Paul talks about tree grafting doesn't just apply to wild olive shoots--it also works with past branches. We explore how God celebrates when the lost come home.

Paul spoonfeeds us his point: that God is both kind and severe with us. We explore that truth.

Paul carries on his tree-grafting analogy in verse 21 by pointing out how easy it would be for God to not spare the little sapling that's been grafted to his trunk.

Paul acknowledges that branches were broken off so that we wild olive shoots might be grafted in, but makes clear that our response to that shouldn't be pride in ourselves, but fear of the powerful God who grafted us in.

Paul addresses Gentile ego and boasting in verse 19. We talk about the danger of ego.

Paul makes two critical points in verse 18: that two branches fighting each out other is a ridiculous image, and that the branches don't support the roots, but instead the roots support the branches.

Paul now digs in deep on his olive tree grafting illustration. We get started in this illustration by talking about olive trees.

Paul offers two illustrations that both sum up his prior points and set up his coming analogy.

Paul concludes the point he started in verse 12: that God uses the bad times to teach us things, and that God's plan has amazing things coming; life-from-death things!

Paul explains that he's focused his ministry on the Gentiles in order to make his fellow Jewish people jealous of the Gentiles' relationship with God. We dig into what Paul means by this jealousy.