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The River ChurchSermons

Romans 9-16

Israel's Present

Justin Dean · Sunday, 5 October 2025 · Romans 9:30-10:21 · 36:11 · 5,374 words

Romans S24 · 9:30-10:21 Davison

There is no public page for this message yet — the transcript below is the whole of it.

The sermon explores Romans 9–10, showing how Paul argues that God’s righteousness comes through faith, not by keeping the law or relying on one’s own works. It describes Israel’s failure to understand the law as a picture of their need for faith, and warns against a religious attitude that substitutes outward performance for trust in Christ. The speaker calls listeners to recognize that salvation is a gift of grace, and to ask themselves who in their world needs Jesus, then to share the gospel with humility.

What this sermon is about

Ranked by keyness against every other sermon in the corpus. Each one is a word this sermon actually said — nothing here was written by a model.

save 44 base 12 righteous 25 someone 16 christ 41 mass 3 unless 6 rhetorical 4 external 4 unbeliever 4 faith 24 work 21

Topics

Salvation 14 Faith 9 Righteousness 6 The Gospel 3 Mission & Evangelism 3 Prayer 2 The Law 2 Grace 2 Atonement & Sacrifice 1 Sanctification 1 Death & Resurrection 1 Baptism 1 Sin 1 Obedience 1 Justification 1

Scripture referenced 30

Verified against the transcript. A reference the recording does not support is never listed here.

Romans 10 3:17 Romans 9 3:17 Romans 9 4:11 Romans 9 4:11 Romans 10 4:15 Romans 9 4:19 Romans 9 4:46 Romans 10 4:46 Romans 9 5:32 Romans 9:30 5:32 Romans 9:32 6:36 Matthew 7 11:31 Matthew 7:23 11:36 Matthew 7:21-23 11:56 Romans 10 13:14 Galatians 2 15:01 Galatians 2:20 15:01 Galatians 2:20 15:30 Romans 10 17:45 Romans 10 17:46 Romans 10:5 17:48 Romans 10:1-4 17:52 Romans 10:1-4 18:01 Romans 10:5-11 18:42 Romans 10:9-10 22:08 Romans 10 26:10 Romans 10:14 26:12 Romans 10:14 26:51 Romans 10:17 30:46 Galatians 2:20 34:39

Transcript

Every word, as spoken, with the second it was said. Each word links to its own entry in the index.

So Jill wasn't actually at Women's Retreat. It was all CGI. It was a green screen.

I made that joke last week, and some of you guys thought I was serious about Josh not running on a treadmill.

Our CGI budget, unfortunately, at the church is not very big, so we have to do everything for real.

So it was a joke. But excited to be in Romans this morning. Excited to be diving in to the book of Romans.

Wanted to let you know a couple things just as we kick off this morning.

A lot of you have heard me talk over the last weeks about, or months really, about our Bible read-through.

How we've been reading through the Bible this year.

And maybe you're like, I didn't get in at the right time, and so I just haven't really wanted to start.

Or I hear that there are some growth communities meeting that are reading through this Bible read-through.

But I don't want to come in late to the game. Well, guess what? Here's your opportunity.

So this week, we started in the New Testament.

So the majority of this year, we've been in the Old Testament.

This week, we started in the New Testament.

So if you're like, hey, I really want to join that Bible recap, that Bible read-through,

now is a great time to jump in, because we're all right into the New Testament.

So if that's something you're interested in, there are some bookmarks back at Guest Services that have a QR code

that can take you to that Bible reading plan on our website.

But also feel free to ask me, or I can connect you with someone from our growth community that goes through it.

But I just wanted to let you know that we're in the New Testament.

I just wanted to let you know that that's something that we're working through.

But this morning, we are in Romans.

We've been working through Romans since the beginning of summer.

And we're really talking about, time and time again, this idea of God's righteousness.

And so Paul, he's writing Romans as this defense of God's righteousness.

Really, not really a defense, because it's not on Paul to defend God's righteousness,

but really as an explanation for the righteousness of God.

How God can be both judge.

And dispenser of grace, right?

And so he's kind of moved through this book, tackling different things.

He's tackled the evil of sin, the corrupting power of sin.

How we cannot earn our way to heaven.

And how that salvation is not based on our righteousness.

It's not based on lineage.

It's not based on something earned.

But it's simply based on the grace of God.

And so then, we've kind of been dealing with, week by week, the different chapters

where he works through those different realities.

And so last week, we took a look at the value of the gift of grace

and what we've been given by God.

And how we can try and understand what it means to follow God

and what salvation is for us.

And so this week, we're going to be taking a little bit deeper look at

the truth of what salvation is.

Some of the stumbling blocks of the Israelite,

as they worked through the reality of salvation.

And then for us, a call to offer that gift of salvation.

And so, we're going to take a look at a couple of different of those things

at the end of Romans chapter 9 and then into Romans chapter 10.

But before we dive into God's word, let's pray and ask him to teach us this morning.

Lord, we thank you so much for your word.

We thank you for the wisdom that it brings.

We thank you for the truth that it is.

And the way that it is.

And the ways that it teaches us and guides us.

Lord, I pray that this morning, we would not get preoccupied about

what God's word is teaching others, but focus on what God's word is teaching us.

Lord, let your word dwell in us richly and radically change us

to be more and more like your son, Jesus.

Lord, as we dive into this, I pray that you give us wisdom and understanding.

Lord, the understanding to know what it says and the wisdom to live differently because of it.

Lord, we love you.

We love you.

In your precious and holy name, Jesus' name, amen.

So like I said, turn with me to Romans chapter 9, the end of chapter 9.

We're going to be jumping in to Romans chapter 10 as well.

But here, like I said at the beginning of chapter 9,

Paul started this section by pointing to this case study of the nation of Israel.

And so he's taking the nation of Israel and their past, present, and future.

And he's teaching us some things by the example that they live in.

And so he started that off, and he continues, and he really looks to answer some of the difficult

questions here at the end of chapter 9 and then into the beginning of chapter 10, where really,

he looks and he says, the Israelites received the promises, the prophets, and the law,

yet in mass at this time, and really in the world today, they deny Christ and thus are not saved.

Do not receive salvation because Christ alone is with you.

Where salvation comes from.

And so Paul answers the question of why.

Why is that the case?

If they had access to the prophets, if they had access to the promises, if they had access to the law,

and they had it longer than anyone, why are they the ones that are denying Christ?

And so Paul answers this, and then he uses it as a springboard on to what we should do in our lives.

And so the end of Romans chapter 9, starting in verse 30, says this,

that Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it.

That is, a righteousness that is by faith.

But that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.

And so here he paints this contrast.

He says, all right, now that the gospel is going forth in the world, in mass, Gentiles are flocking to the truth of God

and to the truth of who Jesus Christ is.

And the nation of Israel is rejecting in mass the truth of who Jesus Christ is.

And so why are these Gentiles who have no knowledge, no understanding of God, no history of who God is,

why are they all believing?

And then why are the Israelites who have all these different things, they've had every advantage forwarded to them,

why are they not?

And then we pick up in verse 32.

Why?

Because they did not.

They did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works.

They have stumbled over the stumbling stone.

And then he continues, he addresses an Old Testament passage where there is a prophecy about that, right?

And so what he says here, he goes, they had the law and they looked to the law

and it was meant to be this picture of a coming salvation, of the need for faith.

Because they look at the law and they should see that they fall short of faith.

That they cannot hope to obey every single law.

And that because of the law, they realize their disobedience.

But instead, the nation of Israel looked at the law and said, that is something that we should seek to obtain.

There is our requirement list, right?

There is something, okay, if we fulfill all these little things, then I can have righteousness.

And so they looked at the law and they treated it.

They treated it as something that was based on works that they could find righteousness in the law based off of what they did.

And Paul said, that is the complete opposite of what it was meant to do.

It was meant to communicate the standard of God's holiness and how we as humanity fall utterly short of that.

And so instead of looking and saying, oh, I can be righteous enough.

We should look and say, I will never be righteous according to my own ways.

And thus, it should move us to faith.

Faith that God will redeem.

Faith in God's character.

Faith in God's holiness.

And so he really looks and he says, there is this religious stumbling block.

The religious Israelites got tripped over by it.

And today for us, there are many religious who get stumbled by that same stone.

The stone of appearance.

Look at my external.

My external works.

What I do.

How I appear to follow God.

I do these things.

I am this way.

Therefore, righteousness is my claim.

That's what the religious love to say.

And Paul says, they've missed it.

They missed it.

They look and they see a way to earn salvation.

And Paul says, we should look and we should see the holiness of God and see there is no.

That no matter the right things we do, the right things we say, they will not be our path to righteousness.

And so he says, it's foolishness.

Instead, it's our faith.

And so we look at the nation of Israel.

We see them not understanding this.

Not grasping the salvation.

The free gift of salvation that's offered through Christ.

Because in their mind, salvation isn't free.

It's based on me.

And what Paul says.

That the law should look and say, okay, it's not an act of obedience that leads to faith or leads to salvation.

But instead, an act of obedience because of faith.

We act out of a dedication because our faith in the person and character of God.

And not out of the desire to prove ourselves to him.

It's like, you know, if I met someone from the Lions.

And wanting to prove.

That I was worthy of his friendship.

I'm like, hey, watch how fast I run this 40-yard dash.

Right?

I don't know if you guys think that I'm fast.

I'm not.

Right?

Like, that is not me.

Right?

And so, like, if I were to go to Amon-Ram and be like, hey, watch this.

And I run my 40-yard dash.

He's going to be like, that's cute.

You know?

Like, what are you expecting?

Are you expecting me to be, like, impressed?

And really, that example is only made even better.

Even more great when it comes to the standard of God's holiness.

God looks and says, this is the standard of holiness.

And we look and say, watch this, God.

And then we try and live up.

And God says, okay, that's not.

It's not a litmus test for how to get yourself into heaven.

It's, hey, God, I trust in your character.

Therefore, I will look to exemplify you.

And that's what Paul is saying.

That this is the thing that trips it up.

And honestly, it makes me think about a passage in Matthew chapter 7.

If you want to turn there to Matthew chapter 7, verse 23.

Jesus, he is teaching and he says something that I find incredibly sobering

when it comes to my own value and worth based off of me and what I do.

He says this.

Matthew chapter 7, verse 21 through 23.

Not everyone who says to me,

Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven,

but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

On that day, many will say to me,

Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name

and cast out demons in your name

and do mighty works in your name?

And then will I declare to them,

I never knew you.

Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.

And so here we look at this.

And you may read this verse and be like, what?

What?

There are going to be people who think that they are saved

and they get to heaven and they realize that they're not saved.

And you may be like, how am I ever supposed to be sure of my salvation?

Right?

You look at this verse and it kind of like makes you tremble in your boots, right?

How can I ever have an assurance that I am saved?

And Jesus shared this not to just put us at this,

spiritual anxiety.

He was really communicating that which Paul expands upon

in Romans chapter 10.

Look at verse 22.

When they answer Christ,

when they stand before Christ

and they give their reasoning for justification,

what is their reasoning?

Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name

and cast out demons in your name

and do mighty works in your name?

Everything that they stand before,

before the Lord and they say,

I am justified, I am righteous because of

is themselves what they did.

Look what I did in your name.

Look what, look at the things that I did,

my mighty works, the ways I cast out demons,

the teachings that I gave.

Look at all those things that I did.

That proves, and Christ says,

that's not what it's about.

That is not what it's about.

It's not about your works.

It's not about these external ways.

It's not about,

it's not about these works.

It's about faith, faith.

What they did and who they were

were their basis of righteousness, them.

And Jesus says, I don't know you.

We are not self-righteous.

We are only righteous through the work of Jesus Christ.

We are only righteous through the work of Jesus Christ.

When I stand before the Lord and he says,

what makes you deserving of heaven?

My answer will be, I'm not.

Only because of Christ am I righteous.

It reminds me of Galatians chapter two, verse 20.

It's on the screen and there's a reason for that.

I want you to turn there

because it's a great verse to highlight.

It's a great verse to underline.

It's a great life verse.

Paul, writing to the Galatian church,

he says something incredibly humbling for every believer.

Every person who thinks they have it figured out,

every person who wants to look and say,

look at me, look at the things I have done,

look at who I am.

Galatians 2.20, this is Paul writing.

Someone who wrote a majority of the New Testament,

someone who's responsible for the gospel

extending to multiple continents, right?

Apostle, he says this.

I have been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

And the life I now live in the flesh,

I live by faith in the Son of God

who loved me and gave himself for me.

And so the simple statement, the simple response,

what makes you righteous?

Not I, but Christ in me.

I have been crucified.

I needed to be put to death.

So I died and it is Christ who lives in me.

Only through his death and resurrection

do I have salvation.

Only through his death and resurrection

do I have hope.

Only through Christ's death

and his sacrifice on the cross

in place of my sins

and his resurrection showing that he has power

and offers life to me.

Only through Christ in me

do I have righteousness.

Not anything I've done,

not anything I do,

Christ in me.

This is the picture of the gospel.

This is what Paul says.

He says, do not get it twisted.

Do not think it is anything

you do in any way you are deserving.

And time and time again, he points to this truth.

There are people who keep getting

torn to the wayside by what they do,

by the ways they're deserving,

by look at me, look at how I live,

look at the external ways I portray these things.

He says, focus on Christ in you.

Do not get distracted by anything but the gospel.

And so he continues.

He says, don't let all these things distract you.

And he continues,

in chapter 10.

Jump over to Romans chapter 10.

We're going to be jumping into verse 5.

Really, in that beginning,

verses 1 through 4,

what Paul does is, once again,

he says, my heart breaks when I see that

because that was me.

That's what he says in verse 1 through 4.

He goes, that was me.

I was someone who was incredibly zealous.

I was someone who thought it was based off what I did.

And I took that to the extreme.

He doesn't say it here,

but we know through Paul's history,

he went and he,

ousted Christians,

killed Christians,

had them murdered

because he so desperately thought

it was about his works

and the ways that he protected the law

and the ways that he showed himself

as someone who worked to earn salvation.

And he looks and he says,

no, Christ in me.

And so then he comes and he says this.

Don't get distracted.

Romans 10, 5 through 11 says this.

For Moses writes about the righteousness

that is based on,

that the person who does the commandments

shall live by them.

But the righteousness based on faith says,

do not say in your heart,

who will ascend to heaven?

That is to bring Christ down.

Or who will descend into the abyss?

That is to bring Christ up from the dead.

But what it does say is

that your word is near you.

Or sorry, but what does it say?

The word is near.

The word is near you.

In your mouth and in your heart.

That is the word of faith that we proclaim.

Because if you confess with your mouth

that Jesus Christ is the Lord

and believe in your heart

that God raised him from the dead,

you will be saved.

For with the heart one believes and is justified,

and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

For scripture says everyone who believes in him

will not be put to shame.

And so here what Paul says is he goes,

there's all these complicated questions about,

how salvation happens and all these different things.

And he says, don't get distracted.

Don't overcomplicate salvation.

Everyone wants to say you have to do these things

and you have to walk through this process

that there's this hundred step process to salvation.

Well, in order to be saved, you have to be baptized.

And before you're baptized, you have to go to a baptism class.

And before you take that class,

you have to be a member at the church.

And before you're a member at the church,

you have to meet with the pastor.

In order to meet with the pastor,

you have to attend,

you have to attend the church for six months.

And then maybe you can receive salvation.

There is not a hundred step plan to salvation.

There is not all these complex, crazy ways

that salvation has to be received.

Paul says there is simplicity in the gospel.

I honestly think if Paul wrote this today,

there would be many churches that criticize him

for making coming to Jesus too easy.

Oh, all you have to do is confess in your mouth

that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart

that he's risen from the dead.

It's gotta be, like, we gotta have some other way

to vet people coming to Jesus, right?

But Paul says, no, there is simplicity in the gospel.

Come and be saved.

Come as you are and be transformed.

There is this, I think, a lot of times

where people want to add in these complexities

of scripture is because they hear that come as you are

and in many ways, people have used that

as a license to stay where they are.

And so there is a complete statement where Paul says,

no, there is a pursuit of obedience to God

that comes in salvation.

But we are all sinners.

We are all destined for hell.

We all are in need of the gospel.

So come as a sinner and be transformed.

Not me.

But Christ in me.

And I'll say this.

If you've been in our church,

you have heard me quote verse nine and 10

many, many, many times.

Some of you have it memorized

just from hearing me say it so much.

Because if you confess with your mouth

that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart

that God raised him from the dead,

you will be saved.

For with the heart, one believes and is justified.

And with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.

The reason why we talk about it every Sunday

and the reason why there's a point to the gospel

every Sunday is because that's the call.

That's the call.

It's the call for the unbeliever

to repent and turn to God,

to come as they are and be transformed.

And it's also the call of the believer

to remember that which saved them,

not their own works,

not their own righteousness,

not their ability to be deserving,

but instead simply a free gift that God offered them.

And then it's not received by a special prayer.

There's no certain ritual,

but it's simply confession and belief,

a simple path to salvation.

Now, hear me say simple, but not easy.

Paul does not overcomplicate it.

He doesn't get lost in the weeds,

but he looks and he says,

here's what it is, belief and confession.

That's what leads to salvation.

But there is a deep seriousness to it.

Confession that Jesus Christ is Lord is saying,

he rules my life.

Well, now it doesn't sound so easy, right?

He's saying Christ rules my life.

I like to rule my life.

He drives my life.

I like to drive.

I want to do the things I want to do.

And we look and we say,

the confession that Jesus Christ is Lord is saying,

I put his desires for me above my desires for me.

I conform my desires for me to his desires for me.

And I recognize that he alone saved me.

He alone saved me.

And so belief and confession, it leads to salvation.

And so maybe you've been here over the last couple of weeks

and you've been wrestling with this question, right?

We've been talking about last week,

this gift that God has chosen to give.

And we've been talking about us not being deserving

by anything that we've done.

You may look and say, you know,

if it's by God's choice who he shows love to

and it's by someone's faith that they confess and believe,

what role do we as believers play in this fallen world?

Why are we here, right?

If God is changing people's hearts

and they are responding,

I don't really see a lot of third party,

you know, believers involved in that scenario.

So should we all just be monks, you know,

and go and live off grid and just kind of devote ourselves

to being better and better and better

and just kind of try and separate us

as much from this fallen world?

How should we respond in the face

of understanding these things?

And Paul says, no.

And what he does is he asks some very challenging

rhetorical questions.

And they're meant for about,

they're meant for us to think about our own role

in the salvation of others.

And so he says this, Romans chapter 10,

jumping down to verse 14.

How then will they call on him

in whom they have not believed?

Now, a lot of times when we think about rhetorical questions,

we kind of let them pass over us

and we just assume the answer.

Paul answers some or asks some of these rhetorical questions

and I would encourage you to actually think about

how you would answer that.

Because Paul says like, hey, these are rhetorical questions,

but they're also very difficult when it comes

to how we actually practically live that out.

So let me read that first question again, verse 14.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?

Talking about unbelievers.

And then he continues.

And how are they to believe in him

of whom they have never heard?

And how are they to hear?

Without someone preaching.

And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

As it is written, how beautiful are the feet

of those who preach the good news.

But they have not all obeyed the gospel.

For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed

what he has heard from us?

So faith comes from hearing

and hearing through the word of Christ.

So let's work through those questions.

How then, if you think about an unbeliever in your life,

maybe someone in your family,

maybe someone at work,

someone who's a close personal friend,

how will they call on him in whom they have not believed?

So in the moment of fear, of turmoil,

how will they call on Christ,

a time when they need Christ,

if they've not believed?

They can't.

And how are they to believe in him

of whom they've never heard?

How will they even know who to call on?

How will they know to cry out,

to cry out to God,

to cry out to Christ

when they haven't even heard of who Christ is?

They can't.

And how are they to hear

without someone preaching?

They won't.

And how are they to preach

unless they are sent?

So we see we're sent.

And so I've used this analogy before,

but I think it's just so powerful.

It's such a convicting one to me.

A lot of times when we talk about unbelievers around us,

we kind of use the phrase like,

they need me.

They need Jesus, right?

Like, oh, you know, like, oh, such and such person.

They need Jesus, right?

And we like, we talk about that maybe when we're venting

or maybe when we're genuinely saying like,

they need Jesus.

And that's a great sentiment to have

because guess what?

We all need Jesus.

But a lot of times we become personally frustrated.

Like, if they could only find Jesus,

if they could only figure it out, right?

Like, I look at the problems in their life

and I see Jesus is the solution to these things.

I look at their quest for all these things

and all these different things

and all these different places that they look

and if they could just find Jesus,

so much in their life would just start to click into place.

They need Jesus.

And I think as we think about that person,

those questions once again come into play that Paul asks.

How will they receive Jesus?

You're right.

They need Jesus.

How will they understand Jesus?

How will they understand the gospel?

How will they know to cry out to him?

How will they know that he shows up in their life?

Unless we speak the gospel.

Unless we preach the good news.

Unless we look and we say,

this is who Jesus has been in my life.

This is what he's done for me.

And this is the truth of the gospel.

This is the truth of what he calls us to.

And so the question comes,

if they need Jesus, how will they receive him?

And it comes through us sharing God's word.

Verse 17 is such a convicting passage.

So faith comes from hearing

and hearing through the word of Christ.

People look at creation

and they see a need for a creator.

That's why there's so many false religions.

It's because they look and they see

there has to be something more.

There has to be someone more.

There has to be a designer.

There has to be something going on here

that is above me.

And they look to create things that point

that are just simply false images of who God is.

And so we look and say,

they will never understand.

There's a yearning in their heart.

But they won't understand

unless the gospel is proclaimed to us or to them.

And that's where we come in.

And so we're sent.

We're sent by Christ.

And I made the joke last week

when I referenced this verse,

that word preaching,

that's not just preachers.

That's not just me on the stage.

And that's not just you getting up

and proclaiming all these things.

Sometimes preaching is having spiritual conversations.

Sometimes it's willing to sit by someone

when they are in the midst of a time

when they need to call on the Lord.

Praying with them.

Talking to them about what Christ has done

in some of your darkest moments

and some of your hurt

and some of your places

where you didn't know where to turn.

The reality is the same.

It's our call.

It's our call to proclaim the grace of God to all.

Because none are deserving and all are in need.

And so my question that I want to leave you with this week is,

who in your world needs Jesus?

Maybe it's someone you specifically said,

they need Jesus.

Who in your world is in need of Jesus?

When you look at the grace,

the gift of grace,

that you have received,

when you look at the way that God has shown up in your life,

the way that Paul describes here,

who's in need of that this week?

There are a lot of people,

but I encourage you,

focus on one.

Pray for that person.

Look to engage with that person.

Demonstrate Christ to that person.

Someone did it for you.

So how will they believe if they have not heard?

Let's pray.

Lord, I love what your word says.

First and foremost,

I love just the humility that it should bring

to all of our lives.

Lord, I pray for us as individuals

and us as a church

that we would not be people

focused on religiosity,

focusing on works,

but that we would instead be a people of faith.

A people of faith

who have faith in your character

and your works

and that out of that faith we would be a people

who look to strive

in obedience towards you.

Who look to pursue holiness

not because we think it earns us

our way to heaven, but out of

a desire to exemplify our Savior.

Lord, I pray just for humility

in our own hearts

and that the statement that Paul makes

in Galatians 2.20

would just be just a banner

that we raise, not I, but Christ in me.

It is no longer I who live,

Christ who lives in me.

And out of that banner, Lord,

I pray that it would move us to the gospel.

That we would proclaim that

not just to believers,

but to those who are lost.

You want to know why I have hope?

Not because of me, but Christ in me.

You want to know why I have peace?

It's not because of me, but Christ in me.

Lord, I pray that those

words and words like it would be

so quick to our lips as we are

a living testimony of

what you have done in our lives,

not what we have done. Thank you so deeply

for the gospel, the truth of salvation that it is.

Lord, that through your grace alone

we are saved, that only through the death

and resurrection of your Son, Jesus, we have salvation.

Lord, we trust you.

We turn to you. In your precious and holy name,

In Jesus' name, amen.

Church, won't you please stand and join us for our last song?