No ExcusesNo Excuses

Romans 10:18-11:12Romans 10:18-11:12

Grace CommunityGrace CommunitySeptember 14, 2008September 14, 2008

John 4:37John 4:37““Thus the saying ‘One sows and Thus the saying ‘One sows and

another reaps’ is true. another reaps’ is true. 38 38 I sent you I sent you to reap what you have not worked to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the work, and you have reaped the

benefits of their labor.” benefits of their labor.” ~Jesus~Jesus

WWe can be bettere can be better prepared to prepared to

shareshare Christ by Christ by

understanding three excuses understanding three excuses

associated with Israel’s associated with Israel’s

unbeliefunbelief..

“ “It is easy for us to imagine that we will It is easy for us to imagine that we will suddenly come to a point in our lives suddenly come to a point in our lives where we are fully prepared, but where we are fully prepared, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished. preparation is not suddenly accomplished. In fact, it is a process that must be steadily In fact, it is a process that must be steadily maintained. It is dangerous to become maintained. It is dangerous to become settled and complacent in our present level settled and complacent in our present level of experience. The Christian life requires of experience. The Christian life requires preparation and more preparation.”preparation and more preparation.”

~ Oswald Chambers~ Oswald Chambers

Excuse #1Excuse #1

““I didn’t get the message”I didn’t get the message”

•Crisis, Problem or Complaint? Simpsons: 248-9826Crisis, Problem or Complaint? Simpsons: 248-9826•Complement or Appreciation ? Hansens: 338-0589Complement or Appreciation ? Hansens: 338-0589

Romans 10:18Romans 10:18

But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course

they did: “Their voice has gone out into they did: “Their voice has gone out into

all the earth, their words to the ends of all the earth, their words to the ends of

the world.”the world.”

Psalm 19Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God; The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

 Day after day they pour forth speech; night  Day after day they pour forth speech; night

after night they display knowledge. There is after night they display knowledge. There is

no speech or language where their voice is no speech or language where their voice is

not heard.not heard. Their voice goes out into all the Their voice goes out into all the

earth, their words to the ends of the worldearth, their words to the ends of the world

Colossians 1:15-20Colossians 1:15-20““He is the image of the invisible God, the He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. firstborn over all creation. 16 16 For by him all For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. created by him and for him. 17 17 He is before all He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. things, and in him all things hold together. 18 18

And he is the head of the body, the church; he And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. …by making peace through his the supremacy. …by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”blood, shed on the cross.”

Disturbing TrendsDisturbing Trends• ““Science proves the Bible is wrong”Science proves the Bible is wrong”• ““Evolution is science, but the Bible is religion”Evolution is science, but the Bible is religion”• ““I believe the Bible over science”I believe the Bible over science”

The The root meaningroot meaning of science is basically of science is basically “knowledge”“knowledge”..

• Operational Science: Observable, repeatable Operational Science: Observable, repeatable experiments in a controlled environmentexperiments in a controlled environment

• Origin science : Origin science : attempts to discover truth by attempts to discover truth by examining reliable eyewitness testimony (if available); examining reliable eyewitness testimony (if available); and circumstantial evidence, such as pottery, fossils, and circumstantial evidence, such as pottery, fossils, and canyons.and canyons.

Disturbing TrendsDisturbing Trends

• The debate is about The debate is about origin scienceorigin science and and conflicting conflicting assumptions, or beliefs,assumptions, or beliefs, about the past.about the past.

• Neither creation nor evolution is directly Neither creation nor evolution is directly observable, testable, repeatable, or falsifiable.observable, testable, repeatable, or falsifiable.

• The argument is not over the evidence—the The argument is not over the evidence—the evidence is the same—it is over the way the evidence is the same—it is over the way the evidence should be interpreted.evidence should be interpreted.

• Resources: Ben Stein: Expelled -No Intelligence Resources: Ben Stein: Expelled -No Intelligence allowed / A.I.Gallowed / A.I.G. www.answersingenesis.orgwww.answersingenesis.org

Psalm 19:7-8Psalm 19:7-8The law of the Lord is perfect, The law of the Lord is perfect,

reviving the soul. reviving the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,

making wise the simple. making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, The precepts of the Lord are right,

giving joy to the heart. giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant, The commands of the Lord are radiant,

giving light to the eyes. giving light to the eyes.

Romans 10:19Romans 10:19

Again I ask: Did Israel not Again I ask: Did Israel not

understand? First, Moses says, “I understand? First, Moses says, “I

will make you envious by those who will make you envious by those who

are not a nation; I will make you are not a nation; I will make you

angry by a nation who has no angry by a nation who has no

understanding.”understanding.”

Eph 1: 3-5 Eph 1: 3-5 NLTNLT

How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual

blessing in the heavenly realms because we blessing in the heavenly realms because we

belong to Christ. Long ago, when before he made belong to Christ. Long ago, when before he made

the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to

be holy and without fault in his eyes. be holy and without fault in his eyes. His His

unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into

His own family by bringing us to himself through His own family by bringing us to himself through

Jesus ChristJesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure.”. And this gave him great pleasure.”

Excuse #1Excuse #1

““I didn’t get the message”I didn’t get the message”

DID ISRAEL GET THE MESSAGE?DID ISRAEL GET THE MESSAGE?• Creation, Mt. Sinai, The prophets, The Son, Creation, Mt. Sinai, The prophets, The Son, The Apostles and Holy Spirit – They had the The Apostles and Holy Spirit – They had the message but they were a distracted people!message but they were a distracted people!

Excuse #2Excuse #2

““I didn’t know you cared.”I didn’t know you cared.”

•Lam 3:22 “Because of the Lord’s great Lam 3:22 “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.” The very fact compassions never fail.” The very fact that you are alive is evidence of God’s that you are alive is evidence of God’s mercy and blessing your life. mercy and blessing your life.

•Jer 31:3 “I have loved you with an Jer 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” loving-kindness.”

•CS Lewis, author and apologist, CS Lewis, author and apologist, referred to God as the “hound of referred to God as the “hound of heaven.”heaven.”

Romans 10:20-21Romans 10:20-21““And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” But concerning not ask for me.” But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”and obstinate people.”

Excuse #3Excuse #3

““I didn’t know you were still interested.”I didn’t know you were still interested.”

Romans 11:1 Romans 11:1 (Very personal to Paul)(Very personal to Paul)

I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin

Romans 11:2-6 Romans 11:2-6 Summary:Summary:

•God didn’t reject His People? God didn’t reject His People?

•Remember Elijah!Remember Elijah!

GOD excludes the opportunity to NO GOD excludes the opportunity to NO ONE.ONE.

Romans 11:7Romans 11:7““What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not

obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardenedobtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,”,”

Hebrews 4:2Hebrews 4:2““For we also have had the gospel preached to us, For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just at they did; but the message they heard was just at they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.”did not combine it with faith.”

Israel trusted in themselves Israel trusted in themselves instead of their Savior.”instead of their Savior.”

Their proximity did not change their Their proximity did not change their destiny!destiny!

Conclusion:Conclusion:   The only solution is to call on Christ The only solution is to call on Christ

in an abandoned and ruthless trust. in an abandoned and ruthless trust.

You too will be dealing with people You too will be dealing with people who are distracted, disobedient, and who are distracted, disobedient, and difficult – bdifficult – by y understanding the understanding the excuses Israel had together we can excuses Israel had together we can be better prepared to stay faithful in be better prepared to stay faithful in sharing our hope: Christ!sharing our hope: Christ!