God and Grasshoppers Pt 3

Now I’m chomping at the bit seeing
the clock but we also have Lord’s table to consider this morning.
And so we want to just jump right into this study of Romans 11
where we have left off We find ourselves still in the midst
of this section on the sovereignty of God. Paul has dealt with the
unbelief the rejection of Israel by Israel of their Messiah the
rejection of Israel by God. The discussion the lengthy discussion
in Chapter 9 30 through 10 21 that Israel essentially pursued
God in all the wrong ways they were pursuing a righteousness
of self righteousness as opposed to the righteousness which God
had offered the righteous standing by faith. Well Paul opens this
11th chapter as we have already begun to consider. We have referred
to it as God and grasshoppers. I don’t mean to slight people
at all. God doesn’t like people at all
when he uses that illustration. It is only used to remind people
that God is sovereign over the nations and that people don’t
call their own shots. Nations don’t set their own destinies.
God is absolutely sovereign over all. We’ve started this section
this section that we find ourselves in again today section verses
11 through 24. is essentially a consideration
of the beneficial aspects of God’s gracious plan of redemption.
What what are those benefits that flow to the nations. What
are those marks of grace that are so clearly laid out here
in Romans 11. As I suggested to you several
weeks ago I see five five distinct blessings. that flow out of God’s
gracious plan of redemption. And it is of grace. That’s the
point that he establishes there in those opening verses of chapter
11. First of all, we considered last
Lord’s Day that this grace, this gracious plan of redemption means
hope for Israel. And in verse 1, Paul doesn’t
give us much more than just kind of a a flavor a whiff if you
will of hope. When he says I say then they
did not stumble so as to fall did they. And we look at the
two different words they’re stumbling and falling and then it was a
stumbling not unto a perpetual fall not for good if you will. It was a trip and it was indeed
a stumbling but it was not a perilous fall. for the nation of Israel. And so a hope is at least hinted
at in that first opening point. Grace means a hope for Israel.
And that essentially is a reiteration of points that Paul has made
throughout as we’ll see here in a moment. But the second mark
the second aspect if you will of God’s gracious plan of redemption
is that grace means salvation for the Gentiles. Of course,
we, you and I, should absolutely rejoice and focus in upon that
great truth in verse 2 when it says, by their transgression,
and that is by Israel’s rejection of the Messiah and rejection
of the Gospel of Christ, salvation was opened to the Gentiles. Salvation
has come to the Gentiles, but it’s come for a purpose to make
Israel jealous. Now, If it weren’t for God that
jealousy would be a sinful thing. But it’s purpose jealousy. It
is jealousy. It is envy to the point of longing
for the very gospel that the Gentiles have come to enjoy.
So we saw that there were not two but three points last Lord’s
Day. Not only does grace mean a hope
for Israel. Grace means salvation for the
Gentiles. But in a very undefined way,
Paul points to a third blessing, this blessing of his plan of
redemption. Grace, thirdly, means future
blessings. And he doesn’t describe it at
all. Look at verse 12. Now, if there, that is Israel’s
transgression, be riches for the world, if the gospel came
directly from Israel’s rejection of Christ and God’s rejection
of them, If their transgression be riches
for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles how
much more will their fulfillment be. Now again I told you Paul
doesn’t define this he just hints that in a very real way there
is going to be a filling up a fulfillment of God’s promises and specifically
here In light of the context, he’s pointing to the nation of
Israel. But Paul doesn’t have to hint. Paul doesn’t have to
forecast any longer, because Paul is going to lay it out explicitly. And in point four, Paul says
that the fourth beneficial aspect that flows from God’s gracious
plan of redemption is that grace means salvation. for Israel. Grace means salvation for Israel. We’ll get to verses 13 and 14
in a moment. But if you would, I want to go
all the way back to verse 11. And let’s take this passage in
its fullness. Where Paul writes, I say then,
they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never
be. But by their transgression, salvation
has come to the Gentiles to make them jealous. Now if their transgression
be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles
how much more will their fulfillment be. But I am speaking to you
who are Gentiles and as much then as I am an apostle of Gentiles
I magnify my ministry. If somehow I might move to jealousy
my fellow countrymen and save some of them. For if their rejection
be the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance
be but life from the dead? And if the first piece of dough
be holy, the lump is also. And if the root be holy, the
branches are too. But if some of the branches were
broken off, and you being a wild olive tree were grafted in among
them, and became a partaker with them of the rich root of the
olive tree, Do not be arrogant toward the branches, but if you
are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root,
but the root supports you. You will say then, branches were
broken off so that I might be grafted in. Quite right. They were broken off for their
unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but
fear. For if God did not spare the
natural branches, neither will He spare you.” Paul has been dealing with the
nation of Israel since chapter 9, verse 1. Certainly he addressed
many other elements about the nation of Israel in the book
of Romans. But here he begins to focus in
upon the hope, the salvation, that will come to the nation
of Israel. And as we have just reviewed,
this fourth point, this fourth aspect of God’s graciousness
towards the nations, and in this case, towards the nation of Israel,
is that grace means salvation for Israel. Israel will be moved
to repentance, Paul says, and that they will come to faith.
Here’s how Paul opens. back if you would at verses 13
and 14. Where Paul says, but I am speaking
to you who are Gentiles inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles. Paul is still carrying on this
discussion of making Israel jealous. He’ll make the point again in
a moment. It’s just that his approach now is from a different
tack. One pastor wrote of these verses
before us, verses 13 through 21, this is a tremendous prediction. It’s almost astounding. This is a tremendous prediction,
a description of what can only be called a national resurrection.
When you see how definitively the nation of Israel rejected
Christ, And at the present moment, how definitively God has rejected
them. It indeed is a tremendous prediction
to say that someday, somehow, someway, in some great movement
of God, Israel is going to turn in repentance and accept Christ
as their Savior. He goes on to say, in our day,
Israel is spiritually dead, though she is to rise again just as
Persons are spiritually dead apart from the life-giving work
of God in Jesus Christ. In other words, his point is
that just as you and I, we didn’t go looking for God, remember?
God came to us. God revealed Himself to us. God
called us to repentance. We saw ourselves for what we
were, thoroughgoing sinners, hopeless, in need of God’s remedy,
His gift of righteousness. God brought that to us. And in
the same way, God is going to bring redemption to Israel. God
is going to bring salvation to them through the Lord Jesus Christ
and no other. Paul says, I’m speaking to you
who are Gentiles. In a sense, he turns in a very
dramatic sense and turns to the Gentiles to address them specifically. Some have surmised that perhaps
the entire church in Rome was Gentile. Some have surmised that
it certainly had to be the majority. They certainly were a portion
of the Roman church so we don’t know exactly how great a percentage
that portion was. Perhaps in the camp of the Gentiles
as would likely develop perhaps they started thinking that Paul
is spending so much time talking about the Jews. about their transgression
about their standing before God. Why is he doing that when he’s
been called the apostle to the Gentiles. Why is he spending
so much time talking and worrying about and focusing upon Israel. Well we don’t know exactly what
portion of the Roman church the Jews and the Gentiles comprised. But we do know that there was
a population of Gentile believers. And Paul is so gracious to look
to address them specifically. And he has a great message for
them and to them. And it’s for us and to us as
well. Paul says I’m speaking to you who are Gentiles in as
much then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles. It’s funny that
he has to remind them that oh by the way here’s my calling
card. I am the apostle the apostle
to the Gentiles. It didn’t mean that others didn’t
also take the gospel to them. It didn’t mean that there were
others that primarily focused on the Gentile nations but it
means that Paul have been specially marked out and appointed by God
himself for that very task of taking the gospel to the heathen
nations the godless the Gentiles. It was a unique calling this
calling to the Gentiles. What Paul points to here is this
absolute conviction that he had. There was no wishy washy sentiment
on Paul’s part. Paul knew what his calling was.
Paul knew what God had dispatched him to do. It was to preach the
gospel to the Gentiles. But in preaching the gospel to
the Gentiles Paul doesn’t lose sight of God’s great plan of
redemption. Paul knows that he is to take
the gospel to these heathen nations that they are to come to Christ
in repentance that they are to essentially begin to grow and
flourish to the point that the rest of God’s mission is
accomplished. Israel is made jealous. Israel turns in repentance
to God and places their faith as well in the Lord Jesus Christ. One Pastor summarized it effectively
when he said in his very capacity as the apostle of the Gentiles
not as some sort of dabbler. Paul wasn’t in it. He wasn’t
doing this part time. This wasn’t a side gig for Paul
not as some sort of dabbler. He hopes to promote the salvation
of his fellow Jews. It would be natural for them
to suppose that in turning the Gentiles Paul was turning his
back on the unbelieving Jews. But quite the contrary was true.
His very labors as apostle of the Gentiles ultimately have
a benefit for Israel. That’s Paul’s whole point that
he’s an apostle to the Gentiles that ultimately it’s the Gentiles
that are going to point the nation of Israel back to their savior. Paul didn’t take his ministry
lightly. It’s a sad thing really in ministry to see people begin
to disparage their calling to disparage their usefulness even
their giftedness to whine and complain that God didn’t give
them in certain other areas of ministry. And instead of rejoicing
in the particular calling that God has given them and doing
that to the glory of God they whine and complain and effectively
undermine the very gift that God has given them. They refused
to serve. They refused to serve God himself.
Not Paul. There were many. There were many
that would have looked at this calling to the Gentiles and shaken their heads. Why on
earth would you take the gospel to these heathen, these godless
people? But not Paul. Paul says in verse
13 I’m speaking to you who are Gentiles in as much then as I
am an apostle of the Gentiles. I magnify my ministry. That’s
a funny statement to you and I. What does that mean. I magnify
I prayed. I heard this one time and I thought
man that’s a really good. We pray for our food all the
time right. We pray for our food as if somehow magically God’s
going to take some cheeseburger and turn it into something better
than it really is right. But I heard somebody pray this
one time I think it was on a retreat. Oh God magnify our sleep. Might
as well try that. It’s an interesting statement
and we don’t really we don’t use this a lot. It’s essentially
talking about glory. That’s the word that’s the root
word that’s there. Paul is magnifying or glorying
in his office. He’s not thinking light of it.
He’s not downplaying it. He’s not belittling his calling.
He’s not considering it second rate. This is a great calling. This is the most incredible opportunity
that’s ever been given to anyone. Essentially, what Paul points
to is the fact that he is rejoicing. He is absolutely thankful to
God. Glory magnifying the opportunity
that he has to stand before others and proclaim the gospel of Christ,
especially to those who are heathens. The number of things that he
doesn’t mean. He isn’t saying that his ministry
to the Gentiles. Is over and above ministry to
the Jews that the Jews are over and done with. And so by all
means why not be in the game and the only game that exists.
That’s not what Paul’s saying. Paul isn’t saying that he glorifies
his ministry among the Gentiles so that merely that he could
someday achieve a few converts. from among the Jews because of
it. He does say that but that’s not his only point. It isn’t
even a prayer of Thanksgiving. It’s not even that Paul is just
you know humbling himself before God and saying God a glory in
this opportunity that you’ve given me. That’s there. That certainly is an attitude
of Paul’s heart. But ultimately what he means
by this what he says is he honors his ministry so much. He honors
this giftedness. First and foremost, this salvation
that has come to him, not because of anything in him. And that
if he could turn and serve Almighty God in whatever capacity, but
to be given this capacity of all, Paul exalts in that. Paul
reveres God for that. And Paul is ready to roll up
his sleeves and do everything in his power to do the best he
can at preaching the gospel to the heathen. in order to bring about the conversion
of even a few. Ultimately to stir the Jews hearts
to envy through the conversion of the Gentiles and ultimately
to bring them into his work was already magnifying. It was already
bigger than he could even conceive. glance down again at the passage
verse 13 and 14 I’m speaking to you who are Gentiles in as
much than as I am an apostle of Gentiles I magnify my ministry
if somehow I might move them to jealousy my fellow countrymen
and save some of them. That little word somehow just
looks for any means possible to reach out to heathen to speak
to them to take the gospel in season and out of season as Paul
himself would say every opportunity availed to him would be seized
upon to preach the gospel so that ultimately a trickle. A trickle might begin and I don’t
believe that what Paul says when he says save some of them that
he’s narrowing this down to say oh just a few Jews throughout
the centuries will come. I think what Paul’s pointing
to is his own specific ministry and that in his lifetime narrow
as it already was that the one great calling he had was to preach
the gospel to the Gentiles. And that during his lifetime,
a few Jews might begin to come. But that’s not the end of it. Paul looked at conversions as
a one by one. Paul didn’t look for entire families. Paul didn’t look for entire cities.
Paul didn’t look for entire nations. Paul looked for the gospel to
pierce each individual heart. And for them to respond. For
them to deal with the claims of Christ. He doesn’t exaggerate his own
calling. He doesn’t go beyond what God
has promised him. He’s going to preach the gospel.
Countless Gentiles are going to come. And in the end, according
to Paul’s ministry, some, some of the Jews might come. And so
this grace, this beneficial aspect of God’s gracious plan of redemption,
it’s full. This grace that has come to the
nations is absolutely a blessing to all. It means not only a hope
for Israel, it means salvation for the Gentiles. It means future
blessings that Paul doesn’t even take the time to define. And
it means salvation for Israel. But it’s here that I would point
out that this fourth point is really one point all the way
down to verse 21. And in the verses that follow, versus 15 through 21 you effectively
have the blessings that flow the blessings that are revealed
through the salvation of Israel. This is possibly what Paul’s
pointing to when he says that there are going to be magnified
blessings if the failure be riches for the Gentiles. How much more
will their fulfillment be. These are the blessings that
flow. These are the blessings revealed
by the salvation of Israel. First of all as Paul’s already
said magnified blessing. Look at verse 15 for if their
rejection be reconciliation of the world what will their acceptance
be but life from the dead. This is such an amazing passage. We know what their rejection
was. The rejection was the rejection
of Christ. The rejection of Christ as the
Savior. Ultimately, their criticism of
Him. They’re dogging Him from town
to town. They’re harassing Him even in
the temple. Ultimately, bringing false charges
against Him. Sending Him to the cross, the
Roman cross. All the while, mocking Him. If
their rejection, the rejection of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus
Christ, be reconciliation of the world, that’s where the gospel
came into all the world. It came to the Jew first, but
the Jew rejected it. And so it came also to the Greek.
It came also to the non-Jew. And if their rejection be reconciliation
of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the
dead? This temporary casting away by
God, which was brought about by their rejection of the Messiah,
ultimately became the objective consideration by God to reconcile
the world. The gospel had already gone forth.
The gospel had already burst its bounds, if you will. And
now the ministry of reconciliation was going forward throughout
the whole world. And you and I have been included in that
ministry of reconciliation first of all reconcile to God but then
also in turn given the ministry of reconciliation. That’s what
Paul says in 2nd Corinthians. 2nd Corinthians 5. Now these
things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ
and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation. We have the privilege
today of hosting our home fellowship. And in that great chapter on
evangelism, we have the great privilege of going to others
and to bring to them the message of reconciliation. You know,
God wants you. God wants to be at peace with
you. God is reconciling the world
to Himself. Not just individuals. Not just
nations. But in a very real way, God has
called sinners to himself, the entire world. Verse 15, glance at it. If their
rejection be reconciliation in the world, what will their acceptance
be but life from the dead? A little word, acceptance. Has
to. The only thing that’s logical
in this whole thing is that it points to the restoration of
Israel. Their acceptance of Christ their return, their reconciliation
to Christ. It’s God’s final acceptance of
them because of their acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because
of their repentance and faith in Christ. As one pastor said, if the Lord
has used Israel’s great transgression of rejecting her Messiah to bless
the Gentile world, how much more will He bless the world when
Israel turns to Him in faith? That has to be what it points
to. And he uses an interesting phrase here, life from the dead. What will it be but life from
the dead? Now, there’s a lot of ink spilled
on what this points to, this life from the dead. We’ll talk
about a number of them. As one said, it cannot denote
the spiritual blessings already being enjoyed by the believing
Gentiles. That’s a great point. He’s pointing
to something greater. Greater blessings even still
than what the Gentiles are already enjoying. Now, you know, on your
average Thanksgiving day, don’t you become more thankful? You
begin to think of your eyes. You begin to think of the air
that you breathe. You begin to think of all the
ways that God has blessed you. All the things that He’s given
you. All the ways that God has led you. But Paul says, that this blessing
is going to be over and above all of that, over and above the
salvation that you already enjoy, over and above all the blessings
that you currently enjoy. There’s going to be something
greater, something even more magnanimous that comes to the
world because of this. He calls it life from the dead. Well, some have said that this
is figurative language. Literally quoting one a figurative
expression of a joyful and desirable event. Well I don’t even know
what that is. Life from the dead. A really good thing. The second option is that it
points to the powerful spiritual impetus that will be given by
a change in Israel. Well I mean that sounds really
neat. But it really doesn’t mean anything.
Another said that this is the precursor to the second coming.
Well that certainly has a nice ring to it. Let’s bring that
on any time. One described it in these terms
he said it must include not merely the recovered Israel but the
reconciled world in the final consummation of the second coming.
Well that does sound great. That sounds powerful that sounds
amazing. The only problem is I don’t see
it there. I suppose that you could take that and extrapolate
from that that that’s what it’s pointing to. But in the context,
Paul doesn’t say anything about it. One pointed to the final
resurrection itself. Again, a nice thought. But in
the context, I think it’s very clear what Paul is pointing to
here when he says life from the dead. He’s pointing to the restoration
of the nation of Israel. The spiritual regeneration, as
James Boyce called it, of the nation of Israel. life from the
dead. Just as you and I were brought
to life from the dead, we were spiritually dead. But the gospel
came to us. We recognized it as being truth. God awakened us through the process
of regeneration. We knew ourselves to be sinners.
God proved that to our hearts. We saw Christ for who he was.
We could not help but respond. And God says the same is going
to be true of the Jews in some future day, said one, a vast
and intense revival of true religion from a state which by comparison
was religious death. That’s powerful stuff. That’s
the truth. One day in the future, there
is going to be magnified blessing and it’s magnified blessing of
such a specific kind. Paul had already pointed to the
restoration of the nation of Israel in verses 13 and 14. And
he says that it’s going to be as light from the dead. We’re
going to see the dead brought to life. Powerful. But there’s a second blessing.
There’s a second blessing that flows from the nation of Israel
revealed by their restoration, and that is God’s purposed foundation. It’s restored. Look at verse
16. And if the first piece of dough be holy then the lump is
also. And if the root be holy the branches
are too. And I know you’re reading that
you’re saying oh that makes perfect sense. What Paul’s doing is he’s he’s
building a case he’s building an absolute confirmation for
what he has just said. that Israel was going to be restored
that that restoration was going to be as light from the dead.
Where’s your proof Paul Paul says let me take an idea from
numbers chapter 15. That’s where I think this illustration
comes from. Listen to this. Number 15 of
the first of your dough you shall lift up a cake as an offering
as the offering of the threshing floor. So you shall lift it up.
It was to be given as a gift to God. Verse 21 of that same chapter,
from the first of your dough you shall give it to the Lord
as an offering throughout your generations. He’s talking about
not money. He’s talking about toast. Bread.
Take the dough. Make a cake. And lift it up as
an offering. A thanked offering to God. And offerings were given, the
first fruits of which from all kinds of things. Animals, grain,
wine, oil, All of those things were things that were set apart
specifically as being for the Lord. That’s what he’s pointing
to here. Take a cake and give it to the
Lord. Now, in its technical sense,
it doesn’t have anything to do with the character of the thing
offered. It doesn’t have anything to do with its inherent holiness.
It is just something that is taken and set aside as being
unto the Lord. It doesn’t make it better. It
is just for God. And so what is Paul talking about
here when he says, take some cake, take some dough. If the
first piece of dough is holy, then the lump is also. What does
that mean? There are a number of different ideas that were
floated. Some said it was the patriarchs. It points to the
patriarchs. Some said that it’s the Jewish Christians that are
already in your midst. They’re there. They receive the
gospel. And that little lump of dough
is wholly set apart to the Lord. Another really far fetched one
was that it points to the Lord Jesus Christ. And I don’t see
any justification for that. I believe it points to the patriarchs.
I think it points to at the very minimum Abraham. As one said,
Abraham who was consecrated to the special purposes of God. God saw Abraham. He set him apart
for himself. And he said that he was going
to make of him a great nation. He was separated. He was set
aside unto a divine purpose. And as one said, Paul is here
appealing for the fact that the patriarchs were holy people as
unto the Lord. And this has consequences for
their descendants. In other words, he points to
the fact that just as the love initially offered was holy. So
also sanctified set apart for God’s purposes is the rest. You say, well, that’s that’s
an interesting take. Is there more. Can you give me
more assurance that that’s the direction that Paul is really
taking. Look at the rest of the verse. If the root be holy the
branches are to this too. I would absolutely
say points to the patriarchs. What Paul is pointing to is that
this This image of the tree that he’ll go on to talk about in
a moment with all of its branches ultimately points to the nation
of Israel. And that this the root of this
tree was holy it was set apart it was sanctified as unto God.
Lloyd-Jones nailed it when he said this. Now my argument is
that the apostle is concerned with the whole of this chapter
with the Jews as a nation and he is going to substantiate his
statement that a day is coming when as a whole they will come
in. So his undergirding argument
is that just as the first cake was offered of the baked dough
was holy and just as the root which is Abraham himself was
holy. So what comes out of Abraham
is in this same category. It belongs to God. That’s what
it means to be holy. That’s what it means to be sanctified.
It wasn’t that Israel was better or more holy or more godly than
anyone else. It’s the God purpose to set them
aside for his own purpose. So the nation of Israel would
be restored and that restoration would point to the fact that
the roots the foundation down to its very core were designed
by God. It was a purposed foundation. But there’s a third revelation
that comes from these verses. Not only magnified blessings,
not only a revelation of God’s purpose foundation, but an admonition
to humility. Look at verses 17 and 18. Remember,
he’s talking to the Gentiles. He’s filling them in on the great
plan of redemption. It’s absolutely astounding. And
to be sitting at his feet as a Gentile, you know, your head
must be spinning. Paul takes them, as it were,
under his wing. He brings them to his feet and
he says, But if some of the branches were broken off and you, being
a wild olive, were drafted in among them and became a partaker
with them of the rich root of the olive tree, Do not be arrogant
toward the branches. But if you are arrogant, remember
that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports
you. It was a call to humility. It
was a call to every Gentile that ever read these words to an absolute
humility before God for the salvation that we’ve come to enjoy. The very fact that we have been
invited in brought in to be part of God’s plan of redemption is
due only to the mercy of God. It has nothing to do with us
in the first place and how we could look down our nose at anyone
else. Let me just put an asterisk here. This discussion of the
olive tree has nothing to do with the local school that reaches
out to homeschooling families by the same name at all. I’m
not talking about that kind of olive tree. What they meant was
the vigorous plant that just grows. That’s all that school
had any reference to. This olive tree, though, is a
different kind of discussion. Paul mentions a wild olive. And there were some that say
that Paul’s discussion here points to his disdain, an underlying
dislike of the Gentiles, that it’s still there for this Lifelong
Jew. One pastor destroyed that when
he said this word from Paul’s pen implies no Pharisee contempt
of the Gentiles. He merely points to the divine
choice equally sovereign for nations and for persons which
he had willed that Israel and not Greece Rome or India India
should be the recipient and keeper of revelation not merit. but grace made the difference.
In other words, he says, God selected a tree and he planted
the tree and he cultivated the tree and the tree began to produce. And then God noticed that a certain
branch was not functioning and he broke it off. Grafting is
a fascinating process. I’ve studied it just a bit, being
a gardener. What they do is they take the
beneficial aspect of one plant and the beneficial aspect of
another. Say perhaps the root structure of a plant that is
more drought tolerant, or maybe sends down a deeper tap root,
or maybe has a less inclined less of an inclination to disease
and decay. And they’ll take that root structure,
it’s an amazing process, they’ll take that root structure and
they’ll graft onto it a different plant entirely. An apple tree
onto a root structure of a completely different plant. And now the
plant begins to flourish in an area that never before would.
It’s an amazing thing that God has allowed and God has given.
And that’s the image that Paul says here. Paul uses this image
of breaking off one branch, grafting on another a wild olive tree,
the Gentiles, onto this plant, this people
of God, this plan of redemption that only was conceived in the
mind of God. This is God’s illustration that
he’s given to Paul. And he says, if some of the branches were
broken off, and they were, And you being a wild olive tree were
grafted in among them and you were. If you have placed your
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ you could consider yourself as
having been part of the Gentiles that were grafted in to that
tree. And if that’s the case then you
are a partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree.
And there are Jews on that tree. There are Jews that have placed
their faith on Christ in Christ. There were Jews that were living
as it were. with a down payment of Christ
and before Christ ever came they were in faith. But he says that
all that has happened. Don’t be arrogant. The last thing
that we should be is arrogant to triumph over to have a haughty
spirit and attitude towards Jews towards the nation of Israel
as they stand now outside and apart. Don’t be don’t flaunt
yourself over this broken off branch. That’s what Paul points
to. Paul knew that not only then
in first century Christianity was there this attitude of these
this burgeoning church that now is growing. Initially it was
only Jews. Now it’s growing and flourishing
in entirely Gentile areas. Heathen nations were coming to
God through the Lord Jesus Christ. And the first inclination was
to look down their nose at the Jews. Why? Because of their lack
of faith. How could you have treated Christ
like that? How could you not believe in
the Messiah who came to you first and foremost? You think that’s far-fetched? I was in a church. Circed in
a church that looked down its nose on the entire town for no
other reason than the town had not believed. They had not placed
their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It wasn’t just that they
looked down on them because they hadn’t believed yet. They looked
down on their nose because they had not believed. They put more
stock in their own ability to believe in God than they did
in God’s ability to save the unlovely. And Paul said don’t
be like that. Don’t look down your nose. Don’t
hate the Jews just because they have not placed their faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ, because there’s hope. There’s hope. And there’s a warning. Paul says it, he hints at it
in verse 18, but if you’re arrogant, remember that it is not you who
supports the root. The root supports you. You know
what he points to? You’ve just been, you’ve been
grafted in. There’s a gardener. watching. And that gardener has
already pruned the tree once. He already found a branch that
was defective, a fruitless branch. And he grafted in another. Don’t
think that the gardener can’t come around again. Look at the following verses.
Not only is there an admonition to humility, there is an admonition
to reverence. And by reverence, he points to
reverential fear, awe, submission. Look at verse 19. You will say,
then, branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. Quite
right. They were broken off for their
unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but
fear. For if God did not spare the
natural branches, neither will He spare you. Now that’s not
just an idle threat. What he points to is not individuals
and I’ll tell you what he doesn’t mean here. It doesn’t mean that
you could lose your salvation if you’re not nice to your Jewish
neighbor. By golly you’re going to lose your salvation. That’s
not what it’s talking about. It’s talking about the Gentiles
as a people that God’s focus could very easily be turned from
them and back to Israel very easily. the statement branches
were broken off that I may be grafted in. It was amazing to
see how many people took that in so many different ways. Is it simply the statement branches
were broken off that I might be grafted in. Just a sudden
recitation of the facts at hand. Or was it the reply that really
seeks to justify this negative attitude towards the Jews. Hey
Branches were broken off for me. See, I don’t take that at
all. My brother will sometimes do
this with the lyrics of the songs, right? It’s all where you put
the emphasis. Here’s where I, here’s how I
read it. It’s the reply of astonishment. Branches were broken off for
me. Paul says quite right. They were
broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith.
It’s always by faith. It was always on a ground of
faith. It was because of a lack of faith
that Israel was broken off. And if we are to stand, we are
to stand in faith. It’s faith in Christ and in Him
alone for salvation. See, Paul points this back. In this day and age when so much
of the church is caught up in false teaching, And a great portion
of the church is caught up in shenanigans that God had never
designed. And the church has squandered
so many opportunities. And the church is walking literally
in unbelief. Paul says, do not be conceited
but fear. The gardener may yet come. We
have a great opportunity. as those rescued from heathendom. As those rescued from a godlessness. Brought face-to-face, as it were,
with the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Given salvation in Him. The very righteousness that we
so desperately needed. And all God asks us to do is
live lives that glorify Him. And as we do that, we can’t help,
we’re not out necessarily to provoke Israel but our mere lives
in reverence of the Lord Jesus Christ will do that it will have
that effect. And as it has that effect our
mission will be complete. God will use us for his glory
to point the nation of Israel to himself and to his son our
savior. Let’s go before him and examine
our hearts. Our merciful King, we humble ourselves at your feet. And we know, first and foremost,
that this gospel that was designed for the Jew first and also for
the Greek ultimately became exclusively for us for a season. Lord God,
we thank you and praise you for the opportunities, the privilege
that you’ve given us in salvation. The privilege to walk with you
and to know you and to serve you. God, grant us the grace
as individuals. God, grant us the grace here
in this local place as a church. Lord God, we pray that You would
raise up the true church of Christ in this day to be and become
what they were called to be. That Your great plan of redemption
might be completed. It’s in Jesus’ name that we pray,
Amen.