December 8, 2024 – Romans 9:25 – 10:8

Lesson Date: December 8, 2024

Focal Scripture Passage: Romans 9:25 – 10:8

AIM: To lead students to discover some reasons people reject the Savior, and to give any who are not saved an opportunity to trust Jesus by faith.

Before class: Read the notes on Romans 9:25 – 10:8 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book. 

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Ask: “How many of you have ever seen people outside a store selling items or taking donations for some worthy cause?” (they all have).  Tell them these groups hope the customers entering and leaving the store will purchase their goods or contribute to their cause.

Ask the students to imagine for a moment that as they approach a store they notice a table with a large sign that reads “FREE COOKIES.”  Tell them the friendly people at the table are offering a wide variety of beautiful and delicious-looking cookies, including gluten free cookies and sugar free cookies.  Tell the class the people are not accepting payment or donations, they are just giving away free cookies.

Tell the students to imagine that they observe the following reactions to the free cookies:

• Some people walk by without getting a free cookie because they think they are meant for others and not themselves.
• Some people ignore the free cookies because they don’t think they are good enough or deserve to receive any.
• Some people offer to pick up trash or help at the table because they want to earn their free cookie.
• Some people reject the free cookies and insist that they can make better cookies themselves.
• Some people gladly receive the free cookies with an attitude of thankfulness.

Explain that this is a simple illustration of some of the ways people respond to Jesus. 

Read John 1:11-12. 

Ask: “Who did Jesus come to?” (His own people, the Jews).  Ask: “How did they respond to Him?” (most of them rejected Him).  Ask: “What happened to those who received Jesus?” (they became children of God).

Tell the class the title of today’s lesson is Don’t Reject The Savior.  Tell them we will discover some reasons people reject Jesus, as well as reasons everyone should accept Him as Savior.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Be sure everyone has a copy of the new Sunday School Member Quarterly.
   • Remind them that we are studying the New Testament book of Romans.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (The Sovereign Savior; we discovered that God exercises sovereign rule over salvation and human events).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verses (Romans 10:9-10).
2. The Savior Calls Jews and Gentiles.
   • Tell the class last week’s lesson ended with Romans 9:24, and we are going to begin there.
   • Read Romans 9:24.
   • Ask: “According to verse 24, who did God call to salvation?” (Jews and Gentiles).
   • Stress the fact that everyone on earth is either a Jew or a Gentile, so that means salvation is available to everyone, regardless of nationality or ethnicity.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 8:28 and 30 (which were in last week’s lesson).
   • Explain the following:
     • Those verses explain more about God’s calling in salvation.
     • The other verses we will read today contain many quotations from the Old Testament.
   • Tell the class God calls both Jews and Gentiles to be saved.
   • Ask: “Are you either a Jew or a Gentile?” (yes).
   • Read Romans 9:25-26 (which are quoted from the Old Testament book of Hosea).
   • Ask: “According to verse 25, who does God call to be His people?” (those who were not previously His people; in other words, lost people).
   • Ask: “What does verse 26 say God does for those who don’t reject the Savior, but receive Him?” (He makes them His children; Rom. 8:14-18).
   • Summarize: Some people reject the Savior because they think He is for somebody else, but the Bible says Jesus calls everyone (Jews and Gentiles) to be saved.
3. The Savior Graciously Preserves a Remnant.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 9:27-29 (which are quoted from the Old Testament book of Isaiah).
   • Ask: “According to verse 27, how many will be saved?” (a remnant).
   • Remind the class that John 1:11-12 says most of the Jews of Jesus’ day rejected Him, but some (a remnant) believed in Him and were saved.
   • Ask: “What does verse 29 say should have been Israel’s fate?” (they should have been destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah).
   • Tell the class that most of the Israelites were sinful, but God’s grace preserved a remnant.
   • Ask: “What does Romans 3:23 tell us about everyone on earth?” (we are all sinners).
   • Explain the following:
     • Everyone on earth is a sinner and no one deserves salvation, but God graciously preserves and saves some.
     • Apart from God’s grace, every sinner would be destroyed.
     • No one is “good enough” or worthy to be saved.
     • Some people refuse salvation because they don’t think they are good enough.
   • Summarize: Some people reject the Savior because they think they are too bad, but the Bible says Jesus preserves and saves a remnant for Himself.
4. The Savior Saves By Faith, Not Works.
   • Read Romans 9:30-31.
   • Ask: “Gentiles were known as sinners who did not even try to be righteous, but what does verse 30 say those who accepted Jesus by faith attained?” (righteousness; their faith was accounted to them for righteousness; Rom. 4:3; 2 Cor. 5:21).
   • Ask: “According to verse 31, did Israel achieve righteousness by trying to follow the Law?” (no).
   • Tell the class that Israel rejected Christ by clinging to their Law; in other words, they were so focused on obeying the rules of the Old Testament Law that they missed their Messiah, who was promised and prophesied in the very Law to which they clung.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 9:32-33 (which are quoted from the Old Testament book of Isaiah).
   • Ask: “Why didn’t Israel attain righteousness?” (because they tried to achieve it by works).
   • Explain the following:
     • Verse 32 says the Law became a stumbling block to the Jews.
     • Verse 33 says Jesus is a stumbling stone to those who reject Him, but He gives salvation to those who believe.
   • Summarize: Some people reject the Savior because they are trying to earn salvation by doing good works, but the Bible says Jesus saves by faith, not by works.
5. The Savior Doesn’t Save Based on Zeal or Self-Righteousness.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 10:1.
   • Ask: “What was Paul’s great desire for his fellow Jews?” (that they would be saved, as we learned in Rom. 9:1-3).
   • Read Romans 10:2-4.
   • Tell the class that in verse 2 Paul said the Jews were zealous, but ignorant.
   • Ask: “According to verse 3, what were the Jews trying to establish?” (their own righteousness)
   • Stress the fact that self-righteousness is a rejection of Christ’s gift of righteousness.
   • Ask: “According to verse 4, who receives Christ’s gift of righteousness (salvation)?” (everyone who believes in Jesus).
   • Summarize: Some people reject the Savior through their zealous self-righteousness, but the Bible says Jesus gives righteousness to (saves) only those who believe.
6. The Savior Makes Salvation By Faith Readily Available.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 10:5 (which are quoted from the Old Testament book of Leviticus).
   • Tell the class this verse says if you try to live by the Law, you must keep all of its requirements perfectly forever.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 10:6-8 (which are quoted from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy).
   • Explain that these verses reveal that Christ is not far away or unattainable; in fact, salvation is as near and readily available as the Word of God.
   • Summarize: Some people reject the Savior because they think He is unattainable, but the Bible says salvation is readily available to anyone who comes to Jesus in faith.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the class that the title of today’s lesson is Don’t Reject The Savior.  Tell them in Romans 9:24 – 10:8 we have discovered the following:

• Some people reject the Savior because they think He is for somebody else, but the Bible says Jesus calls Jews and Gentiles (that means everyone) to be saved.
• Some people reject the Savior because they think they are too bad, but the Bible says Jesus preserves and saves a remnant for Himself; no one is too bad or sinful to be saved.
• Some people reject the Savior because they are trying to earn salvation by doing good works, but the Bible says Jesus saves by faith, not by works.
• Some people reject the Savior through their zealous self-righteousness, but the Bible says Jesus gives righteousness to (saves) only those who believe.
• Some people reject the Savior because they think He is unattainable, but the Bible says salvation is readily available to anyone who comes to Jesus in faith.

Read John 1:11-12 again.  Ask: “What happened to most of the Jews of Jesus’ day?” (they rejected Jesus and His offer of salvation).  Ask: “What happened to those who received Jesus by faith?” (Jesus saved them and made them children of God).

Tell the students that salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ is a free gift and readily available to anyone who is willing to put aside their supposed goodness or good works and accept Jesus by faith. 

Say, “Don’t reject the Savior!”  Urge everyone to accept Jesus if they have never done so.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Ask: “Have you ever accepted the Savior, Jesus Christ?  If not, would you like to?”  Tell any who want to accept the Savior to silently confess and turn from their sin, and to trust Jesus for salvation by faith alone.  Allow a moment for silent prayer, and then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Romans 10:13, which says anyone who sincerely calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.  Tell them to look for opportunities this week to tell others about Jesus.