Romans 11-12: God's Open Invitation (LSFAB S13E036)

[TEASER - 0:00]
This is the message that flows throughout all of scripture.

[INTRO S13E036 - 0:11]
This is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, and podcasting since 2004, I'm your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we'll read through the entire Bible in a year. I'm so glad you're with me today. How's your Sunday going? This is Epistle Sunday. We'll read Romans 11 and 12. I'll have some comments on both chapters. And being Sunday we have a time of prayer. I'll also talk a little bit about the 18th anniversary of Lifespring Media, which will be next Sunday. I'm calling today's episode, "God's Open Invitation".

Before we read, let's pray.

[OPENING PRAYER - 0:49]
Our heavenly Father, we thank you for your Word, and as we read today, I pray that you would use this time to teach us and bring us closer to you and cause us to love you more because you have been so gracious to us. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Are you ready? Let's begin.

[ROMANS 11 (ESV) - 1:08]
Romans, chapter 11.

(1) I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. (2) God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Isaiah, how he appeals to God against Israel? (3) “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” (4) But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” (5) So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. (6) But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

(7) What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, (8) as it is written,

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
eyes that would not see
and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”

(9) And David says,

“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
(10) let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
and bend their backs forever.”

(11) So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. (12) Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

(13) Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry (14) in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. (15) For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? (16) If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

(17) But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, (18) do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. (19) Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” (20) That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. (21) For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. (22) Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. (23) And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. (24) For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

(25) Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (26) And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
(27) “and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”

(28) As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. (29) For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (30) For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, (31) so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. (32) For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

(33) Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

(34) “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
(35) “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”

(36) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. 

[ROMANS 12 (ESV) - 5:45]
Romans, chapter 12.

(1) I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (2) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

(3) For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (4) For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, (5) so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (6) Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; (7) if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; (8) the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

(9) Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. (10) Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (11) Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. (12) Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (13) Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

(14) Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. (15) Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (16) Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. (17) Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. (18) If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (19) Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (20) To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” (21) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

[COMMENTARY - 8:23]
Today I've got comments on both Romans 11 and Romans 12. Paul ended chapter 10 by saying that Israel has rejected the Messiah. And it begins chapter 11 by asking if God then has rejected them.

Well, not surprisingly, the answer is, "Of course not!" God kept a remnant, a few out of the nation of Israel who did believe why, because of his divine grace.

And then Paul goes on to say that it is because of the unbelief of Israel that God extended grace to non-Jews or Gentiles. Because of this, they were grafted into the vine. Another way of saying that is that God adopted them into his family.

You know, it's a wonderful and awesome thing to be born into a family. But how much more special is it when a mom and a dad choose to adopt a child into their family? Children are usually born into a family in the natural course of events, right? But it takes a special effort and a will to adopt a child. This is what God has done for those of us who are not Jewish. We are especially loved and chosen.

But we should be aware, Paul says, that natural branches were broken off from the olive tree so that we might be grafted in. That means that we have a special responsibility to be faithful, and also to be mindful that if God broke off a natural branches because of unbelief, he will not hesitate to do the same to the Gentile. Now, lest this thought scare you, Paul also reminds us that God's grace extends even to those Jews who he cut off if they return to faith, he will graft them back onto the olive tree.

Now, this is the message that flows throughout all of Scripture. If you are unfaithful, you will suffer the consequences. But if you return, God will forgive and bless you.

Verse 29 gives us an incredibly encouraging message. It says, “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Paul was referring to the fact that God has not permanently put Israel aside because of their rejection of the Messiah. But here's the great news. It also applies to everyone, Jew or Gentile. It means that God will never set us aside. He will always welcome us back. He never says, "Well, it was a mistake to call him or her." The door is always open to return to him. Always.

Beloved, it is never too late to say "I'm sorry" to God. If you have something that has caused a separation between you and God. If you confess that to him, he will forgive you. That is the gift we have because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We don't deserve that kind of forgiveness. But that's how much he loves us. Hallelujah.

Now, in the beginning of chapter 12, Paul says, "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God." For some, this is a hard thing to consider. We like to think that our bodies are our own, right? Well, put this Scripture together with what Paul wrote in I Corinthians 6:19-20. He said, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you whom you have from God, you are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God and your body."

Now, if I profess to be a believer, these are important things to think about as I go about my life, my body is not my own, I have a responsibility to use it in such a way that would be acceptable to God, my body's on loan from its creator, I should use it for his purposes, not mine, I should maintain it so that he can use it to its fullest potential, I should be involved with things that further the kingdom of God, not sinful activities that bring shame on the name of God.

And in suggesting this approach, Paul is appealing to us or as it says, in other translation, he is beseeching us or urging us. He's not ordering us, but urging us to do this as an act of will, a decision as a living sacrifice, a sacrifice done out of love for God because He deserves it. And because it shows that God's will is good, and acceptable, and perfect.

So many in the culture around us think that God is an angry old man in heaven waiting to catch us doing something wrong so that he can punish us. But if we live in such a way that others see that God is anything but that we will be helping to usher others into a relationship with a loving father, and pleasing him at the same time.

What better motivation could there be to live such a life?

The rest of the chapter tells us what a life pleasing to God looks like. Now, in my opinion, it would be a good practice to read this chapter every day for the next week, and then at least once a week until it becomes a part of you. It's a recipe that every believer should know by heart.

One last thought, verse 20, says, "…if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Well, it's easy to misunderstand the phrase, "you will heap burning coals on his head". It isn't that we're trying to bring harm to our enemy. That would be completely contrary to what Paul is teaching, wouldn't it? It probably means one of two things. First, that our kindness will bring a "burning conviction" to the enemy that he might begin to question his own behavior. The second possibility is that it's like lending hot coals from our own fire to help a neighbor start his own. Either way, the person is helped by our actions.

As representatives of Christ, we have a solemn responsibility to live our lives in such a way that people are drawn to him. Our people are attracted to Jesus by the way I live my life or are they repelled? That's the question we should ask ourselves.

[LIFESPRING FAMILY HOTLINE - 14:39]
What are your thoughts on today's reading? Call the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511 to let me know. If you're outside the US please put a +1 at the beginning of that number. You can also comment at comment.lifespringmedia.com and you can email me at steve@lifespringmedia.com. I do want to hear from you.

Tomorrow is The Law Monday. We'll read Genesis 20 through 23. We'll read how God's promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah is fulfilled.

Boost!

[LIFESPRING FAMILY SHOUT-OUTS - 15:14]
Today's Executive Producer is Brother Paul of Seattle who came in with his monthly $20 donation. Thank you, Brother Paul. God bless you.

And one week from today will be the 18th anniversary of the very first Lifespring podcast. I won't be doing a big retrospective like I did for the 17th anniversary. But if you'd like to help me celebrate with a donation of $18, or more, I'll thank you on next Sunday's show. For newer Lifespring members, if you'd like to know the story of how God called me to this microphone, take a look at steve.lifespringmedia.com. I've told the story on various podcast episodes, so I won't do it again here. But if you don't know the story, you might like to read it. If you want to hear me tell the story. Instead of reading it, you might want to listen to last season's episode. Go to lifespringmedia.com/17/. It's the episode called "Mark 1-2: Action". There aren't many of us who were podcasting 18 years ago who are still at it. I'm so thankful that God called me and that you're a part of the Lifespring family.

[SUPPORT THE SHOW - 16:18]
How'd you find out about the show? Did a friend tell you? Did you hear about the show on another podcast? Did you hear about the show from a social media post? Let me know. Email me at steve@lifespringmedia.com and use the subject line "Here's where I found you". And speaking about how you found the show... have you told anyone about the show? Share it on your social media. Tell your mom, your brother, your boss, your butcher, your next-door neighbor. Don't keep it just for yourself. Sharing is caring.

[PRAYER REQUESTS AND PRAISE REPORTS - 16:51]
Well, today for our prayer time I have a praise and a prayer request. The praise is that Kathi is feeling better and she ought to be able to go to City of Hope tomorrow for tests. Please pray that the cancer on her scalp is not also in the bone or in the brain. Let's pray.

Our heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you so much for being a God who hears us, who sees us, and who knows our hearts. Lord, we thank you for your mercy and we worship you. I thank you, Lord, for giving Kathi some relief. And I ask that when the tests are run tomorrow that the cancer on her head will be easily treatable, that it will not show up in the bone or in her brain. I pray for healing, Lord. You are the great physician. You made her body and you can heal her. I thank you for her faithfulness and that she has never lost her faith in you. And I asked you now to bless her and Del.

I pray for the Lifespring family now. You know each heart. You know every need. You deal with each person individually providing what is exactly right to accomplish your perfect plan. The work you've begun in each one of us will be accomplished. And we praise you for your goodness. We love you and we ask you to give us the faith to grow closer to you each day. I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

[OUTRO S13E036 - 18:16]
I'm so thankful for Sister Kirsty, Brother Sean of San Pedro, and Sister Denise who help me so much. God bless each of you. Comment on today's show by calling the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511 by going to comment.lifespringmedia.com. Or email me at steve@lifespringmedia.com. If you're glad the Lifespring Family Audio Bible shows up in your podcast app every day, or if you'd like to send an 18th-anniversary donation please go to lifespringmedia.com/support.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. Thank you for making me a part of your day. My name is Steve Webb. Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai