‌SCRIPTURE: Romans 11:25-36 (ESV)

‌DATE: 1-19-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And there’s one thing I want you to know — and this is true if you’re worshiping with us for the first time — if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

We’re continuing our series in Romans this weekend. And — we’re at a pivotal point in Paul’s letter — as we’re nearing the end of the first eleven chapters which are theologically focused. Since chapter nine — we’ve been going through Paul’s defense of God’s sovereign right to be merciful towards whomever he chooses. Meaning no one deserves mercy — because of our sin and rebellion against God — yet God graciously bestows his mercy on those he has chosen.

And this was a challenging idea for Paul’s original audience as much as it is for us today. For Paul’s audience — many who were Jews — couldn’t understand why so many of their friends and family members had rejected Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promised Messiah — a word that means Savior. For the Messiah was a promise God had given to the Jews — yet — when Jesus came — the vast majority of the Jews rejected him — ultimately having him murdered on a cross.

‌And we’re finishing up Paul’s answer as to why this happened — why did the Jews — overall as a people — reject Jesus? Now the thrust of Paul’s argument has been that God had made a promise to keep for himself a remnant — an Israel within the nation of Israel — to be his faithful people. But this faithfulness was never a guarantee to the entire nation of Israel. Yet — Paul himself was a Jew — an example of God’s promise to Israel being fulfilled — for Paul believed in Jesus. But now — Pauls says — the people whom Jesus came to save — are people of all nations. Jews — yes — but gentiles — or non-Jews — as well. For believers — whether Jewish or not — have all been united to Jesus through faith. Thus he’s the root of this spiritual tree that has branches — or believers — that are of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds.

‌Which leads us to our text for today. If you have your Bible — please turn with me to Romans chapter eleven. We’ll be in Romans chapter eleven — beginning in verse twenty-five. There we read…

‌Romans 11:25–36 (ESV)

‌²⁵ Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; ²⁷ “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” ²⁸ As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. ³² For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. ³³ Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” ³⁵ “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” ³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

‌We’re going to briefly look at this mystery that Paul refers to. Then we’ll consider God’s wisdom and knowledge. But the majority of this sermon — will focus on Paul’s conclusion of — not only our verses — but of the first eleven chapters of his letter.

THE MYSTERY OF HARDENING, ELECTION, AND SALVATION

First — let’s look at this mystery that Paul refers to. A mystery of hardening, election, and salvation. We’re in verse twenty-five.

‌Romans 11:25–32 (ESV)

‌²⁵ Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. ²⁶ And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; ²⁷ “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” ²⁸ As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹ so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. ³² For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

‌Paul begins with a good reminder: “Lest you be wise in your own sight.” That’s another way of saying, “Because I don’t want you to be conceited, or proud, or arrogant…I want to make sure you’re not ignorant of this mystery.” What mystery, Paul? 

Mystery is one of Paul’s favorite ways of referring to the gospel — the message of salvation. And — if you remember from last week — Paul’s concern was that gentile believers in Jesus might become arrogant in hearing that the Jewish people had been cut off from Christ. Not every single Jew was cut off — for Paul himself was a Jewish believer in Jesus — but — overall as a group — the Jews had rejected Jesus as God’s promised Messiah. And their rejection of Jesus resulted in the gentiles believing in Jesus and being united to him and welcomed into the family of God. The outsiders are outsiders no more. Those people once called “not God’s people” are now called “the people of God.”

‌Yet even with new hearts — hearts made alive to God by the Spirit — we can still revert to the desires of our flesh and allow a wonderful mystery — our salvation — to become a point of sinful pride and arrogance. Thus Paul begins with this warning as a reminder. A partial hardening has come upon Israel. Partial because there are some — like Paul — who are Israelites — and yet they believe. And this hardening will continue until the full number of gentiles believe in Jesus. Which tells us that there’s a set number — determined by God — of people who will come to faith. And this is meant to stir great hope in the people of God — yet I find that this truth often disturbs God’s people.

‌For we view this as God having limited who will believe in Jesus — versus — seeing it as sweet grace — undeserved mercy — in that God has ensured that many will believe in his Son. For we must remember what Paul’s already told us: If it weren’t for God preserving — or keeping — for himself a people who are faithful to him — none of us would remain faithful. A humbling truth — yes — but what an assuring truth. God will keep you. He will preserve you. You don’t have to keep or preserve yourself — though — knowing that you’re so loved by God that nothing can separate you from his love — your life will be a response of gratitude and thankful obedience to the God who loves you in this preserving way.

‌Paul then goes on to say, “And in this way all Israel will be saved.” A phrase that’s stirred up much debate in church history. Is Paul saying that all — many every single Jewish person — will ultimately be saved? He can’t be. For he’s already pointed out that ethnicity means nothing in regards to salvation. And he’s already pointed out that — in the past — all Israelites believed they were right with God when only a remnant — or the true Israel — was actually right with God. And there’s no indication that Paul’s suddenly changed his mind. Thus we must keep in mind — and not take out of context — what Paul is saying here. Especially when we remember the question of his original audience: If the Messiah was promised to Israel — why did the vast majority of the Jews not believe in Jesus?

‌So it’d be quite odd for Paul to argue for two and half chapters that the reason why not every single Jew believed in Jesus is because the promise of the Messiah was given only to the Israel within Israel — the remnant — only to do a one eighty turn with no theological clutch and say, “Just kidding. Every single Jew is gonna be saved.” So here’s the promise: every true Israelite — every individual who God has chosen to be part of his remnant — including every Jewish person chosen to be part of the remnant — will be saved. For the gifts to the true Israel — and God’s calling upon them — are irrevocable — they won’t ever be taken away.

‌Those gifts that Paul reminded us of way back in the beginning of chapter nine. The gifts of adoption and the covenants. The law, the patriarchs, and the Messiah. These are the gifts that are irrevocable — gifts that God will never take back or rescind. And — through these gifts — God will draw his people to himself through his mercy. 

GOD’S WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

And — in response to this now revealed mystery — Paul says…

‌Romans 11:33–35 (ESV)

‌³³ Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” ³⁵ “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?”‌

I appreciate how another translation of the Bible expresses verse thirty-three.

‌Romans 11:33 (NLT)

‌³³ Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

‌Though we can understand many things about God and his ways — we’d be fools to think that there’s not a severe limitation in our understanding. Yet even our limited understanding of him is quite amazing. Which is all the more reason for us to praise and worship God and to live for him alone.

‌Pastor James Boice rightly points out, “No people ever rise higher than their idea of God.” As one Bible scholar explains, “The gods of the Assyrians were cruel, and the Assyrians were cruel. The patron deity of Rome was Jupiter. He gave laws and social order, and the Romans loved law and order. But since the Lord is just, merciful, and faithful, his followers admire those traits and strive to embody them, and this enables disciples to rise higher than those who follow lesser deities.” (Daniel Doriani, Romans, 406).

‌The principle is this: You and I will never rise higher than what we believe about God. How great is the wisdom and knowledge of the God you believe in? Is the wisdom and knowledge of your God based on what’s been communicated to us in the Bible or is it based on some other source? To ask these questions another way: How great is your God? And how do you know that he’s that great? And — if your answer doesn’t come from this book — then — I hate to tell you, but do so in love — your god is quite puny.

‌The lesser gods of our day are not what the Assyrians and Romans worshipped — but the world of our day hasn’t abandoned the worship of false gods. For people — especially in our country — are still trying to “rise to the height” of the gods they worship. Gods like self-autonomy — my body, my choice — whether the choice be to abort a baby or to live together before marriage. This is sanctity of life Sunday after all — so let’s depart from Romans for a minute to see how the worship of self-autonomy leaves no room to worship and obey the God who is rich in wisdom and knowledge. For divine wisdom and knowledge tells us that the unborn child is a person made in the image of God.

‌Luke 1:41–44 (NLT)

‌⁴¹ At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. ⁴³ Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? ⁴⁴ When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.

‌Now the same Greek word — translated as the child in Elizabeth’s womb — is the same Greek word used in this familiar Christmas passage.

‌Luke 2:12 (NLT)

‌¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

‌Whether in or out of the womb — Luke — a medical doctor by the way — uses the same word to describe a child. Something the secular religion of “my body my choice” doesn’t do. Will we submit to God’s wisdom and knowledge — as revealed in his Word — or submit ourselves to the wisdom and knowledge of a false religion? And not just — will we — but will you?

‌Again — it’s sanctity of life Sunday — the word sanctity means “holy, sacred, saintly.” And the holy living that we — God’s holy people — have been called to isn’t limited to the topic of abortion. For God’s wisdom and knowledge also defines for us what marriage is, what it isn’t, and why living together before being married is a sinful act. We Christians have been bombarded with new definitions of marriage that are contrary to what God — who is rich in wisdom and knowledge — has defined marriage to be.

• This would include so called same-sex marriage — which is not marriage as defined by God.
• This would also include unbiblical divorce — which is a much more personal issue of obedience to God’s Word for the majority of Christians in the US — than is being married to someone of the same sex.
• As is living like you’re a married couple before you’re married — living together, sleeping together — all of those married couple things. Our culture has so watered down what a relationship is — that I now hear people calling their live-in partner their husband or wife. And when asked, “Are you married?” They reply, “No. But he’s still my husband. Or she’s still my wife.” And I’m like, “Huh?” Do you just go around pointing at random kids and say, “That’s my son or she’s my daughter?” You don’t. Why? Because that’s not what the words mean. 

‌

Seriously folks — to believe in Christ means we forgo the arrogance all around us of claiming to be all wise and all knowing and — instead — recognize the incomparable wisdom and knowledge of God and listen and obey him as he’s spoken to us in his Word. And these are just two issues in our day — life and marriage — and I hope this is obvious — but God’s infinitely rich wisdom and knowledge isn’t limited to these two topics but is far greater than any other wisdom and knowledge of all topics. He is God after all.

‌To paraphrase Paul — he basically asks, “Tell me. When’s the last time God had to ask you for advice?” Ever had God call you up on the phone or send you a DM saying, “Hey, God here. I’m stuck and need some advice. What do you think I should do?” I’ll tell you when that last happened — never! But when’s the last time you didn’t know what to do? When’s the last time you needed God’s advice? Did you seek his rich wisdom and knowledge or settle for the wisdom and knowledge of someone far less in the know than the One who knows all things?

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Speaking of God’s rich knowledge and wisdom — in response to writing about God’s incomparable wisdom and knowledge — Paul can’t help but burst forth in praise with the words…

‌Romans 11:36 (ESV)

‌³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

‌Paul ends this lengthy section of his letter with a statement of praise. All things — Paul says — are from God and through him. Nothing happens that he isn’t aware of. This is what it means for him to be sovereign — to be God — and for us to be part of his creation. For even our actions and decisions and free will are from him and through him and subject to his sovereign authority.

‌Yet Paul’s statement of praise isn’t simply based on the few verses we’ve looked at today — his praise is a response to all that he’s written up to this point in his letter. Statements like…

‌Romans 1:16–17 (NLT)

‌¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes — the Jew first and also the Gentile. ¹⁷ This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

‌Paul praises God because of how he — God — makes us right — or righteous. And — after reminding his readers of who they are in their sin and rebellion against God — he says…

‌Romans 2:28–29 (NLT)

‌²⁸ For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. ²⁹ No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

‌As we’ve been learning — ethnicity means nothing when it comes to a person being right with God. What matters is the spiritual condition of your heart. And — because of sin — we’re all born with hearts in need of a radical change. A change of our heart done by the Holy Spirit. A change which results in a new way of living for those given this new spiritually alive heart. More reasons for Paul — and us — to praise God.

‌Paul writes statements about God like…

‌Romans 3:3–4 (NLT)

‌³ True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful? ⁴ Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”

‌God is always faithful. He only speaks words of truth. And he will be proved right in the end. Reasons for us to praise God. Just as the hope-giving words of…

‌Romans 4:7–8 (NLT)

‌⁷ “Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. ⁸ Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin.”

‌What joy — what blessing — it is to be forgiven. What joy — what blessing — to have God declare you clear of all sin charges against you because of what Christ has done. What reason to worship your forgiving God. Or the fact that…

‌Romans 5:1 (NLT)

‌¹ Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

‌God — who makes us righteous by our faith in Jesus — who gifts us with the faith that is the means of our righteousness — declares that we’re now at peace with him. Enemies no longer — now friends — adopted children — at peace with God because of what Jesus has done on our behalf. More reasons for us to praise and worship our great God. Or how about this soul-lifting truth?

‌Romans 5:8–11 (NLT)

‌⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

‌Do you need proof that God loves you? He sent Jesus to die for you while you were his enemy. As I said a moment ago — enemies no longer — through faith in Christ you’re now called a friend of God. Praise God from whom all of these blessings flow! And there are even more blessings such as…

‌Romans 8:1 (ESV)

‌¹ There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

‌And…

‌Romans 8:28 (NLT)

‌²⁸ …we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

‌Why? Because…

‌Romans 8:29–39 (NLT)

‌²⁹ God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. ³¹ What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? ³² Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? ³³ Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one — for God himself has given us right standing with himself. ³⁴ Who then will condemn us? No one — for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. ³⁵ Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? ³⁶ (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) ³⁷ No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. ³⁸ And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. ³⁹ No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

‌Think of all of the reasons we have to worship and praise our great God! The God who is sovereign — who reigns and rules over all of his creation. Our great God who ensures that he always has a faithful remnant of people who worship and follow him. Our great God who says to those who were once not his people — “now — you are my people — now — I call you my beloved.” Our great God who guarantees his promise that…

‌Romans 10:9–13 (ESV)

‌⁹ If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

‌And those who call on the name of the Lord — in true faith — those who will never be put to shame — will never be rejected — will never be turned away. For they’ve been united to Christ — who’s the root of a glorious tree of spiritual life. And all who are united to him — who are a branch connected to him — Jew or Gentile — will flourish now and for all eternity.

‌CONCLUSION

‌What reasons we have to praise and worship our great God. For to him be the glory forever — and ever. Amen. 

Do you realize that this is the reason why you exist — to give God glory? You exist to make God look glorious — that’s what it means to glorify God? If you’re a Christian this is why he’s saved you — to make him look glorious to the world. And — not only you — but all of creation exists to make God look glorious. This isn’t because God has a big ego or is self-centered — remember he’s holy and without sin — which tells us his motivation is not like ours. For — in being God — everything else in all of creation must be meant to make him look glorious. For — if not him — who or what else would deserve glory?

‌And do you want to know something awesome? This is where history is headed — the eternal glory of God. Where God’s rescued people will praise him forever and ever. Never ceasing to give him the glory that he alone deserves. Does this excite you — I hope it does. I hope that you see what Paul’s been showing us for eleven chapters — that Jesus came to restore what had been lost due to our sin and rebellion against God: Our ability to give God glory. So often we think of our salvation in terms of what it means for us — “I’m saved — I’m going to heaven” — but Paul ends by showing us what our salvation means for God: It means that he receives our glory. That he receives our worship. That he receives our devotion and praise. Not some day in the future — not only in eternity — but now. Today. For this day — and every day of your life — is meant to bring glory to God.

• So when you leave here today — go with the purpose of living a life that gives glory to God. 
• And when you wake up tomorrow — wake up with the purpose of bringing glory to God. 
• When you sin — because we all will — repent and do so because you know that it brings glory to your God. 
• Parent your kids for the glory of God. 
• Love your spouse for the glory of God. 
• Respect your parents and others who are in authority over you — for the glory of God. 
• If you’re not married — glorify God in your relationships. 
• Fight for the lives of the unborn for the glory of God. 
• Foster children in need of care and — do so — for God’s glory.
• For — as Paul says — “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10.31b)

‌

Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, our God who is rich in mercy and kindness — who’s rich in wisdom and knowledge — how impossible it is for us to fully understand who you are and your ways. We want to understand — but we’re in way over our heads. Thank you for stooping down to our level and giving us a glimpse understanding who you are and your mystery of salvation.

‌Spirit of God, increase our glimpses and do so by your Word. For we want to know the true God — who you are, what you’re like, how you work — and not settle for some false, powerless, unable to give hope or joy — puny, poor substitute for you. So many worship these false gods of our day to their eternal demise. So awaken our hearts to your love for us and the truth of who you are as you’ve revealed in your Word.

‌And — Jesus — you came to earth to show us what our God is like — for you are God in the flesh. In you we see the mercy of God, the kindness of God, the truthfulness of God, the justice of God, and the joy that can be experienced in knowing the true God. Jesus you know how those listening to me have come here with such numerous and diverse needs and desires — coming here thinking they know what they need most. Maybe they’re right — maybe they’re not — but may you open all of our hearts so that — no matter what we came here hoping to get — what we leave here with is a deeper, more intimate, more life-giving, hope-fueling, joy-inducing relationship with you. For some this will be a new relationship with you. For many — this will be a renewing of their relationship with you. Regardless — all of our lives have room to grow in bringing you glory.

‌So Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — that’s our prayer — that you will be glorified in each of our lives. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BENEDICTION (Prayer teams available)

As you go — may all that you say and do be done for the glory of God. Amen.

‌God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

‌SCRIPTURE: Romans 11:11-24 (ESV)

‌DATE: 1-12-25

It’s good to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And — if you happen to be worshiping with us for the first time — or if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

INTRO

We’re continuing our series in Romans this weekend — looking at Paul’s letter to Christians living in Rome last week. Paul’s never met these Christians. He hopes to visit them soon — as we discover near the end of his letter — but since he hasn’t been able to meet them face to face — he writes them this letter — a letter many consider to be Paul’s greatest contribution to our faith.

And we’re nearing the end of Paul’s answer to a question his original readers were asking. A question that may not seem all that relevant to us today but — as I hope you’ve seen — ends up being very practical for us. Their question is this: If God’s promised Messiah — or Savior of the world — was a promise given to the Jewish people — why did so many Jews not believe that Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s promise to them? To ask the question another way: Why did the vast majority of Jews reject Jesus as the promised Messiah?

This was a heart wrenching question for Paul’s readers because many of them were Jews. And they had friends and family members who — though Jewish — had rejected Jesus. And Paul’s readers couldn’t understand how this had happened. You see, the Jewish people had this assumption that — when God’s Messiah came — all Jews would recognize him, believe in him, and definitely not reject him. They lived with an assumption where — to be Jewish meant that you’d receive God’s Messiah when he appeared. Yet that’s not what happened. So Paul gives a lengthy three chapter response to their question.

And we’ll continue to explore Paul’s response in our passage today. If you have your Bible, please turn with me to Romans chapter eleven. We’ll be in Romans chapter eleven — beginning in verse eleven. There Paul writes…

Romans 11:11–24 (ESV)

¹¹ So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. ¹² Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! ¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry ¹⁴ in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? ¹⁶ If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. ¹⁹ Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. ²² Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. ²³ And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

The key verse of our passage — the verse the title of this sermon is based on — is verse twenty-two — where Paul writes…

Romans 11:22 (ESV)

²² Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

• Notice the kindness and harshness of God. (NET) 
• Consider the kindness and sternness of God. (NIV) 
• Notice how God is both kind and severe. (NLT) 
• Stay alert to these qualities of gentle kindness and ruthless severity that exist side by side in God. (MSG)

God’s kindness — something that — Christian or not — we expect and hope for. A simple definition of kindness is, “Showing mercy and doing good even to people who don’t deserve it or who deserve the opposite.” But his severity or harshness — well — I think the Bible says somewhere that God is love so there’s no way he can also be severe, right? Or maybe God is harsh towards really bad people — but not towards someone — I don’t know — like me.

This is the assumption that the people of Israel had begun to believe. That God would only be kind towards them and there was no possibility of them experiencing his severity. Thus Paul — who we can’t forget is Jewish — wants to make clear to his original audience — and to us — the futility in their assumption. For God is kind — a wonderful truth I hope we’ll all leave here believing — and — he is severe — a sobering truth I also hope we will all leave here believing today. But — even in this truth — that God is severe — we find mercy. For — even in Israel’s fall — there is hope. To this hope and mercy we now turn.

WHY ISRAEL FELL

Let’s return to verse eleven. There Paul writes…

Romans 11:11 (ESV)

¹¹ So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.

Did Israel stumble? Yes! Did they stumble in an irredeemable way? Not at all! 

First, no one can argue that Israel didn’t stumble. The Jewish people had God’s Messiah murdered. If that’s not stumbling then nothing is. But the Bible makes a distinction between stumbling and irredeemable stumbling. For example, the book of Psalms states…

Psalm 27:2 (NLT)

² When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

A few psalms later we read…

Psalm 37:23–24 (NLT)

²³ The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. ²⁴ Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Evil people — according to the first psalm — stumble and fall. Godly people — according to the second psalm — stumble and yet never fall. Why? For the Lord holds them by the hand. God keeps the godly from falling. Both the godly and ungodly stumble — yet — it’s the godly who do not fall because the Lord keeps them from doing so.

Applying this biblical principle to Paul’s words in verse eleven means that Israel — as a nation — has stumbled. The Jewish people as a whole have stumbled — again — they murdered Jesus. Yet — the true Israel — the remnant as Paul has called them — those of Jewish background who did — or will — believe in Jesus — stumbled but did not fall.

Yet Paul goes even further. For he explains that God’s purpose in the nation of Israel stumbling is that — through their stumbling — through their rejection of Jesus as God’s Messiah — salvation has come to the gentiles or the nations. And don’t miss this: the salvation of the nations is meant to stir jealousy among the Jews. What does Paul mean by that? He goes on to explain this in the next verses. 

THE HOPE FOR ISRAEL

We’re in verse twelve.

Romans 11:12–15 (ESV)

¹² Now if their (Israel’s) trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean! ¹³ Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry ¹⁴ in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

Paul says that the stumbling of the Jews means riches for the world and riches for the gentiles. And — by this — he’s saying that now — people of all nations — people of the ends of the earth — experience the benefits of salvation. 

• Reconciliation with God. 
• Peace with him. 
• Assurance. 
• Purpose. 
• Joy. 
• The hope of eternal life. And so on. 

And these benefits of salvation will be a blessing to the world — because — followers of Jesus are to be a blessing to the world. 

• We’re to be selfless in a selfish world. 
• We’re to be generous in a greedy world. 
• We’re to look out for the interests of others in a self-centered world. 
• We’re to care for the poor and vulnerable in a dog eat dog world. 
• We’re to be sexually pure in a sexually immoral world. 
• We’re to be holy in an unholy world. 
• And when Christians live as Christians have been saved, empowered, and called to live — the world benefits — this is what Paul is saying.

And — here in Paul’s day — he says that when the gentiles live in this way it will not only be a blessing to the world — but will make Israel jealous. For the Jews will see God’s blessing, favor, kindness, and mercy clearly being upon people who they don’t think deserve it. And Paul hopes this will stir in the Jews a jealousy that leads to faith in Jesus.

Now — how does something like this apply to us today? In this way: How are we displaying the benefits of salvation to the world? To our community? To our co-workers and spouses and children and classmates and friends? 

How are you — if you believe in Jesus — showing others the riches of salvation in your life that’s a blessing to them? Those benefits I mentioned earlier are so distinct from the world in which we live: selfless, generous, looking out for the interests of others, caring for the poor and vulnerable, being sexually pure, and living holy lives. 

Not picking and choosing from this list — which isn’t exhaustive, by the way — but living the “saved by grace” life. The “I’ve been blessed with the mercy of God” life. The “I’m loved by the One who created everyone and everything, have been called by him out of the darkness of spiritual death and into the eternal light of his glorious presence and now live accordingly” kind of life. The “I was blind but now I see. I was lost but now I’m found” kind of life.

“Well, Josh. That sounds like an impossible life to live.” Jesus’s disciples said a similar thing to him once. They said, “Who then can be saved?”

Matthew 19:26 (ESV)

²⁶ But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

With God all things are possible — including living the saved life. But only “with God” is this kind of living possible. Without him — Jesus says — it’s impossible. That’s what Israel failed to understand. They tried to live a life pleasing to God without him. For — in rejecting Jesus — they rejected the One whose name means “God with us.” And many follow in their steps of eternal futility today — trying to live a life pleasing to God without Jesus. And that’s impossible.

But don’t miss the other half of Jesus’ response to his disciples: With God all things are possible. With Jesus you can be selfless. With Jesus you can be generous. With him you can look out for the interests of others. With him you can care for the poor and vulnerable. With him you can be sexually pure. With him you can live a holy life.

With Jesus you can give up that bitter attitude. With Jesus you can put to death that addiction. With Jesus you can have joy. With Jesus you can forgive those who’ve sinned against you. With Jesus you can do everything that God asks of you and commands you to do in his Word and repent when you don’t. Man what hope we have — we who’ve experienced God’s kindness — what hope we have who have God with and always present with us.

THE ROOT AND THE BRANCHES

And — to keep us all humble — to keep us from thinking highly of ourselves — Paul emphasizes that it’s because of our connection to Jesus that we have this hope. In verse sixteen he writes…

Romans 11:16–24 (ESV)

¹⁶ If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. ¹⁹ Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. ²² Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. ²³ And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. ²⁴ For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

Now there’s a lot to unpack in these final verses of our passage.

So — first — know that the holy root leads to holy branches. Jesus is the root of the olive tree. And only those who are grafted to him — using Paul’s olive tree illustration — are those who are holy — for Jesus is the Holy One of God. We — Christians and not — have no holiness in and of ourselves. To be holy means to be without sin — to be pure. We’ve all sinned — Paul said back in chapter three — thus we’re all unholy. Thus all — and only those — who are united to Christ are those who are holy.

Second — and related to point one — gentiles now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree. Gentiles — non-Jews — have been grafted into the tree and are connected to the root. Which means ethnicity plays no part in an individual’s holiness. Gender plays no part. Your intellect plays no part. All of the ways we divide ourselves up into groups — the perceived good guys and bad guys — none of that matters. The only thing that matters is being united to Christ by faith. 

Which means — third — there’s no room for pride or boasting. Paul tells us to remember that we don’t support the root — the root supports us. We don’t support Jesus — Jesus supports us. And those who need to be supported have no reason to boast about themselves. You don’t go to Valvoline to get your oil changed and then brag about getting your oil changed. “Man, I pulled into their garage like a pro! I mean — they did point to the left and the right a bunch of times so my tires didn’t drive into the hole — but man I’m awesome — my oil is changed!”

Fourth, we’re to stand fast by faith — because — where our focus is — so shall we put our faith. What is your life fixed on? For the joy set before him — Jesus endured the cross. And — in response — we’re told to…

Hebrews 12:3 (ESV)

³ Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Our enduring comes from our considering all that Jesus endured — by keeping our eyes fixed on him. And the means to fix our eyes on Jesus that God has graciously — and in his kindness — given to us — is his Word — the Bible. I know, I know — “Here goes Josh again with reading our Bibles.” Read it. Meditate on it. Memorize it. Study it. Discuss it. For in it you discover who Jesus is, what he’s done, and what he’s promised to those who follow him. So — yes — I’m the Bible guy — for this book is how we fix our eyes on the One who loves us in a world that’s constantly trying to distract us from his love.

And — Paul is clear — what makes a person right with God is not our power — not what we’re able to do in our own strength — what makes us right with God is his kindness to us. Earlier Paul calls this God’s mercy. In other places he calls it God’s grace. Regardless — all of it is unearned favor and blessing from God. God’s kindness is never earned. His mercy is never deserved. Grace isn’t opposed to effort — but it is opposed to earning. Thus — when someone experiences God’s grace, kindness, and mercy — all which are undeserved — they will begin to live differently. As we read throughout the New Testament…

They put to death the sinful desires of their flesh. (Col. 3:5)

They live according to the desires of the Spirit — not of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16-26)

They discipline their desires and keep them under control (1 Cor. 9:27)

They consider the interests of others and not just their own (Phil. 2:4)

They rejoice always and pray constantly (1 Thess. 5:16-17)

They control their words (Eph. 5:4; James 3:1-12)

They love their wives as Christ loved the church and submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ (Eph 5:22-33)

They live in a way that requires great effort on their part — as they live by the power of the Holy Spirit and under the authority of the Word of God — not going through life on auto-pilot — Instagramming, Facebooking, and TikToking away their lives while saying they don’t have time to read their Bible. For they believe that God is both kind and severe — and his severity keeps them sober-minded. For remembering his severity fuels their discipline. Reflecting on his harshness is like a guardrail that keeps them from veering off into the abyss of being cut off from Jesus. Only someone full of themselves — what the Bible calls pride — would respond any other way to God’s harshness or kindness. 

And now — fifth — we come to the key verse of our passage — where Paul writes…

Romans 11:22 (ESV)

²² Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

After mentioning both God’s kindness and severity — Paul emphasizes God’s kindness — and adds, “Provided you continue in his kindness” mentioning nothing of God’s severity. Meaning — there’s no, “Provided they continue in his severity.” Which tells us the goal of God’s severity in the life of the follower of Jesus: God’s severity — his harshness — his wrath — his just judgment which will come to those who rebel against him — is meant to keep God’s people in his kindness. For — when we don’t ignore God’s harshness — when we don’t theologize away his wrath — instead — those who’ve been spiritually awakened by the grace and mercy of God flee from his severity. That’s what we did when we first experienced God’s mercy in awakening us from our spiritual death. We saw that we were children of wrath, living under the just judgment of God — and — having been awakened we ran to his kindness, grace, and mercy. We ran towards his open loving arms. We drew near to him because he first drew near to us.

Finally, there is hope for Israel. If God does not keep his promise to Israel then none of his promises can be trusted — that’s the point Paul’s been making. Yet Paul’s point is that God has kept his promise to Israel which means we can trust all of his promises to us. Thus — when God’s saving people from all nations is complete — the hardening of Israel will come to an end. Jesus alludes to this in Matthew’s gospel.

Matthew 24:3–14 (ESV)

³ As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” ⁴ And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. ⁵ For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. ⁹ “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. ¹⁰ And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. ¹¹ And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. ¹² And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

The gospel will be proclaimed throughout the whole world — the gentiles will call on the name of the Lord and believe in him because they hear the gospel proclaimed by those who are sent out — and when the last person ordained to believe in Jesus does so — the end will come. The hardening of Israel will be over. And Jesus will return.

A few verses later Jesus says…

Matthew 24:22–31 (NLT)

²² In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones. ²³ “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. ²⁵ See, I have warned you about this ahead of time. ²⁶ “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! ²⁷ For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes. ²⁸ Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near. ²⁹ “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world — from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.

And he concludes with…

Matthew 24:36–51 (NLT)

³⁶ “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. ³⁷ “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. ³⁸ In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. ³⁹ People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. ⁴⁰ “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. ⁴² “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. ⁴³ Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. ⁴⁵ “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. ⁴⁶ If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. ⁴⁷ I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. ⁴⁸ But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ ⁴⁹ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? ⁵⁰ The master will return unannounced and unexpected, ⁵¹ and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Now I know — I know — here we are again — who wants to talk about a judging, severe and harsh God. “Josh, don’t you know people stopped talking about God’s wrath, and judgment, and harshness decades ago?” I appreciate what one theologian said about such things: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through…a Christ without a cross.” When we reject the wrath of God, we also reject the sin of man, which means there’s no reason for Christ to die on the cross — which is not Christianity regardless of what it’s called.

Yes — God’s wrath and judgment are uncomfortable topics and stir fear inside of us. But think of the alternative: what happens if there is no wrath and judgment of God? Then everything is permitted, right? If there’s no eternal judgment — no eternal wrath — or as the godless world says “survival of the fittest” — then there’s no justification for human rights. How can you say anything is wrong and that the guilty should be punished and then dismiss God’s right to do the same? Does justice really end with us? You know it can’t. For who wants the unrepentant, shows no remorse — rapist, or child molester, or war criminal — fill in the blank with who you think is a really bad person — to go unpunished?

Yet — at the same time — do you want the repentant, remorseful, have put their hope in Christ — rapist, child molester, war criminal — fill in the blank with who you think is a really bad person — to receive God’s kindness? Remember — we’re told to note the kindness and harshness of God. Not one or the other — but both.

CONCLUSION

So — keep watch! For you don’t know what day Jesus is coming. Don’t live as if today you can ignore what Jesus has commanded because you’ll have tomorrow — or some day in the future — to straighten things out. Respond to his kindness to you today — for he is being kind to you. You’re alive, he’s being patient with you, he’s endured your sin, he’s giving you time to repent, and he still holds out his hand of mercy and forgiveness to you. Respond to his kindness today. 

Or — I should say — you are responding to his kindness. Either in gratefulness or presumption. Either in gratitude or in arrogance. How are you responding to God’s kindness to you? May you take note of his kindness to you and respond to his kindness with faith in Jesus — the kind and merciful Savior. May we each count God’s kindness towards us as a gift every day of our life. Think of your sins, think of your flaws, think of your selfishness and then marvel at God’s kindness and mercy towards you. And thank him for his mercy. Praise him for his grace. Worship him because he is kind. Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, you are kind and you are severe. And we thank you that you are both. Your severity is what we all deserve — for you are just and we have disobeyed your commands. Yet your mercy is what many experience because you are kind — not counting our sins against us — but crediting Christ’s sacrifice as the payment for our sins.

Spirit of God, give us eyes that see things as you see them. Often we mistake your kindness for your severity. That loved one who suddenly died — a seeming harshness — you knew was an act of kindness as you spared them and us the misery of an incurable cancer. Or something that looks like your kindness — an unexpected large sum of money — can often be the means by which we experience your judgment — for how many are ruined by their love of money? We’re incapable on our own to discern such matters and we’ll all be better off if we just admit how often we inaccurately interpret events as your kindness or harshness. Instead, help us to trust that all things in our lives are being used by you for our good. The kind things and the harsh things. For — when we believe that it all is being used for our good — we will endure with hope.

And — Jesus — you not only endured the harshness of your fellow man — who killed you on the cross — but you experienced your Heavenly Father’s severity when he received your sacrifice as an offering for our sin. You experienced the just punishment that all who put their faith in you deserve. We fool ourselves into thinking we’ve begun to fathom the depth of the misery you experienced or the love that you displayed on the cross.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — help us all — Christian or not — right now — to take note of your kindness and severity. And may they both turn us to you and be the means by which we trust in you for our hope, life, joy, and peace. And we pray all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

BENEDICTION

May you go taking note of the kindness and severity of God — and may they draw you closer to him. Amen.

God loves you. I love you. You are sent.

‌SCRIPTURE: Romans 11:1-10 (ESV)

‌DATE: 1-5-25

As always it’s a joy to be with all of you this weekend at Gateway Church. And if this happens to be your first time to worship with us — or if you’re joining us at our North Main Campus or are with our friends in Bucyrus — I want you to know that God loves you and that I love you too.

SERIES INTRO

After a short break for Christmas — we’re returning to our series in the book of Romans. We returned to Paul’s letter back in September of last year and — we did so — after taking a two year break from the letter. So — if you’re new to Gateway — I’d encourage you to go to our website — gatewayepc.org — and check out the previous sermons from Romans to get caught up.

When we were last in Romans — we’d just finished the tenth chapter where Paul ends on a high note of excitement about the gospel. The gospel — or the Good News as it’s called — is the news of what Jesus accomplished in his life, death, and resurrection on behalf of those who turn to him in faith. 

• He lived the perfect life we were commanded to live — yet failed to do so. 
• He obeyed every one of God’s commands given to us — commands we’ve disobeyed. 
• He didn’t rebel against his Father’s will — like we all have — but fulfilled God’s will and did so even when it cost him his life. 
• And Jesus did so in love for his Father and for those who would turn to him in faith — and repent of their sin — who trust in his work on their behalf — and give up trusting that they can earn God’s love — and who believe that he alone is Savior — as they give up being their own savior.

Those who do this are — who Paul calls — the children of the promise. Those who experience freedom from the bondage we’re all born into — a bondage to sin, to rebelling against God, and to Satan — God’s and our enemy. For no one is innocent — none are neutral — either God is your Father because you believe in Jesus and are living accordingly — or — Satan is your father because — no matter what you say you believe about Jesus — you’re living in a way that pleases the one who finds great delight in your eternal destruction.

Thus the reason for Paul to end on such a high note: The children of the promise — all who believe in Jesus — have been set free. They’ve been made alive and are awakened to God’s immeasurable love for them. Good News indeed.

And — since it’s been a few weeks — it’d be good for me to remind you that Paul is answering a question that’s on the minds of his original audience. You see — the wonderful news I just shared with you — was originally a promise given to the Jewish people. In fact God’s Messiah — a word that means Savior — was prophesied — or promised — to be a Jew. And Jesus was a Jew and he came to fulfill the promise of God’s Messiah.

Yet many Jews didn’t accept Jesus as God’s Messiah. They didn’t believe in him — they rejected him. They knew what he was claiming — it wasn’t that they misunderstood Jesus or didn’t catch that he was saying that he was God’s Messiah — they understood him clearly and said, “Not on our watch” — and they had him murdered. And Paul’s readers — many who had Jewish backgrounds — were trying to figure out why so many of their family members and friends had failed to believe in Jesus.

That’s the heart of the chapters we’ve been in and will continue in today and in the coming weeks: why did so many Jews not believe in Jesus? And Paul’s shown us that their rejection of Jesus was not because God’s Word had failed. For the promises to the Jewish people — according to Paul — had been promises given to the true Israelites — not to all who were ethnically Jews — but were promises given to a chosen remnant among the Jews.

Paul then goes on to defend God’s sovereignty in choosing some to be part of this remnant — what he calls — the children of the promise. For God chose Isaac — not Ishmael. He chose Jacob — not Esau. He chose the enslaved Israelites — not Pharaoh. God — in his sovereignty — chooses those whom he will save to be his people.

Which leads Paul to address the question of fairness. Does the fact that God chooses some to be the children of his promise of salvation — and not all — does God’s choosing some make him out to be unfair? Absolutely not — according to Paul.

To which Paul — knowing what our response will be — makes it clear that — though God chooses those who will be children of the promise — those not chosen are still responsible for their sin and rebellion. Paul’s pushing against an idea that’s quite common — the idea where we think that God — if he’s going to be merciful towards some people — is required to be merciful towards all people. And Paul makes it clear that God isn’t required to be merciful towards any of us — for we’ve all sinned and fallen short of his glory — therefore we all deserve his judgment. Thus — if we want to talk about fairness — us all experiencing God’s judgment would be the only thing that’s fair.

Thus what should astound us isn’t that some are judged by God because of their sin — instead — we should be amazed that God is merciful towards anyone. Yet this often appalls us — even those of us who have a high regard for Scripture. Yet our being appalled is due more to secular thinking than what we read in God’s Word. For secular thinking tells us that we’re the final judge on how things should be. So we switch roles and play judge of God — questioning him for being merciful only towards some — as if his mercy is something we all deserve.

And — yet — and please don’t miss this — his mercy is something that many do experience. Can we marvel at how amazing it is that any of us experience God’s mercy? And the reason any of us do is because God — though sinned against by us who he created to honor him by living in obedience to his Word — and though it would be right for him to only dispense his judgment upon all of us — instead — God has said to many, “You are my beloved. Yes — you — though you don’t deserve it — you will be called my people — my child — my son or my daughter.” And if God did not keep for himself a remnant — none of us would be saved. 

Yet we’ve also seen that we really do believe — we do respond. Even though faith — or belief in Jesus — is a gift given to us by God — it is our faith. This is why we’re to share the gospel with others — because God uses our sharing of the gospel to be the means by which others are given new life — a spiritually awakened and resurrected life — where they respond to the news about Jesus by believing in him.

And Paul’s been making the case as to why — now — the remnant — God’s chosen people — the children of the promise — includes both Jew and Gentile. Though we find hints of this in the Old Testament — through the stories of Rahab, Ruth, and others — now it’s clear that God’s plan has always been a salvation for people from all nations. Which leads us back to the original question Paul’s addressing: But what about the Jewish people? Is God done with them? Which leads us to our text for today. 

If you have your Bible — please turn with me to Romans chapter eleven. We’ll be in Romans chapter eleven — beginning in verse one. There Paul writes…

Romans 11:1–10 (ESV)

¹ I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” ⁴ But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵ So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. ⁶ But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. ⁷ What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, ⁸ as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” ⁹ And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; ¹⁰ let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”

So here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to answer three questions. One — has God rejected Israel? Two — who are the chosen? And — three — who are the hardened? Has God rejected Israel? Who are the chosen? And who are the hardened?

HAS GOD REJECTED ISRAEL?

Let’s begin with our first question: Has God rejected Israel? Let’s return to verse one.

Romans 11:1–2a (ESV)

¹ I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. ^2a God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

So Paul makes this easy for us. He gives a clear answer to our question: has God rejected his people? His answer is no! And people — here — refers to the Israelites. We know this because this is who Paul refers to at the end of chapter ten where he writes…

Romans 10:18–21 (ESV)

¹⁸ But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” ¹⁹ But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” ²⁰ Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” ²¹ But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”

Now — many of you know this — but maybe someone listening doesn’t: chapter and verse numbers aren’t original to the Bible. Meaning Paul didn’t include chapter and verse numbers in his letters — none of the writers of the Bible did. That’d be weird, right? Do you write a letter — or an email or a text — with a bunch of numbers in it? Of course not! Neither did Paul. Chapter and verse numbers were later added to make it easy for us to all find the same place in the Bible. And — most of the time — chapter and verse numbers are very helpful. But there are times when it’s easy to miss a connection because of a chapter break — like that the word “people” refers to the “Israelites”.

Alright — back to our regularly scheduled sermon: So Paul answers our question succinctly and leaves no room for debate. God hasn’t rejected the Jewish people because — Paul says — “I’m a Jew. I’m a physical descendant of Abraham. I come from the tribe of Benjamin.” Paul’s saying, “If God had rejected all Israelites then I wouldn’t believe in Jesus. But I do. So I’m proof that God hasn’t rejected his people.”

So Paul is clearly speaking about the ethnic people of Israel here — not the church which is made up of Jews and non-Jews — but of ethnic Israel. We know this because Paul’s point is that he’s an ethnic Israelite. So there’s no replacement theology going on here. For those who don’t know what that means it’s a theological view that believes the church has replaced the Jewish people. Paul doesn’t leave room for that here as the case he’s been making is about ethnic Jews being rejected by God. And — Paul says — Israel hasn’t been rejected.

THE CHOSEN

‌Which leads us to our next question — an extremely important question: Who then are the chosen? Who are the chosen? We’re now in verse three

Romans 11:2b–6 (ESV)

^2b Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” ⁴ But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵ So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. ⁶ But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

Who are the remnant — the people chosen by God’s grace to be the children of the promise. And the promise here — the hope — is that God guarantees that he’ll always keep a people for himself.

And to illustrate this promise — Paul takes us back to the time of the prophet Elijah. He quotes from the book of First Kings but leaves out a bit of what Elijah said. Here’s what we read back in First Kings.

1 Kings 19:14 (ESV)

¹⁴ He (Elijah) said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”

• Another Bible translation says, “I’ve been absolutely loyal to the Lord.” 
• Another says, “I’ve been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.” 
• Another says, “I’ve been working my heart out for God.”

So there’s no doubt — in Elijah’s mind — that he’s been committed — maybe even super-committed — to God. It’s like he’s saying, “God, I’m the last faithful person to you left on planet earth — and now my enemy is about to kill me. Is this really how you’re going to let things end? Because — if I die — no one will be left who worships you!”

Now — if you don’t know Elijah’s story — first — he’s repeated this statement to God twice before this moment. So this is really on his mind — that he’s the last faithful person on planet earth. So God teaches Elijah a lesson on faithfulness. And it’s this lesson that Paul uses to show his readers — and us — who the chosen are and why they’re the chosen. 

Paul quotes God telling Elijah, “I’ve kept for myself seven thousand men who’ve not bowed the knee to Baal” — Baal was a false god in Elijah’s day. And — to be clear — what God is saying is, “I’ve made sure that these seven thousand people have remained faithful to me.” God ensured that they remained faithful — they were a remnant — chosen by grace.

So if like Elijah — if you feel like you’re all alone — remember — our God does not change. He who was faithful in Elijah’s day — who kept for himself a remnant — is the God who kept a remnant in Paul’s day — and is the God who keeps a remnant of faithful followers today. You’re not alone — but it’s easy to think you’re all alone if you’ve isolated yourself from other Christians.

Remember — Elijah had run away — he was hiding in a cave in isolation. Your cave may be physical, relational, or emotional — but if you’re hiding and keeping others out — and you can come to church and still be hiding in a metaphorical cave — if this is you — your feeling of being all alone may be due to you having isolated yourself from God’s people. And — if you’ve been around Gateway for any number of weeks — you’ve probably heard how we desire to be a family around here. But you’ll never feel like you’re part of our family if you stay hidden in whatever cave you’re hiding in.

But I hope your heart rejoices with the news of God’s faithfulness to keep for himself a remnant — a chosen people — a people chosen by grace. That he’s determined to keep for himself a faithful people and has the power and authority to ensure it happens. Though pastors may come and go — though churches may rise and fall — though the spiritual condition of our nation may be one or revival or revulsion — how assuring it is to know that God will always keep for himself a faithful people.

THE HARDENED

And now we turn to the hardened — who are the hardened? This is our final question. Let’s look in verse seven.

Romans 11:7–10 (ESV)

⁷ What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, ⁸ as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” ⁹ And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; ¹⁰ let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”

Who are the hardened? The rest — Paul says — those who are not the elect — or the children of the promise. Ethnicity isn’t what matters when it comes to being right with God — though the Jews in Paul’s day thought that’s what mattered. What matters is whether or not God has called you to be part of his chosen people and your response to his call.

And I know how this leads us right back into the thick of the theological messiness once again. We want it to be where either God is sovereign — where he chooses those who are the elect — or we’re responsible — where we choose to believe in Jesus or not. But the Bible doesn’t give us the option to choose between the two. God is sovereign — he chooses those who are his elect people — and — all will be held accountable for their response to the gospel.

Here Paul quotes from Isaiah where the prophet writes…

Isaiah 29:10 (ESV)

¹⁰ For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).

This was said as a warning to the people of Judah who were living in rebellion to God. It was a prophetic call to repent of their sin and rebellion or face the consequences of God’s just judgment — part of which would include — and this should cause all of us to pause — God pouring out on them a spirit of deep sleep — a spiritual deadness. Prophets not prophesying — seers not receiving visions. And I say that this should cause all of us to pause because this is a gracious warning of what God will do to those who refuse to repent — who are comfortable going about life rebelling against him. It’s a very spiritually dangerous thing for God to give us what we want — when what we want isn’t him. And this warning was given to people who thought they were the chosen.

Then — in verse nine — Paul quotes from Psalm sixty-nine. In fact — he’ll quote from this psalm nine times in this chapter of Romans. When we take communion later — the psalm will be read so you see how it connects to the life of Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross.

Retribution means “to get what one deserves” — and it can refer to reward or punishment. So here — Paul — in quoting from Psalm sixty-nine — indicates that the Jewish people who rejected Jesus will be punished accordingly. This means they are guilty — and God will hold them accountable for their unbelief — just as he will hold all people accountable for their unbelief.

The quote continues with “and bend their backs forever.” The idea — here — is carrying a heavy load. Doing hard, impossible, kind of work. This counters the earlier idea of the table — where there’s feasting. For that table of feasting was actually a trap. The table represents the good things of life. Gifts from God that we allow to become traps and stumbling blocks as we allow his gifts to become more valuable to us than him.

But this is what happens to those whose hearts are hardened towards God. There’s this going back and forth between feasting and delighting in the things the world sets before us — sex, money, fame, toys — and this burdensome task of works-based salvation — of trying to please God by obeying a set of rules. Where — instead of responding to God’s grace — his unearned favor offered to us in Jesus Christ — we either live indulgently — finding fulfillment in the things of this world — or live under the burden of trying to hike our way up to heaven — believing we can earn God’s love. This is the picture of the hard heart. I wonder if any of this resonates with someone listening? If the people of Israel could be hardened — we’d be foolish to think that we can’t be hardened too.

CONCLUSION

So what are we to do in response to all that we’ve learned today? First, if we want to know God and have an intimate relationship with him — we have to take him at his Word — on his own terms. We’re not in the driver’s seat — we don’t get to dictate to him how he should be, how he should act, or how he should relate to us — especially when it comes to repentance, faith, and living accordingly. Either we take God at his Word or we’re nothing more than idolaters who’ve created our own false religion. How seriously are you taking God and his Word?

Second, we’ve learned a magnificent promise — a promise we’ve been reminded of again and again while in Romans. The promise is this: If God failed to keep his promise to Israel — then he’s untrustworthy. If God failed to keep his promise to Israel — then we have no reason to believe that his promises to us can be trusted. ‌If God failed to keep his promise to Israel — our hope that he’ll keep his promises to us all falls to the wayside.

But here’s the good news: God’s promises to Israel did not fail. That’s the point Paul’s been making. 

• When the Jewish people rejected Jesus — God was faithful — he kept his promise. For Paul — a Jew — believed in Jesus. 
• When Elijah thought he was all alone — God was faithful and kept his promise — seven thousand others were kept by God — they remained faithful because he had chosen them. 
• And — today — no matter what the news headlines or your social media feeds may say — no matter if 2025 is a year of promotions and engagements and pregnancies or layoffs, divorces, and deaths — God will be faithful. And he’ll keep for himself a remnant — a people chosen by his grace — who will be faithful to him.

Which means — third —  if you believe in Jesus — be joyful! For the God of grace has saved you. And let grace be grace — stop trying to earn it. When you wake up in the morning — remember — I’m saved by grace! When you go to work — remember — I’m saved by grace! When you drive your kids to school — remember — I’m saved by grace! When you’re at home — remember — I’m saved by grace!  When you come to church — remember — I’m saved by grace! Whatever the day, week, month, or year may bring — remember — I’m saved by grace! And live accordingly. Praise God. Find joy in him. And respond to his love by loving him in return. For — if you believe in Jesus — you are the chosen — and you have been saved by grace! Let’s pray.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, what wonderful, glorious news: We’re saved by your grace! Thank you for your grace today. Thank you for your grace tomorrow. Thank you for your grace all the days of our lives.

Jesus, your life, death, and resurrection are the reason why we experience grace. May we never forget — but always remember and live accordingly — that your work is what has secured us in the grace of God.

And — Holy Spirit — may you — by your grace — awaken hearts among us. Your good news has been heard and may you lead many in response to it. A response of faith — believing in Jesus — and repentance — turning away from their sin. May you soften hard hearts — giving them a love for Jesus. And we pray all of this in his name. Amen.

Release Date: 2/11/24

Questions

I have many questions about the Bible. Several around salvation and what that truly looks like. Who do I ask these questions to?  (3:00)

• By Barry Cooper Can I Really Trust the Bible
• By Greg Gilbert Why Trust the Bible?
• By John Stevens How Can I Be Sure?
• By Mike McKinley Am I Really a Christian?

How do you know if you are experiencing God’s discipline or going through a trial?  (5:35)

The Bible tells us that God created everything and is in everything. Nothing on earth is without God’s doing. So did God create sin? God created Satan. God created each of us and knows us. God decides what is good and right. Everything that happens is because God allows it. This is so difficult for our human minds to consider when you think of the terrible things that happen to people (murder, abuse, tragedy, etc.) We both know that sin separates us from Him. It seems counterintuitive for him to create the one thing that separates us from Him. But the Bible says he created everything. So, he had to create sin, right? He also created the individuals who would choose to do terrible things. I know you have preached on this topic. I am confident with my answer but it is uncomfortable to think about. Can you talk about this a little more please?  (7:55)

Does God listen to the Jewish soldiers’ prayers and Psalm 121 that they say before they go to battle today? Certainly God hears the messianic Jews, but what about the other soldiers? (13:25)