Opportunity Knocks (Advent 20, 2023)

Had the situation been “For the Jew for they alone are the Chosen Few” there would be reason to question… “Why them?” God, we could argue, would have His own reasons for how He does things, but from a human point of view, it makes for a lot of sadness at something none of us could control.

However, Jesus only said “Salvation is FROM the Jews,”
not Salvation is only FOR the Jews.

According to Romans, there’s been a break in the action, an interlude, a split screen during which we see the Jews on hold and the Gentiles experiencing the grace that takes us from being strangers and foreigners and makes us family with our Jewish brethren. Due to their partial hardening, opportunity knocks for the Gentile world.

The Apostle Paul calls it a mystery. The Jews had been given the Law and the covenants, but through Jesus’ fulfilling the Law, God’s covenant extends the family of Abraham to include those who were formerly outside the Law.

Romans 11: 25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.”

“From the Jews. For the world!” Do you see the beauty and love in this? Had the Gospel of salvation been for Jews only, the world would never have known mercy. Were God to replace the Chosen People with the Church, the historic people of God—the Jews—would not know mercy. Instead, we’re all on equal ground in need of the mercy and forgiveness of God. We’re all standing at the same door when Opportunity Knocks, and each man, woman, or child –irrespective of ethnicity–can open the door and receive Him.

Questions for further thought:

What ought to be the response of Gentiles to the Jewish people who have been temporarily spiritually blinded?

Is it right for anyone to resent God’s authority to show mercy where and when He will?

“What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. (Romans 9:14-16)

How does attempting to still follow the Law to earn righteousness depend on human effort? How does accepting that Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law set us free to depend on the finished work He did?

If you have the perfect path to eternal life, why would you seek your own path? Where are you when Opportunity Knocks?

Prayer: Father God, we thank You for Your mercy and that You have made Your mercy available to Jews and Gentiles alike. To Arabs. To Asians. To Africans. To Hispanics. To Caucasians. Thank You that among the community of the saved, there will be praise for Jesus and rejoicing by every tribe, language, and nation. Thank You, Lord, for looking at our hearts. Amen.

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

“Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.