God wants the Israelites to be saved

Romans 10:1-3; 16-21; 4/27/2025; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang, 

Introduction

 Mercy is God’s calling to the Israelites,  and glory is the Israelites’ experience and understanding of God.  The revelation of the Holy Spirit finally made Paul understand that God’s will was for the Israelites to be saved.  This is the origin of the title of today’s sermon.  Let’s look at the first point: 

Want to establish one’s own righteousness

God’s intention to save the world is consistent, continuous, and ongoing, but man’s disobedience has always been an obstacle to God’s salvation. First of all, a hot-headed mind lacks true knowledge.  When the first man sinned, he wanted to establish his own righteousness.  Satan’s words made the first ancestors unable to sit still.  Why does the human brain get hot so easily?  It’s nothing else but that they don’t truly know God, and of course they don’t know the truth of the Bible.  God said, you must not eat from this tree, for on the day you eat from it you will surely die!  This is the true insight, this is the only truth!  After God finished speaking, He waited for man’s attitude.  Are you obedient, or doubtful, or even challenging?  You will also bring up a lot of their own reasons and feelings, as if you want to walk out onto the street to have a Cultural Revolution-style debate to see if you are right or if what God says is the truth?        

Secondly, Self-righteousness and disobedience.  Paul still had some national sentiment, and he even wanted to prove to his compatriots that they had a zeal for God. But, so what? What is enthusiasm?  At best, it is just an emotional reaction of human flesh.  Does it have anything to do with the true word of God?  Is it related to God’s salvation?  Because they do not know the righteousness of God, they try every possible means to find a foothold for their own righteousness, and refusing to obey the righteousness of God becomes a highly likely option.  The Bible says that the heart is more deceitful than all else; who can understand it?  The Bible says: “The spiritual person judges all things.” which means that the church sees all things!  This is also a great mystery!  This is God’s ordination: “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him,”       

Lastly, enthusiasm is just ignorance.  Enthusiasm is often a kind of attractive deception, right?  It seems that once a person is enthusiastic, everything else can be ignored.  As long as he serves the church, offers the tithe, and loves his brothers and sisters and pastors, he can then establish his own righteousness.  The so-called establishment of one’s own righteousness is based on the unwillingness to be quiet, unwilling to abide by the rules of the church, and even to despise the rules of the church.  Although they clearly have limited knowledge of God, they often act as if they actually know a lot.  He spoke in a loud tone and muttered to himself, as if he was preaching some profound truth, requiring everyone to understand and not to misunderstand.  It seemed that no one except him had the ability to understand the problem literally.  This was the case with the Israelites back then.  How ignorant must one have to be to live in such an ignorant state!  Let’s look at the second point: 

Who has believed what he has heard from us?

How could God feel when faced with such an ignorant and rebellious group of Israelites?  First, who knows God’s mood?  To understand God’s mood, we can observe it from the books of the prophets.  When Paul read Isaiah and understood God’s mood,  he was somewhat disappointed.  Do you agree?  This, of course, was the sentiment of the prophet Isaiah.  But, can’t God and humans empathize with each other?  One can imagine the scenario that Isaiah went out to preach the gospel, but no one believed it!   What to do?  Just talk to God!  He said: “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”  Maybe God would comfort Isaiah and say, yes, I understand your feelings, because this is how I feel too!  When we have the heart of Jesus Christ, it is not difficult to understand God’s mood!  He is a merciful Lord, full of love.  He does not remain angry for long and always gives people the opportunity to confess and repent.  But, few people are willing to seize this opportunity!        

Secondly, it all comes down to the Bible.  Maybe we are too busy daily and don’t remember to think, reflect, or be grateful!  Over time, the standard of truth was gradually lost.  It’s like the one always wants to make a point, but he can never explain it clearly. Therefore, it is easy to become discouraged!  And then wonder: Why don’t you understand me?  Don’t you see or understand that I love the Lord, the church, and my brothers and sisters?  Doesn’t my faith come from hearing the Word?  right!  Yes, we listen to the pastor’s sermons in church every week, but who would understand what he heard as Christ speaking to him?  In other words, if we lack reverence for the sermons we hear, thinking that it’s just someone saying something on the stage.  Then, what is the significance of listening to sermons for you?        

Lastly, those who have not heard must hear.  This is also the will of Jesus Christ,  that those who have no intention to obey and listen to the word will not be able to hear.   Indeed they heard it, but did not understand it!  These people live in the church and walk in God’s house, but they pass by God, have a chance encounter with Him, and miss good opportunities!  Of course, God will continue to spread the gospel according to His irrevocable grace.  The Bible says: “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”  Just like our International Online United Church,  we spread the gospel to the ends of the earth every week!  The brothers and sisters in our church are blessed because we can spread the gospel every week according to the mission circle in Acts 1:8!  Let’s look at the third point: 

All day long I have held out my hands

Perhaps we don’t know that in addition to having moods, God can also have emotions.  The Bible records that Jesus Christ even had His wrath triggered in the temple!  He overturned the money-changing table, and the coins were scattered all over the floor.  First, it triggers God’s wrath.  If we do not understand God’s wrath, it is probably because our knowledge of God is limited or incomplete!  Paul said: “But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry. (Romans 10:19)” The basic meaning of this verse is that God wants to use the Gentiles to provoke the emotions of the Jews, including anger.  Why?  For she calls out at the gates, even with a loud voice,  speaking beautiful words, speaking of things that are upright and righteous.  But “who has believed what he has heard from us?”  At this moment, God wants to empathize with people and feel the wrath of God’s righteous anger together!      

Secondly, I appeared to them.  Unfortunately, God’s wrath cannot awaken those ignorant people!  The ignorant are still ignorant, the foolish are still foolish, and they continue to go their own way like sheep going astray!  God cried out through the prophet Isaiah: “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”  Is it clear?  God’s will is for us to seek Him, not to sulk, act with attitude, play tricks, or play different psychological roles to deceive oneself and others!  The result is that we cannot see God’s actions, hear God’s voice, and of course cannot understand God’s will.  

Finally, holding out hands all day long.  In fact, God has been calling you, looking for you, tolerating you, and continuing to love you, did you know?  This is what Paul wanted to say to the Israelites: “But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people. (Romans 10:21)”  Are we not rebellious and contrary?  We are that “disobedient and contrary people,” right?  What should we do if we hear God’s words but know that we cannot put them into practice?  Can’t you humbly express your limitations?  Tell God that we have no power, so we need God’s truth and grace, we also need the church’s guidance, and we cannot do without quiet prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving in the Lord.  The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ! 

Conclusion

God revealed His will in His glory, which was for the Israelites to be saved!  However, salvation is by grace through faith, so we must put aside our self-righteousness!  Have the heart of Jesus Christ, empathize with God, know God more and more, understand God, comprehend God, and follow God!         

Let’s pray together……

Romans 10:1-3; 16-21

1 Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 

2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 

3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

19 But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”

20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

21 But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”