Born on 3rd, thought he hit a triple!
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Intro:
Intro:
Perception is reality or so they say.
Hans Christian Andersen’s story of The Emperor’s New Clothes is one of his best short stories.
The Chris note version of the story goes like this.
Some times these kind of people are some of the hardest to be around.
is a prime example of exactly that.
A certain emperor was very fond of appearances and especially clothing.
Paul will continue answering questions for the Jew that he knows and understands.
When certain clever philosophers (actually con-men) offered to weave him a rare and expensive garment.
He was very receptive to this idea.
He is going to systematically explain how their relationship with the Gospel really matters.
His favorite part about their promise was that the garment would be invisible to all but the wise and pure in heart.
He was delighted and commissioned his new clothes to be made at a very high price.
The con men sat before the empty looms and pretended to be weaving.
The emperor’s curiosity got him and he sent his chief minister to see how things were going.
He saw nothing but he didn’t want to be thought unwise and impure in heart so he returned with a report about the fabulous work they were doing.
After some time the weavers asked for more money.
The emperor sent his second chief minister and he returned with an even more enthusiastic report.
The emperor went himself.
He saw nothing but didn’t want to appear stupid so he proclaimed the clothing excellent and beautiful.
He even gave the weavers medals.
On the day of the grand parade, the con men dressed the emperor in his nakedness and then skipped town.
As the emperor paraded before his people (al natural) everyone praised his beautiful clothes so they wouldn’t be thought fools.
The absurd parade continued until moments later a child said, “the emperor has no clothes!”
This child made an innocent honest remark because he didn’t know any better.
As we approach this 3rd chapter of Romans we must keep in mind that he is going to describe the condition of the Jews that Paul has been addressing.
The Jews were sure they were clothed with a righteousness that did not exist.
Paul, like the little boy is going to strip away the layers of their illusion.
Paul is going to go back and forth asking questions and then answering them.
These questions in and of themselves show how they don’t really even want to answer the questions.
Human beings have an innate ability to avoid the questions by asking dumb questions that don’t even matter.
We see this in with the woman at the well.
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
When she felt the truth coming too close to home she raised an irrelevant issue as to which of two places did God prefer for worship.
She didn’t mind the discussion centering on the general topic of “religion” as long as the searchlight did not come near her own soul.
We are going to watch here as Paul the Jew debates with Paul the Christian.
And through this he will show them their true standing before God.
HEY, YOU ARE WEARING NO CLOTHES!
I. Their Privilege
I. Their Privilege
What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
So the Jew starts out with a question that basically says he is irritated with the case that Paul has laid out in .
didn’t bother him that much (Gentiles) but really did get him fired up.
He asks, “So I guess you are saying that there is no advantage at all to being a Jew?
Circumcision means nothing at all?
Romans is one of the most amazing yet complex books of the Bible.
After going through we can imagine ourselves at the back of a classroom as he asks the question.
What advantage is there?
We anxiously await for him to call on us. We have got this one.
He points to us and asks for the answer and we say. NO there is no benefit to being a Jew at all.
We get that grim smirk on our face just knowing we answered that question right.
Then Paul throws a bucket of ice cold water on our ego that was so hungry for approval.
Circumcision means nothing at all?
After reading chapter 2 you might want to scream out and say, “Yes exactly you finally got it.”
Paul’s answer is nothing of the sort.
He says MUCH EVERY WAY!!
There are so many reasons. Let me count the ways.
Though he taught us in that Jews need a Savior as well, we must never forget in he said that the gospel was to the Jew first.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Then he goes on to explain it, CHIEFLY (mainly, primarily, most importantly) they (the Jew) were given the Oracles (Word) of God.
Slide of the Oracles of God.
Nothing else can much be said or needs to be said.
You were given the Word of God.
From here on out Paul is going to quote from the Old Testament to just prove to them about the advantage of having the Word of God was really like.
He will quote 14 different passages in the following verses. (the Bible mattered to them as well)
He is speaking of the whole O.T. and quoting from it to prove that point.
Having the word of God didn’t change them much.
Sad to say but I believe that the same would be said of us today as well.
We have been given the Word of God.
Do you realize the responsibility that leaves us with?
You have been given the Word of God now the question is, “What have you done with it?”
II. Their Protest
II. Their Protest
For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.
So here comes the second question that Paul thought that they would ask.
Does the fact that some people do not believe change things?
Does it make God a liar?
Slide of Promises of God.
Is God intimidated by those that do not believe in him?
Our God isn’t intimidated or frightened by the beliefs of those that do not trust him or believe in him.
We expect and want God to fulfill his promises to us.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.
They are corrupt, they have done abominable works,
There is none that doeth good.
The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.
They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy:
There is none that doeth good, no, not one.
That is until we realize that he has also promised to judge.
Yes I will take the good promises without all that bad promises please.
We love Theology ala Burger King I’ll have it my way.
Sorry but life doesn’t work that way and neither does a Just and Righteous God.
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
When it comes down to it, God is true and every man is a liar.
God is perfectly reliable.
We can depend on him to carry out to the letter every promise he has made.
Our world worships at the shrine of public opinion.
Public opinion is not what we are judged by.
I want to ask you to help me out this morning.
Close eyes and.....
Close eyes and.....
POINT NORTH
Look around and see how everyone differs in what they say is north.
Now is the time we have to ask ourselves if we truly trust ourselves with what is right and wrong or not?
The next set of ideas and reasoning sounds like a child with twisted logic.
If through my sin we see the faithfulness of God then shouldn’t I just sin so that it helps him show how great he is?
Paul says those who reason this way deserve the damnation that they have coming to them.
In this book of Romans we have now come to the conclusion of God’s case against the human race.
The heathen, the hypocrite and the Hebrew have each in turn been brought before the judge and been found guilty.
Now in these next verses humanity at large is brought before God to hear his final indictment against mankind.
III. Their Position
III. Their Position
Something to notice closely is the repetition of the words, none, no not one and all in the passage.
There is no doubt that he is making the case that there is no such thing as a person that isn’t found guilty before God.
A. All under Sin
A. All under Sin
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;
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.
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Destruction and misery are in their ways:
And the way of peace have they not known:
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
shows us we are not better off than they are in any way at all.
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;
Yes you had the law, but the law doesn’t lead to your salvation it leads to you knowing and understanding your sin.
You see the law is not a checklist we keep, it is a benchmark where we all fail.
Imagine three people that try and swim from Hawaii to Japan.
One cannot swim at all, he sinks as soon as he gets out past where his feet hit the ground.
The next is a weak swimmer, he makes it about 60 feet before drowning.
The third is a championship swimmer and swims strongly for a long time.
After 30 miles he is struggling, after 40 he is sinking, after 50 he drowns.
Is one more drowned than the others?
In the same way, the religious person may trust in morality while the pagan indulge in sensuality but neither comes close to a righteous heart.
They are equally lost, equally condemned to perish.
I think Ivan Turgenev, the Russian poet, caught it perfectly when he said, “I don’t know what the heart of a bad man is like, but I do know what the heart of a good man is like and it is terrible.”
We just went over how Jew and Gentiles alike are all under sin.
It is interesting how Paul chose the word UNDER sin.
He didn’t say IN sin but under.
This is speaking of an oppression from sin, a slavery to sin.
The way this is phrased is very important.
People do not just commit sin, they are under sin.
He says that they are under sin.
This truly is the problem, that humans are UNDER sin, they are prisoners of sin.
Why is this point important?
Mainly because our understanding of a problem dictates the answer to that problem.
Marxists, believe that the basic human problem is unequal distribution of wealth,
their solution is to exert state control over the economy so that there will be no more rich and poor.
Many great philosophers in history have been convinced that the basic problem is that they are ignorant.
their solution is knowledge. Teach people and they will be made into better people and the problems will disappear.
Even today many politicians think that this is our big problem.
Paul and the Bible’s analysis is quite different.
People by nature are addicted to sin.
They are imprisoned to it, unable to free themselves by anything that they can do.
Knowing this, God has sent to us not a teacher or a politician but a liberator.
One who has the power to set us free from our sins.
Teaching is a very good thing.
But we must understand that it can never be by itself the ultimate solution to any one person’s problems or to the problems of the world.
When we really see the people all around us, at work, in our neighborhoods, at the store as helpless captives of sin, we will be better motivated to help them find the true liberator who alone can rescue them.
Only Jesus Christ, can break through the walls of sin that imprison human beings.
Starting in we find the charges and the verdict.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Each of these is a quotation from the Old Testament.
Funny that this is the way Paul chooses to show them the power of the word that they had.
There is no one that is righteous. NO, NOT ONE!
No one understands and no one is seeking God.
What a sad reality as we read exactly how we live and all about our slavery to sin. NO, NOT ONE!
Here Paul is quoting
They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: There is none that doeth good, no, not one.
One of the most graphic illustrations of this reality comes from the days of the Judges.
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Something to notice here in this passage is that they weren’t doing wrong they had just decided that they would do what they deemed to be right.
This is also the danger of our day and age.
We love thinking that we alone are the judges and we decide what is right and wrong.
The most startling part of this is that every man doing what he thought was RIGHT produced one of the darkest eras in Israel’s history.
Many think that their behavior is right (in his own eyes).
Preachers that actually preach what the Bible says are called crazy, they are spoken of as dogmatic among many other things.
If you have a pastor or leader that isn’t as dogmatic as the Bible is and when the Bible is then there is a lot of danger.
He might be preaching the gospel of the Judges and not the gospel of Christ.
But God does not try men by human standards, he tries them by his own standards of absolute perfection.
doesn’t get any nicer at all.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Their throat is like a tomb that is nice on the outside but inside it is nasty.
They lie.
When they speak you have to be careful with it because it is like a snake that is lashing out.
They curse all the time and they are bitter.
And even more in
Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Destruction and misery are in their ways:
And the way of peace have they not known:
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Their feet are really quick to want to hurt and even kill others.
While that seems a little rough to say or maybe as we are reading it we say NOT I.
Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount that our thoughts are equally as fair game for God to judge as the actual actions.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
After thinking about that we turn our heads and are like OK maybe me too.
The very first sin that we find after Adam and Eve are sent out of the Garden of Eden is exactly this sin.
Cain kills Abel.
Man’s first sin separated him from God, his second sin separated man from man.
Cain’s religion which was too refined to slay a lamb was not too refined to murder Abel.
Their ways are nothing but destruction and misery.
What a saddened expression of Jews and Gentiles alike.
Doesn’t at all sound like the survival of the fittest.
Sounds more like the survival of the wickedest.
, they have not known the way of peace.
And the way of peace have they not known:
All of these things that are being stated about human kind but it leads to this.
Peace was the ultimate hope and desire of the ancient Jew.
So embedded in him that instead of saying Hello and Goodbye when he met a friend along the way, he would say Shalom! (peace)
Peace can only be known one way.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
What a bleak reality that we arrive at here in this part of .
There is no fear of God before their eyes.
We are ALL UNDER SIN!
We are slaves to it.
No one even fears God.
Man has decided to start a mutiny against his creator.
B. All under Law
B. All under Law
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
We are all under the law so that the whole world MAY BECOME GUILTY before God.
What a powerful and dreadful statement.
We are guilty before God.
We are not his buddy, he is not our friend, he is not our business partner outside of our relationship with his son.
What a sad reality We are all under sin and we are all guilty.
C. All under Pressure
C. All under Pressure
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.
This law has shown every one in the world that we are sinners.
And the sad part is that we KNOW we are sinners.
We now have the knowledge of sin.
Slide of works of the Law
We know that no one will be justified by the law.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
I really don’t know about you but I am so glad that I am officially through with this part of the book now.
What a drain on us all as we think about our guilt before God.
If we are all honest we would admit that we all know that we are guilty to ourselves, our spouse and our children as well.
Our guilt haunts us as we realize how we could be better, do better have a better attitude etc etc.
Let me close today with the next word in the following verse.
We are all guilty before God
We are all under sin
We are all guilty because of the law
This is not some verdict handed down by a pastor in Acworth, GA.
This is the verdict of God given to us through his Scripture.
And no matter how difficult that is to live with the next word that is found in is a great encouragement.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
All of this is true but starting next week we will begin with one of the most encouraging words of all times in this context.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
It is a really big word.
All of this is true BUT
Come join us next week as we dive into the great news of the gospel that can only be brought to us after truly showing us our need of it.
Questions for Discipleship / Small Group
Questions for Discipleship / Small Group
How is it consistent for Paul to say both that Jews have an advantage (3:1–2) and that they are no better off (3:9)?
What does Paul’s teaching about God’s faithfulness to all his words say to Christians today?
What are the implications of ?
Why do good people need the gospel?
How would you explain this to someone who thinks they are good enough for God?
Why do you need the gospel?
How do you remind your heart of this when it is tempted to feel pride about goodness or despair about sin?