Salvation Fully Seen, Pt. 2

Romans 11:11 CSB

I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.

INTRO—

My message today—as part two—swings on the age-old hinge of challenge and contention in the history of Christian teaching (doctrine)…the reality of the existence of the sovereign work of God and the responsibility of man. We are not the first to wrestle with this issue. In fact, Paul rightly assumes that the readers (in Rome) of his letter would be concerned about this issue and the resulting impact on the salvation of Jewish people (especially).

God caused Israel to stumble...

Romans 11:8–10 CSB

8 as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear, to this day. 9 And David says, Let their table become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a retribution to them. 10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and their backs be bent continually.

So, the question...

Has Israel (all, essentially) stumbled so badly as to fall…& fall hard (hard enough to be ruined…like the house built upon the sand [Matt. 7.27])

Romans 11:11 CSB

I ask, then, have they stumbled so as to fall? Absolutely not! On the contrary, by their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.

…so today as we carry on with “Salvation Fully Seen,” in verses 11-32, we see our great and good God once again highlighted by Paul as he works through the truth about salvation, the Jews, and now a significant focus on the Gentiles. First we see...

THE WORK OF GOD ALONE! (Romans 11.11-24)

Salvation is, as CH Spurgeon put it “All of Grace,” and grace, specifically saving grace in this context, is the work of God alone. As God sets that into motion, we see...

The Impact on Jewish People (Romans 11.11-16)

The salvation of Gentile people ought to provoke Israel!

“make jealous”

The complete picture regarding Jewish people—can be saved now (just like Gentiles), and the additional fulness to come—a display of God’s riches indeed!

A picture of life from the dead—stupor, stumble, fall, redeemed! [11.15; Especially in what is yet to come.]

The Impact of Gentile People (Romans 11.17-24)

The complete picture of the Gentile experience—with encouragement and warning—is well illustrated by the olive tree & grafting in branches.

An unusual illustration - ‘against nature’ (11.24)

Branches broken off shows there was/is room for you. (11.17)

That you appear to have replaced broken off branches…don’t boast—’tis true, but you’re missing the point. (11.18-19)

(1) You need to beware! (11.20-22) [I think the point is that unbelief can impact any part of any people group]

(2) You need to know that Jewish people can [now] and will be [special future] grafted back in. (11.23-24)

How cool—great and good—is our God? [Really, really cool!]

AND....that’s exactly the road down which Paul goes...

TO THE GLORY OF GOD ALONE! (Romans 11.25-32)

Salvation—especially its application—more fully seen, leads to evidence of the glory of God!

Glorifying a Sovereign God! (Romans 11.25-26a)

Don’t be ignorant…God is the one working salvation among the Jews & Gentiles!

Glorifying a God of Integrity! (Romans 11.26b-29)

As Paul answered in chapter 9…God is completely able to & faithfully keeps his word!

Isaiah 59:20–21 CSB

20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those in Jacob who turn from transgression.” This is the Lord’s declaration. 21 “As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of your children’s children, from now on and forever,” says the Lord.

Isaiah 27:9 CSB

Therefore Jacob’s iniquity will be atoned for in this way, and the result of the removal of his sin will be this: when he makes all the altar stones like crushed bits of chalk, no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing.

God’s grace gifts (promises) and calling (promises) are irrevocable (unregretted). [11.29]

Glorifying God’s Generosity! (Romans 11.30-32)

Generous “MERCY”! [11.30…31…32]

Mercy (ἐλέει …elios): Pity; Compassion...

Generosity to any and all people groups…nationalities. [“All” without distinction.]

Romans 10:11–13 CSB

For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

[Hebrews 5.9; Galatians 3.22]

CONCL—

Seeing God truly vindicated (?), we see… Soli Deo Gloria!…which leads to...

Romans 11:33–36 CSB

Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:32 CSB

For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all.