Missions Paul

In all honesty I think I could have done better in my life in thinking and praying for the Jews.

Paul is bringing us to the climax of what he has been teaching by revealing the mystery.

The grafting into the Olive tree or back into the tree with regards the Jews, holds a mystery (hidden in the past but now revealed). It is this: Israelis hardened in part; until the full number of Gentiles have come in; and so all Israel will be saved.

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this wayall Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this ismy covenant with them when I take away their sins.”(Romans 11 v 25-27)

“All Israel will be saved.” This is a powerful statement from Paul. But what does it mean?

“All Israel will be saved.” Not every single Jew will be saved but enough representatives to be able to use the word ‘all’.

“All Israel will be saved.” This is not without the gospel of Jesus Christ and faith in Him for this is how everyone comes to God.

“All Israel will be saved.” The Church then has not replaced the Jews in the plan of God.

“All Israel will be saved.” It doesn’t mean I hold to blind allegiance with the Jews so that the Arabs get not even a thought of concern.

“All Israel will be saved.” If ‘zion’ is a heavenly zion as is used elsewhere in the New Testament (Galatians 4:16; Hebrews 12:22) then Israel’s salvation will come as a deliverer from heaven, so that is Jesus on His return who will bring in a revival amongst the Jews.

To those holding onto faint promises but it doesn’t look like anything is going to happen: To those who are thinking their dream is over; and to those who cannot see the hand of God, these next verses are a source of encouragement:

“And if they (Israel) do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 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!” (Romans 11 v 23-24)

I’m not an expert but I understand grafting is when a plant is inserted into the wound of another plant so they grow together.

There is a wound in the side of God where anyone who is inserted will grow.

God can do what we do not expect Him to do. (Who is your ‘Israel’? The least likely to be saved?)

God can do it again because He is full of grace. (What God did for you He can do for the least of you).

The grafting means that the tree has no enemies (Jew or Gentile).

Never write anyone off for no one is finished or beyond God.

Just because it doesn’t look like God will do it … that means nothing.

He makes all things well, so hold on.

Your promises may be faint in your hands but not in the mouth of God.

In the context of challenging the spiritual arrogance of the Gentiles Paul advises them to, “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.” (Romans 11 v 22)

Instead of weighing up how good you are in comparison to the Jews or any other ‘group’ within the Gentile world realise that we have no position other than to lie prostrate because of His kindness expressed to us when we really should have had his sternness. The next time we want to say something unkind about someone first choose to say it to God and get His opinion. The next time we want to look down on someone because they seem to have received God’s sternness then ask why have we not received the same treatment? Ask it when the answer cannot be anything to do with how faithful we have been or our religious observance in fact it cannot be anything to do with us. What is the answer then?

Why do we gloat so much over someone who receives God’s sternness instead of saying ‘that should be me’?

Is our heart so hardened that we think certain people deserve hell but we don’t? Does our hearts not make us cry anymore? Have we become so arrogant that we no longer grieve? Who is really far from God?

Paul is speaking to the Gentile people who have been grafted into relationship with God by His grace. He has shown how the Jewish people’s hearts were hardened and the position they could have occupied the Gentiles now hold. But he sees a problem: their arrogance.

“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, 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. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble.For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.” (Romans 11 v 17-21)

They have no reason to be arrogant. They did nothing to be counted as God’s people. It is still the case. There is one tree. The roots are Jewish, our Bible has Jewish roots and we worship Jesus who was Jewish. Now God cut out some of the Jewish non-believing branches and Paul says don’t be arrogant because God will do the same to you if you do not continue in the faith!

Not only is there no room for arrogance there is nothing to substantiate it either.

But it is all around us and within us. It is in our opinions about other churches who don’t do it the way we do it; or in the ministers that fail; or the members that are not as committed; it is in our anti-Semitist comments and our anti-other ones too. We are right and everyone else is wrong. Paul tells us to tremble before God rather than be his agent of arrogant judgment.

This whole chapter we are reading is about one thing and that is the end salvation of the Jews.

“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.” (Romans 11 v 16)

Paul is convinced that in the end the fact that Israel is a chosen people (and within its history there are many examples of faithful men and women who walked with God within that covenant) they will be saved. Perhaps that is the thought behind the dough and the tree. If the holy covenant-keepers as part of the dough meant that eventually the whole will also be saved and if the holy roots mean that eventually the future generations of the branches of the tree will also be saved, then there is hope in 2022 and ahead. That could be what Paul is saying. At some point some future generation and who knows it could be in our lifetime will see Israel turning to Christ. This won’t be because of any historical claim, ‘we are the true people of God’ but it will be the same way as the Gentiles, ‘saved by faith in Jesus Christ’. The work of grace towards the Gentiles will have shown the way for the Jews. It is all by His grace.

So is it possible that this principle could work for our families whether Jewish or Gentile. Dare we believe that those members of our own ‘Israel’ who are the present generation will turn to Christ because within their heritage are faithful, saved members of God’s family? It could be so. We may dare to believe that the holy part of the dough and the roots of a family will eventually speak to the next generations of the grace of God.

Having explained how within Israel some responded (the remnant) but others were hardened, Paul now asks whether this situation is permanent. “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. 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! I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?”  (Romans 11 v 11-15).

We know that Israel’s rejection of the gospel has meant the Gentiles have received it. Paul started at the synagogue, when rejected he would go outside and start again with the non-Jews. But he knows this was part of God’s ultimate plan to reach the world with the gospel. He also can see how God hasn’t taken His eye off the hardened Jews (something that the Church could be guilty of). The way is still open for Israel. In fact Paul sees their return as being somewhat of a revival.

Without ignoring the Jewish hope that they turn to Christ and not wanting to read everything in a way that applies to ‘us’ it is comforting to know that no one seems irretrievably lost. Everyone can make a recovery. Many who have wayward loved ones are encouraged to know that God never gives up, that there is always hope and when they do return they come back in a greater measure.

I shook his hand. He was a follower of Christ and in a Church position of leadership. But he also didn’t like me. He had told me on a previous occasion I wasn’t reading the correct original Bible. I tried to explain we don’t have the original but it fell on deaf ears. He told me that churches were singing the wrong songs I said I don’t think God minds what tune or words are used so long as it is worship. He told me there wasn’t enough evangelism taking place and I asked him how much he was doing. I shook his hand after a meeting he and I had attended. He gave me a cold stare with a limp handshake. It didn’t feel like we were on the same team. He seemed hardened and distanced from any joy, love or grace. We were Christian brothers but I wondered if we were of the same family! That’s a little of how Paul felt regarding his brothers.

Paul summarises regarding his ‘Israel’ who haven’t responded. They don’t understand grace because they are wrapped up in Law. They cannot accept salvation because they are working out their performance in order to be acceptable to God. Paul says, “ What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 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.”(quoting Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10) And David says: “May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.” (Romans 11 v 7-10)

Just because there is seeking taking place doesn’t mean there is finding. Seeking by your own efforts and religious fervour does not guarantee you find God. Leave grace out of the picture and there is no finding of relationship with God.

It seems possible that you can be so caught up in being chosen by God that you respond in ways that ruin that choosing.

Reflecting on my handshake I wonder what happened to this man that hardened his heart so. Why is he so judgmental on others? Why is he so right and others wrong? Where is grace? Where is God? Does this just creep up on you after years of religious trying-to-please God by efforts? Do you eventually become blinded to what God sees and what He wants to show you and deaf to what God hears and what He wants to say? Has your works-orientated religious approach to life brought about your own spiritual deadness to grace? Is this your living judgment? Do you end your days disappointed in others, angry, hurt and brooding over the behaviour of the Church?

Who wants to shake hands with such a person?

To those who refuse to accept the message of God’s salvation, what happens? Does God then reject them and walk away?

What do you do?

“I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.” (Romans 11 v 1)

How do we respond to our ‘Israelites’ who do not accept the message? Does God give up on them? That’s the question Paul answers by simply stating he made it, he got there in the end, he accepted the message and he was as Jewish as they come! God doesn’t abandon people.

Paul is there leading the Church, within the covenant of the Church and at the centre of the Church. Look at him and you realise that God never gives up. He keeps on reaching and so must we. For ‘they’ do make it in the end. If Paul could make it then there is hope for the others.

There are times when we lose all hope that our loved ‘Israel’ will turn to God and accept the message. Paul knows this and says, “God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” (Romans 11 v 2-6)

God comes to a man just like you and me, Elijah, who is feeling sorry for himself and angry with Israel because no one is listening to him. How many of us have felt like that? If God rejected permanently Israel then we would understand for look at what they have done towards the prophets and of course Jesus the Messiah. Elijah enters into a self-pity moment. He reminds Elijah and would remind us that He has not stopped working. He has reserved a remnant of true followers. Israel will survive. But it will not be because of anything they do but entirely of His grace. Basically God reserves an ‘Israel’ within an Israel, a group of true followers with nothing to do with their own efforts but all of His love and choosing. The reason? The work continues. The covenant of God continues. His heart for Israel continues.

And so as we copy Him with our rejecting-perhaps ‘Israel’ we:

• Do not abandon anyone. It is surprising who makes it in the end, look at Paul.
• Do not enter into self-pity when God hasn’t stopped working, look at Elijah.
• Do not look at your own or their strength, it is all grace anyway, look at covenant Israel.

All of Isaiah 53 was seen by the early Church as speaking of Jesus. So it is again understandable how Paul keep referring to the prophet. Continuing the impact of the gospel message he now says,

“But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”  (Romans 10 v 16-17)

Every Jew has heard of Jesus, that’s not the problem, they know but they have not accepted him. Isaiah was a failed preacher, no one listened to him all his life. He never got to speak at the conferences and do a book tour. Yet he is now the most famous Old Testament prophet and Paul uses him a lot regarding the Jews not receiving the message of Christ spoken to them.

Who are your ‘Israelites’? Your family? The people group your church are trying to reach? So do you stop ‘preaching’ to them? Not if you follow Isaiah’s approach. He simply continued. Not all will accept but some will!

Paul continues to use the Old Testament to say that Israel has and continues to have their chances to respond.

“But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” (v18 quoting Psalm 19 v 4)

Have your ‘Israel’ heard? Yes! Not only from you but from many places. I spoke to one man at the door of the church yesterday. He knows and he believes in Jesus, he says the right words, but he has not yet confessed Jesus as Lord.

So what do we do? Paul says without taking your eye off your ‘Israel’ go to the whomsoever. “Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.” (v19 quoting Deuteronomy 32:21) “And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” (v20 quoting Isaiah 65:1)

Israel saw the message being accepted by other nations, the Gentiles of all people, to people in lesser privilege, to those who don’t look much to give or are ever close enough to be known as God’s children.

The key is for us to open our eyes to see what God sees and our ears to hear what he hears. The man I met at the door went away without Jesus as Lord of his life. However, there was another man, he didn’t have even 1% of what the man at the door had. This man had a disability, he was a man that many would walk past and he came to church for the first time and he made Jesus the Lord of his life. What do we do? We keep our eyes open to those who will accept without taking our eye off our ‘Israel’. Let us continue to have an open-handed stance reaching out to our ‘Israel’.  “But concerning Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people” (v21 quoting Isaiah 65:2).

Today we will go to our churches and hear preachers preach good news. It is a beautiful thing to do.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10 v 14-15)

But we are all preachers in some form.

Wherever and whoever we are with we can speak the gospel. We can share good news stories of Jesus. We can be an attractive person. We can create an atmosphere of the presence of God by talking of Jesus and what He has done for you.

That’s it. That’s our calling as the Church. To be good news people.

May there be salvations today!