Read Romans 11:7-10
The long and the short of the discussion so far comes to a crunch in verse 7.
Romans 11:7 (NIV84) reads
Israel sought earnestly to earn the righteousness of God through her own efforts. As such she failed to gain it. But the elect gained it by faith because they submitted themselves to Christ Jesus. The others, we are told, were hardened.
Paul quotes Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10 to teach us about this hardening. In Deuteronomy 29:4 God has not granted the Israelites, the people of God in the OT, eyes to see, ears to hear and so on. God had led them and worked for them through their desert wandering for the past 40 years but they were prevented from seeing the truth. As you well know, they went on to reject God and worship false gods, gods of wood and stone, in the Promised Land. This hardness of heart has persisted to this very day as the people have continued to reject Christ Jesus.
In Isaiah 29 it is clear that God has hardened Israel but such a hardening does not remove human responsibility. God silenced the prophets (Isaiah 29:10) because the people refused to listen to them (30:10-11), having excuses not to listen (29:11-12) and a pretence or show of righteousness but still remaining hard in heart (29:13-14). God would make His message clear and visible through the Assyrian invasion (28:9-13). But, by God’s grace and mercy, some day the people of Israel would hear and see again (29:18, 24).
In Romans 11:9 - 10 Paul refers to Psalm 69:22–23. This psalm is one of the most important of the messianic psalms and is referred to several times in the New Testament (Romans 11:4, 9, 21–22). The prayer that their “table become a snare” is a prayer that their blessings turn into burdens and judgments. This is what happened to Israel: their spiritual blessings should have led them to Christ, but instead they became a snare that kept them from Christ. Their religious practices became substitutes for the real experience of salvation.
It’s sad but true that this same mistake is made today when people depend on religious rituals and practices instead of trusting in the Christ who is pictured in these activities. Though these are often the hardest people to reach with the Gospel, we must continue to pray for them and to witness to them.
Paul made it clear that the hardening of Israel is neither total nor final. He held out hope for the nation that had turned its back on God’s Messiah!
Prayer:
Having read today’s passage and notes jot down various prayer points in each:
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¨ Pray for the work of PIM as they seek to share the gospel with remote Australians in the outback. Pray that God would open many doors and that faithful gospel preaching would bring many to Christ.
¨ Pray for the work of Peter and Julie Luu with OMF. Ask God to grant them wisdom and insight in their daily routines, that God would use them powerfully to train up others and that mission work would be greatly promoted in the various churches in which they speak and minister.
No one is beyond hope until they are dead. Keep sharing Christ with them at every opportunity and keep inviting them to functions and events where Christ is preached.
1. God’s sovereignty and human responsibility are not at odds with each other. They both exist together. Can you explain how they sit and work together. Can you find other examples in Scripture?
Intro: The way that people treat or respond to Jesus affects how they live their life. It helps us to see why some people hate Christians and the church.
Discuss the various reactions you have seen to Jesus.
Read John 3:18-20
If people hate the light, what might they do to other people who bear the light?
How does this passage help us to understand why some people hate church?
Pray together that you would continue to bear the light and bring salvation to many.
Intro: The way that people treat or respond to Jesus affects how they live their life. It helps us to see why some people hate Christians and the church.
Discuss the various reactions you have seen to Jesus.
Read John 3:18-20
If people hate the light, what might they do to other people who bear the light?
How does this passage help us to understand why some people hate church?
Pray together that you would continue to bear the light and bring salvation to many.
No comments:
Post a Comment