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“Speaking
the Truth in Christ”
a sermon by
Thomas L. Jenkins
Text: Romans 9: 1-5
“I
am speaking the truth in Christ-- I am not lying; my conscience confirms
the truth in it by the Holy Spirit.”
Dear Sisters and Brothers, the Apostle Paul is showing us that because
he has been brought by God to really see his place in Christ, and
experience God’s divine love for him, he is broken hearted that his
people, Israel, have not experienced, nor have believed the truth he
has, in Christ. Then he
gives an expression of how deeply he really loves Israel.
If he could wish-which by the way he can’t because it’s not
God’ will-he would wish himself to be sacrificed for his people, in
order to lead them to Christ.
When we are brought by God to experience and then to really believe in
the truth of the gospel, that the Son of God in Jesus has already taken
us back to be with God the Father, we would use anything in our lives to
help our loved ones to know and believe somewhat like we do.
One of the first reactions I had, when I learned that I had Lou
Gehrig’s disease, was that if this situation will help my children
grow in faith, then I am willing to go through this.
Why? Because:
“This
is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ whom you have sent.”
[Jn.17: 3, 4]
The Apostle Paul gives a description of his people and their
historical relationship with God:
and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of
the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs,
and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over
all.
Seven weeks ago, I mentioned that I would have sermons based on
Scriptures from Romans for about three months.
And I mentioned the great influence that Romans had on some of
the wonderful leaders of the church.
Recently what has caught my attention, and certainly interests
me, is that starting in the 1950’s, until even now, many Ministers and
scholars, who are giving their time to Romans, stop at the end of
chapter 8 and then move on to chapter 12.
Why? Romans 9, 10, and 11
have much to say about Israel. My
thoughts are that from what happened in WWII, then the national
authorization of Israel in 1948, and all the serious political issues in
the Middle East, even Ministers and scholars question their
interpretations of these passages, and they don’t want to hurt anyone.
At least, I hope that is why.
In 1973 a new church was officially organized in the United States; Jews
for Jesus. And that is
exactly who they are, Jewish people who have been brought by God into
the faith of Jesus Christ.
I have worshiped with them a couple of times.
To me, the worship was beautiful.
It created in me the sense of the full completion of God’s
will: Jews and Gentiles, by the power of the Holy Spirit, participating
with Jesus in His worship of God the Father of us all.
When we have the Lord’s Supper, we begin with a prayer. And that prayer has an official name: Great Thanksgiving.
It begins by giving to God great thanks for all the revelation in
the history of Israel that Jesus, the Son of God, was given birth
through them, for us all.
Paul speaking the truth in Jesus Christ, first looked at his own
conscience, believed in God’s relationship with him, and then knew he
had the freedom to share his heart about his loved ones.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, this is a wonderful truth for us to realize
in these days. We have the real freedom to share what is in our hearts
about our loved ones.
Let us pray …
Amen
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