Good Shepherd Community Chapel

 Sermon delivered by  Pastor Jerry Johnson, Sunday, June 12, 2005

 Humility + Faith = Understanding Love

Old Testament Scripture:          Psalms 19:1-4

Text:     Romans 9:14-33

In understanding this passage we need to keep in mind that God is in debt to no man!  Ro. 9:16

As we study chs. 9, 10 and 11 we need to remember that all are given the same basic chance before God:

·           Ro. 1:18-21 this passage is about human kind

o      vs. 19 – “what may be known of God is broadcast in them, for God has shown it to them.” 

o      vs. 20 – His invisible attributes, eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen in creation

o      vs. 21 – although they knew God – big “G” – they became ARROGANT, vain and foolish in their HEARTS  – every rational human being in all time is without excuse!]

·          Prov. 17: 16 – even the fool (us) “holds in his hand” the purchase price for wisdom – our problem is not in our head, we have a heart problem

·          Ps. 19:1-4 – there is NO speech nor language where their voice is not heard

The key to understanding Ro. 9 is to believe it…childlike [Heb. 11:3 – “By faith we understand…” See Hosea 2:20]

One of the reasons we don’t understand ch. 9 and have problems with it and get all in a dilemma over things in it…is our pride [the exact same operants as described above]:  because our pride manifests itself in us as unbelief!!!!!!!

Pride –

·           Ro. 11:18 – “do not boast”

·           Ro. 11:20 – “Do not be haughty”

·           Ro. 11:25 – “wise in your own opinion”

·           James 4:6 – God resists the proud!

·          Heb 12:3-11 – there’s a lot in this passage which embellishes and expands the implications of being childlike (as opposed to being childish) before God.

o      Vs. 3, 5 – “lest you become weary and discouraged” – we must wield the pluck and exercise the energy (willpower) to keep our faith in our disciplining Father (vs. 12).

o      Vs. 7, 8 – “endure” – remain faithful under discipline from God.  All legitimate children are chastised, therefore, YOU WILL be disciplined, don’t be so cocky as to think you are exempt [Ro. 11:18, 20, 25 above]

·           Pride…the essence of evil

o       Job 41:34  Leviathan, a type of Satan – “king over all the children of pride!”

o      Ezekiel 28:11- 17  The King of Tyre, a type of Satan – vs. 17 “your heart was lifted up”

o      Acts 12:20-24 Herod Agrippa I (grandson of Herod the Great), Satan’s lackey, very willing that he be thought a god and have divine honors paid to him; he was cut off by God in the height of his pride!

Childlike Humility –

Romans 11:22 – a sobering call to humility and perseverance in our faith in the work of Jesus Christ.

·          I Corinthians 6:9-10  the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God!  [Ro. 4:22-24 – righteousness imputed unto us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus Christ]

·          Revelation 21:8 – None of us have any hope outside childlike, humble trust in God, the alternative is beyond horrors to contemplate.

James 4:7-10 – Humble yourself – that’s better than waiting for God to humble us, which we have seen in Heb. 12 that HE WILL DO IT if we don’t!

·           Heb. 12:7 – bend your pride to God’s soverignity

·           Heb. 12:9 – be subject to the Father of spirits and live!

·          Heb. 12:10 – yield your “natural nature” (the “old man”) to that of God’s

·           Heb. 12:11 – “trained” – obedient

Faithfullness

Romans 11:22 – Continue, remain faithful, persevere in His goodness: keep your faith in God!

Hebrews 10:35-39

35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

[There is a terrible consequence to arrogant unbelief!  Go back and read Ro. 11:22 again.]

Love

Heb. 12: 11 – Childlike faithfulness before the chastening hand of God yields “peaceable fruit”

Galatians 5:22 – the first characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE!

John 14:15 – Obedience and love are interwoven in the warp and woof of Christian character!

Example:

Saturday morning – wake at 6AM – quietly check that my little bride is sleeping – slip out to 7/11 – get one cup of Special Executive Blend coffee for Dar – large apple fritter – newspaper with TV schedule section.  Slip back in house, cook egg, breaking yoke carefully to distribute it, toast bread lightly, set out cup of coffee with French vanilla cream and Coffee-mate creamer, cook slice of ham, mayonnaise on bread to make ham and egg sandwich, cold grape juice in little crystal goblets, all on paper towels (no dishes).  Wake my little bride to breakfast before the coffee gets too cold.

Why?  Because she drug me out of bed, screeching at me to get her 7/11 coffee, etc., and fix her breakfast under threat of life and limb?

No.  I love her.  It’s that simple.  She never knew about it till she heard me whisper, “Come on before the coffee get’s cold.”

I visit my mom and find tears on her cheeks.  To my question of why she is crying she replies, “I’m watching the News.”  Her tender heart pulls her into fervent prayer for those whose calamities and sins are splashed before the world.  What impact does that unselfish, childlike, loving prayer have in the economy of heaven?

Oh God, give us peaceable fruit!