20250126 Romans 4:18-25 The God of Promises and Saving Faith

Welcome to Vertical Church

Acts 2:42 (LSB)

And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

As a church we seek to uphold the values of the NT church as seen in Acts 2:42 -

We are Trinitarian - while God is one in essence, He is three in person: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit

We believe in the sovereignty of God - sovereign over all creation, sovereign over the affairs of men, sovereign over salvation

We believe that the Church is not a building or a denomination but a people - those who are truly in Christ and embrace the truths that were embraced and confessed by the New Testament Church, the apostolic church. molly

We believe in the authority of the Bible - Scripture alone is the Word of God, We are a bible teaching church

We are evangelical - we believe that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

We are a Vertical Church - we believe that all true worship and living is Vertical, God directed and for the glory of God alone.

Scripture Alone, Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Christ Alone, For the glory of God alone - join us on Sundays

This month we are taking a moment to look at verses that support our belief in Scripture Alone

The last two weeks we have read read 2 Timothy 3:16 and Psalm 19. This morning let’s read Jeremiah 23:28-29

Jeremiah 23:28–29 LSB

28 “The prophet who has a dream may recount his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares Yahweh. 29 “Is not My word like fire?” declares Yahweh, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?

Call to Worship - Psalm 27:1-5

Psalm 27:1–5 LSB

1 Yahweh is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strong defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? 2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In this I trust. 4 One thing I have asked from Yahweh, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of Yahweh And to inquire in His temple. 5 For in the day of calamity He will conceal me in His shelter; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Scripture Reading - Hebrews 11:6-16

Hebrews 11:6–16 (LSB)

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise, 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she regarded Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore there were born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been remembering that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now, they aspire to a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He prepared a city for them.

Introduction: Romans 4:18-25 The God of Promises and Saving Faith

The Book of Romans and Genesis - there’s a sort of deja vu in Romans. As you read it there is a sense of familiarity. And the more you read it the more you realize that there are glimpses and hints of Genesis throughout Romans

In the first four chapters we have creation, we have the fall, we have Adam. And Paul wants us to understand that in our rejection of the creator, in our suppression of the truth, there is another person in Genesis that we need to become intimately acquainted with - and that is Abraham

And is because Paul writes this in Romans 1:16-17

Romans 1:16–17 LSB

16 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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous will live by faith.”

In Romans, Paul wants us to know that the only salvation from the coming wrath of God is a salvation that is by faith from first to last . And this faith is not a faith that we possess but a faith that is given to us by our God who is not only a God of holiness and judgment but a a God of grace. And this faith allows us to believe in the works of Christ and to be given the righteousness of Christ. And it is by faith by which the father of Israel Abraham was saved.

And so Paul wants the church in Rome to know that salvation has always been by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. To the Jewish and Gentile members of the church in Rome he wants them to know that whether you grew up in church and have known the bible since you were a child or you are new to church, salvation is the same. And just as in Paul’s day, Paul wants us to know that the gospel has a wonderful unifying effect when those who are Jew or Gentile, churched or unchurched, “saint” or sinner, Bible scholar or bible newby, we are one in Christ through the righteousness of Christ, a righteousness that is by faith no matter who we are or what we have done.

(1) By faith, Abraham trusted in the promise of God

Romans 4:17–18 LSB

17 as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”—in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your seed be.”

God who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist

In the beginning - the darkness

The darkness of Sarah’s barren womb

The darkness of Mary’s virgin womb

The darkness of the human heart

There is no faith in the human heart - God calls into being our faith

And so in verse 18 - in hope against hope - when all there was is darkness Abraham believed -

Against impossible odds he believe that he MIGHT become a father of many nations

Why did he believe - according to that which HAD been spoken - “so shall your seed be”

This is a great verse for the discouraged person or the uncertain person - trust in the promise of God

Romans 4:19–21 LSB

19 And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to do.

This faith in the promise of God is reinforced in these verses

He contemplated his own body - as good as dead, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb

Yet, - the secret to peace and joy in the christian life:

do not waver in unbelief - recognize your unbelief

grow strong in faith - immerse yourself in the word

give glory to God - glory in the greatness and goodness of God, being fully assured - commit yourself to the promises of God

He was able also - the He is God, according to His will, acknowledge the sovereignty of God

(2) By faith, you can be declared righteous through the promise of God

Romans 4:22–25 LSB

22 Therefore it was also counted to him as righteousness. 23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was counted to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be counted, as those who believe upon Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered over on account of our transgressions, and was raised on account of our justification.

For our sake also - Paul is talking about Abraham for the sake of his readers

Abraham was as good as dead, the deadness of Sarah’s womb - he looked at the situation but trusted God

- the death of Jesus - we trust in the resurrection of Jesus and are saved

we believe that He who raised Jesus - we believe that God is able to raise us from the dead, God is able to take spiritually dead sinners and make them alive

That Christ was raised for our sake, he suffered because of our sin, we are justified, declared righteous through His resurrection

God said it, I believe it, that settles it - no! God said it, that settles it

But in order to receive the blessing s and benefits of salvation, there must be belief, you must believe in order to be saved

And thus, while Christ has done everything, the Philippian jailer was told when asked, what must I DO to be save, he was told, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

Come to Jesus in faith

The God of peace will soon

crush Satan under your feet.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be

with you all. Amen.