August 2, 2018
Stumbling Block or Cornerstone
Romans 9:30-33
Ellen Lee
Central Truth
If Christ is not my sure foundation, I am sure to stumble and fall.
Romans 9:30-33
Israel's Unbelief
30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness 1 9:31 Greek a law of righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Dive Deeper | Romans 9:30-33
What’s the purpose of religion? At its heart, its purpose is to get right with God. But how? Examine the religions of the world, and you find two roads:
Works or grace.
Human effort or God's effort.
Either I believe my "good" can outweigh my "bad" (self-righteousness), or I know that’s impossible and trust that God has made a way for me, just as He promised.
Thankfully, God reminds us repeatedly that He has made the way; we only have to BELIEVE Him. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
But in Israel, we have a cautionary tale. They latched on to the law and their Jewishness as their ticket to being right with God, and it tripped them up, knocked them off course. “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12)
Because Paul knows it is in our nature to get tangled up in thinking we are responsible for making ourselves righteous, he continually points us to Christ, "a stone you can’t get around" (Romans 9:33, The Message).
I am not the Father’s beloved because I come from a Christian family, because I'm active in my church, or even because I’m doing my best to live a "good" life. I am God’s beloved because He has bought me with a price. “But God, being rich in mercy . . . even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ . . . . For by grace you have been saved through faith . . . it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9)
Said another way, I am right with God because of Christ's perfect provision, not my position, pedigree, or performance. Now that’s a lot of P’s!
This month's memory verse
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
– Romans 8:11
Discussion Questions
1. Does your religion feel like a firm foundation or a huge mountain to climb? Do you feel like answering God's call is a burden lifted or a burden carried?
2. What have you learned in Romans thus far to convince you that Christ is able to make you right with God?
3. In your life, where do you see yourself still trying to earn God's favor? Where do you see yourself expecting others to earn God's favor and judging them when they don't? Ask God to be at work in you, convincing you of the fullness of His grace and mercy for yourself and others.
4. Whom do you know who needs to hear the beauty of "in Christ alone"? Ask God for an opportunity to share with them what you've been learning on this Journey through Romans.