06AM February 12 Romans 4 1_25

February 12, 2006—Morning Worship

Valentine’s Day Sermon

Record-Breaking Love

Three Incredible Blessings in Your Life

Romans 4:1-25

I invite you to turn w/me to Romans 4. We’re going to deal w/all 25 vv today.

I know what you’re thinking, “There’s enough Scripture here for a series of messages.” & you’re right. But today we’re going to take a bird’s eye view of this chapter as we concern ourselves w/the subject of Record-Breaking Love.

Intro:   In 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, director of the Guinness Brewery, was on a hunting trip, & he became involved in an argument, w/1 on his hunting companions, about the fastest game bird in Europe. It dawned on him that it would be helpful to have a book of world records; & so the Guinness Book of World Records was born. It has been published regularly since 1955. It's remarkable what people will do to get their names in that book. One man balanced on 1 foot for 76 hours & 40 minutes. A New Jersey couple set the record for non-stop kissing, at 30 hours, 50 minutes & 27 seconds.

          You know, God is also keeping a world record book. Oh, it’s not a book that will bring you fame, or fortune, or even notoriety. It’s His book of all that anyone does in life. Tell me, what are you willing to do for God? What would you consider worthy of attempting for Him? Would you give a cup of cold water in His name? Would you help someone less fortunate than yourself? Would you give your money to help others? Would you work at the church for His glory? Would you work in the community, telling others about Jesus? Would you go on a mission trip? Would you go into vocational ministry? Would you give your life for the sake of the gospel?

Or maybe a better question might be, “What are you not willing to do for God? Are you not willing to give a cup of cold water in His name? Are you not willing to help someone less fortunate than yourself? Are you not willing to give your money to help others? Are you not willing to work at the church for His glory? Are you not willing to work in the community, telling others about Jesus? Are you not willing to go on a mission trip? Are you not willing to go into vocational ministry? Are you not willing to give your life for the sake of the gospel? If you’re not willing – are you really saved?

Now I’m not talking about working your way to heaven. That's one statistic you'll never find in the Guinness Book of World Records or God’s book either. There has never been anyone strong enough, tall enough, or fast enough to jump into heaven on their own, or work their way into heaven. Lots of people have tried, but there is none righteous, no, not one. We cannot qualify for heaven through our own efforts. In fact, the 1st 3 chapters of Romans stress the fact that the world is "guilty before God" & that "by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight" (3:19­20).

I’m not talking about working your way to heaven; I’m talking about living out the supreme love of your life! I’m talking about letting the world know what love really is! I’m talking about record-breaking love demonstrated in your life & mine!

In vv. 21­22 of Romans 3, the Bible says, "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed . . . even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all & on all who believe…." In Romans 4 Paul describes 3 incredible blessings to those who are justified by grace through faith. & these blessings should motivate us to live out the love of our lives through faith in Jesus Christ.

- Let’s begin by reading just the 1st 2 vv. of Romans 4.

Romans 4 1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.  

- This is a wonderful truth: salvation is by grace through faith.

- Everyone who goes to heaven--Jew & Gentile, whether in OT times or NT times – does so, on the basis of Christ's righteousness received by grace through faith.

- So let’s 1st see…

1. A Great Fact. (vv. 1-8) 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, & it was accounted to him for righteousness." 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, & whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin."

- Abraham was the most important figure in Jewish history, God's friend, & the father of the nation of Israel.

- What was the basis of his relationship w/God?

- Was it his good life, excellent morality, perfect character, or likable disposition?

- No. He was a miserable sinner like us, but he believed God & it was counted to him as righteousness.

- Paul asserted that the doctrine of justification by grace through faith wasn't new or novel.

- It wasn't something he had dreamed up. Nor does it circumvent the truths of the OT.

- This is the way God has always worked. In every age, there has only been 1 way to be right w/God—by God's grace through faith in God's Son for Man’s good & God’s glory!

- Now let’s catch this marvelous truth.

- Paul says; if you work you get paid. If you get paid, the 1 paying you is obligated to pay.

- If he’s obligated to pay you, he is not gracious to you by paying you—he is simply doing what he’s supposed to do.

- But if you don’t work & someone pays you, that 1 is being gracious to you b/c he doesn’t owe you; he is not obligated, but does so out of the abundance of his grace.

- & that’s what God did for Abraham – God gave Abraham righteousness, not b/c he earned it through work, but b/c he simply believed God!

- Now here’s the marvelous truth I want us to catch in these vv.

- Look at vv. 6-8. Paul says, that David tells us, that God imputes righteousness apart from works. So let’s read these vv. & see what David said.

Romans 4 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, & whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin."

- Wait a minute, I didn’t read anything about God imputing righteousness.

- David said that those whose sins are forgiven are blessed; that the man to whom the Lord did not impute sin was blessed!

- What’s that got to do w/imputing righteousness? EVERYTHING!

- If your sins are not imputed or placed on you, that means, in God’s eyes, you are sinless. & if you’re sinless that means, in God’s eyes, you are righteous!

- There’s nothing else you can be – either sinful & unrighteous or sinless & righteous!

- So Paul reports that David says that the Holy Spirit had opened his eyes to the truth that when God forgives your sin He imputes or places righteousness on you!

- What a great fact! What a great truth! What a great blessing!

- Armed w/that we can go from here & march in victory; we can walk in obedience; we can live in love b/c of what God through Jesus has done for us!

- In Christ, we are no longer seen as defiled, God-hating, rebel sinners! In Christ, we are seen as righteous, God-loving, obedient saints!

- God did that for you! What a great fact! What a great blessing!

- But notice w/me 2ndly, that we also have…

2. A Great Father. (vv. 9-18) 9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 & he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 & the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. 13 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void & the promise made of no effect, 15 b/c the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead & calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."

- As a Christian, who is your spiritual father?

- Now there are a number of ways in which you might answer that question.

- You may say that the person who led you to faith in Christ is your spiritual father.

- You may say that the person who discipled you in the faith is your spiritual father.

- You may say that God Himself is your Heavenly Father, & all those statements are true in one sense.

- But the Bible presents Abraham as the father of the Christian faith. Are you surprised? You should not be, b/c many religious faiths claim Abraham as their father.

- But why does the Bible declare Abraham as the spiritual father of Christians?

- The sign of circumcision was given in Genesis 17, effectively establishing Abraham as the father of the Jewish nation.

- But it was earlier, in Genesis 15, that "Abraham believed God, & it was accounted to him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:3; see Gen. 15:6), making him the father of all who believe.

- God’s promise to Abraham to make him the father of many nations had a literal physical fulfillment & a literal spiritual fulfillment.

- Paul’s point here is not that we are all Jews, but that anyone who trusts in Christ must do so on the basis of faith apart from any works.

- Now that naturally brings up the question what are works?

- Paul tells us plainly how to address that question.

- Some people have said that if you tell someone they must repent to be saved, you are teaching them that there is a work to be done in order to be saved.

- However the Bible says that God now commands all men everywhere to repent.

- Paul is telling us the question is not, what are works; but rather, where is your trust?

- His emphasis is not on what you do or may do or could do or should do.

- His emphasis is on the Person whom you believe; the One in whom you trust.

- Paul’s question on matters of salvation is not, “What works have you done?” but, “Where is your faith?”

- Like Abraham, we are to simply trust God; we’re to simply believe what He says; we’re to simply follow Him!

- Man’s responsibility before God is to repent & believe the gospel.

- The gospel is the truth about Jesus; that He is God; that in the fullness of time, He came to be born of a virgin; He lived a sinless life; He died in your place; He was buried; He rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven where He now intercedes for you!

- & when God opens your eyes to receive that, He is glorified in you & uses you to advance His kingdom that He may be glorified in your life.

- The chief end of man, our highest good & aim, is to glorify God & enjoy Him forever!

- To quote John Piper, “God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him!”

- Abraham was the friend of God! He believed God! He was satisfied in God! & God was & is glorified in Abraham!

- Therefore—follow the example of your spiritual father & glorify God w/your all!

- God has blessed us w/a great fact & a great father & He has blessed us with…

3. A Great Faith. (vv. 19-25) 19 & not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), & the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 & being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 & therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up b/c of our offenses, & was raised b/c of our justification.

- The last part of Romans 4 is among the most powerful passages about faith in the Bible.

- Paul gives us two handles here w/which to grasp our blessing of faith w/both hands.

- The 1st handle is…

   A. A Demonstration of faith (vv. 19-20) 19 & not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), & the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God

- The demonstration of faith involves Abraham's trust in God's promise of an heir, even though Abraham & Sarah were very old.

- v. 19 says that Abraham did not consider his own body, he didn’t even think about his age.

- The word ‘consider’ means “to fix your eyes or mind upon.” He didn’t do that! Abraham had his mind on God & what God could do!

- Ladies & gentlemen, don’t you waver at the promise of God! Don’t you take your eyes of God! Don’t you think about the obstacles in your path! Don’t you look at how long the road may be! Don’t you listen to the world’s objections to the promises of God!

- You just keep on trusting; keep on believing; keep on following; keep on walking; keep on demonstrating your faith in the Almighty God giving glory to Him!

- We learned last Sunday night that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think!

- Let the world see that in your daily walk of faith!

- Step out & do it for the glory of God!

- Stand up! Stand up for Jesus! Ye soldiers of the Cross! Lift high His royal banner! It must not suffer loss! From victory unto victory, His army shall He lead! Till every foe is vanquished & Christ is Lord indeed! He is Lord indeed! Very God of Very God!

- Let the world see that through your faith!

- The 2nd handle to grasp our blessing of faith is…

   B. A Definition of faith (v. 21) 21 & being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.

- Verse 21 provides a profound definition of faith.

- Some translations read: ". . . being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised".

- Hey, we’re saved by that kind of faith! Hey, I don’t understand all I know about salvation. Do you?

- I don’t fully understand why (how) God did what He did! But I know He did it b/c He said He did!

- I know God did it b/c He did for (in, to) me!

- We are saved by this kind of faith, b/c none of God's promises can fail.

- We must come to Christ & say, "I know I'm powerless to save myself. I can never get to heaven on the basis of my own works. But I believe Christ died & rose again, & I confess Him as my Lord & Savior."

- & we rest in His merits, being fully persuaded that He can save us through his death & resurrection (vv. 24­25).

- BTW, the word translated ‘convinced’ or ‘persuaded’ in v. 21 literally means “to carry to the end.”

- I’m going to carry to the very end the promise of God & His power!

- I’m going to keep on believing in Him!

- Faith is defined as the utter, absolute, complete dependence on God & His power!

- I agree w/B. B. McKinney, who wrote, “Have faith in God, He’s on His throne; have faith in God, He watches o’er His own; He cannot fail, He must prevail; have faith in God, have faith in God.”

Conclusion:  We don't know if we'll ever have another opportunity like this; an opportunity to confess w/our mouths Jesus as Lord & to believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead. Today I'd like to invite you to turn from your own efforts & to come by simple faith to the cross of Christ & in repentance gain the righteousness that is by faith in Jesus Christ.

          God has brought you here today for a purpose. You’re not here by accident. You’re here to keep a divine appointment w/God. That purpose is to either ultimately bring you to faith in Christ, which will give glory to God; or that purpose is to cause you to give thanks to God for your salvation, which will give glory to God. Or you can reject the truth of the gospel today, but one day, you will still give glory to God b/c the Bible says that every knee will bow & every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Invitation:  Would you come today & give glory to God? Don’t wait till that Day of Judgment; just before being cast into the Lake of Fire for eternal punishment for rejecting Jesus. Would you come now? Would give glorify Him w/your life? Would you show the world Record-Breaking love of Jesus in you?

Hymn 411 ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus