2001.11.25. Washingtonians(25) - Rev Young Jin Cho

The wonderful Grace of God

Romans 11:25-36

Today's sermon will close a chapter of Romans series. Disciple Paul started Romans by greeting people in Rome in 1:1-17, and expressed the purpose of his letter. He witnessed the sinfulness of humans in 1:18-3:20. From 3:21 through the last verse of chapter 4, he introduced the Grace of God's salvation, through which we are justified. In chapters 5-8, he talked about the abundant lives of Christians who are justified in the wonderful love of God. And in chapters 9-11, he struggled about Israelites who are not accepting God's Grace. As we finish chapter 11 today, starting next week, we will think about the detailed teachings of Christians, as children of God who are saved.

I

We can summarize Paul's anguish for the Israelites who are disobedient to the Good News of Christ in chapters 9-11: (1) Israelites are surely the chosen people of God. This grace does not come from their ability or goodness, it is totally because of God's choice. (2) But, Israelites are refusing the Good News. This was Paul's worry and pain. (3) Israelites' disobedience opened a door for Good News to be spread to the Gentiles. Since the Israelites didn't believe as a true olive tree, some of the branches were broken off and the wild olive shoots were grafted into the tree. (4) Gentiles who are obedient will make Israelites envy so that they will come to Jesus Christ.

In today's scripture, Disciple Paul adds one more issue for the salvation of Israelites who are his brothers. Let's look at 11:25 and 26: "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saves..." What does this mean? It says the state that Israel is strongly refusing the Good News is not permanent but it's passing and temporary. Until the number of Gentiles is full, the disobedience of Israelites will continue. We do not know what that full number is. But, their wickedness will continue until the full number of Gentiles will be saved and until the Good News spreads to the end of the earth.

But when the time comes, all Israelites will be saved, as Paul proclaimed. There are many interpretations about this "all Israel". Some say, it means the spiritual Israel, meaning all Christians, and some say it means the chosen people of Israel. But most people understand it as the whole Israel, as it is said. But, I think it means the salvation of Israelites as a whole, rather than everyone in Israel.

Any way, in God's time, when the full number of Gentiles are saved, the Israelites who has turned their backs to the Good News will come back to the Lord. They will open up their hearts and accept the Gospel. Then, what Paul has quoted in 11:26-27 from Isaiah 59:20-21 will be realized: "The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins," declares the Lord. "As for me, this is my covenant with them," says the Lord. In God's time, Israelites will come back. They will see the day of their salvation in the Gospel of Christ. Israelites and the Gentiles will hold hands in one God and one Gospel.

II

You might feel distanced about the witness of Disciple Paul. You may feel that the salvation of Israelites are none of our concern. Also, you may doubt that if it will really happen.

Of course, since we are not the Israelites, we lack the compassion that Paul had for his own people. We don't have his anguish to lead the spirit of his people to Christ. But there is a fact that we all need to focus on. It is Disciple Paul's conviction for his people's salvation. In what grounds does Disciple Paul believe that Israelites will see the Grace of salvation? What is the foundation of Paul's conviction for his people's salvation overcoming their disobedience?

It is the faithfulness of God. Disciple Paul's conviction for his people's salvation is based on the faithfulness of God who keeps his promises. He proclaimed in 11:29: "For God's gifts and his call are irrevocable." That's right. God never withdraws his call or he regrets. Humans are fickle, but God is not. Humans withdraw what they have offered, many times a day, but God is constant. His Love, and his Grace does not transform.

This constant love, this faithful grace has been given to us. God of Disciple Paul is our God. God whom the Christians in rome believed is the same God we, Washingtonians believe. God's promises are irrevocable, even today. God's faithfulness towards us is still the same today. He does not desert us for our small mistakes. He does not turn his face away from us when we are going through trial times. God is still faithful during our hardships and failures. He sill loves us. He still guides us.

Last Sunday, I met with a boy from Elementary School. His parents has called me and told me that he wants to be baptized again. He was christened as a baby, but he wishes to be baptized again. I asked him, "Why do you want to be baptized again. He said he had done bad things as a child and thought bad things and he wants to be forgiven and be baptized. I tried to explain the tradition of our church. I explained why rebaptism is not appropriate, but apparently it was too hard for him to understand. So I told him about the parable of Prodigal Son, the Waiting Father in Luke chapter 15. I also told him to confess his sins to God, if he thinks he has done wrong, and ask for God's help so he would not repeat his wrong doings. I told him that God waits and accepts us. Then I told him, if he still feels uncomfortable, to come to me so we can pray together. I held his hands and prayed for him.

Our God does not desert us at our first mistake. He understands and accepts us in spite of our shortcomings. He does not withdraw his call and grace. He is still faithful today. He still loves us today. He still keeps his promises today. Our God is good God that he is good enough for us to believe in him.

III

When Disciple Paul realized this wonderful Grace of God who is faithful, while he was struggling with the issue of Israelites' salvation, he could not do anything but praise the Lord. He had to thank God. That's why he completed chapter 11 with praises when he started chapter 9:1-2 with his worry and anguish. He praised in 11:33: "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has even given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen."

That's right. We can not measure the wisdom and knowledge of God. Limited human brains can create computers and we can travel to the outer space, but we can not begin to understand the wisdom and knowledge of God. God is the alpha and the omega, he is the beginning and the end. All things start from him and are for him. He is to be praised forever.

Let us think about this more in detail.

(1) Wisdom of God, the affluence of His wisdom is apparent in the history of creation. When we look at all the things on the earth, we can see the wisdom and grace of the Lord. The wonderful wisdom and power of God shows even in a single plant and in one small insect.

During these beautiful autumn days, we often see the flock of wild geese flying together in a V shape. When Ornithologists studied why they fly in a V shape, they found out there is a profound reason. First of all, they found out that wild geese can fly 71% longer when they flock together, compared to flying alone. Second, when they fly in a V shape, they form an air flow so that the geese in the back can fly easier. One that is at the foremost gets tired more easily so they take turns to fly at the front. Third, they make sounds to send signals of their location and directions to others, and also to encourage each other. Fourth, when one of them gets sick or hurt so it can't fly, a few of them remain with that held back goose.

Isn't that wonderful wisdom? Isn't it the wonderful consideration and love of God? Human brains can not even imagine to come up with this kind of wisdom and knowledge. Not only God's wisdom is profound in nature, but also it is unthinkably mysterious and wondrous in the creation of humans. There are no two who are exactly the same. They are all unique. And how wonderfully mysterious our body is! If you think of the connections, coordinations, and the harmony when we move our body, it is beyond human's wisdom and knowledge.

How can we not praise Him, when we have this wonderful love of God? How can we not thank Him, when his mysterious and profound hands molded me? We have to praise faithful God for his love. We want to glorify him.

(2) Not only in the work of creation, but also God's wisdom and faithfulness shows in his work of salvation when he calls us and leads us to new lives.

Human knowledge can never fully understand God's work. Please remember and be thankful for us to be gathered here and Worshiping God today. It is because of God's wonderful love that keeps us and cares for us. He shows his love in different ways. But one thing is apparent. That is, the faithful God, who has wisdom and knowledge has called us.

I want to introduce you a story from a book written by Deacon Ki Dong Kim who is well know for his evangelical works. He is called the Sweet Potato Evangelist. When he evangelizes, he always says the same thing. He first asks, "Do you believe in Jesus Christ?" After he figures out the state of one's mind, if the response is negative, he decides he or she is a raw sweet potato. Then he proceeds with an appropriate step. He says, "Why don't you just try believing him, you will be very happy." After that, every time he sees that person, he simply says, "I am praying for you." According to him, as he keeps praying and keeps poking every time he sees the person, that person definitely comes around to believing God, if it is in God's plan.

There was this owner of dry cleaner who goes around to pick up clothes to be dry cleaned at his apartment complex. Deacon Kim poked and asked while he was handing him his clothes for dry cleaning, "Do you attend any church by any chance? Do you believe Jesus Christ?" Then the man said, "I am a Confucian. We do not believe anything like Jesus. We give ancestor worship. We have nothing to do with churches." Right away, deacon Kim knew he was a raw potato and said, "Why don't you just try it, it will make you very happy." Since then, every time he saw that dry cleaning man, he told him that he is praying for him every day. One day, when he went to the dry cleaner to pick up his pants, he poked one more time, "Sir, I am praying for you." Then, the man put down his iron and said, "Gosh you are very persistent! If you want it that bad, I will go to the church. But, may I bring my wife?"

Later, I heard the rest of the story. This dry cleaning man had a customer who brought a mink coat for cleaning. One day he realized that the coat was missing. He couldn't find it anywhere. He sat down and figured out the cost and realized that it would cost his two months' earning. He was very discouraged and worried. That's when he remembered that deacon Kim told him that he was praying for him everyday whenever he sees him. Then he thought, "Maybe, the coat is missing because I am not going to church when he is praying for me so hard." After a few days, he found the mink coat in the pile of clothes. He was so happy and he remembered what deacon Kim says to him all the time, "I am praying for you." That's when he told himself that he wants to give it a try and go to church with him.

Dear everyone, for this dry cleaning man, the mink coat was the cause and motivation. What was the cause and reason for you to become the children of God today? What were the wonderful works of our God who uses his wisdom and his faithful love? Wasn't it that meaningless small incident that lead us to Christ? Humans can not begin to measure God's wisdom and knowledge. Is God's faithful love and wonderful grace constant today? How can we not praise him? How can we not thank for his faithful Grace?

(3) On top of his works of creation and his calling us to have new lives of salvation, God's wondrous wisdom and grace is also in his work when he leads us in our each step of the day.

When we look back at our lives, we can remember the mysterious touch of God's hands. Sometimes, things that might seem coincidental have changed the direction of our lives. Things that we did not give much thought were the first steps of God's guidance.

My daughter Eunha started her graduate school at Michigan University this past September. I realize today that God's plan is really profound. After she graduated from college, she had interviews with a few organizations in which she had interests. But she could not find a job because she didn't have any experience. Since she was planning to continue her education, she thought about just working at stores like Starbucks until she goes to the graduate school. She had experiences of working at stores as such. One day, by chance, she sent an email to Brookings Research Center which is a research center for policies. In her email, she asked if she can work as an intern without pay. They replied her saying that they have an opening for an assistant and encouraged her to apply. That gave her an opportunity to work in that research organization for 2 years. This experience was the key to open the future for her to be able to get into a good graduate school with full scholarship. We never know what will happen in the future, but my wife and I always emphasize one thing to her. "This opportunity is given by God. The future that is given by God, following his direction is the best way to live your life." That's right, God's plan is mysterious and profound. Human knowledge and wisdom can not begin to understand it. His love for all of us is constant today. How can we not praise him? How can we not praise his faithful grace and his greatness?

Disciple Paul started chapter 9 with his anguish for his people, but he finished chapter 11 with emotional praises. Some say that the last part of chapter 11 is the finale of the God's work of salvation that was written from chapter 1 to 11. That faithful love and grace has been given to us who are living in Washington. We are also built in that grace, knowledge, and love. We are saved. And we live our lives today with his guidance.

How can we not praise him? How can we not thank him? How can we not exalt his greatness, his faithful grace, and his affluent wisdom?

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How Great Thou art
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou art, How Great Thou art