Sermon Notes - Romans 11:11-32 - Littleby Baptist Church - April 6, 2025

1.        The Nation of Israel had rejected God.

a.        They were focused on the rules and the religion.

b.       They missed out on the Love and the Gift that God was offering.

c.        They rejected the message of Jesus and the sacrifice He made for those who believe.

d.       But as we saw two weeks ago…

e.        They rejected God.

f.          But God did not reject them.

g.        Paul is an example of God’s love saving one who is a sinner.

h.        The patriarchs are examples of Faith leading to salvation.

i.          The gift of Grace offered by God is amazing.

j.          A gift that if accepted results in an amazing eternity with our God.

k.        A gift that if rejected means we would be stuck with the horrible eternity we deserve.

2.        The gift of Jesus is amazing.

a.        Accept it and be saved.

b.       As we have seen in the last couple of chapters it is really that simple.

c.        Believe in Jesus and spend forever with Him.

d.       God provided a way through His Son.

e.        A way that is offered to all.

f.          A gift that is available to each of us.

g.        All we have to do is accept it.

h.        Some in Israel did and some did not.

3.        Romans 11:11

a.        Has Israel’s rejection of God resulted in their irreversible ruin?

b.       When they rejected Jesus while He walked this earth is all hope gone for them?

c.        Is the nation no longer God’s chosen people because they did not recognize the One the Father sent?

d.       Absolutely Not!

e.        God is using their rejection.

f.          He is using the events of 2,000 years ago through today to help save us Gentiles.

g.        A couple of weeks back we talked about Israel being jealous of the Gentiles.

h.        We see in Paul’s letters that they tried to make it hard on them.

i.          Make it so they had to follow those OT laws.

j.          Tried to tell the men they needed to be circumcised.

k.        Their jealousy ultimately helped shape the teachings we have in the NT.

l.          It helped shape what we know today.

m.     That we are saved by faith, not by following a bunch of rules.

4.        Israel may have stumbled but that was not the end.

5.        We stumble.

a.        We sin.

b.       We reject God.

c.        But praise the Lord, that is not the end.

d.       If it was, none of us would have any hope.

e.        Our God provided a way for the Gentiles to be saved when there was no way.

f.          He has provided a way for each of us to be redeemed from our sinful ways.

6.        Romans 11:12

a.        The fruit of Paul’s ministry is the riches to the Gentiles.

b.       We are still seeing today the riches to the world, to all of humankind.

c.        People around the world for 2,000 years have heard that you can be saved by faith.

d.       Instead of being saved by Jesus and have to follow the OT Law, because of the transgression of the Jewish people.

e.        Their transgression brings riches to the world and to the gentiles.

f.          What about their fullness?

g.        When the people of Israel turn to God… when they are restored.

h.        When our Lord returns.

i.          The blessing upon all who believe will be amazing.

j.          Not limited to Jewish ancestry.

k.        We as gentiles will rejoice when God’s people, the remnant of Israel, are restored.

l.          The blessing will be greater than what we see today.

m.     Greater than the people in this room being saved.

7.        Romans 11:13-14

a.        In directing his comments specifically to the gentiles of Rome.

b.       Paul is trying to make the Jewish people jealous.

c.        He wants them to wake up to the truth that they need Jesus.

d.       He wants them to see Jesus for who He is.

8.        Romans 11:15

a.        He wants them to be jealous in hopes that it will change their minds.

b.       If their rejection of God brought reconciliation, brought grace, and salvation.

c.        What will happen when the Jews turn to Jesus?

d.       Paul is pointing to the beginning of the 1,000-year reign.

e.        He is pointing to the resurrection of the dead.

f.          Revelation 20:4-6

g.        New life will be given to those who believe.

h.        When God’s chosen people turn to God, it is time for our Lord to return.

i.          Israel rejected Christ and we have the opportunity to accept Christ’s gift.

j.          When they, as a people, accept Christ all of us will rejoice.

9.        Romans 11:16

a.        If what came first is holy… the rest of it will be holy.

b.       If Abraham was deemed Holy by God… those who came after him will eventually be found Holy.

c.        It is only a matter of time that the whole batch and the branches will take on the holiness of the roots and the first fruits that feed them.

d.       God has set Israel apart.

e.        She has been stumbling over Jesus for a long time.

f.          But it is only temporary.

g.        A time is coming when the Nation of Israel will return to God.

10.   Romans 11:17-21

a.        There are three main parts here.

b.       The root is at a minimum Father Abraham but is more likely pointing to Christ who sustains us.

c.        The broken branches are those from Israel who have rejected God for a time.

d.       The wild olive branches are Gentile believers such as us.

e.        Our faith has saved us.

f.          Yet, Paul is reminding us that we are not God.

g.        We need to remember that God did not save the initial branches, the broken branches, when they rejected Him.

h.        If we reject Him, if we do not believe we will not be redeemed.

i.          Believe and be saved.

j.          Reject God and face a horrible eternity.

k.        True for the Israelites and for us.

11.   Romans 11:22-24

a.        Paul is not saying if we as an individual don’t continue in kindness that we will lose our salvation.

b.       He is talking about Gentiles as a whole.

c.        Continue to follow God, pursuing Him, seeking Him, and you will be saved.

d.       You will be grafted in.

e.        That goes for the Jew and the Gentile alike.

f.          The natural branches and the wild branches.

g.        Follow God and be saved.

h.        Reject God and be cut off.

i.          Rejected God and face eternity without Him.

12.   Romans 11:25-27

a.        The Holy Spirit is communicating through Paul, that God is at work here.

b.       This temporary hardening of the Israelite people is from God.

c.        He wanted to show grace to the Gentiles.

d.       He wanted to make sure that we had an opportunity to hear about and accept the amazing gift of Jesus.

e.        But a time is coming.

f.          The hardening will be removed.

g.        Israel will be saved.

h.        Ezekiel 20:34-38

i.          God will restore His people when Christ returns.

j.          Many will follow Him, but some will still rebel.

13.   Romans 11:28-29

a.        They being Israel are enemies for the gentile’s advantage.

b.       So that the Gentiles could be saved.

c.        But, God’s calling of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has not changed.

d.       It will not change.

e.        It is irrevocable.

f.          Israel is still God’s chosen people.

g.        The time will come when they will be restored.

14.   When we turn to God.

a.        When we repent and proclaim Jesus as our Lord.

b.       Our Salvation is set.

c.        It is irrevocable.

d.       No matter what happens on this side of eternity.

e.        Our Hope is secure in the gift our Lord has given all who believe in Him.

15.   Romans 11:30-32

a.        The Gentiles had no path to Glory and fell short of God’s standard and needed grace.

b.       Israel fell, which God used to pass the gift of grace to the gentiles.

c.        Now Israel is falling short of God’s standard and needs grace.

d.       A long way of saying.

e.        Romans 3:23

f.          We all need God’s grace.

g.        The gift is available to all today, Jew and Gentile alike.

h.        A time is coming when their will be a great movement of God in the Israelite people.

i.          When they will realize they need Jesus like the rest of us.

16.   Paul’s audience, Jew and Gentile alike, are probably wondering what God is doing.

a.        It can be hard to understand what God is doing in our lives.

b.       But God has a plan.

c.        He knew we would need a Savior.

d.       He knew that the Gentiles were going to need to hear the Gospel without the heavy Jewish influence.

e.        He knew a time would come that the Jews would be called back.

f.          He has been at work all along.

g.        He is at work today.

h.        It may be hard to see, but He is at work.

17.   Our Job is to follow Him.

a.        We don’t need to try to figure out the exact next step.

b.       Instead, we are to pray, read Scripture, talk to other believers… repeat, repeat, and repeat some more.

c.        And at the same time, keep stepping out in faith.

d.       To not sit on our hands.

e.        Walk forward and let God use us.

f.          He will bless our faithfulness as we seek His will.

g.        He will guide us.

h.        Sometimes that guidance comes by things working out and sometimes by them not working out.

i.          If you are wondering how to step out in faith, pray about it and I would love to talk with you about it.

18.   If you don’t know Jesus this morning.

a.        All of this we talked about was done out of love.

b.       God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us.

c.        He desires to spend eternity with us.

d.       To do so, He provided a way for us to be forgiven of our sins.

e.        If you would like to know more, I would love to talk with you.