Hi Passionate Youth Reaching Out, today is Monday, August 15, My name is Grant and this is StartUp, helping you start your day with an upward focus. On Friday, we saw Paul grieving over Israel.  Today we see him begin to explain this predicament.

Romans 9:6–13 (HCSB)

6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants. On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac. 8 That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring. 9 For this is the statement of the promise: At this time I will come, and Sarah will have a son. 10 And not only that, but also Rebekah received a promise when she became pregnant by one man, our ancestor Isaac. 11 For though her sons had not been born yet or done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to election might stand— 12 not from works but from the One who calls—she was told: The older will serve the younger. 13 As it is written: I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.

Israelites considered themselves to be the ones who had the promises of God.  Paul is showing that being born an Israelite does not make you automatically a child of God.  That’s why Paul says that “not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.”

Paul is making an important distinction between a national identity and a spiritual identity. In our context, we might say that just because you are born a Canadian it doesn’t make you a Christian.  Or just because you go to church it doesn’t make you Christian.

Paul then uses Jewish history to show that being born to a certain family doesn’t make you atomically a Child of God.  In the case of Abraham’s children, Isaac was the one chosen by God.  In the case of Isaac’s children, Jacob was the one chosen.

You might think it unfair that God chooses one and not another.  Tomorrow we are going to see what Paul has to say on that topic.  For now, be glad that God still his choosing people to become his Holy Children through faith in Jesus Christ.  And if you are a Christian, then thank God for your salvation.

Challenge

My challenge for you this week is to find a practical way to show God’s love to somebody.  It might be helping out a neighbour with a task, writing an encouraging note or whatever else you could think of.  Just reach out to someone with the love of God.

Invitation

The next event that we have to look forward to is a night that is for our whole church.  We have rented a picnic site at Edworthy Park on Tuesday, August 30.  Plan to be there, and bring along everything that you need for supper, fun and relaxation.

Thanks for listening to today’s StartUp, you can find all of the details about our youth group online at hbcyouth.ca.  We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all of the social media links are available at hbcyouth.ca .