back to indexBerean Community Church Sunday Service 7.90.2023
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but we trust in the name of the Lord, our God. 00:04:39.260 |
What a blessing it is that we serve a God who is faithful, 00:04:50.440 |
with the song "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus." 00:08:25.480 |
You'll see it at the front of the parking lot 00:08:32.400 |
We love to meet you, provide any information you may need, 00:08:39.520 |
at the end of the month on Sunday, July 30th, 00:08:42.600 |
we have a special new visitors lunch prepared. 00:09:14.320 |
and you're not just simply new to the church, 00:09:22.500 |
the four essential elements of the gospel message, 00:09:26.580 |
and we'll also have our outreach ministry team members 00:09:34.020 |
Please sign up by going on our bereancc.com website, 00:09:52.240 |
On Saturday, the 22nd, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 00:09:58.140 |
there's going to be this fellowship opportunity 00:10:33.440 |
it may not be enough time to go out and grab, et cetera. 00:10:46.360 |
in the check form, you can submit that at the entrance, 00:11:12.180 |
Lord, we thank you that you give us illumination, 00:11:21.120 |
and also, today, as we join in worship together, 00:11:37.040 |
would be so desiring to honor you in every way, 00:11:48.240 |
to be expressive, God, of our heart's desire for you, 00:11:51.900 |
our longing to render to you the worship you deserve 00:11:59.780 |
that your kingdom work would continue to go forward. 00:12:06.980 |
in worship and hearing of your word and singing, 00:12:09.720 |
may it be pleasing in your sight, in Christ's name, amen. 00:22:24.780 |
Please turn your Bible to Romans chapter nine. 00:22:37.020 |
we hit the first portions of the Romans chapter nine 00:22:40.700 |
and talking about Paul's heart grieving for the lost, 00:22:53.300 |
because it's a merciful, merciful act of God. 00:23:17.180 |
"and he did so to make known the riches of his glory 00:23:28.920 |
"not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles." 00:23:33.780 |
Heavenly Father, as we tackle and hear from your word, 00:23:40.020 |
we pray, God, that you would grant to us understanding 00:23:49.420 |
We hear in your word that it has been your design 00:23:53.080 |
to make known your mercy, your power, your glory, and more. 00:23:58.080 |
It is our prayer, God, that you would help us see it. 00:24:27.100 |
because it's really pivotal to understanding election, 00:24:29.460 |
I'll give like the shortest summary of last week's sermon, 00:24:33.180 |
which is simply that in terms of who is saved, 00:24:39.780 |
that answer is simply God's merciful choice, period. 00:24:52.840 |
There may be those who wonder and have a difficult time, 00:25:01.960 |
and then hopefully you can look back at the sermon last week 00:25:16.640 |
It's from before the foundation of the world. 00:25:22.180 |
The election is derived from his own character. 00:25:36.520 |
who have not the power to exercise something of a, 00:25:57.000 |
And so that's what a lot of the scripture says. 00:26:00.060 |
When we look at the entirety of Romans chapter nine, 00:26:08.800 |
but it was always person that God placed his promise on. 00:26:14.400 |
it happened to even be counter-cultural, counter-intuitive. 00:26:28.660 |
God says, I choose graciously whom I will have mercy on 00:26:44.460 |
I am going to read a couple passages for you. 00:26:49.540 |
very famous passage on the whole of the summary 00:26:52.700 |
of the fact that salvation is by grace, right? 00:26:55.560 |
Reading to you starting from about verse eight. 00:27:01.300 |
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. 00:27:03.780 |
"It's not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. 00:27:07.500 |
"Not as a result of works so that no one may boast." 00:27:32.840 |
There is no way that we will find ourselves there, 00:27:40.080 |
Because that's not the way the scriptures describes it. 00:27:42.520 |
He says in verse 10, "We are his workmanship, 00:27:58.460 |
"there has also come to be at the present time 00:28:00.760 |
"a remnant according to God's gracious choice. 00:28:05.160 |
"But if it is by grace, it is no longer on basis of works, 00:28:21.920 |
it's God and his initiative giving it to again dead people. 00:28:26.920 |
Another way to look at this is 2 Thessalonians 2, 00:28:33.300 |
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren, 00:28:39.240 |
from the beginning for salvation through sanctification 00:28:46.620 |
It was for this he called you through the gospel 00:28:49.180 |
that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:28:55.000 |
that the election and sovereign choice God exercises 00:29:07.460 |
you notice that it's an error for us to think of election 00:29:23.420 |
Election is God choosing you to embed his Spirit. 00:29:35.280 |
And we believe that all of it is of God's mercy. 00:29:54.880 |
is because I still, I think we have, obviously, 00:30:02.360 |
And in some sense, I kind of just jokingly said, 00:30:06.540 |
"Let me just summarize this to you in one sentence." 00:30:16.300 |
who is saved and he says, "It's by my choice. 00:30:32.640 |
have been already anticipated within this passage. 00:30:51.800 |
We would just do a, "Well, in order to be fair, 00:30:54.820 |
"I'm not gonna look, I'm just gonna," you know? 00:31:05.100 |
is that philosophically, verse 19, Romans 9, 19, 00:31:21.800 |
"How is it my fault if you're that sovereign? 00:31:29.400 |
"You've already determined the end of the game. 00:31:37.900 |
I will say it in kind of, I guess, some really, 00:31:48.920 |
the punishment of hell, damnation, or condemnation, 00:32:01.380 |
There is no individual who should have received, 00:32:04.420 |
who should have received grace but never did, 00:32:07.540 |
who should have received mercies but they never did, 00:32:10.680 |
meaning there is no punishment that God is giving out, 00:32:13.840 |
no retribution, no vengeance that is unfair or undeserved. 00:32:18.400 |
But interestingly enough, this passage strikes us 00:32:26.240 |
remember the last time, when God says something like, 00:32:36.280 |
And then if you tell us, "Well, it's my choice 00:32:38.320 |
"and it's not God regarding my future decision, 00:32:46.640 |
And I wanna say that I too join with you in thinking, 00:32:58.020 |
I went to the floor and cried when I received Christ. 00:33:04.820 |
And then what about my, the genuineness about my response, 00:33:17.980 |
what's really interesting is upon this topic, 00:33:20.060 |
he said, "Romans chapter nine is his most studied passage." 00:33:25.060 |
The reason why is because really interestingly enough, 00:33:41.820 |
because he wants this to be a real reaction, right? 00:33:45.500 |
And so he said he actually challenged his professor. 00:33:53.060 |
And he dropped this book and said, "I dropped it." 00:33:56.120 |
And he was defiant towards his professor saying, 00:34:05.220 |
"then show me because I make decisions today. 00:34:08.280 |
"Remember, the truths that God is revealing to us, 00:34:16.400 |
"we would never come to conclusions on our own. 00:34:18.900 |
"They're precious mysteries of God trying to show to us. 00:34:24.960 |
"Do you have any idea," and I'm gonna rephrase it, 00:34:32.220 |
"When you say, 'If God is for us, who can be against us?' 00:34:47.200 |
"Do you have any idea how vast are my thoughts of you? 00:35:09.760 |
"before your form, before your structure was even made, 00:35:15.320 |
God's sovereign election and sovereign choice to us 00:35:27.380 |
when you worship me, this is how powerful I am. 00:35:31.120 |
When you trust me, this is how trustworthy I am. 00:35:37.380 |
You would never know because you were never there. 00:35:39.780 |
Let me tell you, your salvation I prepared from long ago. 00:35:48.060 |
The doctrine of election is not a harsh reality 00:35:53.060 |
oh, woe is me, then maybe I'm not one of them. 00:36:01.840 |
We have people out in Korea sacrificing time, money, energy, 00:36:06.460 |
putting all of their efforts just to plead with somebody, 00:36:11.500 |
I don't know, that's not why God gave us this truth. 00:36:21.060 |
Apostle Paul says, "I am convinced nothing will separate me 00:36:27.500 |
It's because God in his sovereign choice gave it to you. 00:36:34.060 |
So with that said, today from Romans chapter nine, 00:36:38.740 |
This passage to us presented the truth of election 00:36:46.700 |
And all through chapter nine, if you read it, 00:37:09.300 |
None of you would have ever come to this conclusion 00:37:15.460 |
But then there's a second theme that God embedded 00:37:18.980 |
into this portion of questions and rationale and reasons, 00:37:27.660 |
And so today, there isn't a whole lot of practical, 00:37:33.940 |
You know what you need to say to unbelievers? 00:37:48.820 |
How high, truly how majestic is God in your perspective? 00:38:04.740 |
And the very first point is we must appreciate 00:38:11.100 |
First point, you must appreciate God's infinite power 00:38:27.720 |
and we can describe it, especially just from the passage 00:38:39.980 |
Like, why is he treating me like it's my fault then 00:38:44.180 |
And then it asks this question, who resists his will? 00:38:48.980 |
because we would answer, yeah, we believe from Scripture 00:38:55.620 |
If there's hardening of heart, it is your responsibility. 00:39:07.960 |
And to that question, how can you reconcile this? 00:39:16.040 |
He doesn't give us a reconciliation of those two thoughts. 00:39:25.020 |
You know how sometimes throughout the Scriptures, 00:39:28.020 |
there are moments when there's questions asked, 00:39:29.940 |
but rather than getting an answer, you get questioned back? 00:39:33.020 |
And this question back, we can describe it as 00:39:42.980 |
there is so much ignorance bound up into the question, 00:39:46.220 |
I have to have you think about your entire paradigm. 00:39:54.380 |
The biggest piece should be God, what you know about him. 00:39:58.300 |
The next piece is how this world works and its laws, 00:40:03.380 |
How the world works, there's principles of life. 00:40:09.020 |
within this world, within how this world turns, 00:40:18.060 |
one of the greatest things that we do in our sin is 00:40:28.300 |
This question asks, who do you think you are? 00:40:33.260 |
How big did you make yourself in this picture 00:40:50.860 |
hey, let's make some bipartisan, dual, mutually, 00:41:01.500 |
I don't think any of us would talk to God that way. 00:41:03.900 |
But by the questions itself, God says, wait a minute. 00:41:23.420 |
Right there is where I meditated and thought, 00:41:28.540 |
we have to challenge ourselves to ask and think. 00:41:32.940 |
I know God has his right over us to do as he pleases. 00:41:40.060 |
And what's more, in synonymous terms, God's the creator. 00:41:52.460 |
he can execute things just by the word of his voice. 00:42:02.780 |
we know synonymously scripture talks about God 00:42:17.900 |
He has a beautiful kind of interplay in his plot 00:42:21.260 |
and he has obviously the villain, he has his hero, 00:42:53.740 |
there are different types of authority that comes. 00:43:02.940 |
You know how we use the kind of term authority like this? 00:43:05.740 |
If you happen to be the PhD holding expert in the room, 00:43:10.860 |
you are the authority just based upon your knowledge. 00:43:36.060 |
Pastor Peter Chung likes to bring up this individual Amos 00:44:01.500 |
By the audacity of a mosquito entering into my presence, 00:44:10.460 |
Just his venture into my room deserves his death. 00:44:41.100 |
And I would kill it as it's begging me for mercy. 00:44:53.180 |
to highlight the chasm between creator and creature. 00:45:06.640 |
The analogy that the scripture gives to us here 00:45:11.820 |
And yes, that should automatically make us feel kind of like, 00:45:47.900 |
And so it would be like me taking this mosquito 00:46:20.860 |
Naturally speaking, He should have wiped it off. 00:47:17.820 |
Definitely if you said that in our current culture, 00:47:30.140 |
I feel like that's our modern culture right now. 00:47:45.100 |
you and your, you know, American culture, sure. 00:47:56.140 |
We have to remember and appreciate His power. 00:48:10.220 |
We dare not try to even challenge that authority 00:48:23.580 |
You do realize that when God talks about your election, 00:48:25.980 |
He says, "He seated you in the heavenlies in Christ. 00:48:44.140 |
Point two, we must appreciate God's infinite power 00:48:55.580 |
is because again, if you go back to our text, 00:49:06.700 |
"Do you have any idea what God's trying to do? 00:49:42.800 |
And then God says, "You fool, I raised you up." 00:50:25.820 |
but this specific term is more specifically used 00:50:41.420 |
down to such a thoroughness of His salvation. 00:50:46.380 |
please, please do not think of it as God sat there, 00:51:03.980 |
"Well, God does not, at least I want to save some." 00:51:12.060 |
"God is this high being that doesn't want to deal with us, 00:51:56.140 |
'I will call those who are not My people, My people.'" 00:52:04.940 |
dating back all the way when God told Abraham, 00:52:11.580 |
And I'm going to make you a blessing to them." 00:52:14.060 |
He already told them from long, long time ago, 00:52:32.140 |
"Execute His words on earth thoroughly and quickly." 00:52:36.140 |
I think, I really believe that subtly sometimes, 00:52:50.300 |
we only see the day-to-day just moving forward, 00:53:01.580 |
Who here even knows, like, who currently is the King? 00:53:07.740 |
We get news on the sons and et cetera, et cetera. 00:53:20.860 |
or whatever in England about who was like monarch king, 00:53:33.340 |
But right now, what kind of power does King Charles have? 00:53:36.220 |
Aside from, you know, the pomp and ceremonial stuff, 00:54:10.460 |
Know that God is a God who exercises intricate dominion. 00:54:15.740 |
It says here, "Exactingly, thoroughly, swiftly." 00:54:19.500 |
Point three, we have to appreciate God's power 00:54:34.300 |
was God saying, "You do realize that I am willing 00:54:38.460 |
"and I have in the past and I will in the future 00:54:46.300 |
There are people right now in our day and age 00:54:54.940 |
There are a lot of things that are going sour in our day. 00:55:02.380 |
and the speed of their keyboard, brr, you know? 00:55:06.220 |
That it's really gonna have a deep, deep effect 00:55:09.740 |
on the trajectory of the way things are going? 00:55:22.060 |
There are people who feel righteous but have no power. 00:55:26.140 |
God, He says, "I am willing to demonstrate my wrath." 00:55:30.220 |
When He says that, there's a righteous judgment. 00:56:00.940 |
or I can make it specifically for destruction. 00:56:03.820 |
If He built clay discs so that He can shoot them 00:56:07.020 |
and He can take a shotgun and then shoot them, 00:56:22.060 |
He says, "Do you know that every careless word, 00:56:28.860 |
"every thought that you raised up against God, 00:56:33.340 |
"your fellow man, every hatred and bitter thought 00:56:36.540 |
"that you had this murderous intent in your heart, 00:56:40.780 |
"God says, 'Do you have any idea how precise my wrath is?'" 00:56:52.460 |
"Glory to God, because this God is fully capable 00:56:58.460 |
"and will be exacting in His punishment of the wicked. 00:57:11.420 |
But you know what else, what I was thinking about? 00:57:17.340 |
"So God is willing to demonstrate that wrath, 00:57:22.860 |
And then I asked myself, "What is He enduring? 00:57:53.260 |
has more power than those who control cities and kingdoms. 00:58:08.220 |
who can be like, "Wait, wait, wait, no, no, no, no, no. 00:58:34.300 |
that although He could and He would be willing 00:58:36.780 |
and although He had designed and had done in the past, 00:58:39.740 |
that He will exercise His wrath and judgment, 00:58:42.300 |
that He Himself will show powerful self-restraint. 00:58:57.740 |
the fact that election was not meant to be for us 00:59:07.420 |
I feel like some people approach it like that. 00:59:17.980 |
"Oh my gosh, I said today, maybe I'm not elected." 00:59:20.540 |
That wasn't the purpose of how and why He showed it. 00:59:30.780 |
And so do you have any idea how powerful I am? 00:59:33.340 |
And so I want us to turn to a passage in Daniel chapter 4. 00:59:39.260 |
And we're going to read about Nebuchadnezzar. 00:59:50.300 |
He had one of those, "Oh my goodness" moments. 00:59:57.180 |
And he realized, "I must appreciate the glory of God 01:00:07.440 |
So go in your Bibles to Daniel chapter 4 verses 30. 01:00:17.180 |
And what he says is the king reflected and he said, 01:00:23.500 |
which I myself have built as a royal residence 01:00:26.620 |
by the might of my power for the glory of my majesty." 01:00:32.060 |
That's some gross arrogance and pride, isn't it? 01:00:37.100 |
is that very, very far from what we're susceptible of? 01:00:49.100 |
"I'm going to be God's slave," for crying out loud. 01:01:05.420 |
I worked at a, you know, electronics, excuse me, 01:01:11.660 |
And when I was a young man and I made my first, like, 01:01:14.060 |
I guess you can say expendable cash, whatever, 01:01:16.700 |
my arrogance showed in the way that I spent it. 01:01:22.380 |
It's like, "Huh, I'm pretty good at this," you know? 01:01:25.020 |
I actually think I would be pretty good in sales. 01:01:27.740 |
"If I put my mind to this, I can make probably a lot." 01:01:38.700 |
I'm the one who put in the blood, sweat, and tears, 01:01:46.860 |
It says, "While the word was in the king's mouth," 01:01:55.500 |
and he was just murmuring probably to himself, 01:02:08.460 |
and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. 01:02:25.180 |
Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled, 01:02:36.300 |
and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven 01:02:38.940 |
until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers 01:02:55.180 |
He went from the highest palace to the field with the beasts. 01:03:03.340 |
I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, 01:03:16.380 |
and His kingdom is dures from generation to generation. 01:03:20.620 |
All the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, 01:03:23.260 |
but He does according to His will in the hosts of heaven 01:03:29.580 |
and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 01:04:00.620 |
but my life is now joined with Christ because of faith? 01:04:04.060 |
How does two individuals' lives get merged together 01:04:22.380 |
How is it that He becomes our unrighteousness? 01:04:46.780 |
I pray that that would be encouraging to you. 01:05:13.180 |
and is able to humble those who walk in pride." 01:06:17.260 |
we're not going to be arrogant about our choices. 01:06:32.940 |
He says, "Don't be arrogant towards the branches. 01:06:57.820 |
I'm going to be faithful to my exacting promise 01:07:12.140 |
Therefore, for you today, brothers and sisters, 01:07:18.860 |
don't look for answers just by staring at yourself. 01:07:26.940 |
I looked upon heaven and realized God is the King. 01:07:31.980 |
I want to conclude by saying the doctrine of election, 01:07:39.740 |
If you ask me, I'm just going to be like, "Hmm." 01:07:42.480 |
But look at this passage in Romans chapter 11, 01:07:59.100 |
In this way, the acceptance of the doctrine of election, 01:08:22.300 |
For from Him, through Him, and to Him are all things. 01:08:48.380 |
And even if we wanted to hear an explanation from you, 01:09:01.100 |
You knew before that because you were the author, 01:09:04.460 |
you wrote the end before the middle was even said. 01:09:10.540 |
And so, God, this day, we want to glorify you by saying, 01:09:18.060 |
There is no piece of us where we're wondering, God, 01:09:22.540 |
But God, because we have you as our sovereign king, 01:10:19.760 |
♪ Who else commands all the hosts of heaven ♪ 01:10:31.760 |
♪ Who else can whisper when darkness trembles ♪ 01:15:04.360 |
I do pray, God, that you will minister to our hearts 01:15:08.360 |
that through the weak Lord, we'll be so convinced 01:15:12.960 |
so that, God, we would not be tempted to do otherwise, 01:15:16.460 |
where we claim you as king and don't do what you say. 01:15:20.560 |
I pray, Father, that we would have deep security 01:15:22.860 |
and conviction that we will trust you in our everyday walk, 01:15:31.660 |
And I pray, Father, God, by us fully coming to you 01:15:37.860 |
Lord, we will show the world just how satisfying you are.