Having Confidence in God's Faithfulness (Romans 11:1–16)

Central thrust: Christians should be people who are reassured, recognize, and respond to God’s faithfulness.

Introduction

We're continuing our series in the book of Romans. Today will be in Romans 11:1–16. And then these verses today, we're going to look at how we can have confidence in God’s faithfulness. Specifically, we're going to look at how we can be reassured, recognize, and respond to the faithfulness of God. Trusting in his faithfulness in our lives and in his sovereign plan for this world.

I almost title this sermon, “Is the sky falling?” Our world is very pessimistic. So often it feels like everyone is outraged at the next thing, and everyone is screaming that the sky is falling.

The term “the sky is falling” comes from a fairy tale sometimes known as Henny Penny, or probably you know it as Chicken Little. Chicken Little is sleeping under a tree, and he's woken up because an acorn falls on his head. This causes him to go into a panic and start saying that the sky is falling. He goes and influences some of his other friends, telling them, hey, we've got to go tell the king that the sky is falling. And his friends all go running after him, saying, yes, we've got to tell the king the sky is falling.

And this story points out to us the large pessimistic assumptions that we can make when we are faced with a hard situation. We can get panicked and we can worry over something that seems really large. But when you get some distance from it, when you get some perspective on what was really happening, things can look different.

This happens to us on our own Christian life. We hit a wall, a barrier, and God needs to snap us out of our pessimism sometimes and remind us that he is faithful. The sky is not falling. God is in control.

And it's one thing when we are in the day of trouble. So often we get distance from it, a year later, or five years later, we can look back and realize how God was faithful in that moment. How can we grow as Christians knowing that God is faithful when we are in the middle of our trouble? We're gonna look today at having confidence in God's faithfulness so that when you are in the day of trouble, you can be reassured, recognize, and respond to the faithfulness of God in your life.

We're in a section of the book of Romans, chapters 9 through 11, where Paul has been working through and processing the fact that the people that he grew up with, the community that he has lived his whole life around—the Jews—they are rejecting their own Messiah. He's been processing this as we get to Romans 11, and we're going to see in this text how he leans on the faithfulness of God.

Let's take a look at Romans 11:1–16.

Scripture Reading

Romans 11:1–16 CSB

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life! 4 But what was God’s answer to him? I have left seven thousand for myself who have not bowed down to Baal. 5 In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace. 6 Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace. 7 What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear, to this day. 9 And David says, Let their table become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a retribution to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and their backs be bent continually. 11 I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if I might somehow make my own people jealous and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brings reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 Now if the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Pray

As we're looking at the text, the Romans 11:1–16, there are two big questions that are guiding these verses.

Two Big Questions

The first question is a God-focused question that Paul brings up, and it's in Romans 11:1, where he says, “I ask, then, has God rejected his people?” In other words, he's asking the the question,

Has God done something proactively to prevent the Jews from believing in their Messiah?

In essence, has he cut them off at the knees?

Did God stop them before they even had a chance to accept him?

Is there no hope for the Jews because of something that God has done against them?

The answer that he has is, “Absolutely not!” God has not rejected his people Israel.

The second question that Paul deals with is a man-focused question. So if in the first question he's asking, “Has God proactively done something against Israel?” In this question he's asking,

“Have the Jews done something so bad, so terrible, that all hope is lost for them forever and ever?”

In other words, he's asking the question,

“Is it at all possible for a Jew to come to faith, or have they fallen so far away that there is no hope at all?”

The answer once again is, “Absolutely not!" There is still hope for the people of Israel, in Jesus Christ.

And in both of these questions, Paul is going to lean on the faithfulness of God.

Experience at the Synagogue

Now, as we have been studying chapters 9 through 11 and I've been working through this text to preach it to you, God has been doing something interesting within my own heart in regards to wanting to see Jews come to faith in Christ.

I shared a couple of weeks ago how, in preparing to preach these messages, I decided that I needed to hear from the Jewish community what they believed or understood about Christianity. I shared how I reached out to a local rabbi and we spoke for about an hour on the phone. We had a great conversation.

And in this conversation, he had actually invited me to attend their Shabbat service, which is there Saturday service. I thought about that invite, and it reminded me of how Paul, when he would go into a new town, would go to the synagogues first to share with them about Christ. So I took him up on his offer and attended their Shabbat service a couple of Saturdays ago.

I didn't go to the Shabbat service to convert to Judaism, of course. But I went to get an understanding of where they were, and in hope to get into a conversation about Christianity. I did want them to know that there were Christians that loved them and wanted to get to know them.

So I went to the service and sat through it, and it was interesting. The rabbi spoke on Numbers 10. Afterwards, they had a luncheon, and that was the interesting part for me. I sat with the rabbi for a little bit, and and pretty quickly I could understand why Paul would start at the synagogues. You can talk Torah, which are the first 5 books of the Bible, the books that Moses wrote. And I got to ask the rabbi about sacrifice. That was something I was interested in. Because if you read the Old Testament and the Torah, sacrifices are pretty central to redemption of sin. And I wanted to know how the Jews interpreted this today. If there's no temple, there's no sacrifice, how is their redemption?

But the best conversation I had was after my conversation with the rabbi, I sat down with an older man who was to my left. And there was a younger Jewish man who was next to him. He was dressed in black with a white shirt underneath.

And in our conversation the older man started reminding me of the story in Genesis where Abraham has his son, Isaac, on the altar. And he shared how Abraham had his hand up ready to sacrifice his son on the altar. And God intervenes and says, stop.

But I couldn't help myself because I said, “Yes! And then God provides the sacrifice through the ram that gets caught there. And for the Christian, when the Christian reads that, that's the gospel, that Abraham didn't have to sacrifice his son. God would stop and say, I will provide the sacrifice for you of my Son.

Well, it was interesting. The older man wasn't into that conversation, but what was interesting was the younger man next to him was listening intently. And he said, does your church have a live stream?

Well, I said yes, and gave him my card. And if you're listening, hello. Here's what that reminded me of. The gospel works wherever it shared. The gospel will work in the synagogue. The gospel will work in the mosque. The gospel will work in the Buddhist temple because the good news of Jesus Christ is a work of God that'll work on the soul of any man wherever he is at. We should never look at a person as so lost that they can never come to Christ. God is faithful to reach us where we are.

Transition

And Paul, as he is thinking about, I’m sure his own family, his own community, his community of Israel, he's being reassured, recognizing, and responding to the faithfulness of God.

And as we think of those people in our own life, maybe those people we think are too far gone. I believe there are three things. that will help us in this text as we are reminded of the faithfulness of God to reach us where we are.

The first thing is this,

Reassurance of God’s faithfulness comes from remembering what God has done in the past.

Look at how Paul is reassured of God's faithfulness by remembering what God has done in his past. Take a look at Romans 11:1:

Romans 11:1 CSB

1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

He says, do you wonder if God can reach the Jews? Can I remind you that I am a Jew? He says. Look at my own testimony. God has not rejected his people Israel because he saved me. I am exhibit A that God has not rejected his people, Israel.

We can put that into our own life, can't we? I might say that I am exhibit A, that God can heal a man going through terrible depression and just making terrible decisions in his life. Or you might say that you are exhibit A, that God can heal a man addicted to alcoholism or drugs or that God can restore a marriage. God can do more than we can if ever imagined or dreamed. There is no one who is beyond the reach of God.

In Psalm 77 the psalmist is crying out to the Lord, and in Psalm 77:2 , he says, “I sought the Lord in my day of trouble.” And as he's going through his day of trouble, how is he able to have confidence in God? In the middle of his day of trouble, what does he do? Take a look at Psalm 77:11-12:

Psalm 77:11–12 CSB

11 I will remember the Lord’s works; yes, I will remember your ancient wonders. 12 I will reflect on all you have done and meditate on your actions.

He says in the middle of my time of trouble, I will remember who you are. God, I will remember what you have done in my life. I will meditate on your actions and your works. You are a good God who continues to do good work in my life.

Back in Romans 11 Paul brings up an example of someone else who had a day of trouble. And I think Paul really connects with the Prophet Elijah here. He quotes from 1 Kings 19. Now what has happened in 1 Kings 18-19, Elijah has challenged the prophets of Baal on this mountain. Israel has fallen into idolatry, and basically Elijah challenges them. He says I'll show you what God can do, and you show me what your idol can do. And if you're familiar with the story, Elijah shows incredible faith in God and walks away from the mountain with an incredible testimony to the people of Israel of God's power.

Right after this, in 1 Kings 19, Elijah's life is threatened by the people in power. And Elijah finds himself running for his life. And this is where Paul picks up the quote in Romans 11:3 where he says,

Romans 11:3 CSB

3 Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life!

And you get the sense that Paul connects with Elijah. He understands him. Now, intellectually, Paul knows he's not the only one left. But certainly he can feel like there's only a small group of us compared to all the people of Israel. It’s like he is saying, God, what is going on? We worship the Messiah of Israel. Why are so many of the people of Israel rejecting the Messiah? I feel like Elijah. I feel like I'm the only one left and the trying to take my life.

What is the response? What was the response of the God of Israel to Elijah, as well as the response from God when we're feeling alone? Take a look at Romans 11:4,

Romans 11:4 CSB

4 But what was God’s answer to him? I have left seven thousand for myself who have not bowed down to Baal.

What is he saying there is? God is saying that it has always been the case that there have been unbelievers in this community, and it has always been the case that there are believers in the community, and I have always been the faithful to my people. I know my people and I preserve my people. God is always faithful to protect his people.

I remember in my own life, we had moved to San Diego in 2011. I had felt strongly that God had called us to the city. And I planned that we'd move out here and take a couple months to adjust and then get some work. But we moved in the middle of a recession, and for six months, I couldn't find any work. I was starting to feel a little alone.

It was Christmas time and didn't know how we were going to pay the rent for January. And I was praying about it, crying out to God in my day of trouble. I was helping out a church plant in Paradise Hills. One day we went to the San Diego Southern Baptist Association and were sitting in a meeting. One of the staff members called out the church planter and I. He handed me a check, and he told us an anonymous donor in Arizona heard about what you were doing and felt led to give you guys this money. And I looked at the check and it was exactly what I needed to pay rent that month.

And when I'm in my day of trouble, what I'm feeling alone, I look back at what God has done in the past. And I know that if he was faithful then, God will continue to be faithful now.

We can be reassured of God's faithfulness by remembering what he has done in the past.

Second,

Recognition of God’s faithfulness comes through trusting in God’s sovereign plan in the present.

We're going to jump down to Romans 11:11 to the second big question that he asks. He says,

Romans 11:11 CSB

11 I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.

Now remember this is not an abstract question for Paul. This is something very personal. These are his friends, his family, his community that he grew up in. And he's asking the question, is the community of Israel, my community, is Israel so far gone that they could never come to Christ? And his response to that is absolutely not.

But then he does something really interesting. He recognizes that there is a incredible work of God happening in this moment. According to his sovereign plan, God is doing something incredible. That by Israel’s rejection, the gospel is sort of being pushed out to the rest of the nations.

Israel might be rejecting the message, but the people of the world, the Gentiles, are coming to faith. There's a recognition from Paul that in his present moment, God is still faithful to bring people to himself. God is not hampered by the unbelief of a certain group of people. God, is faithful to reach his people wherever they are.

We need to be faithful to trust God's sovereign plan in the moment. And Paul knows that through God’s sovereign plan is to use Israel to bring in the nations. This is something that Isaiah had prophesied many years before. Take a look at Isaiah 49:6:

Isaiah 49:6 CSB

6 he says, “It is not enough for you to be my servant raising up the tribes of Jacob and restoring the protected ones of Israel. I will also make you a light for the nations, to be my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Paul and Barnabas refer back to this prophecy in Acts 13. They bring the gospel to the Jews and the synagogue and the Jews reject the Gospel of the Messiah. And take a look at how they quote Isaiah 49:6 in Acts 13:46–47:

Acts 13:46–47 CSB

46 Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Let me tell you that it's not always easy to trust God's sovereign plan. I'm positive that Paul and Barnabas would have preferred that the Jews in that synagogue had all come to faith in Christ. They probably would have said, “Ok, God, how about this plan? All the people in the synagogue come to faith in you, and then we go out and we reach this town for Christ. How about that?” But that was not God's sovereign plan.

There were a couple things they could do in this present moment. They could get stuck, disappointed that things weren't going the way they wanted it to go. Or, they could realize that God had a greater plan in the moment. And his plan might be something beyond what they could see. But they knew that God was doing something special, and they were going to trust in God's sovereign plan.

When we trust in God's sovereign plan, we remember that his ways are better than our own. The prophet Isaiah reminds us of that in Isaiah 55:8–9:

Isaiah 55:8–9 CSB

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways.” This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 “For as heaven is higher than earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Recognition of God’s faithfulness comes through trusting in God’s sovereign plan in the present.

A couple of Christmases ago, my family had gotten me this wooden puzzle set, three wooden puzzles. And each of these pieces were really well crafted and looked good. I hadn't done a puzzle in a long time. You open up the box and drop all the puzzle pieces onto the table, and you've just get this big kind of chaotic mess of a pile. Hey, you know that there is a plan in place for these puzzle pieces. They all fit together. But you really can't see how they all fit that moment. So I sat there for hours really on that Christmas Day. And took all these little puzzle pieces. And finally, figured out how they all fit in. And came away from this really proud that I had finished this puzzle and could see this pretty picture.

For a lot of us, as I'm sure for Paul, all you can see is the big pile. All you can kind of see is the chaos in that moment and you do not understand how all of this is going to fit together. But God has a sovereign plan. He always does. He had a plan to bring Gentiles to him to bring the nations to Christ. And he has a plan for your life. In your moments and in your days of trouble, when things don't make sense, trust in God's sovereign plan in the present.

Last,

Responding to God’s faithfulness leads to the assurance of redemption and the hope of a future in Christ.

Take a look at Romans 11:12-15:

Romans 11:12–15 CSB

12 Now if their transgression brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fullness bring! 13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if I might somehow make my own people jealous and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brings reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

In other words, what is he saying in this passage? He's saying, Listen, I understand. I know that the people of Israel are rejecting the Messiah. But by their rejection, look at what God is doing. God is bringing in the nations to the Messiah. God is doing an incredible work in the world.

And I am excited about the ministry that God has placed in my life. He says, “I magnify my ministry.” And why is that? He's excited about it because he trusts in God's faithfulness. If there's one thing he knows in his life, he's able to see what God has done in his past. He knows that God is up to something in the present. And therefore he can trust in God's faithfulness for the future.

He looks forward to a day when his family, when his friends, when his community will come to know the saving love and power of Jesus Christ in their life and in their nation. He says, I can't wait to see what God is going to do. I can't wait to see dead people come to life. Spiritual lives restored. I want to see spiritual life restored in my family. I want to see spiritual life restored in my community. I can't wait to see what God is going to do.

There’s a story about a gardener. He had this beautiful garden that everyone who came by and saw it admired. Every year, he would work in this garden, and take care of all the plants. But there was this one season where nothing seemed to work. The plants were dried up and withering. It seemed like nothing was working. But he kept working at the garden. People came up to him and said, “Why do you keep working on this garden? It looks likes nothing is going to grow!” He said, “I have worked on this garden for years. There have been good times and bad times. I know what God can do in this garden. I trust that, in God’s time, God will use this work to create something beautiful.”

Like the gardener, do we trust in God’s work? Do we live with anticipation for God’s work in our own families and community? Do we say in this moment, I don't know what's going on, but I know God has a plan and I can't wait to see what he is going to do. Because I know that God is faithful.

Conclusion

I want to close with a couple of verses in Psalm 27. In this psalm, David is speaking about evildoers coming against him. He says in Psalm 27:10 that “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.” In a day of trouble, he shows an incredible amount of trust in God's faithfulness. And then look at how he has hope for the future. He says this in Psalm 27:13–14:

Psalm 27:13–14 CSB

13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.

And that is the heart of a Christian who trusts in God's faithfulness. We put our work and our lives in his hands, and we say wait for the Lord. Be strong. Wait for the Lord.

I don't understand what I'm going through, but I trust in God's faithfulness and I am going to wait for the Lord. In fact, I look forward to what God is going to do. I know what he has done in my past. I am trusting in God’s plan in the present. And I am moving forward, trusting that God is faithful to his people, and I will wait for the Lord, trusting in God’s faithfulness for the future.

Prayer

Communion

We will have communion, remembering Jesus and his sacrifice for us. Communion is family business, it’s for those in Christ. If you are a believer in Jesus today, we welcome you to join us in communion. Meditate on the Lord and where your heart is with him.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!