First Baptist Church of El Dorado - Sermons
Tune in each week as Pastor Taylor Geurin leads us into a study of God's Word.
First Baptist Church of El Dorado - Sermons
Sovereign Over All: The Sovereign Beauty of God's Salvation Plan | Romans 11
Have you ever wondered how to make sense of God's promises when they seem unfulfilled? Romans 11 takes us on a remarkable journey from confusion to worship as we explore God's sovereign plan of salvation.
Paul begins with a burning question: Has God rejected His people? If salvation comes through faith in Christ alone, what about the many Jewish people who haven't embraced Jesus? The apostle's answer is a resounding "By no means!" He offers himself as living proof—a Jewish believer from the tribe of Benjamin who found salvation in Christ. Throughout Israel's history, God has always maintained a faithful remnant according to His gracious election, just as He preserved 7,000 followers during Elijah's time who hadn't bowed to Baal.
Through the powerful metaphor of an olive tree, we discover how natural branches (unbelieving Jews) are broken off while wild olive shoots (Gentiles) are grafted in through faith. This illustration reveals a profound truth: salvation comes only by grace for everyone. For Gentile believers, this requires humility. If God can graft wild branches into His cultivated tree, how much more can He restore natural branches that return through faith?
The most hopeful revelation comes when Paul unveils God's ultimate plan—a future large-scale revival among Jewish people who will recognize Jesus as their Messiah. While the timing remains mysterious, the promise stands firm. God's redemptive story includes both widespread Gentile salvation and a remarkable restoration of many Jewish people through faith in Christ.
What's most striking is how Paul concludes this complex theological discussion. After wrestling with difficult questions about God's sovereignty and redemptive plan, he doesn't offer neat explanations. Instead, he erupts in worship: "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" When we reach the limits of understanding God's sovereign ways, worship becomes our most authentic response.
Where do you stand in this story? Are you already grafted into God's family tree through faith in Christ? Or perhaps today is your opportunity to become part of His family. The invitation remains open to everyone who trusts in Jesus.
1st Baptist Baptist El Dorado, will you join me now in listening to our sermon from this week? Amen, open with me to Romans, chapter 11. Romans, chapter 11. This morning morning, in chapters 9 and 10 last week, overviewed that now into Romans 11. This important part of Paul's letter that I think teaches us so much about the Lord's salvation, the Lord's sovereign will, the Lord's plan for our lives, for believers, for the future. Let me pray for us, lord Jesus, now would you please speak through your word, by your spirit, because we need you in Christ's name, amen.
Speaker 1:How do you get from point A to point B? That can be a very easy question or it could be a very tricky question. Really, it just depends on where you're starting and where you're heading. For Carl Bushby, that's a very interesting question because in November of 1998, he left from the very southern point of Chile and his plan was this he was going to walk home to where he lived in whole England, in England. Now you're confused right now because you're thinking of geography and oceans. He's going to walk home from the very south of Chile to where he lives in England. He started in November of 1998. Get this he's set to finally arrive home in 2026. He's getting close. Now I'll put up you can put the map up on the screen of his route of how this is going to happen. And again, what you're saying is and remember this now no transportation at all, only walking. What you're saying is that's not possible. Well, he waited until a certain time of year where the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia was frozen over, had to take kind of an indirect route across that channel, but he was able to walk from Alaska to Russia at a certain time of year. Now you also say this I know our world is big, but even that I wouldn't expect to take 27 years and I kind of agree with you. But the reality is this he has had to stop at times for days, months, literally, at times even years, trying to get the right visas, trying to let certain countries literally give him permission to come in. He's probably had to tell his story 800 times over, 8,000 times over. But in next year he's set to arrive back home. How do you get from point A to point B? For us this morning it's also a question we have to ask Because we're not going from one spot on the globe to another, we're trying to go to the mental headspace of Paul the Apostle, because, as we think about Romans 9 through 11, this portion of scripture that's so important, we saw last week where we began and we begin in Romans 9.
Speaker 1:Right here I'm speaking the truth in Christ. I'm not lying. My conscience bears witness, in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. That's point A great sorrow, unceasing anguish. Where is point B, where we're heading?
Speaker 1:At the end, the very end of chapter 11. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom of the knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments, how inscrutable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord, who has been his counselor, who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? And look at this, for from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever, amen. How do we get from the beginning of Romans, chapter 9, to the end of Paul's thought in Romans, chapter 11, where somehow we move from this place for Paul his emotional mental state in chapter 9, a place of sorrow and distress distress a mere three chapters later to a place of joy as he rejoices in and worships the sovereign beauty of the Lord over all. How do you get there? Well, it's simply this you get there through the sovereign of God. The sovereignty of God and his salvation, the beauty of God's work somehow has turned Paul from distress and sorrow to joy, and I hope and pray it'll do the same for us this morning.
Speaker 1:Romans, chapter 11 begins like this. I ask then has God rejected his people? Last week, in Romans 9 and 10, we talked a lot about that same question. Has God rejected his people, those of Jewish lineage, physically speaking, the physical line of the Jews? Has God rejected these people? Because here's what we know, and maybe you read this this morning, but in Genesis, chapter 12, god makes a very important promise. I'm going to read it to you Genesis 12, 1. Now the Lord said to Abram go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you and I will make of you a great nation, and I will. And so we have this moment where God calls Abram, not because of any merit of his own, not because he was extra worthy or deserved it, but God chose Abraham at the time, abram, and from him he would create a people, he would create a nation, god's family that wouldn't just exist to be a holy huddle but instead would exist to bless the world. So all the nations will be blessed through this family. This was God's plan from the beginning. But God chose this family.
Speaker 1:We see in Genesis, chapter 15,. Three chapters later, god made a covenant with Abraham, a promise that he would do exactly this Chapter 17,. Two chapters later in Genesis, god doubles down on that promise. God is taking Abraham and from him creating a people. But then we come to Romans and there would be those that would be tempted to look at those of Jewish lineage, the line of Abraham, and say Paul, if you're right in everything you say about the gospel, then it would seem that there are so many of Jewish lineage that are on the outside looking in.
Speaker 1:Now, how in the world do you explain that? Does that mean that God has broken a promise? Does that mean God wasn't able to fulfill a promise? Does that mean that God had this people and he gave up on them? Does that mean God had a people and, despite his best efforts, was just unable to keep them in his hands? And what does Paul want to say? By no means it doesn't mean any of that. And then he wants to give proof, for I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
Speaker 1:What's Paul's first proof that God hasn't rejected the Jewish people? Well, number one, here I am. Paul says this I'm a Jew, I'm of Jewish lineage, the tribe of Benjamin. It reminds me of Philippians, chapter three, when Paul lists his incredible Jewish resume. I'm a Hebrew of Hebrews. As regard to the law of Pharisee, I'm of the tribe of Benjamin. I mean, he's got the pedigree, he's got the family history, and he says this, and yet I've seen the goodness of Benjamin. I mean, he's got the pedigree, he's got the family history, and he says this, and yet I've seen the goodness of the grace of God in the person of Jesus Christ. So, number one, if you want proof that God hasn't rejected his people, paul just says look at me. Number two, a piece of proof look at verse two. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
Speaker 1:Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone and left, and they seek my life. But what is God's reply to him? I have kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal, this beautiful moment when Elijah comes before the Lord and he says this God. The quote unquote. People of God are really acting like the people of the world right now. They've sinned in every kind of way possible, and not only that. I'm trying to do the right thing and be the man of God you're calling me to be, and these Israelites are now coming after me. God, I don't know if this is working with your chosen people, because they want nothing to do with you. And God says this don't worry. Even now, I've saved for myself 7,000 people, this remnant of Israel, this remnant of Jewish lineage that has not bowed down to the idols of the world. My people, the children of the promise, are still there, do not fear.
Speaker 1:I think of a moment in Isaiah, chapter 11. The people of God. Once again, israel has sinned in ways we can't even imagine, and because God takes sin seriously, he comes to punish Israel, and they are very much cut down. And Isaiah 11, as I go into exile, isaiah 11 talks about Israel as literally a tree that's been cut down and now they've been reduced to this stump in the ground. But here's the amazing news of Isaiah, chapter 11. God looks at this stump in the ground and says this but there is a holy branch growing forth that from this stump, this tree of Israel that has been cut down. They've gone away in their sin and wanted nothing to do with the God who chose them and saved them. Do not worry, because hope is still there, because there grows from this stump a holy seed, a holy sprout, a holy remnant. They may be small in number, they may be under the radar, but God has not forgotten them.
Speaker 1:I love the words of later Isaiah 49, where even Israel, the people of God, has said this the Lord has forsaken me of God has said this the Lord has forsaken me. My Lord has forgotten me. That's what some of the people of God are saying in this moment. God, you've left us, you've forgotten us. And what does God say in response to these words? Can a woman forget her nursing child? That she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I've engraved you on the palms of my hand. Your walls are continually before me. This is God looking at that beautiful remnant, his children of the promise beautiful remnant, his children of the promise, and when they're tempted to say, god, have you forgotten us? God's response is this a woman cannot forget her nursing child. And even deeper than that, I cannot forget you.
Speaker 1:The truth is this that if God has made a promise and you read about it this morning in Life Group, we've read about it now. God has made a promise and you read about it this morning in life group, we've read about it now God has made a promise, and and the next promise that God does not fulfill will be his first. He's never broken a promise, and even saying that statement is a bit silly, because you and I both know there never will be a broken promise on God's part. And so when he says I have saved a people, chosen the people, preserved a people, he means it. And so that's number one is simply this that God has preserved his remnant. God has preserved his people.
Speaker 1:If you wonder if the children of the promise are still here and have still been here all throughout history, if God has given up on them, paul wants to put that to rest. God cannot do it. God will not do it. God is not in the business of breaking promises and giving up on the children of God. He doesn't do it. But I also want to see this Not only has God preserved his remnant, god has provided for all.
Speaker 1:So, in the midst of this, god is not just saving these of Jewish lineage, these children of the promise, but also God's desire is to bring Gentiles, non-jews, into the family of God. Look with me at verse 11 of Romans 11. So I ask did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means. Rather, through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles so as to make Israel jealous. Now, if their trespass means riches for the world and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean?
Speaker 1:So a lot of this second section of Romans 11, verse 11, verse through 24, is really getting this picture of a metaphor, an illustration of a tree, a tree that is the family of God, the children of the promise. We're going to see throughout this illustration. If you read it on your own, you'll see that there's many of Jewish lineage who are no longer, are not branches on the tree, and again, this is through this illustration, this metaphor. But they have desired to seek salvation by their own righteousness and they have not done it through the righteousness that is found in the Lord, not done it through the righteousness that is found in the Lord. There are many, the remnant, who are strong branches in this tree. But then the exciting news as well is that there are many Gentiles who the Lord, who Paul says, have been grafted into this tree and God has provided salvation for all, for Jews and Gentiles, that any can come unto Jesus. But what we see right here in this moment is Paul is explaining that of Jewish lineage, many have sought salvation by any other means, again by their own merit, by their own righteousness, through works of the law, and no one can come to Christ through works of the law. And so there has been a hardening of hearts by many of these of Jewish lineage. And in the meantime Paul says this many Gentiles are coming unto faith, gentiles are coming unto salvation. Now what Paul says is this this is done that those of Jewish lineage might be jealous and see what is happening. Now don't trivialize that, because what that sounds like, if we're just being honest, is a kind of grade school jealousy.
Speaker 1:I think about something. I think about my two children. In our home we've got toys and toys on top of toys. In fact, if you'd all come over after you can all take a toy with you and I would love that. And we've got some toys that hadn't been touched in a week, some in a month, some in a year, some since 30 seconds after they were opened. We've got toys all over the place and there are certain toys, let's say, you could insert either one here that sibling A, it was theirs originally but they never play with anymore.
Speaker 1:But then something happens. Sibling B will from time to time maybe go to the bottom of that toy chest, find that toy that sibling A has not even thought about in three years and pull that toy out and suddenly sibling A realizes that that is the most important toy that I've ever possessed. That is the thing I want most, need most, and nothing in my life is more important than laying claim to that toy that I haven't played with in three years. Why? Because sibling B is now enjoying it. It happens every day, every single day.
Speaker 1:Is that what I'm saying in this moment? Is that a bit trivializing what is happening, this jealousy that happens here that the Jews might see the Gentiles coming to faith through Jesus Christ and say, oh boy, if they're coming. I sure want some of that. Of course that trivializes it. Of course what Paul's talking about in the sovereignty of God is not a child's game. Again, it's not grade school jealousy. But it is important to see what's happening, that in God's sovereignty, as the hearts of so many Jewish individuals, their hearts, are hardened and they're seeking salvation in any other way other than Christ, the Gentiles are coming in. And Paul would say, hey, would it be that they would look and see Gentiles coming in through faith in Christ Jesus? And maybe they too would say that's what I'm missing. There's the secret ingredient I'm missing that I've been holding out hope on something else and yet, all the while, hope has already come and it's come in the person of Jesus Christ. Would it be that that would be the case, that Jewish individuals would come unto Christ, that Gentile individuals would come unto Christ? And so Paul is saying this is what is happening, this Jewish hardening of hearts, gentiles coming in as to make them jealous.
Speaker 1:He also wants to make the point, as we look at this tree, that for Gentile believers we must be careful, because our job now is not to boast in ourselves. There could be this temptation among Gentile believers who come into the family of God. They are now grafted into this tree. And there'd be a temptation to say this Well, aren't I something? And there'd be a temptation to say this well, aren't I something? You know? God saw that a lot of those other branches were laying on the ground and he looked over and he saw how beautiful my branch was and he said I've got to get that branch, taylor-garren, on my tree, because God is in heaven saying if I just had that branch on my tree, wouldn't my family be special? No, no, no. Saying if I just had that branch on my tree, wouldn't my family be special? No, no, no For Jew, for Gentile man, woman, boy, girl, whoever you are, if you are in Christ, it is in every way, shape and form, simply by the grace of God.
Speaker 1:Unmerited grace, unworthy are we. And yet Christ has saved us. It's all his doing, it is not our doing. And so our job is not to boast, as we saw last week. What is our job? To proclaim the excellencies of Christ Jesus, that more would come, be grafted into this tree. Our job is to remain in the vine. Our job is to preserve. Our job is to stay grounded in Christ Jesus, letting his sanctification work in us. That's what the rest of this section is talking about. God has preserved his remnant. God has provided for all. Look at this now. God will produce revival. God will produce revival.
Speaker 1:Verse 25,. You talk about not boasting Lest you be wise in your own sight. I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers. Look at this now. A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of Gentiles has come in. Now, when we say the fullness of Gentiles has come in, I don't want you to think that in terms of a, there's a heavenly quota, there's an exact number, and when this you know here is Gentile. You know 2 billion, you know 3 million 899, and he's in, she's in, we've met. No, don't think in those terms. Think in God's sovereign design before the salvation of the world that, as Israel's heart is hardened, gentiles in large number come unto faith. And then we see verse 26,. And in this way, all Israel will be saved. And now I would argue this as well when Paul says in this way, all Israel will be saved, I don't want us also to think in that moment of a universal salvation of all Jews from all time.
Speaker 1:There's a few things we've got to talk about. Number one how will any in Israel, or any Gentile or anyone, be saved once again by coming through faith in Jesus Christ? Number one that is the way. So, as there is revival we'll talk about in a second among the Jewish people, it's not anyone just waking up and saying, oh, I'm part of the family of God simply because of my works or my lineage gets me in. No, no, it's everybody saying Jesus Christ gets me in, jew Gentile or anyone that's ever been created. Jesus Christ gets me in.
Speaker 1:But in this moment we see there's a partial hardening. The Gentiles come in 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 and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins. What is Paul getting at here? That there will be a day in the future that, at this beautiful, large-scale level, those who are simply of Jewish lineage will come unto Christ, to also be children of the promise. That there will come a day in the future and what a day that will be where there will be great revival among those of Jewish lineage and they will come unto Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:Now, a lot of people look at this and give it what we call an eschatological kind of dimension to it. Eschatology just means the last things, and so there are many who look at this and other promises of Scripture saying that that revival among the Jews will take place maybe shortly before the Lord returns, or that will kind of inaugurate a lot of the events of the Lord's return. Whatever timetable the Lord has. I'm just excited that there is a day that not only have all these Gentiles come unto the Lord and certainly all along the way even those of Jewish lineage have come to the Lord in some number. There will be a day that, in large number, there will be a revival among those of Jewish lineage and they will see Jesus Christ as their Savior and we will see this beautiful revival and all along the way we will rejoice in it.
Speaker 1:You know I love a chart. You know I love a chart, and so I want to put a chart on the screen and I made that chart and you can probably instantly tell I made that chart. This just helped me think about Romans, chapter 11, right in the middle. Think about the timeline there, highlighted in gold.
Speaker 1:That is, the family of God, those who are in children of the promise, children of God from what you see, genesis 12, that promise you read about this morning in life group, up until today, and far beyond the family of God. Great news If you are here and you know Jesus Christ personally, you can just insert yourself on that line. You are part of the family of God and you're in great company. Abraham's there, isaac, jacob, david, your amazing praying grandmother they're all there in the family of God.
Speaker 1:Now, what you see in Genesis 12 and beyond, there's also those of Jewish lineage who are descended from Abraham, who are part of the Jewish family but not children of the promise, like we talked about in Romans 9 through 11, who, at a large scale, chose a salvation based on works or merit, on keeping the law, and have missed the part of the grace that has existed in God for them, crediting them as righteous. But in the middle you had the family of God and you see below those of Gentile lineage that even now are coming unto faith. When you came to know the Lord, one of those arrows was you Down, maybe Gentile lineage, and now you've come unto faith in Christ Jesus. And yet there will be a day in the future, as you see above, that many of Jewish lineage. I don't know when that day is, I don't know if it's two weeks away or two million years away, but there will be a day when revival will come, even among those of Jewish lineage. Now, here's the beautiful thing as well. It's not listed in the chart, but I also want you to realize this, that I kind of put the big arrows as far as the big things we see in Romans, chapter 11, but please know this there are those of Jewish lineage who come unto the family of God through the personal work of Jesus Christ every single day. It's not that they have to wait till the big revival comes, jesus Christ every single day. It's not that they have to wait till the big revival comes. They come every single day. There's those of Gentile lineage that come unto the family of Christ every single day. And yet, all along the way here's the beauty of it the family of God goes forward. The tree of God has been built and the branches are in and are being grafted in, and God is making for himself a beautiful, beautiful family of Jews, of non-Jews, of you and of me, and praise God for his family, praise God for his sovereignty. So God has preserved his remnant. God has provided for all. God will produce revival. And there's one more thing I want to say. God will proclaim his glory. God will proclaim his glory.
Speaker 1:Now I want to stop there for a second, because over these last couple of weeks, if you've read Romans 9 through 11, lord willing, you and I both understand it better now than we did a couple of weeks ago. But I would argue this for you, for me, for anyone that has ever read Romans 9 through 11, you're probably coming away from it. I am too with this sense in the back of your mind that, my goodness, I sure don't have all this figured out. And I can see Paul's point, but, my goodness, and I can see Paul's point, but my goodness, there's a lot within the points he's making. I don't know. I don't know the timetable of everything. I don't know where this or that fits in. I don't know everything, from the call of Abraham to even today, to in the future.
Speaker 1:There's so much about God's sovereign plan that you might say that I might say, as we read Romans 9 through 11, or really any part of scripture, that we would say, hey, I just don't have it all figured out and I got news for you. If that's you this morning, you are in unbelievable company today because the apostle Paul says the same thing. Paul says the same thing Because at the very end of Romans 11, for three chapters, as he's walked through God's sovereign plan of salvation, both for Jews and Gentiles, anyone who would come unto Jesus Paul just puts it all down for a second and just says this at the end of the day, I'm just gonna worship. He says this oh the depth of the riches verse 33, and wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord, who has been his counselor or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid? Here's my translation of this God's ways are so much higher than mine. God's ways are so much higher above mine.
Speaker 1:I don't have everything figured out about God's sovereign design. I don't know when this revival will come. There's so much about Romans 9 through 11 that I'm still looking through different commentaries and trying to explain. And then I realized the people writing the commentaries are still looking for their own answers and we don't have it all figured out. And Paul would say this out and Paul would say this but we can worship anyway, that we can worship anyway, for from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever, amen. Where does the sovereignty of God in salvation lead us? It leads us to worship. I praise God that we search the scriptures deeply, never stop doing it. I praise God that we think long and hard about his salvation, about his sovereignty, about these issues, and we will never stop looking deeply at them. I also praise God for this. Even in the midst of trying to figure out what exactly is the way that these people will be saved, this revival will come. Any of that. I also just step back and say this I just praise God. There is a way. I just praise God that he offers salvation to any Amen.
Speaker 1:You talk about the tree of the family of God and a limb that does not deserve to be there. My goodness, I'm the one you talk about. A limb on the tree of the family of God. That to myself, by my own methods and merit and earning it. I'm on the outside looking in, earning it. I'm on the outside looking in and yet somehow, in God's grace, he has invited me in. He has grafted me in For you. If you're in Christ Jesus, he's invited you in. And there's a lot in Romans 9 through 11, and we could spend the rest of our days looking deeper at it.
Speaker 1:But what I want you to come away from this is simply this we serve a God that loves to save his people Gentile, jew, man, woman, white, black they speak this language, they speak that language, they're from here, they're from there. Every tribe, tongue, nation, people, you name it. We serve a God that just loves to save and in God's sovereignty. And in God's sovereignty, he has chosen to use the depth and the weight and the knowledge of his sovereignty to do this to save, to place his favor on his children and bring them unto him through his very son, jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:And so if you're in the room today and your head's spinning and you say revival here and hardening there and all this stuff, and maybe for you today, the simple truth of it is right now you're not in the family of God. And by the time you leave this room this morning, you want to be that branch that has been grafted into the tree and you want to be able to say I'm in the family God. Maybe today's your day. Maybe today's the day you come unto him for salvation. I'll tell you how to do it by placing your faith in Christ Jesus, trusting his death on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins, believing that he's Lord not just of your life certainly your life but Lord overall. Maybe today's the day you come and put yourself on that gold, highlighted line of the family of God.
Speaker 1:Whatever day it is for you, however, you need to respond. I ask that you would. Maybe you want to join this church family. Maybe you want to just pray with your pastor. However, we can help you, serve you. I'll be down front to do it. We'll respond now, right after I pray and we worship.
Speaker 1:Lord Jesus, thank you so much for the gospel, thank you for the truth of Romans 9 through 11. Thank you for the fact that you love to save your children. Thank you for salvation that we do not deserve, we could not earn, but is freely given by you. And so, lord, as Paul says, all glory and honor and power and praise it goes to you. Lord, if there's any this morning that need to experience life in you, that need to come into the family of God even now? Would today be the first day of the rest of their life? Would today be the first day of an eternity spent with you? It is only through your son that's possible, but your son stands ready. And so, lord, as we respond, would you get all the praise in Christ's name, amen.