New Life Presbyterian Church
September 15, 2024
“Remember the Root”
All Israel Sermon #10 of 10
Rev. Cameron Smith
Isaiah 27:6-13
Romans 11:16-24
When it comes to interpreting Scripture and preaching, it seems “my tribe” treats the Bible as if it were a textbook or a field manual. Most especially, this is true of Romans. This masterpiece from Paul’s pen to a first century, fledgling community, seems to have taken on a life of its own, stripped of its immediate context, and studied as if it was a PhD Dissertation on systematic theology. Romans is a pastoral letter addressing specific concerns in a specific church— written not to us, but surely for us.
I’ve touched on this before, but it never hurts to revisit this backstory: Rome at that time (c.57 AD), was a mixed community of believing and unbelieving Jews and Gentile Christians. And to that community, the letter is a personal, warm letter that breathes compassion and guidance, while also waxing monumental in theological profundity and muscle.
The Gospel took root in Rome some years before Paul was called as an apostle. We don’t know through whom the Gospel came, but we do know that there were “visitors from Rome” present in Jerusalem at Pentecost. Subsequently, tensions boiled over between Christians and Jews, and the Emperor Claudius responded by expelling the Jews– believing and unbelieving– from the city. This was somewhere around 49 AD and lasted until his death in 54 AD. Gentile believers and Jews in Rome apparently did not mix well– either before or after the expulsion and return. Perhaps due to Gentile cockiness and condescension towards their Jewish brothers and sisters. Perhaps due to the Jewish resentment of the Gentile upstarts.
Into this ancient version of worship wars, Paul writes. (1:15-17) I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (that is, the Gentiles). The Gospel was long-expected and birthed as a Jewish Story— But from the beginning, it was going to be a Gentile Story as well.
In Genesis 12, it says, in Abraham, “all the families of the earth would be blessed.” For in [this Gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed— beginning and ending in faith... This means that the “works of the law,” such as circumcision, Sabbath keeping, and temple sacrifices prepared the way, but now, they no longer define God’s Israel. As it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’ “By faith” is defined and applied in Romans. Abraham was declared righteous long before the law. Belief came before circumcision This is a relief, because the law could not – would not make one righteous. It can only point to the great need of fallen humanity. Both Jew and Gentile.
In the heart of the letter, chapters 4-8, Paul unpacks God’s provision, by faith. In Jesus, God is putting this plan into play to save the world. By faith— Israel is being increased. Expanded. Diversified.
Many NT letters testify to this: Paul, writing to the Gentile church in Philippi, says, (3:3) We are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.
Over in Galatians, likewise, (3:28-29) There is neither Jew nor Greek, …neither slave nor free, …no male and female, we are all one in Christ Jesus. And if so— Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
In Galatians 6:16, the Gentiles are referred to as the Israel of God.
In the Revelation (5:9-10),John sees Jesus as the Lamb, and writes: You were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.
And Peter speaks to this reality in his first letter (2:7-10) ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,’ and ‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.’ They [Jews] stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you [Gentiles] are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession… who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
God, in his Providence, used the inclusion of the Gentiles— who were once “not a people”— to make his people jealous— so as to desire, as did David of the blessings on the ark in a Gentile household. Perhaps this helps us understand the meaning of 11:32— That God: “has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.” Therefore. Now. Paul’s bold declaration to the Romans, is this: The Israel of God is One People. I was taught years ago as a student at Liberty University that God had two separate plans for saving the world: one for Israel and the other for the Church. No. The Bible does not teach that. It is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. (Eph. 4:5-6 ESV)
Having said that, let me hasten to clarify— Romans 11 does not teach a Gentile replacement or supersession of the Jewish people. The Gospel is being proclaimed throughout the world— calling Jews and Gentiles the same, to faith, by faith, in Christ Jesus the Messiah. In this way [preaching, teaching, evangelism] a coming to faith, by faith— “All Israel will be saved.”
Let me add this, too— Romans 11 does not teach a Last Day, mass conversion of all ethnic Jews. The modern state of Israel is a secular state, and its founding and continuance is not a fulfillment of prophecy. The NT leads to Jesus, not the State of Israel! Nevertheless, it is necessary in the same breath to concede that the modern State of Israel must represent a special grace of God to his ancient people, who have survived and thrived up to this very day as a distinct People. Consequently, Paul reminds his Gentile hearers that it was the Jews, of all the nations on earth, who were first entrusted with the oracles of God. And several times throughout the letter, he writes— Salvation is to the Jew first, and then to the Greek. It began with them. It stays with them. The offer of salvation to the Jew is never revoked— because God’s calling is irrevocable.
All of this brings me to our Scripture lesson today in 11:16-24. I’ve saved the passage about the olive tree and its branches for last. We Gentiles are likened to wild olive branches. God has graciously grafted us into the nourishing root, which is the Messiah, Jesus. At the same time, he has cut away, through unbelief, the natural branches– unbelieving Jews. However, this should not produce arrogance in the wild branches. We shouldn’t look down upon or disdain the Jewish people. This is actually what was happening in Rome in that day— And still shows up in Christian attitudes towards Judaism in our own day.
To that, in 11:16, the response: If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. Paul explains that if the firstfruits are holy (that is believing Jews), so then, is the whole Lump (that is the rest who are unbelieving Jews).
Further: If the Root is holy, that is Messiah Jesus, so then are the natural branches (again, all Jews) believing and unbelieving. The point of this illustration is that the whole Lump is sanctified by the “Remnant.”
(Preceding thoughts paraphrased from N.T. Wright, Commentary in Romans in the New Interpreter's Bible Commentary series, p.683)
It is instructive that the Greek word for Lump (foo-rah-matos)— is the same word in 9:21 for the “lump of clay” in the Potter Story. Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? The unbelieving branches are, so to speak— a lump of clay in the hands of their creator, the Potter. And they, all of them, believing and unbelieving— must be treated as sanctified, not as common or disposable. They are Holy by extension.
Parenthetically, this is a good way to look at our baptized, but unbelieving sons and daughters. Through the waters of baptism, they are holy by extension. They are never written off as disposable. The door of welcome always remains open. That is powerful! That gives us all an abiding encouragement for our families.
It is the root that sustains us all, wild and natural branches and that we can, like the natural branches, be cut right back out. Think of the message to the Church at Ephesus: (Rev. 2:5) Repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Salvation cannot be lost— But within a generation a church can die out through a haughty spirit.
When the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in the 4th century, everyone "officially" converted to Christianity ;-). Sadly, the Jews were driven out of Jerusalem— and the ruins of Temple Mount were purposefully turned into a garbage dump. To Christians, it was a reminder that God had abandoned the Jews. This is what they believed Jesus taught when he said that "not one stone would remain upon another" as his disciples marveled at the beauty of the Temple. Christians were now the apple of God's eye, certainly not the cursed Jews! Um... as a cautionary note: this is the kissing cousin of the mindset that gave rise to Nazi Germany in the 20th century. This is not what the apostle Paul taught in Romans. He would have found this reaction repulsive.
Learn the lesson of Romans. Better reading. Better living!
In our OT reading this morning, Isaiah spoke of the beauty that would one day be the full-grown Olive Tree, with all of its natural and wild branches, filling out the orchard of the world. (Isa. 27:6) In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit.
This is the last word. Hold your faith in Jesus Christ in a spirit of humility. Be compassionate and merciful. Trust that God has his remnant, and that it is growing. Never write off anyone. Jew, Muslim or unbelieving Gentile. And. Thank God for grafting you into the luxurious, nutritious root. Remember the Root!
May This Word Be Good.
Amen.
