Rom 11:11-24 - "Warning to the Godless"

What does a healthy tree look like? What does an untended tree look like? What does a recently pruned tree look like?

I’m NOT a horticulturalist, but 2 weeks ago I noticed the petunias and geraniums in our window boxes by the parsonage front door looked rather peeked. My wife suggested that they needed to be “dead headed”. Sure enough, pinching off the spent heads caused the plants to flourish and produce fresh buds.

If you are from the Bruce Wells school of Bradford pear pruning, you believe Bradford pear trees need to be pruned about 3 inches below the soil. I learned this spring that His youngest daughter believes rose bushes need to be pruned similarly.

Last summer’s drought left several bushes across the street in need of pruning just a little more conservative than the Wells/Capps method. I lopped off many branches 3” ABOVE the soil and now many of those plants are growing like they are in a greenhouse.

I understand pruning, but I have never attempted grafting. My grandmother’s 2ndhusband had a mini orchard in his backyard in Valley Center with about 8 trees that were a mixture of grafted apple/pear/plum trees. Every time I read today’s text, I think of Grandpa Chuck’s unique orchard

TRANSITION: today’s text reminds that God does not ignore sin or unbelief. His discipline has pruned in the past; it may prune in the present so that He can graft in the future.

The Expansion (Romans 11:11-16)

Correcting a common misconception

Gentile Entrance into God’s family did not begin at Pentecost

A broader redemption of all humanity reigned from Gen 1-11.

Abraham, and his descendants of promise, was not “isolated for salvation”, He was chosen to be a source of blessing.

Riches for the world (Ro 11.12)

1. Failure [loss or defeat] – this is some extreme raunchy abomination. The nation’s trespass (offense) was failure to offer blessing to all nations.

2. When some adopted an “us four and no more” mindset, God had to teach them a lesson to help them appreciate the breadth of God’s family.

3. God adopted the Dorito’s motto centuries before tortilla chips were discovered: “crunch all you want, we’ll [I’ll] make more!”

4. The abundance of the Gospel was promised back in Genesis 12:3 for all the families of the earth. We could use a reminder of the breadth of God’s mercy. Who is it that we are tempted to think is beyond grace, but God is still calling unto Himself?

Jealousy of the sidelined (Ro 11.14)

1. Even though Paul primarily was sent to unevangelized peoples, his own people were never far from his mind.

In High School I worked for 1 year at Worlds of Fun. My route took me through North Kansas City right past the Wonder Bread bakery. Even is bread was the last thing on my mind, just driving near that bakery provided a scent that reminded me how good soft, fresh bread can be.

In college there was a factory about 4 blocks SW of campus that didn’t make bread, they made chocolate. You can imagine how distracting it is to try to focus on fine points of theology as the scent of cocoa wafted in air.

2. The scents of food preparation could fill the mind with ideas when one isn’t even hungry. The idea of God forgiving “dirty Gentiles” was enough to create a desire in Abraham’s descendants to reconcile to the God of the Bible.

Lumps and Stumps (Ro 11.16)

firstfruits vs. remnant – last week we addressed leavings or leftovers. This week our attention moves not to the few, but to the first.

I watched a debate recently between 2 women who couldn’t agree when a fetus becomes alive or becomes human.  While the maturing process moves a person through many stages, a “non-human” does not become human. There is no time in the gestation process that an embryo will transform into anything other than human.

Likewise the “people of God” are likened unto a holy root system that only feeds a holy family and a holy lump that only rises into a holy loaf.

Transition: Just as a lump of dough is dependent upon a baker to turn it into bread and a vine is dependent upon a vinedresser to make it productive, Paul takes the next 6 verses to talk about how the one in charge shapes His product.

The Reduction & Addition (Romans 11:17-22)

We tend to think of ourselves as the younger son in the parable of the Lost Son, as if each of us alone determines when we will leave and if we will return. But doesn’t God’s “fatherhood” have other implications? We like a father who provides and protects, but doesn’t a loving father also punish or discipline? Proper discipline is not all about punishing bad decisions, it truly provides guidance to the right outcome and protects the child from further suffering.

A gardener who gives no thought to the weeds limits the garden’s production. A rancher who gives no thought to the old growth or invasives, destroys his own pastures.

Separated, not destroyed (Ro 11.17)

Does “broken off” equate to “cast into Hell”?

Fire can be judgment (Mt 3:10; Lk 3:9; Jn 15:6), but can also mean testing or refining as in 1 Peter 1:7 and 1 Cor 3:13-15. These words of Paul should not be surprising, because Jeremiah said around 600 BC

Jeremiah 11:16 ESV:2016

The Lord once called you ‘a green olive tree, beautiful with good fruit.’ But with the roar of a great tempest he will set fire to it, and its branches will be consumed.

3. God knew before Mary’s first pregnancy contraction that the Jews would reject the Messiah and need discipline. Fire can be judgment (Mt 3:10; Lk 3:9; Jn 15:6), but can also mean testing or refining as in 1 Peter 1:7 and 1 Cor 3:13-15.

4. Now a “branch” cannot manifest jealousy, so we know this is speaking of some analogy. Whatever happens to these cut-off branches, we see they are still around to graft them in again.

As our stewards transition into the new storage space that you have so generously provided, a lot of purging and organizing has been going on for the last 4 months or so. As a techno geek, it has pained me to see some equipment like amplifiers and speakers and old microphones be finally discarded after a decade+ of storage. Silk plants and old decor are being sorted and some are being cast not into fire, but into the dumpster.

5. Separated from daily use, does NOT automatically equate with destruction.

Natural branches broken off (Ro 11.19)

I’ve already told you that I am not a horticulturalist. I’m also not an arborist. But even I know these are not natural tree shapes. The one on the left is what I see every time I look out my study window. The 2nd is what I see every time I drive into the parsonage driveway. Both of these tell me that at some time, someone took a saw or a VERY strong wind to these trees.

Natural branches get broken off for various reasons. Sometimes the tree endures drought or disease. Sometimes the tree grows into man’s ideas. Sometimes room must be made for new life to sprout.

Grafted branches cut off (Ro 11.22)

severity – God does not (CAN not) ignore sin.

I guess kindness or severity depends upon if you remain or are discarded branch. Maybe it becomes healthy when we stop thinking of ourselves as individual branches and begin to think of the whole plant. What seems severe to the branches may be seen by the plant as kindness.

I see a difference between breaking off and cutting off.

Even if a limb is broken off, it must be cut smooth in order for it to be eligible to be grafted.

Without become too graphic in the pulpit, after service I can point you to someone in our church who endured a tool injury and he can tell you what the doctor did to his finger so that it would heal. Anyone who has had a broken bone set can tell you that sometimes what seems severe is necessary for a kind result.

TRANSITION: Paul turns in the last 2 verses to talk about kind results.

The Restoration (Romans 11:23-24)

Mercy to they (Ro 11.23)

ANYone whose unbelief turns into belief can be grafted into God’s holy people. Regardless of past. Regardless of situation. Regardless of potential—God is capable of grafting!

Mercy to you (Ro 11.24)

1. Do not think too highly of your own past.

2. It was miraculous and loving that you were adopted

3. It was contrary to [human] nature.

4. God took something wild and cultivated it into something fruitful.

Conclusion:

Here is the 10 second summary that some of you were looking for 30 minutes ago. Do not think too lowly of others and do not think too highly of yourself.

Light & Lamp Application:

Remember God’s mercy and forbearance do not mean immediate penalty—we should be more like God in not giving up on others with their first mistake.

Reflect upon the penalty that was paid for your disobedience and choose a worshipful response. – your response may be a song, a prayer, a poem, a notecard you write and post where you will see it often, or a just little talk with Jesus.

Select somebody who appears “broken off” and extend forgiveness.

Response Song #519................................................. “Something Beautiful”