ROMANS 11:11 – 24. CHAIN REACTION OF BLESSING.
RECAP. 11: 1 -10 PAUL HAS SHOWN US THE TRAGIC CONDITION OF ISRAEL WITH HER UNIQUE PRIVILEGES 9:1-4 YET DISTANT FROM GOD (UNBELIEF). PAUL HAS SHOWN THAT GOD WAS NEITHER UNFAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES 9:6 OR UNJUST TOWARDS THEM WHEN IT CAME TO THEIR SALVATION 9:14 - BUT IT WAS IN ORDER THAT GODS PURPOSE IN ELECTION MIGHT STAND 9:11 AND THEIR REJECTION OF CHRIST 9:32 AND THEIR CONTINUAL REJECTION OF GODS ADVANCES 10:21.
YET IN THEIR DISOBEDIENCE THEY FAIL TO RESPOND TO GOD….… SO IN THIS CHAPTER PAUL UNPACKS TWO QUESTIONS WHICH DEALT WITH THE IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE.
1ST V1 DID GOD REJECT HIS PEOPLE? 1- 10.
WE SAW PREVIOUSLY THAT GOD HAS NOT FINISHED WITH ISRAEL , THERE IS STILL A REMNANT CHOSEN BY GRACE V5 TO BE SAVED . SO THE REJECTION OF ISRAEL IS AT PRESENT ONLY PARTIAL THERE IS A BELIEVING REMNANT WHO WILL BE SAVED. TO SUBSTANTIATE HS FIRST CLAIM PAUL BRINGS FORWARD THREE PIECES OF EVIDENCE:
PERSONAL (PAUL WAS A JEW ). THEOLOGICAL (THOSE WHOM HE FOREKNEW V2 THE REMNANT )
HISTORICAL (THE TIME OF ELIJAH WHEN GOD HAD RESERVED WHO WERE FAITHFUL)
THE 2ND QUESTION V11 AGAIN I ASK DID THEY STUMBLE SO AS TO FALL BEYOND RECOVERY? HERE WE SEE PAUL LOOKING AT ISRAEL’S FUTURE PREDICAMENT.
WHICH SEES .........
A. CHAIN REACTION OF BLESSING. V11 - 12
HAS ALL HOPE BEEN LOST FOR ISRAEL? IS THERE ANY PURPOSE IN THIS WHOLESALE REJECTION ARE THEY BEYOND RECOVERY? PAUL HAS A CATEGORICAL SAID, ‘ NOT AT ALL’ THEY ARE NOT BEYOND RECOVERY AND EVEN THEIR REJECTION IS WITHIN GODS DIVINE PURPOSES.
IT WAS DIANA ROSS WHO SUNG, “ I’M IN THE MIDDLE OF A CHAIN REACTION.” ISRAEL’S REJECTION WAS NOT THE MIDDLE OF A CHAIN REACTION BUT THE START OF A CHAIN REACTION OF BLESSINGS WHICH WILL SEE GENTILES SAVED AND THE FULLNESS OF JEWS BROUGHT TO CHRIST V12.
• WIKIPEDIA STATES A CHAIN REACTION IS A SEQUENCE OF REACTIONS WHERE A REACTIVE PRODUCT OR BY-PRODUCT CAUSES ADDITIONAL REACTIONS TO TAKE PLACE. IT IS A SELF-AMPLIFYING CHAIN OF EVENTS.
HAVE YOU EVE WITNESSED A CHAIN REACTION? MAYBE IN THE CHEMISTRY LAB, IN YOUR SCHOOL DAYS AS YOU MIXED CERTAIN CHEMICALS TOGETHER WHICH CAUSES A CHAIN REACTION TO TAKE PLACE. OR HAVE YOU EVER SET UP DOMINOES IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT CAUSES A SERIES OF CHAIN REACTIONS AS ONE HITS THE OTHER.
FRIENDS AS OUR LIVES ARE LIVED OUT UNDER GODS PURPOSES WE ARE ALL LIVING UNDER A PROCESS OF CHAIN REACTIONS WHICH ULTIMATLY LEA TO GOD PURPOSES BEING ESTABLISHED.
YOU SEE EVEN ISRAEL’S REJECTION HAS BROUGHT BLESSINGS TO THE GENTILES. V11. GOD’S DIVINE PLAN WAS THROUGH JEWISH NATION (ABRAHAM THROUGH HIS SEED) ALL NATIONS WOULD BE BLESSED GEN 12:3. THE APOSTLE PAUL AND OTHERS PROCLAIMED THE GOOD NEWS TO JEWS FIRST, ACTS 13:46. THE FIRST PORT OF CALL WAS OFTEN THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE YET AS THEY REJECTED THE GOSPEL, THE MESSAGE WENT TO THE GENTILES V48 WHEN THE GENTILES HEARD THIS THEY WERE GLAD AND HONOURED THE WORD OF THE LORD AND ALL WHO WERE APPOINTED TO ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVED.
THEIR REJECTION FULFILLED GODS DIVINE PURPOSES IN REACHING OUT TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, IT CAUSED A CHAIN REACTION OF BLESSINGS TO TAKE PLACE.
GENTILES WERE BEING SAVED AS PROPHESISED. ISAIAH 49:6, JESUS SAID IN MATT 8:11 -12 I SAY TO YOU MANY WILL COME FROM THE EAST AND THE WEST , AND WILL TAKE THEIR PLACES AT THE FEAST WITH ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. BUT THE SUBJECTS OF THE KINGDOM WILL BE THROWN OUTSIDE, INTO THE DARKNESS, WHERE THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.
APPLICATION: AS WE LOOK UPON OUR LIVES CAN SEE A CHAIN OF EVENTS THAT HAS GOTTEN US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. A CHAIN OF EVENTS HAS LED US TO CHRIST, FROM A POSITION OF REJECTION TO RESPONSE. CHRISTIANS SHARE A PERSONAL TESTIMONY...... A CHAIN OF EVENTS OF HOW WE CAME TO TRUST IN CHRIST. AS A RESULT OF THEIR REJECTION WE TOO HAVE RECEIVED A SPIRITUAL BLESSING.
AT THIS POINT THE CHAIN REACTION STARTS TO REVERSE ITSELF
BECAUSE THE GENTILES BLESSINGS HAD BROUGHT ABOUT ISRAEL’S ENVY V11
THE BLESSING DIDN’T END THERE, THIS CHAIN REACTION RETURNED BACK TO THOSE WHO HAD REJECTED CHRIST AS MESSIAH V11 THEY WERE STIRRED UP TO ENVY... AS GOD HAD SAID EARLIER ROM 10:19 – DEUT 32:21. SOME WERE STIRRED TO A MALICIOUS ENVY ACTS 5:17, 13:45, 17:5.....
BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT PAUL IS REFERRING TO HERE BUT A MORE PURE , POSITIVE FORM OF ENVY.
JOHN STOTT WRITES, NOT ALL ENVY IS TAINTED WITH SELFISHNESS, BECAUSE IT IS NOT ALWAYS EITHER A GRUDGING DISCONTENT OR A SINFUL COVETOUSNESS. AT BASE ENVY IS THE DESIRE TO HAVE FOR ONES SELF SOMETHING POSSESSED BY ANOTHER. AND WHETHER ENVY IS GOOD OR EVIL DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF THE SOMETHING DESIRED AND ON WHETHER ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO ITS POSSESSION.
IF THAT SOMETHING WE DESIRE IS IN ITSELF EVIL, OR IF IT BELONGS TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO IT, THEN THE ENVY IS SINFUL. BUT IF THE SOMETHING DESIRED IS IN ITSELF GOOD, A BLESSING FROM GOD, WHICH HE MEANS ALL PEOPLE TO ENJOY, THEN TO ‘COVET’ IT AND ENVY THOSE WHO HAVE IT IS NOT AT ALL UNWORTHY. BST COMMENTARY ROMANS P297
PAUL BELIEVES THAT WHEN THE JEWS SEE THE LIFE OF A GENTILE BELIEVER WHO IS RECONCILED TO GOD, EXPERIENCING AND DEMONSTRATING THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT . WHEN THEY WITNESS SUCH A LIFE, THEY IN TURN WILL COVET THESE HOLY BENEFITS FOR THEMSELVES THUS PROVOKED TO ENVY THEY TOO WILL REPENT AND BELIEVE.
THIS IS WHAT PAUL IS REFERRING TO V11 AND IN V13 -14 HE BRINGS HIS OWN PERSONAL MANDATE IN HIS OWN MINISTRY.
ON JULY 29, 1981, ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY PUBLICIZED AND GLAMOROUS WEDDINGS IN HISTORY TOOK PLACE. PRINCE CHARLES MARRIED LADY DIANA . AN ESTIMATED AUDIENCE OF 750 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE WITNESSED THE WEDDING, 4500 POTS OF FRESH FLOWERS LINED THE ROUTE TO ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL, 2500 PEOPLE CROWDED THAT GRAND CHURCH WHERE MORE THAN 75 TECHNICIANS WITH 21 CAMERAS WORKED TO ENABLE THE WORLD TO WATCH THIS WEDDING. FOR MANY PEOPLE, THIS WAS A MODERN FAIRY TALE. A ROYAL PRINCE WEDS A LOVELY LADY IN A GRAND CATHEDRAL SURROUNDED BY ADORING SUBJECTS; THEY WERE THE ENVY OF MILLIONS. BUT THAT ENVY WAS FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS.
APPLICATION: FRIENDS THERE MIGHT NOT BE 750 MILLION ONLOOKERS AT YOUR LIFE BUT THOSE WHO DO LOOK UPON YOUR LIFE? WHAT DO THEY SEE? DO WE STIR THEM TO ENVY? AS THEY LOOK UPON OUR IF WE ARE LIVING A CHRIST LIKE LIFE, (IF NOT SHAME) DEEP DOWN OTHERS WILL BE GENUINELY ENVIOUS, THEY MAY NOT SHOW IT, BUT ACTUALLY THEY WANT WHAT YOU’VE GOT. BECAUSE THEY SEE SOMETHING WHICH IS POSITIVE AND PURE, SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT EVIL, BUT GOOD , SOMETHING WHICH IS NOT JUST OURS, BUT SOMETHING WHICH CAN BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS AS WELL AND IS MEANT TO BE SHARED.
PERSONAL STORY : I ALWAYS REMEMBER GOING TO A BBQ WHEN I WAS IN THE COMPANY OF CHRISTIANS, I WAS NOT A CHRISTIAN AT THIS TIME, I NOTICED SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THEM YES THEIR WERE OUTWARD THINGS, BUT THEIR WAS SOMETHING MORE SOMETHING INWARD, A PURITY A PEACE SOMETHING I DIDN’T HAVE IT WAS THEEIR WHOLE LIFE MINISTRY, IT STIRED ME TO ENVY WHAT THEY HAD. I REMEMBER SAYING TO MYSELF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE GOT SOMETHING I HAVEN’T? ( DEEP DOWN I WAS ENVIOUS AND DESIRED WHAT THEY HAD.
V13 I WONDER DO WE MAKE MUCH OF OUR OWN MINISTRIES V14 DO WE DESIRE TO SEE OUR OWN PEOPLE TO BE SAVED ? NEVER GIVE UP ON OTHERS, PAUL NEVER GAVE UP ON THE JEWS WHO HAD REJECTED V14 HIS CONTINUAL DESIRE WAS TO AROUSE THEM AND WE MUST NOT GIVE UP, JUST BECAUSE THOSE WE KNOW WHO HAVE REJECTED CHRIST FOR MANY YEARS, THEY MAY TURN AND RESPOND BY OUR CHRISTIAN LIVING AND WITNESS. DEEP DOWN THEY MAY WELL BE ENVIOUS OF YOUR FAITH, WANTING THAT WHICH YOU HAVE, AND LETS FACE IT ITS NOT EXCLUSIVE TO US IT IS AVAILABLE TO ALL, WHO REPENT AND BELIEVE!
• 3RD CHAIN REACTION: THEIR WILL BE A JEWISH RESPONSE. V12,FULLNESS V15. THEIR ACCEPTANCE
SO THE THIRD CHAIN REACTION THEN LEADS US FULL CIRCLE LEADING US TO JEWISH SALVATION ( OF THE ELECT SPIRITUAL ISRAEL ROM 9:6 ) PAUL POINTS TO IT WITH WORDS LIKE V12, FULLNESS V 15 ACCEPTANCE , 16, 17 -24,25 -26 30-32.
MANY JEWS REJECTED CHRIST AS MESSIAH, NO MORE DEPICTED AS UPON THE CROSS AND THROUGH THE ONGOING MINISTRY OF PAUL ACTS 5:17, 13:45, 17:5..... YET GOD HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON THEM NEITHER HAD PAUL V14 EVEN THOUGH HE EXPERIENCED HOSTILITY, HE WITNESSED AN INGATHERING OF JEWS.
SO WE MUST CONTINUE TO WITNESS TO THE WORLD UNTIL THIS FULLNESS IS REACHED. (CONSIDER A JUG BEING FILLED WITH WATER TO THE BRIM- ITS FULL) BUT TO WITNESS IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.......
DID YOU KNOW? THAT IN 1945 20% OF THE PEOPLE WERE CHRISTIANS IN ISRAEL MANY OF WHOM ARE DIRECT DESCENDANTS OF THE EARLY CHURCH, YET TODAY AROUND 2% CHRISTIAN LIVE IN THE HOLY LAND. WHY? MANY ARE FACING DAILY PERSECUTION FROM ORTHODOX JEWS.
WOULD YOU GIVE UP ON THOSE WHO REJECT YOUR FAITH? NEVER GIVE UP! BECAUSE THEIR WILL BE A FULLNESS AN ACCEPTANCE... WHEN? WHY HASN’T JESUS CHRIST COME AGAIN YET?
BECAUSE GODS ELECT HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO ITS FULLNESS, BOTH THE FULLNESS OF JEW V12 AND GENTILE V25 - 26 HAS NOT BEEN REACHED. WHEN THE FULL NUMBER HAVE BEEN GATHERED IN CHRIST WILL RETURN AND COLLECT HIS ELECT MATT. 24:30-31.
IN THE LIGHT OF V14 WE NEED TO INTERPRET V15 PAUL IS SAYING THAT IF THEIR REJECTION BROUGHT RECONCILIATION TO THE WORLD, THEIR MOVE FROM REJECTION TO THEIR ACCEPTANCE WILL BRING THEM INDIVIDUALLY NOT NATIONALLY FROM DEATH TO LIFE, FROM UNBELIEF TO BELIEF,....
V17 -24 THESE ARE BRANCHES WHICH GOD HAS CUT OFF FROM THE OLIVE TREE. BRANCHES THAT HAVE BEEN CUT OFF, WHY? BECAUSE OF UNBELIEF. V20
THE COMFORTING NEWS IS THERE WILL BE THOSE WHO WILL RESPOND, THERE ARE CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY SOCIETIES DEVOTED TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE ( ALSO ARAB – AFRICAN – ASIAN – WESTERN ) BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A FULLNESS V12 OF JEWISH ELECT BROUGHT IN. INDIVIDUAL JEWS WHO WILL ACCEPT CHRIST AS MESSIAH V15, 11:5 A REMNANT CHOSEN BY GRACE WILL BE SAVED OUT OF A DEAD NATIONALISTIC RELIGION.
V23 -24 CONFIRMS A JEWISH RESPONSE: WE SEE THE POSSIBILITY OF JEWS BEING GRAFTED BACK ONTO THE OLIVE TREE... IF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CUT OFF FROM THE OLIVE TREE THROUGH UNBELIEF CAN BE GRAFTED BACK INTO THE OLIVE TREE.
• 4TH REACTION IS THAT WE BELONG TOGETHER SUSTAINED BY THE ROOT. V17 -24
PEOPLE WHO COME TO OUR COUNTRY TO WORK AND LIVE ARE LABELLED AS IMMIGRANTS 2ND CLASS CITIZENS TO MANY (LEGAL AND ILLEGAL) BUT IN CHRIST’S CHURCH THERE ARE NO IMMIGRANTS NO 2ND CLASS CITIZENS WE ARE ONE.
WHATEVER NATIONALITY WE ARE ONE AS WE ARE ALL SUSTAINED BY THE ROOT, ...WHETHER THE WILD BRANCHES OR THE NATURAL BRANCHES THEY ARE NOW TOGETHER, CONNECTED TO THE ROOT. NOBODY SHOULD CONSIDER THEMSELVES SUPERIOIR OR EVEN INFERIOR THERE IS NO LONGER ANY DISTINCTION:
GAL 3: 26 -29, EPH 3:6 2: 12- 19, IN CHRIST WE ARE ALL SONS OF GOD, FELLOW CITIZENS NO LONGER FOREIGNERS OR ALIENS BUT FELLOW CITIZENS. GOD HAS NOT GOT ONE PLAN FOR THE JEW AND ANOTHER FOR THE GENTILE IT IS ONE COVENANT, ONE PLAN OF SALVATION , ONE WAY, FOR ALL AND IT IS FOUND IN CHRIST ALONE.
THE CHAIN REACTION OF BLESSING WILL ONE DAY BE COMPLETE , THE QUESTION WE ASK OURSELVES WHAT PART OF THE CHAIN REACTION ARE YOU AT? DO YOU REJECT THE GOSPEL? HAVE YOU RESPONDED? IF SO ARE YOU PERSEVERING BY FAITH AND DESIRING YOUR LIFE MINISTRY TO BE A WITNESS TO AROUSE OTHERS, TO FAITH IN CHRIST FOR THAT IS ONE OF THE CHURCHES PURPOSES.
MAY GOD ENABLE YOU TO DO SO.....AMEN
