The LLM Question for 6-14-2013 - Pastor David

Today we are considering the meaning of the statement in Romans 1:16...TO THE JEW FIRST.

To the Jew first, and also to the Greek...Romans 1:16. In Mark 7:24-30 we learn that the Jew was more than first, and the poor Greek had a difficult time getting in at all. The twelve apostles asked the LORD Jesus to send her away without a blessing, Matthew 15:23. Then Christ said...I am not sent but unto Israel in Matthew 15:24. Christ said to that Greek woman this significant thing...let the children, the Jews, FIRST BE FILLED, AND, It is not meet to take the bread of the children and cast it to dogs. That is in Mark 7:27.

Let us keep in mind that Christ came unto His own, John 1:11. Christ was born to be the Saviour of Israel...Acts 13:23. Christ, the Stone, had to be rejected by Israel, the Builders, we see that in Matthew 21:42, BEFORE the salvation of Romans 11:11 would be sent to Gentiles in order to provoke Israel to jealousy. One of the most important keys to the truth concerning Gentiles salvation by Grace is the truth of Acts 5:29-32...that Christ was raised up TWICE to be the Savior of Israel...first in incarnation, and second in resurrection. This same truth is stated in Acts 13:23 and Acts 13:30-36. Christ said that His own, the children of the kingdom, would be cast into outer darkness. Matthew 8:12. After that He wept as He pled with them. Luke 13:34-35.

But as we turn from this sorrowful message of Christ in Luke 13:34-35 to Matthew 23:30-39, we turn from compassionate love and indignation to awful wrath and indignation, for, in Matthew, the children of the kingdom who were to be filled FIRST, were called serpents and a generation of vipers. Matthew 23:33. This seems to be worse than the Gentiles. The Gentiles were dogs. The Jews were serpents and vipers, far worse than dogs. They were to have something worse than the darkness of Matthew 8:12, even the damnation of hell. Matthew 23:33.

But as we think of Mark 7:26-27 and Matthew 23:33, and, the serpents and the dogs, let us also think of what the Apostle Paul said, years later, to the Jews...the serpents, first and ALSO to the Greeks...the dogs. Romans 1:16.

With all of that said...here is the LLM Question for 6-14-2013: Is the Order of God Today to the Jew First? Respond at http://www.lionandlambministry.com/index.php/todays-question