“For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises” (Romans 9:3-4).

The nation of Israel had so many advantages. God chose them to be the nation that would bring Jesus on the scene. He called them His sons. They saw his divine glory. They were given a covenant of promise, received the law and had a Temple built as a place where earth could touch heaven.

With all those benefits we might have expected their religious leaders to have gathered at the manger and worshiped at the feet of Jesus, the One God sent to fulfill their dreams. But, instead they misunderstood Him, opposed Him and ultimately contrived to have Him crucified.

They never understood that Jesus was not only their Messiah but had come to be a Light for the Gentiles, as well. We, too, have advantages. We have the Bible. We have the Holy Spirit. We have been given the good news that salvation has come to the undeserving because of what Jesus did. We can embrace those gifts and we can worship Jesus, the Messiah of the Jews and the Light to the Gentiles.

Jesus had the world in view and every person has the right to be grateful for that. Both Jews and Gentiles, religious and pagan, churched and unchurched. All God asks of us is to believe in Him. As the Samaritan converts said, “We know that this man really is the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).