DATE: 11-16-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

Can you believe it? Today we finish the book of Romans.

• We began Romans back in 2017. I wasn’t even the Senior Pastor at the time — that’s how long ago we started Romans. We finished chapters one and two of Romans that year.
• In 2018 — I was the Senior Pastor now — we looked at chapters three and four.
• In 2019 we looked at chapters five, six, and seven — woo-hoo — three whole chapters that year!
• But — then — things slowed down quite a bit for us. Romans chapter eight was eighteen sermons long — which we split between 2020 and 2021.
• We then took a two year break — no Romans in 2022 and 2023 — you may not even remember that. I knew we’d taken a break but had forgotten how long it was.
• But we picked right back up — in Romans chapter nine — in September of 2024. And — other than breaks for Christmas and Easter, a short series on suffering, and our recent two week break — we’ve been in Romans ever since.

So — if you’re newer to Gateway — maybe today’s your first day with us — obviously you’re coming in at the end of a long investment for some of us. But know that you can catch up on all that you’ve missed by going to our website — gatewayepc.org — where you’ll find all of the sermons that have been preached from the book of Romans. 

And since you know what’s ending today — here’s what you can expect for the rest of the year. Next week — one of our elders — Matt Heft — will be preaching as part of our Westminster Shorter Catechism series. A catechism — if you don’t know — is a resource that has questions and answers that focus on what we believe. I find catechisms to be a very helpful resource because — often — a question I’m asking is answered in a catechism.

That’s next week. Then we’ll begin our Christmas series — which will take us up through Christmas Eve. And — the final Sunday of the year — December 28th — we’ll have a combined campus worship service. Only one worship service that morning and we’ll all gather at our County Road 9 Campus. That morning will be focused on prayer and — you won’t want to miss it because — one — it won’t be live-streamed — so no online option that day — two — we’ll be taking the Lord’s Supper together — and three — we’re going to have some Gateway family members visiting with us who we sent out earlier this year to serve in a country that — in 2025 — is ranked as the tenth most dangerous place for Christians. I’m going to interview them during the service so you all will get to hear directly from them. But — since we’re live-streaming right now — I won’t say their names or their location — but — if they’re watching — we love you and look forward to seeing you soon.

So that’s what you can expect in the coming weeks. But now let’s turn to our final verses in the book of Romans. Here are Paul’s final words to the Christians living in Rome. We’re in Romans chapter sixteen — beginning in verse seventeen.

Romans 16:17–20 ESV

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

And skipping to verse twenty-five we read…

Romans 16:25–27 ESV

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

In Paul’s concluding words to the Christians in Rome we find his final words of warnings and his final words of blessings to them. Final warnings and final blessings. This is Paul’s focus as he ends his letter — and it’ll be our focus for our final sermon in Romans.

FINAL WARNINGS

First, his final warnings. We’re in verse seventeen.

Romans 16:17–19 ESV

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

After praising so many in the church — which we looked at last week — Paul takes an abrupt turn here. “Watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you’ve been taught; avoid them.”

Watch out! Be careful! Don’t be duped — because — there are people in the church who cause division and create obstacles. These people don’t serve Jesus — regardless of what they say — they don’t serve Jesus — they serve themselves. And these people are cunning and are able to deceive those who are naive. Paul’s final warning to the Christians in Rome.

But this isn’t the only time Paul shared such a warning. To the Christians in Corinth Paul wrote…

2 Corinthians 11:12–15 NLT

12 But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. 13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

To those in Philippi he writes…

Philippians 3:2 ESV

2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

And later he tells them…

Philippians 3:18–19 ESV

18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

And notice the similar language between Paul’s description — of the kind of people we’re to watch out for — and what’s found in the book of Proverbs.

Proverbs 6:16–19 ESV

16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

• False apostles. 
• Deceitful workers. 
• Servants of Satan who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. 
• Evildoers. 
• Enemies of the cross of Christ. 
• Lying tongues. 
• Hearts that devise wicked plans. 
• Those who sow discord. 
• People whom Paul warns us to watch out for.

About Paul’s description — that these people use “smooth talk and flattery” — one pastor has said, “The word for flattery [means] blessing. And smooth talk…means pleasant and plausible. So the reason we must be so vigilant over biblical doctrine is that those who depart from it take simple people with them by pleasant, plausible speech that presents itself as a blessing. False teachers don’t get a following by being rough and harsh. They get a following by being nice.”

Be vigilant in knowing what you believe — don’t be naive or simple — because the naive will be led astray by the pleasant, nice sounding words of false teachers. 

But here’s my question for us: How do you know when you’re dealing with someone who’s misguided versus someone who’s using smooth talk and flattery to be divisive so they lead people away from the truth?

Meaning — how do you know when someone’s a false teacher versus a mistaken teacher? There is a difference!

But it’s so hard to know who’s who, isn’t it? Perfection can’t be the standard — for we all make mistakes — even doctrinal ones. But how do you know if it’s not a mistake — but is intentional deception meant to lead people astray?

Here’s something I’ve learned having been a pastor for nearly twenty years: Rarely does the conversation go well when someone says to me, “Pastor, this book (or this sermon or podcast or whatever) has changed my life. Would you read (listen or watch) it and tell me what you think?” Because — when whatever they share is bad  — meaning it’s deception or heresy or the like — me saying so doesn’t go well.

Here’s a real life example. A few years ago I was given a book by a member of Gateway. He handed it to me and said, “This book has changed my life!” Now I know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover — but — by the title I knew it was a health, wealth, and prosperity kind of book. If you’ve never heard of that phrase before — it’s a false gospel that teaches that God always wants you to be healthy, wealthy, and prosperous — usually accompanied by a request for money to be sent to their ministry so that God’s blessing on your life can be guaranteed. And — if the blessing seems to be delayed — well — you probably need to send a bit more money — to their ministry, obviously — so the blessing gets to you faster. I so wish that wasn’t an exaggeration.

But I read the book. And I told the guy — who gave it to me — that I’d read it, had some concerns, and would like to talk to him about it. We met on my front porch. And do you know what happened? Every concern I brought up — even with Bible passages to back up my concern — he dismissed because, “He had discovered the truth and I just wasn’t willing to accept it.” Afterall, that’s exactly what the author told him would happen — the author literally wrote to expect that your pastor is going to disagree with the “truth” found in this book. Talk about a worker of Satan.

But here’s the sobering part to this story: The guy who was duped by the book wasn’t a new Christian. He’d been at Gateway longer than I’d been. He’d sat under solid Bible preaching for years — and yet — was deceived by the smooth talk and flattery of an author. And he left Gateway because I disagreed with an author that had changed his life.

I bring this up to let you know what’s become my ministry philosophy when it comes to the true gospel versus false gospels. It’s based on a well used preaching illustration that — turns out — is actually true! The illustration is about federal agents and how they’re taught to spot counterfeit money. They’re taught to spot counterfeit money by studying — not counterfeit — but real money. 

Here’s how this relates to my ministry philosophy: Instead of warning you of false teachers that are writing books, preaching sermons, and producing podcasts — my goal is to make you so familiar with the true gospel that you’re able to spot an impostor without my help. That’s what grieved me about the man who left Gateway. Somewhere, somehow he’d not become familiar enough with the true gospel to not be deceived by that wicked imposter.

And my ministry philosophy is also why I emphasize the difference between the essentials of our faith and the non-essentials. False teachers go after the essentials. And I don’t want you to mislabel a true teacher of God’s Word — who you disagree with over a non-essential — as a false teacher. Disagreements over a non-essential doesn’t mean someone’s a false teacher. 

Another reason why I have this philosophy of ministry is because there’s just not enough time in my day to make exhaustive lists of who are the false teachers and who are true teachers — but would disagree over a non-essential — and who are true teachers — who agree with all of our non-essentials — and so on. There’s just no way to keep up in our day and age with all of the books, podcasts, and sermons that are out there.

So I do my best to teach you — as clearly as I can — the true gospel — and what’s essential to the Christian faith versus non-essential. And — I do so — so you’re equipped to recognize the true gospel — and its false imposters — as you follow Jesus.

But — let’s do the even more difficult task — and move from out there — to the people out there writing books, preaching sermons, and producing podcasts — and let’s move in here — to us — to Gateway. For Paul’s writing to a local church — and he warns them about divisive and obstacle-creating individuals who were among them. What are we to do about such people?

In one of his other letters — Paul gives a clear biblical command as to what we’re to do with such people. He tells Titus…

Titus 3:10–11 ESV

10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

First warning. Second warning. Then have nothing more to do with a divisive person in the church. 

Now — think about it: Who really does this? Have you been part of a church that’s this swift to act? There’s some sort of expectation — isn’t there — to not be so “strike one, strike two…you’re out!” — when it comes to divisive people — especially in the church, right? Why?

Because no one’s a fan of church discipline — which is the topic we’re now talking about. Where someone in the church is creating division — they’ve been warned about their behavior — and they’ve been warned a second time — and now — instead of obeying Paul’s words — we give them a third warning. Maybe a fourth. A fifth. 

We start to think, “Maybe if we ignore them this will all go away.” Church leaders wrestle with, “What will the rest of the congregation think if we actually do something about this individual? Some will definitely get upset — remember — smooth talk and flattery wins people over. Others will leave. Some will want to know more than they need to know. Others will think anything we do is heavy handed and anything we say is gossip.”

What I’m pointing out to us is how the church has lost her ability to practice church discipline. Not just Gateway — but God’s Church has lost this important skill.

Do you know why church discipline is a good thing? The purpose of discipline — according to our church constitution — is…

• To maintain the honor of God.
• To restore the sinner.
• And to remove the offense (the sin not being repented of) from the church in order to keep the church pure and holy.

When Paul — in verse nineteen — tells the Christians in Rome “to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil” — I wonder if he had something like the purpose of church discipline in mind. 

• For it’s good to maintain the honor of God. 
• And it’s good to restore sinners. 
• And it’s good to keep the church pure and holy. 
• Similarly, anything that doesn’t maintain God’s honor, or restore sinners, or keep the church pure — is evil. 

And when we realize that excommunication — or removing individuals from the fellowship of the church — is only reserved for the most grievous and unrepentant of sinners — which should be on the rarest of occasions — we see that most discipline that happens in the life of the church is actually what’s called discipleship. Where individual members commit to grow in Christ-likeness and holiness and purity so that God is honored in our lives. For — and I think this is obvious — the words discipline and discipleship are similar in their spelling — because — they’re words that are related to one another.

Discipline is what happens to disciples who — instead of growing in Christ-likeness and holiness and purity — head off in a sinful direction that brings dishonor to the Savior who gave his life for them. And — the practice of discipline — helps all who follow Jesus — catch a glimpse of how easy it is to head off in a sinful direction: that fleeting lustful thought that caught your attention, that desire to switch to private mode in your browser to search for porn, the ease it is to tell a lie and to believe the lies you tell, how good it feels to gossip. None of us are beyond sin — thus discipline is God’s gracious way of keeping us from destroying our lives for all eternity by giving into sin.

This is Paul’s final warning to his readers.

FINAL BLESSINGS

And — now — his final blessing. We’ll begin with a verse we’ve already looked at — verse nineteen.

Romans 16:19–20 ESV

19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

And skipping to verse twenty-five we read…

Romans 16:25–27 ESV

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Paul’s final words of blessing. Words of blessing which include, “Your obedience is known to all — so I rejoice.” What wonderful words to write to the Christians in Rome. He writes a similar praise to the Christians in Thessalonica when he tells them…

1 Thessalonians 1:8 ESV

8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.

This verse has become one of the prayers I pray for us as a church. For I regularly pray that “reports of our faith in God will spread and be an encouragement to others. Not for our glory — but for God’s glory.” A prayer that I’d encourage you to join me in praying for us — so that our testimony of what Christ has done for us — and is doing in and among us — encourages other churches and Christians to live more faithfully for Jesus. Where our obedience to Christ — both individually and corporately — would inspire other Christians and churches to live in obedience to Christ. That our example would spur on others to do far more for Jesus than they might have ever dared dream is possible.

But what an opportunity to rejoice. When we recognize — even more than we do right now — how God’s hand of blessing is upon us. 

• We witness people come to faith in Christ. 
• We get to celebrate when people are baptized. 
• We have parents bring their children before us with the intention of raising their children up to know and love Jesus. 
• We’ve sent a couple to one of the hardest places in the world to be a Christian. 
• We’ve got someone else leaving soon to go overseas long term. 
• Another couple is also in the process. 
• We’ve got our first pastoral resident joining us in January. Someone who we’ll train in pastoral ministry, get him the seminary education he needs, and then send him and his family out with our blessing to go pastor God’s people in a local church.
• We’re becoming more and more of a sending church — which is a blessing and a reason for us to rejoice.

Yet there’s even more blessings for us to recognize. For — in verse twenty — Paul writes…

Romans 16:20 ESV

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

A few weeks ago we looked at God’s covenant promises to his people — including us today. One promise is found shortly after Adam and Eve rebelled in the Garden. When God says…

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

As I told you in that sermon — on the cross — though Satan bruised Christ’s heel on the cross — Jesus crushed the head of our foe — for on the cross our victory was secured. Yet — as of now — our victory isn’t fully experienced. For Jesus must still return for that final day of victory to be inaugurated. But the blessing Paul reminds us — in his closing words — is that: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

So the day is coming soon — and it’s a reason for us to rejoice. But what about this: God will crush Satan under our feet.

“Under our feet? Under my feet?” Yes, under your feet. “I thought Satan was crushed by Jesus’ feet.” He was. But dear Christian — the blessing here for us is in knowing that every step of obedience we take — every moment when you choose holiness over wickedness — faithfulness over rebellion — joy in Jesus over joy in the things of this world — each and every one of these moments is a step closer to the Serpent being finally and forever defeated. Every step of faithful obedience that you take is another blow to the head of our enemy.

CONCLUSION: DOXOLOGY

Which — with such blessings bestowed upon us — is it any wonder that Paul ends his letter with worship? That’s what he does — he ends Romans with praise — what’s called doxology.

Romans 16:25–27 ESV

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

To him — the only wise God — to him who is all powerful — which means he’s able to strengthen you by his power — which he does through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To him who’s revealed what was once a mystery — that his plan has always been to save people from all nations. To him the only saving God — who brings people to faith and obedience so that his Son looks glorious to the world — to this only wise and all-powerful and saving God — be glory forever, and ever. Amen. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Father, what more can we pray than what we just heard. You are the only wise, all-powerful, and saving God whose plan has always been to rescue people from all nations.

Holy Spirit, you shine the light of the gospel into the hearts of people as the Good News is faithfully preached — as you do the wonderful mysterious work of raising spiritually dead people to eternal life. 

Jesus — all of this is possible because you gave your life in love for us. Crushing the head of the Serpent on the cross. Shedding your blood for our sins. Clothing us in your righteousness.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — to you alone be glory forever and ever. Amen. 

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)

May you go knowing that the only wise God has — and is — making you wise and strong for his glory. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

DATE: 10-26-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

For two weeks — we’re taking a break from our series in Romans. And — we’re doing so to prepare for our evening worship service next week. During our evening worship service we’re going to welcome new members into our faith family. We’re also going to celebrate baptisms and take the Lord’s Supper together. Three practices that have been part of the life of the church since its beginning. Yet these are three practices for which there’s much confusion and misunderstanding.

So — to prepare ourselves for our evening together next week — we’re going to look at each of these practices of the church. Today we’re going to look at church membership. Next Sunday morning we’ll look at baptism. And then — on Sunday evening — before we take the Lord’s Supper together — we’ll see what God’s Word has to say about it.

Now — if you’re not a Christian — and maybe even if you are a Christian — sermons on church membership, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper may seem absolutely irrelevant to whatever’s going on in your life right now. Something I can totally understand. Yet I’d like to offer that ancient practices — like membership, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper — help us to see how the church of today is connected to the church of the past — going as far back as what we read on the pages of the Bible. Which means that — though these topics may seem irrelevant to your specific situation — when we step outside of our individual worlds and into this corporate world known as the church — we find three topics that have much relevance for us. True even if you’re not currently a follower of Jesus — as these sermons will give you a better understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.

So baptism and the Lord’s Supper next week. And — today — we’ll look at church membership.

INTRODUCTION

Quite possibly my most infamous sermon — while here at Gateway — is a sermon from 2018 titled Looking Ahead where I preached on church membership. Since then — every few years we return to this important topic. And — every time — I go into this topic with some hesitation because it — more than just about any other topic — is the one that seems to offend folks the most.

Yet — at the same time — I go into this sermon hopeful because it seems that the number of people who sign up for our membership class increases when I preach on this topic because — for many — it’s the first time they’ve heard about the importance of membership in a local church.

In 2023 we broke a record during my time as your pastor when — after I preached on church membership — around sixty of you signed up for the next membership class. Total shock. Who would’ve thought? Not me — that’s who.

Today we’re going to look at three aspects of church membership. I’ve covered each of these in previous sermons — so think of this as a reminder for many of us. Remembering — after all — is one of the most popular commands in the Bible. While — for others of us — today may be a day for action — by responding to what you hear by signing up for the next membership class.

Today we’re going to see if membership in a local church is a biblical expectation. Then we’ll look at the benefits of being a member in a local church. And — finally — we’ll look at the responsibilities that come with being a member here at Gateway.

Is membership a biblical expectation? What are the benefits of being a member? And what are the responsibilities of being a member?

IS CHURCH MEMBERSHIP A BIBLICAL EXPECTATION?

First, is church membership a biblical expectation? To know one’s surprise — my answer is yes. But I’ll concede that there’s no clear command in Scripture — like — “thou must become a member of a local church.” But we must also acknowledge that “thou must not become a member of a local church” also isn’t in the Bible. In fact, your view of church membership — if it’s a biblical expectation or not — is based — not on a clear command — but on what theologians have called “good and necessary consequences” of what we find in the Bible.

If that makes anyone uncomfortable — know that there are many church practices that fit the category of — “there’s no clear command in Scripture, but doing this practice is based on good and necessary consequences of what we do find in the Bible.”

For example, in the Bible we find no clear command that women are to take the Lord’s Supper. Neither is there an example of a woman taking the Lord’s Supper in the Bible. There’s no command and no example in the Bible. Yet we know that the church in Corinth — which received Paul’s instructions on the Lord’s Supper — was a church that included men and women. So even though there’s no clear command in Scripture — nor an explicit example of women taking the Lord’s Supper — by good and necessary consequence of women being part of the church in Corinth — we believe it’s biblical for women to take the Lord’s Supper.

So what do we find in the Bible that leads us to a similar conclusion about church membership?

First, there’s the amount of the New Testament that’s written to local churches. Nine of Paul’s letters were written to local churches. His other four letters were written to leaders of local churches. It’s believed that Hebrews was written to several local churches in Rome. Peter’s two letters were written to local churches. John’s three letters were as well. And the book of Revelation was written to seven local churches. That’s twenty books of the New Testament — all written to local churches.

Yet I know that this point — by itself — doesn’t justify church membership. But it at least highlights the importance of being part of a local church.

Which leads us to another defense of church membership. And that’s the many biblical metaphors used to describe the church. Such as…

1 Peter 2:4–5 NLT

4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. 5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.

Here — individual people — who’ve come to faith in Christ — are compared to individual stones that God’s joined together to build his spiritual temple. Certainly, there’s a universal aspect to what Peter’s saying. But when we remember that he’s writing to local churches — we see that there’s also a local church application: We’re joined to God’s spiritual temple as found in a local church.

We’re also called members of the body of Christ. As Paul writes to a local church in Rome…

Romans 12:4–5 ESV

4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Yes — these words are true about our membership in God’s universal — or global church — but that doesn’t mean that these words aren’t also to be applied to our membership in a local church. For they are words originally written to a local church.

Similarly — to the Christians in Corinth — Paul writes…

1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Nearly identical words to what we just read in Romans. Letters to two local churches — telling the individual Christians in the churches — you are part of the body of Christ as seen in local expressions of the body of Christ.

Whether the church is described as a flock of sheep, or a vine, or a city — these biblical metaphors describe something more than just the universal church made up of Christians from all times and places. These metaphors also describe something local. And — often — the Christians are called members in these biblical metaphors written to local churches.

Finally, there’s an expectation regarding leadership and submission found in Scripture that’s connected to the local church.

Peter writes…

1 Peter 5:1–5 ESV

1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder (implication — Peter’s an elder but is not among the elders of the churches he’s writing to…) and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

And as the author of Hebrews writes…

Hebrews 13:7 ESV

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

And…

Hebrews 13:17 ESV

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

And Paul writes…

1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 ESV

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Once again — when we remember that these words were originally written to local churches — we see that the original audience would’ve heard “shepherd the flock of God that’s among you” to mean the “local church that specific elders are responsible for.” And the command “be subject to the elders” to be specific elders in your local church. The same elders whose lives you’re to imitate. The same elders who keep watch over your souls, and who will give an account to God. Elders of local churches that individual Christians are responsible to obey and submit to.

Though there’s no clear command to be a member of a local church — the good and necessary consequence of the biblical evidence we’ve just looked at leads to questions such as:

• Who are the elders among you?
• Who are the elders responsible to shepherd you?
• Which elders are you subject to?
• Who are the leaders whose way of life and faith you’re imitating?
• Which elders are you obeying and submitting to?
• Which elders are keeping watch over your soul?
• Which elders will give an account to God for their care of you?
• Which elders are you esteeming highly in love because of their work?

Questions no Christian gets out of answering — at least not while being obedient to God’s Word. And this is why I think church membership ends up ruffling so many feathers. For it forces the issue of obedience to commands in Scripture that are hard to obey while not being a member in a local church.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP?

Now let’s turn to the benefits of church membership. 

Often — when I hear from someone who has concerns about church membership — one of the questions asked is, “What are the benefits of me becoming a member?” Sometimes it’s asked in the opposite way — wondering if I and the elders will care for people who get sick and aren’t members — will we show up to the hospital to visit them — will we provide marriage counseling for non-members — and so on. And the answer — in case you’re wondering — is yes. Yes we do all of those things for non-members as well as members.

Now knowing this — you — like the person who asks the question — may wonder, “Well, then I really don’t see any benefit to becoming a member. If you get all of the same benefits without being a member — why become one?”

So what I want to do is orient our focus in a different direction. Away from the individual who is or isn’t a member — and put our attention on the rest of the church. I know this is hard — but let’s take the focus off of you — if you’re you — and I’ll take the focus off of me — because I’m me — and let’s put all of our focus on everyone else instead — the other adults, youth, and kids of Gateway. 

And here’s our new question: What are the benefits for everyone else if you become a member of Gateway? 

How about that for an unexpected twist? 

Here’s the question asked a bit differently: What benefits are you keeping others from experiencing by not becoming a member of Gateway?

Remember — someone will show up to the hospital when you’re sick — we’ll provide marriage counseling when you need it — and so on — regardless if you’re a member or not — you benefit. So what about everyone else? What benefit are you offering — or keeping from — them?

One benefit of you becoming a member is that your membership spiritually protects everyone else at Gateway. What do I mean? When you become a member of Gateway — you agree to a set of beliefs that are called the Essentials of our Faith. I read our essentials not too long ago during a sermon. But here they are again.

All Scripture is self-attesting, and being Truth requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The infallible Word of God — the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments — is a complete and unified witness to God’s redemptive acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks. On this sure foundation, we affirm these additional essentials of our faith.

1. We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To him be all honor, glory, and praise forever!

2. Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through his miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and his virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day he arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, he now is our High Priest and Mediator.

3. The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior, indwelling our hearts. He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service. He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of redemption.

4. Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace. God credits his righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby justifies them in his sight. Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal life.

5. The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her visible yet imperfect expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity, where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting she awaits the return of her Lord.

6. Jesus Christ will come again to the earth personally, visibly, and bodily—to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

7. The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to “him who loved us and gave himself for us.” He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Again — every member of Gateway formally says, “I believe these essentials. And if anything in my beliefs about the essentials changes — I agree to let the church know.” 

Now — let me say — because someone may be thinking it — yes — this isn’t a sure fire way to know for certain that someone actually believes and agrees with our essentials. The Bible warns of false teachers who will try to infiltrate the church to lead people astray. Yet I think it’s still good practice to have a theological line of entry that we know all members of our church have agreed to.

Especially when we read passages such as…

James 3:1 ESV

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

A warning not just to pastors who preach — but to all who teach or help others understand what God’s Word means and how it applies to life. This would include our Life Group leaders, teachers of our Equip classes, those who serve as small group leaders in our youth ministry, those who serve as large group teachers in our Kidway ministry, those who are small group leaders in our kid’s ministry, and so on.

But the benefit — to all who receive such teaching — is that you know the person teaching you has agreed to the Essentials of our Faith. Meaning — you don’t have to wonder about what they believe about God’s Word, or God, or specifics about Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, or salvation, or the church, or the second coming of Christ, or our mission until he returns, and everything else we just read. That’s all clear in the Essentials of our Faith and every member of Gateway agrees to these beliefs.

• What a reassuring benefit — I hope — to all of you who are in a Life Group.
• What a reassuring benefit — for all who sit under my preaching. You don’t have to worry, wonder, or be concerned about where I — or others — stand on the Essentials of our Faith.

Yet — we do have some loopholes right now. Though we currently require all of our adult Life Group leaders to be members of Gateway — and thus — they’ve formally agreed to the Essentials of our Faith — we’ve yet to make membership a requirement for those who teach in our next gen ministry. We have a theologically solid curriculum that all of our volunteers use in our next gen ministries that gives us some peace about this membership loophole.

And let me acknowledge that I’m sure many of our non-members — who serve in our next gen ministry — do agree with our essentials — and that’s great! But I can’t help but think that it’d give more assurance — to the families you serve — if you made your agreement to the essentials of our faith formal — which is what happens when you become a member. 

I bring this up not to throw our next gen staff team under the bus — I don’t think this was ever their decision — it’s been a membership loophole for over a decade. My reason for bringing this up is to highlight an area where some of us have an opportunity to increase the benefits our families receive by you becoming a church member. 

Here’s another benefit the church receives when you become a member. You become an equal participant when you get baptized — or when your child is baptized or dedicated. What do I mean by that?

According to our church constitution — when an individual is baptized — the members of the church are to be asked…

Do you, the members of this congregation, take responsibility for the continued Christian nurture of those being baptized today and do you promise to set a godly example by your own life?

And when parents bring their children to be baptized or dedicated — the members of the church are to be asked…

Do you, the members of this congregation, acting for yourselves and on behalf of the whole Body of Christ, as far as you are able, assume responsibility with these parents for the spiritual nurture of these children?

And are asked…

Do you commit yourself to set a godly example before these children, to provide as far as you are able, all that is necessary to the end that these children may one day confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord?

I bring this up because — first — look at the benefits the individual, the parents, and the children receive from the members of Gateway.

• The members of the church commit themselves to the continued nurture and growth of the person being baptized.
• The members commit to setting a godly example to the person being baptized.
• The members commit to sharing in — with the parents — the responsibility of the spiritual nurture of the children being presented for baptism and dedication.
• The members commit to setting a godly example to the children being presented for baptism and dedication.

What benefits to those being baptized and to the parents of the children presented — a church full of individual members are committed to you and your children.

Yet — and this will be a rather strange sounding question — what’s the benefit for the church members?

The person being baptized — what benefit are you offering to the members? Parents of the children — what benefit are you offering to the members? After all — the members are making quite the commitment to you and your children. You benefit from us. So what are you bringing to the table?

To ease anyone’s concerns — here are the benefits on my mind:

• What if the person being baptized commits to becoming a member — so that — the congregation’s commitment to your spiritual growth is intertwined with your — the one being baptized’s — commitment to spiritual growth?
• And what if the person being baptized commits to becoming a member — so that — the congregation’s commitment of setting a godly example for you becomes a commitment you — as a member of this congregation — agree to set for others who are baptized after you?
• What if the parents presenting their children become members — so that — the congregation’s commitment to the spiritual nurture of your children — which is a benefit and blessing — is directly linked to your commitment to your children’s spiritual nurture through the ministry of this church?
• And what if the parents presenting their children become members — so that — the congregation’s commitment of being a godly example to your children is a commitment you make to us — and to you children — as members of this church?

Then there are benefits — not only to those being baptized — and not only to the parents of children being presented for baptism or dedication — and not only to the children — but also benefits for the members of this local church. Benefits that can be ours — and abundantly so — when — instead of making our decisions based on the benefit we’ll receive — we instead see the benefit others may be missing out on by us not being a member.

WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING A CHURCH MEMBER?

Finally — and briefly — what are the responsibilities when one becomes a member of Gateway Church? Two passages from Ephesians will do.

Ephesians 4:11–16 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

And in the next chapter we read…

Ephesians 5:18–21 ESV

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

The path that leads us towards the spiritual maturity that Paul describes — is summed up in our discipleship process of Worship, Connect, Serve, and Go. Where — because of our submission to one another — not just the leaders — who we’re to submit to — but in our mutual submission to one another’s spiritual growth and maturing — every member of Gateway commits to our discipleship process of Worship, Connect, Serve, and Go.

Where we each recognize the personal responsibility we have as a member of this faith family to prioritize weekly worship with our local church. Which means part of the weekend is already booked on your calendar. Because — as a member — you have a weekly event you plan on being at and you schedule the rest of your weekend accordingly.

Of course sickness happens — and we’re not against vacations — we know that college students may go home for the summer and snow birds may be gone for the winter — but what I’m saying is that all too often worshiping God in a local church can become more of an “option we’ll do if our calendar is open” instead of a “priority we plan all of our other weekend activities around.”  

And members of Gateway know it’s their responsibility to make weekly worship a priority.

As the author of Hebrews writes…

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

The next step in our discipleship process is Connect. And the primary way we connect to one another is in our Life Groups. Life Groups are where we meet regularly with fellow Christians to discuss how the Bible applies to life and to practice care for one another. And members of Gateway agree that it’s their responsibility to be in a Life Group. 

The third step in our discipleship process is Serve. And — by serve — we mean serve each other in the church. One of the questions all new members are asked is…

Do you promise to serve Christ in his Church by supporting and participating with this congregation in its service of God and its ministry to others to the best of your ability?

And members of Gateway know it’s their responsibility to serve in our local church.

And — finally — we Go. For Jesus said…

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Every Christian has been called and commanded to go and make disciples. And — the members of Gateway — have accepted the responsibility to make disciples here in Findlay, in our nation, and to the ends of the earth.

These are the responsibilities every member of Gateway has freely accepted: To make worship a priority, to be an active participant in a Life Group, to serve the people of this congregation, and to go and proclaim the gospel. 

If you’re a member — now’s a great time to ask yourself — how am I doing with these responsibilities I agreed to when I became a member? 

CONCLUSION

Now I’ve preached enough sermons on church membership to know that I haven’t convinced everyone that it’s a biblical expectation. I also know that the benefits I presented didn’t persuade everyone. And I’m sure that — for some current members — there’s a reason why you’re not fulfilling the responsibilities we just covered.

Yet — I hope — that for some listening today — you were convinced of the biblically good and necessary consequence of church membership. And that you’ve seen the benefits you’ve received from others — even while not being a member — and now desire to be a benefit to others. And that — for some — you’ve been nudged to reengage in some of your responsibilities that you’ve allowed to be lacking in your life.

And I have this hope because — every time — thus far — the Lord’s been faithful in maturing us — just a bit more — after we’ve been reminded of the importance of church membership. May he do so once again — for all of our good — but more importantly — so we make him look glorious to the world. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, use your Word — to increase in all of our hearts and minds — the love you have for your church. 

Holy Spirit, you’re the Spirit of unity. Unite our hearts together so that — individually — we commit to being an even greater benefit to those around us.

And — Jesus — any benefit we receive from each other is because of what we’ve first received from you and all that you’ve done — in love — for us as individuals — and as your church.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — draw us closer to you and to one another. For your name’s sake we pray. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams / Resource Center to sign up for membership class)

May God use his Word to you today to grow us into the church he desires us to be. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

DATE: 10-12-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our series in Romans this weekend and — I don’t want to get you all too excited — but we’re down to our last four sermons in Romans. I believe that today’s sermon is the seventieth one I’ve preached during our time in Romans. And — if you think that’s a bit much — pastor John Piper preached around two hundred and twenty-five sermons when he took his church through the book. We literally could go through Romans two more times to equal that number. So — yeah — you’re welcome for the speediness at which we’ve made our way through the book.

If you’ve been with us in recent weeks and months — you know that we’re in the practical application section of Paul’s letter where — after eleven chapters of rich theological truths — Paul’s now in the “so what” section of his letter. Meaning he’s addressing how all of the theology — that’s found in the first eleven chapters — is to play itself out in how we live. Or at least how it should influence the way we live.

And we just finished a three part mini-series within our series in Romans — as Paul just concluded a lengthy section on how Christians are to disagree with one another regarding secondary issues — or what are sometimes called non-essentials.

For over a chapter Paul has stressed how uniting around the essentials that we believe — beliefs about God, salvation, sin, the Bible, and so on — along with our love for one another — will create an atmosphere of unity even when we disagree with each other over non-essential beliefs or behaviors. And this kind of unity is a signal to the unbelieving world that our faith in Christ actually affects and shapes the way we live.

For we live in a world where division is the norm. Where even the smallest and most minor of disagreements is reason for judgment, name calling, questioning of character, and so on. God dishonoring behaviors that have found their way into the church and among God’s people as we’ve taken our cues from the world instead of the Word. And — any behavior that dishonors God — brings joy and delight to our enemy and foe — the devil. And he’d much rather we fight against our fellow Christians than unite together to fight against him.

Thus the question Paul’s put before us is this: Who will we fight against? One another or our real enemy?

Now — though the mini-series on how to disagree was only a three parter — today’s sermon does reveal to us a result of what happens when we disagree biblically with one another. What result is that? That as a faith family we’ll experience and display hope-filled, Christ-exalting living. For hope-filled, Christ-exalting living is a characteristic of God’s people when they’re unitied together on the essentials of the faith and disagree — biblically — when it comes to non-essentials.

This is what we find in our text for today — which is Romans chapter fifteen — verses eight through thirteen. So if you have your Bible — please turn with me there — to Romans chapter fifteen — we’ll begin in verse eight. There Paul writes…

Romans 15:8–13 ESV

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Hope-filled, Christ-exalting lives — that’s our focus for today. For hope-filled, Christ-exalting lives will be a result of our commitment to being united and unified on the essentials of the faith. Hope-filled, Christ-exalting lives fueled by knowing that…

• One — Christ came to reveal God’s truth.
• Two — Christ came to confirm God’s promises.
• Three — Christ came to show God’s mercy.
• Which leads to Christ being our hope.

That’s where we’re headed today — today — like every time we gather together — is all about Jesus. For he came to reveal God’s truth, to confirm God’s promises, to show God’s mercy, which results in him being our hope.

CHRIST CAME TO REVEAL GOD’S TRUTH

Let’s begin by seeing how Christ came to reveal God’s truth. We’re back in verse eight. There Paul writes…

Romans 15:8 ESV

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness…

Here Paul tells us that Jesus came to earth to be a servant to the circumcised — that’s the Jewish people. And Paul tells us that Jesus became their servant to show them God’s truthfulness. 

Now — before we get to how Jesus did this — we need to remember that — part of the reason there was disagreement and conflict in the church in Rome is because there were Christians coming from Jewish backgrounds along with Christians coming from Gentile — or non-Jewish — backgrounds. The examples of what they were disagreeing over — that Paul used in the previous chapter — show us how their different backgrounds — even different religious backgrounds and upbringings — was causing division and disunity in the church.

I bring this up as a reminder because — here in our verse — Paul reminds us that Jesus came to earth as a Jewish man to show the Jewish people God’s truthfulness. Why would Jesus need to come to reveal God’s truthfulness to the Jewish people? Because the Jews had drifted from God’s truth. 

There are all kinds of reasons for their drift from God’s truth — but they’d drifted so far that — when Jesus came to earth — the Jewish people — especially the Jewish religious leaders and experts in the law — or the Old Testament — thought Jesus was a rebellious law breaker when all he was doing was revealing to them how far they’d drifted from God’s truth.

Think of how far one must drift from the truth in order to see Jesus — not as revelation of God’s truthfulness — but the opposite. I wonder how accurately your view of Jesus aligns with God’s truth? The only way to know is to compare the Jesus you believe in with the Jesus found in God’s Word.

The apostle John — in his gospel — his account of the life of Jesus — emphasizes the connection between Jesus and God’s truth.

For example, in some of the first words of his gospel — John describes Jesus this way.

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word (that’s Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

A few verses later — John adds…

John 1:17 ESV

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

A few chapters later John records Jesus’ conversation with a Samaritan woman who he met at a well. In his conversation with her — the topic of worship comes up — to which Jesus replied…

John 4:23–24 ESV

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

True worshipers of God will worship him in spirit and in truth. Truth matters — for Jesus came to reveal truth.

And pay close attention to what we read in a lengthy encounter that Jesus has with a crowd of people. The crowd was split in their opinion of Jesus. Some believed him — others didn’t.

John 8:31–47 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide (or stay) in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They (these are the folks who didn’t believe in him…they…) answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

Jesus tells the crowd — and us — that the words he speaks are words of truth. Then he adds that — in believing his words of truth — one will find freedom. Freedom from what? Freedom from being enslaved to sin. Freedom from being ensnared by the lies of the devil. Freedom from self-salvation and other false forms of salvation — for there’s only one way of salvation: faith in Jesus Christ.

• We’re not saved by our opinions about Jesus.
• We’re not saved by our political affiliations.
• We’re not saved because we attend church.
• We’re not saved because the popular vote happens to agree with Scripture.
• We’re not saved because they — the other side of whatever division we find ourselves in — welcomes worse sinners than our side.
• No — we’re saved when we repent of our sins — the big ones and the small ones — and turn to Jesus Christ in faith for our salvation — for he is the only way of salvation.

Well that sounds awfully intolerant. Is Jesus the only way of salvation? This is exactly what Jesus said to his disciples when they were troubled. Jesus said these comforting words to them.

John 14:1–7 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Jesus is the only way of salvation. He is the revelation of God’s truth. And he is where life — the “abundant and overflowing with joy for all eternity” life — is found.

And — in his tenderness towards us — those who follow him today — Jesus says…

John 14:15–17 ESV

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

In his love for us — Jesus — who reveals to us God’s truth — with the Father has sent the Spirit of truth to live in his people. And the Holy Spirit lives in us to lead, guide, and direct us according to the truth.

Yet Jesus is still not done revealing to us the truth. For Jesus prayed this prayer.

John 17:14–19 ESV

14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Sanctify means “to make holy” — the word can also mean to be “set apart.” And — here — Jesus says that he’s set his disciples — those who believe in him — apart from falsehoods and apart from lies and has set them in the truth. 

And where is this truth found? According to Jesus — now that he’s in Heaven — truth is found in God’s Word to us — the Bible — and in the Holy Spirit — who dwells in us. Thus we long to be Word and Spirit Christians here at Gateway — followers of Jesus who are being made holy by the truth — for Jesus came to reveal God’s truth.

CHRIST CAME TO CONFIRM GOD’S PROMISES

Which leads us to another reason why Jesus came — to confirm God’s promises to his people. This is what Paul tells us in verse eight when he writes…

Romans 15:8 ESV

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

Here Paul echoes back to something he wrote earlier in Romans. Way back in chapter nine we read…

Romans 9:1–5 ESV

1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

Both here — and in our chapter — Paul’s wanting to remind the Christians with Jewish background that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises God had made to their ancestors — the Israelites. Promises that God made to his people are often called covenant promises. In fact, one definition of the word covenant is a “relationship God establishes with people on the basis of his promises.” (Lexham Survey of Theology)

• Examples of covenant promises would include the covenant God made with Abraham — when God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. 
• A covenant promise is what God made with the Israelites after he rescued them out of their slavery in Egypt. 
• God made a covenant promise with David — for God promised to David that — from his line will one day come a King whose reign and rule will never come to an end. Paul even alludes to this covenant promise with David in some of his first words in the letter when he writes…

Romans 1:1–4 NLT

1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. 2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, 4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.

And what may be the most familiar covenant promise of all — is what’s called the new covenant.

Jeremiah 31:31–34 NLT

31 “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord. 33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

And — in Jesus — we see the confirmation of all of God’s promises come to fruition. In Christ — God shows us that he can be trusted to fulfill every promise he’s made to us. For from his birth through his death and resurrection — and all that comes in between — Jesus reveals to us the faithfulness of God in fulfilling his promises to his people. 

CHRIST CAME TO SHOW GOD’S MERCY

Which leads us to another reason why Christ came — to show God’s mercy. Let’s go back to verse eight again.

Romans 15:8–12 ESV

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”

In these verses Paul quotes from the Old Testament a lot! For example, “I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name” — in verse nine — is a quote of…

2 Samuel 22:50 ESV

50 “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.

And…

Psalm 18:49 ESV

49 For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing to your name.

David sang these words of praise to his God who had rescued him from the hands of his enemies. Though the “waves of death” nearly overwhelmed him — and the “torrents of destruction” terrified him — David called upon his God for his rescue — for his salvation — and believed that God would deliver him. And it’s in response to being saved that David praises God — and sings songs of praise to God’s glorious and mercifully saving name — and longs for these songs of praise to be sung by people of all nations.

In our verses Paul also quotes…

Psalm 117:1 ESV

1 Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!

And…

Isaiah 11:10 ESV

10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

The nations, the nations, the nations! 

• People from all nations praising the God who saves. 
• Praising the One who’s a descendant of Jesse — King David’s father. 
• Praising the One who fulfills the promise that God made to David — that he would have a descendant sitting on an eternal throne as King of kings forever and ever. 
• This is the One whom people of all nations will turn to in praise.

And — in this church in Rome — the nations were represented. For many in the church were believers in Jesus who came from Gentile backgrounds. Paul acknowledges this near the beginning of his letter when he writes…

Romans 1:16 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

The gospel — the Good News that God is merciful and saves sinners who put their faith in his Son — the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. People of Jewish background as well as people from all nations.

This is why you’ll often hear that one of our desires — for those who follow Jesus here at Gateway — is that we’d all be Kingdom-minded. Where our desire is for the gospel of Jesus Christ to not only change our community, our state, and our country — but that the gospel would be Good News that changes our world. For that’s what God intends his news to do. For the gospel is news of God’s mercy towards sinners who turn to his Son in faith.

Mercy for all who turn to Jesus. No matter your race or gender. No matter your nationality or socio-economic background. No matter all of the ways the world tries to divide us. Christ came to show all people the mercy of God.

CONCLUSION

And where does all of this lead? That Christ came to reveal God’s truth, that he came to confirm God’s promises, and that he came to show us God’s mercy — where does all of this lead us? What destination have we arrived at? 

To hope-filled, Christ-exalting lives.

In verse twelve Paul writes…

Romans 15:12–13 ESV

12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

The root of Jesse — the descendant of King David — Jesus Christ — is the hope of all who believe in him. For Jews who believe — Jesus is their hope. For Gentiles who believe — Jesus is their hope as well. And — in being our hope — those who believe in Jesus are filled with joy and peace — echoing back to what Paul said earlier are characteristics of what it means to live according to the values of the kingdom of God.

Romans 14:17 ESV

17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For the Holy Spirit — who lives in the people of God — fills us with joy, peace, and hope — a hope that abounds — or overflows — in our lives because of what Christ has done. And — by hope — Paul doesn’t mean wanting something to be true while being uncertain if it’ll come to pass. No — hope — according to Paul — and all the authors of Scripture — is a confidence in God’s faithfulness to his people. A confidence that his words are true and trustworthy. A confidence that every promise he’s made will be fulfilled. A confidence that he is merciful to all who believe in his Son. A confidence that overflows in a person’s life — changing how they live and how they view the world. Leading to a life that is hope-filled and that exalts — or magnifies — the worthiness and beauty of Christ.

The way we describe this kind of hope-filled, Christ-exalting life — here at Gateway — is a life that worships, connects, serves, and goes.

Though a hope-filled, Christ-exalting life of worship is much more than just gathering on Sundays with God’s people — it’s no less than that. Meaning — rare is the individual who doesn’t prioritize weekly worship with God’s people who still prioritizes hope-filled, Christ-exalting living in the rest of his or her life.

And though a hope-filled, Christ-exalting life of connecting to others — or fellowship, as it’s sometimes called — is much more than gathering with God’s people in small groups — what we call Life Groups here at Gateway — it’s no less than that. Meaning — rare is the individual who doesn’t prioritize regularly gathering with God’s people to apply God’s Word to life and care for one another — who still prioritizes hope-filled, Christ-exalting living in the rest of his or her life.

And though a hope-filled, Christ-exalting life of service is much more than serving God’s people in a local church — it’s no less than that. Meaning — rare is the individual who doesn’t prioritize serving God’s people in a local church who still prioritizes hope-filled, Christ-exalting living in the rest of his or her life.

And though a hope-filled, Christ-exalting life of going is much more than a local church’s missions program — it’s no less than that. Meaning — rare is the individual who doesn’t prioritize going with people in their local church to proclaim the gospel who still prioritizes hope-filled, Christ-exalting living in the rest of his or her life.

And — like Paul — for in just a few verses he’s about to start name dropping in his letter — naming people who model a hope-filled, Christ-exalting life of worshiping, connecting, serving, and going in this church in Rome — it’s tempting for me to want to get ahead of Paul and start name dropping the many of you who are examples of what it means to live hope-filled, Christ-exalting lives here at Gateway. To praise the good works you’re doing to make your Savior look glorious to the world. To tell others of your commitment to God’s truth as revealed to us in his Word. To share stories of your trust in his promises to his people even in the midst of sorrows and tragedies of life. To thank you for displaying God’s mercy to those suffering and in need of care in life’s most sensitive moments.

But — like Paul — I’ll resist name dropping for now. That’ll come when we get to chapter sixteen. Instead — a general thank you will have to suffice for now — a thank you to the faithful ones of our Gateway Church family.

Thank you for worshiping, connecting, serving, and going. Thank you for your commitment to the truth which is God’s Word. Thank you for your trust in God’s promises. Thank you for displaying his mercy to one another. And thank you for living hope-filled and Christ-exalting lives. Thank you — for you are making your Savior look glorious to the world. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you for always and only speaking words of truth. For this makes you absolutely and unwaveringly trustworthy. Thank you for guaranteeing that every promise that you’ve made to your people will be fulfilled. This also makes you absolutely and unwaveringly trustworthy. And thank you for being merciful towards us — your people. Mercy is not what we deserve — but mercy is what you’ve chosen to give — making you absolutely and unwaveringly trustworthy.

Holy Spirit, for the truthfulness of your Word to be seen and believed — we first need you to open our eyes and give us hearts to receive. For without you doing so — we remain spiritually blind and cannot see — with spiritually dead hearts that cannot respond. This act of mercy — you giving us eyes to see and hearts to respond — is the fulfillment of a promise given to your people. Open more eyes — give life to more hearts — we ask — so that more might respond and experience your mercy.

And — Jesus — we can confidently and expectantly pray such a prayer because of all that you’ve done for us. You came to seek and save those who were lost. To reveal truth to those who’d fallen for the lies of our enemy. To fulfill promises that would cost you your life — so that — we might live. For the life we live is because of the mercy we’ve received which came at the cost of your death.

But not even the grave could keep its hold on you — for there was another promise to be fulfilled. The resurrection. The defeat of death. The defeat of sin. The defeat of the devil. And the defeat of hopelessness. For your resurrection is the reason why we can live lives full of hope that make you look glorious to the world.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — thank you for truth. Thank you for fulfilling your promises to us. Thank you for mercy. And — friends — “may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available / How to Grow booklet)

May you go living hope-filled and Christ-exalting lives. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

DATE: 6-29-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And — if this happens to be your first time worshiping with us — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our series where we’re looking at some of King David’s psalms that address the topic of suffering. We’ve seen that there are many aspects to suffering — many reasons for our suffering — that David touches on in his psalms. And regardless if you’re currently in a season of suffering — I think we all understand that suffering has a way of showing up in our lives — often unexpectedly — which makes it wise for us to prepare for. 

We’ve also seen that — for the follower of Jesus — suffering is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to spiritually grow for those of us who follow a Savior who experienced suffering. Not an easy opportunity to grow — it’s often a painful opportunity — for suffering comes when life is most challenging. But — in another sense — suffering is one of the easiest times to grow — because — when life’s most challenging we’re forced to change.

And today we’re going to continue to see how our Christian faith offers a different opportunity in these hard moments of life: an opportunity to become more like our Savior — Jesus — who — in love for us — experienced suffering, trials, persecution, hardships, rejection, hatred — and he experienced all of this so we might have hope in the midst of the sorrows we face.

And I say this knowing not all of us believe in Jesus. But all of us have experienced suffering — or know others who have. And — if you’re honest — it’s frightening. Because our culture offers no good reason as to why we suffer or how to suffer well. Which is where the Christian faith comes in with unexpected hope for all of us travelers in a suffering-filled world.

This hope is what we’ve been discovering as we look at a few of David’s psalms — including today’s psalm — psalm eighty-six. So — if you have your Bible — please turn there — to psalm eighty-six. 

• While you’re finding psalm eighty-six — especially if you’re just joining us — we began this series by looking at psalm six and the relationship between suffering and our prayer life. 
• Then we looked at psalm thirty-two and the suffering we experience due to unrepentant sin in our lives. 
• Last week we looked at psalm fifty-six and the suffering we experience at the hands of others. 
• And — next week — our final week in this series — we’ll look at the important relationship between suffering and salvation. 
• But — today — we’re looking at the relationship between our suffering and our worship. 

David addresses this in our psalm for today — psalm eighty-six — when he writes…

Psalm 86 ESV

1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. 8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. 11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. 13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. 14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. 15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Here’s where we’re headed. We’re going to begin by briefly looking at David’s suffering. Then we’ll see how — even in our suffering — worship always begins with God. And — finally — we’ll see how — when our worship begins with God — our prayers will be bold and worshipful. 

David’s suffering. Worship always begins with God. Which leads to bold worshipful prayers.

DAVID’S SUFFERING

We’ll begin by looking at David’s suffering — we’ll begin in verse three. There David writes…

Psalm 86:3 ESV

3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.

Skipping to verse seven we read…

Psalm 86:7 ESV

7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.

Jumping down to verse fourteen we read…

Psalm 86:14 ESV

14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them.

And a few verses later — in verse seventeen — David writes…

Psalm 86:17 ESV

17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Like some of the other psalms we’ve looked at — David doesn’t give us enough information to know the specific situation he’s writing about. Verse fourteen gives us the most detail — a group of individuals are seeking his life — but that’s not enough for us to nail down exactly what moment David’s describing for us — for he experienced many “people seeking his life” moments.

Regardless — whatever he’s going through has caused him to cry out to God — which he says he’s doing quite often. He calls this time in his life as the “day of his trouble” because — as I said earlier — there are people out to get him because they hate him. 

Now given that this is our fourth week in this series — and having looked at David’s history with suffering — I don’t think we need to spend any more time on the specific reasons for his suffering in this psalm. I just want to make the point — again — that if you’re suffering — if you can relate to any of what David’s describing in our psalm — if your days are full of trouble — if there are people against you — if you’re in a situation where you are endlessly crying out to God — Christian or not — if you know what it’s like to ask why me — or have ever vented to friends or on social media about the injustice you’ve experienced — if you know the life companion whose name is sorrow — then there’s something for you to learn from David today.

And — even if you’re not in sorrow right now — David’s going to give you some advice that — if taken — it’ll be a source of strength when a season of suffering comes upon you.

WORSHIP BEGINS WITH GOD (EVEN IN SUFFERING)

Now — even without knowing all the specifics of David’s suffering — we’re going to see the connection between suffering and worship. And what David’s going to show us is that worship begins with God. Even in our suffering — our worship begins with God — because worship always begins with God. 

In verse five David writes…

Psalm 86:5 ESV

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Skipping to verse eight we read…

Psalm 86:8–10 ESV

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. 9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. 10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.

Remember — these are the words of a man who’s in the midst of much suffering. Later — in verse thirteen — David says…

Psalm 86:13 ESV

13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

And in verse fifteen he writes…

Psalm 86:15 ESV

15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

First things first about worship. If you’re here today and you wouldn’t consider yourself a Christian — or even a religious person — you may think, “This worship stuff is only for religious people — what does this have to do with me?” Worship and suffering are much more practical to you than you might think — because — regardless if you’re a Christian or not — and regardless if you view yourself as a religious person or not — all of us are worshippers. We can’t help it. It’s like it’s part of our DNA or something.

By worship — I simply mean how we’re all prone to center our lives around something or someone. Your career or family, being seen as successful or being free to live however you want, having a romantic partner or being viewed as smart and capable, people even center their lives around not suffering — you name it — people worship it. And — to worship — means we pursue whatever it is — we make sacrifices for it — it gets our time, energy, and money. We give our lives to it — because it — whatever it is — gives us meaning and purpose — it gives us our identity. 

These its we worship have been called idols of the heart. Idols — as you probably know — used to come in the form of wood or metal statues — and you’ll still find those in many parts of the world today. But for us in the West — idols take on other forms — career, family, success, money, youth, beauty, and so on. As one pastor has said, “Nobody is truly an unbeliever. Either you trust the real God or you’re enslaved to something you treat as a god.” And this may surprise you — but non-Christians agree. 

Twenty years ago — while delivering the commencement speech at Kenyon College — David Foster Wallace — who wasn’t a Christian — said, “A huge percentage of the stuff that I tend to be automatically certain of is, it turns out, totally wrong and deluded. Here’s one example of the utter wrongness of something I tend to be automatically sure of: Everything in my own immediate experience supports my deep belief that I am the absolute center of the universe, the realest, most vivid and important person in existence. We rarely talk about this sort of natural, basic self-centeredness, because it’s so socially repulsive, but it’s pretty much the same for all of us, deep down.” That’s his way of saying, “Here’s something else we worship — ourselves.”

He goes on to say, “There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. [Remember — he’s not a Christian. He goes on to say…] And an outstanding reason for choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing to worship — be it J.C. or Allah, be it Yahweh or the Wiccan mother-goddess or the Four Noble Truths…is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things — if they are where you tap real meaning in life — then you will never have enough. Never feel you have enough. It’s the truth. Worship your own body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally plant you…Worship power — you will feel weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to keep the fear at bay. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart — you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out…Look, the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they’re evil or sinful; it is that they are unconscious. They are default-settings. They’re the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that’s what you’re doing.”

So be open to the idea that you are a worshiper — even if you’re not sure exactly what it is that you worship. And — if you call yourself a Christian — be open to the idea that there are some idols of your heart that you may not be aware are vying for your worship. 

So — for all of us worshipers — I want to show us Someone who’s worthy of our worship — in fact the only Someone worthy of our worship. We find this Someone in verse five of our psalm.

Psalm 86:5 ESV

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

What a powerful statement, right? About this verse, one scholar has said…

The chief encouragement in prayer is knowing the character of God. David has come to know God through his Word and through his experience as a believer. The better he knows God, the more certain he is of God’s willingness to help him in his need. What an incentive this is for us to study the attributes of God—his divine characteristics as they are revealed in Holy Scripture—and to walk with God [in] faith so [we] know him better!

The character of God that David’s focusing on — while he suffers — is God’s steadfast love — which he mentions three times in our psalm. One children’s book author has described God’s steadfast love as his, “Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.”

We have our definitions of love — this is God’s definition. And this is what he means when he says he loves his people. 

It’s a love that never stops. The Christian faith teaches that there’s nothing you can do to earn God’s love — which means — and this is glorious — there’s nothing you can do to un-earn his love. When God loves you — he loves you. And there’s nothing you can do to stop him from loving you.

Additionally, his love for you never gives up. Though we may reach our breaking point — or turn our backs on God — and distrust him and question him and doubt him and betray him — he never gives up on us. He pursues us. He calls us back. He whispers to us — in our sorrow and grief — I love you.

His love for us is unbreaking. God’s love is an always and forever love. From eternity past to eternity future — those whom God loves — he eternally loves.

This is just one attribute of God that’s meant to change the way we worship him. For our God is also compassionate, and faithful, and all-knowing, and all-powerful, and just, and righteous, and merciful, and slow to anger, and good, and kind, and eternal, and Creator, and so much more — which is why our worship must begin with God. For — when it begins with him — our worship will be spiritually red hot — on fire — regardless of our circumstances — yes — even when we’re suffering.

Don’t believe me? You don’t have to take my — or even David’s — word for it. Take Job — who after the tragic death of all of his children and the loss of all of his wealth…

Job 1:20–21 NLT

20 Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21 He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”

Or take Paul and Silas who — while locked in chains in prison — at…

Acts 16:25–26 ESV

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

Or take Hannah — who though childless and ridiculed by others because of it — continued to pour out her soul before the LORD in prayer. And — after the fulfillment of the promise given to her — that she would have a son — she prayed…

1 Samuel 2:1–2 NLT

1 “My heart rejoices in the Lord! The Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. 2 No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.

Or take the prophet Habakkuk who was given a prophecy of judgment for the people of Judah. Habakkuk received a hard word about the punishment the people of God were going to experience. And yet his book ends with these words.

Habakkuk 3:17–19 NLT

17 Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)

The words in parenthesis tell us this was a song to be sung in worship by the people of God. “When there’s no fruit on the trees — when there’s a famine in the land — when all of the herds have died — I will still rejoice in the God of my salvation.” That’s some red hot, spiritually on fire, kind of worship, right?

“But, come on Josh. Those were people in the Bible. Of course they could worship God in the midst of suffering. Don’t you have to be a super spiritual hero to make it in the Bible anyway?” You don’t have to be a super spiritual hero to make it in the Bible — but here are some non-biblical folks who show us that this kind of worship — while suffering — is possible.

Take Horatio Spafford who — after his four daughters drowned in a shipwreck — penned the hymn It is Well with My Soul as he traveled by ship to meet his wife. One of the lines in the hymn states “Whatever my lot, thou has taught me to say, it is well, it is well, with my soul.”

Or take Corrie ten Boom who was imprisoned in a concentration camp because she and her family had helped around eight hundred Jews flee from the Nazis. Her family was betrayed and were arrested. Corrie smuggled a Bible into the concentration camp and held worship services. She famously said, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” If God’s steadfast love could meet Corrie and others imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp — might it be possible for his love to meet you in whatever dark pit of suffering you find yourself in?

WHICH LEADS TO BOLD WORSHIPFUL PRAYERS

The examples could go on — but I think you get the point. For many — because of the God they worship — the God who’s revealed himself in this book — they were able to worship even as they suffered. And when we follow in their steps — by worshiping the same “steadfast-loving us always-God”  — we will find ourselves praying big, bold, worshipful prayers. We’re back in verse one where David writes…

Psalm 86:1–4 ESV

1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. 3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Jumping to verse six we read…

Psalm 86:6–7 ESV

6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.

Skipping to verse eleven David writes…

Psalm 86:11–12 ESV

11 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. 12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.

Finally in verse sixteen we read…

Psalm 86:16–17 ESV

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. 17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Pay attention to how David begins his big, bold, worshipful prayer. He begins with humility — acknowledging that he’s poor and needy. Now — remember — he’s king David. The giant slaying hero who God appointed as leader over his people. This is no man in an ordinary position — this is like being the president of our country — and yet David begins his prayer displaying God-honoring humility.

How do your prayers begin?

Once Jesus told a parable — a short story meant to teach a moral truth — to…

Luke 18:9–14 ESV

9 some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

In Jesus’s day, everyone would’ve assumed that a tax collector would need to humble himself before God — but a Pharisee? If anyone was a super spiritual hero of the day it was a Pharisee. Yet Jesus makes it clear that everyone must approach God in prayer with humility. Something David — though a king — understood. And if it’s fitting for a king to humble himself before God — I think it’s safe to conclude that the same is true for all of us non-kings and queens.

Bold prayers are still humble prayers. Boldness and humility are not enemies — they’re friends — partners — boldness and humility are characteristics of those whose worship of God begins with who God is — as we saw earlier.

“But, wait. Josh, you may’ve gotten ahead of yourself. Don’t you see how David describes himself in verse two? He says, ‘I am godly’ and that doesn’t sound very humble to me — that sounds just like the Pharisee.” David isn’t making a self-righteous statement — he’s simply saying that he trusts in God. In today’s language David would say, “I’ve put my trust in Christ alone.” That’s not what the Pharisee was doing.

Yet David knows how his heart is fickle. Our hearts chase after many lovers and gods — even after we’ve put our trust in Christ. That’s why David prays — in verse eleven — for God to unite his heart to fear his name. Remember — men are after David. They want him dead and obviously don’t want him to be their king — there’s division in the land. Yet here — as he prays — David shows that he’s just as concerned for his divided heart as he is for the divided nation. His desire is that his whole heart would be committed to trusting in God’s promises and doing God’s will.

What’s the bigger concern for you — which gets the greater attention of your prayer life? Divisions around you — political divisions, racial divisions, relational divisions, religious divisions, and so on — or the division within your own heart? Does it even bother you — for this is true of you just as it’s true of me — that your heart isn’t fully committed to trusting God’s promises and accomplishing the will he has for you? That even though you long to love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength — yet — you know you live with a heart that’s divided.

Those who are humble before God — who — even in suffering — worship him — will ask God not only to relieve them of their suffering — which they do ask for in prayer! — but also to teach them. To teach them about their divided heart. To help them walk in truth even as they suffer. To not allow their suffering to give voice to the lies that chirp in our ears: “If God loved you — you wouldn’t be suffering like this.” “See, you’re not a good person. Good people don’t go through what you’re going through.” “You’re unloveable. You’re unforgivable. You’re worthless. You’re ugly. You deserve this.” 

CONCLUSION

The way to combat these lies is to know God’s Word. For this book tells us wonderful, life-changing, hope-in-the-midst-of-suffering truths. Who God is. Who we are. What God is doing in the world. What Jesus accomplished in his life, death, and resurrection. And where all of history is headed.

I know that for many — the Bible is intimidating. So — if you don’t know where to begin — let me encourage you to grab a copy of this booklet — how to make the most of your devotional time — at the Resource Center at your campus. You can also get a digital copy on our website — gatewayepc.org. 

Here’s another step you can take to grow in your understanding of who God is: Worship with us weekly. Every week your heart faces a battle — it goes to war. Will an idol of your heart get your allegiance and worship or will the one true God? I know that we get sick. I understand that we go on vacation. But the vast majority of people who don’t worship weekly aren’t missing because they’re sick or on vacation — they miss because an idol has demanded their worship. We don’t call it worship — but go back to what I said earlier and see if you can find a better word. And on a day you find yourself in the midst of suffering — none of those idols will give you what you need. And you may even find yourself wondering where the One true God went off to — when the truth is — he never went anywhere. The question is: Where’d you go?

But know that — even in our wandering — and even with our divided hearts — God is so good, and kind, and patient, and gracious, and forgiving, and — yes — loving — that he always welcomes his children back into his loving arms when we return to him. Even when our suffering’s caused by our own hands — even when it’s caused by others — and even when there’s no one to blame for our suffering — the God who is good and forgiving — who abounds in steadfast love to all who call upon him — is with us. His name is Jesus. And may you turn to him right now — receive his love — and worship him even in your suffering. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Father, as we pray to you we want to begin by acknowledging who you are. As we’ve been reminded today — you are good and your steadfast love endures forever. What hope is found in knowing that you are good. Not a tyrant. Not wicked. Not unfair. Good. And your steadfast — never stopping, never giving up, unbreaking, always and forever — love endures for us today, tomorrow, and always.

Holy Spirit, comfort those in need of comfort. Point all of us in the direction of knowing who you are more clearly and accurately. Reveal to us the idols of our hearts — false gods vying for our worship and demanding our devotion. Call us to repentance and help us to do so as we trust that you always forgive those who come to you repenting of their sins.

And — Jesus — all of this great and glorious good news is possible and true because of you. What you accomplished in your perfect life, death, and in your Satan, sin, death, and Hell defeating resurrection. We have hope and can worship you — even in suffering — because you — in love — first suffered for us. And you are with us in our suffering. And you love us through our suffering.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — call many to believe, trust, rest, and worship you today. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available | DEVO BOOKLET | Suffering and need prayer)

May you go worshiping the One true God — for he is good — and his steadfast love for you endures forever. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

DATE: 6-22-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our series looking at some of King David’s psalms that address the topic of suffering. There are many aspects to suffering — many reasons for our suffering that David touches on in his psalms — and each of these are important for us to consider because — whether or not you’re currently in a season of suffering — suffering has a way of showing up — often unexpectedly — which we’d be wise to prepare for. Yet — for the follower of Jesus — suffering is an opportunity. For suffering’s an opportunity to spiritually grow for those of us who follow a Savior who experienced suffering.

Now — for sure — suffering is not an easy opportunity to grow — often suffering comes when life is most challenging. But — in another sense — suffering is one of the easiest opportunities to spiritually grow — because — when life’s most challenging we’re forced to change in some way.

And I say this knowing that not all of us believe in Jesus — but all of us have experienced suffering or know others who’ve experienced it. And — if you’re honest — it’s scary. Because there’s no good answer offered by our world, society, or culture as to why we suffer — and even more importantly — how to suffer well. There’s just a huge hopelessness — thus many turn to coping mechanisms to numb themselves — drugs, alcohol, binge watching Netflix — or give up on life altogether in a seemingly never-ending depression.

But is that all there is — is that the best offer on the table in a world full of suffering? It’s not — thank God it’s not.

So let’s continue to see how our Christian faith offers a different opportunity in these hard moments of life: an opportunity to become more like our Savior — Jesus — who — in love for us — experienced suffering, trials, persecution, hardships, rejection, hatred — you name it — he experienced it so that we might have hope in the midst of the sorrows we face.

This is what we’re exploring in this series as we look at some of David’s psalms — including today’s psalm — psalm fifty-six. So — if you have your Bible — please turn there — to psalm fifty-six. And while you’re finding psalm fifty-six — if you weren’t with us — we began this series by looking at psalm six and the relationship between suffering and our prayer life. And — last time — we looked at psalm thirty-two and the suffering we experience due to unrepentant sin in our lives. In the coming weeks we’re going to look at the important relationship between our suffering and worship — as well as the relationship between suffering and salvation. But — today — we’re looking at the suffering we experience that’s caused by others. David addresses this in our psalm for today — psalm fifty-six — when he writes…

Psalm 56 ESV

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; 2 my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? 5 All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. 7 For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? 9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, 11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

Here’s where we’re headed. First, we’re going to look at suffering we experience that’s caused by others. Then we’ll remind ourselves of the outcome of our suffering. Finally, we’ll look at the in-between time — the time between the moment that’s the cause of our suffering and the day we will no longer suffer — this lengthy in-between time.

SUFFERING CAUSED BY OTHERS

So — first — let’s look at suffering that’s caused by others. And we’ll begin with David’s reason for writing this psalm. We’re back in verse one where David writes…

Psalm 56:1–2 ESV

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; 2 my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly.

And in verse five we read…

Psalm 56:5–7 ESV

5 All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. 7a For their crime will they escape?

So what’s happening in David’s life that’s caused him to write these words? Though added after the psalm was written, the introductory section helps us understand what David’s referring to. The introduction says…

TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO THE DOVE ON FAR-OFF TEREBINTHS. A MIKTAM OF DAVID, WHEN THE PHILISTINES SEIZED HIM IN GATH.

Your Bible probably has something similar just above the psalm. The words for us to focus on are “when the Philistines seized him in Gath.” That’s our context clue pointing us to when this all took place in David’s life. And it points us to the book of First Samuel — chapter twenty-one. 

Jonathan — Saul’s son — has finally realized that his dad wants to kill David. And — just as he promised David — he meets David and warns him that his dad definitely wants to kill him. Which leads to David going on the run. And here’s what happens.

1 Samuel 21 NLT

1 David went to the town of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. “Why are you alone?” he asked. “Why is no one with you?” 2 “The king has sent me on a private matter,” David said. “He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later. 3 Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have.” 4 “We don’t have any regular bread,” the priest replied. “But there is the holy bread, which you can have if your young men have not slept with any women recently.” 5 “Don’t worry,” David replied. “I never allow my men to be with women when we are on a campaign. And since they stay clean even on ordinary trips, how much more on this one!” 6 Since there was no other food available, the priest gave him the holy bread—the Bread of the Presence that was placed before the Lord in the Tabernacle. It had just been replaced that day with fresh bread. 7 Now Doeg the Edomite, Saul’s chief herdsman, was there that day, having been detained before the Lord. 8 David asked Ahimelech, “Do you have a spear or sword? The king’s business was so urgent that I didn’t even have time to grab a weapon!” 9 “I only have the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah,” the priest replied. “It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. Take that if you want it, for there is nothing else here.” “There is nothing like it!” David replied. “Give it to me!” 10 So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. 11 But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing, ‘Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?” 12 David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. 13 So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard. 14 Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? 15 We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?”

Now the psalm’s introduction says that David was seized — but he isn’t seized how we might have assumed. He’s on the run and ends up in the Philistine city of Gath which — by the way — is the hometown of Goliath — the Philistine hero who David had killed. So — guess what? The Philistines in Gath don’t trust David — so he has to act insane in order to escape from them. Later — in chapter twenty-seven — David returns to Gath and appears to live in relative peace — though he’s never fully trusted by some of the Philistine commanders. 

But this is a moment in his life when others want him dead — Saul and his army — and the Philistines don’t trust him — which can help us understand what he’s describing in our psalm: People are against him. He’s on the run. Saul wants him dead. Plainly — he’s experiencing suffering caused by others.

Like David — have you ever experienced someone else’s actions putting you in a situation you never wanted to be in? And — we’re not talking about accidents today — we’re talking about intentional actions by others who wanted to cause you harm. Suffering that comes with a face attached to it — an individual with a name who’s hurt you. This is the kind of suffering David’s writing about in our psalm. Again — we’re not talking flat tires on your way to a job interview kind of suffering — we’re talking about words spoken behind your back by people you trusted — where voices turn into weapons that cause you harm — or the hand that hit you — or the friend who stole your money.

This kind of suffering is different, isn’t it?

Back to David — his pain isn’t vague — it’s quite specific. Back in verses one and two — twice he describes his situation as if he’s being trampled on. The Hebrew word means to be crushed or having the wind knocked out of you. It implies violence and aggression. David’s suffering makes him feel like he’s being squeezed — not cared for.

Later — in verse one — he says an attacker oppresses him. He’s describing an on-going, relentless kind of situation. This isn’t a one time experience — but a continual oppression done by the hands of others.

In verse five he says that they “injure his cause”. Other Bible translations say, “They cause me trouble” (NET), “they twist my words” (NIV), or “they smear my reputation” (MSG). The idea — here — is that his opponents are taking his words and making them mean something he never intended. 

Can you relate? Have you ever had someone take your words and use them against you? It’s bad enough just being misunderstood — but here the twisting of words is intentional and meant to cause harm.

Finally, these enemies of David “lurk and watch his steps.” They’re plotting to get him. 

So David’s on edge — and rightly so. His paranoia is backed by a real threat.

This is the suffering he experienced by the hands of others. A kind of suffering not unusual and — unfortunately — quite relatable for many today. But here’s where David will simultaneously challenge and encourage us. Especially if you’re not a Christian — pay attention to how David’s response differs from what’s common today.

Christian or not — how do we often respond when we experience this kind of suffering? We think…

• No one sees or cares about what I’m going through.
• I shouldn’t be going through this.
• Why doesn’t anyone believe me?
• We may get vengeful.
• And — for the Christian we can add questions like — where’s God? Or why is God silent?

That’s what we do — but what did David do? How did he respond to the suffering he experienced that was caused by others? Back to the opening words of the psalm.

Psalm 56:1 ESV

1 Be gracious to me, O God…

David prays. He takes the pain he’s experiencing — because of others — straight to God. We looked at prayer in the first sermon in this series on suffering — but prayer is important enough that we don’t want to just start with it — we want to remind ourselves of its importance throughout this series. 

But David doesn’t just pray, “Be gracious to me, O God…” — no — his prayer starts with…

Psalm 56:1 ESV

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me;

“God, I need your grace right now. Amen.” Nope. That’s not his prayer. He gets right to it. “God, I need your grace right now because people are doing bad things to me.” 

I wonder how many of us pray like this? I wonder how many of us think that God can handle us praying like this? Now I’ll put this caveat in here — because someone’s going to bring it up if I don’t — yes — you need to make sure that your suffering isn’t because of sin in your life — go listen to the last sermon in this series — but let’s not be a people who are so “your suffering must be caused by your sin” focused that we never allow suffering in someone’s life to be caused by the sins of others.

Yes, our prayers will be a bit more messy. Yes, it may get uncomfortable in your Life Group when someone prays like this. But is this psalm — and others like it — just for David to pray? Or is it an example for how God’s people can pray when we experience suffering at the hands of others? 

I believe it’s an example teaching us how to pray — which is why it’s a challenge for all of us. For not only are we to pray acknowledging the reality of the cause of our suffering — like David — we’re also to pray and endure suffering with hope that the outcome of our situation has been guaranteed.

Otherwise, how do we have an answer to David’s open-ended question in verse seven?

Psalm 56:7 ESV

7 For their crime will they escape?

Will they go unpunished? Will they get away with this? A question that demands an answer if the Christian faith offers any hope to us.

THE OUTCOME

Now — for anyone worried about what may happen to our prayers if we’re honest like David — well — this raw honesty must come with the same hope that David has: hope in knowing that the outcome of our situation is guaranteed. For David’s hope — even in the midst of his suffering — even as he asks, “will they get away with this” — is that God will act. 

• David’s hope isn’t in getting revenge against those who’ve harmed him. 
• His hope isn’t being able to manipulate the situation so that others see what’s really going on. 
• His hope isn’t even in his name being cleared of the words that have been twisted. 
• His hope is in none of that.

Let’s stop and pause and ask ourselves: When our suffering is caused by others — what’s our hope in? 

You know what your hope’s in because it’s what you dream about happening. Be honest — what do you hope will happen? If you’re not suffering right now — I’m sure you either have before or can imagine what it’d be like — so what would your hope be in?

Instead of revenge or others knowing what’s really going on or his name being cleared — David’s hope is in something much more secure: He hopes in God’s justice and presence.

We’re in verse seven where David writes…

Psalm 56:7–9 ESV

7b In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? 9a Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call.

And in verse thirteen we read…

Psalm 56:13 ESV

13 For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

David’s hope is in God’s justice and presence. First, he hopes in God’s justice. In verse seven — can you believe he writes this — David says, “In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!” Other Bible translations say something like, “In your anger bring them down” (NET/NIV/NLT). 

Can we pray like this? Not only can we — we must! For this is not a prayer of vengefulness — this is a prayer calling on the Judge of the earth to be just — which is who he’s told us he is.

Let me reveal a lie you may be believing. When you’ve been wronged — sinned against — harmed by others — it’s not wrong to desire justice. Though we’re to watch taking justice into our own hands — praying to God to be faithful to who he’s said he will be — just — is a God-honoring response by those who trust him. This isn’t a prayer of, “God, give me the chance to get even with them” — that’s not what this is. This is a prayer of, “God, I trust you to do what’s right. You’ve seen what they’ve done. You’ve seen what I’ve done. May you judge justly.” Trusting in God’s justice means we believe that evil does not win.

Second, David hopes in God’s presence. Part of the guaranteed outcome of his present suffering — and this is something David has great confidence in — is in God’s presence with him in his suffering. We see this in verse eight when David writes about God keeping count of his tossing and putting his tears in a bottle and that God has recorded all that he’s experienced in a book. This is David’s way of expressing the intimate presence of God in his life — the same intimate presence that all who trust in Jesus experience.

The phrase “you’ve put my tears in your bottle” is meant to comfort us — for it reminds us that — God so treasures our pain that he holds on to every tear we’ve cried. You see — those lies we so easily believe — for example — that we’re forgotten — no, no, — you’re not forgotten. Not even your tears have gone unnoticed by your ever present and loving Savior. May God’s nearness to you not only comfort you — but inspire you to praise your loving God even in your suffering.

THE IN-BETWEEN

And it’s to the time of suffering that we now turn. What I’m calling the “in-between” time. The time between the incident that caused our suffering and the outcome we just looked at. We’re in verse three.

Psalm 56:3–4 ESV

3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?

And skipping to verse nine we read…

Psalm 56:9–12 ESV

9b This I know, that God is for me. 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, 11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you.

The in-between time is the time we’re most familiar with, isn’t it? This is the time of suffering.

David says, “When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.” Notice that he says, “When I’m afraid” not “if I’m afraid.” David admits that he’s afraid. 

Did you know that being afraid isn’t necessarily sinful? Sometimes we think that being afraid is always sinful, don’t we? To be sure — fear can lead us to sin if we don’t point our fear in the right direction: to God. That’s why David says — three times! — “When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.”

“But, OK, David. How does that work exactly? Because when I’m afraid…I panic.” For someone else it’s, “When I’m afraid…I get angry.” For others it’s, “When I’m afraid…I give up.” And “What can man do to me?” Um…the list is pretty long David. Man can…

• Fire me.
• Slander me.
• Falsely accuse me.
• Molest me.
• Beat me.
• Rape me.

So what about all of that David? How do we trust God when we’re afraid?

The first thing to know about trust is that trust is a conscious decision. It’s active — not passive. And trust is strengthened similar to a muscle — through daily exercise. The exercises that build our trust in God have been called spiritual disciplines in church history. And these take the same dedication and devotion as does wanting to build physical strength in the gym. 

You can go to the gym once a month, do a bunch of bicep curls and — guess what — if you only do this once a month you’re not going to see any change. Which makes me question why we’re shocked that our trust in God is so weak. Any recent research on Bible reading, prayer, worship attendance, or other key “building our trust in God” activities — whether by Pew Research Center, Barna Group, or Lifeway Research — reveal statistics like…

• 39-45% of us read our Bible weekly. 11-14% read our Bible daily. Leaving 35-40% of self-identified Christians rarely or never reading their Bibles. About 85% of us read our Bibles about the equivalent of going to the gym once a week or less. Do you think this is strengthening our trust in God?
• We do better with prayer — 60-65% of us pray daily. 
• Worship attendance sees a big drop — 25-30% of us worship weekly. 20-25% of us worship once or twice a month. Leaving 40-50% of self-identified Christians seldom or never worship services. And — because you may be wondering about it — researchers now take into account online worship attendance. 
• When it comes to serving in the church, 20-25% regularly serve. 30-35% occasionally serve. And 40-50% rarely or never serve.
• Only 10-15% practice fasting as a spiritual discipline.
• 5-10% of Christians tithe or give 10% of their income to a local church.
• 30-35% of Christians are in a small group that focuses on discipleship.
• And under 20% practice Bible memorization.

None of these spiritual disciplines are a silver bullet but — through regular practice of them — just like regularly going to the gym — you will see progress. Meaning — by doing them — you will experience growth in your trust in God. But if you wait until you feel like doing any of these spiritual disciplines — just like waiting until you feel like going to the gym — you’ll never get started. Instead — as many can attest — by making these spiritual disciplines regular habits — though at first they didn’t necessarily enjoy or feel like doing them — after some time — they found that their desires had changed. And suddenly they’re no longer disciplines of duty — but disciplines of delight.

So — if like David — you want to do more than just survive your suffering — if you want to thrive even as you suffer — you must be relentless in practicing spiritual disciplines — including worshiping God with his people. For worship is your response to the outcome that you’ve put your hope in: rescue. And — not just rescue from your present suffering — but a rescue from eternal suffering.

For worship is the response when one believes the truth…

Psalm 56:9 ESV

9b This I know, that God is for me.

This is our anchor in the storm of suffering. An anchor the apostle Paul describes this way…

Romans 8:28–39 NLT

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is God’s powerful love on display. And — when we trust in God’s love for us — fear will not have the final word. Suffering will not have the final word. Even us getting revenge will not have the final word. His love will have the final word.

CONCLUSION

Today David’s given us an example and an invitation. An example of how we can suffer at the hands of others and do so with hope. We do so by being honest in our prayers — by trusting God for the outcome — and while we’re in the in-between time — by building our trust in him. 

That’s the example — here’s the invitation: If you’re in a season of suffering because of what someone’s done to you — how will you now respond to your suffering?

I know that you may feel trampled, and that your words have been twisted, and that you’re surrounded by those who oppose you — but where will you find hope?

Jesus — who came to earth to be Immanuel — which means “God with us” — on the night of his crucifixion was slandered by others. His words were twisted. He was surrounded by his enemies. He was trampled on as he was beaten and whipped. All because he was betrayed by the kiss of a friend. Jesus knows what it means to suffer at the hands of others.

Yet Jesus also knew that his Heavenly Father was for him. And that his Father in Heaven would deliver him from death. And three days later the tomb was empty and his enemies — and ours — were forever defeated.

And — through faith in Jesus — we know — we know, we know — and you can know too — that God is for us. And not just us — but he’s for me. And he will be for you — if you turn to Jesus in faith — trusting in his love for you — which is what I want us to pray for right now. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, be gracious to all of us — for we’re all in need of your grace — whether we’re suffering or not. But for those suffering because of what others have done — we pray especially for your great grace to shower over them. Even now — we ask — may they know they’re recipients of your love.

Holy Spirit, protect your people. How many times are we unaware of your protection and — only when suffering comes upon us — do we question your protection. Forgive us — we ask — both for not appreciating your protection that often goes unrecognized and for doubting your goodness and love for us when we experience suffering.

And — Jesus — because of all that you’ve done — in your life, death, and resurrection — we can say with certainty: This I know, God is for me. And you are causing everything — including our suffering — to work together for our good. And nothing in all of creation — not even those who have caused our present suffering — will ever separate us from your love.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — may we rest in your love. May we make you look glorious in our suffering. And may those who are suffering — Christian or not — turn to you — right now — for their hope. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available | Suffering caused by others)

May you go knowing that God is for you and loves you — even in your suffering. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

‌SCRIPTURE: Romans 11:25-36 (ESV)

‌DATE: 1-19-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our series in Romans this weekend. And — we’re at a pivotal point in Paul’s letter — as we’re nearing the end of the first eleven chapters which are theologically focused. Since chapter nine — we’ve been going through Paul’s defense of God’s sovereign right to be merciful towards whomever he chooses. Meaning no one deserves mercy — because of our sin and rebellion against God — yet God graciously bestows his mercy on those he has chosen.

And this was a challenging idea for Paul’s original audience as much as it is for us today. For Paul’s audience — many who were Jews — couldn’t understand why so many of their friends and family members had rejected Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promised Messiah — a word that means Savior. For the Messiah was a promise God had given to the Jews — yet — when Jesus came — the vast majority of the Jews rejected him — ultimately having him murdered on a cross.

‌And we’re finishing up Paul’s answer as to why this happened — why did the Jews — overall as a people — reject Jesus? Now the thrust of Paul’s argument has been that God had made a promise to keep for himself a remnant — an Israel within the nation of Israel — to be his faithful people. But this faithfulness was never a guarantee to the entire nation of Israel. Yet — Paul himself was a Jew — an example of God’s promise to Israel being fulfilled — for Paul believed in Jesus. But now — Pauls says — the people whom Jesus came to save — are people of all nations. Jews — yes — but gentiles — or non-Jews — as well. For believers — whether Jewish or not — have all been united to Jesus through faith. Thus he’s the root of this spiritual tree that has branches — or believers — that are of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds.

‌Which leads us to our text for today. If you have your Bible — please turn with me to Romans chapter eleven. We’ll be in Romans chapter eleven — beginning in verse twenty-five. There we read…

‌Romans 11:25–36 (ESV)

‌²⁵ Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; ²⁷ “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” ²⁸ As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. ³² For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. ³³ Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” ³⁵ “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” ³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

‌We’re going to briefly look at this mystery that Paul refers to. Then we’ll consider God’s wisdom and knowledge. But the majority of this sermon — will focus on Paul’s conclusion of — not only our verses — but of the first eleven chapters of his letter.

THE MYSTERY OF HARDENING, ELECTION, AND SALVATION

First — let’s look at this mystery that Paul refers to. A mystery of hardening, election, and salvation. We’re in verse twenty-five.

‌Romans 11:25–32 (ESV)

‌²⁵ Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; ²⁷ “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” ²⁸ As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. ³² For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

‌Paul begins with a good reminder: “Lest you be wise in your own sight.” That’s another way of saying, “Because I don’t want you to be conceited, or proud, or arrogant…I want to make sure you’re not ignorant of this mystery.” What mystery, Paul? 

Mystery is one of Paul’s favorite ways of referring to the gospel — the message of salvation. And — if you remember from last week — Paul’s concern was that gentile believers in Jesus might become arrogant in hearing that the Jewish people had been cut off from Christ. Not every single Jew was cut off — for Paul himself was a Jewish believer in Jesus — but — overall as a group — the Jews had rejected Jesus as God’s promised Messiah. And their rejection of Jesus resulted in the gentiles believing in Jesus and being united to him and welcomed into the family of God. The outsiders are outsiders no more. Those people once called “not God’s people” are now called “the people of God.”

‌Yet even with new hearts — hearts made alive to God by the Spirit — we can still revert to the desires of our flesh and allow a wonderful mystery — our salvation — to become a point of sinful pride and arrogance. Thus Paul begins with this warning as a reminder. A partial hardening has come upon Israel. Partial because there are some — like Paul — who are Israelites — and yet they believe. And this hardening will continue until the full number of gentiles believe in Jesus. Which tells us that there’s a set number — determined by God — of people who will come to faith. And this is meant to stir great hope in the people of God — yet I find that this truth often disturbs God’s people.

‌For we view this as God having limited who will believe in Jesus — versus — seeing it as sweet grace — undeserved mercy — in that God has ensured that many will believe in his Son. For we must remember what Paul’s already told us: If it weren’t for God preserving — or keeping — for himself a people who are faithful to him — none of us would remain faithful. A humbling truth — yes — but what an assuring truth. God will keep you. He will preserve you. You don’t have to keep or preserve yourself — though — knowing that you’re so loved by God that nothing can separate you from his love — your life will be a response of gratitude and thankful obedience to the God who loves you in this preserving way.

‌Paul then goes on to say, “And in this way all Israel will be saved.” A phrase that’s stirred up much debate in church history. Is Paul saying that all — many every single Jewish person — will ultimately be saved? He can’t be. For he’s already pointed out that ethnicity means nothing in regards to salvation. And he’s already pointed out that — in the past — all Israelites believed they were right with God when only a remnant — or the true Israel — was actually right with God. And there’s no indication that Paul’s suddenly changed his mind. Thus we must keep in mind — and not take out of context — what Paul is saying here. Especially when we remember the question of his original audience: If the Messiah was promised to Israel — why did the vast majority of the Jews not believe in Jesus?

‌So it’d be quite odd for Paul to argue for two and half chapters that the reason why not every single Jew believed in Jesus is because the promise of the Messiah was given only to the Israel within Israel — the remnant — only to do a one eighty turn with no theological clutch and say, “Just kidding. Every single Jew is gonna be saved.” So here’s the promise: every true Israelite — every individual who God has chosen to be part of his remnant — including every Jewish person chosen to be part of the remnant — will be saved. For the gifts to the true Israel — and God’s calling upon them — are irrevocable — they won’t ever be taken away.

‌Those gifts that Paul reminded us of way back in the beginning of chapter nine. The gifts of adoption and the covenants. The law, the patriarchs, and the Messiah. These are the gifts that are irrevocable — gifts that God will never take back or rescind. And — through these gifts — God will draw his people to himself through his mercy. 

GOD’S WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

And — in response to this now revealed mystery — Paul says…

‌Romans 11:33–35 (ESV)

‌³³ Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” ³⁵ “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”‌

I appreciate how another translation of the Bible expresses verse thirty-three.

‌Romans 11:33 (NLT)

‌³³ Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

‌Though we can understand many things about God and his ways — we’d be fools to think that there’s not a severe limitation in our understanding. Yet even our limited understanding of him is quite amazing. Which is all the more reason for us to praise and worship God and to live for him alone.

‌Pastor James Boice rightly points out, “No people ever rise higher than their idea of God.” As one Bible scholar explains, “The gods of the Assyrians were cruel, and the Assyrians were cruel. The patron deity of Rome was Jupiter. He gave laws and social order, and the Romans loved law and order. But since the Lord is just, merciful, and faithful, his followers admire those traits and strive to embody them, and this enables disciples to rise higher than those who follow lesser deities.” (Daniel Doriani, Romans, 406).

‌The principle is this: You and I will never rise higher than what we believe about God. How great is the wisdom and knowledge of the God you believe in? Is the wisdom and knowledge of your God based on what’s been communicated to us in the Bible or is it based on some other source? To ask these questions another way: How great is your God? And how do you know that he’s that great? And — if your answer doesn’t come from this book — then — I hate to tell you, but do so in love — your god is quite puny.

‌The lesser gods of our day are not what the Assyrians and Romans worshipped — but the world of our day hasn’t abandoned the worship of false gods. For people — especially in our country — are still trying to “rise to the height” of the gods they worship. Gods like self-autonomy — my body, my choice — whether the choice be to abort a baby or to live together before marriage. This is sanctity of life Sunday after all — so let’s depart from Romans for a minute to see how the worship of self-autonomy leaves no room to worship and obey the God who is rich in wisdom and knowledge. For divine wisdom and knowledge tells us that the unborn child is a person made in the image of God.

‌Luke 1:41–44 (NLT)

‌⁴¹ At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. ⁴³ Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? ⁴⁴ When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.

‌Now the same Greek word — translated as the child in Elizabeth’s womb — is the same Greek word used in this familiar Christmas passage.

‌Luke 2:12 (NLT)

‌¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

‌Whether in or out of the womb — Luke — a medical doctor by the way — uses the same word to describe a child. Something the secular religion of “my body my choice” doesn’t do. Will we submit to God’s wisdom and knowledge — as revealed in his Word — or submit ourselves to the wisdom and knowledge of a false religion? And not just — will we — but will you?

‌Again — it’s sanctity of life Sunday — the word sanctity means “holy, sacred, saintly.” And the holy living that we — God’s holy people — have been called to isn’t limited to the topic of abortion. For God’s wisdom and knowledge also defines for us what marriage is, what it isn’t, and why living together before being married is a sinful act. We Christians have been bombarded with new definitions of marriage that are contrary to what God — who is rich in wisdom and knowledge — has defined marriage to be.

• This would include so called same-sex marriage — which is not marriage as defined by God.
• This would also include unbiblical divorce — which is a much more personal issue of obedience to God’s Word for the majority of Christians in the US — than is being married to someone of the same sex.
• As is living like you’re a married couple before you’re married — living together, sleeping together — all of those married couple things. Our culture has so watered down what a relationship is — that I now hear people calling their live-in partner their husband or wife. And when asked, “Are you married?” They reply, “No. But he’s still my husband. Or she’s still my wife.” And I’m like, “Huh?” Do you just go around pointing at random kids and say, “That’s my son or she’s my daughter?” You don’t. Why? Because that’s not what the words mean. 

‌

Seriously folks — to believe in Christ means we forgo the arrogance all around us of claiming to be all wise and all knowing and — instead — recognize the incomparable wisdom and knowledge of God and listen and obey him as he’s spoken to us in his Word. And these are just two issues in our day — life and marriage — and I hope this is obvious — but God’s infinitely rich wisdom and knowledge isn’t limited to these two topics but is far greater than any other wisdom and knowledge of all topics. He is God after all.

‌To paraphrase Paul — he basically asks, “Tell me. When’s the last time God had to ask you for advice?” Ever had God call you up on the phone or send you a DM saying, “Hey, God here. I’m stuck and need some advice. What do you think I should do?” I’ll tell you when that last happened — never! But when’s the last time you didn’t know what to do? When’s the last time you needed God’s advice? Did you seek his rich wisdom and knowledge or settle for the wisdom and knowledge of someone far less in the know than the One who knows all things?

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Speaking of God’s rich knowledge and wisdom — in response to writing about God’s incomparable wisdom and knowledge — Paul can’t help but burst forth in praise with the words…

‌Romans 11:36 (ESV)

‌³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

‌Paul ends this lengthy section of his letter with a statement of praise. All things — Paul says — are from God and through him. Nothing happens that he isn’t aware of. This is what it means for him to be sovereign — to be God — and for us to be part of his creation. For even our actions and decisions and free will are from him and through him and subject to his sovereign authority.

‌Yet Paul’s statement of praise isn’t simply based on the few verses we’ve looked at today — his praise is a response to all that he’s written up to this point in his letter. Statements like…

‌Romans 1:16–17 (NLT)

‌¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes — the Jew first and also the Gentile. ¹⁷ This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

‌Paul praises God because of how he — God — makes us right — or righteous. And — after reminding his readers of who they are in their sin and rebellion against God — he says…

‌Romans 2:28–29 (NLT)

‌²⁸ For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. ²⁹ No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

‌As we’ve been learning — ethnicity means nothing when it comes to a person being right with God. What matters is the spiritual condition of your heart. And — because of sin — we’re all born with hearts in need of a radical change. A change of our heart done by the Holy Spirit. A change which results in a new way of living for those given this new spiritually alive heart. More reasons for Paul — and us — to praise God.

‌Paul writes statements about God like…

‌Romans 3:3–4 (NLT)

‌³ True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? ⁴ Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”

‌God is always faithful. He only speaks words of truth. And he will be proved right in the end. Reasons for us to praise God. Just as the hope-giving words of…

‌Romans 4:7–8 (NLT)

‌⁷ “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. ⁸ Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”

‌What joy — what blessing — it is to be forgiven. What joy — what blessing — to have God declare you clear of all sin charges against you because of what Christ has done. What reason to worship your forgiving God. Or the fact that…

‌Romans 5:1 (NLT)

‌¹ Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

‌God — who makes us righteous by our faith in Jesus — who gifts us with the faith that is the means of our righteousness — declares that we’re now at peace with him. Enemies no longer — now friends — adopted children — at peace with God because of what Jesus has done on our behalf. More reasons for us to praise and worship our great God. Or how about this soul-lifting truth?

‌Romans 5:8–11 (NLT)

‌⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

‌Do you need proof that God loves you? He sent Jesus to die for you while you were his enemy. As I said a moment ago — enemies no longer — through faith in Christ you’re now called a friend of God. Praise God from whom all of these blessings flow! And there are even more blessings such as…

‌Romans 8:1 (ESV)

‌¹ There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

‌And…

‌Romans 8:28 (NLT)

‌²⁸ …we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

‌Why? Because…

‌Romans 8:29–39 (NLT)

‌²⁹ God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. ³¹ What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? ³² Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? ³³ Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one — for God himself has given us right standing with himself. ³⁴ Who then will condemn us? No one — for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. ³⁵ Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ³⁶ (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) ³⁷ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. ³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

‌Think of all of the reasons we have to worship and praise our great God! The God who is sovereign — who reigns and rules over all of his creation. Our great God who ensures that he always has a faithful remnant of people who worship and follow him. Our great God who says to those who were once not his people — “now — you are my people — now — I call you my beloved.” Our great God who guarantees his promise that…

‌Romans 10:9–13 (ESV)

‌⁹ If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

‌And those who call on the name of the Lord — in true faith — those who will never be put to shame — will never be rejected — will never be turned away. For they’ve been united to Christ — who’s the root of a glorious tree of spiritual life. And all who are united to him — who are a branch connected to him — Jew or Gentile — will flourish now and for all eternity.

‌CONCLUSION

‌What reasons we have to praise and worship our great God. For to him be the glory forever — and ever. Amen. 

Do you realize that this is the reason why you exist — to give God glory? You exist to make God look glorious — that’s what it means to glorify God? If you’re a Christian this is why he’s saved you — to make him look glorious to the world. And — not only you — but all of creation exists to make God look glorious. This isn’t because God has a big ego or is self-centered — remember he’s holy and without sin — which tells us his motivation is not like ours. For — in being God — everything else in all of creation must be meant to make him look glorious. For — if not him — who or what else would deserve glory?

‌And do you want to know something awesome? This is where history is headed — the eternal glory of God. Where God’s rescued people will praise him forever and ever. Never ceasing to give him the glory that he alone deserves. Does this excite you — I hope it does. I hope that you see what Paul’s been showing us for eleven chapters — that Jesus came to restore what had been lost due to our sin and rebellion against God: Our ability to give God glory. So often we think of our salvation in terms of what it means for us — “I’m saved — I’m going to heaven” — but Paul ends by showing us what our salvation means for God: It means that he receives our glory. That he receives our worship. That he receives our devotion and praise. Not some day in the future — not only in eternity — but now. Today. For this day — and every day of your life — is meant to bring glory to God.

• So when you leave here today — go with the purpose of living a life that gives glory to God. 
• And when you wake up tomorrow — wake up with the purpose of bringing glory to God. 
• When you sin — because we all will — repent and do so because you know that it brings glory to your God. 
• Parent your kids for the glory of God. 
• Love your spouse for the glory of God. 
• Respect your parents and others who are in authority over you — for the glory of God. 
• If you’re not married — glorify God in your relationships. 
• Fight for the lives of the unborn for the glory of God. 
• Foster children in need of care and — do so — for God’s glory.
• For — as Paul says — “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10.31b)

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Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, our God who is rich in mercy and kindness — who’s rich in wisdom and knowledge — how impossible it is for us to fully understand who you are and your ways. We want to understand — but we’re in way over our heads. Thank you for stooping down to our level and giving us a glimpse understanding who you are and your mystery of salvation.

‌Spirit of God, increase our glimpses and do so by your Word. For we want to know the true God — who you are, what you’re like, how you work — and not settle for some false, powerless, unable to give hope or joy — puny, poor substitute for you. So many worship these false gods of our day to their eternal demise. So awaken our hearts to your love for us and the truth of who you are as you’ve revealed in your Word.

‌And — Jesus — you came to earth to show us what our God is like — for you are God in the flesh. In you we see the mercy of God, the kindness of God, the truthfulness of God, the justice of God, and the joy that can be experienced in knowing the true God. Jesus you know how those listening to me have come here with such numerous and diverse needs and desires — coming here thinking they know what they need most. Maybe they’re right — maybe they’re not — but may you open all of our hearts so that — no matter what we came here hoping to get — what we leave here with is a deeper, more intimate, more life-giving, hope-fueling, joy-inducing relationship with you. For some this will be a new relationship with you. For many — this will be a renewing of their relationship with you. Regardless — all of our lives have room to grow in bringing you glory.

‌So Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — that’s our prayer — that you will be glorified in each of our lives. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)

As you go — may all that you say and do be done for the glory of God. Amen.

‌God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

God’s people are able to gather together because of his unfailing love. Which means that God’s love is the primary reason why we gather. Not our religious freedom. For many believers gather where there is no freedom, yet they still experience his unfailing love and, in many ways, worship with a deeper sense of awe of God than we who have religious freedom. 

God, thank you for your love, which draws me to worship you. Amen.

Date: 11/27/2024

Chapter 21: Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day

1. Psalm 19; Romans 1
   1. Elder discussion: there are things we do in our services that aren’t “prescribed in Scripture”.
      1. Announcements
      2. Sermon series videos
   2. Sproul 462

2. Nothing to add.

3. This is why, on most Sundays, we pray at least three times during our worship services. Sometimes even more.
   1. Elder discussion: “in a known language” could be an objection, but our denomination allows for gifts (tongues) // See Sproul 471
   2. Sproul 469
   3. Sproul 470

4. Two elder discussion points:
   1. What’s the “sin unto death?” – similar to blaspheming the Holy Spirit (attributing to Satan the works of God)
   2. People in the congregation could question not praying to saints…opportunities for conversations – would not be an acceptable exception for a church leader

5. Of these items listed, Scripture reading is probably what we do the least of. Other than during the sermon, we don’t read much of Scripture in our worship services. This is something I think about often, but I don’t know what it would look like to incorporate more Scripture reading into our worship services.
   1. Sproul 475

6. Worship is more than the weekly gathering of the church, but it isn’t less than that.

7. Laura, you and I finished a book recently that talked quite a bit about Sabbath and rest. What are some takeaways from our study that you can share with our listeners?
   1. Sproul 485

8. Instead of stumbling into worship — not preparing for it — God’s people are to spend time in preparation and anticipation of gathering to worship with their fellow Christians. Here we can learn a lot from practicing Jews and Sabbatarians, who will spend half a day or more preparing for the Sabbath.
   1. Elder discussion: Sabbath – resting the whole day to the glory of God; the day of rest and the Lord’s Day are separate days
   2. Sproul 487

‌‌‌SCRIPTURE: Multiple (ESV)

‌‌DATE: 11-17-24

As always it’s good to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’ve been doing something different for a few weeks. We’ve been taking time to do what Paul did in his first letter to the Corinthians. Apparently, the Corinthians had sent Paul some questions. In fact, six times Paul appears to respond to questions they’d asked him. And — over the past few weeks — you have been asking some questions and I thought it’d be good to take time to respond to them.

‌The questions you’ve been asking are — one — what does it mean to hear from God and two — what is man’s free will in light of God’s sovereignty? Two weeks ago — I answered the first question and — today — I’m answering your question about our — humanity’s — free will — which we also looked at last week.

‌In previous weeks you’ve heard me mention that I answer questions like these on our church podcast and — in fact — have answered questions on God’s sovereignty and our free will previously on the podcast. So — if you’re not a regular listener to our church podcast — you can find it on our website — gatewayepc.org — if it interests you.

‌Now — today’s sermon — is a continuation of last week’s sermon where I introduced the ideas of free will, liberty, and both the physical and spiritual effects that we’ve experienced due to sin. And — in regards to our free will and liberty — what we saw last week is that — due to sin — we didn’t lose our free will — what we lost was our liberty. Our wills are now bound to choose what our hearts desire most. And — being born with a sinful nature — we’re free to make choices — but our choices are limited to our nature. Or to say it another way — in being spiritually alive to sin and spiritually dead to God — we live accordingly — we choose to live for sin. Thus what we need is spiritual liberty — or freedom — a rescue from our enslavement to sin and a resurrection from our spiritual death.

‌I don’t have time to defend all that I just said from scripture today — you’ll need to go listen to last week’s sermon if you weren’t here to get caught up. Obviously I hope you won’t do that right now — some other time — but there was so much more that I wanted to say last week that this has become another case of what I thought would be one sermon turning into two. So think of this as part two of one really long sermon that I spared you from sitting through in one sitting last week. You’re welcome.

God’s Sovereign Mercy is Our Only Hope

So back to the idea of this liberty — this being set free — this spiritual resurrection that we all need. This is what theologians call regeneration. Others call it the new birth or being born again. And regeneration is needed because — in order to choose the things of God — we need to be set free from our sinful spiritual nature — for we’re bound to choose according to what it desires. Thus we need a radical change to our spiritual nature. 

So far — Christians — no matter their particular theology of salvation — agree. But — now — the question becomes: Does this radical change to our nature come before or after a person believes in Jesus?

‌And — know that — at this point — we’re having to infer from what Scripture teaches. Meaning there’s not an explicit verse that makes the answer to our question so clear that there’s no room to debate. Otherwise there’d be no debate among Christians. I should probably take that back — we’d probably debate it anyway.

‌Anyhoo…some Christians say this radical change to our heart’s desire comes after a person believes in Jesus. That — because a person has believed in Jesus — God gives them a new heart or a new spiritual nature. If this is you — the question you need to be prepared to answer — with Scripture — is, “How did this person choose to believe in Jesus when their spiritual nature is sinful and opposed to God?” To choose Jesus is to choose contrary to what our sinful nature desires — the nature we’re born into this world with and are enslaved to. And — it would seem impossible for people — who are enslaved to their sinful nature — and are declared spiritually dead by Paul — to choose contrary to their nature and believe in Jesus. 

But not only does this seem impossible — to choose contrary to the sinful nature we’re born into this world with — Jesus says it is impossible.

‌John 3:1–6 (NLT)

‌¹ There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. ² After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” ³ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” ⁴ “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” ⁵ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. ⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.

‌“Unless you are born again — you cannot see the Kingdom of God,” Jesus says. Being “born again” is the spiritual resurrection I’ve been talking about. Where — individuals who are spiritually dead — experience a spiritual resurrection. But did you notice how Jesus ends his statement about being born again with, “Only the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life” — meaning — we can’t born again ourselves. We can’t spiritually resurrect ourselves. And — you may agree with me — and still mean, “The Spirit gives spiritual life in response to those who believe in Jesus.” Meaning — belief comes before regeneration. To which — Jesus again — says something different.

For later in John…

‌John 6:41–51 (ESV)

‌⁴¹ the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” ⁴³ Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— ⁴⁶ not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰ This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

‌And here’s where things get good — for Jesus says that we do actually believe — we do make a choice — so there’s our free will in action. But he also says that no one comes to him — or believes in him — unless the Father draws him — there’s our liberty being restored. 

So — first — know that believing in Jesus is really something we do. It’s a choice a person makes. It’s a decision on our part. It’s an option we choose according to our free will.

‌And second — as I’ve already brought up — in verse forty-four Jesus says…

‌John 6:44 (ESV)

‌⁴⁴ No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

‌This is our liberty being restored so that we can freely choose to believe in Jesus. 

Now the word draw — in the English language — has been the focus of much emotionally charged discussion among Christians. The Greek word translated as draw — where “no one comes to Jesus unless the Father draws that person to Jesus” — the Greek word is used six times in the New Testament. We don’t have time to read all of them — but here are examples that’ll show you the meaning of the word — and this is its consistent meaning among all its uses in the New Testament. Two examples are from John’s gospel — these will show us how John uses the word. 

‌John 18:10 (ESV)

‌¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

‌In case you missed it — Peter drawing his sword out — that action — is the same Greek word in the phrase, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” 

At the end of John’s gospel — some of the disciples are fishing when the resurrected Jesus appears to them and tells them to throw their net on the other side of the boat. And — when they did — they caught a massive haul of fish.

‌John 21:11 (ESV)

‌¹¹ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.

‌“Hauled” is the same Greek word translated as “draw.”

‌One last example — not from John’s gospel. When Paul and Silas were in the city of Philippi — they were harassed by a girl who was demonized. Paul gets so annoyed that he eventually commands the demon to leave the girl. Now — you need to know that this girl was being exploited by folks who were using her demonic situation for financial gain — but with the demon gone — so was their source of income. And…

‌Acts 16:19 (ESV)

‌¹⁹ When her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

‌“Dragged” is the same Greek word translated as “draw” in the phrase, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” 

Now I took us on this little word study expedition so we’re all cautious to say — as some do — that “what Jesus meant by saying the ‘Father draws people to himself’ is that God woos people or tries to win them over” or something like that. 

You don’t woo a sword out of its sheath or a net full of fish over the side of a boat. And it doesn’t seem like the owners simply tried to win Paul and Silas over to get them into the marketplace, does it?

‌Can words have an exception to their general meaning and definition? Absolutely! But it’s up to those who defend the exception to make it clear why the exception is to be granted. Especially when the word is used multiple times by the same author with the same meaning in mind. And — given what we learned last week about our spiritual condition due to sin — that we’re spiritually dead, impure in our nature, defiled, enslaved to Satan, and so on — does God wooing us appear to be the kind of rescue that we need? 

Or — as an admittedly in your face question: Did the crowd crucify Jesus simply because he failed to win them over? Is that all that happened?

‌My answer is no. 

‌Being born with sinful natures — and as God’s enemy — what we need is not to be wooed or won over — what we need is a direct, certain, and — what may appear to be — a violent rescue. Like the parting of the Red Sea. Or an earthquake releasing prisoners. The resurrected Jesus showing up a blinding a guy who was making his way on a road to Damascus to arrest Christians. Plagues and the sort. 

Fulfillment of the biblical visions that describe what God will do to rescue his people: A valley of dry bones who have flesh put back on them as they’re resurrected back to life — and not just physical life — but a resurrection where the Spirit of God removes the dead, stone-like hearts of individuals and replaces them with hearts that are alive to God. It’s the authoritative command, “Lazarus, come out of the tomb” and a previously dead for four days man walks out alive. It’s the words “be still” — which calm a raging sea. The veil of the Temple being torn in two. The shout of victory, “It is finished!”

‌But it’s up to you to — not to simply agree or disagree with me  — but to do the work, the diligent study, opening God’s Word and asking his Spirit to lead, guide, direct, and refine your thoughts on what it means for sin to have entered the world causing every single man, woman, and child to experience both physical and spiritual consequences to their nature — and what this means in regards to our freedom and liberty.

But What About?

“But, Josh. What about passages that speak about us choosing God? What about passages like…”

‌Joshua 24:15 (ESV)

‌¹⁵ And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

‌Or…

‌Revelation 3:20 (ESV)

‌²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

‌Or the many other passages like these? 

It’s important to pay attention to who these words were said to. Are they to humanity — in general — or to people whom God had already rescued and chosen? “Choose this day whom you will serve” was said to the children of those who God had rescued out of slavery in Egypt. They had free will — as slaves — but they didn’t have liberty. So God rescued them and gave them liberty. 

The words from Revelation were written to a local church — a letter written to people who already believed in Jesus. They’re not perfect people — they were using their liberty to sit on the fence spiritually speaking — but these are words written primarily to people who had already been rescued from enslavement to their sin and corrupted nature.

‌Or “Brothers, what must we do” was said by a crowd who’d just witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit come upon the first followers of Jesus. It was a question in response to witnessing God at work — to which Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized.” In other places people are told to “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.” Belief and repentance are part of the theological doctrine known as conversion. Conversion is where we make the free choice to believe in Jesus and to repent of — or turn away from — our sin. And — again — the debate among Christians isn’t whether or not someone really believes and repents — it’s whether our conversion — our belief and repentance — precedes our regeneration — our being born again — or if conversion comes after our regeneration.

‌Now — earlier — I made the biblical case that regeneration comes before conversion. Which leads us to the question we’re ultimately trying to answer: Why does the Father draw some to Jesus and not others? Why does God save some people and not others? Why do some believe in Jesus and not others?

‌And know that we’re now on holy ground where it’s best to follow James’ advice and “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” For God’s Word tells us why some believe and why others don’t in verses that we looked at a few years ago during our time in Romans chapter eight.

‌Romans 8:29–30 (ESV)

‌²⁹ For those whom he (God) foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

‌Many take this to mean, “Those whom God knew would choose to believe in Jesus are those he predestined.” The problem with this interpretation is that the Greek word translated as “foreknew” is found five times in the New Testament. Once Peter uses the word to mean “knowledge that is known beforehand” — Luke does so once as well in the book of Acts. This is important to acknowledge because this is the definition used by those who interpret Romans 8:29 as, “Those who God knew would choose to believe in Jesus are those he predestined.” Yet Peter and Luke use the word foreknew — with the meaning of “knowledge that is known beforehand” — only when speaking of humans. And this meaning of foreknew is never used in the Bible when referring to God. Not once.

‌Instead — the two times Paul uses the word — and the one other time Peter uses it — the meaning of foreknew — in referring to God’s foreknowledge — is that of a “friendship with someone — and it implies exclusivity of choice.” An eternal friendship between God the Father and God the Son — and a relationship between God and Israel — a relationship that was God’s exclusive choice. This definition means that — Romans 8:29 — is God saying something similar to, “I’m choosing to be friends with these specific people and this is my exclusive choice.” A choice not based on knowledge of what the individuals will or won’t do in the future — for that definition of foreknowledge is only used when speaking of humanity in the Bible — not of God.

‌So be careful and allow God to speak for himself. Our role is to submit to his Word — not to reinterpret it to fit what we believe to be true or want to be true. And know that — according to Paul — predestination — or God’s choosing — is not meant to stir up great theological debates. And predestination is not meant to cause us to question if God is good or not because he doesn’t choose everyone — instead — predestination is meant to cause us to praise God. For he writes…

‌Ephesians 1:3–14 (NLT)

‌³ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. ⁴ Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. ⁵ God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. ⁶ So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. ⁷ He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. ⁸ He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹ God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. ¹⁰ And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. ¹¹ Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. ¹² God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. ¹³ And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. ¹⁴ The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

‌When’s the last time you praised God for deciding in advance — before he made the world — to choose you in Christ? When’s the last time the doctrine of predestination has led you to worshiping God? Or — maybe I should ask — has the doctrine of predestination ever caused you to praise God like Paul — regardless of how you define predestination? If it hasn’t — your doctrine — what you believe — isn’t doing what it’s supposed to do. For the purpose of our theology — what we believe about God — is to lead us to praise him.

‌And did you notice the language of God’s freedom in choosing and adopting and making a family for himself in Paul’s words? Did you notice that this doesn’t mean that God isn’t kind — but — instead — predestination is evidence of God’s kindness and grace and forgiveness? For — according to Paul — this has always been God’s plan — from eternity past — when the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit determined to rescue a people who would be set free from their enslavement to sin, who would be resurrected from spiritual death, who would be given new hearts — a new nature — who would be made holy and pure by the blood of Jesus Christ, and who would be guaranteed eternal life where they will live in the presence of their God forever. For the curse of sin will be broken because God has determined it will be broken. And the separation of God and man — lost in the garden — will be restored — for God has determined that it will be so. And people will be drawn to believe in Jesus — for the Father has determined that they will believe. And those whom God rescues will praise him forever in eternity.

CONCLUSION‌

But — until that day — why does any of this matter?

‌First — if you’re not a Christian — you may have heard quite a bit that you disagree with over the past two weeks — about our freedom, our liberty, our nature, and so on. Know that — for the Christian — God’s Word is our final authority on these issues. You can disagree with us — but know that our submission to God’s Word is why we — those who follow Jesus — have certain beliefs about our nature as human beings. To throw in a controversial subject at the end of a short series of sermons on controversial subjects — it’s why we believe being male or female is bound to our physical nature and that we’re not free to choose whether we’re male or female. For — we submit to God’s Word which tells us that we’re bound by our physical nature — that we don’t have the liberty to choose if we’re male or female — even though we have free will. 

Have the effects of sin caused serious disruptions to our physical nature — even in regards to sexuality and gender? Absolutely! This is why we acknowledge that — for some — there’s a misalignment between their physical body and the way they view themselves. Yet — we’re still bound by our physical nature — free to be men if men and women if women — but not free to choose whether we’re male or female. Again — if you’re not a Christian — I understand why you may disagree with me — and even do so with much passion. But I hope you also understand why I — and other Christians — believe what we do about our physical nature.

‌And — if you’re a Christian and quick to say “yes and amen” to what I just said about us being bound to our physical nature — I should probably apologize to you — because I set you up if you’ve disagreed with what I’ve said about us being bound to our spiritual nature. For it’s hard to argue that our physical nature is bound — that a person does not have the freedom to choose contrary to their physical nature — if we deny that our spiritual nature is not also bound — and that we’re unable to choose contrary to it as well. For the fall has affected all of who we are — both physically and spiritually.  

And — though we’re free to choose according to our nature — whether physical or spiritual — we’re not at liberty to choose contrary to what our heart desires most. And — those who’ve not had their heart of stone replaced with a heart of flesh — by the Spirit of God — are bound to follow what their spiritually dead heart desires. So watch giving the advice to follow your heart to people. For — if their heart has not been made alive to God — following their heart will lead to their eternal destruction.

‌Why does this matter? Second — for those of us who are Christians — we’ve seen a reason for us to share the gospel with confidence. For it is the Spirit of God who gives life — not us. We’re just the vessels he uses to proclaim his Good News. And it’s through hearing the gospel proclaimed that the Spirit resurrects spiritually dead hearts. And — as we saw last week — God uses people who have faith — to bring their friends to Jesus. And — through your faith in Jesus — God will draw others to believe in his Son. 

So — with confidence — for God is on our side — we proclaim the news that God saves sinners. And when asked, “What do I do?” We respond with, “Repent and be baptized — and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.” And we do so trusting that God is faithful and his life-giving Word will not return empty-handed.

‌Third, we must remember that our sin is what got us into this mess — and we can’t get ourselves out of it. So let’s find joy and satisfaction in God’s plan of rescue — for he’s done for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. Praise — as Paul shows us — is the response to God’s plan of salvation — praising our God from whom all blessings flow — including the blessing of salvation.

‌And — finally — this truth should give us a deep appreciation as to why we gather together with fellow Christians to worship our God and Savior. As one pastor has said, “The whole Christian battle is a battle of the will. It is a battle to overcome a will that is by nature bent in the wrong direction…[And] we come to church so that our souls can be nurtured and be instructed in the things of God in a way that is going to change our lives.” (Sproul 235)

‌The nature we’re born with — what is natural to us — is bent in the wrong direction. The world is bent in the wrong direction. Culture isn’t leading us towards Christ — but away from him. Day in and day out we’re bombarded with ideas, concepts, thoughts, philosophies, religions, and so on that are bent in the wrong direction. So we gather together — with God’s people — to hear from God — as his Word is preached — and to praise him for redirecting our lives back towards him — the One who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing — including being recipients of his sovereign mercy. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we confess that the journey we’ve been on the past few weeks has been one that challenges what we naturally think and believe about you, ourselves, and how things work in this world. But we come before you confessing that our desire is to submit our thoughts on salvation, our freedom, and our nature — both physically and spiritually — to you and your Word. May we — your people — not reject your Word — but respond to it with praise. For we were dead — but now are alive. We were lost — but have been found. We were blind and you have caused our spiritual eyes to see. And this is not our doing — but is the work of you — our merciful God.

‌Spirit — you are the One who speaks life into dry bones. You replace dead hearts with ones that are spiritually alive. You give life to our spirit and set us free from our bondage to Satan and sin. For this we praise you and ask you to give life to even more people who’ve yet to believe in Jesus. Use us — we humbly ask — to be the means by which you speak words of life into the hearts of those who are currently following a path bent — not towards freedom — but away from it.

‌And — Jesus — you demonstrated the mercy of your Father and your great love for us when — while we were your enemies — you gave your life for us. While we hated you — you shed your blood. While our spiritually dead hearts refused to believe — because we were bound to our sinful nature — you said, “Father, these are mine. I give my life in love for them.” And now — not because we’ve earned it — but because of your mercy — we’ve been given a new nature — a spiritually alive heart that now proclaims you as our Savior and Lord.

‌Therefore Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — we praise you — along with Paul. We give thanks to you for your kindness and mercy towards us who believe — as we anticipate seeing your kindness and mercy be experienced by those who’ve yet to believe. Call people out of darkness — even now — we ask. Give them new life — new hearts — turn them from the bent path they’re on and place them on the path of righteousness that leads to everlasting life with you. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)

May you go knowing that God’s sovereign mercy is your only hope — and may you go praising God for all he has done for you. Amen.

‌God loves you. I love you. You are sent.