Salvation for All: Embracing Our Jewish Roots

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everyone who believes which is unbelievably exhilarating news for those of us who come into this room carrying something that we feel will keep us from getting it wrong family wrong moral track record wrong tradition wrong sexual preference wrong ethnic connections wrong socio-economic level wrong political affiliation wrong wrong wrong and therefore no hope for me in this religious place and so the word lands with tremendous exhilaration on me everyone who believes one thing only need keep you away from salvation unbelief nothing else needs to keep you away [00:01:01]

Jews have priority over Gentiles as the chosen people of God historically Genesis 12 remember Abraham the father of Jews he's chosen freely Nehemiah 9 7 says God chose Abram and brought him out of Earth the chaldees he just chose him he just looked around and freely he didn't look for a meritorious person in fact he was a moon worshiper we find out in Joshua he just chosen freely made him his own and set a whole history in motion Deuteronomy 14 2 the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his own possession out of all the peoples who are on the earth [00:03:54]

the Jews have a priority over Gentiles as the Guardians of God's special Revelation the Old Testament scriptures I get this straight out of Romans 3 1-2 Paul asked our question what advantage has the Jew or what is the benefit of circumcision and he answers his own question verse 2. great in every way first of all they were entrusted with the Oracles of God so there it is the first thing he mentions is that they have been entrusted with the Bible the Old Testament the prophets Moses the law the writings [00:05:50]

the Jews have a priority over the Gentiles in that the Messiah himself Jesus came as a Jew to Jews Romans 9 5. continue on in that list it comes to climax like this from the Jews is the Christ or the Messiah according to the flesh who is over all God blessed forever amen in other words the Pinnacle of the benefits and the Privileges of being a Jew is that the Messiah the Son of God was born a Jew he came to the Jews [00:07:09]

salvation is from the Jews now that's a quote from John 4 22 where Jesus is with this woman at the well and they're talking about where to worship and he says you worship what you do not know we worship what we know for salvation is from the Jews which is simply I believe a summary statement of the Jews were chosen as God's special people the Jews were given the law and the prophets which described the way of Salvation into the Messiah the Messiah himself comes makes atonement for sin as a Jew for Jews [00:09:18]

the picture is that some of the branches on the natural Olive Tree jewishness have been broken off that's unbelieving Jews are broken off and they're not benefiting from the Covenant promises made to Abraham because they're broken off through unbelief and some of these Wild Olive branches these Johnny come lately Gentiles are being carefully and nurturingly grafted in so that the sap which gives eternal life coming through the promises made to Abraham comes right into these branches and they are saved [00:11:12]

do you realize how Jewish our Salvation is do you realize salvation is from the Jews and that the only way you get saved is by being grafted into Jewish privileges do you realize you do not support the root the root is Abraham and his promises the root supports you you have life if you have life at all you have life because promises were made to a Jew and God is keeping his promises made to Abraham Isaac Jacob and through the prophets [00:13:06]

Jews have a priority over Gentiles in that the Paul in that Paul evangelized Jews first every time he went to a new city or a new region acts 13 46 Paul is preaching in the city of Antioch antiochopacidia and he says when they reject him it was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first since you repudiated and judge yourselves Unworthy of eternal life behold we are turning to the Gentiles there's a certain kind of necessity here that if God has chosen them if he's given them the scriptures [00:14:07]

the Jews have a priority over gentiles shockingly in final judgment and final blessing back to chapter 2 verses 9 and 10 you might want to look at this it's so stunning Romans 2 9 and 10. Paul says to my amazement there will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil of the Jew first and also the Greek first into judgment and then the next verse turns it around unless we get uppity but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good to the Jew first and also to the Greek [00:15:16]

Jews do not have priority in righteousness or Merit neither do Gentiles I get this from chapter 3 verse 9. Paul says what then are we Jews better than they gentiles answer not at all for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin so there's our equality you like equality you got it we're all Sinners and undeserving of life or again Romans 3 22 down the page a little bit there is no distinction for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God [00:16:42]

is God the god of the Jews only is he not the god of Gentiles also yes of Gentiles also and he is the god who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith so there again equality both Sinners and both have one access to God namely faith in Jesus Christ not two ways of salvation there's not a Jewish way and a gentile way there's one way through Christ or again in Romans 10 12 same thing there is no distinction between Jew and Greek [00:18:20]

you Gentiles Paul says were separated from the Messiah the Christ excluded from the Commonwealth of Israel this is because God chose the Jews and he didn't choose the Gentiles and so we're excluded we're separated we are strangers to the covenants of Promise Paul says having no hope without God in the world that's the condition of not being a Jew now verse 13 The Glorious gospel but now in Christ Jesus you who were formally far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ [00:19:46]

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