Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION:

The book of Romans is one of my favorite books in the NT.

I love the book of Romans because it takes the beauty and brilliance of the Gospel, like light glimmering from a well cut diamond, and displays it in all of it’s glory.

In Romans, the apostle Paul gives a compelling explanation not just of WHAT the Gospel is and WHY the Gospel matters but also HOW the Gospel makes a difference in our life.

It’s no wonder that Martin Luther said of the book of Romans...

“It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.

We can never read it or ponder over it too much; for the more we deal with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes”

This conference, however, isn’t a conference on the book of Romans.

It’s a conference on the Romans Road.

If the book of Romans is a brilliant diamond then the Romans Road is focused laser that channels God’s glory in the Gospel with intensity and strength.

God has used this tool we call the Romans Road to penetrate the human heart with precision and power.

Every Christian should be familiar with it.

Why This Conference Matters

That’s why this Bible Conference matters.

#1) It matters because of what it’ll accomplish in our hearts.

As we meditate on the Gospel, our affections for Christ will grow.

As we explore the depths of God’s love for sinners and the work of Jesus on the cross, you will find your heart strangely warmed.

Even if you’ve been walking with the Lord for many years.

The Gospel isn’t just the ABC’s of the Christian life.

It’s the A to Z. It’s not the diving board but the pool.

God love for us in Christ is like an ocean.

The deeper we go into that ocean the more glory of God we will see.

#2) It matters because of what it’ll accomplish for our witness.

Many Christians understand the Gospel well enough to be saved but not enough to help others see their same need.

This should not be.

We're called to be ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We should always be ready to give an answer to anybody who asks us for a reason for the hope that is within us.

(1 Peter 3:15)

If somebody asked you “what must I do to be saved?”

What would you tell them?

Where would you go? Do you have a plan?

If not, these verses are a road map to get you there.

#3) Finally it matters because God has vested the Gospel with unique power.

Romans 1:16 opens with the declaration: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

The Gospel is the power of God.

People talk about Holy Spirit power.

Acts 1:8 says you’ll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

Ephesians 5:18 says to be “Filled with the Spirit.”

But how does the Spirit unleash that power?

It’s through our engagement with and proclamation of this Gospel.

God’s power and God’s Gospel are correlated.

The more grounded we are in the Gospel the more filled we will be with God’s power.

Where the Word dwells the Spirit fills!

What Is The Romans Road? (overview)

So what is the Romans Road?

What are the passages we’re going to be examining?

My text is Romans 3:23 and succinctly lays out the “bad news” of the Gospel.

We’re sinners.

Every one of us.

“ALL have sinned and fall short of of the glory of God.”

Toby’s assignment is Romans 6:23.

In it, we discover that the “wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Tomorrow Blake will preach on Romans 5:8.

It illustrates the amazing grace and loving kindness of God.

“While we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

In Romans 10:9 Chance will help us discover how God invites us to respond to the Gospel.

“Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and you will be saved!”

Finally, in Romans 5:1 Larry will show us the results of that Gospel response.

“Our justification by faith results in peace with God through Christ.”

The gift of God’s peace will utter change everything.

Each of these passages highlight different truths about the Gospel.

(God.

Man.

Christ.

Response.

// Creation.

Fall.

Redemption.

Restoration.)

God loves us,

We blew it.

Christ paid for it.

But we must receive him.

Orientation to the Text

So with that in place, let’s turn in our Bibles to Romans 3. My text for this evening is Romans 3:23.

It’s interesting that we’re looking at Romans 3:23 on January 23rd or 2023.

Perhaps by God’s sovereign design it’s his will for us to approach this text with a fresh openness and willingness to receive something new from the Lord about our understanding of the Gospel.

Romans 3:23 is actually a section of a longer sentence that Paul begins in verse 21.

And that sentence is part of a larger argument that Paul has been building since Romans 1.

Tonight we’re going to zoom out just enough to understand this verse in light of that context so we might fully understand how “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Let’s read our passage.

Romans 3:21-26

Romans 3:21–26 (ESV)

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The Problem of Righteousness

I’ve entitled tonight’s message “The Problem of God’s Righteousness.”

The word “righteousness” shows up over and over and over again in this text.

The Greek word is δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosyne) which comes from the Greek root “dike” which means justice (or “rightness” meaning it is the way it’s supposed to be.)

The concept of God’s justice and righteousness shows up SEVEN times in this text.

V 21 - “the righteousness of God has been manifested...”

V 22 - “the righteousness of God is received through faith in Jesus...”

V 24 - “we are justified (made righteous) by God’s grace as a gift...”

V 25 - “this was to SHOW God’s righteousness...”

V 26 again “this was to SHOW God’s righteousness at the present time...”

So that, V27 - “God could be “just” (aka righteous) AND the “justifier” (the one who makes righteous) of the one who has faith in Jesus.

What’s the Problem?

So what is the problem of righteousness?