Chosen People? Romans 9:1-33

-The Gospel is for all People and is not Confined by Ethnic or Cultural Boundaries

One of the reasons problems don't get solved is that too often we misunderstand the true nature of the problem. Take the following story--a favorite at General Motors--about a complaint received by Pontiac. The customer's letter to the president of the Pontiac Division is as follows:

This is the second time I have written you, and I don't blame you for not answering me, because what I have to say sounds kind of crazy.

But it is a fact that we have a tradition in our family of ice cream for desert after dinner each night. But the kind of ice cream varies. So every night, after we've eaten, the whole family votes on which kind of ice cream we should have and I drive down to the store to get it.

It's also a fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac, and since then my trips to the store have created a problem. You see, every time I buy vanilla ice cream, when I start back from the store my car won't start. If I get any other kind of ice cream, the car starts fine.

I want you to know I'm serious about this question, no matter how silly it sounds: "What is there about a Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice cream, and easy to start whenever I get any other kind?"

The Pontiac president was understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an engineer to check it out anyway. The latter was surprised to be greeted by a successful, obviously well-educated man in a fine neighborhood. He had arranged to meet the man just after dinner time, so the two hopped into the car and drove to the ice cream store. It was vanilla ice cream that night and sure enough after they came back to the car it wouldn't start.

The engineer returned for three more nights. The first night the man got chocolate. The car started. The second night he got strawberry. The car started. The third night he ordered vanilla. Again the car failed to start.

Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to believe that this man's car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He arranged therefore, to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve the problem. And toward this end he began to take notes: he jotted down all sorts of data, time of day, type of gas used, time to drive back and forth, etc.

In a short time he had a clue: the man took more time to buy any other flavor than vanilla. Why? The answer was in the layout of the store. Vanilla, being the most popular flavor, was in a separate case at the front of the store for quick pickup. All the other flavors were kept in the back of the store at a different counter where it took considerably longer to find the flavor and get checked out.

Now the question for the engineer was why the car wouldn't start when it took less time. Once time became the problem--not the vanilla ice cream--the engineer quickly came up with the answer: vapor lock, It was happening every night but the extra time taken to get the other flavors allowed the engine to cool down sufficiently to start. When the man got vanilla the engine was still too hot for the vapor lock to dissipate.

I. Paul’s Jewish Problem vv. 1-5

Everything that Paul has proclaimed from 1-8 leads him to a crisis point: it flies in the face of his identity as a Jew

His people’s understanding is that they are God’s people, now they hear that God’s people are adopted in Christ, not born into a nation

This is a source of anguish for him: the “people of God” are cut off from the “people of God”

It hurts him because they are his kinsmen and he deeply desires that they come to faith in Christ

It hurts him further because this entire heritage belongs to them; the entire ministry of Christ is a product of their people, but they are missing out on the true blessing of that heritage, which only comes as it is received by faith!

There was a young boy whose mother, unknown to him, planned a surprise birthday party. After he got home, he went upstairs to his room. Then all his classmates and teachers gathered in the living room. When his mother went to his room to get him, he was gone. He had climbed down a tree outside his window and was hiding in a nearby park.

The rest of the children went on to enjoy a good time, but Johnny never turned up. When he came in for supper his mother asked where he had been; he had missed a wonderful time, planned just for him. He tearfully confessed he had heard her call but hid until suppertime because he thought she had a chore for him to do!

How sad – for him and for us if we make the same mistake. There is a party being prepared. The guest list is all inclusive. No matter how many parties we have missed in this world, we don't have to miss out on this party. The One who throws this party is all loving, all gracious, all generous. We are invited even though there is nothing in this world we can do to repay our host. All that is asked is that we accept the invitation.

II. Two Objections vv. 6-29

Two objections arise here and Paul answers them

Objection 1: If this is the case, then God’s promise to Abraham has failed

God promised Abraham that his people would be God’s people; if the Jewish people are cut off from Christ, does this invalidate God’s promise?

Absolutely not. The story of the Patriarchs makes it clear that God is not bound by birth order or human understandings to make a people; It is through Jacob that the line continues

If God can pass over Esau for the sake of Jacob, can He not bring the Gentiles in and make them a part of His people? Is He bound to include all of Abraham’s offspring in the flesh?

We are not brought in by the flesh of Jacob, but by the blood of God’s promised Son, Jesus Christ!

Objection 2: If this is the case, then God is unjust in His Decision vv. 14-29

No, according to His great wisdom, He continues to act justly and for the good of all people

Paul gives us four defenses for the justice of God:

All of mercy is just that, a gift from God. Just because one people receives a different circumstance than another does not make God unjust vv. 14-18

The Creator has authority over Creation. Whatever purpose and shape He has given to our lives is under His authority vv. 19-21

God has worked to bring the Gentiles into salvation vv. 22-26

God has worked to save a remnant of the Jews vv. 27-29

All of salvation is an act of mercy and none of us without guilt; that offer is good for the Jew and the Gentile. We are all without excuse!

My Favorite Illustrations Sounds like an Excuse

My first pastorate was the Vinesville Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama. Across the street from our church building lived a Baptist lady who was not a member of our fellowship. One day I visited her about it. She said she had not settled down and did not know how long she would live there. On inquiring, I discovered she already had lived there sixteen years. I had more brass and less sense then, so as I stood to leave, I said to her, “If you are not settled now, you won’t be until they pat you in the face with a spade.”

III. The Guilt of Israel vv. 30-33

Paul brings the message home with three truths

Righteousness has come to the Gentiles, though they did not pursue it, because they received it by faith

The Israelites pursued righteousness by the Law and they have failed to attain it

Their problem is simple: They have stumbled over a rock of offense, Jesus Christ

I believe that it is critical that we understand that the hope of all people of every nation is Jesus Christ. All who are found in Him experience His salvation and those who are not found in Him will not.

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Salvation, Desire For

The well-known scientist and author Carl Sagan, in a PBS documentary titled “Chariots of the Gods,” commented on the new optimism that there is life elsewhere in the universe: “It’s nice to think that there is someone out there that can help us.”

Unfortunately, this remark implies that for Sagan there is no God, and so his hope of help from other beings is a blind hope, a hope that assumes that other beings exist and that their race will not be affected with the depravity that is so evident in all human endeavor. And that they would be interested in helping us