Now, Romans 11. I want to try to look at verse
16 down to verse 25. Let me just go back and give
you a brief review. Through the stumbling rebellion
and unbelief of the Jewish nation, through their rejection of the
Messiah, you remember the word says, He came unto His own, His
own received Him not, the Lord Jesus Christ. They rejected the
one Son of God. But God has used that rejection
as a blessing or an opportunity to send the gospel to the Gentile
world or to his elect. That's why he said when he was
raised from the dead, go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature. We have, as Gentile dogs, we
have benefited through their rejection and unbelief and rebellion
against God by the gospel being sent out into the world. Through
the preaching of the gospel, God has called out out of every
tribe, kindred, nation, and tongue a people redeemed by the blood
of Christ. Now, the casting away of them
be the reconciling of the world, verse 15. What shall the receiving
of them be but life? life from the dead. That's what
every sinner needs is salvation and that's being raised from
the dead and made alive in Christ. Now with further explanation
verse 16 down through 25 tells us how this will be. For if the
firstfruits be holy the lump is also holy And if the root
be holy, so also is the branches. Now you remember under the law
when the harvest was brought in, the first fruits of that
harvest were set apart. Set apart as holy unto the Lord. They were sanctified unto the
Lord. If the first fruits be holy,
set aside to the Lord, the whole harvest was set aside unto the
Lord, and designated as sanctified unto the Lord. So it is true,
if the root be holy, so too are the branches of the tree holy. And we know the Lord Jesus Christ
is called the true vine, and believers are referred to as
the branches, branches of that true vine. The first fruits and
the Branches of the tree refer to the early Jewish believers,
the early Jewish church. They were the first fruits of
His grace, the branches of His grace that came from a true vine,
our blessed Savior. The first fruits would be what? Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses,
David, Isaiah, all those believers that God had called out. Now
verse 17 down through 24, Paul illustrates this for us by using
a earthly illustration. He uses this example of a farmer
grafting in branches into a good tree. Now if you go to a nursery
and buy a tree, it is usually a tree that has been grafted.
This is something that is done all the time, but he uses this
as an illustration of Christ being the good tree and everybody
outside that tree being a wild branch and God, by his grace,
takes that wild branch and grafts it into the good tree. That branch,
we know, doesn't The branch doesn't determine itself to get into
that tree. Somebody has to take that branch
and graft it in by will and purpose into that good tree. And that's
exactly what God does when he saves a sinner. Now, verse 17,
and if some of the natural, if some of the branches be broken
off, And thou being a wild tree, a wild branch, wert grafted in
among them, that is, previous believers, and with them partakest
of the root. and the fatness thereof." Now,
talking about the root being Christ and the fatness thereof,
all the blessings we have in Christ of that good olive tree. Now some of the natural Jewish
branches were broken off, as it said down in verse 20, because
of unbelief. Unbelief. And by the purpose
and grace of God, The wild branches, that is God's elect among the
Gentile world, were grafted into the good tree, the true vine,
the Lord Jesus Christ. We know that's by God's will,
not of him that willeth or him that runneth, but of God that
showeth mercy. We know that's by his purpose. He works all
things after the counsel of his own will and purpose. We know
that we are saved by his grace. We are made partakers. of His
fullness, of His fatness. Now you remember John 1 16, of
His fullness, have we all received grace because of grace. And then
in Colossians chapter two, where we read, in Him dwells all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily, and we are complete in Him. Of His fullness have we been
blessed. Now verse 18, boast not, against
those branches that were broken off, those natural Jewish people
who rejected the Messiah, who rejected the way of salvation
by grace. But if thou boast, thou boastest
not the root, excuse me, but if thou boast, thou bearest not
the root, but the root thee. Now Paul gives believing Gentiles
a warning lest they be lifted up with pride, lest they be full
of pride. You remember the scriptures teach
pride goeth before a fall. Pride goes before a fall. We
as Gentile believers are truly blessed of God. We have no reason
to criticize and rail upon unbelieving Jews. Now I'll give you a simple
example of that or illustration of that. If you have a blind
dog and you take a stick and start beating him, say, you dumb
blind dog, can't you see? Whack, whack, whack, whack. No
matter how much you rail on him and beat on him, he's still a
blind dog. There's no need for us to beat
up on unbelieving Jews. The root is the one, that is
Christ, who has made us to differ. Why aren't you still in unbelief?
Why aren't you still in false religion? Well, we know it's
God who has made us to differ. Let them know and consider, every
believer, that the root is not beholden to the branches. The
branches depend upon the root, the true vine. But the branches
upon and depend upon the root. So the good thing that the Gentiles
have, they've received from the Jews, not the Jews from them. The Gentiles have contributed
nothing to the Jews, and what I mean by that is this, Christ
came through the Jewish nation. He was a Jew, right? That's what
it says in Romans chapter 1, you remember? That's how we started
here, Romans chapter 1, concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, which
was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh. He was
of the tribe of Judah, the house of Jesse, the house of David. Now, verse 19 down through verse
21 in our text, thou wilt say then, well the branches are broken
off, that we might be grafted in, that's true. Well, because of unbelief they were
broken off. And you stand by faith? Now this statement here,
be not high-minded, where'd you get that faith? How do you stand? You stand because he holds you.
You stand by faith that God has given. Now be not wise, Be not
high-minded, rather, but fear, fear the Lord. Verse 21, for
if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he
also spare not you. Now, let us not say, cut off
the Jews because we're better. It's cut them off because us
Gentiles, we're a little bit better. Remember what it said
over here in Romans chapter 3? Let me just get it for you quickly
and remind you of this verse 9. What then? Are we better than
they? No one, no wise. We have before
proved both Jew and Gentile. We're all under sin. None of
us are deserving of salvation, are we? The wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life. Let us not say we're better,
God forbid. God's judgment fell on them because
of unbelief. And our unbelief will merit the
same displeasure. Now, don't turn, let me just
get this for you because we had this in our study in the book
of Hebrews. And I know you don't remember
these things the way I do because this is my business. I mean,
I live in this book. I just read it and think about
it and meditate it all the time. But if you remember, I hope you
do, but let me refresh your memory. In the book of Hebrews, where
it says a similar warning, Hebrews 3 verse 12, Take heed, brethren,
lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing
from the living God. But exhort one another daily
what is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of
Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto
the end. I have a memory of this one because
I quote this all the time. And don't turn, let me just get
it for you. We'll move right along here in Colossians chapter
1. We know the Lord Jesus Christ
made peace for us with His own blood, and you that were sometimes
alienated, enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath
He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death to present
you holy, unblameable, unreprovable in His sight. Look at the next
verse. If you continue in the faith,
if you continue in the faith, grounded and settled, be not
moved away from the hope of the gospel which you've heard, which
was preached to every creature which is under heaven. Wherefore,
I, Paul, am a minister. There we are encouraged to persevere
in the faith. And that's what saving faith
does. It perseveres. But let us not
be high-minded But let us fear, let us fear. For if God spared
not the natural branches, take heed, take heed, lest he not
spare you. Let us not be high-minded. The
scripture says, let a man thinketh that he stand, take heed, lest
he fall. Let us not be high-minded, full
of pride and arrogance. and certainly let us not be guilty
of the pride of grace, but rather let us stand by faith, let us
fear God always, looking to Him to keep us and hold us, and let us be fearful always
of unbelief. Now, I know there's a part in
this, in that old nature, that old man, We can say with that
man in scripture, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief, help my unbelief. But I don't wanna be swallowed
up with unbelief. I wanna believe and keep on believing
and saving faith does because we're kept by the power of God.
But there is that warning. There is that warning. Now, look
at verse 22 carefully. Behold, therefore, the goodness
of God Behold, that word means to take
a very good look at this. Behold, therefore, the goodness
and severity of God. God is severe in His judgment. We're going to see that in our
message this morning from Luke 16. Behold, therefore, the goodness
of God and also the severe judgment of God on them which fell. They fell through unbelief. What
is there left for an unbeliever? The wrath of God abides on him,
but toward thee goodness fell. Now this is goodness that's the
goodness of God's sovereign mercy. If thou continue in his goodness,
there's that encouragement again to persevere in the gospel, otherwise
you'll be cut off as well. Another warning, dire warning.
Now two strong things are given to us here about the character
of God. Behold His goodness, His goodness. Now the Lord is
good. He is good. The Lord is love. I thought of this Scripture on
His goodness. Psalm 34, O taste and see, the
Lord is good. Blessed is the man that trusteth
in Him. His mercy is good. His love is good. His gospel contains the good
news of God's salvation to sinners. But let us not forget that His
goodness and His mercy is sovereign mercy. For we studied in Romans
9, He said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.
I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then
it's not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but
of God that showeth mercy." Behold His goodness. Now God is sovereign
in His goodness. He's sovereign in His grace.
He's sovereign in His mercy. Now, the second part of that
is, also behold the severity of God. God is good, but God
also is holy. God is holy. Holy, holy, holy
Lord God Almighty. That's what Isaiah, we read in
Isaiah chapter 1, when he saw the holiness of God, you remember
what he said? Woe is me, I'm undone, I'm a
man of unclean lips. I dwell among the midst of a
people of unclean lips. His severity, the severeness
of his judgment, of his holy justice, which is holy justice. The wages of sin is death. Psalm 95 says this, exalt you
the Lord our God and worship at his footstool for he is holy. Now the wrath of God is severe.
The wrath of God is severe. That's what happened when the
Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us at Calvary. We behold
the severity of God, don't we? But we also behold what? The
goodness of God. The goodness of God as well.
Had God not made Him sin for us, we never would have been
made the righteousness of God in Him. At Calvary there we even
see the goodness of God and we see the severity of God against
sin. Now, that leads us down to verse
23. If thou continue in His goodness,
otherwise you'll be cut off. Is there any hope of salvation
apart from Christ? No. Now, verse 23, And they also,
if they abide not, still in unbelief. Now if God would grant any Jew
faith in Christ, That would be Him being raised from the dead.
That would be salvation, right? If they abide not, still in unbelief,
shall be grafted in, for God is able. God's able to graft
them in. There's no, if God can save a
self-righteous man so full of pride as Saul of Tarsus, do you
think anybody else is beyond His power and grace. Any other
Jew today beyond the power of God's effectual grace, regenerating
grace, God is able to graft them in again. God is able. Remember
that scripture in Hebrews 7.25? Wherefore, He is able to save
them to the uttermost, all that come to God by Him, seeing He
ever liveth to make intercession for them, God's able to graft
them in, and he will, he will. Not one of his elect will perish.
He said that all that the Father giveth me, they will come to
me, Jew or Gentile, they will come. Verse 24, for if thou were
cut out of a wild tree, out of an olive tree, which is wild.
Now that's us by nature, without God, you remember Paul describes
us in Ephesians 2, without God, without hope, and without Christ,
without, wild, wild, dead in sin. You were born in sin, shapen
in iniquity, a wild by nature. That's our nature, it's wild.
The nature of fallen man is not to believe God. The nature of
a fallen man is rebellion against God. It is instilled in our nature. Why does a little two-year-old
throw a fit against his parents? Why does he do that? He is a
rebel. He is a rebel against God. He
is a rebel against God's authority in the house, which is mom and
dad. You see, we were born in sin,
shaped in iniquity. But if you being that wild, sinful
child and were grafted contrary to that wild nature. We love
darkness, not light. And grafted into a good olive
tree. Now who did that? God who has
begun a good work in you will finish it. If God was able to
take that wild rebel Gentile and put him into Christ, make
him a new creature, How much more, underscore those words,
how much more? How much more shall these which
be natural Jewish people, the Jews had so many privileges,
they just throw them all away. The law, the tabernacle, all
the prophets, the Messiah came through that Jewish nation. How
much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted
into their own olive tree? That own olive tree is the same
olive tree we have, the true vine, which is the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now, verse 25. For I would not, I
would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of
this mystery. Now this is a mysterious thing. Lest you should be wise in your
own conceits. Now look at the reference there
it gives in Romans 12, 16. Be of the same mind one to another,
mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not
wise in your own conceits. Be not wise in your own conceits. That reminds me of another scripture
over here in the book of Galatians. If any man thinketh himself to
be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Take heed,
lest you also fall. For I would not, brethren, that
you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise
in your own conceits, in your own thoughts, your own sinful
pride, religious pride, that blindness in part is happened
to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles come in. Now
what's he saying here? Remember now, this is a mystery. This is a mystery. How much more?
God is able to remove their ignorance, their pride, their blinded eyes,
the hardness of the heart, and to make them new creatures in
Christ. This is a mystery, as it says here. One of those mysteries
we do not fully understand, but we do believe it because God
says it so. Now, look down the page here
at verse 33, Romans 11, 33. O the depths of the riches both
of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his
judgments, and his ways fast finding out. This is a mystery. The blindness of heart among
the Jews will not last forever. Hardness of heart of that whole
nation will not last forever. God is able to remove their pride,
their ignorance, their unbelief, remove the hardness of their
heart. It will not remain that way forever, but only until the
Lord calls out all the elect among the Gentiles. Now, I know
what this says. I do not know what the full meaning
of this will be. I can't explain it. But I know
what it says, and I believe what it says. But I don't know how
this will happen, what extent this will be, or when this will
take place. But at some point, at some time,
there's going to be a great reviving of God's elect among the Jews. It's a mystery. Don't ask me
to explain it to you. I know what this says. I don't
fully know what it means. And then it says there, and we'll
look at this next week, and so all Israel shall be saved. I
believe that's talking about all the elect of God. As it is
written, there shall come out of Zion the, notice it's a capital
D, the Deliverer, and we know that is Christ. and shall turn
away ungodliness from Jacob. Jacob have I loved." Now, I thought
about this scripture in Deuteronomy 29, 29. You remember, where it
says, the secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those
things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever,
that we may do all the words of His law. This is a mystery. But it's so. God's going to save
all His elect. Not one will perish. They can't because the Lord justified
them by His grace through the blood atonement of the Lord Jesus
Christ.