Podcasts about gentiles romans

Luke Looks Back Chapter 5 Study 5 - Luke 4:14-30 The Announcement of the Messiah We start off this study with a question. Question 1: Where was your hometown? What was, or is, memorable about it? Read Luke:4:14 to 23. Nazareth was the hometown of Jesus, where he grew up. It was a small village in the middle of the province of Galilee, mainly of Galileans but including some Jews from the far away province of Judea. The people of Galilee were often of mixed ancestry so there is likely to have been considerable antagonism between them and the purer blooded Judean Jews who regarded themselves as the only proper Jews. As a result Judean Jews of Nazareth, as the family of Jesus were, were most probably foreigners in their own community. The two slightly different peoples were probably not friendly to each other. That, not the best of places, was where Jesus spent most of his childhood days! Luke uses the story of what happened when Jesus read from the OT book of Isaiah in the synagogue there, to start explaining how we are to understand the ministry of Jesus. Jesus had to deal with a strong expectation among ordinary people that the Messiah would behave in certain ways. He had a major job to change that expectation. Jesus read just one and a half verses from Isaiah 6. We will read more verses to get the context of what he read. We may assume his listeners knew the passage well so that hearing the verses he read they would immediately remember the following verses. Listen carefully to the picture these verses give. Isaiah 61: 1 - 7. Question 2: What would those verses have made them think Jesus was going to do if he really was the Messiah? What would they have been expecting him to call on them to do? Like many of the other passages in the Old Testament that talk about the Messiah these verses would have made them expect leadership in a successful military campaign against the Romans. Brothers, called the Maccabees, had led Israel against the Syrians 200 years earlier with great success. If he succeeded the men would expect to have to join his army. Of course, we know that such a venture would have been hopeless. The Roman armies were exceedingly difficult to beat. Only the most warlike of peoples in other parts of the Empire had any success against them, and then not for very long. Question 3: The next half verse in Isaiah to the one Jesus read says 'and the day of vengeance of our God'. He stopped without reading that out. What would that have suggested to the people who listened to him? I think they would have found it a great puzzle, which is why they listened to what he said next so carefully. He seemed to be promising that he would be a mighty spiritual leader but not a war leader. They would have thought of 'the day of vengeance' as the day when their God would bring the world they knew to an end with the defeat of the hated Romans. Read Luke 4:24 - 30 Question 4: Jesus went on to remind them of the stories of the widow of Zarephath and Elijah (1 Kings 17: 2 - 10a the brook Kerith was east of Jericho, Zarephath was the other side of Israel near Sidon, a Phoenician city)) and of Naaman and Elisha (2 Kings 5: 1, Aram was another name for Syria ). Why did Jesus do that? What point was he making, apart from the obvious one of 'not in my hometown'? All these places were outside Israel. He was saying that as they rejected him he was going to go to other people outside Israel. They did not like that idea at all. Quite why he did that is a bit of a mystery. Question 5: If a politician, wanting to influence people and starting off an election campaign was nearly lynched - murdered by a mob - as Jesus was he would not be likely to get on very well. The story does not give a good impression of Jesus. Why does Luke tell us about this episode when he could so easily not have done so? What is it about the ministry of Jesus that Luke wants us to think about? Luke is expecting what he writes to be read mainly by Gentiles - Romans. He has emphasised that the 2 great prophets Elijah and Elisha helped Gentiles. Christian faith is for all peoples, not any special nation or people group. Probably the fact that Jesus was rejected by the Jews like this made him sound better to a Roman, like Theophilus! But, above and beyond that, Luke will have chosen this episode because it gives such a clear picture of what Jesus was going to do in his ministry. Question 6: It says, "Jesus walked right through the crowd and went on his way". What does that suggest? It tells us that Jesus had an unusual air of authority about him. Perhaps too, that angels protected him. Question 7: Looking now at the whole story - what 2 things is Jesus emphasising by what he says and does that are of fundamental importance in our understanding of God and of faith? He has appealed to the Scriptures of the Old Testament to establish who he is. And the Scripture he read emphasised the work of the Spirit both for preaching and healing. These are the 2 fundamental sources for our understanding too - the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit - though we have, of course, the tremendous advantage of having the writings of the New Testament as well as those of the Old. Click here to download as an audio mp3

Episode 122In this episode, we explore Romans 15:14–21, where Paul shares his unique calling as a minister to the Gentiles. We'll unpack how Paul saw his mission, the grace given to him by God, and his deep desire to preach Christ where He had not yet been named. What does Paul's passion for gospel proclamation teach us about our own role in God's mission today? Join us as we consider what it means to boldly share Christ and serve in the places God has called us.https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/3312512031054Find our videocast here: https://youtu.be/A7PBj0184ZYMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/reakt-music/deep-stone⁠License code: 2QZOZ2YHZ5UTE7C8Find more Take 2 Theology content at https://take2pod.wordpress.com/

Today the guys discuss the obstacle of circumcision to some in the early church. Listen in as the guys discuss the opposition Paul faced to the gospel he preached all over the Roman Empire. Then the guys delve a little into how this text applies and does not apply to baptism. Conformed to Christ aims to engage the mind, affect the heart, and call people to follow Christ. Additionally, our aim is to introduce and explain passages of Scripture and difficult theological doctrines in a down-to-earth and easy-to-grasp manner. Theology and the Bible should impact your life, and our goal is that we might play a small part in seeing that happen. Conformed to Christ is a ministry of Christ's Fellowship Church. https://cfclawton.org/ ***Be sure to subscribe on YouTube, iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and Amazon Music Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCgQBeT-Mj1CmngPdhZyWybQ iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conformed-to-christ/id1503247486 Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2NvbmZvcm1lZHRvY2hyaXN0L2ZlZWQueG1s Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5YruCZu4hla6Ll3rBu7UPY Podbean: https://conformedtochrist.podbean.com  

Romans 11:16-25

The post “God's Grace to the Gentiles” Romans 11:1-16 (9-8-24 AM) appeared first on Covenant PCA.

The book of Jeremiah confuses us a little because it is not in chronological order.  Today's 32nd chapter starts by telling us the word of the LORD came to him “in the tenth year of Zedekiah” [v.1] “At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem” [v.2].  We do not know which month, but ch. 39 v.2 tells us that “in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month” a breach was made in the walls and the Babylonians captured the city. Today's chapter is about a very critical time, Jeremiah is at times a mental ‘iron man' because of his faith in God, but at times he falters.. “The word of the LORD came …” [v.6] telling him his cousin was coming to him asking him to “Buy my field that is in Anathoth” and when his cousin comes, he remarks, “Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.” After the transaction is finalised he “prayed to the LORD, saying ‘Ah, Lord GOD!  It is you who has made the heavens and the earth by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.”  [v.16,17] Yet his faith is struggling as events get worse and “siege mounds have come up to the city to take it” [v.24] and there is “famine and pestilence” and he asks, “Yet you O Lord GOD, have said to me, ‘Buy the field … though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.” [v.25]  Specially note the response from God!  “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh.  Is anything too hard for me?” [v.27]  God is quoting back to Jeremiah his words that nothing was too hard for him.  Jeremiah's struggle with faith may be paralleled in the experiences of the faithful, our experiences, as the world that we are so familiar with falls apart; for, as we will read next week in Mark, Jesus forecast a time of “such tribulation as has not been since the beginning of creation … and if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved.  But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days” [ch. 13 v,19,20]  This is described from the divine perspective of foreknowledge, as though it has already happened.(Romans 8 v.28-30) Back in Jeremiah we see how our chapter concludes with the prophet receiving a heart stirring vision of the ultimate future for his people (v.37-41) a future which will also embrace God's people whom he has called out from among the Gentiles (Romans 9 v,24-26).  May we maintain our faith in God; may Jeremiah's words be part of our prayer to our heavenly Father, “Nothing is too hard for you” uttered with increasing faith.

Full Text of ReadingsThirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 98The Saint of the day is First Martyrs of the Church of RomeFirst Martyrs of the Church of Rome's Story There were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 15:20). Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in 57-58 A.D. There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a result of controversy between Jews and Jewish Christians, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome in 49-50 A.D. Suetonius the historian says that the expulsion was due to disturbances in the city “caused by the certain Chrestus” [Christ]. Perhaps many came back after Claudius' death in 54 A.D. Paul's letter was addressed to a Church with members from Jewish and Gentile backgrounds. In July of 64 A.D., more than half of Rome was destroyed by fire. Rumor blamed the tragedy on Nero, who wanted to enlarge his palace. He shifted the blame by accusing the Christians. According to the historian Tacitus, many Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims. Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the senate, Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. at the age of 31. Reflection Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians. Love the saints? Check out these six titles on Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

On today's episode, Pastor Cameron talks about the Church Age, where God is calling people from every tribe and nation to be part of His redemptive purposes!

(Sermon) Romans: Do You Have Encouragement, Rev. Henry Kelly, Bible Education Institute Romans 15:1-32 Please Neighbors: Romans chapter 15 verses 1-13 Paul the Minister to the Gentiles: Romans chapter 15 verses 14-22 Paul's Plan to Visit Rome: Romans chapter 15 verses 23-33 (Resources) YouTube: Apologia Studios & Church w/ Pastor Jeff Durbin apologiastudios.com; Voddie Baucham ; Dr. R C. Sproul: Ligonier Ministries; Ray Comfort-Living Waters livingwaters.com; Ken Ham-Answers In Genesis answersingenesis.org; Wall Builders w/ David Barton wallbuliders.com; Dr. Walter Martin waltermartin.org; Bible Education Institute is on Video Plarforms: YouTube & Rumble; Podcast Platforms: Stitcher, Apple, Spotify, Amazon , Audible, Amazon Music, Facebook, Overcast,, Chrome, gPodder, Firefox, Safari,, iTunes, Alexia, Podbean, Internet Explorer & Podcast Addict, Listen Notes, Luminary Podcast, Player FM& others. Website: 5dbe1182e5831.site123.me Email: bibleeducationinstitute@gmail.com Donate: We greatly appreciate your donations to help reach as many people as possible. Thank you Please copy / paste and put on your computer or phone top search engine. https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=TYN64GZ6YLD7C Wanted: The Brave, Joshua 1:9, Kirk Cameron https://youtu.be/fBTv07MjwAA Watch "Christians Will Win Down Here | Jeff Durbin" on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/live/IZ6EqLug0Sc?feature=share (Sermon) How to Save a Nation, Rev. Henry Kelly, Bible Education Institute https://youtu.be/bEyNvfRGQyc

4/5/24. Minutes in the Word scriptures for today: Romans 11:11-12. Resources: enduringword.com; biblehub.com; logos.com; Matthew Henry Commentary; and Life Application Study Bible. Listen daily on WKDM Praise 96.1 Online Radio! https://kingdompraiseradio.com/November 2021 Podchaser list of "60 Best Podcasts to Discover!" LISTEN, LIKE, FOLLOW, SHARE! #MinutesWord; @MinutesWord; #dailydevotional #christianpodcaster #prayforpeace

One test of whether or not you understand something is if you can explain it in your own words. It's not only a helpful exercise to engage with the material, it's strategic for locating the *point*. If we assume that what we're reading is organized in order to reveal truth — which we can assume with the epistle of Paul to the Romans — then we expect that all the parts build into a whole. I keep being not just surprised, but disappointed when I reach the last verse of a Bible book in a commentary and the next page is: Appendix A, or Topical Index, or Acknowledgments. What about the *synthesis*? What about the *point*? We spent all the time looking at the trees on our way through the orchard, and some of the trees had great fruit. Now that we can look back, how far did we come? To me, not just a review but a rejoicing review is in order.There were two phrases that stood out to me as summaries of the two main divisions of the letter. Those phrases stood out to me enough that I used them as my email signature in two different years. The first captures the doctrinal (though there's truth for practice) in chapters 1-11, and the second captures the practical (though there's principles of truth) in chapters 12-16. # From Faith to FaithI get this from Romans 1:16-17, arguable Paul's own summary of the theme of the epistle. In the gospel is revealed the righteousness of God **from faith to faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.' (NASB)** - We cannot be saved without faith; the gospel is for all the believing ones.- We cannot please God without faith; the gospel argues against our righteous works. - We cannot resist sin without faith; the gospel forgives and the Spirit frees us from sin's power and fulfills righteousness.- We cannot endure suffering without faith; the gospel gives us hope, but hope that is seen is not hope.While one day we won't need faith any longer, when we see face to face, we cannot live as Christians without it for even one day in these bodies. Faith is the instrument of justification, and this undid Rome *twice*, first the paganism of the Roman Empire and then again the popery of the Roman Catholic world. In the 16th century the dominant worldview, which came from the teaching and worldview of the dominant worship, was that men could only be righteous through a combination of faith *plus*: faith plus their own works, faith plus some saint's extra good works, faith plus money that purchased a status, faith plus visiting/touching/kissing some special artifact. To be righteous by faith *alone*, that led to the single greatest church split ever, and we are still blessed by that proper division 500 years later.That said, faith apart from works is not really our fight. We wear t-shirts and drink out of coffee mugs with *sola fide* printed on them. That doesn't always mean we live from faith to faith.Our fight is more faith vs sight, faith except for all the times we think we can fix it ourselves. We are people who get things done, who make things happen, who take responsibility. We are realists, pragmatists, “modern” men of math and material things. If there's a problem, we'll solve it. We've got bullet points, after all. And then we see the second half of Romans 1 played out in front of us, and we thought cultural degradation should be done by now. More bullet points! But consider the placement of Romans 1:18-32. We say that it shows the *need* for the gospel, and it does. Men do not meet God's standard for righteousness, in unrighteousness and ungodliness they suppress the truth, so they are guilty and need the gospel. So true. But who did Paul write the explanation *for*? It wasn't an evangelistic tract for the pagans per se, it was encouragement for those who needed to live from faith to faith. He wrote about God's wrath so that the Christians in Rome would know what to tell their sinning neighbors, but also so that the Christians in Rome would not lose heart. Our culture is schizo. Unbelievers want more and more material things, we want physical comfort and prosperity, and we figure all that is possible if we follow the right 7 Steps to Success. But when it comes to moral things, the same unbelievers think that's up for grabs, think and act and be whatever you want, and we figure any of it is possible, just follow your feelings. What both those perspectives share is not *not* faith, certainly not saving faith, but an alternative faith, just that we don't call it "faith" because it seems like we have some sort of control.If there is anything that Romans teaches us, beloved, it is that men are not in control. As Christians we cannot even control our own flesh (think the last half of Romans 7); men are slaves to sin or slaves of righteousness, but they are not their own. It is God's will, by His eternal command, that the gospel go out, that faith would come by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. That faith confesses that *Jesus is Lord*. At what point in your Christian life do you not need to live in light of that reality? We do not enter the blessings by faith and then fix the rest ourselves. It's all by faith.# Don't Hold BackThis is from part of a verse in Romans 12:11: **Do not be slothful in zeal**. Three times Paul references zeal in Romans, and all three assume that there are ways to mess up zeal.Paul said in Romans 10:2 about the Jews that "they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." In Romans 12:8 he exhorted those with various gifts in the body and included, "the one who leads, with zeal," like it's possible to go out first halfheartedly. And it is. Then in Romans 12:11, **Do not be slothful in zeal**.I think that the first line actually sets the tone for 11-13, because "being fervent, serving, rejoicing, persevering, being devoted, contributing, and seeking" are all participles that hang on it. To be **slothful** is to be reluctant, to lag behind, to hold back. Brothers, Jesus is Lord, don't hold back. # Conclusion*We are individually offerings*, having received mercy by gospel, so Romans 12:1. > I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. We've been called to altar living. You are not allowed to hold back some part of your life, some time of the day, some percent of your will. “To be freed from only one sin—that's just our own agenda." (—John Owen, _The Mortification of Sin_). The mercies of God move all our bodies up onto the altar. *We are collectively an offering*, being made by the gospel: Romans 15:16. Paul was> a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.The gospel is the power of God to make an offering of offerings, one made up of many, just like the singular body of Christ has a plurality of members. How then do we believe the gospel? Like offerings to God.We are part of the fulness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25), so that “the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy” (Romans 15:9). God has grafted us into blessings, and His blessings make us jealousable before men and pleasing to Himself. Because of the gospel we are to be a people of faith, believing in God and confessing Jesus as Lord and being conformed to the image of God's Son. By His will we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. By His love we have reconciliation and peace with God. By His command the gospel has been known to us to bring about the obedience of faith among all peoples. By His mercies we present our bodies as living sacrifices. What altar blessings! What gift. What depth of riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. To Him be glory forever!----------## ChargeChristian, living from faith to faith is not a hobby or side-hustle, it is your life calling. It is your identity; you are "the ones believing." Keep on believing in your heart the word of faith about the Lord of all. He bestows His riches and joy and peace on all who believe in Him. ## Benediction:> Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!> > “For who has known the mind of the Lord, > or who has been his counselor?” > “Or who has given a gift to him > that he might be repaid?”> > For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33–36 ESV)

Title: The Call to Unity and Hope: Exploring Romans 15 Romans 15 continues Paul's profound discourse to the Roman church, extending themes of harmony, acceptance, and the fulfillment of God's promises through Christ. This chapter serves as a practical application of the theological principles laid out in previous chapters, emphasizing the responsibility of believers to build each other up in faith and to embrace the inclusivity of the Gospel. Bear One Another's Burdens (Romans 15:1-7) Paul begins by urging the strong in faith to bear with the failings of the weak, not to please themselves but to build up their neighbors for their good, leading to edification. This call to selflessness is grounded in the example of Christ, who did not seek His own pleasure but bore the reproaches meant for others. Paul's appeal is for the Roman Christians to live in harmony and to accept one another, just as Christ accepted them. This acceptance is not merely tolerance but an active and welcoming embrace that reflects the unity of believers in Christ. Christ, the Servant to Jews and Gentiles (Romans 15:8-13) Paul elaborates on Christ's role as a servant to both Jews and Gentiles, emphasizing that Jesus' ministry fulfilled God's promises to the patriarchs and extended God's mercy to the Gentiles. This fulfillment of prophecy demonstrates the inclusivity of God's salvation plan, meant to bring hope to all people. Paul concludes this section with a benediction, praying that God will fill the believers with all joy and peace in believing, so they may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul's Ministry and Future Plans (Romans 15:14-33) The latter part of the chapter shifts focus to Paul's ministry and his plans to visit Rome. He expresses his confidence in the Roman believers and his desire to impart some spiritual gift to strengthen them, though he has been prevented from visiting them so far. Paul shares his intention to preach the Gospel where Christ has not been named, avoiding building on another's foundation. He mentions his upcoming journey to Jerusalem to deliver aid to the saints there and his hope to visit Rome on his way to Spain. Paul concludes by requesting their prayers for his journey and for his service in Jerusalem to be acceptable to the saints. **Contemporary Application: Embodying Unity and Hope Romans 15 speaks powerfully to contemporary believers about the importance of fostering unity within the church, bearing one another's burdens, and welcoming all into the fellowship of faith. It challenges Christians to consider how they might live out the example of Christ in selfless service and encouragement of others. Furthermore, Paul's missionary zeal serves as an inspiration for believers to share the Gospel beyond their comfort zones, trusting in the Holy Spirit to empower and guide them. **Conclusion: Living Out the Gospel of Peace** Romans 15 beautifully captures the essence of Christian living—marked by unity, selflessness, and a relentless commitment to the Gospel. Paul's exhortations remind us that the church is called to be a community of hope and encouragement, reflecting the inclusive and transformative power of the Gospel. As we bear with one another in love and strive to live in harmony, we embody the very principles of the Gospel we profess, becoming beacons of hope and peace in a divided world.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/sendme-radio--732966/support.

Pastor Jason Diaz (Living Stones Church, Reno) Romans 11:11-24 Outline:Jews (11-15)Gentiles (17-22)Perspective (23-24) Romans 11:11-16: Jews are down, but not out Romans 11:17-22: Olive tree- represents people of God◦ Root of olive tree- Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob)◦ Natural branches- Ethnic Israel◦ Wild Olive shoot- Gentiles Romans 11:22-24

According to the divine plan, the Gospel was initially destined for the Jews, who were the first chosen people. However, in Acts 10, the Gospel extends to the Gentiles as well, who were also part of the divine selection. This instance illuminates the essence of predestination—it doesn't entail God choosing one individual over another, but rather reveals the sequential outreach of the Gospel. Initially directed to Israel, who ultimately rejected Jesus, the Gospel then embraced the Gentiles.

Text: Romans 10:18-21 ESV 18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.” 19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” 20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” 21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” -Rom 10:18-21 ESV THE GRACE OF GOD TOWARDS THE GENTILES Once again, Paul is asking rhetorical questions; Have they not heard? Did not Israel did understand? Definitely, the gospel has been dessiminated widely enough among the Israelites and the rest of the world. Paul expresses the spread like creation when God broadcasts His majesty to all.[see Psa 19] By echoing Psalm 19, God has made Himself knowable to humanity by what He has made (Rom 1:19–20). Here, though, Paul insists that God is making Christ Himself known to the world through the preaching of the gospel. The Jews have no reason not to hear or understand the message of the gospel. Believers had been preaching the message in Jerusalem and around Israel for more than 20 years by the time this letter was written. Like the Israelites, the main reason why people don't come to Jesus today is not that they have not heard it and could not believe. It's their willful rejection. And, their continual refusal made their hearts hardened. By their hardness pf hearts, God expressed His favor to the Gentiles. This is a fulfilment to O.T. prophecy that Paul quoted Deut 32:21. That is, "They have made me jealous with what is no god; they have provoked me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are no people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation." In other words, God became angry and jealous because of their idolatry so God has extended His goodness to welcome the Gentiles. This would provoke them to jealousy. Paul exactly referred this as the reason why God saves Gentiles who trust in Christ. Paul also quotes Isaiah. In the context of Isaiah 65:1, He applies them as an analogy of how God has rescued the Gentiles. He has been found by those who didn't look for Him. He has shown Himself to those who didn't ask Him. Does this mean the Gentiles automatically become part of God's family? This will bring us back to Rom 9:30-31, when Paul says, “What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness failed in reaching that law." God had declared believing Gentiles righteous based only on their faith in Christ. Today, let's not forget that God has chosen us, Gentiles, because of His sovereign grace. But we won't become His child without our faith in Him. [Rom 10:9,10] God extended His favor to the Israelites. Yet, they rejected Christ. As John writes, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”[John 1:11-13] We can just marvel upon the grace of God. He has been pursuing a people who continually reject Him. This did not deter Him. He extends His favor to all. We found Him when we did not seek for Him. This paradoxical truth should continue to amaze us. ------------------------- Visit and FOLLOW Gospel Light Filipino on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram

CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE COMPENDIUM SERIESSin, Justification, Sanctification, Reconciliation“God's Unwavering Promises: The Redemption of Israel and the Gentiles”Romans 11:25-36Christ's Bible Fellowship - Barrigada, Guam USASpeaker: Pastor Avery FerrerasSunday, November 12, 2023

Sermon Questions: Our Story Week 13 – Paul (September 3, 2023) Verses: Philippians 3:5-6, Acts 7:54-8:3, Acts 9:1-22, 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Philippians 3:7-10 Main Point: God is mighty to save and graceful to pursue. Questions: 1. What impacted you from this message? What challenged you or encouraged you? What did you learn about God through the study of Paul? 2. What details do you know about Paul's life? Which details seem the most important to you? 3. Read Philippians 3:5-6. How did Paul describe his religious background? Which things was he born into, and which things did he pursue? How could have Paul's background created a barrier to following Jesus? 4. Read Acts 7:54-8:3. What was Saul's role at the Stephen's stoning. What happened after Stephen was martyred? Describe Saul's persecution of the early church? 5. Read Acts 9:1-22. What was Saul doing at the beginning of this passage? How did the Lord get his attention? What did Jesus say to Saul? What would you have felt if you were in Saul's place? 6. What was Ananias' response to being told to pray for Saul? What did the Lord tell Ananias about Saul? After his conversion, what did Paul do? What did the people say about him? 7. Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. Paul was called to be the “Apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). Throughout his missionary journeys, Paul would suffer for the Jesus. Describe the sufferings Paul listed in these verses? 8. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. In these verses Paul described the Gospel message and how it impacted him. How would you describe the Gospel from these verses? What impact did it have on Paul? 9. Read 1 Timothy 1:12-17. How did Paul describe himself in these verses? How did God's grace change him? How do these verses give us hope that anyone can trust in Jesus and experience his grace? 10. Read Philippians 3:7-10. This is the continuation of the verses you read above. What did Paul desire above all else? Why is knowing God so important? 11. What is one specific thing you can do this week to put into practice what you learned in this message?

Full Text of ReadingsFriday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 375The Saint of the day is First Martyrs of the Church of RomeFirst Martyrs of the Church of Rome's Story There were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 15:20). Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in 57-58 A.D. There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a result of controversy between Jews and Jewish Christians, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome in 49-50 A.D. Suetonius the historian says that the expulsion was due to disturbances in the city “caused by the certain Chrestus” [Christ]. Perhaps many came back after Claudius' death in 54 A.D. Paul's letter was addressed to a Church with members from Jewish and Gentile backgrounds. In July of 64 A.D., more than half of Rome was destroyed by fire. Rumor blamed the tragedy on Nero, who wanted to enlarge his palace. He shifted the blame by accusing the Christians. According to the historian Tacitus, many Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims. Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the senate, Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. at the age of 31. Reflection Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians. Love the saints? Check out these seven titles on Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

“Jesus is Lord” is our confession as Christians (Romans 10:9), and our confession has a crescendo of consequences. I can summarize my life's whats and whys under “Jesus is Lord” and for the glory of God, and when I think about how that looks, I think about the Kuyperian Dispensationalist. He is not my imaginary friend, but he is always talking to me wherever I go; “Hey! Look at this!”# (Re)Defining Terms“Kuyperian” refers to a Christian who confesses that Jesus, the Logos, created all things and that He cares about all that He created. A Kuyperian mindset is like a filter through which a man sees that he can honor Christ in studying theology and in building swing sets, in walking in the Spirit while walking down the halls of Congress, or to the voting booth. A disciple of Christ isn't defined as much by what he does (as if only sacred not secular, spiritual not earthly, eternal not temporal) as much as Who he does those things for. The consequences of Abraham Kuyper's (Holland, 1837-1920) confession that Jesus is Lord included that he *stopped* being a pastor and got into publishing and politics. He started a daily newspaper and edited a monthly magazine. He energized Christian education at the grammar and secondary levels, then helped to found a university where the students were free to study and steward every thumb's width in creation. He saw Calvinistic soteriology and raised it with the implications of Calvinistic cosmology. Also, big sheesh, we make disciples of Christ, not disciples of Kuyper. I don't tell any of my unbelieving neighbors that they need to “ask Kuyper into their hearts” or end their prayers “in Kuyper's name.” And at the same time, it may very well be that my neighbors observe something different about our family/community that I know grows out of a viewpoint and motivation I learned from considering the outcome of Kuyper's way of living for Christ (per Hebrews 13:7).Kuyper himself was *not* a Dispy; no one's perfect. But he read the Bible right in many areas and obeyed with indefatigable obsession, he just didn't do it with the intention to make the Jews jealous. That's what we mean by the term “Dispensationalist.” Our type of Dispy is close to a certain type of Covy, even if some Covies claim Dispies teach two ways of salvation (which we don't). We read Scripture that reveals that there is still something special and unique about the nation of Israel. Before Christ, salvation came through faith in the coming Seed. After Christ, salvation comes through a Jew, Jesus, but does not depend on a man changing his passport to Israeli colors. Americans, Russians, Canadians, Netherlanders, Germans, and more believe as part of the church. Israelites who believe in these days are also part of the church. But there is coming a day when the fulness of the Gentiles will “come in,” that is, all the elect non-Jews will be converted to Christ, and then “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:25-26). There are national promises of salvation and blessing that remain to be fulfilled (per the New Covenant promise in Ezekiel 36 and Jeremiah 31). That's what makes us Dispies.Some more things need to be said.In history, most Dispensationalists have considered their lives, and the world, to be in a sort of throw-away, disposable category. We say catechesis matters, our lives not so much. Our lives *are* a vapor, as James wrote (James 4:14), but Dispensationalists tend to apply that to the *worth* of one's life rather than the *duration* of it. Compared to eternity our lives on earth don't last very long. That doesn't make our lives here less valuable. It's actually the opposite. A Dispensationalist sings about how this world is not his home, he's just a passing through, and he sings how the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of Christ's glory and grace. A Dispensationalist runs everything through the comparative grid rather than the integrated grid (categories Joe Rigney described in his book, _The Things of Earth_). Compared to the Lord everything else is worthless, “there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25), but we have trouble comprehending that the Lord Jesus gave worth to what He made for us. We tend to be best at building Dispensational Bible colleges as well as walls between Denominations. We are good at seeing and criticizing and condemning sin in the culture. We major on strident apologetics and urgent evangelism and rapture fiction. We believe that Israel is still significant in God's plans and promises, and we expect that God will work all that out on the other side of the globe. We'll wait here, at home, in our prayer closets, and Jesus will be back to make things right at any moment. The hope about Israel is good, the rest ruins our claim of better Bible reading. There are great promises of God to His elect people in the Old Testament. He made great and unconditional, and so *unbreakable*, covenants with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We've recently looked specifically at the New Covenant promises to “the household of Israel,” promises to give them a new heart and the indwelling Spirit, as well as to return them to the land of their forefathers (Jeremiah 31:31-40; Ezekiel 36:22-32). We've seen Paul's long section of confidence in Romans 9-11. God chose the nation of Israel for Himself, He chose to save many within the nation. He also purposed for many to reject His Son for a time, before He will save all of them in the future. God is faithful. He will finish what He started. While the fullness of Gentiles are grafted into salvation in Christ, the ethnic people of Israel will also be grafted back in. This what it means to be a Dispensationalist. # What God Has Joined TogetherMost Kuyperian-minded Christians have not been Dispensationalists. Most Dispensationalists have not been Kuyperian. There are verses for both, so there are blind spots to watch for on both sides. Whether or not one uses the labels, both truths are Bible truths.Do they go together or do we just try to hold them both? God says them, we believe them, we can't explain them further…? He's sovereign, we're responsible, He'll have to figure out how it works…?Perhaps the truths are like holding two seventeen pound bowling balls, one in the left hand and one in the right. There have been some Christians who believe and live like this, most of whom probably couldn't explain it, but they do it. We shouldn't drop either ball, but the left hand don't really have much to do with the right. That's *not* the case. Kuyperianism is more like the cue ball that breaks the Dispensational rack, sending balls into pockets all around the table. Kuyperianism is the key that touches all the right parts of the eschatological lock, opening the door on the timeline of God's plan. It's not just that they *could* go together, they *must*. How so?# Making the Jews JealousThere is a key word used three times in Romans 10-11, a word that's part prophecy, part observation, part motivation. The word is *jealous*. We almost always take jealousy to be a sin, and usually it is. It is feeling of envy to be in someone else's shoes, wanting to have what they have. The desire itself is not wrong, it depends on what you want and why you want it. In Romans 10 Paul addressed why so many of his kinsmen did not confess that Jesus is Lord and in his explanation he quoted the second half of Deuteronomy 32:21. > But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,> > “I will make you **jealous** of those who are > not a nation; > with a foolish nation I will make you angry.” > (Romans 10:19) In Deuteronomy God warned Israel, under the name of “Jeshurun,” that they “grew fat, stout, and sleek; then…forsook God who made” them and “scoffed at the Rock of…salvation” (32:15). They “forgot the God who gave (them) birth” (32:18). God responded with jealousy for the glory of His name. He values it so much—as He should—that He reacts when His name isn't honored, so He was going to make them jealous. That is the first part of the verse Paul quoted in Romans 10:19. > They have made me jealous with what is no god; > they have provoked me to anger with > their idols. > **So I will make them jealous** …. > (Deuteronomy 32:21)They gave worship due to Him to other gods, so God would give blessings offered to them to other peoples. He was going to give blessings to “those who are no people,” a people the Jews looked down on, in order to cause the Jews to want the good from God they could have had. Paul stitches the jealous thread again in the next chapter. > So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel **jealous**. (Romans 11:11)“Stumble” refers to their rejection of salvation in Jesus. In God's plan, Israel's rejection led to salvation and “riches for the world…riches for the Gentiles” (Romans 11:12). God extended His grace in forgiveness and in fruitfulness. “Riches” are blessing, good gifts from above, eternal and temporal, spiritual and material. These riches “make Israel jealous.” Making Jews jealous was a major motivation for Paul's ministry.> Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews **jealous**, and thus save some of them. (Romans 11:13–14)Provoking jealousy was not an afterthought or an accident, it was his *aim*. Paul didn't merely look back and realize an unintended consequence, he looked around for ways to increase the provocation effect. “I magnify,” the word is δοξάζω, “I glorify.” Salvation and blessing among the Gentiles provoked the right sort of envy in the elect in Israel. Paul maximized his blessing-bling to “save some” of the remnant in his day, but there will be a large-scale application in the end when the fulness of Gentiles come in so that “**all Israel will be saved**” (Romans 11:25-26). Toward that end Paul was making disciples jealousable.*A Kuyperian Dispensationalist confesses that Jesus is Lord in everything he does on earth, and that God has purposed to make the Jews jealous through great blessings of salvation and fruitfulness as we live by faith that Jesus is Lord so that all Israel will believe and be saved.* Those blessings will be on earth and not just in our prayer closets. We are the means of God's ends, like a cue ball breaking the rack and sending balls all over the table. # Blessing BlingIn Genesis 1 God blessed Adam and Eve before He gave them their mandate (Genesis 1:28). He blessed them for sake of their marriage and mission of fruitfulness and filling and forming the earth. They were #blessed by Him. In the Psalms the Israelites received and requested more of God's blessing. The first word in Psalms is “blessed,” describing the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked but delights in the law of the Lord and yields fruit like a tree in season. The Lord's blessings came in the form of good harvests and in victory over, or at least protection from, enemies. Blessings sometimes looked like gold with gladness and sometimes gladness without it. Blessings came in the form of a wise and righteous king as well as in judgment on transgressors. Blessing included land, livestock, and eating the fruit of one's labor. Blessing came in the form of peace of heart, peace with God, peace among brothers. Blessings included forgiveness and feasts. Blessing came in the form of temple worship and in the form of kids all around the dinner table. > The earth has yielded its increase; > God, our God, shall bless us. > God shall bless us; > let all the ends of the earth fear him! > (Psalm 67:6–7)Fear of God extends on earth as God blesses His people. Salvation blessings are riches for the world. # Eschatology for TodayWe will not aim to make Jews jealous if we don't think that Jews are still part of God's plan. We will not be motivated to provoke them, or confident that God will give us the required blessings for it, if we think that His promises to Israel have been redefined. This is a *Dispensational aim* and a *Dispensational assurance*. We also will not aim to make Jews jealous if we think that our lives are throw-away, that everything we do will “burn,” that we should hide out in the basement reading our Bibles, lamenting the 6 o'clock news and latest national/international outrage. We will not provoke the elect by our whimpering waiting for the rapture helicopter out of hell on earth, a common temptation among Dispensationalists. Provocative jealousy is a *Kuyperian end* requiring *Kuyperian energy*. Because Jesus is Lord we marry and raise kids and bake cupcakes and attend City Council meetings and tweet against abortion and hire employees and drink wine at parties. These are merely a sample of the fruitful blessings God gives to those who believe. This is not a new “prosperity gospel.” By faith we also suffer in joy and endure with perseverance by God's blessing. Our confident *losing* by faith may be even *more* provocative to the Jews. “It has been granted to (us) that for the sake of Christ (we) should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29). When we are not frightened, it is a sign of winning (Philippians 1:28).A Kuyperian Dispensationalist is a Christian who **confesses Jesus is Lord in everything he does on earth in order to make the Jews jealous of God's blessing so that all Israel would believe in Christ unto salvation and even greater riches for the world**. We live by faith, more than conquerers even when we're killed, bringing life from our sacrificial deaths. Informed by our Bible reading and study, we look for the the Word to yield its fruit in season, making us without a withering leaf, prospering us unlike the wind-driven chaff. Our meditation on His Word should produce provocative fruit.# ConclusionThis cannot be fulfilled by any one individual, but it must be done by persons of faith. Because Jesus is Lord and we seek to honor Him in our culture maybe we will rebuild America in His name, or maybe we will thrive in Post-America in His name. This project isn't tied to America's future, but it is a project applied to the public square. This is a reason for *everything*! It is a unified explanation of humanity and history, and it is a motivation for our intentional and joyful contributions. For too long we've been hanging out in our Baptistic bunkers and basements as bumps-on-a-log. We are good at talking about the cultural battle, not sure what we'd do if we won. We run in one direction: away, never toward. We're complaining, combative, complacent Christians. Who wants more of *that*?Our purpose is to, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, prudently and persistently provoke jealousy among elect Israel by how we seek and steward and sing about God's blessings. This is the big perspective and driving passion of a Kuyperian Dispensationalist.

Have you ever wondered why we Christians so often sing about Jesus's blood? It's a very strange thing to emphasize, is it not? Not simply the cross, and his death, but his blood.Just last Sunday we sang twice about the blood of Jesus. First in an old hymn: “And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior's blood?” Then a newer song: “By his blood and in his name, In his freedom I am free.” Growing up in the South, I often sang, “There is pow'r, pow'r, wonder workin' pow'r in the blood of the Lamb.” That was my dad's favorite. Or, one that many of us know: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus?” We Bible-believing Christians (as Jonathan called us two weeks ago) do not simply recognize the reality of Jesus's blood, and refer on occasion to Jesus's blood, but we sing about it. We glory in it. That is, in a spirit of worship, in declaring Jesus's worth to each other, and in praising him for his greatness, we often sing about the otherwise morbid topic of blood.Have you ever stopped to ask why? What is it about Jesus's blood that makes us sing? How does his blood work? What does it do? If someone asks you, “Hey, so how does the blood work?” how would you respond? Would you be at a loss to explain it?As well as any passage in the Bible, Hebrews 9:15–22 explains it. In one of the densest and most complex and richest chapters in the Bible, we learn why it was necessary for Jesus to die — and not just die but shed his blood.You might say, this sermon is an attempt to explain why we sing about Jesus's blood. Not just talk but sing! We worship him in light of his “precious blood” (as 1 Peter 1:19 calls it), and we should know why.At the Heart of HebrewsAs we saw last week, 9:1–10 rehearses the setup of the old-covenant tabernacle, related to the Day of Atonement and first mentions the essential place of blood to cover sins in verse 7. Then 9:11–14, which is the highpoint of chapters 8–10, summarizes the achievement of Christ at the cross, in contrast with the old system. In the first covenant, the high priests entered the earthly tent with animal blood offered according to law which temporarily purified the flesh. But Jesus is a superior priest who has entered heaven itself by means of his own blood offered willingly which eternally purifies the conscience.Which brings us to verse 15, where Hebrews says, “Therefore.” In light of these marked contrasts with the first covenant (and the superiorities of Christ), the terms of arrangement for sinners to relate God must be different. Jesus mediates a new covenant. Not renewed. Not added on. Not extending the previous administration with some nice upgrades. New.Now, in verses 15–22, Hebrews will show us, in covenantal terms, why Jesus had to die — that is, why it was necessary for him to shed sacrificial blood.Oh the BloodBlood was introduced in verse 7. Then blood appears four more times in verses 12–14. Then six more times in verses 18–22. Then again in verse 25. And four times verses 15–17 refer to death, which is essentially synonymous with blood in this context.That's what blood symbolizes here: sacrificial death. Or, life sacrificially taken. The death in view here is not a natural, bloodless death. Rather, blood represents life that has been violently taken, life ended early, for sacrificial purposes. One party bleeds (to the point of death) in order to stand in for the sins of another who deserved death, but now, through the sacrifice, by God's provision, continues to live.The reason this matters in the context of a covenant with God is because of human sin. We all have disobeyed and dishonored the infinitely valuable God, and our offenses, however small they seem, are infinitely great because of the value of the one we've sinned against. Verse 14 mentions “dead works” — that is, acts that deserve and lead to death, because they have been perpetrated against the infinitely valuable God. So, God's people deserve death. And in order for God to draw near to his people, and for them to draw near to them in a covenant relationship of ongoing life, their sin must be addressed. Under the terms of the old covenant, God made provision for the sin of his people through animal blood (that is, life violently and sacrificially taken) to stand in temporarily to hold back his righteous judgment — while anticipating some final reckoning with sin to come.What Does the Blood Do?And so, everywhere you turn in Leviticus, blood is being shed (mentioned almost 100x in chapters 1–20). And now, here in Hebrews 9, there is blood and sacrificial death all through verses 12–22. Which leads us to ask, What does Jesus's blood do? Or, How does the cross work? What is the blood of the new covenant for?There are at least three answers in Hebrews 9:15–22.1. Jesus's blood redeems from former sins. (verse 15)Remember the original audience, Greek-speaking Jews. They grew up in the Jewish faith, and came to embrace Jesus as Messiah, but now are becoming sluggish in their faith. The passing years, and ever present pull of the world, has made them spiritually dull. They are tempted to give in to their world's pressures and just reacclimate to Jewish life, apart from Jesus. So Hebrews appeals to them, again and again, that Jesus and his priesthood and his sacrifice and his new covenant are better. And in fact, once Jesus has come, the old covenant has come to its planned fulfillment and is no longer valid (“no longer any offering for sin,” 10:18). You cannot go back.In verse 15, we see Hebrews's focus on Jews, his audience, those who once lived under the old covenant: “[Jesus] is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.” Hebrews's audience needs to know how Jesus's new covenant relates to the old, and the status of their obligations to their former covenant. So, verse 15 says, Jesus's death, his sacrificial blood, redeems them from any debt of obligation they once had under the old covenant. The old arrangement is dead; you owe it nothing further.What About Gentiles?But what about us Gentiles? Here we are, on the other side of the world, two thousand years later, most (if not all) of us totally Gentile. If Jesus's death “redeems . . . from transgressions committed under the first covenant,” how does his blood relate to those us who never lived under the old covenant?The rest of the sermon is about that, but in verse 15, notice that phrase “those who are called.” This is where we Gentiles come in. The death of Christ not only redeems Jews but also Gentiles. As Paul says in Romans 1:16, “the gospel . . . is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” And twice Paul writes about “those who are called, both Jews and Greeks” (1 Corinthians 1:24) and “even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles” (Romans 9:24). The “called” are not Jews alone, but also Gentiles. Hebrews has his particular Jewish audience in view, but when he mentions “those who are called,” we see our window.Romans, we might say, explains the gospel to Romans, to Gentiles, to the Greeks, with special reference to Roman legal categories of justice and righteousness; meanwhile, Hebrews explains the gospel to Hebrews, to Jews, with special reference to Hebrew cultic categories of holiness and purification.Which is why many of us Gentiles find Romans easier to understand. We don't understand Leviticus very well, and the sacrificial system, and priests and sacrifices and blood. Which is why Hebrews can be so valuable to us Gentiles: we get to know our gospel in multiple dimensions, not only in Roman-Gentile terms, but also in Jewish-Levitical terms.Also, for us Gentiles, Romans 3:19 says something very similar to Hebrews 9:15 about how God's revelation to the Jews relates to us: ”whatever the law [that is, the old covenant] says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.“ God speaking in and through the law, the old covenant, is relevant to us as Gentiles — not as our covenant but as our Scripture — to stop our mouths and hold us accountable for our sin. “The Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God” (Romans 3:2) that it might be made clear that “all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin” (Romans 3:9).So, Romans and Hebrews are well named. Romans explains to Gentiles why Jesus had to die. Hebrews explains to Jews why Jesus had to die. And God's first covenant with the Jews not only showed them their sinfulness and need of Christ's final atoning sacrifice, but also us Gentiles. There is a kind of organic relationship between what God specifically requires of his first-covenant people and the accountability of all humans, Jew and Gentile, to the God who made them.So, what does the blood of the new covenant do? First, for Christ's new covenant people, Jesus's blood redeems from former sins.2. Jesus's blood enacts a new covenant. (verses 16–20)The blood of Christ not only releases Jewish and Gentile sinners from their former sins, but also enacts a new covenant. The ending of the old arrangement takes sacrificial blood, as does inaugurating the new.Now, verses 16–17 are very difficult. Verse 15 mentions an “inheritance,” and verses 16–17 mention “death,” and many commentators, and translations, think that Hebrews here jumps from talking to his Hebrew readers about Hebrew covenants to a Greco-Roman last will and testament. You'll see the ESV has the word “will” in verses 16–17. I think that's a mistake, and a growing number of Hebrews scholars do as well. Before I read verses 16–17, let me give you five quick reasons why “will” doesn't work here, and why it should say “covenant”: Verse 15 mentions the new and first covenants; verse 18 mentions the first covenant; chapters 7–9 have clearly been talking about a Hebrew covenant, the old covenant, not a Roman will. Hebrews uses the word for covenant 17 times in chapters 7–13, and every other time, it clearly means covenant.It is not true that a will takes effect only at death; a will takes effect as soon as it is made; it is executed at death, but only because it took effect previously. However, a Hebraic covenant, as we see in Exodus 24 with the inauguration of the first covenant, does take effect at death, namely, the death of the sacrificial victims in the covenant-ratifying ceremony.The word behind “death” in verse 17 is plural; verse 16 mentions “the one (singular) who made it,” but verse 17 references plural deaths, which refer not to the death of a person who made a will but to the sacrificial victims that were “cut” and bled and died in the cutting of the covenant.The syntax and logical flow of verses 15–18 does not work if the meaning of the same Greek word (diatheke) switches from Hebraic covenant to Greco-Roman will and back. The passage is very tightly knit together with “For” at the beginning of verses 16 and 17, and “Therefore” in verse 18.Finally, the word for “established” in verse 16 (phero) would be better rendered as “carried forward” or “brought forward.” This is sacrificial language. The death owed by sinful people, making a covenant with God, is “brought forward” in the sacrificial victims' blood to make purification for sins, so sinners might enter into covenant with the holy God.We could say more, but I leave it at that for now. So, let me read verses 16–20, accounting for Hebraic covenant, rather than Roman will, and then explain how it relates to the blood of Jesus. Here's my version of verses 16–20: For where a [covenant with God] is involved, the death of the one who made it must be [brought forward]. 17 For a [covenant] takes effect only [with the death of sacrificial victims], since it is not in force as long as the one who made it [and deserves death because of his sin] still lives. 18 Therefore [because of human sin] not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood [in Exodus 24]. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” I know that's complicated, and a lot to take in all at once. Here's the payoff: Jesus's blood not only redeems us from the death penalty of our former sins, but his blood provides purification from sin to enact a new covenant relationship with God. Former sins must be dealt with, but also the ongoing sinful condition of our hearts if we are to enter into a covenant relationship with God. And Jesus's blood makes it possible. It is the covenant-ratifying blood.So, when Moses said, in Exodus 24, at the inauguration of the first covenant, “This is the blood of the covenant,” the meaning of the blood (in however many meanings it may have had), is at least this, according to Hebrews 9: forgiveness of sins. That's what verse 22 says, as we'll see. God's arrangement is that sacrificial blood purifies sinners, so that they can enter into communion with him. This is what “the blood of the covenant” does.So, Jesus's blood redeems from former sins, and it enacts a new covenant.3. Jesus's blood upholds the new covenant. (vv. 21–22)Just as sacrificial blood not only inaugurated the old covenant, but it endured and operated on sacrificial blood at every turn, so Jesus's blood not only enacts the new covenant but sustains it, upholds it, maintains it, keeps it going.Hebrews hints at this in chapter 9 by expanding his focus from the inauguration of the old covenant in Exodus 24 to the annual Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16, and beyond to other sacrifices as well. He already begins that expansion in verse 18 when he mentions “and goats” and “water and scarlet wool and hyssop” (none of which are mentioned in Exodus 24 but brought in from elsewhere in the old covenant). Then the expansion is more pronounced in verses 21–22: “And in the same way [Moses] sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” Not just the people, but also the tent and all the vessels — and then comes the sweeping claim of verse 22 that in the old covenant “almost everything is purified with blood.” Which leads into verses 23–28, as Max will show us next week, where the focus is on Jesus entering into the holy place that is heaven itself, and doing so not annually (like the Day of Atonement) but once for all.Jesus not only inaugurates a new covenant, but (as verse 15 says) he mediates it. His blood is “for all time,” as Hebrews 10:14 will tell us: “by a single offering [Jesus] has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” And to be clear, Hebrews 9:22 states the underlying point in this otherwise complicated passage: both the inaugurating and maintaining of a new covenant with the holy God deal with the sins of the people.So, according to Hebrews 9, “the blood of the new covenant” does at least three things: (1) it redeems from former sins (and for Jews cancels any obligation to the first covenant); (2) it enacts a new covenant relationship with God; and (3) it upholds that new covenant “for all time.” And all that because the sacrificial blood of Christ “deals with” or “puts away” or forgives our sins.Great in the Blood of the CovenantNow, there is at least one more in this chapter, and in Hebrews, that I can't help but mentioning, as we close. Look at verse 12: “[Jesus] entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” What does it mean that Jesus entered into heaven “by means of his own blood”? What it does not mean is that this high priest needed blood to cleanse him from sin. That's an important contrast with the old. The old high priest entered the holy of holies once a year, says verse 7, “not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.” But not Jesus. He has no sin. So then, what is the function of his blood when he enters heaven “by means of his own blood”?The answer is clarified by the great doxology of Hebrews in 13:20–21, where “the blood of the covenant” appears again. The question is, what does the blood of the covenant do here: “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” It's hard to show in an English translation, but the phrase “in the blood of the eternal covenant” modifies the word great. A literal translation would be: “. . . the shepherd of the sheep, the great one in the blood of the eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus . . .”Which means, the blood Jesus shed, the blood of the eternal (new) covenant, is a mark of Jesus's greatness. It is an achievement, the greatest achievement in the history of the world, that merits reward. Like 9:12, “he entered once for all into the holy places . . . by means of his own blood.” Jesus's blood not only gets the job done; it shows us his greatness and worth. His sacrificial blood not only deals with our sin but shows us the greatness of the one for whom our hearts long. We not only receive forgiveness; we worship. We not only thank him for his blood. We praise the one whose very greatness we see in the shedding of his blood for us. And so we sing about his blood.New Covenant in His BloodAnd as we come to the Table, we find sweet confirmation for what Jesus means by “the blood of new covenant” when he instituted the Supper on the night before he died. Luke 22:20 says Jesus called it a new covenant: “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” And Matthew 26:28 clarifies what the blood of the covenant does: “this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Former sins, forgiven. And a new covenant inaugurated and sustained — by his blood. And in the blood of his eternal covenant we see his greatness, and come in worship, and drink together the cup of blessing.

The teaching team covers Romans 15 which highlights the relationship between the Jews and the Gentiles.

Bible Study with Jairus - Acts 18   As we mentioned last time, Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla. They were Jews coming from Rome to Italy. Paul had already left Athens and they all came to meet in Corinth. I've said before that their meeting was a turning point in Paul's spiritual life. Why do I say that?We usually think that Paul is an apostle, so he is always better than others and there is no need for him to learn from others. This isn't the case. All of us have a learning process. Even when the Lord Jesus was on earth, He needed to learn to grow in the grace of God and man.  Similarly, Paul also went through a learning process. In our study on Acts 17 last time, we mentioned that Paul may have made a mistake of being rash in Athens. He may have been influenced by the environment possibly having a negative rather than positive effect on evangelism. But in Acts 18, it shows the process by which the Holy Spirit further led and perfected Paul through the circumstances.   Let's take a closer look.   The Holy Spirit patiently leads us into God's will for our lives.   The Lord Jesus said that, “Everything is in the hands of the Father. No two sparrows will fall to the ground without His consent.” (Matthew 10:29). Aquila and his wife Priscilla had just left Rome to Corinth because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul also came to Corinth from Athens. Is it accidental that they met there? No. Everything is arranged by the sovereignty of God. The purpose was to let Paul be further perfected and receive help from others in his ministry.   There is some deeper insight here that the Holy Spirit allowed me to see while reading the Bible.  It takes time for a person to completely follow the Lord and walk on the predestined path that He has laid out for us.  However, often at the beginning we might not have a clear idea about what God's will is or how to obey it; so we spend our time and energy following another path and are unable to unleash the gift that God has given us.  For example, If you are called to minister in music but you spend all of your time learning to paint because you didn't follow your heart, it results in failure and has very little effect for the kingdom.  When you finally understand that music is your gift and you throw yourself into it, you will find that God has opened all the doors.  Another example would be if God called you to be a cartoonist but instead you studied finance because your parents wanted you to be able to support yourself.  When you realize that there is no joy in finance and you return to the industry you love, things will flow and you will be successful in the end.  There are many examples like this.     So was Paul like this?  In modern times we tend to over exalt Paul's writings as though he could never be wrong.  Actually this isn't the case.  Paul is human and has shortcomings. He was on a continuous journey learning to know God in a deeper way.  Even in his old age he admitted that he hadn't completely taken hold of it, but forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, he presses on toward the goal (NIV Philippians 3:13-14).  This shows that Paul was continuously learning. Let's take a look at how Paul gradually learns to obey God's will and walk on the predestined path that God has planned for him.   When Paul recalls his experience of being called by God in Acts 22, he said that the Lord said to him, “Go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles." If you recall the contents of Acts 17, it   said in the beginning that Paul had passed through a couple of towns, and he went on to Thessalonica to preach the gospel in the Jewish synagogue. After being rejected, he went to the Jewish synagogue in Berea to evangelize. In the end, the Jews in Thessalonica had stirred up trouble and he was forced to go to Athens. He preached the gospel to the Gentiles in Athens, but was not very effective. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that Paul had made a great turn here. At that time, Paul didn't exactly do what God told him to.. God's will for him is just what Jesus said to him, “I will send you far away to the Gentiles” (NIV, Acts 22:21). God chose him to be an apostle of the Gentiles, but he couldn't bear the thought of not preaching the gospel to the Jews. If you look at his description in Romans chapters 9-11, he said that he would rather be cursed so the people of Israel could be saved. You can understand Paul's burden for the Jews. But unfortunately, this was not God's call for his life.   The Bible has explicitly stated that God called Peter to be the apostle to the Jews and chose Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13, Galatians 2:8). This is very odd. If you were God, would you choose Paul or Peter to be the apostle to the Jews? If I was God, I might choose Paul because Paul is familiar with the Jewish scriptures and was taught by Gamaliel. He is even a Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin. He was also circumcised on the eighth day. No one was more qualified and suitable than him. In contrast, Peter was a fisherman who had didn't have a high level of education. There are scholars who say that Paul's level of proficiency in Greek was far higher than Peter's. But God didn't choose Paul to be the apostle to the Jews. Instead, he chose Peter to be the apostle to the Jews. For the Gentiles, I also think that Peter was more likely to be accepted because he was from Galilee where there were mostly gentiles, and Paul was a strict Pharisee. He was also enthusiastic to persecute the church. So naturally, Paul was more qualified to be the apostle to the Jews than Peter. But God didn't arrange it like that.   There are people who believe that the reason why God arranged it that way is for us not to use what we are naturally good at. He wants us to do things that we are naturally not good at to force us to trust the Lord. We shouldn't do things based on our ability, but by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit.   We all have fleshly and natural choices. Often it's not that we don't know God's will and path for us. Rather, our flesh, human nature, and habits often hinder us so we have a difficult time quickly following God's call  . God understands us, so the Holy Spirit often patiently waits and leads us. But the Holy Spirit often tells us through the environment that "the road is blocked" encouraging us to   "turn back." The same is true of Paul's experience here. We mentioned in the previous message that maybe because of Paul's attempt to persuade people to accept the gospel through debate, it wasn't very effective. But actually, our understanding at that time was not comprehensive enough. In this reading, we can see more light. It was not because Paul's debate had gone wrong, but because Paul wasn't living completely in God's will so God blocked him in all aspects, making his evangelism ineffective.   Therefore, Acts 18 is a turning point. It is recorded in 18:5 - 6 that:   5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”(NIV)   It was possibly here that Paul may have recalled what the Lord Jesus said to him, “I will send you far away to the Gentiles to preach the gospel.” He had just realized that God's call to him was to become the apostle to the Gentiles. Even though he was reluctant to leave his fellow Jews  who had rejected the gospel, he had no choice but to go to the Gentiles. In this way, he was forced by the environment to go to the Gentiles to preach the gospel. It looks like he was forced by the environment, but actually it was all the wonderful leading of the Holy Spirit.   Therefore, in Acts 18, it was definitely not accidental for Paul to encounter Aquila and Priscilla from Rome. Rather, it was arranged by God's sovereignty. Think about it. When Aquila and Paul were weaving tents together, don't you think they talked to each other? In the content of their chats, is it possible that Aquila talked about his life experience with the Gentiles in Rome and his experience of dealing with the Gentiles? there's a good possibility some of that was talked about. Paul's experience of evangelizing the Athenians in the previous chapter was not very successful. Maybe one of the reasons is that he didn't understand the Gentiles and was not familiar with how to preach the gospel to them.   Became like a Gentile to win the Gentiles   When some Western missionaries first came to China to preach the gospel, they adopted an aloof attitude, as if to say, we are preaching the gospel, you guys are barbarian idol worshippers, so you have to give up your faith and accept ours. Some of these missionaries often have deep relationships with Western colonizers and officials. They will therefore use Western diplomatic and military power to force the Chinese to open their ports and accept the gospel, which caused a lot of resistance from the local Chinese. Consequently,   preaching the gospel to them was not very effective. But when Hudson Taylor came to China to preach the gospel, he adapted to the Chinese culture. He dressed in Chinese robe and grew a pigtail like the Chinese. He   also lived with the Chinese. His living and eating habits were the same as those of the Chinese, sohis gospel work in China was very effective. He preached the gospel to many places in China.   Paul's experience of evangelism in Athens seems to be somewhat similar to the attitude of Western missionaries when they first arrived in China. Perhaps he was feeling superioras he wastrying to persuade these people to turn away from idols to Jesus Christ through debates. Unfortunately it didn't work out well. Is it possible that after his failed attempts to evangelize that Aquila taught him how to witness to the Gentiles and inspired him?  I believe that Paul was able to get inspiration and learned something from his experience in Athens. He said in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22:   20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. (NIV)   From Paul's words, we can see that Paul had learned how to become a Gentile in order to win the Gentiles. He learned that he shouldn't be aloof when he preached the gospel, and he shouldn't persuade others to believe in the gospel through debate. Rather, he should humble himself and put himself on the level of the Gentiles, live and eat with them, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in a language acceptable to them.   God's later confirmation   I   had a special experience recently.   I met a prophet who said that God wants me to be a U.S. citizen because this will help me in my service in the future. However, because I am a Chinese citizen and I also have a U.S. green card, it is more convenient to visit China plus I feel that the chance that God will call me to serve in China in the future is huge, therefore, I have been living in the US for a long time and not been naturalized as a US citizen. f  After hearing the prophets words I spent time in prayer but didn't receive any confirmation from God.  I reluctantly submitted my application for US citizenship anyway.   Not long afterwards, I had a prophetic dream. I found that the Chinese characters on my Chinese passport were altered, and a lot of English letters were written, and I saw a seal falling down from above with the words "U.S. Citizen" above. I felt that this was Lord's confirmation that the submitted application was directed by Him. The prophecy of this prophet may be correct. But when I prayed for God's leading, God never gave me any confirmation.   This was my own experience, but actually, I'm also explaining Paul's experience here. When Paul didn't completely live in God's will, he seemed to be running up against a stone wall everywhere he went. His evangelism in the synagogues in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens was not smooth. Of course, the Lord told Paul before that God's purpose was to send him far to the Gentiles to be a witness for Him. So this was imprinted in Paul's spirit. Therefore, at the beginning of chapter 18, Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla who came back from Rome. This might further remind him of the command he heard from the Lord. When Paul swears to turn to the Gentiles from then on, he went next door to the house of Titius Justus. Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized (NIV, Acts 18-8:9). Afterwards, the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” (NIV, Acts 18:9-10). I called this God's later confirmation. When Paul finally walked on the right path that Jesus told him, Jesus appeared to him, confirming that he was walking in the will of God. We often have such confirmation in our spiritual experience. The Lord will give us a prophetic word in the beginning. The Holy Spirit will then secretly lead us, give us limitations and leading through the environment. And finally when we walk on the predestined path that God has laid out for us, God will often prove to us again that we are indeed walking on His predestined path.   Acts 18:11 records that Paul lived there for a year and six months, teaching God's words among them. This sentence is definitely not accidentally recorded here. Rather, the Holy Spirit further confirms that Paul came here to preach the gospel and live according to God's will.   Of course, we are not saying that Paul could'nt preach the gospel to the Jews. In the latter parts of Acts 18, it's even recorded that when Paul arrived at Ephesus, he went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. But I guess perhaps the emphasis of Paul's ministry had turned towards the Gentiles. In particular, chapter 18:19 records that after Paul had reasoned with the Jews in the synagogue in Ephesus, when they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. This is a clear contrast to what is recorded in 18:11 where Paul stayed there for a year and a half.   Prior to this, Acts 18 also recorded that the Jews had attacked Paul, but the local official did not interfere. After this, Acts 18:18 (NIV) recorded that, “Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila”. But because of a vow he had taken, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea before going to Ephesus. But he did not stay in Ephesus for a long time. He left to go to other places.   The matching of the different parts of the body to Christ's body   In 18:24, it started to introduce a Jew named Apollos. The Bible specifically mentioned that he was an eloquent man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. The Bible didn't use these words to describe Paul. So looking at this description, Apollos had a gift that Paul may not have. In addition to Apollos' eloquence (that Paul may not have), it is specifically recorded that Apollos had vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ (NIV, Acts 18:28). These records are in contrast with the limited effects of Paul's evangelism before the Jews. These have indirectly proved that God's call to Paul was mainly for the Gentiles because God raised up people like Apollos to preach the gospel to the Jews, and it seems that their work was more effective than Paul's.   Of course, the Bible has also recorded the limitations of Apollos, that is, he only knew the baptism of John. But Priscilla and Aquila, who were perfected by Paul, had helped explain the way of God to Apollos more adequately (NIV, Acts 18:26). This again shows that the principle of God's work is through the matching of the body; allowing different members of the body of Christ to match and complement each other.   Paul came to Ephesus again in Acts 19. There he found some disciples of Apollos' ministry who only knew John's baptism; they didn't know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Paul prayed for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This   also paved the way in the beginning of verses 20-21, where he declined the invitation of Ephesians when they asked him to stay there for a while. Instead, he said that, "I will come back if it is God's will."  (NIV, Acts 18:21). It is something that the Holy Spirit mentioned specifically here so that Paul later can come back to help those who are under the ministry of Apollo's.   Why did God arrange for Paul to come back later? What is the meaning and implication of Paul's making up for the lack of Apollos' ministry in Acts 19? Why is it that   Apollos' ministry only knows John's baptism and not the baptism of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit? This has   profound spiritual significance. We hope to continue sharing our understanding in the next reading.        

Recorded on 8 January 2023. Pastor Ed Bryant. Grace Providence Church - Cerritos, CA. www.GraceProvidenceChurch.org Music: Happiness - Bensound.com

Recorded on 18 December 2022. Pastor Ed Bryant. Grace Providence Church - Cerritos, CA. www.GraceProvidenceChurch.org Music: Happiness - Bensound.com

Romans 15:14–21 Paul the Minister to the Gentiles [14] I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. [15] But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God [16] to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. [17] In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. [18] For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, [19] by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV)

Romans 15:14–21 Paul the Minister to the Gentiles [14] I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. [15] But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God [16] to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. [17] In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. [18] For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, [19] by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV)

Romans 15:8–13 Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles [8] For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, [9] and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” [10] And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” [11] And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” [12] And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” [13] May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (ESV)

Exposition of Romans 11

Full Text of ReadingsThursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 380All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is First Martyrs of the Church of RomeThere were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 15:20). Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in 57-58 A.D. There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a result of controversy between Jews and Jewish Christians, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome in 49-50 A.D. Suetonius the historian says that the expulsion was due to disturbances in the city “caused by the certain Chrestus” [Christ]. Perhaps many came back after Claudius' death in 54 A.D. Paul's letter was addressed to a Church with members from Jewish and Gentile backgrounds. In July of 64 A.D., more than half of Rome was destroyed by fire. Rumor blamed the tragedy on Nero, who wanted to enlarge his palace. He shifted the blame by accusing the Christians. According to the historian Tacitus, many Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims. Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the senate, Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. at the age of 31. Reflection Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians. Love the saints? Check out these seven titles on Catholic saints! Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

In this weeks short sermon. I share how Jews and Gentiles both need the salvation of Jesus Christ to be saved

# Introduction In his introduction to _The Death of Death in the Death of Christ_, J. I. Packer summarizes the gospel in three words: **God saves sinners**. It's true from start to finish. It acknowledges man's depravity and inability (man is a sinner who needs saving). It exalts God's sovereignty and grace (He plans for and provides salvation). It proclaims the Son's effective propitiation (all for whom the Son atones will be saved). And it has practical consequences for what we say. We have no defense for our sinfulness (Romans 3:19). We have no boast for our righteousness (Romans 3:27). I've already asserted a few times through these first few chapters of Romans that the greater challenge for the gospel (using “challenge” only from the human perspective) is not unrighteousness, but self-righteousness. When God saves sinners, He saves the ones who realize that they've done everything wrong, and He saves the ones who think they haven't messed up quite as bad. Paul has demonstrated quite persistently that judging others for what we also do is its own kind of evidence against us. He's held up the perfect standard of God's law to prove that none of us meet it. And he's said that not only have all sinned, we have all have fallen short of the glory of God. We've failed to live up to the original image. We've colored outside the lines (transgression), and haven't filled in the lines (omission). It's why we need someone else's righteousness. This is the *alien* righteousness we considered a couple weeks ago, a righteousness that isn't ours that gets credited to us. God justifies sinners when He *imputes* righteousness to us, meaning that He regards Christ's righteousness as ours. In God's accounting books He has records of all our sins/offenses/wrongs, and none of us could erase them. Have you investigated (or even invested in) cryptocurrency based on blockchain technology? Lay aside the question of whether or not it's a useful workaround to government fiat, it provides an interesting analogy. The blockchain only works in one direction; it does not go backward. There is no undo button, no do-overs or restarts. A mistake can only be fixed by a second transaction, there is no reversal. God justifies us not by forgetting our sin but by paying for it in His Son. He doesn't undo the consequences, He satisfies His own wrath. This is what makes Him just and the one justifying believers (Romans 3:26). When God forgives He will never use our sin against us (think Psalm 103:12), but that's because He won't forget the atonement price paid by Christ. All we can do is rely on Jesus; we add nothing good to the chain. This is why we have nothing to boast about. In this paragraph, Romans 3:27-31, we see that believing means no boasting in ourselves (salvation is monergistic), that believing is the (only) way to salvation for everyone (salvation is monotheistic), and believing leads to obedience (salvation is unto morality). This is all part of the law of faith, and it's a law about, and against, boasting. # Faith Leaves No Room for Boasting (verses 27-28) The word **boasting** is only written once in verse 27 but it is assumed five more times. Paul's original writing is punchy, but if we wrote it all out, "boasting" would be the subject of six independent clauses, and it would be the subject of the verb **excluded** five times. Here's the compact version: > Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. Here's what it would be extended into complete sentences: "Therefore boasting is where? Boasting is excluded. Boasting is excluded through the law of what? Boasting is excluded through the law of works? Boasting is not excluded through the law of works, but boasting is excluded through the law of faith." There's three questions, and the first is expected after the previous paragraph. **Where is boasting?** Boasting is taking pride in something, bragging, self-congrats, patting ourselves on the back. Where does boasting belong? It's as if we were looking for her somewhere. But boasting is not invited. In verses 21-26 all we “got” was verse 23. Everything else was about what God did, what Jesus did. We see God's grace, God's justifying, God's gift, God's redeeming in Jesus, God's propitiation in Jesus, God's patience with sinners, God's constant work of showing His righteousness in *saving* sinners. So man's boasting is right out. Then we get more contrast on how boasting is excluded, and there are two options: **the law of works** or **the law of faith**. First, it's usually "works of the law" not "the law of works," even as it must be in verse 28. Second, "the law of faith" seems odd after all the limitations we've seen about the law. Law of faith refers to the defining standard, a presiding principle. This law is higher than the law of works. Our works won't actually let us boast, but let's say we wanted to try to boast in our works, which, a lot of men do. Fine. *Faith, by definition, looks away from self.* Faith leaves no breath for blowing our own trumpet. If we are justified by faith then God has done all the work. Verse 28 explains it: > for we calculate (that) a man is justified by faith without works of law. The ESV translates it as **we hold**, but the verb refers to counting, to calculating, as belongs in the sphere of accounting. When we add up how justification works, the works side is zero and the faith side is full. Justification is entirely God's work. This is *monergism* (from *mono* meaning one and *ergon* meaning work, so “the work of one), not synergism (the work of more than one). We don't work together with Him to save ourselves. We add zero merit. The law of faith rules our boasting out. # Faith Leaves No Room for Polytheism (verses 29-30) Two more questions in verse 29 scratch at the universal law of faith, a law that excludes boasting from Jews and Gentiles. > Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is God not also God of the Gentiles? Yes, God is also God of the Gentiles, since God is one, who will justify the circumcised by faith and will justify the uncircumcised through (the same) faith. Who is this aimed at? Doesn't it seem aimed at those most likely to boast? And aren't the ones most likely to boast the ones Paul took a couple chapters to poke at? The truth is good news for Gentiles, but the rhetoric challenges the Jews. The **since** starting verse 30 is especially Jewish: **God is one**. This is *the* Jewish thing. Jews were monotheists, believing in “The LORD our God the LORD is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Paul uses this very reality to point out that salvation by faith argues for monotheism. All the ones believing, Jew first and also Greek, are saved by the power of one and the same God. Verse 29 differentiates between the groups ethnically (Jew and Gentile), verse 30 differentiates between them religiously, **circumcised** and **uncircumcised**. **By** faith and **through** faith may not be as distinguished as the significance of the article in the second phrase, as if to point out *the very same* faith. *Monotheism* is the argument. There is only one God and God is one. May God's “way be known on earth, Your saving power among all nations…let all the peoples praise you!” (Psalm 67:2-3). There are not many gods, polytheism, nor is everything god, pantheism. God promised the Jews that He would save them. God did not promise the Gentiles that He would save them, though, God did promise the Jews that He would save the Gentiles. # Faith Leaves No Room for Lawlessness (verse 31) Obviously this paragraph, following the emphasis of the previous paragraph, has been a lot about faith, even recognizing the the law of faith. The faith-standard leaves us no room for boasting in our works. Does the faith-standard also mean that our works don't matter at all? > Therefore, do we overthrow the law through the faith? May it never be! But we uphold the law. The law shows us what God wants; it reveals His will. When we look at our lives in the light of the law, we always find that we have missed the mark. We need forgiveness for our disobedience, and no amount of attempted obedience can make up for it. The law points out our need for a Savior (Galatians 3:21-22), and God tells us the only way we can have the Savior is by faith. *And* all those believing in the Savior are saved from the penalty of sin, and they are being saved from the power of sin. When Paul says, **we uphold the law** he isn't saying that we keep using the law in our evangelism (though we do that, too). He's saying we look to the law differently, as it serves the law of faith. Just as there are whole chapters devoted to showing God's seriousness about saving Israel (just as He promised, Romans 9-11), so there are entire chapters to show God's graciousness in saving us from slavery to sin (Romans 6-7). We don't do good works to get justified, we do good works as those who are justified. We are saved by faith alone, and also the gospel brings about “the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations” (Romans 1:5). If you've read our larger "What We Believe" statement, you may remember that the largest section is about how justifying faith is not dead faith, but alive to righteousness. See also Romans 8:3-4. Faith eliminates man's boasting, not man's morality. # Conclusion Romans is a ministry of the gospel for believers, for those with faith. If it is true that faith comes by hearing (and it is, Romans 10:17), then as we Christians live from faith to faith, we still need to keep hearing the gospel. There is more joy without trying to boast in something necessarily inferior. There is more joy with greater understanding by grace and of grace. Boasting is a killer, it is usually a half truth at best, a potential idolatry at worst, and it never increases fellowship between two people. The reason that the righteous live by faith (Romans 1:17), and that we cannot please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6), that we walk by faith not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), is that faith is the law of the world for worshipers in God. ---------- ## Charge The charge to you today is to live by faith, and as you live by faith you will do great obediences (in prayer, in projects of blessing, in sacrificial partying), and you will boast in God not in your obediences. As you believe, obey, and boast in God, His name will be great among the nations. As Isaiah said, the root of Jesse is the hope of the Gentiles (Romans 15:12), and so we hope in His rule. ## Benediction: > May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13, ESV)

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." - Romans 15:13

https://pastorsteverhodes.com/2021/11/06/paul-the-minister-to-the-gentiles-romans-1514-21/ Romans 15:14-21: 14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, 21 but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”

Romans 15:8-13: 8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. https://pastorsteverhodes.com/2021/10/30/christ-the-hope-of-jews-and-gentiles-romans-158-13/

2021 09 22 A Message to Gentiles Romans 11: 11-25

Welcome Royalty to Week 29 of 52 Prayers in 52 Weeks! This week on the Faith, Fitness and Flow Podcast Ms. Say Yes and Mr. ALL'N say happy Birthday to Ms. Say Yes, discuss "Freezer Abs" ( You gotta listen to the Fitness Report lol) and the Power of the Gospel.Faith:Are there 4 Gospels or 5?? Mr. ALL'N started discussing Romans 1:8–17. People often look to be in a relationship that provides them with strength and stability. Where do you find your strength? The Gospel is the power of God that can save all those who believe.Fitness: Ms. Say Yes explains what she calls Freezer Abs!! Flow:Its Ya Girl Ms. Say Yes Birthday week. What else would we talk about??!!Daily Bible ReadingsMONDAYApollos and Paul, Builders(1 Corinthians 3:1-11)TUESDAYEntrusted to Take Gospel to Gentiles(Galatians 2:1-10)WEDNESDAYGrace and Peace to All(Romans 1:1-7)THURSDAYGod's Righteous Wrath(Romans 1:18-23)FRIDAYGod's Actions Are Fair and Just(Romans 1:24-32)SATURDAYGod's Righteous Actionsfor Saints, Sinners(2 Peter 2:4-9)SUNDAYThe Gospel Changes Jews and Gentiles(Romans 1:8-17)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/alln247)

The mystery of “Israel,” and the lesson a tree can give us about God's plan of salvation for all people.

Full Text of ReadingsWednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 379All podcast readings are produced by the USCCB and are from the Catholic Lectionary, based on the New American Bible and approved for use in the United States _______________________________________The Saint of the day is First Martyrs of the Church of RomeThere were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 15:20). Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in 57-58 A.D. There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a result of controversy between Jews and Jewish Christians, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome in 49-50 A.D. Suetonius the historian says that the expulsion was due to disturbances in the city “caused by the certain Chrestus” [Christ]. Perhaps many came back after Claudius' death in 54 A.D. Paul's letter was addressed to a Church with members from Jewish and Gentile backgrounds. In July of 64 A.D., more than half of Rome was destroyed by fire. Rumor blamed the tragedy on Nero, who wanted to enlarge his palace. He shifted the blame by accusing the Christians. According to the historian Tacitus, many Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims. Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the senate, Nero committed suicide in 68 A.D. at the age of 31. Reflection Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians. Saint of the Day Copyright Franciscan Media

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 9 Referring to the Old Testament, Romans 9:13 says, "As it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'” A Christian asked in the meeting, “Why did God hate Esau? Isn't the word hate too strong in tone? Why did God choose Jacob instead of Esau? How do we understand God's choice? How do we know that we are chosen by God? How do we know which people are not chosen by God?” There seem to be a lot of questions, and these queries are all connected. According to STEPBible.org's literal interpretation of the word "hate," it is μισέω (miseō), which means "hate." Based on this translation, the literal definition of hate can be understood to be accurate in Romans 9:13. Why did God hate Esau? The common understanding is God hated because Esau chose the flesh. He sold his birthright for a bowl of red bean soup.  God hated him; however, God also loved Esau. When the Israelites came from the land of Egypt and passed through the land of Seir, the Lord especially reminded the Israelites not to contend with Esau's descendants because the Lord gave Mount Seir to Esau as a possession (Deuteronomy 2). Did God not choose Esau? Esau is the eldest son. There is no reason for God not to choose him, but Esau's own choice brought different results. In other words, God choosing us and our willingness to choose him is a dynamic relationship and not rigid or inflexible. This is not to say that only God can choose us, and we are entirely passive in the process. Rather, our subjective and active choice will bring a different result to this dynamic relationship. Once evangelist D. L. Moody was asked by a student, “Since all the people who are saved are people chosen and are predetermined by God before the creation of the world, what will happen if I have mistakenly preached the gospel to people whom God has not chosen?” Moody replied, “If you preach and the person believes, it means that he is one chosen by God before the creation of the world. Before he enters the door of salvation, he will see the words ‘Anyone who is willing can come' on the door. Once he enters the door and turns around, he will see ‘You are chosen by God before the creation of the world' is written inside.” This story clearly talks about the dynamic relationship between God and His followers. God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (ESV, 1 Timothy 2:4). This is God's common grace. But God has given us free will, so we have the freedom to choose. God sent the Lamb, His Son Jesus Christ, into the world to take away the sins of the world and bring us back to God. But whether or not a person returns to God is not automatic. It still requires us to make a choice. Although Jesus Christ died for the sins of all, not everyone experiences forgiveness and salvation. You must choose to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior to receive this kind of salvation. Similarly, in a Christian's spiritual life, you must also make this choice. You cannot simply believe in the Lord and expect to grow and mature spiritually over time. This is impossible. You must make a choice every day and set your mind on the Spirit to have life and peace. If you set your mind on the flesh, it is death (ESV, Romans 8:6). Romans 9 is a continuation of Romans 8. It reminds us of the stories of Esau and Jacob, depicting the different results of different choices. We can all choose to be descendants of Isaac.  Isaac represents the common grace that God has prepared for you. Choosing to become his descendant enables us to become a person chosen by God. At the same time, you have the freedom to become like Jacob, who possessed God's riches and inheritance, or you can be like Esau, who sold his birthright for a bowl of red bean soup. Your red bean soup today may be your worldly enjoyment and entertainment or the pleasures of sin. Many Christians today choose the flesh and the world and unknowingly become Esau. We need to be vigilant. Paul said in Romans 9:6 (ESV), “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel.” Verse 7 (ESV) says, “Not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.'” Verse 8 says (ESV), “It is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” Here God uses the examples of Abraham and Isaac.  If God chooses you, you are a descendant of Abraham and Isaac.  Yet if you are born of the flesh, you are like Ishmael. And when you choose God in return, you are like Jacob.  But as a chosen one of God, if you choose the flesh, you will be like Esau.   This truth is essential to our Christian life today. The reason why God told Rebekah that out of the twins, He chose Jacob and hated Esau (Romans 9:10-13) was not to declare that Esau couldn't possess his birthright. Instead, it was because God foresaw that Esau would choose the flesh. Although God knew in advance that Esau would choose flesh, God wasn't pleased with Esau's decision. If Esau valued his birthright, God would also bless him. What about Jacob? God would also bless him. A father in this world has only one birthright. But for God, His riches are unending, so He can infinitely bless many different people. Why does God establish such a dynamic relationship? First, God wants to bless all the descendants of Abraham. But God also said that the descendants of Isaac are the descendants of Abraham. God wants to bless all the descendants of Isaac too. But we must choose the birthright, like Jacob, before we can be blessed. In other words, God wants all people to be saved, but He absolutely does not want anyone to abuse this grace and indulge in the flesh. If we see this relationship clearly, we can understand why God allows such contradictions here. This is the difference between God's election and man's choice. On the one hand, God chose you. But on the other hand, your own choice will bring different results. God is the God of the living (Luke 20:38). He is a living God and decides who will receive life and blessings.  It is not our theology that determines the results.  We can't twist God's arm because He is living, His word is alive, and God has the final say. Verses 14-18 (ESV) say that God has mercy on whomever he wills, and it doesn't depend on human will or exertion.  His mercy depends only on Him.  God hardened pharaoh's heart to show His power. This doesn't give us an excuse to be hard-hearted.  If we already have a hard heart toward God, God will harden it also. But if we repent and have a soft heart towards God, He will show mercy to us. In recent years, controversy has surrounded the Hyper-Grace Gospel because it doesn't line up with the truth that we have a dynamic relationship with God.  Legalism in the church has propelled some toward the opposite extreme of Hyper-Grace.  People hurt by legalism try to receive God's mercy through personal efforts or rules and regulations. There are various levels of legalistic teaching that cause people to stumble.  Alternatively, the Hyper-Grace Gospel advocates that individual efforts or actions don't matter because God's mercy is always readily available.  They believe that God can continuously forgive even those who repeatedly sin after salvation.  Ultimately, both extremes lead people to abuse God's grace. Romans 9:22-23 (ESV) says, “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory." This verse is challenging to explain.  A man in our study asked, “What does this verse mean?”  Why is it that to show His wrath and make His power known, God tolerated some people, did not interfere with them and let them walk towards destruction? Interestingly, this verse raises the same points as Psalm 73 of the Old Testament. The psalmist had also asked such questions. The psalmist says: 73:12 (ESV) “Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. 73:13 (ESV) All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. 73:14 (ESV) For all the day long, I have been stricken and rebuked every morning. 73:15 (ESV) If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children. 73:16 (ESV) But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, 73:17 (ESV) until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. 73:18 (ESV) Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. 73:19 (ESV) How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors! 73:20 (ESV) Like a dream when one awakes, O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.” These wicked people seemed to live a good life and were not disciplined; so, the psalmist was perplexed. He felt it was unfair. But it was not until he went into the sanctuary of God and looked at this issue from a different height and angle that he realized that God had really abandoned them, allowed them to stumble, and to have eternal destruction in the end. Those of us who are saved will have eternal life. If you look at it from an eternal perspective, the temporary suffering in this life is God's mercy and discipline in love because God disciplines the people He loves. On the one hand, God chose the Jews. On the other hand, God gave salvation to the Gentiles (Romans 9:24).  These are God's sovereign decisions that no one can change. But as an individual Israelite or Gentile, we have the freedom to choose whether or not to accept this salvation. The price of the Israelites' hardened heart was that God temporarily abandoned them. But God still had mercy on them. The Gentiles originally were not God's people, but God's mercy came to them. So, the Gentiles “who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith.” (ESV, Romans 9:30) But the Israelites who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness failed in reaching that law (ESV, Romans 9:31). Why is this? Because the Israelites, who had gone to extreme legalism, had overlooked the fact that God's grace is through faith. Romans 9:32-33 (ESV) says, “Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.'” Actually, this is still a matter of choice. When we choose to obey the law through our natural strength, we cannot get what the law promises. But when we choose to trust God's grace and mercy, we can receive the salvation promised by Him through faith. Why is it that Jesus Christ, the promise, and the way of salvation, had instead become a stumbling block for many Jews?  It was not that God did not choose the Jews.  God did choose them.  It was that these Jews made a mistake in not choosing Jesus. Jesus Christ, who has become wisdom for us from God, has given us salvation (1 Corinthians 1:30). No one can receive God's salvation except through Jesus Christ. Similarly, in the New Testament today, God's word also explains that setting our mind on the Spirit is life and peace while setting our mind on the flesh is death. We must set our minds on the Spirit and choose life.  What went wrong with the Israelite's choice? There was no problem with the law itself. The law was there to introduce Christ. But why was it that the Israelites who pursued the law did not know Christ? We will continue to discuss this in the next chapter, Romans 10.  There was nothing wrong with the law; instead, the Israelites had a veil on their hearts.  

Apostle Paul has finally gives His testimony to his Jewish brethren, but the Lord's words "they will not accept your testimony about me" proved to be true. The Jews become infuriated hearing him speaking of gentiles and keep shouting to demand his death. As a result, Paul is ordered to be flogged by the tribune, but after revealing his Roman citizenship, ends up before the council of Jewish chief priests. NOTES: House of prayer for all nations, Isaiah 56:6-7 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isa+56%3A6-7&version=ESV God's plan for Jews and Gentiles: Romans 11:11-12 - https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+11%3A11-12&version=ESV The warning by Jesus, John 16:2-3: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+16%3A2-3&version=ESV

Bible Study with Jairus – Romans 15 As we read Romans 15, we especially prayed that God would speak timely words to us and lead us in our current lives. Today is December 6, 2020 and the US election results have not yet been released. The coronavirus pandemic is still raging in the United States, and there are various negative news reports and comments spreading beyond the USA. Scores of people have been working at home for a long time, and there are still many uncertainties. We don't know when the pandemic will end; when we can go back to work; whether it is safe to get a COVID-19 vaccine; who will be the president of the United States; what the future of the United States will be; and how China-US relations will develop. These questions and many others invoke and weaken the hearts of many people, including the hearts of Christians. Many feel confused and are even living in fear. Christians are no exception. Under such circumstances, what timely words can Romans 15 provide us to comfort our hearts? Let me first point out that the context of the book of Romans is somewhat similar to our society today. The gospel of the Roman church was very prosperous and believers had strong faith. However, serious racial conflicts occurred in Rome. The conflict between Jews and Gentiles escalated to the point that that all Jews were forced to leave Rome during the reign of Claudius (Acts 18:2). These serious racial conflicts within their society inevitably penetrated the church leading to conflicts between Jewish and Gentile believers within the Roman church. During the time the Jews were ordered to leave Rome, Priscilla and Aquila had arrived in Corinth from Rome where they met Paul. All three of them were tentmakers. I assume Paul gradually learned about the situation regarding the Roman church through his contact with these two which led him to become burdened with visiting the Roman church. Since the church in Rome had not been founded by Paul and he had never visited it before, we may wonder why Paul was so burdened for them. In my recording of the reading of the book of Romans, I mentioned many times that Paul may have learned about the situation of the Roman church–the conflicts between Gentile and Jewish believers–through Priscilla, Aquila, and others. Therefore, he was particularly burdened to visit them in Rome. He hoped that on his way to preaching the gospel in Spain, he would visit Rome (Romans 15:23-24). Although Paul had such hopes, he was not sure whether he would make it to Rome since he was mostly determined to go to Jerusalem to bring the financial offering of the Gentile church to the Jewish believers. Paul's purpose in doing this was to increase fellowship between the Jewish and Gentile believers. Since the Gentile believers had received spiritual blessings from the Jews and Christ and the gospel came from them, Paul also believed that Gentile believers should bring material blessings to the Jews, especially the poor among the saints at Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-27). However, it was revealed through the prophecy of Agabus and others that if Paul arrived in Jerusalem he would be bound, and his life would be in danger. Therefore, Paul is unsure whether he will really have the opportunity to go to Rome, visit the church there, and go on to Spain through Rome. These were uncertainties for him. Under such circumstances, Paul wrote the book of Romans which is composed of sixteen chapters. Paul wrote to expose the truth of the gospel to the people of the Roman church. In the book of Romans, he specifically mentions that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Jews and Gentiles are both sinners, but all are justified by faith (Romans 3:24). Romans is like an exhortation letter written to the Jews and Gentiles. It talks about the sins of the Jews and the Gentiles but that God first revealed himself to the Jews (Romans 3:2) and that the ancestry of Christ can be traced back to the Jewish patriarchs (Romans 9:5). In other words, God blesses the Gentiles through the Jews, and Paul uses this illustration to exhort the Gentiles to accept the Jews. On the other hand, Paul also exhorts the Jews to accept the Gentiles because God accepts them. Romans 15 is the penultimate chapter of the book of Romans. One more chapter and the book is finished. Therefore, at the beginning of this chapter, Paul once again talks about "how Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs" (ESV, Romans 15:8); and how God accepted the Gentiles (Romans 15:9-12). We can envision the conflict between the Jewish and Gentile believers in the Roman Church. Perhaps it is no less than the racial conflict in American society today. The serious racial conflicts between African Americans and Whites in American society are also reflected in the church. Although I personally don't think that the former president Donald Trump is racist, he is portrayed as such by some media outlets and, therefore, opposed by most African American churches and believers. I personally believe that Trump was a vessel chosen by God to bring America back to the foundations of a Christian nation. But because racial conflicts penetrate the church, many Christians clash over whether to support Trump or Biden. Some Christians who support Trump say, “Isn't it obvious that God has chosen Trump to bring the United States back to its foundation of a Christian nation? Biden and left-wing supporters condone abortion and homosexuality. Shouldn't every Christian oppose this? If you support Biden, wouldn't it be like murdering babies and accepting homosexuality? Do you still need to think about this? Shouldn't you support Trump who favors protecting lives and opposes abortion?” Since many people who oppose Trump believe that Trump is a racist, they claim he does not accept immigrants and even encourages white supremacists trends. They point out his sarcasm when talking about immigrants as leverage for their argument. I know a lot of African American pastors and believers that oppose Trump, some of whom are my seminary classmates and friends on Facebook. According to statistics, in the 2016 presidential election, only 8% of African American voters voted for Trump. Chinese immigrants have split into two factions. One group supports Trump are are called "Trumpists;" the other party is termed "Anti-Trumpists". The two factions often criticize each other on the internet. Coupled with the raging pandemic, we Christians live in such an environment. Many people worry about their lives and do not know what the future holds. A lady in our meeting recently commented, “In this situation, how can we hear God's voice clearly and know what to do?” She admitted that she can't hear God's voice clearly and is often confused. It can be comforting to see that Romans 15 is showing us that even an apostle like Paul, a person living in the center of God's will, did not fully understand God's leading. The Bible tells us that we know in part, and we prophesy in part (ESV, 1 Corinthians 13:9). In other words, even if we are prophets and God has spoken to us, what we hear and the pictures we see are not comprehensive. There's a lot that may still be unclear. Many prophecies were given that Trump would serve a second term of presidency and even that he will eventually win again. However, many things in the natural do not line up with this. Regardless, I firmly believe this will come to pass, but I know many Christians are still in doubt. We have the prophetic words, but we are not sure of their details. Paul's situation was similar. He insisted on going to Jerusalem, but Agabus and others told him through the Holy Spirit that he might be bound when he gets there. Still, Paul insisted on going, even if it meant  sacrificing his life. Since Paul was not clear about whether he would eventually go to the church in Rome, so he wrote the book of Romans. But when he was in Jerusalem, the Lord stood beside him during the night and encouraged him: "Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome." (ESV, Acts 23:11) This was something Paul didn't know before he went to Jerusalem. When he was imprisoned in Jerusalem, then the Lord appeared to encourage him. It's through the confirmation of Lord's prophetic words that Paul became sure he would reach Rome. He still hoped to travel from Rome to Spain, but the Bible and historical records unfortunately do not record in detail whether he had eventually arrived in Spain. Perhaps, he was already martyred in Rome before he arrived there. Even after receiving confirmation from the Lord, Paul still did not know about every step of his life. Therefore, people expecting us (Christians) to know everything today is impossible. We don't know when the coronavirus will end. We don't even know who the president of the United States will be. But this is not important. The important thing is that Paul lived completely by faith and hope in God during his process, and he also encourages believers today to live by faith and hope during theirs. This is the inspiration I received when I read Romans 15. I encourage you brothers and sisters joining our Bible Study, not to focus on the difficulties and perplexities of the environment around you, but to focus on God's laws and His loving nature. We should focus on His promises as well. Just as God opened a path for the Israelites through the Red Sea and saved the Israelites from the hand of the Philistines, He will also save us from today's Pharaohs and enemies. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is eternal. He saved us in the past, He will also save us now. Since He loves us, He will save us to the end (Hebrews 7:25). Paul had experienced a great deal of suffering in his life, but he was full of endurance and hope in his suffering. He said, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame.” (ESV, Romans 5:3-5) In his suffering, Paul developed faith, joy, endurance, character and hope. Hope did not put him to shame, but rather elevated him to stand victoriously before God. Today, we Christians experience suffering. We may not fully understand God's will and His presence in our society. Therefore, during these times, God wants us to learn how to endure and have faith amidst crises. We need to know God's laws and His loving nature. We need to also know and trust that He will save us even to the end. If we are rooted in Him and if we rest in Him, we will be saved because God's word tells us, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (ESV, Isaiah 30:15) Paul also said in Romans 16:20 (ESV), “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." At this time, we Christians should live out our faith with endurance and be full of hope for God's promises and salvation. We should also be full of peace and should not be restless with the changes happening around us including uncertain rumors. Remember, our victory lies in resting in the Lord! The result of certain things according to God will be manifest, but the process is also important. It is a process of maturing our faith and endurance. We cannot overlook the process. The verses I prayed and sang this week were Romans 15:5-6 and 15:13. These are Paul's exhortations in this chapter. Verses 5-6 (ESV) say, "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Here, Paul identified God as the God of endurance and encouragement! When the Jewish and Gentile believers in the Roman church were in conflict, Paul encouraged everyone to endure and accept each other in love. He prayed that the God of endurance and encouragement would allow Jewish and Gentile believers to accept each other in Christ Jesus that they may live in harmony with one another. This is also good encouragement for the American Church today. Verse 13 of Romans 15 (ESV) says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." I spent time this week praying this verse. This verse again mentions that God is the God of hope. Because of our faith, we are filled with joy and peace. We will also abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Several of us who read this verse felt that this is what the Holy Spirit is really saying to us today. In the current, difficult atmosphere of the United States, we must learn to be rooted in the Lord, exercise our faith and endurance, and be full of joy and peace. Let us be filled with the Holy Spirit and be full of hope for God and the future. I recall hearing a preacher state that when the great revival is approaching, God will allow turmoil to happen in society. The turmoil includes plagues, wars, and disasters. The purpose of these is to shake people's hearts and shake everything that can be shaken, so as to produce an unshakable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28). At this time, churches and Christians are like medical teams prepared by God. They are called and trained by God to find the injured, bind up their wounds and preach the gospel to them. The best time to preach the gospel is during times of turmoil. Turbulent environments are environments set up by God to shocks unbelievers by allowing them to see that believers are living in peace, joy, endurance and hope amidst the turbulence. Although Christians are touched by it, they demonstrate a trust in God thus showing unbelievers that God does exist. These unbelievers will therefore trust and accept the Lord. Unfortunately, many Christians are as panicky and fearful as the people of the world, thus they cannot fulfill God's call and become a witness for Jesus Christ. Instead of rushing out to the battlefield to heal the wounded and rescue the dying, some people are hiding in the trenches because of fear. I recall jokingly hearing that the people who hide in the trenches because of fear of death often cannot escape the cannonball attack. The turbulent atmosphere raised up by God is not for the purpose of judging the church, but the world. The church brings salvation and is a lighthouse and a doctor when the world experiences turmoil. If we, Christians, are afraid and anxious, how can we be a lighthouse in the storm? In one of my prophetic dreams, I saw an angel stretching out a huge stick from heaven to the ocean on earth. He began to stir it and after which, I saw the waves surging. Many people's houses were destroyed and people were running for their lives. I found myself, however, miraculously swimming to a safe place. My interpretation is that the time of turmoil is just beginning. The purpose of turmoil is to shake people's hearts and bring in the great harvest of the gospel. Those who are living God's will, who testify to the Lord and preach the gospel, will receive His miraculous protection. We must seize the opportunity to preach the gospel. We must especially live in peace, joy, endurance and hope so that the God of peace can crush Satan under our feet. Peace is our greatest weapon during chaotic times. John Wesley once preached the gospel to American Indians. His results were not good and instead very frustrating. On his way back to England, the ship encountered a huge wave during its voyage. The passengers on the ship screamed in terror, and Wesley was also very frightened. He then saw a group of Moravian brothers gathered very quietly in the front singing hymns. Their faith in God moved Wesley deeply and it caused Wesley to recognize his lack of faith. This became a spiritual turning point in Wesley's life. Later, Wesley became a devoted servant of God and brought great revival to England. This shows that Christians living in faith and peace in God are a very strong testimony. I still have countless prophetic dreams. In some of these dreams, God has told me that this world will go through a lot of fierce turmoil and immense spiritual warfare. But God has a beautiful purpose. Countless people will enter the unshakable Kingdom of God because of this. We should not simply hope that the turmoil will pass. We should learn to endure, have faith, and be full of joy, peace, and hope during the turmoil. Peter said, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (ESV, 1 Peter 1:6-9) Paul also had the same experience as Peter. His life was full of trials and hardships, but he lived in joy, peace, endurance and hope. Paul continually urges believers to pray and live out this same experience. This is the inspiration and the timely words of the Holy Spirit that we received when reading Romans 15 in our group time. I hope these words will encourage any Christians who are currently dealing with anxiety. Don't worry, God sits on the throne and reigns. He controls everything. We just need to turn our hearts to Him. If we sin, we should repent and. We may also pray that the world repent and be saved. God will surely guard us amidst our difficulties! Since He loves us, He will save us to the end. Because Jesus Christ, our high priest, lives forever! We should become ministers of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (ESV, Romans 15:16). This is God's will for us! May we receive endurance and encouragement from the God of endurance and encouragement! May we get hope from the God of hope!

Bible Study with Jairus - Acts 18   As we mentioned last time, Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla. They were Jews coming from Rome to Italy. Paul had already left Athens and they all came to meet in Corinth. I've said before that their meeting was a turning point in Paul's spiritual life. Why do I say that?We usually think that Paul is an apostle, so he is always better than others and there is no need for him to learn from others. This isn't the case. All of us have a learning process. Even when the Lord Jesus was on earth, He needed to learn to grow in the grace of God and man.  Similarly, Paul also went through a learning process. In our study on Acts 17 last time, we mentioned that Paul may have made a mistake of being rash in Athens. He may have been influenced by the environment possibly having a negative rather than positive effect on evangelism. But in Acts 18, it shows the process by which the Holy Spirit further led and perfected Paul through the circumstances.   Let's take a closer look.   The Holy Spirit patiently leads us into God's will for our lives.   The Lord Jesus said that, “Everything is in the hands of the Father. No two sparrows will fall to the ground without His consent.” (Matthew 10:29). Aquila and his wife Priscilla had just left Rome to Corinth because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul also came to Corinth from Athens. Is it accidental that they met there? No. Everything is arranged by the sovereignty of God. The purpose was to let Paul be further perfected and receive help from others in his ministry.   There is some deeper insight here that the Holy Spirit allowed me to see while reading the Bible.  It takes time for a person to completely follow the Lord and walk on the predestined path that He has laid out for us.  However, often at the beginning we might not have a clear idea about what God's will is or how to obey it; so we spend our time and energy following another path and are unable to unleash the gift that God has given us.  For example, If you are called to minister in music but you spend all of your time learning to paint because you didn't follow your heart, it results in failure and has very little effect for the kingdom.  When you finally understand that music is your gift and you throw yourself into it, you will find that God has opened all the doors.  Another example would be if God called you to be a cartoonist but instead you studied finance because your parents wanted you to be able to support yourself.  When you realize that there is no joy in finance and you return to the industry you love, things will flow and you will be successful in the end.  There are many examples like this.     So was Paul like this?  In modern times we tend to over exalt Paul's writings as though he could never be wrong.  Actually this isn't the case.  Paul is human and has shortcomings. He was on a continuous journey learning to know God in a deeper way.  Even in his old age he admitted that he hadn't completely taken hold of it, but forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, he presses on toward the goal (NIV Philippians 3:13-14).  This shows that Paul was continuously learning. Let's take a look at how Paul gradually learns to obey God's will and walk on the predestined path that God has planned for him.   When Paul recalls his experience of being called by God in Acts 22, he said that the Lord said to him, “Go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles." If you recall the contents of Acts 17, it   said in the beginning that Paul had passed through a couple of towns, and he went on to Thessalonica to preach the gospel in the Jewish synagogue. After being rejected, he went to the Jewish synagogue in Berea to evangelize. In the end, the Jews in Thessalonica had stirred up trouble and he was forced to go to Athens. He preached the gospel to the Gentiles in Athens, but was not very effective. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that Paul had made a great turn here. At that time, Paul didn't exactly do what God told him to.. God's will for him is just what Jesus said to him, “I will send you far away to the Gentiles” (NIV, Acts 22:21). God chose him to be an apostle of the Gentiles, but he couldn't bear the thought of not preaching the gospel to the Jews. If you look at his description in Romans chapters 9-11, he said that he would rather be cursed so the people of Israel could be saved. You can understand Paul's burden for the Jews. But unfortunately, this was not God's call for his life.   The Bible has explicitly stated that God called Peter to be the apostle to the Jews and chose Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13, Galatians 2:8). This is very odd. If you were God, would you choose Paul or Peter to be the apostle to the Jews? If I was God, I might choose Paul because Paul is familiar with the Jewish scriptures and was taught by Gamaliel. He is even a Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin. He was also circumcised on the eighth day. No one was more qualified and suitable than him. In contrast, Peter was a fisherman who had didn't have a high level of education. There are scholars who say that Paul's level of proficiency in Greek was far higher than Peter's. But God didn't choose Paul to be the apostle to the Jews. Instead, he chose Peter to be the apostle to the Jews. For the Gentiles, I also think that Peter was more likely to be accepted because he was from Galilee where there were mostly gentiles, and Paul was a strict Pharisee. He was also enthusiastic to persecute the church. So naturally, Paul was more qualified to be the apostle to the Jews than Peter. But God didn't arrange it like that.   There are people who believe that the reason why God arranged it that way is for us not to use what we are naturally good at. He wants us to do things that we are naturally not good at to force us to trust the Lord. We shouldn't do things based on our ability, but by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit.   We all have fleshly and natural choices. Often it's not that we don't know God's will and path for us. Rather, our flesh, human nature, and habits often hinder us so we have a difficult time quickly following God's call  . God understands us, so the Holy Spirit often patiently waits and leads us. But the Holy Spirit often tells us through the environment that "the road is blocked" encouraging us to   "turn back." The same is true of Paul's experience here. We mentioned in the previous message that maybe because of Paul's attempt to persuade people to accept the gospel through debate, it wasn't very effective. But actually, our understanding at that time was not comprehensive enough. In this reading, we can see more light. It was not because Paul's debate had gone wrong, but because Paul wasn't living completely in God's will so God blocked him in all aspects, making his evangelism ineffective.   Therefore, Acts 18 is a turning point. It is recorded in 18:5 - 6 that:   5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”(NIV)   It was possibly here that Paul may have recalled what the Lord Jesus said to him, “I will send you far away to the Gentiles to preach the gospel.” He had just realized that God's call to him was to become the apostle to the Gentiles. Even though he was reluctant to leave his fellow Jews  who had rejected the gospel, he had no choice but to go to the Gentiles. In this way, he was forced by the environment to go to the Gentiles to preach the gospel. It looks like he was forced by the environment, but actually it was all the wonderful leading of the Holy Spirit.   Therefore, in Acts 18, it was definitely not accidental for Paul to encounter Aquila and Priscilla from Rome. Rather, it was arranged by God's sovereignty. Think about it. When Aquila and Paul were weaving tents together, don't you think they talked to each other? In the content of their chats, is it possible that Aquila talked about his life experience with the Gentiles in Rome and his experience of dealing with the Gentiles? there's a good possibility some of that was talked about. Paul's experience of evangelizing the Athenians in the previous chapter was not very successful. Maybe one of the reasons is that he didn't understand the Gentiles and was not familiar with how to preach the gospel to them.   Became like a Gentile to win the Gentiles   When some Western missionaries first came to China to preach the gospel, they adopted an aloof attitude, as if to say, we are preaching the gospel, you guys are barbarian idol worshippers, so you have to give up your faith and accept ours. Some of these missionaries often have deep relationships with Western colonizers and officials. They will therefore use Western diplomatic and military power to force the Chinese to open their ports and accept the gospel, which caused a lot of resistance from the local Chinese. Consequently,   preaching the gospel to them was not very effective. But when Hudson Taylor came to China to preach the gospel, he adapted to the Chinese culture. He dressed in Chinese robe and grew a pigtail like the Chinese. He   also lived with the Chinese. His living and eating habits were the same as those of the Chinese, sohis gospel work in China was very effective. He preached the gospel to many places in China.   Paul's experience of evangelism in Athens seems to be somewhat similar to the attitude of Western missionaries when they first arrived in China. Perhaps he was feeling superioras he wastrying to persuade these people to turn away from idols to Jesus Christ through debates. Unfortunately it didn't work out well. Is it possible that after his failed attempts to evangelize that Aquila taught him how to witness to the Gentiles and inspired him?  I believe that Paul was able to get inspiration and learned something from his experience in Athens. He said in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22:   20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. (NIV)   From Paul's words, we can see that Paul had learned how to become a Gentile in order to win the Gentiles. He learned that he shouldn't be aloof when he preached the gospel, and he shouldn't persuade others to believe in the gospel through debate. Rather, he should humble himself and put himself on the level of the Gentiles, live and eat with them, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in a language acceptable to them.   God's later confirmation   I   had a special experience recently.   I met a prophet who said that God wants me to be a U.S. citizen because this will help me in my service in the future. However, because I am a Chinese citizen and I also have a U.S. green card, it is more convenient to visit China plus I feel that the chance that God will call me to serve in China in the future is huge, therefore, I have been living in the US for a long time and not been naturalized as a US citizen. f  After hearing the prophets words I spent time in prayer but didn't receive any confirmation from God.  I reluctantly submitted my application for US citizenship anyway.   Not long afterwards, I had a prophetic dream. I found that the Chinese characters on my Chinese passport were altered, and a lot of English letters were written, and I saw a seal falling down from above with the words "U.S. Citizen" above. I felt that this was Lord's confirmation that the submitted application was directed by Him. The prophecy of this prophet may be correct. But when I prayed for God's leading, God never gave me any confirmation.   This was my own experience, but actually, I'm also explaining Paul's experience here. When Paul didn't completely live in God's will, he seemed to be running up against a stone wall everywhere he went. His evangelism in the synagogues in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens was not smooth. Of course, the Lord told Paul before that God's purpose was to send him far to the Gentiles to be a witness for Him. So this was imprinted in Paul's spirit. Therefore, at the beginning of chapter 18, Paul met Aquila and his wife Priscilla who came back from Rome. This might further remind him of the command he heard from the Lord. When Paul swears to turn to the Gentiles from then on, he went next door to the house of Titius Justus. Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized (NIV, Acts 18-8:9). Afterwards, the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” (NIV, Acts 18:9-10). I called this God's later confirmation. When Paul finally walked on the right path that Jesus told him, Jesus appeared to him, confirming that he was walking in the will of God. We often have such confirmation in our spiritual experience. The Lord will give us a prophetic word in the beginning. The Holy Spirit will then secretly lead us, give us limitations and leading through the environment. And finally when we walk on the predestined path that God has laid out for us, God will often prove to us again that we are indeed walking on His predestined path.   Acts 18:11 records that Paul lived there for a year and six months, teaching God's words among them. This sentence is definitely not accidentally recorded here. Rather, the Holy Spirit further confirms that Paul came here to preach the gospel and live according to God's will.   Of course, we are not saying that Paul could'nt preach the gospel to the Jews. In the latter parts of Acts 18, it's even recorded that when Paul arrived at Ephesus, he went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. But I guess perhaps the emphasis of Paul's ministry had turned towards the Gentiles. In particular, chapter 18:19 records that after Paul had reasoned with the Jews in the synagogue in Ephesus, when they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. This is a clear contrast to what is recorded in 18:11 where Paul stayed there for a year and a half.   Prior to this, Acts 18 also recorded that the Jews had attacked Paul, but the local official did not interfere. After this, Acts 18:18 (NIV) recorded that, “Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila”. But because of a vow he had taken, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea before going to Ephesus. But he did not stay in Ephesus for a long time. He left to go to other places.   The matching of the different parts of the body to Christ's body   In 18:24, it started to introduce a Jew named Apollos. The Bible specifically mentioned that he was an eloquent man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. The Bible didn't use these words to describe Paul. So looking at this description, Apollos had a gift that Paul may not have. In addition to Apollos' eloquence (that Paul may not have), it is specifically recorded that Apollos had vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ (NIV, Acts 18:28). These records are in contrast with the limited effects of Paul's evangelism before the Jews. These have indirectly proved that God's call to Paul was mainly for the Gentiles because God raised up people like Apollos to preach the gospel to the Jews, and it seems that their work was more effective than Paul's.   Of course, the Bible has also recorded the limitations of Apollos, that is, he only knew the baptism of John. But Priscilla and Aquila, who were perfected by Paul, had helped explain the way of God to Apollos more adequately (NIV, Acts 18:26). This again shows that the principle of God's work is through the matching of the body; allowing different members of the body of Christ to match and complement each other.   Paul came to Ephesus again in Acts 19. There he found some disciples of Apollos' ministry who only knew John's baptism; they didn't know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Paul prayed for them to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This   also paved the way in the beginning of verses 20-21, where he declined the invitation of Ephesians when they asked him to stay there for a while. Instead, he said that, "I will come back if it is God's will."  (NIV, Acts 18:21). It is something that the Holy Spirit mentioned specifically here so that Paul later can come back to help those who are under the ministry of Apollo's.   Why did God arrange for Paul to come back later? What is the meaning and implication of Paul's making up for the lack of Apollos' ministry in Acts 19? Why is it that   Apollos' ministry only knows John's baptism and not the baptism of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit? This has   profound spiritual significance. We hope to continue sharing our understanding in the next reading.        

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.Introduction Jesus and Paul are beyond question the two persons in the NT about whom we know most. Paul wrote 13 of the 27 NT documents (87 chapters, nearly as many as the 89 of the four gospels). But there is a major difference between him and Jesus.  Jesus left nothing directly to us in writing. In Paul’s case, we are able to coordinate his missionary activities (in Acts) with his writing and follow-up ministry (the letters). This affords a kind of triangulation; with such perspective the man comes to life.In this podcast we will not be examining the letters of Paul. For that, please see the NT chapter studies…BackgroundPaul was a Jew, though not from Palestine. He was a citizen of Tarsus, capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, modern southern Turkey (Acts 9:11, 21:39, 22:3).Would have grown up speaking Greek, though fluent too in Hebrew, Aramaic, and possibly Latin.He was trained as a rabbi under the distinguished Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).His secular profession was tent-making (Acts 18:3; see also 9:43, 20:34-35; 2 Corinthians 5:1).Paul was also born of the purest Jewish blood, a descendant of the patriarch Benjamin (Philippians 3:5)—at a time when few Jews would have been able to trace their descent, given the confusion of the exiles. He was named after Israel’s first king, Saul.Paul was born a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37, 22:25-28)—when only a minority of those residing within the Roman Empire were given this privilege.He was an intensely focused Pharisee (Acts 22:3, 23:6, 26:5; Galatians 1:13-14; Philippians 3:5. A driven man, Paul claims to have advanced beyond many of his contemporaries (Galatians 1:13-14). Certain that the Christians were dangerous heretics, he hounded them, imprisoned them, tortured and killed them (1 Timothy 1:13; 1 Corinthians 15:9).Sometimes it is asserted that Saul was troubled during his pre-Christian days by his active persecution of the Christians (Acts 7:58, 8:1,3; 9:1; 22:4,20), but he himself insists that he always had a clear conscience (Acts 23:1, 24:16).His training as a Pharisee would have equipped Paul to think long and hard about the relationship of Torah to believers in Christ—appropriate for the one who was divinely appointed to be the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13; Galatians 2:8).Chronology Paul was baptized within a few years of the resurrection, between 32 and 34 AD (Acts 9:18, 22;16). This is a deduction from Galatians 2:1. Paul wrote Galatians, his first epistle, in 48 AD, and so 34 AD would be the latest possible date for his second Jerusalem visit.If Paul can call himself an “old man” by the time of Philemon 9 (c.60 AD)—presumably 60 years of age—then he was born by 1 AD. Note: Saul could easily be called a “young man” at the time of Stephen’s martyrdom [Acts 7:58; cp. John 8:57], as he was not yet 40.Phases of his lifePhase I – Pharisaic roots1 BC-AD 1 - Birth in Tarsus13-16 - Trained by Gamaliel in Jerusalem31- Presides over martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 8)Phase II – Church planting32 - Baptism  in Damascus33-36 - Ministers in Damascus and Arabia; receives further revelation from Jesus Christ in Arabia (Acts 9:19-22, 26:20; Galatians 1:16-18)36 - First Jerusalem visit (Galatians 1:18; Acts 9:26-30)36-45 - Ministers in Syria and Cilicia (Acts 9:30; Galatians 1:21)46 - Second Jerusalem visit (Acts 11:27-30; Galatians 2:1-10), the return to Tarsus47 - Return to Antioch (required by Acts 11:25)48 - First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:1-14:28)49 - Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1-35)50 - Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:36-18:22)57- Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18:23-21:16)Phase III – Imprisonment56-58- In custody in Caesarea58-60 - Roman imprisonment60 - Released, resumes mission64 - Fire of Rome, many Christians seized and killed. Paul rearrested.67/68 - ExecutionSome things we learn from the life of PaulSincerity does not equate with truth (Romans 9:1-5).Grace has an impact  (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).Suffering is the mark of true leadership (2 Corinthians; Galatians 6:17)When we become Christians, we should harness all our energy and momentum and put it in the service of Christ (Galatians 1:13-15; Philippians 3:3-14)Main scriptures in this podcast Pre-Christian past: Galatians 1:13-15 (Acts 22:3, 23:6, 26:5)Philippians 3:3-7Progression in humility: 1 Corinthians 15:9; 2 Corinthians 12:5,10; Ephesians 3:8; Philippians 2:3-4; 1 Timothy 1:15-16—passages written about 55, 56, 58, 60, and 63 AD, respectively.Romans 10:21 Corinthians 9:19-222 Corinthians 1:8-9Romans 9:1-51 Corinthians 15:10Galatians 6:17For further thought: A legacy of the Protestant Reformation is the conclusion “Paul is the key to understanding Jesus.” But surely this is backwards; Jesus’ life and teaching form the filter through which we understand Paul, not the other way around. Paul himself would be outraged with this teaching (1 Corinthians 1:13-17). After all he had a brilliant mind—but not in comparison to Jesus. And as passionately as he strove to live a holy life, he admits to frequent failure. Jesus is the key to understanding Paul, which means that the gospels, not Paul, are the entrance point to grasping the message of the NT.Paul was executed under Nero, who himself committed suicide in 68 AD, which is therefore the latest date for Paul’s death. One tradition says he was beheaded—decapitation was the standard form of execution for Roman citizens—at Aquae Salviae, along the Appian Way just outside Rome. Death is imminent when he writes 2 Timothy 4, likely his last letter.Further: A Quick Overview of the Bible: How All the Pieces Fit Together (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House, 2012), chapter 21.

Part of God's plan from all time was the inclusion of the Gentiles into God's people. In this passage, Paul draws from Deuteronomy 32 and Isaiah 65 to remind his Jewish brethren that they should not be shocked by the Gentiles coming into God's new covenant people. This was part of God's plan from the time of Abraham in Genesis 12 and Genesis 15.

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Revelation 3:7-9 Series: Just Conquer #10 # Introduction Most of my sermons follow a fairly simple pattern. A pattern isn't necessarily bad; a good pattern can be comfortable, though it could become predictable in a way that makes one feel as if he's heard it before. These messages to the churches in Revelation follow a pattern. Jesus identifies Himself, usually in some manner that is especially relevant to the church He's addressing. Then He says what He knows about their works, good and bad. He gives them instructions about what they need to do and gives promises to the ones who conquer. And there is always a call to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. My messages about these messages, and probably most of my sermons, usually begin with some observation I've made that introduces a current problem with the answer to be found in the upcoming verses. I don't feel like it's my job to sell you on the idea that the Bible relevant; it is relevant. But I regularly start by trying to show some relevance, then return to the historical context of the city, then move into the verses themselves. I also have a thing for paragraphs. That seems like the min/max level for good interpretation. Too many verses might make for too much material to grasp, too little and the context can be lost. Plus, paragraphs keep the study moving; I'm not trying to reach John Calvin numbers of dozens or hundreds of sermons per book of the Bible. I say all that to say that I'm not following my typical path today, which will include asking you to take your copy of God's Word and look with me at a couple other passages outside of Revelation. I want you to see some of the background for the allusions in Revelation, and how that sets us up to be both surprised and yet also confirmed in what we knew already. One of the goals is that we would be better equipped to keep God's Word, including being gripped by the reality that God keeps His word first. This is a good word to a small church of Christians who were being left out by those who weren't actually in the position of getting to decide who should be left out. We're only going to consider the first three verses in the Philadelphian message today because we need more time to consider the Kingdom Keeper. The key idea in these verses is actually _key_, the "key of David." The key is good for opening and shutting a door, and that door is the door in and out of the Messianic Kingdom. Jesus is the keeper of this key, He is this Kingdom's Keeper, and He is also a Keeper of Promises, especially those related to His Kingdom. # Verse 7 None of the four pieces of the description of the Keeper are from John's initial vision but all four work together. Here's my translation for verse 7: "_The_ holy, _the_ true, _the_ one having the key of David, _the_ one opening (and no one closes) and one closing (and no one opens), says thus:" In verse 8 Jesus wants the Christians to **behold** the door before them which He had made open. In verse 7 He's identifying Himself related to that door. He's been set apart, consecrated for His office; He's **holy**. There is no deception, no shading in His character; He's **true**. He has authority as the key-holder, and this is authority over the royal household since it is the **key of David**, more about that in a moment. And it is not an authority in title only, but He exercises the authority of His office with total prerogative and without resistance; He is the one opening and closing, **no one** can overturn His policy. This imagery comes from the chapter about the "valley of vision" in Isaiah 22. There was an unfaithful steward over King Hezekiah's household named Shebna, who thought of himself to be the strong man (verse 17), who [built himself a tomb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shebna) like that for a king (verse 16), but whom the LORD questioned and overthrew (verses 16-18). The LORD purposed to pull down Shebna from his station, and establish a new keeper (verse 19). > "In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open." (Isaiah 22:20-22) Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment and expansion of Eliakim on whom all the honor and rule of the house would fall (verse 24). Jesus is the keeper of the house, a universal and eternal kingdom, granting entrance and access to some and denying access and refusing others. Jesus is not just faithful as a servant-steward, but as the Son-King (see also Hebrews 3:6). # Verse 8 The Keeper knows the Philadelphian believers. In Greek verse 8 is only one sentence, rather than three as in the ESV. The "Behold" comes as a parenthesis, so let's come back to that. Without the parenthesis it would sound like this: "I know your works, that you have micro power, and you kept my word, and you did not abandon my name." They have **little power**, _mikran dunamin_. This is not a criticism; Jesus gives no rebuke to this church. This is part of what He knows, but it belongs with the fact that they have been faithful. That is part of the point: they were faithful but not successful. They were faithful, but not very influential. In that they **kept my word and have not denied my name**, they were willing to stand out, and be shut out, for sake of their allegiance to Jesus. Verse 9 identifies at least one of the groups discriminating against them. The message to the Philadelphians is: just conquer discrimination. Discrimination is a buzz word in our culture, and according to our culture everyone is discriminated against for some reason, unless you're a white male. But wanting _not to be seen as separate_ has always been a temptation for Christians in the world. We don't like being outside the circle, not having a seat at the table. We don't like having little influence. We don't like when others act like we don't belong. The Philadelphians were in the minority, but they were not ashamed of Jesus by name or worried how keeping His word made them look. This is why the parenthesis fits, connecting Jesus' office of Keeper in verse 7 with the keeper-outers in verse 9. Jesus has **set before you and open door**. He is inviting these _Gentiles_ into David's house, into the Messiah's Kingdom, into Jerusalem's promise (see more in verse 12). # Verse 9 This is divine frustration. The frustration is not with the Philadelphian Christians, but with those who claimed to be the keepers of the kingdom. In one sense, it _was_ their kingdom, but it was a kingdom they were to inherit, not a kingdom they were called to govern. I use the word frustration because twice Jesus says **Behold**. Not just that, but the second “behold” comes because He doesn't really finish the first “behold” since He is quick to call them Satan's liars. The ESV punctuates with an em dash; the second “behold” picks up the purpose of the Keeper. "Behold I will give (them)," but He doesn't finish what He's going to give them before saying something about them. The "them" are "those of the synagogue of Satan, the ones saying themselves to be Jews, and they are _not_, but they are lying." The Philadelphians knew their problems before Jesus pointed them out. We're the ones who can start to see what the Christians were up against, though they would be encouraged that the Keeper knew. It's a similar message as the one to the church in Smyrna, the only other church among the seven who were not commanded to repent. There were slanderers in Smyrna "who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan" (2:9). Here Jesus switches the order and adds on emphatically that they **lie**, they are lying. In the Bible there are two ways to be a Jew: 1) outwardly only and 2) outwardly and inwardly. An outward Jew is an Israelite by birth, with Jewish parents. An inward Jew is an ethnic Jew with _faith_ in the Lord. Paul made the distinction (Romans 2:28), because Jesus made the distinction (John 8:39), because God made similar distinctions in the Old Testament (calling for inward circumcision of the heart rather than only external circumcision). But how is the language being used? When Jesus confronted the Jews in John 8 who claimed that their father was Abraham, Jesus told them that Abraham was _not_ their father (John 8:38, 41, 44). That is true, but it _stings_ the way it does because they also _were_ sons of Abraham in their family tree (which Jesus also acknowledges in John 8:37). National/ethnic identity was something, but it wasn't enough. It certainly wasn't what _they_ thought. The same _sting_ happens in Revelation. They are saying that they are Jews, but their synagogues were gatherings of rebels and accusers like Satan. Abraham was their father in one way, but Satan was their spiritual father. When they discriminated against the Christians, they were making claims about doors they didn't have keys for. They were not the keepers of Jesus' kingdom. Jesus is the Keeper, and they had rejected Jesus. The second half of verse 9 gets to the next stage in the Keeper's promise: "I will make them so that they will come and they will bow down before your feet and they will know that I loved you." This would have made the Jews angry enough on the surface. But it really would have gnawed at their heads knowing that this sounds exactly like a promise that the Lord gave to _them_ except that the roles are reversed. In a chapter of promise of future glory for Israel, Isaiah announced: > “The sons of those who afflicted you, > shall come bending low to you, > and all who despised you > shall bow down at your feet; > they shall call you the City of the LORD, > the Zion of the Holy One of Israel." > (Isaiah 60:14) There's a lot of amazing truth in the entire chapter, but we need another couple verses: > “Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, > with no one passing through, > I will make you majestic forever, > a joy from age to age. > You shall suck the milk of nations; > you shall nurse at the breast of kings; > and shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior > and your Redeemer, > the Mighty one of Jacob." > (verses 15-16) This is the same chapter with cataclysmic luminescence: > “The sun shall be no more > your light by day, > nor for brightness shall the moon > give you light; > but the LORD will be your everlasting light, > and your God will be your glory." > (verse 19) Put Isaiah 60:14 and Revelation 3:9 next to each other, and this is the ultimate question: which promise is true? Is what the LORD promised to Israel, about Gentiles who afflicted them eventually coming to bow down before them, true? Or, is what the Lord promised to the church of many Gentiles in Philadelphia, about Jews who discriminated against them coming to bow down, true? _It must be both._ It does not have to be both at the same time. Jesus already acknowledged that the Philadelphians were keepers of His Word (verse 8). His Word is sure. The Christians in Philadelphia believed Isaiah 60 about Israel's eventual restoration. More than that, the promises to Israel in Isaiah 60 must be true because Jesus _is THE TRUE_ Keeper of the key of David (verse 7). The apostle Paul gives the most thorough explanation of the timeline in Romans 9-11, in which he makes a distinction between believers, both Jew and Gentile, and unbelieving Jews. For a time, in God's plan of mercy, God hardened the hearts of generations of Jews for sake of spreading good news to the Gentiles. And in His time, in God's plan of mercy, God will save a generation of Jews through the gospel that saved the Gentiles (Romans 11:25-26). > Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, > > “The Deliverer will come from Zion, > he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; > “and this will be my covenant with them > when I take away their sins.” > (Romans 11:25–27) These last two verses quote Isaiah 59:20-21, leading into the promises we've seen from Isaiah 60. In the first century, when Romans and Revelation were written, Jews who rejected the Messiah rejected those who believed in the Messiah. As unbelievers they will be judged, and the Christians will be vindicated. Jesus encourages the Philadelphians that at some point all the haters will know that Jesus loved them, which is a glorious mystery (Ephesians 3:4-6). _But this does not cancel the first, original promise._ There is irony that should sting in Revelation 3:9, but this is not an undoing or a redefining or a reversal of the prophetic promise in Isaiah. # Conclusion There are men who praise the authority of the Bible who also use Revelation 3:9 as the _proof_ that the church replaces Israel. But that is a curious, if not corrupting, way to recognize the authority of God's Word. > “what the Jews fondly expected from the Gentiles, they themselves will be forced to render to the Christians. They will play the role of the heathen and acknowledge that the church is the true Israel of God.” (Robert Mounce) > “This prophecy has been fulfilled ironically in the Gentile church, which has become true Israel by virtue of its faith in Christ. In contrast, ethnic Israel fulfills the role of the Gentiles because of their unbelief…. Isaiah's prophecies that the end-time salvation of Israel would spark off the salvation of the Gentiles has been fulfilled in an ironic manner.” (G.K. Beale) Beale at least thinks this refers to the _salvation_ of ethnic Jews rather than to their judgment, but he still thinks that Isaiah 60 doesn't happen like the Lord said. We do _not_ want the Lord to fulfill His promises _ironically_. > “We are being given a glimpse of the theme of the entire book of Revelation: the replacement of the old Jerusalem with the New Jerusalem, the replacement of old Israel with new Israel, and the replacement of the nation of Israel with the cosmic and ultimate city, the Church.” (Douglas Wilson) But an additional, similar, even ironic, promise and fulfillment does not cancel the original promise and fulfillment. He is the Keeper of His Kingdom, and we keep His Word because _He_ keeps His word. There is more about a pre-tribulation rapture (maybe), and discrimination and the conquer promise in the final part of Christ's message to the Philadelphians to see. --- ## Charge Jesus is the Keeper of the kingdom, and He has opened the door for all who believe. Let us not be ashamed of Him or of the gospel of the salvation He offers. He is not only the Keeper, Jesus is King, and ruler of the kings on earth (Revelation 1:5). Spread the news. ## Benediction: > Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28–29)

Pastor Mike continues the series in Romans, preaching on Why God Saves Gentiles.

"Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" [ROMANS 9:24-33] Recorded Wednesday evening, March 20th, 2019 at Sovereign Grace Church in New Caney, Texas USA

"Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" [ROMANS 9:24-33] Recorded Wednesday evening, March 20th, 2019 at Sovereign Grace Church in New Caney, Texas USA

"Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?" [ROMANS 9:24-33] Recorded Wednesday evening, March 20th, 2019 at Sovereign Grace Church in New Caney, Texas USA

In Romans, Paul is writing to the Northern Kingdom who had assimilated among the peoples. Ultimately, Paul’s teachings are going out to all Nations, peoples and tongues: Even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? Romans 9:24 Paul goes on to quote from Hosea, a book that was written to the Northern kingdom, stating the following: “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved. “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’There they shall be called sons of the living God. Romans 9:25-26 Paul is addressing and speaking about prophesies to the Northern Kingdom. Here is the prophecy from Deuteronomy 32:21: They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation. Who are the people who were “not a people” but who became a people? That is the Northern kingdom, as we can see from Hosea 1:10: “Yet the number of the children of Israel Shall be as the sand of the sea, Which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There it shall be said to them, ‘You are sons of the living God.’ For more of Eddie Chumney teachings and to listen to beautiful Messianic worship music, visit us at our internet streaming radio station, http://www.hebrootsradio.com/. Please visit our home page at: http://hebroots.org/

LifePoint Christian Church welcomes Jeremy Penn from The Crowded House Network. Jeremy explains in this section of Paul's letter to the Romans God is a God of second, third....infinite chances. God is calling back all who have stumbled and failed. ALL are welcome who repent. The grace of God is always present. 

Part 1 gives an overview of Paul explanation of the Fullness of the Gentiles. Part 2 contains the description concerning the Jew, Gentile and their relationship to Abraham.

This part of the message connects the Jew and Gentile together in the Church via the Blessing of Abraham taollfamilies of the earth. SGWTBM

In this study Jon Brueggemann begins on a short series that teaches on the history of Israel.  In this study you will begin to appreciate the time in which we are living with respect to Bible prophecy.  Listening to this and the next podcast will help paint a clear picture of this part of scripture.  We hope you have a blessed week!  www.revivaltabernaclene.org

Nothing Abraham did after he trusted God added to his justification. If you believe religious ritual in any way contributes to your justification you don’t believe the gospel. For more information visit arbordrive.org

Some people are uncomfortable with the idea that God chooses whom he will have mercy on. It sounds like God is a cold-hearted chess master who manipulates people for his own purposes. But Paul teaches us that God is patient and compassionate, withholding judgement so that mercy might be shown to both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 9:1-18)

Some people are uncomfortable with the idea that God chooses whom he will have mercy on. It sounds like God is a cold-hearted chess master who manipulates people for his own purposes. But Paul teaches us that God is patient and compassionate, withholding judgement so that mercy might be shown to both Jews and Gentiles (Romans 9:1-18)

This message was preached at New Testament Christian Fellowship in Conover, NC on August 9, 2015. The particular focus of this study is the Tribulation Temple and the outer court of the Gentiles that John is instructed not to measure. A line of contrast is also drawn between the "times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:24) and the "fulness of the Gentiles" (Romans 11:25).

Jews and Gentiles Romans 3,4

Verse 6 - Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Comments: Throughout his letters, the Apostle Paul (Rav Sha'ul) seems to take great interest in Avraham, referring to him no less than 29 times! Ya’akov (James) also makes use of Father Avraham in chapter 2 and verses 21-23 of his letter, going so far as to bring the binding of Isaac into the equation for us. For Ya’akov, Avraham’s faith was perfected by his corresponding actions. Germane to our study, however, is the phrase “credited to him as righteousness,” penned by Moshe in B’resheet (Genesis) 15:6 and referenced by Sha'ul in Romans 4:3 For what does the Tanakh say? "Avraham put his trust in God, and it was credited to his account as righteousness. Given its location within Paul’s arguments, both from Romans and Galatians, it is clear that the phrase is referring to imputed righteousness, that is, positional (forensic) right standing with HaShem. For Paul, it is axiomatic that Moshe describes this quality chronologically before Avraham receives the covenant of circumcision in B'resheet chapter 17. This bespeaks of the correct order in which to appropriate the covenant responsibilities of God. On the micro, saving faith in God, symbolized by God accrediting his account as righteous (Hebrew h'q'd.c tz’dakah), precedes the patriarch’s obedience to the sign of circumcision. On the macro, the covenant of Avraham precedes the covenant with Moshe. Thus, we can infer that Sha'ul brings Avraham into the argument to show that forensic righteousness is conferred to those who are not circumcised as well as to those who are—read Gentile and Jew respectively. Or is God the God of the Jews only? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, he is indeed the God of the Gentiles (Romans 3:29). And, Now is this blessing for the circumcised only? Or is it also for the uncircumcised? For we say that Avraham's trust was credited to his account as righteousness; but what state was he in when it was so credited - circumcision or uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision! In fact, he received circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness he had been credited with on the ground of the trust he had while he was still uncircumcised. This happened so that he could be the father of every uncircumcised person who trusts and thus has righteousness credited to him, and at the same time be the father of every circumcised person who not only has had a b'rit-milah, but also follows in the footsteps of the trust which Avraham avinu had when he was still uncircumcised (Romans 4:9-12). But what is it about the narrative in Genesis that leads Moshe to finally declare Avram/Avraham as righteous at this juncture? Is there something within the story that would cause any reader to make the same assumption? What was going on in the mind of the Holy One? Perhaps we can draw some conclusions by looking at the passage from a telescopic overview. Allow me elaborate? The flow of the Genesis narrative has been an interactive look at Avraham and his contending with God ever since God called him away from his native land in chapter 12:1-3. There, in what amounts to a unilateral agreement, we find that HaShem promises to increase his offspring beyond numbering. The corresponding covenant ceremony will later be enacted in p’sukim (verses) 7-20 of chapter 15. But leading up to this point, and trailing afterwards, is a grammatical clue as to what—or whom—Avraham actually placed his trust in!

Why don't you take your Bibles and open to the Book of Romans. We're beginning a new series of sermons in Romans today. Some of the things I've enjoyed as we reach the end of the millennium, the end of the century and started moving on, are the lists that people/experts have been making of the top 100 this or the top 50 that. Have you read any of them in the newspaper? Some of them have to do with athletics or different sports. Some of them have to do with significant events in history or significant personages. I know that Life Magazine had a book out all year, the top 100 events and the top 100 people of the last 1,000 years. And as I look over church history, over the last 2000 years since the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, I think that the most significant moment was the moment that a Jewish rabbi sat down and wrote the Book of Romans. As I look over church history, I see the number of times that God has used Romans to bring revival or to bring conversion or to transform an entire situation or to bring conversion to individuals. So I think the writing of Romans maybe if not the most significant, is one of the most significant moments in history. And isn't that kind of funny? If you had been back there at that time and just seen that man hunched over a table with pen to paper, you would've thought nothing significant is going on here. It's just somebody writing a letter, but this is the greatest letter ever written. And in these words is the gospel of your salvation if you are going to be saved. So I come to the brink of looking at Romans with extensive trepidation. I wonder if it's going to swallow me up. Donald Grey Barnhouse preached 11 years worth of sermons out of Romans. Rest easy I'm not going to do 11 years, but there's a lot of truth in here and there's a lot of things. What I'd like to do for you this morning is three things. Number one, I'd like to give you a sense from history of how God has used this book. Second of all, I'd like to look carefully at verse one, just the first verse about the man who wrote it, the Apostle Paul. And then third, I'd like to take you somewhat on a jet tour across the scope of all 16 chapters so you can see how the whole thing fits together. And I think it's a tremendous opportunity that we have. I've never heard any series of sermons preach on Romans. The things I've learned from Romans, I've learned from reading it myself or reading books or hearing individual sermons. So it actually is a tremendous opportunity that we have to look at the whole book and to go through it in a careful way. Romans in History The Conversion of Augustine Let's begin by looking at how God has used this book. I'd like to start around the year 387 with a man named Augustine. A long time ago when the Roman Empire was still in power, their was sitting in a walled garden in the City of Milan, a man named Augustine. And at that particular moment, he was a professor of philosophy and of rhetoric, and he was also in deep torment about the course of his life. He was grieved over what had happened up to that point. He was tearing at himself and tearing at his soul. The reason why is that he had lived a life of debauchery and of sexual immorality. He had fathered a child out of wedlock, he had a godly mother who had been praying for his conversion for many years, but to no avail. And he continued more and more to burn with lust and with passion, and yet at the same time to feel the burn of God's indignation of a sentence of wrath and of judgement in his heart and he could not escape. And as he sat in that walled garden and he was tearing at himself and just saying, "Oh God, how long, oh Lord will You make me wait? How long until I finally believe? How long until You transform my life?" He kept praying, and he said "Will it be tomorrow and tomorrow?" Always tomorrow. And at that moment as he was crying and crying out to God, he heard a delicate voice of a child from the yard next door. He was singing a child's rhyme and in Latin it said, "Tolle lege, tolle lege" like that, which means "Take up and read, take up and read." He thought he'd never heard anything like this before. Children don't generally play singing "Take up and read." He'd never heard that as a child rhyme when he was a child and it got him to thinking that perhaps this was God's answer to his prayer. It just so happen that there was nearby a copy of the scripture. And he decided if this was a message from God, he would open up randomly to whatever scripture God might have for him and he would look at it and allow that to speak to him. Have you ever done that? Have you ever just opened the Bible and said, "Oh God, speak to me," and there it is. But this was what Augustine did. And he opened it up and just by “chance” (if you believe in chance), he opened up for Romans 13:14, and this is what Romans 13:14 says, "Not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to satisfy it's lust." Is that an accident? At that moment, he believed in Jesus Christ. His mother was nearby, he ran and told her, I can't even tell you the joy that she felt that all her years of prayer had finally been answered and her son had given his life to Jesus Christ. One verse of the Book of Romans converted arguably the greatest theologian of the ancient church. The Conversion of Luther Move on ahead in history now over a 1000 years. Now we're going to move into the Holy Roman Empire and into Germany. In the Holy Roman Empire and Germany, there was a monastery and within the walls of the monastery was a monk, an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther. He was every bit as much in bondage as Augustine had been over a 1000 years before that, but he was in bondage to religious legalism. And he felt the same sentence of the wrath of God and the judgment of God inside his heart against him for he was a sinner, and he knew it, and he was afraid. He had entered the monastery because of a thunder and lightning storm. He fell on his face on the ground covered with mud, and he cried out to St. Anne (they prayed to saints). He prayed to St. Anne, he said "Oh, Anne help me, I will become a monk." Well, apparently she did help him, and he survived the thunder and lightning storm, so he did enter the monastery. And there he decided and began to work out a salvation from the fabric of his own good works, can that be done? No, but he tried and he said if ever anyone could have entered the Kingdom of Heaven by monkery, it would have been me. He spent long nights in fasting and prayer just about destroyed his health. Many, many hours he spent in that cold monastery. Comfort is a thing of the 21st century and the 20th century. It is not a thing of the Holy Roman Empire in the early 1500s. He just about destroyed himself with his fasting and prayer. And as he worked on it and as he continued to struggle over his soul, he grew to hate the things of God because nothing brought him comfort. And he came across a specific verse, actually two verses in Romans 1. Romans 1:16-17, “I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed, a righteousness that is from faith to faith just as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Now when he looked at that expression, “righteousness of God,” it brought him terror and fear. He thought the righteousness of God would come crashing down on him on judgment day and convict him as the sinner he was until somehow the light came through. And he realized verse 16 was testifying of a power for salvation, not for condemnation, and that this righteousness from God was the very thing that brought about the salvation. And he said the righteousness of God is not God's righteousness, but the righteousness, which God gives as a gift to any who will simply believe by faith. And the reformation was born. One section, one small section, two verses of Romans, and the reformation came out of that. That's the power of the gospel and that's the power of the Book of Romans. Assurance for John Wesley Move on ahead, over 200 years later to the story of John Wesley. Now, Wesley was a Christian. He was an ordained minister in the Anglican Church, but he had no peace, no fruitfulness, nothing in his life to testify to him being a child of God. He had been on missionary trips. He had tried everything, much like Martin Luther had before, but he had no assurance of his own salvation. It does not mean he was not saved, just meant he had no assurance that he was a Christian. And he testifies that he came very unwillingly to a meeting of a society, a religious society of Aldersgate Street. Note the words very unwillingly. Isn't that wonderful? Do you think that Paul who wrote this came very willingly into the gospel? Oh, No. But he said "I don't want to go but I will go anyway." I don't know what his reasons were, maybe he was people pleasing, maybe his brother Charles invited him, who knows, but he went very unwillingly. And at that meeting, guess what they were reading? They were reading Martin Luther's preface to the Book of Romans. And as he began to unfold the doctrine of justification by faith alone, which is found in the words of Romans, this is what Wesley wrote. "About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change, which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, in Christ alone for my salvation and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine and had saved me from the law of sin and death." John Wesley was the Father of Methodism, which swept the American frontier and saved many souls, but it all started with him coming face-to-face with the truths found in the Book of Romans. Karl Barth Confronting Liberalism One more study, in 1919, a young Swiss theologian was finishing a commentary on this very book, commentary on Romans. Now at that time in Europe, the prevailing doctrine, the prevailing theology was called liberalism and the basic idea of liberalism was the fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man. But that idea seemed to lay in ashes on the fields of the World War I battle fields, which were there in Europe. Liberalism seemed to be bankrupt and yet it still was holding a grip on the minds of the people until Karl Barth wrote a commentary, a verse by verse commentary on the Book of Romans. Now Barth's theology was somewhat skewed in some places, but just the power of the commentary and the verse by verse destroyed liberalism forever. Some liken Barth to a Swiss pastor going up into the belfry in a spiral staircase and losing his footing, starting to fall and grabbing the rope of the bell and as he grabbed it, the bell clang loudly and woke up everyone in the sleeping village. Because after Barth's commentary to Romans, nothing was ever the same again. These are four case studies of Romans that worked throughout history. We have the first Augustine, who was inflamed with lust, a prisoner to his own sin nature and he could not escape, the more he tried, the worse it got, and he could not get out, he was a slave to sin and he knew it. One verse from Romans freed him forever. Martin Luther was a slave to religious legalism. He thought by his own prayer and fasting he might escape the wrath of God, but he could not and he knew it, it was impossible for him by his own good deeds to come to any piece of mind, any assurance that he was saved. One little section from Romans transformed everything, even one phrase, “the righteousness of God” understood properly. And then John Wesley, perhaps a Christian, maybe not, but certainly with no assurance doing good works, even having a ministry. And yet the gospel came in through the power of the Book of Romans and transformed him and transformed his heart and gave him assurance. And then the case of Karl Barth, sweeping away false teaching by a verse by verse exposition of this book. This is a powerful letter is it not? Have you ever seen anything, which has the transforming power of the 16 chapters of the Book of Romans, the greatest letter ever written? Now Romans has a power the goes beyond our ability to comprehend. This Book of Romans will strip you naked and then clothe you in robes made in heaven. It will do both. There is strong meat in here, not everyone has the teeth to chew it, but it still needs to be proclaimed. And this gospel, the gospel of Romans needs to be preached to believers as we shall see. Because it's not just a gospel of our justification, which we'll talk about this morning, but it is also a gospel that brings us all the way perfect into heaven. Until our journey is complete, we need to understand the truths in the Book of Romans. That's the power of Romans. Overview or Romans The Apostle Paul So what I want to do, is I want to go in a kind of an omni-vision sense, kind of soaring over the 16 chapters. I remember when I was in Boston I saw a film taken from the Space Shuttle going around the globe from North Pole to South Pole like that, going down across Europe. And they covered Europe and the Earth in about ten minutes. As you looked down you could see everything, and they were describing the cities that they were flying over. That's about what I want to do with these 16 chapters. As we look across, I think it's very important for us to understand the argumentation. Some of you perhaps have seen the “Romans Road,” and I want to kind of fill it out for you this morning. But let's begin by looking at verse one and try to understand the man who wrote this tremendous letter. The Apostle Paul, a trophy of God's sovereign grace. It says in verse one, "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God." Now, the key question here is not so much "Who was Paul?" I think as you look at these three titles, these three things that he says about himself, in which he calls himself a servant of Christ Jesus, called, which is passive, called by someone to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God. The question therefore is not who was the apostle Paul, but whose was the Apostle Paul? You know these days we're in kind of angst all the time, trying to determine “who am I?” Who am I? That's the question of the late 20th century into the 21st. Don't ask that question. Ask “whose am I?” For if you belong to Jesus Christ then you have eternal life. That's the significant question, “whose am I?” Now, whose was Paul? He belonged to Jesus Christ, and these three things that he says about himself show it. The first is a shocking title for him to say, he calls himself "a bondslave." It's somewhat tame, "a servant of Christ Jesus." But it really means “bondslave” of Christ Jesus. In Roman society, (and he was writing to Romans), the bondslave was the lowest rung of culture. Absolutely the bottom. You did not want to be a bondslave, but he calls himself a bondslave of Christ Jesus. Paul seems to even delight in that title because he uses it about himself frequently. Now there are three aspects to being a bondslave. Number one, you are purchased with a price. Someone paid money for you. If you were going to be a bondslave, they paid for you. Is that true of us as Christians? Are we paid for? Are we purchased with a price? Oh yes we are. 1 Corinthians 7:23, "You were bought at a price; therefore do not become slaves of men." Someone paid something for you, something very valuable, the blood of Jesus Christ. Bought at a price and Paul knew that he had been purchased by the blood of Christ. Secondly, you are not your own. What does that mean? It means your time isn't your own. A slave or servant doesn't get up and say, "What will I do today? It's a beautiful day. Maybe I'll get the family and we'll go for a picnic." Do you think that would work? If you're a bondslave? You didn't even think it. It torments you to think, "What will I do today?" Instead you go to the master. You're not your own, your time isn't your own, your resources are not your own, your body is not your own. Well that kind of grates a little bit for us Americans. We love freedom, don't we? Paul spoke of being free in his bondage to Jesus Christ. Everything he owned was Christ. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "You are not your own, you were bought at a price." That means your things belong to Him. Thirdly, living for the pleasure of the master. You live moment by moment for the pleasure of the one who purchased you, and Paul knew that. And this gave him tremendous freedom in his ministry. He was not afraid or intimidated whatsoever by what people thought about him. It didn't matter what they thought. He says so in Galatians 1:10, one of the most freeing verses for a minister of the gospel if you'll just believe it. Galatians 1:10, Paul says, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I was still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." He's free from that. He's not a second-hander getting it all on reflex from other people. "Do you like me? Do you like what I'm saying? Well, then I feel good about myself. That's such bondage. He only had one person in mind every day... Jesus Christ. And if Jesus was pleased with him, then he was pleased with himself. He was a bondservant of Christ. And it's good because you know the doctrine of Romans is heavy stuff, and there are things in here, which are unpopular. And if somebody is not this kind of a bondservant, they won't preach this book, they won't live this book or believe it. Paul could never have carried on his ministry if he were a pleaser of men and of women. Instead, he would stand up here and he would simply say, "This is the truth, whether you believe it or not. I hope you believe it for your sake, but not because I'm concerned what you think about me while I change even a single line of this gospel." That's the freedom that he had. He was a bondslave of Jesus Christ. Secondly, he was an apostle of Christ Jesus. Now there were certain requirements to be an apostle. First, you had to see Jesus with your own eyes, the resurrected Christ with your own eyes. Secondly, you had to be commissioned by Jesus Christ to preach and teach the gospel for the building of the church. Paul met both of those criteria. And therefore, Paul with the other apostles and also with the prophets who was in Ephesians 2:20, the foundation of the church. The doctrine that he taught and that the prophets bring forth, which we have a record of here in scripture, is the foundation of the church. It's unshakable, it will never move. There is no, as I heard earlier today, I love this, "There is no millennium bug in the Bible. It roles over just fine, it never changes." And so it's an unshakable foundation. And Paul preached it. And a large section of the New Testament was committed to him by Revelation, and he communicated it to us. He was an apostle of Jesus Christ and Finally, he was set apart for the gospel of God. Now, “set apart” means you have to be set apart from something. He was set apart from the world, he was set apart from his own career. He was a career person, he was climbing the ladder of success in Pharisee as in getting higher and higher. He turned his back on it all, turned his back on it for Jesus Christ. He was set apart for a different purpose. Well, when was he set apart? He was set apart from his mother's womb. Now, this is interesting. Galatians 1:15 says, "When God has set me apart from birth, was pleased to reveal the son in me." He was called to preach, but set apart from birth to do it. Well, you could say, "What a detour, Paul. What happened to you, so that you became an enemy of Jesus Christ? You hated him, you rejoiced when Stephen, his martyr, was slain and then you went on the war path and personally destroyed Christian household after Christian household. What happened to you?" And you know what he would say? "I'll tell you what happened to me, the grace of God happened to me. So that I might be a trophy for God's grace. God allowed me to wonder into rebellion, to be a prosecutor of the church." He says in 1 Timothy 1:16, "I was shown mercy, so that in me the worst of all sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." "God let me wonder into rebellion so that I could be an encouragement to others who would do the same. " And for centuries, he's been just that, hasn't he? You look at the apostle Paul, almost a paradigm example of conversion. The Damascus Road Experience, as he's riding into Damascus, going into Damascus, trying to arrest Christians. And just like that, God's grace grabs hold of him and brings him into the kingdom. And what does he set apart for? He set apart for the Gospel of God, he set apart to preach this gospel. And I love that expression, “Gospel of God.” We'll talk about it more next week. This is God's gospel. This isn't Paul's gospel. We had a discussion earlier today about the authority of Paul and in effect, "Who does Paul think he is?" Well, it really doesn't matter that much who Paul thinks he is. He is a prophet, communicate in gospel, but the gospel comes from God. This is God's gospel. And it is the gospel of salvation. "I am not ashamed therefore of the gospel, [says Paul] because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Now, as we've looked at Paul and we've tried to understand him, I would like to now move to his gospel and try to understand what this gospel is. What is this message of our salvation and how is it the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes? I think that Romans answers one central question. Many others as well, but one main question for us. How can a sinful, human being escape the just wrath and condemnation of God and come into an eternal relationship with Him in glory, in face-to-face fellowship? How can that happen? How can we be moved from vessels of wrath and just condemnation into vessels of glory in his presence, in heaven forever. And Romans answers that story. It describes the whole journey. Describes the power of God to accomplish it all. But it is primarily the gospel of God's grace. We're going to talk a lot about grace, but you have to understand grace properly. You will understand grace properly when we go carefully through chapters one and two and three. And when you understand from the scripture who you were apart from Christ, you will know grace at that time. But we'll wait for that. I'm going to ask now nine major questions to partition the book into nine major divisions. We're going to see the book divided in this way. The first has to do with justification itself and that is, "Why do we need it? Why do we need justification?" So we subtitle this, The Universal Problem of Sin, Romans 1, 2 and 3. The second division is in Romans 3 itself and that is, "How is justification made possible? How is it possible for sinners like us to be saved?" Romans 3:21-26, I believe, is the center theologically of your entire Bible. I'll say that again, Romans 3:21-26 is the center, theologically, of your entire Bible. If you understand those verses properly, you get it. You understand the gospel. So, like Christ's atonement. Number three, "How does one receive justification?" Okay, Christ provided justification, but how does it become beneficial for me? How do I get it? And that is justification by faith alone, Romans 3 and 4. Question number four, "How does justification guarantee final salvation? How does justification guarantee that in the end we will be saved?" Romans 5, assurance of salvation. Romans 5:1-12, 12 of the most encouraging verses you'll find in all scripture. Assurance of salvation, alright? Next question, how should a justified person wrestle with the ongoing problem of sin in his or her life? And may I say to you, if you're not wrestling with sin, you're not a Christian. If you're not struggling and fighting sin, if you're not seeking to put sin to death, you're not a believer. Romans 8 tells us that, we'll get to that. The spirit of God is put in you and leads you to put sin to death in your life. Romans 6, 7 and 8, answer that problem, that question of ongoing struggle with sin in your life. Romans 6 talks about sanctification. Romans 7, the problem of indwelling sin in our fleshly nature. In Romans 8, the liberating power of the Holy Spirit of God and all that that means, Romans, 6, 7 and 8. Then the question, what about the Jews? If all this is true, then how can it be true in effect if the Jews aren't receiving their own messiah? If so many Jews are rejecting Christ, how can it be true? And so Romans 9, 10, and 11 are set apart to answer that. First he answers it personally, talking about God's freedom in election personally in Romans 9. Romans 10, some great verses on calling on the name of the Lord so we understand how people are saved. They quote it all the time. Romans 11, talking about the national election or choosing of the Jews as God's people. Romans 9, 10, and 11, dealing with the problem of the Jews. And then, how should a justified person live daily life in this world? Well, in the beginning of Romans 12, it says we should be “living sacrifices.” We should be living sacrifices. And that will mean certain things, Romans 12 and 13. Number eight, how should a justified person live with other weak believers? We have to get along with one another don't we? And how do we do it? Freedom tempered by love, Romans 14 and 15. And finally, how should a justified person follow Paul in service to Christ? The gospel for the Gentiles, Romans 15 and 16. While I've given you a big overview now, my strategy always in teaching the Bible is give the big picture and then come in a little bit more and then come in more and more that way. So now let's look at each of these topics a little bit and try to understand them. Why do we need justification? The Universal Problem of Sin (Romans 1-3) Topic one, the universal problem of sin. Why do we need justification? That is the purpose of Romans 1, 2, and 3. Paul introduces the whole gospel in Romans 1:1-7. And he says that his ministry is to bring about the obedience of faith among the Gentiles. And to that end, he's going to preach the gospel. It is the gospel, which brings about the obedience of faith. Verses 8-17 of chapter one, Paul says that he desires to visit Rome. "Don't think Romans that I've neglected you. I haven't forgotten you. Yes, I'm the apostle to the Gentiles and yes, you are the pinnacle church among the Gentiles because you're at the center of the Roman Empire. I have not forgotten you, but I have been prevented from coming to Rome up to this point. I've been praying for you. And I'm yearning even now that I might be able to visit you." Romans 1:16-17, as I've said is the thesis statement of the entire book. "I'm not ashamed of the gospel because of the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. First for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel, a righteousness from God is revealed. A righteousness that is by faith. And first to last, just as it is written, the righteous will live by faith." Now in verses 18-32 of chapter one, God or Paul, goes through verse by verse to explain God's wrath against sinful humanity. And he talks about two descents, they go down from the glory in which they were created. They were created in glory. Remember we saw that in Genesis. Created in the image of God, but there is a descent down from that. It's not a matter in history of evolution, but of devolution, going down. And the descents are described in chapter one. A descent into gross idolatry in which the images of God were made to look like moral man and birds and animals and reptiles, idolatry. And the descent into gross immorality where the natural function between man and woman was exchanged for perversion. The twin descents of chapter one and God's wrath against that. Chapter 2:1-16, he says that everyone who lives in this life is storing up wrath against themselves for the day of God's wrath, when His righteous judgement will be revealed. That is the problem the Romans seeks to address whether you believe it or not. If you're a non-believer, you are storing up or accumulating wrath for the day of judgement. This message is the only one that will save you from that wrath. And that's why it is the power of God for salvation. Wrath of God verse 5, key verse, Romans 2:5. "Because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." In the end of chapter two, he deals with self-righteous Jews who feel that just because they are Jews, just because they have the law, just because they have circumcision, they're okay. And He says, "It isn't true. You don't keep the law. Now if you're truly a Jew, circumcised on the heart, now that'd be a different thing. But you're only circumcised in the outside, it hasn't transformed you from within. And so the Gentiles, they will be judged apart from the law. You Jews will be judged by the law. But either way, you will be judged if you don't believe this gospel." He culminates the whole thing in a tremendous statement of the universality of sin, Romans 3:1-20, in which he cites one verse after another from the Old Testament to show that sin touches everybody and everything. There's no one righteous, not even one. He says in Romans 3:9-10, "There is no one righteous, not even one." Jesus said this, "There is no one good but God alone." This sin has come and perverted everything and therefore, we need justification. That is the first great lesson of the Book of Romans. How was justification made possible? Christ’s Atonement (Romans 3) Second of all, how is justification provided? Romans 3:21-26 explains it plainly. Romans 3:23-25 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Him as a propitiation or a sacrifice of atonement through faith and His blood." That's the gospel. Jesus died in your place. He took the wrath of God on Himself and extinguished it for all who believe in Him. And there is no wrath, there is no condemnation for those who have faith in Christ because of Romans 3:21-25. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement. Well, was that good for everyone? No. It's good for those who believe. The gospel is the power of God for who…? For the believers, for those who believe its message, not for the unbelievers, but for the believers. How does one receive justification? Justification by Faith (Romans 3-4) So, how do I get it? How does it come to me personally? How do I receive the benefits from Christ's death? He says so on Romans 3 and 4. How do we receive justification? We receive it simply by faith. Key verse there, Romans 3:21, "But now righteousness from God apart from law has been made known to which the law and the prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." There is no difference. Everyone gets it by faith. And Abraham was set up as the example of our forefather in faith. Abraham heard a promise of good news, and he believed it and he was justified. So, you also, even now, even right now are hearing a promise of forgiveness through faith in Christ's name. And the believers receive it. They say, "Hey man. I want it. I believe it." Do you realize that salvation could be going on right this moment? I prayed this morning it would. I'm opening my heart to you, I'm telling you that I prayed when I got to this point in my sermon that someone would be saved because faith comes from hearing this message. I'm quoting Scripture, I'm quoting Romans, Augustin's example, Luther's. It could be happening right now. Look at your neighbor, you can't see it, but it might be happening. Justification by faith might be occurring right this moment. If you have faith, if you trust in this message and in the savior portrayed here, you will be saved. It's just that simple. How does justification guarantee final salvation? Assurance of Salvation (Romans 5) What of assurance? We don't see it, God doesn't send the angels down, what do we do? How do we know? Well, God just deals with that, in Romans 5, the assurance that we have. But not only the experience we have now is just not one-time only, but it will carry on till the end of our lives. What we have begun, we will finish. We can't fail, but God will bring us right on through Judgement Day and to heaven. Praise God. Judgement Day hasn't occurred yet. And so, we're all standing in confidence. Is it going to work? It's one thing for an athletic team to be confident, they're going to win the victory, or for a student to say, "I'm going to pass that test." but that test hasn't come yet. The game hasn't occurred yet, how do you know? You know, because God keeps his promises, Romans 5, assurance of salvation. How should a justified person wrestle with the ongoing problem of sin? Sanctification by the Spirit: (Romans 6-8) Alright. What about the problem of sin in my life? Alright. If I'm justified, then why do I still sin? Have you ever asked that question? Are you wrestling with sin? Are you weary of it? Are you weary of temptation working? Aren't you tired of it being effective? I wish that temptation would come and not touch me, the way that magnetic attraction doesn't touch wood, I wish I would be like a block of wood in a magnetic field, doesn't touch me, but it does touch me, and I grieve over it. Why is that? What can I do about it? Romans 6, 7 and 8. Romans 6 says you're free. You're not a slave to sin anymore. The son has made you free. You don't ever have to sin again. There's no compulsion to sin anymore. Romans 6, you're free. You're a slave to righteousness now. You're the slave the way that Paul was, a slave to goodness and to obedience. So therefore, if that's true, then present the parts of your body to God, to serve him. Don't use the parts of your body for sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather use the parts of your body in slavery to righteousness leading to ever increasing holiness, that's how you should use your body now. Alright. I want to. It's new year's, let's make some resolutions. You know how I love to do that. From now on, I'm never going to sin again. Does that work? No. And if it works for you, I want to know your secret. Romans 7 tells you why it's not going to work, because of the power of the flesh. Oh, it's strong. And the key verse there in Romans 7, Paul says, "What a wretched man I am. Who will free me from this body of death?" If this body had its way, it would take me right to hell. Who's going to free me from it? It's good at sin, it's been doing it a long time. Oh God, free me from it, but thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And that brings us in to the great answer, Romans 8, the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit in your life, for triumph over sin, by the spirit you can put to death the misdeeds of the body. By the spirit, you have the power to say, NO! "No. Satan I won't do that." and he will flee from you. Praise God. Romans chapter 8, the spirit filled life. And now comes all kinds of fruitfulness, you can say, "Okay. Now, here I am. Filled with the spirit. Nothing can separate me from the love of God. It's absolutely guaranteed. It's... Nothing shall separate us from the love of God. Shall trial, a persecution, a hardship or nakedness or peril or danger or sword, nothing will separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus." Why are so few of the Jews justified? God’s Chosen People (Romans 9-11) But wait a minute Paul, what about your countrymen there? What about the Jews? It seems like they've fallen away from God. If then can fall away, then I can fall away too. Not so. And Paul explains it in Romans chapter 9, God bringing together an elect group, 7000 who have not bowed their knee to bail. He says, "I'm an Israelite, I haven't fallen. I believe. I'm a Jew. And I'm praying for my people that they may be saved." You should pray for the Jewish people that they may be saved. Paul did. Nowadays Jewish evangelism is very unpopular, did you know that? We caught some heat…Southern Baptists did on this. We'll talk about it more next time. The Jewish people who do not yet believe in Jesus as their messiah, they need to be saved. Paul said so. Because he prayed for his own people that they would be saved. Romans 10 explains how if they confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead, they will be saved. And the gospel is going out to the ends of the earth, they're hearing it. That some of them are responding and some aren't. Why is that? The remnant chosen by grace, he explains it very plainly. But what about the nation, aren't they God's chosen people? Yes they are God's chosen people. And therefore in the end, all Israel will be saved. That does not mean every single solitary individual Jew will be saved. That's not true. Judas was a Jew and he's in hell. It's not true that every single solitary person (Jewish person), is going to be saved but the bulk of the Jewish nation will come to understand that their messiah is Jesus Christ. Praise God. You should pray for that, Romans 11:25, "All Israel will be saved." So that's God chosen people, Romans 9, 10, 11. How should a justified person live daily life in this world? Living Sacrifices (Romans 12-13) Alright, now we've looked at 11 chapters of doctrine. It's good to ask at that point, how should we then live? How should I live? How should I live my life? It's just another Sunday, it's just another Monday. I have to get up and go to work. How should I live? What should I live for? Only God would bring me to heaven when I become justified, wouldn't that be great? Born again, you disappear, wouldn't that be great? God doesn't do that. At least not for most people. For most of us, we have years to go before we see God. Well why are we here? Romans 12:1-2 says that we are in view of all of God's mercy to present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Don't be conformed by the ways of the world and thinking like the world does. But be transformed. How? By reading this. Can I challenge somebody to memorize Romans this year? Can I challenge somebody? I'm not going to ask for a show of hands, alright then just pick your favorite chapter, pick Romans 8, its 39 verses, some of the greatest, it will transform your life to just understand it. Saturate your minds in the Word of God, saturate your minds. Romans 12:2, alright well then what? Okay now that my mind's saturated, I'm a living sacrifice, what am I to do? I am to do, you know what the answer is? Spiritual gifts. Isn't that amazing? That's Paul's answer. I'm going to use my Spiritual gift to build the body of Christ. Oh it's very same thing he said in Ephesians 4. That key moment after three chapters in Ephesians of doctrine. The answer is what should I do? Spiritual gifts. Use my gifts to build up the church. Each one of you has a Spiritual gift, are you using it? If your gift is teaching, you should teach. If it is encouraging, you should encourage. If it's administration, we need you. Give us a call. Anything. Whatever... However God has gifted you, if you don't know what it is, it's part of our job as ministers to help you find out what it is so that you can use it. I've said before about Spiritual gifts, it's not yours. God's going to want it back with interest. Are you using it? Spiritual gifts, that's how you're used. And you're also to walk in holiness, Romans 13, the very verse that converted Augustine. You put on the lord Jesus Christ and you don't walk in ungodliness, you walk in purity and in holiness. How should a justified person live with other weak believers? Freedom Tempered by Love (Romans 14-15) Alright, how do we get along with one another? Not very well. That's the answer to that. Well we should. Romans 14 and 15, we're not to be judging someone else's servant. We're not to be criticizing one another. We're supposed to be building each other up in love. We're supposed to build up one another in love. Yes we can eat food sacrificed to idols. Yes we can drink but if my eating and drinking causes someone else to stumble, I'm not going to do it. Because I love my brother and I love my sister. Romans 14, 19 is the key verse there. "Therefore let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." Mutual edification, that means building up the body of Christ. I'm going to do anything I can to build you up in your faith. You should do anything you can to build me and others up in our faith. Anything that leads to peace and to mutual edification that's what we're going to do. How should a justified person follow Paul in service to Christ? The Gospel for the Gentiles (Romans 15) And finally, what shall we do for the rest of our lives? How should a justified person follow Paul in service to Christ? Preach the gospel. Paul's determination was that he would preach the gospel in a place where Christ have not yet been named. He was going to take the gospel to regions beyond. He was a tent making missionary. We should let his example challenge us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. The lord will not return until the work is finished. We are to follow Paul as an example. Relentlessly pursuing unbelieving gentiles until they come into the obedience of faith and praying for Paul's countrymen, the Jews that they may do the same. Well you now have the jet tour through the Book of Romans. Are there some details we skipped? Well, according to Barnhouse, 11 years worth of details. So of course there's all kinds of details, but you see the big picture, it is the gospel of your salvation, it takes you from being dead basically as it says in Ephesians in your transgression and sins under the wrath of God takes you all the way into glory in heaven. That's what this message does. By the way of application I guess I want to urge you as we preach through this. Make the most of this opportunity. I think of the New Year in terms of opportunity. Opportunity, there's time. God has given us time today. Let's make the most of it. As I go through Romans, allow yourself to be saturated by it's message, don't blow it off. You may never again hear the book of Romans preach through, you may never hear it again, I've never heard of up to this point, it's the first time for me, make the most of it, learn the gospel, it is a scandal in American churches today how little we understand this book. It's the scandal how little we understand the doctrines in this book and this is the gospel of our salvation. May God be pleased to bless First Baptist, that that can't be said of us after we get finished. Make the most it, if you are a believer take in the message, allow it to challenge you along those twin paths of sanctification in service to God. And if you're not a believer, I pray that you entered here not a believer, but you're believer now, you heard the gospel today. Jesus Christ dead on the cross raised from the dead by the power of God, all you need to do is confess that He is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and you will be saved. Let's pray.

"To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world."(Letter to the Romans, 1:7-8)The Letter to the Romans or Epistle to the Romans is a New Testament Greek language text written by Paul of Tarsus, the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13) and addressed to the Christians of Rome, whom he described as known "throughout the world" (Romans 1:8) for their great faith. The letter, the longest of those composed by Paul, is considered his most important theological legacy. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed to explain that salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.(From Italian Wikipedia)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

"To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world."(Letter to the Romans, 1:7-8)The Letter to the Romans or Epistle to the Romans is a New Testament Greek language text written by Paul of Tarsus, the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13) and addressed to the Christians of Rome, whom he described as known "throughout the world" (Romans 1:8) for their great faith. The letter, the longest of those composed by Paul, is considered his most important theological legacy. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed to explain that salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.(From Italian Wikipedia)