Our scripture text for the sermon is Romans 11 verses 1 through 10.

I ask then, has God rejected his people by no means, for I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the

tribe of Benjamin.

God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he appears to God against Israel?

Lord, they have killed your prophets.

They have demolished your altars, and I alone him left, and they

seek my life.

But what is God's reply to Him?

I have kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to bail.

So too at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace, but if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works.

Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.

What then?

Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking.

The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened.

As it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see, ears that would not hear down to this very day.

And David says, let their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution for them.

Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see and bend their backs forever.

Let's pray together.

Father, I remember over a year ago now that in preaching on similarly hard things you brought from death

to life a young couple in this church. And I am therefore hopeful tonight that though we deal with

a very weighty matter, you will be working

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