From Zeal to Redemption

Romans 9:30–10:4

ANNOUCNEMENTS:

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Wednesday- Back to the Basics

Kids Day April 27th

Easter- Next week after service make plans to join us to head to beech park and pray over our easter event and the services and also hand out invitations.

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Intro: Zeal for fitness

Have you ever seen someone start a diet with unmatched enthusiasm? They buy all the right groceries and join a gym, swearing this will be the year. A week later, they’re back to cake and Netflix. That’s akin to how our spiritual fervor sometimes works. It starts with passion, but maintaining that lifestyle requires commitment. God calls us to endure, to stick with it, just like any long-term goal requires perseverance beyond the initial excitement.

Summary: In this passage, the Apostle Paul addresses the different ways righteousness is sought—discussing how the Gentiles, who had not pursued the law, achieved righteousness through faith in Christ, while Israel, despite their zeal for the law, missed out on righteousness by relying solely on their works. Paul highlights the universal accessibility of righteousness through faith, marking a call to all of Israel to recognize Jesus as the true path to God.

Teaching: The sermon teaches the vital importance of faith over works in the Christian journey, encouraging understanding that true relationship with God is grounded in trusting Jesus, not merely following religious laws or practices. It elucidates the idea that zeal without understanding can lead to spiritual blindness, urging believers to seek true knowledge of Christ.

Big Idea: Righteousness is not determined by our religious zeal or adherence to the law; rather, it is found in a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ, who calls us from our striving into the transformative grace of God.

1. Pursuing Faith, Not Works

Romans 9:30-31

Contrast of righteousness

Gentiles- pursuing righteousness not through the law but it is through faith-

Philippians 3:9 “9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,”

Israel pursued their righteousness based upon works

Isaiah 51:1 “1 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, Who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn And to the quarry from which you were dug.”

Why does this contrast exist- I believe at times we are not comfortable with God’s plan of righteousness ( we want to take credit)

I know it can be easy for us to be zealous for the Lord

It should be He has saved s rescued us! You should have great zeal, this is what needs to return in all of our lives. Have you been beaten down today! Have you lost your zeal for the Lord?

Sports teams I look at it this way sometimes- I remeber the zeal I had for my teams as a kid- i didnt care how bad they they were or good I loved my teams- but now a days it is hard to have a loosing season or the reality that it is a building year- then when things turn around it is amazing.

I remeber youth ministry- zealous believers- what happened- it can never be about a program we must set the example in our lives for the youth that zeal leads to increased faith not works becuase hard times come but God is faithful

This highlights the essential truth that God's righteousness is accessed by faith, not by our efforts.

Have you lost your zeal it is becuase your righteousness and mine is determined by our works?

I recollect when I resolved never to sin again. I sinned before I had done my breakfast. The Sinner Saved, Volume 33, Sermon #1961 - Romans 9:30-33

Charles Spurgeon

If so we are living a false truth-

What we do when someone has lost their zeal matters- we should pray for them but encourage them. You are not hear nor am i becuase i am or you are impressed by my works we are here becuase of faith.

. Are they relying on their own works, or resting in faith?

This is the question we can daily ask ourselves… then we are to be reminded that

Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of righteousness that is available to all,

suggesting that true fulfillment comes by trusting in Him.

This is not who has done it right, or which is right. Rather it is Jesus is the fulfillment of our righteousness,

We measure to much on right and wrong… no it is not if we are doing it right it is all about faith and trust in Jesus

Love and faith are at home in the mystery of the Godhead. Let reason kneel in reverence outside. Romans 1:19–20; Romans 3:4; Colossians 2:8–9 The Knowledge of the Holy, 32.

A. W. Tozer

Why do we touch on works and faith- we like to think that we are the main character in the story of Christianity.

We are far from it- by God’s grace we play a part- but all dependant on the father- I was thinking about this further this morning- this church isn’t about me or what I want- can we all agree that this relationship with God includes our obedience to gather- simply it is all about Him. If it is about us we will respond to all things concerning our lives by works - if we know that it is about faith than we will look to the Lord for His timing and guidance and direction.

2. Problematics of Pursuing Law

Romans 9:32-33

Israel stumbled over the stone

Christ is the stone

1 Peter 2:6 “For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

1 Peter 2:8 “and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.”

This is the problem that arises from pursuing our righteousness through works we stumble over Christ.

It is scary to know that becuase Israel was set on their works they rejected the messiah.

What was this stumble

Misunderstanding of Jesus

They praised Him

They listened to Him

But they were all seeking Christ to conform to what they wanted

Christ will not conform to who we want Him to be He is our savior mighty and powerful

At Jesus coming there was Zeal but lack of faith led to rejection Christ became a stumbing block becuase of their lack of faith

This serves as a warning against self-reliance and a call to shift focus to a faith-based relationship with Jesus.

What is self reliance when it comes to our daily life when knowing the truth

Not being honest!

Thinking we can do this all on our own

Not being kind, caring, and compassionate

It is a silly way to live: it is irony to live this way

Highlight the irony that the very cornerstone of faith was rejected in their zeal to uphold the law.

God’s historical purpose toward the Jewish nation has not failed, because the failure of the Jews to believe was their own fault, not God’s (Rom. 9:30–10:21)

James Montgomery Boice

In the same truth God’s purpose for humanity has not failed- it is our own fault when we do not believe

Christ is our cornerstone to our faith- why are you and i living so self reliant- this can only be done if- or I have to have this.

May Christ be the cornerstone of our lives today

Truly are you afraid that something good wont happen,

It would be good for who we are to quit deciding to not trust him

Could it be at the beginning of our connection between our mind and our hearts it is believe in God- yes we need biblical counsel for our things we have gone through but without Christ there is not good.

I am available to counsel and we will go together to this next scripture

Romans 10:11 “11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.””

As if there would be a thought of disappointment in our lives when considering trust in Christ may that be removed.

3. Pathway to Righteousness

Romans 10:1-4

I mentioned at the beginning of our sermon series that Paul had a passion and zeal for Israel.

Pharaoh knows God well enough to fear him properly, but he does not do so. Though Pharaoh appears to repent, Moses replies, “I know that you … still do not fear the Lord God” (Ex 9:30)

Leland Ryken; James C. Wilhoit; Tremper Longman III; Colin Duriez; Douglas Penney; Daniel G. Reid

Paul knew they knew about God but it stopped their.

You can know something and not know something.

I remeber when we were getting married and being parents.

Israel was zealous for the law but missed the purpose for the Law Christ

Galatians 3:24 “24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”

Galatians 4:5 “5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Urge the audience to transform their zeal into informed faith in Jesus, who completes and fulfills the law's requirements.

invitation to appreciate the sufficiency of Christ, concluding with a call to a deeper trust and reliance upon Him.

Sufficiency of Christ

He fulfilled the requirements of the law and invites you and me to a relationship with him.

Depper trust and reliance- this is spiritual maturtiy. far to many of us do not want to go there, your zeal will die out you will leave, you will find a new church fill in the blank. What if the one thing that you are so depertaley seeking has been shown to you today to not shape Jesus to your messiah but know He is the messiah and our conformity to deeper faith is what is next.

We should be zealous and that leads to faith not works!

Our zeal leads us to the sufficiency of Christ! Our redemption

How this passage points to Christ: This passage identifies Jesus as the ultimate answer both for the Gentiles becoming righteous through faith and for Israel's proper understanding of the law. He is depicted as the fulfillment of the law, demonstrating that all must come to Him for grace and righteousness, illustrating His role as the universal Savior.

Application: This message encourages believers to examine their own spiritual practices, asking whether they are rooted in faith or merely ritual and tradition. It offers hope to those who feel they have strayed, demonstrating that regardless of past failures or feelings of inadequacy, faith in Christ is the sole means through which one can attain righteousness and reconciliation with God.

How.

Get alone with God

I find my self going through the motions

Sit in silence

pray out loud

read scripture- asl the Holy Spirit to reveal to you

Journal these things (ACTS)

At home

Shake it up

Faith sharing night

foster dialogue

At work

Get alone write down three things concerning gratitude - God’s presence and purpose for you

Start a prayer group

Encourage others to share their faith-

The Bible is not the light of the world, it is the light of the Church. But the world does not read the Bible, the world reads Christians! “You are the light of the world.” Cleansing-Wrong Or Right?, Volume 53, Sermon #3069 - John 9:30, 31

Charles Spurgeon

4. Community get involved

Let Christ shine through you- you cant fix all the problems but you aren't called too

Communion

Raise your hand

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 “23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

Questions

What is the primary contrast highlighted in Romans 9:30-31 regarding how Gentiles and Israel pursued righteousness?

In what ways can we ensure our spiritual zeal is grounded in a true understanding of Christ?

According to Romans 9:32-33, what misunderstanding led Israel to stumble over Christ?

How can we encourage someone who has lost their zeal for the Lord to return to their faith?

How does the sermon illustrate the concept of Christ as the cornerstone of faith?

What does Romans 10:1-4 reveal about Paul's passion for Israel’s understanding of salvation?

In what ways can we transform our zeal into informed faith in Jesus?