The Good News

Scripture Reader: Hebrews 11:1-10

Well good morning. It’s great to be here with you. If your Bible’s open... go ahead and turn to the book of Romans...Romans chapter 3 is where we’re gonna be in just a second. While you’re turning there, let me say if we haven’t met – my name is Chase. I serve as the Lead Pastor here, and I’m so glad you’re here to worship with us today.

Let’s give a shout out for any of our first time guests this morning. Welcome to the Corners...we’re glad you’re here. We are a four and half year old church here in Macedonia. And God has done so many amazing things in the story of our church, and we believe that he’s just getting started – Amen? So we hope you feel his presence today.

Well, we have a lot of ground to cover in our brief time together this morning. We ended last week in the goal is to make it into chapter 5 this morning....so let me ask the Lord for his guidance this morning, and then I’ll let you know where we’re headed.

PRAY

There is a stereotype for those who from Ohio...or really I think it’s a stereotype for the whole Midwest...and that’s that we prefer to drive instead of fly. In fact, there’s an old internet meme I see it pop up at least a few times a year where people say something like “People from ohio are alw like: Why fly when it’s only a 14 hour drive.” I can relate to that..I love flying, I do....but I also love Road Trips. (pause) To me anything under 5 hours doesn’t count as a Road Trip...but I love long, multi-day road trips because I love watching the landscapes change.

From the grassy midwestern plains to the mountains in the west...to the deserts further out west it’s breath taking, and I love it.

Well, One of the most scenic roads I’ve ever driven on is the entrance into Zion National Park. Zion’s one of my favorite places on the planet...and there’s a lot I love about it, but what might be my favorite part is the road that leads into the park – I believe it’s called the Mount Carmel entrance...but it has this Dark Tunnel...it’s like a mile long, maybe even longer...and there’s a few openings where there’s glimpses of light as your going through, but it’s mostly just darkness...it’s narrow...in fact it’s so narrow that if a RV goes through they have to stop the traffic because the RV has to drive in the middle. So there’s a limited number of RVs allowed...but it’s dark...it’s narrow...and then you come to the end of the tunnel and it’s one of the most breakthtaking views in the entire country...as the it opens up to the canyons and the mountains and just the amazing scenery...it’s absolutely incredible! From total darkness...to just beauty and splendor and majesty.

It's....it’s like the opposite of driving into Detroit. Like when I drive into Detroit it’s nice and peaceful and then there’s like fire towers and it’s scary...but Zion...it goes from darkness to just amazingness.

Well, as I was thinking about where we’re head in the book of Romans this morning...it reminded me a lot of that drive into Zion.

If you’re a guest with us today...I want you to know that our church is studying through ...or should I say journeying through the book of Romans this year.

And just like on a road trip – as we get to watch the change of the topography and the geography - pause – as we make our way through the book of Romans there’s noticeable shifts in the topics that Paul, the author is addressing – and how he’s addressing them. There’s warnings and condemnations that he’s handing out, there’s deep theological truths, there’s straightforward applications...and even hymns of praise he’s writing...and so as we journey through the book we’ll feel some of those changes in literary topography if you will.

And this is intentional by Paul, because as we’ve said every week, and we’re gonna keep saying every week is that the book of Romans is the most clear and systematic presentation of Christianity in the whole Bible. Right, Paul’s laying out the basics of Christianity.

And so he does it like this...

Actually, before we look at this review slide..let me just say I hope you don’t think I’m showing this all the time because I think you all can’t remember it. Okay...it’s because as we work our way through these different parts, we have to always be remembering where he’s been and where he’s going.

Because again this was a letter...it was meant to be read all at once and so when we do what we’re doing and just look at small sections -- we can loose sight of the big picture if we just jump into one part without focusing on the whole.

Like...back to the road trip or the landscape example....who in the room...just give a shout...if you consider yourself like a beach person. Who like the beach...like that’s your favorite kind of vacation? Okay how often when you’re on the beach are you thinking about the desert in Nevada. Probably not a lot, right? Or who like the mountains? When you’re on the mountains you’re probably not thinking about the plains in Iowa.

But all of it together is what makes America beautiful, isn’t it?

In the same way it can be easy for us to narrow on in sections of this book or even just verses and without constantly reminding ourselves of where it falls in the big picture...the whole thing can loose it’s...brilliance.

And so...the last three Sundays we’ve been here...we’ve been looking at this section from Romans 1:18 all the way through Romans 3:20 where Paul is calling out the whole world in different groups....and saying...hey everyone’s sinned...everyone’s guilty before God...because God is perfect and we’re not...and so as a result God’s wrath is directed at us. (pause) his wrath is directed at all of us in this room and that’s bad news.

But then...and we’ve gotten small glimpses each week... but in verse 21 of Romans 3...he says BUT NOW....two of the greatest words in the bible...but now....16 times Paul uses this phrase in this book...and here he uses it say - despite everything I’ve said...in spite of the fact that whether you’re bad and know you’re bad...whether you’re bad and think you’re good...whether you don’t even know...if you have a pulse...by nature you’re a sinner, and God’s wrath is pointed at you...BUT...even though that’s true...NOW....and then he introduces the good news.

Remember back in chapter 1 verse 16 and 17, we said the whole point of the book was Paul was gonna show the power of the Gospel. And what’s the word Gospel mean? Good News.

It means Good News. Friends we are finally...to the Good News. As Paul is about to unpack the wonder of Salvation. What are we saved from? From sin....and now that we’ve unpack that – it’s as if We’re coming out of the dark tunnel into the light...and right here...between chapter 3 verse 20 and 3 verse 21 and into chapter 4 and even into chapter 5 if we get there...Friends, I want you to feel the same way I felt driving into Zion and just be left speechless and the majesty and wonder, and beauty of salvation...and even more the beauty of our King.

Okay, so that’s where we’re heading and here’s our outline for today...just three headings. As we move into this section of nothing but Good News for a while...I want us to see the Good News Explained, the Good News, Illustrated, and the Good News Applied. How does all of this Apply directly to us today. Alright?

So, if you’re Bible open...let’s dive right in to Romans chapter 3. Verse 21.

THE GOOD NEWS EXPLAINED

Okay, so remember he’d just given the bad news....we looked at this last week, Paul brings all of humanity into the courtroom of God...we’re all guilty, and then – verse 21.

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested (or revealed) 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.

Okay, this is one of the greatest section of verses in the entire Bible. And yes, I’m gonna say that a bunch of times in this series...but...seriously. Don’t divorce this from it’s context. He’s given us bad news, bad news, bad news....and then he says...look at this phrase by phrase....

....the righteousness of God has been manifested...again that word means it’s been revealed...or exposed....or it litteraly means to become visible. So he’s saying look you can see God’s righteousness now. (pause) Now....on it’s own that’s not necessarily good news! Because do you remember the last time Paul said something like this? Romans 1:18 when he said God’s WRATH has been revealed. (Pause) So God’s righteousness being revealed...without the context...we don’t know if that’s good news yet, especially with regards to what Paul just told us about none of us being righteous. Right, we’re all by nature law breakers...but look at this next phrase...how’s it revealed...it’s revealed...apart from the law.

This means....whatever he’s about to say...is separate from works! Like what he’s about to say has nothing to do with keeping the law...it has nothing to do with good works...and it has nothing to do with us being good. Nothing!!

If you write in your bible underline this phrase...apart from the law! So all the laws in the Old Testament...do we need to follow them to be seen as righteous? No! What about the New Testament Laws...do we need to follow them in order to be seen as righteous by God? No!

What about the moral law of our hearts or the laws of our land...do following those earn us anything with God at all? No! Then how is the righteousness of God revealed? Next phrase.

the righteousness of God IS...there’s an implicit IS there...some of your bible’s have that in italics...the rightfulness of God is... through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

This is the Good News! This is the Gospel! And if you’re like...I get it we’ve talked about this already...you’ve hit on this verse every week for the last three weeks...if that’s what you’re thinking and you’re tired of hearing this...than you don’t get it!! Because if any of us...self included could fully comprehend the depth of this verse...the implications....and the consequences of this verse...I don’t think we could handle it. Like...I’m only being slightly hyperbolic here...I honestly don’t think our finite minds can grasp the depth of what this is saying....and all of eternity will be to short to unpack and marvel at this!! Which is why we by nature want to reject this....okay I’m getting ahead of myself...

He's saying Gods righteousness is revealed...uh oh....but not by living a good life...okay phew...then how...how through faith in Jesus!...But what’s that mean...next verse...

Okay this is the core of Christianity right here...The Gospel in a nutshell...we have to get this here it is:

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...okay we got that, that’s the last three weeks...verse 24 and are – what’s that word? justified by his grace as a gift,

We’re justified!! Now...I think this is a helpful way to remember this....when we see the word justified....in our heads we should think it is “just as if I never sinned.” Okay, that’s what it means to be justified!! (pause) So lets try it...when I say “justified” you say “just as if I never sinned”. Okay... lets try it...what’s justified mean. Just as if I never sinned. One more time...what does justified mean? Just as if I never sinned.

Do you see why this is so huge?! Because this is saying...for you and I who put our faith in Jesus...it’s not that he looks at us...see’s our messed up wickedness and says – you know...that’s okay...I’ll let him pass because he trusted Jesus...no...when God looks at us...when we stand before him he’ll see perfection! Why? This is so key for us...look at what comes next...It’s only

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, verse 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation

Propitiation...everybody say propitiation. Okay...I know these are big words...and you might be thinking why do I need to know this....well....you’ll see why at the end hopefully...but propitiation is a big word that means for the wrath of a deity to be appeased.

Okay so you tracking? I know this is theological heavy lifting...but stick with me...what does justified mean? It’s just as if you never sinned....And why’s that huge? Because all of us have sinned....and yet....despite our sin which puts us on the receiving end of God’s wrath...through Jesus it’s just as if we’ve never sinned why...because the wrath of God has been satisfied...how?

By his blood.

Christian, are we ashamed of talking about the blood of Jesus? (pause) I love this qupte from Anthony Carter...an author and pastor and writer for The Gospel Coalition and Ligoneir ministires...here’s what he says:

It has been said that Christianity is a bloody religion. This reference is usually made by critics who point to the wars, inquisitions, trials, and executions carried out over the years in the name of Christianity. While we must admit that blood has been wrongly shed in the name of so-called christianity, the fact of the matter is that Christianity is indeed a bloody religion. However, this is true not because of the blood shed by humanity in wars and inquisitions, but because of the blood shed by Jesus Christ.

To read the Bible with any seriousness and sober discernment is to see that the shedding of blood or the implications of it is on practically every page. If the history of redemption is a story told in pictures, the blood of Christ is the paint with which that story is told.

Brothers and sisters, I know this won’t make sense to many outside of the church...and maybe you’re a guest here today and this seems strange...this seems barbaric...but our faith...the Christian faith is rooted in the blood of Jesus.

My hope is built on nothing less than what? Jesus’ blood and his righteousness.

We can’t be ashamed of that. We can’t be ashamed of it in the way we talk...we can’t be ashamed of it in the songs we sing....right, it’s popular in churches today for people to say if.a song mentions the blood we can’t sing it....if a passage mentions the blood we wont read it...well I don’t know what faith that is but it’s not Christianity. My life, my hope, my joy, my peace, my everything is rooted in the blood of Jesus that was shed because...that’s what Paul says propitiated...or appeased the wrath of God...so I could be justified which means what? It’s just as if I never sinned!

But there’s one more phrase. This justification...the being made right with God because it’s just as if we never sinned is received how? BY FAITH.

What is that? Well, I’ll tell you what it’s not. Faith as described in the bible is not just...a strong feeling devoid of objectivity. What do I mean by that...well, it’s not just...you know...super positive wishful thinking. (pause) Isn’t that how people use the word today? After a tough game a player on a winning team get’s interviewed and he or she says...our team just had faith. We knew we’d win because we had faith. Faith in what? That we’d win! Well did the other team not have faith?

We can’t just equate faith to the strength of our feelings in a subjective or just a personal sense ... no the faith the Bible is talking about that which is rooted in objective reality namely the person and work of Jesus.

That’s the faith Paul is talking about! Not just do we believe Jesus existed...or that he was a real person....James tells us even the demons believe that! Anyone want to say they,,,the demons...are justified? No, faith moves beyond simple intellectual assent, beyond just subjective feelings, to a confident belief in the objective truth of Jesus’ once and for all sacrifice.

That when he said it is finished it was finished. That when he said I am the way the truth and the life no comes to the Father accept through me...that he meant that. That when he said those who come to him will find rest, and peace, and that he’s gone to heaven to prepare a place for his followers...that all those statements are more than words, but are objective realities...and that you’re trusting wholly in his finished work on the cross as the means for your justification....not anything you bring to the table at all...that’s the faith Paul’s talking about.

But why...what’s the reason for all of this? Well

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.

Okay now this is interesting...we don’t talk about this enough in church...but this is really the fulcrum...or the umm....the nucleus of not just everything we believe, but of all of human history .....because....what this is saying....follow me here...is that before Jesus – ooo we’re getting into deep theological waters here – what this is saying is that before Jesus died on the cross, all the sins from the time of Adam to the time of Christ were not fully punished yet.

What do I mean...well what I’m saying is that the sins...that all the Old Testament Saints – Moses, David, Elijah, Daniel... all of their sins were not fully propititated...or the wrath of God was not fully placated by the Old Testament sacrificial system...it was all pointing to Jesus...and it was their hope and faith in the fulfulment of the promise...that God would send a savior that was the means of their salvation...not the sacrifices. (pause) isn’t that what Paul says in Hebrews 10:4? Well, we don’t know if it was Paul...but the author of Hebrews...he says don’t think for a minute the blood of bulls and goats will actually erase your sin. You’re not cleansed because of that...no all that was just to remind you of your sinfulness!!

But when Jesus died...and this was the plan since before time...he was patient...that’s what forebarane means...he waited for thousands of years...and he passed over the sins in the past...that’s an interesting choice of words isn’t it....but he didn’t just ignore the sins, right he can’t do that...he’s righteous...the sin has to be punished...and so what did he do...he put it all on Jesus! Why? Because he’s righteous and the sin had to be paid for...so he put it on the only one who could pay the penalty...himself!

See if we think God is just so loving and gracious that he just ignores our sin...no! He punished it. Jesus just bore the punishment! That we deserved!

And so now...catch this...the biggest plot twist in history...the biggest paradox in history...but the best news in history...now...because of all we’ve said...God...is both the just...so that means he punishes sins...but he’s also the justifier!! He’s the one who makes it so its as if we never sinned! God himself is both the executioner as judge...and the one who took our punishment and now it’s as if we never sinned because our sin was payed for when he poured His own wrath on himself...and our faith and believe that

If your head is spinning then maybe this will help. (pause) What Paul is saying is that it’s all about Jesus. That all of history is about Jesus. That the sins of the Old Testament saints were atoned for in the death of and resurrection of Jesus...not the sacrifices...they weren’t JUSTiFIED forever by the sacrifices... they were saved by their faith in the promise of the one who was to come, namely Jesus...and...brothers and sisters we are saved in the same way.

Not by our works....not by anything we bring to the table...just simple faith.

And so here’s our first point...don’t worry the last two will be quicker: Our justification...whats that mean? It’s just as if I never sinned....that has NOTHING to do with anything we have done. are doing, or anything we ever will do.

It’s all Jesus! In Christ alone my hope is found. Which is why Paul goes on in the remaining verse of chapter 3 to say...you’ve got nothing to boast about! Nothing!

THE GOOD NEWS ILLUSTRATED

Now, it’s as if he’s anticipating people will say...it can’t be that easy. Like, I have to do something...I have to contribute something. Simple faith can’t be enough. And so it’s because of that he spends essentially all of chapter 4 giving an illustration. Time won’t allow us to work through this chapter verse by verse, so I’m gonna do a lot of summarizing in this chapter...but...this is our second heading...the Good News Illustrated....because what Paul is gonna do is he’s gonna answer the objection that there has to be something we bring to the table...by using the Old Testament Illustration of Abraham.

Okay so who’s Abraham...well Father Abraham had what? Many Sons. Okay now we know who grew up in Sunday school or who’s teaching in our Corners Kids...

But turn with me if you will to Genesis chapter 12....this might seems like a detour, but this is important. If you know the story of the Bible it starts out with God creating everything...it’s all good...then sin enters the world through a man named Adam, we’ll talk about him in two weeks....but things keep spiralling worse and worse until God’s like...factory reboot...I’m flooding the whole world. Okay, that’s the Chase Standard Version.

So he chooses a guy named Noah...spares his family and the animals...everyone else gets wiped out....and do things get better? Not really. Noah get’s drunk and naked as soon as he gets off the boat....theres more spirals of death and disobedience...until God scatters everyone across the world in Genesis 11 and then finally we come to this story in Genesis 12....after all the dissobediance...the wickedness...look at Genesis 12 verse 1.

Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Now don’t miss this...what had Abram done up to this point? Nothing! Was he a devout God follower up to this point? No! In fact...Joshua chapter 24 tells us he was an idol worshipper from the land of Ur, which means he was a mood worshipper. So did he clean himself up in order to be choosen...to be saved...by God from his wicked life? Nope. God just choose him. Then look at verse 4....So Abram did a bunch of rituals....made himself acceptable to God...started going to church...changed his life...started praying more...No.

4 So Abram went, as Yahweh had told him

Okay stick with me...the next couple chapters...Abraham’s still wildin out....there’s the weird story about how he was acting like his wife was his sister because he was scarred of the king of the bad guys in the land. So he was a cowardice liar....we don’t sing that son in Sunday School...

He has to go rescue his cousin lot from the king of the other bad guys....actually there were a bunch of them...so he goes and rescues him...then – at the end of chapter 14 he meets this guy named Melchezedeck...that’s a wild story...but look at chapter 15. Chapter 15 verse 1.

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless.... he has no kids! So he’s like...okay, you’re telling me I’ll be this great nation...that’s awesome...but how? Look at verse 5 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Verse 6...underline circle...highlight....do whatever you have to do...but know this verse in the bible....6 And he believed the Lord, and he (God) counted it to him as righteousness.

Okay there’s three words that should just jump out at you in this verse...here they are. Believe, Counted, and Righoutsness.

The Hebrew word “believe” litteraly means to lean on something with your whole weight...I’d demonstrate with this table, but I don’t believe in it....but that’s what believe means...to lean in on...to believe.

Next it says he counted....some translations say he credited...it’s an accounting term...it means to go into the positive leger on your account. (pause) And then the last word is what was credited...and that’s righteousness! In other words right standing with God!

That’s what we want right? But we’re not! Again, that’s rhe dark tunnel of Romans 1-3 – no one’s righoutous!! We don’t have righteousness on our account! (pause) but Abraham got it! He got righteousness in his account! How?! Becauase he obeyed the law? The law wasn’t given until Moses hundreds of years later! (pause) What about Issac....

What about circumcision...didn’t God tell Abraham that the sign of his covenant with him would be he and all the males in his house would have to get circumsized? Yeah...but that’s not till chapter 17 of Genesis. So what did he do...to get rightounsness credited to his account?

He believed! (pause) Let’s turn back to Romans. (pause) Romans chapter 4....again Paul just explained the good news...now he gives an illustration. Romans 4:1

What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

Do you see what he’s doing....don’t get lost in the weeds....step back and watch the landscape change....Paul has for the past three weeks been saying no one’s got righteousness in our account...none of us...BUT NOW...Romans 3:21 ...we come out of the tunnel...we are justified by the blood of Jesus! And the hypothetical objector stands up and says....yeah? Well about about Abraham! Wasn’t he righteous? And Paul says...not because of anything he did other than just have faith. It wasn’t his works! And he sums it up in verse 5...this is another verse where all of eternity will be to short for us to give God the thanks and glory he deserves vecause of this verse....Romans 4 verse 5...this is where it leaves from just Abraham and comes to all of us! Verse 5

5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

I know we’ve done some heavy theological lifting this morning...but we have to break down this verse down....he says to the one who does not work!! John Piper says that there is no greater verse and there’s no greater part of a verse than this verse right here that shows that our justification is by faith alone! Sola Fide. By Faith Alone! And Paul unpacks this later in the chapter...in verse 9...continuing the illustration of Abraham, he says

For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

You might be thinking why’s do we keep bringing up circumcision...what’s the point...maybe you’ve wondered why it’s in the bible at all...well Paul tells us right here...the whole point of circumcision was to be an outward symbol of the inward faith in the promise that was made to Abraham...and what Paul is highlighting in this chapter, is that Abraham was made righteous....he had righteousness credited to him BEFORE he had the external sign of the inward transformation! REPEAT. It was Before any works that he had done!

And look at the next verse: Verse 11....this is huge...he says: 11 He received the SIGN of circumcision as a SEAL of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.

You say I’m not tracking...what’s this have to do with verse 5...well Paul is using the graphic imagery of circumcision to show that it’s not the external that justifies...but the external should be a representation of the internal.

Let me bring it today. Not leaving the Old Testament graphic If we are Christ...our life as Christians... is the cutting away of the old while the new comes into being... and in the same way...that change...that outward change is not the cause of our justification....it’s the result...it’s the sign....because Justification only comes ot the one who does not work!

In other words, we have to realize that none of our works count TOWARDS our justification...do works matter yes...do works safe...an works no!

Brothers and sisters, O that we would put our name in this phrase....THE ONE WHO DOES NOT WORK....as a means to try and earn our righteousness. (pause) Because whether we like it or not...our name is in the next one....to the one who does not work...but believes in him who justifies...what’s that say....the ungodly.

This is the heartbeat of Christianity. That God justifies...not those who prove their worth...not those who live up to his standard...but God only justifies the ungodly! And this phrase the ungodly...Martin Luther writes about when he stumbled upon this verse he lept for joy! When John Bunyan who struggled with depression for years...the author of Pilgrim’s Progress who attempted suicide on multiple occations because of the depth of his guilt and the awarness of his brokenness..it’s these two words that brought him into the light.

These two words...don’t miss this....we’re almost done...these two words...they’re showing us that to quote John Piper...even at the intial first moment of belief...we were still ungodly.

Do you see the significance of this? This means that if we think of even faith as a righteous WORK that we do...that therefore earns us our salvation...we’ve missed the Gospel! (pause) Don’t mishear me...it’s very easy to misunderstand what I’m saying.... that if we go through life thinking...I just have to have more faith....I just need more faith...we’re saved by faith alone, and I don’t think I have enough faith...I need faith so that I can get God to accept me....then friend you’ve misunderstood faith and you’ve misunderstood the gospel! There’s no good news in that! (Pause) Even our faith can’t originate from with us...it’s a gift from God to us!

That’s why Paul goes back to Abraham...because it wasn’t his righteousness that caused God to make a promise to him...dude was out there worshipping the moon and God shows up and is like...I’m gonna bless you....end of discussion...it was unconditional! He was choosen...then he believed....then came behavior. And he was a mess for the rest of his life...and so were his kids.....but while he was still ungodly...he was justified. John Piper puts it like this...

In the courtroom when you were enabled by grace to look away from yourself by God, and you fall on Him in dependence, God the judge looks at that and in his extraordinary grace, and he looks at his Son and all of his atoning righteousness and he takes the righteousness of Christ and puts it on you, and he takes all your sins and he puts them on Christ and he says, “in Christ – Not Guilty.” That happens in a moment and you build on that for the rest of your life.

Friends you may have gotten lost back in chapter 3....you might have checked out 20 minutes ago...check back in....because here’s what I want you to know...if you are here today and you’re burdened by your guilt...you have shame...you feel like you’re in a room with a bunch of varsity Christians and you can’t even make the JV Christian squad...you feel like we’re on another plane of godliness....this is the message of our faith....it’s not by our works that we are saved...it’s by total dependence on the justifier who justifies the ungodly...that’s how...this last phrase...we get righteousness in our account.

We depend wholly on him...and it’s a gift from him that allows us to do that...and then he puts the righteousness of Jesus in our account! That’s the good news! It’s good news for us....and it was God news for Abraham because he was trusting in the same promise. Which brings us to our final heading. The Good News Applied. The Good News was explained at the end of chapter 3 when Paul lays out that we’re not saved because of anything we’ve done at all. Nothing we have done, will ever do, or are doing will make it as if we’ve never sinned. Point number two was Paul doubling down on that, right? Using Abraham as an illustration. And so I want to end by bringing it directly to us today.

If everything we said is true...how should that impact us and...like Piper says how can we build on that for the rest of our lives. So heading number 3 the good news applied and I want to list seven reason.

You say really? You have seven points in your last point? Well....if I told you we had nine points at the biggening...you would have been nervous with the fact that we’ve only got through two. But don’t worry these will be quick. And Danny’s up here playing already which means I have to go quick anyway.

THE GOOD NEWS APPLIED

1. This good news should increase our love for the local and global church.

This might seem like it’s out of nowhere...but...do you remember God’s promise to Abraham? That he would be the father of many nations. That the whole world would be blessed through him. (pause) we won’t read it now...but for the rest of chapter 4, Paul unpacks that even more. Acctually, let me just read the last two verses of chapter 4

22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

So... through our faith...we even the gentiles...that just means anyone who’s not of Jewish ethnicity...we’re just like Abraham. Meaning all of these truths...are true of us...meaning if we’re Christians...we’re a bunch of people who were justified when we were still ungodly and we’re growing in Christlikeness.

And the same is true for our brothers and sisters in Mozambique and all over the world...we should share a comradery and a love for each other because the good news of the gospel should pull us in!

So, let me just ask...if we don’t have this love for each other and feel a pull not just toward this church, but the church as a whole, could it be because we haven’t grasped the depths of the gospel? (pause) More we could unpack there but we have to keep moving...

2. This good news should increase our missional urgency.

See, one common objection to the doctrine of faith alone and that even faith is a gift by grace alone is that if that’s true...that salvation ultimately originates from outside of us...then what’s the point of misisons? What’s the point of evangelism.

Well, we’ll come back to this...but let me just say in passing, God has designed the world that in his soverign plan of salvation – it through the missional efforts of people...the obedieance to his command to GO into the world and spread the name of Jesus...that’s the means by which the spirit uses to convict hearts of sin and plant seeds of grace that turn into saving faith .

Does that make sense? So if we here that there’s nothing a person can do on their own to be saved, and our reaction is...then there’s no point of sharing the gospel...we’re missing the fact that God uses the words of people...to kickstart the process of justification by faith.

More on that in chapter 10, so it’ll be a while, but it’s important.

3. This good news should irradicate any sense of pride from our lives.

Paul’s already said this many times hasn’t he? There’s something inside of all of us that wants to say we bring something to the table. We want to be able to say we earned it. But what Paul’s saying and he’ll continue to say...is it’s all or nothing! (pause) Read Galatians, it’s saying the same thing...either you lean wholly on Christ or you reject him completely.

4. This good news should obliterate all doubt regarding our eternal security.

Now...let me just say...if you are someone who struggles with whether you can lose your salvation or those kind of thoughts, I understand a statement like this can sometimes make it worse. Like you’re telling if I’m doubting than that’s a problem which only makes me feel worse...I get that. So I’m not saying a Christian can never doubt their salvation or anything like that. I’m saying that a focus on the gospel...the good news that we’ve done nothing to earn our salvation should cause use to rejoice in the fact that we can’t lose it!

If we did nothing to earn it....what can wee do to lose it! (pause) Well, what about Christian behavior...what about people who say their Christians and don’t act like it....we’ll get there.

But friends the good news that we’re justified...what’s that mean? (pause) The good news that that happens outside and apart from us...means that anything to undo that work would also have to happen apart from us.

Let me put it bluntly...if we can lose our salvation, then our sin is more powerful than the Gospel.

5. This good news should give us freedom in our failures.

Now, again....you have to hear what I’m not saying....I’m not saying this should give us license to sin...I’m not saying it doesn’t matter how we live....I’m saying that when we continue to sin..not if...but when...because all through our life until we enter into heaven we are progressively being made more like Jesus...it’s not instaneous...but when we sin...we should find freedom in the fact that the sin we just committed was covered on the cross at the moment of our justification.

Read the whole list of characters in Hebrews 11 which we started with and you’ll find failure after failure after failure...BUT...they were justified how? Through faith!

Should the gospel cause us to downplay, think less of, or even embrace sin...no....that’s Romans 6..in fact the more we grow in Christlikeness the more we should hate our sin...that’s Romans 7...but we should find freedom in the fact that no matter what we’ve done it has been nailed to the cross and friends that’s the whole book of Romans.

6. This good news should give us joy despite our circumstances.

Next week, at the start of chapter 5 we’ll see that being a Christian doesn’t remove hardship...that suffering – while it will be erased in heaven...is still very much a reality for the believer...but despite that...knowing our eternal position before God should bring joy even in the suffering.

Will saving faith make you healthy, financially secure...and give you everything you want on this side of heaven....no...but that’s not the promise. The promise is that despire out status of being ungodly...we can be seen as rightous by God! Which should lead to number 7...our final point of application....

7. This good news should infinitely increase our view of and focus on God’s majesty.

When we recognize what God has done for us....how can that not impact our lives...how we live..and how can that not impact our prayers. Like, there’s no way we can treat God like just a divine Santa Clause and pray to him like he is when we realize the depth of what he went through to save us.

And that should make us want to live for him and worship in his precense forever.

Well our time is done.

As our music team comes back up....let me close with this qupte from John Bunyan.

Expand....

One day as I was passing into the field, with some dashes on my conscience, fearing yet that all was not right, suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul, “Your righteousness is in heaven.” I thought I saw with the eyes of my soul Jesus Christ at God’s right hand. There was my righteousness. Wherever I was, or whatever I was doing, God could not say of me that I lacked His righteousness, for that was ever before Him. Moreover, I saw that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made my righteousness worse, for my righteousness was Jesus Christ Himself, “the same yesterday, today, and for ever“. Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed. I was loosed from my afflictions and irons, my temptations also fled away. From that time those dreadful Scriptures of God quit troubling me; now I went home rejoicing for the grace and love of God.

Brothers and sisters is this our response to the gospel! Every time you hear thast we’re saved not because of us but in spite of us..does that make us want to leap for joy! Does it make us feel like chains have fallen off...that God so love US....that he sent his son to die for US....that should make that view I described entering into Zion pale in comparison as we marvel at the fact that Your rightousness is in heaven.

May God give us a greater and deeper understanding of and love for the truths contained in this Good News...that we will marvel at for all eternity.

PRAY