:25:04.90
then the whole gets accomplished
00:25:04.93\00:25:07.04
through what
God's called you to do.
00:25:07.07\00:25:08.80
Well, on Tuesday,
I look at Mysteries.
00:25:08.84\00:25:13.88
There are just
mysteries in the Word of God.
00:25:13.91\00:25:16.01
Things like they
have been talking about,
00:25:16.04\00:25:17.85
Shelley and Pastor CA talked
about that make you go, "What?
00:25:17.88\00:25:21.38
God said that?"
00:25:21.42\00:25:22.75
Well, let's look
at Isaiah 55:8-9.
00:25:22.78\00:25:27.66
This is what the scripture
says, it's talking about God.
00:25:27.69\00:25:30.73
Now, this is God talking,
00:25:30.76\00:25:32.56
"For my thoughts
are not your thoughts
00:25:32.59\00:25:35.63
nor are your ways my
ways," says the Lord,
00:25:35.66\00:25:39.67
"For as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
00:25:39.70\00:25:42.94
so are my ways
higher than your ways
00:25:42.97\00:25:45.71
and my thoughts
than your thoughts."
00:25:45.74\00:25:48.74
Now, we don't know His ways
and we can't know His thoughts
00:25:48.78\00:25:52.25
but there is
something we can know about God,
00:25:52.28\00:25:55.75
that's His character.
00:25:55.78\00:25:58.19
He is always,
always totally faithful
00:25:58.22\00:26:03.86
and totally trustworthy.
00:26:03.89\00:26:07.76
But we do find
instances in the Bible
00:26:07.76\00:26:11.13
that we don't understand.
00:26:11.17\00:26:13.00
On the face of it, it may look
like God isn't being faithful
00:26:13.03\00:26:17.41
and He isn't being trustworthy.
00:26:17.44\00:26:19.71
And we're going to look
at one of the incidences.
00:26:19.74\00:26:22.48
And Shelley
covered it beautifully
00:26:22.51\00:26:25.58
but let's look at
where, I'm in Romans 9,
00:26:25.61\00:26:29.05
that's what we're teaching from.
00:26:29.08\00:26:30.52
I'm going to
look at verses 17-24
00:26:30.59\00:26:33.66
but let's look at verse 17 now.
00:26:33.69\00:26:36.42
Verse 17, "For the
scripture say to the pharaoh,
00:26:36.46\00:26:41.16
for this very
purpose, I have raised you up
00:26:41.20\00:26:44.83
that I may show my power in you,
00:26:44.87\00:26:48.87
and that my name may be
declared in all the earth."
00:26:48.90\00:26:53.64
Now Paul is
talking about Exodus 9,
00:26:53.68\00:26:57.51
where God tells Pharaoh.
00:26:57.55\00:27:00.65
First He
pronounces plagues on Egypt
00:27:00.68\00:27:05.09
unless Pharaoh
will do something.
00:27:05.12\00:27:07.39
What is it that Pharaoh must do
00:27:07.42\00:27:09.82
so these plagues
won't come on Egypt?
00:27:09.86\00:27:12.39
Let the people go.
00:27:12.43\00:27:13.76
Let my people go.
00:27:13.83\00:27:15.96
Verse 9 says, "But the
heart," and this is Exodus 9.
00:27:16.00\00:27:20.14
Pardon me, Exodus 9:7.
00:27:20.17\00:27:23.00
It's the B part.
00:27:23.04\00:27:24.37
"But the heart of
Pharaoh became hard
00:27:24.41\00:27:27.94
and he did not
let the people go."
00:27:27.98\00:27:30.95
What was the result?
00:27:30.98\00:27:32.31
It was exactly what God
said the results would be.
00:27:32.35\00:27:36.18
Those plagues came on Egypt,
00:27:36.22\00:27:39.59
and God said in Exodus 9:16.
00:27:39.62\00:27:43.66
"But indeed for this purpose,
00:27:43.73\00:27:46.56
I have raised you up that
I may show my power in you
00:27:46.59\00:27:51.73
and that my name may be
declared in all the earth."
00:27:51.77\00:27:55.64
Now Paul
continues in Romans 9:18.
00:27:55.67\00:28:01.18
"Therefore He has
mercy on whom He wills
00:28:01.21\00:28:06.38
and whom He wills He hardens."
00:28:06.41\00:28:09.08
Now that sounds like a
difficult saying, doesn't it?
00:28:09.12\00:28:13.42
That's a mystery.
00:28:13.49\00:28:15.09
A mystery that we're looking at.
00:28:15.12\00:28:16.79
"You will say to me then,
00:28:16.86\00:28:18.69
why does He still find fault
for who has resisted His will
00:28:18.73\00:28:24.37
but indeed oh man,
00:28:24.40\00:28:25.93
who are you to
reply against God?"
00:28:25.97\00:28:28.14
That's a good question.
00:28:28.17\00:28:30.11
Will the thing formed
say to Him who formed it.
00:28:30.14\00:28:33.11
Are you a formed thing?
00:28:33.14\00:28:34.48
Oh, yes.
00:28:34.51\00:28:35.84
We're like the
clay, He's the potter.
00:28:35.88\00:28:37.85
"Why have you
made me like this?"
00:28:37.88\00:28:40.92
Why I cannot be like Shelley?
00:28:40.95\00:28:42.62
Why I cannot be like Jill?
00:28:42.65\00:28:44.19
No, God made us just...
Why I cannot be like Mollie?
00:28:44.22\00:28:46.76
God made us just like we are.
00:28:46.79\00:28:48.42
"Does not the potter
have power over the clay
00:28:48.46\00:28:51.76
from the same lump to
make one vessel for honor
00:28:51.79\00:28:54.83
and another for dishonor."
00:28:54.83\00:28:56.77
Verse 22.
00:28:56.83\00:28:58.17
"What if God
wanting to show His wrath
00:28:58.20\00:29:01.14
and to make His
power known endure
00:29:01.17\00:29:04.04
with much longsuffering
the vessels of wrath
00:29:04.07\00:29:06.47
prepare for destruction
00:29:06.51\00:29:08.24
and that He might make known
00:29:08.28\00:29:09.91
the riches of His glory
on the vessels of mercies."
00:29:09.94\00:29:13.05
See, God's got a master plan.
00:29:13.08\00:29:15.25
We don't know His thoughts
and we don't know His ways
00:29:15.28\00:29:17.52
and we sure don't
know His master plan
00:29:17.55\00:29:20.09
which He had prepared
before hand for glory.
00:29:20.12\00:29:24.96
"Even us whom He called,
00:29:24.99\00:29:26.53
not of the Jews only
but also with the gentiles."
00:29:26.56\00:29:29.86
Not just the Jews
but hey, we gentiles too.
00:29:29.90\00:29:32.90
By dealing with Egypt
at the time of the Exodus,
00:29:32.93\00:29:36.20
in the manner He did,
00:29:36.24\00:29:37.74
God was working
for the salvation
00:29:37.77\00:29:40.61
of the human race.
00:29:40.68\00:29:42.01
And that's
something we've got to know,
00:29:42.04\00:29:44.25
God always deals redemptively.
00:29:44.28\00:29:46.92
I've shared this so
many times and you can say,
00:29:46.95\00:29:49.55
"Oh no, but
look at what He did?"
00:29:49.58\00:29:52.92
The end result
00:29:52.95\00:29:55.22
is for the
redemption of humanity.
00:29:55.26\00:29:57.46
God never deals punitively.
It's always for redemption.
00:29:57.53\00:30:01.80
It's just like us
with our children,
00:30:01.83\00:30:03.63
and I've got to be quick today.
00:30:03.67\00:30:05.77
With and I've used
my son who happens to be
00:30:05.80\00:30:08.44
one of the camera
operators here today.
00:30:08.47\00:30:10.07
So often there were times
00:30:10.11\00:30:11.67
he would do things
that I told him not to do,
00:30:11.71\00:30:13.74
for instance put
himself in a position
00:30:13.78\00:30:16.38
where he could get hurt.
00:30:16.41\00:30:17.75
Well, now I would tell him,
00:30:17.78\00:30:19.11
"Son, if you do this, I'm
gonna have to correct you,
00:30:19.15\00:30:21.68
I'm gonna deal with
you maybe in paddling
00:30:21.72\00:30:25.69
or what the end
result would be."
00:30:25.72\00:30:28.19
Now, am I doing that
00:30:28.22\00:30:29.92
because I want to
punish him, to hurt him?
00:30:29.99\00:30:32.43
No, I'm doing it to
redeem him, to protect him.
00:30:32.46\00:30:35.03
So God always deals
00:30:35.06\00:30:37.23
with the ultimate goal
of bringing people unto Him.
00:30:37.30\00:30:40.80
Oh, He wants
everybody to be saved.
00:30:40.87\00:30:43.07
Now, let me go on.
00:30:43.10\00:30:46.44
"By dealing with
Egypt in this way,
00:30:46.47\00:30:48.21
God was working at the salvation
00:30:48.24\00:30:49.74
of the human race.
00:30:49.78\00:30:51.11
God's revelation of
Himself in the plagues of Egypt
00:30:51.15\00:30:53.85
and in the
deliverance of His people
00:30:53.88\00:30:56.08
was designed to
reveal to the Egyptians,
00:30:56.12\00:30:58.59
as well as to other nations
00:30:58.62\00:31:00.69
that the God of Israel
indeed was the true God.
00:31:00.76\00:31:04.56
It was designed
to be an invitation
00:31:04.59\00:31:07.50
for the people of the
nations to abandon their gods,
00:31:07.50\00:31:11.30
and to worship Him."
00:31:11.33\00:31:13.03
You see, and something
we've got to know, remember,
00:31:13.07\00:31:16.27
we know God's character,
He always deals redemptively.
00:31:16.30\00:31:21.18
Jesus Christ died for
Pharaoh just like He did Moses,
00:31:21.21\00:31:25.78
just like He
did every one of us.
00:31:25.81\00:31:28.28
Pharaoh had already
made his choice against God.
00:31:28.32\00:31:32.99
God gives us all free will.
00:31:33.02\00:31:35.29
His heart was
hardened against God
00:31:35.32\00:31:37.29
and God wasn't cutting
him off from salvation,
00:31:37.33\00:31:40.36
God wants everyone to be saved.
00:31:40.40\00:31:44.00
Christ blood was
for the whole world,
00:31:44.03\00:31:47.37
for God so loved the world,
00:31:47.40\00:31:49.70
not just one
individual or individuals.
00:31:49.74\00:31:53.61
The point that is being made
00:31:53.64\00:31:55.74
is that we are a
fallen human beings.
00:31:55.78\00:31:59.68
We're all fallen human beings
00:31:59.71\00:32:02.45
with a very
narrow view of the world
00:32:02.48\00:32:07.06
and how God works.
00:32:07.09\00:32:09.92
Let me ask you this question.
00:32:09.96\00:32:12.03
Is the world flat
or is the world round?
00:32:12.06\00:32:16.03
Now, for how many
years, how many centuries,
00:32:16.06\00:32:19.13
how many thousands of years
00:32:19.17\00:32:21.64
did people believe
that the world was flat?
00:32:21.67\00:32:24.64
Was that the truth? No.
00:32:24.67\00:32:26.41
We have a narrow view,
00:32:26.44\00:32:28.14
we don't view
everything correctly.
00:32:28.18\00:32:31.95
Just our
quarterly tells us this,
00:32:31.98\00:32:34.95
just a 171 years ago,
00:32:34.98\00:32:38.92
doctors learned that
it might be a good idea
00:32:38.95\00:32:43.69
to wash their hands
before performing surgery.
00:32:43.73\00:32:47.13
Do you know there were
many that kicked against that.
00:32:47.20\00:32:51.53
When talking about
germs or explaining that germs
00:32:51.57\00:32:55.00
could be passed from
one patient to another,
00:32:55.04\00:32:57.71
they didn't think anything
00:32:57.74\00:32:59.07
that small could
harm another person
00:32:59.11\00:33:02.41
or could be harmful
to us, or germs harmful.
00:33:02.44\00:33:05.51
Just a 171 years ago,
00:33:05.55\00:33:07.98
the surgeon started
washing their hands.
00:33:08.02\00:33:10.09
Did it save a
multitude of lives?
00:33:10.12\00:33:12.35
Yes.
00:33:12.39\00:33:13.96
The human race
still has much to learn.
00:33:13.99\00:33:17.56
As smart as we think we are,
we've still got much to learn.
00:33:17.63\00:33:20.90
But one thing we do know is that
00:33:20.93\00:33:24.27
we don't understand God's ways
00:33:24.30\00:33:27.50
but we know His
character, and we can trust Him.
00:33:27.54\00:33:32.27
That's right.
00:33:32.31\00:33:33.64
The Pharisees
couldn't stand Him,
00:33:33.68\00:33:36.41
but they found
they couldn't stop Him.
00:33:36.44\00:33:38.81
It's good.
00:33:38.85\00:33:40.18
Pilot couldn't fault
Him, Herod couldn't kill Him,
00:33:40.22\00:33:44.15
death couldn't conquer Him,
00:33:44.19\00:33:46.29
and the grave couldn't hold Him.
00:33:46.32\00:33:48.96
He is the Alpha and Omega,
He's the first and the last,
00:33:48.99\00:33:53.46
He's the God of the future
and he's the God of the past.
00:33:53.50\00:33:57.33
We know His character,
00:33:57.40\00:33:58.93
He is for us and
if God be for us,
00:33:58.97\00:34:02.04
who can be against us.
00:34:02.07\00:34:03.81
We know His
character, and we can trust Him.
00:34:03.84\00:34:08.61
Amen. Amen.
00:34:08.64\00:34:10.18
Beautifully done,
Mollie, thank you so much.
00:34:10.25\00:34:12.61
You know, sometimes as
we read the Word of God,
00:34:12.65\00:34:15.25
and I have to say
I've come to this.
00:34:15.28\00:34:17.59
And you think, "Now
what is it exactly saying?
00:34:17.62\00:34:20.16
I know God is love,
00:34:20.19\00:34:21.52
but what does this
passage really mean?"
00:34:21.56\00:34:23.56
So thank you so
much each one of you
00:34:23.63\00:34:26.19
for unpacking and
opening some of those mysteries
00:34:26.23\00:34:29.06
or deep things to understand.
00:34:29.10\00:34:31.20
I have
Wednesday, army, my people.
00:34:31.23\00:34:34.74
We're looking at Romans 9:25-29,
00:34:34.77\00:34:38.64
and 25 and 26 actually
quote from the Book of Hosea.
00:34:38.67\00:34:43.08
So what I want to do first
00:34:43.11\00:34:44.45
is to just set a
little background.
00:34:44.48\00:34:46.35
We're gonna look at
those verses in Hosea.
00:34:46.38\00:34:48.85
Then we'll jump
and read it in Romans.
00:34:48.88\00:34:50.55
So if you have your Bibles,
turn back to the Book of Hosea.
00:34:50.59\00:34:55.26
It's a minor prophet,
00:34:55.29\00:34:56.69
one of those
difficult books to find.
00:34:56.73\00:34:58.39
It's right after
the Book of Daniel.
00:34:58.43\00:35:00.86
Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea.
00:35:00.93\00:35:04.37
Now, Hosea was a prophet
to the kingdom of Israel,
00:35:04.40\00:35:07.84
the Northern Kingdom.
00:35:07.87\00:35:09.84
And he was a
prophet from 750 to 722 BC,
00:35:09.87\00:35:14.84
till the time
00:35:14.88\00:35:16.21
when the Israelites
were taken away, 722
00:35:16.24\00:35:20.32
is when the Northern
Kingdom came to enact.
00:35:20.35\00:35:23.99
And they just passed
out of history really,
00:35:24.02\00:35:26.15
they just completely
passed out of history.
00:35:26.19\00:35:28.46
So he was a
prophet right at those,
00:35:28.49\00:35:30.53
you could say closing
years of the nation of Israel,
00:35:30.56\00:35:34.20
the Northern Kingdom.
00:35:34.20\00:35:35.90
And just appealing
and calling to the people,
00:35:35.93\00:35:38.97
they worshipped idols,
00:35:39.00\00:35:40.54
they had forsaken God
00:35:40.60\00:35:41.94
and they had
turned their own way.
00:35:41.97\00:35:44.01
And God called
Hosea to do something,
00:35:44.07\00:35:46.88
that to be honest with
you, I would not want to do.
00:35:46.94\00:35:50.21
We're all married
here on this panel,
00:35:50.25\00:35:52.11
and I don't think any one of us
00:35:52.15\00:35:53.72
would want to do what
God called Hosea to do.
00:35:53.78\00:35:56.52
That was we're in Hosea 1:2,
00:35:56.55\00:36:00.42
"When the Lord
began to speak by Hosea,
00:36:00.49\00:36:03.29
the Lord said to Hosea,
00:36:03.32\00:36:04.89
'go, take
yourself a wife of harlotry
00:36:04.93\00:36:09.70
and the children of harlotry,
00:36:09.73\00:36:11.20
for the land has
committed a great harlotry
00:36:11.23\00:36:14.30
by departing from the Lord."
00:36:14.34\00:36:17.01
Take yourself a
wife of harlotry,
00:36:17.04\00:36:18.84
literally it means
unfaithfulness, fornication.
00:36:18.87\00:36:23.08
Figuratively, of course,
00:36:23.11\00:36:24.45
it's referring to the
idolatry and the infidelity
00:36:24.48\00:36:30.59
that was taking place
with the children of Israel
00:36:30.62\00:36:33.02
because they were had turned
00:36:33.05\00:36:34.39
from worshiping
their Creator God,
00:36:34.42\00:36:36.56
the one true God.
00:36:36.59\00:36:37.93
And they were turned now
to worshiping false gods.
00:36:37.96\00:36:40.96
So Hosea was called to take her,
00:36:41.00\00:36:43.47
and he went 1:3,
00:36:43.53\00:36:44.93
"And took Gomer,
the daughter of Diblaim,
00:36:44.97\00:36:47.70
and she conceived
and bore him a son."
00:36:47.74\00:36:49.27
And she bore him three children,
00:36:49.30\00:36:51.51
two sons
actually and a daughter.
00:36:51.54\00:36:53.64
But what we're
looking at is the name
00:36:53.68\00:36:55.08
of the third son,
that is in verse 9.
00:36:55.11\00:36:58.88
"Then God said
call his name Lo-ammi,
00:36:58.91\00:37:02.78
for you are not my people,
00:37:02.82\00:37:05.99
and I will not be your God."
00:37:06.02\00:37:09.82
Literally, it means,
Lo-ammi means not my people.
00:37:09.86\00:37:13.23
That's why Wednesday,
00:37:13.26\00:37:14.56
we're looking at Army
which means my people.
00:37:14.60\00:37:17.50
But this literally
means not my people.
00:37:17.57\00:37:20.34
The Book of
Hosea is really about,
00:37:20.37\00:37:22.40
of course, you
could say the beginning
00:37:22.44\00:37:23.81
about his love life.
00:37:23.84\00:37:25.17
But it's really an
example of God's steadfast love.
00:37:25.21\00:37:29.64
If a person's love
is temporary and fickle,
00:37:29.68\00:37:33.21
then unreturned
love or rejection
00:37:33.25\00:37:35.68
doesn't really
present any major problem.
00:37:35.72\00:37:38.15
Weak love simply
finds another object
00:37:38.19\00:37:40.96
that it's gonna
reach out to in love.
00:37:40.99\00:37:43.26
However when love is steadfast,
00:37:43.29\00:37:46.80
rejection and unfaithfulness
cause unspeakable pain.
00:37:46.83\00:37:51.30
Amen.
00:37:51.33\00:37:52.67
Since love goes on
00:37:52.70\00:37:54.04
while the object no
longer returns that love,
00:37:54.10\00:37:57.07
tremendous suffering results.
00:37:57.11\00:38:00.61
Israel's unfaithfulness
caused unspeakable pain
00:38:00.64\00:38:05.41
to the heart of God.
00:38:05.45\00:38:07.45
Unspeakable anguish to
his heart of steadfast love.
00:38:07.48\00:38:12.42
"You are not my
people," he said.
00:38:12.45\00:38:16.02
And then we would jump
00:38:16.06\00:38:17.73
over Hosea and 2, the
first part of Hosea 2.
00:38:17.76\00:38:23.77
Talks about the punishment,
00:38:23.80\00:38:25.63
Israel's going to get
really what she deserves,
00:38:25.67\00:38:27.67
because she's been
worshipping other gods,
00:38:27.70\00:38:29.64
other idols she
has turned from God.
00:38:29.67\00:38:32.17
And there's many
verbs of separation,
00:38:32.21\00:38:33.88
we won't read it.
00:38:33.91\00:38:35.51
It talks about take
back, uncover, cause to cease,
00:38:35.54\00:38:41.48
destroy, punished.
00:38:41.52\00:38:43.62
Now those all
sound like harsh words.
00:38:43.69\00:38:46.49
But then at verse 14 a
significant shift occurs,
00:38:46.52\00:38:52.49
all of a sudden
beyond all expectations.
00:38:52.53\00:38:57.13
God promises what
they do not deserve.
00:38:57.17\00:39:01.20
That is verbs of healing.
00:39:01.24\00:39:03.30
"I will allure you, I
will speak comfort to you,
00:39:03.34\00:39:07.41
I will give to
you, I will betroth you,
00:39:07.44\00:39:11.98
I will have mercy."
00:39:12.01\00:39:14.98
And then we see the
last verse of chapter 2:23
00:39:15.02\00:39:17.65
and this is what Paul is quoting
00:39:17.69\00:39:19.15
from in Hebrews 9.
00:39:19.19\00:39:21.49
"Then I will say to
those who were not my people,
00:39:21.52\00:39:24.99
you are my people,"
there is our word army,
00:39:25.03\00:39:28.96
I don't know if I'm
pronouncing it right.
00:39:29.00\00:39:30.90
"And they shall
say you are my God".
00:39:30.97\00:39:33.64
So this is what Paul is
quoting from, in Romans 9.
00:39:33.67\00:39:38.24
So let's go to Romans 9.
00:39:38.27\00:39:42.28
We get that picture of God's
incredible love for His people
00:39:42.31\00:39:45.48
even when they turn their back,
even when they rejected Him,
00:39:45.51\00:39:48.38
He said, "I will call you again,
00:39:48.42\00:39:50.42
you are my people."
00:39:50.49\00:39:53.09
Romans 9:25,
00:39:53.12\00:39:55.42
as he says also in
Hosea which we just read.
00:39:55.46\00:39:58.39
"I will call them my
people, who were not my people,
00:39:58.43\00:40:02.50
and her beloved
who was not beloved."
00:40:02.53\00:40:06.40
And it shall come
to pass in the place
00:40:06.43\00:40:08.10
where it was said to
them, "You are not my people,
00:40:08.14\00:40:11.74
there they shall be
called sons of the Living God."
00:40:11.77\00:40:17.68
That word for Sons,
huios in the Greek adoption.
00:40:17.71\00:40:21.68
Sons by adoption
or birth either one,
00:40:21.72\00:40:24.25
but it means
that they will share
00:40:24.29\00:40:26.15
the nature of their father.
00:40:26.19\00:40:30.59
Now, who are the people,
00:40:30.63\00:40:32.29
and then we'll go
to the next verse.
00:40:32.33\00:40:33.66
Who are the people?
Who are God's people?
00:40:33.70\00:40:35.86
He says, "You
are My people now."
00:40:35.90\00:40:37.30
Was he referring
only to the Jewish nation?
00:40:37.33\00:40:39.87
No, because you just
read verse 24, Mollie.
00:40:39.90\00:40:43.07
Go back a verse,
00:40:43.10\00:40:44.44
"Even us whom he
called not of the Jews only,
00:40:44.47\00:40:49.51
but also of the gentiles."
00:40:49.54\00:40:51.71
So not just the Jewish
people are called army,
00:40:51.75\00:40:55.02
My people, My sons.
00:40:55.05\00:40:57.99
Each one of us have the
privilege and opportunity
00:40:58.02\00:41:01.62
to be excepted in Him.
00:41:01.66\00:41:04.33
Let's go on, verse 27.
00:41:04.36\00:41:07.60
Isaiah, now this is
quoting from Isaiah.
00:41:07.60\00:41:09.60
"Isaiah also cries
out concerning Israel
00:41:09.63\00:41:13.13
though the number of
the children of Israel be
00:41:13.17\00:41:15.00
as the sand of the sea,
the remnant shall be saved."
00:41:15.04\00:41:20.04
Now I know there are
several different words
00:41:20.08\00:41:21.44
used for remnant.
00:41:21.48\00:41:22.98
This particular one, I
can't pronounce it right,
00:41:23.01\00:41:26.68
hypo leipo
00:41:26.72\00:41:28.28
and it means to
leave behind pass
00:41:28.32\00:41:31.19
and left surviving.
00:41:31.22\00:41:32.62
It's used twice
in the New Testament.
00:41:32.65\00:41:34.26
Once here, once in Romans 11:3,
00:41:34.29\00:41:37.93
where Elijah, remember,
00:41:37.96\00:41:40.26
after the Mount
Carmel experience
00:41:40.30\00:41:41.96
and then he fled from Jezebel
00:41:42.00\00:41:44.73
and he said to God,
"I only I am left alone."
00:41:44.77\00:41:49.10
That's the same
word that's used here.
00:41:49.14\00:41:51.44
"A remnant shall be saved."
00:41:51.47\00:41:54.71
Paul is saying, he
had great sorrow of heart,
00:41:54.74\00:41:57.11
verse 2 you
started with Shelley.
00:41:57.18\00:42:00.42
Romans 9:2,
00:42:00.45\00:42:02.05
"I have great sorrow
00:42:02.08\00:42:03.42
and continue a
grief in my heart."
00:42:03.49\00:42:04.92
Why did he have
sorrow? Why was there grief?
00:42:04.95\00:42:07.66
I think one of the
reasons he had sorrow was
00:42:07.69\00:42:09.92
because God's people,
00:42:09.96\00:42:12.63
the Jewish
people had turned away,
00:42:12.66\00:42:14.83
had rejected
Jesus as the Messiah.
00:42:14.83\00:42:17.87
They had turned
away from this gospel
00:42:17.90\00:42:20.64
that the Christians
were trying to bring to them.
00:42:20.70\00:42:24.17
They had turned away from them.
00:42:24.21\00:42:26.21
So he had this sorrow of
heart that they had turned away.
00:42:26.24\00:42:30.11
But the encouraging thing
is the remnant will be saved.
00:42:30.15\00:42:32.95
We are called to take the
gospel message to everyone,
00:42:32.98\00:42:36.28
to a lost and dying world.
00:42:36.32\00:42:38.05
It reminds me of Revelation 14.
00:42:38.09\00:42:40.82
I think we have
time just to turn there.
00:42:40.86\00:42:42.69
Revelation 14:6,
00:42:42.72\00:42:45.39
the first of the
three angels' messages.
00:42:45.43\00:42:48.76
Revelation 14:6, John's writing,
00:42:48.80\00:42:52.50
"I saw another angel
fly in the midst of heaven,
00:42:52.53\00:42:54.77
having the everlasting
gospel to preach to those
00:42:54.80\00:42:57.54
who dwell on the earth."
00:42:57.57\00:42:58.91
And who does he preached to?
00:42:58.94\00:43:00.34
Who was called
to be God's people,
00:43:00.38\00:43:03.35
to every nation, tribe,
00:43:03.38\00:43:05.58
tongue and people
and then it continues on.
00:43:05.61\00:43:09.08
"Fear God and give glory to Him
00:43:09.12\00:43:10.49
for the hour of
his judgment is come."
00:43:10.52\00:43:12.39
So the promise is that
there will be a remnant.
00:43:12.42\00:43:15.82
There will be a group of people
00:43:15.86\00:43:17.99
who love the Lord
Jesus with all their heart.
00:43:18.03\00:43:20.50
And that He can
look at them and say,
00:43:20.53\00:43:22.76
"Army, you are My people.
00:43:22.80\00:43:25.63
You have not
gone after other gods,
00:43:25.67\00:43:28.24
you have not
turned away to idolatry,"
00:43:28.27\00:43:30.97
or to be honest
00:43:31.01\00:43:32.34
we all have
turned away to idolatry,
00:43:32.37\00:43:33.88
"But you have repented.
00:43:33.94\00:43:35.28
You have turned back to me."
00:43:35.31\00:43:37.95
And now God
looking down can say,
00:43:37.98\00:43:40.18
"You are My people."
00:43:40.22\00:43:41.62
Amen. Wow.
00:43:41.65\00:43:42.98
Pastor John. Thank you all.
00:43:43.02\00:43:44.45
I've been sitting here
like a volcano on a very hot day
00:43:44.49\00:43:48.56
wondering well, I'm
about to explode a bit.
00:43:48.59\00:43:50.03
Thank you.
00:43:50.09\00:43:51.43
This takes us now
00:43:51.46\00:43:52.79
to the single phrase
stumbling, stumbling.
00:43:52.83\00:43:57.30
I want to begin in an odd place.
00:43:57.33\00:43:58.73
I want to go to John 4.
00:43:58.77\00:44:01.84
And I want to
bring into the picture
00:44:01.87\00:44:03.34
that Paul has so
aptly introduced.
00:44:03.41\00:44:06.98
I pointed in one of
our prior studies we had,
00:44:07.01\00:44:09.54
I think a few weeks ago
about the phrase husband,
00:44:09.58\00:44:14.52
your desire will
be for your husband.
00:44:14.55\00:44:16.89
And then Paul
introduced the very same thing,
00:44:16.92\00:44:19.39
woman who has a
husband is bound by the law
00:44:19.42\00:44:21.39
to her husband
as long as he lives.
00:44:21.42\00:44:23.32
But I want to show
you, I want to show you
00:44:23.36\00:44:24.69
that getting to Christ
is sometimes a journey,
00:44:24.73\00:44:29.63
it's not an instant jump
00:44:29.66\00:44:31.27
from super
sinner to super saint.
00:44:31.30\00:44:34.20
And I want to
illustrate this in John 4:16-18.
00:44:34.24\00:44:37.27
Remember, the
Samaritan woman at the well
00:44:37.31\00:44:39.34
when Jesus went
to visit with her.
00:44:39.37\00:44:41.41
He sent away His disciples
because they had this issue
00:44:41.44\00:44:43.71
with Samaritans,
00:44:43.75\00:44:45.08
they had not yet
gotten over their prejudices.
00:44:45.11\00:44:48.08
They had issues, they called
those who were not Jews, dogs.
00:44:48.12\00:44:51.82
They throw the
children's food to the swine.
00:44:51.85\00:44:54.12
They had issues.
00:44:54.16\00:44:55.49
So the Lord had to clear
00:44:55.52\00:44:56.86
the table to get
access to a woman,
00:44:56.89\00:44:58.96
who the disciples
would have scorned
00:44:58.99\00:45:00.56
had they been there
in this transaction.
00:45:00.63\00:45:03.40
But Jesus
bringing the issue to her
00:45:03.47\00:45:06.20
knowing that he
is the water of life,
00:45:06.23\00:45:08.37
she said, "You have
nothing to draw with in,"
00:45:08.40\00:45:09.84
we know the whole story,
00:45:09.87\00:45:11.21
if she knew who He was
then she had just said,
00:45:11.24\00:45:13.31
"Lord, give me
this living water,"
00:45:13.38\00:45:14.71
and she eventually did.
00:45:14.74\00:45:16.31
But when she asked
for the living water,
00:45:16.34\00:45:17.71
He said something
that was very instrumental
00:45:17.75\00:45:19.68
to the topic of righteousness.
00:45:19.71\00:45:21.05
He said in verse 16 of John 4.
00:45:21.08\00:45:24.19
"Jesus said to her go call
your husband and come to me,
00:45:24.22\00:45:27.39
and come here.
00:45:27.46\00:45:29.09
And the woman answered and said
00:45:29.12\00:45:30.46
I have no husband.
00:45:30.53\00:45:31.86
And Jesus said to her
00:45:31.89\00:45:33.23
you have well
said I have no husband,
00:45:33.26\00:45:35.73
for you have had five husbands,
00:45:35.76\00:45:37.57
and the one
00:45:37.60\00:45:38.93
whom you now have
is not your husband,
00:45:38.97\00:45:41.57
and that you spoke truly."
00:45:41.60\00:45:43.47
And I thought to myself
00:45:43.51\00:45:44.84
and I was
dealing with this topic
00:45:44.87\00:45:46.21
in a couple of
sermons in the past.
00:45:46.24\00:45:47.58
But what the
Lord is pointing out,
00:45:47.61\00:45:49.18
since we know the
husband is the ruling factor,
00:45:49.21\00:45:52.45
the husband is
the ruling nature,
00:45:52.48\00:45:54.48
this woman had to overcome
one ruling factor in her life
00:45:54.52\00:45:59.32
after the other.
00:45:59.35\00:46:01.52
And there are many of us
that come to Christ and we say,
00:46:01.56\00:46:04.16
"Okay, now what are
you struggling with?"
00:46:04.19\00:46:05.59
"Well, I finally
got over alcohol,
00:46:05.63\00:46:07.03
I'm dealing with
the cigarettes now."
00:46:07.03\00:46:08.36
"Now what do
you are struggling?"
00:46:08.40\00:46:09.73
"Well, I got rid of
the cigarettes and alcohol,
00:46:09.76\00:46:11.33
now I'm dealing with lust."
00:46:11.37\00:46:13.27
"What are you
struggling with now?"
00:46:13.34\00:46:14.67
"Well, I got over the alcohol,
00:46:14.70\00:46:16.04
cigarettes and lust but
I'm dealing with anger."
00:46:16.07\00:46:17.41
"What are you dealing with now?"
00:46:17.44\00:46:18.77
"Well, I got over alcohol,
cigarettes, anger, lust,
00:46:18.81\00:46:20.68
but I'm dealing with..."
00:46:20.71\00:46:22.21
I tell you, I just
can't stand people.
00:46:22.24\00:46:24.05
All these husbands,
00:46:24.08\00:46:25.41
and we know
00:46:25.45\00:46:26.78
if you're a
Christian of honesty,
00:46:26.82\00:46:28.15
you know, that the
battle to be a Christian
00:46:28.18\00:46:30.59
is we've got to confront
00:46:30.62\00:46:31.95
every controlling
element in our lives
00:46:31.99\00:46:35.79
and replace all those
controlling elements with one
00:46:35.82\00:46:39.43
controlling
element, that is Christ.
00:46:39.46\00:46:40.93
Amen? Amen.
00:46:40.96\00:46:42.26
So the woman had many
husbands, she had five.
00:46:42.30\00:46:44.13
And so what I am
pointing out here is
00:46:44.17\00:46:47.90
there are many obstacles
00:46:47.94\00:46:49.57
that the devil will
present to us to say
00:46:49.60\00:46:51.57
that you can't
really get to him.
00:46:51.61\00:46:53.54
And this woman
before she found the Christ,
00:46:53.58\00:46:55.01
she had to go
through five husbands
00:46:55.04\00:46:57.01
and finally was able to declare,
00:46:57.05\00:46:58.85
"I finally found a
man, come see a man."
00:46:58.88\00:47:01.85
And for those who knew
that she was familiar with men,
00:47:01.88\00:47:04.59
they recognized
something different in her,
00:47:04.62\00:47:06.25
and as we know the story
00:47:06.29\00:47:07.62
the entire town
came to see Christ
00:47:07.69\00:47:09.22
because of the
testimony of a woman.
00:47:09.26\00:47:11.16
And here's the connection.
00:47:11.19\00:47:12.99
When Jesus becomes
the husband of our lives,
00:47:13.03\00:47:15.93
witnessing for Him
would not be an issue.
00:47:15.96\00:47:18.30
That's true.
00:47:18.33\00:47:19.67
When Jesus becomes
the husband of our lives,
00:47:19.70\00:47:21.37
all the
distractions that kept us
00:47:21.40\00:47:23.24
from introducing Him to
others will instantly evaporate,
00:47:23.27\00:47:27.18
and the things
that we embrace the most
00:47:27.21\00:47:29.24
will be willing to lay down.
00:47:29.28\00:47:30.65
She left her waterpot.
00:47:30.68\00:47:32.95
And so the question I
would ask as I go into the topic
00:47:32.98\00:47:35.12
of this issue of lineage
because the problem here,
00:47:35.15\00:47:38.19
the Jews and the gentiles,
there was an issue here,
00:47:38.22\00:47:40.66
the Jews never saw the gentiles
00:47:40.69\00:47:43.29
as worthily
connected to any father.
00:47:43.32\00:47:46.29
But they saw
themselves as God is our father,
00:47:46.33\00:47:48.93
He's not yours.
00:47:48.96\00:47:50.33
So let's look at Romans 9:30-32,
00:47:50.37\00:47:53.13
"Whatever is
between us and the Lord
00:47:53.17\00:47:54.94
must be laid down,"
00:47:54.97\00:47:56.30
and when she found
Jesus she left her waterpot.
00:47:56.34\00:47:59.31
And lineage was
no longer the issue
00:47:59.34\00:48:00.81
because she talked about
00:48:00.84\00:48:02.18
the well-being inheritance
of Jacob, her father.
00:48:02.21\00:48:06.28
Verse 30 of Romans 9,
00:48:06.31\00:48:09.02
"What shall we
say then that gentiles
00:48:09.05\00:48:11.59
who did not pursue righteousness
00:48:11.62\00:48:13.05
have attained righteousness
00:48:13.09\00:48:14.76
even the righteousness of faith,
00:48:14.79\00:48:16.76
but Israel pursuing
the law of righteousness
00:48:16.79\00:48:18.89
has not attained to
the law of righteousness.
00:48:18.93\00:48:21.40
Why?
00:48:21.43\00:48:22.76
Because they did
not seek it by faith.
00:48:22.80\00:48:24.67
But as it were by
the works of the law
00:48:24.70\00:48:28.20
for they stumble at
that stumbling stone."
00:48:28.24\00:48:32.47
Well, the problem was
they were trying to pursue
00:48:32.51\00:48:36.85
their destiny without
the vehicle of Christ.
00:48:36.88\00:48:39.78
You cannot pursue your
destiny without the vehicle.
00:48:39.81\00:48:42.75
We've got to use the vehicle
to accomplish our destiny.
00:48:42.78\00:48:45.95
They saw the letter, but
they didn't see the Christ.
00:48:45.99\00:48:50.83
They embraced and fell
in love with the letter,
00:48:50.86\00:48:53.16
but they did not see the Christ.
00:48:53.19\00:48:54.50
And here's the caution,
00:48:54.56\00:48:56.40
because we are a people
00:48:56.43\00:48:57.77
that honor the
commandments of God,
00:48:57.80\00:48:59.13
The Ten Commandments of God,
00:48:59.17\00:49:00.60
we cannot allow
the commandments of God
00:49:00.67\00:49:02.07
to be our boast.
00:49:02.10\00:49:03.44
Amen. Amen.
00:49:03.47\00:49:04.81
Not one, not the first
four, not the last six.
00:49:04.84\00:49:07.14
We cannot allow any one of those
00:49:07.21\00:49:09.21
whom we proclaim
with great endearment,
00:49:09.24\00:49:13.15
I don't want to
use the word pride,
00:49:13.18\00:49:14.98
but we proclaim our allegiance
to the commandments of God,
00:49:15.02\00:49:18.85
keep the commandments of
God and have the faith of Jesus.
00:49:18.89\00:49:21.26
Now the Jews would
have said the same thing,
00:49:21.29\00:49:22.62
we keep the commandments of God,
00:49:22.66\00:49:23.99
but they didn't
have the faith of Jesus,
00:49:24.06\00:49:25.39
they rejected the Christ.
00:49:25.43\00:49:27.50
Jesus is the vehicle.
00:49:27.56\00:49:29.63
Our destiny can
only be accomplished
00:49:29.66\00:49:31.60
through Jesus
who is the vehicle.
00:49:31.63\00:49:33.64
Not relegating Him,
00:49:33.67\00:49:35.37
but He became
the stumbling stone,
00:49:35.40\00:49:38.07
because they didn't want Him,
they wanted the righteousness.
00:49:38.11\00:49:42.88
But you cannot get the
righteousness of the law.
00:49:42.91\00:49:45.78
And I want to
make it very clear,
00:49:45.81\00:49:47.62
the righteousness of
faith is not separate
00:49:47.65\00:49:50.39
from the law of righteousness.
00:49:50.42\00:49:54.19
Did you get that?
00:49:54.26\00:49:55.59
The
righteousness that is by faith
00:49:55.62\00:49:57.76
is not separate from
the law of righteousness,
00:49:57.79\00:50:00.20
they are both together.
00:50:00.23\00:50:01.56
But the Jews wanted
one without the other.
00:50:01.60\00:50:04.60
The gentiles pursued
the righteousness of faith
00:50:04.63\00:50:08.74
that enabled them
to live in harmony
00:50:08.77\00:50:11.21
with the law of righteousness.
00:50:11.24\00:50:13.21
Now 2 Corinthians 3:4-6,
00:50:16.41\00:50:18.61
I want to bring
another point out.
00:50:18.65\00:50:21.15
This was the focus of the Jews,
00:50:21.18\00:50:22.52
I'm gonna go to
the end of verse 6.
00:50:22.55\00:50:25.29
2 Corinthians 3?
2 Corinthians 3:4-6.
00:50:25.32\00:50:29.39
Go down to verse 6,
just very quickly because...
00:50:29.42\00:50:32.59
Well, let me
read the whole thing
00:50:32.63\00:50:33.96
because it's context.
00:50:34.00\00:50:35.30
"And we have such trust
through Christ toward God
00:50:35.33\00:50:37.93
not that we are
sufficient of ourselves
00:50:37.97\00:50:39.53
to think of anything
00:50:39.57\00:50:41.34
as being from ourselves
but our sufficiency is from God
00:50:41.37\00:50:45.54
who also made us
efficient as ministers
00:50:45.57\00:50:49.38
of the new
covenant not of the letter,
00:50:49.41\00:50:51.71
but of the Spirit.
00:50:51.75\00:50:53.08
For the letter kills,
but the Spirit gives life."
00:50:53.11\00:50:56.35
Now, the letter kills.
00:50:56.38\00:50:59.09
We would think well...
00:50:59.12\00:51:01.19
Whether we make
the Ten Commandments
00:51:01.22\00:51:02.79
the letter or the moral
00:51:02.82\00:51:04.33
or the
ceremonial law the letter,
00:51:04.36\00:51:06.70
what is being said here
00:51:06.73\00:51:08.03
is anything you try to
accomplish outside of Christ
00:51:08.06\00:51:12.47
will only bring death.
00:51:12.50\00:51:14.64
Yes.
00:51:14.67\00:51:16.00
Anything we try to
attain outside of the power
00:51:16.04\00:51:18.61
that is residing through Christ
00:51:18.64\00:51:20.54
is going to produce only death.
00:51:20.58\00:51:23.01
Because life is in Christ,
00:51:23.04\00:51:24.91
life is not in the law
whether it is what is that,
00:51:24.95\00:51:27.82
it is the Mosaic
Law or the Moral Law,
00:51:27.85\00:51:30.25
life is not in the
law, life is in Christ.
00:51:30.29\00:51:33.66
I died... Daily.
00:51:33.72\00:51:35.76
And Christ is the
one who lives in me.
00:51:35.79\00:51:38.63
I died and I've
said to people before,
00:51:38.66\00:51:40.66
I've never gone to a funeral
where I've seen the person
00:51:40.70\00:51:43.33
that has died follow me home.
00:51:43.40\00:51:45.53
But let's go
even deeper than that.
00:51:45.57\00:51:47.64
The Jews claim to
be the children of God.
00:51:47.67\00:51:50.14
They always said
the gentiles were not.
00:51:50.17\00:51:52.47
Romans 9:6,
00:51:52.51\00:51:54.94
"But it is not
that the Word of God
00:51:54.98\00:51:56.44
has taken no effect
00:51:56.48\00:51:58.01
for they are not all
Israel who are of Israel."
00:51:58.05\00:52:00.95
Shelley brought that
point out in her lesson study,
00:52:00.98\00:52:02.95
but let's go on,
00:52:02.98\00:52:04.32
how do you
become children of God?
00:52:04.35\00:52:05.99
And I want to go back
to this very short journey
00:52:06.02\00:52:08.46
but very imperative one.
00:52:08.49\00:52:10.63
But as many as
received Him to them
00:52:10.66\00:52:12.36
make a power to become
00:52:12.39\00:52:13.90
the sons of God or
the children of God
00:52:13.93\00:52:16.36
not only receiving
him, but Romans 8:14,
00:52:16.40\00:52:19.17
"For as many as
are led by the Spirit."
00:52:19.20\00:52:21.54
It's not enough to
just receive Christ,
00:52:21.57\00:52:24.27
but the day to day journey
is He leading us in our lives?
00:52:24.31\00:52:28.71
Because that's a powerful thing
00:52:28.74\00:52:30.11
because after Jesus submitted
to the will of the Father,
00:52:30.15\00:52:34.28
remember the Bible says,
00:52:34.32\00:52:35.75
"He was led by the Spirit
00:52:35.78\00:52:37.35
into the
wilderness to be tempted."
00:52:37.39\00:52:38.95
Now this is huge.
00:52:38.99\00:52:40.76
When you are led by the Spirit
00:52:40.82\00:52:42.59
you are not in
control of the circumstances
00:52:42.62\00:52:44.93
that he leads you in,
00:52:44.96\00:52:46.33
but because you
are led by the Spirit
00:52:46.36\00:52:47.66
He will never lead
you into any circumstance
00:52:47.73\00:52:50.60
that is too great for you
00:52:50.63\00:52:51.97
to overcome by the power of God.
00:52:52.00\00:52:54.50
He was led by the
Spirit into the wilderness.
00:52:54.54\00:52:56.54
So if you are led by the Spirit,
00:52:56.57\00:52:57.91
here's the point,
00:52:57.94\00:52:59.27
don't try to tell the
spirit where to lead you
00:52:59.31\00:53:01.68
even if it's in
difficult circumstances
00:53:01.71\00:53:03.75
He never lead you
where he does not keep you.
00:53:03.78\00:53:05.61
True.
00:53:05.65\00:53:07.02
And because He leads us,
00:53:07.05\00:53:09.12
the spirit now testifies
00:53:09.15\00:53:10.49
that we are the sons
and daughters of God.
00:53:10.52\00:53:12.22
Very carefully, 1 John 3:1,
00:53:12.25\00:53:16.12
"Behold what manner of
love the Father bestows on us
00:53:16.16\00:53:18.29
that we should be
called the Children of God."
00:53:18.33\00:53:20.80
Now here's the
point I want to bring out
00:53:20.83\00:53:22.13
as I end on this whole note.
00:53:22.16\00:53:23.53
The Jews claim
to be the children
00:53:23.57\00:53:24.90
but they reject the Christ,
so they are not the children.
00:53:24.93\00:53:27.00
The Gentiles didn't
claim to be the children,
00:53:27.04\00:53:28.54
but they accepted the
Christ and became the children,
00:53:28.57\00:53:30.37
grafted in.
00:53:30.41\00:53:31.74
Now we may not look
like the children of God now,
00:53:31.77\00:53:33.98
but he said, it has not...
00:53:34.04\00:53:35.74
"Don't be discouraged,
it has not yet been revealed
00:53:35.78\00:53:37.51
where you shall
be but the joy is,
00:53:37.55\00:53:39.91
but when I am revealed
you're gonna be just like me."
00:53:39.98\00:53:43.45
So here's my
encouragement to you.
00:53:43.49\00:53:45.29
Don't be discouraged
but make this decision
00:53:45.32\00:53:48.16
because he has purified us
00:53:48.19\00:53:50.83
we will daily walk in the spirit
00:53:50.89\00:53:52.93
to maintain that purity,
00:53:52.96\00:53:55.00
that one day we
will become in vision
00:53:55.03\00:53:57.80
and in physical nature,
00:53:57.83\00:53:59.17
and in character
children of God eternally.
00:53:59.20\00:54:02.04
Amen. Amen.
00:54:02.07\00:54:03.41
Children of the promise,
00:54:03.44\00:54:04.94
what a blessing the
writings of Paul are.
00:54:04.97\00:54:07.98
Thank you very much,
that was very good John.
00:54:08.01\00:54:11.08
I think that
00:54:11.11\00:54:12.55
what I'd like to
do is give you each
00:54:12.58\00:54:15.75
just about 30 seconds
or so 30 to 45 seconds,
00:54:15.78\00:54:20.06
and kind of put a little bow tie
00:54:20.09\00:54:22.26
on your day.
00:54:22.29\00:54:24.03
If I had to say
anything about mine
00:54:24.06\00:54:26.16
that I had left
out it would be this,
00:54:26.19\00:54:28.96
that God does not
make any man evil.
00:54:29.00\00:54:34.14
You know, God does
not make any man evil.
00:54:34.20\00:54:37.84
He, in fact,
restrains men from evil.
00:54:37.87\00:54:42.28
But when a man
persist in his evil ways,
00:54:42.31\00:54:46.98
then God lifts his restraint
00:54:47.02\00:54:49.58
and that man's
heart becomes hardened.
00:54:49.62\00:54:52.25
Mercy is beyond, it's
too late at that point,
00:54:52.29\00:54:56.46
his heart becomes hardened.
00:54:56.49\00:54:58.23
So we just want to make sure
00:54:58.26\00:55:00.26
that we understand
the character of God.
00:55:00.33\00:55:02.33
CA, how about a bow on yours?
00:55:02.36\00:55:04.80
The greatest thing
you can do in your life
00:55:04.83\00:55:09.24
is find God's
will for your life.
00:55:09.27\00:55:12.34
And then function in that will.
00:55:12.37\00:55:15.04
God has selected
something for each of us to do.
00:55:15.08\00:55:19.08
Spend your time finding that,
00:55:19.11\00:55:21.48
and then spend
the rest of your days
00:55:21.52\00:55:23.39
doing that.
00:55:23.42\00:55:24.85
Amen. Mollie.
00:55:24.89\00:55:26.22
When you're tempted,
00:55:26.25\00:55:27.59
if you're ever
tempted to question God
00:55:27.66\00:55:31.39
to think like
people do sometimes,
00:55:31.43\00:55:36.67
when there's a big storm,
they call them acts of God.
00:55:36.73\00:55:40.30
To question, to
blame God in a situation,
00:55:40.34\00:55:43.67
just remember God's character
is one of trust worthiness.
00:55:43.71\00:55:47.68
You can trust him,
00:55:47.71\00:55:49.08
he is always
faithful, he's always true,
00:55:49.11\00:55:52.15
he will never do anything
00:55:52.18\00:55:54.18
that isn't
designed to redeem you
00:55:54.22\00:55:56.32
and to draw you to Him.
00:55:56.35\00:55:58.15
Amen.
00:55:58.19\00:55:59.85
You might be feeling
like you are lo-ammi,
00:55:59.89\00:56:02.96
not God's people, like,
you drifted far from Him,
00:56:02.99\00:56:05.79
you're serving over other idols,
00:56:05.83\00:56:07.76
other gods but God says,
00:56:07.83\00:56:09.63
"Come back,
come back home to me.
00:56:09.66\00:56:12.47
I love you with
an everlasting love,
00:56:12.50\00:56:14.54
and right now
00:56:14.57\00:56:15.90
I want you to become
my son and daughter."
00:56:15.94\00:56:18.47
That's right.
00:56:18.51\00:56:19.84
And simply by the
right action of the will,
00:56:19.87\00:56:21.71
we align
ourselves with the power
00:56:21.74\00:56:23.95
that is far more capable
00:56:23.98\00:56:26.55
of making us sons
and daughters of God.
00:56:26.58\00:56:29.08
By the right action of the will,
00:56:29.12\00:56:30.49
we yield up our will to Christ.
00:56:30.52\00:56:32.62
We now partake
of the divine power.
00:56:32.65\00:56:35.16
So I don't have to
look for the will of God,
00:56:35.19\00:56:38.69
I got to simply accept Christ
and he works in me both to will
00:56:38.73\00:56:42.66
and to do of His good pleasure.
00:56:42.70\00:56:44.90
Decide today to
simply yield your will,
00:56:44.93\00:56:48.04
to the controlling
00:56:48.07\00:56:49.40
and changing
powerful will of the Father.
00:56:49.44\00:56:53.01
Amen and amen.
00:56:53.04\00:56:54.38
Praise God once again
for this wonderful study,
00:56:54.41\00:56:57.51
Salvation by Faith Alone,
00:56:57.55\00:56:59.75
as we go through
the book of Romans,
00:56:59.78\00:57:01.78
and we pray that you will
00:57:01.82\00:57:03.22
join us again
next week, same time.
00:57:03.25\00:57:05.65
You know these
are also on Youtube,
00:57:05.69\00:57:07.49
so let people know,
00:57:07.52\00:57:08.86
they can watch them on Youtube.
00:57:08.89\00:57:10.23
Our prayer for you
00:57:10.26\00:57:11.59
is that the grace of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
00:57:11.63\00:57:13.96
the love of the Father
00:57:14.00\00:57:15.33
and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
00:57:15.36\00:57:17.27
will be with you
today and always.
00:57:17.30\00:57:20.64
God bless you. Join us again.
00:57:20.67\00:57:22.77