“A Child of Promise”

Scripture: Romans 9:1-9

For the past three weeks, we have considered Paul’s message to the Church from Romans 8. It is a powerful letter that is filled with encouragement and hope – it’s about God’s conquest of the sin that is rampant in our lives; it’s about being freed from the clutches of earth and welcomed into the embrace of Heaven; it’s about the spiritual power contained in the Godly relationship that is ours through faith in Jesus Christ.
And as I considered how I was going to follow that message, I read ahead into the next chapter, and discovered that it outlines, to a great extent, what Salvation must come to mean for us. It addresses some issues of Israel’s history, but more importantly, it answers some of the nagging questions that many of us have regarding the Lord’s intent and plan.

Some parents had a great idea for their son’s special birthday gift one year. They ordered a kit for a tree house from a mail order catalogue. As the mother and father began to assemble the pieces, they discovered to their dismay that while they had received the plans for a tree house, they had been sent the materials for a sailboat.
A letter of complaint to the company brought this apologetic reply: “While we regret the inconvenience this mistake must have caused you, it is nothing compared to that of the man who is out on a lake somewhere trying to sail your tree house.”
--From Richard Northrup, Phoenix, Arizona

For many of us, God’s plans sometimes feel as though he has erred in this same way – that he has called us to salvation but sent the instructions for an entirely different project! But in Romans 9, Paul assures us that there is no error and there is no mistake.

Read Romans 9:1-5

Why would the truth in Christ cause the evangelist so much pain? While he doesn’t actually state the reason, it can be assumed that it is because the people of Israel were not only deaf to the good news, they weren’t believing anything that they did hear. While Chapter 8 was about the glory that God has offered to us, this chapter is about the anguish that he, and by extension the Church, should feel over those who still don’t know that glory. He even suggests that his agony over Israel’s refusal to accept Christ is so great that he would even offer himself up as a substitute for their condemnation.
Now let’s think about this for a moment. I’m fairly certain that Paul completely understood that this would never work – after all, that’s exactly what Jesus had already done, and even Paul has suggested in Romans 5:8-11 that this was Christ’s purpose and not ours. So what is he saying? I believe that it is, first of all, an expression of his passion that all should come to the Lord for salvation, and second, that his love for Israel is so great that he would even trade his salvation for their condemnation. Now that is an exceptional love! But Paul knows very well that it can only be a personal and individual commitment to Christ that brings his glory to our lives, and his heartfelt offer is just as genuine as is his pain over their loss.

He lists all that God has given them as a sign of his grace and passion, but still they have turned away. But is this list the exclusive “property” of Israel? They certainly thought so, but now Paul is telling them (and us!) that while these gifts of God have not gone away, Israel has forfeited their rights to them. Think about each one:
- Israel had been the chosen of God, but since they had refused to accept his way, now others are being “adopted” into God’s family.
- Divine glory had been leading and empowering and blessing Israel exclusively for a thousand years, but now that glory was being granted to others who would, in Israel’s place, be far more faithful.
- The covenants that God had laid down for Abraham (Genesis 17:1-8) and Moses (Exodus 19:3-6) and David (2 Samuel 7:8-16) and, in general, to all of Israel, had been broken, and even though God had acted in a mighty way to restore them through Jesus, the people had refused to accept him. Now these covenants were passing to others.
- God had given the people his law for living a righteous life, but for all these years, Israel had been adding to them, and reinterpreting them, and redefining them, and even perverting them until they had become meaningless. Now those laws had been overturned through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and we now live by his new commandment – “as I have loved you, love one another.” (John 13:31-35). But Israel was stuck to the old ways, and were ignoring the new.
- Worship and sacrifice had previously been confined to the temple. It was about how and what you did that brought honor to the Lord, but that was never sufficient. Now worship would be in the spirit and the divine truth of God, and not in a singular place. (John 4:21-24)
- God’s promise of a relationship with Israel was being taken for granted, and they were showing the Lord absolutely no honor or praise. Relationship would no longer be in the age old promises, but in a new one based in mutual acceptance and love.
Israel had even been granted ancestry with Emmanuel – they had become blood relatives with God in the Flesh, but that wasn’t even enough for the people. While they should have been rejoicing and praising God for his goodness, they completely rejected him and his gift of a righteous life.

No wonder Paul’s heart was breaking – Israel had been given every opportunity to truly be God’s people, and their shallow faith betrayed them.

Read Romans 9:6-9

How many times do we hear folks ask “Why has God done this?” or “Why has God let me down?” or “Why has God allowed this to happen? Is he out to torment me?” Their implication is that God has somehow failed to keep some promise to the person, but Paul would have them know that God’s word has never and will never fail us! And this is where all too many people feel that God is two-faced. They claim the promises (as they want to understand them), but feel that God’s actions contradict them.
Paul now lists several examples that we don’t like to think about – they are seen as God’s selective choices for salvation. Even though the covenant made with Abraham would seem to say that all of his descendants would be honored and blessed, it would only be those who came through Isaac and Jacob who would be the “chosen” of God. Not Ishmael’s line, not Esau’s line, not Lot’s line, not any of the rest – only Jacob’s. Paul’s statement that “not all who are descended from Israel are Israel” and just “because they are his descendants they [not] all Abraham’s children.” initially doesn’t seem to make much sense. But his point is that only those who are faithful to the covenants can be seen as true members of the family, and the rest are the “black sheep” of Israel.
Remember the story of Jacob in Laban’s employ when he caused the best sheep and goats of the flock to be speckled and striped? They were the original “black sheep” – they were considered undesirable, outcasts, of far lesser value, and Laban allowed Jacob to take them as payment for his service.
“White sheep” were normally the chosen, and the “black” were rejected. But now Paul tells us what the true test will be – that it isn’t those who the world thinks are the best and most desirable, but those who God will find favor with. It isn’t those who would be seen as the “natural” choice, but those who are the “children of the promise”. It isn’t the people who have the lineage to claim the inheritance of God, but those who keep the covenants.

So who are we? Where do we fit in? Are we the ones who everyone would normally place in the “natural selection” group? Those who have been in the church all their lives, those who have served on the most committees, those who have attended all the Bible studies and other obvious activities? Or are we those who have quietly worked behind the scenes without recognition, those who routinely have shared their faith with others, those who have never sought any glory for themselves, but who have lived their life in God’s covenant and in his promise?

Paul’s heart was breaking because the people of Israel were still trying to do it the old and fruitless way. He wanted them to be “children of the promise” – God’s promise, God’s way, and not by their own. And that is his hope for us.

Take up God’s promise that is brought to us through faith in Christ Jesus. There is no other way possible.