Romans (Youth) 11 - Part 2

Worship to God

Scripture: Romans 11:28-12:2

Exposure to Exposition & Exploring the Scriptures: (10-20 mins)

• Bible Drills (Memorization of OT & NT Book order)

• Guide the children to Romans 11:28 — 12:2 in the Bible. (Help them as needed, NT vs OT)

• Say: We are going to continue through Paul's letter to the church of Rome.

• We will learn that the gospel is God’s power to save everyone who believes, and we should never be ashamed of Jesus.

• Read aloud. (Ask kids to see their pointers on V28)

Opening Question

How should we live for God when we realize what He has actually done to save us?
→ Let children answer and discuss. Explain that Paul will explain in detail over the next few chapters what this looks like for believers.

Notes:
As we come to the end of Romans 11, Paul brings together everything he has taught in Chapters 9–11. He has carefully explained:

• God’s sovereignty in mercy

• Israel’s present hardening

• The salvation of the Gentiles

• And Israel’s future restoration

Paul now pauses to summarize before moving forward. This section serves as a bridge—bringing us back to where Romans 8 ended: God’s righteousness and the truth that nothing can separate us from Him.

He shifts away from his detailed explanation of Israel’s role in God’s plan and returns to his larger theme—the righteousness of God and how believers are to live in light of it.

But before moving into Romans 12, Paul closes this section with a powerful reminder:
God’s wisdom, mercy, and faithfulness are beyond human understanding.

Romans 11:28-12:2 NLT
28 Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. 30 Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. 31 Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
33 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
34 For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
    Who knows enough to give him advice?
35 And who has given him so much
    that he needs to pay it back?
36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

Chapter 12
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Notes:
Paul has just finished explaining that God is not finished with Israel. Because of their hardened hearts, God has extended His mercy to the Gentiles for a time. Yet salvation has always been for everyone, as foretold in the Old Testament through Moses, Isaiah, and many other prophets. This isn’t a new idea—it’s been part of God’s plan all along.

• V28-32 God Still Loves Israel & God Keeps His Promises

  • Paul says (v. 28):

    • From the side of the Gospel, Israel is acting like an enemy because they rejected Jesus.

    • But from God’s side, they are still beloved because of the promises He made to their fathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).

    • God allowed Israel to reject Jesus for a time so that Gentiles (like us) could receive mercy.

  • God Keeps Every Promise (v.29)

    • Long ago, God promised Israel blessings and discipline if they disobeyed.

    • When God makes a promise, He does not change His mind.

    • In Deuteronomy 29:25–28, God said that Israel would face judgment if they turned away from Him.

    • So Israel’s rejection by God today actually shows God is keeping His Word.

  • Mercy Moves in God’s Plan (vv.30–31)

    • Paul explains something amazing: Gentiles were once disobedient and God showed us mercy anyway.

    • And now, Israel is disobedient, and one day God will show them mercy, too.

    • God is working a big plan: First mercy to Israel, then mercy to Gentiles, then mercy again to Israel in a future time

  • God Is Fair to All (v.32)

    • Paul says: “God has imprisoned everyone, so everyone can experience His mercy”

    • This means: Both Jews and Gentiles have been slaves to sin, and both need mercy.

    • God allows both to experience disobedience so He can show mercy to both.

    • Everyone depends on God’s kindness for salvation.

  • Truth

    • Israel is disciplined, but still loved.

    • Gentiles received mercy, even though we were disobedient.

    • One day Israel will receive mercy again.

    • God always keeps every promise He makes.

  • Kid Point: Everyone depends on God’s kindness. God will always keep His promises.

Romans 11:33-36 Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!
34 For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
    Who knows enough to give him advice?
35 And who has given him so much
    that he needs to pay it back?
36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

• V33-36 When we understand how great God’s plan is, the right response is worship.

  • After explaining everything about Israel, Gentiles, mercy, and God’s plan, Paul doesn’t argue anymore.

    • God’s plans are perfect—even when we don’t fully understand them.

    • God’s wisdom is: Deeper than we can measure, smarter than we can understand and bigger than we can explain!

  • We Can’t Teach God (vv.34–35)

    • Paul asks three big questions:

    • Who can know the thoughts of God?

    • Who knows enough to advise God?

    • Who has ever given so much to God that God owes them something now?

    • The answer is simple — No one!

    • We don’t advise God; we don’t improve His plans: we don’t give Him anything He needs.

    • God owes us nothing: Everything we have comes from Him.

  • Everything Is About God (v.36)

    • Paul finishes with a BIG reminder that everything that exists is for HIS GLORY

    • Everything starts with God.

    • Everything happens because of God.

    • Everything is for God’s glory.

    • Salvation is God’s plan from beginning to end.

  • Why this matters for all of us?

    • When people hear that God chooses who receives mercy, hardens hearts for a time, and moves nations according to His plan, they sometimes begin to question Him.

    • But Paul shows us the right response. It’s not doubt. It’s not pride. It’s not arguing with God.
      It’s worship!!!

    • God’s plan with Israel and the Gentiles shows us that He is just, wise, faithful to His promises, and fully in control.

    • That truth should give us confidence—not fear.

  • Kid Point: Because God’s way is above ours, we should worship Him. Nothing is dependent on us mere humans!

Notes:
In Chapters 12-15, God will show believers how to live our lives in worship to God because He has saved us. Paul is teaching us how to live for Jesus in the right order. It’s not just a list of rules. It’s a plan! Think of it like a big target with circles going outward.

Paul will teach us order for living for Jesus:

• God first

• then His people

• then the world

• and always in the power of the Spirit.

Show Bulls-eye Document:

Explain:
🎯 The very center is our relationship with God.
This is the most important part. We must love God and grow closer to Him first.

⭕ The next circle is our relationship with the church (other believers).
When we grow with God, we can better love and serve other Christians.

⭕ The next circle is our relationship with the world (people who don’t believe).
When we learn to love well inside the church, we’re better prepared to share Jesus with others.

⭕ The last circle is our relationship with government and society.
We respect leaders, but God always comes first.

The center is where we will start as we enter Chapter 12. The most important part of our walk! If we don’t grow close to God first, we won’t be ready to serve others well.

Romans 12:1-2 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

• V12:1-2 Because God has saved us and loves us forever, we should live our lives to please Him.

  • Paul says “And so…” That means he is building on everything he just taught.

  • In Romans 8:36-39 he said:

    • Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

    • So now Paul says in Romans 12:1: Because you already have God’s mercy…Live in a way that honors Him.

Remember, Paul took a brief break in his teaching to discuss Israel. Some people in his audience would begin to think God had not kept His promises to Israel, so Paul used chapters 9, 10, and 11 to explain that God is still faithful and still has a plan.

Now Paul is going back to where he left off. He reminds us of the good news: God has saved you, and nothing can separate you from His love!

• Paul says: “Give your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice.” (v.1)

  • In the Old Testament, animals were sacrificed on an altar every day as worship.

  • But now: God wants us.

  • A “living sacrifice” means: Giving your life to God each day.

• What does this look like?

  • Choosing to obey Him.

  • Letting go of things that pull you away from Him.

  • Sometimes that means giving up: A bad attitude, pride, a sinful habit, or something you love that isn’t good for you

True worship is not just singing!
True worship is obedience with your entire life and body!

• Don’t Copy the World (v.2)

  • Paul says: “Do not copy or act like the  world.”

  • The world says: Do whatever makes you happy, think about yourself first, there are no consequences.

  • But God says: Follow Me. Trust Me. Live differently.

  • We cannot follow both the world and Christ at the same time.

• Be Transformed (v.2)

  • Paul says: “Be transformed into a new person by changing the way you think.”

  • To be transformed means: Changed from the inside out.

  • How does that happen? Reading God’s Word, praying, listening to godly counsel, thinking like Jesus thinks

• The Holy Spirit changes us, but the tool is God’s Word.

  • When our thinking changes, our actions change.

• Pauls main point: You cannot lose God’s love. So you don’t need to try to earn it. Instead, give your life to Him daily!

• When we live this way:

  • We show others what God’s will looks like.

  • We prove what is good and pleasing to Him.

  • We become a witness to the world.

  • We are already righteous by faith.

  • Now we live righteously to honor God.

• Kid Point: Worship Him with your entire life and body! You are NEW!

Observation Questions (What did it say?)

1. How does Paul describe Israel in relation to the Gospel and God’s promises? (Israel is currently opposed to the Gospel, but still loved by God because of His promises. v.28)

2. What does Paul say about God’s gifts and calling? (od’s gifts and calling cannot be taken back. v. 29)

3. What does Paul urge believers to present to God?  (Their bodies as a living and holy sacrifice. v.1)

Understanding Questions (What does it mean?)

1. Why is Israel’s rejection actually proof that God is faithful? (Because God is keeping both His promises of blessing and His promises of judgment. V28-29 / Duet. 29)

2. Why does Paul say we should offer ourselves as living sacrifices? (Because of God’s mercy toward us — we obey in response to His love, not to earn it. v.1)

3. What does it mean to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”? (It means allowing God to change the way we think so our lives begin to reflect His will.  v.2)

Application Questions (What should I do?)

1. How should we view Israel today knowing God still loves them?  (With humility and respect, trusting God’s plan rather than judging it. vv.28-32)

2. What is one area of your life that might need to be placed on the “altar” as a living sacrifice? ((Personal response) Something that stands in the way of obedience to Christ. v.1)

3. How can you begin renewing your mind this week? (By spending time in Scripture, prayer, and listening to God’s truth instead of copying the world. v.2)

Activities

Remind them: What is the Gospel?

Jesus’ perfect life paid for the sins of all who believe. Jesus died on the cross as the punishment for sin. But Jesus did not stay dead, three days later He rose to life (resurrection) defeating the power of death. Believe, and you will be saved!

• We are all sinful. We all deserve the consequence of sin- death.

• Jesus is what saves us from the sin we all have in our bodies. And one day, he’ll even give us a new body.

Supporting Truths Kids Can Grasp:

• God still loves Israel and keeps His promises to them. (Romans 11:28).

• God’s gifts and calling cannot be taken back. (Romans 11:29).

• God shows mercy to both Jews and Gentiles. (Romans 11:32).

• Because of God’s mercy, we are to offer our lives to Him.  (Romans 12:1).

• We are called to think differently and live differently from the world. (Romans 12:2).

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.