Hope of the Nations 130317

Romans 15:8-13, For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

In the passage just before this Paul says, "Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." "One another" represents the entire church of God, Jews and Gentiles altogether. We are able to do so because of the sacrifice of Christ. It is hard for us to recognize the suffering that Jesus went through on the cross. His sacrifice started long before that! Jesus, as part of the Godhead, existed eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Then, in the fullness of time, he came into the world as a human being. He left the glory of heaven for the gloom of earth. He left unlimited Godhood to become human and exist forever after as the MAN, Christ Jesus. He did this with a particular purpose in mind: to bring salvation to all those who would respond in faith among the Jews as well as the nations of the world.

In order to do this…

He became a servant of the Jews!

He came to his own people. Listen while I read, John 1:11, He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

The first "his own"refers to property ownership. Jesus, as creator of the universe, came to his own possessions. Not just the land of Israel but the entire world belonged to him. He had the right to claim his property and expel the human race from it! However, that wasn't the plan.

The second "his own" refers to people, not property. So it is correctly translated in the ESV. His own people, descended from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were not ready to receive him. In fact, they were looking for a Messiah but not one who came to serve and to save. They expected a Messiah who would lead them in victory over the Romans reestablishing David's earthly kingdom. However, that wasn't the plan!

From before the beginning of time God had a plan that involved all of the human race. God had the right, in the garden of Eden, to wipe out the human race before it began. As soon as Adam rebelled God had the right to end Adam's life, physical as well as spiritual. But he did not do that! Instead, in the fullness of time, he came to his own property knowing that his own people would reject him.

In line with that…

He limited his ministry. Listen to this story from Matthew 15:21-28, And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

This is a remarkable story! Picture the scene with me. Jesus and his disciples were walking along a road in the region of Tyre and Sidon. There obviously are many Jews there but the population must of been primarily Gentile, or Canaanite! As they were walking along a Canaanite woman came up to him, begging him to have mercy on her. Her daughter was oppressed by a demon. We're not told how this oppression was manifested in the daughter only that the woman described it as severe.

Jesus' answer seems rude in our culture. Instead of giving her help immediately he told her that he was only sent to the house of Israel and it would not be right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs! She was too concerned about her daughter to be offended. She immediately answered, in agreement with him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."

Jesus was so impressed with her great faith that he healed her daughter immediately. It was not her right to receive healing but it was a gift of grace based on her great faith.

He came to his own people…

In order to confirm the promises. Listen to what Paul wrote to the, Galatians 3:16, Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ.

The promises were made to Abraham and his offspring. Offspring is singular and was not referring to many people, as in the Jewish nation. God's plan from the beginning was to bless those who trusted in Christ. God never intended that salvation be limited to one race of people or to one tribe on earth. Hebrews, Chapter 11, makes it very clear that faith is the basis of human relationship to God and always has been. This was a mystery that was not always understood until Jesus came into the world as the Messiah of the Jews and the Savior of the world. Paul was given insight into the mystery and spoke of it in his writings about 20 times. One of those references is…

Ephesians 3:6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

The mystery gives hope to the nations. It was not just that the Gentiles might be saved but also that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the same promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ. One of Paul's greatest battles was to convince the church that the Gentiles were equal to the Jews. As we have seen, earlier in Romans, the descendents of Abraham are not recognized in flesh but in faith. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. This belief occurred long before there was a Jewish nation and before Abraham did anything that can be considered a rule or a law to follow.

Over the centuries the concept of God having a relationship with anyone outside the Jewish nation was lost. By the time Jesus was born man had limited (or tried to limit) relationship with God to those who followed the law of Moses. In other words in order to know God one had to be, or become, a Jew. So Jesus limited himself, by and large, to a ministry to the Jews so that God's faithfulness could be understood. If God kept his promises to the descendents of Abraham he would keep his promises also to those who come to him by faith.

He did that in order…

That the Gentiles (Nations) might glorify God! He was to be…

A light for the nations. Listen to the prophecy of Isaiah, found in, Isaiah 60:1-3, Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. 3 And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

About 700 years before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah, the Prince of Prophets, heard the word of the Lord concerning the thick darkness that would cover the earth blinding the eyes of people to the truth of the good news of God's love. Isaiah heard God speak and preserved his words for us. More completely than any other prophet Isaiah understood that God would send salvation in the form of a man who would be the light of the world. He could see that that light would shine drawing people from all nations. John's gospel tells us that Jesus came into the world as the Word, and as Life. Then he said that The Life was the light of men. The light will shine in the darkness repeating the imagery of Isaiah.

This was done…

In order for salvation to reach the nations. Again we turn to Isaiah 49:6, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

We can see clearly in this passage that God always intended his salvation to reach out to all people. To Israel he says that it is "too light a thing" to bring back the preserved of Israel. Instead, Israel is to be a light for the nations. Remember this is about 700 years before Christ's birth. God's intention is not just to save a people but to make salvation available to the ends of the earth.

When Jesus was about to leave his disciples for the last time physically he told them that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the end of the earth. God's plan is always been that the gospel go out to all nations.

This was the same message…

Preached by John the baptizer. Listen while I read, Luke 3:2-6, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

When John was questioned about his role in God's plan he stated that he was not the Messiah he was simply the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He was sent to prepare the way for Jesus. You may remember that after John was arrested he called his disciples to him and asked them to go to Jesus to ask if he was really the one they were waiting for. Jesus responded with, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them." Jesus came into the world to seek and to save that which is lost. Paul tells us that Christ became a servant to the Jews to prove God's truthfulness and faithfulness showing that the promises given to the fathers serve the purpose of bringing the Gentiles (Nations) to a place where they may glorify God and…

That we may be filled with joy and peace!

We have peace with rejoicing. Listen while I read from, Romans 5:1-2, Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Paul does not say we should have peace with God he says that, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have obtained access by faith in this grace in which we stand. The God of all hope fills us with joy and peace. Since we have such a relationship with the God of all hope we are able to abound in hope…

By the power of the Holy Spirit. Listen to the next three verses Romans 5:3-5, More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us! As a result we are able to rejoice in our sufferings not just the good things in life. Along the way to a realized hope — suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character. And the hope that we realize from that process does not disappoint us instead it puts us in a position to choose cooperation with the spirit of God in our life. Once the Spirit moves in our hearts and lives we are brought to a place where we can respond to God…

By our choice. I want you to look at three passages of Scripture first: Galatians 5:22-24; But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

When a person is saved the Holy Spirit comes to live in them. The Holy Spirit produces his fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. For many of us it is a real struggle to get out of the Spirit's way and allow him to produce his strength in our lives. We need to choose to be filled with rejoicing and peace. The next best of Scripture is…

Colossians 3:14-15, And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Paul has just listed several qualities that we need to choose to have in our lives. But above all these are to put on love. Remember, faith, hope and love remain but the greatest of these is love. Love doesn't just happen we need to apply ourselves to "put love on". And then we must LET the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. Do you see, the Holy Spirit bearing his fruit of love in our life, with our cooperation, brings the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts. We must choose to cooperate if we're going to enjoy the work of the Spirit in our life.

The third passage of Scripture is, Philippians 4:4-7, Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

If we will but choose to cooperate with God awesome changes will come into our lives. Rejoice always! The Lord is at hand! We have nothing to fear or be anxious about. We simply need to bring our needs before God in prayer and trust him to do what really needs to be done. Then, and only then, will the peace of God that is beyond human understanding guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

The Lord Jesus came into this world to seek and to save that which was lost. In order to do this, he became a servant to his own people — the Jewish nation. He knew when he came that his own people would reject him. But he came anyway because he had a greater purpose in mind. That great purpose was salvation for all those who would believe. While on earth, Jesus limited his ministry, with few notable exceptions, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He did that to prove that God is faithful to his promises. But his greater promise was that all people who would believe might be saved. Have you accepted him as Lord and Savior? Will you turn to him now?

All scripture quotes from:The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

God's Purpose 120812

Romans 9:6-13, But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Christians often stumble over Romans 9-11 because they fail to see what it is really all about. They see the word "election" and immediately rush to judgment. God's process of election, or selection, is not based on his looking over the human race to decide who is good enough and/or bad enough. That is a view held by many Christians. That view of God's choosing really grows out of human pride. Since it is proposed by Christians it naturally follows that being a Christian means that God sees something about us that makes us special. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have nothing in ourselves that makes it possible for us to be chosen by God. The reason for election, or selection, is to fulfill the purpose of God.

Paul wants to assure us, in this section of Romans, that, not only does he desire with the deepest commitment that his kinsman be saved but he also wants us to know that God did not fail in regards to Israel. God is not feeble, nor is he unable to fulfill his own purposes! On the contrary, the God we serve — the Creator of the universe – can do anything he chooses, anytime he chooses, without consulting us.

Now, Did God fail in regards to Israel?

He did make a promise to his friend Abraham. Let us read together… Genesis 12:1-3, Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

This is a great promise! He promises this man, who has no children, that he will make him a great nation and will make his name great. He promises to bless those who bless Abram and curse those who dishonor Abram. And last of all, he promises that all the families of the earth will be blessed in Abram, or Abraham as he will later be called.

Most of you know the story. Abram, at his wife's suggestion, takes her servant into his bed and produces a child through her. Then several years later, God causes Sarah, Abraham's wife, to bear a child who was the one God intended all the time. It is easy to see that the child of the servant was of the flesh. Only Isaac, the child given by God as a result of a miracle, is a spiritual descendent of Abraham. At the same time the descendents of Isaac were not all faithful people. In fact…

Israel was faithless. Turn with me to, Judges 2:11-13, And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger. They abandoned the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth.

The generation that came out of Egypt, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, had died in the wilderness because of their unfaithfulness. Now, the next generation was faithful to the Lord only as long as Joshua lived. At Joshua's death they turned from serving the Lord the following the Baals. This is so amazing to see! They had seen the result of turning from the Lord when they were children. The generation before them had crossed the Red Sea, been given water from a rock, they were fed manna (the bread of heaven), and when they complained were given meat to eat. Now their children, who had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, seen the walls of Jericho fall at a shout, and then, in battle after battle had taken the land away from the Canaanites who worshiped the Baals. Now they turned away from the living God to worship idols. Suffice it to say that worship of the Baals and the Ashtaroth had a sexual element that resulted in licentious lifestyles. The book of Judges demonstrates how this kind of unfaithfulness to God recurred generation after generation. The people would fall away, God would allow them to be persecuted, they would cry out to God in repentance, God would send a deliverer. Then, they would soon fall back into flesh centered pagan worship. But, God always retained a remnant…

God retained a remnant. Read with me… Romans 11:1-5, 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. 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? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

From the days of Elijah, after generations of people had fallen away from God, they were forced to acknowledge that Jehovah is God. Elijah had invited priests of Baal to Mount Carmel in Israel. He had them erect an altar to their God and then ask their God to light the fire. After they prayed for most of the day and nothing happened Elijah built an altar to Jehovah, the Lord of heaven. He had large volumes of water poured over the altar he had erected. And then with a simple prayer fire came from above and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the water in the ditch around it and the dust! After having seen all that and verbally proclaiming, "The Lord he is God! They turned back to their old way and Elijah felt abandoned. He thought he was the only faithful person left until God told him, “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” You see…

There have always been two Israel's.

Example, Isaac and Ishmael. Read with me Galatians 4:22-28, For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, “Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.” Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

It is easy enough to say, in this example that Paul uses, "Of course, Isaac and Ishmael are clearly different!" One Ishmael was born of a slave woman. His inheritance could not be equal to that of Isaac who was born to Sarah as a result of God's gracious intervention. You might even say that this is not even a good example because of the difference between the two mothers. Paul's point is simple, the children of promise are a picture of the church today. We too, are children of promise. We are sons and daughters of Abraham, the father of the faithful. And it does not matter whether we were born Jewish or Gentile. It matters only that we have been saved by grace through faith not depending on works but as a gift of God. So, to make the point even stronger, Paul gives us another…

Example, Esau and Jacob. Please read with me the second illustration, Genesis 25:21-24, And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb.

Isaac prayed for his wife because she was barren. God heard his prayer and soon there was morning sickness and all the other evidences of new life coming into the family. It is very exciting to feel the movement of the baby. Possibly it was very surprising to Rebecca when she felt a lot of movement. In fact, the movement was so violent but she said, "why is this happening to me?" So she went to the Lord in prayer. We do not know exactly how she did this. I assume she brought a sacrifice and after offering the sacrifice waited before the Lord for an answer as to what was happening. God told her in plain words several things: first, two nations were in her and two peoples would be divided from each other. Next, one would be stronger than the other. And then, the older shall serve the younger. It would have been easy enough for God to have used the older of the twins to carry on the godly line. Instead, he chose the younger and weaker of the two showing that it was God's work not man's. Jacob was chosen and Esau was rejected. Unlike Isaac and Ishmael, these two men had the same mother as well as the same father. Not only that, but they were in the womb at the same time. There was no distinction in them except that they were fraternal twins not identical twins.

Read with me… Malachi 1:2-3, “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.”

As Paul would say, in our text for today, "in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls" God does not select based on our good works or faithfulness. He selects based on his own purpose and he does not have to consult with us as to what the selection should be. I do not understand how election works other than God has the right over his own creation to do with us as he will. Somehow, he allows us to respond to him according to his purpose by his grace. I am so grateful that God sent his son to deliver the faithful. Remember the words of Luis Palau, "God has no grandchildren!" No one receives salvation because they are the child, or a descendant of, a believer. Throughout history there have been mixed together, even in the same family, believers and unbelievers. They are…

The faithful and the faithless. Read the words of Jesus in, John 8:31-38, So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

Jesus went on a little farther to say, "You are of your father the devil". He was speaking to the Jews who believed in him and showing them that they had no birthright salvation. They could only come the Father through the Son. So there was in the group confronting Jesus believers and unbelievers. All of them were Jews and physically descendents of Abraham. But that physical descent did not make them true children of Abraham. None of this is man's work. Salvation is all of God. You see…

All mankind failed — but God did not!

Adam sinned and we all fell! Read with me please, Romans 5:12, Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

Sin came into the world through one man and death through sin. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Remember, it was not a surprise to God when Adam sinned. We are not a social science experiment being conducted by some great benevolent power. God had a purpose and a plan to fulfill that purpose. Before the creation of universe God had already seen the church, the believers of all ages, gathered in glorious adoration and praise of the living God. His plan was so complete that it included our failure.

But God had a plan that included our failure. Now, let us read from Romans 5:19, For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Not by our obedience but by the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ many are made righteous. Not become righteous by our choice but "made righteous". This is God's work not ours.

Do I understand it all? No, but I believe it all. God's word is true and can be trusted in all respects. Please put your faith in him.

I watched some of the Olympics the past two weeks. When athletes from other countries won a gold medal I am impressed with their skill but when athletes from the USA won a gold, as did Gabby Douglas, I am impressed with their skill and proud to be an American. But that pride in America, in our heritage, does not in any way increase my chances of salvation. My only hope of salvation, as is yours, is only by grace, by faith alone, in Christ alone.

Paul the apostle took great pride in his Jewish heritage. He grieved over the fact that his people, by and large, were not believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. And, if he could, would be willing to be cast out for their salvation. But he could not do that he can only pray that God would save. His prayer was answered because God has saved some from Israel in every generation of the church.

God's purpose has remained the same. Read with me, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

God purposed to call out a chosen people, a holy nation, a people for his possession. He did this so that we could proclaim his excellence. No one comes to him based on their own merits. His purpose and grace were given to us in Christ Jesus. Please note, "before the ages began". He never promised that all the physical descendents of Abraham would be saved. He did promise that the spiritual sons of Abraham would all be saved..

Many would argue that God's purpose had failed because Israel failed so many times in history. We need to be clear, God's purpose will never fail because of humanity. God does not depend on people, in fact, just the opposite, people depend upon God! Paul's argument is pretty simple. Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and, not all Abraham's offspring are his children. Only those who come to God by faith are Abraham's descendents since he is the father of the faithful. This has always been God's plan and purpose that man should be saved not by works of righteousness but by God's choice of grace.

All Scripture quotes are from: The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Paul's Passion for His People 120805

Romans 9:1- 8, I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

Paul comes now to the justification of the ways of God in relation to man. In the next three chapters; 9, 10 & 11, he demonstrates the consistency of God. We're going to look at what Paul said and then see what it teaches us. Remember, Paul was proud of his Jewish heritage. Whenever he described himself he showed this pride. When he wrote to the Philippians he was of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. Yet, many people take this section of Romans to mean that somehow he rejected his "Jewishness". Nothing could be further from the truth. What he is doing is mourning over the fact that Jesus came to his own and his own people did not receive him. What a tragedy!

When a person receives Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord there is a transition in their life. All relationships change! Old relationships often become less important than the new relationships being made. That's sad because very soon a new believer does not have positive contact with the unbelievers they once associated with. Soon all their relationships are with believers and usually they like it! The problem is, they need to be able to witness to their old relationships whether they are family or friends. Paul did not want his relationship to Israel, his people, to be broken. At the same time, he could not deny his relationship to Jesus Christ.

A few years before, Paul had written to the Corinthians that, "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." At the same time Paul has to deal with the sovereignty of God. At the end of chapter 8 he has said that there is no separation from the love of God that's in Christ Jesus. Yet, God's covenant relationship with Israel seems to have been broken. Many Christians believe that the Jews, as a race, have an unbreakable relationship with God. Well, that's not taught in the Bible.

John the Baptist said, "God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham." Jesus said, "If you were children of Abraham, you would be doing the works that Abraham did." In both cases they were speaking to people who were physically descended from Abraham. And in both cases, John and Jesus, state clearly that a physical relationship to Abraham does not count!

But let’s go on.

With the strongest possible words, the Apostle now tells us that he desires Israel's salvation.

The truth is...

In Christ, who is the truth. Read with me, 1 John 5:20, And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Paul tells us, "I'm speaking the truth in Christ", and that's a pretty strong statement seeing that Christ is the one who is true. In fact, Christ is the true God and eternal life. Jesus himself said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life".

At one time, in this country, and in most other countries that were under English common law, a person who was asked to give testimony would lay their hand on the Bible and state that they are telling the truth, “so help me God”. Of course, it's a superstition that somehow having the Bible present would make a person tell the truth. But to say, "I'm speaking the truth in Christ", is a very strong statement. Yet, Paul went on to say, "I am not lying". He wanted his readers, us included, to understand that he was truly grieved that his people, according to the flesh, were mostly not Christians. The same is true today and should be a concern to us. Paul goes on to say that his…

Conscience is guided by the Holy Spirit. Read with me, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee".

Everyone, everywhere, has a conscience. It's not something that we learn. it's something that we know and feel. We are confronted with the knowledge of right and wrong everyday. Our natural conscience has been twisted and damaged by the fall of man into sin but is there none the less. We can harden our conscience, or the circumstances we have been in can harden it. This is especially common in a soldier who goes into combat. At first there is a hesitation to kill and when it happens there are guilt feelings. Later, as the soldier goes on killing to stay alive and protect his friends, killing becomes a part of the job. The people who are killed are no longer thought of as human but as targets or some other object.

When a person becomes a Christian, God puts his seal on that person and gives that person his Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit has a profound effect on a person's conscience. Paul wants us to understand that he is not lying and that his conscience bears witness to that truth in the Holy Spirit.

Having said all that, Paul wants us to know that…

I could wish myself accursed for my people. Moses had a similar experience when the people of Israel returned to idol worship and Moses asked God to forgive them, turn with me to, Exodus 32:31-32, So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”

Paul said that if it were possible he could wish himself accursed for his people's sake. However he knows, and at the end of chapter 8 has proven to us, that he cannot be accursed. He has just told us that nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He could hardly have taught Romans chapter 8 and then stated that he could somehow be accursed for any reason. But, if he could, he would.

What a missionary zeal is displayed in these words! Most Christians are nowhere near that level of commitment to winning their friends and family. Our commitment level is such that we may witness to a person if they ask us to and it's convenient. If there's no TV show that we might miss, or some project we might interrupt, we would stop and say a few words. There need to be more people who desire others to be saved to the point that they're willing to leave their comfort zone and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul wanted Israel to be saved because he shared in the…

Heritage of the Israelites.

Notice that he doesn't use the word "Jews" instead he uses "Israel". This is important as he's going to show us further on in the chapter.

The Jews are a chosen people. Turn with me to, Exodus 4:22-23, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” Moses is speaking to Pharaoh and stating how strong God's commitment to the people of Israel really is. The people that were only slaves to the Egyptians are really considered by God to be his children. They were adopted by God. They were going to see the glory of God during their rescue and their wanderings in the wilderness. They were going to enter into a covenant relationship with God and receive the law from his hand. It was a very serious matter for Pharaoh to hold the children of the living God in slavery! These were people who were going to learn from God how to worship him.

Who knew how to worship. There are too many passages in the Old Testament about worship for us to begin to read them. Suffice it to say, with the writer of Hebrews, even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. Instead let's move to Paul's own words in, Romans 12:1, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Old Testament worship involved many rituals designed to point forward to Christ. An unblemished animal would be brought before the priest, or in the absence of a priest, before the head of the household and after confessing their sins over it, it would be slaughtered and placed on the altar of sacrifice. Depending on the type of sacrifice, part of the meat could be eaten by the family and the priest. The elaborate rituals of the Jews show the compassionate heart of God and his desire to free his people from their blood guilt. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, the wages of sin is death! All those animal sacrifices looked forward to a time when God would send his son, while we were yet sinners, to die on the cross and pay for those sins.

Since Jesus died on the cross for our sins there is no more animal sacrifice. Instead, we are called upon to present ourselves as living sacrifices. That is our spiritual worship! We are to be holy — set apart to God — and acceptable to God. Most of us are not acceptable to ourselves how can we be acceptable to God? Paul answered that question a number of times. He wrote to the Colossians, He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. I submit to you, you do not get more accepted than that! We are not holy because of what we do we are holy because of who he is. We are not acceptable because of what we do we are acceptable because of who he is.

The Israelites had much to be commended for. Because…

From them is the Christ — God over all! Read with me, Colossians 1:16-19, For by him (Jesus Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, …

What a powerful statement! This is what, according to the flesh, came from Israel. The Creator of All Things. Things in heaven and things on earth. Things we can see things we cannot. Every Power that exists came from him. Not only did he create all things but all things belong to him. He existed before all things and he holds everything together. He is the head of the church! He is the beginning! He is the firstborn from the dead so he can be above everything. And, most importantly, in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.

No, Paul was not rejecting his relationship to his native people. He gloried in that relationship. But at the same time he grieved that his people were not saved. He could no longer associate with many of the people of Israel because they would not accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. And consequently, they rejected Paul.

What does this mean for us?

If this passage is just all about the Jews it doesn't really apply to us. But it is not about the "Jews". It is about "Israel", and we need to remember that the church of the living God is…

The "Israel of God". Turn with me to, Galatians 6:15-16, For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

Being a Jew according to the flesh, or not being a Jew according to the flesh, doesn't mean anything at all. Instead, what counts is the Israel of God. Repeatedly, Paul has stated that what really counts is a faith relationship to God based on grace. Romans Chapter 9 verses 6 to 8 say very clearly that not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. Not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring. The children of the flesh are not the true children of Abraham instead only the children of the promise are his children. The inheritance of Abraham comes to those who have faith because he is the father of the faithful. As a result of that, the true heirs receive…

The promises of God. Read with me, Galatians 3:13-14, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

All mankind are born under a curse — the curse of Adam. For an untold number of generations man lived under that curse. Animal sacrifices were made to atone for their sins and to point them to the true sacrifice of God. Jesus came into the world for the express purpose of becoming sin for us, being beaten, dragged through the streets, and nailed to a cross. In doing so, he atoned for our sins so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. He did this, according to this passage of Scripture, so that in Christ Jesus the blessings of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, (that's us) and that we might receive the promised Holy Spirit. And become…

The people of God. Turn with me to, 1 Peter 2:9-10, But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The Christian church comes from all races and all nations. We are not a people, according to human standards, we are unrelated by blood. Except, God now says that we are his people because we have now received mercy. We have become a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. He has transferred us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. We have become children of Abraham because he is the father of all those who come to God by faith.

There are so much confusion in the world today among believers in Christ about the role of the Jewish people and especially the modern-day nation of Israel. We need to remember that the true church today is the Israel of God, the heirs of promise, a holy people and a royal priesthood. Jews who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, saved by grace through faith, are part of the kingdom but are not "the kingdom". We also need to remember that Jesus Christ is God over all and blessed forever. We must put our faith in him and him alone. He is our Lord and the only way of salvation! I hope each of you have trusted Christ alone for your salvation.

All Scripture quotes are from:The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.