Kennystix's podcast
The (Jewish) Root Supports You through Your Faith Alone
I'll be reading from the book of Romans chapter 11 verses 13 through 24 and if you choose to use a Pew Bible you can find that on page 947. Romans 11 13 through 34. Now I'm speaking to you Gentiles and as much then as I am an apostle of the Gentiles I magnify my ministry in order to somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous and thus save some of them. For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world what will their acceptance mean about life from the dead? If the dough offered as first fruits is holy so is the whole lump and if the root is holy so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off and you although a wild olive chute were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree 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 then you will say branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief but you stand fast through faith so do not become proud but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God severity towards those who have fallen but God's kindness to you provided you continue in his kindness otherwise you too will be cut off 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. 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. Let's pray together. Father I so long for us to be humbled tonight. It is not you who supports the root. The root supports you. You're a supported people. You're a weak, sinful, needy, bankrupt, dependent, support, needing people. And there's a root that supports you so humble yourself you don't support anything. Lord make us I pray a humble people. Help us to realize how utterly dependent we are. Without you we can do nothing in you we move and have our being in Christ all things hold together. We fly into nothingness without you not to mention sin wandering prone to wonder Lord we feel it. So Lord make us tonight a humble people and then take out of our mouths and out of our behavior every vestige of anti-Semitism I pray in Jesus name. Amen. Some might call it a mere coincidence but I don't believe in mere coincidences I believe in God and therefore my take on it is that it is a remarkable providence that God has appointed that in these particular days we are thrust into thinking by virtue of the text appointed for this season thrust into thinking about the relationship between Jews and Christians. It's what Romans 11 is about and so I have in mind the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ. I have in mind the ongoing painful strife between Israel and the Palestinians which blew apart again this past week and how long there's been these accords on the table and how intractable that problem seems to be and how explosive it is for the whole world and not just for a little pocket of Middle Eastern people and I have in mind the kinds of jokes you have told in language you have used and I have in mind the danger that Jewish people feel around the world today so it is remarkable to me that God has appointed way before I gave it any thought when we started this book about seven years ago that we would be on chapter 11 in these days and my very urgent exhortation to you as we begin the message is ask for yourself why am I part of a church at least tonight why am I here tonight to think about that what relevance does that have to my life I don't think anybody's here by accident we won't talk about Jewish Christian relations by accident in your life tonight something's on the way and you just need to be seeking the Lord why am I here to hear this tonight and and I think he will help you see the last time we talked about Romans 11 we were at verse 16 so let's start there if the dough offered as first fruits is holy so is the whole lump and if the root is holy so are the branches which doesn't make any sense at all to anybody out of context but let me tell you what I spent a half an hour or so arguing for last time this is Paul's way of talking about the salvation of all Israel rooted in the covenant that he made with Abraham when he says if the root is holy so are the branches he means if Abraham Isaac and Jacob were chosen by God set apart for his own holy use then one day the whole nation will be taken for his own that was what I argued for one of the main arguments I used was verse 28 which is a parallel of verse 16 only clearer I think 1128 as regards the gospel they that is the Jewish people are enemies of God for your sake your Gentile sake but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their fathers their forefathers now that's the root in other words for the sake of the fathers and the covenant God made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob the root of this people for their sake there is an election that is still irrevocable that will one day embrace the totality of Israel someday when the veil is lifted the hardening that's referred to in verse 24 is taken away and they look upon him whom they've pierced by way of princess cannot help though it seems breathtaking to ponder that in these last days maybe that movie produced by a man that I do not know if he's a Christian or not might be one of the means God uses to display the piercing of the Sun so that Jews would suddenly as they watch the first screen from Isaiah 53 5 have the veil lifted in their minds why shouldn't we pray for that why should we just let this go by assuming well those prophecies about the hardening being removed someday that just gonna happen in the by and by why not now why shouldn't this be the generation that sees the in gathering of millions of Jewish people into the Church of Jesus Christ why not pray for faith that God would grant you to pray that way the focus today is not on verse 16 but on verses 17 to 20 Paul has just said something that seems utterly and absolutely out of touch with reality he has said if the root is holy the branches are holy now taken one way that simply looks ludicrous let's get a reality check here Paul Paul knows it looks ludicrous which is why he has to go into the next verses it looks ludicrous because there's so many unbelieving Jewish people in Paul's day who are stiff-arming the Messiah and rejecting him so he's just said all Israel's gonna be saved the branches will be holy but in fact he said in chapter nine verse three that they are cut off from Christ and will perish forever in verse 27 he said the same thing only remnants going to be saved the others are going to be lost so what do you mean all the branches are holy verse 17 but if some of the branches were broken off okay now there's the reality check some of them are broken off not all Israel in that generation are going to be saved because some of them are broken off and if they're broken off and they stay unbelieving they won't be saved so what we have is this tension they're Jewish they're part of the covenant people and Paul says they're broken off from the tree of the covenant the attachment to Abraham is useless to them because they're unbelief what what is that we had it described for us in chapter 9 verse 6 not all who are descended from Israel are Israel there's Paul's explanation chapter 9 verse 6 or chapter 9 verse 8 it is not the children of the flesh that is just born by biological reproduction it's not the children of the flesh who are the children of God so you can be a part of this outward covenant and not part of the spiritual covenant there's an outward belonging to the people of Israel there's a spiritual belonging to the people of Israel what what's happened the Messiah has come he's preached the kingdom he's offered forgiveness and so many have rejected him and he said to them or John said whoever has the son offering himself to Israel in the world whoever has the son has life whoever has not the son has not life and therefore if the covenant people themselves by birth do not have the son if they're broken off branches they don't have life Jesus said to that same generation everyone who acknowledges me before men I will acknowledge before my father who's in heaven and everyone who denies me before men I will deny before my father who is in heaven and the Jewish people by and large deny Jesus it's huge that's the reality check that's the bigger situation of the branches are holy yeah someday someday the whole tree will be complete he came to his own and his own received him not that's the reality check and that's tragic so they're broken off they have an outward connection to the covenant not an inward connection remember chapter 2 verse 28 listen to Paul explaining this now no one is a Jew who is one merely outwardly this is 228 nor his circumcision an outward and physical thing but a Jew is one inwardly and circumcision is the matter of the heart by the spirit not by the letter his praise is not from man but from God Jews are not Jews they are broken off that's the bigger picture here it's not quite complete though in fact Paul is setting up a situation here that will appear blows both glorious for Gentiles and very dangerous for Gentiles so let's finish the picture first we've seen they're broken off they're broken off from the from the rich root of the olive tree from the patriarchs from the covenant from the promises they're broken off now here's the the dangerous part and the glorious part they are broken off in order that Gentiles might be grafted in this was taught verse 11 let's just see three places before we get to our text verse 11 second half of the verse through there through the Jews trespass the breaking off salvation has come to the Gentiles look at verse 12 their trespass the Jewish trespass the breaking off riches comes to the world and their failure riches comes to the Gentiles look at verse 15 there the Jewish rejection means reconciliation for the world so the bigger picture here the glorious and the dangerous picture here is Jews are not just broken off they're broken off by design in heaven in order that the gospel might embrace the nations and the Gentiles might be grafted in when these people said that in verse 19 look at verse 19 you might have expected Paul to say you got it wrong don't talk that language of purpose and design just talk result but he didn't correct them look at verse 19 you then will say branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in to which Paul responds in verse 20 that is true which is both the glory and the danger of chapter 11 you can start to feel the danger rising in the proud Gentile heart maybe even in your own heart you start to feel the the peril that Christian Gentiles are in as they hear such a staggering truth but first let's look at the glory and then the danger the glory is obvious it's in verse 17 if some of the branches were broken off and you although a wild olive ship nobody wants you were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree so there it is there's the glory the mystery of God in the gospel in Romans 11 indeed throughout the synoptic and gospels and John is Gentiles by faith in Jesus become Jews that's the incredible mystery of the gospel and they are attached to this tree which is Abraham Isaac and Jacob covenant for their people and they're attached and all the promises are flowing with life and salvation and hope into Gentiles who before were no people had no attachment no covenants no promises no life no hope no God and God in his mercy said from the beginning I had you in mind I was gonna make Abraham a blessing to the nations and now I'm doing it I'm gathering the nations and I am grafting them in to Judaism how can that be verse 20 they were broken off because of their unbelief but you stand fast through faith there it is how is it that a Gentile can be attached to the tree of Israel and benefit from all the promises made in the Old Testament every one of them yes to the Gentile answer by faith in Jesus who is the link as the seed of Abraham you join Jesus by faith and you join Abraham you trust Jesus you become a Jew and benefit from everything that was ever promised to Israel that's a mystery that was a mind-blowing mystery Paul keeps in mind what he said in Romans 4 16 the promise rests on grace and is guaranteed not only to the adherent of the law but to also those who share the faith of Abraham as it is written I have made you the father of many nations the promise rests on grace so that it would be valid for Jews and be valid for Christ believing Gentiles one promise one covenant one people one destiny the implications of this are huge we'll be back to this text two more weeks the promise to Abraham and his offspring Romans 4 13 is that he would be the heir of the world so all the promises are ours in Christ Jesus he's the yes of all the promises and that is the glory of this text for most of us in this room there are Jewish people here in this room thrilled that you're here most of us here are Gentiles and if we're Christians by that faith we are united to the tree and have become heirs of Abraham now the danger this text is written mainly about the danger the glory is all over this chapter the danger is especially in this text the danger is this Paul's main concern is that he can nip in the bud pride arrogance gloating and anti-Semitism which might come from the truth they were broken off so that we might be grafted in that's dangerous talk that's really dangerous talk two times in these verses and once in verse 25 Paul gets in our Gentile arrogant faith verse 17 but if some of the branches were broken off and you although a while on the shoot were grafted in among the others and now share in the nursing root of the olive tree do not be arrogant toward the branches that's clear verse 20 second half of the verse so do not become proud that's clear verse 25 lest you be wise in your own conceits so three times in this chapter he is direct pointed clear to our boastful proud Gentile hearts who are always looking for a way to be puffed up above other people oh how well he knows us this is really serious really serious the greatest truths have you ever found this to be true that the greatest truths are the most dangerous truths that is the ones that can be so badly misused the greatest truths are the one that can tip you in some crazy absolutely unbiblical direction because they look so logical these conclusions like we're justified by faith alone let us live like the devil it doesn't really matter what a dangerous truth the doctrine of justification is or the sovereignty of God if God determines everything we don't pray we don't even evangelize all that crap there I said it again I told my wife I never say it again sometimes I just feel like so what shall we do we should look at the reasons why we shouldn't be proud and there are three he gives three reasons and we're going to deal with one of them this message and the other two Lord willing next week here are the three reasons why we cannot be proud cannot be boastful cannot gloat cannot be anti-Semitic in relation to this truth that the branches have broken off in order that Gentiles might be grafted in number one your eternal life now hangs on a Jewish root and not the other way around and that's the one we'll deal with tonight here's the other two faith is the only thing that connects you to the tree of salvation and faith by its nature and its origin cannot boast except in Christ and third if you give way to pride and boasting and anti-Semitism God will cut you off forever now I've already been asked whether that contradicts the perseverance of the saints and eternal security so I know I had to address that so come back next week that's what I will indeed address and it is addressable but tonight we have time for one argument why should pride gloating arrogance and anti-Semitism be done in your life argument number one you do not support the root the root supports you verse 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches if you are remember it is not you who support the root but the root supports you now let's get it clear anti-Semitism is real and alive in the world today Justin Taylor shared with me some quotes about half a dozen from a book he was reading recently which describes the global feel of the Jewish community in this world don't just think of your neighbor say it at Temple Israel or Temple Aaron don't just think of your local seemingly secure comfortable American safe protected Jewish person think of Jews around the world they are feeling today incredibly vulnerable and I could tell you why but it would get me in bigger trouble just read the news and I don't mean just politically I'm my position on the state of Israel is probably not what you think it is and we'll be back there in the weeks to come in other words this issue is really relevant for them and it is for your heart and I just want with all the power I can muster by the spirit and authority I can muster by the bible say don't join that danger that is don't make Jewish people feel imperiled or endangered around you not an easy task why should we not join this anti-Semitic feel why should we not do it because the Jewish root the Jewish fathers the Jewish scriptures the Jewish promises the Jewish history and the Jewish Messiah support you you don't support it to become a Christian is to become a Jew or you're not a Christian to become a Christian means loving the Jewish Torah writings prophets if you don't love them you're not a Christian to become a Christian means to be grafted into the Jewish covenant if you're not in it you're not a Christian proud anti-Semitism proves we don't know who we are or we aren't who we say we are so I close with four applications number one be done once for all with verbal slurs and digs and negative innuendos about Jewish people stop telling Jewish jokes and don't come to me and say oh good grief piper it's just for fun I won't like it and will not hear you happily stop using the word Jew as a verb don't talk about them and they in a stereotypical way that cancels out individuality sound like last Sunday sermon just adjusted bridle your tongue let's go back to last Sunday Saturday bridle your tongue it is the beginning of outward racial harmony last week and it is the beginning of outward freedom from anti-Semitism bridle your tongue application number two don't treat Jewish people on the basis of group stereotypes that's the partiality that we read about last week in James deal with a person as a person and you may discover an individuality that surprises you and you may in fact discover a doorway into a heart which is where you want to go you won't ever go there by telling jokes I promise you number three third implication exalt over the Jewish heritage that you have and take delight in showing how it's completed in Christ exalt over your heritage as a Jew and take delight publicly at the lunch table over the backyard fence in your living room on the telephone take delight in displaying the completion of the heritage in Messiah Jesus when you go to the movie on February 25th and do go on Ash Wednesday Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and the first screen you see least if they do it the way they did it when I saw the first screen you'll see is simply the verse printed he was bruised for our iniquities Isaiah 53 5 exalt in the Jewish prophet Isaiah and then delight in showing the wounds and the sufferings of Christ as the completion of that if they scoff at you if they mark you if they reject you what is a disciple greater than his master if they call the master the house beelzebul how much more will they melon those of his own household what do you expect are you just going to avoid criticism and not follow Jesus or are you going to delight in saying Christ has so magnificently fulfilled Isaiah 53 your prophet's message exalt in the root that supports you finally number four let the words supports you in verse 18 it is not you who support the root but the root who supports you let the words supports you humble you tonight I stress humility here at the end because it's the opposite of pride which is what this text is about getting rid of don't be puffed up over the branches fear stand in all watch out for your conceits watch out for drawing implications out of biblical truth that aren't there at all but just blow them to your carnal head don't exalt yourself over the branches rather hear these words you are a weak broken sinful needy bankrupt on welfare people who have to be supported i'll tell you people who need to be supported better be slow to boast the meaning of becoming a Christian is waking up from the dream world of self-sufficiency right have you awakened yet are you sitting there feeling who he's talking to are you still asleep in the dream world of i got my act together the dream world of i'm sufficient i don't need christ i don't need church i don't need god that's a dream in fact it's a nightmare and if you don't wake up now to your utter dependence you will wake up in hell and then realize it was a dream in fact we're not just weak we're not just dependent we're dead fesians two eight we're dead and this is a tree into which by grace we are grafted by god flowing with life and i offer it to you tonight i say turn away from all self-reliance turn away from all boasting and trust in christ so let's humble ourselves tonight let's humble ourselves this morning and trust him for sake all self-reliance and bank on the lord and so put away all pride and be done with every vestige of antisemitism let's pray father i know that unless you come by your spirit and make these words powerful and pointed they won't go home to the conscience and the heart but if you'd come now as i pray you have been then people could be humbled and made happy to rely upon a savior who unites us to the promises of the bobble made to the jews that we would be heirs of the world all things are yours whether paul or polis or seepus or life or death or the world all things are yours and you are christ and christ is god's why then would you boast over man take it from us lord make us the humblest of all people may with trembling and tears we lean on the everlasting arms in jesus name i pray amen
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