Chosen by Grace
Grace and Peace: Welcome One Another As Christ Welcomed You • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 14 viewsThe Torah-observing group, the “weak” Christians in Rome, put a lot of stock in the idea that they were God’s chosen people. They likely perceived things like circumcision, dietary restrictions, and observance of holy days as indicators that a person was part of the chosen people. However, Paul wrote that not all Torah-observing Jews were actually children of Abraham. The true children of Abraham are those who receive God’s gracious gift of covenant membership the way Abraham received it, as a promise received by faith. This seemed incredibly unfair to those who could not believe God would give covenant membership to Gentiles over their unbelieving Jewish relatives. It’s easy to scoff at this ethnocentrism, but do we often show preference to those who share our culture, over those who share our faith?
Notes
Transcript
Introduction:
Introduction:
If I had a 30-year-old copy of the 1995 Dallas Yellow Pages
And I asked, “What should I watch on Netflix tonight?”
If I looked for an answer in the yellow pages, do you think I would find a good answer?
No, of course not!
But not because the yellow pages is wrong or inaccurate, it just wasn’t written with that question in mind.
One of the reasons we misunderstand the Bible is that we are asking very different questions.
here’s what we need to remember…
Once we understand the questions the Bible is addressing, we will start to understand the answers the Bible is providing…and may find we have similar questions as well.
Once we understand the questions the Bible is addressing, we will start to understand the answers the Bible is providing…and may find we have similar questions as well.
The Christians in Rome weren’t asking,
How does salvation work?
Does God choose some individuals to be saved and some to be lost?
they were asking…
Is the nation of Israel still God’s chosen people or has God rejected and forsaken Israel in favor of the gentiles?
Is the nation of Israel still God’s chosen people or has God rejected and forsaken Israel in favor of the gentiles?
The Weak - Torah-observant Jews believed
we should have an advantage
we should have status
we should be favored
we are chosen / elect
The Strong - Gentiles (who reject Torah)
you’re out, we are in
we are God’s chosen people now
you had your chance, now it’s our turn
You might not have these questions, but you might have somewhat similar questions:
A lot of Christians think it’s their responsibility to support the modern nation of Israel because they believe something similar.
We understand the nationalistic impulse to say, “Surely my people are favored by God. Surely my people are the apple of God’s eye.”
as we look for Paul’s answer…
Paul’s goal is not just to give theologically accurate answers, but to argue convincingly that Jewish and Gentile believers should live together as family.
Paul’s goal is not just to give theologically accurate answers, but to argue convincingly that Jewish and Gentile believers should live together as family.
He’s explaining to them that this was always the plan
This is in keeping with the story we find in the Law and Prophets
Biblical Text:
Biblical Text:
for Paul this is deeply personal
1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
They have been at the center of the story since day one.
This is their family story.
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
God chose…
Isaac, not Ishmael (even though they were both children of Abraham)
Jacob, not Esau (even though they were both children of Abraham)
Not all of Abraham’s physical descendants are part of the special line.
Why did Isaac and Jacob get to be God’s mission partner?
God’s choice
God’s grace
God’s promise
but what about righteousness? haven’t the Jews been more righteous than Gentiles?
30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law.
32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
The nation of Israel pursued righteousness
not as if it was based on loyalty to God
as if it was based on circumcision, eating kosher, keeping Sabbath, etc.
as if it was based on works of cultural distinction
And they STUMBLED over JESUS
He was the test
And the nation failed the test, they stumbled over Christ
that’s what it all comes down to, do you put your faith in Christ?
11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Paul is not arguing that you don’t need to get baptized
that wasn’t the question
he wasn’t talking about how do you initially receive salvation
He’s talking about Jews and Gentiles
there is no distinction
the same Lord is Lord of all
everyone who puts their trust in Christ will be saved
but everyone wants their people to be distinct in God’s eyes (especially those who were promised distinction)
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
No, Israelites have not been “rejected.”
They are free to come to be part of God’s people
They are not banned from the kingdom of God
They were lots of Jews (including Paul) who were part of the faithful remnant
Today, we have to be careful here:
On one extreme is antisemitism (God rejects Jewish people).
On the other extreme is the idea that Jewish are automatically God’s people simply because of their ethnicity.
Jewish people are not forsaken or rejected by God. In fact, they have a head start…but not a free pass.
in chapter 11:13, Paul switches gears and addresses the Gentiles in his audience
13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.
The Gospel isn’t coming to you because God loves you more than them
In fact, Paul hopes that the Gentile inclusion will change some minds
That there will be some who don’t want to miss out on their inheritance
If a dad promised his child…
Trust and obey me and I’ll get you ice cream
Child is rebellious and stubborn
So the dad asks the mean little neighbor kid, “Want to get some ice cream? Do you trust me?”
dad isn’t being unfair, the child can still get ice cream! BUT the neighbor kid also can’t be arrogant, “Ha! I got ice cream and you didn’t!”
16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.
Gentiles haven’t replaced Israel, but have been adopted into the true Israel.
These new branches (Gentiles)
are being supported by the whole family of Israel
Israel is holding them up and nourishing them
Don’t be arrogant towards the Jews who have been cut off because of their disobedience
22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.
Up to you, whether or not to be part of the chosen people of God
Continue in his kindness, don’t be cut off.
Don’t continue in unbelief, get grafted in
What does it take to be part of God’s people?
Faith
Humility
Gratitude
You get to be part of the elect people of God, because God’s graciously chose to extend the saving word to you, which produced faith in your heart.
Application:
Application:
the result of grace…
Grace destroys pride.
Grace destroys pride.
I am God’s child.
I am chosen by him.
I am loved by him.
I am cherished by him.
I am destined to share the world with him.
Because of his grace.
not because of how good I am.
not because of the nation or ethnic group I come from.
not because of how much I know.
Accepting God’s grace destroys my pride in everything else.
personal pride
nationalistic pride
ethnic pride
religious pride
Invitation:
Invitation:
If you’re not in Christ, do not continue in your unbelief
be grafted in
be adopted into the true family of Israel
If you’re in Christ, “continue in God’s kindness”
do not rebel against him
do not take it for granted
walk in faith
