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Pastor Lud Golz
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  Home | Transcript Archive | August | August 09, 2011

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature. (Romans 11:24) 

We’ve been studying Romans 11 for some time now. It’s time for us to consider some practical applications that surfaced in our study. 
 
Probably the first application I would make is to remember my unworthiness. Humility is the natural outcome of realizing that if it were not for God reaching out and rescuing me from the consequences of my own disobedience and independence I would be without hope. I’m not one of the chosen race, the Israelites. Thus I am what Paul called in verse 17, “a wild olive shoot.” I don’t deserve to be grafted into the chosen olive root and draw life giving sap from it. In verse 24 he says, “After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into the cultivated olive tree.” 
 
Notice the word pictures Paul uses: “a wild olive shoot,” and “contrary to nature.” With humility I need to express my gratitude to God continually for the privilege of being grafted by faith into the cultivated olive tree and share in the nourishing sap it provides. It’s truly all of grace, not of works. 
 
If you happen to be one born into the promised people, you too need to come to God in humility and faith. You are no more worthy of God’s grace than anyone else. If you don’t humbly trust in God’s grace Paul says you will be like an olive branch broken off from the olive tree. You can’t survive severed from the life giving sap that comes from the olive root. 
 
Therefore, let’s all humble ourselves before God in worship and surrender, for God resists the proud, but gives grace only to the humble.
 

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