Relationships and God's Purposes
A Sermon on Romans 9:1-3
Scripture
1I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to …
Sermon Description
There is much to learn from the apostle Paul. In this sermon on Romans 9:1–3 titled “Relationships and God’s Purposes,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines Paul’s attitude towards his fellow Jews, most of them who are still unbelievers. Paul does not have an attitude of anger or antipathy towards them, but rather he shows love and compassion. He mourns that they have rejected the very Messiah that their Scriptures speak of and that they remain blinded in their sin. How often does one become frustrated with those that do not believe? However, this is not how Paul responds at all. His love for Christ informs his faith and missionary zeal for his lost kinsmen. He is motivated not towards anger, but rather to love and evangelism towards his fellow Jewish brethren. Often times, intellectualism in the church gets in the way of evangelism, but this is not the case with the apostle Paul. Though he was well-educated and brilliant, this did not hinder him from being concerned with the souls of the lost, nor did it make him arrogant toward unbelievers. The church has much to learn from Paul, not only in his teaching but also his way of living. In the apostle Paul is found a heart that is truly dedicated to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The gospel divides and separates people. It divides families and relationships.
- The division caused by the gospel is profound. Christians gain a new spiritual understanding that non-Christians cannot comprehend.
- Although Christians gain new spiritual relationships, they do not completely sever old natural relationships. Christians still care for their non-Christian friends and family.
- Paul expresses deep concern and sorrow for his fellow Jews who have not accepted Christ. Christians should have concern for the salvation of non-Christians, especially those close to them.
- Paul does not attack, denounce or show contempt for the Jews even though they persecuted him. Christians should show patience, compassion, and understanding towards non-Christians instead of annoyance or irritation.
- Paul is able to show concern and patience for the Jews because he understands they are spiritually blind and he himself was once like them. Christians should remember they were once lost like non-Christians.
- Paul's calling to be the apostle to the Gentiles shows Christians should be open to God's leading even if it is contrary to their natural inclinations or preferences. Christians should be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance.
- The only thing that matters is that Christians are in the center of God's will, doing what He has called them to do.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.