Hope for Israel and the world

As we look at whats going on in Israel and Palestine, the middle-east, we can become extremely discouraged and often left with many questions about how scripture shakes out.

Today’s passage gives us an immense amount of hope as we look out to our broken world.

Things are not what they seem.

We will find this to be true because we have a God who is not only present amid this decay, but He is ruling over it, and orchestrating a glorious redemption in His son that we can’t even fathom, even with the scriptures that we have in our hands.

Maybe today you have come to Church as your last stop to find hope. I pray dear friend, that by the Holy Spirit, you will find hope in Jesus Christ.

That you will encounter a God who is near, and in control, and has a wonderful future for those who trust in His son.

Today, we will see that there is hope for Israel and the world.

I know it seems as though all hope is lost, but in today’s verses we will encounter a God who has a…

Plan (v11)

(a) Process (vv12-14)

(and a) Purpose

God’s Plan (v11)

God’s Process (vv12-14)

God’s Purpose (v15)

For Israel and the world.

Let’s start by understanding God’s plan.

Romans 11:11 ESV

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.

Is it God’s plan, that Israels rejection would ultimately lead to a total falling away of the nation of Israel? (Spiritual ruin!)

The answer is NO!

It can seem that way coming off the heals of pastor Jeremy’s sermon last week.

Coming off the heals of Romans 11:8-10

Romans 11:8–10 (ESV)

…“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 it can seem here for the reader that God has judicially hardened the heart of Israel forever.

That they are spiritually ruined as a nation forever.

But is this the case?

Will Israel as a whole stumble over Christ forever?

Is the nation of Israel totally rejected? No! Total rejection of the nation of Israel is not God’s plan.

Application:

God’s plans are not our plans.

Be careful in thinking you know God’s plan.

The Lord’s plans are often paradoxical. (a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true)

He might be doing something in your life that seems like a trial but it’s often a blessing.

(Stop calling everything in your life a trial! Lean into the Lord in prayer, and ask Him how he might be shaping you and blessing you with spiritual blessings )

So what is His plan?

God’s plan for Israel is laid up in the second half of verse 11.

Romans 11:11 (ESV)

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.

God’s plan is that through Israels rejection of the gospel and God’s judicial hardening , salvation has come to the nations of the world (non-jewish people!).

So it is because of Israel’s rejection that salvation has come to you and me! (We wouldn't come up with this plan!)

Note:

The Lord chose the nation of Israel to be a vessel of his to be a salvation witness to gentile nations. But they failed to be a witness. They failed to bring the salvation message to the nations, instead they became like the nations. So now, the time has come according to God’s PLAN that the NATIONS are reaching the NATION of Israel.

We are living in a time of redemptive history where outsiders (gentiles) are reaching insiders (Jews).

But Paul goes on to say…

Romans 11:11 (ESV)

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.

The word Jealous here is “Envious”!

Usually we use envy in a negative way, but Paul uses it in a positive way here.

The Jews are to see the Church, made of all nations, experiencing incredible spiritual privilege of a relationship with God through Christ; and God’s design is that the Church (US!) would woo them (Jews) through this relationship we have with Christ.

That they would see us and say “I want that”! And place their faith in Christ!

The kind of envy Paul probably has in mind is described well by John Stott:

“Not all envy is tainted with selfishness, because it is not always either a grudging discontent or a sinful covetousness.

At base, envy is ‘the desire to have for oneself something possessed by another,’ and whether envy is good or evil depends on the nature of the something desired and on whether one has any right to its possession.

If that something is in itself evil, or if it belongs to somebody else and we have no right to it, then the envy is sinful.

But if the something desired is in itself good, a blessing from God, which he means all his people to enjoy, then to ‘covet’ it and to ‘envy’ those who have it is not at all unworthy.

This kind of desire is right in itself, and to arouse it can be a realistic motive in ministry.” (The Message of Romans, page 297)

(1 Timothy Keller, Romans 8–16 for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2015), 90.)

Church, what a helpful way to think about our life and witness.

Our lives should cause people to want we have!

Is that the case with your life?

Or Do people see your life, and hear you speak, and think to themselves, I don’t want any that!

Do people see your life and say, “I would rather hang out at the bar or club than hang out at wherever you go to Church”

May it never be, beloved!

Remember christians, you don’t represent yourself anymore, you represent Christ.

Are you representing Christ or are you bringing reproach and disdain upon his name?

Repent if you are not accurately representing Christ.

Rejoice in the power of the Holy Spirit if you are!

Maybe you’re at a place where you can’t really make that assessment yourself.

This is where the closest to you (family and friends) and your Church needs to come in.

You need the Church to tell you what they see and hear. This is a part of God’s design.

Typically, when one’s life is truly representing Christ, there are always people walking with you, alongside you, and people coming to faith around you.

This is exactly the case in Acts 6.

After the early church sets apart officers (deacons) to care for the needy, we are told (v 7) that a lot of Jewish priests then converted to Christ.

Acts 6:7 ESV

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Why?

The priests were supposed to bring the people’s tithes and resources to the poor, but that did not happen as it should have.

Now the Christians, under the power of the Holy Spirit, were being generous and creating a community in which every needy person was cared for.

That was what Israel was supposed to be (Deuteronomy 15:4–5)! It seems the priests saw it and were “envious,” and convicted, and listened to the gospel and were saved!

Paul probably has something like this in mind in Romans 11.11

(Example of JMAC and the Israeli tour guide.)

Application:

Is the Church a witness of these Messianic blessings?

Would a Jew see us and see someone who has a true relationship with Messiah?

Would your life make a jew (or anyone else for that matter) envious to want Christ or not?

So this is God’s plan, it’s a great plan, but not one we would conjurer up!

Now in v12 we see God’s process of bringing this about His plan.

We often make plans but don’t have a process to make those plants come about. But not God.

Every plan God makes has a process attached to it!It might be a long, and windy, but it’s there.

Romans 11:12 ESV

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!

Now Paul to emphasize the plan of God, uses his “much more” logic here.

Paul is showing us the process of God’s plan that arrives at the final stage of Israel’s Restoration.

He is showing us How point A gets to point B and ultimately to its final destination (Israels restoration) point C.

A . Israel’s Rejection

B. Riches for the world (Gentile Nations)

C. Riches and Restoration for the nation Israel.

So there are two “if” clauses here in the text that are very important to Paul understanding of God’s process..

Now if their trespass…(v12)

and if their failure…(v12)

He is saying here: If Israel’s rejection of the gospel means riches (spiritual riches in the heavenly places Eph. 1:3-4) for the world (salvation and salvation benefits).

Repeated again now more specifically…

and if Israel’s FAILURE means riches for the Gentiles…

How much more will there Full inclusion mean to the nation of Israel and to all the other gentile nations of the world?

Paul is implying that It will much more exceed the riches and the blessings we are seeing and experiencing now.

This word “failure”(HE-TE-MA) in the greek means a reduction in size (a loss or defeat)!

So Paul uses this word in a quantitative sense to contrast it with Israels future restoration…how much more will their full inclusion mean!

Douglas Moo says this about verse 12:

Israel’s trespass in rejecting Christ has been for her a signal spiritual defeat. But Israel’s loss has been the Gentiles’ gain: her trespass has meant “riches for the world”; her defeat “riches for the Gentiles.” Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), 688–689.

So if we are picking up on God process here:

God is blessing the nations with spiritual riches now because of Israels rejection, but the riches that the world will experience “all Israel will be saved” (v26) or (full inclusion), will be far greater.

Paul fills this out in verse 15 when He says…

Romans 11:15 ESV

For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

This word “full” in the greek here in v12 is interesting.

Again this is another quantitate word. It means the full number.

Paul is referring to a future time when the full number of the jews will be saved.

The connotation of this word is to “fill up”!

Same idea as Ephesians 4:13

Ephesians 4:13 ESV

until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

The idea here is that there is a current remnant of Jews, but one day there will be a filling up of jews who will be saved.

He uses the same word in Romans 11:25 referring to the gentiles…

Romans 11:25 (ESV)

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the FULLNESS of the Gentiles has come in.

Paul then is suggesting that the present “defeat” of Israel, in which Israel is numerically reduced to a small remnant, will be reversed by the addition of far greater numbers of true believers: this will be Israel’s destined “fullness.”

11 Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), 690.

So to recap v12, we can read it in the way I like to say it:

If Israel’s sin accomplished so much, how much more will their right standing with God accomplish?!

If the disbelief of the nation of Israel brought the nations Salvation how much more will their faith bring?!

We get an awesome picture of this in Revelation 7 with the 144,000 who are are not only saved but their witness to the world is restored.

The result:

Revelation 7:9–10 ESV

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

One word: Glorious!

Spiritual Riches for the world!

That’s the Big picture of the process, now we also see the even more minute details of God’s process of blessing Israel and the world in v13-14.

Paul reveals to his gentile friends that he in-fact has been called by God to bring the gospel to the gentiles. No doubt about that!

Romans 15:15–16 (ESV)

…because of the grace given me by God

to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 1:5 ESV

through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

Other scriptures: Acts 26:17, Acts 9:15.

Paul confirms his calling to the gentiles. This is the calling of God upon his life.

He even says He magnifies this ministry that the Lord has entrusted to him. (takes pride with hard work in reaching the gentiles!)

BUT contrary to what people might expect; He works hard, by the Holy Spirits energy, to reach gentiles WITH THE HOPE that it will indirectly make his fellow Jews jealous, and save some of them!!

Here is the same word “Jealous” that he used in v11.

Paul’s hope here is the more Gentiles he reaches with the gospel the more fellow Jews will be saved.

He carers deeply about reaching Gentiles (that’s his calling by God), but he has a personal burden to reach his country men. (examples: Rom. 9:1-3, Romans 10:1)

Application:

Sometimes we have this plan of what we want to do with our lives.

We have spiritual gifts that God has given to us in Christ that we desire to use.

But what I noticed often times, is God will call you to serve a people you never wanted to serve, He will call you to a place you never wanted to go to, and He will call you to do things you are not gifted to do.

Most of us typically run or complain when God brings this about.

But I want to challenge you today: Don’t run or complain. But humble yourself , be patient, and serve with the hope and joy of the Lord.

Romans 12:11–12 ESV

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Why does God typically operate in this way?

Because God has to remind us most often times that HE knows what is best for us!

Sometimes we think that what’s best for us is to be here and to do this and that, But God often reroutes us to places we never thought we would be, and do things we never thought we could or would do.

Why?

SO that He might work on our hearts, and humble us in order that we might love what He loves and serve as He serves.

His aim is to conform you into the image of Christ.

To remove selfishness from our heart.

To remove partiality from our heart.

To remove pride from our heart.

And replace it with:

Selflessness

Impartiality

Humility

Do you run or complain when God calls you to something you never thought you would do?

I want to exhort you today to press into Christ and whatever his assignment is for you.

I want to encourage you to trust by faith, dear loved ones, that He knows what best for you, and that He will conform you into the image of Christ.

Oh, what a witness we will be when we look more like Jesus! Amen?!

Philippians 2:5–7 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

This is clearly Paul here. It can be us too.

So we have seen..

God’s Plan.

God’s Process.

And now we come to the final stage: God’s Purpose!

And what a glorious purpose it is!

We can have the plan of God, and the process of a God, but if we don’t have the purpose of God, it will inevitably discourage us from pursuing the work of God.

But God is never ambiguous about his purposes.

Sometimes the plan of God can overwhelm us.

His process can confuse us.

But His purpose is always clear in order to compel us to trust in Him.

Romans 11:15 ESV

For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

Paul positions this sentence differently than the others we have covererd so far.

Now Paul gives us a glimpse of who is really behind this plan and process.

We see who the initiator of it all is- It’s God almighty!

Remember, last week Jeremy preached that God has brought upon Judicial hardening of the nation of Israel.

They have been temporarily cut off BY God and FROM God.

Israel’s rejection was purposeful.

God’s judged them, temp. rejected them because of their disobedience.

But God’s rejection also brought about another glorious purpose- The reconciliation of the world through Christ!

Romans 5:10–11 (ESV)

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Romans 11:15 (ESV)

For if THEIR [ISRAEL] rejection means the reconciliation of the WORLD, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

But Notice carefully that He is using corporate categories:

Their referring to the nation of Israel and

“the WORLD” referring to the nations.

The point here is: because the NATION of Israel has been temp. rejected by God, now ALL THE NATIONs can find reconciliation with God through Christ.

Douglass Moo says it this way..

If, then, Paul argues, God’s “casting away” of Israel has led to this extension to Gentiles of God’s salvation, what will be the result of God’s taking Israel to himself again? Nothing less than “life from the dead.”6011 Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996), 694.

The Apostle Paul here contrasting this word rejection with acceptance.

This word “Acceptance” is actually only used 1 time in the bible, and it’s here.

What the opposite of rejection or casting away: Acceptance and receiving!

So track what Paul is saying here:

The jews are currently rejected by God thus rejected entrance into the kingdom of God because of their rejection of the gospel - their rejection of Christ the Messiah.

But one day they will be accepted again by God into the Kingdom of God because of their acceptance of the gospel, and their acceptance of Christ.

This dear friends, is the picture of the prodigal son!

Two sons one father.

The father divided up his property between his sons.

One of the sons gathered all he had and wasted it all away with reckless living.

He spent his inheritance.

Famine arose.

He found himself in the fields with pigs.

He was longing to be fed pigs food, but no one even gave him that!

Then this happens…

Luke 15:17–24 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. (Notice that the son did not get to finish his rehearsed words of repentance before the father interrupted to grant forgiveness. This pictures God’s eagerness to forgive.) 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Friends, we do not have a reluctant savior.

Do you want to know how wide Jesus’ arm are to receive sinners? Look to the cross. Look to his nailed pierced hands.

Jesus came into the world to save sinners!

What is his purpose for Israel and the world ?

Romans 11:15 (ESV)

…life from the dead?

John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Jesus says…

John 11:25–26 (ESV)

… “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Do you believe this?

There is hope for the hopeless today.

Hope has a name: Jesus Christ.

Come find abundant life in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Repent of your sins dear lost friend, and believe in the gospel for life!

Now How does this passage help christians live compelling lives to a watching world on Monday morning?

Work with integrity.

Serve your employer, co-workers, wife, and kids. Don’t use them, abuse them, and have your way with them.

Make your work place better by contributing to the success of the business and to better serve clients.

Don’t take, give!

Don’t cut corners, work hard!

Don’t call off, cover someone’s shift.

Don’t be lazy, serve your wife and kids.

Mow the lawn.

Dad, you want to shine Christ to your children? Fix the repairs in your house.

Spend time quality time with your children.

Love your wife.

Go on dates with her.

Make her feel loved and secured by making sure she is top priority on your schedule.

Wash her with the Word.

Lead your family spiritually. (That is a huge testimony to the world!)

Wives, encourage your husbands.

Love them because they often are dealing with insecurity and pressures from work.

Wives, don’t get angry or impatient with your children.

Spur them on to love Jesus and serve Him with their lives.

Live a quite life.

Respect your husband.

Don’t gossip, but pray and love those who hurt you.

Exhortation to you Church:

Trust in God’s plans not yours. He knows what’s best for you.

Don’t run or complain when things don’t go your way. Or when you don’t feel used by God.

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Romans 12:11-13

Stay open handed with your life before God and His Church, and you never know how God might use you For the good of others and for His glory!

(Sharer about Josh Orama.)

There is a scripture that I have held closely since the Lord saved me:

Psalm 37:3–7 ESV

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

A pastor once said, “Make your wants God wants, then ask for whatever you want.”

PRAY

Written Prayer:

Gracious and loving Father,

As we bow before You in prayer, we are reminded of Your abundant grace and peace that flow from Your throne of mercy. We thank You for the message we have heard today, a message of hope for Israel and the world, drawn from the rich depths of Your Word.

Lord, in a world filled with uncertainty and despair, it is easy for us to lose hope in humanity and even in You. Yet, Your Word reminds us that You are always present amid the decay of this world, and You are sovereignly orchestrating a glorious redemption through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

We lift up before You the nations, especially Israel and Palestine, where tensions run high and peace seems elusive. May Your Spirit move mightily in those lands, bringing gospel reconciliation and healing where there is brokenness and division.

Father, as we reflect on the truths unveiled in Romans 11, we are filled with awe and wonder at Your divine plan, process, and purpose. Help us to trust in Your plans, even when they seem paradoxical to our finite minds. Teach us to surrender our desires to Yours, knowing that Your ways are higher than ours.

Empower us, Lord, to be faithful witnesses of Your love and grace in our daily lives. May our words and actions cause others to long for the hope and abundant life found only in Jesus Christ. Let our lives shine brightly with the light of Your righteousness, drawing others into Your kingdom.

As we go forth from this place, may we carry with us the assurance of Your unfailing love and the hope of Your promises. Strengthen us to walk in obedience and faithfulness, trusting that You are always at work, even in the midst of challenges and trials.

We pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus, our hope and our salvation.

Amen.

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