https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiHGHJyWoeI
Welcome to Covenant of Hope Ministries and our combined written and live Sunday sermon. You will normally see us posted in written and live form on Sunday. I am Rev. Laura A. Neff. Our ministry was built on the truth of God’s love and sharing the Word of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus in a way that we believe embraces the ways Jesus taught us to manage. We bring His Word to the many as opposed to the few, in order to continue the legacy created by the ministry of Jesus Christ.
You will find us in the following location: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Rev. Laura’s other sites: Facebook & Blogspot & Twitter & Linkedin & USAlife & YouTube
Wedding officiant page: Wedfolio
Prayer List: We have many on our prayer list. Some wish to remain anonymous, and others only wish to have their first names mentioned. Our prayer list grows or changes every week. This is our current list.
- Please pray for Evangelist Cal Jennings who has been having issues with pain and pain relief of late and other respiratory and circulatory issues. He has also been suffering strange effects from one of his medications, but has come off that medication to relieve those effects. Pray that the doctors can provide insight to this and change that medication properly.
- Please continue praying for Evangelist Cal Jennings’ sister who has been in rehabilitation after having her benign brain tumor removed.
- Please pray for my friend Jessica who has been sick for a week.
- Pray for the war torn countries of Israel and Kuwait at this time.
- Pray for the victims and survivors of the attacks by Hamas.
- Pray for the victims of the many shootings around this world this past week.
- Please keep several friends and other family members in prayer for their trials and tribulations. They have each requested to remain anonymous for the time being.
Several who are having money issues of varying degrees.
There are a few who are having chronic ongoing health issues, and diseases including cancer for several of them.
One who is continually suffering from loneliness that keeps them from peace and patience.
One cousin is having a great many issues in their family include several diagnoses that are a lot to process for them.
Our uncle has been in the hospital and has now started rehabilitation while suffering from cancer, for which he will undergo treatment. Our aunt, his wife, is also suffering from cancer, due for a double mastectomy and treatment as well. They both thank you all for your prayers.
- Pray for those who have suffered from violent events, that they heal and do not have scarred psyches and that those who have lost their loved ones to violence find peace in the face of fear.
- Pray for comfort and solace to be shared with those who have said farewell to a loved one this week, known or unknown.
- Be thankful for each day we live as we do not know what
tomorrow brings.
- Pray for our nations that the voice of God be heard through the Spirit.
- Pray for our friends and families that their tomorrows bring blessings and
pray our own be the same.
- Pray for those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of faith and hope.
- Pray for our sick and wounded that they may heal.
- Pray for those who are serving our countries around this world.
- Pray for those who celebrate here in the USA for Thanksgiving this week, that they arrive safely at their destinations and do the same when returning home.
Prayer: Father in heaven, we are here to praise You for Your love and the gifts you have bestowed upon us. During this Thanksgiving season we are thankful for each day that we awaken to greet Your hope and more. We bring our families, friends, colleagues, and all those who need prayer up to You right now. We bring up our family members and friends who have diseases that need Your hand in healing from, so that their health returns once more. We also continue to pray for our soldiers in the field. Bring faith, patience, and more to those who need it. We bring our sick and wounded up to You for healing and solace from Your glory and grace. We pray a safe return voyage for all of those who are traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday in the USA. We pray for all of this in Your Holy Name, our Savior Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Amen and so it shall be.
Opening Song: You Are the Vine, We Are the Branches https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw5En1VoYYw
Sermon: Today we are continuing our study of the eleventh chapter in the scroll of Romans. Now, after next week we will be studying in relation to the season of Advent, which begins one week from now and extends to Epiphany, the first Sunday after the New Year. We will then resume our study of the last five chapters in the Scroll of Romans. Let us begin here for today.
Romans 11:16 KJV – For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
NIV – If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches.
There are so many reasons to pay attention to what Jesus taught in regard to being fruitful in our faith and allowing our faith to grow and spread toward those who are around us. Paul is simply bringing this equation back into view. Yet, in truth, being fruitful in our faith was noted long, long, before Jesus was conceived by the Virgin Mary. Here are examples of those indicators.
Numbers 15:18 KJV – Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you,
NIV – “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land to which I am taking you.
Nehemiah 10:37 KJV – And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
NIV – “Moreover, we will bring to the storerooms of the house of our God, to the priests, the first of our ground meal, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees and of our new wine and olive oil. And we will bring a tithe of our crops to the Levites, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all the towns where we work.
Ezekiel 44:30 KJV – And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest's: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.
NIV – The best of all the firstfruits and of all your special gifts will belong to the priests. You are to give them the first portion of your ground meal so that a blessing may rest on your household.
Paul continues to relay this repeated memory from the parable of the Vine and Branches as spoken by Jesus here in this next verse.
Romans 11:17 KJV – And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
NIV – If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
Notice how Paul relays the connection between us and Jesus and then also between us and God? Though it is not identical in content to what Jesus taught in John 15, it is enough to recognize and realize that we are, all of us, connected to the same root as humankind. Social status, education, all of that doesn’t matter. What matters is our faith and belief in what is being taught through Paul’s point of view as one of the Twelve Apostles taught specifically to spread the Word as spoken by Jesus Christ, our eternal and infinite ability to experience His view of heaven upon the moment He returns to this earth. Yet, Jesus was not the first to speak of the connection between God and humanity. Here we see what Jeremiah has to say.
Jeremiah 11:16 KJV – The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
NIV – The Lord called you a thriving olive tree with fruit beautiful in form. But with the roar of a mighty storm he will set it on fire, and its branches will be broken.
I suggest you read through John Chapter 15 for yourself, here are the first verses to portray what Jesus meant in connecting Himself to God the Father, and then each and every faithful believer to Him, thus directly connecting each of us to God in an infinitely eternal and monumental way.
John 15:1-2 KJV – I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
NIV – “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
Paul adds to this with a reference to his letter to the church congregation at Ephesus.
Ephesians 2:11 KJV – Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
NIV – Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—
Paul continues his repetition of the Vine and Branches and reminds us that we cannot use the seven troubles to discuss our faithful connection with Jesus because that would do exactly the opposite of our aim as Christians. We should want and need to have this connection, but if we exploit this connection by vanity, or provoke envy, enmity, lust, wrath, shame, or doubt, we then nullify that faithful belief and the connection will require repair, which only God and Jesus can grant. This is how Paul portrays that.
Romans 11:18-19 KJV – Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.
NIV – do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”
Paul again connects this to the gospel as written by John the Beloved and our Savior’s own words. He adds a reference to his pupil, Luke’s writing through the Acts of the Apostles.
John 4:22 KJV – Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
NIV – You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.
Acts 25:7 KJV – And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
NIV – When Paul came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them.
Unbelief, the opposite of belief, can be detrimental to our very souls. In this factor, again we connect to the Vine and Branches parable. I suggest you read through the whole chapter of John 15 to ensure that you understand these connections to this series of verses Paul relays to the church at Rome. His next verse here points out this significant connection that we all should realize in this world even today. We all know that our faith can be shaken, broken, and repaired. This is just more proof for that.
Romans 11:20 KJV – Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
NIV – Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble.
Fidelity is important to God and it should be to us as well. What is the importance of fidelity? For those who don’t recognize this word, it has six definitions. Only five of these connect to what Paul is sharing. Those definitions are:
· strict observance of promises, duties, etc.: a servant's fidelity.
· loyalty: fidelity to one's country.
· conjugal faithfulness.
· adherence to fact or detail.
· accuracy; exactness: The speech was transcribed with great fidelity.
Jesus is, as He was, notorious for pointing out facts and specific details. Jesus also was very strict in observance of all the promises and duties He had to adhere to. He was loyal to His Apostles, Disciples, Family, and Friends, as well as to God, the Creator of Everything. He pointed out every inaccuracy that was occurring throughout Jerusalem and all of Israel. We see part of that in this conversation he held with the woman married many times.
John 4:17-18 KJV – The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
NIV – “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
Paul also drew influence again from the writings of Luke in the Acts of the Apostles and James the brother of Jesus.
Acts 13:46-47 KJV – Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
NIV – Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
Acts 18:6 KJV – And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
NIV – But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
James 2:19 KJV – Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
NIV – You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Paul emphasizes the direct relationship between the Vine and Branches and life there in Rome at the time. As said before, it wasn’t easy for the Romans to transform from worshipping a pantheon of gods to worshipping God alone. It’s something that occurs to this very day as people choose to follow Jesus toward a good and faithful relationship with God. No path is identical, nor are they easy to traverse. This is how Paul shares that.
Romans 11:21-22 KJV – For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
NIV – For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
Paul relies on the Word as we all should do. He points toward the poetic and prophetic portions of Scripture from King David’s words in Psalms and the words of Jeremiah as well.
Psalm 31:19 KJV – Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
NIV – How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.
Jeremiah 25:29 KJV – For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.
NIV – See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my Name, and will you indeed go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword on all who live on the earth, declares the Lord Almighty.’
Paul also draws reference from his first letter to Corinth and also the words of the Hebrew prophets.
1 Corinthians 15:2 KJV –By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
NIV –By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
Hebrews 3:6 KJV – But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
NIV – But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.
Hebrews 3:14 KJV – For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
NIV – We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
Reconciliation with God is our ultimate goal. This is something Paul points out. Unbelief, much like Disbelief, can be a stumbling stone, even for those who claim to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Yet, this stumbling stone can be overcome, and we can once again become part of that vine and its branches. This is what Paul shares.
Romans 11:23 KJV – And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.
NIV – And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
What are the gifts we can receive from this grafting? There are a great many. One of those is “grace”. Here are points to prove that factor. One from the Old Testament, one in the words of our Savior Jesus Christ, and another from the Second letter to Corinth and also reference to the Hebrew prophets.
Zechariah 12:10 KJV – And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
NIV – “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
Matthew 23:39 KJV – For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
NIV – For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
2 Corinthians 3:16 KJV –Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
NIV –But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
Hebrews 3:19 KJV – So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
NIV – So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
Our last two verses from the eleventh chapter of Romans as written by Paul had to be connected together as one, regardless of their length, because we have to have the complete thought to reflect upon. As we approach the season of Advent, we often consider the connections we have with family, friends, and all the rest. We should do this much more regularly than just once or twice a year. This should be an everyday occurrence. Here’s what Paul shares.
Romans 11:24-25 KJV – For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
NIV – After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree! 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,
Ignorance is something that we negatively note on many occasions. In this case, Paul wants to wage war against ignorance. This is something that most of the common world doesn’t always get the opportunity to overcome because the resources haven’t been available. However, that doesn’t mean that all ages, all levels of society, are unable to connect to those resources. It only means that we often want to take the easy route and not work harder to achieve more and erase our own specific points of ignorance. One thing that doesn’t change, no matter status or stature, is free will. Every person on this earth, no matter their age, has the gift of free will available from the moment of creation, as it was in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Our free will can get us into, and out of, trouble. Free will can help us build our faith in every possible and sometimes what humans consider impossible ways. Remember, nothing is impossible for God and Jesus to achieve. With God and Jesus, we can overcome everything in our way. We just have to remember Him in the process. We see this in these eight excerpts from Scripture, relaying the words of King David, the prophet Hosea, the Word of Jesus as shared by gospel writers Matthew, Luke, and John the Beloved.
Psalm 107:43 KJV – Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
NIV – Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the Lord.
Hosea 14:9 KJV – Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
NIV – Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
Matthew 13:11 KJV – He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
NIV – He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
Luke 21:24 KJV – And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
NIV – They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
John 10:16 KJV – And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
NIV – I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
Paul adds to this with reference to his letter to Ephesus and also John the Beloved’s Revelation.
Ephesians 3:3-4 KJV – How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
NIV – that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
Ephesians 3:9 KJV – And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
NIV – and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.
Revelation 10:7 KJV – But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
NIV – But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
Note this last verse and what it shares. Reference to the number seven, which, like one, three, ten, and twelve, are significant in the study of Christianity. It points out here that the mystery of God will be accomplished through the sounding of that seventh angel’s trumpet. He is reminding us that we need to be vigilant in expanding our faith in righteousness and continue to study the Word as written in the Scriptures of God’s Word and walk in truth and righteousness together. Everyone has the opportunity to walk in the faithful steps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The ability to do this requires us to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If you are willing to do so, please leave me a note in the comments and I’ll be in touch. Now that’s something to think about as we pray in the prayer that Jesus taught us saying:
Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)
Closing Song: O Holy Night ~ Home Free https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO6OZIY-lYw
~ Shalom ~
Rev. Laura A. Neff
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Evangelist Calvin Jennings
Covenant of Hope Ministries Main Site: http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Scripture Excerpts: The New Open Bible Study Edition: Copyright © 1990: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright © 1982: E. E. Gaddy and Associates, Inc.
Scripture Excerpts: Holy Bible: Copyright ©circa 1890-1910: International Bible Press, The John C. Winston Co.; Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sermon or Study Copyright © 2023 http://www.covenantofhopeministries.blogspot.com
Our mission for Covenant of Hope Ministries is not to
exploit fear, but to conquer it, and overcome all that is
created through fear
together as the bringers of the
light of Jesus found in the midst of darkness.
