From my heart to yours

Illustration: hurting child (would want to protect); sick child (be willing to take their place). A troubled child (willing to take on their punishment).

What would you be willing to do, go if to save, or lead someone to saved from hell?

Would you be willing to do something, uncomfortable, unfamiliar, or unpopular if said to save someone’s soul?

Would you be willing to give you life for another?

Below is not on the outline, but as the question.

Would you be willing to give up your very salvation for another?

In chapters 9-11 you will see Paul’s heart for the Israelite people, his brethren.

Paul was not the only one with this kind of heart.

A similar heart (Exo32:31-32)

Exodus 32:31–32 NASB95

31 Then Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. 32 “But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!”

God’s chosen people, Israel, God has not forgotten the, nor has Paul. He deals with them from his heart to theirs.

A drastic shift from where spoke before to the sorrow now (Rom8:38-39)

Romans 8:38–39 NASB95

38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Now we get to our passage tonight. May we read it together then will break it down after some questions

Romans 9:1–2 NASB95

1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart.

Romans 9:3 NASB95

3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,

Romans 9:4 NASB95

4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,

Romans 9:5 NASB95

5 whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Romans 9:6 NASB95

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;

Romans 9:7 NASB95

7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants will be named.”

Romans 9:8 NASB95

8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.

What sticks out to you.

How is Paul feeling in this passage?

What does Paul have to say about what he is saying (v.1-2)?

What was Paul willing to do (v.3)?

Why would Paul be willing to do it (vv.4-6)?

What does Paul say about the word (v.6)?

Paul makes a very bold statement about Israel, what is it (vv.6-8)?

A few comments:

Rom1-8 Paul shows us, wants us to be convinced and convicted about man’s nee for God’s glorious provision made available to all through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Chapters 9-11, Paul deals with his brethren, the Jews and their condition. It can raise some questions that many even have today, some have answers, but wrong answers.

What does it say about Israel, have they missed its Messiah?

What does it say about God, has He forgotten that Israel is His chosen people?

So, that leads to what does it say about us and our position in Christ Jesus? Is it secure?

Because Israel once God’s chosen, and seems they are separated and condemned now can we be rejected now too?

Morris says this: “If God cannot bring his ancient people into salvation, how do Christians know that He can save them? Paul is not here proceeding to a new and unrelated subject. These three chapters are part of the way he makes plain how God in fact saves people.”

Paul’s sorrow and Paul’s heart

What can bring you sorrow in your life today?

Do you feel for others sorrow? If so, what can you do?

Romans 9:1–2 NLT

1 With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. 2 My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief

Paul’s sorrow picture here

Paul starts with a familiar phrase that Jesus used, I am telling the truth, or maybe in old versions “verily, verily” or “truly, truly” (Jn10:1, 13:38, 3:3, 3:5)

Paul is speaking truthfully from his heart to theirs (Israel’s). He speaks under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

He has great sorrow and unceasing grief.

After Paul had just spoken to them and gave a spiritual truth, something that would feel good

Rom8:38-39 “38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(other scriptures used/referenced to: Jn10:1, 13:38, 3:3, 3:5; Rom8:38-39, 26-27)

Paul’s sorrow and unending grief is for the unbelieving Israel who rejected the Messiah.- - - this is something that truly, truly was on his heart.

Have you had sorrow and unending grief for someone or something in your life?

It is not only Paul that testifies, it is the Holy Spirit that does also. This same Holy Spirit when you don’t know what to pray, utters on your behalf knowing your heart and the heart of God. (re: Rom8:26-27)

How about another example, this one from Jesus (Mt23:37)

Matthew 23:37 NASB95

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.

So, in other words Paul would be willing to do anything, give anything, given them what he has (salvation) but that is not all, look at this as we go on.

Source of Paul’s sorrow

Romans 9:3–4 NLT

3 for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them. 4 They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping him and receiving his wonderful promises.

Romans 9:5 NLT

5 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

Paul is willing to be cut off, to be accursed if it would save his brethren.

Paul is not denying their place in God’s family; they were God’s chosen people

Not because of their own greatness, but because of God’s mercy and wanted to display His power through them.

God’s covenants picture insert here

They had the covenants:

The Rainbow -Noah

Circumcision - Abraham

Law - Moses

They had the tabernacle and then the temple where the presence of God was made known.

They had the promises of what was to come, the Messiah, that all nations would be blessed.

They had the fathers, the prophets, the traditions, the history, and the heritage

Then to the Christians Jesus- New, everlasting covenant.

Because of the covenants they could not claim ignorance, they were without excuse (Rom1:21).

Many but not all rejected the Messiah.

On Pentecost 3000 were saved (Act2:41)

In (Act4:4) the number great to 5000. God always kept a remnant, remember the early church were all Jews.

A remnant was nothing new, there was 7000 in the days of Elijah (1Kn19:18)

Out of captivity God brought a remnant (Zech2:7)

(other scriptures used, referenced: Rom1:21, Act2:41 4:4, 1Kng19:18; Zech2:7)

we see the willingness of Paul to give up his life, his salvation for Israel; Paul spoke the truth from his heart to theirs, he also knew the

Paul knew the heart of Jesus (Gal3:13)

Galatians 3:13 NASB95

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—

When it came to Paul’s ministry the Jews were Paul’s biggest enemy. They harassed him, they followed him, they beat him and left him for dead. They persecuted him, they lied about him, they stirred up people against him. Yet, Paul, like Jesus still loved them.

Newell said:

“It is not easy to estimate the measure of love in a Moses and a Paul. For our limited reason does not grasp it, as a child cannot comprehend the courage of warriors!”

Has God failed?

Be honest have you ever felt that God failed, or God did not listen and answer your prayers?

Paul is addressing that issue, more in a statement than asking the question of Israel.

Romans 9:6–7 NLT

6 Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God’s people! 7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.

Romans 9:8–9 NASB95

8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. 9 For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come, and Sarah shall have a son.”

No God has not failed by His word, His promises to the children of promise.

Maybe Paul is looking at the church, people thinking “God’s word did not come true for them, how do I know it is true and will be true in my life”

Not all of Israel is Israel Paul is saying here, just like you know all the people who say they are Christians are not Christians. Claiming it does not make it true.

True Israel (defined as ‘governed by God.’) are those who are really governed by God

Smith says: Paul tells us that no one is truly Israel unless he is governed by God. We have a parallel situation with the word ‘Christian.’ Not everyone who called a Christian is truly a follower of Christ.”

We may not be the physical Israel, children of promise under the old covenant, but we are the Spiritual Israel under the new covenant just as the Jews could be, and that is Paul’s heart and Paul’s desire here in our passage this morning.

Being a descendant of Abraham saves no one. Ishmael was just as much a son as Isaac, but Ishmael was a son according to the flesh, where Isaac was according to the promise.

Where do you stand, are you a child of the flesh, or a child of the promise? How do you know? Does your life prove it, and how can you know it does?