The Courtroom of God

Well good morning, it’s great to be here with you today. If we haven’t met, my name is Chase, I serve as the Lead Pastor here and I’m excited to be here with you this morning.

If you have your bible go ahead and turn to Romans chapter 1. Romans 1 is where we’re gonna be today. And while you’re turning there, can we give a shout out to any of our first time guests this morning. We’re so glad you are here.

And while I hope you feel welcome and want to come back and continue to get to know who we are....I want to warmly and welcomingly say...please don’t come back next week. (pause) The following week, yes! The week after that absolutely....but next week is one of the weeks where we can’t be here in the school due to – cheerleading camp – and so we’re doing what we’re calling Kingdom Connection Sunday.

And what that means, is we’re actually challenging you to go to another church.

Okay, now let me say a few things. If you hear this and you’re like – that sounds great....but no thanks. Or cool, I’m gonna use that Sunday to catch up on laundry or clean around the house on Sunday...that’s not what this is. Okay, this is a chance for us all to really experience what it means to be the Global church. To get out of here and recognize that we’re on the same time as other gospel-centered, bible believeing churches amen?

And so that’s important....i’m not saying just go to any church. But a gospel-centered, bible-believing church. (pause) And so....if you need help finding a church to go to...one if you have our app you’ll see several people in the church matters chat have started to discuss we’re they’re going. So if you want to see a familiar face ,I’d encourage you to check that out.

And two if you go into the More Tab on our app...you’ll see a new button that says Kingdom Connection Sunday...and there’s a list of churches our elders have put in there of recommended churches. NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LSIT!

And then here’s the final part...this is what makes it a challenge...when you go....post in the APP where you went. In the church matter’s channel...and let us know...so hopefully all Sunday morning we’ll see where different ones of us went to church on Sunday morning, and we’ll be connected that way. Sound good?

And one more thing...we’ll get to Romans in a second, but I do want to just remind you...that our emphasis and focus on being part of the Global church shouldn’t take away from our focus and emphasis on being truly plugged into and part of a local church.

We believe that being committed to a local church is important, and so I just want to add that caviat...and also use that as a plug for our spring membership class. If you’d like to know more about membership here...that information is in the bulletin or you can talk to an elder at the outlet table in the lobby.

Alright...well with that said we’re gonna pray....

ACTUALLY before we pray one more announcement!!

- Picture

And so really the whole reason I did that was to give another reminder, I know Dakayla already said it earlier, but...let me just say this week’s sermon is PG-13. So if you have little ears with you in the room, I want to recommend our Corners Kid’s ministry where we have age appropriate teaching for those up to 6th grade. And if you’re listening or watching online, you have been warned.

So with all that said...let’s pray and ask God’s guidance for this morning....because we’re gonna need it.

PRAY

INTRODUCTION

Well, let me start off my telling you a bit of an embarrassing secret. A confession of sorts...here it is. I broke the law.

Now, before you get overly concerned let me set the stage. This was last June, I was driving....in Peninsula... And some may say that I was going over the speed limit. One of those who would say that is the police officer who pulled me over.

Now...here was the problem...not only was I going ajkhde miles over the speed limit...that wasn’t the main issue. What became the main issue is that I had forgotten my wallet. And so I had no proof of a drivers license. And so what started as a minor traffic violation...like even the officer said I was just gonna give you a warning. It turned into a major issue where I had to go to court.

And so, this officer told me, he said, “all you have to do is go into the Courthouse in stow...show them you have a drivers license pay the fine and then you’re good to go.” So I’m like alright...I took my ticket with the fine and saw the date on it for a week or so later and went in.

Now...here’s where it gets crazy..I went to pay the fine on the day of – and the lady helps me and then she says okay you can go upstairs to the left and take a seet in Courtroom A or something like that.

And I’m thinking, “wait I thought I was just paying a fine...this is getting really real, really quick. So I go up and I take my seat in the court and at first I’m alone and then more people come in...and I’m like man this is crazy...and then this guy comes in and said “All Arise...and the judge comes in” And now I’m like this is not good.

Someones gonna take a picture....I’m gonna end up on the front cover of the news paper...pastor in court.”

Anyway, without dragging this story out....the guy who was running the show with the judge, I don’t know what his title was he calls out my name with like a number....and so I come forward, and he explains that I was driving without a license and asks me “how do you plead.”

And my first thought was like....I should have called my brother who’s in law school – I was not prepared for this at all....but I couldn’t think of what to say so I was like – guility I guess.

And I was like this this is it....I’m going to prison....

Long story short – this is already taking longer than I meant for it to....the judge looked at me and he’s like wait what’s this about...the guy explained and he showed him the picture of my license and then the judge literally said...man I don’t have time for this...and then they said I could leave. And that was it. One of the strangest experiences of my life.

Some of you were hoping for a better ending, like I had to go to jail or something – so sorry to disappoint...but why am I sharing this story. (by the way I did call brock, my brother after, and he just laughed at me for like 15 minutes straight....but anyway) the reason I’m starting with this story...is because regardless of if I think it’s a little ridiculous that I had to go through that ordeal or not....the truth is – I broke the law.

I was speeding. And I was driving without a license...and as a result there was a penalty that needed to be paid.

If this is your first time here with us, our church is going through the book of Romans. We’ve dedicated this whole year essentially to studying this incredible...rich book...and part of what makes this book so amazing is that – the book of Romans is the most clear and the most systematic presentation fo Christian beliefs in the whole Bible.

The Apostle Paul – we introduced him at the start of this series...and apostle of God...a man who was chosen in a dramatic way by God...but a man who introduces himself as a slave of. Christ...that’s the language he uses...he sits down to pen this book to a group of Christians in Rome...and incredibly hostile, and violant, and over-sexualized culture....and he lays out the basic truths of Christian orthodoxy.

And we’ve seen this each week....the basic layout of the book and how we’re approaching it this year. And we see that he starts in the first half by explaining what we believe as Christians...what truths are central to the message of Christianity...and then in the final four chapters, he shows how we should live.

And so the first two weeks, we met Paul in the intro, then we met the Romans...and then last week Will Rasper did an incredible job unpacking what is the thesis to the book and that’s verses 16 and 17. Can we give a shout out to Will!! And what we see in those verses is that Paul says that he’s not ashamed of the Gospel....the core message of Christianity...because it is is – he says the POWER of God!

Man, we’ve got a lot to get through so we can’t stop here for long...but this is at the core of what we believe as Christians. That this book is not just a book of suggestions...that Jesus was not just a helpful role model.....that the church is not just a social club....but that we have living within us if we are followers of Jesus...the very power of God. Not because we’re God....but because the author...the sustainer...the creator of the universe...the one who is all-powerful has provided one way for us to be seen as righteous in his sight...and that’s through faith in his Son Jesus, amen!

That’s good news...it’s not a good suggestion...it’s not a good theory...it’s good NEWS.

But here’s why it’s good news. (pause) what I just said is only good news...because there’s bad news....like really really bad news. And here it is.

Every single one of us in this room is a lawbreaker. So those of you who were laughing when I told that story...it’s not just me....every single one of us in this room is a law breaker...and here’s why that’s really really really bad....because what Paul is about to lay out....you see this section right here....that says SIN....that’s where we’re moving into....what Paul is going to argue is that every single human to every live...other than Jesus was born with a stain on their heart called sin...that’s gonna take several weeks to unpack....but all of us were born in opposition to the law of God...and that’s bad news...why?

Because check this....the judge I told you about in my situation...I was not on the receiving end of his wrath...okay...i don’t know how things work legally or what the worst case scenario could have been...but all I know is I did not since his wrath..if anything I sensed his annoyance with the other guy in the room...like it was awkward.

But here’s what the bible says...each of us...because we are by nature lawbreakers...we are inherently...like just by nature of who we are on the receiving end of God’s wrath.

We don’t like that word do we. (pause) Well, what Paul does after this intro here...is from Romans 1:17 through Romans 3:20 is he brings us..all of humanity into the courtroom of God.

The all powerful, all knowing, perfect holy God...Paul takes us into his courtroom and for the next 63 verses his sole argument is that no matter who we are...God’s wrath is directed at us. (pause) In fact here’s what he does...check this out...in Romans 1:18-32 he builds is argument against the ungodly....then in chapter 2 he says that even an attempt at moralism won’t solve the wrath problem...and then in chapter 3 he takes his aim at the religious. And this covers everyone does it not? People who don’t know God or don’t want anything to do with him...people who try to do “good” whatever that is...or people who think they’re religious...Paul’s like...whoever you are...you’ve got a problem and that’s that the wrath of God is aimed directly at you.

Now...I haven’t even given our outline yet...but if you’re listening – and you’re new to church.. you might be thinking this sounds awful....like if this is what Christianity is about...maybe I made a mistake...this doesn’t sound like love...this doesn’t sound like good news...what in the world are you talking about, well let me just read this section right here...as Paul begins to lay out his argument..and what my hope is...let me just lay all of my cards on the table this morning...what my hope is...is that actually in exploring in detail God’s wrath...poured out on the whole world...we’ll actually leave here with a greater appreciation for his love.

You say I don’t see it...well let me read from Romans....I’m just gonna read from verse 16 – the thesis of the book...till the end of chapter 1 and then we’ll unpack what Paul’s saying in these verses. Actually let me start in verse 15....Paul writes.

...I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. Why?

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 for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

You see why I said we’re gonna need prayer this morning? Here’s what I want to do with the rest of our time....I’ve really just got two main headings...I want to look at the bad news....and show how we just read the reason for it and the results of it. And then I want to look at the Good news, and our response to it.

We’re gonna spend most of our time in the first subpoint of the first heading….And let me just say...I’ve in the past encouraged you that as we talk about this difficult nature of the bad new...to keep reminding you that the good news is coming....but I don’t want to do that this morning. Because I want us really to feel the weight of....and really sit in the heaviness of the bad news today....because I really believe it’s the darkness of our predicament apart from Christ that makes His presence shine brighter.

So what’s the Bad News?

BAD NEWS

Well...to unpack that, let’s go back to the thesis of the book. What verses are the thesis of Romans? Let’s see if you’re tracking...someone shout it out, which verses are the thesis? 16 & 17. Okay look at 16....he says – I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the....what’s that word? It is the Salvation....the Gospel is power because it saves. Now....if that’s truth....then there’s a logical question that must arise from that truth. What does the gospel save us from? Again, the word Gospel means good news....so the good news is that we’re saved....saved from what...verse 18....we just read it.

For the...the what?? The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

This is where people jump ship is it not? Because...isn’t God supposed to be a loving God? Yes. But he’s a God of Wrath? (pause) Yes.

Let me give you three reasons why I think we struggle with this. (pause) One, I think we have a misunderstanding of the word “wrath.” Okay...when we hear about the wrath of God...in our finitude as humans...we can’t help but to think about the wrath of other finite creatures namely – us. And the wrath of man is almost always stained by sin.

Is not human wrath most often rooted in, frustration, or fear, or a perceived threat? Or feelings of I’ve been wronged and so my pride is hurt because you’re not treating me like I deserve?

Our wrath is almost always rooted in us...And so we take that conception...or idea of wrath...and read into the verse we just read and think – God’s wrath is just him being upset because he’s not getting his way. His wrath is not him throwing a divine tantrum.

We’ve all seen toddlers melt down, right? We have a whole name for it...the terrible twos or the terrible threes. Why? Because at that age, they can’t comprehend that maybe yelling at the top of my longs to express my displeasure isn’t the solution to discontentedness, right? And we just hope they grow out of it. And some people don’t but that’s a different message.

And so when we think of Divine wrath...it’s hard to separate that picture.

But listen...here’s what we have to realize...God’s wrath is rooted in....and inseparable from....his love.

You say how can that be well...that’s the second reason I think we struggle with the notion of God’s wrath..we view love and wrath as irreconcilable opposites. We have a superficial and irrant view of what it actually means that God is love.

May I recommend a book to you...for those who like to read...its a short read, but a deep read...and it’s called the Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D.A. Carson. I got it this week and read it actually in preparation for later in this series....but it blew me away....and what Carson is arguging is this point right here....that we have a superficial view of God’s love because we try and separate God’s love from his sovereignty, his holiness and his wrath. And let me just read one snippet.

- READ QUPTE

That’s not what the bible describes God as....He is a loving God, yes, he is a friend of sinners, yes...but he’s our King. (pause) It’s our job to obey him not his job to obey us.

And Love is not us getting whatever we want and God turning a blind eye towards sin....love is seen in what God did for us despite our sin!

Friends, we can’t twist God into who we want him to be...we must understand him for who he reveals Himself to be!! (pause) To quote the late R.C. Sproul, who many of us are reading his year long devotional through Romans he says, “A god who is all love, all grace, all mercy, no sovereignty, no justice, no holiness, and no wrath is an idol.” Let me read that again.

And we don’t like this concept of wrath because we misunderstand wrath itself as we have a tainted human view of wrath, we don’t understand love in our culture because we have such a superficial view of the concept...but there’s one more reason I don’t think we like talking about this stuff and that’s because we have in our culture a low view of sin.

We think of sin as a mild inconvenience. We even soften it with terms like “white lie”...or...better yet we compare our sins to the sins of others and say “well at least I haven’t killed anybody today.” At least I haven’t this....or at least I haven’t that....but friends, here me...what the bible is talking about when it says sin is any violation of God’s law no matter how small we think it might be! (pause) God doesn’t grade on a curve! It’s not about your good outweighing your bad, we’ll get there in a couple weeks. (pause) Sin is serious, and God’s wrath as described in the bible in it’s most brutal sense is a righteous JUST response to any sin no matter how small!

I don’t if you caught it at the inauguration this past Sunday – but it was right before the swearing in or right after, I can’t remember...but the song the battle hymn of the republic was played. Great song – but u don’t think most people understand what the words are saying. (pause) The words say – “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord... Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword: His truth is marching on. Glory, glory, hallelujah!, Glory, glory, hallelujah!”

I don’t know if most people realize....but when those words are sung, it’s talking about Revelation 14 when it talks about in the end, blood will flow over the earth like grapes going through a winepress as the qrath of God is poured out on the world!!

Or maybe an example that hits a little closer to home....when we sing the song Lion and the Lamb....we haven't sang it in a while....but do you realize what we’re singing?! He’s coming on the clouds....kings and Kingdoms will bow down and every eye will see him? Sounds great doesn’t it? Until you realize that what he’s talking about are the scenes in Revelation 19 and Matthew 24 joined together as Jesus returns as the conquering king and men and kings will declare that Jesus is Lord not in humble exaltation, but fearful dread as those outside of Christ experience the full weight of God’s wrath!

And lets not beet around the bush...when I’m talking about the wrath of God being experienced, I’m not just talking about earthly death....I’m not just talking about people being wiped out of existence forever....but what the bible paints as the ultimate picture of God’s wrath is an eternity of conscious torment in a place called Hell.

You say is that fair? Really? That’s the punishment your loving and just God gives towards someone who told a white lie. Well, one if you’re honest we’ve all done a lot worse than that.... ecpecially when the Bible shows us that we’re judged not just by our actions but our hearts motives as well....but that’s in a couple weeks....but really if we struggle with this, it’s large and in part because we have a low view of sin.

Do we think of our sin...any sin....as a violation against the author of life?! Or is it just....I’m only human...you can’t judge me because everybody messes up.

John Piper puts it like this...in John Piper fashion he says... If I dishonor a frog, I’m not very guilty. If I dishonor a man I’m very guilty. If I dishonor the president or a King, I’m very very guility. If I dishonor an infinite holy God, than I’m infinitely guilty!

Church, do we view even what we might consider the smallest of sins as an infinite offense against an infinatly holy God!? Because that’s what it is!! And...going back to the verse...when we realize that God is perfect in his wrath...that his wrath is just and holy and different than human frustration, but it’s deserved....that it’s perfectly compatible with him being fully a God of love, and that sin is more serious than we think...than we can begin to understand what it means that the wrath of God is revealed...towards the ungodly....because we realize that’s not just those out there...that’s us.

But why..what’s the reason...I told you subpoint number one would be the longest...but point two...what’s the reason for the bad news? Well we see it in verses 19-24. Let me just give you the point, here it is: Because of sin, the created order of the universe is being reversed.

You say, what in the world does that mean...well all the way back in the book of Genesis...page one verse 1....the starting verse of the bible, we see that God created everything, right? That’s the very first thing God wants us to know about himself is that he created the world. (pause) And he starts creating and as he creates everything what’s he say? It’s Good...this is good..t.he water’s good...the trees are good...the animals are good and then he get sto humans and what’s he say? It’s VERY good! And he tells them to be fruitful and multiply and reign over the earth, right? So from the beginning...we see this very perfect created order...where God rules over manking, and mankind rules over creation. (pause) That’s what I mean by the created order. God over humanity....humanity over creation.

Now look at Romans 1 again. Verse 19. So the wrath of God is poured out...why...19

19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Okay, so Paul’s saying...creation is enough to know God exists....like whether you look inward into molecular biology and see the complexity of our circulatory system and our anatomic structure...or if you look upward into the vastness of space and realize there are galaxies we know nothing about and yet everything about everything screems complexity...we would be foolish to think this is all Random. Right, that’s why the Psalmist says in Psalm 14 tha the fool says in his heart there is no God.... David says in Psalm 19 the heaven declare the glory of God!

So Paul in his argument....remember he’s putting humanity on trial in God’s courtroom...that’s what this is all about...Paul doesn’t waste time arguing for the existence of God...but he says look...it’s clear there has to be God...and deep down everyone knows there has to be something...we’re not just a bunch firing brain chemicals, and that something beyond is God....but look at what he says in verse 21.

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

What does that mean...follow this line of thinking this in incredible....it means that humanity in a desire to usurp God...in an attempt at wisdom....actually became foolish...and that which we were meant to rule over – now rules over us!! We...and I’m using the collective we as the human race...exchanged the most prominent position in creation...like did you know the bible says we’re gonna judge angels in heaven? That humanity in many ways has a more esteemed position than angels because angels don’t fully experience God’s mercy and love like we do....we took the most esteemed position in the created order other than God himself....and now...is it not common to hear people say we’re nothing but animals.

You and me baby ain’t nothing but mammels. You can finish the rest of the song....

But do you see what’s happened...in an attempt to push God out...and put ourselves on the throne of our lives...we’ve actually culturally reduced our intrinsic value!

And even more...do we...again using the collective we, do we not worship creation.

Astrology. What is astrology but treating that which God created as God! I’m a virgo. I’m a cancer...no you’re a human being and the stars were meant to bring glory to God not give you direction for your life.

Or....and you might not like this one...but you know what one of the biggest idols in our culture is? Pet idolatry. And before you boo me off of here...I love pets. I want a bird, I’ve said it before, I love dogs...I love birds...cats exist...I love animals!! But friends, listen I say this lovingly yet directly...your pets are not your kids. And I know that’s often said in jest and I get that and I don’t want to be legalistic here...but we need to be very careful in our vernacular to make sure that we understand that there is a difference between human beings and the fact that we are made in the image of God...that we are above and called to care for yet to rule over creation.

And the world says no...there’s no difference. In fact the world often even values creation over humans! Is it not a reversal of the created order that the penalty for destroying a bald eagle egg in this country is up to a year in prison...and yet the killing of unborn humans is word by many as a badge of honor?

And so what happens...we’ve mixed up this created order...because of sin....now look at verse 24.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, - why - 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

That’s why the wrath of God is being poured out!! Because the created order....that which God has said is good is being reversed! God is supposed to rule man, man is supposed to rule creation, but now humanity is ruled by creation, while giving little to no recognition to God. Which leads to the result. What’s the result of the bad news?

Verses 26 to the end of the chapter...here’s what we see. Because it is being reversed, the created order of the universe is collapsing.

Look at what Paul says....and again...he’s laying an argument. Humanity is on trail in the courtroom of God, and Paul is presenting evidence. And what does he say? Verse 26.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Friends, here’s the deal. You all sensible people. I don’t have to interpret this for you. Throughout the years there have been attempts to try and say oh it actually meant this....because in Roman context...people viewed this different and it’s not talking about men and women in committed homosexual relationships it’s talking about...and then they come up with all kinds of alternative interpretations....but let me just say...how does it make any sense that the further removed we are from a culture the more insight we’d have into that culture?

That makes no sense? Like you read the early church fathers who were writing just one or two hundred years after the book of Romans was written and they’re actually in Rome...and their writings are in straightforward agreement with Paul....and yet we think somehow 2000 years later we know better.

So the question is not what is Paul saying...it’s are these words true. (pause) Is the book of Romans a good suggested way of looking at the world? Or is it divine TRUTH....that lays out the good news?

Because if it is truth...than what we are being told is that one of the symptoms...not the root cause....but the result of a broken world...one of the results is homosexuality. We only have three options...Paul didn’t mean what he said in the way we think he meant? There’s not a single convicing argument of that. Paul was wrong...which is the option most people take...which is Paul was wrong...and if Paul was wrong, friends we might as well pack it up and go home because the bad news is all we have. There is no good news. Or...Paul is right.

But Chase, it’s 2025....we can’t believe stuff like this. If this is what Christianity is all about then I want nothing to do with it. (pause) Well...this is the route many who leave the chuch take. And that’s because...most people don’t evaluate the world through the lens of scripture, but use the cultural lens of the world to evaluate the bible.

Does that make sense? Most people are not looking at the hot button issues and saying I know I might not find this upsetting...I know I might find this offensive even....but – this book is a lamp to my feet and light to my path – therefore I will walk where it tells me to walk and believe what it tells me to believe whether it makes sense to me or not because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to man!

R.C. Sproul puts it this way:

"unbelief is generated not so much by intellectual causes but as by moral, psychological ones. The problem is not that there is insufficient evidence to convince rational beings that there is a God, but that rational beings have a natural antipathy (aversion) to the being of God. In a word, the nature of God, or at least the Christian God, is repugnant to man and is not the focus of desire or wish projection. Man's desire is not that God exists, but that he doesn't."

Do you see what he’s saying? He’s saying that people’s problem with the Bible is not that they can’t believe in God, but that the God of the bible is not a God they want to follow!

But the stars won’t tell you what you don’t want to hear. Creatures don’t talk and so we can get to them fill voids...because it’s easier to find our identity in that which we should rule over including our passions and desires...instead of submitting wholly to Christ is it not?

And lest we think that because we don’t struggle with this particular sin called out here...the sin of homosexuality...before we start patting ourselves on the back....when we take the bible as a whole and Paul’s writings as a whole he’s not just talking about same sex sex, but sex outside of marriage including adultery...premarital sex...this is why we as a church feel strongly that cohabitation before marriage is unwise at best and unbiblical at worse.

And look at the rest of Paul’s list. Verse 28

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. We don’t have time to unpack that...but he’s saying God essentially says alright...I’ll give you what you want. And he let people start living how they wanted. And verse 29 here’s what happened. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. The list goes on and on we read it already, but look at verse 32....this is the some total of it all...the clear result of a culture in which the wrath of God is directed and a people on the righteous receiving end of wrath....Verse 32 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Do you see the progression? Sin leads to the denial of a God who’s made himself visible...which leads to the destructive reversal of the created order...which leads to the complete degradation of the created order as men and women are filled with every vice...and an outward sign of disobedience and they know deep down they’re wrong, but they not only do it, but want as many people to give approval!

Is this not the case in our culture? The only cultural sin of the day is to call out someone’s sin!

So where do we go from here? You say give the good news....well, I will...but let me say a couple things really quick. (Pause) because this is heavy...and particularly because this is a hot button issue in our culture at this moment....I want to just pause to say this...if you are someone in this room...or listening online that does wrestle with what the bible labels as sexual sin. (pause) Be that pornography....homosexual urges or propensities...premarital sex....extramarital or adulterous thoughts, urges, or actions....let me just say....you are not alone in your struggle....and you don’t have to be.

If the sins and struggles of every person in this room were broadcasted on this screen behind me...no one would show up next week...i mean in two weeks.

You are not alone in your struggle. And we want to be a church where you are welcomed, loved...and also resourced...on the screen behind me you should see a few books that I’d recommend for diving deeper into these topics...but this is why we can’t do life alone....because if you hear this message and your takeaway is...yo get better...figure out how to overcome your sin...you’ll never make it...and again Paul’s building his case against the whole world so we’ll get to the moralist and the religious in the next couple weeks when we get back...but friends regardless of your stuggle you are not alone.

And more than anything...actually if you forget everything else I’ve said...lock in here’s what I want you to here....you need to know that it’s okay to not be okay, but it’s not okay to be okay with it. Regardless of who you are...what you’re struggle is...you are loved and welcomed here...AND...not BUT...AND We will redefine sin...and we will not ignore it nor will we normalize it....but what we can do...and what we will do is embrace the fact that all of our sin...regardless of what it is....my sin...your sin...regardless of if it’s seen as great or small...has been nailed to the cross....and we can bear it no more if we put our faith in Jesus...because, brothers and sisters...there’s an offer of grace and forgiveness and our sin can be completely covered...but...listen....it’s only when we recognize how bad the bad news is that we can truly appreciate the richness of the the good news!

And so turn with me to Romans 3....we’re just about done....I know this is heavy stuff but I said...up top when I laid out all my cards on the table...I said that My hope today...is that actually in exploring in detail God’s wrath...poured out on the whole world...we’ll actually leave here with a greater appreciation for his love. And here it is...this is the good news that leads to a greater appreciation of God’s love not despite what we’ve talked about, but BECAUSE whar we talked about...this is the core of the Gospel...Romans 3:23.

This a verse worth underlining...and circling...and memorizing...and getting tatted on you if you’re about that life...here it is...and I’m reading fro the NLT just because I think it presents it the most clearly:

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

PAUSE! Do you see what that’s saying!! It’s saying that God’s righteous wrath is directed at us!! it’s saying that we all deserve Hell every single one of us!! A small sin is still and infinite violation of a holy God! We are all on trial...and we are all guilty!! Verse 24...here we go....

24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight.

PAUSE! Again....I’m in the NLT but the word is justified...we’re justified!! We’re not innocent...but we’re justified!! How?!

He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

Christian, Corners Chapel SAINT, do you realize that you should have been up on that cross. Did it hit you to your soul...when we sang it was my sin that held him there....That’s what makes his love so great!! But there’s one more verse...God loved the world so much he sent his son...but check this...verse 15.

25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.

You gotta believe! And what we’re gonna see as we continue through this wonderful book is that belief leads to behavior! We don’t clean ourselves up to get saved...but if we’re saved we can’t help but live like it! (pause) Because we’re transformed!!

And one more....ah this get s me so hyped every time....did you notice the phrase over and over....he gave them up....

- Romans 8:32 ....do you understand that on the cross the son bore the wrath that we deserved?!

- I don’t know! But what I do know is that – that should have been me!

Which leads to our final point...how do we respond. (pause)

1. We should fall on our knees in humble repentance.

I’m not talking physically although maybe...but metaphorically...we should be emotionally floored by the need to repent. (pause) Not in the way Will described Martin Luther last week where he for years didn’t believe he was forgiven and trying all these ways to clean himself up, but as a response to God’s free gift!

If our response to the gospel, is..yeah that’s nice...let me get a little Jesus in my life and keep on living...we don’t get it. And...this struck me this week as I was preparing this...I think actually in many ways we’ve set people up for this incomplete picture of what it means to be a follower of Jesus...I think we as the church in the west have been going about it wrong in how we think we need to prepare the message of the gospel and moreover how we think we can get people to respond to the message.

See many of us think...you no...if we can downplay the wrath part of God and the stuff about sin and all that....then maybe people will come to Jesus and we’ll slowly introduce that other stuff. Maybe even as I’m talking you’re like....man I’m glad I didn’t invite anyone this morning...but...and I mean this lovingly...how narcistic and egomanical of us is for us to think that we need to clean up the Gospel of God!

And while we’d never say these words, when we downplay, avoid, or attempt to change the reality of and the magnitude of sin and the danger thereof, what we’re saying is order for this person to come to Jesus they need me to polish the packaging...friends that’s satanic.

God forgive us for when we...no God forgive me for when I think I know more than you!

That’s what we’re doing when we try to soften the blow of sin!

And is that not the old sin from the garden? Did God really say?

No...we’ve got it wrong...it’s not that people need to hear all the good stuff so we can then tell them about sin...the good stuff isn’t good until we first recognize the nature of sin! (pause) C.S. Lewis says it best...

“a recovery of the old sense of sin is essential to Christianity…And when men attempt to be Christians without this preliminary consciousness of sin, the result is almost bound to be certain resentment against God as to one always inexplicably angry.”

And when our hearts have been stirred by the reality of our sin...and we’ve fallen in repentance to a holy God who has promised to forgive...then number 2

2. We should fall to our knees in Christ-exalting praise.

Christian why do we worry! Why do we fear!!! When we know our names are graven into the wounded hands of Christ! And our praise should lead to our final point...and with this we’ll land the plane...it’s a long one but here it is.

3. We should Be filled with a humble, righteous urgency to see those far from God experience the fullness of the love of God.

I put humble on here twice and that’s intentional. Because it can be easy for us to take a message like this and think we’re in a culture war....that all those sinners out there....it’s us verse them. No if that’s your takeaway you missed the whole thing.

And you’re up next because the next groups Paul addresses are the moralist and the religious.

But no....our realization of the fact that it’s in Christ alone we have hope should spur us into mission...a mission that’s marked by humility...because we want people to be saved, absolutely...but because we want to see their eyes opened to experience the fullness of the love of God.

CONCLUSION

Well our time is long done....And as our music team comes back up...let me end with this.

I started by telling you about when I broke the law....I went to court..and the judge didn’t really do anything...basically he said I don’t have time for this.

I want you to imagine...that I had committed the worst crime imaginable. You can fill in the blank....but it’s the worst thing you can imagine...and now imagine that the judge is the nicest person you know.

What I deserve is to be sentenced away for life...if not worse...but imagine that the judge says – you know I’m gonna take it easy on you....you can go.

That’s not justice is it? I seems nice...and it’s nice to me...but the rest of the world is gonna look at that and say actually that’s not loving...because there’s no justice...the crime wasn’t made for...it’s mercy...but it’s not justice.

Now imagine that the judge says you are guilty...you’re sentenced to life...no you’re sentenced to death...and then he gets up...walks down to the table where I’m standing...takes off my chains puts them on himself and says...the punishment needs to be paid....but I’ll pay it for you.

It sounds ridiculous right? I don’t even know if that’s legal in our legal system.

But friends that’s the gospel.

We all broke the law...we all stand on trial in the courtroom of God...The wrath of God was directed towards us...but God didn’t say forget you I’m done with you...he said we’re not doing this...he said this is how much I love you that I’m gonna send myself to stand in your place and die the death that YOU deserved to die...because brothers...because sisters its on the cross where God’s wrath and his love intersect....it’s because the sinless saviour died that our sinful sould can be counted free.

Have you experienced this love...Are you Ashamed of the Wrath of God....or does it magnify the joy of your salvation?

PRAY