Stand in Awe at God's Kindness and Severity

Romans11:13-33
Today in God’s Word, we hear the apostle Paul tell the Christians at Rome and the Christians here today—that far from having an attitude of pride because we are believers and contempt for those who are not—we are to fear God—to stand in awe of God—both for his mercies and judgments.

When we stand in awe of God, our eyes are not directed to ourselves and what good folks we are—and neither is our gaze directed to those who are not believers and what bad people they are. Rather, our eyes are fixed upon the Lord with a holy reverence and wonder that he would save people such as ourselves-- and a fear and dread of ever doing anything that would destroy our life with him.

By the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote these words:

I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them.

Two weeks ago we heard the pain and heartache in Paul’s voice when he said that he was willing to suffer eternal damnation if it would mean the salvation of his kinsmen, the Jews. But he knew that was not possible—that it was Christ’s suffering and sacrifice alone that mattered—the very salvation that so many Jews rejected.

And so if he could not suffer for them—he would try to win them another way: he would magnify his ministry among the Gentiles. Now what did he mean—that he would magnify his mission to the Gentiles so as to save the Jews?

He meant that he would lift it up—talk it up—make a big deal out of it—speak constantly about the goodness of God that extended even to the Gentiles. He would share with his fellow Jews the wonderful blessings that came to those who believed in Jesus so that they would desire those blessings for themselves—blessings that God had promised to them first thousands of year before—blessings that were rightfully theirs.

This is an evangelism strategy that we forget about. And so let me ask you, are you living out your faith in such a way that unbelievers around you want what you have as a Christian? Are you talking up your church home and magnifying the blessings that come with being a Christian? Are you sharing with others the difference that Jesus has made in your life?

People in Paul’s day were drawn to Christ because they were drawn to Christians- and it is time for us to recapture that in our day so that others will be drawn to Christ because they see his blessings in our lives and want them for themselves. Paul wrote:

If the Jews rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

As we heard today in the Gospel lesson, there was a place in God’s family even for Gentiles and always had been. In the days before Christ, Gentile believers had been few and far between—but there were Gentiles among God’s people. It was after Pentecost that the presence of Gentiles among the people of God exploded in number.

The church that began as a group of twelve Jewish disciples of a Jewish rabbi and remained a few hundred Jews even after Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, grew by the thousands in just a few short years as the Gentiles accepted the Gospel with open hearts—while the Jews continued to reject the message of Christ.

As Paul would travel from town to town, going first to the Jews, he was often times rejected by his own people-- but he found a ready audience among the Gentiles so that they were reconciled to God through faith in Christ and the Christian church expanded throughout the world.

But what about the unbelieving Jews? Did Paul wash his hands of them? Did God abandon them? No! God still loved them and the Gospel was still preached to them- and every time they came to faith it was a demonstration of the power of God to give spiritual life--where before there was only spiritual death.

This was God’s plan from the beginning: salvation by God’s grace through faith in the Messiah. When Paul talked about the dough of the firstfruits offering and the root and the branches he was using illustrations from the worship life of the Jews and from nature to make the point that when believing Jews and Gentiles were added to God’s people through faith in Jesus-- it was proof that the way of salvation had always been through faith. We are still saved through faith in Jesus apart from deeds of the law.

That the Gentiles believed this while the Jews didn’t--that we believe this even as others reject it--is no reason for arrogance in the believer. Paul wrote:

If some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.

The example of an olive tree with its roots and branches was a picture that ancient people would have recognized and connected with. The tree is the whole people of God in Christ Jesus—the root is the promise of salvation through faith made to Abraham-- and the branches are those who believe in Jesus –be they Jew or Gentile.

From that promise of salvation through faith made to Abraham—a people came forth, like branches from a tree. In the beginning, the vast majority of believers were Jews. But God cared about all people and when Gentiles would hear of God’s promised deliverance and come to faith—he would graft them into the tree by his gracious power just like we have come to take our place among the believing branches of that tree.

In Paul’s day, and even more so in our day, the vast, vast majority of branches in the tree of God’s believing people are no longer Jew but Gentile. But that is no reason for pride on our part. It is by the mercy of God alone that we have a place among his people and our life of faith is fed by the saving works and words that he did among his ancient people thousands of yeas ago.

As little room as there is for pride when it comes to our standing before God, there is even less room for contempt for those who are not God’s people —ESPECIALLY for those Jews who do not know Jesus as their Messiah. Paul wrote:

You will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but stand in awe. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.

Paul’s letter to the Romans has 16 chapters and four of them deal specifically with God’s relationship with his ancient people and their rejection of their Messiah. You can imagine why. As Gentiles were coming to faith in Jesus, they were being taught the whole story of salvation going back to Adam Eve and the patriarchs and Moses and the prophets.

There are thousands of years of salvation history that takes place among the Jews and the new Christians in Rome could not help but wonder—just like we wonder in our adult bible class: what happened to God’s ancient people? Why aren’t there more Jews in the church? And the answer is: the vast majority of them did not believe in Jesus and were cut out of the tree of God’s people.

Knowing this, you can imagine what was going on the minds of the new Gentile believers in Rome: “Well, I may not be a part of God’s ancient people—and my ancestors may have been pagans--and I may not know much about Jesus—but at least I believe in him” Even the Christians sitting in these pews are not beyond believing that we are somehow better—by nature—from those who don’t believe. But we are not.

Paul knew human nature and the sinful pride that cuts to the very center of our existence and our willingness to take the credit for spiritual things—and that is why he wrote these words about not being prideful when it comes to our faith.

There is no reason for human pride when it comes to our salvation and our life with God—that is his work from beginning to end. And so rather than having pride in our faith—and contempt for the lack of the same in others—we need to focus on making sure that we remain in saving faith through the regular, faithful use of Word and Sacraments—so that we do not fall away like God’s ancient people.

We need to stand in awe of God’s mercy that made us a part of his people--but we also need to stand in fear of our own frailty and God’s judgment. There is nothing terrible about the Jews as a people-- and there is nothing special about us as a people—we have a life with God only by his grace through faith in Jesus-- and the judgment that he has exercised in the past upon his ancient people for their lack of faith --will be meted out to us in exactly the same way if we do not continue in faith.

Paul intended for the Gentiles of his day- and for the Christians of this day -to learn from the Jews rather than stand in judgment over them. Paul wrote:

Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

God is both kind in salvation and severe in judgment. His kindness is shown in the gift of his own Son—given into death for our sins. There can be no doubt what God’s attitude is towards us in Christ as we hear of our Lord’s sacrifice on the cross and rejoice in our adoption into God’s family through Holy Baptism and receive the saving gifts of the cross in Holy Communion in Jesus’ true body and blood. Truly God is kind beyond measure and we stand in awe of his mercies that extends to sinners such as ourselves!

But God is also severe in his judgments. Those who will not accept his kindness in Christ—those who reject the judgment of God upon the world’s sins made at the cross—those who turn their backs on his offer of life made at the resurrection of our Lord—those who will not continue in faith--cannot expect anything other than God’s wrath—his righteous judgment of their sins—and eternal punishment in hell.

All of us should stand in awe- with fear and trembling- at ever suffering such a fate because we willfully refuse his kindness.

But even if that is where this day finds us—having abandoned his kindness in Christ or even knowing nothing of it—it is still not too late—for he stands ready to make us a part of his people. Paul wrote:

Even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.

So long as you are living and breathing it is not too late to have a life with God. For the Jews of Paul’s day, their rejection of the Gospel was a terrible thing—but it did not have to be final. There was still time for them to come to faith in Christ and be grafted in to the tree of God’s people once again.

So it is for us here today. If you have wandered away from the Savior’s side—if you have made room in our life for some sin—if you have been living in opposition to God’s will—it is not too late to repent of your sins, return to God, and know that he has the power—and has promised-- to once again make a place for you among his people. God grant it for Jesus’ sake! Amen.