"Is God Fair"-Romans 9:10-24

     When the rich get richer and the poor get poorer,is the God who loves

       the poor fair?...When entire nations like Ethiopia are starving and

       one-half of this world goes to bed hungry every night,Is the God who

       owns the cattle on a thousand hills fair?...When little children are

       wiped out in automobile accidents by drunk drivers and are abused

       by drunken fathers and lazy mothers,is the God who works all

       things out together for our good fair?....When the gospel of Christ is

       the only hope for a lost world,and yet 2 billion people have never

       heard the name Jesus,Is the God who desires all men to be saved and

       to come to a knowledge of the truth fair?.....When terrorists attack

       America and thousands of innocent lifes are lost,Is the God whom

       Paul described as the God of all comfort fair?....v.14....."Yes".....

       He cannot do that which is not right,or else He would not be God.....

       God is sovereign...bedrock of true biblical theology.....predestination..

       ***a text without a context is a pretex***God is speaking nationally..

        Book of Romans:chpts.1-8:doctrinal....chpts.9-11:nationally...chpts.

        12-16:pratical....not dealing with salvation,but service and with the

        sovereignty of God...

 I-The Sovereign Character of God

   A-His lofty position (Ps. 115:3)

       1-His hand is on the throttle of this universe

    B-His limitless power

       1-if God is completely sovereign,then anything that happens must either

          be caused by Him,or permitted by Him

       2-should not argue with the sovereignty of God (v.21)

          a-degrades the nature of God

             b-denies the wisdom of God

             c-defies the power of God

           3-don't understand it all! (v.17-20)

        4-speaking about God's power and God's authority

           a-all other power is lesser power

            5-good and evil are not equal(God and Satan)******

  II-The Sovereign Choice of God (v.9-13)

     1-the choice of Jacob over Esau goes back to a choice made before Jacob was

         born...Abraham,Jacob's grandfather,had a son Ishmael by his handmaiden

         Hagar...But God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son of their own.......

       2-Gen. 17:18-19 - - - - choice of Isaac was made before Issac was born......

          before Abraham was born!!!...in eternity past!*******

       3-(v.13):Lk.14:26-33 *****

       4-does God hate the Arab?..no!...favor is upon the Jew! ..Deut.7:7-8

  III-The Sovereign Control of God (v.17-24)

     1-20 times in Exodus we are told that the heart of Pharaoh was hardened

       2-10 times:hardened his own heart...10 times God hardened Pharaoh's

           heart....Ex.3:19-"And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you

           go,no,not by a mighty hand."

        3-rotten,sinful,rebellious,hardened heart ...II Thes. 2:9-12 - - - - -

        4-if you are determined to believe a lie,God will let you!

        5-Rom.9:17

        6-disobedience...denial...deception...delusion..destruction...Israel's deliverance!

        7-God will get glory!

        8-God is fair because God is God!

        9-***Cowboy-doctor..health insurance..any accidents the previous year?

           ...bitten by a rattlesnack and kicked in the head by a horse,but no

              accidents...Oh,no.They did it on purpose!!!

         10-disappointments are only His appointments!!

     close:God is God!