Life from the dead! Romans 11:13-15

Romans 11:13-15 (ESV)
Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 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?

What is the power of the Gospel?

It is able to bring to life that which is dead.

What was Paul’s focus in his lifetime of ministry? His sole focus, his overriding goal, was to bring the good news of Jesus Christ, His life, death and resurrection from the dead, to as many people as possible. Even Paul knew that he was called primarily to work with the gentiles, despite his life and experience as a Jew. But despite his primary calling, he never failed to keep his ‘family’ close to his heart. Though he shared with the gentiles, he always wanted his message to also be clear to the Jews, and made it clear he prayed regularly that their eyes would also be opened to the truth of Jesus.

Even as Paul had a massive ministry, travelling around the Roman empire, speaking to churches, slaves, kings and governors alike, he still wanted to share more. He remained faithful to his ministry – he didn’t shirk the responsibility of what he was called to do to follow his ‘pet project’, but kept a heart also for his own people, that some of them might also be saved.

What an example! Paul didn’t see one person saved and thought ‘that is enough’. He didn’t see 100 people saved, and claim ‘I’ve reached the highest level’. He continually preached the good news of Jesus Christ to all people, in the hope that as many would be saved as possible. Why?

Jesus has the power to bring to life that which is dead – and through personal experience, that was the heart of Paul’s ministry.

Almighty God, thank you for your servant Paul, who can be an example to us in faith and life, living what You had called him to do, and always striving to bring Your message to as many people as possible. Help us to be like Paul, not in identical ministry, but zealous in the area you have called us, and always wanting for more people to hear your good news and be saved. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Israel’s Place – Romans 11:7-12

Romans 11:7-12 (ESV)
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.” And 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 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. 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!

On first reading, this is a pretty harsh section regarding Israel from Paul. If we were to quickly ‘gloss over’ it with our eyes, we would think that undue hard punishment has been placed on the nation of Israel.

But what is it really saying? The first section is pretty clear – God, in His foreknowledge, hardened those who weren’t going to believe. But the rest is much more insightful.

Firstly, it is through the stumbling of much of Israel over Jesus (1 Cor 1:23) that the Gospel then was preached to those of us who are not in the bloodlines of the Jews. For in the great commission that we have heard so often, First the Gospel was to be preached to the Jews, then the Samaritans (who were essentially what is left of the other 10 tribes of Israel), and then the rest of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Secondly, and more importantly, Paul is drawing us back to both the remnant of Israel, and their future roles that are still promised! Yes, Israel still has an important place to play in our world, and in world history. Even when we look at the news now (which I admit to doing less and less), you can see that Israel remains a focus all over the world.

Let’s have a quick review of some facts about Israel (the nation). It has a population of around 7 Million, which is 1/10th of 1 percent (.01%) of the world’s population. I would call that ‘statistically insignificant’ (this is not an insult, but an observation that such a small point of a percentage in any number is generally insignificant. For example, if you had $100, and lost 10 cents, this is the same comparison – its still a loss, but you still have $99.90 of your initial $100). Interestingly enough, it also has around the same percentage (0.01%) of the world’s landmass enclosed in its borders.

So how does a country that is so small, with such a small population in comparison to others, take up so much of the world stage, and continually figure in so much of the world news? How does a population that is smaller than inner city New York (8 million) and just over a third of the population of the full New York metropolitan area take up so much ‘space’ in this world?

Because God has chosen it to be so. The nation of Israel was at one time specifically God’s chosen people – and the rest of the world has never forgotten, or forgiven. Despite being having a population that could be called not much more than a ‘rounding error’, they remain the centre of attention of a world that knows God, but refuses to admit it.

And this is what Paul is talking about. Many of the Jews have rejected Jesus, and that has meant riches for the rest of the world. But there is still a plan for the nation of Israel that will see them once again come back to God, and find Jesus, their prophesied Messiah. And when that happens we will all be amazed.

Almighty God, thank you that Your good news has spread throughout the world, starting with Your chosen nation of Israel. We can all see that your hand is still active in Israel, and that you still have plans to use them in the world for Your glory. Teach us not to show partiality towards them, but treat them as you treat us, as a people loved by God, despite our sins. Guide us in Your Word we pray in Jesus Name. Amen.

The Remnant of Grace – Romans 11:1-6

Romans 11:1-6 (ESV)
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. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

We know that in the Old Testament times, salvation was through the nation of Israel. One thing that we often don’t think about though – was all of Israel saved? It’s certainly something I’ve never really spent much time thinking about – I just think of the nation as ‘covered’ under the Mosaic Law, with the temple and their rituals of feasts and sacrifices.

So since salvation came through this chosen nation of Israel, was everyone’s sin forgiven, and did they all see God?

The answer is quite obviously no. Whilst salvation did come through the Israelites, culminating in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, still only those that followed God were saved. Within the nation of Israel you could say it was like the world now – there are some Christians, and there are plenty of non Christians. In that time, there were some who followed and honored God by following the law through as recorded in the books of Moses, and plenty who did not. You have only got to take a look through the Historical records through Joshua and the Kings, to see hundreds of examples of a people who weren’t interested in what God had for them.

What is Paul’s point though? That the promises given to Abraham are not null and void now that salvation is available to all through Jesus, not through the Mosaic law. When was the promise given to Abraham? It was before the Law. All through the history of Israel there was only ever a portion of people who truly followed God – and there remains even now, a group of ‘true Israelites’ who follow Jesus and are saved. Paul was one of the first generation of these believers, and so was part of the continuation of God’s chosen people.

So what then can we take away from this? Firstly, that God is not done with the nation of Israel, and He still preserves through grace a remnant of people who are loyal to Him – just as He has always done.

And if you want to take it a little further, even when it looks like there is nothing left of the Church – when all of the world seems determined to race down the wide road to eternal punishment and hell, that God has a remnant, set aside for Him, that worships and honors Him.

So trust in God. He knows what He is doing, and He will preserve you, and those around you, for His glory and purpose. Sure, you may have absolutely no idea what is happening, or why, and where all of the true Christians are gone, but God has it in control, and it will turn out for Good.

Lord God, how amazing it is for us to look on Your grace and know that we are part of your remnant, part of the people chosen by You in Your foreknowledge as vessels of grace, as ministers to you in a fallen world. Teach us to live in Your will, guide us in Your will, and help us to truly know that You are sovereign and in control. In Jesus Name, Amen.

The Ubiquitous Gospel – Romans 10:18-21

Romans 10:18-21 (ESV)
But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for
“Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.”
But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”
Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,
“I have been found by those who did not seek me;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Just a short post today to wrap up Romans 10! For context, Paul here is speaking primarily about the Israelites, the Jewish nation. Up until this point we have been studying how the Gospel is received by faith alone – nothing else.

In the time prior to Jesus, God reached out and chose the nation of Israel to be His chosen people. Not because they were worthy (Deut 7:7-8), not because they were better, or bigger, or for any other reason than to show His favour.

And despite this choosing many before and after Jesus rejected God, rejected His message and abused His favour. Paul quotes heavily from Isaiah in these verses, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” God is patient and wants all people to come to a knowledge of Him, but that doesn’t mean they all accept!

But since Jesus has fulfilled the law, we become the fulfillment of the prophecy – we have been found though we did not seek, we have seen God, despite not asking for it. So what can we say? We can only affirm that the message of the Gospel is ubiquitous – it is universal, open to all who would receive it.

In the next chapter (starting with our next Romans post), we will see more about how God has made the Gospel available to all, but despite this, it does not discount the nation of Israel – they are also called to accept the Gospel; indeed many already have!

Lord God, thank you that your Gospel is available to us all. Thank you that you haven’t just chosen a small group of people to share your good news with, but made the message open, available to all, that we might be saved from our sins and made right before you. Help us to understand the true wonder of what you have done, and share that with others. In Jesus Name. Amen.

True Beauty – Romans 10:14-17 (part 3)

Romans 10:14-17 (ESV)
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Over the past two posts we have looked at how we are all called to share the message of the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, and that once we have shared it is not us, but the Holy Spirit that convicts and guides.

But now we come to an interesting, yet poignant, verse. Paul draws from Isaiah, and quotes “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”. What is going on here?

To go back to the original context, the message being carried, or the good news, was the return of Israel from captivity back to Jerusalem. The messenger who ‘carried’ this message would have had to walk a very long way to bring it – back in the days where there wasn’t a Motel 6 at every town, and shoes were a basic commodity. By the time the messenger reached the recipients, he would have been rather dirty and travel worn, and since he had walked a great distance, his feet would have been the worst for it. And yet, because of the message that he carried, even his feet were considered ‘beautiful’, especially because it was his feet that in turn carried the message.

So despite outward appearances (of dirty, filthy, smelly, travel worn feet), they were indeed beautiful.

Are you looking for true beauty?

John 14:15 (ESV)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

True beauty is in living God’s will for your life, whatever, and wherever that is. For all of us that is at some time bringing the good news of Jesus to others around us. It is also found in doing what God has called us to do, because each of us is called to do something!

We have all heard the analogy of the body – that each of us who are Christians are like a part of the body. Whilst some parts are more presentable than others, and some parts are deemed more important, all parts are equally essential! If the church is to function as a whole, completely effective for the work God has called it to, then every single one of us needs to be doing what God has called us to do. For if even one of the ‘less presentable’ parts, such as the feet, were to fail, the whole body would suffer or even fail.

So, I ask again. Are you looking for true beauty? Then you won’t find it in the gossip magazines, the social magazines, or anywhere near the fashion and self proclaimed beauty magazines that the world would offer us as definitions.

You will find beauty in participating in God’s will for your life, his good and perfect will.

1 John 5:1-5 (ESV)
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Heavenly Father, we are often so weak and easily led astray. Our focus is often drawn to the things of the world, the definitions of the world, the standards and self proclaimed norms of the world, that we lose our focus and direction in You. Mighty God, draw us back to you. Guide us in Your Spirit that we might see the truth, and then live our Your will for our lives. Help us to all find true beauty in You, and what You have called us to do. In Jesus Name. Amen.

It’s not all about You! Romans 10:14-17 (Part 2)

Romans 10:14-17 (ESV)
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

In part 1 of our study on these verses, we talked about how the good news of Jesus Christ needs to be shared before people can believe it! But there is one thing that is out of your control altogether- whether they will accept the message or not.

If you do not preach, they may never hear.

But at the same time, you can preach for hours and days on end with no result. Why? Because it is not up to you to ‘convert’ someone. You cannot make a decision to believe on behalf of someone else. Yes, there are things you can do, but ultimately, it is their choice.

For they will not call on Jesus unless they believe in Him.

So what affects belief?

First, the Holy Spirit needs to interpret the message to them, which will happen at the right time, in the right place. If you read the story of Phillip in Acts 8:26-40, you will see that the spirit called Phillip to a certain place to share, at the exact time that the Ethiopian was examining the Old Testament scripture. You can read here then that this wasn’t a ‘cold’ approach, like a door to door salesperson, but this person was already reading and interested. This person had also just come from Jerusalem, so they knew about God already. If you like, the time and place were set by God. The Ethiopian still had a decision – he could have chosen to reject Phillips message of the good news, as many of the Jewish faith did, but he didn’t.

1 Corinthians 2:6-14 (ESV)
Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—

These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

So what can we do to influence this?

Pray. Pray that the Spirit will interpret the good news of Jesus to that person. Pray that you will be given an opportunity to share. Pray that the opportunity comes at the right time, in the right place. Pray that you are given the right words to say.

You don’t need to be perfect. You can totally stuff the whole thing up, from your own perspective. Once the process is started, in many ways, it doesn’t matter! (I’m not saying don’t try, but that the power and conviction comes from God – not you). Once you have started to share, it is up to the Holy Spirit to guide and interpret, convict and direct, and that person to consider and make a decision either way.

Don’t expect immediate results (though they may well come!). Don’t expect anything at all, but pray that the message is received, and you have done what God wants of you in that moment in time. You may be called on again to share to that person – you may not. Someone else may also be called on to water the seed that you planted, or maybe you are watering the seed someone else planted.

The thing to remember is – it is not you. It is now between that person and God, and all you can do is pray. So pray!

Lord God, we are amazed that imperfect as we are, as useless at speaking correctly as we are, as fallen and weak as we are, that you would choose to use us for the most important tasks in Your Kingdom, that of sharing Your good news with others. What an amazing privilege, to partake in the good news of Jesus Christ and share it with others! Guide us Lord, lead us, because we don’t know what to say or when. Help us to more and more rely on you at all times, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Me? A Preacher? Romans 10:14-17 (Part 1)

Romans 10:14-17 (ESV)
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

As we move through our study of Romans, we come to these verses where Paul (the author) applies some simple logic to the plan of salvation. And it really breaks down simply.

First, someone has to be sent. This is essentially sent by God to preach the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, His perfect life, His atoning death on the cross and His resurrection to new life.

In a formal sense, this could also mean those we ‘send out’ as missionaries, or those we ‘send out’ with our blessing and prayers to start more churches. But this really is a second step, and only relating to formal ministry. This verse speaks of so much more than that!

What Paul is saying is that God has sent people to preach the good news. But who has God sent?

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This isn’t just missionaries and those called to full time ministry – while both are important, the call is much wider than this! God is calling me, God is calling you, to share the good news of Jesus Christ!

Yes, you. A preacher.

Don’t run out now and start preaching on the corner (unless you are called to do so!). Don’t jump up and down in your cubicle at work, suddenly proclaiming the gospel as something new that touched your life (though one day you may be called to do this!). But start to think of yourself as someone God has called to preach the Gospel.

How?

By being ready. First, you need to know what you have been saved from, and Who saved you! Then it is simple – when the opportunity arises, share the gospel with people. When people want to know why you are not absorbed into the things of this world, tell them. Tell them of the hope you have in Jesus. When people see your strength (and often not yours, but Christ shining through), they may come to you – when they do, share why you appear strong.

Yes. You. The preacher.

The other way to be prepared is to be in communion with God! Pray. Read your Bible. Be ready in season and out of season!

You may be called to be a missionary, or a preacher, or a pastor, or an elder, or any number of other things. But no matter where you are now, you have been called to share the gospel in the places where it needs to be heard, so that someone can respond.

Romans 10:14-15 (ESV)
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

Heavenly Father, thank you for your saving work! Thank you that it is not exclusive, it is not hidden, it is not restricted, but that you freely call all people to salvation in you. And not only that, but you choose to use us to proclaim that message, despite the imperfect and weak people we are. Teach us to rely on you. Open for us doors of opportunity that we might share Your good news, and give us the strength, wisdom and boldness to share the right words at the right time. All this we pray in Jesus Name, Amen

(For those that don’t know of him, today’s picture is Tim Keller, a church pastor in New York City and respected author!)