His Perfect Love

Matt VanderVen: Today, on His Perfect Love.

It’s not that God forgot Israel. Why did they not believe? Why are they rejecting Messiah? It’s not that they're forgotten. We don’t stop praying for Israel today, do we? No, we’re to be praying for Israel because as we get to chapter 11, God will explain it’s not over yet. They’re his chosen people and he has never forsaken them nor forgotten them.

Isn't that wonderful? Our God doesn’t forget us. Our God doesn’t change his mind. Our God isn't swayed by emotions and lust and flesh and all that everything else that goes with it that reeks from the pit of hell. Our God is a God of love.

Guest (Male): It’s not hard to see the growing hatred and animosity towards the Jewish people. It’s all over social media these days. Ever wonder why that is? Has God forgotten them? Is he done with Israel? We’ll seek some answers to these questions and more as we go deeper into Romans on His Perfect Love.

Along the way, we’ll discover that God is fair, righteous, and faithful. Turn with us to chapter nine, where we’ll focus on verses 14 through 33. Here is Pastor Matt VanderVen with today’s message.

Matt VanderVen: Well, we’ve come as far as verse 14 in Romans chapter nine. Paul’s brought us to this interesting point. We’ve begun to look at really his foreknowledge as he spoke about in verse 29—knowing what would be and has been. Clearly, he’s the one that calls, and I asked you to read ahead.

How many of you actually read ahead? Don’t raise your hands, but I pray that all of your hands would have been up and that you would have read ahead, that we, as we’ve talked about before, our job is to come prepared. We’re to come, we’re to be intentional, we’re to read ahead like that to see what the Lord is stirring our hearts. And then it’s so cool when the Holy Spirit goes forward and it’s like, "Oh yeah, he showed me that," and, man, there's just this beautiful, or maybe he showed you something different that’s pressing for you this morning.

But as we go through this, Paul was going through and helping them understand election, maybe not in the way that philosophers or men have chose to use the word election, but God’s definition for election. God’s definition for the choosing or the calling of the saints. After all, he said, "Come, follow after me."

But then he’s going to explain here as we begin to read in verses 14 on that while he shows mercy to whom he shows mercy, right, and shows favor to whom he chooses to show favor. And again, this isn’t a new covenant New Testament teaching, right? We can go back and see he’s the Ancient of Days.

Sometimes I’ve heard people say, "Well, the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament," and I sometimes I don’t know if my head turns or if I kind of have a puzzled look. What do you mean by that? God, he’s the Ancient of Days. There is no different God. He’s God. And as I read this, it’s beautiful. That’s what I love about studying the entire counsel of God, all 66 books, is it just continues to show us the harmony of his spirit, the harmony of his love. He’s a good God. He’s a good father.

And as we read here, he’s going to explain the difference of mercy here, but please remember one thing, very, very important to understanding this text. Fairness is not mercy. Righteousness is based on fairness. Do you understand that? God took a vow. Vows are important.

Can you imagine if God, especially with the people of Israel, said, "Well," especially after they followed after things in their own eyes, "maybe I don’t love you anymore, Israel. This people group looks more attractive to me." That’s foreign to unconditional love and agape love. That reeks of flesh. Nothing about that has anything to do with God. God’s a promise keeper, not because he just has to, but because it’s his nature to be a God of love, a covenant keeper.

But he explains that in righteousness, he was to be fair. Well, in fairness, what did Israel and, dare I say, what do we deserve? Well, I know I deserve hell. I know I deserve hell. The Bible tells me that even in my righteousness, Isaiah, that what? It’s filthy rags. It’s filthy rags. Thank you, Jesus, for your mercy.

I love this passage. He gives me what I don’t deserve. He gave all of us a system of grace we don’t deserve it. So when we read through this, please understand that is the context because chapters nine through 11, Paul is talking really to those Romans and also believing Jews at this time in Rome about the hope that awaits.

But why? It’s not that God forgot Israel. Why did they not believe? Why are they rejecting Messiah? It’s not that they're forgotten. We don’t stop praying for Israel today, do we? No, we’re to be praying for Israel because as we get to chapter 11, God will explain it’s not over yet. They’re his chosen people and he has never forsaken them nor forgotten them.

Isn't that wonderful? Our God doesn’t forget us. Our God doesn’t change his mind. Our God isn't swayed by emotions and lust and flesh and all that everything else that goes with it that reeks from the pit of hell. Our God is a God of love. He is wonderful. And so as we read here this morning, just let that just sink in and transform and set you free.

As he was speaking to a nation that he so desperately even said in beginning chapter of nine that he would even be willing to give up his salvation if it meant the nation of Israel would be saved. Unconditional love. "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not. For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion,'" quoting Exodus chapter 33, verse 19.

And as I mentioned, mercy and fairness are different, aren't they? Mercy’s getting what we don’t deserve. So then it is not of him who wills, this is important, he’s explaining it. Who’s him who wills? That’s you and I. It’s not our will be done. "It’s not him who wills nor of him who runs." What is the running? That explains works. "It’s not of him who runs to something that jumps into action."

So it’s not one who simply thinks about it, my will, or begins to try to live it out through action, works-based. "But of God who shows mercy." It has nothing to do with us. It’s his love. It’s his gift. And we get to receive it. That’s what makes it a gift. We didn’t earn it. We can never earn it.

"For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show my power in you, and that my name may be declared in all the earth.'" That’s in the book of Exodus if you remember with the ten plagues. What do we read there is God allows both good and evil. He allows it sometimes. And why?

Well, even when evil’s being propagated, ultimately God knows that that evil will be judged. But for a time being, he allows it to do what? So that he can declare his, or should I say even the person by not declaring his glory, God’s glory is declared because there is one that is righteous.

There is one: Moses, right? He was a murderer. It was not the man himself that was better than any other men, but anybody that’s willing to follow after God and acknowledge, "Here I am, Lord. Use me. I’m unqualified. Who am I?" Well, let’s get our eyes off us. Who are you? The God of the universe who can do anything and everything. That’s where the power is. He says it. That’s where it'll be declared.

Turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 22. Jesus gave us a beautiful parable to help us understand this idea of what Paul is really explaining to Israel. When I say Israel, to those Jews that may be hearing this in Rome, as God’s chosen people, remember they were identified nationalistically by the law, which was what? A law of works, isn't it? And the law could certainly never save as we’ve already been reading in the book of Romans.

Look at Matthew chapter 22. He’s going to explain that there’s this wedding feast and that it was intended for a group of people to come, but they knew better. They decided that they weren't going to come. And so what did God do? He goes out on the byways and highways and he invites all those that will come in. You know who that is? You and I, Gentile believers, non-Jews in origin, to come in and to sup with him.

He says in verse one, "And Jesus answered and spoke to them." Well, what was he answering? We’ll go back to verse 23 of chapter 21 for that. Now when he came into the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people confronted him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority?" That’s what he was dealing with. He was answering that question.

But more pertinent here, he’s giving them an example. He began to speak in parables because he knew the hardness of their hearts, the Pharisees and Sadducees and the scribes, and they were caught up in religion and not relationship. And so he begins to say, "And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said, 'The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son.'" That’s exactly what God the Father did with Israel. He betrothed them.

"And sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding, and they were not willing to come." Israel. "Again he sent out other servants saying, 'Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner. My oxen, the fatted cattle are killed and all things are ready.'" What did Jesus say when he came? The kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God is at hand. He spoke that. "Come to the wedding."

You see, God uses the illustration of marriage as a covenant, as a promise. He’s the bridegroom and we’re the bride and how he’s adorning us. There’s a Psalm, can’t remember if it’s Psalm 118 or what Psalm tells us, we just read it this last week, I just read it this last week with a leadership group in regards to marriage and strength in marriage, how he desires to clothe us with robes of righteousness, beautiful and pure white robes.

Well, but they made light of it and went their way, and one to his own farm and another to his own business. It was all about them. It was all about their business. It was all about what they were self-seeking or interested in. And isn't that like when Jesus Christ came and he came and he would open the scrolls of Isaiah as he would walk into the synagogues? And they would all testify of who he was, his truth, his love, and what God’s intention was to redeem a lost and dying world.

And their response was to murder him. Their response was hatred. Isn't it odd when you tell somebody you love them and they look at you, and you show them kindness, and they say, "I hate you"? Have you ever had somebody do that, especially when you’re walking out Christ in your life? Remember, they’re not hating you. Jesus Christ is an offense. They’re hating him who sent you.

Well, he says, "And the rest seized," well, let’s back up. "And they made light of it and they went on their ways to their own farm to the others to their business, and the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious and he sent out his armies and destroyed those murderers and burned up the city. Then he said to the servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited aren't worthy.'"

Who in this parable is he talking about that they were sent to tell them to come? The prophets. You have the minor and major prophets in the Bible in the Old Testament. Wednesdays we’re studying right now in the book of Numbers line by line, verse by verse. Do you know how many Christians don’t know the Old Testament? Friends, if you’re not coming out on a Wednesday to join us to go, it’s important. It’s not just about the New Testament. It’s the entire counsel of God. Second Timothy 3:16.

Because Jesus came and he was trying to relate to them about what the law and the prophets had prophesied that would come, and they didn’t see it. Either because the hardness of their heart or because simply they weren't studying the scriptures themselves. They weren't pouring over them. That’s a warning for me. Am I about my word? Am I letting the word transform my heart? Am I spending time with my God? Am I being seasoned and salted with the word of Christ?

He sent out his armies and he destroyed those murderers and he burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, "The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways and find as many as you find and invite to the wedding." So the servants went out into the highways and gathered together all. All were invited. Every Gentile whom they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled.

Is that fair? No, that’s mercy. Do you see the difference there? God could have just closed up shop, man, and said, "You know what? I’ll find a different people group and they’ll be my chosen people." But he didn’t. God’s a promise keeper. Not only that, but he had also prophesied to Abraham and through the Abrahamic covenant that one day you and I would come into the covenant. We would be adopted sons and daughters, heirs and co-heirs.

It was prophetic. It was promised. And as you look around, it’s fulfilled and it’s being fulfilled until the last Gentile comes in. And then harpazo, we’re out of here, man. We’re out of here. The rapture. "But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless."

"Then the king said to his servants, 'Bind him hand and foot and take him away, cast him into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'" What is he talking about? Those that reject, those that reject the king of the feast, of the wedding feast, but choose to come in because they want to partake, but they don’t want relationship. They just want free food, man. You get it?

Well, turn back to Romans. So that makes sense in that context. And if you look, Paul’s trying to warn us. He’s trying to say but this was always, this is not something new, this was always prophesied, this isn't a new idea. Exodus chapter nine, verse 16 tells, "But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show my power in you, and that my name may be declared in all the earth." Who was he talking to? The Hebrews. It was during the seventh plague.

God was speaking to the Hebrews. They were a chosen people that his name could be declared. That was the whole point. And if they weren't going to do that, God would raise up another. That would be mercy. He didn’t destroy everyone, did he? He left a remnant, and he’s continued to leave a remnant, right?

So let’s continue on. So he says, "I’ve raised you up that I may show my power in you." There he is, even in Pharaoh. By Pharaoh doing what? Pharaoh began to harden his heart, and then after a while, what happened? God gave him over to his will and hardened his heart. It wasn't that God decided, "Well, Pharaoh, you’re just going to be a hard-hearted guy, man." No, God gives every opportunity: free will, grace, love, mercy, kindness.

But it’s like we read in Romans chapter one. And look what it says right around verse 24. We read this, but remember, these things are all very relevant for today. We’re living in the last days. He said, "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness." He gave them up. That means that was their desire. God finally said, "Look, you’ve seared the Holy Spirit. You keep kicking back against the goads. You no longer, you don’t want me, you reject me."

And God’s a gentleman. Jesus is a gentleman. He pursues, but he doesn’t Bible-thump. He says, "Okay, if that’s if really this is what you want," he says, "I’ll leave you to your own doing." I think about when he said that to Saul in the Old Testament, the first king, right? Think about that. Saul thought what he was doing was right. First Samuel. He thought he was doing it right. "Well, the prophet Samuel’s not here yet. I’m just going to sacrifice myself unto God. I’m going to assume the role of a priest," which he was not called to do.

"I’m just going to do it and we’re going to go into battle and God’ll just bless it." What? That’s not how God works. God’s a God of decency and order. It’s all through the scripture. He says, "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness." And isn't that what he did to Saul when he took his spirit from Saul? So much that Saul was then so discontented that David came and would have to play for him just to calm his soul.

Have you had that in your life where you’re striving and leaning on your own understanding? You’re acknowledging things that look and feel right to you and yet are in direct opposition of God? And you think somehow it’s going to end well? Friends, it doesn’t end well. It didn't end well for Israel. It will, because they'll be his redeemed people, Jeremiah 31:31.

But it didn't end as they rejected the covenant promise. And it doesn't end well for us if we think we can somehow teeter-totter through life, one foot in the kingdom and one foot in the world and somehow balance it. No, better to deny our own emotions and flesh, even if we have a change of heart. "Well, this I see things differently now." Do you? Where do you get your supposition? Where do you get your knowledge? Where’s your wisdom coming from? Is it from our intellect or is it from the word of God?

If it’s from the word of God, I assure you and promise you, God will never leave you nor forsake you. And he will be with you every step of the way. But if you go and do what’s right in your own eyes, well, it’s not that God leaves you, but you’re going it alone. And he’s going to allow a brokenness. He’s going to allow a point of correction.

And sin, as we just read on Wednesday in Numbers, sin doesn't just hurt us. Sin affects everybody else around us. Well, that’s why Paul’s warning them. He’s like, "Guys, Israel, nation, pay attention. You rejected Messiah." And he says, "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness in the lusts of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie."

You see that definite article, "the lie." That means what lie’s being whispered to you? Because there is an enemy, and I assure you he’s whispering lies into your mind and your heart. "And worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator." Let’s serve the works of God, not the God of the works. "Who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions."

"For even their women exchanged natural use for what's," talking about lesbianism, homosexuality here. This is what happens when man does what’s right in his own eyes. This is what happens when woman does what’s right in their own eyes. You see what’s produced? The fruit. We just talked about 30, 60, and 100. The fruit that’s produced from this when we do what’s right in our own eyes.

God, protect us. Protect us from ourselves. Amen? Lord, protect us. "Likewise the men leaving their natural use of the woman burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which is due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do the things which are not fitting, being filled with unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness."

"They are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them."

Guest (Male): Pastor Matt VanderVen on His Perfect Love. We’re developing our study in Romans. And if you enjoyed today’s message, we’d like to know. Email us at our website, HisPerfectLove.org, and be sure to include your prayer requests. And while you’re there, you’ll notice a place to listen to Pastor Matt’s sermons, including all of Romans. That’s at HisPerfectLove.org.

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This has been His Perfect Love with Pastor Matt VanderVen. Thanks for listening. We’ll catch you back here next time where we’ll share another study in Romans. His Perfect Love is brought to you by Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore.