Paul's
Epistles
Part
29 – Greatness of God
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House
of Faith Church | www.PS127.org
| www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
We
are going to look at the Epistles of Paul in this series of sermons. In Chapter
10 we looked at Paul telling us about Righteousness. The Remnant of
Israel, Gentiles, the Engrafted Branches, Restoration of Israel,
Paul
has shown us that justification comes by faith, as well as why we need
justification. He then explains how we are justified, and that justification is
not a new doctrine. In chapter 5 of Romans, Paul explains the blessings that
follow being justified.
We
then spent the last few weeks looking at the following chapters, where Paul
explains the struggles of the justified, as well as the liberty and privileges.
Last
week, as we near the end of Paul's epistle to the Romans, he explains that the
unbelieving Jew who once rejected Christ, but accepts Him, will also be
justified, and accepted by the Lord into Salvation.
Today
we finish Chapter 11, and take a look at what Paul has to say about The
Greatness of God.
SCRIPTURE
REFERENCE Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches of the
wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
How unsearchable his judgments,
and his paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God,
that God should repay them?”
that God should repay them?”
36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.
I.
COMPREHENSION
a.
Depths of riches
and wisdom and knowledge
i.
beyond our comprehension
b.
Unsearchable
judgments
i.
Because God has ALL the facts, His judgments are
perfect
1.
Psalm 96:13
"Let all creation rejoice before
the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He
will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness."
ii.
He knows the circumstances, the reasons, the motivation
of every thought and deed.
1.
Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart and examine
the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what
their deeds deserve.”
iii.
It is not possible for us to understand His judgments
1.
We cannot know everything, or understand motivations of
others, because we cannot see their hearts.
2.
We cannot even know our own hearts!
a. Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"
and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"
iv.
We can save ourselves a lot of grief if we accept this.
c.
God's Paths are beyond
tracing out
i.
Cannot be discovered by intellect
1.
Why do intellects miss out so often on God?
2.
Because they try to "figure" it all out
before they will trust in Him.
ii.
Only through revelation by the Holy Spirit
1.
John did not "figure" out the Book of
Revelation.
2.
It is NOT John's revelation!
3.
It is the Revelation of Christ to John.
a.
p.s. This revelation has not come to pass as of yet,
therefore God will NOT give another revelation until then.
b.
There are no other revelations of Jesus Christ, until
this one has been fulfilled.
c.
How can we be sure?
d.
In the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 4:2 "Do not add to
what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the
commands of the Lord your
God that I give you."
i.
Once the Old Covenant was fulfilled (the birth and
sacrifice of Jesus Christ), the New Covenant came to be. Revealed to the
Apostles through THE HOLY SPIRIT.
ii.
Ephesians 3:4-6
"In
reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now
been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets."
iii.
Matthew 16:13-17
"13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea
Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others
say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you
say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of
the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah,
for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in
heaven."
II.
REVELATION
a.
Who has known the
mind of the Lord?
i.
only by revelation of the Holy Spirit
b.
Who has counseled
God?
i.
No one
ii.
Why? Because the depths and riches of His knowledge and
wisdom are beyond our comprehension. The only knowledge and wisdom we can
obtain, is that which has been revealed to us through God's Holy Spirit.
c.
Who has ever given
to God that God should repay them?
i.
Job 41:11
"Who has a
claim against me that I must pay?
Everything under heaven belongs to me."
Everything under heaven belongs to me."
ii.
We
cannot give to God in wisdom, or knowledge or material possession, because all
that is, is His, for He created it!
iii.
The
one thing God asks us to give,
1.
Matthew 22:36-40 "36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the
Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This
is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the
second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All
the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
2. How do we love others? 1 Corinthians 13
3. How do we love God? John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands."
III.
CREATION
a.
From God (the Creation),
and through Him (His perfect
knowledge and wisdom)
b.
And for Him (His presence is
everywhere)
c.
Are all things
i.
He is the first
cause (Causation of all things)
CONCLUSION
So Paul tells us
that God is beyond our comprehension, and the only things we can know or
understand are those things which have been revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.
We cannot give any
wisdom, knowledge or council to God, for everything that is, belongs to Him
because He created it.
To whom be the
glory forever
He
is the only one worthy of Glory!
Amen
"So
be it" or "Truth"
