First Sunday after Christmas (NT)

Romans 11:1-10

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” ⁴ But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵ So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. ⁶ But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. 

⁷ What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, ⁸ as it is written, 

“God gave them a spirit of stupor, 

eyes that would not see 

and ears that would not hear, 

down to this very day.” 

⁹ And David says, 

“Let their table become a snare and a trap, 

a stumbling block and a retribution for them; 

¹⁰  let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, 

and bend their backs forever.”

God has chosen his people by Grace.  He has delivered his people from their sins.  His people have struggled through many different times of History.  The people of God have been brought almost to complete destruction.  The problem is that often times they felt lost completely.

The Church of God is no different.  The world has brought people low.  Satan has made it difficult from time to time for believers to recognize one another.  This especially occurs when people of God are not able to gather together around the Word of God.  God will continue to bring his people to the word.

St Paul reminds us that it is by grace that we are saved.  It is by grace that God has kept people from bowing down to other gods.  It is by grace that he has not allowed his people to be completely swept off the face of this planet.  It is by grace that God will continue to expand and grow his Kingdom.

Blessed be the LORD our God who has delivered his people by grace and not by works.