Well, I invite you to turn tonight to Romans chapter 11. Just two sermons here left in Romans 11, then we move to the gratitude section of the book. But really tonight we come to what is really a great summary of everything that he is saying regarding the restoration of Israel that we just sung out about tonight from Psalm 80, that asked the Lord to restore the vineyard. And here we see that really addressed in these this text. 11:25 is the page number, and I'll pick up at verse 7 and we shall read to verse 24.
Verse 7: "What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking; the elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened. 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. David says, let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever. So I asked, 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. Now, if their trespass means riches for the world and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean? Now I'm speaking to you Gentiles. In as much, then, as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as first first fruits is holy, so is the whole lump. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. But as 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, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember: it is not you who supports the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in That is true; they were broken off because of their unbelief. But you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. Or if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will He spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity towards those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you too will be cut off. 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. For if you were cut off 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?"
And there will end tonight the reading of God's Word.
Well, as we know, the the church in Rome had a mixture of both Jews and Gentiles. And there will be lots in the next section to come in the gratitude section in dealing with liberty and these sort of things where there's difference of opinions on things. But this particular issue was of great importance to that for them: the relationship of Jew and Gentile, especially to the apostle Paul, who, as you'll notice here, was set apart for the ministry to the Gentiles. The relationship was one of friction between Jew and Gentile in the church in so many ways. And the problem went both ways. But this issue is very important still to our very day in dealing really with any ethnic group that is different than us.
But I have to say, and you know it, is it is no small problem what we call anti-Semitism in our day. It is a real phenomenon, a real thing that still goes on. And there's something very spiritual about that. There's something very dark about that. Satan, obviously, throughout history, has a great hatred for the Jews. And this has been shown recently in all kinds of neo-Nazi stuff coming back out. The long history of this is indisputable. But it doesn't help because I think, uh, when it comes to positions, Dispensationalism is viewed as those who favor the Jews, and Reformed people are viewed as those who dislike the Jews. And I think we need to combat that. I think we need to directly combat that, obviously, because of this idea that is thrown around so loosely that we believe, in Reformed churches, that we've replaced Israel. And so the Church has replaced Israel, and therefore there is no plan for them whatsoever, and basically we have taken all that is theirs. And that, of course, itself is called anti-Semitism.
But tonight, this This text should clear all that away. this text should clear all that away it shows us the disposition that believers are to have gentiles to jews it shows the disposition we are to have to all ethnic groups who are lost and do not know the Lord. Doesn't matter who they are is what I'm saying. There's something very powerful about the Gospel mission of the Church that's captured here in this particular section tonight.
So the issue is not at all whether the Church has replaced Israel. I hope I've made that case along the way. But we have to take a step back and ask: How are we to understand the fulfillment of God's plan for Jew and Gentile, and being made one people? That's everywhere in the Scriptures. That's Ephesians 2. The two have been made one. He's broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished the law of commandments contained in ordinances, and he's made them both one. He's ripped down the wall; he's made them one people. That's why Galatians will call us all together "the Israel of God." And that is uh what Paul's explaining for us tonight. He's helping us with this: How do Jew and Gentile now relate together in the Church? Big issue in the first century. big issue in the first century They had a Jerusalem Council over this struggle, didn't they? Acts 15 is all about this.
And last week Paul asked a question that the Dispensationalists asked today, to this day: "Romans 11, really, one: Has God cast away His people? Has God cast away His people? Has He cast away all those people that He made these promises to?" And the answer was emphatically no. God has not cast away His people. There is that remember his answer at the present time, God has a present plan for Israel. At the present time, there's a remnant according to the election of grace." And then Paul said, "And if you want proof of that, I'm one. Look at me. Look what God did for me. I'm proof that God has a remnant." And we see this all throughout the New new Testament.
Well, now tonight Paul picks up tonight with the last thought of this that he made here in the last verse that he quoted of the mass of Israel being blinded. Did you catch that? God's given them a spirit of stupor blindness and he asked in verse 11: "Have they stumbled, then, that they should fall?"
Great question! Great question! Paul just said in verse 8 uh (Isaiah 29): God's given them a spirit of blindness, eyes of blindness, that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, down to this very day. So so god conclusion god has blinded them, then, that they should not see. Blinded to see what? Their Messiah. Their Messiah. Um, Paul says that in Second Corinthians: that there's a veil that lies over their hearts. When they read the Scriptures, they cannot read the Scriptures and see Jesus.
Well, what do you think when you hear that? Well, did God just write them all off in His good pleasure? Is that what you're teaching, Paul? Is that what you are teaching? Is that what we are teaching? And that's not at all what he's saying. The apostle, uh, tonight wants us to consider this: Did God send them blindness? Now, again, sovereignty of God? who can deny the sovereignty of god We saw this morning in marriage; we see it again tonight. He's in complete control of everything, and he has sovereignty over the human heart. Did God send them blindness so paul understands the sovereignty of god it's not even a question did he send them blindness great question with the goal that they should fall? In other words, was in God's sovereign decree he just arbitrarily hardening in judgment, and leaving them there? Did God just doom Israel all to hell? Did he have a reason in doing this? That's the sense of this tonight. That's the challenge of the what Paul's raising and wants us to think about a little bit. What is Paul's answer to that question?
"Just as, you shall we continue in sin that grace may abound Emphatically no! Certainly not! He says it here in the same way: "Certainly not!" Notice what he says: "But through their fall—" this is a very important section tonight rather through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous."
That is a crucial text for tonight. The trespass here to make them jealous that is exactly what Paul says here. They stumbled at the stumbling block, who is Christ. And here, through their trespass, to provoke them to jealousy, salvations come to you. salvations come to you.
Now, if their trespass (he goes on to say) means riches for the world, and if their failure (verse 12) means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean? So the thought here is really powerful, and it's very amazing when you think about what he's saying. There's something reciprocal happening in the Gospel ministry that we don't often think about.
Here's what he's saying: Jewish unbelief among the Jews of Israel opened the door to the Gentiles to receive Jesus. And what has that done in return? It has provoked those people to jealousy. And Paul sees that as a great benefit to them to provoke them to jealousy. That through their jealousy, when they become angry and see it for what it is, that the Gentiles are receiving their Messiah, then some will come back to Christ. And some will believe.
Now, this is exactly the program in Acts. I just want you to sit here for a minute and listen to Acts 13. You're welcome to turn there. You know the pattern in Acts. The Gospel would go to the Jews first, and then it would go to the Gentiles. This is exactly what Jesus told them to do. And in verse 42 of chapter 13, Paul's at Antioch. And I want you to listen carefully to the events here. It's very fascinating. you see exactly what he's describing here play out in the book of Acts.
"So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now, when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. On the next Sabbath, almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, envy, and, contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul."
So notice, notice the chain here. First, Christ was preached to them. Then many rejected it. They were enraged with jealousy. They're looking around: "Why in the world are all these Gentiles standing here?" They judged themselves Paul says unworthy. And Paul says, "Fine, we're going to the Gentiles."
Then then Paul and Barnabas, for verse 46, grew bold and said: "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first. But since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For the Lord has so commanded us: i have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth Now, when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
So you heard that it was God's command to preach Christ as a light to the Gentiles, right out of Isaiah? It was God's design to harden them as they turned away, that the light would come to us. Okay, that's not the end of the story. That's not the end of the story. What happened? At the preaching of Christ to the Gentiles, many of the Jews began to follow Paul and Barnabas. And they come to Iconium. Now, this is verse one of chapter 14: "Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews and spoke so that a great multitude both of Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren."
Notice that a great number of Jews who were following believed. How did that happen? Through the preaching of Christ to the Gentiles! This is what Paul's describing. This is what he wants us to think about tonight. It's not rocket science. It's pretty clear, um, he says in verse 13: "For I speak to you Gentiles. I want to talk to you Gentiles for a minute. In as much as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, Romans" (as we're back to Romans), "I notice what he says: magnify my ministry to the Gentiles. If by any means (verse 14 notice this in 11 in order, somehow, to make my fellow Jews jealous and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead
You hear what he's saying there? In other words, the Jews rejected Christ. That led to the Gentiles receiving the Gospel all the ends of the earth. It went out to to receive him. And the more and more the Gentiles came into Jesus, the more and more he sees there will actually be Jewish belief. Now, that's wonderful, um. It anticipates the doxology that's coming: "Oh, the depths of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! I magnify my ministry to the Gentiles because more and more as Christ is preached and received among the Gentiles it will bring in more Jews. More will be saved."
So this answers the basic question: Is God done with the Jews? Or does He have some plan for the Jews? Paul is speaking just as he did of the present plan that they're coming in at present. And this is beautiful. The world is being reconciled in this way. When they come through this great provocation, if you will, that means their acceptance is life from the dead. They become alive in Christ. Now, Paul had said last time: "Right now there's a remnant according to the election of grace." And think of how much greater that fullness will be when more and more come to believe through the Gentiles receiving Christ. I think this is just fabulous. It's so simple that we've messed up.
And let me say, it makes me lament the terrible things that I see happen that stand in the way of this. Now, think of what you just heard on the news if you saw this the other day, because I like to ride the news cycle, and I always have something every week, don't I? It's always something. Ted Cruz is sitting in front of Tucker Carlson. Anyone see that? And Ted Cruz says, "Tucker Carlson, he says, listen, if we, as America, support the Jews, we will be blessed as a nation. We have always believed that. And if we don't do that, it will basically be our downfall. That's the long thread of thought that has gone through our political leaders. I don't know how many times I've heard that: "If you want to succeed as a nation, support Israel." And Tucker says, "Where is that in the Bible?" And Ted's, "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." He says, "No idea. No idea where that came from."
Supporting Israel in unbelief is not a solution, right? It's an unbelieving people. Supporting any nation in unbelief is not a solution. Now, political leaders do their thing, and there's political reasons for that. But to attach that to a spiritual blessing is an immense problem for Christianity. Financially supporting Israel, or as Dispensationalism did for years, sending your money to the temple project over there to rebuild the temple, That does nothing to advance the cause. That does everything to stand in
The way of the cause You see? The great cause for Israel, the great help to Jews, is to preach Jesus. Very simply. Preach the Cross. Preach their Messiah. And preach our Messiah now, right? That through that, the great provocation to jealousy, God will use that in the priest how powerful the preaching of Christ is! God will use that to graft in more. Preach Jesus! You want to say to the Dispensationalists, and you'll see what you want happen. So think of the beauty here: God hardened Israel to reconcile the world. And through that, the consequence of being faithful in the ministry of preaching Christ, they will be brought back to life. They will be given life.
And here's where I think Paul's challenging Gentiles, um. Notice in verse 13, Paul speaking specifically to Gentile members of the Church, and essentially what he says here i want you to have this aim, this aim for israel but it's not rocket science: "Preach the Messiah. Preach Jesus, because a careless or an arrogant attitude against them misunderstands everything God's done for you."
This is really important for right now since there's so much of this going on, of like I said, neo-Nazi stuff. It's all over the internet. Of Christians, a careless attitude of Israel displays a lack of understanding what God has done for us. And that's with any group, however we think of or think of Israel constituted as a nation I'm not thinking in nations i'm talking about people. So notice verse 16 and what he says here: "For if the dough offered as first fruits is holy, so is the whole lump. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. 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, do not be arrogant toward the branches."
That's very important, isn't it? "Do not be arrogant. If you are, remember: it's not you who support the root, but the root supports you."
So he's applying that to Israel here. Israel's the root. Israel's the root. Israel's the olive tree that was the symbol of Israel. And these branches that belong to Israel are consecrated to the Lord. Some of those branches were broken off. Why? For unbelief. They didn't believe in Jesus. So unbelieving Jews were broken off, and Gentiles, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them. That's one tree now, right? They're grafted in. Notice the language: they become partakers of the root fatness. That's exactly why we can say we are the Israel of God. Understand that. We've been grafted in; we've been brought in. He does not see this as separate peoples. That is eliminated in the New Testament. One people of god to the richness of the olive tree.
That answers right there the whole charge of replacement theology. Okay, that, that's done. Maybe this will go out on the airwaves, I don't know, but it's important to say that. Do we believe Israel's being replaced? No. What it was just said: Gentiles are grafted into that olive tree. The root of Israel and Gentiles have been grafted as true members of the Israel of God. So in one breath, Paul just dismantles this idea that there are two separate salvation plans for two different peoples of God. That's always been taught for many years in the Church: that Israel rejected God and he went to plan B, and then there's another plan for Israel separate from the Gentiles. They're one. Grafted together. We're one people. Uh, and if you want to study this further, you can go to Galatians and see and paul and ephesians 3 and see that he says the very same promises made to Abraham belong to us gentiles same faith same promises. He's made both one.
Well, then, what should our attitude be to any unbelieving Jew? Well, if you were going on and you were visiting in the early Church, there would have been severe fights happening between these groups, right? Gentiles began to despise the Jews, and Jews, of course, despise the Gentiles for disregarding their tradition. Paul is saying: the attitude of Gentiles to despise the Jews is not a consistent application of the Gospel. It's similar today when one ethnic group of Christians disregards another ethnic group and treats them as lesser on the totem pole or disregards them altogether. If Christians are doing that, what would that display? Well, partiality. But it would display a complete misunderstanding of what he just said in the last chapter: Grace. Grace.
Um, Paul takes the truth of the Gospel and says, "Consider how you're right with God." Right? He's been making the case the whole book: "It's all by grace. You've been saved by grace through faith" phesians 2). "It eliminates any form of superiority or claim of greatness or thinking that somehow you know, this is what we're all guilty of. It, I've been guilty of it, but it makes no sense for a Reformed person to be proud. It can't make sense, because we claim everything we have is by grace. You're not smarter than anyone else. I'm not either. To figure all this out. And so you see what he's working with here. Essentially, he says: "You're the Johnny Come lately's right? You're the Johnny Come lately's
And so that's what he says in in verse 18: "Don't boast against the branches. If you boast, remember: you don't support the root. The root supports you. You will say, then, branches are broken off that I might be grafted in well said good job right because of unbelief they were broken off But you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear."
That's the spirit in the Church Paul wants to create of compassion to look at people who don't believe and have compassion on them; to look at people in need and have compassion on them. We have a hyper judgmental spirit that arises within us by nature. Gentiles, you don't deserve this is what he's saying. What right have we to boast on anything? You're late on the scene. You didn't earn any blessing that you have. He's really putting everyone back in their place in this text. And essentially what he's saying is: "Think about how you stand. It's never been by works; it's by faith. We stand by the wonderful gift and grace of God. And if we believe and know that, what should that produce in us? The most humble, non-complaining, grateful, thankful people in all the earth. Everything you have, every dime you have, every dollar you have, the homes we have you don't deserve. Everything. Who has received anything, really, you know, when we think about what we deserve, what a question? The minute you think you've obtained it, you've missed the whole narrative yourself."
Paul issues, in verse 21, a warning, considering how this should bring humility and thankfulness in God's goodness to us: "For if God did not spare the natural branches, he may not spare you, either. Therefore, consider the goodness and severity of God. On those who fell: severity. But toward you: goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in. For God is able to graft them in again."
So that's a challenge. That's a challenge and a warning to say God has shown us incredible love. And what is the fruit of that in your life? A heart for the lost. A heart for the lost. The people most touched by grace in the Gospel, who understand how great the love of God has been to them, do not act that way. It's the same thing on forgiveness: "You've been forgiven so much. Go out and forgive."
If Israel was cut off that I might be brought in, than our concern for them because I have great concern for them because God just said this: "Listen, he's able to graft them in again." What an encouragement to the ministry, right? Preaching Jesus. Preaching in humility of Christ has great effects. More than we will ever see or know in this side of heaven. And the effect is that more of the Jews will come in.
And that's why I love how verse 24 ends: "For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature and were grafted contrary to nature into a culted all of it the olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?"
I think all our debate about what's going to happen to future israel god doesn't tell us. He doesn't want us to try to figure out the precise thing that's going to happen. Here's what he does: he leaves it wide open. He leaves it wide open that possibility that through the magnifying of the ministry of Christ, you may see great conversion of Israel, great conversion of people to Christ. And that's the concern he wants us to have that God, through the opening of the door to the Gentiles, would again, in a reciprocal way, through our preaching, bring them back and that I end with the amazing truth then tonight of Psalm 117.
Notice the Psalm. In the Jewish shelter was this: "Not humble your hearts in the Jewish shelter, praise the Lord." I started with this with the call to worship and the reading: "Praise the Lord, all you Jews Gentiles. Praise Him, all you people. For He loves us very much. His steadfast love endures forever." Notice he chose the covenant word that belong to Israel to the Gentiles. His covenant steadfast love belongs to us. Praise the Lord, all Gentiles! The Lord will be faithful to us forever. Praise the Lord! As we praise the Lord for receiving His Christ, God may just graft them in in remarkable ways again.
Let's pray. Gracious Lord, thank you for your Word to us and encouraging us in this way. And our request, then, is tonight: humility. For pride is such a great, deceitful sin. Care for those who are different for us. Care for the lost. And We pray for Israel. We pray for, Lord, Jews We pray for Jews and Gentiles together, that you would, O Lord, open the door wide as Christ is magnified among the nations. Thank you, O Lord. Grant us faithfulness here, that your people would be responding to this message and that they would be able to go out into their weeks and speak of their Messiah, telling others that Jesus is their Lord, that all the peoples may know the saving love of God. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Thank you.