Paul’s journey from persecutor to apostle eventually brings him face to face with King Agrippa. As Paul stands in chains before a man who appears to have all the power, he turns the courtroom into an opportunity to tell the king about Jesus. This sermon follows Paul’s remarkable journey and challenges us to consider what we will do with Jesus when our own opportunity comes.
After the triumph of Romans 8, Paul turns to a heartbreaking question: what about Israel? In this study of Romans 9, we begin with Paul's deep personal sorrow — he wished he could be cut off from Christ if it meant Israel could be saved. We tackle some of the most challenging questions in this chapter: Did God's word fail? Is God unrighteous for choosing Jacob over Esau? What does it mean that He hardens whom He wills? We see that these are matters of national election, not individual predestination, and that God is both sovereign and just in accomplishing His purpose. The lesson closes with the sobering contrast between Gentiles who received mercy and Jews who stumbled over the very Stone God had laid.
