Romans - Week 28

God's Gifts and His Call

READ

Romans 11:28-29

28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.

Some think God has changed His mind about doing what He promised in the Old Testament for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That is not what the apostle Paul wrote. He says, “God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” This is in spite of many in Israel being enemies of God’s good news. Yet God still loves them.

REFLECT

Think of some now who are the seeming “enemies” of God and be reminded that God still loves them. Pray for some of the unbelievers you know.

RESPOND

Return to Romans 5:9-10 to be reminded that Christ’s sacrifice was made for us while we were still His enemies. This should cause you to appreciate God’s grace even more.

Rebels

READ

Romans 11:30-32

30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. 31 Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.

Paul tells how God was merciful to the Gentile nations when Israel rejected His grace. The Gentiles had been rebels but now God had been merciful to them and the Israelites were the rebels. It is made clear, however, that God has imprisoned both the Gentiles and Israel so He could show His mercy to them. Typical of people today, many do not see a need for Jesus until they recognize what a desperate situation they are in.

REFLECT

How was it in your life? Did you have to become desperate before you saw the need to trust in Jesus?

RESPOND

Talk with you disciple about how desperate people turn to Jesus. Share your experiences with each other, then pray that God will lead you to desperate people.

The Lord's Thoughts

READ

Romans 11:33-34

33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! 34 For who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?

As Paul writes, one can almost hear his proclamations of praise to God. It’s as if he couldn’t stand it any longer and just had to cry out praising the Lord. Paul has written about salvation and how God worked with Israel and the Gentiles. So now he praises the Lord for His “riches and wisdom and knowledge!” Then Paul acknowledges that no finite person can fully understand the infinite God. So no one is qualified to give God advice or question what He is doing in one’s life.

REFLECT

Have you sometimes been guilty of seeming to tell God what to do in your life? Just praise Him for knowing the right things to do for you.

RESPOND

Read Isaiah 55:9-11 that reminds readers they cannot fully understand God’s ways. The passage also encourages believers to share God’s Word because it always accomplishes what He desires.

All Glory to Him

READ

Romans 11:35-36

35 And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? 36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Paul continues in his praise to God as he says God is not indebted to anyone. Note also that everything comes from Him. This should cause the believer to realize he is only a manager of what God has entrusted to him. And whatever God has given exists by His power and “is intended for His glory.” No wonder Paul exclaimed, “All glory to him forever!”

REFLECT

Do you realize you exist for the glory of God? Do you realize that everything you have comes from Him? Think about what you have and thank God for making you a manager of it.

RESPOND

Talk to your disciple about how each of you exists for the glory of God. You magnify the Lord through your life. Talk about what you are doing to bring Him glory.

Living and Holy Sacrifice

READ

Romans 12:1

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.

Because all that any believer has comes from God, and even the believer exists for the glory of God, the believer should present his body to God. The Christ-follower’s body is to be a “living and holy sacrifice.” The Old Testament knows only of dead sacrifices, but the believer is to be a living sacrifice. Paul says that presenting one’s body to God is the genuine way to worship Him.

REFLECT

Have you thought about presenting your entire body to God? Let Him use your mind, arms and legs to bring blessing to others.

RESPOND

Talk with your disciple about how one cannot do anything—even pray—without a body. Then talk about what 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 says. Interact about how each of you can do this.