We’re continuing our series in the book of Romans Today, we will make it through chapter 10 and into chapter 11.

We’re going to handle the passage a bit differently this week. I’m going to read the entire passage and then we’ll gather five observations from the passage.

Before we go any further, let’s go to the Lord in prayer and ask Him to speak to us.

(prayer)

There are some topics that are difficult to talk about but are nonetheless important to talk about. In this passage, Paul speaks about the rejection that some of the people of Israel showed towards Jesus. It’s difficult to hear of anyone rejecting God’s ways but especially God’s own people; it’s a tragedy.

Today’s sermon is entitled “The Tragedy of Rejection.”

Ok, before we look at the passage, let me point out that there are several Old Testament references in this passage. I want to give you a chance to see all of these now. Here’s a list of the references that Paul makes back to the Old Testament.

Verse 10:18 – Psalm 19:4Verse 10:19 – Deuteronomy 32:21Verses 10:20-21 – Isaiah 65:1-2Verses 11:2-4 – 1 Kings 19:14-18Verse 11:8 – Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 29:10Verses 11:9-10 – Psalm 69:22-23.So, let’s read the passage now, all at once, and then we will discover five observations regarding rejection.

Look at the passage, starting in Romans 10:18:

10:18 But I ask, “Did they not hear?” Yes, they did:“Their voice has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”19 But I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” First, Moses said, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that lacks understanding.”20 And Isaiah says boldly, “I was found by those who were not looking for me; I revealed myself to those who were not asking for me.”21 But to Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.”11:1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life!” 4 But what was God’s answer to him? “I have left seven thousand for myself who have not bowed down to Baal.” 5 In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace. 6 Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.7 What then? Israel did not find what it was looking for, but the elect did find it. The rest were hardened, 8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that cannot see and ears that cannot hear, to this day.”9 And David says, “Let their table become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a retribution to them.10 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and their backs be bent continually.”

So, let’s look now at these five observations. First, . . .

I. Rejection is not from lack of hearing.

Paul starts off the passage by asking the question, “Did they not hear?”

That’s a natural question to ask.

If someone doesn’t believe the gospel message, perhaps it’s because they didn’t hear it.

That’s precisely what last week’s passage was about.

So, maybe the reason that many Jews did not believe the Gospel message is because they didn’t hear it.

Not so in this case, Paul says. Did the Jews hear? In verse 18, Paul says, “Yes, they did.”

Paul then quotes from Psalm 19:4. To make the point that all creation points to the existence of God, the judgment of God, and the love of God.

Of all people, the Jewish people should have been in tune with the love of God found in Jesus the Messiah.

However, the problem was not that they didn’t hear the message. Their rejection was not because they didn’t hear.

Second, we learn that th