The Infinite Greatness Of God - Part 1 Series

The Infinite Greatness of God - Part 1

The Book of Romans

Romans 9:1-9

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared February 19, 2021)

BACKGROUND

*Last time in Romans 9, Paul seemed to get sidetracked from his discussion of salvation. That's because in Romans 9-11, God's Holy Spirit inspired Paul to discuss the Jewish nation.

*Warren Wiersbe explained, "It seems strange that Paul would interrupt his discussion of salvation and devote a long section of three chapters to the nation of Israel, but a careful study of Romans 9-11 reveals that this section is not an interruption at all. It is a necessary part of Paul’s argument for salvation by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

*There was also a personal reason for this part of Paul's letter. Christ-rejecting Jews were convinced that Paul was a traitor to their nation, and we can understand why. Paul ministered to the despised Gentiles. He taught freedom from the Law of Moses. And whenever he preached in the Jewish synagogues, there was big trouble from the Jews who rejected Jesus.

*The Jewish Christians in Rome had most likely heard about these things, so Paul wanted to confirm his deep love for his people. And as God let us look into Paul's heart, we saw a man who loved the Jews as much as anybody possibly could." In vs. 3, Paul was even willing to give up his own salvation if that could help the Jews be saved. (1)

*Now, as we go farther into Romans 9, Paul gives us a look at Israel's Old Testament past. And one thing that stands out the most is the infinite greatness of God. As we read vs. 1-9, please think about God's greatness.

MESSAGE:

*There is no way for us to overestimate the greatness of Almighty God. Just consider the size of the universe the Lord created. Stars and galaxies are so far apart that astronomers use "light years" to measure the distance. And a light year is how far light travels in a year at about 186,000 miles per second.

*Our sun is 93 million miles away from the earth. If we could drive there non-stop at 70 miles per hour, it would take us over 150 years. But in light years it only takes 8 minutes to get to the sun. On the other hand, our Milky Way Galaxy is 100,000 light years across. For comparison, if our sun was the size of a period in your Bible, our one galaxy would stretch all the way from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean!

*That's just one galaxy, and a 2016 study estimated that there could be two trillion galaxies in the part of the universe we can see. Two trillion galaxies! Untold trillions of stars! And God created them all. (2)

*We really have no idea how many stars are in the universe, but God knows! In Isaiah 40:22-28 we find that "the LORD, the creator of the ends of the earth" "sits above the circle of the earth, stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in." He "brings out their host by number. He calls them all by name," and "by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one is missing."

*God's greatness is truly infinite, and tonight's Scripture helps us understand why.

1. FIRST NOTICE THAT GOD'S GIFTS ARE GREAT.

*Paul highlighted this truth in vs. 1-5, where he said:

1. I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,

2. that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.

3. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,

4. who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;

5. of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

*In vs. 3-5, I count 8 special blessings the Jews had as God's chosen people. William MacDonald explained that "as Paul wept over his people, their glorious privileges passed in review. They were Israelites, members of God's ancient chosen people. God had adopted that nation to be His son. God also sent His "Shekinah" glory cloud as a visible reminder that He was present in their midst to guide and protect them. It was with Israel, not with the Gentiles, that God made covenants with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. Through Moses, God also gave the Law to Israel. They and they alone were given the privilege of serving the LORD at the tabernacle and the temple. God also gave them many promises of protection, peace, and prosperity." (3)