Romans 11:25-36

The final verses of Romans 11 give us a bookends to a short shelf, but also give us bookends to Romans 1-11.

Romans 1:16-17; 11:36 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen!

Through all the doctrine and theology that we have been studying in Romans, the bookends on our screen shapes who we are in Christ. It is the power that propels us into the Romans 12 call to action. It is what will build our faith and keep us humble. It is the relentless love of the Lord, our God, doing as he chooses according to his purposes. The short shelf bookend is that we don’t always understand what the Lord is doing and the Lord doesn’t need our counsel to make a wise decision.

Romans 11:25,34 says, “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery…Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been his counselor? Who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”

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MAIN IDEA: If I must know God's future deeds, then I will miss out of giving glory for his current deeds.

Here are 4 truths that will help us give God glory for his current deeds.

The Lord’s deeds are often a mystery to human wisdom.

Romans 11:25–27 (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. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

Growing up, we often spent Thanksgiving Days with family. One of those meals we sat down to eat, my cousin brought his plate to table with just pasta. He had some butter on it, but he didn’t eat any Thanksgiving foods. I wanted his plate because I don’t like Thanksgiving foods and I watched him begin to eat his spaghetti one piece at a time. One of my uncles started harassing him and told him to eat like normal people. All of us thought we had the right answer of how he should be eating Thanksgiving dinner. His food choice that day was a mystery to us because we didn’t have all of his information and our wisdom jumped to inaccurate conclusions.

“In this way, all Israel will be saved.” There is all sorts of disagreement about what Paul is actually talking about here. Some people believe Paul is referring to a “spiritual Israel” that consists of Jews and Gentiles. Some believe Paul is referring to the entire Jewish population that survives the Great Tribulation. Others believe Paul is referring to the total number of elect Jews only, not the complete Jewish population. Some believe this salvation will happen in the future. Others believe salvation of the Jews is happening before our eyes as it has been an evolving process throughout history.

There are three points we can learn about Israel being saved.

First, when we see ‘mystery’ in the New Testament and the context is salvation ~ we should understand there is activity of God that will be revealed in the future. Meaning, we don’t have all the information that God possesses. We should be careful not to draw conclusions about Israel’s salvation (or anybody else’s salvation) like we have the same information that God has. If human wisdom could figure out the mysteries of God, he would no longer be God.

Second, if a partial hardening has come upon Israel and they will be saved, there is hope that a hard heart can be softened. There is hope for our loved ones and our friends. There is hope for the cashier or the server. There is hope for the neighbor and the politician. There is hope for the co-worker and the employer. God placed us in the circle of influence that we have to pour the hope of Jesus Christ into those who seem to have hard hearts. If a hard heart can be softened, we ought to pray for hearts to be softened.

I remember a conversation I had with my parents in high school. It was about an event that I wanted to attend but I thought my parents would say no, so I didn’t ask about it. At the end of the conversation, my parents that I could have gone if I would have asked. I missed out on something because I didn’t ask. Do we miss opportunities for an individual to have a softened heart because we don’t ask.

Third, the complete plan for the Gentiles must be fulfilled before the complete plan for Israel can be fulfilled. Why would God wait until an undesignated time before he completes his plan for Israel? I don’t know. God can do whatever he wants. That’s part of the mystery. If you want God to speed up his plan for Israel, we need to get better at our part in the Gentile’s plan being completed. Pray for softened hearts. Share the gospel with one person every week. Pass out 5 invitations to church every week.

The Lord’s deeds are unchangeable.

Romans 11:28–29 ESV

As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

This is an important truth about the Lord. Irrevocable means “cannot be changed or reversed; final.” The gifts God has promised to Israel will always be promised to Israel. The gifts promised to our life are final. God doesn’t change his mind or reverse his decisions. Our calling to be children of God is secure and our mission to spread the gospel is a beautiful privilege that we should not be complacent about.

The Lord’s deeds are laced with mercy.

Romans 11:30–32 ESV

For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

If you wonder how much mercy Israel has received, spend the next 2 weeks reading through 1st and 2nd Chronicles. Israel’s disobedience has never extinguished God’s mercy. Instead, we read Lamentations 3:22–23, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” This verse is also true for you and me. Our disobedience never extinguishes God’s mercy. As we sin, God’s mercy dispenses and shines brightly. Sin never has the final word in a believer’s life.

The Lord’s deeds are for his glory alone.

Romans 11:33–36 (ESV)

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

When we were a young married couple, we invited another couple to our apartment for dinner. Toward the end of the evening, the husband said “Well, now we have to invite you guys over for dinner.” We didn’t invite them for dinner to be repaid and God doesn’t give us mercy and expect a repayment. God gives us mercy for his glory alone.

To him be the glory forever looks like Revelation 4:10–11 “the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.””

Everything we have in life is from him, through him and for him. Romans 12-16 is going to teach us how to live with the a mindset that gives glory for God’s current deeds.

Present the path to salvation concisely and clearly!!! Today can be your day to know Jesus personally.