The Greatest Gift Series

A Gift, All may Repent and Turn to Christ

God is over All

God calls us to call to the lost

Wabush, a town in a remote portion of Labrador, Canada, was completely isolated for some time. But recently a road was cut through the wilderness to reach it. Wabush now has one road leading into it, and thus, only one road leading out. If someone would travel the unpaved road for six to eight hours to get into Wabush, there is only way he or she could leave---by turning around.

Each of us, by birth, arrives in a town called Sin. As in Wabush, there is only one way out--a road built by God himself. But in order to take that road, one must first turn around. That complete about face is what the Bible calls repentance, and without it, there’s no way out of town. Brian Weatherdon.

Would people say you’ve made the about face today?

God is over All

I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. [12] Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? Romans 11:11-12

Stumble and fall…

The only permanent and final fall—spiritually.

Is Israel’s problem with Christ permanent and final? Is it with any other man?

Paul’s response: God forbid! Perish the thought! Let it never be!

Israel, now...

·have shut their eyes, lest they should see Christ (Romans 11:8).

·have closed their ears, lest they should hear Christ (Romans 11:8).

·have set themselves to bitterly oppose Christ (1 Thes. 2:15-16).

(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. Romans 11:8

Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: [16] Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. 1 Thes. 2:15-16

Because of this God sent HIS glorious message of HIS love throughout the world (the Gentile world) in search of any person who would receive the message of Jesus.

God did what Israel had failed to do: God threw open the door of salvation to the whole world.

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46).

“For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it” (Acts 28:27-28).

“Then saith he to his [God] servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage” (Matthew 22:8-9).

“Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper” (Luke 14:21-24).

God calls us to call to the lost

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: [14] If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. [15] For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Romans 11:13-15

God indeed does and has “worked all things out for good.”

He took Israel’s rejection of Jesus and enriched the world. Why?

God ordained that Jesus Christ shall have many brothers and sisters who will worship and serve HIM throughout all eternity

God stirs the Jews and all people to be restored. God has not forsaken the nation of Israel or any other that will humble themselves and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in their lives.