26-0705sc Transcript

(0:04) Okay, I think I’m ready. (0:08) New American Standard, Chapter 9. (0:12) And I’ve been trying to piece together all the information that is found in 9, 10, and 11, (0:19) because I believe that they all go hand in hand. (0:25) I’m a reader, not a studier.

(0:28) I like to read. (0:30) And the skill of reading is something that I have not completely mastered yet, (0:39) but I like to think I have. (0:44) So before we go into the Romans, let’s have a word of prayer.

(0:52) Most gracious heaven and Father, we thank you so much for this opportunity we have (0:57) to gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ (1:01) with the purpose of studying your Word, (1:04) the Word that you provided to us through the Holy Spirit (1:07) and the pens of the authors of each book. (1:12) The book that we’re studying today is Romans, (1:15) and we pray that you will help us understand Paul’s thoughts (1:22) and the way in which he puts things together (1:24) and how he wants to get the information across to us via the Holy Spirit. (1:31) We pray that you will provide us with the understanding and insight (1:36) and the wisdom that is needed to study Romans, (1:42) and especially chapters 9, 10, and 11.

(1:45) We pray that you will be with us in this study and bless us. (1:50) This is the prophet in Jesus' name. Amen.

(1:56) As I read, I’ve been ruminating. (2:06) The thing that I have been doing is ruminating (2:12) and trying to put together the thoughts that are there. (2:18) So let’s revisit chapter 9 again.

(2:21) This will be the third time we’ve been in there, (2:23) but let’s visit chapter 9 one more time (2:27) and see what we can get out of it (2:31) and ask some questions along the way. (2:36) The reason why I wanted to do that is because Paul has a purpose (2:41) in stating the plight of the Israelites, (2:46) and he’s feeling very, very sorry for them. (2:49) And there’s a reason why he’s feeling sorry for them.

(2:55) And he is giving us the background concerning them as a group of people. (3:05) And as a group of people, they have been blessed very greatly by God, (3:11) and God has been using them to establish His existence. (3:17) But for some reason or other, the Israelites are not meeting God’s approval.

(3:28) And Paul is wanting us to appreciate the fact that (3:33) there’s a reason why they are not meeting God’s approval. (3:38) And he points that out to us down at the bottom there (3:41) because it says they were pursuing, verse 30, (3:47) What shall we say then? (3:48) That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness attained righteousness, (3:54) but the righteousness that is by faith, however, (4:02) Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. (4:07) Why? (4:07) Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though they could by works.

(4:16) They stumbled over the stumbling stone, just as it is written, (4:20) Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, (4:26) and the one who believes in Him will not be put to shame. (4:31) And I think that that summary is telling us what he wants us to know in this chapter 9. (4:44) Let’s read it together and see if we can’t ponder and ruminate (4:54) the logic that Paul wants us to get out of (4:58) why the Israelites are in this state of (5:06) in the plight that they are in because obviously they’re lost. (5:10) And Paul’s crying out for them to be saved.

(5:14) So what is he asking for? He’s asking for them to have a change in attitude, (5:19) a change in way that they’re approaching God. (5:22) And the way they have been approaching God has been wrong. (5:26) And so he’s concerned about that.

(5:30) But he’s telling us that God has done everything possible to breed them. (5:37) And that’s the concept that I get is breeding. (5:42) I have always been of the concept that when God came to Abraham, (5:51) Abraham was nothing.

(5:55) His faith and everything was like that of those people that he was living with. (6:01) They were worshiping this idol, and he was living in Ur of Chaldea, (6:06) and the Chaldeans were very definitely idol worshipers, (6:10) and they had a humongous temple that people would go to. (6:14) And so Abraham apparently had a belief in God, (6:22) and that’s what Paul points out in chapter 10 (6:25) about how the Israelites ignorantly approached God and his righteousness, (6:33) the righteousness that he wanted them to have.

(6:36) They were ignorant concerning that righteousness that God wanted them to have. (6:42) But I think that when we’re looking at this, (6:45) and especially when Paul points out the fact that he picked out Abraham, (6:54) and then he tells Abraham, you’re not going to breed just any old kid. (7:00) That’s what he was telling Paul concerning Ishmael.

(7:04) You’re not going to breed just any old kid. (7:06) That’s just not a barnyard. (7:10) So he’s doing what a breeder would do.

(7:13) What does a breeder do? (7:15) What does the horticulture do? (7:17) He selects, and he’s going to be using horticulture as an illustration in chapter 11, (7:25) but he’s telling us that God’s divine intervention, providence, and preservation (7:31) is nurturing the goal that he wants to have. (7:37) What is his goal? (7:38) To have faith for people to worship him in faith and come to him through Jesus. (7:48) That’s his goal.

(7:49) We read about that in Ephesians, (7:52) and that was the whole purpose why God created the heavens and the earth. (7:57) Before he even created the heavens and the earth, (7:59) he had the purpose that we would be saved through Jesus, (8:03) and we’d be glorifying God because of his love and providing Jesus for our salvation. (8:09) And so we’d be glorifying him.

(8:11) So God is manipulating mankind to get to that place where Jesus comes in, (8:20) and the population, some of the population, not the whole world, (8:25) but some of the population will be receptive of the message that Jesus is going to give. (8:31) And so he’s breeding out a group of people who will have an open ear for what Jesus had to say (8:44) and what the gospel later on comes along. (8:48) And so I think that that’s where the word elect comes in.

(8:52) We are the elect. (8:55) What makes us the elect? (8:57) It’s not because God is picking you out. (9:01) He’s talking about a group of people who have an ear to hear.

(9:07) He’s talking about a group of people that is receptive to the message that God wants them to have. (9:17) And those are the ones that are elect. (9:20) Just like the righteous, (9:21) the righteous are the ones who follow God’s will and live their lives the way God wants them to live, (9:30) morally, you know, religiously.

(9:34) And so, in essence, the elect are the people who have a receptive ear to the message of salvation. (9:46) And so they’re going to be the elect. (9:49) And those are the ones who God has basically brought about by breeding.

(10:00) Not too long ago, probably it’s been a while because I can’t remember all of the phases, (10:09) but I sat in the audience of this one guy that had developed a theory, (10:15) and I thought it was very, very good. (10:18) And the theory is that there’s a spectrum of people. (10:26) In this spectrum, you have a group of people who have a closed ear, closed mind.

(10:31) You tell them something about, say, like a farmer. (10:36) You tell the farmer he’s farming wrong, he’s plowing and preparing his property wrong, and so on, (10:43) and he won’t hear it. (10:45) He’s set in his ways.

(10:47) So you’ve got that kind of people. (10:50) They’re set in their ways. (10:52) Then you’ve got some people who, in essence, will listen to you like the parable of a sower.

(11:03) That probably is where you’ve got the thought where the other group of people, (11:10) they’re listening, but they’re not quite sure that you’re right. (11:15) And they’re not quite sure that they need to change their farming process. (11:20) Then you’ve got another group of people who definitely are receptive, (11:26) and they will try it out, and they will try it out for a while.

(11:30) And you know that these type of people exist. (11:34) And then you go to another group of people who are innovative. (11:40) They’re the ones who are trying the various different ways, (11:43) and they’re constantly listening for new concepts, new ideas, new thoughts, (11:50) and they’re jumping on it, and they’re ready to go for it.

(11:55) And so then you have the others who they’re observing, (12:04) and they’re ready to receive, and they will do it. (12:09) And so we have, in Jesus' time, that whole spectrum of people going. (12:17) What do we have today? (12:19) We have that whole spectrum of people today.

(12:22) That’s where it came from. (12:24) And so you’ve got people who are here who won’t have a cell phone. (12:29) We’ve got other people who have cell phones, but they don’t know how to use them.

(12:34) We’ve got other people who have cell phones, and they rely on it, (12:39) and they use them properly. (12:41) And then we’ve got other people who have cell phones (12:43) that just absolutely crave for new things, just absolutely new things. (12:48) And so what they’ve got to do for an iPhone is to bring out, (12:54) hey, this is new.

(12:55) This is what you’ve got to go. (12:57) Boom. (12:57) They’re on it.

(12:59) They’re buying it. (13:01) So the elect are the individuals who are going to receive God’s word (13:09) and live with it. (13:12) Isn’t that the parable of the sower? (13:14) That here is the property that’s all prepared.

(13:18) It’s receptive. (13:20) Everything is good. (13:22) And so then the sower goes out and sows, and then it multiplies by 100.

(13:29) And so we have that type of thing. (13:32) God is preparing the soil. (13:35) And so when Jesus comes into the world, (13:39) he has people who are going to be receptive to the new idea.

(13:44) But Paul is saying that the majority of the Israelites are not. (13:51) They’re not wanting to change. (13:54) They’re resisting change, and they will not listen to the message (14:00) and will not accept the fact that Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise (14:05) that they have been waiting for.

(14:06) Their concept of a promise doesn’t meet the bill. (14:13) Jesus doesn’t meet their bill. (14:15) Their concept of the promise.

(14:18) So Jesus doesn’t meet their bill. (14:21) And so Paul is praying for them and saying, (14:25) oh, if they would just wake up and see this (14:30) and realize that God has been preparing them all along. (14:34) And that’s the reason why he brings out.

(14:36) I believe that’s the reason why he brings out the fact that Abraham knows, (14:43) I’m going to watch you, and I’m going to prepare you and your seed. (14:50) I’m going to be the horticulturist or the one who does the root it down. (15:07) Somewhere along the way.

(15:09) The breeding. (15:11) He’s doing the breeding. (15:14) Doesn’t he tell when the Israelites come in, he tells them, (15:22) don’t you breed, don’t you interbreed with all the rest of the people.

(15:32) I want you to be separate. (15:34) I want you to be Jewish only. (15:36) I don’t want your daughters and your sons going out (15:40) and just breeding with the people who are here.

(15:45) Why? (15:46) Because they will lure you away from your faith. (15:51) What does God tell us in the Corinthian letter? (15:54) I think it’s the second Corinthians. (15:56) Be not unequally yoked.

(15:59) Why? (16:02) Because your mate will more likely have influence over you, (16:06) and the next thing you know, you’re doing what your mate wants you to do. (16:13) So he’s telling us that. (16:15) So I think that in this particular case, Paul is definitely concerned about them, (16:23) and he literally is meaning what he’s saying.

(16:28) I’m telling you, I’m telling the truth in Christ. (16:31) I’m going to read now from the American Standard Version. (16:34) Any thoughts about what I just got through saying? (16:41) Okay.

(16:45) I’m telling the truth in Christ. (16:46) I’m not lying. (16:48) My conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit (16:53) that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart, (16:59) for I could wish that I myself were accursed, (17:03) separated from Christ for the sake of my countrymen, my kinsmen, (17:07) according to the flesh, (17:10) who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and daughters, (17:17) the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law.

(17:21) He’s pointing out here all the things that God has done to them and for them (17:26) and that they have possession of, and he’s been nurturing them. (17:32) And so the temple service and the promises, (17:38) whose are the fathers and from whom is the Christ, (17:43) according to the flesh, who is overall God-blessed forever. (17:49) Amen.

(17:50) Let me finish my thought about Abraham, (17:54) because Abraham comes out and he’s following God, (17:59) and apparently he does believe in a God, (18:04) because he’s along with the rest of them, (18:07) and so he’s ignorantly worshiping. (18:12) He’s uninformed about what God wants him to do. (18:15) God is about ready to show him the lifestyle he wants him to live.

(18:21) So he’s going to show him the morals and the values that God embraces (18:26) and that God wants man to live by. (18:29) But Abraham apparently is like the rest of the people in the world. (18:34) I’m a good man, so what constitutes a good man? (18:43) I don’t murder, and I don’t steal, and I don’t lie.

(18:48) But that’s basically what the average person will say. (18:55) So he ignorantly is worshiping God and what God’s righteousness is. (19:03) What is God’s righteousness is for us to live morally right and so on, (19:08) and he has given us the information we need. (19:12)

(19:13) So he’s picking out Abraham, and Abraham now has been given the promise, (19:22) and the promise is, I will look after you, (19:25) and I will curse those who curse you, and I will bless them who bless you. (19:29) And so we see God trying to build on Abraham’s faith. (19:39) Abraham doesn’t quite believe.

(19:41) I’ve been through this story before. (19:44) Abraham doesn’t believe. (19:47) Really? Yeah.

(19:49) Just like all politicians, he promises the world, but you ain’t going to deliver. (19:56) So he doesn’t quite, you know, he’s not putting his whole trust in God. (20:03) And so it takes the various experiences that we read that Abraham goes through, (20:11) like passing his wife off as his sister and so on, (20:15) and God stepping in and protecting him and doing exactly what he said he would do.

(20:22) And so Abraham is now coming across with confidence in God. (20:29) God is building up his confidence. (20:31) And I believe God does the same thing with you and me.

(20:34) He builds up our confidence. (20:36) We see things in our lives where if it wasn’t for God and because it wasn’t our doing, (20:46) that we got this or that or whatever, so we start building up our confidence in God. (20:52) So what pleases God? (20:54) To believe that he is and that he’s a rewarder to those who diligently seek him.

(20:59) And so he’s trying to get Abraham to please hell. (21:05) So when it comes time for him to have that child, (21:09) and Abraham challenges God and says, (21:12) Look, you don’t have my 100% confidence. (21:17) You don’t have my belief in you.

(21:20) Why? (21:21) Because I don’t have a son yet. (21:24) And this is before Hagar. (21:27) And so he says, Look, you will have a son by Pharaoh.

(21:35) And then later on, Hagar comes into the picture and Abraham goes on to her. (21:44) Why? (21:45) Because it’s nature. (21:47) That’s the way the world goes.

(21:49) That’s a normal thing. (21:52) God says, That is not going to be your son. (21:56) That’s not the fulfillment of my promise that I gave you.

(22:00) My promise was you will have a son with Sarah. (22:06) So he’s ruling out barnyard experiences. (22:11) You know what I mean by barnyard experiences.

(22:16) Natural. (22:16) Natural. (22:17) The farmer just throws cattle out there and a bull, (22:22) and he just lets the bull roll, do whatever he wants.

(22:25) But we know that if we want what we want, we’re going to have to lord over it. (22:31) We’re going to have to watch it very carefully. (22:34) My kids had a registered Samoan, (22:42) and they couldn’t keep it because they were going to move into an apartment, (22:46) and their apartment didn’t allow dogs.

(22:49) So I took it over. (22:52) And I knew it was registered. (22:54) I knew the dog was beautiful.

(23:00) Whenever I would go out walking with it, I was proud, (23:03) because that dog gets pants right along with me. (23:07) Well, one day I chained it out on the backyard, (23:12) and I went down into the basement to do something, and I come back up, (23:16) and another dog was on top of it. (23:19) So I knew right away there was a problem here.

(23:25) So I rushed it down to the vet, and the vet says, what you got? (23:30) And I says, this is a registered dog, and I caught it with a net. (23:34) And he says, oh, it’s been misbreed. (23:37) That was the veterinarian’s terminology for it.

(23:40) It’s been misbreed. (23:43) Well, God is saying it’s misbreed. (23:49) And so he, like any owner who wants a particular type of person, (23:55) he’s going to look into it and make sure that it is bred the way it is.

(24:02) And that’s one of the reasons I believe that we have Jesus' lineage recorded (24:08) for us in Matthew and also in Luke, (24:12) to help us to appreciate his breeding and the purpose for the breeding. (24:20) And so we have God trying to bring Abraham from nothing to a 100% believer. (24:30) And so we can see, and why is the dealing with Abraham going to offer Isaac on the altar? (24:47) So that we could see that God succeeded in getting a man to believe in him.

(24:59) And God is breeding you and me, (25:02) and he’s wanting us to get to the point where we can actually believe in him. (25:11) And I believe that with all my heart that God did that for Abraham to show us. (25:18) It was not for him.

(25:20) It was for us, according to the scriptures. (25:23) It was for you and me and our learning. (25:27) And so I think that that’s another reason why God then, after he brings Israel, (25:34) the Israelites, out of Egypt, he goes to them and he makes an offer to them.

(25:41) And he makes an offer that if you will be my people, I will be your God. (25:47) And so obviously they said, how can we miss? (25:53) So they take him up on it. (25:54) So he makes a covenant with them.

(25:56) And he provides the Mosaical Law. (26:01) What do we know about the Mosaical Law? (26:06) We know that if they met it 100% right, they would have been 100% righteous in the sight of God. (26:14) Perfect.

(26:16) But they weren’t able to do that. (26:19) And according to Paul, there’s a reason why they weren’t able to do that. (26:24) And he says at the bottom here, the reason why that is, is because they approached it from works instead of by faith.

(26:37) And so he’s now going to be comparing the Gentiles. (26:43) And so what do we know about, you know, Paul is telling us, look, God has bred you. (26:51) He’s got you to this point.

(26:52) And now he’s going to make you jealous. (27:00) According to chapter 10 or chapter 9. (27:07) Chapter 10. (27:09) He’s going to make them jealous.

(27:13) How does he make them jealous? (27:19) Here is my concept. (27:23) We know in Psalms 147, the psalmist in the very last point of his verse says, (27:33) God dealt with them like he did not deal with any other nation. (27:41) Remember that? (27:42) Take a quick look at Psalms 147.

(27:49) Just so that you can see that. (27:55) The reason I remember 147 is because I wanted to. (28:04) The very last thing.

(28:10) Verse 20. (28:13) The psalmist says, he has not dealt this way with any other nation. (28:19) And as for his judgments, they have not known them.

(28:24) Praise the Lord. (28:26) So if you really want to know what ways, read the whole Psalm 147. (28:31) It is well worth reading because it points out all the things that God did for the Israelites (28:37) and how he intervened in their lives and so on.

(28:42) And he’s pointing out that God has never dealt with any other nation like he has dealt with you. (28:50) So now, how is he going to make them jealous? (29:00) Let’s go back to the Romans 10th chapter. (29:19) Or it may have been the 11th chapter.

(29:27) Yeah, it’s the 11th chapter. (29:29) Verse 11. (29:37) I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? (29:43) Far from it.

(29:45) But by their wrongdoing, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make them jealous. (29:52) Now, if their wrongdoing proves to be richest for the world (29:58) and their failure richest for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be? (30:05) But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. (30:08) Therefore, insofar as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, (30:16) if somehow I may move my own people to jealousy and save some of them.

(30:25) For if their rejection proves to be the reconciliation of the world, (30:33) what will their acceptance be but life from death? (30:38) If the first piece of dough is holy, the lump is also. (30:43) And if the root is holy, the branches are as well. (30:48) So I go back to asking my good question.

(30:55) What’s jealousy? (30:58) If I tell you I’m jealous, (31:01) God is telling you, I am jealous in the Ten Commandments. (31:07) He says, you shall have no other gods before me, for I am a jealous God. (31:14) What is jealousy? (31:16) How is it displayed? (31:20) Jealousy is the fear of being displaced.

(31:24) You have a wife who knows her husband has roving eyes. (31:29) It’s jealousy. (31:31) Why? (31:32) Because she’s afraid he might replace her.

(31:37) Same thing is true with a man. (31:39) If a man realizes that his wife is flirting with somebody else, (31:44) it’s bound to raise jealousy. (31:48) It’s the fear of being displaced.

(31:51) So what does the Israelites know? (31:55) The Israelites know that God has their interests, (32:01) and He has been nurturing them. (32:03) He has been blessing them. (32:04) He has been looking after them.

(32:06) He has done everything possible. (32:09) So they know that they’re living in a land that they didn’t fight for. (32:17) God literally handed it over to them and let them live in it.

(32:22) They realize that everything that they have has been hand-fed them by God. (32:32) So now, all of a sudden, what’s happening? (32:35) What has changed? (32:39) Their faith, their religion. (32:41) The things that they were placing a lot of value on is gone.

(32:47) God is not looking after them like He was. (32:51) God is not holding them up as the ideal people who are worshiping God, (32:59) who are worshiping Him. (33:00) He has changed His viewpoint.

(33:04) And so they realize that this is happening. (33:12) Let me give you—so that breeds jealousy. (33:16) Let me give you an illustration.

(33:18) The illustration is—and this is not new with me. (33:23) I heard this some time ago. (33:28) Here’s a family on a block, maybe 20 houses on the block.

(33:38) A person comes in and randomly selects a house, (33:42) knocks on the door, and hands them $2,000. (33:49) What did I do to get this? (33:52) It’s yours. (33:54) Do whatever you want to do with it.

(33:55) $2,000. (33:59) A month from then, a month later, (34:03) the same person comes up on the same door, (34:05) knocks on it, hands them $2,000. (34:10) Again? (34:12) Wow! (34:14) $2,000! (34:16) It’s yours.

(34:17) Do whatever you want to do with it. (34:21) A month later, the same thing happens. (34:24) The same person comes up to the same door, (34:26) knocks on the door, hands them $2,000.

(34:31) Wow! (34:34) You can imagine, all of a sudden, (34:37) they’re getting used to this. (34:39) $2,000! (34:40) Somebody’s just coming and giving me $2,000. (34:43) For what? (34:44) Who knows? (34:45) Just because you exist.

(34:49) I want you. (34:51) Then one day, that person goes up to another house. (34:58) Not theirs.

(34:59) Another house. (35:00) Knocks on the door. (35:02) They answer the door.

(35:04) He hands them $2,000. (35:10) What do you think the house that had been receiving $2,000 is thinking? (35:19) He’s giving the $2,000 to someone else! (35:23) We got used to getting the $2,000. (35:28) Well, that’s Israel.

(35:30) God has been dealing with Israel for how many hundred years? (35:35) Now, all of a sudden, the Gentiles are being included in God’s grace. (35:46) God hasn’t really changed His grace for the Jews. (35:51) The only thing He’s changed is the way they’re worshiping.

(35:56) The only thing He’s changed is the fact that Aaron and the Levites (36:01) are no longer the priests. (36:04) God has changed the priesthood. (36:07) And where there is a change in the priesthood, (36:10) the change in the religion is going to change, (36:14) according to the Hebrew letter.

(36:17) So, Israel is looking. (36:25) What’s changing? (36:27) Well, you certainly are not God’s apple. (36:32) You’re not the apple of God’s eye anymore.

(36:37) Why? Because God is now showing His grace and His blessings to other people. (36:44) To those, what’s the qualification? (36:48) The qualification is, you must believe that I am, (36:51) and that I am a rewarder of those who diligently seek me, (36:55) and that I have changed the priesthood, (36:59) and the priesthood is Jesus, (37:01) and you must come to me through Jesus. (37:08) Changing the worship altogether.

(37:12) What did Jesus tell the woman at the well? (37:15) The woman says, we worship here in this field, (37:20) but your people say you worship there. (37:23) What does Jesus tell them? (37:26) The time is coming when neither one of you will, (37:31) because God is a spirit, and you will worship Him in spirit and in truth. (37:39) So, He’s changed the method and the way in which He is to be approached.

(37:47) And God is changing that method to come to Him as a Christian, (37:54) and get your righteousness, (37:56) because they were not getting their righteousness from faith. (38:02) They were getting their righteousness from the law, (38:06) and the law was not providing them with that righteousness, (38:10) because they weren’t meeting the law. (38:13) And they were trying to do it through words, and not by faith.

(38:20) And so God is changing everything, (38:23) and so the Israelites are jealous, they’re upset, (38:31) because they’re no longer the avenue to God. (38:38) They’re no longer the avenue to God. (38:41) So we can look at chapters 9, 10, and 11 next week.

(38:50) So I hope I’ve helped you with this. (38:54) Our time is up! (38:55)