By The Rev. Dr. Paul A. Leggett
Sunday, December 28, 2008 · First Sunday after Christmas
Sermon Text: Romans 11:25-36
Sermon Theme
In this passage, Paul comes to the climax of his whole argument about the righteousness of God which has been revealed “through faith for faith” (Romans 1:17). In dealing with sinful humanity and, indeed, with the whole broken creation itself, God has one purpose and one purpose only. This is to be “merciful to all.” This is God’s predestined plan from all eternity. It includes both Jew and Gentile. God’s gifts and calling are irrevocable. There is a purpose to our disobedience, our suffering, our brokenness, even our failure. This purpose is for God to demonstrate his mercy. This is the ultimate definition of the plan of God. Without this mercy, we lose the gospel. This mercy is acted out in the Christmas story. We need to learn that to receive mercy is to be forgiven. To receive mercy is to be merciful. This is God’s gift of peace in Jesus Christ.
Sermon Outline
- Enemies. Paul says that the Jews’ rejection of the gospel made them enemies of God. Paul goes on to say that we all, Jew as well as Gentile, have been disobedient to God. We are all without excuse. Christians can even be “enemies of the cross of Christ.” Jesus calls Peter, “Satan,” at one point. We are by nature “children of wrath.” This is a devastating indictment. We stand guilty before God.
- Elected. The theme of our sinfulness has been a major subject of Paul’s whole argument in Romans. There is another side that is our hope, our salvation and our assurance. This is the election of God. Election is God’s decision to save us in spite of ourselves. It is based on the promise, “for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.” God the Father makes us secure in Christ the Son through the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Exalted. In the final analysis, God’s plan is in no way based on us. Echoing the statement of the prophets on rebellious Israel, Paul says, “all Israel will be saved.” God has literally imprisoned both Jew and Gentile in disobedience “so that he may be merciful to all.” Paul here does not even mention our faith. He is speaking of the faithfulness of God. What Paul says here does not negate the importance of our response in faith nor deny the reality of final judgment. Paul’s emphasis, though, is on God’s final and decisive mercy to all. There is no more joyful statement in all of Scripture. Our lives therefore should be joyful.
Questions for Us
- In what ways do even we who claim to follow Christ act as "enemies of God"? Are we shocked when Paul says that Christians can live as "enemies of the cross of Christ" (Philippians 3:18)?
- How is the Christmas story an example of God's ultimate mercy? What confidence do we take from the promise that God's gifts and calling are irrevocable?
- If God's ultimate purpose is "to be merciful to all," what does that say about how we treat each other, indeed how we treat "all"? How does receiving God's mercy to us enable us to be merciful to "all"?
