Romans 11--Hope

Are there people whom you long to see come to faith? This passage is about hope. Paul was speaking about the concern he has for his people the Israelites. When he was writing this passage, the progress of the gospel had flourished among the Gentiles but had halted among the Jews. So, some were saying that God had rejected the Jews in favor of the Gentiles.

It certainly seemed that there was a genuine hardness among the Jews. They had had Jesus among them and all the law and the prophets to testify to him, but they still refuse. Even still, Paul was hopeful for a great awakening among Israel.

When you look at our world, do you grow discouraged and think that no one would respond to the gospel in faith? I believe that Paul carried great hope for his people and we should carry the same hope for our people. Paul can think of his own story when he was an enemy of God. Yet, God still won him over. We too can think of how God has had mercy on us and that can give us hope.

Even more than his own story, Paul looks to the character and wisdom of God. The great mercy of God gives us hope that he can and will show compassion towards people who make themselves his enemy. This hope is the crescendo of the book of Romans. All eleven chapters drive to this point where Paul essentially expresses his faith that God’s judgment and mercy is glorious beyond all of our searching and thought. It leads him to worship and the worship leads him back to ministry. That’s what hope can do.

Posted by Marc