Will God Surprise in Missions: The Right Zeal
Will God Surprise in Missions • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
This chapter starts much the same as chapter 9 both express Paul desire for Israel his brethren.
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
Paul’s grieving and loving heart for Israel.
Paul’s grieving and loving heart for Israel.
Can we have a greater desire than this? That people we know would be saved for the wrath to come.
Can we have a greater desire than this? That people we know would be saved for the wrath to come.
Paul heart in chapter 9 is a grieving heart. He expresses continual sorrow for Israel.
In the chapter, Paul addresses the fear that Israel is being neglected from God’s favor. The favor they had before with the inclusion of the Gentiles. Even though it seems that Israel is in the status of not being God’s people they will be called God’s people.
Now, there is no difference between the Jew and Gentile, while God’s people are those He has called whether they are Jew or Gentile.
In chapter 9 Paul expresses a grieving heart and in chapter 10 expresses a loving heart.
Paul’s grief is for Israel because the are not saved and his love for Israel is that they would be saved.
Paul’s grief is for Israel because the are not saved and his love for Israel is that they would be saved.
Application: We must have a heart, as Paul did, of both grief and love for those who are without Jesus as Saviour. Grief for their sin and separation from God and love toward them for their salvation.
Application: We must have a heart, as Paul did, of both grief and love for those who are without Jesus as Saviour. Grief for their sin and separation from God and love toward them for their salvation.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
There is a right and wrong zeal for God. God’s people did not know the God they thought they were serving.
There is a right and wrong zeal for God. God’s people did not know the God they thought they were serving.
Jonah 4:2 “2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.”
Jonah 4:2 “2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.”
Jonah knew but did not want to share that God with people.
Jonah knew but did not want to share that God with people.
Do you have a heart of Jonah or a heart of Paul? Where are your affections?
Do you have a heart of Jonah or a heart of Paul? Where are your affections?
Colossians 3:2 “2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Colossians 3:2 “2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Paul describes his own wrong and right zeal and made the difference.
Paul describes his own wrong and right zeal and made the difference.
His zeal that was not according to knowledge:
His zeal that was not according to knowledge:
Philippians 3:4–6 “4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”
Acts 22:3–5 “3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. 4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.”
Galatians 1:13–17 “13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.”
Acts 9:1–2 “1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”
1 Corinthians 15:9 “9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
Acts 26:9–11 “9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”
Romans 10:2 “2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
Not only could he bear them record, he was perpetrator!
Not only could he bear them record, he was perpetrator!
Philippians 3:13–14 “13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
How could this be? How could Paul suddenly change or even gradually change for that matter?
How could this be? How could Paul suddenly change or even gradually change for that matter?
Galatians 1:15 “15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,”
This God is the God who creates by the word of His power.
This God is the God who creates by the word of His power.
Psalm 33:6 “6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”
Psalm 33:6 “6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”
When it pleases Him he calls us by His grace. We will not, we cannot come until He calls us by His grace.
When it pleases Him he calls us by His grace. We will not, we cannot come until He calls us by His grace.
How does this happen?
How does this happen?
Romans 1:16–17 “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:16–17 “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
You see, the gospel of Christ Jesus is the power of God. The power of God is the gospel that makes the dead heart alive to God. It is God created a new heart in us.
Hearing Paul’s testimony of his life before his salvation gives us no reason to think he could or would change the course of his life. He was getting after it and he thought he was doing God’s work. But when it pleased God, God made Paul’s into something that it was not before. The power of God created in him an new heart for life. A new heart, that truly serve the one he thought he was serving before.
Paul was in fact Romans 10:3 “3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
Paul was in fact Romans 10:3 “3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
We can easily put Paul’s name in that verse, “For Paul being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish his own righteousness, had not submitted unto the righteousness of God.”
We can easily put Paul’s name in that verse, “For Paul being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish his own righteousness, had not submitted unto the righteousness of God.”
I can put my name in the verse as well. You can put your name in there to.
I can put my name in the verse as well. You can put your name in there to.
But when it pleased God, He called me and I heard his voice and I came to Him.
But when it pleased God, He called me and I heard his voice and I came to Him.
Can you say the same thing for yourself?
Can you say the same thing for yourself?
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
You understand, that God is calling you even now.
Repent of the righteousness you want to establish. It cannot help you. Your righteousness is worthless to your salvation. it simply will not do.
You need God’s righteousness to save you. You can have through simple belief in the gospel of Christ.
God is not impressed all with your righteousness but I tell one thing He is impressed with the righteousness of Christ Jesus.
Won’t you trust Him today?
Christian, do you have the same grief and love Paul had for the lost?
