(# 326) Romans 9 - The Sovereign God Has a Response to Your Faith

Class Outline:

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Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…a Christian Church based in Mesa, AZ…my name is Pastor Rory Clark.

 

I really admire Deacon Denny Goodall.  I admire him for numerous reasons…I admire him as a believer in Christ…I admire him as a Deacon… and I admire him as a man…I admire him as a husband… I admire him as a father…I admire his flaws…I admire his heart…I especially admire his offering messages.  For those of you in the non-resident congregation, I can tell you that if you are fast forwarding through his offering messages, you are missing a treat every week. 

 

I can remember one message specifically, where he said for the first time, “I’m Deacon Denny Goodall, and I’m proud to be a Deacon for Barah Ministries, a worldwide Christian Church.”  The comment snapped my head.

 

“What is he talking about?” I thought.  “We aren’t worldwide!”  Well about a week later, Deacon Marc Pomeroy from Lighthouse Bible Church…the creator and tender of our website…sent me analytics from Google, and it revealed that Barah Ministries does indeed get hits from all over the world.  Early on, those hits were from me when I was traveling internationally, checking in on the Barah Ministries site to listen to my own lessons again.  Last week, those hits came from Bogotá, Columbia…Suva, Fiji…the Philippines…and the Federated States of Micronesia among other places (I’ll bet that will send you scurrying to a map).  Barah Ministries is indeed a worldwide ministry, and on the surface it doesn’t look like one.

 

Last week, Deacon Denny’s offering message snapped my head again…and really commanded my attention.  He said, “The Sovereignty of God makes me so positive” … “Why would God have us in this little Podunk church in Podunk Mesa, Arizona?” … “He has us right where he wants us” … “I have no doubt” … “God knows our glorious future” … “We have God the Father” … “We have the Lord Jesus Christ” … “They have us right where they want us.”  Why was this impressive?  It is the expression of faith.  Today’s bible lesson…

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Sovereign God Has a Response to Your Faith

 

Deacon Denny was using his will to express his faith.  In the absence of evidence he is believing the promises of God…He is placing His confidence in God’s ability to do what He says.  God has a response to our faith according to Matthew, Chapter 17, Verse 20…

 

MATTHEW 17:20

“…truly I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain (any obstacle), ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move…and nothing will be impossible to you.”

 

God’s response to your faith is to move mountains on your behalf. 

 

What is faith?  It a choice to place your confidence in the object of your faith, in this case the Godhead, and in what They are able to do for you.  Faith is believing…Deacon Denny believes…Second Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 7…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:7

…for we believers in Christ walk by faith, not by sight—

 

As believers in Christ, our lifestyle, our spiritual maturity is advanced by faith. 

 

The opposite of faith is doubt.  Doubt is unbelief.  God has a response to your doubt and unbelief as well.  James, Chapter 1, Verses 5 to 8…

 

JAMES 1:5

But if any of you lacks wisdom, and many of you do, let him ask of God the Father, who gives wisdom to all generously and without reproach, and wisdom will be given to him.

 

Our God is a giving God…if you don’t have, He wills to provide.  Do you invest your faith in Him?  Do you place your fate in His hands?  Or are you a do-it-yourself Christian?

 

JAMES 1:6

But you must ask in faith without any doubting (that’s single mindedness…no plan B), for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven (horizontally) and tossed (vertically) by the wind.

 

JAMES 1:7

For the one doubting ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord…

 

JAMES 1:8

…being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

 

The Greek of the New Testament describes a double minded person as a staggering drunk…someone counting on himself for balance and not counting on God for balance.  In today’s lesson we’ll learn how the doubt and unbelief of the Jewish race has them in the predicament they are in…hardened and scattered…and maybe, just maybe, it’s the thing that keeps you stuck in a rut. 

 

Welcome to a place where you can learn how God responds to faith and how God responds to doubt… how God responds to belief and how God responds to unbelief…through your study of the Word of God.

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

FOREVER

Kari Jobe

 

As we turn, for a few moments, from the cares of this life to rest in the

Word of God…let’s listen to…FOREVER sung by Kari Jobe.

 

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, thank you for always responding to our faith with mercy and compassion…help us to trust and not to doubt…

 

We ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...

Amen.

 

A few announcements…

 

BARAH MINISTRIES ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Next Deacon’s Meeting

November 12

7:30A-9:00A

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The Next Lord’s Supper Celebration

November 13, 2016

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

NO FACE-TO-FACE TEACHING

November 20 and December 4

December 25 and January 1

 

A lesson will be posted for November 20…its the New York Pennsylvania Conference message.

 

PRAYERS

Barah Ministries Prayer Request Group

 

Join me in prayer directed at all the intercessions and all the petitions of the

people visiting the Barah Ministries Prayer Request Group.

 

Prayers especially for those who are battling cancer.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Deacon Denny Goodall

November 6

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Janice Perry West

November 10

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Sovereign God Has a Response to Your Faith

 

We are studying Romans, Chapter 9…the second passage…and the backdrop of this passage is God’s Sovereignty…God is able to do all that He wills.  If creatures don’t respond to God’s will, it’s not His fault.

 

CHAPTER 9 - PASSAGE 2

 

ROMANS 9:6

But it is not as though the word of God has failed (simply because unbelieving Jews rejected their Messiah). For they are not all Israel (they are not all spiritual Jews in the eyes of God) who are descended from Israel (as racial Jews)…

 

ROMANS 9:7

…nor are they all children of God (in God’s eyes) simply because they are Abraham’s descendants…but “through Isaac (a believer in Christ) your descendants will be named.”

 

ROMANS 9:8

That is, it is not the children (the born ones) of the flesh (Ishmael’s seed) who are children of God, but it is the children (the born ones) of the promise (Abraham’s seed…the born ones of God that) are regarded (by God) as descendants (of Abraham).

 

ROMANS 9:9

For this is the word of promise made by God to Abram and Sari, “At this time next year I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.”

 

ROMANS 9:10

And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac…

 

ROMANS 9:11

…for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His sovereign choice would stand, not because of works but because of God the Father who calls (by sovereign right)…

 

ROMANS 9:12

…it was said to Rebekah, “The older will serve the younger.”

 

ROMANS 9:13

Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

 

In sovereignty, God selected a nation…Israel…a people…the Jews…and leaders…Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…as His agency to spread the gospel message throughout the world.  He made promises to them…He gave them His word…and it is easy for Him to give His word because God has always been able to do whatever He wants to do.  Why?  It is because the Sovereign God does not answer to anyone.  He created everything and everyone, and it is God’s right as the SOURCE of everything to do as He wills.

 

God offers you, as a Church Age believer in Christ, the RECIPIENTS of the SOURCE…the same things…He offers Himself…and He offers Leaders (Pastor-Teachers)… and give you Promises.  Why?  Acts, Chapter 10, Verse 34…

 

ACTS 10:34

Opening his mouth, Peter said: “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality…”

 

Romans, Chapter 2, Verse 11…

 

ROMANS 2:11

For there is no partiality with God.

 

What is one of the promises a sovereign God makes to you?  Matthew, Chapter 21, Verses 21 and 22…

 

MATTHEW 21:21

And Jesus answered and said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree (make it wither), but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen.

 

MATTHEW 21:22

“And all things you ask in prayer, BELIEVING, you will receive.”

 

So if you are asking, and you are not receiving, what’s the issue?  Faith!  God responds to your faith by moving mountains.  On the other hand, God responds to your doubt by giving you over to self…if you don’t want His power, you can use your own.  It’s true for unbelievers…Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 21…

 

ROMAN 1:21

For even though unbelievers knew there is a God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations (about God), and their foolish heart was darkened.

 

In other words, God allowed their hearts to be hardened.  It’s true for believers in Christ as well…believers doubt…Matthew, Chapter 17, Verses 14 to 16…

 

MATTHEW 17:14

When the disciples came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Jesus and saying…

 

MATTHEW 17:15

“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill…for he often falls into the fire and often into the water.”

 

MATTHEW 17:16

“I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.”

 

Matthew, Chapter 17, Verses 19 and 20…

 

MATTHEW 17:19

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive out the demon?”

 

MATTHEW 17:20

And the Lord said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith (doubt)…”

 

God gives mercy in response to faith…God allows a hardening in response to unbelief.  That is the Sovereign God’s response to your unbelief.  What do you think about that?  How does it apply to your life?  Let’s take a quick music break and we’ll learn more about faith and doubt.

 

MUSIC BREAK

EVERYMAN

Casting Crowns

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Sovereign God Has a Response to Your Faith

 

Welcome back!  Romans, Chapter 9, Verses 6 to 13…

 

CHAPTER 9 - PASSAGE 2

 

ROMANS 9:6

But it is not as though the word of God has failed (simply because unbelieving Jews rejected their Messiah). For they are not all Israel (they are not all spiritual Jews in the eyes of God) who are descended from Israel (as racial Jews)…

 

ROMANS 9:7

…nor are they all children of God (in God’s eyes) simply because they are Abraham’s descendants…but “through Isaac (a believer in Christ) your descendants will be named.”

 

ROMANS 9:8

That is, it is not the children (the born ones) of the flesh (Ishmael’s seed) who are children of God, but it is the children (the born ones) of the promise (Abraham’s seed…the born ones of God that) are regarded (by God) as descendants (of Abraham).

 

ROMANS 9:9

For this is the word of promise made by God to Abram and Sari, “At this time next year I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.”

 

ROMANS 9:10

And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac…

 

ROMANS 9:11

…for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His sovereign choice would stand, not because of works but because of God the Father who calls (by sovereign right)…

 

ROMANS 9:12

…it was said to Rebekah, “The older will serve the younger.”

 

ROMANS 9:13

Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

 

God has a sovereign right to choose how He responds to faith…and a sovereign right to choose how he responds to unbelief.  God gives mercy in response to faith…God allows a hardening in response to unbelief.  If you don’t have what you want, maybe it is because of the littleness of your faith.  How big does your faith have to be?  About as big as a mustard seed.  Luke Chapter 17, Verse 6…

 

LUKE 17:6

And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.”

 

Mark, Chapter 4, Verses 31 and 32…

 

MARK 4:31

The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil…

 

MARK 4:32

…yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.”

 

God responds to a small amount of faith.  Luke, Chapter 1, Verse 37…

 

LUKE 1:37

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

 

Do you believe that? 

 

Faith is a gift from God.  Ephesians Chapter 2, Verses 8 and 9…

 

EPHESIANS 2:8

For by grace you believers in Christ have been saved through faith…and that grace, and that faith, and that salvation is not from the source of yourselves, it is the gift from God…

 

EPHESIANS 2:9

…it is not as a result of your works, so that no one may boast.

 

God gives us a gift called faith and He allows us to spend it.  People who understand this, first, spend their faith for salvation.  You come to the earth physically alive, but spiritually dead…if you choose, you can use your will this way…Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

You can spend your gift of faith from God for your own salvation.  When you direct your faith to the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ at the Cross on your behalf, a Cross He bore to save you…blood He shed to save you…God responds to your use of will by granting a “so great” salvation. 

 

The same thing is true once you are saved.  God responds to your use of faith to give you everything else.  Romans, Chapter 8, Verses 31 and 32…

ROMANS 8:31

What then shall we believers in Christ say face-to-face with all these things (in Romans Chapters 1 to 8)? If God the Father is for us, and He is, who is to be successful against us?

 

ROMANS 8:32

God the Father, who did not spare His own Son (the Lord Jesus Christ), but instead delivered Him over for the benefit of us ALL, how will the Father not also, with our union with Christ, freely give us all things?

 

What is required of you for God’s response?  Faith.  I believe.  Now let’s connect this back to the Jewish race.  In sovereignty, God selected a nation…Israel…a people…the Jews…and leaders…Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…by the way, not men of exemplary character…as His agency to spread the gospel message throughout the world.  He blessed the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because it was His sovereign right to do so.  He honored the choices made by the line in faith even before they were born…  Romans, Chapter 9, Verse 13…

 

ROMANS 9:13

Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

   

Now get this into your thick skulls…people don’t have faith as a result of God having mercy on them…and people don’t have unbelief as a result of God hardening them.  Second Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 7…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:7

…for we believers in Christ walk by faith, not by sight—

 

We have faith as a gift and we can choose to use it for our own benefit.  Do you?  So doubt anything you want…just not God.

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

ACTS 16:30

“…the jailer asked, “Sirs (talking to Paul and Silas), what must I do to be saved?”

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

ROMANS 10:10

…for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

 

SECOND PETER 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvation, as some accuse Him of, but instead He is patient toward you unbelievers, not wishing for any to perish (in the Lake of Fire) but for all to come to repentance (a change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

LUKE 19:10

“For the Son of Man (the Lord Jesus Christ) has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

 

CLOSING SONG

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

June Murphy

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

 

www.barahministries.com