Alright, well this morning we are coming to Romans chapter 9 and we're looking at Romans chapter 9, 20 through to 29. maybe I should read verse 19 as well although it's not going to be up there I'm sorry for that oversight but let's pray and and and it's really this is a passage we really do need God's help you know so so let's let's pray and and and let's ask for his help that we might understand this as he intended all right so let's pray together Father, we just want to really bow before You. Lord Jesus, we want to today sit at Your feet and listen and learn from You. And we acknowledge that our minds alone are not sufficient to understand Your Word. We really need Your Holy Spirit. We pray that He would be active in us now, active indeed in me as I speak. and active in all of us as we hear. And Lord, that the truth of your word would be plain to us. All the truth that you want us to hear individually today will be really plain to us. And Lord, we do pray that you would keep the devil back from distorting and confusing and distracting us. we're here to listen to you today so please Lord hear us and speak to us as your children we pray in Jesus name Amen so let's read together Romans 9 so said from verse 19 and then we'll continue on to verse 29 it's a longer section most of our time we will spend in the earlier verses You will say to me then, why does he still find fault for who resists his will? On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? That's last week. This week we're picking up from this point. The thing molded will not say to the molder, why did you make me like this? Will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for honourable use and another for common use? Possibly better translated dishonour, because that's what it literally means, it means dishonour. What if God, although willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patient vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And he did so to make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory. Even us, who he also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. As he said also in Hosea, I will call those who were not my people, my people, and her who was not beloved, beloved. And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, you are not my people, there they shall be called sons of the living God. Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, though the number of the sons of Israel be like the sand of the sea, it is the remnant that will be saved. For the Lord will execute his word on the earth thoroughly and quickly. And just as Isaiah foretold, unless the Lord of Sabaoth, it's a Hebrew word, which means the Lord of hosts, had left to us a posterity, we would have become like Sodom and would have resembled Gomorrah. This portion that we are looking at this morning is an answer to the question asked in verse 19, you'll say to me why does he still find fault for who resists his will? So he's still going on to answer that question. Last time we saw that Paul challenged the attitude behind the question. But this time, this week, we will see that in the verses that follow, he asserts the rights of God as Creator. over the creatures. Now these are among the most difficult verses in the entire Bible. They raise lots of questions for those especially that are familiar with the Bible and other biblical teaching. Chiefly the questions it raises are How do we reconcile what Paul is saying here with God's love for all and his offer of mercy to all? That is at least all who hear. It also raises the question about the place of human choice and human responsibility because here Paul is not talking about that. His focus is upon God. where I would say our focus needs to be. Later on he'll talk about human responsibility, but not here. He wants us to zero in on who God is. So I would say that the first thing we must do before we have all of these questions rolling around in our head and objections to what Paul is saying, that we first listen carefully. accept what he says, whether we like it or not. Because that's really the place of disciples. A disciple is a learner, a student and a student is not the instructor and doesn't determine the content of the lesson. A student sits and listens and is instructed and that's what we must do especially when we know that ultimately behind Paul stands God who inspired him so we must sit and listen and be determined to accept what Paul says just accept it as I said whether we like it or not it's not the point our emotional response should not determine what we do with this text of scripture we've got to accept it And then I would say we're in a position actually to learn and to see and answer the other questions. But if you don't accept it first, you'll never be in the place to answer all those other questions. So today we're going to focus on what Paul says. And I do say like if you have questions or you think that I've misunderstood something, please come and we can talk about it. it is difficult and I understand there are different positions on this passage but I've done my best to prayerfully understand it and to speak it as I think Paul intended and God intended. So first We're going to look today at God's rights. God's rights. That's the word that Paul uses, variously translated, but the version we're using here uses the word right. Then secondly, we're going to see God's purpose. God's purpose in his way of acting. And then lastly, we're going to consider just briefly God's action, right? So God's plans and purposes then put into action in the final verses. But first, we're going to consider God's rights. So from the middle of verse 20, the thing molded will not say to the molder, why did you make me like this? Will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay? to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use, or as I suggested, it's really the word dishonor, for dishonor. In the Greek, the word honor is there, and then the negative, Greek just puts a little like an A in front of it to negate it. So it's the word honor with a little A, dishonor. and that's what we have here. So anyway, we're considering first God's rights. Today we hear a lot about human rights and you know it's wonderful and good and even godly to stand up for the rights of humans. God has given us certain rights and they should be defended. But something we never hear about is God's rights. Do you ever hear that? You ever pick up the newspaper and there's an article about God's rights? Who's standing up for them? Who's asserting them? Well, that's really what Paul does here. Paul is asserting, defending God's rights. And Paul is actually far more concerned about God's rights than the rights of the creature. Because God comes first. God must come first in everything. If we don't put God first in everything, then we distort everything. And human rights become an idol. So what are the rights of God? Well, he says here in verse 21, or does not the potter have a right over the clay? The word could be translated authority, authority over. Paul uses an analogy that is something similar. He's really speaking about God and humans, but he uses an analogy of potter and clay. In some way, God is like a potter, and we are like clay. However, of course, there is a great difference. We are not mere clay, we're humans, but neither is God a mere potter. The point is this, I think. The point is that the potter decides what he will make out of the clay. He decides as he sits there at his wheel with a lump of clay, he breaks some off, that clay, and he decides what he's gonna make out of that clay. what kind of pot it's going to be and what its purpose is. And then he'll take that other bit of clay that he set aside and he'll decide what he's going to make out of that bit of clay. And it might be very different. One bit of clay he might make a pot that's fit for a palace and another bit of clay he might make something fit for the, I don't know, the toilet. But it's his right, isn't it? It's the potter's right to decide. It seems to be evidently what Paul is saying here, that God has a right to decide what he will do with humans according to what is good in his eyes. not only where we live. Paul talks about that. He decides even nations, where they live, the boundaries of their habitation. He makes those decisions. He made the decision of where you would be born. He decided your parents. He decided whether you would be male or female. And of course, you can't change that. God decided it. He also decided your hair color. He decided your height. He decided lots of stuff, didn't he? That's not really what Paul is talking about here though. What he decided in what Paul is focusing on, he decided whether we would be a vessel of honor or a vessel of dishonor. What he's talking about here is where we will spend eternity. where we will spend eternity, God decided. And we have no right to question Him. Verse 20, the thing molded will not say to the molder, why did you make me like this? Will it? I can't object to God. He is free to do as He pleases. We're His. We belong to Him. We're not our own. We're not God. And you can't make the choices in so many ways. You can't make the choices for your life. Just as you cannot choose, well, actually, I think it's unfair that I had these parents. I wanted different parents. Or, I don't like the color of my hair, you know? Let's go and dye it. But still, you've got the same color hair, don't you? Or, I don't like my height. God made lots of these things, but he also made the decision for our eternity. And that's Paul's focus right throughout. He's not talking about eye color. He's talking about whether we will be a vessel for honour or a vessel for dishonour. And in the next verses we see that those vessels, he uses different terms, he talks about a vessel for destruction and a vessel for glory. Now, that for many people is pretty troubling teaching. But what I would say is that we must interpret Paul in the light of what he has already said, just to get the right perspective on it. Paul is not saying here that God has the right to create innocent people just to destroy them. That's not what he's saying, because that would be contrary to God's character as a loving and just God. The clay, in this analogy, represents fallen humans. And we are all part of one lump of clay, humanity, that has rebelled against our Creator and therefore are worthy of judgment. And we could say, since that is the case, we all, it would be right for God to decide that that whole lump be destroyed. And we get a little picture of that in the flood. God destroyed almost everyone except for Noah and his family. Another picture is Sodom and Gomorrah. He refers to that later on. It would be right for God to do that. And so I would say this, that since this is so, we have lost all rights before God. We've lost all rights. We have no claim upon Him. We can't come to God and say to Him, you must do this or that. You must deal with me in this way or that way. He only promised blessing and life to the obedient. He promised curse and death to the disobedient. And what am I? Disobedient. The only thing God has promised to me as a disobedient person is curse and death, taken by myself. So what is Paul saying? This is what he's saying, God has the right over sinful creatures to give some, as he said, death, but also to have mercy on some and not give them death. seems to be, as far as I can understand, that's exactly what Paul is saying here. Now I'm open to correction if I've misunderstood but for me that seems to be the plain reading of the passage. Now how do we respond to this? How do we respond to this? It's not with our objections, it should be with our humility. as I was meditating upon this and I just, I thought, you know, I thought before God, with this truth in my mind before God, what should I say? As I'm bowing before the living creator who made me and has this right over me, I should affirm before God, God, you have the right over me. You have the right even to send me to hell forever. Because I've rebelled against you. And yes, I have chosen to rebel against you. And not just once, but many times. And countless times. Lord, You have the right. And if You were to send me to hell, I could not object. I could not raise one objection that would have any weight if he did so. As frightening as that reality is, that's the truth. And we need to come to that position. And if we're not there, I would say that there are some serious spiritual problems. Because we're still thinking we're worthy. We're worthy of something else. Nevertheless, I would also add that we should also come to God. And at the same time, we confess, Lord, you are so merciful. And I cling to that mercy. Lord, be merciful to me. Because that's, remember the man in the parable Jesus told. the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. What did the tax collector say? What was his prayer? It was a very simple prayer. God, be merciful to me, the sinner. And he went home justified, Jesus said. He went home right with God. He came with the right attitude, not demanding, you've got to let me into heaven. I've got a right to it. But seeing His only right is to be sent to hell. That's the only right. That's the only right I have. It's mercy alone. Mercy alone. that God would open the doors of heaven. But I urge you to see God is merciful. He is merciful. Don't ever turn this truth into something else. Don't let the devil get into your ear and let him say, oh God is this harsh, cruel, nasty God. That's the opposite of what Paul has been saying here. He is merciful. And any who come to him, any who come to him asking for mercy will receive it. because God is far more willing to give that mercy than we ever asked for it. So my friends, we need to approach this and respond in that way. All right. God, you are right. You are in the right to send me to hell, but be merciful to me, the sinner. So that's the first thing, God's rights. God has this right over us. Second, God's purpose. God's purpose. So in these verses, Paul gives us a bit more explanation about it. A bit more explanation of why God is working in this way. Let's read together verse 22 and 23. What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon the vessels of mercy which He prepared beforehand for glory. these verses Paul identifies the same two groups or two types of vessels we said before that there was the vessels of honor and the vessels of dishonor here that the the terminology has changed there are the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction and the vessels of mercy prepared for glory So again, just for clarity's sake, lest we mishear what Paul is saying, both groups, both vessels, clay, the clay they're made out of, both are sinners and worthy of judgment because of sin. Both also have received a measure of mercy in this life. Notice what Paul says here about the vessels of wrath. He has endured with much patience these vessels of wrath. That is, those that are still in their rebellion, still hostile to God, still destroying his world, God is patient. He's not dealt with us according to what our sins deserve. All right, so we've got those similarities between these two groups, but the difference is that some are headed for destruction while some are headed for glory. The word prepared there is a little bit difficult. They're two different Greek words. and they can be understood differently and I don't want to get into all of the bits and pieces about that because it's hard to get your head around and I'm not 100% sure myself about how rightly to interpret them but there are two different words. The second one talks about being prepared beforehand where it doesn't use a different word for the others but be that as it may. The question I want us to think about is this, why has God acted in this way? Why has God acted in this way? Why are there these two groups? Why is there these vessels of wrath on the one hand, and on the other hand, these vessels of mercy prepared for glory? Why are there these two groups? We could ask it this way. Why not have mercy on all? Why not have mercy on none at all? Why has God chosen to have these two groups? I think Paul answers that very question in these verses. In the vessels of wrath, God demonstrate something, reveals something about himself. He makes known, Paul says, his wrath and his power. In other words, in these people, God displays his justice. Not only his desire for justice, but his ability to bring it about. This is part of God's character. All the way through the Bible, we're told that God is just. God is just and Paul says that in these vessels of wrath God is demonstrating his justice and this is part of God's goodness this is not like the dark side of God always just this is a great thing imagine what this world would be if people dealt justly Imagine what this world would be if we could trust the judicial system in our country to deal justly. Things would be different, things would be better. When wrong's being done to us, what do we want? We want to see justice done. This aspect of God is part of His goodness. Remember Exodus 33. That's part of the background of what Paul is saying. He's re-quoted from Exodus 33. Moses asked God, show me your glory. God said then to Moses, I will let my goodness pass before you. That only happens in the next chapter. And what do we read? How does God let His goodness pass before Moses? Well, we're told that God proclaims His name. That is, God tells Moses who He is. And that's His goodness. I'll read it. Exodus 34. 6 and 7. This is a statement by God of His own character, His goodness. Listen to what He says. Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious. slow to anger, and abounding in loving kindness and truth, who keeps loving kindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin. Part of God's goodness, His mercy, His love, and His forgiveness. But, there's the other side. Yet, he will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations. Now, I admit those last bits are difficult. In what way does he judge the children and grandchildren? That's difficult. But the point that he's saying here is that he will not leave the guilty unpunished. And that's part of God's goodness. Part of God's goodness is that he is just. He punishes the guilty. And that revelation of God's character is achieved in these vessels of wrath. The justice of God is seen. But Paul goes on and says, talks of the vessels of mercy. What about them? Well, God reveals something else through these vessels of mercy. And that is, Paul says, the riches of His glory. The riches of His glory. Now, I would say that from what Paul says and studying it and seeking to understand all of his words, I would say that Paul's argument, he's reached his climax here. That is, that this is actually God's highest aim. He desires more strongly to make known His glory or the riches of His glory than His wrath and power. God delights, delights to show mercy to those who deserve nothing. Oh, the riches of His glory, the riches of His glory. It seems that what Paul is saying is this, that to see the riches of His glory, all the more clearly, we must see it against the backdrop of His wrath and power. Against that dark, frightening backdrop. Oh, we can see the mercy of God. The mercy of God only means anything. when there's justice to be avoided. When God spares people His justice, then the mercy of God is brought into bold relief. That's God's aim in it all. This is His plan to have these vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, these vessels of mercy prepared beforehand for glory. so that we might see the character of our God. Now, of course, we must wait to see this fully. Now, so much about God is hidden from our eyes. But then we will see clearly. Just imagine on that day when we see the glory of heaven in the light of the horrors of hell. the brightness, whiteness, purity of heaven over against the black darkness and pain and suffering of hell. In that day we will understand who God is. We'll also understand how sinful and rebellious humans are and what we deserve. And we will be so overwhelmed, we will be speechless before God to think that He would let a wretch like me into His glory. In that day we will see the goodness of God. And we will together in mighty unison be celebrating the goodness of God. Now I understand that many people who look at this teaching fail to see the goodness of God and it grieves my heart so much to hear Christians say the exact opposite when they come face to face with this teaching. It grieves my heart when Christians say that they see the darkness of God, that they see God as horrid, as the term that's often used, you know, a moral monster. Now to me that is blasphemous and I hope that Christians who have that idea will repent quickly before God because it's an offence to Him. How dare we have that view? As I said before, we must accept this, even if we fail to understand it. The problem, if we don't see the goodness of God in this, here's the reason. It's because of our blindness, our spiritual blindness. It's because we're proud, it's because we're self-focused, it's because we're man-centered. And here's the thing, we really don't see how sinful we are. Because if we for a moment to see how wicked we are as humans, if we saw ourselves not much better than the devil himself, then what we would be in awe about is how could God have mercy on any of these evil wretches, including me. my brothers and sisters I don't want to be too harsh on anybody that's struggling with this but I would just say that if we don't see the goodness of God in these verses ultimately we just must trust God and say Lord I don't see it but I know you're good he is good and in the future we'll see it even if we don't see it now we will most certainly see it when we stand before him in heaven But in the meantime, ask God to help you to see. In verses like this, help me to see your goodness. Help me to come to these verses and actually accept what they're saying and just praise you for it. That I think ought to be our goal. All right, lastly, let's move on to the last point and I'll be brief here. I think. So God's action, all right, now we're looking to God, putting all of this into practice in everyday life, all right. So in verse 24, you know, Paul goes on, but just let me ask the question, who are the vessels of mercy? Who are the vessels of mercy? Well, Paul says, even us, even us, we're the vessels of mercy. whom he also called they're the vessels of mercy people that God has called not from among Jews only but also from among Gentiles so now he's saying that and it's not restricted to Jewish people because that's the context God's expanded it to Gentiles and then he brings in some Old Testament quotes to support what he's saying through Hosea Paul shows that he has a pattern, if you like, of dealing with people. He says, I will call those who were not my people, my people, and her who is not beloved, beloved. In other words, I will call these people who have no claim to my mercy at all, and I'll have mercy on them. Through Isaiah, Paul shows that it was already foretold that only a remnant, that is a small portion, of Israel will be saved. But again, you must read this in context and as you read the history of Israel, what do you see? Do you see people that are worthy of mercy? Paul says this, he says, unless the Lord of hosts had left to us a posterity, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah. That is, we would have faced God's ultimate destruction because that's exactly what we were worthy of. And yet in God's mercy, he spared some. And so both these groups, the Gentiles and the Jews, show God's mercy. Salvation came to unlikely candidates, that is the Gentiles. Salvation came upon Jews who continued to provoke God and it's amazing that any received His mercy. It's amazing that there were any left after you read their history. None are worthy, mercy alone. mercy upon those who God chooses, I will have mercy on those whom I have mercy, I have compassion on those whom I'll have compassion. And when we read this and when we read the story of the Bible and we see how God operates, I think what we should come to, this is the point we need to come to, that it is amazing that God had mercy on any. that's what we should come to it is amazing God that you had mercy on any of us we sing amazing grace don't we what's the opening words of amazing grace amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me That's the message of the gospel, that God would save a wretch like me. I'm amazed, God, that you would have mercy upon me. I'm amazed, God, that you would have mercy on any of us, that you wouldn't just wipe us all out, finish with us, and start again, as he suggested to Moses. So my friends, if we understand Paul's teaching rightly this morning, what we will do is we will go away amazed, astonished at the mercy of God. May God help us. Amen. Let's pray together. Oh, our God. Oh, our God. We confess to you, Lord, that we really don't see who we are. We are a blind people who don't see who we are and who don't see who you are, Lord. And we pray that you'd be gracious to show us both. How we need to be humbled, Lord. How we need to be stripped of all of our deception of goodness and righteousness and how we need to be brought back down to earth, and how we need then our eyes to be lifted up, Lord, to see how pure and holy and righteous and good you are. Please help us, Lord. We want to know you, our God. We want to know you. We want to know the truth about you. We want to know the sweetness of all of these truths, that we would sing and celebrate them every day of our life until at last we come to stand in your very presence. with unceasing joy. Please hear us, our God. Have mercy and pity us. And we ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.