Paul's Epistles Part 23 – Israel's Rejection of Christ

Paul's Epistles

Part 23 – Israel's Rejection of Christ

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

We are going to look at the Epistles of Paul in this series of sermons. In Chapter 6 we looked at Paul telling us to be Dead to Sin, and Alive in Christ and that we are Slaves to Righteousness, Released from the Law and Bound to Christ, That which I hate, I do, Life in the Spirit, Present Suffering and Future Glory, More than Conquerors, Paul's Anguish Over Israel, Justice and Mercy, Israel's Unbelief.

Today we will take a look at Romans 10, and Israel.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Romans 10:1-4

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. ² For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. ³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.⁴ Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Here we read of Paul's anguish over Israel, and God's sovereign choice.

                   I.            PRAYER FOR ISRAELITES SALVATION

a.      Israel, as a nation, was not saved.

                                                                         i.      Despite their history

                                                                      ii.      Despite their "Zeal" for God

                                                                   iii.      They did not base their understanding on true knowledge

b.     Paul can testify of their beliefs, because he once was a Zealot

                                                                         i.      He studied under Gamaliel

                                                                      ii.      Belonged to the strictest Pharisee sect, the Zealots

                                                                   iii.      He understood how they were "Self-Righteous" instead of knowing the true righteousness of God

c.      God was the object of their Zeal

                                                                         i.      However, His truth was ignored

                                                                      ii.      His Righteousness was replaced with their own

                                                                   iii.      And it was for this reason, Christ was not accepted, and the Israelites could not have salvation, because they rejected the only one who can give salvation.

               II.            RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD OR YOUR OWN

a.      The Israelites failed because they did not know God's Righteousness.

                                                                         i.      Sure, they had scripture memorized

                                                                      ii.      Yes, the dressed a certain way to be separate from others

                                                                   iii.      However, everything they did was external...not internal.

                                                                     iv.      With all their knowledge of scripture, they lacked the most important element...understanding.

b.     Is the cup clean?

                                                                         i.      They worked so hard for the external appearance of things, while ignoring what God truly wants from us, a Spiritual change.

                                                                      ii.      This flesh cannot be redeemed, and we can never measure up to God's standard (10 Commands)

                                                                   iii.      However, Jesus paid the debt so that if we believe on Him, and accept His Covenant, our souls can be redeemed.

                                                                     iv.      This is the change, the "making new" from the inside.

c.      Why was Paul (and Jesus) so upset with the Pharisees and the teachers of the law?

                                                                         i.      Because they lacked understanding of scripture

                                                                      ii.      Then changed God's word to suit them

                                                                   iii.      Then taught that the 10 Commands could be kept, even adding hundreds of more commands to it.

d.     For those taking notes

                                                                         i.      Read Matthew 23 starting in verse 13

                                                                      ii.      Hear what Jesus has to say about the Israelites

                                                                   iii.      Regardless of what the Israelites may say or believe, they were not (and are not) saved by their own righteousness.

1.      They MUST accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior

            III.            THEY DID NOT SUBMIT TO GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS

a.      Therefore, for them, no salvation is found.

b.     However, it was God's Will they were saved!

                                                                         i.      Jesus says in Matthew 23:37

                                                                      ii.       “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. ³⁸ Look, your house is left to you desolate. ³⁹ For I (Jesus) tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

c.      Without Jesus Christ, there is no salvation

Jesus warns us in Matthew 23 of becoming a hypocrite

Matthew 23:1-12

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries^[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; ⁶ they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; ⁷ they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

⁸ “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. ¹⁰ Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. ¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!