July 07, 2022

 God With Us

Happy Thursday!

The Romans (Paul is speaking to Gentiles) 

What do you think about grace?

There is so much we can learn and gain from this?

The original recipients of the letter were the people of the church at Rome who were predominantly Gentile. Jews, however, must have constituted a substantial minority of the congregation

Major Theme

Paul's primary theme in Romans is the basic gospel, God's plan of salvation and righteousness for all humankind, Jew and Gentile alike. Although justification by faith has been suggested by some as the theme, it would seem that a broader theme states the message of the book more adequately. "Righteousness from God"  includes justification by faith, but it also embraces such related ideas as guilt, sanctification and security.

Romans chapter 11 cont....

What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8 as it is written:

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,

    eyes that could not see

    and ears that could not hear,

to this very day.”

Thankful For Sight!

It was God who opened Paul's eyes. If he opens eyes, he can also blind the eyes.  God sees the inner thoughts of a man or woman. 

9 And David says:

“May their table become a snare and a trap,

    a stumbling block and a retribution for them.

10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,

    and their backs be bent forever.”

Ingrafted Branches

11 Again 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. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

1. Even Israel stumbled and fell.  

2. God wants them to be fully included. 

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry 14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? 16 If 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.

17 If 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, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

1. Their unbelief

22 Consider 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. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 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!

1. God is able to graft them in.

2. He has not forsaken them 

Have a great day!