Grace for the Guilty

Bible Passage: Romans 3:1–31

Big Idea: Justification is offered freely to all who believe in Christ, demonstrating God’s grace and mercy amidst universal sinfulness.

Introduction

If you have your Bibles, please turn to the book of Romans to chapter 3.

The Fender Bender and the Better Neighbor

You ease out of the driveway, misjudge the turn, and crunch your neighbor’s parked car. No blaming the dark. No blaming the lines. It was your fault. You leave a note and knock on his door the next morning to own it.

He meets you on the porch and says, “I’ve already called the shop. I’m taking care of it. I don’t want your money—let’s keep this friendship.” He’s not pretending the dent isn’t real; he’s choosing to absorb the cost so the relationship stays whole. You walk away humbled, grateful, and changed.

Bridge to Romans 3: That’s grace for the guilty. Our fault is real (vv. 9–20), God remains faithful (vv. 1–8), and in Christ He pays what we owe so He is “just and the justifier” (vv. 21–26). When you’ve been forgiven like that, boasting is excluded and unity grows (vv. 27–31).

Say word, ask to stand up, Read Romans 3:23-25

Romans 3:23–25 ESV

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. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Pray

1. Trust God’s Faithfulness

Romans 3:1–8 ESV

1 Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3 What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” 5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

Key

What is the benefit of being a Jew? They were entrusted with the oracles of God, in other words they were given the Holy Scriptures.

our unfaithfulness does not make God unfaithful. God is always faithful.

Paul tells them even if everyone else is a liar God is always truthful!

Illustration: Life Jackets on the Boat”

A tour boat heads out on the lake. Before leaving, the captain hands everyone a Coast Guard–approved life jacket and gives a short safety talk. That’s a real advantage—clear instructions and the right equipment.

Some passengers roll their eyes, shove the jackets under their seats, and ignore the briefing. A sudden squall hits. The folks who listened are ready; the ones who didn’t are in trouble.

Question: Did their refusal make the captain unfaithful? Of course not. The captain did exactly what was right—he equipped and warned them. Their unfaithfulness doesn’t cancel his faithfulness.

And no one says, “Well, let’s start pushing people overboard so the captain looks like a hero!” That’s twisted. You don’t do evil so that good results.

Application: even in the face of unfaithful professing Christians, you can trust God fully without any doubting because his faithfulness will never cease

2. Admit Your Need

Romans 3:9–20 ESV

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Key:

All, both Jew and Gentiles are under sin and it is for this reason the Jews are no better off.

None is righteous (10)

no one seeks for God (11) people do not pursue God on their own accord without God’s drawing.

No one does good, not even one (12)

We are naturally deceitful

we curse God and others naturally

we do wrong towards others naturally.

people who are lost in their sin do not fear God

No one will ever be justified by following the Law of the Old Testament. Because they can’t!

Illustration: An X-ray diagnoses a fracture you couldn’t see, but it can’t set the bone. If you argue with the film, your arm still throbs. Romans 3 holds the X-ray up to the whole world: ‘None is righteous… every mouth stopped.’ The law exposes what’s broken so we’ll stop pretending and finally seek a physician. Bridge: “The law brings knowledge of sin—not healing—so we’ll admit our need.”

Application: Look, you can pretend you do not have sin in your life. Guess what, it doesn’t change the fact you have sin. We all have to admit we are sinners in need of the gift of God which leads us to a call to

3. Receive Christ’s Gift

Romans 3:21–26 ESV

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested 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. 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.

Keys:

Jesus manifested the law through his life and the OT points to Jesus.

Those who place their faith in Jesus receive God’s own righteousness.

ALL HAVE SINNED, JEW and Gentile alike and fall well short of God regardless how good they think they have lived.

We are justified

by grace

which is a gift

through redemption

that is in Jesus.

Jesus paid the price for sin through his blood

the payment for our sin is received through faith

God passed over the sins of the OT peoples through forbearance.

Jesus’ is both just and the justifier of all who believe in him.

Illustration: Picture a just judge who must fine a guilty offender the full amount. To uphold justice, the gavel falls. Then the judge steps down, opens his own wallet, and pays the debt himself. Justice is satisfied; mercy is given. At the cross, God is “just and the justifier”—He doesn’t lower the standard; He pays it in Christ and offers righteousness as a gift to all who believe. Bridge: “We don’t work for this verdict; we receive it by faith.”

Application: have you received the grace of God?

4. Walk in Humble Unity

Romans 3:27–31 ESV

27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Key:

We have no reason to boast since salvation is a gift of God, not a law of works. (27-28)

God loves all nationalities equally.

God justifies both Jew and Gentile equally through faith.

As a result, we should seek to honor God’s law.

Illustration: Before a concert, an orchestra doesn’t tune to themselves—they tune to a single pitch. When everyone takes their cue from the same standard, the boasting stops and the blend begins. The ‘law of faith’ tunes Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, churched and unchurched to one note: grace. No VIP section at the cross, no boasting—just one God justifying all by faith. Bridge: “When grace is our pitch pipe, humility and unity are the music.”

Application: For us who have received the grace of God, we are called to humbly walk in faithfulness to the Lord. Are you prone to pride? Lay it at the feet of JEsus today.

Closing: Kintsugi Grace

In Japan they have a kind of dish called kintsugi, a broken bowl is repaired with lacquer mixed with gold. The cracks aren’t hidden; they’re honored. The mended bowl becomes stronger and more beautiful, not because the break never happened, but because a priceless substance filled the fractures. That’s grace for the guilty. Christ doesn’t pretend we weren’t broken; He fills our cracks with His own life and makes us vessels for His glory. No boasting—only gratitude, and a family formed by the same gold. Call to Response: “Bring Him the pieces. Admit the break, receive the gift, and let grace be the gold that holds you—and us—together.”