October 28, 2021 - Romans 11:11-36

Farmers are remarkable in their abilities to adapt and be creative as they sustain and improve the crops they produce annually. The technology and innovative methods they incorporate has allowed them to meet the needs of increasing demands for their products.

The nation of Israel has been the focus of Paul's thoughts and writings as he explains the failure of God's chosen people and God's work of redemption. While the chosen nation has rejected their Messiah and been blinded to God's program, God has continued to work His plan.

Paul uses an agricultural illustration to explain how God was using the people of Israel and assisting the Gentiles at the same time. As Paul walked through the countryside, he had plenty of time to study and ask farmers questions about their crops. The land was filled with olive trees and the fruit was useful for many essential products in the Middle East. Many farmers had begun to use a technique called grafting to assist their trees with producing more fruit.

The farmer carefully pruned the productive olive tree and then grafted branches from wild, unproductive trees. In time, these grafted branches would take the nutrients from the root of the good tree and produce delicious olives. This was done so that the root of the proven, good tree could continue to produce the desired product.

Paul states that God has done the same thing in a spiritual manner by grafting Gentiles into His family. The wild branch takes on the inner qualities of life from the root of the established tree, but it is still a wild branch. The Gentiles as well, by this process, receives the life-giving nourishment and begins to be fruitful for God's purposes while still being Gentiles in their outward appearance.

God uses this illustration to teach the Jew and Gentile that His plan and purpose exceeds the nationalistic mindset of Israel to include the whole world. Like the farmer, God uses techniques that appear irrational initially to accomplish His greater purpose!

Take a moment today and thank the Lord that He, in His innovative and creative ways, chose to graft a wild branch of a person like us into His life-giving tree. Thank Him for loving us enough to have mercy on us despite our disobedience and rebellious nature. "How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!" (v.33).

With an Expectant Hope,

Pastor Miller