Sunday, August 31, 2014

Paul's Epistles Part 29 – Greatness of God

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!

34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been his counselor?”

35 “Who has ever given to God,
    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.







                   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?"

                                                                     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, 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."

                                                                      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"





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