Builder of the House

                                                                     Sunday School Lesson

Introduction:The Hebrew Christians were tempted to compromise Jesus. Some of the people were mesmerized by angels (Hebrews 1:4-14). But the angels actually helped put in place the message about Jesus (2:1-3) and his sovereignty (vv. 4-8). This sovereignty was not compromised but was actually enhanced by his incarnation (vv. 9-13). In coming to earth Jesus destroyed the devil and started building a new house (people) for God (vv. 14-18).

Jesus the Builder 
Hebrews 3:1-6KJ

1Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

The writer of Hebrews said, Therefore. His argument marched on. Jesus is not only better than angels; he is also better than Moses. Using the metaphor of a house for God’s people, the writer called the whole church (holy brothers and sisters) to fix her thoughts on Jesus, who is this master builder. This fixing of the mind on Christ is mentioned later in Hebrews as well (12:2), and it means “to express attention and observe carefully.”The writer wants the church to consider Jesus because, as the apostle (the only time Jesus is called this in the New Testament) and high priest (a theme developed later), he is uniquely qualified to be God’s builder for three reasons:1—Jesus is God’s builder because he is faithful. This adjective rightly describes Jesus because he keeps his word and conducts his life in total obedience to God (Hebrews 5:8). Granted, Moses was also faithful (3:2), but his obedience was not perfect (Exodus 2:12; 4:10-17; Numbers 20:10-13).2—Jesus is God’s builder because he is worthy of greater honor than Moses. Obviously part of this is due to Jesus’ faithfulness. But it also has to do with his place on the organizational chart. Moses was like a trade worker or subcontractor. God in Christ is the builder of everything. A house can have honor (glory), but the builder of the house is the one honored when the house is dedicated. Moses did build up God’s people, but the ultimate builder of God’s people is God himself. (See 1 Corinthians 3:7 for a similar metaphor.)3—Jesus is God’s builder because he is the Son. Jesus’ identity is really the key to his superior building skill. Moses was a servant, but Jesus is the Son. Moses could only predict what the house would look like (bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future). Jesus was over (upon) God’s house, a phrase that once again emphasizes his superiority.If Jesus is imminently qualified to be the builder, what is it that he builds? Us! He builds people. But due to what the Hebrew Christians were facing, the writer added this refrain, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. The message to them and to us is: Do not give up on Jesus, the builder of the house.

You the Builder

Matthew 7:24-29KJV

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

We move from the epistle to the first Gospel for the second part of our text. Like the Hebrews passage, the text begins with Therefore. This text is the closing appeal in the famous Sermon on the Mount. Jesus began his conclusion in Matthew 7:13. Jesus told of two ways, two trees, two claims, and finally two builders. Ultimately the builders are either wise or foolish, and the wise builder is the one who listens to Jesus’ teaching.

The parable posits two givens in our lives:

1—Everyone hears and builds. To say, “I do not build on anything or anyone,” is indicative of building. People who say such are building on the fact that they think they are not building on anything. When pressed, all of us betray some kind of worldview that we build our lives upon.

2—Storms come to all. The temptation is to think that some people are spared storms. Nope. Rain and wind come to all.

The parable posits two variables in our lives:

1—Are we hearing and doing? Practicing what Jesus preached makes us wise builders.

2—Where are we building? Foundations built on rocks withstand storms. Foundations built on sand fall with a great crash when it storms.

The crowds were amazed at Jesus the builder. He taught with authority because he is the Son over God’s house. How will you build?

The Radiance of God’s Glory

                                                           Sunday School Lesson


Introduction: Dennis Kinlaw wrote a book entitled Let’s Start with Jesus. It’s a book on our triune God. Instead of starting with the Father or the Spirit (mentioned chronologically first in the Bible—Genesis 1:1, 2), Kinlaw suggests that the best way to understand the Trinity is to actually start with Jesus. Then we will understand our triune God, who is one in essence but three in function, and we will see that our triune God exists in a community of total love.The Shepherd Church in Porter Ranch, California, hung a huge banner in the front of their worship center for a season that read, “It’s All About Jesus.” It created great focus for the church. The writer of Hebrews would have liked that banner. Last month’s lessons emphasized the sovereignty of God. This month’s lessons emphasize the sovereignty of Jesus. But what is it that makes Jesus sovereign? The writer of Hebrews gives us two answers to that question in our text.


Jesus Is the Best Message 
Hebrews 1:1-4KJV

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The writer of Hebrews reminded these Jewish believers of their rich heritage in the Word. God gave his people his message through prophets and prophetesses. A quick perusal through the Old Testament would display the kaleidoscope of ways that God communicated with his people—visions, dreams, object lessons, etc. He did not do this every day, yet it happened at many times.

But there came a special time and way that God gave his message to his people and the world. It was through Jesus. This happened in these last days (a phrase that covers from the time of Jesus’ death to the present moment). The writer of Hebrews gives us eight ways in which Jesus is the best message from God. All eight ways underline Jesus’ sovereignty:

1. Jesus has been appointed (put or placed) heir of all things. Whoever has it all must be sovereign.

2. Jesus is cocreator. Other texts emphasize such (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16).

3. Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory. God’s glory was his shining brilliance and his weighty presence.

4. Jesus is the exact representation of his being. We get our English word character from this word representation.

5. Jesus sustains all things. Literally, this means he “bears them up.”

6. Jesus provided purification, which means he cleansed us through what he did on the cross.

7. He sat down. This means his redemptive work was done.

8. He became . . . superior to the angels. The writer goes on to tell us more of what that means in the verses that follow. This prologue of Hebrews is full of Jesus. He is the best message and surpasses all other messages from God.

Jesus Is the Best Messenger

Hebrews 1:5-9KJV

5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Not only is Jesus the best message from God—he is also the best messenger that God could send. It would seem that some people were caught up in the worship of angels (see also Colossians 2:18). This must have been an important part of their temptation to slip backward since it is mentioned first in the epistle. Angels do occupy an important place in Heaven and in communicating the message of Heaven to people on earth. Hebrews 1:14 refers to angels as ministering spirits sent to those who will inherit salvation. (This can be seen in Acts 8–10.)Hebrews is the book about better things. Jesus is better than angels, Moses, the law, the priesthood, and the covenant. Angels, at best, are only messengers of Jesus, but Jesus is the best messenger. To underline this point the author clustered several Old Testament passages from the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings (poetry/wisdom books) to emphasize Jesus’ sovereignty over even the angels.The author quoted Psalm 2:7. Then he drew upon 2 Samuel 7:14. From there he alluded to Deuteronomy 32:43. Finally he quoted Psalms 104:4 and 45:6, 7. Some of these are direct quotations, some use the Greek translation of the Old Testament, and some are mere allusions to make his point. But the point is that Jesus is not just a messenger of God like an angel. He is the messenger of God, whom angels worship.

Everlasting Covenant

                                                      Sunday School Lesson


Introduction: God likes covenants because he dislikes misunderstandings. He likes agreements, pacts, and contracts. Because he is God he sets the terms of these covenants. Because he is God he makes the covenants out of his own character (i.e. faithfulness). Our text today says that the everlasting covenant is a relationship between God and his people, and God wants us to be clear about it. Being clear about the covenant of God can be a challenge in this passage. There are issues that impact proper understanding (pronoun issues, literal versus figurative issues, and reading forward or backward issues). Pronouns refer to the nearest antecedent, but who is the “me” and “he” of the text? Did the Messiah literally release prisoners from the darkness or should we understand that spiritually? And should we borrow freight from the New Testament and read it into Old Testament passages? These issues challenge us as we study this text.

Things Were Going To Change
Isaiah 61:1-4KJV

1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
² To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
³ To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
⁴ And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

Much of Isaiah 40–66 is about God’s servant. God’s servant can be a pagan king (Isaiah 45), the nation of Israel (43), or the Messiah (42; 52:13). We want to be respectful of the text by reading it forward before reading it backward, but we cannot unread this passage. Jesus read this passage for us (Luke 4:18, 19). This messianic figure will be empowered by the Spirit of God. Everything he does will be by the power of the Holy Spirit (see all of Luke 4). This anointing will show up in his preaching (proclaim good news to the poor), in his healing (bind up the brokenhearted), in his liberation (proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners), and in his renewal of the world (to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor). The results of what he does bring comfort, provision, joy, and praise. One difference from this text and Jesus’ use of it in Luke 4 is the phrase, and the day of vengeance of our God. Perhaps Jesus did not read that part because he came the first time as our Savior but he will come a second time as our Judge. The messianic servant’s coming will be effectual (it will really do something with those who receive this everlasting covenant). Using metaphors from agronomy and architecture, Isaiah talks about God’s people being like oaks of righteousness, and being like rebuilt ancient ruins and restored ruined cities. This could refer to God’s people coming back from Babylonian captivity and literally rebuilding their nation, but it could also be understood spiritually in the church.God’s people would become known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. The nations would be able to acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed. When the servant (Messiah) works his wonders, the servants (God’s people) bear the fruit of those wonders.

They Were Going to Be Blessed
Isaiah 61:8-9 KJV
⁸ For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
⁹ And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.

We would not know anything about God unless he revealed himself to us. Sometimes in the Bible, God comes right out and tells us something about himself. Such is the case in Isaiah 61:8. The Lord loves justice. The converse of that is that he hates robbery and wrongdoing. Our God loves setting things right. He began doing that as early as the fall, he continued it with the promise to Abraham, and he really fleshed it out in the giving of the law under Moses. All of the laws of God come from his character. When we obey his precepts, we discern his principles. When we discern his principles, we see his person. Therefore the everlasting covenant that he makes with his people comes from his faithfulness. God’s laws always stem from his goodness.

They Would Be Forgiven
Isaiah 61:10-11KJV

¹⁰ I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
¹¹ For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
Can the Lord delight greatly in the Lord? Well, yes, because the God of the Bible is a triune God (see Matthew 22:41-46 and its use of Psalm 110:1). We are probably to understand this to mean that Jesus delights greatly in the Father. Jesus rejoiced in God (Luke 10:21).
Because Jesus was aware of his role in saving the world he knew something about garments, robes, and wedding imagery. He is the bridegroom of his covenant people (Mark 2:19, 20). He not only saves, he is the Savior. He not only is the gardener, he is the soil as well.

 

The End of Oppression

           Sunday  School Lesson



Introduction: God does some of his most important work on mountains. God’s wrath against humankind’s evil was averted when the ark rested on Mount Ararat (Genesis 8:4). God’s test of Abraham’s faith took place on the mount he named The Lord Will Provide (Genesis 22:14). God’s law was given to his people on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19, 20). God’s house was built on Mount Zion (1 Kings 8). God’s victory over false gods was secured on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). Jesus delivered his famous sermon on what is now called the Mount of Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1, 2). Jesus was transfigured before three of the disciples on a mountain (Matthew 17:1, 2). Jesus died on a mount called Skull (Mark 15:22). And Jesus went back to God from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12). If wells were places of romance (Genesis 29:9-12), then mountains were places of revelation (Exodus 34:2-4). The Bible uses the term mountain in a literal way (Matthew 24:3) and in a figurative way for peoples, nations, or governments (Micah 1:4) and for the kingdom of God (Isaiah 2:2, 3; Daniel 2:44, 45; Micah 4:1, 2). Last week’s lesson stressed that God’s ultimate kingdom is peaceful (Isaiah 11:1-9). But the road to that peace goes through several valleys of difficulty. Nations and cities such as Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Damascus, Cush, Egypt, Tyre, and Sidon would all have to undergo judgment (Isaiah 13–24) before the mountain (kingdom) of God would have prominence.

A Lavish Feast
Isaiah 25:6KJV

⁶ And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

Mountains were places of provision (Genesis 22:1-14). That is what the imagery in our text means when it says, The Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines. In the kingdom of God the Lord himself is the chef. The kingdom of God is pictured as a mountain, but it is also pictured as a great banquet (Revelation 19:9). Jesus himself pictured it this way (Matthew 8:11, 12). When he turned water into wine it was the best of wine, and it was in abundance (John 2:1-11). God provides for his people in a kingdom where he reigns unchallenged.Sometimes the road to peace is bumpy. God has to do the hard work of judgment to get his people to peace and joy. So he will destroy (the same word for swallow up in verse 8) anything that stands in the way of his agenda. Isaiah did not tell us exactly what this shroud (covering) or sheet (veil) were. In verse 8 he mentioned death. Since that is the ultimate enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26), it must be removed or swallowed up (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). There are two marvelous things about this destruction. First, God himself will do this swallowing. He will endure the destruction himself (Isaiah 53:10). Second, he will do this for all nations. This mountain of God is not exclusive or prejudiced.

The Sorrow and Death
Isaiah 25:7-8KJV

⁷ And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
⁸ He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

If the God of this great mountain seems harsh and hard-hearted, think again. Isaiah pictured a time when the Lord would wipe away the tears from all faces. In the new heaven and new earth God will wipe away (literally “out of” our eyes) tears from everyone. Ultimately the kingdom of God is a land of no more tears. After the smoke of God’s judgment passes, there will be no need to cry. Another indication of his compassion will be his removal of disgrace from his covenant people from all the other nations of the earth. Israel was the apple of God’s eye (Deuteronomy 32:10; Zechariah 2:8), but she had been disgraced on numerous occasions. God would act in his sovereign compassion to remove any shame.

A Celebration of Salvation
Isaiah 25:9-10KJV

⁹ And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
¹⁰ For in this mountain shall the hand of the Lord rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.

Isaiah pictured a time when God’s hand (symbol of his power) would so rest on his mountain (people) that the only appropriate thing to do would be to party. Everyone would recognize that God acted on behalf of his people to save them. God does the saving. His people do the trusting (mentioned twice in the text). Together they celebrate. Rejoicing and celebrating is the only rational response in light of God’s saving activity. The most significant thing about the mountain of God is the God of the mountain. In our text today he is referred to as Lord Almighty, Sovereign Lord, the Lord (three times), and our God. Even in the turmoil of our world (as this lesson day is the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11), God reigns on his mountain.

 

The Peaceful Kingdom

                                                                      Sunday School Lesson


Introduction: The Prince of Peace knew that wars and rumors of wars were standard fare in a fallen world (Matthew 24:6). But Isaiah, who predicted the coming of the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), knew about rumors of peace as well. Even though the northern kingdom would fall to Assyria and the southern kingdom would later fall to Babylon, Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would come and begin to spread his peaceful kingdom over the earth as the waters cover the sea.


The Spirit of the Lord
 Isaiah 11:1, 2 KJV

1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
² And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

All of humankind’s efforts have failed to establish peace. Someone (the Messiah) must come from the outside to bring it. These first two verses of our text describe this Messiah’s identity and anointing. The Messiah is described in agricultural terms, i.e. a tree. It is not wide of the theological mark to connect this symbolism to Jesus. In the Garden of Eden there was a tree of life (Genesis 2:9). In the Holy City there will be a tree of life (Revelation 22:2). Jesus himself said to Nicodemus that Jesus would be lifted up (“on a tree” is implied) so that whoever believed in him would live (John 3:14, 15).The imminent invasions which Isaiah saw would shave off the trees of Israel at their stumps. But God’s people did need to fear. Given enough time, a shoot (Hebrew “netzer”) would grow from the razed stump. This Hebrew word is as close to Nazarene as we can get (Matthew 2:23). This stump comes from the lineage of Jesse (Davidic line). Its Branch (messianic term) will bear fruit. This messianic peaceful warrior is identified to be from David’s family.The Messiah’s anointing (equipping) is from the Spirit of God himself. The breath of God will rest on the Messiah. This equipping Spirit will help the Messiah to operate in a context of wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, and fear (reverence). Paul especially connected these qualities to the Messiah (1 Corinthians 1:30; Colossians 2:3).

The Fear of the Lord
 Isaiah 11:3-5KJV

Isaiah 11King James Version (KJV)

11 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

² And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
³ And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
⁴ But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
⁵ And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins
Not only would the Messiah have the right identity and anointing, he also would have the proper character. This character is pictured anthropomorphically. The Messiah’s nose (the word for delight can refer to an aroma), eyes, ears, mouth, breath, and waist are all mentioned. If God is Spirit (John 4:24), how can he have any of these? Two answers: 1. Humans have to talk about God in some human way. 2. God became human in Jesus. The Messiah delights in the Lord, and this drives his discernment and decisions, which are pure and non-prejudiced.This character is also pictured in some large vocabulary. Our text mentions words like righteousness, justice, and faithfulness. The semantic domain of these words greatly overlap, but they emphasize conforming to a standard, doing what is fair, and keeping promises. This is why the Messiah is totally objective when it comes to taking care of the needy, helping the poor, and slaying the wicked. He knows the real situations. He can tell the difference between a genuinely needy person and a con artist. The character of the Messiah drives his justice.

The Knowledge of the Lord
 Isaiah 11:6-9KJV

⁶ The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
⁷ And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
⁸ And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
⁹ They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah sees a future day where all of creation will be healed. When the Messiah comes it will mark the beginning of the end. He will save the world. This will include but not be limited to lost people being found, guilty people being forgiven, sick people being made well, outside people being brought into community, wrong things being set right, and all of creation being healed.
This state of peace will even be felt in the animal kingdom. While it is possible to understand the text figuratively describing a state of peace, there is no good reason not to take it literally. When Jesus was baptized, Mark tells us that the Spirit “threw” him out into the desert with the wild beasts (Mark 1:12, 13). Was this the beginning of his taming of the unruly world?Wild animals (wolves, leopards, lions, bears, and snakes) will coexist with domestic animals (lambs, goats, calves, cows, and oxen) in a state of peace. Woody Allen said, “The wolf will lie down with the lamb, but the lamb won’t get much sleep.” True—at least right now. But some day even children will play near typical danger zones without fear.This holy mountain (see also Isaiah 2:2) is the peaceful kingdom, and it will fill the earth with the knowledge of the Lord.

Grafted In

                                                                       Sunday School Lesson


Introduction:  Dad used to say, “The greatest word in John 3:16 is ‘whosoever,’ because that one word gets us into the kingdom of God.” Paul would likely agree. Paul was a Jew, and due to that heritage had ready access to salvation. But Paul was also the apostle to the Gentiles, and due to that calling wanted them to have ready access to salvation as well. At points one is tempted to think that the Jews have squandered their opportunity to be saved at all. But Paul reassured that God has reserved for himself a remnant of believing Jews (Romans 11:1-10). Paul used our text to remind the Gentiles not to feel haughty about their opportunity to believe the gospel. All things being equal one would think that Jews and Gentiles would rejoice in the wide embrace of God. But alas, that was not the case. Our text was written to address some of the ethnic tensions in the church at Rome.

The Formula
Romans 11:11-15KJV

11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

An involved formula developed during the missionary journeys of Paul (Acts 13–21). It goes like this: Jewish rejection leads to Gentile inclusion, which leads to Jewish jealousy; that produces two things—further Jewish rejection and persecution or Jewish and Gentile inclusion in the new Israel. This is exactly what we see in our text.One could conclude that since the Jews rejected the gospel and since the Gentiles accepted the gospel that the die is cast, end of story. To that Paul says, “Not so fast.” The Jewish stumbling (also called transgression, rejection, and loss) did not mean they could not recover. In fact Paul had already affirmed that he was a Jew and embraced God’s call (Romans 11:1).Jewish rejection did give the Gentiles a crack at the gospel, and that is a great thing. Paul refers to it as riches and reconciliation. But Paul was shooting for the stars. He held out hope that many Jews would turn back to God. Paul hoped that the Gentile inclusion would stir up Jewish envy (mentioned twice in our text) and would bring a great revival of interest for the gospel among the Jews. For Paul this would have been the greatest thing since sliced bread—the full inclusion of Jews and Gentiles and life from the dead for everyone.

The Analogy

Romans 11:16-24KJV

16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

Verse 16 functions as a transition from the formula to the analogy. Paul mixed metaphors. He moved from the kitchen to the olive orchard. He likened Israel to dough offered as first fruits in an offering to God (think Leviticus 1–7). He likened the Gentiles to the whole batch of dough since they have become part of the whole lump with the Jews. Then Paul said, If the root is holy, so are the branches. This parable gets extended next.Paul particularly addressed the Gentiles here. Evidently they needed a “come to Jesus meeting.” In light of the Jewish expulsion from Rome (Acts 18:2), perhaps the church at Rome was primarily Gentile. Now the Jews were coming back to Rome and the church, and perhaps the Gentiles were resenting the Jews reclaiming their Christian heritage. The Gentiles had begun to take on a bit of superiority. The branches broken off were Israelite's. The wild olive shoot grafted in was Gentiles. This combination tree was exactly what God wanted. So arrogance is totally out of place. Gentile branches needed the Jewish roots. Regardless of what happened to the Jews, the Gentiles had to realize that they had their standing with God by active obedient faith. God could take them out as easily as he grafted them in. Instead of arrogance this should foster a healthy fear. Next Paul entertained the reality that the Jews could come back to Christ. At least he held out an olive branch of hope for it. God’s toughness (sternness) and tenderness (kindness) worked in the favor of both Jews and Gentiles.God’s tree today is primarily Gentile, but the first missionary of the Restoration Movement was a man named Barclay, who went to the Jews. After all, the gospel is to the Jews first (Romans 1:16).

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God Set Things Right

                                                               Sunday School Lesson

Introduction: Every so often we notice a high watermark in the Bible. After all, the Bible is not flat. Certain passages of Scripture are quite telling and microcosms of the whole story of the Bible. Some examples might include Abraham’s test of faith in Genesis 22, the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, or the golden text of the Bible in John 3:16-21. In the writings of the apostle Paul, those telling passages include 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, Ephesians 2:1-10, and our text today. In recent years Pauline scholarship (The New Perspective on Paul research) has resurrected an old debate about God setting the world right by the faithfulness of Jesus or faith in Jesus. Which of those prepositional phrases is theologically correct? The debate does matter in helping us articulate how to tell someone the plan of salvation. But at the end of day God set the world right by both. God acted on our behalf by faithfully fulfilling his promise through Christ. But we must appropriate that gift of salvation by our faith in Christ. It is both/and; not either/or. Our study of Romans has brought us to the point of conviction. The world is guilty of high treason against its Creator. How can things be set right? What is God’s role in setting those things right?

God's Righteousness
Romans 3:21-24KJV

²¹ But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
²² Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

God presented Christ. He sent Jesus to be the expression of his faithfulness to Israel. Jesus faithfully fulfilled his saving mission. In fact, this new way of having things set right was actually anticipated in the Old Testament—the Law and the Prophets testified to how God would make things right. The contrast with the old way is captured in the phrase, But now. This is similar to “But . . . God” (Ephesians 2:4) and “But now” (v. 13). God’s righteousness (his standard or justice) was given to the world through the faithfulness of Jesus. It is appropriated by faith. Both Jews and Gentiles can appropriate it because both groups need it. For all have sinned and fall short (are continuing to lack) the glory of God. Paul went to his thesaurus to try to describe what happened the day that Jesus died on Calvary. He pushed language to the breaking point to describe God’s faithfulness in Christ. Paul went to the courtroom and picked up a legal term (justified), to the marketplace and picked up an economic term (redemption), and to the temple and picked up a sacrificial term (sacrifice of atonement or propitiation). All of these words paint pictures and make analogies to describe the faithfulness of Jesus   Jews and Gentiles were in a dilemma due to sin, but God was also in a dilemma. How could God stay true to his character (sin demands punishment) and yet come to the aid of his creation? He had been patient in working his plan because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. The dilemma was solved by Jesus offering himself. Sin could be punished with its due penalty—death. But due to Jesus’ faithfulness to God’s mission and taking on that punishment, the sinner is set free (justified, redeemed, and propitiated).

God's Justification
Romans 3:25-26KJV

²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
²⁶ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
 Do humans cast a vote in salvation? Most assuredly. We cannot save ourselves, but we must appropriate this great Christ event by faith. We accept the testimony of those who witnessed these events. We respond to God by receiving Jesus for who he said he was—the Son of God. We commit to Christ and begin to obey everything he taught. This is not viewed as a work on our part (John 6:29). It is trust in the person of Christ and in the work that he did on Calvary.

God of Both Jews and Gentiles
Romans 3:27-31KJV

²⁷ Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
²⁸ Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
²⁹ Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
³⁰ Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
³¹ Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Paul circled back to the tension in the church between Jew and Gentile and said some strange things about the law and faith. If this getting the world back through sacrifice is God’s business, can Jew or Gentile boast? Obviously no! But does this mean that the law (or the principle of faith) played no role for the Jew or Gentile in salvation? Obviously no! Jews and Gentiles are not saved by works of the law. Faith cannot leapfrog the law, but by placing faith in Christ and in his faithful work, all people can realize the fulfillment of the law in Jesus—much like an apple blossom fulfills itself in an apple. This sets things right.