Untitled Sermon (6)

Guilty But Graced: The Mercy We All Need

Bible Passage: Romans 3:9–20

Summary: This passage underscores the universal nature of sin, highlighting that all have fallen short of the glory of God, thus emphasizing our need for God's mercy through Jesus Christ.

Application: Understanding our collective guilt before God reminds us that we all equally need His grace and mercy. This recognition can lead us to seek forgiveness and live transformed lives, acknowledging God's purpose amidst our sinfulness.

Teaching: This sermon will teach about the inherent sinfulness in humanity while also emphasizing the hope found in God's mercy. It contrasts our flawed nature with Christ's perfection and illustrates the path to redemption through His sacrifice.

How this passage could point to Christ: In the grand narrative of Scripture, Christ is the solution to humanity's sin. He embodies the fulfillment of the law that Paul references, taking on the penalty for our sins so that we might be reconciled to God.

Big Idea: Recognizing our guilt is the first step to receiving God's grace, and through Christ, we are offered the mercy we desperately need.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider examining the nuances of how Paul references the Old Testament scriptures in Romans 3:9–20, specifically the implications of each citation in relation to Jewish law and the broader context of sin. Utilizing your Logos library for commentaries on Paul's theological arguments can provide valuable insights into the nature of sin and its consequences as they relate to grace. Moreover, look into the historical context of Paul's audience to better address their understanding of sin and mercy.

Intro

Thank P. Ben

Today, we read on in chapter 3 to talk about the fact that sin is in our nature.

That all have fallen short of the glory of God - meaning, that we don’t have what it takes to be godly.

But we’re also called to be godly.

2 Peter 1:3 NASB 2020

for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

The solution to that is not to try to act more godly, but to plead for God’s mercy through Jesus Christ.

We receive that mercy and grace when we lay down our lives for Christ and the Gospel of Christ.

When we receive Christ, God sees us as He sees Christ. But first, we have to see ourselves in need of mercy.

We’re going to unveil that today through Paul’s message to the early church.

We’re all guilty, but we’re graced. Mercy is what we all need.

1. Universal Sinfulness Unveiled

Romans 3:9-12

There is no inherit righteousness in our lives.

If Jesus never came into the world, God would look down upon the world and see only sin and none that are righteous.

There was only One who was born righteous and lived a perfectly righteous life. Jesus was the only one.

None of us are inherently righteous. From the moment we’re born, we’re in need of God’s grace and mercy.

“An HIV positive mom and an HIV positive dad have a baby and its born HIV positive. What did the baby do wrong? Nothing. Thats every baby since Adam and Eve. We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we’re born sinners. We sin because we’re born animated with a corrupt spirit. Why are we born this way? Because God only breathed one breathe of life into humanity. Into Adam. Eve was taken from living rib from his side and made a new individual. And when you procreate, your gametes are not dead, they’re alive. You’re passing your life along. Once they corrupted themselves, the only life that they had to pass along was the one they had, what was fear and self centered. Thats why it says in Romans 5, “sin and death entered through one man and hath passed all men.” The only way to save us literally is to give us a new breath of life that is sinless and perfect. How does he do that when we’re all conceived in sin and born in iniquity? Sinful mother, sinful father. Both sides were getting a spirit of sinfulness. Of fear. In 2 Timothy 1:7, “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love.” How does He get that spirit into the species he created in Eden? The incarnation says in Romans chapter 1 that Jesus was descended through David through Mary. He partook of the breath of life that was corrupted through David, yet the Holy Spirit (very clear) what was conceived in her… so a new animating energy. Sinless and perfect - couldn’t have come from His father - Came from the Holy Spirit. If it would’ve come from an earthly father, it would’ve been just as a corrupt as ours.” - Dr. Tim Jennings

A new breathe of life.

Through Christ, that mercy is available.

If we’re standing in a place where we believe that there is nothing wrong with our life and how we live, then we will never cry out for His mercy.

If you don’t know that you need oxygen, you’ll die. But we need a new breathe. A fresh wind that flows through us to replace the old, and bring in the new.

This isn’t about us simply being healed. Its not about us simply finding resolution in our situations. Its not about us coming to Christ to feel better.

Its about us allowing our old selves to die, and breathing in a new life that brings about righteousness.

We might hear about Christ and what He can do for you, and you’ll believe in Him, but if you do not repent and receive Him, then you’re standing in a lie, not His mercy and grace. Its deception.

That deception is robbing you of breathe.

The breathe you’re breathing in is deadly.

2. Depravity Defined in Detail

Romans 3:13-18

You might explore these verses as a portrait of human depravity, using Paul's vivid language to describe the different aspects of sin affecting speech, actions, and relationships. Maybe, through this section, the sermon can suggest that reflecting on Christ’s life—where these sins were absent—highlights our need to seek His righteousness. Emphasizing the absence of the fear of God in these descriptions could lead to a discussion on the importance of reverence and repentance in seeking God’s mercy.

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In our natural, sinful nature, we’re like a tool being used for the wrong reason.

We were created in the beginning with the breathe of life from God with the desire for relationship.

For us, God’s creation to glorify Him with every breathe, but we were corrupted.

What God created for good, we turned for evil.

But God’s plan through Jesus Christ, turned that around with a new breathe of life through the Holy Spirit.

Its like a hammer. Its created to build, to create, to fix. But with the wrong heart, it could be used as a weapon.

Sin is like a sickness that effects every area of our life and its spreads.

It will permeate our speech, actions, relationships.

We’re all born into this corrupt life - Everyone. Your pastor, your role model, your favorite person.

Theres only one life that we can look at that is completely absent of sin. Jesus life is the only one we should strive to live like.

Follow those who are striving to live like Christ. Those who are truly living for Christ will recognize and admit their sin, not try to act perfect.

If we don’t recognize our sin, we can’t truly seek His righteousness.

When we don’t recognize our sin, we try to create righteousness to cover up our sin.

We only ask for mercy when we have a reverence for who we’re asking it from.

Have you ever seen kids who don’t respond by asking for mercy? They might just say “sorry,” and keep going!

We should have a fear of the Lord because we recognize His mercy is what shifts the direction of our eternity.

When we come to the altar, we shouldn’t just pray for God to do this for me or give me this or that… but should pray for mercy.

For every one of us:

Romans 3:13 ““Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The venom of Asps is under their lips”;”

Psalm 5:9 “For there is nothing trustworthy in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction itself. Their throat is an open grave; They flatter with their tongue.”

Our hearts natural sinfulness finds its way through our throat and out of our mouth. Its like the stench of an open grave.

What is in that open grave but our old self! Our flesh that we’ve let die.

Our hearts are where God desires us to trim the flesh from.

Our tongues - with our words that are used in our sinful nature, we only bring glory to ourselves. We’re selling out what God has intended for praise for deception.

Psalm 140:3 “They sharpen their tongues like a snake; The venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah”

Our lips should bring life to those we speak to and should bring the Word of God to others and be used to give thanks and praise His name - but they are used to destroy like poison.

Song of Solomon 4:11 ““Your lips drip honey, my bride; Honey and milk are under your tongue, And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.”

Proverbs 10:21 “The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of understanding.”

Hebrews 13:15 “Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name.”

Romans 3:14 ““Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;”

Psalm 10:7 “His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; Under his tongue is harm and injustice.”

The mouth that should be “most sweet”

Song of Solomon 5:16 ““His mouth is full of sweetness. And he is wholly desirable. This is my beloved and this is my friend, You daughters of Jerusalem.””

Our mouths should be used to bless but we’re use it to bring others down.

James 3:6 “And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.”

Bitterness shuts off the blessing. We don’t use it to bless others and God’s blessing for our lives.

Romans 3:15 ““Their feet are swift to shed blood,”

Don’t you just have to hold yourself back sometimes? Don’t you look back sometimes and see how you moved forward and caused destruction?

“Well I didn’t mean to.” Well you got there didn’t you? You used your feet to move toward destruction in cahoots with your mouth.

Some of us move toward destruction all week then we praise and worship and you don’t even tap your food. We open the altar and you stay firmly planted. Kill the flesh and surrender it to God.

Its our nature, but we’re here to go against our nature.

Proverbs 1:16 “For their feet run to evil, And they are quick to shed blood.”

Isaiah 59:7 “Their feet run to evil, And they hurry to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of wrongdoing, Devastation and destruction are in their paths.”

These feet should run to the alter when its opened.

They should run the way of God’s commandments

Psalm 119:32 “I shall run the way of Your commandments, For You will enlarge my heart.”

Yet, we run to the darkness.

Romans 3:16–17 “Destruction and misery are in their paths, And they have not known the way of peace.””

Peace isn’t achievable without Christ because He is peace itself.

Romans 3:18 ““There is no fear of God before their eyes.””

Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”

2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will have wars.””

What we receive into our eyes and ears are deposited into our hearts.

Do we have God’s heart or our selfish, fleshly heart?

Are we easily offended ready to retaliate? Gossip? Stir up drama? Talk about the sinfulness of others while we go on sinning?

Psalm 36:1 “Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within his heart; There is no fear of God before his eyes.”

For some of us, seeing is believing and that belief then goes to our heart. If your heart is absent from the fear of God, then you aren’t truly seeing the works of God in your life. It isn’t going to start to change with your eyes, but will in your heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 ““The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”

Mark 7:21–23 “For from within, out of the hearts of people, come the evil thoughts, acts of sexual immorality, thefts, murders, acts of adultery, deeds of greed, wickedness, deceit, indecent behavior, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the person.””

You see, where there is righteousness - its only from Jesus and He stands in it because He is God and has taken the corrupted breathe of man, and breathed new life. We stand in unrighteousness and are invited into righteousness ONLY through Jesus.

The only righteousness we carry is reflecting from Jesus Christ and is for the purpose of exposing our sin and never to prop up our flesh.

My grave isn’t open with stench. Its sealed and I’m dancing on the ground over it!

3. Righteousness Recognized Through the Law

Romans 3:19-20

In our flesh, its natural to want to hide our guilt and shame. But Christ invites us to bring those to Him.

Christ’s death on the cross was the payment so we don’t have to carry the shame of it around.

We can be aware of our sin and bring it to Him. We don’t have to pretend to be perfect.

Thats like building a house with a bloody hammer and acting like you’re not a murderer.

Christ’s blood washes our sins away and justifies our lives.

The Law doesn’t justify, but Christ does. It brings about grace when we plead for mercy.

We can’t fulfill the laws demands, but we can cry out for mercy.

First, we have to know Christ and His sacrifice.

Next week we’ll talk about how God justifies us.

If God doesn’t justify us, we stay in guilt.

Have you ever done wrong and justified your actions or decision?

When we self-justify, we use our hearts and mouths to condemn ourselves when we should be using them to admit our guilt and accept His mercy.

Psalm 143:2 “And do not enter into judgment with Your servant, For no person living is righteous in Your sight.”

No one can self justify. The law is there for the knowledge of sin and we see Jesus as the perfect One. As the saving One. As the merciful One.

Romans 4:15 “for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.”

Closing

Altar