God, You're Awesome! | Romans 11:33-36

Welcome to the season three finale episode of Romans Untangled, the podcast where we take a seemingly difficult book of the Bible and untangle it so that we can enjoy its beauty. This is season three, the final episode, number eleven, and the title of this one, appropriately, is God You're awesome, romans 1133 to 36. As we close season three of Romans Untangled, and we've been covering all of Romans, chapters 910 and eleven. We end with a sweet doxology by the apostle Paul, as he simply can't help himself to praise God for his mercy, grace, sovereignty, patience, and love that he has shown in these chapters. Pastor Steve Trichler here from Hope Community Church. Hope you are doing well. It is approaching the Christmas holiday here very quickly and Minnesota is getting colder every day, it seems like. And so I hope wherever you are, you are enjoying this season and that God is deeply blessing you in all your ways. Let's just get into it. We've been looking at historical figures, all historical figures in church history this season, but this week we just got to dive into this amazing passage. It is only three verses, but we're going to really enjoy ourselves as we kind of finish up and summarize a lot of what we've went through this whole season. So let me just read the passage here. It's the very end of Romans, chapter eleven. It's verses 33 to 36. And this week I'm going to read out of the new American Standard Bible. It says this o the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became his counselor, or who has first given to him that it might be paid back to him again? For from him and through him, and to Him are all things to Him be glory forever. Amen. Amazing. That's our doxology. It's a doxology. Doxa just means praise. And it's a way of praising God here at the end of this section. And we've covered a lot of ground and so just this little prayer that he says, or actually this declaration of praise to God is really a reflection on the end of chapters 910, eleven. Some would even say it's his way of reflecting all of chapters one to eleven. But especially for sure what's going on in chapters 910 and eleven. And just to remind you of the amazing ground that we've covered, I'm going to do something a little fun here. I went through Romans 910 and eleven and I just highlighted all of the questions that the apostle Paul asks. Now in the book of Romans, he loves to ask questions, literal questions with a question mark. In the entire book of Romans, he uses the idea of a question and then answer, or maybe the question and a rhetorical answer 85 times. 85 times in his book there's a question, and then he'll either answer it or it's just one. That is a rhetorical question that we have to answer ourselves. 29 of those are in Romans nine through eleven. And sometimes there's a series of questions that kind of come together, and I've put them as 16 chunks of questions in just Romans 910 and eleven. And I just want to go through those 16, one of which we just heard it was, who has known the mind of the Lord or who's ever given to him? Right, that's one chunk. But I want to just as a way to review and to kind of go through the beauty that we've seen in the book of Romans 910, eleven, I want to go through those questions. And here we go. So if you have your Bible with you, flip it back open to Romans chapter nine. We'll start there. We'll kind of go right, left to right here. The first one comes in verse 14 of chapter nine. It says, what shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? And he's dealing with the issue of God's predestination that God is sovereign over people. Now, that's a great question to ask, actually, if God is actually sovereign over things. Wait a minute. That just doesn't seem fair. And Paul just says, May it never be. And he goes through that and tries to say, this is how God operates, and he's not unfair at all. He's totally fair. He goes on to the next set of questions, and this is a chunk of questions, verses 19 to 22. You will say to me then how does he still find fault? Or who resists his will? On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing moulded will not say to the Moulder, why did you make me like this? Will it or does not the potter have a right over the clay to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And he's getting at this idea of that God's sovereignty is don't diminish as we try to handle this whole idea of, wait a minute, now, don't we have real choices? And how does that work? He's getting after the idea that God is completely sovereign over over every single molecule in the world, and he does things he is utterly God. He's in control of all things. Of course, then, that leads us to go, oh, well, then there must not really be any free will. There must not be any real choices before us. And we come to the end of chapter nine. And here's our another couple questions are lumped together, and it says, what shall we say then? The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. But Israel pursuing a law of righteousness did not arrive at that law. Why? Right. And so, again, the big problem in this whole season of Romans 910 eleven is where are all the Jewish people? Why are the churches mostly Gentile? I thought this was the words of God in the Old Testament were for the Jewish people and where are they? Right? And so if you've been following this, everything that he said, you'd say, well, the answer here would be, well, they weren't chosen. It wasn't God's sovereign woman. That's not what he says. He says the answer is because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. In other words, they wouldn't allow Christ to be God. They had to make themselves God. They had to say, I can earn this on my own. And so there's this unbelievable tension then wait a minute, are you saying what percentage of it is predestination and what percent of it is human responsibility? And the biblical answer, and I know this is tough here, hang on. But it's 100% and 100%. God is all in for predestination and we are 100% responsible. And it's like, wait a minute, dude, how does that work? And I know that's Bible math, there's a lot of Bible math like that. But that's when you come to this and you get to this place of feeling that God's sovereignty is a thing you can rest in and also realize I am responsible for my choices. It is a place of beauty and wonder and awe. That brings us to the next question. Well, wait a minute. Is there any hope then for Israel? And Paul goes on to bring up this question in Romans, chapter ten. It's kind of a chunk of questions. It's verse six and through eight. And it says, but the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows do not say in your heart who will ascend into heaven, that is to bring Christ down, or who will descend into the abyss, that is to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? And he says that if you confess your through your mouth, jesus is Lord, verse nine, and believe in your heart that God race from the dead, you will be saved. In other words, he is right now in this book, as he's writing, is telling the Jewish people the wonderful news about Jesus Christ that you can right where you're sitting right now, and you might be there right now listen in Romans untangled and you've not yet given your allegiance to Jesus Christ, you can do it right there, right where you're at. Simply acknowledge you're a sinner and say, I confess Jesus as Lord. I believe that you've been raised from the dead and that you're my sin sacrifice. I take you and I say yes to Jesus Christ. And then that's where it starts. That's exactly where it starts. He keeps going on to say how beautiful it is. Then this message has been has been been circulating in in chapter ten, verses 14 to 16. Here's another chunk of questions. It says, how will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him who they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? And how will they preach unless they are sent just that it is excuse me, just as it is written how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things. However, they did not all hear the good news, for Isaiah says Lord, who has believed our report? So, in other words, there is this incredible, incredible news of Jesus being spread in the known world, and yet they're hearing, but they're not quote unquote hearing. And he goes on in verse 18 and says but I say, surely they never heard, have they? Even though he goes on to say it's all over. The voice of God is all over the place. Verse 19, skipping ahead. But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? And he is saying, yeah, they did. This message is there, it's in their hearts. But now they need to hear explicitly about the Gospel of Jesus and then they need to respond. And chapter ten is just this huge invitation to all of Israel to come. It's to all of us to come, come to Jesus for loved ones, maybe even to talk about some of the beautiful Christmas carols we're experiencing this time of the year, and to say listen to those lyrics. Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King. Right. Just as beautiful, beautiful theology expressed in many of the Christmas Carols. Now that brings us to chapter eleven. More questions. He says, and here's kind of another one, another chunk. I say then God has not rejected his people, has he? May it never be. For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people, whom he forenue for, or excuse me, or do not know what the scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel. And God says to them in verse four, what was the divine response to this? And he says, I've kept for myself 7000 men who have not bowed the knee to bail. In other words, God always cares about his glory being shown on the earth and he always has a remnant of people. But then he goes on to say that it has to be by God's grace. Verse six. But if by grace it's no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace, what then? What Israel was seeking, it is not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it and the rest were hardened. We went on to this whole thing about hardening of the heart and how that happens and who is responsible for that hardening? Is it God or is it us? And once again we found the answer to be simply yes. Paul then picks up in the book here, I believe we were here now on around question number 13 or so, somewhere 1213, I don't have them numbered. And he says, I say then, did they not stumble so as to fall? Did they in other words, that's a very complicated translation here in the new American Standard. But basically, did they far? Did they fall so far that they could never come back? And his answers may never be that salvation now coming to the Gentiles really will make the Jewish people jealous. And he goes on to even say that in verse 15 of chapter eleven. So if their rejection the Jewish people is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? And then he goes on to talk about this whole thing about branches, and that the natural branches of the Jewish people and because of unbelief they were taken out and Gentiles were put in. And he says, for if you were cut out from what is by nature a wild olive tree and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? And his whole point is there's promises for Jewish folks, there's promises for Israel if they can come. This is their home, following Jesus as Lord is their home. And we, those of us who are not Jewish, we are the ones who are a bit on the outside and yet we're being grafted in. It's beautiful. We're grafted into this beautiful tree. And the tree is actually the roots of the tree are the promises given to Abraham, which are for all the nations. But it started in the old covenant with Israel, and Israel's failure to recognize that is something that grieves Paul deeply. And he wrestles with this question in all of chapters 910 eleven where is God in all this? And he answers that. And does he answer it perfectly? No. Does he answer it well enough so that it makes some sense to us that we can say, I get that, but it's really hard still. And that's why I believe the way he ends with this beautiful doxology of saying, I've given this my best shot to explain these things to you. That's as far as I know. And after that it really goes into the mind of God. And that's why he says in verse 33 now we'll look at our passage for today, he says, oh, the depths of the riches of both the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable his judgments and unfathomable his ways. And I love how he just sounds like from the depths of his soul he says, oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God. God, you are awesome. And your judgments are beyond searching out and unfathomable his ways. In other words, we've just spent all season looking at a very complex piece of scripture, verses 910 and eleven, our chapters 910, eleven. And Paul is now basically saying, I've given it my best shot, but this stuff is so far above my pay grade and God, you are awesome. He goes on to verse 34, then says, for who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has become his counselor? And he hears quoting from Isaiah 40. Let me read this in context from Isaiah 40. It says, who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? Who can fathom the spirit of the Lord or instruct Him? Excuse me? Or instruct the Lord as his counselor. Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him? And who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught Him knowledge or showed Him the path of understanding? And all of those questions. The answer is simply no one. God did this on his own. God, you are just worthy of all praise and honor because you are the Supreme Being. You know what you're doing. You're filled with wisdom, power and love and care and mercy. It's basically Paul's way of saying, hey, is there anyone smarter out there? Because the answer to that is no. On earth or in heaven or anywhere, no one is smarter than our God. He's the definition of wisdom. Then verse 35, it says, who was first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again. That's a real poor way of that's. It's a difficult translation. Once in a while I like the new American translation, new American Standard Bible, but once in a while it's so wooden it's hard to read. The niv says it better. Says, who has ever given to God that God should repay them? Right? And so the idea here is that you've actually given something to God and now God owes you. God doesn't owe us anything. God owns everything. God is the creator of everything, created out of nothing, and he made it all. Therefore, there's really no way to give anything to God. He owns it all. It's all God's. And that's what he's getting at here, saying God doesn't owe us anything. The fact that he gives us grace and salvation through Jesus Christ is unbelievable. We aren't owed that. He is quoting here from Job 41. And if you remember in the Book of Job, we're going to look at a little bit in the Book of Job in just a moment here. But this is when God at the end of the book, if you're familiar with the Book of Job. It's about a person who's suffering and he goes on and on and on in his sufferings. And then finally God speaks. And God begins to speak in chapter 38 of the Book of Job, and I'm going to come back actually to that later. He continues on through chapters 38, 39, 40, and then halfway through 41. And basically God is asking Job a series of I've counted them 144 sarcastic questions that are basically the answer to every question is no one or I wasn't there. And the thing that he's quoting from here is Job 40 111 that says, who has first given to me that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine. And that's the answer given to Job, this struggling person in the Old Testament. God's answer to him is job, you're not me, you're not God. My ways are so high above your ways, but I know what I'm doing. I haven't forgot about you. You're in the plan, but I deeply care about you and I own everything, bud. I'm in control here. So with that said, now he ends this, the apostle Paul, going back to Romans eleven, the last verse of our season, chapter eleven, verse 36. And here Paul lays it down. Actually, something that I would encourage you just to meditate on, it says, for from Him and through him, and to him are all things. So raise your hand up here and pull something down out of the sky. If you could see my hand, that's what it's doing. From him God is the giver of all things. All things. And through Him they have their beingness, they have their importance, because God is engaged with it. And then back to him, put your hand back up to the sky, things go to him are all things. All things are God. All things are God. He's in control of everything. And then Paul just ends by saying to him, be the glory forever. Amen. It is a great way of Paul's attitude of saying, I've tried to teach on these things. This is as much as I can get. It does make sense. However, it is above my pay grade. A lot of these things are so amazing, I just kind of throw up my hands and I don't throw up in disgust, I throw them up in worship of God. Listen to Douglas MoU on what he says here on this section. He says, as Paul ended Romans five through eight, chapters five to eight, celebrating God's unshakable love for his people, so he ends Romans nine through eleven, celebrating God's marvelous plan for humankind, god's wisdom and knowledge. His plans and his purposes are ultimately quite beyond the capacity of any human being to figure out. How does his unconditional election mesh with the demand that human beings believe and obey? How does God remain fair and impartial even as he promises salvation in the future? To a significant number of Jews. How can he work in the lives of individuals to accomplish his plans? We have every right to ask us questions, but we must be cautious about demanding clear and logical answers. We cannot penetrate the mind of God. He does not need to consult us before he decides what he's going to do. At a certain point, we must stop questioning and demanding answers and simply believe in worship. That's what this doxology is about. It is fine to ask great questions, but at the end of the day, if I demand, I must have an answer. God, you owe it to me. Then I'm going to become demanding and bitter. And in fact, if we go back to one of the quotes here from Job 41, this very thing is what happens to Job if you flip back to the book of Job. Or you can just listen to these verses. You can see Job's heart completely flipping into flipping into he was starting to demand from God. Listen to just a few things from the Book of Job. Job 13, verses 13 to 19, he says, keep silent. He's speaking to his counselors who are there? Jobs counselors. And let me speak then let come to me what may. Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my love life in my hands? Though he slay me, yet I will always, yet will I hope in Him I will surely defend my ways to his face. That phraser, though he slay me, yet I will hope in Him. That actually means that you're hoping in God's justice, because what Job is saying here is, God's wrong to me. I didn't deserve this and I got bad things happen to me, and so I'm going to defend my ways to his face. He keeps going on in verse 16 of chapter 13 in the Book of Job indeed this will turn out for my deliverance, for no Godless man would dare come before him. Listen carefully to my words. Let your ears take in what I say. Now that I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated. Can anyone bring charges against me? If so, I will be silent and die. Now listen to the job. In the beginning, it says in the book, he didn't sin. When you get to this point in the book, he is sinning. Here he is demanding of God. God, you wronged me. You owe me justice. I want a day in court with you. I have been wrong. He skipped down to chapter 26. And again, I have a whole list of these you want to email me. I'll give you all the quotes. I have a PowerPoint put together whenever I teach on Job. Just watching Job's Heart. Job 26, the first five verses, it says this and Job continued his discourse as surely as God lives who has denied me justice, that's who God is, the Almighty who has made me taste bitterness of soul. As long as I have life within me, the breadth of God and my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness and my tongue will utter no deceit. I will never admit that you are in the right. He's talking to his counselors till I die. I will not deny my integrity. In other words, God, I have been wronged here. Skip over to chapter 31. And he says, oh, that I had someone to hear me. I sign now my defense. Let the Almighty answer me. Let my accuser put his indictment in writing. Surely I would wear it on my shoulder. I would put it on like a crown. I would give him an account of my every step. Like a prince, I would approach him. Job is now standing before God, shaking his fists at God, saying, you owe me. Here's all my defense. Now you better answer me. And guess what God does answer him. Chapter 38. This is what it says. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Dress for action like a man. I will question you and and you and you and make it known to you. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding, who determined its measurements? Surely you know, or who stretched the line upon it. And he goes on, like I said, he goes on for chapter 38, 39, I believe, his little break there. Then he continues as Job says, oh, man, I've heard enough. Guy says, no, no you haven't. I'm going to keep going here. And he goes into chapter 40 and halfway through 41, and he's basically saying, Job, I'm God. You're not. That's the answer given to Job. I'm God. I'm great, I'm awesome. I'm full of wisdom, I'm full of grace, I'm full of love. You're none of these things. You have inklings of them, but you have none of them like I do. And you need to trust me. If you remember last season, actually two seasons ago in Romans Untangled, we looked at the very problem of humanity. It was in Romans, chapter one. And and it talks about how sin really comes into the world just it just perpetuates people and they exchange the glory of God for idolatry, okay? And it says in Romans 121, it says this. It says, for although they knew God, or they knew about God because of his incredible power and divine nature, it says, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him. I think that's a fascinating phrase there. It says, there's something about a thankful heart, a one that gives to God the glory that's due him, a one that just says God. I don't get this. I don't know why I'm going through these hard things, but I trust you. That is a posture that leads to an open heart and being God centered, Christ centered, gospel centered, a thankful heart instead of a heart that demands a heart that demands all the answers to these things or answers to the problems we're going through or answers to some of the world's problems. And again, we want to we want to see significant movement as we look at issues like racism, poverty, economic justice, world wars, disease, on and on and on. But at the same time, God, we're not demanding that of you. We have open hands like the Apostle Paul as he closes this section in a beautiful way by saying, lord, you're the one who's in control. We're going to work our tails off. But at the end of the day, we have open hands towards you. And that means that we trust you and you alone for your plans and your sovereignty. And how your plan from all the way back in Genesis when you gave this promise to Abraham? Or even going back to Genesis, chapter three, when you promised that the seat of the woman would crush the head of the serpent? You know what you're doing, God, and we trust you in all this. I'd love to have you think about that so that you, like the Apostle Paul and myself as well, can say, for from him and through him and to him are all things, to God alone be the glory. Amen. Thanks for joining me this entire season as we have tackled one of the most complex sections, not only in the book of Romans, but in all the Bible. I want to invite you to look for the fourth and final season of Romans Untangled coming late February or early March of 2023. A Merry Christmas to you this year, and May 2023 be a year of being Christ filled for you and all your lumbar.