Romans 3:9-20

The Other 3:16’s

Romans 3:16 “in their paths are ruin and misery,”

Introduction: It is good to be back.

Testimony of how I came to Bly

Include August 2017

Isaiah 6:8 “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.””

That has always been my attitude here in Bly. Here I am God, send me.

And that’s saying something for a guy who is very naturally shy and introverted

Our 3:16 for today Romans 3:16 “in their paths are ruin and misery,”

-I was drawn to this verse during my sabbatical because I felt something wasn’t right and I couldn’t put my finger on it.

SPOILER: This story has a good ending.

More about the 3:16

-Part of a bigger sentence

Romans 3:15–17 ““Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.””

-My question became who is Paul talking about here?

Is God trying to get my attention with this verse????

The answer came quickly : Paul isn’t saying anything, but He is quoting Isaiah

Isaiah 59:7 “Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways.”

Difference in translations

I was on Sabbatical for 3 months with this verse on my mind. Let me tell you what I learned.

Evanston Alliance Church

Galatians 3:2 “Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?”

Tell funny story

2 things I learned

How do we recieve the spirit? By faith

If you are not in heaven with Jesus then you are not done with ministry

Summit Church in Denver

Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”

2 Things I learned

Revelation is the only book of the Bible that comes with a promised blessing just for reading it.

We are the gatekeepers of the Temple where the Holy Spirit lives

Living Hope Church

Ephesians 5:14 “for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.””

2 things I learned

God has no Grandchildren

To Pray for each other even in the deepest spiritual battles

Storybook Family Camp

Acts 10:36 “As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all),”

2 things I learned (out of the 100 things)

God Made Abraham Great

A study done by Berkley showed that through the study of a certain type of DNA that the human race is about 6,000 years old

Generations Church

Proverbs 3:3 “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.”

2 things I learned

Sometimes our freewill gets in our way of doing what God wants

Sometimes we understand something better when we see the opposite side

Meadowspring Church

2 things I learned

Prayer is not just talking to God, it is also an invitation to listen

1 hour a week of worship isn’t enough

Emmanuel Baptist Church

Matthew 5:1–2 “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:”

2 things I learned

the kingdom of God is being with Jesus

We are called to the mountain

One Degree Church

John 7:46 “The officers answered, “No one ever spoke like this man!””

3 things I learned (because only 2 won’t cut it here)

When you interact with scripture Ask questions

Observe what you notice

Apply the text to your life

Marion Baptist Church

Psalm 84:10 “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

Sin has pleasure, but it is not lasting pleasure

Our obituary should share the gospel as much as our life did

Maple Plain Community Church

Ecclesiastes 8:8 “No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death. There is no discharge from war, nor will wickedness deliver those who are given to it.”

2 things

I’m not the one who is in charge, God is

It’s okay to not know it all

Parkside Alliance Church

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

We have ULTIMATE Power through Christ, for the Kingdom

We are God’s riches (he values us)

Milaca Alliance Church

Matthew 5:17–18 ““Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

2 things

All scripture points to Jesus

the Law will never disappear

Calvary Reformed Church

2 Corinthians 8:9 “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

2 things

you are not really giving to God until you LIKE it

Live counter culturally

Couer d’aleane Church of the Nazarene

John 4:23–24 “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.””

2 things

We are invited to worship God with our whole life

We are to worship in the truth

Standing Stone Church

One of My Sabbatical Goals

I always knew I would return

Had no doubt in that

But I really wanted to know what I was supposed to be doing here.

So I can back to the 3:16 for today

Romans 3:15–17 ““Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.””

Quoted from Isaiah 59, but what does it mean?

Isaiah 59:1–2 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.”

700 Years before Jesus came in the flesh the human beings of the world did not want to be saved

Paul recognized this was still the case in his time, hence quoting Isaiah

His specific words of our 3:16

Human beings are self centered on their own paths

And that path leads to destruction

People you know don’t want to be saved

It’s not that God can’t save them, or can’t hear them, but he won’t because they don’t want him to

We all have people in our lives that want nothing to do with God

Well, since they want nothing to do with God, then I should just leave it alone right? They chose their fate, leave them to it

I’m Glad Isaiah didn’t think that way

Or Paul

Or Jesus for that matter

In my journey’s I learned a few things I would like to share with you that I think will be for your benefit.

First, Keeping a sermon journal is VERY helpful. I’ve taken notes here and there before, but having a dedicated sermon journal has been great, so that I can look back on what i learned before and grow even more

If you don’t have one, I suggest you get one

It doesn’t have to be a special journal bought at a special store. (Mine has Captain Kirk on the inside cover)

Second. if there is someone in your life that doesn’t know Jesus and you’ve given up on them, please reconsider that.

I’m not taking about getting up in their face, but instead sharing your life with them and showing them who is important to you.

Show them the path you are on by living on that path

Finally, know that when it comes down to it, it is not your job to save the person. That’s God’s job. You can only point the way.

Romans 3 , at least our section today is packed full of bad news, but when we look ahead to the next passage we see hope for our non-believing friend

Romans 3:21–26 ESV

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 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. 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.

Sharing your faith with someone might be a lifelong mission

It may never be fruitful

But if Paul never gave up, If Isaiah, if Jesus.

Then neither should we

Homework time:

3 months ago I gave you all a stone to represent that you, not this building, are Standing Stone Church

I hope you enjoyed your assignment (Show stone) I know I did

Here is your next task

It is time to give the stone to someone you know

No big words meed be said, just “This is for you” is quite sufficient.

But, I would be surprised if they didn’t ask what it’s for

I’ll even allow a cop out answer, “My pastor said I had to give this away and i picked you.”

Or you could take a moment and share who Jesus is to you and how the stone was a reminder to you that you are the Church and you wanted to share that with them

When all is said and done

The non-beleiver must recognize their need for a savior

That savior is ready to save

But until the person see’s that the path they are on only leads to misery, they will be content to stay on the path they are on

Final thoughts

I threw a lot at you today, but what can I say? I was gone for 3 months

What am I supposed to be doing here?

Pointing people to Jesus

Whether they are a believer or not.

Believers aren’t perfect either, I know I’m not and I need people in my life to point me to Jesus too

Several years ago I was outside of my home Kodiak, Alaska when I heard God say, Kodiak is not your home anymore.

During this brief time away from my HOME here in Bly, I only yearned for one thing. To come back.

God is not done using the Prantner’s in Bly and I hope more people come to know Jesus while we are here, because watching people leave the path that leads to ruin and misery and to the one of peace is so joyous

I look forward to much more time here and I hope you do too

LET’S PRAY