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18. Israel & God’s Salvation Plan. Romans 9:30 – 10:21 p. 1045. Getting it Right. An example from Scuba diving More than one factor necessary for success. Last week: God has worked in history for his salvation plan. The Issue: F aithfulness of God to promises to Israel
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18. Israel & God’s Salvation Plan Romans 9:30 – 10:21 p. 1045
Getting it Right • An example from Scuba diving • More than one factor necessary for success. • Last week: • God has worked in history for his salvation plan. • The Issue: Faithfulness of God to promises to Israel • “Yes” – Abraham’s descendants share his faith, not his genes. • God has been faithful – Israel not • What went wrong? • What must we get right?
1. The Mistake: Zeal without Knowledge • There are 2 things the Jews get wrong – • Pursue the Law as a way of righteousness (v 31) • Achieved by works (v 32) • Lose sight of the Law-giver and his purpose • Stumbled over the message of Christ • Full of Zeal, not based on knowledge (10:2) • They missed the point of it all • Had spiritual zeal but did not direct it correctly • They did not know, understand, accept the purposes of God • Trying to establish their own righteousness by works (v 3) • Not willing to submit to God’s righteousness (free, by faith) • Their zeal was on their own terms !
1. The Mistake: Zeal without Knowledge . . . Our problem today: • Misdirected zeal – no knowledge. • Think the details don’t matter too much. • God’s grace is sufficient for weakness • Wilful ignorance and disinterest – symptoms of lack of faith?
2. The Mark: Righteousness by Faith • Characteristics of “righteousness by faith”: • Christ is at the centre of it (v 4) • Not seek him in the heavens or the depths (v 6-7) • Knows that he is near (v 8) • Affirms and believes the message of faith (v 8b-10) • Realize no difference between Jew and Gentile • We are all descendants of Abraham by shared faith. • “Same Lord is Lord of all” (v 12) • If there is one God He is the God of Everyone
3. The Message: Word about Christ • The Message: “the word about Christ” (v 17) • Process of getting the message out: • Someone must be sent – by God (v 15) • The sent one must proclaim Christ (v 17) • The message must be heard (v 14, 17) • It must be believed and received (v 14) • Hearers must call on the name of the Lord (v 12) • Believe and declare: “Jesus is Lord, raised from dead (v 9-10) • This message has gone into all the earth (v 18; Ps 19:4) • Everything is happening as God has said.
3. The Message: Word about Christ . . . • Israel is not jumping aboard. • Moses and Isaiah predicted this. • God would go to the gentiles to make Israel jealous • Israel is an “obstinate and disobedient people” (v 21)
Getting it Right • We can easily go wrong and drift off the path • Must hold tightly to God’s word • Last week: • Choosing Israel to form a channel for mercy • We are a channel of mercy to our generation. • Take the message of Christ to our world. • Our twofold response: • Get the message straight for ourselves. • Take the message to our world.