October 20, 2021 – Romans 9:1–33

“I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

It is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all Israelites truly belong to Israel,and not all of Abraham’s children are his true descendants; but “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.”This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants.For this is what the promise said, “About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.” So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, “I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he chooses, and he hardens the heart of whomever he chooses.” Romans 9:1-9, 16-18

Paul says, in Romans 9:2, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.”  I know that I have heard people say something to the effect that that if we have the love of Jesus in our hearts, then we should be happy all the day long? If we are serious about and honest about our faith lives, I think we can agree with Paul that there are those moments that we grieve for the sake of the church – just like there are those times in our lives where we are not happy all the time with our personal lives. There is a sense of joy that overcomes each one of us from time to time that I can attribute to the work of the Holy Spirit. But there are also those times where we have a real sense of sorrow for those who do not want to hear and down-right reject the story of Jesus Christ as we know it. Or we grieve for those in the church who wish to distort the story by focusing on their own needs, wants and desires. But piety can also make us too serious and brooding as well. Paul here is simply beginning a position statement, one that will go on for the next two chapters about the fate of “all Israel” that will come to a conclusion in chapter 11. And that conclusion, that “… all Israel will be saved”, is one that will be argued and discussed for many a day.

I have said it before – Paul is at his theological best in the chapters of his letter to Rome. He draws on the promises to Israel, but also on the claim that G-d will show mercy on whomever G-d chooses – Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.

Let us Pray,

Lord Jesus, we hear that you will have mercy on whomever you choose. Help us to live in a manner that we trust that mercy, trust your love, and trust in your presence. Amen.

Pastor Dave

October 19, 2021 — Romans 8:26–39

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:26-39

Romans 8:31 and following — well, Paul hits the highlight of his writing and his theology — meaning there is nothing more powerful than these words: “What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else. It is God who justifies. It is Christ Jesus, who died…who indeed intercedes for us.  …I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

My friends, if G-d is for us — then nothing can take G-d away from us — it is not possible to be separated from the love of G-d. Oh, life can make us feel as if G-d has forgotten about us. The trials and tribulations of this life can make us feel as if Christ has abandoned us and try to make us believe that the Holy Spirit has decided that we are not worthy. But that is not G-d — that is simply life getting in the way of our relationship with Christ. Those feelings are the devil trying to get between us and G-d. NOTHING can separate us from the love of G-d in Christ Jesus…..live it, learn it, love it.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, nothing can separate us from your love and the love of the Father. Remind us of that love every day. Amen

Pastor Dave