Romans 11
Romans • Sermon • Submitted
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· 582 viewsGod has not rejected his people even though they have rejected him. There remains hope for their future even though they currently do not have faith in Christ, and all they need do to realize that hope is to put their faith in Jesus, for God has mercy on all who call on him.
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Introduction
Introduction
Short summary of
Paul had said in that the gospel, the good news of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection was the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
He picked this theme up in by following a line of logic back: to believe one must hear the gospel, to hear one must have the gospel preached to them, to preach one must be sent - and God indeed sends
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few
The conclusion was that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
Paul described the action of calling upon the Lord in two ways
Confessing with the mouth that Jesus is Lord
Believing in the heart that God raised him from the dead
BUT, Israel has not believed - why?
Because they didn’t hear? No.
Because they didn’t understand? No.
Because they were hardened in their pride and sought to earn their way to God by their own merit rather than by his grace.
And he quoted from Isaiah the prophet to describe this:
21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
So now Paul asks a very difficult question: Has God rejected his people?
To put it another way, does a person rejecting God mean that God has rejected them?
If a person has not placed their faith in Christ right now, does that mean God has fully and finally rejected him?
If so, should we give up trying to share the gospel with some people?
The short answer is NO
Are they rejected by God?
All are disobedient, but God has mercy, and that’s the point of the gospel
God has
Should we give up on people because we think they are too far gone?
I. God has not rejected his people
I. God has not rejected his people
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
Romans 11:1
God has not rejected his people because Paul, a Jew, is a Christian
Example of Elijah: God has always been at work preserving a faithful remnant among his people
2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
Paul quotes from the book of Kings
Elijah believed he was the only one left who worshipped God, and God’s response was that he had “kept for himself” seven thousand men.
“Kept for himself” - an act of God’s sovereign purpose
Paul compares this to the present situation where God has likewise preserved a remnant who Paul is among.
The theme of grace again: This remnant is not chosen by anything other than God’s grace - God does not choose people because of their works but because of his grace
Conclusion: Israel has always been divided into “national” Israel and “true” Israel
7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” 9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”
7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” 9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”
7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” 9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”
Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking: reference back to
Israel was seeking a law that would lead to righteousness but didn’t obtain righteousness
Why? Because they pursued it by works instead of by faith
As a result they were hardened, while the “elect” obtained righteousness
Paul then quotes and to describe the hard heartedness of Israel
Israel has been hardened just like the Pharaoh of Egypt was hardened, back in chapter 9
Again, God does not harden people who have not first hardened themselves - people in their hardened state are compromised in their ability to respond to God, but it’s still their responsibility for being in that state
Illustration: student on PCP in college - had no idea what he was doing, but he was still responsible for getting into that state
Despite all of this, God has not rejected them: Not even the ones who are hardened!
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.
II. God used Israel’s rejection of him for good
II. God used Israel’s rejection of him for good
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
Romans 11:1-
Has Israel stumbled in order to fall?
Here, Israel must refer to national Israel: it’s not “remnant” Israel who stumbled
The idea is that a stumble can be recovered from, whereas a fall cannot
Illustration: Running at youth conference and stumbled, tried to catch myself but couldn’t
Israel has NOT stumbled in order to fall, but rather their stumbled is being used by God for good
Israel’s lack of faith has led to salvation for the Gentiles
Two implications:
God is able to work even human lack of faith and human evil toward his good purposes
Salvation in the Gentiles is supposed to make Israel jealous
That means that our faith in Jesus should result in lives and communities that are attractive to others, in this case particularly Jews
Christians have not always lived up to this
Our history is full of people who were horribly anti-semitic
Paul uses two “lesser to greater” arguments
If the lesser thing is good, how much better will the greater thing be!
Their trespass means riches for the world, how much more their full inclusion?
Their rejection means reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?
Illustration of dough and root
Dough is a reference to
A grain offering taken from the first harvest
The cake made from this grain presented to the Lord consecrated the whole batch
Root and branches
The Patriarchs and the covenant God made with them were holy
Therefore, the branches that came off of that root (Israel) are holy
Illustration of olive tree
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.
Warning here not to be arrogant toward Israel
Illustration: Siblings that are smug and arrogant when their sibling is in trouble
We have been joined to the root and now share in its nourishment
God has not chosen a “new” people but has adopted Gentiles into his people
We do not support the root; the root supports us
God’s redemptive plan worked out through Israel has made salvation possible for us
We owe our spiritual existence to Israel, not the other way around
We have only been grafted into this tree by God’s kindness received through faith, and that’s the only way we remain in this tree
The moment we presume that we are in this tree based on anything other than God’s grace received through faith, we have left the gospel
The gospel is not grace + ______; the gospel is grace
Not grace plus “I’m awesome”
Not grace plus work, morality, ethics, intelligence, wisdom
Just grace, received through faith
On this basis, Israel can still be grafted back into this tree through faith
IF they do not continue in their unbelief
Because God is able to graft any branch to any tree he wants
Transition: God has not rejected his people: He has used their rejection of him for good, and is able to regraft them back into his family.
III. There remains future hope for Israel
III. There remains future hope for Israel
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; 27 “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
Romans 11:25-32
Israel’s hardening is only “partial”
It has come upon only part of Israel (Remember, Paul has come to Christ)
It is temporary; until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in”
Full number?
Gentiles as a whole?
Fulfillment of God’s purpose of bringing Gentiles into his kingdom
In this way all Israel will be saved
This cannot refer to only “true” Israel
Israel is vs. 25 “partially hardened Israel” refers undeniably to national Israel
It would be difficult to argue that Paul turns so quickly without indication to use the word in a radically different way in the very next verse
But in what way will “all Israel” be saved?
What we do know:
All Israel doesn’t refer to “each and every single Israelite”
Example from the Mishnah, a written account of the oral teachings of ancient rabbi’s
“All Israelites have a share in the age to come”
But some Israelites don’t - those who deny the resurrection of the dead, and individuals like Balaam and Jeroboam
It refers to the nation as a whole while leaving the possibility of individual exceptions
Paul seems to be saying that the ethnic people of Israel will ultimately have their place in God’s salvation
In the meantime
They are “enemies” in that they do not believe the gospel
Enemies in the sense of objects of God’s wrath and anger
Not our enemies
They are beloved because they are descended from the Patriarchs
God loves Israel as a people group
have not been a separate topic from what Paul has been talking about; they are the culmination of Paul’s treatment on justification by faith.
All have been disobedient
But God has mercy on all, through faith in Jesus Christ
Here “all” refers to all kinds of people, in the sense of both Jew and Gentiles
Which lands us back at the gospel: Sinful humans are justified in the eyes of God by faith in Jesus Christ, who as the one who is both fully human and fully God, lived a perfect life and then offered that life as a sacrificial substitute in our place, so that God’s just wrath would be poured out on sin, while also purchasing salvation for all who place their faith in Jesus.
Conclusion: We worship God for his great wisdom, providence, mercy and sovereignty
Conclusion: We worship God for his great wisdom, providence, mercy and sovereignty
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Paul’s response to all of this is to worship God
In light of his great sovereign power
In light of the riches of his mercy and love
In light of his wisdom and purpose to work even through human evil and lack of faith
In light of the great riches of his mercy and love toward sinners who have nothing to give him
Because all things are from him, through him, and to him
To him belongs glory forever
Transition to communion
We will worship Jesus today first by taking communion and then by a final worship song
The mercy of God is granted to us only because Jesus lived a sinless life and offered it as a substitute for us
If you are a Christian we welcome you to participate in these emblems with us
If you are not a Christian, we ask that you refrain - there is no shame in refraining from this act out of respect for what these symbols mean
Instead, spend this time reflecting on what you have heard today
You can be adopted into the family of God, grafted into this great tree, through faith in Jesus