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Romans 9-16

Israel's Future

Caleb Combs · Sunday, 12 October 2025 · Romans 11:1-36 · 38:20 · 5,978 words

Romans S25 · 11:1-36 Holly

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

In Romans 11 the speaker explores two pressing questions: has God abandoned his people, and can anyone sin beyond his reach? Answering with Paul, the sermon insists the answer is an emphatic no—God's grace still reaches the broken and the outcast. Listeners are invited to trust that no one is too far from God's love, to embrace his forgiveness, and to let their transformed lives shine as a witness to the world.

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.

elijah 15 ordaining 6 jealous 9 great 26 transform 17 god 120 gentile 15 baal 6 israelite 10 broken 13 tonight 5 synopsis 4

Topics

Sin 5 The Gospel 4 Grace 4 Faith 4 Salvation 4 Abraham 3 Israel 2 Hope 2 Love 1 Election & Predestination 1 The Holy Spirit 1 Prayer 1

Scripture referenced 29

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

Romans 11 2:05 Romans 11 3:07 Romans 11 3:30 Romans 11 4:17 Romans 11 4:29 Romans 11:1 4:46 Romans 11:1 5:24 Genesis 12 6:44 Genesis 12 7:02 Genesis 12 7:03 Genesis 12 7:04 Genesis 12 7:04 1 Kings 19 11:48 1 Kings 19 12:04 Romans 11:3 13:36 Romans 11:8 14:46 Romans 11 15:53 1 Kings 19 16:30 Isaiah 55 17:47 Romans 8 19:20 Romans 11:11 21:40 Romans 3 23:05 Lamentations 3:22-23 23:11 Romans 8 23:32 Romans 8:12 25:39 Romans 8:13 27:59 Romans 8:11 28:07 Romans 8:25-26 28:38 Romans 8:15 28:38

Transcript

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

Pre-service announcement — 7 lines, 0:34. Excluded from every count and search on this site, kept here so nothing is hidden.

Hey everyone, my name is Zach, and thanks for checking out one of our sermons today.

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Thanks again for joining us, and we hope you are blessed by today's message.

Good morning. Good to be here. Good to gather with you.

We do have a worthy Savior. His name is Jesus Christ.

And that's why we gather. That's why we sing. That's why we preach.

That's why we do anything and everything that we do.

Hopefully that is the heartbeat of who we are this morning as a church,

is to praise a worthy name that's Jesus Christ. Amen? Amen.

Well, before I jump into the message, just want to, if you are a man, I want to invite you, challenge you.

Tonight, we've got a men's event.

We've got a men's event right here from 6 to 8.

Right here in Holly, we're inviting all the men out from all of our locations.

Just as a challenging night.

We have some cars, and they're having free food.

And anytime you say free food, it's always good.

And so I want to invite you out tonight, 6 to 8.

Lions don't play until 8.20.

And so you don't need to watch any of the pregame.

That'll be okay.

If you're a little late, just hit that record.

You'll miss the first couple sets of commercials, and you will be fine.

All right?

And so excited to preach tonight as well.

I'll be speaking tonight.

I believe the Lord has given me a good message to challenge men.

I'm super excited to deliver that, and I will try not to preach it to you this morning

and preach what I'm supposed to in Romans.

But I want to invite you out tonight at 6.

We're going to be in Romans chapter 11 this morning.

If you have a Bible, a device.

Something to follow along, read along.

Always want to encourage you to bring a Bible, bring a device,

so that you can follow along.

And no, I am not making up words, okay?

Because I'm good at that, as most of you know.

But over the last couple weeks, really over the last several months,

we've been in Romans.

But the last couple weeks, the Apostle Paul has been communicating

a similar message in 8, 9, 10, and 11 chapters of Romans,

dealing with this idea that is Israel, God's chosen people still.

What do we do with this idea of sin?

Paul even goes as far as saying,

I would be willing to go to hell that they may receive Christ.

I'm so desperate to see them saved.

I would give my own life, my future, and my eternity for them.

But in chapter 11, we're going to look at two major questions,

this morning, and we'll see how it applies to the Christians,

the Jews, and Gentiles in Rome, as well as you and I this morning.

I told Pastor Noah, man, this message could really preach.

Hopefully, I don't mess it up.

Because there is some great truth in Romans chapter 11

that I hope to communicate to you this morning.

But let's do this.

Let's pray, and we'll jump into Romans.

God, we love you.

We praise you.

We honor you.

We seek your face this morning.

You're welcome.

You're worthy.

We lift you up.

We praise you.

God, we are just seeking to hear and be guided, corrected from you, your word.

God, we ask for your movement this morning in our hearts.

God, we celebrate the baptisms that we're going to be able to see at the end of the gathering.

We celebrate you in song.

We celebrate and honor you in sermon.

God, you're worthy, and we praise you.

We love you.

God, help me to be able to communicate what you have.

You have spoken in Romans 11.

God, may all the hearers receive it.

We love you.

We praise you in Jesus' wonderful name.

There's two questions, as I just mentioned in Romans 11, that are asked.

And so I'm going to communicate those questions,

and then we're going to unpack them for the next little bit this morning.

First question is, did God reject his people?

Paul asks it in verse 1, and we'll get to, did God reject them?

And what do we do with them?

As well as the second question, did Israel stumble or stumble?

sinned so far or have they done so many things against God that they can never recover? And I'll

ask you that this morning as we get to that. Can we sin so far that we can never recover? Have I

done so many things that God can no longer use me? And I love Paul's answer to both. Emphatically no.

Emphatically no. In verse one, Paul says, I ask then, has God rejected his people? He says, by

no means. And a short answer, but we're going to unpack this a little more than just simply

three words. But he says, by no means. For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,

a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not

know that what the scripture says?

Of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel. Lord, they have killed your prophets. They have

demolished your altars. I am 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. So too at the present time,

there is a remnant chosen by grace. But if it is by the grace of God, then I have not bowed the knee

to Baal. But if it is by the grace of God, then I have not bowed the knee to Baal. But if it is by

grace, it is no longer on the basis of works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.

There's a lot in this passage, but I really want to shape it and mold it, or I seek to shape it

and mold it. To answer that question, did God reject his people? Genesis chapter 12, we see God

choosing or God ordaining the Israelites, the Jewish nation, all through the line of Abraham.

In Genesis chapter 12, we see God choosing or God ordaining the Israelites, the Jewish nation,

all through the line of Abraham. In Genesis chapter 12, we see God choosing or God ordaining the Israelites,

the Jewish nation, all through the line of Abraham. In Genesis chapter 12, we see God choosing or God

ordaining the Israelites, the Jewish nation, all through the line of Abraham. In Genesis chapter 12,

God says, now the Lord said to Abram, or Abraham, he would eventually change his name, go from your

country and your kindred and your father's house to the land I will show you. And I will make of you

a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will

bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you, I will curse. And all the families of the

earth shall be blessed. It's a quick synopsis. It's a quick synopsis. It's a quick synopsis.

It's a quick synopsis of God choosing or God ordaining or God calling Abraham as his people,

the Israelites, the Jewish nation. He would send them out. He'd make them a great nation. He would

share this same promise multiple other times to Abraham. I find it interesting that Abraham needed

to be reminded of that. I know I need to be reminded of that constantly, of God's words and

God's promises and God's messages. Just me? Nobody else does here? Okay. All right. Cool. Make it sure.

Yeah, of course. We need to be reminded constantly of God's messages and God's words. And so we see

at the beginning of really the Bible, the story of God's word, Genesis, God ordaining or God

creating this promised people ultimately to bring the redemption to the world through Jesus Christ,

through the Jewish bloodline. Jesus would be born and ultimately live a perfect life and die on a

by the power of God. And ultimately became the hope for humanity and the hope for the world.

And so Paul references this, these chosen people, does God eventually reject them? Has he rejected

them because of their sins? Has he rejected them because of, of what they have done? And Paul gives

two quick, uh, really quick, succinct answers. One, he says by no means, and then gives some

patience. The first, he says, guess what? I am a descendant of Abraham. I am a Jew. Look at my life.

I am at least someone that has been transformed or changed by the power of the gospel. What does

he use? He uses his testimony. I want you to know about how broken I was. I want you to know that I

used to, uh, come across and kill Christians or be a part of hunting down Christians. I was against

the word of God. I was against all these things. And he says, I am a descendant of Abraham. I am a

He says, you know what? Guess what? I've been transformed and changed. And so God is still in

the transforming, changing business. I believe that for us as Christians, even today, we can get

lost and say, man, the world is so broken. Man, sin is winning. God, what are you doing? And then we

sight that God is still transforming people today in 2025. I believe that. I want to preach that

till I can no longer preach anymore because I believe God is still at work. I was talking to

Pastor Noble and we're going to celebrate some baptisms today. We're going to celebrate two

baptisms. He's like, man, it's so cool to hear their stories and hear how God through his Holy

Spirit is convicting and calling people to himself. And I was just so excited to preach about that.

And I was like, man, I'm getting ready to communicate that. I believe God still change

and transforms people from the deepest, darkest, broken spots of their lives. And God can still

pull them out. Amen. Amen. Well, three of you agree. The rest will get there by the end.

Come on. We're talking about transformation here. But Paul uses it and says, you know what?

I was a hardened religious man. I had blood on my hands. And yet I came to Christ. And so if

there was hope for me, there's hope for anyone. He calls himself,

later he calls himself the chief sinner. I know how to sin. I'm a professional sinner.

That's what really he calls or describes himself as. And yet he said, I was transformed. I was

changed by the power of the gospel. And then he uses a second example. He uses

the story of Elijah, which many of the Jews would know this story. It's found in first Kings.

The first Kings describes Elijah as a prophet of God, a mighty prophet of God that was able to

incredible things. He confronted the king and the queen about their sin and their worship of other

gods. And he was just an incredible preacher, incredible communicator of the message of God.

But in first Kings 19, Elijah has himself what we call a pity party. I know none of you have ever

had a pity party, but I enjoy and get to really see what Elijah's going through. But in first

Kings chapter 19, everybody okay? All right, cool. I just heard something broke. Ahab told Jezebel all

that Elijah had done. He said, I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you.

So what did he do? Elijah had come to Mount Carmel and he had a confrontation with the prophets of

Baal. It's a great story worth a read later on this week. I promise you it's one of my favorite

stories in the Bible and they have a confrontation and Elijah even talks trash to them, which I'm

thankful means talking trash is okay. All right. That's what I feel better about, right? It really

does. It's great, great interaction and ultimately calls fire down from heaven and a sacrifice and

a whole miracle from God and then encourages and challenges the people that had been worshiping

false gods to return back to God. And it was a great revival. And then they, they went and, and,

and killed the prophets of Baal. And so now word had gotten to Ahab, who was the king and Jezebel,

who was a wicked queen. And so Ahab told all these, the story that Elijah had done.

Now it killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying,

so may the gods do to me. And more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them

by this time tomorrow, he received a death threat said, guess what? Tomorrow you'll be

dead from the queen. And then in verse three says, then he was afraid and he rose and ran

for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah and left his servant there.

But he himself, when a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a

broom tree and he asked that he might die saying, is it enough now? Oh Lord, take away my life for I

am no better than my father's. And he laid down and slept under a broom tree and behold, an angel

touched him and said to him, arise and eat. And he looked and behold, there was at his head, a cake,

a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the

angel of the Lord came again a second time and he touched him and said, arise and eat for the

journey is too great for you. I love that passage where the Lord knows and our weakest broken

moments, God is equipping and preparing and has sustenance for us. What a, what a great

message, but that's not really where we're going. Verse eight, and he rose and ate and drank and

in the strength of that food, 40 days and 40 nights to horror of the Mount of God. There he came

to a cave and lodged in it and behold the word of the Lord came to him and he said to him what are

you doing here Elijah and he said I have been very jealous for the Lord the God of hosts for the

people of Israel have forsaken your covenant thrown down your altars and killed your prophets

with the sword and I even I only am left and they seek my life to take it away this passage is so

profound I could preach simply on Elijah because I appreciate the ups and downs of his emotions

and the ups and downs of his life how he had just experienced a great miracle literally calling fire

down from heaven and a bold message that they could have taken his life just days before on

Mount Carmel and now this woman says no guess what you're going to die and he runs and then he comes

to this conclusion and this is what the apostle Paul is referencing in Romans chapter 11 Elijah

comes to the conclusion that I am the

only follower left I am the only faithful follower of Jesus there's nobody left I'm by

myself everyone else is messed up everyone else has got to figure out life I am the only one left

and I love God's response to Elijah and God's response to the Romans he says in verse 18 of

first Kings chapter 19 yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel all the knees that have not bowed

to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him what is he saying here you are not alone my work

is bigger than you think it is you may think that you understand what I'm doing you may think my

plan should fit into your plans you may think that my timing should fit into your timing you may think

that you have understanding but God is bigger than any of us can understand God's plan is perfect God

is up to something see I wrote in my notes God is up to something way bigger than you and I can

understand see the reality is we can look around at our circumstances we can look around at the

the world we can look around at what's happening in our lives and lose sight of how big God is

how good God is we can lose sight of what God is actually doing and miss what God is in control

and when we understand that God is at work we begin to

see the situations of our life correctly see Isaiah chapter 55 says for my thoughts are not

your thoughts neither are your ways my ways declares the Lord for as the heavens are higher

than the earth so my ways higher than your ways my thoughts than your thoughts what I want to say

to you this morning in that question is you know what did has God rejected his people no no God is

at work and you may not even know it he said I've left a remnant in the

passage that remnant meaning survivors see God's work God's plan are not dead and done

his work his promises are true the same yesterday today and forevermore we believe in the power of

the gospel we believe that it transforms we believe we worship the same God that that created

the sun the moon and the stars that formed human beings out of the dust of the ground we believe

that we we worship the same God that parted the red sea and allowed the Israelites to cross we

believe that we worship the same God that parted the red sea and allowed the Israelites to cross

but in the same God that raised Jesus from the dead we believe in the same God that that puts

scales on the eyes of the apostle Paul as he's on the road to Damascus I believe we worship that

same God today in 2025 and for you and I to grasp that to understand that it will change and

transform everything we go through every situation every struggle every battle God I know you're not

done with me we looked at the end of chapter 8 I believe where it says that nothing can separate

us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus and we're not done with that we're not done with

Jesus what a powerful statement for us to understand and for you and I we can feel that way

God what are you doing God I don't understand I've done all these different things have you

rejected me yet God in his great love is saying hey I'm up to something see we may think to

understand or grasp or many of us we want to control God God is at work see when life can feel bleak

you're not alone. When he said he'll never leave you, no forsake you. God showed Elijah,

the Roman Christians, and you and I today, his work is bigger than just you and I. I shared this,

I taught this morning, one of the more Sunday morning growth communities. It was a great

conversation. But this idea that we become like a soul, like, hey, I'm the only remnant. God,

it all relies on me. I think when we come to the place that it all relies on him,

we'll view things properly. See, churches have got this idea like, hey, you know what? We're

the only ones that got it together. I want to say this very clearly. The river church does not have

it all together. Okay. I don't have to laugh. That's not fair. That's not nice, Mary.

The pastor doesn't have it all together. Guess what? The church is his people. None of us do,

right? We realize that in our brokenness and in our sins and in our struggles and in our

battles and in the ups and downs of life, God says, hey, you know what? I'm still working and

using, and guess what? I can use broken people. You and I. And I'm thankful that God uses broken

people. And so the first question is, answer, did God reject his people? No, no, no, no. He says,

no, absolutely not. The apostle Paul, very clearly, and just as in the times of Elijah,

they were sinning, they had run away or ran away. God's saying, no, no, no, I'm not done. There's

7,000 people you don't even know. That's pretty good. The second question, did Israel stumble so

far beyond recovery? Verse 11, he says, 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? Now, I'm speaking to you,

Gentiles. In as much then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles,

I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

For if their rejection means reconciliation or salvation of the world, what will their

acceptance mean but life from death? So again, in a short answer, it says,

Israel sinned beyond recovery. Paul says, by no means. I love that answer because I want you

to know this morning, we have a God of second chances. See, we have a God of second and third

and fourth and fifth and sixth chances. I know as a pastor, I needed that sixth chance, probably more,

but you know where I was going with it. See, I love Jonah chapter three. Then the word of the

Lord came to Jonah the second time. See, God was patient with him. Lamentations 3, 22 and 23,

the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new

every morning. Great is your faithfulness. See, that

mercy and grace of God, we need it new every morning. Why do we need it new every morning?

Because just as Romans 8 says, I stumble and I do that which I hate, and I can't figure out why my

flesh responds to that sin. And yet God in his great grace, God in his great mercy still offers

me forgiveness and loves me. And it's new every morning. I'm thankful for the grace of God,

new every morning. Paul later in this passage gives two metaphors, an image of a sacrificial

bread and a tree with branches, some being cut off and grafted in. But he makes some, I would say,

some confusing statements for us. He says, rather through the trespass, salvation has come to the

Gentiles so as to make Israel jealous. That plan, that promise of God is now offered to all of

humanity. That promise that God offers to Abram is now for all humanity, now offered to the church.

And we can see that God is not done with Israel. I believe we can see biblically there will be a

time of great revival in the Jewish nation. Right now, the Gentiles, the ministry of the Gentiles

is here as the apostle Paul speaks.

It says that this trespass so that the Gentiles, so that the Israelites will be jealous.

I read that and I'm like, I don't even understand.

But the reality is what's happening here is the Israelites will see what God is doing

in the church and go, hey, I want that.

They'll see, wow, there's transformation.

I want that.

They'll see the fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

And they'll go, I'm watching that pour out of people's lives.

What I love about this is he's summarizing the gospel in verse 12.

Now, if the trespass means riches for the world, that riches is describing the great

gospel of Jesus Christ, the power of God, which leads to salvation for anyone who believes.

It says the Jew first and then the Gentiles.

What does that mean?

That power of the gospel is the realization that each and every one of us are separated

from God by our sin.

Yet God in his great love and grace offers us a free gift of salvation.

It says, I see them lost.

I see them broken.

And I want to offer my son, Jesus, to take their punishment.

And Jesus came, lived a perfect life, died on a cross and rose again.

It says, if you profess with your mouth that you're a sinner and believe in your heart

that Jesus is who he says he is, you'll be saved.

That's the good news.

That's the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I mentioned it last.

I mentioned it last.

I mentioned it last week.

It's not complex.

There's not additives to it.

There's not, okay, you have to be baptized.

You have to give this amount of money.

You have to wear this clothing.

You have to sit in these seats.

You have to go to church this many times.

No, the gospel is for anyone who receives and in their brokenness, in their lost spot

in life, the gospel is offered and it's great riches to the world.

I was telling a friend this week, I love communicating the gospel.

I want to communicate it in every message I ever preach.

Why?

Because it's the gospel.

It's the great riches that the church has and it's also great riches for somebody that

is lost, that'll change and transform them.

Even in your seat right now, you could be transformed by the gospel.

It's not a special prayer that saves you.

It's in that moment of realizing that I'm a sinner, broken, and I confess, Lord, God,

I am broken and I want to be saved.

That's the beauty of the gospel.

Paul goes on to explain to these Gentiles, I'm speaking to you.

I love that.

If you're not of any Jewish blood.

He's speaking directly to Gentiles.

He says in verse 13, I'm speaking to you Gentiles as much as I am an apostle to the Gentiles.

I magnify my ministry.

Here it is again.

He repeats what he said in verse 11 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, thus

save some of them.

He speaks of hope.

See for Paul, just as I preached a couple of weeks ago, he's desperate to see lost people

save his family saved.

Later in this chapter, he does anticipate a great.

Time of revival in verses 25 and 26, but in verse 15, he references a miracle for them

to be saved.

He does says for if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will

their acceptance mean?

Here it is life from the dead, a miracle.

I want to see a miracle happen.

What the beauty is.

He's saying salvation is a great miracle.

When someone is moved from death to life, they're transformed into a miracle.

He's hoping that the gospel will change them.

Not any one of us.

And he says, how will that happen?

He will, they will see your testimony and be jealous.

They'll see the work of God and become jealous and go.

I want that.

Now, I like, I have a struggle.

Honestly, I'm struggling.

Like God, why don't you use a different way than jealousy?

By the way, I feel like this is like pitting and this is our favorite kid.

Be jealous of them.

That's, that's what I feel like is happening here, but it's not what is really happening

is here.

Is they'll see the peace of God, which passes all understanding in your life.

And they'll go, I want that.

They'll see you.

able to love one another differently and they'll want that. They'll see you gentle with one another

and they'll want that. They'll see all these fruits of the spirit pour out of your life,

not something you can produce on your own, not that you can create on your own, not that you

can fake. They'll watch the hand of God in your life and they'll say, wow, I want that. That's

what he's saying. See, as us, as the church, us as Christians, that's a call to live out the gospel

of Jesus Christ so that others can see us. Not in a perfect way, by the way, not in a perfect way.

Hey, you know what? I stumbled. I failed. No, no, that's not what he's saying here.

They may see you walk out and go, you know what? I'm an imperfect sinner that struggles

with everyday life, knowing yet the grace of God is good and I can live in the freedom

God has given me and that is what's transformed me and so that others can see and then I can say,

I don't know why God has given me this, but I'm thankful for it and I can show you it all by the

power of Jesus Christ. That's what he's saying here. It was beautiful of that for each and every

one of us to see those fruits, the joy, the peace, the love, the patience, the kindness,

the self-control. I read this this week. We Christians ought to be so alive, so full of Christ,

so full of love for one another that Jews and Gentiles alike seek salvation from Jesus.

They say, you know what? They have something I don't have and I must have it. You begin to apply

that in your life, in your workplace. Someone will see the way you interact with your boss.

They'll see they interact with other co-workers and say, what's different? You can say, you know

what? I've been saved by the power of Jesus Christ. I don't know. That's all I got. They'll

see the way you love your wife. They'll see the way you love your kids. Students will see the way

in school. They'll see the way you interact in university. They'll see the way you interact

with your neighbors. They'll see the interactions and they'll go, something is different. You can

say, you know what? I don't know, but I know Jesus has saved and transformed me and I just want to

shine a light for him. Being that salt and light, being the city on a hilltop or casting a light

and saying, you know what? This light doesn't come from me. It comes from Christ. I'm just responding

to what he's done in my life. What a challenge for believers. Finishing this morning, I want to answer

For some of you sitting here today, I was actually unsure how I was going to finish this message,

but I feel led to really land the plane here. Answering that question, did Israel stumble so

far beyond recovery? And I love Paul's response, by no means. Some of you sitting here today,

they feel like you have sinned beyond recovery. I feel like destruction is so evident in your life

as feel like I have no future, no hope. Can I tell you, we have a God of second chances that is calling

your name right now that is seeking a relationship with you right in your seat, whether you're joining

us online, wherever you find yourself, God is seeking that relationship with you right now.

He wants to be the Lord of your life. He wants to save you. He wants to transform you. And there is

no one too far from the love of God. He is reaching his hand out. He's standing at the door and

knocking. You can respond right now to realizing you're a sinner, lost, broken, and I need God in

the brokenness of my life.

Preach that emphatically. It's the beauty of the love of God. That's the beauty of the gospel

message of Jesus Christ. That's the beauty is we are all broken, depraved sinners and God in his

great grace, God in his great mercy loves us in spite of it. That's what Romans says. While you're

yet sinner, Christ died for you. What a beautiful message of the gospel right in your seat. You can

realize that man, that, that Jesus guy, I know he came, lived a perfect life and he died and rose

again. What a, what a beautiful, simple, succinct message of the gospel. It's not a prayer that I,

I

you through that change or transforms you it's a heart change and you can leave this gathering in

a few minutes change transformed not by the the power of a preacher not by the power of the river

church not by the power of of anything done here as simply the present presentation of the gospel

because we believe it is the power of God that leads to salvation that very clear wholeheartedly

I'm passionate about it you know why because I'm a depraved sinner saved by the very grace of God

I was in the miry muck dirt and yet God said I I want a relationship and he reached his hand down

and picked me out of it sad reality is as Paul describes he runs back to the mud more than he

wants to describe and I know that feeling I know many of you do as well and that's where you find

the grace of God so good not to abuse it but to embrace and live in it every single day I pray for

you this morning God we love you we praise you we honor you God I ask that you move in this place

right now I ask that you work in

in the

hearts I believe that wholeheartedly right now there are ones sitting in this room that have

asked the same question have I done so much that God can save me and I want to answer that the same

way Paul answered it by no means no chance absolutely not emphatically not I ask right

now that your Holy Spirit work right in their heart that you reach down and be so active to

realize they're a sinner lost broken and confess

their sins and believe in their heart that you came you died and rose again they be saved God I

pray for that right now prayer not anything I can say but in this moment right now you work I pray

just as as I pray for the lost I pray for the church I pray for the ones that know you as their

savior that we may be that representation that we may live out the gospel that we live out the

transforming fruit of the spirit that they will that others will see our good works and glorify

our father in heaven God I pray that right now

forgive us when we fail us fail you in that God we praise you we love you we glorify you we honor

you thank you for being here today God we are gathered in your name we love you we glorify you

in Jesus wonderful name amen