2021-04-21 Romans 4

Romans 4:16–25 ESV

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

I. Just a refresher, who are the people of God?

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”

A. God’s people have always been the people of faith.

Illus: I have spent a great amount of time defining who the people of God are because I believe it is one of the most mis understood ideas among modern believers.

I have spent that time teaching because a poor understanding of who the people are in the Old Testament will lead to a poor understanding of who the people of God are in the New Testament.

God’s people, God’s nation, and God’s children are one in the same. They are the people of faith.

Let’s put it out there... In Israelite who did not place their faith in the promise of Christ but bowed their knee to nationalism, Baal, or even materialism is just as lost, a foreigner to the people of God, as an American who rejects Jesus.

Why does this matter today? It matters because just as the people of God bout into to a false identity in the Old Testament, we buy into the same false identity today.

We have so accepted a watered down faith that we are willing to call anyone a Christian even if Christ has not transformed their heart. Christian is more of a cultural marker than a description of the people of faith.

Look at how the New Testament clearly defines what had and does make you apart of the people of God:

Galatians 3:6–9 ESV

6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Galatians 3:13–14 ESV

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

Galatians 3:28–29 ESV

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

B. Don’t forget Christ was the promise, the nation was the means.

Illus: We are spending a bit of time in review with Abraham. Getting this right will help us understand everything from here on out.

The nation was never the promise, it was one of the many means to the promise.

The promise was Christ. Let me see if I can say it a bit differently, the promise was Christ.

At my first church we had one of those end every service songs where we held hands and sang like The Who’s of Whoville.

Do you remember “I’m so glad, I’m a part of the family of God, I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by his blood. Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod, I’m so glad I’m apart of the family of God.”

There is a deep and important statement made here. It says that together we are joint heirs. We are family... and it defines how that happens- through the cleansing of the blood of Christ.

From Adam to the last man on the earth this song is true. What made an Old Testament Israelite apart of the family of God was that he was cleansed by the blood of Christ. The same for you.

When we sing about being apart of God’s family I want you to look at being joint heirs in a new way. You are joint heirs with Abraham. You are joint heirs and members of God’s kingdom, God’s nation. You are children of the promise and apart of God’s family.

The depth of saying we are joint heirs must be rooted in the certain fact that God’s people have always been the people of faith.

Genesis 12:1–3 ESV

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

II. Abraham’s broken faith was counted as righteousness.

19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

A. Abraham believed but he also doubted.

Illus: Abraham is an interesting case study in faith because Abraham was far from a faithful hero.

No sooner had he left Ur that he doubted the goodness and protection of God telling his wife to pretend to be his sister.

Yet, in the midst of Abraham’s faithlessness at the moment, God remained faithful to his promise through protecting Abraham and Sarah.

When we are faithless, God remains faithful.

There is a temptation to think that we have to be perfect once we become Christians. It is almost a complete change in the way we approach God. Before we trust God we come broken dependent on his righteousness, but once we become his child we then pretend that we have our lives together and never fail.

Abraham believed God. Failed. Believed God. Failed. Believed God. Failed.

The promise rested on God and not Abraham. Abraham’s broken faith undergirded by God’s faithfulness was counted as righteousness.

Look as how God renewed his promise, and restored Abraham after both doubts in Egypt and then a skepticism that God would work.

Genesis 15:1–6 ESV

1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 16:1–2 ESV

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

B. Faith is believing God is capable, even when you are not.

Illus: The story of scripture is the story of broken men doing broken things. It is the story of God calling those broken men to faith... yet time and again they fail even in trusting God.

Scripture talks openly of how its heroes fail and it exposes the failures.

This important. It is important to see that scripture purposely exposes the failures of its characters. Why the Bible never wants you to trust in these men.

Men fail. Men are faithless. God is always faithful.

Look at Abraham’s story line. Over and over you see his weakness, doubts, attempt to fix God’s plan when he doubted God’s faithfulness, and sin.

Here in church it is ok to openly admit to our sin. Not rationalize it, ignore it, or convince ourselves its ok, but admit it openly showing that we are broken and in need of a savior.

Here in church it is ok to doubt. I’m not saying embrace doubt or elevate it as a virtue. I am saying it is ok be open that you are not strong enough to hold to a surety.

Why owning up to you own weakness, sin, and doubt will lead you to God who will uphold, sustain, and strengthen you.

Our faith is upheld in the faithfulness of God who continues to work even when we doubt and fail.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Mark 9:17–25 ESV

17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

III. Abraham’s righteousness is your righteousness.

22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

A. They promise that made Abraham righteousness makes you righteous.

Illus: I am not a good person. Just like Abraham I doubt, sin and constantly fight wickedness.

This morning I read a chapter which discussed the spiritual war pastors face for their minds and hearts. I can tell you it is real. There are many days I fail in that war.

If my hope rested in my ability to be holy, and faithful to God, I would be damned to hell.

My life far to often testifies to my brokenness.

Where I am faithless, God is faithful. My future rests in God’s complete faithfulness.

The same is true for you. Yes, later in the study we will get to how faith affects your life.

Tonight I want you to land simply in understand that God calls you to simple faith as broken and weak as it may be in him... knowing that even in our wavering faith, he is faithful.

John 6:28–29 ESV

28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”