Written by: Enid Crane
Romans 11 v 13-15
Now I am speaking to you who are not Jews. I am an apostle to those who are not
Jews, and since I have that work, I will make the most of it. I hope I can
make my own people jealous and, in that way, help some of them to be saved.
When God turned away from the Jews, he became friends with other people in
the world. So when God accepts the Jews, surely that will bring them life after
death.
Notes
Paul, who wrote these words, had been a fanatical follower of the Jewish faith.
But at his conversion, to his utter astonishment, God appointed him to be
an apostle (messenger), not to his own people, but to non-Jewish people.
The message of Jesus spread rapidly across the world as many non-Jewish people
enthusiastically put their faith in him. But Paul’s heart ached for his own
people who, for the most part, rejected the message. It seemed as though
God had turned away from them to become friends with other people in the
world instead. But Paul believed that one day many more Jewish people would
believe the good news and be put right with God through Christ. Then tremendous
blessing would come to us all as, together, God would accept us as his friends.
Paul hoped that his fellow Jews would become jealous as they saw what blessings the non-Jewish people were receiving, and so be moved to trust in Christ too. No doubt that depended on how well Christians were showing what changes God had made in their lives since they put their faith in Jesus.
A man in Nigeria said, “There always seemed to be quarrelling and unrest in my home. I saw that my Christian neighbours lived at peace with their families and were much happier than I was. I wanted what they’d got.”
Do our lives show the difference which Christ has made so that other people become jealous of what we’ve got, and want to have it too?
Prayer
O God, thank you for all the blessings I have received by being put right with
you through Jesus. Please help me to live today so that others will want
what you’ve given me. Amen
Romans 11 v 16-21
If the first piece of bread is offered to God, then the whole loaf is made
holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, then the tree’s branches are holy
too.
It is as if some of the branches from an olive tree have been broken off. You
non-Jewish people are like the branch of a wild olive tree that has been joined
to that first tree. You now share the strength and life of the first tree,
the Jews. So do not brag about those branches that were broken off. If you
boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I could be joined to their
tree.” That is true. But those branches were broken off because they did not
believe, and you continue to be part of the tree only because you believe.
Do not be proud, but be afraid. If God did not let the natural branches of
that tree stay, then he will not let you stay if you don’t believe.
Notes
My father was a keen gardener. Many years ago I found the stump of an apple
tree in his garden seemingly just waiting to be removed. With pick-axe and
spade I soon had it out – only to discover later that my father had carefully
prepared it as the root-stick on which to graft (or join) previous new varieties
of apples. (Was my face red!)
In these verses Paul writes to non-Jewish Christians. He says that the Jewish nation is like a special tree chosen by God. (In the Old Testament we read how God chose Abraham and his descendants. He revealed himself to them, and his plan was to bless all the nations through them.) But now, Paul says, many Jewish people have rejected the Good News and so they are like branches broken off from the chosen tree. In their place non-Jewish people (or Gentiles) have been, as it were, grafted in.
But Gentiles are like branches of a wild tree, and no gardener would ever graft such branches onto his precious, carefully prepared stock. That is quite contrary to horticultural practice. So, says Paul, you Gentiles have nothing to boast about. Instead, be humble and go on trusting in God’s grace and mercy. If not, the same thing can happen to you as has happened to those “natural branches” who didn’t believe and were broken off. Be warned, for you too will have no right to stay as part of the tree if you stop believing.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for joining me to this tree of faith. Help me to
remember that it is all because of your grace and love that I am accepted
as a living branch in Jesus my Saviour. Amen
Romans 11 v 22-24
So you see that God is kind and also very strict. He punishes those who stop
following him. But God is kind to you, if you continue following in his kindness.
If you do not, you will be cut off from the tree. And if the Jews will believe
in God again, he will accept them back. God is able to put them back where
they were. It is not natural for a wild branch to be part of a good tree.
And you who are not Jews are like a branch cut from a wild olive tree and
joined to a good olive tree. But since those Jews are like a branch that
grew from the good tree, surely they can be joined to their own tree again.
Notes
What a tremendous debt all Christians owe to the Jewish people. Through them
the knowledge of the true God came to us. They were his chosen people. Their
faith was the root out of which Christianity grew. Into their nation our
Saviour Jesus was born. But sadly the majority did not receive him.
God is strict with unbelief, Paul says, and so they have become like branches cut off from his chosen tree. We who are not Jewish should let this be a warning to us not to stop following him or we too will be in danger.
But Paul also knows how great is God’s kindness. He has grafted (or joined) us non-Jewish people into his tree, we who are like branches of a wild tree which do not naturally belong. How easy it is, therefore, for God to join Jewish people, the natural branches, back again into that tree. Paul is confident that that is what will happen whenever those who have fallen away from God “believe in him again”.
In a similar way, perhaps you or someone you know was brought up in a Christian home. You know all about following Jesus, but you have gone away from all that you were taught. If you come back to God, believe in him and resolve to “continue following in his kindness”, be assured that he is able to put you back where you belong.
Prayer
Dear Lord, forgive me for the many times I have failed to trust you. Please
cleanse and renew me by the power of your Holy Spirit, and keep me faithful
to you for Jesus’ sake. Amen
Romans 11 v 25-27
I want you to understand this secret, brothers and sisters, so you will understand
that you do not know everything: part of Israel has been made stubborn, but
that will change when many who are not Jews have come to God. And that is
how all Israel will be saved. It is written in the Scriptures:
“Then a Saviour will come to Jerusalem and to the people of Jacob who have
turned from sin.
This is how Israel’s guilt will be forgiven; this is how its sins will be taken
away.”
Notes
Paul has been wrestling with a difficult question. Why is it that so many of
the Jewish nation, God’s chosen people, failed to receive their promised
Messiah (Jesus) when he came? (Most of us will not have a problem about understanding
that we do not know everything – v 25!)
Part of Israel, Paul writes, has been made stubborn, but when many non-Jewish people (or Gentiles) have trusted in Christ this will change; many Jewish people will also believe. Let us not forget that throughout the centuries there have been many Jewish believers, and their numbers have increased dramatically in recent years. (Note: The Bible teaches that people are “made stubborn” only after they themselves have first taken that kind of attitude. For example Exodus 7 v 13 says “the king (Pharaoh) was stubborn and refused to listen to Moses and Aaron...”. It is only then that “the Lord made the king stubborn” - Exodus 9 v 12.)
“That is how all Israel will be saved.” What does this mean? All Jewish people throughout time? All who are alive when Jesus returns? Or does “Israel” here refer to all who trust in Jesus, both Jewish and Gentile, made one chosen family in Christ? Whatever the correct meaning, the quotation which follows applies to us all. It is based on words found in Isaiah 59 v 20-21: “Then a Saviour will come to Jerusalem… This is how Israel’s guilt will be forgiven; this is how its sins will be taken away.”
In a few days’ time many of us will be celebrating the Saviour’s birth long ago at Bethlehem. Have you asked him to take away your sin? He is waiting to do so, if you ask him, for God’s great plan of salvation encompasses the whole world, including you.
Prayer
Thank you, O God, for sending the Saviour. We need him so much. Please open
our eyes to understand how you take away our sin. Remove our stubbornness,
and fulfil your mighty plan of salvation for our world. Amen
Romans 11 v 28-32
The Jews refuse to accept the Good News, so they are God’s enemies. This has
happened to help you who are not Jews. But the Jews are still God’s chosen
people, and he loves them very much because of the promises he made to their
ancestors. God never changes his mind about the people he calls and the things
he gives them. At one time you refused to obey God. But now you have received
mercy, because those people refused to obey. And now the Jews refuse to obey,
because God showed mercy to you. But this happened so that they also can
receive mercy from him. God has given all people over to their stubborn ways
so that he can show mercy to all.
Notes
The “Good News” (v 28) is that God has made a way of putting us right with
himself through Jesus. This is the theme running through this letter to the
Christians at Rome. All of us have done wrong, and not one of us can find
a way to put it right with God. But in Christ, God himself has provided the
way. Our part is to trust in him, and then to obey. So it is all about God’s
mercy and his love for us.
To refuse this way is to rebel, to put ourselves against God. Sadly, this is what so many of Paul’s fellow Jews had done. As we read in the book of Acts, wherever Paul went he always preached the Good News to the Jewish people first. As God’s chosen people that was their privilege. When they refused, it was the non-Jews’ (or Gentiles’) turn. Paul saw that in some strange way the Jewish people’s refusal had increased the Gentiles’ opportunity to hear and respond.
But God still loves the Jewish people very much, and he never goes back on his promises. Therefore he will fulfil all that he promised to Abraham and his descendants.
Yet what has happened shows that the way of salvation is the same for us all, Jewish and Gentile. We have all stubbornly strayed from God’s ways. None of us can save ourselves. But God’s love and mercy stretches out to us all. Whatever race or nation we belong to, he longs for us to come and receive his free gift of forgiveness, acceptance and new life. All this becomes ours as we put our faith in Jesus, God’s way of salvation.
Prayer
Praise to you, O God, who have the whole world in your hands. There are so
many things which we don’t understand, but we know that everything is under
your ultimate control, and that your plans will all be fulfilled, through
our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
Romans 11 v 33-36
Yes, God’s riches are very great, and his wisdom and knowledge have no end!
No one can explain the things God decides or understand his ways. As the
Scripture says,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord or been able to give him advice?”
“No one has ever given God anything that he must pay back.”
Yes, God made all things, and everything continues through him and for him.
To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
Notes
Throughout this letter Paul has been explaining God’s wonderful plan of salvation.
It is for everyone, and everyone needs it because not one of us has lived
up to God’s standard. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection God himself has
made a way for us to be put right through faith and to receive his Spirit.
The great plan is for both Jewish people and non-Jewish people. It is for
people of all nations everywhere.
As Paul draws to the end of his explanation, he joyfully praises God who has made this wonderful plan. Do we understand it all? Of course we don’t! If God is all-powerful, all-wise, all-knowing (which he is), how can mere human beings expect to understand all his decisions?
Verse 33 echoes thoughts from Old Testament writers. Then Paul quotes almost directly from Isaiah 40 v 13: “Who has understood the mind of the Lord or been able to give him advice?”, and from Job 41 v 11: “No one has ever given God anything that he must pay back.”
Paul ends this outburst of praise by reaffirming that God is the creator of everything; he controls everything; he owns everything. All glory to him for ever!
A friend once gave me a beautiful picture of the sea over which were printed the words: “All I have seen causes me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” However insecure the world may seem to be as we read this today, let us remember that everything is under the control of our all-powerful God who is working everything out according to his loving purposes for all who will put their trust in him.
Prayer
Great God, I worship you. I acknowledge your greatness. I submit to your rule
over my life. Please fill me afresh with the power of your Spirit that I
may fulfil your purposes for me today. For Jesus’ sake, Amen
Romans 12 v 1-3
So brothers and sisters, since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer
your lives as a living sacrifice to him. Your offering must be only for God
and pleasing to him, which is the spiritual way for you to worship. Do not
change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but be changed within
by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants
for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.
Because God has given me a special gift, I have something to say to everyone
among you. Do not think you are better than you are. You must decide what
you really are by the amount of faith God has given you.
Notes
Throughout the world many people offer animals in sacrifice to God. In Old
Testament times people brought sin-offerings by which they hoped he would
forgive them.
The Good News is that God himself has made a sacrifice for us all, the sacrifice of his own dear Son. Through this sacrifice we can be forgiven. How much he must love us! No wonder Paul writes of his “great mercy”. Today’s verses begin to show us what the practical application of all this should be in our lives.
There IS a sacrifice for us to make. But it is not in order to
gain anything. It is just the natural response to God’s great love. It is the
living sacrifice of ourselves.
- living to please him in all that we do, and the way we do it;
- letting the Holy Spirit change our way of thinking from the way people who
don’t know Jesus think.
As this change takes place in us, what will we “be able to decide”? What will we “know”? (Read Romans 12 v 1-3 again to check your answers.)
Finally, each of us needs to find out where we fit into God’s plan. Don’t over-estimate your own importance, and don’t be unbelieving, thinking God won’t have anything for you! Because you have put your faith in him, he has a place for you in his plan. Find out what it is, and seek his power to fulfil it.
Prayer
O God, I don’t understand how you could make such a huge sacrifice for me.
Thank you for loving me so much. Please show me your will. By the power of
your Spirit I want my life to be a living sacrifice to you, for Jesus’ sake.
Amen
word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes