If there is one hinderance to the furtherance of the gospel and the growth of the Church, it is that the average Christian simply is not in awe or amazement of God. We undervalue His grace. We are underwhelmed by His glory. To us, in our common language, everything from cars to tacos can be declared awesome. Go into a museum and you’ll be in wonder of sculptures, painting, artifacts, and exhibits. Enter into the sanctuary of your local church and you’ll hardly bat an eye. Look up at the cross, the baptistry, the Lord’s Table, or the pulpit and you’ll be unphased. Granted, those things are not God, yet they are the way in which God speaks and administers His grace to us. Sing amazing grace but don’t dare let anyone around you think that you are actually amazed or impressed by it. All of this comes down to the fact that we do the opposite of what the Bible says. 2 Cor. 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Instead, we walk by sight and not by faith. Because of this, we are only in wonder, awe, and amazement at creation and not the Creator. We overestimate our own abilities. We are overwhelmed by the temporary problems of life. We are overly concerned with our own preferences. We overvalue our manmade programs and procedures. Simply put, we are amazed at ourselves but not so much God. We have made life about us. We have made church about us. We have made God’s mission about us. We have like Lucifer and our Father Adam sought to be like the most high but instead we have marred our image and thoughts of God.
Until the Church of Jesus Christ is moved by His majesty, we will fail at accomplishing the mission that He has given us. We are more motivated by our own good, greed, or glory that we are the grace and glory of God. Once we are overwhelmed and overtaken by God’s grace and glory then and only then will we see the fruit that we claim we desire. The Church of Jesus Christ must be overwhelmed, overtaken, and absolutely obsessed by His grace and glory if we are ever going to give Him the glory that He deserves in our lives, both privately and corporately. God has entrusted us with His grace and glory in our union with Jesus Christ and His Church. As God continues to build His Church as He promised, we can rest assured that He is doing His part, but the question remains, are we? We accomplish little work for God because we know very little wonder of Him. Worship must begin and end with awe and adoration of God. Worship that doesn’t begin and end with wonder isn’t worship. All the church work in the world without the wonder of God will accomplish noting but the building of our own kingdoms which will fall as quickly as we build them. The reality that we must come to today is that a church that isn’t in wonder of God’s glory will not be active in the work of God for His glory. Witnessing to others without a true sense of wonder of God’s glory and the gospel is like recommending a restaurant that didn’t impress you to someone else. The impression that you make on others is the fruit of your impression of God.
Today’s passage is Rom. 11:33-36 which says, “33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” We will only focus on verses 33-35 as we see the wonder of it all. This passage is one of the deepest, highest, and widest passages in all the Bible. It is like a seed in its size, but like a seed in its impact that it reaches down, up, and out. These verses in Romans serve as a bridge between the towering theological treatise of chapters 1-11 and the outworking of the doctrine in our practical living in chapters 12-16. We are about to begin a series that will cover chapters 12-16 as we seek to continue to be obedient to God’s desire for our lives and the life of the church. Rom. 11:33-36 is a pause of praise. The Apostle Paul erupts into doxology for the enormous heights of doctrine that have just been traversed. These few verses are the mountain top of systematic theology and practical theology for every believer. The book of Romans is the greatest explanation of the gospel, grace, and glory of God. Such truth however demands application and transformation through living by faith alone. The gospel that has been presented throughout the book shows us our guilt, His grace, for our good, and His ultimate glory. This leads Paul and must lead us to be in absolute wonder of it all. How could God save such sinners? Why would God save rebels and enemies? The gospel is God’s plan for not only for you to learn, but to love and live by. God’s plan is seen in this gospel filled book. His plan is to graciously redeem the guilty through the grace that is in His Son, Jesus Christ, so that He may receive eternal glory through them. The goal of redemption is not merely the good of man, but the glory of God. He works all things for my good, but His glory is my good. As we see the wonder of it all, we will see first, the wonder of God’s glory and then we will see the wonder of the gospel’s grace.
Before we dive in too deep, look with me at the first phrase of Rom. 11:33. “O the depth” shows us the wonder and amazement that the Apostle is experiencing. He can’t help but stop and praise God. He is exclaiming praise and adoration to God for the doctrine that has just been expressed previously. I remember as a child seeing the high dive at our local swimming pool. It must have been 50 feet tall. In all reality, it was nowhere near that big. I would watch as others would climb the ladder and leap off into the bottomless depths of the Olympic sized pool. Such depths of 12 feet from bottom to top. I thought that those were some depths. It amazed and astounded me. How much more should you and I be astonished by the depths of God’s glory and the grace of the gospel. Romans 1-3 show the depths of our guilts while Romans 4-11 show us the depths of His grace. God has saved, is saving, and will save all who come to Him in faith whether Jew or Gentile. It is astounding to think that Israel’s unbelief was for our benefit and now we the Church provoke them to jealousy and God will one day redeem them as well. After all of these deep truths are explained, Paul can’t help but exalt Jesus Christ for who He is, what He has done, is doing, and will do. There is a whole theology in that word “O.” Everything in our life begins with such a child like faith of being in wonder of it all.
Let’s first be in wonder of God’s wealth. How much money would it take for you to say “wow!”? I remember when I was working as a bank teller and how amazed I was to see a safe or drawer full of cash. To me, the $10,000 or more in my drawer was incredible at first. Then, one day, I got to help count the vault with almost 2 million in it. It was underwhelming. I thought for sure that millions of dollars would take up more space. How much does God have in His vault? Could you count His wealth? Of course not. We could spend eternity counting the vault filled with the riches of His grace and glory and never come to an end. The riches of God are as infinite as every other attribute that He possesses. The depth of the riches of God are found in the depths of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Eph. 1:7 says, “7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” Eph. 1:18 says, “18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,” Then, Philippians 4:19-20 agree, “19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” We should be in wonder of the wealth that Jesus has in His possession but also in wonder of the wealth that He has bestowed on His own. The depth of these riches reminds us that God has all resources needed for us to live for His glory. As Hudson Taylor once said, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.” We don’t have to worry if God will run out of supply. His infinite riches are our future inheritance but also the resources that we need for immediate use. As a child, my family would sometimes drive through the “rich neighborhood.” We would be in awe of some of these mansions (or so they seemed). Well, my friend, the wealth and mansions of Jesus are far superior to any other. God is so rich that He owns the world and all that is in it. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Be in wonder of the wealth of God’s glory and grace.
Second, let’s be in wonder of God’s wisdom. Rom. 11:33 exclaims “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” Knowledge is the possession of the facts of reality. It is knowing something that can be known. God knows all things. He has never learned. He has never forgotten information. He has accounted for everything in the history of the universe and sees everything in the present tense. A.W. Pink writes, “God is omniscient. He knows everything: everything possible, everything actual; all events, all creatures, of the past, the present, and the future.” God is a true know it all. This is both comforting and convicting. When we realize how little we actually know in comparison to God we can’t help but be in wonder of His wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to judge and act rightly based upon factual reality. Only God has true wisdom and any knowledge or wisdom that we have comes from Him. God not only knows everything, but He knows it perfectly and completely. Only God knows the true reality of all things without bending reality. This is perfectly described in one of Job’s replies to his friends in Job 12 which declares God to be filled with wisdom and knowledge. Let’s apply this thought. We must be in wonder of God’s wisdom because He accounted for every sin, struggle, or season of life for everyone that has ever lived. In His wisdom, He planned His self-revelation through creation, the covenants, the cross, the church, and the coming consummation day. There is nothing in your life that is unaccounted for. There is not one molecule in the universe that God doesn’t know as intimately as the rest. We can celebrate the wisdom of God because it has brought down the wise and lifted up us fools. 1 Cor. 1:19-29 says,
“19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
Third, let’s be in wonder of His works. We must ponder and be in wonder at “how unsearchable are His judgments.” The judgments of God are His decisions and includes His decisive acts. He alone has the riches of wisdom and knowledge to judge rightly. God only does that which is right. He never judges or acts incorrectly. Because of His perfect wisdom, we can trust that His works are perfect. God never does anything contrary to His nature or His will. The works of God are unsearchable in that they can’t be fully searched out or understood by human minds. The works of God throughout redemptive history are fully expressed in the person and work of Jesus Christ. However, while we may know Him, we can’t explain Him fully. John Wesley wrote, “Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can comprehend the Triune God.” I can hardly wrap my brain around my own decisions and decisive acts, let alone wrap my mind around the works of God. However, the wonder of His works is that through His wealth, wisdom, and works He reveals Himself to us, redeems us and reconciles us to Himself through Jesus Christ. In the context of the passage, we are reminded that we should be in absolute wonder that He is not done with national Israel and that there is one united Body and Bride of Christ made up of Jew and Gentile alike. To think of all that God has done, is doing, and will do is monumental. God does more in one second than we could do in a lifetime.
Fourth, let’s be in wonder of God’s ways. The ways of God are “past finding out!” The “ways” of God includes His will both permissive and providential. God’s ways are not our ways, meaning that we wouldn’t do things how He does them. Once you think you have God figured out then you find out you don’t. The phrase “past finding out” means that it can’t be traced. The original meaning of the word had an illustrative sense of a hunter searching for tracts of his prey. God’s ways can’t be assumed or fully found out. Just when we think He is going one way, boom, He goes another. We may not always understand the purpose of His ways, but His ways are always with purpose. Psalm 145:17 says, “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” God’s ways are deeper, higher, and wider than we can ever imagine. His ways include our salvation, sanctification, and glorification. His ways and dealings with man stem from His infinite wealth, wisdom, and works that are holy, right, and glorious. If we are impressed with the way that animals live and thrive, how much more should we be in wonder of the ways of God.
The Apostle continues his exuberant praise by asking several rhetorical questions that drive home the point of verse 33 and 36. Rom. 11:34-35 asks, “34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” The resounding answer to all of these questions is “NOBODY!” There is no one who knows God’s mind, gives Him counsel, or who is owed anything from God. Both of these verses are Old Testament quotations. The quotations include Isa. 40:13; Jer. 23:18; Job 36:22; 41:11. We must be in wonder of God’s wealth, wisdom, works, and ways. Life is wonderful and meant to be in wonder of our God. This wonder that we should experience when we consider God should motivate us to glorify Him in our wealth, wisdom, works, and ways.
We have seen the wonder of God’s glory, but now to wrap this passage up, we must be in wonder of the Gospel’s grace. The book of Romans is an explanation of the gospel of our salvation and gives the exhortations to live accordingly (which we will cover in Rom. 12-16). The gospel of Jesus Christ graciously reveals to us God’s wealth, wisdom, works, and ways in the person and work of Christ. Those who have believed on Christ now have access to Him and now can enjoy a grace-filled life. The gospel is wonderful and should cause those of us who have known Jesus for days or decades to be in awe of His grace found in the gospel message. The gospel is the good news of Jesus’ substitutionary, satisfactory and sufficient death, burial, and resurrection. The gospel offers us the grace of God and overwhelms us with the glory of God in Christ.
In relation to what we have covered already about God’s glory, let’s follow the same pattern for seeing the Gospel’s grace. The gospel graciously reveals and offers the wealth of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice to all who believe. You may be poor on earth, but if you know Christ then you are eternally rich. The wealth of God is found in the grace of the gospel, for the gospel itself is the brightest diamond of grace. It is the gospel that tells us that Jesus became poor for us so that we might be made rich (See 2 Cor. 8:9). The gospel as well reveals God’s wisdom to us. As we saw in 1 Cor. 1:19-29, God’s wisdom is seen most clearly and magnificently in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Only God could wisely plan redemption and execute it to the fullest. Only God could wisely unite Jew and Gentiles to one another in Christ. Only God in His wisdom could save a people by the gospel to then go and be proclaimers of the gospel of grace. Furthermore, the gospel is God’s greatest work that dispenses His grace and displays His glory. We should be in wonder every time we hear the truth of the gospel proclaimed as we are reminded of God’s effectual work for our eternal good. It was undeserved and unearned. It is all of grace. It is all for His glory. The gospel as well shows us the ways of God are not like man’s. Man chooses religion and self-righteousness to save, but neither can save. All the academic knowledge of God can’t save or sanctify. It must be an actual knowledge of faith and fellowship by His grace in the gospel. The gospel declares our ways wrong, and God’s ways right. However, the gospel also shows us and leads us down the narrow way as we follow Christ in this life. We can’t separate God’s glory and the Gospel’s grace. God’s grace and glory are inseparable in Jesus. They are who He is. Jesus is God’s grace and glory personified. Jesus is God’s wealth, wisdom, works, and ways.
When is the last time that you were in awe? Of anything? Now, when was the last time that you were in awe of God. We should be in a place of wonder as we hang on every letter of His Word. We should wonder as we see His grace and glory on every page of scripture. We should be filled with wonder as we enter into His presence with His people. We should be filled with wonder when the Word is preached. We should be filled with wonder when we sing together as we worship in spirit and truth. Wonder should fill our minds and hearts to motivate our hands to work for His glory and the good of the Church. I wonder, are you in wonder of it all? If you are unmoved by His grace and glory seen in the gospel, then there is a heart problem. Dear child of God, how long will you be unimpressed and unchanged by the old, old story that should never get old. How can you tell if you are in wonder of it all? You’ll faithfully be in His Word, abide in prayer, be engaged in the life of the church, and sharing the gospel with the world around you. We must be overwhelmed, overtaken, and obsessed with the wonder of it all if we are going to accomplish any work at all. As we pray for the future of our lives and the life of the church, may we bow down in faith with the wonder of it all.
Grow With Pastor Joe 
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