All right, so... Good to see each of you tonight, and we welcome those that are joining us online. We do know that there are some that are watching us now every week on this series, and so we welcome them.
I do want to make mention that if you want any of the material from our last series, we're putting that on, and then material now, transcripts, outlines, quizzes, stuff like that, are on the description of each of the videos on YouTube. Uh, they're on the ministry YouTube site right now. They're not yet on the church site.
So if you're interested in any of that, you want to print that out or you want to have those documents or anything, uh, just, uh, go, you can go to the church YouTube page, click on the ministry YouTube link and, uh, and whatever video to go to the description. And then those documents and things will be on each underneath each of those videos. So it might be some good teaching material. If you want to do your own private study on those.
All right. So remember last week, we looked as recently. started some, some key scripture verses. Uh, how can a man be right before God? Still feedback going on.
I think, uh, they're telling me Dean. Uh, and so, um, how can a man be right before God? And we looked at that scripture verse and remember too, we looked in Luke seven and we found a story of this person that was in sin.
And she went to the Pharisees house and, and the verse key verse there was verse 47, where Jesus says, therefore, I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved me much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. And we connected that with Paul saying that, you know, he was the preacher of grace, right? And he was the chief among sinners.
And so that story kind of illustrated what I believe Paul's heart is as he's reaching out with the gospel. And so tonight I want, before we get into Romans, I want us to look at another story, and that's in Matthew 22. So if you'll turn to Matthew chapter 22. And this is going to set up what we're going to talk about tonight, where that scripture verse kind of gave us a little step into the mindset of Paul last week. I want us to think a little bit about who Paul is addressing a little bit more tonight. And you know, we spent four weeks talking about to whom was Romans written.
And we said it was written to the Jew first and then to the Greek or the Gentile. And so we're going to take that theme a little bit and we're going to... look in Matthew, we're going to look in Romans, and we're going to spend a little bit of time again in Ephesians and see if the way we've been looking at this, both in our last series and now, can hold water. Does it hold water the way we've been looking at the scripture? So Matthew chapter 22 is where I want us to go first.
We're going to go to verse 1. This is just a story to kind of illustrate the thought process of Paul as he's writing in Romans, because I want us to think about a remnant. Remnant. Think of the word remnant. When I say remnant, what is conjured up in your mind?
Leftover? Or what? What is it? A rag?
Yeah, or a left... Yeah. So something that is separate from something else, right?
Maybe something taken from something else, right? You have a portion, and then you have a remnant of that. And that's what the word I want us to think about tonight, is we think about to whom is the gospel presented, and especially with the children.
children of Israel. So Matthew chapter 22 verse 1, Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said, the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son. And I think of Jesus, the son of God, who is the bridegroom. And that's really what this is about.
And sent out to his, sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding and they were not willing to come. All right, so let's read that verse again. Sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding, and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, see, I have prepared my dinner.
My oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding. But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. That seems drastic.
But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite. to the wedding.
So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot. Take him away and cast him into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are cold, few are chosen.
So let's go back to the beginning of that story. Let's pick it apart for a minute. I want us to think about remnant and let's kind of talk about what the parable actually is talking about. So number one, let's find out who he is talking to.
If you go back just a little bit before that. Notice it says in verse 1, Jesus answered and spoke to them. Now who's the them?
Go to the verse right before that. Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitudes because they took him for a prophet. And Jesus answered and spoke to them. So he's talking to the scribes and Pharisees, isn't he?
Now go. to the verse right after in verse 15 of Matthew 22. And again he says, Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle him in his talk. So Jesus has given this parable to and about the scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, brood of vipers, right?
Whitewashed tombs, those same people. So let's think about what he's saying there. Jesus answered in verse 1, And spoke to them again by parables and said, The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son and sent out his servants.
Now who do you think the servants are? Who are the servants? The prophets, Old Testament prophets.
So he's sending out the prophets and he's bidding them to come. And we're going to look at that a little bit more in just a minute in the way that we've been studying the scripture. So he sent out his prophets to call those who were invited.
Now. that word invited is the same exact word as the word call. Same word.
All right. Same word. So you can read it this way and sent out his servants to invite those who were invited to the wedding or to call those who were called to the wedding. Same word.
Okay. So call means invited. Invited means called. Okay. So let's keep going to the wedding and they were not willing to come.
Why did they not come? They were invited. Why didn't they come? They weren't willing. They said, no, no.
Ain't gonna do it. I don't want to go. Not gonna go. My choice.
Ain't doing it. Again, he sent out other servants, more prophets, saying, tell those who were invited, who were called, I've prepared my dinner. My oxen and fatted cattle are killed and all things are ready. Come on. Come to the wedding.
Come to the wedding. But they made light of it. In other words, they paid no attention to it.
They ignored it. Ah, no, I got flowers to water. you know dogs to feed i ain't i got better important things to do one went to his own farm another to his business i need to keep i need i got i got stuff to do leave me alone and the rest seized his servants treated them spitefully and killed them now go over to chapter 23 for just a second of matthew and look in verse 33 23 33 Jesus is talking to them again. He says, Serpents, brood of vipers, how can you escape the condemnation of hell?
Boy, if he don't sound like a Southern Baptist evangelist, I don't know who to... Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify. Some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city. Who goes to a synagogue?
Jews go to a synagogue. Okay. that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah A to Z Son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar, surely I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Old Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. See, your house is left to you desolate.
For I say to you, you shall see me no more till you say, Blessed is He. who comes in the name of the Lord. Now go back to our parable.
And he said, some of those servants, some of those prophets were killed. And then he tells who those people were who killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murders, and burned up their city. That kind of sounds like 70 AD, doesn't it?
When Jerusalem was destroyed. That sounds like... Kind of sounds like a prophecy right there.
Then he said to his servants, the wedding is ready, but those who were invited, those who were called, were not worthy. Who were the ones called then? They were the Jews, weren't they?
The Jews were called, and the Jews said no, and the Jews stoned their prophets, and the Jews judged themselves not to be worthy, just like we read last week. Therefore, go into the highways, and as many as you find, Invite to the wedding. Call them to the wedding.
Who would these people be then? These would be the Gentiles. These are the other group.
These are the other guys. So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.
Now when you go out and you just invite people randomly, I don't know how many of you have ever been invited to like a black tie event. And you're out mowing your yard and somebody comes along, pulls up in your front drive in a limousine and says, Hey, get in! I'm taking you to a party. You probably aren't mowing your yard in your suit. So you get in, you're all nasty looking, you got grass on your tennis shoes, you got your old tennis shoes on, your hair's all messed up, probably have a beat up old t-shirt on, and you're going to a black tie event.
What's going to happen when you get to that black tie event when they invited you? They're going to give you the suit, aren't they? They're going to give it to you.
This is going to be something that they're going to provide for you. So the wedding garment is provided for all the guests. Clothed in white is what I think about in the book of Revelation.
But when the king came in, he saw this dude over in a corner somewhere, and he didn't have on the wedding garment. And so he said to him, Friend, how in the world do you get in here without a wedding garment? And the guy just kind of stood there and stared at him for a minute.
Didn't have anything to say. His mouth was shut. Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot.
Take him away and cast him into outer darkness. Jesus said, Those who come to me, I'll know why he's cast out. So that means these people didn't come by the way of Jesus, right?
He didn't come in the way. Matter of fact, he came in his own way. Not the way that the king wanted him to. And the king didn't clothe him in any type of wedding garment.
There'll be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then it says, for many are called, but few are chosen. Now this is another proof text from the last series we were talking about. Many are called, few are chosen.
Now if you're looking at this from a Reformed perspective, you're saying many are called. Not everybody, but some. And few are chosen. Now, whose responsibility was, or whose right was it, to have certain people come to the wedding feast? Whose right was that to choose who's going to come?
The king. Who did the king choose to come to that wedding feast? Anybody.
He sent his prophets out. Go out and get them out of the ditches. Get them out of the trees.
Get them out of the bush. Get them out of their house. Get them out of their backyard while they're mowing their yard.
You know, whatever they're doing, get them. Round them up. Everybody. Get everybody.
The Jews won't come. Let's go to the Gentiles. get everybody. So who is it that the king chose?
Everybody, didn't he? He chose everybody, but not everybody could come without the wedding garment. So who did the king give the wedding garment to? Everybody who came to that invitation, not the ones who were trying to sneak in the window or the back door or some other way. Jesus talks about the sheepfold.
So when it says here that many are called, what does called mean again? Same as what word? Invited.
Many are invited, many are invited, but few. are truly the chosen that the king has chosen that doesn't mean that he picks this person over that person he invites everybody and the ones who have the wedding garment are the ones he's chosen who takes the wedding garment the ones who have christ as their savior and lord remember that as we get into ephesians 1 so the king has invited everybody and if you'll just put on the wedding garment you can become one of the chosen you can enjoy the feast called means invited Anybody can come and all you have to have is a wedding garment. Okay.
All right. So now let's go back to John for a second. John chapter six, John chapter six, verse 44, John six 44. Actually, let's go back to verse 32, John six 32. Jesus said to the most assuredly, I say to you. Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
Who's the Father? He's the King. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
Then they said to Him, Lord, give us this bread always. And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me.
And the one who comes to me, I will in no means cast out. That means that little dude that came in without the wedding garment, he didn't come to Christ. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
This is the will of him who sent me, the father who sent me, the king, that of all he's given me, I should lose nothing, but raise it up at the last day. This is the will of him who sent me, that everyone who sees the son and believes in him may have everlasting life, and I'll raise him up at the last day. The Jews then complained about him because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
And they said, is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he says, I have come down from heaven? In other words, we know he was born.
We know his mom and dad. And Jesus therefore answered and said to them, do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me. Nobody can come to this feast unless the father, the king who sent me does what? Draws him, invites him, calls him.
And I'll raise him up at the last day. It's written in the prophets, you know the servants, that they shall all be taught by God. And therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. Now we already know who those people are, don't we? They're the Jews who have been following God the Father.
And because they've been following God the Father, they're going to naturally come to Jesus because He and His Father are one. Who are these people in John chapter 6? Just like in Matthew, they were the ones invited to the wedding feast. And they didn't want to come.
So what happens? He came to his own and his own did not receive him, so he turned to the Gentiles. So remember the word remnant.
Don't forget the word remnant because we're not done yet. Now go to John chapter 12. John chapter 12, verse 32. Now all of these should start reminding you of things because we've been studying these now for a while. And we've been doing this as just a foundation. All these scripture verses should be popping up in your head and going, yeah, it makes sense, John chapter 12, verse 32, then Jesus said, if I am lifted up from the earth, what will he do? Draw all peoples to myself.
And this he said, signifying by what death he would die. So the father was drawing the Old Testament, the Jews up until the time of the crucifixion. And those are the ones that had learned and heard from the father. And they came to Jesus.
They were coming to the wedding feast, but some of them didn't. Some of them didn't. The ones who did are the ones we're going to call the remnant.
Now a little part out of the whole. Okay? Alright, so that's the little stage, that's the stage verse that I want us to think about as we get into Romans chapter 1. So let's go to Romans chapter 1. And we looked at the first seven verses last time and all the points had an S involved in them. Today we're going to look at about four things. I wanted to get further but it's going to take us too long to get through these points.
So we'll get to where I really want to go next week. So tonight we're going to start with verse 8 and we're going to read through verse 16 and Paul says first I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world for God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers making request if by some means now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you for I long to see you. that I may impart to you some spiritual gift so that you may be established. That is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you but was hindered until now, that I might have some fruit among you also as just among the other Gentiles.
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians. both to wise and unwise. So as much as is in me, I'm ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Now here's a key phrase. What does that phrase say? For the Jew first and also for the Greek.
First thing I want us to think about tonight is the undeniable conversion of the remnant. The undeniable conversion of the remnant. Verse 8. Now remember the first 8 chapters are primarily written to the Jewish people. The second 8 chapters are primarily written to Gentile people. A little bit of crossover but very little.
And it's almost as if he's writing two letters in one because there are two churches in one. Remember what we looked at when we set the stage in the context of the letter. So first he says, first I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Now if he's talking to the Jews, and we're going to substantiate that in just a minute, if he's talking to the Jews, he's saying, listen, you Jews who are in Rome, everybody throughout the whole world knows about you guys. You stand out like a sore thumb. Everybody knows about you all. And so it's an undeniable conversion of the remnant. Not everybody's going to be saved.
Remember, that was a part that Claudius was having trouble with. They were fighting amongst themselves. So if he's talking about the Jews, it's going to be very important that we understand that this is talking about a particular group of people. So the first thing, undeniable conversion of the remnant. Secondly, the unquenchable concern of Paul.
Begin in verse 9. God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers. Now this is a side note. Without ceasing means...
I regularly am praying for you guys. That doesn't mean that he's just walking around in some, you know, you know, so heavenly minded, he's no earthly good kind of mindset. He's walking around in the trees because he's always praying.
No, that means he's, he's randomly periodically and regularly methodically, religiously praying for these people, for his kinsmen. For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son, that without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers, making requests. If by some means, somehow, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you, for I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established. Now that doesn't mean that he's going to give them spiritual gifts.
That means that he's going to use his own spiritual gifts for their betterment. And that's what he writes in 1 Corinthians, by the way, that all spiritual gifts are for the edifying and building up of one another, not for your own use. They are tools, not toys. They're for your employment, not for your enjoyment.
All right? So that's what spiritual gifts are for. And so he says, I long to use the gifts that God has given me for your benefit and for your blessing so that you may be established. That is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith, both of you and me. Have you ever noticed that when you go and you minister to somebody else or you serve somebody else or you help somebody else, who is the one that really gets the benefit?
You are. Right? You're the one that gets encouraged.
And most of the time when you go and try to pray with somebody or help somebody or serve them and love on them a little bit, they just turn right back and love on you at the same time, don't they? And you're the one that gets encouraged for it. And he's saying, listen, we can be mutually encouraging to one another.
Now, I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you, but was hindered until now. He doesn't know them and they don't know him, by the way. He's not met these people. He didn't start this church. He's just heard about them, remember, from Aquila and Priscilla.
He knows all about them. But he was hindered until now that I might have some fruit among... What's the next two words there?
You also, just as among the other Gentiles. You also, also means what? In addition to, remember?
So all this is important. So you also, you Jews, as well as the other Gentiles. Okay?
So we've got Jews and Gentiles, two different groups. So that leads us into the third point. First of all was the undeniable conversion of the remnant. Secondly, the unquenchable concern of Paul. Now thirdly, the unique categories of people.
So we're going to find several different categories here, and they're not the same group. So let's look at the first one. First of all, you also. So he's talking to the Jews.
And then he says, as among other Gentiles, so Jews and Gentiles. Then notice what he says. I'm a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians.
Why didn't he say I'm a debtor both to Gentiles and barbarians? Why is there Gentiles there and then Greeks there? Aren't they the same thing? They're not the same thing.
These are Greek-speaking Jews that he's talking about when you read the word Greek. And so what he's talking about is I'm talking to you Jews, you know, you're run-of-the-mill guys, you're Jews. I'm talking to you Gentiles, that means everybody else is not a Jew.
I'm talking to you Greek-speaking Jews, and then I'm speaking to you barbarians. Who are the barbarians? Who are them guys? They were the vulgar ones. They were like the mutts, the guys who nobody wants to be.
associated with. They're from the wrong side of the track type of people. When it talks about those that got drunk on strong drink, you are acting like the barbarians when you drink like that. In other words, they were the bad guys. They were like the hell's angels, the heathens, heathens.
Yeah, they're the old heathens. So we got all kinds of people. Not only that, but he says, I'm also a debtor to the wise and the unwise.
Those that are educated and those that are just common man, that, you know, they're just everyday people. Those that are accustomed to the law and those are not. Those that have been cultured and those that are uncultured.
To the Greeks, to the barbarians, to the Gentiles, to the Jews. All those different groups of people. Now who did he go to first? Who did he always go to first? He always went to Jews first, didn't he?
Then also it says in verse 15, So as much as in me I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. Who is he talking to at this point? Talking to the Jews.
Talking to the Jews. And so we kind of have a narrow focus now as to who he is talking about. And so let's think about that for just a second and I would like for us to think about his words in Ephesians because that's where we're going to go tonight a little bit and we're going to connect it with what he has just said about the remnant. But before we do that I want us to go to Acts.
Go back to Acts right before Romans. I want us to go to chapter 18. We're going to go to Ephesians and Ephesians it'll it'll sound like we're reading another version of Romans. Now remember we've already gone to Ephesians in the past and kind of identified some things. We're going to see if it holds up to what we're talking about tonight now that we're in the that we're actually in a study in the book of Romans. But Acts chapter 18 and verse 18 we're thinking about Ephesians the church at Ephesus.
We see in verse 18 of Acts 18 Paul still remained a good while then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria. Priscilla and Aquila were with him and he had his hair cut off at for he had taken a vow and he came where to Ephesus and left them there. But he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay a little longer with them, he did not consent, but took leave of them. When he had landed at Caesarea and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch, and after he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region to Galatia and Phrygia and ordered strengthening all the disciples.
Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born in Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue when Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him. And when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the scriptures that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah. And it happened while Apollos was at Corinth that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus.
And finding some disciples, he said to them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? So they said to him, We have not so much as even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit. And he said to them, Into what then were you baptized? And so they said, Into John's baptism.
And then Paul said, John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
And now the men were about twelve in all. And he went, where? Into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.
But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the way before the multitude, He departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwell in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. Who are the Greeks? Greek-speaking Jews, not Gentiles. Greek-speaking Jews.
Who is he talking to here? These believers in Ephesus, who is he talking to? Who are they?
Are they Jews or Gentiles? They're Jews. Was the early church Jew or Gentile? Jew. The first church in Rome was what?
Jew. Okay, so the church at Ephesus was Jewish. All the churches started out Jewish.
Now go to a little letter of Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 1. Now stay awake. We've got about 18 minutes. I'm going to see if I can do this in 17. Okay, so this is very, very, very, very important. to understand what Paul is going to mean when he talks in Romans.
This is going to be different than what you've heard a lot. It's going to be different in Ephesians from what you've heard a lot. So now we know that there is a, from the Reformed viewpoint, the belief is that God reached down through time and elected some people for heaven and other people for hell, right? And we've talked about that, and we've said that in Ephesians, this is the salvation plan that he's talking about.
The plan is what God came up with before the foundation of the world. That's all true, but to make it more specific, what plan? What purpose?
Because he's writing to the churches of Ephesus the same things that he means in the book of Romans. This is very, very important. So let's start reading it. Paul. an apostle of jesus christ by the will of god to the saints who did we say the saints were in context we all are saints because we're set apart to holiness christians but when paul is writing contextually when he uses the word saints he's talking about the jews okay and if you can go back and watch the other sessions that we've had before that to the saints who are in ephesus and faithful in christ jesus you Two different groups of people.
We talked about this before. Grace to you and peace. Grace is one type of salutation.
Peace is another, right? That's Jewish and that's Jew and Gentile. From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed, what's that next word? Us.
Okay? With every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in the Messiah, in the Anointed One. Jesus'last name is not Christ, not Jesus and Jerry Christ, okay?
It's Jesus the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah. Just as He chose us in Him. Who's the us? He's writing to the Jews. He's saying, just as He chose us, the Jews, in Him.
Stay with me, it's going to be very important. Before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy. That means separated to him without blame before him. In love, having predestined us to adoption as sons.
Now, keep your place there and turn to Romans chapter 9, verse 1. Romans chapter 9, verse 1. Keep your place there. We're coming back. Romans chapter 9. Having predestined us to adoption as sons. Romans chapter 9 verse 1, I tell you the truth, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption.
You see that? The adoption, the glory. The covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises. Of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, the Messiah came, Christ came, the Anointed One came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God.
Amen. Who does Paul say are the adopted ones? The Israelites.
And we also read in Romans chapter 8 that they are also the predestined ones to be conformed to the image of the Son. Now let's go back to Ephesians 1.5, having predestined us Jews. to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.
We just read that in Romans, didn't we? To the praise of the glory of his grace. We just read that in Romans.
By which he made us Jews accepted in the beloved. In him we Jews have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, which he made to abound toward us Jews in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us Jews. the mystery, everybody say mystery, mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself.
Okay. We're not done yet. That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times, he might gather together in one, all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in him. In him also, we, the Jews have obtained an inheritance being predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will.
That we Jews who first trusted in christ stop to the what first and then also to the jew first then to the greek isn't that what it says to the jew first who first trusted who did they who made up the early church it was the jewish people who made up the early church he came first to the synagogues didn't he paul did jesus first came to his own and his own did not receive him jesus first came to his own people okay So that we Jews who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory. We just read that in Romans. In him though you also trusted.
Who do you think that you might be there? Those faithful in Christ Jesus who are not Jews. The grace and peace part. Just like in Romans. You also trusted after you heard the word of truth.
the gospel of your salvation in whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Remember we're grafted in, we're grafted in because the Jews consider themselves unworthy. They refuse to come to the wedding banquet.
Then it says, who is the guarantee of our inheritance? That's both of them, Jew and Gentile. Our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory. Then it sounds a little bit familiar when you read verse 15. Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. Who are the saints?
The Jewish people. Who loves them? The Gentile people. Your love for a particular group of people, the saints.
Okay? Now, we're not done yet. Go to chapter 2. Now we read a few things in chapter 1. Mystery, that to the Jewish people the mystery of the plan of God's choosing and election has been given to them.
Remember what they're called to do? They were called to take the gospel of the Messiah to the whole world and they decided not to. Right?
Now let's pick up in verse 1 of chapter 2. And you, who's the you? The Gentiles. He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins.
And what you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, and the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, who were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. That means whether you're Jew or whether you're Gentile, you're a sinner. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.
What does made alive together with Christ mean? Does that mean that it's Christ and us that are made together? No, we are made together in Christ. The Jew and the Gentile are made together in Christ.
We are brought together in Christ. He made us, Jew and Gentile, alive together with Christ. By grace you have been saved, and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it's a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that you once Gentiles, what?
Stop? Huh? What? Huh? Who's the you?
Not the us, but the you. Who's the you? What does it say?
You Gentiles. The us and the we are the Jews and the you are the Gentiles. Therefore remember that you once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, made in the flesh by hands, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel.
In other words, you were separated from us. and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
I love this. Keep reading. Don't stop. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one. Who's the both there?
Jew and Gentile. Remember, Jesus prayed that we'd all be one, didn't He, in John chapter 17. He's made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the two, Jew and Gentile, thus making peace, and that he might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross.
Whether you're Jew or Gentile, you're not going to get to heaven unless you have the wedding garment, and that's only through the cross. Thereby putting to death the enmity. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and those who were near, for through him we both have. Jew and Gentile, accessed by one spirit to the Father. Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with who?
The saints. Who are the saints? The Jews.
We're cooking now. And members of the household of God. Having been built on the foundation of the apostles, New Testament, prophets, Old Testament, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in whom the whole building being fit together grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Now here comes the mystery. For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus, for you Gentiles, you Gentiles, you Gentiles, not us Gentiles, you Gentiles, if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which was given to me for you, how that by revelation he may known to me the mystery, as I have briefly written already, by which when you read you may understand my knowledge and the mystery of Christ. which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed by the spirit to his holy apostles and prophets that here's the mystery that the gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body and partakers of his promise in christ through the gospel which i became a minister according to the gift of the grace of god given to me by the effective working of his power i love it i love it so what is he saying there He's writing to Jew and Gentile and he's telling the Jew, who is it who was chosen before the foundation of the world for service?
Was it individual people for heaven and hell? No, it wasn't individuals. It was a salvation plan and it was the service plan.
Who did he predestined to be chosen to take the gospel to the world? The Jewish people. Who are the ones that are the elect in Ephesians? The Jewish people. Who are the chosen in Ephesians?
The Jewish people. It doesn't have anything whatsoever to do with election to individual salvation. It's all about God's plan for His people called for His purpose to take the message of the Messiah so they can have the wedding garment whether you're Jew or you're Gentile. That's what it's all about. He says the exact same thing in Romans.
So let's go back to Romans. Romans chapter 1. Now this is going to blow your socks off as we get into chapters 8 and 9, or 10, 11, and 12 for that matter. It doesn't talk about the way that some people see it. Remember, if we're going to correctly understand what an author is saying, we've got to understand what he means by what he says in the context for which he writes it.
So now what I want us to do as we close tonight, I want us to go to verse 1 of Romans 1. And let's read it with the understanding that we have now. We looked at the foundation, we set it all up, we're almost into one of the main things that he wants to talk about, and that's the reconciliation of Jew and Gentile. Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God, which he promised before through his holy prophets.
Who are the prophets? The Old Testament, isn't it? according to the scriptures, concerning his son Jesus the Messiah, our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, that's his incarnation remember from last time, declared to be the son of God, this is his deity, with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. Through him we the Jews have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations Gentiles for his name.
That's exactly what he was called remember. That's what Paul says. That's the salvation plan. He elected the Jews for service. That's Ephesians chapter 1, and he's telling the exact same thing there in verse 5. Among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.
To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And first, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all.
Those of you who are called for apostleship to take the gospel of the Messiah to the world that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. You stand out among your brethren. For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.
Making request if by some means now at the last I might find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you that I may impart to you some spiritual gifts so that you may be established. That is that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. I don't want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you, but was hindered until now, that I might have some fruit among you Jews also, as among other Gentiles.
And I'm a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and unwise. So as much as in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. Now here's the thing. Universal call of the gospel, verse 16, for I am not ashamed as a Jew, I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.
Everybody's invited to the wedding feast for the Jew first and also for the Greek. What's Paul saying? He's saying, listen, I'm writing to the church at Rome and they've got problems.
The Jews and the Gentiles, they've got problems. And I'm going to write first of all, like I'd go into the synagogues. Everywhere I go and preach, I preach to the Jews first.
Then I go to the Gentiles. He does the same thing in his letter. So it doesn't talk about certain type of election and all that kind of stuff. What he's talking about here is that he's writing to his Jewish brethren and he wants to encourage them in the faith.
Amen. How about questions or comments about that? And I finished two minutes early. What do you think of that?
Questions or comments about that? So see, if you put it into its context, Ephesians 1 makes all the sense in the world, doesn't it? You don't have to twist it and do all these scriptural gymnastics to kind of counter all these false, weird kind of teachings.
You just read it for what it says and understand what he means. Yeah, God's chosen for the foundation of the world. His people, he called them, and we're going to look at that next week. And we're even going to find out who these people are that are turned over by God.
Who are these people? I think you might be surprised at that, too. Questions or comments?
Any questions about who the saints or anybody might be? If you understand this so far, give me a smile. All right. So remember, be in prayer for everything, okay?
We've got a lot of things we're in prayer for. Remember the business meeting? Remember the hayride Saturday?
Don't forget that. That'll come up on us quicker than we know. And we might even have a surprise Sunday night. We don't know. We might.
I'm going to leave you in suspense on that one. Okay? That's not fair?
Well, I know. Sometimes we just have to tough it out. Just have to tough it out. All right. Let's pray.
Father, we come to you and we love you. We thank you so much for all you do for us. And we just thank you that you have given your son to be the savior of the world.
And we just thank you that your word becomes clear to us when we're teachable. Your word becomes knowable and it can transform our lives. And so we pray tonight that this would have been clear to the minds of those who are teachable and that you would help us to yield to the truth of your word.
And if there's someone... tonight who doesn't know you, who hasn't put on that wedding garment, that tonight before their head hits the pillow, that they would make the most important decision of their lives and receive you as Savior and Lord. And Father, we just thank you for this place of worship. We thank you for the truth of your word. We thank you for each one who calls this place home.
We pray that you guide us home safely and that you would just help us to remember what you've taught us tonight. Help us to apply it to our lives. We pray that you dismiss us now in Jesus'precious and holy name.
Amen.