A Broke Evangelist

December 1, 2024

Romans 11:17-21

HGTV – Humbled, Grafted, and Totally Victorious 

“17If 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, 18do 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. 19You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.”

I’ll never look at bananas the same way again. Especially not after hearing that some fancy auction house slapped one on a wall with duct tape and sold it for a jaw-dropping $6.2 million! Yep, a duct-taped banana. That’s the same kind of fruit we let rot in the fruit bowl every week in my house. This banana became the Picasso of potassium. The artist called it “Comedian.” It’s appropriate, because the real joke here is on us.

And the absurdity doesn’t end there. The proud new owner of this masterpiece of modern art didn’t carefully preserve it or lock it away in a humidity-controlled vault. Nope. He ate it. Yes…ATE it. He spent $6.2 million, and instead of savoring the glory of owning groundbreaking “art,” he made himself a snack. Is that what rich people do when they’re hungry? Forget Uber Eats—just feast on your investment portfolio.

What’s interesting is that this same artist sold a banana the same way a few years ago for the bargain price of $120,000 (see what Bidenomics does?) That banana was supposedly a satirical jab at the art world. But this time? It’s more like a sucker punch to the economy. A fruit-and-tape combo becoming the latest Mona Lisa shows just how bananas things have gotten (pun absolutely intended).

So, how do you get the kind of cash to blow on a glorified grocery item? It turns out, while the rest of us are over here counting coupons and deciding whether guac at Chipotle is worth it (it always is, by the way), some people are riding the wave of loose money sloshing around in the economy. Over the last five years, the global money supply has ballooned faster than a kid’s birthday party bounce house, thanks to stimulus packages, low interest rates, and a sprinkle of good ol’ government (“what could go wrong?”) spending.

At the same time, Sotheby’s—the well-known big-shot auction house—was drowning in debt and needed a billion-dollar bailout. To stay afloat, they’ve been selling anything they can slap a price tag on, including, apparently, bananas. It’s a desperate marketing move, like a garage sale where someone tries to convince you their old VHS tapes are collector’s items. And guess what? There’s always a sucker. Enter this young guy, a crypto king with a knack for making headlines and, apparently, terrible financial decisions. This is the guy who spent millions on the banana and then ate it, presumably to show off how fabulously nonsensical his wealth is.

But here’s the deeper message: The world economy, much like modern art, makes absolutely no sense. While some of us are out here praying our paycheck lasts until next Tuesday, others are duct-taping their wealth to the walls—literally. So next time you’re at the grocery store and spot a lonely banana, remember it’s not just for smoothies or a quick breakfast. It’s a symbol of a world gone absolutely bananas.

But when I think about it, I wonder how much it would cost to get the whole nation talking about some ding-dong buying a banana for millions. Maybe $6.2M is a good deal. Time will tell.

Unlike the crypto king, Paul didn’t have to work hard at generating attention in his day. He was already in the crosshairs of the religious leaders as he tried to share the Gospel in Romans 11:17-21…

Romans 11:17 - 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, 

Grafting is like matchmaking for plants—except instead of swiping right, you’re slicing branches. The idea is to take a branch from one tree (let’s call it the scion, which is just a fancy term for "twig on a mission") and attach it to a different tree, known as the rootstock. The goal? To create a botanical mash-up that could rival anything on HGTV's home improvement lineup.

Here’s how it works: You take your scion, the plant world’s equivalent of a new roommate, and stick it into the rootstock, which is basically a sturdy landlord of a tree that’s already got a water and nutrient system set up. If the graft takes—and it doesn’t ghost you—the scion starts drawing all the good stuff it needs from the rootstock, settling in and eventually producing flowers or fruit like it was born there.

Now, not every graft is a success. Sometimes the branch doesn’t take, and it’s like that awkward “it’s not you, it’s me” breakup. But when it works, it’s a horticultural miracle. Imagine a tree in your backyard with oranges on one side and lemons on the other—or a rosebush that blooms in a rainbow of colors—perfect for showing off to your neighbors who thought their garden was the best on the block. But here’s something to think about: grafting isn’t just a lesson in botany—it’s a metaphor for life. It’s all about connection, adaptability, and thriving where you’re planted (even if you weren’t there to begin with). So next time you see a tree with suspiciously diverse branches, give it a little nod.

So, when we picture the rootstalk in the Bible that Paul describes, it isn’t from just any tree, but a metaphorical tree of God, with the roots tracing all the way back to Israel. Paul, in a moment of profound wisdom (and maybe after too much time gazing at olive trees), decides to use this illustration to remind the Gentiles of something crucial: that they don’t get too overconfident with what they had. The Gentiles, obviously, weren’t born branches of this tree but more like the odd stick lying on the ground, minding its own business. But God, being the gracious gardener He is, picked them up and said, “You know what? Let’s graft these guys in.” And poof! Suddenly, these rogue twigs were part of the glorious tree of faith. Paul’s point here is that while the branches aren’t particularly spectacular, it’s purely by God’s grace that the Gentiles got to join the tree. They didn’t earn it. They didn’t bribe their way in with a basket of first-century avocados. It was all God.

Romans 11:18 - 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. 

And while he was at it, Paul’s was also giving them a side-eye as if to tell the grafted branches to not go waving their leafy little selves around like they’re better than the original branches, because the original branches—Israel—are the root of this whole operation. Without them, there wouldn’t even be a tree. It’s like being invited to someone’s family barbecue and then trying to take credit for the venue. My son-in-law, who is a certified arborist, would tell us that if the root structure of a tree is damaged or dead, the rest of the tree is sure to follow. The only way for the branches to thrive is to be connected to a viable root structure, and the root of Israel was still alive and well. It is for that reason that God can graft the Gentiles in along with the original branches in order to carry out His great plan.

Romans 11:19 - You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 

Paul saw this coming from a mile away. He knew the Gentiles were about to strut in and say something like, “Well, clearly those Jewish branches were broken off to make room for me! I mean, come on, look at me—I’m obviously branch material!” Paul’s hypothetical Gentile is basically that kid on the playground who thinks they got picked for the team because they’re amazing, not because the coach ran out of players. “The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in,” they proclaim, as if they’ve just won the spiritual lottery.

Romans 11:20 - Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 

So, Paul’s response is both a reality check and a solid burn. The Gentile logic here is, “If the Jewish branches were broken off, it must be because they were terrible branches. And if I’m here now, that must mean I’m the upgrade—the deluxe model! Clearly, I’m the chosen one.” That would seem to be accurate, but…no. Paul’s telling them to slow their roll because they’re grafted in by God’s grace, and only for that reason. The Jewish branches weren’t broken off to make room, but removed for unbelief. Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly tells us that we are given the gift of eternal life through faith, and not any other reason.

Romans 11:21 - For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

Paul also tells them that just as God grafted them in, He could, theoretically, prune them right out. So maybe it’s a good idea to not test His clippers. The big takeaway here is to be humble, stay grateful, and remember that this whole tree thing is God’s thing and we’re just along for the ride, soaking up the spiritual nutrients. Next time I see a tree, I’ll be sure to give it a nod of respect—as not just a piece of nature, but as a reminder of God’s amazing grace and our place in His big, beautiful garden.

Summary:

These few verses are like a divine landscaping tutorial, showing how God’s incredible grafting plan works—complete with twists, turns, and some fallen branches. The gist of it is that when some of the original Jewish branches fell off the tree (you know, due to a lack of faith), God didn’t just leave the tree looking lopsided. Nope, He made room for the Gentiles to join in on the action. It’s not a gardening accident; it’s part of His grand plan! Now, before we start patting ourselves on the back for being the “chosen scions,” let’s remember this: the root of the tree—Israel—is the real MVP here. We’re not here because we’re particularly dazzling branches or have superior chlorophyll. It’s all thanks to God’s grace, not because of anything we’ve done or could ever do. In other words, we didn’t get grafted in because we’re bringing something mind-blowingly special to the mix. God’s like, “I love you. That’s it. Don’t overthink it.”

And here’s the simple requirement: stay humble. That’s right—no need for a big song and dance. Just be grateful. Appreciate the fact that God made room for us, saved us, and gave us a chance to flourish on His tree. It’s not complicated. He’s not asking for perfection or a dazzling fruit harvest on day one. He’s just saying, “Be thankful, stay connected, and live like you know how much I love you.” So, what’s the big takeaway? God’s plan is both beautifully simple and wildly generous. All we have to do is stick with Him, avoid acting like we’re the reason this whole tree thing is working, and let Him do what He does best—grow something amazing through us. And hey, maybe produce some good fruit along the way. No pressure, though. Just don’t be a dead branch.

More to come…

A Broke Evangelist – December 1, 2024

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