The depth of God's wisdom and knowledge is beyond human comprehension, reminding us that His ways are not our ways. This calls us to trust in His divine plan, even when we cannot see the full picture. Our faith is strengthened when we acknowledge that God's wisdom surpasses human reasoning. In moments of uncertainty, we are invited to lean on the assurance that God knows what is best for us, even when it defies our understanding. This trust is not blind but rooted in the recognition of God's infinite wisdom and love for His creation. [01:40]
"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" (Romans 11:33, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a situation in your life where you struggle to understand God's plan. How can you actively choose to trust in His wisdom today, even when the path seems unclear?
Day 2: Embracing the Mystery of God's Judgments
God's judgments are unsearchable, and His ways are inscrutable because of the profound depth of His wisdom. This teaches us to rely on divine revelation rather than our limited understanding. It is a call to humility, recognizing that God's ways are higher than our ways. In a world that often demands answers and clarity, embracing the mystery of God's judgments can be challenging. Yet, it is in this mystery that we find the opportunity to grow in faith and reliance on God, trusting that His plans are ultimately for our good and His glory. [02:51]
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8, ESV)
Reflection: Consider an area of your life where you have been seeking answers. How can you practice humility and embrace the mystery of God's judgments in this situation?
Day 3: Revering God's Incomparable Nature
No one can add to God's wisdom or give Him anything that He does not already possess. This highlights God's self-sufficiency and sovereignty, reminding us that He is the source of all things. Our response should be one of awe and reverence for His majesty. Recognizing God's incomparable nature invites us to worship Him not only for what He does but for who He is. It challenges us to shift our focus from our own abilities and limitations to the boundless greatness of God. [04:29]
"Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel?" (Isaiah 40:13, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you tried to rely on your own strength. How can you shift your focus to God's sovereignty and self-sufficiency today?
Day 4: Living for God's Glory
Everything originates from God, is sustained through Him, and exists for His glory. This truth reorients our perspective, encouraging us to live for God's glory rather than our own. It is a reminder that our lives have purpose and meaning in relation to God's eternal plan. By aligning our lives with God's purpose, we find fulfillment and joy in serving Him. This perspective challenges us to evaluate our priorities and actions, ensuring they reflect our commitment to glorifying God in all we do. [05:18]
"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:36, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you can intentionally live for God's glory. What practical steps can you take to align this area with His purpose?
Day 5: Responding to the Call to Glorify God
The ultimate conclusion of Paul's argument is that all glory belongs to God. This doxology invites us to worship and glorify God for His immeasurable greatness. It challenges us to live lives that reflect His glory, acknowledging that He is the beginning and end of all things. Our response to this call is not just in words but in actions that demonstrate our devotion and gratitude to God. By living a life that glorifies God, we become a testament to His greatness and a light to those around us. [05:49]
"To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate acts of worship and service into your daily routine to glorify God? What changes can you make to ensure your life reflects His glory?
Sermon Summary
In Romans 11:33-36, Paul concludes his profound theological discourse with a doxology that exalts the depth of God's wisdom, knowledge, and riches. This passage serves as a reminder of the vastness and inscrutability of God's ways, which are beyond human comprehension. The structure of this passage reveals a logical progression that begins with the acknowledgment of God's infinite depth and culminates in the declaration of His eternal glory. The depth of God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge is the foundation for understanding why His judgments are unsearchable and His ways inscrutable. This is because no one can add to God's wisdom or give Him anything that He does not already possess. Everything originates from Him, is sustained through Him, and ultimately exists for His glory. Therefore, all glory belongs to God alone.
The passage challenges us to recognize our limitations in understanding God's ways and to trust in His divine wisdom. It invites us to marvel at the grandeur of God's plan, which is beyond our finite minds. This doxology is not just a conclusion to a theological argument but a call to worship and glorify God for His immeasurable greatness. As we reflect on these truths, we are encouraged to approach God with humility, acknowledging that all we have and all we are is from Him, through Him, and to Him.
Key Takeaways
1. sufficiency and sovereignty, reminding us that He is the source of all things. Our response should be one of awe and reverence for His majesty. [04:29] 4. The Origin and Purpose of All Things: Everything originates from God, is sustained through Him, and exists for His glory. This truth reorients our perspective, encouraging us to live for God's glory rather than our own. It is a reminder that our lives have purpose and meaning in relation to God's eternal plan.
5. The Call to Glorify God: The ultimate conclusion of Paul's argument is that all glory belongs to God. This doxology invites us to worship and glorify God for His immeasurable greatness. It challenges us to live lives that reflect His glory, acknowledging that He is the beginning and end of all things.
What does Paul mean by the "depth of the riches, wisdom, and knowledge of God" in Romans 11:33? How does this depth relate to the unsearchable nature of God's judgments? [01:40]
In Romans 11:34-35, Paul quotes from the Old Testament. What is the significance of these quotes in understanding God's wisdom and self-sufficiency? [04:14]
How does Paul describe the relationship between all things and God in Romans 11:36? What does it mean for all things to be "from Him, through Him, and to Him"? [05:18]
What is the ultimate conclusion Paul reaches in Romans 11:36b, and how does it relate to the rest of the passage? [05:49]
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Interpretation Questions:
How does the depth of God's wisdom and knowledge challenge our understanding of His plans and judgments? In what ways does this call us to trust in His divine plan? [01:40]
What does it mean for God's judgments to be unsearchable and His ways inscrutable? How should this influence our reliance on divine revelation over human reasoning? [02:51]
How does the concept of God's self-sufficiency, as highlighted in Romans 11:34-35, affect our view of His sovereignty and our relationship with Him? [04:29]
In what ways does the truth that everything originates from God, is sustained through Him, and exists for His glory reorient our perspective on life and purpose? [05:18]
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Application Questions:
Reflect on a time when you struggled to understand God's plan in your life. How can acknowledging the depth of God's wisdom help you trust Him more in similar situations? [01:40]
How can you cultivate a sense of humility in your daily life, recognizing that God's ways are higher than your own? What practical steps can you take to rely more on divine revelation? [02:51]
In what areas of your life do you find it challenging to acknowledge God's sovereignty and self-sufficiency? How can you shift your perspective to see Him as the source of all things? [04:29]
Consider how you can live for God's glory rather than your own. What specific actions can you take this week to align your life with the truth that everything exists for His glory? [05:18]
How does the call to glorify God in all things challenge your current lifestyle and priorities? What changes can you make to ensure that your life reflects His glory? [05:49]
Think of a situation where you were tempted to rely on your own understanding rather than trusting in God's inscrutable ways. How can you remind yourself to seek His wisdom in future decisions? [02:51]
Identify one area in your life where you can intentionally acknowledge God's ownership and sovereignty. How will this acknowledgment change your approach to that area? [05:18]
Sermon Clips
oh the depth and that word o really is there in the greek oh it's like you can't get any deeper oh the depth of the riches wisdom and knowledge of god how unsearchable are his judgments how inscrutable are his ways for who has known the mind of the lord or who has been his counselor or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid for from him and through him and to him are all things to him be glory forever amen [00:01:28]
now how unsearchable are his judgments follows from their depth right the reason that they're unsearchable and inscrutable is because of how deep they are so this is like a therefore so i'm gonna therefore it takes you up in the argument these things are the basis of this you draw a little pedestal here it's supporting verse 33 [00:02:44]
because the old testament these are these are quotes here now from job and isaiah because god's word says no one adds can add to his wisdom or knowledge right is that what that is for who has known the mind of the lord or who has been his counselor answer nobody you can't counsel the lord he counsels you you don't teach him he teaches you you can't add anything to him [00:03:57]
so the riches that are so deep are supported by the fact that nobody has ever given a gift to god that he might be repaid because god already owns everything no one gives to god so as to enrich him or make him a beneficiary of their generosity everything i almost jumped the gun because for from him through him and to him are all things [00:04:43]
all things from he's the origin through he sustains them all too he's the reason for them all and that's given as a ground for why nobody can give anything to god nobody can add any knowledge to god because all the things that we have are already from him through him and to him he owns them already [00:05:22]
therefore highest point in the argument 36b glory to god to him be glory forever now here's the way i look at this i'm going to draw a dotted line from level 33 over here and a dotted line like this a dotted line like this and a dotted line like this because this this this this this our five levels this is level one [00:05:49]
god's riches and wisdom oops i meant to put knowledge here i repeated it god's riches and wisdom and knowledge are infinitely deep oh the depth therefore level two his ways and judgment cannot be traced out by human mind without divine revelation the reason i say it like that is because he did lead us part way into tracing out god's strange ways in verses i mean in chapters 9 to 11 [00:07:10]
because these judgments we know cannot be traced out because the word of god says nobody can add anything to his wisdom or knowledge and no one can add anything to his riches and the reason it gives level four for why we can't is because all the knowledge we have and all the riches we have indeed all that exists is from him and through him and to him [00:07:38]
the knowledge of god is very deep oh how deep it is therefore how unsearchable are his judgments and inscrutables ways because no one has known the mind of the lord or added anything to his knowledge or no one has given him a gift that he should ever be repaid because he because because down here he he owns everything he owns everything [00:08:33]
this is this is deeper he's everything is very deep and therefore he owns everything everything is his all things are from him and through him and to him and now therefore to him be glory forever and ever so i commend to you with a paragraph like this in particular as you trace it out break it into these propositions notice the connections [00:09:01]
what matters in teaching and preaching is not that you go phrase by phrase you can go from the back to the front from the front to the back you could start in the middle here somewhere and work in both directions it doesn't matter be creative in the way you teach and preach what matters is that you get this logic right because the whole world hangs on it and the glory of god [00:09:48]