Romans 10:1-3

 

Romans 10:1-3

Paul’s Prayer for Israel

 

Rom 10:1  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 

Rom 10:2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 

Rom 10:3  For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 

     1.      Paul’s Passion

a.       The Apostle Paul longs for the salvation of Israel

                                                              i.      Do you have a zeal to win the lost for Christ?

1.      If we long to reach the lost for Christ, are we willing to use the methods that God ordains to accomplish His work? Here are 5 scriptural methods that God uses to reach the unsaved.

a.       Prayer

                                                                                                                                      i.      Matthew 9:37-38 

b.      Preaching

                                                                                                                                      i.      1 Corinthians 1:18 

c.       Personal witnessing

                                                                                                                                      i.      Acts 1:8 

d.      Godly living

                                                                                                                                      i.      1 John 2:5-6 

e.       Love – “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” – Steven Lawson

                                                                                                                                      i.      John 13:34-35 

b.      The Apostle Paul prays for the salvation of Israel

                                                              i.      Why the first step to evangelism always prayer?

1.      Because God commands that we pray for the lost

a.       1 Timothy 2:1-4 

2.      Because God as the author of salvation has also appointed the means to our salvation and that is prayer. If this were not true, there would be no reason to pray for the unsaved.

a.       1 John 5:13-16 

           2.      Israel’s Passion

a.       Paul can testify that Israel has a tremendous zeal for the things of God

                                                              i.      Romans 9:31 

b.      Paul can also testify that Israel’s zeal does not have a basis in proper knowledge

                                                              i.      Unfortunately, zeal alone is not what get some one to heaven. In fact, passion misdirected can be very harmful. Our zeal must come from a rich knowledge of the word of God.

1.      Acts 7:51-54 

         3.      Israel’s Problem

a.       Israel ignorantly attempted to try to establish their righteousness in their own strength. Instead of seeking the righteousness of Christ they became satisfy with their own, being unaware of the true holiness of God. We must take care that we do not fall into that trap as well.

                                                              i.      Philippians 3:7-10