Proper 15
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook
Series IV
Lesson 1: Genesis 45:1-15 (C)
Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. Because of a famine in Canaan, Jacob sent his sons to buy food in Egypt. None of them knew Joseph was the prime minister of Egypt and was responsible for selling food. In this passage, Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, gives God the credit for his being a top ruler, and urges his brothers to tell Jacob that he and his family and herds should come to Egypt so that Joseph could care for them. With this reading we bring to a close a series of 12 stories of the Patriarchs.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 (L); Isaiah 56:1, (2-5) 6-7 (E); Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 (RC)
God promises to gather all people to him.
Lesson 2: Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 (C); Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 (E, L, RC)
The Jews' rejection of Christ results in the world's reconciliation. Paul now turns to address Gentiles, for he is the apostle to the Gentiles. He discusses the salvation of Jews and Gentiles. The gospel was given first to the Jews. Upon their rejection of it, the gospel was given to the Gentiles. This aroused the Jews' jealously who will in the end accept Christ. Their disobedience caused salvation to come to the Gentiles, a blessing in disguise. However, God has not disowned his people, for his all and gifts are irrevocable. Both Jews and Gentiles will receive mercy for their disobedience.
Gospel:
Matthew 15:(1O-21) 21-28 (C); Matthew 15:21-28 (E, L, RC)
Jesus yields to the persistent pleas of a Canaanite mother. Jesus retired to a territory outside Israel and consequently he is approached by a pagan Gentile mother, a Canaanite, to heal her mentally ill daughter. Is Jesus' ministry limited to the Jews? At first it seems so, because Jesus told her that his ministry was for the Jews. She persisted in her appeals until he was impressed with her faith in him. As a result, she was complimented and her daughter was instantly healed. In this story we learn of the universality of Christ's ministry and we see that faith has no racial boundaries.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 133 (C) - "How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity (v. 1)."
Psalm 67 (F, L, RC) - "Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee (v. 3)!"
Prayer Of The Day
"Almighty and ever-living God, you have given great and precious promises to those who believe. Grant us the perfect faith which overcomes all doubts."
Hymn Of The Day
"When In The Hour Of Deepest Need"
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel:
Matthew 15:21-28
1. Withdrew (v. 2). Along with his disciples Jesus withdrew to the seacoast towns, Tyre and Sidon, about 50 miles from Galilee. He went out of the country to be alone with his men. In his own country he was so busy ministering to people that he hardly had time to eat. He needed time to rest, to do some thinking and to prepare the disciples for the journey to the cross. Withdrawal is not retreat. It is preparation for big things to come.
2. Me (v. 22). The pagan woman asked Jesus to have mercy on her. It is significant that she identified her daughter to the degree that the help given to the child would be given to her. Here is a depth of love that is possible between parent and child. A true parent wishes she could take the pain and trouble of the child.
3. Not answer (v. 23). When the woman begged for mercy, Jesus was perfectly silent. He ignored her as though she said nothing. There are times when God is silent when we cry to him for help or for answers. In this silence God is saying something to us. It is a testing of faith. The test is whether we have patience and persistence in our prayers. We have no right to expect "instant prayers." Prayer often is a wrestling, a waiting upon God.
4. Help (v. 25). The woman's final appeal is "help me." She has no arguments and no excuses. She knows she has no claim on Jesus. She is only a woman, a pagan, a believer in a false religion, and a foreigner. She makes no claim that she is a good woman, a faithful wife and a loving mother. She comes to Jesus without one plea and throws herself and her need upon Jesus. This is finally the thing that causes Jesus to respond to her need. It is the same with us: we cry for mercy not on the basis of our worthiness nor on our merit. We simply beg for mercy as poor beggars.
5. Faith (v. 28). Until Jesus said, "O woman, great is your faith," no mention is made of faith. Jesus did not ask if she believed in him or if she believed he was able to help her. In this struggle to overcome Jesus' reluctance to help, she saw her faith. It was a faith that he could heal her daughter, because she addressed him as Messiah, "Son of David." He saw faith in her feeling that he would help her. This was demonstrated by her persistence. Faith is the key to getting a hearing and a blessing from Christ. It is not a matter of race, religion; the determining factor is faith in Christ.
Lesson 1: Genesis 45:1-15 (C)
1. Angry (v. 5). When Joseph's brother learned that the prime minister of Egypt was Joseph, they were conscience-stricken with guilt for having sold him into slavery. Sensitive to their feelings, Joseph magnanimously urges them not to be upset or blame themselves because it was God who sent him here to preserve God's people.
2. Sent (vv. 4, 7, 8). Repeatedly Joseph says that what happened to him was the work of God. It was a divine plan. God used evil for their eventual good. His slavery and imprisonment were stepping-stones to the position that enabled him to save his people from death by starvation. God had a hand in all of it. Joseph considered himself only an instrument of God's benevolent care of his people.
3. Come (vv. 4, 9). Naturally the brothers felt distant from Joseph because of their crime against him. Sin always separates people from people as well as God from people. When he disclosed his identity, they fell back and withdrew. Joseph urged them to come closer to him because he had no animosity toward them. Later, he sent a message to his father to come to him that he might take care of him and his family in Egypt. It reminds us of Jesus' invitation, "Come to me ..."
Lesson 1: Isaiah 56:1, (2-5) 6-7 (E); Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 (L); Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 (RC)
1. Everyone (v. 6). Though God desires everyone to enter the kingdom, not all will enter. God makes a universal appeal. His will is for all people to be saved. This is not universalism, the teaching that in the end all will be saved and none shall go to hell. For the Jews of Isaiah's time that was a revolutionary thought: that Gentiles and foreigners would be brought to God and would share in the worship of God. In this pericope, a non-Jew will be with God and in God's house if he keeps the Sabbath and is faithful to the covenant.
2. My house (v. 7). A house is where one lives. "My house" is God's house where he dwells. This Lesson explains the nature of the house - it is a place of prayer and worship, a time of fellowship and communication with God; the occupants of the house - "all peoples." This indicates that the church as God's house must be open to all seekers of God regardless of race, nationality, sex or culture. This implies that all peoples are God's creation and have a right to worship in God's house. God will not approve any sectarianism, prejudice or particularism in his house of prayer.
Lesson 2: Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 (E, L, RC); Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 (C)
1. Disobedience (v. 30). Disobedience can be a blessing. This is Paul's argument about the Jews' rejection of Christ. He wishes to flaunt the Gentiles' acceptance of Christ to the shame of the Jews. Because the Jews would not accept the gospel, Paul begins a ministry to the Gentiles. They came out of disobedience as pagans through the disobedience of the Jews. Further, the Jews' refusal to accept Christ showed the Gentiles that Christianity was not a form of Judaism. They could be Christians without becoming Jews.
2. Irrevocable (v. 29). Through the disobedience of the Jews, Gentiles became Christians. Does this mean that the Jews are excluded from the kingdom? Paul is sure that the Jews will eventually turn to Christ because the gifts and call of God are irrevocable. God called the Jews to be his people and Paul is positive God does not break his promises. Paul has the assurance that one day Jews and Christians will be in the church reconciled to God by faith in Christ.
3. Consigned (v. 32). Paul writes that God consigned all people to disobedience that he might have mercy on all. This is an unusual way of saying that all people are sinners in need of mercy. If people have no sin, they need no Savior. If they are not in trouble, they need no help. If they are not separated from God, they need no reconciliation. It is a universal fact that since Adam, all are disobedient. Consequently, all have need of mercy received in Christ.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
1. A God for All People.
Need: This sermon is designed to give the congregation a universal perspective of God's love and concern. God does not limit his interest in one particular segment of humanity according to race, nationality or geographical location. He is a God for all peoples. God is God of the Jews as well as of the Arabs. God has concern for Communists as well as capitalists. He is for the black as well as for the white people. This should lead to a commitment to world missions, to make disciples of all nations to the end that all peoples accept God as their God.
Outline: God is for all people.
a. God's help is available to all who have faith - Gospel.
b. God's grace is for all who accept the gospel - Lesson 2.
2. Universality, not universalism.
Need: Universalism is a heresy that claims God will not allow anyone ultimately to go to hell. According to this view, it does not matter if a person is a Christian who looks to Christ for salvation. The Lessons stress the universality of God, but the universal gift of grace must be received. The sermon can serve as a corrective to any nation of "cheap grace."
Outline: God has universal concern but -
a. Faith is necessary to receive help - Gospel.
b. Acceptance of the gospel brings reconciliation with God - Lesson 2.
Gospel:
Matthew 15:21-28
1. Get That Woman Off My Back! 15:21-28
Need: This is the way the disciples felt about the Canaanite woman's nagging for help. They said to Jesus, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." Did Jesus feel the same about her? At first he ignored her. Then, he tried to turn her away by insulting her by calling her a "dog." Nobody likes a person to nag! Yet, she used her nagging to get a cure for her daughter. Maybe we ought to learn how to nag God for blessings!
Outline: This mother -
a. Has no right to nag.
1. She was a woman with no rights - vv. 21 , 22.
2. She was a Gentile with no claim on a Jew - v. 26.
3. She was a pagan, a devotee of a false religion - v. 22.
b. Had reason to nag.
1. She had a serious need - v. 22.
2. She had humility - vv. 25-27.
3. She had faith - v. 28.
2. How You Can Get Jesus' Help. 15:21-28
Need: Who doesn't need help? For many it is a daily need. At times great needs appear as in the case of the Canaanite mother in this text. Some may feel unworthy of asking Jesus for help. They have not been to church, are not church members, do not pray or read the Bible and are living immoral lives. The woman in this pericope had nothing going for her that Jesus should help her. Yet he did. Why?
Outline: You, like this woman, can get Jesus' help -
a. If you have a real need - v. 22.
b. If you are humble - vv. 26, 27.
c. If you have faith - v. 28.
d. If you are persistent - v. 23.
4. Can Your Faith Take It? 15:21-28
Need: The miracle of this pericope is not the healing of the demon-possessed daughter but the faith of a pagan woman. How deep is the faith of a Christian? Would the faith of a pagan woman in this Lesson put the faith of an average Christian to shame? The sermon should challenge and stimulate the present faith of the congregation.
Outline: Can your faith -
a. Take the silence of Jesus - v. 23.
b. Take Jesus' argument not to help? - v. 24.
c. Take Jesus' insult? - v. 26.
Lesson 1: Genesis 45:1-15 (C)
When God is God in Your Life.
Need: Joseph was a God-directed and God-dominated man. All that happened to him he attributed to God, even his being sold in slavery and being innocently imprisoned. He never took the credit for his success as the top ruler in Egypt. For him God did it all. Is there a need for this kind of faith in today's world? We want recognition and praise for what we do. We blame Satan for our troubles. In a secular, materialistic and hedonistic world we are in need of God-consciousness.
Outline: What happens when God is in your life -
a. You can forgive your enemies - v. 5.
b. You will be blessed with success - v. 9.
c. You will preserve life for others - vv. 5, 7.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 56:1, (2-5) 6-8 (E); Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 (L); Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 (RC)
Whom God Receives. 56:6-8
Need: Though there are no geographical, national, racial, political or economic require-ments to be acceptable to God, the text declares that foreigners are welcome in God's house if they have moral and spiritual qualification. There are no requirements to be met, but without these qualities people would not be interested in worshiping in God's house.
Outline: God's house is open to all -
a. Who obey God's law - v. 6.
b. Who are faithful to God's covenant - v. 6.
c. Who offer sacrifices to God - v. 7.
Lesson 2: Romans 11:13-15, 29-32
1. God is no Indian Giver! 11:29
Need: For people a promise is meant to be broken. But not with God! For him a promise is a promise. God never breaks a promise. "For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable." This is reassuring to us who live in a world where a person's word has become largely unreliable. God will not let you down. God will not disappoint you. Paul uses this truth to say that though the Jews are not accepting Christ, God will cancel his gifts and calls to them to be his children. There is hope and assurance that the Jews will eventually come to Christ for salvation.
Outline: What is irrevocable?
a. God's gifts - "For the gifts ..."
b. God's call to be his people - "the call of God."
2. Jews for Jesus? 11:13-15, 29-32
Need: Today we face the Jewish question. Annually Americans are giving billions of dollars to Israel for military and economic assistance. Our support is the thorn in the flesh of the Arabs upon whom America is dependent for oil. Some current theologians claim it is preposterous and insulting to evangelize the Jews. Others believe that acceptance of Christ is necessary for the Jews to be saved. The problem is as old as Paul who, in Romans 9:11, discusses this problem. In the introduction of this sermon, we can say that we are grateful to the Jews for their rejection of Christ, for their disobedience caused the gospel to come to the Gentiles. However, we are concerned that the Jews came to Christ. In the text Paul gives us assurance that they ultimately will receive salvation.
Outline: The Jews will come to Jesus, because -
a. Jealousy of the Gentiles will force them to come - v. 14.
b. God's call and gifts to the Jews are irrevocable - v. 29.
c. Their disobedience will result in God's mercy - v. 31.
Joseph reveals himself to his brothers. Because of a famine in Canaan, Jacob sent his sons to buy food in Egypt. None of them knew Joseph was the prime minister of Egypt and was responsible for selling food. In this passage, Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers, gives God the credit for his being a top ruler, and urges his brothers to tell Jacob that he and his family and herds should come to Egypt so that Joseph could care for them. With this reading we bring to a close a series of 12 stories of the Patriarchs.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 (L); Isaiah 56:1, (2-5) 6-7 (E); Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 (RC)
God promises to gather all people to him.
Lesson 2: Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 (C); Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 (E, L, RC)
The Jews' rejection of Christ results in the world's reconciliation. Paul now turns to address Gentiles, for he is the apostle to the Gentiles. He discusses the salvation of Jews and Gentiles. The gospel was given first to the Jews. Upon their rejection of it, the gospel was given to the Gentiles. This aroused the Jews' jealously who will in the end accept Christ. Their disobedience caused salvation to come to the Gentiles, a blessing in disguise. However, God has not disowned his people, for his all and gifts are irrevocable. Both Jews and Gentiles will receive mercy for their disobedience.
Gospel:
Matthew 15:(1O-21) 21-28 (C); Matthew 15:21-28 (E, L, RC)
Jesus yields to the persistent pleas of a Canaanite mother. Jesus retired to a territory outside Israel and consequently he is approached by a pagan Gentile mother, a Canaanite, to heal her mentally ill daughter. Is Jesus' ministry limited to the Jews? At first it seems so, because Jesus told her that his ministry was for the Jews. She persisted in her appeals until he was impressed with her faith in him. As a result, she was complimented and her daughter was instantly healed. In this story we learn of the universality of Christ's ministry and we see that faith has no racial boundaries.
Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 133 (C) - "How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity (v. 1)."
Psalm 67 (F, L, RC) - "Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee (v. 3)!"
Prayer Of The Day
"Almighty and ever-living God, you have given great and precious promises to those who believe. Grant us the perfect faith which overcomes all doubts."
Hymn Of The Day
"When In The Hour Of Deepest Need"
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel:
Matthew 15:21-28
1. Withdrew (v. 2). Along with his disciples Jesus withdrew to the seacoast towns, Tyre and Sidon, about 50 miles from Galilee. He went out of the country to be alone with his men. In his own country he was so busy ministering to people that he hardly had time to eat. He needed time to rest, to do some thinking and to prepare the disciples for the journey to the cross. Withdrawal is not retreat. It is preparation for big things to come.
2. Me (v. 22). The pagan woman asked Jesus to have mercy on her. It is significant that she identified her daughter to the degree that the help given to the child would be given to her. Here is a depth of love that is possible between parent and child. A true parent wishes she could take the pain and trouble of the child.
3. Not answer (v. 23). When the woman begged for mercy, Jesus was perfectly silent. He ignored her as though she said nothing. There are times when God is silent when we cry to him for help or for answers. In this silence God is saying something to us. It is a testing of faith. The test is whether we have patience and persistence in our prayers. We have no right to expect "instant prayers." Prayer often is a wrestling, a waiting upon God.
4. Help (v. 25). The woman's final appeal is "help me." She has no arguments and no excuses. She knows she has no claim on Jesus. She is only a woman, a pagan, a believer in a false religion, and a foreigner. She makes no claim that she is a good woman, a faithful wife and a loving mother. She comes to Jesus without one plea and throws herself and her need upon Jesus. This is finally the thing that causes Jesus to respond to her need. It is the same with us: we cry for mercy not on the basis of our worthiness nor on our merit. We simply beg for mercy as poor beggars.
5. Faith (v. 28). Until Jesus said, "O woman, great is your faith," no mention is made of faith. Jesus did not ask if she believed in him or if she believed he was able to help her. In this struggle to overcome Jesus' reluctance to help, she saw her faith. It was a faith that he could heal her daughter, because she addressed him as Messiah, "Son of David." He saw faith in her feeling that he would help her. This was demonstrated by her persistence. Faith is the key to getting a hearing and a blessing from Christ. It is not a matter of race, religion; the determining factor is faith in Christ.
Lesson 1: Genesis 45:1-15 (C)
1. Angry (v. 5). When Joseph's brother learned that the prime minister of Egypt was Joseph, they were conscience-stricken with guilt for having sold him into slavery. Sensitive to their feelings, Joseph magnanimously urges them not to be upset or blame themselves because it was God who sent him here to preserve God's people.
2. Sent (vv. 4, 7, 8). Repeatedly Joseph says that what happened to him was the work of God. It was a divine plan. God used evil for their eventual good. His slavery and imprisonment were stepping-stones to the position that enabled him to save his people from death by starvation. God had a hand in all of it. Joseph considered himself only an instrument of God's benevolent care of his people.
3. Come (vv. 4, 9). Naturally the brothers felt distant from Joseph because of their crime against him. Sin always separates people from people as well as God from people. When he disclosed his identity, they fell back and withdrew. Joseph urged them to come closer to him because he had no animosity toward them. Later, he sent a message to his father to come to him that he might take care of him and his family in Egypt. It reminds us of Jesus' invitation, "Come to me ..."
Lesson 1: Isaiah 56:1, (2-5) 6-7 (E); Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 (L); Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 (RC)
1. Everyone (v. 6). Though God desires everyone to enter the kingdom, not all will enter. God makes a universal appeal. His will is for all people to be saved. This is not universalism, the teaching that in the end all will be saved and none shall go to hell. For the Jews of Isaiah's time that was a revolutionary thought: that Gentiles and foreigners would be brought to God and would share in the worship of God. In this pericope, a non-Jew will be with God and in God's house if he keeps the Sabbath and is faithful to the covenant.
2. My house (v. 7). A house is where one lives. "My house" is God's house where he dwells. This Lesson explains the nature of the house - it is a place of prayer and worship, a time of fellowship and communication with God; the occupants of the house - "all peoples." This indicates that the church as God's house must be open to all seekers of God regardless of race, nationality, sex or culture. This implies that all peoples are God's creation and have a right to worship in God's house. God will not approve any sectarianism, prejudice or particularism in his house of prayer.
Lesson 2: Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 (E, L, RC); Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 (C)
1. Disobedience (v. 30). Disobedience can be a blessing. This is Paul's argument about the Jews' rejection of Christ. He wishes to flaunt the Gentiles' acceptance of Christ to the shame of the Jews. Because the Jews would not accept the gospel, Paul begins a ministry to the Gentiles. They came out of disobedience as pagans through the disobedience of the Jews. Further, the Jews' refusal to accept Christ showed the Gentiles that Christianity was not a form of Judaism. They could be Christians without becoming Jews.
2. Irrevocable (v. 29). Through the disobedience of the Jews, Gentiles became Christians. Does this mean that the Jews are excluded from the kingdom? Paul is sure that the Jews will eventually turn to Christ because the gifts and call of God are irrevocable. God called the Jews to be his people and Paul is positive God does not break his promises. Paul has the assurance that one day Jews and Christians will be in the church reconciled to God by faith in Christ.
3. Consigned (v. 32). Paul writes that God consigned all people to disobedience that he might have mercy on all. This is an unusual way of saying that all people are sinners in need of mercy. If people have no sin, they need no Savior. If they are not in trouble, they need no help. If they are not separated from God, they need no reconciliation. It is a universal fact that since Adam, all are disobedient. Consequently, all have need of mercy received in Christ.
PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
1. A God for All People.
Need: This sermon is designed to give the congregation a universal perspective of God's love and concern. God does not limit his interest in one particular segment of humanity according to race, nationality or geographical location. He is a God for all peoples. God is God of the Jews as well as of the Arabs. God has concern for Communists as well as capitalists. He is for the black as well as for the white people. This should lead to a commitment to world missions, to make disciples of all nations to the end that all peoples accept God as their God.
Outline: God is for all people.
a. God's help is available to all who have faith - Gospel.
b. God's grace is for all who accept the gospel - Lesson 2.
2. Universality, not universalism.
Need: Universalism is a heresy that claims God will not allow anyone ultimately to go to hell. According to this view, it does not matter if a person is a Christian who looks to Christ for salvation. The Lessons stress the universality of God, but the universal gift of grace must be received. The sermon can serve as a corrective to any nation of "cheap grace."
Outline: God has universal concern but -
a. Faith is necessary to receive help - Gospel.
b. Acceptance of the gospel brings reconciliation with God - Lesson 2.
Gospel:
Matthew 15:21-28
1. Get That Woman Off My Back! 15:21-28
Need: This is the way the disciples felt about the Canaanite woman's nagging for help. They said to Jesus, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." Did Jesus feel the same about her? At first he ignored her. Then, he tried to turn her away by insulting her by calling her a "dog." Nobody likes a person to nag! Yet, she used her nagging to get a cure for her daughter. Maybe we ought to learn how to nag God for blessings!
Outline: This mother -
a. Has no right to nag.
1. She was a woman with no rights - vv. 21 , 22.
2. She was a Gentile with no claim on a Jew - v. 26.
3. She was a pagan, a devotee of a false religion - v. 22.
b. Had reason to nag.
1. She had a serious need - v. 22.
2. She had humility - vv. 25-27.
3. She had faith - v. 28.
2. How You Can Get Jesus' Help. 15:21-28
Need: Who doesn't need help? For many it is a daily need. At times great needs appear as in the case of the Canaanite mother in this text. Some may feel unworthy of asking Jesus for help. They have not been to church, are not church members, do not pray or read the Bible and are living immoral lives. The woman in this pericope had nothing going for her that Jesus should help her. Yet he did. Why?
Outline: You, like this woman, can get Jesus' help -
a. If you have a real need - v. 22.
b. If you are humble - vv. 26, 27.
c. If you have faith - v. 28.
d. If you are persistent - v. 23.
4. Can Your Faith Take It? 15:21-28
Need: The miracle of this pericope is not the healing of the demon-possessed daughter but the faith of a pagan woman. How deep is the faith of a Christian? Would the faith of a pagan woman in this Lesson put the faith of an average Christian to shame? The sermon should challenge and stimulate the present faith of the congregation.
Outline: Can your faith -
a. Take the silence of Jesus - v. 23.
b. Take Jesus' argument not to help? - v. 24.
c. Take Jesus' insult? - v. 26.
Lesson 1: Genesis 45:1-15 (C)
When God is God in Your Life.
Need: Joseph was a God-directed and God-dominated man. All that happened to him he attributed to God, even his being sold in slavery and being innocently imprisoned. He never took the credit for his success as the top ruler in Egypt. For him God did it all. Is there a need for this kind of faith in today's world? We want recognition and praise for what we do. We blame Satan for our troubles. In a secular, materialistic and hedonistic world we are in need of God-consciousness.
Outline: What happens when God is in your life -
a. You can forgive your enemies - v. 5.
b. You will be blessed with success - v. 9.
c. You will preserve life for others - vv. 5, 7.
Lesson 1: Isaiah 56:1, (2-5) 6-8 (E); Isaiah 56:1, 6-8 (L); Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 (RC)
Whom God Receives. 56:6-8
Need: Though there are no geographical, national, racial, political or economic require-ments to be acceptable to God, the text declares that foreigners are welcome in God's house if they have moral and spiritual qualification. There are no requirements to be met, but without these qualities people would not be interested in worshiping in God's house.
Outline: God's house is open to all -
a. Who obey God's law - v. 6.
b. Who are faithful to God's covenant - v. 6.
c. Who offer sacrifices to God - v. 7.
Lesson 2: Romans 11:13-15, 29-32
1. God is no Indian Giver! 11:29
Need: For people a promise is meant to be broken. But not with God! For him a promise is a promise. God never breaks a promise. "For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable." This is reassuring to us who live in a world where a person's word has become largely unreliable. God will not let you down. God will not disappoint you. Paul uses this truth to say that though the Jews are not accepting Christ, God will cancel his gifts and calls to them to be his children. There is hope and assurance that the Jews will eventually come to Christ for salvation.
Outline: What is irrevocable?
a. God's gifts - "For the gifts ..."
b. God's call to be his people - "the call of God."
2. Jews for Jesus? 11:13-15, 29-32
Need: Today we face the Jewish question. Annually Americans are giving billions of dollars to Israel for military and economic assistance. Our support is the thorn in the flesh of the Arabs upon whom America is dependent for oil. Some current theologians claim it is preposterous and insulting to evangelize the Jews. Others believe that acceptance of Christ is necessary for the Jews to be saved. The problem is as old as Paul who, in Romans 9:11, discusses this problem. In the introduction of this sermon, we can say that we are grateful to the Jews for their rejection of Christ, for their disobedience caused the gospel to come to the Gentiles. However, we are concerned that the Jews came to Christ. In the text Paul gives us assurance that they ultimately will receive salvation.
Outline: The Jews will come to Jesus, because -
a. Jealousy of the Gentiles will force them to come - v. 14.
b. God's call and gifts to the Jews are irrevocable - v. 29.
c. Their disobedience will result in God's mercy - v. 31.
