One Mission, Two Teams. Israel and The Church: Pastor Ryan Rice

We trace the rise of anti-Semitism as a moral and spiritual warning sign and refuse to treat it like just another news cycle. We walk from Genesis to Revelation to show God’s mission to bless the nations, why the church is grafted in by grace, and why Israel’s calling is not canceled. 
• why traveling to Israel makes the Bible feel tangible and strengthens faith 
• anti-Semitism as a modern “canary in the coal mine” and why silence is dangerous 
• a brief biblical and historical arc of Jewish persecution from Pharaoh to the Holocaust to Oct 7, 2023 
• the Abrahamic covenant and its promises of land, nation, blessing, and protection 
• Israel’s purpose to be a light to the nations in Psalm 67 and Isaiah 49 
• Jesus as salvation for Gentiles and glory for Israel, leading to the Great Commission 
• Romans 11 and the warning against arrogance as the church is grafted into the olive tree 
• adoption as a picture of inclusion without replacement, clarifying Israel and the church 
• Revelation 7, future gospel advance, and the promise that God keeps his covenant 
If you found any of what you heard today helpful, please share it with others who may benefit. And if you would like to support the content that we put out, please consider making a donation at reallife ministry.us. While you're there, check out some of our episodes. And together, let's continue to educate and encourage Christians to live free and live strong. 

Transcript

Welcome And Series Setup

0:02

Welcome to Real Life Ministry, where we are dedicated to teaching and encouraging Christians to live free and live strong. Your host today is Ryan Rice, a Bible teacher, a pastor, entrepreneur, and a writer. Join us as we dive into various topics and how they relate to faith, values, and making a positive impact in America. Let's dive into it. All right, welcome back to another episode of Real Life Ministry. This is Ryan back in the studio, and we are continuing in that uh three, four-part series of Think Biblical about the geopolitical. And you say, like, well, which is it? Is it three or four? Well, there's three keynote sessions, and then there was one live panel that you don't want to miss. So we'll do that when the panel after this episode, on this episode, I'm gonna share with you about what I actually spoke about. I wrote a book called Think Biblical About the Geopolitical, but I'll get back to that

Why Visiting Israel Changes Faith

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in a minute. So let me talk to you about Israel. So we're doing a trip on Israel. If you have not been to Israel, I would go to Israel. Uh, people that I talk to always talked about, like, man, you should go. I remember um my wife's grandfather was a pastor, and he did trips to Israel on a I would say semi-regular basis. And I've always been a little curious about Israel and people like you know, pastors doing trips, and like wouldn't it get old? Isn't it like a museum? Is it you know, like, is it boring? And I would answer now, having been there myself and trained and prepared to lead up many others and guided for years and years. Um, I'd say no way. Like, Israel's unbelievable. It's like experiencing the Bible, like it builds your faith because you're going to the places that you read about in the Bible. And so when you're reading the Bible, you're like, This is where Peter was when he denied Christ. This is where Jesus was in this in a garden of Gethsemane before he's about to be crucified. Like, there's so much power in that. And then the other thing that people don't tell you about is that there's a it's overwhelming to see the magnitude of people from all around the world, red, yellow, black, and white. They are precious in his sight. Jesus loves all the children of the world, and the world comes to Israel. It's it's it's unbelievable. So anyway, we're doing a 10-day tour. You can go to reallife ministry.us. Don't miss it. I'm telling you, this is it's not I'm like, you never know. Like, so if it's a green light, it's a go. If Homeland Security says we're going, we're going. Like, if it's safe, it's safe. We're gonna go. Uh so join us on this journey. Lifetime experience. Explore the land of the Bible. We're gonna follow in the footsteps of Jesus, his disciples. We're gonna travel through the Holy Land where the Messiah lived, worked miracles. We're gonna watch the scriptures come to life, visit the places like Bethlehem, Jericho, Mount of Olive, Sea of Galilee, Jerusalem, float in the Dead Sea. Yeah, like lowest place on planet Earth. No life there. You literally float in the sea. It's pretty cool. It's very therapeutic, too. People love it. It's like it is crazy. Cool. When you go to the Valley of the Armageddon, I'm gonna teach on prophetic implications of various sites there. Like you're gonna challenge you're gonna be challenged to read the scriptures in a whole new light. And when you reserve, best of all, you get like this unbelievable, I'm telling you, unbelievable book of your journey through the Holy Land and lots more of pictures and scriptures. Pictures and scriptures, pictures and scriptures, lots of them. So you can like look in the guide, the 10-day journey. You can see what we're gonna do. Go to real life ministry.us, real life ministry, singular, not plural, real life ministry.us, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page, reserve your spot. And when you click that, you're gonna go to signature tours. It's gonna say these are our friends, they've been doing tours for decades and decades. They're pros. Again, if it's not safe, we won't go. You're not gonna lose your money. Go ahead and put a deposit down, reserve your spot. Uh, and we're just gonna roll, baby. You're gonna love it. So Leslie's gonna be there. It's gonna be good. I'd love for you to join us. Uh, the more the merrier. Um we got a small little army of folks that are already signed up and more have been signing up here lately. We're just saying great hotels, mills, luggage, everything, all the information's online. Just go visit us at reallifeministry.usa, baby. So, all right. I think you got that. September 21st through the 30th. That's when we're gonna go. Uh 10-day journey to the Holy Land. Okay, so you're like, well, what about the message? Well, here we go.

Keynote Focus On Rising Anti-Semitism

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This is uh the third keynote session in that think biblical about the geopolitical event that we hosted over at North Valley, presented by Real Life Ministry. And uh this next session, I really don't need to give you a big introduction on me, but for those of you that are uh new, I'm the founding pastor, lead pastor of North Valley, founder of Real Life Ministry. Uh graduated Dallas Theological Seminary, planted a church in 2012, and I just built a vision grounded in biblical truth, authentic community, missional living. Um, I teach the Bible to help you apply scriptures for today and tomorrow, and practically about faith, family, culture, current events, all that stuff. So in this session, I'm gonna just address this growing rise of anti-Semitism in our culture and even with segments of the church, and then warn towards warn of against this hostility towards Jewish people and uh reveals kind of this deeper problem. And so we're gonna walk through the scriptures. As I say in the lecture, I say, well, I'm uh hopefully you're gonna bleed Bible by the time this is over. And so we go from Genesis to Revelation, and I express kind of this ongoing mission of Israel in the church in Jesus Christ. So, anyway, hope you enjoy. God bless. We'll see you soon. All right.

Anti-Semitism As A Toxic Warning

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Well, my hope would be as a pastor is that we're gonna go through a lot of Bibles. So open up Genesis chapter 12. I'm gonna return there. And my goal would be is that by the time you leave here, this message will be so packed with Bible that you're gonna bleed Bible. And so, really, the fight comes from me when I see violations of scripture or challenges within culture, and I believe deeply in the values of faith, family, and freedom. And so today is an awesome opportunity for us to unpack some of that. I want to start with just as a reminder for those of you that are part of Arizona's uh story, and you remember how the great state was built. It was on the five C's. It was cattle, cotton, citrus, climate, and then copper. I'm a hunter and I go out all the time and we'll hunt in different remote areas all around Arizona, and there's mines everywhere. And I don't know if you know this or not, but back in the early days of mining, the miners would take these little canaries down into the mine with them. Predominantly coal mines. That tiny little bird was a warning system to if so to detect toxic gases. If gas was in the air, then the canary would die very quickly, long before the miners would actually feel any kind of effect. And when the canary dropped, everybody knew it was time to get out. Friends, there are canaries dying all around us right now in America. The poison is anti-Semitism, it's being breathed in by millions and millions of people all around the world. The poison is being pumped into our culture through political pundits, social media, universities, and some pulpits. The canaries are dying, and far too many believers are still breathing this toxic air without really realizing it. And history has already shown us how dangerous this poison is.

From Pharaoh To Hamas And Today

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I'll give you just a brief history of the anti-Semitism in the world history. In Exodus chapter one and two, the Bible tells us Pharaoh ordered the slaughter of every Hebrew baby boy. In the book of Esther, Haman devises this evil plot to annihilate every single Jew throughout the Persian Empire in a single day. Fast forward to the days when Christ was born, King Herod orders a massacre of all baby boys, Jewish boys under the age of two. Fast forward into more modern history, Adolf Hitler. Hitler systematically murdered six million Jews during the Holocaust, even diverting trains, troops from war efforts to just keep killing them. Some historians believe that if Hitler wasn't so fascinated and infused with evil hatred against the Jews, that he perhaps could have won. Tragically, what alarms me the most in reading history is that most churches in Hitler's Germany remained silent or complicit or even openly supported it. On October 7, 2023, Hamas, the Islamic terrorist group based in Gaza, launched a brutal surprise attack on Israel, murdering over 1,200 innocent people, men, women, and children, taking them, taking 250 hostage. What's interesting is that when you see big organizations like this arise onto the world stage, like we saw during the COVID days, the BLM movement. I quickly went and researched their belief statements and tried to persuade our church how anti-Christian that organization actually was. I quote, Israel will exist and continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it just as it has obliterated others before. Last year, anti-Semitism was on a major rise in the United States. I was in Prescott, Arizona with my family, just going out to get some ice cream. There were anti-Israel protesters with rainbow flags as well. I thought that was interesting. And they're shouting out all sorts of things, even to the point of saying, death to Israel, kill the Jews. This is Prescott, Arizona. I could not keep my mouth shut. I actually got very much involved. And uh my wife said, Ryan, it is time to back away. This is getting way too intense. And I sat over there uh trying to eat my ice cream with my kids, and I just was like eating that thing. And my son, who's I would say has a double blessing of the gift of God's ministry working in and through him, he says, Dad, I'll go talk to her. And I thought to myself, I I can't because I'm too tense. But you do. And he goes over there and I see her by the end of the conversation, she's apologizing and saying, I'm so sorry, I've breathed out this hatred. It's it is wrong. Please forgive me. And I I think that's a testimony to show how important there is a need for conversation and clarity. And God will use the zealot patriot, and God will use as well the compassionate Christian. And both have a place. And our sign and symbol is not the sword, it is the cross. And I was reminded of just all the evil that's going on, and I did research uh last year in the United States, uh, anti-Semitism reached the highest record in nearly half a century. By 2025, one-third of American Jews reported being personally targeted by anti-Semitism. More than half said they have had to change their behavior out of fear. 83% of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed anti-Semitism since October 7th, 2023. And so today, what I want to do is to come in the spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit that gave a man like Dietrich Bonhoeffer to wake up the church in Hitler's Germany, and uh tell you, I I really think you should think this through. I really think that what's going on right now is just an age-old attack of a satanic movement against a people group. You you you see it, it is either we think too little of the Jewish people that they're vermin, like Hitler's day, or too high. They they are running this cabal that's controlling the whole earth. But it's no new attack. I I just showed you. And so the this morning, what I want to do is show

God’s Mission Starts With Abraham

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you three things. Number one, how God has always had one mission to bless every nation on the earth. This title could be called the Missio Day in Latin, which is the mission of God. What is God's mission and intent throughout the world and all world history? Secondly, I want to show you the church has a vital but temporary role in the mission right now. And thirdly, I want to show you how Israel still has a major future role in God's economy. And so let me pray for us. Heavenly Father, as we're about to open up your word, I just pray for your Holy Spirit to infuse faith and courage, clarity of insight into the scriptures, and Father, compassion as well. We look to your word as the final truth and authority over all things as believers. And we ask that you speak now in and through this time and give uh favor upon our church and for each person here if they make a commitment to clarify and communicate truth. In Jesus' mighty name, everybody said, Amen. Genesis chapter 12. I'm gonna take you through so many Bible verses that you're gonna be, again, bleeding Bible by the time we're done here. Genesis 12, one through three. I'm just gonna read it quickly. Now the Lord said to Abraham, Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you, I will make you a great, help me finish it. What? Nation, I will bless you, and you will you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Um, just backing back up into that verse, one thing I just want to highlight to you is number one, there are five promises of this Abrahamic covenant. First is the land. Look what it says: go to the land I will show you. This isn't spiritual land, this is real land. Um, Israel is not a nation yet at this point in time. This is a promise to a guy named Abram, who was, by the way, a pagan guy who God shows up and changes his life, and he will be the father of many nations. So go to the land I will show you. And by the way, just flip over to Genesis 15, 18. Let's talk about how big this land is. Because everybody's talking about Israel, like even fighting for their fighting for their existence. The the territory, the land, the geographical land mass of Israel is the size of New Jersey. Well, I got I got interesting news for you. Israel is only trying to hold on to that land. But did you know that the Bible actually says that the land size that he's promised them is about 15 to 20 times the size it is now? So it to me, I'm like, Israel deserves all of it. And we're fighting about their little right to exist in a in a property the size of New Jersey. Genesis chapter 15, verse 18. Turn over there. Here are the boundaries. This is what Senator Ted Cruz should have responded when Tucker Carlson was grilling him. This is what Tucker Carlson actually couldn't even quote the Bible himself. He was attacking Ted, and he couldn't quote the Bible himself. So verse 18 on that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying, To your offspring, this means everybody after him. That's clear language. I give this, help me finish it. This what? Land from the river of Egypt to the great river of the river Euphrates. And then it goes on and on. So number one, there's land. And you might say, Well, well, who's the land? Who's the recipient of the land? Well, it's to the offspring. Well, how long does that last? Is it like temporary? Why don't you flip over Genesis 17, 18? 17, 8, 17, 8. Again, I'm walking through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and gonna show you God's mission for the world from beginning to end. He's gonna call a people, verse seven or chapter 17, verse 8. And I I will give to you, I will give to you and your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, help me finish it for an everlasting possession. What does everlasting mean? Yeah, it means everlasting. So the approach I take to the Bible is a literal, historical, contextual perspective of trying to understand what the Bible says, what is it trying to say? It's called authorial intent. Understanding what is the author trying to communicate. So one, there's land, then there's a nation. You go back to Genesis, uh, this is the second part of the Abrahamic covenant. It is not just a land, it is a nation. So God, this is the only nation on the world. God said, I'm gonna build it, I'm gonna do it, I'll give you the land, and I'm gonna make it a great nation. So this is a nation, is a people group, at least, if you're using rational, realistic thinking, you cannot have a nation without a people group. Abraham becomes the first Hebrew, and from him come 12 tribes of Israel, and from the tribe of Judah comes the Jewish people. Genesis tells us not only is there land, but there will be a nation. And so, what do we see in Exodus chapter 19? You don't have to turn there, but you see a law is given. You cannot have a nation without a law. A law was given. This included the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments would shape civilization for thousands of years. Thirdly, we see that there is not only a law, a land, it's not just a nation, but there's personal blessing. Look what it says I will bless you and make your name great. What is that? Well, that's godly offspring. Abraham and Sarah were childless, yet through Isaac, Jacob, and ultimately Jesus Christ, God fulfills his promise. This is a personal blessing. There is great wealth as well to Abraham. He comes becomes very rich.

Blessing The Nations In Psalms Isaiah

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There's personal blessing of long life. Abraham, he lives 175 years. He becomes the father of many nations. So there's personal blessing. I will bless you. That's what he says. I will bless you, Abraham. There's also universal blessing. Look what it says in Genesis at the Abrahamic account, uh, the Abrahamic covenant. In you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. This is pointing directly, I believe, to uh to the salvation through Jesus Christ. This is Abraham's seed. Galatians 3:8 says, In you shall all the nations be blessed. And now the church experiences that blessing through Jesus Christ. And from the very beginning, God's plan was never just Israel as a nation. It was actually all the nations. It was a it they were to be a light and a to all the nations. The fifth component in the Abrahamic covenant is protection. Look what it says. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you, I will curse. The Jewish people in 70 AD, they had their temple destroyed. Jerusalem was destroyed. There was a Jewish revolt years prior to that, and finally Rome had enough and destroyed the temple. After that, the Jewish people scattered the earth for nearly 2,000 years. What was amazing about that scattering over that period of time was they kept their identity, they kept their language, they kept their customs, and they returned in 1948. Delhusay did a great job clarifying, you have to see it as God's divine protection over the Jewish people over the 2,000 years. God's protection in biblical history. Think about it. The Egyptians. Pharaoh's army was destroyed. Why don't you turn over? Let's go over to let's find uh Genesis, or let's go to actually Exodus chapter 14, verses 27 through 28. Exodus chapter 14, verses 27 through 28. This is just highlighting God's divine protection over the Jewish people. So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course. When the morning appeared, and the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen of all the hosts of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea. Not one of them remained. What was that? God's divine supernatural intervention to protect the people he had promised would be a blessing to all the nations of the earth. That was protection. That was fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. I will curse those who curse you. Pharaoh's army was destroyed. How about the Assyrians when they tried to conquer Jerusalem? Well, the Lord sent in an angel and wiped out 185,000 soldiers to wipe them out in 2 Kings. Or the Haman's plot is reversed. He's executed on the own the gallows that he created. So you see from the Egyptian Empire, the Assyrian Empire, the Persian Empire, what is God doing? He's protecting. He's protecting his chosen people. There's a pattern of judgment. Pharaoh tried to destroy the Jews and they were drowned. Haman tried to wipe them out, he was executed. Hitler ends up committing suicide and the collapse of his evil empire. Soviet Union persecuted Jews and collapsed in 1991. 1973, war, Israel survives. 2023, Hamas is attacks. Devastation is everywhere, yet Israel still endures. God's promise is protection. If you see Ezekiel 38 and 39, it's also in the future. The Bible tells us the day is coming when Russia, Iran, and Turkey and Sudan will come against Israel to wipe them out. All the evil players of the anti-Israel agenda will come to pass, and they and God Himself in Ezekiel will actually intervene and destroy those armies. So there is this conclusion, I think, when you think about the covenant, is what is it? Well, it's God's mission was to create a people through Abraham who would be a blessing to all the nations. And there's a continuation of this mission. So you have Genesis chapter 12. This the promise, it's the Abrahamic covenant. It was very fitting for Delhusay to start there. But flip over to Psalm 67. This has always been the intent. Psalm 67. This is the psalmist David, and let's just read the whole chapter of Psalm 67. It's the purpose of Israel is not just to be a blessing unto themselves, but be a blessing to all nations. Verse 1 may God be gracious to us and bless us. This is echoing that of the Abrahamic covenant. This is a prayer of the psalmist David, probably having meditated on the Abrahamic covenant. May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us. Selah, pause, soak that in. His face shine upon us. Here's the why, verse 2: that your way may be known on the earth, your saving powers among all nations. Let the peoples praise you. Peoples is ethnic groups. Oh God, let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon the earth. Let the peoples praise you. Oh God, let all the peoples praise you. The earth has yielded its increase. God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us. Let all the ends of the earth fear him. Amen. It's God's intent to make his name known on all the earth. The mission of God is to declare and demonstrate his righteousness throughout all the earth. That's his intent from the very beginning. How about you flip over to Isaiah 49, 6? This language is going to sound very familiar to you. Isaiah 49:6 speaks to a dispersed, exiled Israel. The Lord speaks through the prophet. Verse 6, chapter 49, verse 6 it is too light of a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel. I will make you a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. In other words, it's too little of a thing for me to do, just something special for you, Israel, and protect you forever. You're going to be a light to the whole world. So, what's the intent? Well, we've covered the Old Testament pretty good. It's to declare and demonstrate his righteousness throughout the whole world. To use them to be a light to the nations, to be blessed so that they might be a blessing. Fast forward to the New Testament.

Jesus And The Mission To All Nations

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Luke chapter 2. Let's start with Jesus. This is his mom and dad bring him to the temple. This is pretty exciting stuff. A guy named Simeon was waiting for this kind of stuff to happen. Start in verse 28. Simeon, he's in one of the guys at the temple. This would be like what we we think of as a baby dedication in today's time. He took him up, that's Jesus, verse 28, in his arms, and he blessed God and said, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. For my eyes have seen your salvation, that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory to your people, Israel. In Jesus Christ is the revelation, it is the truth for all Gentiles, for the glory as well. Look what it says, and for the glory, your people, Israel. Both are mentioned there. If God was done with Israel, Simeon wouldn't have said that. But God's glory was being revealed in and through Jesus Christ will be the uh, he will be the beginning of a new movement. A new movement in which how God operates in human history. You see, fast forward, you know, Jesus lived the perfect life, he died a death that he did not deserve, he died in our place, he performed miracles, his life was unbelievable. He was the Messiah, he was the Christ. And at the end of his life, we get Matthew 28. You can flip there if you would like. We see the great commission to go, verses 19 through 20, to make disciples of all nations. Go and make disciples of all nations. So this mission is continuing throughout all the earth. Then in Acts chapter 1, verse 8, listen to this language again. This is the beginnings of the early church, the Acts of the Apostles, written by Luke, the historian, the doctor. Verse 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. You will be my witness in Jerusalem. Start there. In all Judea, Samaria, and help me finish it to the end of the earth. God's intent from all times is to work in and through a people group. That people group struggled with unbelief. God still remains faithful. God brings in the Gentiles and non-Jewish people. And He gives them the continuation of the mission. Make the name of Jesus great. So, what is going on here? I I think about it as like kind of like a cross-country relay race. I used to, as a kid, we'd do rodeos. We would do wild rodeos with very little rules, organized it with a bunch of families, and we would do multiple mile relay races in back countries of Arkansas in the Ozarks. And it was a race. And you would go from one check station to the next, and somebody would jump on the horse and then keep going. Think about what's happened in the scriptures that I've just shared with you. God handed first the baton to Abraham, and then he handed it to the prophets. And then we see it picked up and echoed in the Psalms, and then we see it clearly in Jesus Christ and commissioned in the disciples, and now to the church. And the finish line has always been the same that every nation on earth would know the Lord. Salvation to the ends of the earth. And salvation has always been, listen, by grace through faith. Nothing's changed there. Always by grace through faith. So let's look at the church. Turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter seven,

The Church Grafted In With Humility

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if you will. Romans chapter uh, yeah, I think it's seven. So let's let's try to go over there, if you will. In Romans chapter seven, we see some of the description of kind of this analogy of the church being grafted in. And actually, I think I'm on the wrong section of scripture right here. So turn over, it is uh Romans chapter 11. Somehow I got that wrong. Romans chapter 11. The church is likened to uh wild olive branches grafted into Israel's tree. Israel is the tree in this metaphor. Um and so we'll just pick up and read verse 17. He says, uh, but if some branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, referring to Gentiles, the church, uh the context is there's Jews and Gentiles in the church in Rome, were grafted in among the others, and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree. Do not be arrogant towards the branches. If you are, if you are, remember it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief. Why did God turn his purpose and plan from Israel, being a light to the nations, because of their unbelief, because of their lack of faithfulness? But you stand fast through faith, so do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, meaning that of Israel, the Jewish people, neither will he spare you. Notice then the kindness and the severity of God, severity towards those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness, otherwise you too will be cut off. And even if they, if they did not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these branches, natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? It's a lot of kind of confusing language right there. But in essence, if you're a gardener, what it means is he's given the illustration to Israel that they are like a the olive tree. In fact, that is part of the uh symbolism of Israel as a nation, is an olive tree. And what Paul is saying is that the non-Jewish people were grafted in to God's purposes and plans. And so grafting would be like this. If you're a gardener, you would take the dead branch, you would cut it off, toss it out, you don't need that. You could take a live branch, and then you could cut it in a certain way, and then, in a sense, tape it to the tree so that it would grow in together. And so undoubtedly, Paul is dealing with some of the tensions in the early church between Jews and Gentiles. And he's saying that they're not done. God's still got a plan and a purpose. If you read uh chapter 11, verse 1, it's a lot more clearer than what I just read to you. Look what it says in chapter 11, verse 1. I asked then, has God rejected his people? Paul responds and says, By no means, for I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people. So his argument is God still has a purpose and plan. And Israel's failure, if you'll look at uh verse 11, is actually uh used to uh salvation comes to the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy. And what we've read, if you'll read as well, actually in verse 25, if you'll turn over there just for a second, you're gonna see what's going on. Again, it's their unbelief. Uh, Romans 11, verse 25 through 26 says, Lest lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers, that is the church, and what's going on with Israel. Brothers, a partial hardening has come upon Israel. So, what's going on with Israel? There's a hardening of heart, it's not full. Still, there are Jewish men and women that come to faith in Jesus Christ and God's doing a great thing. But by and large, the nation of Israel is not Jesus-loving Christians. You go over the very secular. Paul says, Don't be arrogant. I don't want you to be unaware. A partial hardening has come upon Israel until, uh-oh, look what it says, until something happens. The fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Delhusay went a few verses uh lower and talked about the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. So God still has a plan. The church is today the primary vessel for every nation to know Jesus Christ. Who's on the world scene right now? Who has the baton to accomplish God's big mission for the world? It's the church. It's Jews and Gentiles. This is echoed. I'm about to take you through all throughout scripture. Jesus Christ, the high priestly prayer, prayed that they may be one. That Jews and Gentiles are one in Christ in the church now. Israel will still have a national uh uh uh promise in the future that's very distinct, but their prayer is the prayer of Christ is that we might be one. There's no ethnic boundaries in the church. Secondly, you think about the plan for the mission of the church very clearly in Acts chapter one: you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. You think about what happened at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit pours down on the very beginning of the first day of the church when God's Spirit pours down, they they record devout men from every nation under heaven were there. On the very beginning of the church is a very multi-ethnic group of people. It's not just Jewish people. Peter's vision, furthermore, Peter has a vision and he says, Oh, I get it. God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Peter is starting to realize that God's plan and purpose to utilize Israel to be the light unto the nations has shifted to the local church, and it's not just for the Jewish people to be the light among the nations, it's for all people to bear that responsibility, that role. They have the baton. And then you think about the pattern of Antioch, the church, in Acts chapter 13. What do you have? You actually have a multi-ethnic teaching team, Jewish and non-Jewish. Things have changed. You have Barnabas, who's a Jew, you have Simeon, who's an African, you have Saul, who's a Jew. It's very multi ethnic. And then you see they and the church in Antioch is actually the model for missions. They worship, they fast, they're spirit led, they send Barnabas and Saul on the first Gentile mission. Launched a global mission. Antioch is the model church. You see, in the book of Ephesians as well, the church is Paul, the called the Pauline mystery. Gentiles are fellow errors in Christ. God's hidden plan, one new people from every tribe and nation. And at the very end of our scriptures in Revelation chapter 7, why don't you turn there? We see a promise fulfilled where a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and people and language will be there. Israel's still got uh a role to play, but the church has been adopted into

Adopted In Without Replacing Israel

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the family. As you're turning to Revelation chapter 7, I'll share with you. I have three kids, uh, Sam and Riley. They're 21 years old. Wonderful. My daughter officiated the wedding last weekend. Um, my son Sam, 21 years old. Uh, he's gonna be getting married to a wonderful uh young lady who loves Jesus, and we'll be doing that wedding in Prescott. Lord willing, there's no protesters there. If they are, I'll probably get a little riled up and then send Sam over. So uh then we have this other sweet little girl. Her name is Maya, she's uh 14. Maya was adopted into our family. Let me help you understand what's going on in our family. We've experienced adoption, it's pretty amazing. And when you adopt a child, the child is brought in not just halfway, not as a guest, not not as an outsider. That's my kid. It's my daughter. I would die for her. When you adopt a child, that child is brought in all the way, fully loved, fully accepted, fully part of the family. She's got my name, Maya Rice. She receives all the care and she'll receive all the inheritance, just along with my other kids as well. But adoption does not mean biological children are removed. It does not mean that their inheritance is canceled, that somehow cancel that out. It does not mean their place in the family is replaced. No, the inheritance is secure, stable, and strong for all the kids. The adopted child is brought in without displacing the original children. So we don't favor Maya over the original. They were there first. That's exactly what God has done with the church. You and me, non-Jewish people, we have been brought into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and our inclusion does not cancel Israel's calling. God did not remove Israel somehow to make room for you and me. He brought us alongside them. We are grafted in. And so let me be clear on some clarity here, because this is what's uh gets confusing sometimes. We must hold two truths together. We do not receive Israel's national promises. The church does not inherit all the land promises. I wish we did. That'd be nice. Have a nice property over in Israel, that'd be great. The land promises are for Israel. The national promises are for Israel, they're not ours. The geographical kingdom promises, those belong to Israel. But we do share in this blessing. Through Christ, we receive salvation by grace through faith. Through Christ, we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, we receive the inclusion in God's family we've been adopted in. Participation in the mission to bless the nations. So it is a promise that God's going to use us. And some have said, Well, what about the kingdom? Well, in the beginning, when Jesus shows up on the scene in a synagogue in the Gospel of Luke, it records when Jesus says, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, he's anointed me to proclaim good news. Things begin to shift. In Matthew chapter 6, the prayer is, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thy kingdom come. Is the kingdom here? Some level. What is the kingdom? It's God's rule and reign. Is there a future kingdom? Yes. Already the kingdom has come because Christ has come. Already the kingdom has come because the gospel is advancing. Already the kingdom has come because lives are being transformed. Not yet. Not yet is Jesus Christ reigning physically in Jerusalem. Not yet, Israel has not fully turned to him. Not yet, the Israel has not been used to win over the nations. So we live in this tension. We experience a spiritual reality now and we await a full physical fulfillment later. In summary, we participate in these blessings, but we do not replace the recipients. We do not fulfill or supersede Israel. God has two distinctive plans for Israel and the church.

Israel’s Future Role In Revelation

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So what is Israel's future role? This is my last point. Revelation chapter seven. I believe it is. Revelation chapter seven. Turn there if you will, if you have not yet already. And I'm going to read you some really interesting descriptions from guys you might recognize your name, Billy Billy Graham. Here's what he said about Revelation chapter seven. He said, Wow, imagine how John must have felt, the apostle John must have felt to finally see Christ's beloved Israel respond to his salvation, salvation message. These 144,000 marked out uh uh servants for perhaps the greatest evangelistic mission ever. It will be the greatest outpouring this world has ever seen, where God's the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed throughout the whole earth. God's heart will surely be full of splendor to see his people, Israel, proclaiming his son Jesus Christ as Master and Lord. That's Billy Graham. Some of you don't like Billy Graham, so maybe this guy you like a little better. John MacArthur. John MacArthur echoes this enthusiasm. He says, But the but there is coming in the future a worldwide response to the gospel that will far exceed any other in all of human history. In fact, maybe then all others combined. It will sweep the globe in just a few short years and produce a vast multitude of redeemed people from all the nations, making it the greatest movement of God's saving power the world has ever seen. Pretty powerful description. So let's read what it says. Revelation chapter seven. I'm going to read verses one through twelve. John says this, picking up in verse one, after this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on the earth or the sea or against the tr any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the earth and the sea. Let me pause right there. Many theologians believe that this is the uh part of the tribulation era, the age to come when there will the wrath of God will be unleashed on the sinful and unrepentant. And an angel, one out of the five, is gonna hold them back. Look what he says in verse three, the angel holding them back. Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. Well, you might ask, well, who are the servants? Well, John says it, verse four. And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Nephtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 12,000 from the tribe of Zubulin, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. That's pretty clear. That's that if you do your math, that's 144,000. What is that? These people are sealed, they're protected. It's again God's sovereign plan and protection plan for his people. What's he doing? He's gonna raise them up to fulfill the promise in Genesis that they will be a blessing through them, all the nations of the earth. This is a super evangelistic team, 144,000 Billy Grams times 10, winning the world to Christ. They will be sealed and protected, protected from God's wrath throughout all the earth. They'll save a great multitude. It seems to me pretty clear. Look at verses nine. After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude no one could number from every nation, all tribes, all in peoples and languages standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands, saying, crying out loud with a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God, and who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. This is a picture of worldwide revival, every tongue, tribe, and nation. What's the intent? What's God's mission throughout the whole book of the Bible? It's God's saving plan for all nations. And God's gonna use Israel to do this. Now turn with me, if you will, to Romans chapter 11. And I'm only gonna hold you for about another 45 minutes. I'm just joking. I told you, I hope you bleed the Bible before you leave. Um Romans chapter 11, verse 26, I believe it is. It is where Paul uh discusses again about this plan. And this has not happened, but it will happen in the future. Verse 25. Lest ye be wise in your own sight. I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers. A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Something's gonna happen. The church is gonna keep winning people to Christ. And in all and in this way, what does it say? All Israel will be saved. That hasn't happened yet. The Bible tells us that it will happen, though. And so Israel has a role and a place. Let me close by sharing you the story.

The Comeback Story And Final Charge

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Anyone like football in here? Just raise your hand. Okay. If you how many of you do not like football, raise your hand. Okay. Well, this is a good story anyway. So I'm not the biggest football guy either. I really not. My wife said, What? How are you telling a football story? I'm like, it's a good one. Uh the colonel is not excited, I'm sharing this, but because he's cheering for the team, I'm not gonna cheer for on this. Uh by the way, he did an awesome job. Can you guys give the colonel a big round of applause? Really, really great. I wrote uh three chapters on Islam in this book. It was censored as hate speech originally, and um they canceled it, and then I I had to go another direction. And so what he was saying is really true true. So Super Bowl 51, you remember that? 2017, the New England Patriots versus the Atlanta Falcons. And from the start, something felt off. Tom Brady didn't really look like himself, passes were off, the timing was off, nothing was clicking. He even threw a pick six and basically hands Atlanta some points. And uh the Falcons, they're rolling, big plays, uh, wide open receivers, confidence is everywhere, and by halftime, it's 21 to 3. Then late in the third quarter, now it's 28 to 3. Not early, not halftime, late in the third. And when games are supposed to be over, cameras cut to Brady on the sideline, his helmet was off. He looked pretty sad and discouraged, quiet, and the narrative kind of writes itself. He's done. They're done. This is over. Literally, people started leaving the stadium. If you were at home, you probably turned off the TV. Some of you were already in the kitchen grabbing dessert, like, well, that was it. Because nobody comes back from 28 to 3 late in the third. And here's what's wild they never took Brady out. No benching, no backup, no surrender. And then no speech, no drama. He just stands up, walks back out onto the field, and starts chipping away. Short passes, first downs, hits, pressure, then a touchdown. Okay. Then a two-point conversion. Wait. Defense steps up. Now Atlanta, the one looking shaken, drive after drive, play after play. What felt impossible starts feeling inevitable until overtime. One final drive. Touchdown. Game over. The greatest comeback in NFL history. Now, listen, that is a game. This is God's story. Right now, when people look at Israel, it feels like 28 to 3 late in the third quarter. Scattered, unbelieving, seemingly out, and the world says, they're done. God has moved on. But don't walk out of the stadium. God isn't reacting. He's orchestrating. He hasn't benched Israel. He hasn't canceled his covenant. There's a moment coming when the same nation that looks quiet, distant, and done will stand up. The veil will lift, their eyes will be opened, hearts will turn. As Romans 11 says, all Israel will be saved. And when that happens, it won't be because they finally figured it out. It'll be because God kept his word. So don't leave the stadium too early. Because God's that same God who isn't done with Israel. Listen, He's a covenant maker and a covenant keeper. He's a promise maker and a promise keeper. He's not done with you either. And one day the king will return and the promises will be fulfilled, and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen. Let's pray. Thank you. Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. I pray that we would apply it into our lives and see that you have a plan and a purpose. And the mission is not changed, Lord. We thank you that you are sovereign God, supreme over all things, and you use people, you use nations, you use uh faithful vessels to share and show the love of Jesus Christ. Raise up your church to be faithful in these days ahead. We pray in Jesus' mighty name. Everybody said, Amen.

Prayer And Closing Requests

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