It was really great to have my mom share yesterday on Mother's Day as we reflected on our recent trip to Israel. The first place that stood out to her was the Wailing Wall. It was here as she waited to pray in this most holy place for Jews that she really could sense God's Spirit as she prayed and saw the thousand upon thousands of little papers crammed into the rocks. The next place was the Garden Tomb because here was one place that was so serene and beautiful in the midst of all the chaos all around it. She shared about the power of the tomb to the intricate beauty of all the flowers here and as we came back a second time, it was a wonderful place to meditate on what Jesus had done for us.
Wild Olive Branches!
Romans 9-11
Paul was considered a traitor to the Jewish nation by virtue of the fact that he saw himself as one called to minister to the Gentiles. He had taught freedom from the law of Moses, he had taught in many synagogues and caused a great uproar because of his very own conversion and many still questioned his reputation. In the middle of this great book on our legal standing before God as those who have been grafted into God’s family, Paul wants to make it absolutely clear how strong his feelings are still for the Jewish people who he loved with his life! It would seem like a diversion...after all this book is addressed to the Romans, but he wants to make it crystal clear how we arrived here...on the back of the nation of Israel.
A simple breakdown of these three chapters would be: Israel’s past calling in chapter 9, Israel’s present rejection of Jesus in chapter 10 and her future restoration in chapter 11
Paul’s sold out commitment to Israel 9v1-13
He was so overwhelmed with love for this chosen nation that in his heart if it were possible to be cut off from Christ and cursed so that they could be adopted into God’s family, then so be it. He wants to make it absolutely clear that even though he may be seen as a traitor, a sell out, a good for nothing Jew, the fact of the matter is that his love runs very deep for his Jewish brothers and sisters.
· It all started with Israel. They have the longevity, the history, the covenants. They are the nation as the representation as God’s people. They were given the law directly from God, who spoke the Word and wrote them on tablets of stone. They understood the significance and symbolism of every temple ritual and the prominence of worship in all its purity, beauty and sacrifice. It was God’s Shekinah glory that came over Mount Sinai and rested on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies. It is through this wonderful nation that we trace the roots of our greatest heroes and prophets and the lineage of Jesus Christ. It was the promise of salvation and redemption of the world that has come to us through Israel.
When we toured Israel we travelled with Ran, our tour guide, he was incredibly knowledgeable on the significance of every site for us as Christians as well, but was even more aware of all the deep rooted connections to the Hebrew customs and beliefs. To be honest, at times it felt like TMI, but they know their history, they get it and they know God has His hand on them as a nation even through all the suffering and pain.
· We are part of the new Israel, the new Jerusalem. We are children of the promise.
The character of God 9v14-29
· We serve a merciful God.
There are some very difficult and challenging truths here to grasp about the character of God. It is not easy to understand why the Word states that God will harden hearts. However, having said that we need to know that even in the case of Pharoah, the choice to harden his own heart took place before God stepped in. Pharoah was a wicked man and time and time again was completely unresponsive to the power of God displayed in His life.
It is the hardening of the hearts of this very nation that became our open door to the grace and mercy of God
We also need to take into account the testimony of all of Scripture which tells us that He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth in 2 Peter 3:9
Jesus also made it clear that none of us could have come to the Father unless we were first drawn in by Him. John 6:65
Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” Genesis 18:25
· We serve a God who is incredibly patient.
V24ff As we really wrestle through our understanding of God, the fact of the matter is that we were all destined for destruction. There is nothing good within any of us that would make us pleasing to God except for the finished work of Jesus on the cross in preparing us in advance for His glory.
You say but Pastor Jack aren’t you sidestepping a God who seems to have already made that call. Well again, we need the testimony of all of Scripture and let’s look at how Paul in particular writes about us in Ephesians 2....we were dead in our disobedience and our many sins,
But v4,5 God in so rich in mercy and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
There is no disgrace in being a child of God’s grace v30-33
We move at the end of this chapter from God’s sovereignty to human responsibility
Here are the very hard and difficult lessons about being made right with God
1. It has nothing to do with how good you think you are.
2. It has nothing to do with your heritage
3. You can’t do anything to make yourself more acceptable before God
4. There is absolutely not one iota of earning in your salvation, you can’t read enough, study enough.
Just in case you think its about you and your ability, you don’t come anywhere close to what I saw in Israel. If you think you have done a lot of studying and have lived a pretty upright life, you have got nothing on the Hasidic Jews...they beat you hands down. They have rejected pretty much everything from our modern culture except cell phones...They live in a very close knit community, they study the Word diligently, they pray fervently, they do not wear the latest fashions. They don’t have TVs, internet. They have rejected it all...
Here is the one simple and often ‘unaccepted’ lesson about being made right with God
1. Stop trying and trust in Jesus and you will never be put to shame!
The Plan of God’s Salvation 10v1-13
It is really hard to believe that the majority of the nation of Israel at the time would miss the arrival of their Messiah. For centuries they knew that the law was their ‘schoolmaster’. Everything in their teaching, their faithfulness to the Word would lead them to this realization and yet they rejected Jesus Christ.
WHY?
They felt they were better than this, they didn’t need salvation in the spiritual sense, they want a deliverer in every other part of the way.
They couldn’t separate the Christ who saves from the Christ who will reign and whose second coming will be very different from His first.
They were so zealous for God that they tried to ‘improve’ on God’s laws and so their own man made traditions became stumbling blocks where the real Messiah started healing on the Sabbath...God’s law never forbid us to do good on a holy day, but their additions did.
They were fine with their own ‘man-made’ righteousness...thanks, but no thanks attitude.
So what does Paul do in proclaiming the gospel....the Romans road as some of us have affectionately called it? He showed that it is completely rooted and fulfilled in the OT.
- Romans 10:5 Lev. 18:5
- Romans 10:6 Deut. 30:12
- Romans 10:7 Deut. 30:13
- Romans 10:8 Deut. 30:14
- Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16
- Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32
W. Wiersbe does a great breakdown of the difference between the Law and Faith
Law Righteousness Faith Righteousness
Only for the Jew for whosoever based on works comes by faith alone self righteousness God’s righteousness cannot save brings salvation tries to obey the lord calls on the Lord leads to pride glorifies God
The Plan of God’s Salvation...to be continued! 10v14-17
We have used this passage to propel the movement of missions and it certainly communicates that. However, it has as its first application for the nation of Israel. The only way that unbelieving Jews can be saved is by calling upon the Lord and believing that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is truly the Son of God and the Messiah of Israel.
- Romans 10:15 Isaiah 52:7 - Isaiah used it as a future statement for the return of Christ and the establishing of His glorious reign
- Romans 10:16 Isaiah 53:1
- Romans 10:18 Psalm 19:4
- Romans 10:19 Deut. 32:21
- Romans 10:20 Isaiah 65:1
- Romans 10:21 Isaiah 65:2
The sad reality of Israel’s rejection 10v18-21
The future restoration of Israel 11v1-10
May their table become a snare and a trap – v10 – meaning that their blessings will turn into burdens and judgments. Unfortunately, the very religious practices that were designed to be only a picture being fulfilled in Christ have become their reality and their home. It is the sad reality when people trust more in a ritual or a practice instead of Christ.
We have a vital ministry to Israel to point them to the riches that are found in Christ.
Israel has a future, a fullness that they will one day receive.
In relation to the olive tree...no matter how far they may stray from the truth of God, their roots are still good. They will flourish once again.
- Romans 11:3 1 Kings 19:10,14
- Romans 11:4 1 Kings 19:18
- Romans 11:6 Some manuscripts by grace. But if by works, then it is no longer grace; if it were, work would no longer be work.
- Romans 11:8 Deut. 29:4; Isaiah 29:10
- Romans 11:10 Psalm 69:22,23
The incredible privilege of our position ch 11 v11-24
We cannot for one minute take for granted the incredible opportunity we have been given to be part of the family of God. It has come at an incredible cost to our Lord Jesus, but it has also come more readily to us because of the rejection on the part of the nation of Israel
- Romans 11:27 Isaiah 59:20,21; 27:9; Jer. 31:33,34
- Romans 11:34 Isaiah 40:13
- Romans 11:35 Job 41:11
The Takeaway
Romans 10:9,10
Questions For Discussion
1. What do you believe in the main stumbling block for the Jews who reject Christ as the Messiah?
2. What kind of rituals or practices can we be guilty of resting our confidence in apart from Christ alone?
3. What is God’s plan of salvation? Can you articulate the ‘Romans Road’ including verses from Romans Chapter 3 and 6.
4. How can we show Jews the glorious riches of His grace?
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