The Apostle Paul Does
Romans 9:1-5
January 7, 2024
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig
www.biblebc.com
I. Background (Romans 9:1-5)
A. Up until this point in Romans, Paul has written to both Jews and Gentiles, to both saved and lost, to atheists and Christians about the Gospel
B. The Gospel is THE biggest news of the entire Bible
C. Chapters 1-2 – there is one God and we have rebelled against Him. Paul has proved in chapters 1,2 and 3 that all people know there is one Creator God, and that all people are sinful, and sin against God, and are in trouble with God
D. Chapters 4,5 – sinful people can be justified by faith. He then in chapters 4 and 5 has proved that by faith, sinful people can be justified – forgiven pardoned, like Abraham was
E. Chapter 6 – the crucifixion was a victory! He then explained in chapter 6 about the success of the crucifixion – how Christ’s death and resurrection destroys the power of my old nature over my life now
F. Chapter 7,8 – More than conquerors!
1. And even though my flesh (my old nature that loves to sin) still fights me, I am more than a conqueror – I am a victor over sin, temptations, and the power of this world, and even of the devil – AMEN!
2. Because God is constantly perfecting believers to the likeness of Christ!
G. Romans is such an awesome Book! And, it probably could have ended right there at the end of chapter 8, and no one would have felt like something else needed to be said.
H. But God wasn’t finished explaining the Gospel.
1. With all the talk about the Gospel, and Jesus, and sinful people, Paul needed to explain about God’s purpose of the Jewish people? And he answers, Is God all finished with them, and replaced them?
2. Christianity at first was full only of Jews (Acts 1-9) – 10’s of thousands of Jews were repenting and believing Jesus was their Messiah and calling upon the name of Jesus Christ to save them from their sins!
3. But then Gentiles (non-Jews) began to get saved and were filling up the churches all over the Middle East and Southern Europe
4. And fewer and fewer Jews were getting saved
5. And it was becoming common thinking to believe that God was and is through with the Jews, and that Christianity had “replaced” them as “the people of God.”
6. So, Paul, for the next THREE chapters, explains what happened to the Jewish people, and why, and then explains how they will be one day, both saved as a people, and restored as a special nation, above all other nations in the world, as planned by God.
I. Listen to Paul Pour His Heart Out (Romans 9:1-5)
1. Romans 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2. Romans 9:2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3. Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4. Romans 9:4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5. Romans 9:5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
6. These next three chapters (9,10 and 11) will prove that Israel, as a nation (with or without borders) is still part of God’s plan for the future, even though they are not yet saved
7. And these three chapters will prove that the physical nation of Israel has not been replaced by us Christians at all, but are proof for the existence of Jehovah God, and will be restored as the head nation in Christ’s coming future kingdom on earth!
8. Call believing that heresy if you will, but THAT my friend, is BIBLE!
II. Message
A. Paul's Burden for Israel (Romans 9:1,2)
1. Listen to the apostle Paul...
a. Romans 9:1,2 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
b. Wow! Where did this feeling come from?
c. He was not worried about stocks and bonds and cryptocurrencies and economies in economics
1) He was not worried about politics or food prices
2) He was not worried about climate change or the weather
d. Paul cannot escape how he feels about Israel
e. He has great heaviness FOR Israel - which means grief, when he thinks of Israel it weighs him down
1) His heart hurt because Israel as a nation did not want their Messiah, and was lost!
2) This was not a passing feeling, he had continual sorrow in his heart!
3) It's a kind of depression
4) And it was because of the stubborn blindness of the Jewish people that should have known better
f. He actually says “I am not lying about my feelings”
2. This was a surprising attitude to have
a. To be very sad about a failed nation
b. To be concerned about a nation of people that was so tiny and insignificant in the world
c. A nation way over in the middle of the Middle East [MAP]
d. The truth is, so many Gentiles were enjoying salvation, and the promises of God being fulfilled, and the blessings of God, and a walk with Jesus Christ…
e. But one people, one nation was missing everything!
f. The Jews!
3. Paul is concerned about a stubborn, rebellious, wicked nation... a messed up people
4. His nation!
a. For most of their 4,000 years of history they rejected their own prophets, and struggled with paganism and idolatry, and rarely walked with God
b. And the worst thing about the nation of Israel was that they rejected and murdered their own Messiah
1) Acts 3:14,15 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
c. No one should have shed a tear for them
d. Yet listen to Paul again… Romans 9:1-4a I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites…
5. Reminds me of Jeremiah’s attitude about the nation of Israel
a. Jeremiah 2:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
b. Jeremiah 2:2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
c. Jeremiah 2:3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.
d. Jeremiah 2:4 Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
e. Jeremiah 2:5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
f. Jeremiah 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
g. Jeremiah 2:12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.
h. Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
i. Jeremiah 2:32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
j. Jeremiah 4:19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
k. Jeremiah 4:20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
l. Jeremiah 4:21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
m. Jeremiah 4:22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish [DULL; STUPID; SENSELESS] children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
n. Jeremiah
WISHES for wicked Israel to be saved! (Jeremiah 4:14) O
Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How
long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?
[THEY THOUGHT BABYLON WOULD LEAVE THEM ALONE]
o. He doesn’t want them destroyed!
p. The entire book of Lamentations is Jeremiah writing down how he felt as he watched Jerusalem destroyed, and Israel slaughtered!
B. It is strange that very few people have Paul’s attitude about Israel!
1. Too many Christians have Jonah’s attitude towards the Ninevites – who also were a wicked, sinful nation, headed for destruction if someone didn’t go and warn them, and save them!
a. Much of modern Christianity is filled with podcasts and preaching and teaching that there are no Jews anymore and that the Jews in Israel are impostors
b. Many even go so far as to say that the nation of Israel has not only been rejected by God but is cursed by God
1) Throughout history, people have had a major problem with understanding why God would be so committed to a nation of people that was not committed to Him!
2) I know of way too many people who look at the Jews and throw up, and mock and sit in judgment of them as a nation, believing they are NOT God’s people anymore, and that they forfeited their place in God’s plan and will, and that they are reprobate and destined for hell because they crucified their own Messiah.
3) These modern Christians join with:
a) Martin Luther, who hated the Jewish people and was one of the worst causes of abuse and slaughter against Jews in the 1500’s
b) Adolph Hitler – do you really want to be on HIS side against God’s people?
c) The Roman Catholic Church hated the Jewish people for 1,000 years!
d) Many modern reformed Churches like many Presbyterians, and Anglicans say God is all through with the Jewish people – there is no Israel but THEM
e) These “Christians” believe God had thrown away Israel, divorced Himself from them because of their rejection of their Messiah, and replaced His people the Jews with popes, and monsignors, and canons, and TV evangelists, and Rome and Dublin and New York and Sydney – ugh!
2. It is Strange that PAUL doesn’t share that same opinion!
3. The truth is…
4. Israel was supposed to receive their Messiah as their King
a. Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
b. Matthew 10:5-7 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
C. But because they personally rejected him and murdered him, they are now set aside for a while
1. Israel rejected Jesus in spite of all the evidences proving that Jesus was their Messiah
a. His miracles
b. All the prophecies – Bethlehem, Galilee, healing
c. Matthew 11:20-24 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
d. They were judged by God, severely – you should read about what happened in 70AD,
2. NOT like a divorce – just set aside
a. Israel’s rejection of their Messiah, and destruction as a nation once again was predicted by Jesus in Luke 19, and Luke 21, and Matthew 23, and Daniel spoke of it in Daniel 9.
b. But at no time did God say Israel would be replaced! Just set aside
3. The Jewish people will be saved!
a. Romans 11: 15 For if the casting away of them [THE UNBELIEVING JEWS] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? [A RESURRECTION OF ISRAEL]
b. Don’t skip over all the promises by God to SAVE that same rebellious, murderous nation!
1) Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
2) Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: [NOT FROM SOME ELECT, BUT FROM THE DESCENDANTS OF JACOB]
3) Romans 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
4) Romans 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they [ISRAEL] are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they [ISRAEL] are beloved for the fathers' sakes. [ABRAHAM, ISAAC and JACOB]
4. And not just be saved from their sins, but restored as a kingdom
a. Israel will be put back right again
b. Jesus WILL save Israel – not just sinful people, but JEWISH sinful people!
c. And Jesus will make ISRAEL (not Ireland) the head nation in the Millennial kingdom
D. Paul's Own Brethren (Romans 9:3-5)
1. Romans 9:3-5 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites…
2. Are Unsaved Israelites! Lost, wicked, ungodly, unbelieving, unspiritual Jews!
a. Israel, Isrealites, Jews… Words that upset a lot of people
b. He is NOT referring to other Christians as Israel
c. He is not referring to people in general
d. And not for “the elect” either – try putting “elect” where the name Israel is
e. Just Israel
3. Let me tell you what the Israelites are not:
a. They are not believers in Jesus as Messiah
b. They are not Bible believers - refuse to believe their own scriptures
c. They are wicked living people
d. They make wrong decisions as a nation, and often need rebuked
e. Many Jews are atheists even, and others believe a false religion called Judeaism that has been made up to cover the fact that they cannot worship the God of their fathers anymore since their Temple was destroyed!
f. So, they are NOT right with God, and are NOT saved, and are NOT going to heaven, and are NOT going to escape the judgment of God unless they repent and believe the Gospel that their own Bible tells them to believe!
4. What They Are (Romans 9:3-5)
a. Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; …
b. Israelites are:
1) Paul’s people – His kind
2) Kinsmen in the flesh – genetically, even though mixed with other nations
3) Descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
4) A race of people with or without boarders, distinct from all other nations!
c. Israel generally are the Jewish people, genetically, ethnically, and nationally
1) Doesn't matter what their religion is or whether they are close to God or far away from God
2) They are Israel
d. Very Special People – peculiar people – special chosen people
E. Listen to all the things that the Israelites are, even though they are not spiritually right with God... (Romans 9:4,5)
1. Romans 9:4,5 …to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
2. They are an entire nation adopted by God as a son – they experienced the adoption. They own that! No other nation experienced that!
3. They enjoyed the glory of God – appearing at Mt Sinai, leading Israel through the wilderness as a cloud by day and fire at night, appearing as a bright cloud in the tabernacle
4. They are the recipients of God's covenants – Abrahamic covenant, Davidic covenants, Mosaic covenants – some serious agreements and promises!
5. They are the source of the law - the Torah – all 613 laws – given to THEM!
a. They actually gave us more than the law
b. They gave us the prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea
c. And they gave us songs like Psalms
d. And they gave us every other word that God spoke, in a book called the Old Testament!
6. They show how to perfectly worship and do service for God through the Levites and the Tabernacle
7. To them -- Paul is referring to physical, ethnic Jews, not to Christians – to THEM belong all the promises! If you or I enjoy a promise made by God, it was FIRST made to the Jews!
8. They gave us the fathers - the genealogy and lineage through history of the promise of a Messiah came through JEWISH people
a. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
b. These were the Patriarchs
9. And best of all, the Jews gave us the Messiah, the Christ, who is Lord over all nations, and all peoples, Jesus Christ
10. Wow! That is quite an influence Israel has had on this world
F. So, Paul is not saying the Jews are gone, cursed, removed from God’s plan
1. Israel is forever! Even though they are unbelievers and reject Christ, the nation remains
a. Jeremiah 31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:
b. Jeremiah 31:36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
c. Jeremiah 31:37 Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.
2. I will show you maybe next week that there are more than one Israel (actually THREE)
3. Just know this, the Jewish people ARE Israel – don’t let anybody tell you they are not
4. They just are not born again like they need to be
G. Paul's Almost Wished Wish (Romans 9:3)
1. Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
2. I don’t know any other way to describe it than a wish Paul wished he could wish!
3. Think about what Paul is wishing...
4. To actually take the place of wicked, unbelieving, unfaithful Israelites under the wrath of God, becoming cursed by God, so that they could go free!
a. But he was only wishing, not actually trying to become cursed
b. Someone already HAD become cursed in their place! JESUS
c. Paul was not wishing this because they were a spiritual people, or a godly people, or a worthwhile people
d. But because they were God's people
e. You may not understand that, and you may not even like that, but that is why he wouldn't was burdened so deeply about the Jewish people
f. Paul was almost wishing he could be cursed and go to hell in place of his people, the Jewish people, those stubborn, rebellious karma sinful, sodomite, wicked people
5. THAT is how burdened Paul was for HIS people, GOD’S people, the Jewish people!
6. Do you have any burden for YOUR brethren? Paul sure does!
a. We need to repent of believing that there are people who deserve to be saved!
b. Because the arrogance of believing that there are some people who do NOT deserve to be saved, forgiven, restored to god, is far more wicked then we admit!
H. Next Week… Paul's Battle with Christian Ignorance About Israel (Romans 9:4-13)
1. The remainder of Chapter 9 and then all of chapter 10 and Chapter 11 are written to untwist all the confusion and the “misinformation” that was being spread about the Jewish people in that day, that unfortunately continues until this day
2. We will pick this up next week, and listen to every word that is written
3. It is so easy to just run with what you think Paul is saying, and make up your mind too quickly
4. This is very important, because the Bible says how you feel about Israel, can either bless your life, or bring troubles to it
III. What's The Point?
A. What is Paul's goal in spending so much time discussing the Jewish people when he has spent so much time discussing the gospel?
B. To get Christians to pray for and love and bless the Jewish people
1. Psalm 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
2. Psalm 129:5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.
3. God loves them! He still does! I will prove it to you from Deuteronomy 7 next week!
C. To remind Christians, whether they are Gentile believers or Jewish believers, that we owe so much to Israel (Romans 15:25-27)
1. Romans 15:25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
2. Romans 15:26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
3. Romans 15:27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their [ISRAEL’S] spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
D. Paul is going to remind us that the gospel began with the Jews, for the Jews
1. He started back in Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
E. That we need to learn from them - have you noticed that most of the Bible is NOT about Christians, but about Israel, and about the Jewish people?
1. The more you learn about them and from them
2. The more you will learn about yourself
F. That we need to watch them because they are the centre point of God's world – they are the apple of His eye – the most important people that He keeps His eye on
G. And that we need to win them to the same gospel that won us, and never stop trying to win them (Acts 1:8) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
H. Because they are worth it, just as much as you and I are!
IV.Conclusion
A. I have to tell you I am ashamed at how little I weep over the lostness of people
B. And if I claim to be a Bible believer, why do I not weep over the lostness of God’s own people?
C. Will you start praying for Israel to be saved? For Jewish men and women to discover their Messiah has come!
D. Do you care about ANYBODY besides yourself?
1. When was the last time that you poured your heart out for your wayward son or daughter?
2. When if ever have you been worried about the souls of men and women going to hell?
3. How about YOUR people?
a. Irish
b. Nigerians in Nigeria
c. Ukrainians in Ukraine under constant bombardment?
d. Congolese in the Congo?
e. South Africans in South Africa
4. And what about your enemies?
a. Russians
b. British
c. Iranians
d. Hezbollah and Hamas
E. Don’t be like Jonah and let people just die without Christ!
1. I guarantee you that SOMEONE was burdened about YOUR soul and interrupted your life and gave you a Gospel tract and told you that you were a sinner and needed to repent and believe the only good news that there is for sinful people – that Jesus saves sinners!
2. THANK GOD someone cared for your soul, and brought you here to hear about Jesus Christ
3. Will you care for someone else’s soul?
4. Right now, let’s bow in prayer and confess that we are cold, and numb, and have not CARED like Paul cared for a wicked and Christ rejecting people
5. And ask God to break YOUR heart and make you a better Christian, who cares!