Introduction Why a sermon on the place of Israel in the

Kingdom of God series?

Bible is a book dealing with Israel and with prophecies yet to be fulfilled concerning the Jewish people

Christians need to know the harrowing history of the Jews with the Christian church so as to be able to engage with them

Christians need to pray effectively for the Jewish people and their destiny in the land.

Ignorance of the God’s prophecies over the Jews will cause disunity among Christians as we are bombarded with political opinions

Romans 10:21- 11:1-2 (ESV) 21But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”1I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

Has God Rejected the Jews?

1. A REMNANT of Grace

Romans 11:3–5 (ESV) 3“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

1. The REMNANT of Grace

Ethnic Israel

TrueIsrael +

few Gentiles(Remnant)

Gentiles

AbrahamChosen by grace

through faith

2. Old Testament is not old and obsolete

Noahic covenant (Gen 9:8-17) ✔

Abrahamic covenant (Gen 12:2-3, Gen 17:6-8) ✔

Mosaic covenant - Blessings and curses (Deut 28) through obedience superseded by the Messianic New Covenant which circumcises the heart and have the Holy

Spirit poured out ✗

Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7) ✔

2. Abrahamic Covenant not rescindedGenesis 12:2–3 (ESV) 2And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 17:6, 8 (ESV) 6I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 8And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

Isaiah 49:6 (ESV) 6He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

3. Mission of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah

Jews coming back to the landEzekiel 36:24–28 (ESV) 24I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

A hardening on IsraelRomans 11:7–8 (ESV) 7What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”

Romans 9:31–32 (ESV) 31but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works.

Conclusion

Bullet point One

Bullet point Two

Bullet point Three

Responsibilities of Gentile Christians towards the Jews

Romans 11:17–19 (ESV) 17But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.

Romans 11:11 (ESV) 11So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.

National revival in Israel recognising Jesus as Messiah

Romans 11:25–29 (ESV) 25Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;