Wednesday August 13, 2014

Read Romans 9:10-18

As we continue to wade through the doctrine of election and predestination we have already seen that our hearts should yearn and cry out for the lost. We have seen that Abraham’s children are the children of the promise not just the physical children.

In vs10-18 Paul talks about two specific examples in the Old Testament. Rebekah, wife of Isaac (who was Abraham’s promised son) had twins; Esau and Jacob. Tradition dictated that the older son would have priority and would be ‘in charge’ of any other children. But Paul shows what actually happened, quoting from Genesis 25:23 and Malachi 1:2.

11 Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:

12 not by works but by Him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”

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

Notice carefully what is stated here in God’s Word. God chose the younger one before the twins were born so that it could not be conceived to be a choice based on what either person had done. Verse 12 states clearly that it was not by works but by Him who calls. God in His eternal wisdom chose Jacob over Esau so that His purpose would be worked out. If we comprehend what has just been said, we might want to cry out, ‘Is God unjust?’ Paul anticipates this and deals with it in verse 16. The answer is quickly given, ‘Not at all!’.

Moses, as the second example, is immediately brought onto the stage. God said to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ This is followed with an incredible teaching. Read Romans 9:16 very carefully. It does NOT depend on man’s desire or effort but solely and wholly on God’s mercy. Verse 18 is the pivotal statement. God does what ever He pleases.

In terms of our relationship with God we are the clay and God is the potter. God can make out of the clay whatever He chooses. He can make items for noble use and some for common use out of the same lump of clay. Added to this, God has chosen to make the riches of His glory known to the objects of His mercy by the way He made us. He has chosen to bring glory and honour to Himself in this particular way. We can rail against God. We can argue with God or we can praise Him as Paul does at the end of this section. At the end of chapter 11 we read an anthem of praise to God.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable His judgments,

and His paths beyond tracing out!

“Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has been His counsellor?”

“Who has ever given to God,

that God should repay him?”

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.

To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

What will your reaction to the God who elects be?

Prayer:

Having read today’s passage and notes jot down various prayer points in each:

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

¨ Ask the Lord to bring wisdom and insight and godliness to us as we seek to understand this doctrine.

¨ Pray that we would be led by God to a position of adoration and praise as in Romans 11:30-33 as we study this difficult doctrine.

 Discipleship Moment For Girls

Intro: In our relationship with God we need to come to the point where we trust God completely. Even when we don’t know what God is doing we need to trust Him.

Discuss some areas in your own life where you have had difficulty trusting God. How did you grow in trust?

Read Romans 8:28-30

What can we be assured of even when life is tough?

What good does God promise to do for us?

Pray together that you would grow in trust of God.

 Discipleship Moment For Boys

Intro: In our relationship with God we need to come to the point where we trust God completely. Even when we don’t know what God is doing we need to trust Him.

Discuss some areas in your own life where you have had difficulty trusting God. How did you grow in trust?

Read Romans 8:28-30

What can we be assured of even when life is tough?

What good does God promise to do for us?

Pray together that you would grow in trust of God.

 Word Moment:

When you read the Word don’t just skim. Think carefully about what’s being said. Consider the flow of the passage and the main point being made. As you actually read what’s written you’ll get a few surprises.

 Discussion Questions

1. Some people argue that election destroys the need for evangelism, but J I Packer says it should motivate us all the more. What do you think?

2. How do you answer the charge that God is unfair in election and predestination?

3. What difficulties or issues arise from thinking about this doctrine?

Tuesday August 12, 2014

Read Romans 9:6-9.

Having shared his heart in vs1-5, Paul begins to unravel the incredibly difficult and painful topic of election and predestination – a topic that has divided Christendom since these words were first written. This topic of election and predestination is not a topic to be taken lightly or treated flippantly. At the core level we are talking of people’s eternal destiny and as we’ve seen, the destiny of those outside of Christ should cause an ache in our hearts.

The doctrine should not be taken lightly and even in Christian company should be spoken of carefully and with the utmost of care. At no point do we wish to paint an air of superiority or an attitude of looking down our noses at others. At no point do we wish to suggest that we are better than anyone else, or more deserving of God’s salvation than anyone else. Such heresies are not tolerated in the Bible, nor in this church.

The Westminster Confession of Faith sums it up beautifully in chapter 3, section VIII

The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men, attending the will of God revealed in His Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel.

In vs6-9 Paul raises two points to make one truth - namely that God’s Word had not failed. In verse 6 Paul shows that being born from Israel does not make you a true Israelite. This would have been shocking heresy to the Jews of Paul’s day. They prided themselves on their heritage and nationality. Then in verse 7 he shows that simply having Abraham as your physical forefather doesn’t automatically make you a child of God. It is the children of the promise who are the children of God not the natural children (vs8).

For centuries the Jews had regarded themselves as God’s children. Now Paul writes words that contradict everything they had held true for so long. They are hard words to come to grips with. They are hard words to understand and to fit into our theology. We need to carefully consider these words, weigh them up and seek God’s wisdom in understanding.

God has said over and over again in the Old Testament that circumcision of the heart was what mattered, not merely physical circumcision. He had called the people over and over again to love Him with their heart, soul, mind and strength.

God had said to them that He looks at the inside even though man looks at the outside. 

Many believers deal with the hard bits of the Bible in the wrong way. Some ignore the hard teachings and simply refuse to read them and to incorporate them into their theology. Some make up schools of theology that give them a semblance of solid ground on which to dismiss the hard bits of the Bible. Others have, sadly, simply walked away from the faith.

When we come to difficult doctrines in the Bible we must immerse ourselves in prayer, search the Scriptures diligently, get much counsel and read widely. It is imperative that we read all sides of the issue and consider the various options before we make up our minds. But even so, Scripture must always remain our ultimate authority.

Prayer:

Having read today’s passage and notes jot down various prayer points in each:

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

¨ Pray that God would help us understand this difficult doctrine and its implications.

¨ Pray that we would be sensitive and caring and loving as we discuss this issue in cell groups and other groups.

¨ Pray that Scripture would remain our ultimate authority.

¨ Pray against pride and arrogance.

 Walk Moment:

To wrestle with the Word of God is to grow and mature. Don’t be afraid of asking the hard questions.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What are you thoughts so far on the doctrine of election/predestination?

2. What dangers are ever present when we talk about this doctrine?

3. Should this be a doctrine discussed with unbelievers? Why/why not?

Monday August 11, 2014

 Coming Up: Sonday August 17, 2014

Romans 9. A Hard Pill To Swallow.

 Read Romans 9:1-5

In Christian circles we speak of the ‘lost’ to refer to those who are not saved, those who have not yet placed their faith/trust in Jesus’ Christ and who are, at this present time, facing eternal condemnation.

Throughout Romans1-8 Paul has described in detail God’s salvation and he understands completely the implications for those who refuse to come to Christ in faith and repentance. He knows that they will spend eternity separated from God, which is a very very very long time. What we see is a window opened up for us in vs1-5 that allow us to glimpse into Paul’s heart - a refreshing, yet sobering glance that challenges us and motivates us.

In verse 2 we see that Paul has ‘great sorrow’ in his heart. The Greek NT uses the word ‘mega’ to describe this sorrow. But he also has unceasing or continuing anguish/pain in his heart. I wonder if we have such mega sorrow and constant pain in our hearts concerning the lost. Or are we more concerned with our income, getting our lawns greener and making sure that we have enough entrées to serve at our next dinner party? Sometimes I wonder if I have any sorrow in my heart for the lost. It’s far too easy to forget about them or to simply argue that they’ve made their choice and they need to face the consequences. Paul’s heart is aching for the lost.

In verse 3 Paul opens the window a little further. He wishes, if it were possible, that he could be cursed and cut off from God for the sake of his own people, the nation of Israel. Being ‘cut off’ was an OT curse for those who refused to submit to God. It was, in a sense, the worst punishment possible. But can you hear the love of Christ in Paul’s cry? Paul knows that Jesus was cursed and cut off for him personally and he’s willing to show that love to his own people. How I wish that the church of today would capture even a fraction of this love for the lost. I’ve been in churches that have stated categorically that they do NOT want the lost coming into their churches. Others have said that their mission is not to the lost but to the found - a biblical sounding way of avoiding responsibility!  If we could see more deeply the love that God has for us in Christ Jesus, if we took time to meditate upon Jesus’ love and sacrifice for us, I am sure that we too would come to this same conclusion.

When you think of the lost in your family, in your local community, in your nation and in your world, do you have the same heart that Paul has?

Do you pray as Paul prays? Do you work as Paul works to bring many into the Kingdom of God? We simply cannot go on to talk about election and predestination if our hearts remain hard and calloused towards the lost.

Prayer:

Having read today’s passage and notes jot down various prayer points in each:

Adoration;

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

¨ Pray that God would give you and everyone in your cell/church opportunity to preach the gospel clearly to non believers. Pray that you would preach it clearly as you should and that God would bring in the harvest through you.

 Witness Moment:

Evangelism has become a dirty word in some circles. Rather than see it as a dirty word, get out there and get your hands dirty in people’s lives. Love them. Serve them and tell them about Jesus.

 Discussion Questions

1. List just 3 people you’d love to see come to faith in Christ and commit as a group to pray for them each day this week.

2. Why should we have a heart for the lost?

3. What biblical motivations can you produce for evangelism? See if you can come up with at least 20!

4. How can you cultivate a greater heart for the lost?

 Discipleship Moment For Girls

Intro: We live in a world where people care only about themselves. But God wants us to care about everyone especially about their eternity and to do our utmost to help them find salvation.

Discuss a time that God has used you to bring salvation to others. Discuss what happened and how you felt.

Read 1 Cor 9:19-23. 

What was Paul’s attitude towards the lost?

What does God want our attitude to be?

who can we be seeking to bring salvation to?

Pray together that God would use you to preach clearly to others.

 Discipleship Moment For Boys

Intro: It’s often the macho thing to care only about ourselves. Those who care about others are often called sissies. But in God’s eyes caring for others is great. He wants us to care about their eternity too.

Discuss a time that God has used you to bring salvation to others. Share what happened and how you felt.

Read 1 Cor 9:19-23. 

What was Paul’s attitude towards the lost?

What does God want our attitude to be?

who can we be seeking to bring salvation to?

Pray together that God would use you to preach clearly to others.

Saturday August 9, 2014

Read Romans 8:37-39

It’s sad that we can read parts of God’s Word and without reflection or comment pass on as though we were reading an irrelevant ‘help wanted’ ad in the local newspaper. Romans 8:37-39 can easily pass us by because we are well off and comfy in the West. Our lives are so cushioned and so protected that we think nothing of these verses. Isn’t that really sad?

But put yourself in the shoes of a believer in rural Nigeria. As you wake in the morning you pray that the water tap 3kms away will actually give fresh water today. It hasn’t for days now. So you commit it to the Lord and you pray silently for your daughter who has to make the 6km round trek. You pray for her safety as she could be kidnapped or raped and even worse, killed as she walks the streets.

As the day progresses you remember that the morsel of food in the cupboard will only feed half of your family. It cannot conceivably fill everyone’s stomach. The chance of work today is slim and the garden probably won’t yield crops as it hasn’t rained for over 3 months now. You wonder if your anti-Jesus neighbours will attack you again, swearing and throwing rocks at you like they did the other day. Then your heart sinks as you think about the Christian families down the road whose houses were burnt by the terrorist mob and who lost many many loved ones. You wonder if you’ll make it through tonight without facing the same attack.

As you read Romans 8:37-39 again can you hear the words of comfort and joy? Can you hear words of life and encouragement? Can you sense the hope? Can you hear your soul leaping for joy and reaching upwards in adoration and praise?

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

These words mean little to a prawn and chardonnay saturated culture. They mean little to a culture where love is blurred into sexuality and where every conceivable need is only as far away as the nearest laptop or iPod. These words fall on deaf ears in a selfie obsessed culture saturated with the noise of TV, radio, internet, 24/7 music streaming, Facebook, You Tube and Twitter and a gluttonous host of other self absorbed social media outlets. These words mean nothing to a culture that has no needs except the need for 24/7 entertainment and lust on demand. It’s time to wake up from our slumber. The Word of God is being increasingly paralysed as we squander our lives in self indulgent luxury.

Prayer:

Having read today’s passage and notes jot down various prayer points in each:

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

¨ Pray for a revival in the Christian church that we would know God and the love of God intimately and deeply. Pray that  our riches and assets would be put in their right perspective and used for His glory not for our indulgence.

¨ Pray that the churches in the west would be generous in their giving and willing to support the poorer brothers and sisters around the world.

 Word Moment:

 Don’t let the comfort of your surroundings and the easiness of your life blind you to the hope and life in the Word of God.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. Explain what Romans 8:37-39 means to you.

2. How can we as a church grow in love for God and love for each other?

3. How can you help Christians wake up to what’s really happening?

 Discipleship Moment For Girls

Intro: We are increasingly being numbed to the Word and love of God.  With 24/7 access to the internet, with music in our ears all day and all night, with TV going around the clock, we hardly have time to listen to God.

Discuss the things that make it difficult for you to listen to God.

Read  Psalm 46:10.

When do you make time to be still before God?

How can you improve your ability to listen to God?

Pray together that God would give you wisdom in making time to be still before Him.

 Discipleship Moment For Boys

Intro: We are increasingly being numbed to the Word and love of God.  With 24/7 access to the internet, with music in our ears all day and all night, with TV going around the clock, we hardly have time to listen to God.

Discuss the things that make it difficult for you to listen to God.

Read  Psalm 46:10.

When do you make time to be still before God?

How can you improve your ability to listen to God?

Pray together that God would give you wisdom in making time to be still before Him.