ROMANS 11:16-21

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Sunday Morning:  November 12, 2006

Text:  Romans 11:16-21  For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.  17  And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;  18  Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.  19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.  20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear:  21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

UNDERSTANDING BY ASSOCIATION

Romans 11:16  For if the firstfruit (of the harvest of grain) be holy, the lump (of dough made from the grain) is also holy: and [likewise] if the root be holy, so are the branches. 

HOLY OLIVE TREE

Romans 11:17  And if some of the (holy) branches be broken off [aorist passive indicative], and thou, being a wild [field (Gentiles)] olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

A TREE A TYPE OF A KINGDOM

Daniel 4:20, 22  The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, …  22  It is thou, O king (Nebuchadnezzar), that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

ANOTHER TREE, THE FIG TREE

Luke 13:6-9  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.  7  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  8  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year (the third year) also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  9  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

FIGS ARE SWEET TO THE TASTE

Judges 9:11  But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

FIG TREE WITHERED

Matthew 21:19  And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for [the] ever [age]. And presently the fig tree withered away.

TIME OF FRUIT NOT YET

Mark 11:13  And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves (leaves indicate fruit); for the time of figs was not yet. 

THE TIME WILL COME

Luke 21:29-31  And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;  30  When they now shoot forth (to bear fruit), ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.  31  So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

THE OLIVES TREE, HEAVENLY

Luke 19:37-38  And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;  38  Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

FIGS AND OLIVES DIFFERENT FRUIT

James 3:12  Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? …

HOUSE OF MOSES, EARTHLY

Hebrews 3:5  And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

HOUSE OF CHRIST, HEAVENLY

Hebrews 3:6  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

GRAFTING OF THE WILD OLIVE TREE

Romans 11:17  And if some of the branches be broken off (not cut), and thou, being a wild [field] olive tree (saved Gentiles), wert graffed in among them (holy branches), and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

BY THE OLIVE TREE THEY HONOR GOD

Judges 9:9  But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness [fatty ashes of sacrifice], wherewith by me they honour [gloryify] God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

THE ROOT PRODUCES GOOD FRUIT

Romans 11:18  Boast not against the branches (that were broken off). But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

NOT BEARING FRUIT

John 15:4-6  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, …  5  … He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  6  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

THOU WILT SAY . . . WELL

Romans 11:19  Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.

ALIENS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH

Ephesians 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

GENTILES SHOULD BE FELLOW HEIRS

Ephesians 3:5-6  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;  6  That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body (root), and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

WELL

Romans 11:20  Well; because of unbelief [apistia, faithlessness, negative faith] they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high minded, but fear:

BE STEDFAST TO THE END

Hebrews 3:14  For we are made partakers of Christ (the root), if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

WARNING

Hebrews 4:1-2  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest (in Christ’s kingdom), any of you should seem to come short of it.  2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

DEPART FROM THE FAITH

1 Timothy 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

WARNING

Romans 11:21  For if God spared not the natural (holy) branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.