https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4EX6xdSy9E
Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our combined written and live Sunday sermon. You will normally see us posted in written and live form on Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love and sharing the Word of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list grows or changes every week. This is our current list.
- Please pray for Evangelist Cal Jennings who has been in his own apartment for a couple months now and enjoying it immensely. He’s been having issues with pain and pain relief of late and other respiratory and circulatory issues.
- Please continue praying for Evangelist Cal Jennings’ sister who has been in rehabilitation after having her benign brain tumor removed.
- Please keep several friends and other family members in prayer for their trials and tribulations. They have each requested to remain anonymous for the time being.
Several who are having money issues.
There are a few who are having chronic ongoing health issues.
One who is continually suffering from loneliness that keeps them from peace and patience.
One cousin who is having a great many issues in their family, including two suffering cancer, other family issues especially difficult include several diagnoses that are a lot to process for them.
- Pray for those who have suffered from violent events, that they heal and do not have scarred psyches and that those who have lost their loved ones to violence find peace in the face of fear.
- Pray for comfort and solace to be shared with those who have said farewell to a loved one this week, known or unknown.
- Be thankful for each day we live as we do not know what
tomorrow brings.
- Pray for our nations that the voice of God be heard through the Spirit.
- Pray for our friends and families that their tomorrows bring blessings and
pray our own be the same.
- Pray for those suffering as a result of the terrors that have occurred just this past week around this world.
- Pray for those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of faith and hope.
- Pray for our sick and wounded that they may heal.
Prayer: Father in heaven, our prayer today on this beautiful Sunday is to have the Holy Spirit bring patience, peace, faith, hope, and unconditional love to the hearts, minds, spirits, and souls of friends, family, and colleagues in this world. We pray for patience for several who are on personal prayer lists lately. We pray for relief from natural disasters around this world. We pray for our hungry and homeless in this world, that they find housing and healthy food to eat. We pray for those who are suffering the devastation of war and the destruction that follows it. We pray for honesty and humility to be heard from our leading officials around this world. For each of these we pray in Your Holy Name, through our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: The Doxology https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQUTvMtUhw4
Sermon: Today we are continuing our study of the ninth chapter in the scroll of Romans. Paul does a whole lot of referencing in this week’s reading. He references the Torah, poetic scrolls, and more in this excerpt of the ninth chapter to the church at Rome. There is a lot that needs to be shared, so we will begin where we left off last week.
Romans 9:9 KJV –For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
NIV –For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”
We have spoken about God’s promises many, many times in our sermons. In this world, past, present, and future, promises have, and will continue to hold weight in life. Promises made, kept, or broken influence every single person in good or bad ways, both. We have seen this in historical events and in life in general around this world. The promises that endure are those founded in a purely divine nature. All of God’s promises have borne fruit, and this is just one of those Paul references and adds to with the words from his pupil, the gospel writer Luke.
Genesis 18:10 KJV – And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
NIV – Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.
Acts 5:38 KJV – And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
NIV – Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
God’s promises are something we often wonder about. If He kept so many promises, why then is this world in such dire straits? God’s promises are different from the human version. He isn’t here to rescue us from our mistakes. He is here to offer guidance and an opportunity to learn from those mistakes. That’s why Jesus died for us and rose to ensure eternal life. He didn’t wipe the potential for sin away. The seven troubles have existed since the earliest days of humanity, and it would take much, much, more than we individually could ever manage to reverse that potential. It’s the reason we have to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and then follow His path from that moment where we accept, to pursue faith in a pure and steadfast way. There are so many who have had to go through those epiphany moments before they understand what God has been trying to teach them. Here is another one of those moments as shared by Paul to the church at Rome.
Romans 9:10 KJV – And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
NIV – Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac.
There are so many stories that could fill any sermon about Paul’s letter to Rome. This one is significant to provide us understanding of God’s divine nature, and His insistence on honesty. In this world we have a saying “honesty is the best policy”. Yet, how often do we stick to this ideal? So many of us have become accustomed to whitewashed truth that we often can’t see the truth even if it is right in front of us. Jacob provides us with a sliver of understanding. Jesus adds to this with one of His many parables shared in the Gospel of Luke as well.
Genesis 29:21-23 KJV – And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
NIV – Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.” So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.
Luke 16:26 KJV – And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
NIV – And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
If you have ever seen huge spaces between where you are and where you want to be, much like it is from one side of a river to another, or a canyon, or even an ocean, the distances may not seem all that big, but traversing them can be difficult and potentially seem to be impossible. This is something Paul portrays next.
Romans 9:11 KJV – (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)
NIV – Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand:
Paul is speaking about the birth of one of the most well-known twins in Scripture, Jacob and Esau. There is a lot to be learned in how differently the pair were viewed. Here we see additions to that with David’s words and added to with Paul’s letter to Ephesus.
Psalm 51:5 KJV – Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
NIV – Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Ephesians 1:11 KJV – In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
NIV – In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Ephesians 2:3 KJV – Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
NIV – All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
Paul never fails to draw significant questions from his congregations. He wants them to ask questions. He wants us to ask questions. If we don’t learn how to ask questions, we cannot grow. What does Jesus want us to do? What does God want us to do? They want us to grow our faith from that mustard seed to the entire field and beyond! This is the significance of that here.
Romans 9:12 KJV – It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
NIV – not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
Choosing sides, as is realized and recognized by the story of Jacob and Esau. We see this in the portrait that God has of this huge development of a divided nation, as is shown here.
Genesis 25:22-23 KJV – And the children
struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And
she went to enquire of the Lord.
And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of
people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger
than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
NIV – The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.”
We will add to this with the words Jesus shared in the gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 6:24 KJV – No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
NIV – “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
This is one of those parables that is often paraphrased in this world, even today. You can’t serve two masters. There are a great many reasons that we can’t hoard physical things, like money, power, all that, and also be one hundred percent faithful to God through our Savior Jesus Christ. If the first thing you think of is money, stature, power, then your heart, mind, spirit, and soul, are not fixed toward Jesus and Salvation. That’s the hardest part for us to realize and recognize in our lives. It is also one of the most difficult to maintain because so often we are “I wish I could be” or “Why can’t I be” things, positions, ideals, and so forth in this world. Much like the conundrum for Jacob was between Jacob and Esau, and their mothers, we are at a crossroads in our spiritual lives if we don’t focus purely on our faith as opposed to this worldly place where we live.
Romans 9:13 KJV – As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
NIV – Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
The hardest part of life is accepting we are here for a reason and in a situation for a reason. We may not understand the reasons behind our being in a specific place at a specific time, but God has a reason for it. That moment we realize God is in control is when we should be more than willing to allow God to take the reins in our lives and give it all to Him through our Saving Grace, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We see this in these words from the prophet Malachi and also our Savior’s words as recorded in the gospel of Mark.
Malachi 1:2-3 KJV – I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
NIV – “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”
Mark 12:10 KJV – And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
NIV – Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
Righteousness and unrighteousness, we hear a lot about this. What is it to be righteous? Being righteous is being morally upright or justifiable. Paul asks a rhetorical question in this next verse. Yet, it is a question we have heard off and on throughout our lifetimes and often throughout history. We often hear the word “self-righteous”. That’s the wrong type of righteousness, as this next verse proves.
Romans 9:14 KJV – What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
NIV – What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all!
Everything happens for a reason. This is also something we hear in sermons around the world. Yet, it is a truthful point of view. We see this in the viewpoints of historical and poetic authors in the Old Testament and in the words of our Savior Jesus Christ in the gospel of Luke.
2 Chronicles 19:7 KJV –Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
NIV –Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”
Job 34:10 KJV – Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
NIV – “So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.
Psalm 92:15 KJV – To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
NIV – proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”
Luke 20:16 KJV – He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
NIV – He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”
People don’t always want to hear the truth because sometimes truth hurts. The thoughts shared by the people toward what Jesus spoke in this last verse proves it quite clearly. Paul wants us to recognize that perfection is a difficult state to maintain on a constant basis. He adds to that with this thought on faith and mercy.
Romans 9:15 KJV – For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
NIV – For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Paul again references the Torah. This time he focuses on the scroll of Exodus.
Exodus 33:19 KJV – And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
NIV – And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
Exodus 34:6-7 KJV – And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
NIV – And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
Mercy is something we hear from Jesus quite a lot. Paul, as one of the twelve Apostles, also portrayed mercy quite often. We see it here in this next verse to the church at Rome.
Romans 9:16 KJV – So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
NIV – It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
God’s mercy provides a portrait for each of us. Paul wants us to see beyond words in his letters. He wants us to see truth as designated by God’s voice through our Savior Jesus Christ. Here we are seeing the two sides of truth as shared by the devil that is Satan and by our Savior Jesus Christ in the gospel of Matthew here.
Matthew 4:8 KJV – Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
NIV – Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
Matthew 11:27 KJV – All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
NIV – “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Paul then adds to this with references to his letters to Galatians and Ephesus.
Galatians 2:2 KJV – And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
NIV – I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. I wanted to be sure I was not running and had not been running my race in vain.
Ephesians 2:8 KJV – For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
NIV – For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—
God has never shirked a challenge. He proved it when He was challenged by Pharaoh back in the scroll of Exodus as written by Moses. God again proves it to King David, first king of the Jews. He adds to that with the writing from the prophet Isaiah as well.
Romans 9:17 KJV – For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
NIV – For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Paul is like all the Apostles who wrote their own views in their time teaching the people in the earliest Christian churches. He wants to have people understand that the history of the world as shared through Scripture fits everyone, not just the Jews who wrote the earliest scrolls, but everyone, Jew and Gentile, from the beginning and on through to the end of life as we know it. These three references are just part of that comparison.
Exodus 9:16 KJV – And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
NIV – But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
Psalm 76:10 KJV – Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
NIV – Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.
Isaiah 19:12 KJV – Where are they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.
NIV – Where are your wise men now? Let them show you and make known what the Lord Almighty has planned against Egypt.
Knowledge and wisdom when it comes to developing our faith is only one aspect to understand. Faith isn’t driven by knowledge. In fact, it is the opposite. Knowledge and wisdom in the gospel and the Word of God is driven by faith. Mercy is a product of faith. Paul shares this connection here.
Romans 9:18 KJV – Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
NIV – Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
There are a great many things we have to pay attention to when it comes to how we look at history and faith in development. It takes a lot for us to understand that faith is something we have to continue to feed our experiences into. If you don’t share, express, or offer growth to your faith, then your spiritual self will suffer for it. This is something that Paul reflects on through historical references to the Torah scroll of Exodus here.
Exodus 4:21 KJV – And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
NIV – The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
Exodus 7:3 KJV – And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
NIV – But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt,
Exodus 9:12 KJV – And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.
NIV – But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.
Exodus 10:1 KJV – And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:
NIV – Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them
Exodus 10:27 KJV – But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.
NIV – But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go.
Exodus 11:10 KJV – And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
NIV – Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.
Paul’s next question is something we need to spend time and reflect upon. It’s the reason God decided I was to stop this sermon after this line and the connecting verses to it.
Romans 9:19 KJV – Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
NIV – One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?”
Paul references the historical and poetic scrolls of Scripture with this one. He does this to help us connect past to present and the reason we ask questions requires our study of history as much as our knowledge of present day events. Regardless of age, education, or experience, answering questions is important for all of us in life. These are the references Paul portrays.
2 Chronicles 20:6 KJV –And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?
NIV –and said: “Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.
Job 9:12 KJV – Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
NIV – If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
Isaiah 29:16 KJV – Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
NIV – You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”?
Daniel 4:35 KJV – And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
NIV – All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”
Paul then adds to this series of references with one from his first letter to Corinth.
1 Corinthians 15:35 KJV –But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
NIV –But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”
There is so much Paul is working toward conveying in his letter to the Romans. It was so very important to him because going from many gods to the One True God is no easy task. Every Christian has their own, individual, journey of faith. We just do so collectively in one place, church. Bring your faith out to the open with others beyond that setting. Bring your faith to where it is easily seen. If you feel the desire to profess your faith in Jesus Christ today, please feel free to leave a note with this post and I’ll answer you as soon as possible. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us saying:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: Precious Lord, Take My Hand ~ Mahalia Jackson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYUwO6_lysw
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
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Evangelist Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright ©circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press, The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2023 http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries is not to exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is created through fear together as the bringers of the light of Jesus found in the midst of darkness.
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