I invite you to open your Bibles to this morning's text which can be found in the book of Romans,

chapter 11, and I'll be reading verses 11 through 16. Romans chapter 11 through 16. So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means.

Rather, through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles so as to make Israel

jealous. Now, if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles how much more

will their full inclusion mean. Now I am speaking to you Gentiles inasmuch

then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make

my fellow Jews jealous and thus save some of them.

For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance

mean but life from death?

If the dough offered as first fruits is holy, so is the whole lump.

And if the root is holy, so are the branches.

Let's pray together.

Father, I ask that one of the effects of today's message by your spirit, through your word, would be that Jewish

people that we know and love would become jealous of our

Savior, jealous of having Jesus as their Messiah and not just letting us Gentiles enjoy him.

And I pray secondly that one of the effects would be by your spirit through your word, that we stand in all of your sovereignty and have great confidence that even in the face of great hardening and unbelief and stumbling, you are working out merciful

purposes that we may not be able to see, but can trust and thus have stability in our lives and love and fearlessness.

And then, Lord, I pray that beyond my designs for this sermon you would work a thousand good things in

your people. They're looking at this on video downtown. Oh God, Grant, I pray, that you would break through that medium and transform lives and heal and reconcile. and The needs in this room are very many and very great, and you know every one of them, and you are a sympathetic high priest.

Come, and beyond all that I can dream or ask or design work, I pray, help in Jesus

name, amen. So I have two goals I want to get to at the end. One is to understand and

to join God in the purpose that Israel be jealous of the church of Jesus Christ

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