 Today, we're at Romans chapter 11. We're going to be looking at verses 1 through 16 as We continue our series here looking at the book of Romans. We've arrived at chapter 11 and Today, we're going to look at the first 16 verses, but we'll begin By reading verses 1 through 6 and then getting into our study Romans chapter 11 beginning at verse 1 reading to verse 6 Paul writes I say then as As God cast away his people Certainly not For I also am an Israelite of the seat of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew Or do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel saying Lord they have killed your prophets torn down your altars I alone am left and they seek my life But what does the divine response say to him? I have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal Even so then at this present time. There is a remnant according to the election of grace And if by grace then it is no longer of works. Otherwise grace is no longer grace But if it is of works, it is no longer grace. Otherwise work is no longer work Now to develop this we need to remember the context the Apostle Paul has been writing concerning the nation of Israel And he presented Israel basically from two standpoints He presented Israel from one God sovereignty and then secondly God's sovereignty and man's will Now in chapter 9 He had been writing from the position of God sovereignty how that God had chosen His children and he had said in chapter 9 verse 7 Nor are they all children because they are seed of Abraham, but in Isaac your seed shall be called So he was recalling how the nation of Israel had Abraham as its father How that God had given to Abraham a promise that he would be giving to him a son He's reminding them how that the son was to be a son of promise But that serai Abrams wife had given Hagar to Abram and he had conceived a child with with with Hagar and that child's name was Ishmael and What Paul had been illustrating is that though Ishmael had been born and was the first born God sovereignly chose Isaac and so in Isaac The promises would be fulfilled So he is speaking concerning God's sovereign decision and choosing Isaac over Ishmael But later on in chapter 10 He wrote concerning Israel stubborn refusal to respond to God and when he speaks concerning Israel stubborn refusal that alludes to human will as a matter of fact in chapter 10 He concluded at verse 4 verse 21 by saying to all Israel he says All day long. I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people And so he illustrated Israel's willful unbelief. They'd been consistently disobedient stubbornly resistant to him over their history and that's why Jesus in Matthew 23 37 through 39 would say oh 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 has left you desolate for I say to you you shall see me no more until you say Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. I wanted to gather you, but you he said were not willing So on the one hand he speaks concerning God's sovereignty on the other hand. He speaks concerning human will And so Paul is answering the question will Israel stubborn as result in there never being saved? Will God ultimately and forever reject Israel seeing that Israel rejected Messiah? What will become of them as a people now? He already prepared his readers for this section in chapter 9 in verse 27. He had said Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea the remnant will be saved So he spoke of a remnant so in this portion of scripture. He clarifies what he referred to earlier Now Enrollments 11 verse 1 he begins by saying I say then has God cast away his people So has God discarded and replaced his people speaking of Israel with another people have they been replaced? Well, we're gonna see that his answer is no God has not replaced them. God has not discarded them forever Jeremiah chapter 30 verse 11 gives us a promise God said for I am with you says the Lord to save you Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you Yet, I will not make a complete end of you, but I will correct you in justice I will not let you go altogether unpunished Jeremiah 46 28 do not fear oh Jacob my servant for I am with you declares the Lord Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you I will not completely destroy you I will discipline you but only with justice. I will not let you go entirely unpunished. I he said will not Completely destroy you. He said I will not make a complete end of you So Paula speaking concerning the fact that God continues to have a work that he'll do in Israel Now we need to remember that according to chapter 9 verse 6 not all who are descended from Israel are Israel You see Israel is not simply natural descent, but is spiritual The way that you're brought into relationship with God is through faith in Christ and just because somebody Biologically is born Jewish doesn't automatically mean that they're part of the Israel that is referred to as being a spiritual entity In Matthew chapter 3 verses 8 and 9 the word says bear fruits worthy of repentance Do not think to say to yourselves. We have Abraham as our father for I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these Stones it's always been a matter of faith for you to enter into the promises of God just because somebody may be genetically Jewish doesn't mean that that individual is automatically part of of God's remnant or God God's people It says in Romans 4 and 9 we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness And so Abraham himself it was somebody who was saved by faith And so when he says in chapter 11 verse 1 I say then has God cast away his people the answer is no Certainly not, but he goes on to say for I also am an Israelite of the seat of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin So he's saying I'm not a convert to the faith of Israel. I'm not a Gentile who came to faith in in God Through conversion he's saying I was born as a descendant of Abraham And I'm from one of the 12 tribes and he's saying I am a person who is born as a Jew, but He's a great example of a Christian Jew And so he's pointing out that God has a work that he's doing in the nation of Israel He's pulling people out that you can have a Jewish background, but be a believer in Messiah That's the point he's making so he develops it in verse 2 when he says this God has not cast away his people whom he foreknew Or do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah how he pleads with God against Israel saying Lord They have killed your prophets torn down your altars and I alone am left and they seek my life But what does the divine response say to him shut up Elijah you bothering me? No, that's not what it says It says I have reserved for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the need to bow all even so then at this present time There's a remnant according to the election of grace He begins to speak and uses as an illustration What took place in the life of a prophet of Israel a man that we know by the name of Elijah Elijah's life is recorded in the Old Testament book of first Kings beginning in chapter 17 and up to second Kings chapter 2 The portion of scripture that Paul is referring to is what is called first Kings chapter 19 In order to understand what he's referring to though. We need to remember the the events of chapter 18 So in first Kings chapter 18 the Bible records a famous encounter that this man this prophet by the name of Elijah had With certain false prophets in a place called Mount Carmel There he challenged these false prophets of Baal and Asherah in order to show Israel who is the true God There were 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah and they gathered together and He issued a challenge and what he did is he had two bowls. They were cut into pieces They were placed on some wood, but there was no fire that was lit and He challenged them and what he said to them is call on your gods and the one who answers with fire He is the true God Well, the false prophets took one of the bowls. They slaughtered butchered it They placed it on the wood and the Bible says from morning until noon They cried out and they leaped about the altar, but there was no answer and So according to first Kings 18 27 through 29, so it was at noon that Elijah mocked them And he said cry aloud for he is a God Either he's meditating or he's busy. That's a euphemism for saying he's in the bathroom Or he's on a journey Perhaps he's sleeping and must be awakened So they cried aloud cut themselves as was their custom with knives and lances until the blood Gushed out on them and when midday was passed they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice But there was no voice No one answered no one paid attention Which is the picture of the futility of worshiping a false God? There's no voice to answer there's no one paying attention and Elijah they're watching this all take place and it starts early and it's going into the late afternoon and So what does he do well? He calls the people to himself. He takes 12 stones and repairs the broken altar He digs a trench. He then begins to fill the trench with large water pots of water To the point where the trench is now overflowing with water and as he does that he prays a simple prayer There's no screaming. There's no yelling There's no cutting himself. He just issues a very simple prayer He says in first Kings 18 37 hear me Oh Lord hear me That this people may know that you are the Lord God and that you have turned their hearts back to you again I have been around when people have raised their voice and screamed as if God is deaf and he can't hear their cry God can hear your cry if you just whisper it. He can hear your cry if you just think it He has the ability to do that We don't have to go out and do crazy things cut ourselves bleed all over ourselves and scream at the top of our lungs all day And that's why Elijah is watching this because it's futile There's no one listening to no one's going to answer no one's paying attention And all he needs to do is just speak to the Lord and say a very simple prayer And that's what he does hear me Oh Lord hear me that this people may know that you are the Lord God That you have turned their hearts back to you again and God answers God answered by fire It consumes the offering as well as drying up all the water The result the people cried out the Lord. He is God And as a result of that he took those false prophets and according to the law of Moses He executed them Now after this victory he's pursued by the patroness of the false prophets a woman by the name of Jezebel Her name has found its way into American common culture If a woman's mad at another woman because that woman has been doing something wrong what she called her What calls her a lot of names, but she also calls her Jezebel Because the Jezebel is a woman of no reputation of ill repute and so Jezebel comes after him He's discouraged He's been fleeing he's spiritually exhausted and so what does he do well in first Kings 19 verse 4? He simply prays again this time. He says to him just take my life same I'm all alone and You might as well just take me and that's when the Lord begins to speak to him and God makes it very clear to him. He says I have reserved for myself 7,000 men there's a remnant and that's what Paul is referring to a remnant of believers You are not by yourself There are others 7,000 do you think you're by yourself you're not by yourself there are thousands of people in this nation who are still followers he's saying Years ago. I was in college a secular college a non-christian college. I Was in the library and they had these booths that you would sit in and they had dividers between you and the person next to you And the person in front of you and as I was there seated and I was doing a report of some sort I I could hear you know how libraries are choir or they're supposed to be anyway I could hear somebody talking and he was a few rows away and I couldn't really ascertain where he was at But I could hear him speaking and what it was I be I heard him He's speaking so loudly he was witnessing he was sharing his faith in Christ With somebody who was seated next to him and that's what he was doing He was talking about Jesus and I could hear him and I could talk I heard him talking about you know Sin and judgment and salvation I could hear him witnessing So when I heard him witnessing I I remember just beginning to pray for him and saying You know a simple prayer father just fill him with wisdom given the ability to communicate touch that young man He's speaking to right now that he might come to faith in Christ very simple prayer but I waited because the conversation was coming to a conclusion and and The person who was being witnessed who was about to stand up and leave me and he was saying I'll see you later So I knew he was going to stand up and so I stood up where I was at To see where this guy was and the guy who was being witnessed who stood up and he's still talking and Turns and walks away. So when he walked away I got up from where I was seated and I came walking around and I approached this guy who had been witnessing I'd never seen him in my life and never met him in my life I didn't know him But I saw him and and I walked up to speak to him but when I walked up to him somebody from another side of the library came and Also intersected and so I was there talking to this guy next to this other guy and The first guy who came a second guy actually who came to speak to this man who was witnessing young man Who was witnessing said to him your your believer in Christ and the young man said yeah I'm born again and I said I want you to know that I could overhear your conversation and I was praying for you as you were sharing and this other fellow who had come and met us there said I was too Now in that school and in that library at that time I'm sure my new friend who was witnessing felt all alone. He was the only person there sharing It wasn't a Christian school and yet there were two people in the same library at the same time over hearing the conversation Praying for him never think that you are alone. You're not you may be thinking on the job side right now You may be thinking I'm the only believer here There may not be so there may be others you just haven't met him yet You may be in school in a classroom and as you're seated in the classroom you're thinking I'm the only believer here and there are a lot of unbelievers. Yes, that's true But you'll never know I remember I was in a class and at the same school a different class political science class and Teacher had given to us a responsibility. He said I'm gonna give to you a word and You're gonna give an impromptu speech concerning that word. I will select the word when I bring you up and so it's like 30 kids in that young people in this college class and I'm just waiting and he's giving different words every class until finally after a few weeks It's my turn and and I go walking up and I was 24 25 at the time and I go walking up And he says David This is your word the word that you're gonna speak it on is freedom now I'm in a political science class in a secular university As far as I know I'm the only believer in Christ there because other people have gotten up and shared Haven't said anything about the Lord and I still remember when he said your word is freedom. I said freedom What is freedom and I began to speak and I said listen Jesus Christ said if a man is is a sin in sin He's a slave to sin, but Jesus said if you continue in my word Then are you my disciples and you're gonna be set free by Jesus Christ and I said freedom is freedom from sin It's bondage Jesus Christ sets you free and I preach the gospel to the class when I did that One of the kids who was in the class with me that I didn't know all of a sudden I hear her go Praise the Lord. So there were two of us in the class And you never know you never know you may feel like you're stepping in the lion's den and they're gonna devour you But there's another believer there at least you'll pray grace when that lion eats you up there On your behalf, but that's what happens guys never think that you're by yourself. You are not The enemy is trying to isolate you make you feel you're a crazy for the things you believe No doubt about that. We have a governor who signs into law things that are crazy right now, right? And you think I'm the only person thinking this you're not the only person There are others like us in this room who believe the righteousness of God stands and it's right to believe in him And we don't have a problem saying that it's true But you can feel alone you can go on the job site and people will say what did you do this weekend? I went to church all those churches man They're just filled with with the nonsense and they're stealing from and they have their opinion and you can say after a while I don't feel like saying anything But you're not alone There's a remnant God is still moving there are people still being saved God is still working He's in action and Paul is saying listen God has always had a remnant Even the time when Elijah thought he was the only one and God said what's wrong Elijah? I alone am your prophet. No, you're not I've got 7,000 who have not bowed their knee to Baal you are not alone And so Paul is speaking concerning this remnant and he's saying that these people do exist and God still has that Verse 5 again even so at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace These are believing Jews And if by grace Then it's no longer of works otherwise grace is no longer grace If it's of works, it's no longer grace Otherwise work is no longer work So you're saved by grace this remnant has always been They're saved by grace, but not holding to the law of moses. That's not what saved them Not trying to keep the commandments of God that didn't save them He's saying this is a remnant according to the election of grace In second Timothy 1 9 he has saved us and called us with the holy calling Not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given to us in christ Jesus before time began And so it's it's always been of grace. Well, what then verse 7? Israel has not obtained what it seeks But the elect have obtained it and the rest were hardened Just as it is written God has given them a spirit a stupor eyes That they should not see ears That they should not hear to this very day David said Let their table become a snare and a trap A stumbling block and a recompense to them Let their eyes be darkened that they may not see and bow down their back always So israel the non-believing jews He's saying have been seeking by law by the law of moses what god has given By grace Now he had said in chapter 10 verses 2 and 3 as he was speaking of israel I bear them witness that they have a zeal for god But not according to knowledge For they be ignorant of god's righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness Have not submitted to the righteousness of god And so he's making it very clear that they are attempting to have a relationship with god Through their own efforts and they're not submitted to what god has said So what has been the result? Well, he speaks of it in this way a hardness of heart A mental callousness a spiritual dullness National israel is hardened against the gospel of jesus christ He says in verse 8 god has given them a spirit of stupor and blind eyes stupor speaks of numbness or insensibility That blindness they've seen god's wonders Yet they've refused to believe And that's been the history of israel You can go back in the history and watch it you can You can see it in the ten plagues that god brought against egypt to deliver the children of israel How god provided for them in the wilderness with mana and water that was brought from iraq How god from the history on all the way through the time of christ had given to them opportunity after opportunity Miracles and prophets and scripture and so many other things that were beneficial to them And how that they remained insensible to the things of god dull to it They grew dull they refused to believe They have a spiritual blindness When paul refers to this in second corinthians 3 14 through 16 he says their minds are blinded For until this day remains the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament Which veil is done away in christ, but even to this day when moses has read the veils upon their heart nevertheless When it's taken away, they'll turn to the lord to the lord And so there's a veil over there over their heart and that's why he says in verse 9 David says let the table become a snare and a trap in a stumbling block The table represents safety and feasting you're saying may that become a trap When you have a thanksgiving dinner or christmas or an easter or whenever you have all the family over and And you uh You set the table right and you can have all this food that is there for the for the family I don't know about you. I I don't know if you even invite friends over Or if you go and visit your family, but there's something about the table at that time on holidays It is very special And so you're at the table. It's really supposed to be a place of security and safety It's not supposed to be a place where you fight over the meal It's supposed to be a place where you're enjoying fellowship with your family So it ought to be a place of safety. It ought to be a place of security It ought to be a place where you're enjoying the blessings that god has provided So what is david saying let their table become a snare and a trap He's saying as they eat of the law May they be judged by the law If you're going to be made righteous by the law, it's going to come back and be your judge In john 5 45 and 46 do not think that I shall accuse you to the father There is one who accuses you moses in whom you trust For if you believe moses, you'd believe me For he wrote about me You cannot keep the law policy and the jews could not become righteous by obedience to the law Because the law that moses gave was intended to communicate a variety of things But especially it was intended to communicate the sinfulness of sin and the need for a savior So if you try to keep the commands and do these things in your own strength and power without faith You're doomed and that which you were trusting in will turn against you ultimately He says And I find this interesting Have they stumbled to never recover? Will they always be rejected and he's saying no there's a purpose in this God will use the Gentiles to cause them To be jealous notice verse 11 I say then have they stumbled that they should fall certainly not But through their fall to provoke them to jealousy Salvation has come to the Gentiles Now if their fall is riches for the world and their failure riches for the Gentiles How much more their fullness? Have they stumbled to never recover no their fall means riches for the Gentiles God is using Gentiles to cause Israel to be jealous I was listening to a Jewish man speak years ago and not he's not a believing Jew. He's not a Christian Just a Jewish man who was speaking and he said Doesn't the Bible say that God is going to use Christians to make Jews jealous? Well, we just read that that's exactly what it says Through their fall to provoke them to jealousy salvation has come to the Gentiles So he said Doesn't the Bible say that Christians? Are supposed to provoke Jews to jealousy? Then he said this I have never met A Christian that I've been jealous over anything that they have Never met one that has ever had anything that I want Sadly that's that can be generally true In the history of the church we haven't always been as faithful to the calling commands of God And there are times when we have shown terrible disregard for those who don't know the Lord. We don't even care I have a friend that I had made I haven't seen in many years a guide in in Israel Jewish woman Her name was Helen And she was one of these outspoken women I mean I really liked her because she just let you know what she was thinking at any given time And I appreciated her she was very intelligent a great guide We liked her a lot as a matter of fact she grew to like Marie and me because we just we obviously liked her We cared about her and we'd even asked for her to be our guide. We liked her that much And so she began to like us over the years because she guided us more than once and finally One day we were checking into our hotel and in this hotel. It's a secular hotel There's an area of this hotel. They have the bar In everything and and we're standing as our group was checking in and she was just sharing with us She said that bar right there. We said, yeah, she said you ought to see what I've seen at that bar She then began to mention to me the groups that she has Guided and some of the groups that she mentioned one in particular that she mentioned was was Was a group that it were I to mention the organization everybody in this room would automatically know And then she mentioned names of people that I've seen on tv sharing before and I knew these These teachers by by name not by Friendship or anything. I knew who they were and she says well, you know this particular organization. I said yes She said, you know these teachers and she names a few and I said, yes, I'm aware of them I don't they're not my friends, but yeah, I know who they are She says well, let me tell you something. You see that bar there. I said, yeah She said When we've been here before and that group has checked in She said the people who are leading that group who do all this teaching Wait until they go to bed and when all of their their pilgrims go to bed They come back to the bar and they drink She says and they don't care that I see this because after all she's just a jew What does that matter and that's what she told me They don't care what they're doing in front of me and us because after all they're just jews is what she said and I apologized On behalf of the the church on behalf of this organization. I said, I am so sorry forgive us Because that's not the spirit of the lord. That's not what god has for us We're not to be that way But it it caused me to recall what that jewish man who had said I have yet to see anything that a christian has that makes me jealous Our lives are supposed to be provoking people To want what we have And I guarantee you every person who calls upon the name of the lord and has spoken that openly to other people has People who are watching to see whether or not we're true to our word Not to cause us to have the spirit of paranoia in here running around wondering who's watching us now But the bottom line is Even when you don't know it there are people watching you. We know that There are people noticing you you know that whether it's in the neighborhood Whether it's uh on the job Whether it's in school Whether it's when you're not even aware that people are noticing My father's in the hospital We're in the waiting room. It's a small room. She know hospital Several members of my family are there my mom my wife children We hear over the the speaker Code blue My mom turns to me I'm seated next to her. She turns and looks at me. She says that's for your father And I say I know My dad was the only one in the emergency ward there in the ICU unit I said I know Five to ten minutes later The door opens Doctor stands at the door Looks around the room. There's several people in this very small room. It's not more than 10 by 10 10 by 12 a small room There are several people surrounding us and my family He stands at the door and he says rosales family And I'm seated next to the door And I look up and I say that's us and I stand up And he begins that speech that he's given so many times I'm sorry to have to tell you We did all we could that speech And I'm representing my family And I let him talk and I see his mouth moving, but I'm not hearing what he's saying Other than your father's dead And I don't respond. I just look at him And when he's through I say Doctor, thank you so much. We greatly appreciate all your efforts Thank you My mom's just sitting there Fifty three years of marriage is gone in a moment We all stand up I take my family by the hand And we pray Thank you father For giving to us Frank Rosales Thank you Then we go in to pay our final respects And we come out as a family It's very quiet, but right across from me somebody says Then while they got up and walked to me and said to me this they said I'll never forget this What are you? How do you answer that? They said what are you? And I said excuse me What do you mean? What are you? I said, what do you mean? We saw We saw What you just did When you heard that news What are you? I smile at them and I said what am I? I'm a christian And this family here Is a christ as a christian family My father just went to be with jesus christ What we are Is we're believers in jesus christ I did not know That I was being watched That was not in my mind. I wasn't thinking how should I act? Oh, i'm a pastor. I better show faith I better stand up and say well bless you jesus hallelujah. I didn't do that I did what anybody does I listened to the best of my ability And I took it to jesus But that meant something to the people in that room That's the thing That causes people to want to know Who is this god that you say you worship who can give you this kind of peace in the middle when an explosion happens when your whole world Is is gone In a moment Who is this god That you worship Because the average person yes, I still have tears years later because It impacted me that deeply but I know That beyond anything else What kept me going then and kept me going all the way to now Is god The spirit of the lord The truth of his promises The transformed life The blessings of jesus That he has poured into our lives and the hope of eternity that we have because of him And that's what we have and so when the question is asked What are you I am a believer in jesus christ who conquered the grave He lives he ever lives to make intercession for me. He's prepared a place for me I will be with him my father's there my mom's there I will be there That's what I am and that causes people to see and say whatever it is that you have That's what I need You see I don't want to go out and say what am I I'm a christian So that means I can still party that means that I can still sleep around that means that I can go out club I can do all that I want and still go to heaven. It's not that way at all When jesus christ comes into your life He changes he transforms everything your priorities everything changes at that time and now you're centered on him And that kind of centering on christ that desire for god is so huge it's so immense that your whole life is changed And you're not doing it just to oppress people You're doing it because you love him And yeah, you can go through pain you do indeed you do yes, you go through loss, of course But my bible says that my god shall wipe away every tear There's no pain. There's no sorrow There is no sickness. There's no more death There's just life. It's been swallowed up through jesus christ. You see and that's that's what makes us different And so paul is saying that god has used the Gentiles to provoke israel When when they see israel sees the blessings of god Upon the Gentiles and second chrithians 8 9 Paul said you know the grace of our lord jesus christ That though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor That you through his poverty might become rich and so somebody says oh man, I want to become a christian so I can become rich I can walk around with a lot of money in my wallet at all times But is that what he's referring to you come to christ and you'll always have money in your wallet No, he's speaking concerning the fact that god gives us spiritual blessings Does god provide for us in every way including financially of course, but is that the reason why we came to christ? No Ephesians chapter 1 refers to our spiritual blessings that we have and when you read chapter 1 You see paul beginning to to enumerate them. We have adoption We've been accepted We have redemption We have forgiveness We have wisdom We have the inheritance The seal of the holy spirit We have life We have grace We have a heavenly citizenship and these are the things that we live in and these are the things that cause people to take note Now he says in verse 13 I speak to you Gentiles in as much as I am an apostle to the Gentiles I magnify my ministry If by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them For if they're being cast away is the reconciling of the world. What will their acceptance be? But life from the dead For if the first fruit is holy the lump is also holy If the root is holy So are the branches Paul said I have a message And the message that I've been called to proclaim is a message to all But I have a message that I give to Gentiles When you begin to read the book of acts you note that as the day of Pentecost fully arrived in acts chapter 2 And the holy spirit came upon The 120 who were there in that upper room in Jerusalem And they were baptized by the holy spirit and they left that room and poured out into the courtyard and began to speak in language As unlearned magnifying God You begin to see at that time because the holy spirit had begun to flow in the church the church was Jewish And through the first several chapters of the book of acts you see that that they would go out to the Jew first and then They were going to go to the Gentile So ultimately what happens is when you begin to look at the initial chapters of acts you see that That the Jews are being reached and and the message is going out to the Jewish people You get to chapter 9 and the apostle Paul is is saved and the first thing he does is begins to share with other Jews He goes to synagogues and you see that as a practice in his ministry until chapter 18 of acts When you get to chapter 18 Paul is in a Greek city a city called Corinth and while he's there Once again, he's trying to communicate the gospel of grace to the Jews But the Jews don't want to hear it. They get angry and so he speaks to them. It's found in acts chapter 18 And verse 6 and in Corinth he says seeing that you're refusing this that we're going to go to the Gentiles And so Paul magnifies his office That he was the apostle to the Gentiles The apostle Peter had ministry to the Jews, but Paul began to focus much of his attention on Gentiles That's why in Ephesians chapter 3 verse 8 Paul said to me who am less than the least of all saints this grace was given That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of christ And so he became the apostle to the Gentiles now he speaks in verse 15 and we'll wrap it up He says if they're being cast away as the reconciling of the world What will their acceptance be If the rejection of Israel resulting in Gentile salvation What's going to happen when they come to the fullness of the knowledge of messiah? And then he says in verse 16 if the first fruit is the first fruit is holy the lump is also holy And if the root is holy so are the branches First fruit and root that speaks of the patriarchs Abraham Isaac Jacob the early believers He's saying if the foundations are pure Then the resultant followers will be pure also The first fruit would be the Jewish believers and they are the foundation of christianity But the whole lump are those who are converted through their ministry And God wants to do a work and God is going to continue doing that work To this day and ultimately God is going to do a tremendous time of work in the nation of israel as we will see next time we get together We'll close here