0825- Israel’s Rejection of Christ 以色列对基督的拒绝

Romans 9:1-5 (NKJV)I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.These words were taken from a man by the name of Paul who was trained and raised in the strictest sect of the Pharisees in Jerusalem. His zeal for his religion brought him to persecute Christians by pursuing them even to foreign cities, throwing them into prisons and stoning them to death. All of this changed when he encountered God on the road to Damascus and understood the way of salvation.

There were several reasons why Paul was feeling great sorrow and continual grief in his heart when he spoke in the passage.

Firstly, he was a man after God’s heart who knew the love, mercy and grace God has for the people.

Secondly, his heart cried out for his fellow countrymen who were living under deception, ignorance and blinded by the god of this age.

He identified with them, the people of Israel and expressed his profound concern for them, he prayed for their salvation and he knew that God had not rejected them. He loved them so much that he would rather that he be lost for eternity in exchange for them to be saved.

It was very frustrating for Paul because it was so clear that the Israelites had been told that the Messiah will come to save them. They were the chosen ones to have the lineage where Christ the Saviour would be brought into the world. At various points in time, they were given the law, the different covenants, to serve in the tabernacle and received all the promises that a greater being will come.

Yet when Christ, the Saviour came to their midst they rejected Him and chose to remain in their religious ways. The people were still embracing the legalistic aspect of religion, through works that attempted to earn the right standing before God, rituals and practices that will never cleanse a person of his sin.

Hebrews 10:11 (NKJV) And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

They were offering the sacrifices over and over again yearly because all these sacrifices were not able to take the sins away permanently. It would constantly remind the people of their sins and their inadequacy.

Sermon Series: Lengthen the Cords – Our Nation


以色列对基督的拒绝

罗马书‬ 9:1-5‬ “我在基督里说真话,并不谎言,有我良心被圣灵感动,给我作见证: 我是大有忧愁,心里时常伤痛; 为我弟兄,我骨肉之亲,就是自己被咒诅,与基督分离,我也愿意。 他们是 以色列 人;那儿子的名分、荣耀、诸约、律法、礼仪、应许都是他们的。 列祖就是他们的祖宗;按肉体说,基督也是从他们出来的。他是在万有之上,永远可称颂的 神。阿们!”

这些话取之于一个名叫保罗的人,他在耶路撒冷中最严紧的法利赛教门中得到受训和培养。他对他自己宗教的狂热使他迫害基督徒,甚至追到外国的城市,把他们扔进监狱,用石头打死。当他在去大马士革的路上遇见 神,明白了救恩的道,一切就都改变了。

保罗在经文中说这话的时候,有几个原因使他大有忧愁,心里时常伤痛。

首先,他是一个跟随 神心意的人,他知道 神对百姓的慈爱、怜悯和恩惠。

其次,他的心为他的骨肉之亲哭泣,他们生活在无知蒙蔽中,被这个世界的神弄瞎了心眼。

他同情以色列的百姓,深切地关心他们,他为他们祈祷,他知道神并没有拒绝他们。他如此的爱他们,宁可自己在永恒中失落而来换取以色列百姓的救恩。

这让保罗非常沮丧,因为很明显,以色列人已经被告知弥赛亚会来拯救他们。他们是被拣选出的族类,救主基督也是从他们出来的。在不同的时期,他们被赐与律法,诸约,帐幕里的事奉,也领受了所有的应许,就是那更伟大的将会来到。

然而,当救主基督来到他们中间时,他们拒绝了祂,并选择保留自己的宗教方式。人们仍然接受宗教的律法,试图通过行为得着神面前公义的地位,但仪式和习俗永远无法洗净一个人的罪过。

希伯来书‬ 10:11“凡祭司天天站着事奉 神 ,屡次献上一样的祭物,这祭物永不能除罪。”

他们每年都要反复地献祭,因为这些祭物都不能永远地赎罪。它会不断提醒人们他们的罪和不足。

讲章系列:扩大地界 – 我们的国度