Do You Believe That A Sovereign God Isn't Worthy Of Your Worship? -- Voddie Baucham

0:00 You're the clay and not the potter. Paul points out that you're the clay and not the potter. Here in Romans 9, back in verse 21, he says, has the potter no right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? this is not just a great illustration but this would have been a familiar illustration isaiah chapter 29 verses 15 and 16 ah you who hide excuse me you who hide deep from the lord your counsel whose deeds are in the dark and who say Who sees us? Who knows us?

0:53 You turn things upside down. Shall the potter be regarded as the clay? That the thing made should say to its maker, He did not make me? Or the thing formed say to him who formed it, He has no understanding? Again, Isaiah 64, 8. But now, O Lord, You are Father. We are the clay. And You are our potter. we are all the work of your hands and again in jeremiah 18 3 through 6 so i went down to the potter's house and there he was working at his wheel and the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand and he reworked it into another vessel as it seemed good to the potter to do then the word of the lord came to me oh house of israel can i not do with you as this potter has done declares the Lord behold like the clay in the potter's hand so are you in my hand oh house of Israel they remember the prophets god is the potter and we are the clay this goes beyond just god has created you this is god can continue to shape and mold you like the potter can continue to shape and mold the clay. Our attitude toward God is not God made me and then he gave me my life so that I could do with it as I please. No, the idea here is that God not only made you, he is making you.

2:36 You not only exist because of God, you exist for God. you not only came into being because of God you continue being because of God this is the God whom we serve he is the potter and we are the clay so what does this mean He draws these distinctions. Here's what we take from it. Your knowledge is limited to what God has revealed.

3:20 Your knowledge is limited to what God has revealed. know that be aware of that that helps keeps us in our place do you know and understand everything that god has done no you don't your knowledge is limited to what god has revealed and even you can even put a finer point than that your knowledge is limited to your ability to comprehend what God has revealed. Amen? You don't even understand all of God's revelation. In fact, you prove that to yourself. Anyone who has read and re-read any portion of the Bible has already proven this to himself. You read the Bible, and then you come back and you read it again, and what happens? You see things that you didn't see the first time.

4:14 And guess what will happen next year if you read it again? You'll see things that you didn't see this time. And what's that going to remind you of? You do not have complete knowledge even of what God has already revealed. your knowledge is limited to what God has revealed. To your ability to comprehend what God has revealed, which is finite, number one, and secondly, dependent upon the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

4:47 It is the Spirit of God that brings God's truth to your mind. that is why lost people can read this same bible and miss god altogether it is the grace of god that allows you to understand so before you gird up your loins and stand before god and shake your finger in his face because you don't understand him remember you don't understand him Amen. your knowledge is limited listen to this art of pink in the sovereignty of god that this branch of the subject of god's sovereignty is profoundly mysterious we freely allow yet that is no reason why we should reject it the trouble is that nowadays there are so many who receive the testimony of god only so far as they can satisfactorily account for all the reasons and grounds of his conduct, which means they will accept nothing but that which can be measured in the petty scales of their own limited capacities.

5:55 I'm only going to allow of God that which I and my finite mind can comprehend and if God dares go beyond my finite mind he must answer to me who do you think you are. here's what paul does he makes this point and then he he illustrates this point first of all if you go back to romans chapter 9 verses 3 through 5 what you see is paul gives us a brief salvation history look at verses 3 through 5 for I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers my kinsmen according to the flesh look at verse 4 they are Israelites and to them belong the adoption the glory the covenants the giving of the law the worship and the promises to them belong the patriarchs and from their race according to the flesh is the Christ who is God overall blessed forever amen paul just gave a brief synopsis of salvation history don't don't don't miss that okay that is just a brief synopsis of the history of israel of salvation history it's great that they have salvation history now paul goes on in romans chapter 9 to explain what should have been caught through salvation history, and that is God's sovereignty and election.

7:43 First, in verses 10 through 13, he goes through the patriarchs. Now, that would be found in Genesis. So the story of Jacob and Esau is in Genesis. So he uses the patriarchs in Genesis in order to explain the doctrine of election. You should have understood the doctrine of election because you know Genesis. Well, then in verses 17 through 18, he points to Pharaoh, whom we find where? In Exodus. So he says, you should have known the doctrine of election and salvation and sovereignty of God in salvation through not only Genesis, but also through Exodus. Now, in Romans 9, 24 to 27, he points to the words of Hosea and to the words of Isaiah. So now he says, not only the law, but also the prophets. Did you catch that?

8:39 Paul's making an argument for the doctrine of election and predestination. And first he says, salvation history of Israel ought to demonstrate that to you. Then he says, Genesis and the patriarchs ought to have proven that for you. Then he says, Exodus and Pharaoh and the crossing of the Red Sea should have demonstrated that for you. And then he says, also, the clear teaching of the prophets should have demonstrated that for you.

9:17 In other words, Paul doesn't answer the question. He merely points to the fact that the question has already been answered. here's the beauty and this is why it's doubly sad for us paul says you should have known because you read your old testament these people didn't have a new testament now you and i come in we have the old testament and the new testament and we still can't figure this thing out because we think too much of ourselves Thank you. you see it's been said that you know in the old testament is like a dark room filled with furniture in the new testament the furniture doesn't move the lights just come on amen and paul is saying to the people who had nothing but the dark room and all the furniture you should have been able to figure this out and yet you and I who have all the lights on are still trying to figure out why the sofa is right there not because we don't see the sofa but because we'd like for it to be somewhere else Who do you think you are?

10:40 and so it goes to these Old Testament passages this statement here in Hosea those who were not my people I will call my people and her who was not beloved I will call beloved isn't that great Paul says you should have understood and not been surprised that God brought in Gentiles. the very place where it was said to them you are not my people there they will be called sons of the living god isaiah cries out concerning israel though the number of the sons of israel be as the sand of the sea only a remnant of them will be saved by the way what is he going back to his argument earlier on in chapter 9 his whole argument in chapter 9 people are saying has god forgotten Israel? Isaiah says there's only going to be a remnant of national Israel who's going to be saved.

11:44 Where have you been? Where have you been? Not everyone who is born of this stock is going to be saved. God has made that clear. God has also made it clear that there's some outsiders who are going to come in. Where have you been? this is not a new teaching this is not a new message this is the message of redemptive history it's not hidden therefore your best and only hope is to repent and believe what God has revealed that's your best and only hope to repent and believe what God has revealed Thank you. yeah but I don't understand this okay are you trusting what you do understand are you obeying what you do understand have you done that have you or are you so caught up with the finer technicalities that that which is obvious and before your eyes is being neglected Are you so caught up with the hows and where-to-fors of election and predestination that your ears have been dulled to repent and believe?

13:22 Is that the case? Are you so worried about whether or not God has overstepped His bounds that you are no longer fearful before Him because you've overstepped yours? So caught up with the minutiae. that you miss the neon sign that says bow the knee before God do you realize who it is that you're dealing with Do you realize that this one whom you question is not only sustaining you, but that he's coming again to judge the living and the dead, and that there will be no Q&A time? when he shows up with fire in his eyes and a sword on his thigh you will ask him nothing You will merely bow.

14:26 and if you have not done business with him by then you will merely beg for time that no longer exists for you and for a chance that has passed for you because you did not bow the knee when the opportunity was yours instead you questioned God because your finite mind didn't like or understand some minor aspect of how he chose to save his people. Who do you think you are? Am I saying there's no place for questions? No, it's not what I'm saying. Look, Paul's not saying that either. He's answered question after question after question.

15:21 He has explained the doctrine. But at this point, he gets to the heart, not of the question, but of the questioner. what I'm saying to you today, because we've answered this again and again and again, we've answered this. What I'm saying to you today is, do you keep asking questions because you can't understand that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and that you desperately need to bow to me and repent? Or are you asking questions because you wonder whether or not this God who saved you is worthy of your worship. Do you have a question? Because you desire to worship God in the fullness of His majesty and know Him more. Do you have a question?

16:23 Because you think he owes it to you to explain himself. Do you have a question? Because you're confused. Or do you have a question? Because you're arrogant. Which one is it?

16:53 Are you one of those people who just likes to sit up and ask theological questions because you like the sound of your own voice asking theological questions? Or are you a worshiper of the one true and living God who is in passionate pursuit of the one whom you love and whom you serve and you want to love Him more deeply and serve Him more passionately? Which one is it? Do you recognize that He is God and you are man? Do you recognize that He's Creator and you're a creature? Do you recognize that He is Potter and you are clay? Are your questions born out of that recognition? Or have you gotten things twisted?

17:48 Have you forgotten your place? Have you forgotten the fear of God? I don't know about you. I don't want God coming to me like he came to Job. my desire is to always come before God with a bowed head and a humble heart recognizing who He is and the reverence and the honor that is due to Him that is owed to Him bowing before God and recognizing that He killed His Son for my sin Thank you.

18:41 that changes what you ask God and it changes the way you ask God you come before God in humility saying, God, I don't understand how the spotless, sinless Lamb of God can be crucified for my sin. I do not comprehend how you can love me and save me and redeem me and receive me as your own. I do not understand how you can forsake your only and eternally begotten Son merely so that you can call me your Son. I don't understand that. Explain it, please. or do you stand before God whose hands figuratively speaking are red with the blood of his own son who he has crushed and killed for you and dare ask him to explain why some are saved and others are not how dare you Thank you.

19:52 How dare you! Who do you think you are? Who do you think God is? Do you not know that our God is a consuming fire? Do you not know that your righteousness is but filthy rags in His sight? Do you not know that it was His mercy that woke you up this morning because His justice would have demanded your death last night? I'm not saying you can't ask questions. Just don't forget your place in the process.

20:44 And if you are here today, and you have never bowed the knee to this great God, and yet you think one day you will face Him on your own merit, I ask again, who do you think you are? Yes, His Son had to be crushed and killed for others, but you have enough merit in yourself to stand before Him. No. Run to Christ. Run to Him. Plead for mercy. Beg for forgiveness. Turn from your sin. Stop trusting yourself. Trust only in God. and come with a heart that is all at the same time terrified of the one to whom you are running, but recognizing that He is your only hope, so you press on beyond the fear.

21:43 He is willing to save. just come to him not in arrogance, but in humility.

22:05 But come.