Romans - Week 27

Broken Branches

READ

Romans 11:19-21

19 “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.” 20 Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. 21 For if God did not spare the original branches, he won’t spare you either.

Notice it is not one’s ethnic heritage that makes a person right with God. It is whether or not the individual has believed in God’s sacrifice for sin. Gentiles might boast that they are now being blessed by God, but Paul reminds them not to be proud because it is only because of their faith they are not broken off as were the unbelievers in the Jewish nation.

REFLECT

Even though you may be thankful about your ethnic heritage, are you even more thankful that you have placed trust in the Lord Jesus and experienced eternal blessings?

RESPOND

Talk with your disciple about the ethnic heritage each of you has. Share with each other if you know of some in your background who knew Jesus as Savior. Encourage one another as you talk about spiritual values.

Kind and Severe

READ

Romans 11:22-23

22 Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. 23 And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree.

Some only want to speak of the kindness and love of God. But notice that He can be both kind and severe. He is kind to believers but is unkind to those who reject Him. Paul is not addressing individual believers but the Gentiles as a group. Individual believers are secure in Christ but this is not true of the Gentiles as a group. God grafted the Gentiles into His program because the nation of Israel rejected His Son. When the nation of Israel returns to God in faith, they can be grafted back in to His program.

REFLECT

Have you thought about the security you have in Christ? Just as salvation did not depend on your good works, neither does your security.

RESPOND

Read John 10:27-30 that tells about the security each believer has in the Lord Jesus. Knowing this should cause each believer to be so thankful he will want to please Jesus in all he does.

Wild Olive Tree

READ

Romans 11:24

24 You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into his cultivated tree, he will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.

Grafting in a branch from a wild olive tree, Paul says is “contrary to nature.” He refers to the Gentiles as a branch from a wild olive tree. Paul refers to Israel as God’s “cultivated tree.” So it will be much easier for God to graft back in the original branch; that is, the Jewish nation. This is another reminder of Paul for Gentiles not to be proud of their relationship with God at present.

REFLECT

Is this not another reminder of God’s grace? He has done so much for those who have trusted Christ as Savior, which should humble believers, not make them proud.

RESPOND

Read Acts 20:24 that tells of Paul’s main desire to tell others of the wonderful grace of God. Do you have a passion to tell others about Jesus?

The Full Number

READ

Romans 11:25

25 I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.

A “mystery” was something unknown in the Old Testament but revealed in the New Testament. Paul acknowledges that some Israelites have hard hearts. He sees this as temporary, however, because that will end when the “full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.” This would be his reference to the last Gentile who will be saved. God has His program clearly in mind.

REFLECT     

The fullness of the Gentiles has not been reached yet. Pray for your friends to be saved before it is eternally too late.

READ

Read 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 that expresses the urgency for trusting in Jesus before it is too late.

The Rescuer

READ

Romans 11:26-27

26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. 27 And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”

That “all Israel will be saved” does not mean that every single Jewish person will be saved. It is a reference to the nation, indicating that a majority will be saved at the time of Christ’s return. God has made a covenant with the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and He will keep His promises. God has made a New Covenant with Israel. This is actually the title of the New Testament, meaning “New Covenant.” Jesus coming as the Messiah of Israel is a fulfillment of the New Covenant and the forgiveness of sins promised to those who believe.

REFLECT

Have you thought about how God always keeps His promises? Thank Him for that.

RESPOND

Read Jeremiah 31:31-34 to see the Old Testament reference to the New Covenant to which Paul referred in Romans 11:26-27.