Wise Men Still Seek Him

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This is a message based on Matthew 2 which is the story of the "Wise Men" coming to worship the Christ child.

Written excerpts:

Introduction:

The story of the “wise men” from the East is an interesting part of the Christmas story in the Bible. I am aware that the events of this story actually took place “after Christmas” (i.e., the birth of Christ), but we are going to talk about it today in preparation for Christmas.

With the Lord’s help I hope to provide several details about the account to help us understand the story better, then I want to conclude by drawing some practical applications for our own personal journey with Christ.

Let us examine this story that is recorded only by Matthew by answering several questions.

1. Who is Matthew writing to and why?

Most Bible scholars describe the book of Matthew as being written primarily to Jewish readers.

There are four prominent themes that show up in a book that was written for Christians with Jewish roots and background.

First, Jesus is the Messiah, the long-awaited King of God's people. Second, Jesus is the new Abraham, the founder of a new spiritual Israel consisting of all people who choose to follow Him. This new Israel will consist of both Jews and Gentiles. Third, Jesus is the new Moses, the deliverer and instructor of God's people. Fourth, Jesus is the Immanuel, the virgin-born Son of God who fulfills the promises of the OT. (HCSB Study Bible)

It is important to understand who the recipients were because Matthew is the only one that speaks about this event. It seems evident therefore, that he felt this event (visitation of foreign dignitaries) helps confirm the point that Jesus is the new King of God’s people.

2. When did this event happen?

v. 1 - “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem… in the days of Herod the king….”

Herod was what you might call a “very colorful fellow!”

“Historical sources reveal Herod to have been extremely paranoid. He had three of his own sons and one of his wives killed because he feared they were plotting to overthrow him.” Wesleyan Bible Commentary

It’s no wonder he slaughtered all the baby boys in Bethlehem to get rid of one he perceived to be a threat to his rule.

Historians tell us that Herod the Great died in the year of 4 B.C.

This event would have taken place prior to his death, so it had to be earlier than 4 B.C. Some suggest the winter of 5 B.C.

It also is thought by many commentators that it must have happened up to two years after the birth of Christ, because of Herod’s decision to kill all baby boys under the age of two after he inquired of the wise men about the time they saw the star.

It is important to note that “Jesus was called a Child (paidion, here in vv. 9, 11) rather than a newborn Infant (brephos, [babe] Luke 2:12). The Bible Knowledge Commentary

The only discrepancy could be that the “star” appeared before the birth of Christ in order to get the wise men to their destination at an appropriate time to worship him.

3. Who were the “wise men?”

magos occurs only in Daniel 2:2,10 and describes a group of people possessing knowledge of Babylonian religious and magical arts, whom Nebuchadnezzar summoned to interpret his dream.
- HCSB Study Bible

Other writers describe their origin as being Persia, or some other regions around Babylon or Persia.

They probably practiced a combination of astrology, magic, and other pagan religions.

4. Why did they come?

·        “The irony in the passage is difficult to miss: The Jewish King Herod in Jerusalem attempted to slaughter baby Jesus born in nearby Bethlehem, while pagan devotees of a foreign religion recognized Messiah's star, traveled a great distance to find Him, presented Him with valuable gifts, and paid homage to Him.” - HCSB Study Bible

It is certainly interesting to think about the possibility that they were going on information that they would have received from their ancestors who were contemporary with the prophet Daniel.

This emphasizes the importance of serving God wherever the Lord allows us to be “transplanted.”

They came to worship Him, and present gifts to Him. With what little information they had, they still understood that He deserved honor and reverence. They had understood, perhaps by divine revelation, that He deserved their best efforts in getting there and in giving of gifts.

5. What was the star?

·        Some claim it was a planetary body as we normally think of with the term “star,” including a comet or a conjunction of planets such as Jupiter, Saturn & Mars.

“Astronomers have been able to determine that these two planets [Jupiter & Saturn] appeared to overlap each other in the Pisces constellation in 7 b.c. Since Jupiter was the planet of royalty, Saturn the planet of Palestine, and Pisces the sign of the last days, ancient astrologers might easily have concluded that an end-time king of the Jews had been born. Interesting as these explanations may be, they do not explain the way in which the star led the Magi directly to the house where Jesus was in Bethlehem as mentioned in Matthew 2:9.” Wesleyan Bible Commentary

·        Some have raised the possibility that it was some type of miraculous light, perhaps something like the pillar of fire God used to guide the Israelites out of Egypt.

It does seem that it had to be something distinct from a bright star as we think of stars, because they are so far above the earth, it could hardly pinpoint a single house. (Like chasing the proverbial “pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow. It looks like it is “right over there” until you get there and then you realize the bow is still just as far away as it was.)

6. What lessons can we learn from this event?

·        HCSB Study Bible - “…the summons of the magi to visit Jesus demonstrates God's intention to save Gentiles from their futile religions.”

As this writer implies, we need to remember that no one has a “lock” on the grace of God. He is not willing that any should perish, and in this case, that even means pagan priest-magicians from a distant land.

God has always been in the business of drawing the undesirables and the unlikely people into His love and salvation.

Jesus said that He did not come for the righteous, but for the sinners.

·        Hard Sayings of the Bible -  “Now the meaning of the story becomes clear. God speaks to some pagan astrologers by means of natural revelation through the language that they would understand (either a planetary conjunction or a comet or some other astronomical phenomenon). They respond in faith and travel a long distance seeking the king to honor and worship.... Meanwhile the Jewish people have the Scriptures that clearly indicate the birthplace of the Messiah, yet far from carefully watching that town, even when confronted by the magi they respond with upset and anger rather than faith.”

Simple faith in God’s leading brought about much better results than the religious bigotry of those who were the “experts in the Scriptures.”

It is so amazing to see how God draws pagans (those we normally think of as being outside the realm of faith) and He causes them to put His own people to shame.

If we’re not careful, our faith can become nothing more than an academic knowledge of the Word with little or no real desire to know the Author of the Word.

·        We can learn a lot from these foreign astrologers by following their example of commitment (traveling the great distance); their devotion (they worshiped him); and their sacrifice (gave gifts that were costly).

Conclusion:

Have you ever had the occasion to have a complete stranger make you feel ashamed by his response to something that you just took for granted, but after seeing his/her reaction of sheer delight or awe, you were made to realize what a treasure you had but didn’t realize?

I think we should view this visit of the Wise Men in the same manner. These pagans can help us improve our worship and devotion to the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

The title I used for the message was: Wise Men Still Seek Him.

The term “wise men” was originally understood in a little different way than we would normally use the term today.

However, these men definitely would have been considered the “scholars” of their time.

I believe that God wants us to follow their example. Anyone that is truly wise, will seek to know God, especially through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Christmas Story

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This is a message that speaks about the incarnation of Jesus and emphasizes his deity and his humanity.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

If anyone would ask you if you know the Christmas story, you would more than likely respond by quoting the details of Luke 2 and Matthew 1 and 2.

And you would be correct, for that is the account of the Christmas story. However, as interesting and incredible as it seems to be, it is only part of the story. There is a completely separate aspect of the story that is even more incredible. It is more theological in nature and certainly more difficult to comprehend.

The Scriptures from Philippians and St. John that were read for us earlier in the service stress for us this other aspect that I am referring to.

Both of these references speak about the existence of Christ before He was born into this world and they introduce us to a bit more of the mystery that is wrapped up in the birth of the Messiah.

For a little while this morning I want to explore some of the truths that are presented by the Apostle John and the Apostle Paul regarding the true identity of Jesus and His coming to earth.

The nature and identity of Jesus is a theological topic that has been debated for centuries. Various errors regarding the true identity of Christ have been introduced down through the years and they have been opposed by the defenders of the faith.

It might be stated as simply as possible, that all such errors have come about as a result of emphasizing one aspect of His nature to the exclusion or diminishing of the other aspect of his nature.

There are three truths about Christ that I would like for us to think about today.

I. Jesus is clearly divine

II. Jesus is clearly human

III. Salvation is achieved

Let us consider what it means to say that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man.

I. Jesus is clearly divine.

That means He was and is God.

The Bible uses the term “Son of God” very frequently, but what does that mean? Does the “Son of God” have the same divine substance and essence as God the Father?

For many people who follow unorthodox beliefs (Jehovah’s Witness; Mormons; etc.), they believe that Jesus was the “son of God,” but that does not mean he was divine. They do not believe He was equal with God or possessed the same essence as the Father.

According to John 5:18, the Jews considered the term “Son of God” to mean equality with God.

John 5:18 (NKJV) ¹⁸  Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

“being in the form of God” – existing in the “essential attributes as shown in the form. In his pre-incarnate state Christ possessed the attributes of God and so appeared to those in heaven who saw him. Here is a clear statement by Paul of the deity of Christ.” (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament)

Some writers emphasized that this word, “form” (morphe) expresses the pre-incarnate appearances of Christ when He exhibited the characteristics and qualities of deity.

e.g. - (Adam Clarke's Commentary) By the form of God we are rather to understand that visible, glorious light in which the Deity is said to dwell, and by which he manifested himself to the patriarchs of old… and which in Scripture is called The Similitude, Numbers 12:8; The Face, Psalm 31:16: The Presence, Exodus 33:15; and The Shape of God, John 5:37. This interpretation is supported by the term μορφη, form, here used, which signifies a person's external shape or appearance, and not his nature or essence.… Farther this interpretation agrees with the fact: the form of God, that is, his visible glory, and the attendance of angels, as above described, the Son of God enjoyed with his Father before the world was, John 17:5; and on that as on other accounts he is the brightness of the Father's glory, Hebrews 1:3. Of this he divested himself when he became flesh….

The word form in Greek can denote merely outward appearance, "but it may refer to the kind of form that fully expresses the being that underlies it." (Wesleyan Bible Commentary)

“equal with God” – His equality with God is something that the Jews understood as one of His claims when He was on earth. See John 5:18 (above); 10:33.

“robbery” – lit. something to be grasped on to or held onto.

The question is whether grasped denotes something Christ did not possess and declined to seize upon, or something He did possess and declined to hold on to. The drift of the passage, both what has preceded and what follows, seems clearly to support the latter. What this adds up to is that Jesus did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited or used to His own advantage. (Wesleyan Bible Commentary – Galatians, Philippians, Colossians)

John 1:1 – The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

New World Trans. – “… Word was a god.”

This translation ignores the context – creation of all that exists, which should be compared to Gen. 1.

Also compare Matthew 1:22-23 (NKJV) ²²  So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³  "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "[the] God with us."

Other passages that promote this same truth include:

Colossians 1:15 (NKJV)
¹⁵  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

Colossians 2:9 (NKJV)
⁹  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

So, Paul is setting forth the proposition that Jesus the Christ was truly divine in nature and in form.

This means that before His “entrance” to earth, He not only enjoyed all the splendor and glories of heaven with the Father, but He would have also received praise and worship of the angels, who “sang at creation.”

Job 38:7 (KJV)
⁷  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Psalm 148:2 (NKJV)
²  Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts!

II. Jesus is clearly human.

But, that is only half of the story. He is also clearly human.

“made himself of no reputation” – literally means He “emptied Himself.” That is, He gave up or surrendered His “form” of God to take on the “form” of man.

i.e. “divesting of His self-interests, but not of His deity.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty)

It seems to portray the idea that He gave up His privileges in portraying the “form of God” in order to display the “form of a servant.”

It is impossible to comprehend the exchange He made so that He could identify with our humanity.

The concept of being a “servant” or “slave” is highlighted even more when we think of Him doing such things as washing the disciples’ feet, etc.

What humiliation! What condescension!

The song writer exclaims: (starting with verse 2)

What condescension, Bringing us redemption;

That in the dead of night, Not one faint hope in sight,

God, gracious tender, Laid aside His splendor,

Stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul.

Without reluctance, Flesh and blood His substance,

He took the form of man, Revealed the hidden plan.

O glorious mystery, Sacrifice of Calv’ry,

And now I know Thou art the great “I Am.”

(chorus) O how I love Him! How I adore Him!

My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!

The great Creator Became my Savior,

And all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.

III. Salvation is achieved.

You’ve heard me say it before, and you’ll undoubtedly hear me say it again…

His deity and His humanity are both necessary to achieve our redemption.

All the Levitical laws in the OT regarding the perfection required in the animal sacrifices point to the reality that redemption must be achieved by a sacrifice that was perfect, without blemish, without sin.

His deity was required in order to make Him the perfect Lamb of God.

His humanity was necessary to make Him legally acceptable to redeem us. He is described as the “second Adam” as we noted last Sunday in our sermon on Romans 5.

One of the main points in the book of Ruth is the story of redemption, where the law required a near relative, “kinsman redeemer” to pay the price of redemption, which Boaz gladly did.

As a man, He represents the human race in accepting our punishment and propitiation (one who turns away the wrath of God.)

 Conclusion:

Oh, what love God has demonstrated for us!

We are going to sing a closing song:

Tell Me the Story of Jesus

It’s a wonderful story. It’s a story of love. It’s a story of great humility and condescension. It’s a story of God becoming man.

He Reversed the Curse

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This is a sermon based on Romans 5:12-21 and it discusses comparisons and contrasts between Christ and Adam.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction

When I chose the title for today’s message I thought it might be interesting to start off with a story about a “curse” that could be used as an illustration.

Any of you who are fans of professional baseball may have heard about a superstition referred to as: “The Curse of the Bambino.”

The Curse of the Bambino was a superstition evolving from the failure of the Boston Red Sox baseball team to win the World Series in the 86-year period from 1918 to 2004. This misfortune began after the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth, sometimes called The Bambino, to the New York Yankees in the off-season of 1919–1920. Before that point, the Red Sox had been one of the most successful professional baseball franchises, winning the first World Series and amassing five titles [in the first 15 World Series]. After the sale they went without a title for decades, as the previously lackluster Yankees became one of the most successful franchises in North American professional sports. The curse became a focal point of the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry over the years. It was not until the year 2004 that Boston won another world series title. (From Wikipedia)

Well, it is one thing to talk about a superstition that was even more prominent after a book with the same title was published.

It is quite another thing to talk about a curse that is real and that originated from God Himself. In fact, you and I have been living with the consequences of that curse every day of our lives, and so has every human being that has ever lived on earth.

Of course, I’m talking about the curse that God placed on mankind an upon the earth following the sin committed by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. (Read to us earlier from Gen. 3)

As we continue our messages in the book of Romans today, we are going to be talking about Paul’s comparison between Adam and Christ and how our Lord overcame the disastrous consequences of Adam’s sin.

 In a very real sense, Christ “reversed the curse.”

If you are following the outline that has been provided, you will notice that Romans 5:12-21 falls under III. God's righteousness is revealed through justification. (3:21-5:21).

A. The concept of justification is explained. (3:21-31)

B. The reality of justification is illustrated. (4:1-25)

C. The benefits of justification are described. (5:1-21)

i. It produces peace with God. (5:1)

ii. It procures access to grace. (5:2a)

iii. It provides hope in adversity. (5:2b-5)

iv. It provides reconciliation with God. (5:6-11)

v. It reverses the curse of sin and condemnation. (5:12-21)

Today we want to give a brief overview of this portion of Scripture and then tie it in to the communion service that we will share in a little while.

v. It reverses the curse of sin and condemnation. (5:12-21)

There are a few general theological points that are taught in this passage that I want to mention, then I will focus on the specific contrasts that Paul makes as he emphasizes how Christ reversed the curse passed down from Adam.

There are at least three important theological points that come from this passage.

Original Sin – The doctrine that every human being ever born since Adam inherits a sinful nature that places him under the condemnation of death.

Universal Atonement – The doctrine that Christ’s sacrifice provided atonement and satisfies the justice of God for sin.

Evolution vs. Theology – Some people have tried to promote the idea that the Bible is reliable when it speaks about theological issues, but it may not be when it speaks about science or history. This passage proves that the biblical account of creation is inseparably connected to theology (the topic of salvation).

Having mentioned those important theological points I want to turn our attention to some specific ways in which Christ can be described as One who reversed the curse.

One writer (Vic Reasoner) has listed five different contrasts… sin and grace (v 15); condemnation and justification (v 16); death and life (v 17); judgment and free gift ( v18); disobedience and obedience (v 19).

I came up with similar contrasts, but my list would be like this:

Adam vs. Christ (v. 14-15)

Paul apparently begins this contrast with verse 12, but he digresses before he completes his thought, but this is the point he is essentially making: Adam and Christ are representative heads for the human race.

Adam represents all men in his sin. Christ represents all men in His sacrifice.

Offense vs. Free Gift (v. 15)

The offense (transgression) brought about death to “the many.” (lit. all)

The free gift (God’s grace as demonstrated in Christ) brought life to “the many.”

Condemnation vs. Justification (v. 16, 18)

The consequence of the transgression or the offense was condemnation before God. (Guilt)

But, the consequence of the free gift (righteousness) is justification (accounted as righteous; acquitted)

Death vs. Life (v. 17, 21)

The final consequence of condemnation, guilt and the offense is death.

The final consequence of grace and gift of righteousness is life.

Disobedience vs. Obedience (v. 19)

When we speak of one man’s offense (transgression) we are really speaking of his “disobedience.” (i.e. what really happened at the time.) The result? The many were made sinners. (see v. 18)

When we speak of the other man’s gift of grace, we are really speaking of his “obedience” to God’s plan for redemption.

Result? The many were made righteous. (cf. v. 18)

Conclusion:

As we wrap up the theme of justification here at the end of chapter 5, I believe that the verse we should highlight as the most important to remember is verse 20.

Romans 5:20 (KJV)
²⁰  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

The flood of grace surpassed the flood of sin, great as that was (and is). (A. T. Robertson)

cf. 1 Timothy 1:14 (KJV)
¹⁴  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Literally everything Adam ruined through his disobedience and transgression Christ more than made up for through His obedience and gift of grace; His righteousness.

Sin is an awful curse on the human race, but God has made every provision necessary to reverse the curse.

We want to share the elements of communion today to help us once again remember the suffering and sacrifice of Christ which provided the atonement needed for our justification.

Fringe Benefits

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This is a sermon based on Romans 5:1-11 and it discusses the various blessings and benefits the Christian believer has because of being justified by faith in Jesus Christ.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Today we are continuing our study in the letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christian believers in Rome.

Start off with just a reminder that this letter contains the general theme of: “The Gospel of Righteousness.”

For those who have been following the outline that we gave out, you will find that we are discussing…

III. God's righteousness is revealed through justification. (3:21-5:21)

A.    The concept of justification is explained. (3:21-31)

B.    The reality of justification is illustrated. (4:1-25)

Today we are moving into chapter five and we will be talking about:

C.    The benefits of justification are described. (5:1-21)

We will only be covering verses 1-11 today, and then, the Lord willing, we will finish chapter 5 next Sunday.

There are a number of analogies that we could employ as we think about the subject of “fringe benefits.”

For most people, they automatically think of the various benefits that people receive from their employer over and above what they receive in wages.

I’m sure that most of us are aware of how much the health insurance issue has been in the news lately as the various stages of nationalized health care takes effect.

People are concerned with their health insurance provided through their employers as many companies have cut hours and have taken other measures to avoid having to pay the high costs resulting from changing health insurance laws.

As you know there are many other benefits that are offered by companies besides just insurance. I did a quick search online and came across this article in an Australian news site.

(news.com.au) “You might think perks like this are only at big technology companies… but they're increasingly common.

“[Information Technology] services company, OBS… has an Xbox room for staff to do some team building, and promises "great coffee, soft drink, juice, wine and lots of beer" on its recruitment page.

“Tech companies have been the pioneers of wacky, fun-friendly workplaces, but other industries are catching up, providing fresh fruit, more training and services for parents.

“Swedish stationary chain kikki.K also made the 2012 BRW list, offering its employees a paid day off work for their birthday.

“Overseas, Chesapeake Energy has an indoor rock-climbing wall, Johnson and Johnson offers a free concierge service to run employees' errands, and Adidas has free language lessons.

“At snowboard company Burton, employees can even bring their dogs to work.”

Well, as wacky as all of these sound, I’m sure that there are companies right here in the U.S.A. that would surpass all of these in the extravagant benefits they offer for their employees.

I couldn’t help but thinking along this vein when I was preparing for this message as we are talking about the benefits of justification that Paul describes in chapter five.

There are a total of five different benefits that he discusses in this chapter.

We are only going to cover the first four today.

i.   It produces peace with God. (5:1)

“Therefore” – conjunction that ties this chapter with the preceding ones, showing a continuation of the discussion regarding justification.

“being justified” – aorist pass. pcpl., lit. having been justified. Showing the action as a completed fact.

“by faith” – thoroughly discussed in the previous chapter. Faith is the only means through which we can be counted righteous before God.

“we have” – present indicative. On ongoing present condition of fact.

“peace” – (Reasoner) … it means that the hostilities have ceased (v 10; 8:7) and that we no longer fear God’s wrath (v 9).

The kind of peace described here is not primarily an emotion or feeling, but it is a condition of fact. However, it is a rather dead and lifeless person who does not experience some emotion over the fact that they are no longer at war with God!

(Reasoner) ...while peace cannot be reduced [merely] to the psychological, it certainly includes the emotions. F. F. Bruce noted that peace and joy are twin blessings of the Gospel…. Bruce then quoted an old Scottish preacher who said, “Peace is joy resting; joy is peace dancing.”

ii.  It procures access to grace. (5:2a)

The next benefit is described in the first part of verse two.

If you pay attention to the structure of this sentence, you will notice that the access into grace that is mentioned here is actually an indirect benefit because it is provided by Jesus Christ who has also provided our justification and our peace.

 “this grace” – probably a reference back to the word “justification.”

(Reasoner) At the time of our justification we have access through Christ into “all the grace and privileges of the new covenant.”

From the moment Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden, we no longer had direct access to God’s presence.

(Barclay) this word describes an introduction into the presence of royalty.

Isn’t it wonderful to think about the fact that this transaction (justification) has not only canceled our past record of offenses but it has given us new standing in the grace of God.

God pours out His blessings on us that we do not deserve, purely because of what Christ has done.

iii. It provides hope in adversity. (5:2b-8)

The next few verses talk about hope.

(Reasoner) While peace refers to our past, hope looks forward to the future.

“rejoice” – literally, boast.

Our rejoicing or boasting is not with ourselves or anything we have done, but it is in hope of the glory of God that we shall behold someday.

It almost seems as though the Apostle digresses a little here when he mentions hope for the future and decides to speak about some other benefits and aspects of hope. (v. 3) “Not only so, but…”

He describes the process God uses to shape us and change us through adversity and affliction.

God accepts us as we are, but He doesn’t intend to leave us in the same condition as we were when He accepted us. He intends to mold us and form us and shape us into the image of His Son.

I don’t know if you realize this or not, but this forming us into the image of Jesus is not possible without some adversity.

Martin Luther explained that tribulation takes from a man everything in which he trusts and leaves him naked, to look away from himself and to seek help from God alone. (Reasoner)

But, through it all, the end result is still hope in God. (v 5)

“maketh not ashamed” – does not disappoint. Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts.

What would you be willing to endure if you knew that the love of God would fill every space in your heart? To have more and more of the love of God would be worth enduring a great deal, wouldn’t it?

In verses 6-8 Paul inserts a description of the kind of love that God has. It is almost as though when he says, “God’s love is shed abroad in our hearts,” he decides to explain what kind of love that is.

It is the kind of love that doesn’t depend on the object loved, but on the character of the One who loves.

It is the kind of love that seeks to save those who are enemies.

It’s not the kind of love that says, “You’re such a nice person with so many wonderful qualities, I just can’t help but love you.”

No, rather, it is the kind of love that reaches out and expends every effort to benefit the person that is not loveable; who doesn’t have irresistible and wonderful qualities, but seeks to save them and redeem them anyway, because He knows the potential that is there.

That quality of love is poured into our hearts until they are full of God’s love.

What an inward change His grace brings to our hearts!

iv. It provides reconciliation with God. (5:9-11)

The final benefit we want to explore here in this passage is the fact that we have reconciliation with God.

In these verses Paul explains…

Because we are justified by His blood (His sacrificial death), we are acquitted of all charges, and this has the effect of turning away the wrath of God that we deserved. (see propitiation in 3:25)

When we are acquitted of all charges and the wrath of God is turned away, then we immediately enjoy a new relationship with God.

Before we were enemies; now we are family. Before we were at war (hostility) with each other, now we are at peace. Now we rejoice in each other.

We are reconciled through His death…and His life.

If His atoning death brought us back into right relationship with God, then how much more will His resurrection (and ongoing intercession for us) give us salvation as well.

cf. Romans 4:24-25 (NKJV) … It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵  who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

“We joy in God…”

“joy” (v. 11) is the same Greek word as “rejoice” (v. 2), and “glory” (v. 3).

Paul is emphasizing that there is a reason for us to boast and rejoice and be exultant. It is because of our relationship with God and all that it provides for us.

“atonement” (v. 11) – same word as reconciled / reconcilation.

Again, we stress that not only our record has been changed, but our relationship has been changed.

Conclusion:

Isn’t this salvation that God has provided wonderful?

Talk about “Good News!” That’s what “gospel” means.

You can’t get any better news than this:

Your record is erased; your state of war is changed to peace; your future is as bright as the glory of God; your life and character is being shaped into the image of Christ; and your relationship with God has changed from the status of a stranger/alien/enemy to being a child of God!

Hallelujah!

I know that I may be speaking to someone today that hasn’t experienced what I’m talking about.

If you have not been born again; justified; saved; then you can be before you leave here today!

You can know when you walk out these doors that you are no longer under the wrath of God because of your sins, but now you are enjoying the benefits of His divine favor; His grace.

I have decided to use an invitational song for our closing song today, because I want to urge you to come and pray before you go home if you’re not sure you are saved.

The Savior Is Waiting  # 483

Father of the Faithful

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This is a sermon based on Romans chapter 4. It is part of a series of messages on the book of Romans and it discusses the role that Abraham plays as an example of someone who was justified by faith.

Written Excerpts:

In our last sermon covering the final 11 verses of chapter 3, we noticed that the author (Paul) has begun to describe the salvation provided by God for everyone, whether Jew or Gentile. In those verses (21-31), Paul has explained what Justification is. We learned that it literally means that we have been acquitted of all charges against us because of what Christ has done in our behalf. It means that our record of offenses has been wiped away.

The song writer says, “They are covered by the blood.”

In the explanation given by Paul, we also learned that this action is done for us on account of our faith in Christ, not because of our obedience to the law.

Today, we are going to move into chapter 4 and discover how that Paul used the “icon” of Jewish history as an example to illustrate what he has been trying to explain. Abraham was the one person that all Jews looked back to as the “founder of Judaism,” so to speak. Therefore, it is only natural that Paul would include him as an example of this “new theology” so his readers can see that it is not “heresy” but it was part of God’s plan from the beginning.

For those of you who are following the outline that is available, we will be looking at the section of the outline under III. God’s righteousness is revealed through justification. (3:21-5:21)

B.    The reality of justification is illustrated. (4:1-25)

                       i.    It is apart from works. (4:1-8)

                     ii.    It is apart from circumcision. (4:9-12)

                   iii.    It is apart from the law. (4:13-15)

                   iv.    It is by grace through faith for all. (4:16-25)

Let us begin our discussion of chapter four and discover how Abraham illustrates the all-important topic of justification.

i.   It is apart from works. (4:1-8)

As you may have already noticed (if you’re glancing back up the outline to what we covered last week), this point is repeated from chapter three. Paul is essentially saying that Abraham discovered (or experienced) this blessing called justification. How so?

Because the Scripture (a definite hint about Paul’s opinion of the OT) says, “He believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness.”

“counted” – (Reasoner) A key word in this chapter is (logizomai) which occurs eleven times. It means to reckon, credit… calculate, consider… decide, or impute. It is a bookkeeping metaphor, but a legal act.

Paul reasons… If that was done for him on the basis of his works, then he would have something to boast about, but not in the presence of God. (Because God knows Abraham was not good enough to be declared righteous on his own.)

Paul also points out the simple logical fact that if you work for something, then what you received is like a debt that is owed to you; a payment for what you earned, and not a gift of grace at all. But if someone doesn’t work to earn the favor and simply believes in the One who promises to justify (acquit) the ungodly, then the act of faith is credited or counted to him for righteousness. His faith in Christ is “marked down in the ledger” as righteousness before God.

(vv. 6-8) Paul uses a quote from the Psalms written by David to validate what he has just been affirming. Since David doesn’t mention animal sacrifices, some scholars feel that he prophetically praises the true spiritual benefits of Christ’s sacrifice as he reports the blessedness of forgiveness.

Dear friends, we too must remember that we can only be justified when we believe in the sacrificial death of Christ and not through any other efforts of our own.

ii. It is apart from circumcision. (4:9-12)

In these verses Paul addresses a related, yet distinct issue.

He points out that Abraham was declared righteous on account of his faith before he was ever circumcised.

BTW - Circumcision was an outward sign required by God to separate Abraham and his descendants from the heathens around him (including his own relatives). And this “sign” was ordered by God to validate the inward “seal” of righteousness. (v. 11)

Paul is attempting to establish the fact in the minds of the readers that, while most Jews (and Gentiles) thought of Abraham as the “father of the Jews (or the circumcision), he actually was the “father of the those who believe” long before he ever became the father of the circumcision.

What does that mean for the believers?

Everyone who is justified by faith in Jesus Christ, is the spiritual descendent of Abraham and enjoys the blessings that God promises to “his offspring.”

The main emphasis of this section of Scripture is this: the fact of faith comes well before the “sign” of faith. And, it is the fact of faith that God counts for righteousness, not the sign.

Yet, the “sign” is a necessary follow-up in order to confirm that faith was really active.

iii. It is apart from the law.

The Apostle Paul is truly covering every possible objection or question that his readers might raise. After speaking about faith vs. works and faith vs. circumcision, he brings up the topic of the law.

He is explaining that “The promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through him, was not based upon his keeping either of the natural law or the Mosaic law, which would come 430 years later (Gal 3:17). If we must, then, keep the law in order to enter into a right relationship with God, the promise to Abraham is destroyed.

“To add the law as a condition would raise questions over God’s character, since he justified Abraham without the law.”(Reasoner)

The law doesn’t justify. It only brings judgment and wrath. (v. 15)

iv. It is by grace, through faith, for all. (4:16-25)

(v. 16) “Therefore” – links with all three of the previous points. Since it is not works, and not circumcision, and not the law, therefore it is… of faith.

“of faith” – faith is [the instrument or] channel through which God sends His saving grace. (Reasoner)

“according to grace” – all of God’s work for us and in us is purely because of His marvelous grace. It is His decision to grant us something that we do not deserve and cannot earn.

“promise is made to all” – everyone who follows Abraham’s example of faith is a recipient of the promise of righteousness.

So we say, it is by grace through faith for all.

Paul affirms three things in this final section of chapter four.

a. The object of his faith – God. (v. 17)

b. The strength of his faith – he was not weak (v. 19), did not waver (v. 20), and was strengthened (made stronger, v.20).

c. The content of his faith – he did not focus on the natural human conclusion about his and Sarah’s own bodies, but instead focused his faith on One who is able to perform anything He promises (v. 21) because He gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that had not previously existed (v. 17) [e.g. creation of the world]. In other words, God can do the “impossible.”

“With God all things are possible.” – State Motto of Ohio.

Conclusion:

There are a couple of points I want to emphasize as we summarize and conclude the message this morning.

1. Abraham became the “father” of many more people or “nations” [as God promised] because of his faith in the promise than he ever could have been by simply following the commandments.

If you and I will truly believe God and live by that faith, we can never tell what kind of influence that will have on our families and our friends.

I need to be reminded over and over that there are many people that are looking for someone to stand up and be counted and show the example of faith, so they can follow as well.

2. Look at the final verses of this chapter and the emphasis on Abraham’s faith.

His faith was in God.

His faith was strong.

He knew God could do whatever He pleases, even things that we think are impossible. When God sees that kind of faith in you and in me, He will respond with grace to save us and miracles to glorify His holy name.

Our closing song is a song about faith. This is a song that I believe Abraham would whole-heartedly sing along with us if he were here, because he discovered it wasn’t works, it wasn’t circumcision, it wasn’t the law, but it was Christ that was the only foundation for his salvation.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!

 

Your Record Is Cleared

(To download an Mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen now online, click on the play button of the audio player above.)

This is a sermon based on Romans 3:21-31 and it is part of a series of messages on the book of Romans. This message introduces the theme of justification which will be the focus for this message as well as the next three messages.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

We are continuing our study in the letter of Paul to the Roman believers. We are ready to finish chapter three today as we begin to discuss the topic of justification.

Before we get into today’s message, allow me to just briefly summarize the points we have already covered for the benefit of some who may have not been here or for those of us who easily forget and need a reminder. We established way back in verse 17 of chapter one that the theme of Paul’s letter is: “The Gospel of Righteousness.”

The term “gospel” appears in v. 16 and the term “righteousness” appears in v. 17. (Good news; right character)

The very first aspect of God’s righteousness we learned in chapters 1-3 is His divine judgment.

II.   God's righteousness is revealed through divine judgment. (1:18-3:20)

The justice of God which includes His wrath, anger and judgment is very much an integral part of His nature. It is established in His holiness and includes the fact that He is so infinitely pure that He cannot tolerate (condone) the least deviation from absolute moral perfection.

As he tries to establish in the minds of his readers the fact that they need the gospel, Paul systematically points out how that all human beings (including Gentiles and Jews) are under the judgment of God because of their disobedience and sins.

A.    Gentiles are under the judgment of God. (1:18-32)

B.    Jews are under the judgment of God. (2:1-3:8)

C.    The whole world is under the judgment of God. (3:9-20)

Everyone, both Jew and Gentile, is rightfully under the curse of death because of sin.

But, thank God, there is a remedy. The next segment of Paul’s letter develops the remedy provided by God. He plunges into a thorough discussion of justification as it relates to the righteousness of God.

The phrase but now (v. 21) marks a decisive shift in Paul's argument. (HCSB Study Bible Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2010)

Paul is turning away from the discussion of our guilt in order to focus on how we are freed from guilt.

III. God's righteousness is revealed through justification. (3:21-5:21)

Beginning with verse 21 of chapter three and continuing through the end of chapter five, Paul will show how the concept of justification demonstrates the righteousness of God in action.

A.    The concept of justification is explained. (3:21-31)

In verses 21-31 Paul explains what justification really is and what it involves.

                       i.    It is supported in OT Scriptures. (3:21)

The phrase “law and the prophets” is an expression that basically refers to the Old Testament Scriptures, and Paul is essentially saying that when we properly understand what the OT teaches, we will understand that it teaches about the salvation God has provided through Jesus Christ.

A couple of years ago I did a study on redemption in our Wednesday night Bible studies. In it I explained how the OT is basically a foreshadowing of redemption through the system of sacrifices that were symbolic of Christ and through the prophecies that pointed to Christ.

Cf: Isaiah 44:22 (NKJV) ²²  I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."

For the readers who had Jewish roots, Paul wanted to especially point out to them that this idea of canceling our guilt on account of Christ’s death is clearly linked to what God revealed in the OT.

                       i.    It is received through faith in Christ. (3:22-23)

In verses 22-23 the writer explains that this justification that is provided by God through Christ is received through faith. God makes no distinction between Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ, specifically because there is no difference between them in the fact of guilt – “all have sinned…”

Believing (or faith) is the key concept here, and its object is Jesus Christ. It is not faith in our own efforts; faith in a religion, or even “faith in faith” [as Josh McDowell has put it]. (That is, ‘it really doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you sincerely believe something.’) No, it must be faith in Jesus Christ.

                     ii.    It is an acquittal based on Christ’s sacrifice (3:24-26)

As we look at verses 24-26, I think it is necessary for us to clearly define what the word “justify” or “justification” really means. The word (in one form or another) appears in v. 20, v. 24, v. 26, & v. 30. It is a legal term that simply means that our legal record of guilt has been completely erased and God considers us to be “innocent of all charges.” In a sense, it means to be “acquitted.” Probably the most well-known modern word that is a close equivalent is the word, “expunge.”

In the 16^th century, a preacher by the name of Thomas Cranmer said that three things had to come together in our justification: God’s great mercy and grace [v. 24], Christ’s satisfaction of God’s justice [v. 25], and our true and lively faith [v. 26]. (Reasoner)

Justification is motivated by God’s grace (v. 24), resulting in redemption (bought back from bondage of sin) (also v. 24), because of the propitiation of Christ’s sacrifice (v. 25).

"Redemption" is a term borrowed from the slave market. All people are slaves to sin by their fallen nature, but Christians are purchased by God and freed to new life in Christ. (HCSB Study Bible)

“Propitiation” – (Reasoner) To propitiate… means to turn away the wrath of God. John Owen identified four essential elements in the concept of propitiation: • An offense to be taken away • A person offended who needs to be pacified • An offending person; a person guilty of the offense • A sacrifice or some other means of making atonement for the offense.

"Propitiation" is a term borrowed from temple rites, where the sacrificial animal figuratively comes under God's wrath as it is killed. Jesus received God's wrath on the cross. By our faith in Christ, God's wrath is counted satisfied and we are no longer under wrath. (HCSB Study Bible)

Paul is explaining that through His sacrificial death on the cross, through the giving of His life and shedding of His blood, Jesus Christ has turned away the anger and wrath of God that was directed toward us who were guilty of violating His holy law and following our own rebellious, selfish desires.

It all proves that God can and does remain “just” (consistent with His nature of holiness) and yet He becomes the “justifier” of all who believe in the work of Christ. (v. 26) To pronounce the unrighteous righteous is unjust by itself. God's mercy would not allow him to leave man to his fate. God's justice demanded some punishment for sin. (A T Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament)

                   iii.    It is provided apart from the law (3:27-31)

(Reasoner) Back in verse 20 Paul says no one will be declared righteous by the works of the law, [therefore] this justification is apart from the law. This means we cannot boast that we are justified by keeping the law because our justification is by faith in the work of Christ. [Verified by these phrases: “all who believe” (v.22), it is “by grace” (v. 24), and “through faith” (v.25)]

We have nothing to brag or boast about, because we have not been exonerated due to anything we have done. Our release from guilt was entirely based upon what Jesus has done!

(Reasoner) While we are not saved by keeping the law, neither are we lawless. We are saved by “a law of faith,” (v. 27).

Rather than trusting in the law to save us, we follow another law [rule, principle] and that is the rule of faith; the principle of trusting what God has provided through Christ.

(v. 31) “by faith/through faith” – lit. out of faith / by means of faith.

Conclusion:

How in the world is God able to uphold His holiness and justice while at the same time show pity and mercy on poor souls who have violated His will? There is only one way. It is by allowing the totally sinless and pure Son of God to freely give up His life and assume the horrible punishment that those souls deserved. When that substitutionary sacrifice was completed, then God has the perfect plan that allows Him to maintain His righteous character and yet freely pardon the guilty.

Imagine yourself in the court of law standing trial for a capital crime. The testimony and evidence before the court has all confirmed what the judge and jury has concluded: Guilty as charged! The penalty for your crime is death by lethal injection.

On your way to the execution chamber, the judge interrupts the procession and gives notification that you have been pardoned and your criminal record has been erased, because another innocent man (the son of the judge) has willingly consented to die in your place. Now, you can go free.

This is exactly what God has done for us on account of what Christ did on our behalf.

I harbored hatred in my heart, so I was guilty of murder.

I entertained lust in my heart, so I was guilty of adultery.

I nurtured covetousness in my heart, so I was guilty of theft.

I worship at the altar of my own passions and desires, so I was guilty of idolatry.

Every kind of sin was lurking within my soul and I stood guilty and condemned before an absolutely holy God. I not only knew I was guilty, but I knew I had no power to help myself. I couldn’t do anything to change myself.

Then I learned and began to understand that Jesus took all my guilt on Himself and took my punishment that I deserved. I learned that His grace and His Spirit could give me new life and transform my wicked heart and my behavior. All I had to do was admit my guilt, and let Him forgive me, and let Him live inside me.

I humbly and honestly confessed my sinful, guilty state and threw myself on the mercy of the Judge. He forgave me, just as He promised on the basis of His Son’s sacrifice for me. He wiped away my record of offenses and He accepts me as totally innocent. Hallelujah!

Our closing song that I have selected for today truly describes what God has done…

Calvary Covers It All   # 312