Rom 11-Have You Been Grafted

| Have You Been Grafted?! Romans 11:11-24

November 18, 2007 11Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.  12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! 13I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry  14in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.  15For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?  16If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,  18do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.  19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”  20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.  21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. 22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.  23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.  24After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! PRAY Scripture Memory:Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Romans 11:33(NIV) Intro:Have any of you ever grafted a branch onto a tree or a plant? 1. The subject of this text: the Jews2. The recipients of this text: non-Jewish Christians3. The message of this text: Consider The Kindness and Sternness of God 1. The Subject of this Text: the JewsThey / their (v. 11) / their (v. 12)Different interpretationsThree Points that are Clear:☞    Salvation came to the Gentiles because of the Jews’ rejection of Jesus. (v. 11)v. 11 – Because of their transgression, salvation has come to the GentilesNOTE: This rejection was necessary.The issue is not BEFORE the crucifixion and resurrection, but AFTERWARDSThe pattern of the 1st Century missionaries was always to go to the Jews first… ☞    Just because the Church is now dominated by us Gentiles does not imply that God is finished with physical seed of Abraham. ( v. 24)v. 24 – After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!Ø   The wild olive branches: Ø   The natural branches: ☞    The firstfruits (Abraham, etc.) make the rest holy. (v. 16)v. 16 – If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holyØ   Defining holy – An attribute of God’s which speaks to His spiritual purity and uniqueness, separate from the ordinary or profane – Sanctified, set apart for GodØ   The firstfruits offering (Num. 15:20-21 – the firstfruits of the dough offering which sanctifies the whole offeringThe first fruits of agriculture are given to God in religious ritual in acknowledgment of his ownership of the earth Harper's Bible dictionaryØ   The value of covenant baptism - 1 Cor. 7:13-14 – (NLT) If a Christian woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. 14For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not have a godly influence, but now they are set apart for him. That which is holy is set apart for God, and as such it is holy.This has to do with the love God has for His own. Because of His love for Abraham, His offspring are holy. Because of His love for us…What does that mean in practice?For the Jew, it means that God still has a special place in His heart for the Jews.For the covenant child it means that God has a special place in His heart for our children because of His relationship with us. 2. The recipients of this text: non-Jewish Christiansv. 13 – I am talking to you Gentiles.Gentiles: all non-Jews☞    We are wild olive shoots, not natural branches.We have no room for arrogance or boasting, and especially not for anti SemitismGrace is given, not to make us proud, but to make us thankful. Matthew HenryGentile Christians must remember that they are grafted into a Jewish faith, and that when they are grafted into the Old Testament people of God, they accept not only Israel’s spiritual history as their own but also Jews as in some sense their siblings, even if those who do not follow Jesus are fallen siblings. Earlier in Romans Paul had opposed Jewish arrogance against Gentiles; here he opposes Gentile arrogance against Jewish people. IVP NT Bible Background CommentaryPaul Leher’s National Brotherhood Week:O the rich folks hate the poor folks and the poor folks hate the rich folks. All of my folks hate all of your folks and everyone hates the Jews…NOTE: There is only ONE people of God. ONE vine… ☞    We are called to be living testimonies (vv. 13-14)Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry 14in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.  What is it that sets Christians apart from Jews who have not embraced Christ as Messiah? |   | Grace and Peace with GodThis means that love and grace must be evidentBetween each other (John 13:35)For those outside our church family, especially the Jews ☞    Our holiness is dependent upon our connection to the vine (v. 16)v. 16 – If the root is holy, so are the branches.– belief / faith (v. 20 - they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith)Unbelief is the root of all sin….Ø   Complaining…Ø   Gossip…Ø   Deceit…Ø   Etc….The degree to which we are holy, at any given moment is determined by how strongly we are connected to the Vine (John 15:5 – I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing).NOTE: The people of God must and will bear fruit. This is what grafting branches is all about… 3. The message of this text: Consider The Kindness and Sternness of God (v. 22)22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.☞    The Kindness of God:v. 22 – kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindnessØ   The kindness of our graftingWe were, by nature, objects of wrath (Eph. 2:3)…Eph. 2:3-5 – 3Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.  4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressionsØ   The kindness of God’s promisesGod, Who owes us NOTHING has showered us with precious promises, because of our connection to the True Vine, Jesus Christ.Ø   The kindness of God’s blessingsThe love of a FatherThe grace of GodThe protection of the King of KingsThe guidance of the Holy SpiritEtc.  ☞    The Sternness of God:v. 22 – sternness to those who fell who do not continue in his kindnessv. 23 – to those who persist in unbeliefØ   Judgment is REAL.This life as heaven and hell…Ø   Heb. 10:31 – It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.Ø   God disciplines those whom He loves. (Heb. 12:6; Prov. 3:11) Final application:v. 20b – Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.  ☞    Do not presume upon God’s favor. v. 21 – If God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.v. 20a – They were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.Presumption: assuming that everything is right between ourselves and God, regardless of what we may believe or not believe or of how we may act (James Boice) ☞    Commit yourself to understand what it means to fear (truly RESPECT) God. (vv. 20, 22)20Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.  Be afraid of what? That we, also, might find ourselves on the outside due to unbelief.22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness.  Summary / Review:The Subject of this Text: the JewsSalvation came to the Gentiles because of the Jews’ rejection of Jesus. (v. 11)The issue being not BEFORE the crucifixion and resurrection, but AFTERWARDSJust because the Church is now dominated by us Gentiles does not imply that God is finished with physical seed of Abraham.The firstfruits (Abraham, etc.) make the rest holy – set apart for God.This has to do with the love God has for His own. Because of His love for Abraham, His offspring are holy. Because of His love for us…For the Jew, it means that God still has a special place in His heart for the Jews.For the covenant child it means that God has a special place in His heart for our children because of His relationship with us.This text is written to non-Jewish ChristiansThe point: We have no room for arrogance or boasting, and especially not for anti SemitismGrace is given, not to make us proud, but to make us thankful. Matthew HenryThere is only ONE people of God. ONE vine… God calls us here to be living testimonies, particularly to the Jews…Our holiness is dependent upon our connection to the vine – belief / faith Unbelief is the root of all sin….The degree to which we are holy, at any given moment is determined by how strongly we are connected to the Vine. If this is true, then we must and will bear fruit. This is what grafting branches is all about…The message of this text: Consider The Kindness and Sternness of God (v. 22)Ø   The kindness of our graftingØ   The kindness of God’s promisesØ   The kindness of God’s blessings☞    The Sternness of God to those who fell who do not continue in his kindness – to those who persist in unbeliefWe must NOT be arrogant, but rather be afraid.  We must be careful that we do not presume upon God’s favor, assuming that everything is right between ourselves and God, regardless of what we may believe or not believe or of how we may actWe must commit ourselves to understand what it means to fear (truly RESPECT) God. (vv. 20, 22) A Truth to Remember: Being connected to the True Vine, Jesus, is a gift of grace, not to be taken lightly. A Challenge to Consider:How much does your life show gratitude and faith in God because of the mercy you have been shown? One thing I heard this morning was… |