August 2 2009    Reading:  Romans 9

 Theme: The rejection of the Gospel.......

You might well have heard on the news a month or so ago, that Ronaldo the Manchester United Player, has gone to Real Madrid. For the sum of £80 million pounds. A crowd of 80,000 at the Bernabeu stadium to see him arrive. Real Madrid, then riding the crest of the wave. However, there is a surprising twist to all this, according to some sports journalists Real Madrid, have a team crisis on their hands...

Why ? Because on the 30th. of June Real Madrid signed Kaka, the other best player in the world, from AC Milan. And now, the problem will be how to include both on the one teamsheet. Suddenly - a surprising twist one headline reads. Sports reporters are sharpening their pencils in anticipation.

As the story of the early Church unfolds in the Book of Acts, the Church in Jerusalem at the heart of Israel, now numbers some 5000 people. And all over the known world, many many more people are entering through this latest, great movement of the Spirit of Christ!

We read time and time again that crowds would gather to hear the disciples speaking, suddenly the Spirit comes, men and women respond and are brought into the Church. How extraordinary ! The great Church Council at Jerusalem - recognises that now, far beyond Israel, the nations of the earth are being called into the Church by Jesus Christ through the work and witness of His Spirit. First Israel, now the nations ! as the gospel spreads through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Yet, as we come to the last third of the Book of Acts, the wonderful record of the growing Church - there is a surprising twist. We meet with something extraordinary !

Which is in counterpoint, and contrast to everything else. Across the known world, instead of hearing gladly, many of the Jews begin to reject the good news of Jesus.

The story of this is there in the Book of Acts.

The Church at Antioch, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, set aside Barnabas and Paul for a new mission to the island of Cyprus. That sun filled island in the Mediterranean. The boat carrying Paul and Barnabas docks at Salamis, a port in Cyprus. And after finding accommodation the two apostles go on the Sabbath to preach in the synagogue. They are well received. So they take the boat round to the town of Pamphos, then to Perga, and finally across the Mediterranean to the town of Antioch in Turkey.

On the Sabbath, they do what they usually do, they attend the service in the synagogue and Paul is invited to preach. He stands up, and preaches. Tells the folks in the synagogue about Jesus, who was crucified but has risen, and that through Jesus comes free forgiveness. Many Jews in the synagogue are fascinated to hear this, and after the service, there is a clamour for more. So a week later, the next Sabbath day, Paul and Barnabas turn up, to find a huge crowd of several thousands waiting to hear.

But at this dramatic moment, the leaders of the synagogue suddenly announce to Paul - that they want nothing more to do with him, or the message of Jesus. A very tense discussion takes place, we can imagine. But the leaders are adamant. He and Barnabas will not be allowed into the synagogue. The huge crowd are becoming restive, and the city officials are becoming nervous. But the leaders cannot be persuaded, or budged. After Paul declares “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the peoples of the earth !“

This is a new thing. Some Jews receive the gospel gladly, so do many of the townsfolk. many, including the Jewish leaders of the synagogue, reject the good news.

If we read on in the Book of Acts, it is easy to see that something has happened. A sea change has taken place within the Jewish communities scattered across the Roman Empire. Israel begins to reject the message of Jesus. The same thing happens at the synagogue in Iconium (Acts 14), at the synagogue in Thessalonica (Acts 17). The synagogues in Berea, Corinth and Rome

What a strange story this is, what a strange history. The gospel came first to Israel - the people of God, the cradle of our Lord Jesus Christ and was received with gladness. Then we read and marvel at how the Spirit breaks out beyond the people of Israel and blesses the nations. And now this - while some receive with deep gladness the good news of Jesus Christ, the rest of the people of Israel, including the leaders in the Temple, and many Jews scattered over the Mediterranean world reject the Gospel !

From all peoples on earth God has chosen one people, Israel, to be His own people.

Now, when the great message of God’s purposes in Jesus Christ arrives, the chosen people refuse to believe. While God pours out His Spirit on the peoples of the earth many of whom receive it gladly in faith. His own people reject it.

Paul cries out: I am not lying when I say how great is my sorrow, how endless the pain in my heart for my people !

A surprising twist indeed.

Was it the way that Paul preached that seemed to have such

an effect on those who heard....... some heard gladly, some laughed,

some rejected it out of hand ?

No, it is the gospel message..................

At the heart of Paul’s gospel was this,

the message of the Cross,

and the message of the new way God has opened for all the peoples of the earth

The message of the Cross is this...............

That at the Cross, Jesus has dealt with our sin…………..

He took our place, He bore our sins, he carried the judgment that should have been ours............ He has taken away all our guilt............

God has forgiven us our sins.

but many could make nothing of this message,

it seemed to them, as Paul says in the letter to the Corinthians,

like nonsense.............

yet to those who know the Cross,

This is a message of immense and wonderful power,

to know the Cross of Jesus is to know forgiveness,

healing, the fountain of life............

the Cross, as Paul says, is the power of God

and the message of the new way God has opened for all the peoples of the earth

Jesus says: I am the way………

it is as we listen to Jesus,

remain in the presence of Jesus,

live in fellowship with Jesus

It is as we hear through Jesus of the Father’s love for us,

See all that the Father does through Jesus,

so through the living Jesus, we come to the Father

This is the new way that God has promised

God had promised to open a way, to give us a way into His presence……..

to restore us to Himself, to bring us through back to Himself,

to heal us, to cleanse us,

And He has done this through the living Jesus

this is the way the Father has provided for all the peoples of the earth

What a wonderful thing,

what riches and treasures are ours......in the Gospel

And the mystery still remains today............

How can anyone live without the blessings of the Cross,

or without fellowship with God ?

How can anyone turn away from such blessings............

To Paul this was the deepest mystery,

and it still is today.............

how men and women can ignore or reject such a great blessing.........

yet, as we read through the letter to the Romans we will find out how Paul begins to trace the mystery of God’s love, even in this.........

AMEN.