God’s Sovereign Mercy

Romans 11:1–36

(Flow: God’s Faithfulness → Our Humility → Our Worship)

Intro: The Big Question

Tie back: “We’ve seen salvation by faith (10:1–13), and the call to mission (10:14–21). But this raises a question: What about Israel? Has God’s word failed?”

Main aim: Show that God’s plan is faithful, humbling, and doxology-inducing.

Point 1: God Has Not Rejected His People (vv.1–10)

Question: Who are the people of God—has God rejected Israel?

Paul as living proof (v.1).

Elijah: even in despair, God keeps a remnant (vv.2–6).

God maintains a remnant all throughout Scripture.

The Fall, the flood, the exodus(plagues, red sea, the golden calf), the coming of Christ.

God’s grace, not man’s merit, secures His people.

Jesus’ rejection is prophesied

Isaiah 53:3 “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

Psalm 118:22 “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Application:

When the world looks faithless, God is still faithful. We must be students of the Old Testament

Quote (John Stott):

“The whole history of salvation is the story of God keeping his promises.”

Our salvation rests in His preserving mercy.

Point 2: God Uses Israel’s Stumbling for the World’s Salvation (vv.11–24)

Question: How does God’s plan for Israel open the door for Gentiles?

Israel’s rejection → salvation to Gentiles (v.11–12).

Olive tree: broken branches, grafted branches (vv.17–24).

Quote (R.C. Sproul):

“The Gentiles were grafted in, not because of their merit, but because of God’s mercy. We stand by faith, not by pride.”

Jeremiah 11:16–17 “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. The Lord of hosts, who planted you, has decreed disaster against you, because of the evil that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have done, provoking me to anger by making offerings to Baal.””

Warning: humility, not arrogance.

Quote (Charles Spurgeon):

“Nothing in the believer is the cause of salvation; everything in God is its cause.”

Application:

Our inclusion is pure mercy.

The right response is humility, gratitude, and evangelistic passion.

Point 3: The Mystery of God’s Mercy (vv.25–36)

Question: What does the mystery of God’s mercy mean for how we live today?

Partial hardening until the fullness of Gentiles (v.25).

Promise: “all Israel will be saved” (v.26–27).

There are many different beliefs here, but probably the most common view here is that there will be a great revival of Israelites, particularly Jews in the last day.

The only reason I bring this view up is because it is one of the exegetical views available, but it deals carefully here to avoid the idea that there are two ways to be saved. Scripture is consistent, that there is only one way to salvation, through Jesus alone.

I also want to be careful here, as there has been much antisemitism based on an idea called Deicide. The killing of God, or the crucifixion of Jesus. I want to deal with that quickly. Who crucified Jesus? The Pharisees? The Romans? Judas? Pilate? By no means! I crucified Jesus. You crucified Jesus. No claim can be made that any of us played any more or any less part in the crucifixion of Jesus, but this was the means by which we are all saved.

God’s mercy extends to Jew and Gentile alike (v.32).

Quote (Thomas Schreiner):

“The salvation of both Jew and Gentile magnifies God’s mercy, for all without exception are disobedient and without hope apart from His grace.”

Doxology erupts (vv.33–36).

Application:

God’s wisdom surpasses our understanding. As we learn more about who He is, it should, every time, lead us to worship, else we tickle our minds in vein, and are no better than the Pharisees.

Our posture must be hopeful endurance and worshipful humility.

Conclusion

God keeps His promises (Israel not rejected).

God’s mercy humbles the proud (Gentiles grafted in).

God’s plan leads us to worship (doxology).

Quote (Spurgeon):

“The great object of the gospel is to humble the pride of man, and to exalt the grace of God.”