What is the good news?
Notes
Transcript
Problems
Problems
All the brokenness around us - [out there]
13 “Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
17 and the way of peace they do not know.”
What is God doing?
What is God doing?
Romans 3:25 (NIV)
25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, [..] because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
He has been not punishing sin.
People are escaping punishment.
God is forebearing -
Wanting to make peace with perpetrators -
He cares so much about justice and about mercy that he puts Christ forward - don’t miss this - it is not a deafness to sin but a love for sinner and justice at the same time.
Romans 3:25 (NIV)
25 [..] He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
This is a world put on notice. God keeps track. God loves justice / righteousness.
Sins committed have not been forgotten.
There will be a reckoning.
It is not deafness, blindness, malice - but patience - and kindness, that makes us wait for justice.
Romans 3:25 (NIV)
25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, [..] because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
Jesus faced a reckoning. As a swap. In the place of sinners.
The good news is bigger than you expect. It is not only the world put on notice:
16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
But that right now even evildoers are longed for by God.
But before we only notice the brokenness and problems out there, let’s look again at the passage:
A second look
A second look
10 As it is written:
“There is no one righteous, not even one;
This is not just about other people’s problems.
11 there is no one who understands;
there is no one who seeks God.
All of us. Me. You.
13 “Their throats are open graves;
their tongues practice deceit.”
“The poison of vipers is on their lips.”
14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
Me. You.
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
Cover my mouth. God’s judgment and death sentence.
20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
The goodness of the good news
The goodness of the good news
The good news is bigger and wider and deeper than you expected. It deals with enemies, injustice, out there - and in here.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Good news for you and for those out there.
25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—
Not a pious collection of good people - but guilty sinners who’ve found pardon, release, forgiveness, reconciliation - as a swap with Jesus.
A last scream:
46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
In joining the cry, the scream - Jesus also is doing something about it.
26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
What is God doing? Calling sinners so he can make them right with a swap with Jesus.
The good news is not just about you, nor is it only about the world out there - but both -
The problem is bigger - but so is the solution.
God is calling you to trust him - to trust his justice - cosmic and individual -
to trust that the problem out there is the problem in here - and both need reconciliation with God
God is calling you to trust him - to trust the death of Jesus as a swap that makes peace (not being a good person, not trying harder - but Jesus blood as swap instead of yours - that’ss not half-half - that’s all God.
God is calling you to trust him - to trust his patience means other sinners are invited to peace with God too.