SIX THINGS THAT WILL MAKE YOU JUMP FOR JOY

ROMANS 9

4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.

5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

In this passage we have a list of some of the blessings that Israel enjoyed, but these blessings were not inherited by all the Children of Israel, but only those who believed the promises.

The faith of the children of Israel shifted like the sands of the sea, but only a remnant will be saved. (see Romans 9:27).

Israel has all of these promises, and like wild branches that have been grafted into the vine of God’s redemptive plan, we now have them as Gentiles.

Let’s take a look at what we have as followers of Christ:

Adoption – we are not servants; we are now sons. Romans 8:14-16 tells us that we are Sons of God. And as such we cry, “Abba Father.”

I hear so many people say: I have no real father or mother.

As a Christian, you have now.

Glory – in the Old Testament, God’s glory was in the tabernacle, and then the Temple.

In the New Testament, His glory lives in temples made without hands – You and me.

Yes believer, God lives in us through the Holy Spirit (See 1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

We are God’s living temple, out of us shines light, out of us pour rivers of living waters.

But sometimes, because of sin, we can quench the flow and put out the light.

Lets make sure, we never do that.

1 Thessalonians 5:19

19 Do not quench the Spirit.

Matthew 5:15

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Covenant – God made a covenant with Abraham based on earthly promises (abundance, land, a son, etc.).

As Believers we have a new and living Covenant through Jesus Christ that offers forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and the abiding presence of God. (See Hebrews 7:22, 8:13 and 12:24)

The Law – The Children of Israel were given the law after they came out of Egypt.

As Christians, God has written His law on our hearts.

And that law has two commandments (To love the Lord our God with all our hearts, mind, soul and strength), and to love our neighbours as ourselves.

Worship – Jesus said to the woman at the well, those who worship God must do so in Spirit and in truth.

The children of Israel worshipped through a series of sacrifices.

We worship God, offering the sacrifice of praise and a holy life for the salvation we have through Jesus Christ.

Promises – The children of Israel had great promises, but we as Christian’s have exceedingly great and precious promises: 2 Peter 1:4.

Here are some of them.

God is always with you. Matthew 28:18-20

God will never leave you or forsake you. Hebrews 13:5

Also look at Romans 8:31-39 to see how many great and precious promises there are.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How many precious promises can you count in these verses?

2 Corinthians 1:20

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

These six things should make us leap and shout for joy!

Christian, you and I are blessed beyond measure. Hallelujah!!

God bless you

Romans 9

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,

2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.

3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

THE CRY OF EVERY TRUE CHRISTIAN’S HEART

After reading the first eight chapters and the glorious salvation, we have in Christ.

Paul is sorrowful because there are people who don’t and won’t trust Christ, this is a great pain to Paul and should be to us. There are people in our own families, our husbands/wives/parents and children who haven’t trusted Christ.

This should create in us a deep sense of sorrow, but not just sorrow, but also prayer for them and witness to them through our words and deeds.

Although Paul was a Roman citizen, he was still a jew and the unbelief of the jews created a deep sorrow in his heart, even to the point that he would be accursed.

The reformation study bible, puts it like this:

I could wish that I myself were accursed. Although Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles, he echoes the sentiments of Moses in the face of the unbelief of the Jews (Ex. 32:30–32). They are his own countrymen and he agonizes over them (v. 2). To be willing to suffer God’s curse for them is a strong statement of love.

I am in China, but my heart will always be that of a British man, I carry a British passport, that is my homeland and my birthplace, so do I agonise over my country?

Verse 2 stands out, great heaviness and continual sorrow, this was a heavy burden on Paul’s heart, although he was the Apostle to the Gentiles, he still had a deep agony and burden for his own people.

DO YOU?

When I see the state of my country spiritually and morally going downhill, I sometimes (but not often enough) cry, it makes me very sad.

Paul is crying for his people, he has taught on God’s glorious salvation in Chs 1-8 and he wishes that the Jews would embrace that wonderful salvation, he has a passionate and powerful love for his people, he is saying, I would do anything to bring my people to faith.

Maybe you are living in another country whilst reading this, maybe you are Chinese living in America, do you have a passion like Paul did for his  countrymen?

In Chapter 10:1, Paul says this:

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might besaved.

Do I/you have the same desire for our countrymen?

I am reminded of Nehemiah, in Chapter 1 of the book, he was brought bad news of the Jews in Jerusalem, what did he do, he sat down and wept.

2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

When was the last time you sat down and wept for your country?

When was the last time I cried unto God for the UK?

Sobering questions

God bless you

Keith