The People Of God

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The People of God
Feb 24, 2021

INTRODUCTION
The People of God through redemptive history – from Abram (Genesis 12) to the Great Multitude (Revelation 7)

BACKGROUND and CONTEXT

I. PURPOSE of THE PEOPLE OF GOD
• The Calling of Abram – Genesis 12:1-3
• The Key: To bless all peoples and nations in all generations as a sign of the Kingdom of God coming

II. ISRAEL IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. The people of Davidic Kingdom – “nation of God” among the other nations
2. Paganism of the Ancient Near East and being Light of God
3. The people of God often did not live up to their calling – e.g. book of Hosea, Babylonian exile, Malachi and end of OT

III. The PEOPLE OF GOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. Earliest disciples – Jewishness of early Church and Kingdom
2. Inclusiveness of the Kingdom and people of God – Matt 28, Acts 10. “Big tent” faith in Christ! Neither Jew nor Greek
3. Revelation’s “People of God”

• Revelation 4:10: the 24 elders
• Revelation 7:1-9: The 144,000 and Great Multitude

The RELATIONSHIP OF ISRAEL AND CHURCH: Romans 9 – 11

1. The personal-ness of this for Paul (Romans 9:1-5)

2. Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. (Rom. 9:6-27)
• God’s sovereign ways are NOT our ways!
• Lesson from Hosea – “not my people become my people”

3. Israel’s stumble – Law instead of grace (Romans 9:31-32)

4. What is the sign of the people of God? “Jesus is Lord.” (Romans 10:9-10) – not limited to Jews OR Gentiles

5. Romans 11 – a very challenging chapter of Scripture!
1) Did God reject Israel? NO (Romans 11:1). There is a REMNANT chosen by grace (Romans 11:5)
2) God’s greater plan! INGRAFTED BRANCHES of the Gentiles (Romans 11:11-12, 25)
3) What does “ALL ISRAEL will be saved” mean? (Rom. 11:26)

Some “What Abouts”

• What about the promises given to ethnical Israel in the Old Testament? (e.g. Genesis 15)

• What about the Jews returning to the land …
mass revival of Jews …
Rebuilding the Temple …
sacrificial system re-instituted?

• What about the creation of the Nation of Israel in 1948 and “chosen people” ?

HOW DO THE PEOPLE OF GOD (the CHURCH) LIVE TODAY?

1. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
2. No place for prejudice within the People of God
3. We go as “sent ones” to cross invisible (and visible) barriers

34 Messages