Called to Mutual Acceptance

May 19, 2019 Background Scripture: Romans 11 Lesson Passage: Romans 11:11 – 24 “Can we all just get along?” That’s the timeless question posed to the television cameras by the now infamous Rodney King during the Los Angeles riots on May 1, 1992. The unpolished Rodney King appeared to be a street addict as his image flashed on television screens across the world. He was responding to the horrific sight of the riot that broke out in California after the “not guilty” verdict was returned for the cops that beat him unmercifully even while a camera was recording it all. People started a riot because they had seen with their own eyes that the cops were not behaving in a way that would suggest they were trying to serve the public’s interest as they beat the unarmed Rodney King. It would have seemed normal for Rodney King to have endorsed the California riot as a proper response by the public to the disgrace of an unjust so-called justice system. However, in the midst of a city set afire and innocent people (especially the young and old) being hurt by other citizens, it was Rodney King who spoke the most sensible words of all: “Can we all just get along?”. Our lesson today is a reminder that Christians are called of God to see non-Christian Jews as brothers beloved. Paul explained to the church at Rome that it was the Jews’ rejection of the Messiah in his first advent that opened the door for gentiles to be brought into the saving grace of God. Judaism is the spiritual foundation of Christianity. All of the Law and the promises of God in the Old Testament find fulfillment in Christ. The new Testament isn’t a replacement of the Old Testament but a fulfillment of it. The Old Testament, or old covenant, was an agreement between God and Abraham and his descendants. This covenant was renewed and passed down through the Jewish patriarchs, Isaac and Jacob. The seed of promise came through a branch of Jacob (Israel). This branch is the tribe of Judah and the seed is Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was a direct descendant of King David and the promised heir that Israel awaited as the eternal king. Jesus presented himself to Israel as their long-awaited king and they rejected him. Jesus met all of the criteria that God had prescribed but he did not meet the expectations of the worldly-minded Jewish leaders who rejected him. In his rejection, Jesus became the sin sacrifice that humanity needed. His innocent (sinless) blood was shed for the remission of sins for many. Many gentiles, who heard the good news of Jesus' sacrifice being preached, willingly accepted God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. Through this salvation, they (and we) were grafted into the covenant promises of God. One provision of the covenant was that all nations would be blessed through Abraham—who is the father of the faithful. Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary’s cross opened the door for the gentiles to be grafted in. Paul admonished the Christians at Rome to not think that they were more than the Jews. It was through the Jews’ rejection of the Messiah that gentiles have been grafted into the covenant of God. Gentiles should accept that the Jews are still the object of God’s covenant promises and plans and Jews should accept that God is now grafting gentiles into that covenant. God calls us to accept each other in Christ. “Can we all just get along?” Robert C. Hudson April 15, 2019