The Righteousness of God
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Transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas
Transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas
-Thankful
-Look with awe, wonder, and anticipation as we consider Christmas
In order to do this, we must consider the Gospel.
-not a thanksgiving or Christmas message, but it is a message for thanksgiving and Christmas
There are two aspects of the Gospel I want to consider
The Gospel is Provocative but Freeing
2. The Gospel is Revolutionary and Compelling
Audience
-Some who know Christ (thankful and awe)
-Some who know of Christ, but don’t know Christ
-Bible is full of warnings (Either IN or NOT IN Christ)
-Many who are not in Christ but know things about Christ
-Some who are unsure or critical of Christ
It doesn’t matter which is true of you.
My desire is to let Scripture minister to you where you are.
1. The Gospel is Provocative but Freeing
1. The Gospel is Provocative but Freeing
What can be so provocative about the Gospel??
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
-Two realities - under sin or under Christ | in Christ or in sin
-provocative because it tells us we have a problem…
-We don’t like to be provoked but sometimes it’s exactly what we need.
-Weather alert that wintery weather is coming (get ice ready)
-Being told we have food stuck in our teeth
-Having a doctor relay the news that you are sick and need treated immediately
-Problem - we are unrighteous (Romans 1-3) - We are not right with God
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
-None is righteous - we are unrighteous
-Not one - true for everyone
-None that understands - we don’t naturally grasp this reality and there is nothing we can do about it
-None that seek after God...
-SO MANY RELIGIONS RELIGIONS?? …is not seeking after God, religion is man trying to replace God with himself
-PROVOCATIVE - No one does good and we are unprofitable (work to accomplish something and it does nothing - “worthless”)
How do we make sense of this?
THIS LIST ISN’T A SERIES OF INSULTS…(like Little Rascals where Alfalfa is writing a love letter to Darla but tries to fool his club by saying a string of insults...then two of the boys go to Darla and recite what Alfalfa said, “Dear Darla, I hate your stinking guts. You make me vomit. You’re scum between my toes. Love Alfalfa.”
a. Though they each explain something unique about our sin problem, These phrases also work explain each other
-None righteous - none that do good (feels different)
b. When it comes to our relationship with God, there is no sliding scale
-Most people agree that they are not totally righteous
c. Not talking about human value; it is referring to our ability to please God
-Many are offended at this, but they are taking offense to the wrong thing
-OFFENDED - People aren’t worth anything and cannot do acts of kindness
-CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE - All people have value and should do acts of kindness
-INTERESTING - Most non-Christian thinking believes people have value only IF they can do something profitable or of kindness
-IRONY - Those who get so offended at a passage like this are the ones who genuinely believe what they are so upset about!
-These verses teach that there is nothing of profit or worth you can do that will make God love you.
-There is no good thing you can do that will offset or remove the bad things you have done.
So what’s so provocative about the Gospel?
-We are under sin (unrighteous)
-We haven’t pleased God
-We cannot please God
-We will not please God on your own
-Provocative but freeing … Why is this so freeing?
-Because our relationship with God is not based on our righteousness & it’s not based on anything we can do to change our unrighteousness
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The Gospel is provocative but freeing
2. The Gospel is Revolutionary and compelling
2. The Gospel is Revolutionary and compelling
-If we can’t do anything about our unrighteousness & God has to do something about our unrighteousness
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference (distinction):
-The “righteousness of God”
-Two things about this passage
Main noun
Main clause
-Righteousness of God - God’s righteousness
-Righteousness exists
-God has righteousness - it belongs to him
-He can do something with His righteousness
-Without/Apart from the law
-20 You cannot get righteousness through the law
-21 Outside of the law, righteousness exists, God has it, and He can do something with it
-22 and it is available to you
-Righteousness is Received through Faith in Christ (not through the law)
-The pathway is not through YOU, it is through Jesus Christ
-No distinction
-God does not evaluate you and if you have some righteousness, God will give you His righteousness (doesn’t make sense)
-”There is no distinction” - The only qualification you need is unrighteousness
-Romans 5:6
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
-Romans 5:8
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
What does this mean?
-If you try to be righteous, you can’t have God’s righteousness
-You cannot bring righteousness to God to get His righteousness
-It means that those who exercise personal faith in Christ, will receive the righteousness of God
-You need the righteousness of God & it is available
-Faith in Christ means
-You’re not trusting your heritage
-your knowledge of Christ
-your actions or traditions (baptism/Lord’s supper)
-praying a prayer
-reading from a certain translation
-your position
-what you’ve done for God
-being at church
-hearing this truth
-agreeing with this truth
-The only thing that GRABS HOLD OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS is personal faith in Christ and Christ alone
-What does that look like?
-Without Christ, we have a fearful, proud, & hard heart - do you have a fearful, proud or hard heart?
-Personal faith looks like a person who is no longer running, or hiding, or trying to make God like you
-Instead personal faith in Christ comes to Christ with their hands open saying, “I’ve got nothing to offer you except my unrighteousness”...
-But I am confident that Jesus is all I need - is that true for you today? do you understand that Jesus is all you need?
-He lived, died, and rose again for me
-A heart that trusts Christ is one that
-Sees their unrighteousness
-Runs to Christ for His righteousness
-And receives the freedom, love and adoration for Christ
Occurs in a conversation with God.
