Practical Theology - Part 27 - Romans 9:14-33
January 22, 2023

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Practical Theology

Part 27 - Romans 9:14-33
Lead Pastor, Darrin Mariott

Big Idea: God’s sovereign mercy reveals to us the only right choice: To live by faith in Messiah Jesus.

I. God’s Sovereign Mercy (vv. 14-18)
Romans 9:14-18
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

A. In chaps. 9-11, we see Paul address the question of why much of Israel has rejected Jesus as Messiah. Here, Paul reveals God’s sovereign purpose and plan in calling unto salvation gentiles as well as Jews for those who by faith confess Jesus as Messiah and Lord (cf. Gen. 12:1-3).

Genesis 12:1-3
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

B. In responding to the objection that God was arbitrary in dealing with Israel’s patriarchs, Paul emphasizes God’s sovereignty in showing mercy as He sees fit. We see:

1. God acts with mercy (vv. 15-16; cf. Ex. 33:18-19)

Exodus 33:18-19
18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.

2. God acts with grace (v. 16; cf. Deut. 7:6-8)

Deuteronomy 7:6-8
6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

II. God’s Sovereign Purpose (vv. 19-29)

Romans 9:19-29
19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea, “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’” 26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted, “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring, we would have been like Sodomand become like Gomorrah.”

A. Part of the issue Paul is addressing has to do with perspective and purpose. We see things from a limited perspective and don’t fully grasp God’s purpose in election. God has no such limitations.

B. We see revealed here:

1. God’s sovereign power (vv. 19-22)

2. God’s sovereign patience (vv. 22-23; cf. Rom. 2:4)
Romans 2:4
4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

3. God’s sovereign purpose (vv. 24-29; cf. Gen. 12:1-3)
Genesis 12:1-3
1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

A. This challenging chapter reveals God’s sovereignty in electing unto salvation whomever He wants regardless of their ethnic background, whether Jew or gentile, and builds on the theme of salvation by grace through faith in Messiah Jesus (cf. Rom. 3:21-31). What is our response to this? Faith. Faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We can either trip over Jesus in our own self-righteousness or we can build our lives upon Him as our foundation (vv. 32-33).