God’s People Not Rejected

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Introduction: The 11th chapter of Romans focuses on one main question. Is God finished with Israel? Has God cast His people (and by his people, in the context it is clear that Paul is talking about the Jewish people) — a group of people seen both from an ethnic point of view, and a national point of view, the Jews, the nation Israel, — away from Himself in a way that is final? Has He rejected them? The question is raised by realities that Paul does not deny. The Jews, for the most part, reject Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. Gentiles, in large numbers, are responding to the gospel preaching of Paul and the apostles. Jews are rejecting the gospel; Gentiles are receiving the gospel. These are just realities. Far from denying the realities that raise the question, Paul expressed his own grief over those realities. But grief, by itself, is not an answer to the question. HAS GOD CAST ISRAEL AWAY? It is possible (and some commentators think this), that Paul is raising this question precisely because this was the accusation of opponents. Perhaps some said that Paul’s preaching CONTENDS that God has cast the Jewish people away from Himself. Now, whether Paul has that in mind here, or not, we DO know that some charged Paul with this. His arrest in Jerusalem demonstrates that. ESV Acts 21:17 When we had come to Jerusalem, the brothers received us gladly. 18 On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. 19 After greeting them, he related one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified God. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed. They are all zealous for the law, 21 and they have been told about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or walk according to our customs. 22 What then is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Do therefore what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; 24 take these men and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law. 25 But as for the Gentiles who have believed, we have sent a letter with our judgment that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality." 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them. 27 When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place." 29 For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. 30 Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. Notice: This is the man who is teaching everyone, everywhere AGAINST THE PEOPLE, and the law, and this place (the temple). This is how they interpreted the reports of Paul’s preaching, and perhaps how they directly interpreted his preaching. THIS QUESTION. HAS GOD FOREVER REJECTED ISRAEL? This is the question that Paul addresses in Romans 11. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION (vs.1a) The very way that Paul raises the question, provides an answer. It is a question that expects a denial. In fact, it is a question that not only anticipates a negative answer, it is a question that demands THE STRONGEST negative answer. As Paul has done earlier, he does again. He says, “By no means!” “May it never be!” Paul raises the question because it is an important one.