Romans 2:17-29Sermon

Subject: What am I talking about?

Why is Paul criticizing the Jews?

Complement: What exactly am I saying about what I’m talking about?

He is criticizing them because their lives do not reflect their identity as a people created to be God’s ambassadors to the world.

The Big Idea:

The identity of God’s chosen people is not shaped by written codes or social belonging, but by the inward change of heart by the Holy Spirit.

Subject: What am I talking about?

Why is Paul criticizing the Jews?

Complement: What exactly am I saying about what I’m talking about?

He is criticizing them because these Jews he speaks of place their identities in written codes and their social belonging as God’s chosen people rather than in obedience unto Him.

The Big Idea:

The identity of God’s chosen people is not shaped by written codes or social belonging, but by obedience from the heart by the Holy Spirit.

Exegetical Observation:

This passage is a continuation on the discussion of the spiritual disposition of Jews who depend on the Law and circumcision (self-righteousness) over the heart-changing movement of the Holy Spirit.

What is the homiletical idea of the sermon?

A praise-worthy identity to God comes from a heart-driven obedience through God.

What is the purpose of preaching this sermon?

My purpose is to have my listeners repent from their self-righteousness and turn towards an obedience that reflects their identity in Christ.

What is the need for this sermon?

If an often response towards Public Safety from both students and staff is that of disrespect. If this is an indication of anything, it is clear that our community’s perspective of the Christian identity is malformed. If it is unacceptable for the Jews to have their identity misplaced, how much more then is it for the one who calls themself a follower of Christ?

Intro:

I have come to find that one of the most respected roles to take on at this campus is Public Safety. It’s a job where the main focus is to ensure that everyone who is on the campus rightfully belongs on the campus. It’s a job taken up by brothers and sisters in Christ as they pursue an education to enhance their ability and competency to function in ministry to the glory of God. And how praised they are by students and staffs alike.

In my short time working with Public Safety, I have seen brothers and sisters mocked, insulted, ignored, belittled, and disrespected. Not by strangers on the street. Not by those who openly hate the God these Christians worship. But by men and women who identify themselves as Christians.

Hell hath no pride like a student asked to wear their ID.

The Big Idea:

But where does this sort of sin come from when we look at the spiritual anatomy of the Moody Bible Student. Why the indignation towards another believer who is merely being paid to enforce a policy all students have agreed to abide by. Love is not indignant. Love is not proud. It does not mock, insult, ignore, belittle, or disrespect.

The identity of God’s chosen people is not shaped by written codes or social belonging, but by obedience from the heart by the Holy Spirit.

It edifies. It builds up. It unites. It submits. It is obedient to the will and desire of God.

So why the disunity? Why the pride? Why is there a falling short of the calling of God?

The religious Jews often appeared to have a severe case of amnesia, often forgetting their call and purpose, their identity established by God. To clarify, the Jews had no problem acknowledging they were chosen of God, that they were given the Law, they just had some trouble living it out, being consistent, being obedient.

*REPEAT x2*The problem is that they couldn’t seem to figure that the identity of God’s chosen people is not shaped by written codes or social belonging that stems from some covenant, but by obedience from the heart by the Holy Spirit.

It’s somewhat humorous when you think about how Paul is addressing these Jews. It’s akin to those memes we often see, “What my friends think I do, What society thinks I do, What I think I do, What I really do.”

Only here, were we to memify Paul’s observations of the religious Jews, we’d find three particular points he has to make in light of his discussion starting from the beginning of this chapter.

What they thought they were

What they really were

What they really should be

P1. What you think you are: These proud Jews thought they were the bees-knees; they had the Law and the covenant of the circumcision. v. 17-20

They were the chosen people of God Himself.

But these proud Jews severely misplaced their spiritual disposition before God. But it’s curious isn’t it? If you are God’s chosen people, how do you get it wrong?

Paul seems to have a pretty good idea as to how. In verses 17-20:

Rely on the Law (v. 17)

Boast in God (v. 17)

Know God’s will (v. 18)

Approve things essential, as instructed from the Law (v. 18)

A guide to the blind (v. 19)

A light to those who are in darkness (v. 19)

A corrector of the foolish (v. 20)

A teacher to the immature (v. 20)

To be a guide, light, corrector, and teacher was to be rooted in the Law, from where the embodiment of knowledge and truth was to come

To be a guide, light, corrector, and teacher was to be rooted in the Law, from where the embodiment of knowledge and truth was to come

· To be a guide, light, corrector, and teacher was to be rooted in the Law, from where the embodiment of knowledge and truth was to come

These people saw themselves guides, lights, correctors, and teachers who were rooted in God’s Word, from where the embodiment of knowledge and truth was to come.

These were good Jews.

Or at least they thought.

Do you personally know of anyone who meets that description?

You might be thinking, “It should be all of us, but we fail so much.”

Humility is a very good place to be in, but don’t be deceived. It was God who established these people to be guides, lights, correctors, and teachers who were rooted in God’s Word rendering it to nothing more than self-deception.

Pride tends to blind those who drink from its cup with a subtle deception.

*APPLICATION* And it really pushes us to wonder. Do you, O Christian, see yourself as a guide? A light? A corrector and teacher of fools?

*ILLUSTRATION*

What Paul observes is a kind of deception that flourishes when you are religious. They are self-deceived. How can we know? Because there appears to be a disconnect from their perception of reality and reality itself.

They can’t see how their identity as God’s chosen people isn’t shaped by written codes or social belonging. They can’t see that it is only by an obedience from the heart empowered by the Holy Spirit that their identity is defined.

P2. What you really you are: These proud Jews were severely blinded to their physical disobedience to God, v.21-24

Paul brings the focus of his reality check into full force:

You, therefore, *therefore, in light of what you think you see*

You who teach the Word of God, do you not teach yourself that very Word?

Do you steal?

Do you commit adultery?

Are you the ones whom Christ Himself chased out with a bullwhip? *Do you rob temples*

Do you not dishonor God with your disobedience?

And in quoting , he lays down the whole point he began from this chapter.

“You are the very reason God is mocked, belittled, disrespected, ignored, insulted, blasphemed!” he says to the Jews. “You are in the exact same boat as these Gentiles whom you despise!”

Such an accusation could put a person in hot water.

But Paul is only observing what the Law and Covenant of Circumcision confirm. As Paul later notes, these cannot justify a person, but rather stand as accusers towards these sinners. The Covenant of Circumcision bounds a person to life in God; the honor of the covenant becomes a nightmare for those who refuse to walk by faith in it. The Law on the other hand riles up the flesh to sin, therefore exposing the truth, that they cannot live in that life without God.

*APPLICATION* So where do you stand, Christian? What does the enforcement of one of Moody’s Policy rile up in you? Or any sort of correction, for that matter. Humility, certainly. Or self-righteousness?

The circumcision stems all the way back to when God first established His covenant with Abraham. The fact is, your identity is bound to the promises you have agreed to live under with God. Your way vs. His way. Covenant of life vs. Covenant of death. The thing was that your sign of the covenant of life with God is void when your very life is conducted in the way people when they are thriving in the covenant of death. Your calling from God

And please don’t misunderstand what I am saying. I am not saying that who you are as a is Christian is defined by written policies you keep or to whatever social belongings you hold to. What I am saying is that our identity as Christians is exemplified by a holy obedience that stems from the heart according to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Holy obedience.

Were you to cross the desks of Public Safety in your normal conduct, could you, moments later return and encourage them (Public Safety) with the Gospel? Or would your tongue be marred by your sin of disobedience? Not disobedience to some policy. Something deeper than that. Disobedience to the will of the Holy Spirit, whose ministry is Unity.

It’s on that Paul then addresses...

P3. ...What you really should be: These proud Jews need to abandon self-righteous disobedience and flee to faithful obedience. v.25-29

Paul’s whole point is that the spiritual disposition of these Jews is that they are in the same exact boat as the Gentiles. Their righteousness can’t come from within themselves, they need a Savior.

Paul goes so far as to say in verses 25 to 29 that despite the importance and value of Circumcision, it is rendered utterly meaningless in their sins against God.

That the dirty Gentiles are in fact MORE JEWISH THAN THEM in their obedience to God.

That in the day of judgment, God’s chosen people would find themselves judged by these “unclean” people.

That the flint stone which circumcised them cut so deep, it took the foreskin of their hearts!

Paul makes iThat the flint stone used to

The reality for these Jews is that if your life does not reflect your calling, there is no Law or Covenant that will defend you against the wholesome wrath of God.

The circumcision stems all the way back to when God first established His covenant with Abraham. The fact is, your identity is bound to the promises you have agreed to live under with God. Your way vs. His way. Covenant of life vs. Covenant of death. The thing was that your sign of the covenant of life with God is void when your very life is conducted in the way people when they are thriving in the covenant of death. Your calling from God

What then is the answer to their dilemma?

Read v. 29

*APPLICATION* Beloved Christian, spiritual obedience is only possible when it is driven by the power of God. What drives your will to obey? Is it a proud self-righteousness that becomes indignant at the very whiff of correction? Or is it a deep, hungering need for the ever-fulfilling power of God?

*ILLUSTRATION

Beloved Christian, spiritual obedience is only possible when it is driven by the power of God. What drives your will to obey? Is it out of a proud self-righteousness that becomes indignant at the very whiff of correction?

he identity of God’s chosen people is not shaped by written codes or social belonging, but by obedience from the heart by the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion:

As Moody Bible Students, we know what the answer should be.

We know how we look in the mirror of our self-righteousness.

Theologically, I hope we would acknowledge what we really are. But my concern is whether or not we believe it. If we instead stick close to who we think we are.

Christians, we of all people, must be critical in our analysis of ourselves.

We must know what drives our obedience or lack thereof!

We cannot dare believe that who we are as Christians is shaped by written codes or social belonging. We must see that our identity is pinned to an obedience from the heart by the Holy Spirit, through faith in Christ alone.

Restate big idea