And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy—just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree—some of the people of Israel—have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root. “Well,” you may say, “those branches were broken off to make room for me.” Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. For if God did not spare the original branches, He won’t spare you either. Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in His kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. And if the people of Israel turn from their unbelief, they will be grafted in again, for God has the power to graft them back into the tree. You, by nature, were a branch cut from a wild olive tree. So if God was willing to do something contrary to nature by grafting you into His cultivated tree, He will be far more eager to graft the original branches back into the tree where they belong.
Romans 11:16-24
Do you get the message? Has God rejected the Jews? No He hasn’t. Yes some of the branches have been broken off but only to provide the opportunity for you Gentiles (that’s you and me if you are a non-Jew) to be grafted in. We are in-grafted branches. We don’t belong. We are wild olive trees grafted into God’s special olive tree. Note that both are olive trees. All are of the family of God but we Gentiles are the WILD ones. But we have been given our opportunity to be incorporated in the family. Don’t blow it. Remember we are adopted children. We are not the root stock. We are not the natural children. The Father’s heart will always be toward His children. The Jews are God’s chosen people.
Make sure you don’t miss the major message (repeated quotes) from Paul in this section:
- You must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off
- You are just a branch, not the root
- Don’t think highly of yourself
- Fear what could happen
- For if God did not spare the original branches, He won’t spare you either
- But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off
Paul repeats the message a number of times so we don’t miss it. Don’t get conceited, don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought. Be grateful for His grace; don’t think you are safe because you have been given the opportunity to be grafted in. Believe and keep on believing in Christ with all your heart. Don’t stop trusting.
We forget that “impossible” is one of God’s favourite words.
Max Lucado
God forgives your faults. Why don’t you do the same?
Max Lucado