Choose your Rock Romans 9:30-33

• Paul is making a very abrasive statement – very controversial if I may
  
• He is telling this Jews, who believe that they know the law, kept the law and educated others about the law, that them and the Israelites has so much unbelieved that:
  
• That which was primarily theirs is not longer theirs
  
• But that the non -believers now posses it and they are better than Jews in terms of inheritance
  
• It’s an example of the prodigal son, that the son came to his senses and realized that in his fathers’ house, the servants were eating, clothed and secure than he was – all he had to do was return to his father
  
• The Jews has made righteousness something that it wasn’t. They cared more about what was seen on the outside and pretty much disregarded what was on the inside
  
• They were very interested in reading what God was doing than allowing Him to change their lives
  
• On the other hand, the unbelieving world stumbles across the Word and the transformation power of Christ that they believe and are counted righteous.
  
• Sometimes it easier to share the gospel with a non-believer because they have no preset expectations – they take everything for face value
  
• That why the Bible uses the words, adopted to describe us
  
  • Ephesian 1:5 (Nkjv) – just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will
    
  • Galatians 4:5 (Nkjv) – But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born[a] of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
    
  
  
• The adopted child comes into the family with a gratefulness that is rich and full
  
• Love is enough for them – Anything extra is a blessing
  While we who are “Biological children” we have our expectation and dictation of what love looks like
  
• As a child, my Christmas gifts must be from this place, I need to be loved this way, get me this new toy so that I can feel loved
  
• Why? – We make it about us
  
• It becomes what it was not supposed to be. These gifts are a by product of love
  
• But we make it about the created instead of adoring the creator
  
• Matt Redman- The heart of worship
  
  • When the music fades and all is stripped away and I simply come longing just to bring you something of worth
    
  • I’ll bring you more than a song, for a song in itself is not what you require
    
  • You search much deeper within, through the way things appear
    
  • You are looking into my heart
    
  • I am coming back to the heart of worship and it all about you!
    
  • Its all about you Jesus
    
  • I’m sorry Lord for the thing I have made it, when its all about you
    
  • Its all about you Jesus
    
  
  
• Why did the Jews miss it –instead of trusting God, they took over
  
• They were so concerned with what they were doing that they forgot Christ – that which they searched and needed – But they got carried away by their works
  
• They didn’t notice God right in front of their eyes
  
• How many times have been carried away by “good things” vs ‘God’s things”
  
• Romans 9:32-33 – Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, [a]by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. 33 As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
  

The stumbling block

• When I think of the stumbling block, the airport comes to mind – specifically security check
  
• Airport check
  
  • Metal detector at the airport or that 3D scanner
    
  • Do you have any liquids?
    
  • Do you have any weapons or explosives? – Airport security confiscated $5700 firearms in 2021
    
  • You can have all the right travelling document- Look like you are ready on the outside only to be stopped at the gate
    
  • It doesn’t matter who you are, what you are doing there is a check point and you have to pass through it
    
  • My Amsterdam story
    
  • Security check to protect others and the host country or city
    
  
  
• Here we see Jesus being called stumbling block
  
• One that when you come to Him, there will be a comprehensive check – the x-ray machine
  
• What is truly in you will be revealed based on – Not what you want it to be, but preset rules if you identify yourself as a traveler
  
• Acts 9 – Saul is heading to Damascus to persecute Christians – (He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”)
  
• Numbers 22 – Balaam going to curse God people – Donkey speaks
  
• Luke 15 – The prodigal son, thinks that he got it…only that he end up hitting a stumbling block to his plans and soon, he come to his senses
  
• Sin will find you out – expose you
  
• Matthew 10:34-38 Nkjv Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set[a] a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
  

The greatest choice – Choose your Rock

• 1 Peter 2:6-8(NLT) As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”  Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him.[d] But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” And “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.
  
• This is a major choice we need to make
  
• Is Jesus your Corner stone or your stumbling block?
  
• Corner stone
  
  • Isaiah 28:16 – Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,[a] a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.  Whoever believes need never be shaken
    
  • Corner stone – In every building there is a crucial stone
    
  • Its laid first and it ensures that the building is square and stable
    
  • The weight of the entire structure rest
    
  
  
• Jesus is the corner stone, but we have to choose Him as such
  
• I see many people building and they are very good at it …but not on a corner stone, they build on ones that won’t last,
  
• Choose one that will last
  
• One that is set to never change – The same yesterday, today or forever
  
• I have seen it my life where, I build on me – or I start with Christ only to take it over from Him
  
• There has never been a more serious time to go through the security check than now
  
  • Psalms 139:23-24 – Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.
    
  
  

Closing

• Luke 5 Jesus is teaching on Lake Gennesaret, and there he see two boats in the water
  
• He gets into the boat one of them belonging to Simon Peter and continued to teach
  
• Luke 5: 4-7 (NLT) When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”  And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!  A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
  
• Luke 5:8 (NLT) When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man
  

Second chance – John 21

• We see this again, where Simon Peter and 6 others are back to the same spot after Jesus us crucified
  
• Here again, they fished all night – with no catch
  
• John 21:3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.”“We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called out, “Fellows,[c] have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.
  
• Tonight, we have a Stumbling Block of new beginning and of second chances…
  

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