Sunday Recap for 021620 – Christ the Stumbling Block from Romans 9.30-33
Sunday, February 16, 2020, Evident Grace looked at Romans 9.30-33:
9.30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
From those verses, we pursued this Big Idea and these three points:
Big Idea: Christ Causes People to Stumble
Attaining without Straining
Straining without Attaining
Offensive or Shameless
Attaining without Straining
9.30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith;
Paul is responding to the truth from verse 29 that declared that had God not been faithful, we would all be punished for our sins. In verse 30, Paul reminds that salvation comes only by faith as seen by the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness through the law. But instead, they attained Jesus’ goodness by faith in His life, death, and resurrection.
Straining without Attaining
31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone,
However, the children of Israel did not pursue a relationship with God by faith. They pursued it by obedience to the law. When Christ came proclaiming forgiveness of sin, they stumbled over Him. They couldn’t accept that their obedience did not earn them anything from God. They had to enter into a relationship with God by faith alone. Because they couldn’t, they stumbled.
Offensive or Shameless
33 as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
However, for any who put their faith in Jesus, they will not stumble over Jesus. He will become their cornerstone and they will not be put to shame.
1 Peter 2. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” 8 and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Big Idea: Christ Causes People to Stumble
Attaining without Straining
Straining without Attaining
Offensive or Shameless
Truth: You either attain/maintain a relationship with Christ without straining for it or you strain for it and don’t attain it. This will either be great news for your heart or the stumbling block of your life.
Application: Live knowing that, by faith, Christ doesn’t reject you for your sin or accept you because of your obedience.
Action: This week, journal in the morning and the evening, “Because of Jesus Christ, I will never be rejected for my sin.”