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Coffee House Chapel #4

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by Dan Todd, Apr 25, 2004.

  1. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Thank you Blackbird and Dan.

    God Bless

    Sheila
     
  2. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Monday May 3, 2004

    "Ten O'Clock Noon!!"
    John 1:35-41

    We're offering a "Beginning" course on the study of Jesus' Apostles---call it Apostleship 101--The call of Jesus on the Inner 12!

    Matthew 10:1-4 gives a list naming the twelve Apostles---take time to read through the list as well as other Gospel listings

    Mark 3:13-19; 6:7-13
    Luke 6:12-6; 9:1-10

    In the majority of the gospels---Peter's name is listed first--but I want us to begin looking---not at Peter---but at his brother, Andrew! Peter is always listed first--but it was the "actions and reactions" of Andrew that was accounted first---so lets look first at Andrew! See what made him "tick" for the Lord Jesus Christ! See if we can pick up any characteristic of Andrew that we can apply to our lives!

    The name "Andrew" was a common name in Bible day-But God uses common people to do uncommon things--as we will see in the lives of the majority of these Apostles!

    The name "Andrew" means--"Manly"--and we will find--not only was he manly in how he handled the boat and nets but---he was "Manly" in how he handled the Word of God!

    Notice

    HIS PROCLAIMATION OF JESUS---John 1:35-41

    Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist---a follower of who Jesus later called The Greatest Man who ever lived---and here in the text we find John with two of his disciples on a specific day--one of those disciples being Andrew!

    I can imagine that Andrew perhaps would fish all night and then at daylight he'd go from where the fish were--to the wilderness--to where all the people were---and listen to John the Baptist preach and proclaim the coming Kingdom of God!

    On a side note---here is whats so interesting about verse 37 that says, "And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus."----thats my job as a preacher--in the year 2004---200 centuries after the life of Andrew---I want to preach in such a way that when I do---it causes the people to follow after Jesus! When I preach---I should preach in such a way that---the Andrew in you will want to follow Jesus!!!

    Now, notice verses 38-40 Something interesting as we build our references to Andrew--

    Andrew was curious about where Jesus lived! "Where dwellest thou?"

    Notice Jesus' answer! "Come and see!" He was inviting Andrew to His house---a physical house of course---but to you and I--the invitation is to a spiritual house! Jesus is inviting us to examine His heart! Every door to the house is open for our examination!

    Now, the Bible doesn't mention what happened between vs. 38 and 40--but--can't you picture the scene??? Picture in your mind---

    Jesus is taking Andrew and the other unnamed disciple to the place where He was living---and maybe(I believe, without doing damage to the text)---just maybe--as they approached the door to the house---I can picture ole Andrew---he notices Jesus reaching into His pocket for a set of keys and notices how Jesus takes a key and unlocks the locked door----of course, the Bible doesn't say this----but you can imagine, can't you???----Jesus takes a key to unlock the door of the house----I wonder if it were possible---as Jesus was inserting the key into the door---if the Holy Spirit just sorta whispered into Andrew's spiritual ear something like, "He's got the keys to the Kingdom!!!"

    I believe Andrew saw two things that day--

    One---he saw a literal, physical house with a literal physical room with maybe a chair in the kitchen with a table there---maybe some furnature in other parts of the room---and he saw Jesus there in that house!!

    I believe-Andrew saw were Jesus lived-physically!

    But I also believe that the word goes beyond the literal, physcial earthly realm into the literal, spiritual heavenly realm!

    Andrew saw were Jesus lived---physcially

    But, secondly, I believe that Andrew saw a literal spiritual house---and by FAITH he saw where GOD lived!! He saw Jesus and by FAITH believed with all his heart that "God dwells inside that man!!"

    Notice back in verse 39, "They came and saw where He dwelt, and abode with Him that day: for it was about the tenth hour."

    The "tenth hour"---Hebrew time would be around 4pm---Roman time would be around 10am--I believ it to be Roman time! They arrive at 10 in the morning and just stay there all day!

    Friend! Don't be surprised when you get to Glory and you discover that Heaven has a clock--and you look and see that the Big Hand is on the 12 and the Little Hand is on the 10!

    And don't be surprised when you get to Heaven---that Heaven has a calendar also---and you look and see on Heaven's calendar--that there is a big circle drawn around THAT DAY!!

    Don't be surprised when you get to GloryLand---don't be surprised when you get to Heaven---and discover that its Ten O'Clock in the morning on THAT Day---and you're there---and you say to yourself---"I believe I'll just STAY here all day---just like Andrew stayed ALL DAY there on that day!!! Except the day you arrive at Jesus' house---will always be---it will never end!!

    But here is Andrew's proclaimation---in verses 40-41

    With the speed that would rival Gold medalist speedster, Jesse Owens---Andrew finds his brother, Peter and says:

    "We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ"

    We have found the Messias!

    We have found the Christ!

    We have found the Man of God---Its Jesus!!

    We have found the God of Man--Its Jesus!!

    Jesus is asking you the question today----here's the question-----listen close----

    "What'cha doing today---around 10 O'Clock???
     
  3. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Thank you Blackbird,

    God Bless you

    Sheila
     
  4. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    Thank you Blackbird - I for one like the things you read between the lines in the passage!

    Dan
     
  5. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    I can sure remember "10:00 o'clock" in my life! Thanks for the homey illustration!
     
  6. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    May 4

    Romans 11:11-12, “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?”

    Dr. Boice gives us four important thoughts on how to evangelize:

    1. We should be friends to those we wish to win. I am not suggesting that it is impossible to win strangers to Christ - because God can use us to win anyone - even folks who are unknown to us. But as charming as stories of absolute strangers being won to Christ on an airplane or some other public place that affords some privacy - it doesn’t happen very often. I am also not suggesting that we should compromise our convictions in an attempt to win the lost. I fear that my testimony would not be effective if I were to try and witness to my neighbor, over a beer, at the local bar. Most conversions take place because Christians become a friend or neighbor to the lost. Showing true concern, lending a helping hand, or some kind of genuine gesture to someone who is hurting emulates the life of our Savior. We need to show the lost that we have something real and something that they need, but it must truly come from the heart, because any hypocrisy in such matters will be read like an open book.

    2. We should be models of help and service. Christians must be giving people. Our giving should not be merely motivated by a sense of duty to evangelism. Being of help and service to those around us should flow from our souls. “For the love of Christ constraineth us (or compels us)” - 2 Cor 5:14. The sacrifice of our Savior for us - the unlovely and unworthy - should so fill our souls that we can do nothing else but show His love to others. Brother Jim in his devotionals talks about his quiet time with the Lord. Jim doesn’t spend this time in sermon preparation or Bible study as such - but spends it feasting upon the person of our God and Savior. If and when we absorb Jesus in that manner - He will radiate from us as the glory of God radiated from the face of Moses when he descended from the mountain - and people will truly see Jesus in us and long to know Him as we know Him.

    3. Let everything you do be characterized by love. John writes much of love in his first epistle.

    1 John 4:7-8, “ Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

    1 John 4:10-11, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

    1 John 4:20, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?”

    Are you as a Christian characterized by such love? Am I as a Christian characterized by such love? All too often, Christians act more like vultures - waiting for the wounded to die - so we can feast upon the carcass, instead of helping a brother or sister who has fallen. But I fear my statement is in error - because all to often - we don’t wait for the fallen to die - we swoop in when the first wound appears!

    Friends the world sees us as we are - not as we want them to see us. And if we treat our wounded with disdain and contempt - they wonder how we will treat them after we “snare” another one for the Lord. The phrase, “What Would Jesus Do” may have been overused to the point of being trite, but it’s message is none-the-less true. It is not just “What Would Jesus Do” that should strike at our hearts - but “What Will Jesus Say” when we stand before Him?

    Point number four - next time. Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  7. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Thanks Dan,

    God help us to become more and more like Jesus everyday.
     
  8. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Dan,

    Thank you. We need to be reminded that love is for everyone, just as Jesus loved everyone. I pray that the Lord will help me be a testimony of His love for us.

    Sheila
     
  9. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Wednesday, May 5, 2004

    "Mister Andrew"

    We began a series looking at the characteristics of the Apostles of Jesus Christ--first on the list that Matthew 10 gives is Simon Peter but we started with his brother, Andrew---since John 1 records the "actions" of Andrew before any other Apostle.

    Of course, the name Andrew means "manly"---thats why I call him "Mister" Andrew in the devotion title! I figure anyone whos name means "manly" deserves to be called "Mister!"

    In John 1 we see where it is Andrew who first meets the coming Messiah and who later on---relays the message to his brother, Peter!

    Referring to Jesus Andrew makes his point clear

    We have found the Messiah!

    We have found the Christ!

    We have found the Man of God!

    We have found the God of Man!

    There's two more places in the word of Scripture that shows us the character and composure of Andrew!

    John 6: 1-14

    In this reference, Jesus is well on His way to public ministry! He could hardly "make a move" without a multitude following! His popularity had grown beyond perportion.

    Verse 1 tells us that Jesus "went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias."

    Before we look at what happenes---lets learn a brief geography lesson---I hope this turns out right!!

    Look at the names of the sea in verse one! The Sea Jesus crosses has two names---the Sea of Galilee---is the Hebrew name! But there's another name for the sea---called the "Sea of Tiberias"

    One name is Hebrew! The other name, Tiberias is Roman! It was Rome who occupied the land of Judah in Jesus' day and and it was one of the Roman Emperiors whos name is stamped on the Sea---I believe that adding the name "Tiberias" to the Hebrew sea of Galilee was Rome's way of telling the Hebrew's---"We are in charge here!"---just a friendly reminder that Rome was in domination!

    But in our story in John 6---Jesus was fixing to prove Himself to be "Lord" over the sea! Amen??(side note here: Examine what happens in vs. 15-21---Jesus is walking all over the surface of the Sea of "Tiberias!" Whether Tiberias liked it or not---Jesus is Lord over Tiberias!!!

    Anyway---back to our story and Andrew! Look back at vs. 1-14

    The multitude was there and a situation arose---Jesus raises a question that demanded the Apostles "rise to their feet" with an answer!

    "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat??"

    Philip kinda sorta gets his "Agabus" beads out and figures the problem out "longhand!" Two hundred Denairi is what its gonna cost!

    But look at Andrew! In verses 8-9!

    Five loaves and two fishes are "nothing" without Jesus!

    But five loaves and two fishes are "everything" with Jesus!

    Jesus takes the loaves and fish----and prays---gives thanks---and here---Jesus just invades the physical world of bread and fish with the spiritual world of bread and fish!

    But here's our point about Andrew---he brings a little lad with a little lunch---to a big Lord!!! And Jesus makes a "mountain out of a Mole hill!!"

    Who and what around you---can you bring to Jesus today?? What sort of problem do you need Jesus to solve today!!

    He's Lord over that lunch!!

    Later on in the text---He's Lord over that Lake!!

    Pray today---He be Lord over your Life!!
     
  10. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Blackbird, thank you and God Bless


    Sheila
     
  11. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    Thank you Blackbird - for a great lesson!
     
  12. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    May 6

    Romans 11:11-12, “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?”

    Dr. Boice gives us four suggestions on how we should evangelize. Today we look at his fourth point, having already considered the first three: (1) We should be friends to those we wish to win; (2) We should be models of help and service; (3) Let everything you do be characterized by love.

    4. We must verbalize the gospel. We must speak to people out of love, but this is especially true of the Jews. But we must also speak the truth of the gospel, because the gospel is truth, and it is the truth of God’s Word that God blesses.

    Whoever we speak to, we must make sure that we understand their religious terminology so that there is no confusion about the message. To a Gentile, it is not enough to ask, “Have you received Jesus?” As a Bible believing fundamental Baptist believer in Jesus Christ, that question means something entirely different to me than it often means to other religion groups who use the terminology of Christianity. To me it means the following:

    A. Have I trusted Jesus Christ and Lord and Savior.
    B. Do I acknowledge that Jesus Christ paid the price for my sin with His death, burial and resurrection.
    C. Have I asked Christ to save me from my sin - based solely on what He accomplished for me with His sacrifice.
    D. To me it means grace through faith plus nothing.

    To those who believe that the “bread” and the “fruit of the vine” somehow turns into the body and blood of the Lord - an affirmative answer to that question means they have received Jesus by taking the wine and the wafer, by taking communion. Their yes, and my yes means something entirely different, yet we use the same terminology.

    But what of witnessing to the Jew? We must befriend them. We must be helpful and show them love. When we have done that and earned the right to speak, we must remind them of their own religious heritage, as Stephan did in Acts 7. We can remind them that in the Old Testament days that when a Gentile wanted to have eternal life, they had to identify with the Jewish nation. (This identification was not an act of works - but rather an act that signified trust/belief that God would send the Messiah.)

    We must tell them that God did send the Messiah to be the Savior, and that Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ came to die for the sins of the Jews and the Gentiles. We must remind them that when Jesus died, God tore the veil in the temple from top to bottom, signifying that the way to God was open to anyone who would come to Him through the sacrifice of His Son.

    Jesus Christ can be preached entirely from Old Testament Scriptures. If you ever have the opportunity to ever hear a veteran missionary to the Jew preach or witness, listen, and listen carefully. You will hear Christ presented as you have never heard Him presented before.

    Know that reaching the Jew is a difficult work. They are often offended at the name of Jesus. The Jew has been so maligned by “Christians” and Gentiles, that they have a deep seated distrust of us. But as friends, and in love, and with trust earned, you may have the opportunity of presenting Jesus to the Jew. My dad used to say that there is no better witness for Jesus Christ, than a Jew who has trusted Him as Lord and Savior, and I believe he was right in his assessment.

    Remember, whether we are witnessing to the Jew or to a Gentile, God only asks us to be faithful. It is God that provides the results.

    Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
  13. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    A while back "friendship" evangelism and "lifestyle" evangelism were hyped.

    But somewhere, somehow, sometime, the words MUST be spoken as Dr. Boice so ably concluded.

    Then God . . .

    Thanks, bro.
     
  14. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Thanks Dan,
    The way for the Jew to be saved is the way that we are saved. A certain preacher down in Texas is doing God and the Jews a great disservice in saying that Jews will make it on their own merit; in fact, he may well be in league with the devil, a charge that, I know, is very serious. But preaching that one person is saved only through the Lord Jesus Christ, while others are saved because of the promises of God back in the Old Testament, is clearly ANOTHER gospel.
     
  15. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    Thank you Dan,

    God Bless

    Sheila
     
  16. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Friday, May 7, 2004

    Before we start on back on our search for the Apostle's Character---let me suggest a book on the subject---perhaps one of the finest books on the bookshelf today

    Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacAuthor

    "Nathanael Bartholomew and Jesus' Call on His Life"

    Nathanael Bartholomew---this was actually his full name!

    "Nathanael" means "Gift of God

    "Bartholomew" means "son of Tolmai"

    Only one passage of scripture tells us very much about him! Look over in John 1: 45-51! What does the Holy Spirit reveal to us about this man??

    How can we apply what the Holy Spirit says about Nathanael to our lives today?? Lets see!

    Notice

    I HIS STUDY OF SCRIPTURE (V.45)

    This particular verse sends a signal forward that---in the early stages of these disciples spiritual lives they gave diligient search of scripture looking for Messais! They poured their spiritual lives into scripture search---and at the same time---Scripture searched them!!

    Jesus said in John 5:39, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me."

    As disciples of John the Baptist---the forerunner of the Messiah---they wanted to know Him when He comes! And here in their search of Scripture--the Truth of God's word simply told them the truth about the Truth!!

    In their study of Scripture---they simply narrowed the Messiah's possibilities down to one man---Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Joseph!!

    Friend---in our study of Scripture today---and in our quest for the search of God in flesh---Scripture narrows the field down to one person---Jesus of Nazareth!! Amen?

    II HIS SINCERITY OF HEART (V. 47)

    Notice Jesus' first words to Nathanael! Jesus is telling Nathanael that He knows him "through and through!!"

    Notice Jesus says, "Behold! An Israelite indeed"

    What is Jesus saying here in this statement?? He was saying in essense that Nathanael was a True Jew!!

    Which raises the question--

    Can someone be a Jew but not a True Jew?? Certainly!

    Romans 2:28-29 reads, "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outwaqrd in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

    An "Israelite indeed" is simply an Israelite who has by faith repented of his sins and has received by faith the promise of Messiah's coming in the flesh and has been redeemed by His blood!

    Notice Jesus' words again in v. 47

    "In whom is no guile"

    The word "guile" means "duplicity"

    Jesus was saying that Nathanael was living "as straight as an arrow!" Nathanael was not living or setting what is called a "Double Standard!"

    The book of James says that a "Double minded man is unstable in all his ways."--James 1:8

    Ohhhhhh, Nathanael was approaching Jesus with "sincerity and singleness of heart!"

    Do you know what I think?? On his way to see Jesus--ole Nate didn't have to stop by his house to change clothes!

    He didn't have to clean up his speech!

    He didn't have to get rid of the beer in the frig!

    He didn't have to get rid of the cigarettes and tobacco!

    He didn't have to destroy his lotto tickets!

    He didn't have to run "go make it right" with his wife or kids!

    IOW--on his way to see Jesus---he was living as if he were already with Jesus! He approached Jesus with a clear conscience!

    Verse 45 tells us that Philip and Nathanael had been "in the word"---they had searched scripture--and at the same time they allowed scripture to search them!! And before Nathanael met Jesus "along the way"---there in v. 47---he had already been with Jesus in the Scripture!!

    Nathanael had been "washed in the water of the word" as Ephesians declares---in his approach to Jesus!

    Listen! Do you want to meet Jesus today?? Spiritually?? Simply "get into the word" of Scripture! Jesus said, "Search the scripture . . . for these are they which testify of Me." And as you get into Scripture and search it---you will notice that at the very same time---Scripture will get into you and search you!!

    How about that???
     
  17. following-Him

    following-Him Active Member

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    AMEN.

    Thank you Blackbird,

    God Bless you.

    Sheila
     
  18. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    Thank you Blackbird!
     
  19. Watchman

    Watchman New Member

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    Great message, Thank You Blackbird.
     
  20. Dan Todd

    Dan Todd Active Member

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    May 8

    Romans 11:11-15, “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”

    Nothing God does is by chance, that is to say, nothing God does is unplanned. The church of Jesus Christ is not an accident. Though a mystery in the Old Testament, the church was planned for in the collective mind of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) before the foundations of the world. We’ve seen in our text that God has temporarily set Israel aside. This setting “aside was not an afterthought or an outburst of emotional anger but had a definite purpose.” (MacArthur)

    There seems to be a bit of what I would call circular reasoning as Paul presents the relationship between the Jew and the Gentile, and the Gentile and the Jew is our text. Though it may seem a bit confusing (how are we as mere mortals to understand the perfect reasonings and plans of God), it is nevertheless the Word of God, and it is to be studied with the mind to understand, as much as humanly possible, and not dismissed merely because it doesn’t fit into our patterns of thinking and understanding. Paul tells us that Israel rejected their Messiah so that salvation might come to the Gentiles. He also tells us the salvation came to the Gentiles that Israel might be provoked to jealousy and salvation.

    Paul almost always went to the Jew first in any city where he preached. Often a few Jews would believe in Messiah as a result of Paul’s preaching, but most would not believe. In Acts 13:46-47 Paul declares (in what might be interpreted as frustration) “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” In Acts 18:5-6 we see a little more of the Apostle’s frustration, “ And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.” And in Paul’s last recorded message to his unbelieving “kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom 9:3), Paul said, Acts 28:25-28, “Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”

    So salvation came to the Gentiles. “To provoke them to jealousy” carries the idea of purpose. It is God’s intention for Israel’s jealousy of the Gentiles “to be a positive stimulus to draw His people back to Himself.” (MacArthur) God’s ultimate purpose in temporarily setting Israel aside is not to drive them farther from Himself – but to draw them to Himself.

    I close this devotional with two paragraphs from MacArthur’s commentary on Romans:

    “One of the great ironies of history is the relationship of God’s chosen people (the Jews) to the rest of humanity (the Gentiles). Anti-Semitism by Gentiles has often been paralleled by, and sometimes precipitated by, the anti-Gentile sentiments of Jews. It therefore was – and no doubt still is for many Jews – an enormous leap from a negative contempt of Gentiles to a positive jealousy of them. Yet that is precisely the leap the Lord intends for them to make as a first step in brining them back to Him.”

    “It should be the desire of every Christian to manifest the spiritual realities of a transformed life that would draw unbelieving Jews to belief in our Lord and their Messiah, a witness that would tap their divinely-inspired jealousy of Gentiles and be used to turn it to a divinely-desired faith in His Son.”

    Adapted from “Romans” by MacArthur.

    In Christ,
    Dan Todd
     
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