Romans 9:1-3 - Paul's Love for his Kinsmen

Romans 9:1-3 1 I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,

Message: Paul's Love for the Jews, his kinsmen

Time: Romulus founded ancient Rome about 753 BC. By 600 BC it had become a wealthy, flourishing city with a monarch. Around 500 BC, the monarch was overthrown. A republic resulted and after war, Rome became the only great power in the Mediterranean, succeeding the empire of Alexander the Great. Before and after the birth of Christ, Rome's dominion continued to expand to about two thirds the size of the continental US. At the time Paul wrote, Rome had a population of about 1,000,000. Most were slaves. It was a vast empire, but had many religions present. It is unknown how the church started in Rome, but Gentiles and Jews both were involved. Paul was writing to address a problem, but he wanted to be there and perhaps, make Rome his base for his missionary journey's

What the Lord is Saying:

Chapter 9, ball most definitely turns a corner and begins to express to the Jews, who he is primarily writing, God's righteousness. He wants to be clear and be honest. He even starts with a threefold expression of honesty in verse 1: I am telling the truth; I am not lying; my conscience testifies.  It is interesting that he ended chapter 8 with the relational part of sanctification, the encouragement that throughout all of life's struggles the love of God, because of our union in Christ, God is always there. He has given promises to these Christians that God will always be there and now in these verses he expresses the great sorrow and compassion that he has for them and what they are undoubtedly experiencing.

He has sorrow for the nation of Israel, God's chosen people. He understands them better than others, but he also sees that they are not embracing God as their Savior and Lord. 

In verse three he states a heartfelt burden for these people by expressing that he could wish that he was not in Christ...and they were instead. This is his great love for them. I remember chapter 1 when Paul stated that he was under obligation both to the wise and the foolish.

If there is one thing that Paul has is a burden or great desire to not only preach the gospel, but to see lives changed. Chapter 1 expresses this and starts the message that this is his number one goal in writing. He wants to see lives changed. And his love for people is so great, he'd rather see his life separated from God that to see them not know God.

Promise: July 7, 2014 Tabletalk, "Paul's love for the Jews models the love of Christ for us, in that He was willing to be rejected Himself so that His people could be saved. "