Today’s passage: Romans 11:11-24
Helpful thoughts:
- The salvation of Gentile people in the church age will be used by God to draw more Jewish people to salvation.
- Paul is looking forward to the day when all the Old Testament saints who are Jews, and all the New Testament saints (Our time) who are Jews are united after Christ’s return and the resurrection.
- It appears this gathering of saved Jews is the “Full inclusion” and the “Whole lump” he refers to in this passage.
- Paul is looking forward to the day when all the Old Testament saints who are Jews, and all the New Testament saints (Our time) who are Jews are united after Christ’s return and the resurrection.
- God has included people from every tribe tongue and nation into His kingdom. But to start thinking that an earthly kingdom, or bloodline, or family tradition is what saves us, would be to make the same mistake so many from national Israel made.
- No one goes to heaven because they’re an American from the Midwest who went to a Baptist church their whole life.
- Salvation is always by grace, through faith, in Christ alone.
- If one generation loses sight of why we are included in God’s Kingdom, the next generation may never hear the truth of the Gospel. It doesn’t take long. Church, don’t lose your first love (Revelation 2:4-5).
Questions to consider:
- How does this passage seem to answer the question about the distinction (Or lack thereof) between Israel and the Church? In what ways are Israel and the Church the same? In what ways are Israel and the Church different?
- In our culture, country and day, what things do you see that appear to be taking precedence in the minds of many Christians and churches over the Gospel, the Great Commission, and the command to seek God’s kingdom first? (This is a struggle for every generation! What are the main struggles for ours?) Where is your first citizenship (Philippians 3:20)? How should this truth actually make us more valuable to our earthly country while also teaching us to prioritize what matters most?
- If you were to ask the people closest to you, what would they say you are most passionate about? What things motivate you to action, to speak, to reach out to others to bring about change? How can you be growing in cultivating the “branches” of the “Olive tree” of God’s kingdom?