Collecting the Evidence (1)
A Sermon on Romans 11:25-27
Scripture
25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it …
Sermon Description
What is the future of the people of Israel? In this sermon on Romans 11:25–27 titled “Collecting the Evidence (1),” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones examines this most important topic of Israel’s future. Paul is concerned that the Gentile believers may be arrogant towards the Israelites. No one must think they are saved because they are smarter or wiser than anyone else. The Gentiles did not believe in the gospel because they were smarter than the Israelites. They believed because God in His grace was pleased to give mercy to the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. While some Israelites rejected the gospel, not all did. Paul gives himself as an example of a faithful Israelite who trusted in the promised Messiah. Furthermore, Paul speaks of the day when many of his fellow Jews will come to worship Jesus and be saved. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches on the great day of salvation for all Jewish people who come to know the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. God is faithful to His promises and He has provided salvation for all who believe in Him.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is dealing with the nation of Jews considered racially, not individually. He is looking at the bulk of Jews outside the church.
- Paul gives five arguments for why the rejection of Israel is not total or final:
- Paul himself is a Jew and an apostle
- There is a remnant of Jews in the church currently
- The Jews came from the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and God's promises to them still stand
- God has the power to graft the Jews in again
- God has already done the more difficult thing of grafting in the Gentiles
- Paul now moves from argumentation to direct assertion and prophecy. He says the restoration of the Jews is certain.
- Paul took the time to reason and argue to:
- Use reason and meet the critics on their own ground
- Instruct the Gentiles and show God has not finished with Israel
- Show the Gentiles the principles of the teaching
- Expose error as well as proclaim truth
- Paul calls what he will tell them a "mystery" - a truth hidden from natural understanding but revealed by God. This is unlike the mystery religions which kept secrets for the initiated. Christianity proclaims truth openly.
- The difference between Christianity and false religions is mystery revealed vs mystery concealed.
- Paul is giving a prophetic utterance, not his own opinion. As an apostle, truth was revealed to him to teach others.
- We should accept Paul's prophecy as we do OT prophets. Peter puts Paul's writings on par with Scripture.
- Paul is telling the Romans he will make an utterance like OT prophets. They must believe it as God's revealed truth. We must do the same.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.