Saturday after the Third Sunday after the Epiphany of our Lord
Posted on January 29, 2022 by under
Scripture: Romans 11:13-22 (NKJV)
11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
Devotion
In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus built up the olive tree, even while grafting in a new branch. He healed a leper and sent him to the priests so he could be readmitted to the fellowship of God’s people, in accord with the Law. At the same time, He was willing to be considered unclean by bringing healing to the house of a Gentile. By the centurion’s stopping Him from doing so, he confessed that he didn’t need Jesus to make His message objectionable to the Jews on his account. He knew that Jesus speaking His Word would be effective, regardless of how near or far He was to the man’s paralyzed servant. Through both, Jesus demonstrates His taking away of whatever stigma might divide us from one another by taking away the sin that divides us from God.
St. Paul shows the Romans there was to be no disunity between Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ—specifically, no thinking that their being a branch grafted into the good olive tree makes them superior to the root. Indeed, they were not any more deserving than the Jewish branches that had been cut off to make place for them. They could still fall under the same severe punishment if they started thinking that their position in the body of Christ was by their own works or power, like the removed Jewish branches had done. In humility, all must reckon their salvation to be by grace alone!
Prayer: Almighty and Everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities, and in all our dangers and necessities, stretch forth the right hand of Thy Majesty, to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
