ROMANS 9: STUMBLING OVER JESUS
ROMANS 9:1-33
#Romans9
INTRODUCTION…
I am the kind of minister who prayerfully plans out on what to preach on a regular basis. I regularly pray about what Bible books and topics we need to dig into for our spiritual lives. This year, from the beginning of the year until Easter, I am doing something different. I am trying to do a little less planning and to be open in some different ways. As part of my different approach for these few months, I asked on social media if anyone had any ideas. One such suggestion was Romans 9. I’m not sure why Romans 9 was picked… but we are going to dig into Romans 9 and see what God has for us!
The Apostle Paul’s thoughts in Romans is varied and complicated in my opinion. The Book of Romans is deep and wide and covers much about what the Apostle Paul believes about the Christian life. Paul writes about several topics and he often ends up on side thoughts which can make reading Romans difficult.
What are the 16 chapters of Romans about?
Romans 1: God’s condemnation of Gentile sinning
Romans 2: God’s condemnation of Jewish hypocrisy
Romans 3: God’s impartial salvation
Romans 4: Abraham: Father of us All
Romans 5: Christ: Universal Savior
Romans 6: God’s Provision for holy living
Romans 7: Inadequacy of the Law for holiness
Romans 8: Control by the Holy Spirit
Romans 9: Israel’s Salvation: God’s Choice
Romans 10: Israel’s Salvation: Israel’s Responsibility in Election
Romans 11: Israel’s Salvation: Future Restoration
Romans 12: Living Sacrifices
Romans 13: Christians and Government
Romans 14: Weak and the Strong
Romans 15: Accepting one Another
Romans 16: Greetings
Romans 9, where we are at today, is in a 3-chapter section all about Israel, the mass rejection of Jesus, and then how they will be restored to God through Christ at a future time. Chapter 9 highlights God’s promises among non-Jewish folks in the world.
It is theologically an important passage.
In terms of thinking about the nation of Israel, it is Biblically an important passage.
I think to the Apostle Paul it was personally an important passage.
What does Romans 9 have to do with us? For us, what the Apostle Paul found important we will as well… or rather we should. There is much about the Apostle Paul’s attitude and way of thinking to emulate in Romans 9. I also think for us: We will find that what was a stumbling block for the people around the Apostle Paul in terms of faith is still very much a stumbling block for the people around us. Not much has changed in that area.
THE PROBLEM WITH ISRAEL
Romans 9 begins with the “problem with Israel.”
READ ROMANS 9:1-5
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
The Apostle Paul is speaking to us as one who belongs to Christ and has experienced the Promises of God in his own life. He has the presence of the Holy Spirit. He has been forgiven. He knows Jesus as His Lord and Savior. He is a committed Christian through and through.
The Apostle Paul was also Jewish in his heritage. In the story of the Old Testament, God formed His Own chosen people through history and through Whom He worked His plan for salvation. That is why in verses 4-5 Paul associates with Israel seven areas of privilege that are associated with the people of Israel:
#1 joining God’s family (adoption)
#2 experiencing God’s presence (glory)
#3 entering into a relationship with God (covenants)
#4 receiving God’s revelation (law)
#5 worshiping at His God’s temple (service)
#6 inheriting God’s blessings (promises)
#7 connected to the history of faith (patriarchs)
We read in the Old Testament for all of these reasons that Israel is God’s Chosen People. They received promises and covenants and were called out of the world to be God’s own possession to shine a light on not only Who God is, but what He was doing. From Israel, came the Messiah in Whom is the New Covenant in His blood. The purpose of calling people to be His was so that the people could point others to Him.
Paul accepted that Jesus was the Messiah and that He was the fulfillment of everything God had been working towards through Israel’s history. That is not true for the majority of folks like Paul. Jews in Paul’s day had not widely accepted Jesus as the Messiah. That is still true even today in that Jews do not widely accept Jesus as God’s Son.
What we see in these first few verses from the Apostle Paul is attitude and action to emulate and copy. Paul wishes very much for his countrymen and his family and those who grew up like him to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is his greatest wish. He longs for the salvation of his fellow Jewish people. His life was dedicated to pointing people to Jesus.
So we must also have that kind of burning desire to see those around us accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Verse 3 tells us that Paul desires the salvation of Israel so much that he would trade his own salvation just so they would see Jesus for Who He is… it doesn’t work that way… but Paul desires it very much.
APPLICATION
What about me and you?
* Do we desire to see our close family members come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior? If so, may we be walking and talking examples of what Jesus does in a person’s life and not a walking talking example of anything else.
* Do we desire that those people we grew up with to know Jesus as Lord and Savior? If so, may we use words on purpose to share the Gospel with them on a regular basis.
* Do we desire to see our fellow Americans who live in the greatest country on the face of the earth come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior? If so, may we spend time and energy and effort reaching out in our local community.
SUMMARY/TRANSITION
As chapter 9 begins, the Apostle Paul explains that the problem with Israel is that they are disconnected from God because they have rejected Christ. Anyone who rejects Christ is disconnected from God. Even though for many generations they had the privilege of being part of what God was doing, Jesus changed the fabric of spiritual reality and He is the only way to God.
Israel’s rejection of Christ leads us to the central truth of this chapter.
THE CENTRAL TRUTH: FAITH
The central truth of this chapter is faith.
READ Romans 9:6-8, 14-16, 23-27
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.
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14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
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23 in order to make known the riches of His glory for vessels of mercy, which He has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom He has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed He says in Hosea, “Those who were not My people I will call ‘My people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ ” 26 “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’ ” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,”
What we discover in Romans chapter 9 is that Israel is no longer “God’s Chosen People.” God’s Chosen People used to be Israel, but no longer. God’s people used to be those who descended from Abraham, but now those who belong to God and those who are
God’s Chosen People” is more narrow and also more broad at the same time.
It is more narrow because the Apostle Paul says in verse 8 that “God’s Chosen People” are no longer those who are physically children of Abraham, but are those who are spiritually “children of the promise” connected to Abraham. Those who believe like Abraham are God’s children. Belief is the key. In verse 27, Paul uses the word ‘remnant.’ Belief in Jesus Christ defines God’s people which is how the definition of “God’s Chosen People” narrows.
It is more broad because in verses 23-27 the Apostle Paul explains that believers will not only come from Jewish backgrounds like him, but will come from all the nations from all over the world. Those who had historically not been considered part of God’s working in history would now join together through the common bond of faith to become the “children of the promise.”
Do you remember the privilege that Israel had that Paul explained that belonged to Israel? That privilege and status and benefit now belongs to the Church. Those seven privileges belong to people who believe in Jesus Christ:
#1 Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ joins God’s family (adoption).
#2 Anyone who confesses Jesus as Lord experiences God’s presence (glory).
#3 The only way to enter into a relationship with God (covenants) is by way of Jesus.
#4 Belief in Jesus Christ precedes receiving God’s revelation (law) and right living.
#5 Jesus Christ enables us to worship at His God’s temple (service) in Spirit and Truth.
#6 Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ inherits God’s blessings (promises).
#7 Anyone who confesses Jesus as Lord is then connected to the history of faith (patriarchs).
The central truth of this chapter is that faith in Jesus Christ is what matters and connects us to God. It doesn’t matter what country you are from. It does not matter the color of your skin. It does not matter if you are middle class or upper class or if you farm for a living or ride a desk. It doesn’t matter if you are from one side of the tracks or a certain side of the county. There is no distinguishing characteristic of God’s People other than confessed belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior.
APPLICATION
I see here another emphasis that Paul makes that we should also make. If someone were to ask the Apostle Paul about the most important part of life, he would say that accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and being adopted into the family of faith is the most important decision a person makes. It is a soul-important decision. We need to make sure we say that is #1 as well.
SUMMARY/TRANSITION
As chapter 9 continues, the Apostle Paul explains that Jesus Christ changed the fabric of what is means to follow after God. Once, a person had to be Jewish and a descendant of Abraham to have access to God. That way involved priests and animal sacrifices. It was that way for a really long time. Jesus Christ changed all that. The central issue is now faith in Jesus. Faith in Jesus is the most important defining decision and characteristic of the human soul.
This leads us to a truth about faith and Jesus and the people around Paul. It is also true for the people around us. Romans chapter 9 concludes by reminding us that people will stumble over Jesus.
PEOPLE WILL STUMBLE OVER JESUS
READ Romans 9:30-33
30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.”
Paul explains that non-Jewish people attained righteousness even though they did not pursue right standing before God—because righteousness comes by faith, not works or the Law. Jesus is the key. Acceptance of Jesus Christ gives us right standing before God.
The Apostle Paul draws on imagery from Isaiah 28:16 and Isaiah 8:14 which refers to the Christ whom the Jews rejected. Jesus is the key stone. Jesus is the stumbling stone. Jesus is the rock of offense. The Apostle Paul was keenly aware that even though his great desire was to see everyone he knew and loved to become believers, that some would not accept Jesus. Not everyone would be saved.
APPLICATION
Here then is another attitude for us to copy from the Apostle Paul. I see in Paul’s words and in between the lines that it is perfectly fine for people to trip up over Jesus, but it is not ok for people to be tripped up on Godly things… because of… us. Point people to Jesus. Point people to the teachings of Jesus. Point people to what Jesus has done in our lives.
What you and I want to do is live such good lives that you and I do not cause someone to stumble and fall when coming to faith in Jesus. Our hypocrisy could do that. Our bad choices could do that. Our sin could do that. I see in the Apostle Paul a person who was committed to living out his faith so that his faith was shown as real to those around him. Paul knew people would trip over Jesus. Paul did not want people tripping over him.
ILLUSTRATION… WA CRISWELL STORY (wacriswell.com/sermons/1980/the-burning-heart-2/)
I held a funeral service for a little girl. She was a darling little child, oh, five years, four years of age, little golden-haired girl. It’s always sad to me. So when I had done the service, why, I stood there at the head of the casket, and the mother came; she was a very young woman. She could not have been more than twenty-five at the most; she’s just a girl to me. And that little thing cried, that mother cried; I thought I never heard anyone cry like that, just buried in tears, a flood of tears as she wept over the silent form and face of that little golden-haired girl. Right by her side, standing there; right here, standing by me and his wife, there, bent over that little casket, stood her husband. He stood there with his arms folded like this. He never showed an emotion; he never wept a tear. He never said a word; he just stood there unmoved. Not in my life did I ever want to say to a man, "Listen, fellow, look! Look! Look at that baby, that’s your little girl. Look at that mother, that’s your wife. Couldn’t you at least put your hand upon her shoulder? Couldn’t you at least stand by her? Couldn’t you at least put your arm around her? Couldn’t you at least say some word of loving remembrance? But to stand there and just stand there!
Since that day, I have often thought that God’s people are like that young husband and father: they stand there in a world of appalling judgment upon the thousands that are lost, and they are unmoved. They don’t pray, they don’t cry, they don’t visit, they don’t witness, they don’t testify, they don’t win because ultimately they don’t care. The burning heart: Lord, Lord, for a compassionate soul.
SUMMARY OF ROMANS 9
Ultimately, as I think about Romans 9, I think about Paul’s heart and how important it was for him to share the Gospel with the people around him. Faith in Christ was extremely important to Paul and it drove much of what he did. His faith steered his conversations. His faith colored his worldview. His faith motivated him to serve those around him and to constantly point to Jesus.
May we do the same.
May you and I have hearts that are directed by our faith in Christ.
May you and I have conversations that constantly steer towards faith.
May you and I point to Jesus in all we say and do.
May you and I have hearts that are tender towards people who are lost without Christ.
CONCLUSION IN PRAYER
