A GREAT ADVANTAGE

 

Rom 3:1-8

If we took a brief history lesson on the people of God we would discover that it was a rather tragic history for the Jewish people. It would lead one to ask the question, “Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumsion? (v1)

 

The tragic history of the Jews was riddled with….

Slavery

Hardship

Warfare

Persecution

Slander

Captivity

Dispersion

Humiliation

 

For 400 hundred years, they were a slaved people in Egypt. After their divine deliverance of 400 years, they left Egypt to wonder in a barren wilderness for 40 years. When they finally entered the Promise Land that was flowing with “Milk and Honey” they had to fight for every square inch of that land. After many years of fighting, it took its toll on this nation and civil war divided them. The Northern Kingdom was decimated by the Assyrians, with a small remnant taken into captivity. The Southern Kingdom was conquered and exiled in Babylon. After their exile they were allowed to return to Palestine. Not long after that they began to rebuild but short lived, as they were conquered by Greece. Under Herod the Great, scores of male Jewish babies were slaughtered because of His jealousy and obsession of the Christ Child. In 70AD General Titus, carried out the orders given by Caesar to destroy Jerusalem, its Temple and most of its citizens. According to Josephus, over a million Jews of all ages were ruthlessly slaughtered. Many other were sold into slavery, while others were sent to Rome to die in the Gladiator Games. It is said that two years before this happened; Gentiles in Caesarea had killed 20,000 Jews and sold many into slavery. Fast forward to the year 1254, King Louis IX banished all Jews from France. In the early 1940s at least 6,000,000 Jews were exterminated by the Nazi’s. In 1948 Israel became a Nation, but they continue to fight for their place in this world, as Anti-Semitism continues thought-out the ages.

 

As John MacArthur said, “From a historical perspective, Jews have been amoung the most continuously and harshly disadvantaged people of all time.”

 

So for this question to be asked is not a crazy one; especially in light of what Paul has been saying up this point with his Jewish brothers and sisters. What advantage does the Jew have if we are just as guilty as the Gentiles who have not known the Law? What advantage does my heritage have if God looks at me no differently than those who are outside the Commonwealth of Israel? Paul answers those questions with the greatest answers given to a people who have been through so much. (v2)

 

The Jews were entrusted with the Oracles of God.

 

Paul starts from the first, the chiefly, order of importance, and that is God’s special revelation to His people. This word “first” or in the ESV “to begin with” is the same word Jesus used when He said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matt 6:33. The main advantage is the Jews were given the oracles of God. There is no greater advantage than being under the Word of God. Think about this truth for a moment. God in His providence has chosen the foolishness of preaching as a method to save people from their natural sinful disposition.

 

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church this reminder. “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Cor 1:18-31

 

The power is not in the preacher, but in God. The power is in His Words because it is attended by the Holy Spirit. The Word of God results in blessing. “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” Luke 11:29. The Word of God is sufficient. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Tim 3:16-17. The Word is God revealed. “Behold, I come; in the scroll of the Book it is written of Me.” Psalm 40:7. The Word of God is vital for our soul. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Matt 4:4

 

The Jews couldn’t see that as an advantage, because they prided themselves to be better than everyone else. Their false security and self-righteousness, hindered them from seeing the value of Scripture over their lives, despite what they endured as His people. Jesus on many occasions exposed their hearts to this reality; but nothing was blunter than what he said to the religious elites. “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.” 

John 5:39-42

 

The advantage that the Nation had, been like fools gold to them. Especially after hearing Paul say “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.” Rom 2:28-29

If they did not have the mark of God’s Spirit within their hearts, the outward mark of circumsion in their flesh was worthless. It was almost like the Jews where strutting around like the Emperor Did With His New Clothes. A chosen people feeling proud, and special, until a little boy screams out, “The emperor has no clothes on. Up to this point, Paul is that little boy, exposing the sinner’s heart to the truth of God’s holy Word. And as God’s people, they were privileged! They had the special revelation of God; no one else had these oracles.

 

What advantage does a Jew have?

 

This would a be logical question especially since the Old Testament affirmed this truth, “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Exodus 19:6

Deut 10:14-15 Moses says, “Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.”

 

Psalm 135:4 says, “The Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession.”

 

Isaiah 43:51 says, “The people whom I formed for Myself, will declare My praise.”

 

Unfortunately! The Oracles had no value or worth to remind them of this special covenant.

 

If you knew how precious His revelation truly is; you would never ask a question like this; despite your history or your present circumstances. The same could be said of us.

 

What advantage do we have as Christians?

 

R C Sproul in his commentary reminded me, of the many times myself, sitting under bad exposition of a text in church. When Scripture is read we are blessed to be under His Word. Despite the bad liberal teaching and distortion as R C Sproul grown up in a church. He said “Everything that went before the reading of the Bible and everything that went after it was distortion and heresy. Still, in spite of the minister….not because to him….I was sitting under the Word of God.”

What advantage do we have as Christians?

 

God’s Word reveals to us the written description of God’s eternal nature. God’s Word reveals that God is the Creator and sustainer of all things. God’s Word reveals that He is perfect in holiness, in righteousness, in love and Justice. God’s Word reveals that He is infinite, majestic, and transcendent, beyond human comprehension. God’s Word reveals His redemptive plan to save sinners from themselves. God’s Word reveals that we are to be together and celebrate the God of the Bible as a church family.

 

The believer’s heart should be the songs of the Psalms. “Oh, how I love You Law! it is my meditation all the day.” Psalm 119:97

 

The believer’s heart should be satisfied in His Word. “My soul keeps Your testimonies, And I love them exceedingly.” Psalm 119:167

 

The believer’s heart show delight in His Word. “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:2

 

The believer’s heart esteems the Word of God above all else. “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12

 

The believer’s heart is noble when they search and study the Word of God. “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:11

 

Like the Jews, we have been “entrusted” with the very 

words of the one and only true God.

The Jews were privileged beyond measure but with

this privilege comes great responsibility.

 

William Cowper wrote, “They, and they only, amongst all mankind, Received the transcript of the eternal Mind; Were trusted with His own engraven laws, And constituted guardians of His cause; Theirs were the prophets, their the priestly call, And theirs, by birth, the Savior of us all.”

 

Sadly they focused on the privilege and not the responsibility. They were to set the way for the coming Messiah who would deliver them from their sins. The church today is no different in application terms! We are a privileged people, but with this privilege come great responsibility.

 

What responsibility?

 

Proclaim the gospel to a broken and sin-filled world about our great God and King, who came to save sinners from the wrath of God righteous judgement.“faith… comes by hearing the Word of Christ” Rom 10:17

The wisest thing a person could ever do, even if they are lost;

is to be under the reading and teaching of God’s holy Word.

 

This where the church is failing! Praising God for the privilege, but failing in the responsibility to be “Bible Saturated.” Sitting and dabbling our feet in shallow end of the pool; when you should be diving into the deep end to search into the riches of His Words. Charles Spurgeon said, “If heavenly gold is not worth digging for, you’re not likely to discover it.” John Piper said, “If we want to walk away from the Bible with authority in our bones like fire, we must learn to grow hungry in our Bible reading — we must learn to grow discontent with splashing in the shallows and learn to swim in the deeps. We must labor in looking at the book.” The advantage the Jews had and we have by application is that we hold the very words of God and we are never to squander that for anything.

 

The second advantage the Jews had, they had the integrity of God, Himself. (v3-v4) Does Jewish unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? Absolutely not! God promises to be faithful to Abraham’s descendants, even though the Jews stood guilty before a holy God. God’s faithfulness is not contingent on the Jews faithfulness, and same could be applied to you and me. God’s faithfulness isn’t determined by our lack or abundance of faith.

 

God is always faithful in everything He does

 

Those who don’t believe in God and the gospel don’t diminish the promises of God. We are all covenant breakers….but God is the covenant keeper. We are the liars, God is not! Paul uses the oracles of God to shut the mouths of his Jewish brothers. He appeals to the language of David, uttered in a state of deep repentance for past transgressions. “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.” Psalm 51:3-4. David was driven to his knees in the great example of repentance before a holy God. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! Psalm 51:1-2. The beautiful reality that we see in David’s Psalm of repentance is that it doesn’t nullify the perfection, the majesty, and the holiness of God. Let every man be a lair…because God is true in all His dealings with His people.

 

If every person agreed that God is wrong,

they still found as liars.

 

God is trustworthy at all times and as we see in the repentance of David he made no attempt to minimize his guilt before a God, who is true. (v4) This was David’s only hope and it our only hope as well before God. Genuine repentance! No minimizing our guilt before a holy God who is a Just Judge. Why? R C Sproul said “If we were to die tonight and wake up in hell tomorrow morning, we would be most unhappy, but we would know that the fact that we are there is just.”

 

God’s truth is unchallengeable.  “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” Numbers 23:19. God’s truth endures towards all generations. “For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:5. If every human being who ever lived declared that God is faithless, God would be found true and every man a liar. God will win the verdict when the world goes on trial. “I said in my alarm, "All mankind are liars." Psalm 116:4. This is our comfort! That is what Paul declares is true and faithful and His Word is entirely trustworthy. This is the advantage we have as God’s children; this was the advantage the Jews had as they went through seasons as a Nation for God’s glory and their good. Paul would later in this letter remind the Jews of their great advantage as God’s chosen people in (Rom 9:4-5).

 

What were the other advantages?

 

Adoption As Sons….. God’s sovereign act drawing the Jewish people into a special family relationship with Him.

 

Divine Glory…… witnessing God’s glory as He displayed it on Mount Sinai, at the giving of the Law.

 

The Covenants…… The Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic covenants. God promises throughout the covenants to lead His people throughout their journey.

 

Temple Worship….. God’s manifestation of His presence in the Tabernacle, as He taught them the appropriate way to approach Him in worship through sacrifices, until the Perfect Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

 

Receiving Of The Law……By what we see here in (v2) the “Oracles of God”.

 

The Promises…..They are sure and reliable, since God is the one who made and spoke them to the Nation of Israel.

 

The Patriarch’s…… the wonderful advantage of their ancestry through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

 

Human Ancestry of Jesus Christ……. Being related to Christ doesn’t save you, but it is a great place to start.

 

We see the advantages the Jews had throughout their generation but we also see some similarities as God’s people today through the gospel confession. We have been adopted as sons and daughters through His redeeming grace. We have the glory of His presence through the Holy Spirit. We have the covenant in His blood through the gospel confession of Christ. We have the manifestation of God in our worship, as we come together to praise Him through the Word of God. We have Ten Commandments embed into our hearts as reminder of God’s holy law. We have the promise of eternal life through the All-Sufficient Scriptures. We have the Patriarch as an example of our extended family, since we are “imago dei” We have been graphed into their ancestry through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

The Jews were greatly advantaged over other nations and so are we as His adopted children into the His Son. We get the privilege to be under the teaching of God’s Word in a Bible believing church. This is why I keep saying “Church is essential” to be here this morning is a precious joy and privilege to worship together. This is where we come together to be under the Word of God, the word that brought you and me eternal life. The Jews throughout generation squandered this joy; and if were not careful we will do the same and have a wrong view of God’s justice. (v5-v7).

To be under the Word of God and knowing that God is always true; is a wonderful advantage to be under.

 

We are here because of the imperishable seed through the living and enduring Word of God. “Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever." And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:23-25

 

We are an advantaged people, because our past condition was not good, we were lost, and under God’s wrath. Once blind to His truth and spiritually bankrupt. But now found by the Living Word of God.

 

The Law exposed my heart to my sinful disposition and

His grace is what brought me in through His Son.

 

We are an advantaged people, so don’t squander this grace

given to sinners like you and me, with the time you have left this side of Heaven.