Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Fulfillment of God's Promise and Purpose for Israel*

*Romans 11*

*March 31, 1996*

* *

*Scripture:*  Luke 19:27-44

 

*Prayer:*

 

*Introduction:*

 

 

 

*I.

There is a Present Election of Israel:  Remnant Preserved.*

*          (Israel's alienation is not final)*

 

          A.

God's election of Israel is validated through the believing                         remnant.

1.       Paul himself is a present personal example of one whom                          God has not rejected.

/1~*  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./

2.

Scriptural testimony is an historic example that there are                         others, like Paul, whom God has not rejected.

/2~*  God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew.

Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah-- how he appealed to God against Israel:/

/3~*  "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"?/

/4~*  And what was God's answer to him?

"I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."/

 

 

 

 

                   3.

Whether past, present, or future, there is the continuing                            reality of a remnant of believing Jews whom God has                     chosen by grace alone.

/5~*  So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace./

/6~*  And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace./

B.      God's election of Israel is validated through the unbelieving            remnant.

1.

Those who have refused God's revelation have been                       allowed by God to continue in their self-inflicted                                 ignorance.

/7~*  What then?

What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did.

The others were hardened,/

/8~*  as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day."/

2.

This self-inflicted ignorance is self-compounding to the                             extent that only the miraculous intervention of God can                           save the unbelieving remnant.

/9~*  And David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them./

/10~*  May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever."/

\\ *II.

There will be a Future Reception of Israel:  Remainder Restored.*

*          (Israel's alienation has future prospect as well as present purpose)*

 

          A.

God has a purpose for the unbelieving remnant in carrying out                his salvation program.

1.       Since God's salvation program will not fail, salvation is                           presently offered to the Gentiles in the face of Israel's                     unbelief.

2.

The blessings of salvation for the Gentiles will cause                       Israel to envy the Gentile's gain at their expense.

/11~*  Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery?

Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious./

3.

Israel's envy points to a future turning in which their own                        salvation will further enrich the blessings of salvation to                          the Gentiles and to the world in general.

/12~*  But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!/

 

 

 

 

          B.      God's purpose for Paul's ministry to the Gentiles also includes                the unbelieving remnant.

1.

The more Gentiles Paul brings to salvation, the more his                          people are liable to envy and to come into salvation.

/13~*  I am talking to you Gentiles.

Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry/

/14  in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them./

2.

The return of Israel to her holy calling will be a                              miraculous cause for unprecedented joy incomparable                              even to the reconciliation of the world.

/15~*  For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?/

/16~*  If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches./

C.      God has a purpose for the unbelieving remnant to stand as a                   witness in promoting humility among Gentile Christians.

1.

The Gentiles have shared in the blessings of sonship                       belonging to the Jew.

/17~*  If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,/

 

 

 

 

                   2.

This indebtedness should foster reverent respect for the                            Jew by not gloating over their misfortune.

/18~*  do not boast over those branches.

If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you./

3.

This unnatural position of favor is by the grace and mercy                       of God.

/19~*  You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in."/

/20~*  Granted.

But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.

/

 

 

 

                   4.

This substitution of favor should produce holy fear of                              God and not arrogance.

/Do not be arrogant, but be afraid./

/21~*  For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either./

D.      God has a purpose for the unbelieving remnant to stand as a                    witness in promoting obedience among Gentile Christians.

1.

If God would cut off the Jew for the disobedience of                       unbelief, given the Jew's favored status, how much more                     would he cut off the Gentile who did not continue in his                      kindness?

/22~*  Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness.

Otherwise, you also will be cut off./

2.

God has sovereign power to cut out or graft in as he wills.

/23~*  And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again./

/24~*  After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!/

 

 

 

 

\\ *III.

There will be a Final Salvation of Israel:  Nation Converted.*

*          (Israel's alienation will be eliminated)*

 

          A.

The purposeful mystery of God's unfolding plan of salvation for             both Jew and Gentile keeps us dependent upon him for                        understanding.

/25~*  I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: /

 

 

 

 

                   1.

The salvation of the Gentile will be completed in God's                             time and purpose.

/Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in./

2.

The salvation of Israel will be completed in God's time                             and purpose.

/26~*  And so all Israel will be saved, /

 

 

 

 

                             a.

Christ will return to save the nation of Israel.

/as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob./

 

 

 

 

\\                              b.

This salvation will be on the same basis as                                                salvation for the Gentile - Israel will believe in the                                    Messiah for the forgiveness of sins.

c.

This salvation will be the fulfillment of God's                                  covenant promise to them.

/27~*  And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."/

B.

Our present, limited understanding of God's plan and purpose                must revolve around his mercy.

1.       God's mercy will prevail for the Jew.

a.

Their rejection of the gospel made them enemies of                                   the gospel (to the benefit of the Gentile).

/28~*  As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; /

 

 

 

 

                             b.

But their election by God (established from the                                time of the patriarchs) leaves the way open for the                                   miraculous display of God's mercy to them through                                the gospel.

/but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,/

 

 

 

 

                             c.