Israel

A Redemption Mystery

Romans 11 - A Redemption Mystery

Dave Riddle - 05/19/19

Key Passage: Romans 11:25-32

“This mystery” 

  • Romans 11:25

  • Greek word mysterion (μυστήριον); a secret hidden in the past but now revealed.

Three Connected Truths 

  1. Israel

    • Romans 11:25

      • “A partial hardening has come upon Israel...”

  2. Gentiles

    • Romans 11:25

      • “...until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

      • Fullness = plērōma (πλήρωμα)

  3. Israel

    • Romans 11:26

      • “...all Israel will be saved,”

      • “Israel” - who is Paul referring to?

        • The church?

        • The ethnic/national Israel (The descendants of Abraham)?

        • Not Israel as a whole, but Israel as a community?

        • Those who put their faith in the Christ.

The Redeemer

  • Romans 11:26b-27

  • A salvation from sin through faith in Jesus.

Two Concluding Statements

  1. God’s election remains

    • Romans 11:28-29

    • They are still God’s chosen people.

    • He keeps his covenant with the patriarchs.

  2. God shows Mercy to the disobedient

    • Romans 11:30-32

    • A universal act of disobedience is met with divine mercy!

    • All of us are candidates for the lavish love of God.

Chain of Blessing

Romans 11 - Chain of Blessing

Dave Riddle - 05/05/19

Key Passage: Romans 11:11-16

Link 1: Israel’s Loss Leads to the Gentiles’ Gain

  • Romans 11:11

  • Acts 13:46

    • Repeated in Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome

Link 2: Gentile salvation makes Israel jealous

  • Romans 11:11

  • Romans 11:13

Link 3: Israeli restoration brings a worldwide blessing

  • Romans 11:15

Paul’s Commentary on His Ministry

  • Romans 11:13

    • I want you to understand how important my job is!

Paul wants to stir up Envy

  • Romans 11:14

New life for some

  • Romans 11:14

In Conclusion

  • An escalated restatement...

    • Romans 11:15

  • ...including two simple metaphors.

    • Romans 11:16

      • A batch of dough

      • A tree and its branches

Always a Trace

Romans 11 - Always a Trace

Dave Riddle - 04/28/19

Key Passage: Romans 11:1-10

Question: Is God Done with Israel!?

Answer 1: No, He is faithful!

  • A theological answer.

  • Romans 11:2a

  • Foreknew: to have knowledge before hand: of those whom God elected to salvation.

  • As humans we frequently break promises, but God is faithful. 

  • It is outside his character to be unfaithful.

Answer 2: Look at me.

  • An anecdotal answer

  • Romans 11:1c

  • Even someone as bad as Paul was not beyond the reach of God.

Answer 3: Check out history

  • A historical answer

  • Romans 11:2b

  • 1 Kings 18 and 19

    • The seven thousand 

And so, today...

A remnant, chosen by grace

  • Romans 11:5

  • Not by the law, but by grace through Jesus.

The remainder, hardened

  • Romans 11:7-10

  • A combination of human responsibility and divine sovereignty.

    • See the example of pharaoh (covered in Romans 9 - Divine Decisions Pt. 2 on 10/28/18)