My Sermon Outline (10 Dec, 2006)

Has the N.T. Church Replaced Israel Permanently?

Romans 11: 1-36

Introduction

• There are Christians who believe that the nation of Israel is totally replaced by the N.T Church.
• They deny that God is still working out His specific promises and prophecies concerning the nation of Israel.
• They erroneously spiritualize and apply promises and prophesies concerning Israel to the N.T Church.
• In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul reveals that God has not replaced Israel with the N.T Church forever.
• Here Paul lays out various biblical reasons why God has not rejected Israel totally.
• Israel is not permanently cast aside by God. According to God’s plan, it still has a future.

Proofs that Israel is not Permanently Replaced:

Proof from Paul’s Personal Experience (v.1)

• Paul, an Israelite (“of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin”), is saved by faith in Christ.
• Paul, though a Christian, still emphasizes that he is an Israelite. The distinct identity of the Jew/Israelite is not completely eradicated, though he is a Christian.

Proof from the Biblical History (vv. 2-10)

• Paul reached back into 1 Kings 18 & 19 to show that God has always had a faithful remnant even in the times of greatest unbelief in Israel.
• In his day, Elijah thought that the nation had totally departed from God (see 1 Kings 19).
• But Elijah discovered that there was yet a remnant of true believers.
• Though He thought he was the only faithful Jew left, later he discovered that there were 7,000 more.
• Paul already established that even in ancient Israel, not all the people were obedient believers.
• Romans 9:27
• So Paul says in v.6, “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
• Note that this remnant is saved by grace and not by works (Rom. 11:5–6).
• But many Israelites, then and now, consider their religious rites and rituals guarantee their spiritual well-being.
• The fact that the Jews shared in the covenant by being circumcised did not guarantee their salvation. Like Abraham, they had to believe God in order to receive His righteousness.
• If God’s grace has chosen and preserved a remanant, what happened to the rest?
• They were judicially hardened in their unbelief that they would perish (v.7).
  Paul gives further proof by citing Isaiah 29:10; Deuteronomy 29:4 in verses 8; and Psalm 69:22–23 in verses 9-10.

Proof from the Provocation caused by the Gentiles’ salvation (vv. 11-15)

• Verse 11 says, “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”
• Today, the saved Gentiles provoke Israel “to jealousy” (see Rom. 10:19) because of the spiritual riches they have in Christ. Israel today is spiritually bankrupt, while Christians have “all spiritual blessings” in Christ (Eph. 1:3).

Proof from Patriarachs (vv. 16-24)

• Though this section is a warning to Christians who came from Gentile background not to mock Israel, it also points to the fact that Israel will have full restoration in the future.
• He refers to the ancestry of Israel to show us that God has not fully rejected Israel.
• He uses two illustrations here.

The lump of dough (v. 16a). (cf. Numbers 15:17–21.)

• The first part of the dough was to be offered up to God as a symbol that the entire lump belonged to Him. The same idea was involved in the Feast of Firstfruits, when the priest offered a sheaf to the Lord as a token that the entire harvest was His (Lev. 23:9–14).
• The basic idea is that when God accepts the part He sanctifies the whole.

The olive tree (vv. 16b-24).

• The roots of the tree support the tree; again, this was a symbol of the patriarchs who founded the nation.
• God made His covenants with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He cannot deny them or change them. Thus, it is God’s promise to Abraham that sustains Israel even today.
• We (wild olive branches) are grafted into that natural olive tree, when some God has cut off the unbelieving Jews (broken branches).
• We (N.T. Church) stand on Israel. “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).
• No matter how far Israel may stray from the truth of God, the roots are still good.
• God will keep His promises to these patriarchs. This means that the olive tree will flourish again!

God will Restore Israel (v.25-32)

• In His Time (v.25)
• According to His promise (v.26)
• According to His covenants (vv.27-28)
• Because of His faithfulness (v.29)
• Because of His grace (vv.30-32)
• Because of His wisdom (vv.33-36)

Conclusion

• We have a very patient and gracious God, who is willing and ready to forgive and restore us. Let us learn today that we should not hardened our hearts, but repent from our backslidings.
• He is faithful and just to forgive us
• Let us praise Him for the riches of His mercy and proclaim His saving name that both Jews and Gentiles alike find salvation in the Gospel of Christ.

Gethsemane B-P Church Camp 2006: A Fortaste of Heaven

A glorious time of Christian fellowship! A foretaste of the joyous heavenly gathering of the saints of Christ! At the end of five days (27, Nov – 01 Dec), when all the spiritual joys and blessings are considered, the feeling was like it was all over a within a day. But there were enough things to remind us that we are still on earth. Some of the campers have fallen sick with stomach discomforts and fever. There were also weaknesses and immature actions of Christians, which were patiently overcome by the matured believers. We have much thanksgiving for the Camp Committee that laboured hard to make the camp a blessed experience. All in all, this years’ church camp was a very blessed camp, where the glory of Christ was clearly visible through the preaching of the Word of God and Christian unity.

I am thankful that the Lord has send Rev.& Mrs. Errol Stone (Pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church - Perth, Australia) to minister God’s Word in our church camp. Rev. Stone expounded on the theme “Pre-occupation with Christ’s Glory,” while I preached on “The Glory of Christ.” Mrs. Stone and Sis. Ejigayehu taught the children.

We have the honour of having Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Timothy Tow with 146 that attended the camp. Though Rev. Tow was weak after the recent bout of illness, he was able to rest and be refreshed during the camp. It was really a joy to have both of them with us in the Gethsemane’s camp.
All glory be to God for a joyous camp, where we as a church had a good opportunity to study the topic, “Behold the Glory of Christ.”

I will be ministering God’s Word on the Lord’s Day (3 Dec, 06) in Calvary Jaya Bible-Presbyterian Church, KL Malaysia; and then the following day I will join the Berith B-P Church from Singapore for their church camp, which is held in the Holiday Villa, Subang, Malaysia. I am also thankful that my wife and three children can also join me in all these camps that we may as a family enjoy the study of God’s Word and the fellowship of the saints.

Let us pray for Rev. Lee Kim Shong (Pastor of Calvary Jaya B-P Fellowship) and Dr. Jeffrey Khoo who are in East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) to teach in the Bible Colleges and churches.

Posted from Calvary Jaya B-P Church's Guest Room, (Petaling Jaya, KL, Malaysia)

My Sermon Outline (19 Nov, 2006)

Rejection, Redemption, Restoration
Romans 10:19-21

Introduction

Preceding Context (cf. Romans 10:12-18):

• The Word of God is to be preached everywhere that those who hear might believe and be saved.


• It is the duty of the church to send preachers everywhere to sound forth the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Present Concern:

A concern was raised about the rejection of the Gospel by the nation of Israel, while it is accepted increasingly by the Gentiles.

v.19 - “But I say, Did not Israel know?”

• Why is it that while people from all nations are turning to Christ, Israel, as a nation, shows no knowledge of Christ?


• Israel’s present ignorance of Christ and Gentiles acceptance of Christ are not because the Gospel was not preached to Israel, while it is preached elsewhere.


• Jesus was born in the midst of Israel. He lived, ministered, died, resurrected and ascended to heaven from their midst. Jesus said in Matthew 15:24, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”


• The apostolic ministry of the Gospel began in Jerusalem of Israel. Peter told the Jews in Acts 3:25-26, “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”


• So Israel had the witnesses of:

Christ who lived in their midst
The early apostlic preaching ministry
The early Christians
The testimony of John the Baptist
The covenants & promises in the Old Testament that pointed to Christ
The prophets who testified of Christ

• Why are they still ignorant of Christ?

Rejection (v.19b)

• It was the rejection of Christ, even though all of those testimonies were before them, that made them ignorant of their Saviour.


• To prove this is the case, Paul cited the words of Old Testament prophet, Moses in Deuteronomy 32:21.


• Paul cited in verse 19b the last part of Deuteronomy 32:21, “First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.”


• The larger context of Deuteronomy 32:21 – “They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.”


• Through Moses God has prophesied that when Israel would go after other gods, He would provoke them by leaving them for foolish nations who knew Him not.


• Paul cites a very early prophet as Moses to show how early God has warned against their rejection of Christ.


• A two-fold rejection – When Israel rejected Christ, God rejected Israel.
  

Redemption (v.20)

• Israel rejection of Christ has turned God to the Gentiles that He might redeemed them through the Gospel of Christ.


• To prove this is the case, Paul cited another prophet other than Moses, even Isaiah.


• In verse 20, Paul cited Isaiah 65:1, "But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me."


• Here Isaiah boldy told a proud Israel that God will turn toward a people, who never sought Him in worship or prayer, even the Gentiles, that He may become their God.


• Let us take note that it is not the goodness of Gentiles that moved God to save them.


• It was His own gracious decision that brought salvation to us, who are non-Israleites.


• It is man’s duty to “Seek and find.” But we failed.


• So God revealed Himself to them who never sought Him that He may be found of them.


• He dispenses His grace at His good pleasure to whom He chose. Thus he manifested himself to the Gentiles, by sending the light of the gospel among them.


• So let us not become proud because we are now favoured at the expense of Israel and become like Israel who rejected God and His Word in their pride.


• Paul warns us in Romans 11:19-22 – “Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.”

Restoration (v.21)
“But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” This is a citation of Isaiah 65:2.

• The Lord is patient to His people. He yearns over Israel all day long.


• Though He left them for now, He still awaits their returning with stretched hands.


• So Paul pleaded that they would believe on the Lord

Conclusion

• Let us return to Him, from all our backsliding. He will receive us with open arms.


• Let us echo the message of Romans 10:19-21 by singing Fanny J. Crosby’s famous hymn, “Jesus is calling”. Encourage ourselves and others around us to be restored to Christ from all our backsliding.
  

Jesus is tenderly calling thee home
Calling today, Calling today
Why from the sunshine of love wilt thou roam
Farther and Farther away

Chorus: Calling today, Calling today,
Jesus is calling,
Is tenderly calling today

Jesus is calling the weary to rest
Calling today, Calling today
Bring Him thy burden and thou shalt be blest
He will not turn thee away . . . . chorus

Jesus is waiting, O come to Him now
Waiting today, Waiting today
Come with thy sins at His feet lowly bow
Come and no longer delay . . . . chorus

Jesus is pleading, O list to His voice
Hear Him today, Hear Him today
They who believe on His name shall rejoice
Quickly arise and away . . . . chorus

My Sermon Outline (12 Nov 06)

Sending Preachers
Romans 10:12-18

Introduction

• The church’s greatest duty on earth is to send preachers.
• Church is God’s only institution on earth that is given the task of preaching the Gospel of salvation everywhere.
• So the Apostle Paul instructs the church in Rome, its duty of sending preachers.

Reasons for Church’s Commitment to Send Preachers
1. We are entrusted with a message (v.15c)
“preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (v.15c)

• “Gospel of peace”: The good news that offers peace. (cf. Ephesians 6:15)
– It is the word of reconciliation between God and man. “On earth peace” (Luke 2:14).
– Romans 5:1 - “. . . Peace with God through Jesus Christ”

• “Glad tidings of good things!”:
– 2 Thessalonians 2:16 – “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace.”
– Romans 10:12b-13 - “the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

• “is rich” (Greek – plouteo): It indicates that God is affluent in resources so that He can give blessings of salvation to all.
• What a joyous news is that God will manifest His grace and salvation abundantly to all those who would trust Him.

• The Apostle Paul has described the message of the Gospel also as

– “Gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27)
– “Gospel of salvation” (Ephesians 1:13; 1 Thess 3:2; 2 Thess 1:8)
– “Glorious Gospel” (1 Timothy 1:11)

2. We are entrusted with a mandate (vv.14-15a)

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent?”
• Faith comes by hearing, so they must hear the message. How will they hear?
• A messenger must go to them with the message.
• But this means that the messenger must be sent.
• The preachers ought to be sent to every people, indiscriminately. It is God’s commandment to His Church.

– Romans 10:12-13 – “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
– Matthew 28:18-20

Role of the Church in Sending Preachers
“And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” (v.15a)
• Preparing Preachers
– 2 Timothy 2:2 – “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
• Providing for Preachers
– Philippians 4:10-19
• Pray for preachers
– We must pray for more labourers to do the work of evangelism. - Matthew 9:37-38
– We must pray for the protection of those who preach the Gospel - Romans 15:30-31
– We must pray that God would grant us more opportunities to preach the Gospel. - Colossians 4:2-3
– We ought to pray that the preachers of the Gospel would have the grace to expound the truth clearly to the hearers. - Colossians 4:3-4
– We must pray God that He would grant us boldness in preaching - Ephesians 6:19, 20

Responses to the Church’s Sending of Preachers
• Some will turn to the Lord
– Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
• Some will reject the Lord
– Romans 10:16 – “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?”

Results of the Church’s Sending of Preachers
• Divine commendation
– Romans 10:15b - “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace”
• Many will turn to Christ by faith
– Romans 10:17 – “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
• World evangelization is accomplished
– Romans 10:18 - “But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.”
We will be able to fulfil our part in God’s plan concerning the Global preaching of the Gospel.
– Matthew 24:14 – “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

A Passion for Fervent Prayer in Church

I was always convinced in my heart that prayer is very vital in the ministry of the church. Now that conviction is becoming an unbridled passion of my heart. There were times when the Lord moved me to lead the church in prolonged prayers, even with fasting. Now, it has gripped my heart like never before that we should give ourselves to fervent prayer. A stronger and more vibrant prayer ministry in the church is my heart’s passion! O that men and women might pray day and night and the power, wisdom and provisions of God might fill every ministry of the church for the salvation of thousands of souls in Singapore and around the world and for the establishment of churches around the world.

Gethsemaneans, come and join the ‘Prayer-Partners’ ministry in the church. Let us humble ourselves and seek His face. He is our only help, our only guide. Jesus told us “without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). Then He said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples” (John 15:7-8). Let us obey our Lord and pray that we may be fruitful.
Let us not only to come for prayer on Tuesday nights, but let us also more often unite our hearts in small groups and pray from different places.
My brethren, I plead, let us seek His face that His countenance may shine upon all our Gospel frontiers.

My Sermon outline (5th Nov 06)

The Word of Faith
Romans 10:8-11

Introduction
Revision and New Observations of the Preceding Context (vv.2-7)
• Ignorant zeal of the Jews (vv.2-3)
– Inconsistent with the knowledge (v.2b)
– Ignorant of God’s righteousness (v.3a)
– Insistent on self-righteousness (v.3b)
– Insubordinate to God’s righteousness (v.3c)
• Christ, “the end of the law” (v.4)
– Christ is the designed end (telos) or the purpose or the object of the law concerning righteousness.
– He has fulfilled the law (all its righteous precepts – moral and ceremonial)
– So He became the “righteousness to every one that believeth.”
Paul then applies two Old Testament passages to urge his readers to exercise faith in Christ as their righteousness.
i) v.5: Cf. Leviticus 18:5 – “That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.”
• If any one wants to live by the righteousness of the law, it requires complete obedience to all of the law.
• But such a perfect righteousness through total obedience is impossible for the sinful man ever to achieve.
Romans 3:20 – “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Romans 9:31- “But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.”
James 2:10 – “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”
• This not at all due to the fault or error of the law, but man’s inability. The law, by itself, does not make us righteous, but it exposes and condemns our sins.
Romans 7:7 - What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

ii) v.6 : Cf. Deuteronomy 30:12-14
The point of Moses’ exhortation (Deut. 30:11) is that God’s Word given to the Israelites in his day.
• Since they had the message, they did not need to ask that it be brought down from heaven or that someone cross the sea to get it (Deut. 30:13).
• Instead, the Word of God was near them (Deut. 30:14).
• In effect, Paul, like Moses, urged the people to see that it takes no strenuous effort from them to find their righteousness.
• There is no need for anyone to attempt to bring Christ down or to bring Christ up from the dead. God had already sent His Son to us. Christ had already come, lived, died and resurrected.
• Whosever believes on Him will have all his sins forgiven and imputed with Christ’s perfect righteousness.
We Preach the Word of Faith (v.8)
“The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach”
– The term, “the word” (rhēma) occurs twice. It is often translated as “saying.”
– The emphasis of the word is “that which has been stated or said, with primary focus upon the content of the communication.”
– Our message should never be a message of exertion or superstition or tradition.
– Our message ought to be a message of faith in Christ.
– We ministers of the church must preach the “word of faith.” If we add anything to it, we will drag our hearers into a false religion that cannot save.
– This is truth for which the Reformers separated themselves from the false Gospel preached by the Roman Catholicism.
– Today the evangelical preachers from Protestant churches seek to merge with the Roman Catholics. So they created ECT and other ecumenical efforts.
– God forbid that we preach or do anything that will lead our hearers to a religion that cannot save.
Galatians 1:6-9 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
– Our duty, as a church and preachers, is to declare the “word of faith.”
– Preaching Christ is our greatest duty that sinners be brought to Christ and be saved.
Acts 28:31 - “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.”
1 Corinthians 1:17 - “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”
1 Corinthians 1:21 - “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

You Believe on Christ (vv.9-10)
“9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
– Confession and believing are not two separate steps to salvation.
– They are chronologically together. Salvation comes through acknowledging to God that Christ is God and believing in Him.
– The confession is an acknowledgement of one’s faith that Christ has incarnated to be our Saviour and that Jesus Christ is God.
– Confessing with the mouth that Jesus is Lord is mentioned first to conform to the order of the quotation from Deuteronomy 30:14 in Romans 10:8.
– One essential aspect of your heart-faith must be that God raised Him from the dead (cf. v. 7).
– The true order is given in verse 10: For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified (“believeth unto righteousness”), and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved .

Salvation is Guaranteed (vv.10-11)
“10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
• Paul quotes again Isaiah 28:16 (cf. Rom. 9:33).- “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
• No one who believes in Christ will be exempted from receiving the salvation. None who believes will be condemned.
• Paul reemphasized this truth in verse 12-13, “12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Conclusion
May we, who believe on Gospel of Christ, rejoice that we shall never be condemned. My hearer, if you are still in your sin and its condemnation, you must turn to Christ for your redemption and purification. He lived perfect life and His righteousness is promised to all those who would put their faith in Him. He also died to remove the condemnation of our sins.

Final Hymn – Saved, Saved!

I’ve found a Friend, who is all to me,
His love is ever true;
I love to tell how He lifted me
And what His grace can do for you.
Saved by His pow’r divine, Saved to new life sublime!
Life is now is sweet and joy is complete, For I’m saved, saved!

- Jack P.Scholfield

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ

For the glory of My great Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ!