God is just -Pt. II
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Love talk
Love talk
God’s grace, God’s mercy we love to talk about those things. God is just and that is why we need God’s grace, this morning we are going to talk about God’s love that includes God’s justice (judgment) too.
(God is just picture inserted here)
We love to talk about God’s love that is unconditional and never-ending. We like to sing about God’s grace that is amazing, and His mercy that is renewed every morning. As we look at God’s justice, and God judges sin and we need to remember that goes hand in hand with God’s love.
God judges sin (Jos7:10-26; Act5:1-11; 2Pt3:9)
God judges sin, sometimes quickly as with Achan in the battle of Ai and lying through not disclosing , it cost him his and his families lives.
Or with Ananias and Saphira who lied through implication to the Spirit and cost both of them their lives.
Other times slowly, that God’s justice will be handed down, but let me give you this scripture
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
God’s desire is all to come to repentance! The promise was God’s justice, God’s judgement that was to be delved out and had not yet because of God’s will and God’s longsuffering
God is just and that is why Jesus was needed (Jn3:15-18)
We will get to God’s promised judgment, God’s promise justice including the Jn3:15-18 passage in a few minutes so hold onto that point in your outline for a few.
Jesus death epitomizes God’s mercy and justice in one place (Lk23:34)
34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
Sinners separated from God because of sin (Isa59:2); sinners who put Jesus on the cross, who deserve God’s justice, but in place, God gave mercy asking for forgiveness for the people knowing many would come to faith because of it.. The epitome of God’s mercy and justice put on display on a cursed tree.
(Transition) I want to touch on just a few things this morning.
God’s justice displayed in Egypt (Exo12:1-31)
God’s day of judgment against the world is forthcoming (Act17:30-31; Lk18:6-8)
God’s judgment and God’s mercy (Jn3:17-18; 1Pt1:17; 2Chr19:7; Pro2:8)
God is both just and justifier (Rom3:20-26)
Then finish off this morning with:
But God, a few simple thoughts (Ps49:15; Mt19:26: Act2:24; Eph2:6-7)
God’s Justice
God’s Justice
How about a world vision definition of Justice then get to a passage demonstrating justice. Biblical references to the word “justice” mean “to make right.” Justice is, first and foremost, a relational term — people living in right relationship with God, one another, and the natural creation. ... As God is just and loving, so we are called to do justice and live in love
To live in love is to live justly and you cannot live justly unless you are in right relationship with God.
Israel had been in Egypt for 430 years, they had grown to be a great multitude of people who were made to be slaves in Egypt. God is just not just to His people but to all people so I want to survey God’s justice demonstrated against Egypt
God’s justice announced (Exo11:1-6)
Death of the firstborn was proclaimed
God’s instructions and direction (Exo12:1-11)
1 Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.
3 “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. 4 ‘Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb.
5 ‘Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 ‘You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight.
7 ‘Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 ‘They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
9 ‘Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. 10 ‘And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire.
11 ‘Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Lord’s Passover.
We have God’s announcement to God’s messengers (Moses and Aaron) (vv.1-2)
We have the who (Moses and Aaron) and we have the where (in Egypt)
We have the first instruction to them, that this is going to be the first month for them
We have God’s instructions (vv.3-11)
On 10th day, take an unblemished lamb (from sheep or goats) (vv.3-5)
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Keep it until 14th day then kill it (v.6)
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Put the blood on doorposts and lintel (v.7)
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Prepare with fire, eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (v.8)
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More instructions, don’t eat unless it is roasted with fire, do not leave any over until morning (vv.9-10)
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Final instructions: eat it in this manner, loins girded, sandals on, staff in hand, eat in haste (v.11)
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And it is named, called the Lord’s Passover (v.11)
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Now to survey the rest.
Judgment, justice again Egypt (v.12)
I was not going to put these next verses in but I need to
12 ‘For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord.
13 ‘The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
They were told to keep it as a memorial, a celebration
14 ‘Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance.
Do we not do that today for the Lord is our Passover and we celebrate His death until He comes?
Get rid of any leaven (vv.14-15)
Form of justice was named (v.23) death by destroyer
Receipt of the Lord’s justice named again (v.27)
Justice delivered (vv.29-31)
I should given you one more verse
31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the Lord, as you have said.
(expand) - in other words be holy, set apart!
Can you think of other places where you see specific justice passed down, and even mercy too?
Anyone remember mankind and Noah? (Gen6:5-7)
5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
7 The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”
When the cup of iniquity is full, justice is poured out.
Justice is coming, because God is just (Act17:30-31)
30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
God’s day of justice is coming (Lk18:6-8)
6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
8 “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”
(expand on will he find faith on earth)
(transition) where God is just, God is merciful and full of grace and offers peace with God and peace from God too
God’s judgment and God’s mercy
God’s judgment and God’s mercy
Grace, mercy, peace, and just too.
God’s love displayed through grace because God is just too (Jn3:15-18)
15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
(expand) like Israel sinned Jesus pointed back to them and the provision (mercy, grace) that was extended to them if they believed and looked upon God’s provision provided. (you can read Jn3:14; and back to the Moses scriptures (Num21:9f))
(No need to read the below line, just for the outline)
God’s peace offered (Rom5:1, Jn14:27; Php4:7)
God’s offer of peace came through the Son who made peace between sinful man and God (see Rom5:1) and then Jesus left peace (Jn14:27) that is God’s peace that is beyond all understanding (Php4:7)
The world has been judged and found lacking and one day the justice will be delved out. For God judges justly and impartially
God’s judgment is impartial (1Pt1:17; 2Chr19:7)
17 If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;
and link that with
7 “Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the Lord our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.”
and finally one more showing God’s provision of mercy (Pro2:8)
8 Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones.
His provision, his means of preservation came through the Son of all grace who gives eternal life (Jn3:16) grace that is needed because we all fall short (Rom3:23)
Oh I can’t stop here, grace is great, but need to expand more on God is just, for God is both just and justifier
God is just and justifier
God is just and justifier
Just, making things right, justifier being the one who makes it right between you and God.
20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Knowledge of sin came through the law (v.20)
21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
Law of righteousness (grace) made known through faith (v.21-22)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Grace needed for we all fall short, and are justified as a gift of grace through Christ Jesus (vv.23-24)
25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
Jesus was the propitiation through His blood (v25)
26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
He was both just and justifier to the one who has faith (vv.26-27)
and finally
28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Justified by faith, apart from works (v.28)
God’s grace has been made known through faith, faith in Jesus Christ, faith that brings the gift of mercy and grace and we are justified. Our justification only comes through Jesus Christ!
Things to remember
Things to remember
Somethings to remember as we close this out today.
God remembered Noah and saved him and his family (Gen8:1)
1 But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark; and God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided.
God redeems our soul, our very life (Ps49:15)
15 But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude
God does for us what we cannot do ourselves (Mt19:26)
26 And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Salvation is only possible through Jesus (Jn14:6: Act4:12)
God proved it raising Christ from the dead (Act2:24)
24 “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
Through the resurrection death and the law lost it’s sting. For the sting of death was sin, and the strength is the law (1Cor15:56) but our victory over death is in Christ’s resurrection! That makes our resurrection possible!
God raised you too, or will raise you if you believe (Eph2:6-7)
6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
(invitation slide - are you justified?) invitation (Song) (Prayer) (Exit)