MAKE WAY FOR WILD BRANCHES!

Romans 11:11-22

Sometimes, when reading stories of O.T., I find myself asking, “How could they be so STUPID?!!!

Past–Rom 9 Present–Rom 10 Future–far as the eye can see–Rom 11

            “I’d rather do it myself!”     “We’re going to have to save ourselves!”

                 Won’t they ever learn?

    We get this superior feeling. “I’d never do THAT!” Do YOU know that feeling?

Do we have a right to feel superior?

Rom 11, Paul deals with those feelings as he describes salvation of pagan Gentiles and Israel’s future.

SALVATION OF PAGAN GENTILES 11:11-22

PURPOSE OF ISRAEL’S DOWNFALL 11:11-14

Another question: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery?

Did they fall so hard and so far that they can never come back to Him? “NO WAY!”

Israel’s downfall wasn’t intended to destroy Israel

        It was never intended to bring about her final destruction! 11:11

It WAS intended to make salvation available to pagan Gentiles–to US!

It WAS intended to make Israel jealous (so she would turn back to God) 11:11, 14

GOD’S CYCLE TO DRAW MORE PEOPLE TO CHRIST:

God chose Israel in order to provide a Savior

Israel’s downfall made salvation available for pagan Gentiles!

Salvation of pagan Gentiles would provoke Israel to jealousy.

Israel’s jealousy would draw her to the Savior.

Israel => pagans => Israel => pagans

God’s blessing to us isn’t because He decided to “throw the bums out!”

    In fact, His plan is to bring them back in.

    He uses us to make them jealous    [=> Child with an unused toy ]

So they’ll turn back to Him.

            So He can use them to draw the nations to Him–That’s God’s cycle!

    God’s basis for blessing the world 11:12

Israel’s failure results in riches–for the world and for pagans

Events that bring about Israel’s judgment, enrich world in general and pagans in particular!

If Israel’s sin produced blessing, by giving pagans opportunity to be saved, how much more blessing will come from her restoration!

There’s bound to be greater blessing from her restoration than from her fall!

Israel’s fulfillment results in greater riches for the world and for pagans!

Restoration/fulfillment brings O.T. promises for pagans with its attendant blessings for the nations–for pagan Gentiles.

Paul’s desire to “enlarge his territory”–to have greater ministry.

Lit. “to glorify my ministry”

        His reason:  so Israel might be jealous            11:13-16

                         so Israel might be saved.

Paul is glad for his ministry to Gentiles.

Their salvation provokes jealousy among his people.

His ministry encourages them to trust Christ.

        Israel’s removal produced the reconciliation of the world 15

God removed barrier between Gentiles and Jews, between Gentiles and God.

Those who trust Christ are now one in Him!

If their exclusion produced so much good, how much more will their restoration produce?

        Israel’s return produces new life for the dead.        Unclear significance:

            1. Israel comes back to life = Valley of dry bones–Ez. 37

            2. Or, whole world comes to the nation “made alive again” and shares in their blessing (e.g. Is.’ prophecy: 55:3-5; 60:1-6; 62:1-7)

            3. Or, when they are restored Christ comes, thus resurrection occurs.

            Ultimate fulfillment brings all 3!

2 Illustrations: #1 = Dough used in baking: 16a

If initial lump of dough is holy, so is kneaded lump of dough

“Garbage in, garbage out!”

                     Candy Factory

                         Good ingredients produce good final product

                         Feed colors into candy machines, same colors come back out

                     Anne of Green Gables–HELPS–     Anne’s cake–bitter taste

                         Anodyne Linament in the vanilla bottle!

2^nd illustration: the olive tree 16b

The original olive tree was good.

Its first fruits were good, therefore the rest should be good.

If the root is holy, so are the branches

Since it had good roots, the branches must be good!

Some branches come out bad; doesn't deny value of the tree.

Bad branches need pruning; doesn't mean you destroy the tree!

God’s promise to patriarchs hasn’t been revoked!

                     They’ve been “set apart” for God’s use–as forefathers were.

GRAFTING OF WILD BRANCHES 11:17-21

We’re not the natural branches! We’ve been grafted to the original tree.

        Blessings we enjoy were promised to Israel.

We didn’t merit them; we got them because God added us to their tree!

Value of the tree confirmed by observing grafted branches.

It’s roots and sap nourish the wild branches that were grafted in.

We’re sustained by original olive tree; not by our own, which is wild

Some of the “natural branches” were broken off. 17

        We’ve been “grafted in,” though we were “wild branches.”

We’ve become partakers with them of the rich root of the good olive tree–of THEIR olive tree!

We’ve tapped in to a good tree with good roots and rich nourishment!

We don’t support the root; the root supports us! 18b

We’re the “add-ons” –the newcomers!

        We’ve received what God promised THEM first!

C. S. Lewis: "the converted Jew is the only normal human being in the world. Everyone else is a special case dealt with under emergency conditions." God opened an ‘emergency door,” "a back door." He let us in as “emergency cases”.

Because of unbelief, they were broken off 19-20

Because of faith [belief], we stand.

God didn’t spare natural branches, because of pride and unbelief 21

    God won’t spare us, if we try to stand in our own strength either.

Do “wild branches” stand better chance of survival than natural branches?

            Security–not talking about salvation!

Talking about Jn 15–we can’t survive on our own anymore than Israel could!

                 Trying to stand on our own always leads to same place: barren, fruitless living!

If we decide to “go it on our own”–to stand in our own strength–it will be as productive for us as it was for them!

We don’t stand by our own efforts–even our own best efforts–we stand on the basis of God’s kindness–His grace to us!

BASIS OF OUR ACCEPTANCE 22

Our acceptance by God has always been based on faith alone 19

        It was always based on His kindness 22

God didn’t admit us because of our merit; rather, because of Jewish unbelief.

God accepted us all by faith in Christ.

Therefore, no one has right to boast

If we try to be self-sufficient or independent, we lose our foundation.

God deals with people on one of two bases:

        1. His kindness

        2. His severity

    On which basis would YOU prefer for God to deal with YOU?

What’s the requirement to be acceptable to God?

        Abide in His kindness

Cling to His kindness–“to abide” to draw out from something what sustains life–John 15

            We’re to draw out from His kindness that which sustains our life!

        Trust Him–We trust HIM rather than US!

                 –It’s not our heritage!             –It’s not our merit!

                 –It’s not our money!           –It’s not our accomplishments!

            It’s based on HIS kindness! –Grace!