Romans Chapter Ten - The Need of Israel
Is the Same Need for the Whole World
Oct 21, 2018 PM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Introduction
A. So far, we have learned about the Special Place that Israel has in God’s overall plan.
1. As a light to the world, contained in the Law
2. As an example of faith
3. And as an example of living in rebellion to God and in sin
4. And as the means by which a Saviour and Salvation comes into all the world through them
B. This section explains a lot of the background to the history in the Middle East, and help us Gentiles understand the level of God’s commitment to Israel, and ultimately to us as believers!
C. In chapter 9 we learned about
1. The Special Place of the Jews in Paul’s Heart (9:1-3) – ought to have the same place in OUR heart
2. The Special Place of the Jews in God’s Plan (9:4-18)
a. We looked at Foreknowledge and election and predestination of ISRAEL
b. It is only effective when a person CHOOSES by faith to believe God and obeys God!
3. The Opportunity that is Open to all people everywhere – to be saved
II. Study Outline of Romans Chapter Ten - The Need of the Jews
A. Christians Need to Get Burdened for Israel (10:1)
1. Israel was a nation of religious people, but lost
a. If anyone should have been okay with God, it should have been the Jews - but they were not okay. Jesus came to save THEM (Mt 9:11-13), not to commend them.
2. Now they are just a nation that is lost in their sin
3. The need of this world is for Bible-believing Christians to CARE about those who live and die in darkness – including the Jewish people
a. The apostle Paul was giving his entire life since his salvation to the getting out the Good News that Jesus Saves to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile (Rom 1:16,17)!
4. WE need to be burdened
a. Burdened for the salvation of sinners - before they burn in a devil’s hell!
1) A burden is the best motivation – something that weighs heavy until we do something about it
2) This thing called “soul-winning” is not a job or “duty” but a desire like a “craving” in the heart of a surrendered Christian
3) Satan burns-out a Christian’s desires on lust and possessions so that there is none for God or the lost! God help us!
b. We ought to be BURDENED enough to faithfully pray and pray for God to use us to see people saved! This is where we must spend our energies at first - getting the boldness and courage to care for souls, like doctors do the body!
5. Do you have any GOOD burdens? Things that weigh heavy on your heart that are from God?
B. The Jews were and ARE Blinded by Religion - ALL Religion Damns (10:2-3)
1. Israel had a good RELIGION, but they still were not saved (10:1)
a. Even though they had the Bible
b. Even though they had prophets come and preach the Bible
c. Even though they had the Temple
d. They ended up with only man’s doctrines and tradition (Mk 7:6-9) because they had rejected God’s plain words
e. FACT: All peoples have RELIGION - yet are not saved!
2. Israel had ZEAL (lots of energy), but not according to knowledge (ignorant of what to do with it; 10:2,3)
a. Ignorant of what God’s righteousness actually was
1) Thought it was by keeping of the Law
2) But ignored the righteousness of the Lamb!
b. Tried to establish their own righteousness - through good works of the law
1) Look at the religions of the world and see the devotion, and the dedication to their efforts to “appease” their gods
2) People all over the world fear failing in the end of their lives - so they work hard at their religion
c. Israel had not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness - which is only by faith (9:30)
1) Therefore, ignorance is no excuse - because Jesus came (John 15:22). They can’t claim ignorance, since they crucified Jesus
2) And as we have seen in Romans 1, the non-Jew (Gentile) is also without excuse - no matter how much religion they may have - Satan has blinded them as well (made them ignorant; 2 Co 4:4)
3. The Bible-believing Christian works to get people’s eyes off of what they “DO” and realize they can never DO enough, and therefore need a Saviour! Otherwise, they remain damned!
C. ‘Believing’ Fulfils the Requirements of the Law (10:4-15)
1. The requirements of the Law were unfulfillable – unkeepable
2. Faith speaks much louder than works
3. The Jew thought the Law was the means to the end (heaven), but missed the point of the Law - the need for the Lamb!
a. The “Law” had three parts:
1) Moral code (right and wrong) How to relate to each other
2) The Civil code - how to make judgments and govern - how to rule people
3) Ceremonial code - how to approach, and relate to God
b. God’s law is important. It showed us righteousness, and showed us our sinfulness. It prepares the heart for faith. Without the law, faith would be dead since it would have no foundation for existence. But faith is made real by its need!
4. Christ is “the end of the Law” - He fulfilled every requirement of the Law for every person on this planet as far as ceremonial perfection was concerned! When Jesus died on the cross, the Law’s requirements for perfection ALSO died! They were completed! This ending of the law was promised throughout the O.T. The very existence of the law showed that it was only temporary.
a. Before God recorded the 10 commandments, and the rest of the Pentateuch, God had already written the Moral code into every heart.
b. The written law was a late-comer: 400 yrs after Abraham in 1,500 BC
c. The law was SUPPOSED to be done away with (Gal 3:23-25)
5. If a person wants to go by the Law, they have to do it completely (not choose which one you want to obey; 10:5).
a. Some religions pick the keeping of the Sabbath; the keeping of just the TEN commandments; the rituals of ceremonies and prayers, and offerings.
b. But they never desire to do everything.
c. But God says if you cannot do everything, then you are doomed (Jam 2:10) - unless you get a Lamb! Amen!
d. So, the Law was designed to show our INABILITY to relate to God’s perfection - and therefore, that we were doomed (10:5).
6. The good news of Christ is the “word of Faith” not the words of the law (10:8):
a. Christ was designed to literally save us from our destiny in hell
b. You can’t get up to heaven to get Christ (space programs)
c. You can’t go to hell to obtain Him - no new deaths or resurrections (only one, once, for all time; Heb 10:11,12). He is not there anymore!
d. You only get Christ through HEARING the truth about Jesus (10:8)
1) Preaching/soul-winning puts Truth at the hearer’s level
2) Preaching humbles - makes a person sit and listen
3) Preaching forces a response - calls for an answer!
4) And best of all, Preaching SAVES (1Cor 1:21)
7. The good news of Christ is simple (10:9):
a. Openly confess the Lordship of Jesus
1) That God had come in flesh to take your place in damnation (1 Tim 3:16).
2) This is where repentance comes in - repent of your FAILED goodness and sin in the presence of the LORD Jesus Christ
b. And THEN Believe in your heart that the resurrection was all the victory you need to save you from your sins. If Jesus conquered sin, and death and the grave, what more could anyone add?
8. The good news is for all (10:9-13) who has a heart and a mouth!
a. Because with the heart,
we exercise faith, and obtain righteousness.
The mind guides the heart, but the heart itself must make the final conclusion.
b. Because with the mouth, we show our righteousness (John 12:42,43) - an open life lived clearly for Christ (10:11). The mouth, and hence, the life is affected by the heart’s decision.
c. There is no national, or racial difference spiritually between people (10:12) - God is rich toward any and all sinners, Jew or Gentile
d. The plea is for “whosoever” to call upon the name of Jesus!
D. This good news about Jesus must be “delivered” to the World (10:14,15)
1. People are born with the general law written in their hearts - not with a knowledge of the Lamb of God. They know they are empty - they just don’t know the cure!
2. How the Gospel works:
a. People must believe on Jesus Christ (Mk 16:15,16) to be saved! That’s it! That’s all it takes!
b. But to believe on Him, they must hear all about Him
c. And to hear about Christ, they need a preacher, soul-winner - not a priest, salesman, doctor, politician, but a preacher!
d. For a preacher/soul-winner to take the message, he must be sent from his church.
1) That is just what Jesus did before He ascended - He SENT Christianity into the world (Matt 28:19,20)
2) That is what this church is all about – preparing people to be SENT out on Monday, through Saturday with some GOOD NEWS for the lost around us!
3. Did you notice that God says that the “FEET” of the Gospel preacher (not just pastor) are beautiful in God’s sight (10:15)? Why are they beautiful?
a. Because it is with FEET that the Gospel is moved from place to place.
b. Personal contact is infinitely better than radio, TV, bulletin boards, etc.
4. Every Christian in Ireland needs to have the goal of getting the Gospel into all the world – BY USING HIS/HER FEET!
a. By BEING someone who is a GOER
b. Or helping to send someone – a missionary - regular financial support
5. So, what do we need to be doing right now? GETTING A BURDEN!
a. Surrender to do what is necessary - get filled with Spirit so we can hear HIS calling
b. Carry the gospel with you - tracts and leaflets
c. ACTIVELY Give the Gospel to everyone you can!
d. Learn this Bible so you can direct every seeker to faith Christ!
e. THAT is what was going on the entire time in the First Century!
E. Not Everyone Believes the Gospel (10:16-19) – Especially not the Jews
1. Now comes the realisation that not all Israel believed the Gospel
a. Quoting from the greatest Gospel passage in the Old Testament – Isaiah 53:1
b. Israel, instead of receiving their Messiah, murdered Him (53:2-12)
2. But salvation is not forced on anybody – not even the Jewish nation
3. Faith comes by HEARING (receiving) the word of God and must be acted on – obeyed (10:17)
a. Those who want to obtain faith must go to the word of God (10:17), and take heed to it (take it seriously)!
b. The more you hear the word of God, the more open your ears are going to be. And the more your ears are open to preaching and teaching, the more faith you're going to get.
c. The issue is that if people want more than what the Bible has to offer (the sure word of God), then they cannot be saved (Luke 16:27-31)
4. Israel heard it all – no excuse. It is even recorded in a JEWISH Book called the New Testament and has gone into all the world already
5. But Israel did NOT know what was happening (10:19)
a. Luke 19:41,42 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
b. Luke 12:56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?
c. 1Co 2:6 -8 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
6. They had closed their ears and eyes
a. Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
b. Just like THIS generation of Gentiles TODAY!
F. The Jewish People Still Needs to BELIEVE the Lamb has come (10:20-21; John 1:29)
1. We are back to the focus of chapter’s 9-11…
a. That the Jew is in desperate need of hearing about Christ
b. Which is what Paul could never get away from! He always snuck in to synagogue meetings, and hung around with the Jews to witness to them (Act 9:19-22)!
2. The principle is that even though the Jews reject God all the time, but that does not mean that they should be allowed to just go to hell without any love or warning.
a. So, God calls Moses (10:19; Deut 32:21) and Isaiah (Isa 65:1,2), and YOU AND ME!
b. Let people know that God right this minute is holding out His nail-scared hands unto a rebellious and wicked people - waiting for them to repent!
3. Every Irish Christian needs to have the goal of getting the Gospel to the Jewish people.
4. How?
a. By submitting to/surrendering to the will of God - surrender to doing what God wants
b. By desperate prayer (Ps 122:6) asking for the abilities to do whatever God wants done to save the lost!
c. By actively presenting Christ as the Saviour to the Jews we meet
d. By supporting someone who can reach them
e. By sending someone ourselves
5. Every Irish Christian need to have the goal of getting the Gospel to the whole world. How? Same way as with reaching the Jews!
a. By submitting to/surrendering to the will of God - surrender to doing what God wants
b. By desperate prayer -
c. By presenting Christ as the answer to all people we meet
d. By supporting someone who can reach other countries
e. By sending families ourselves as missionaries