Here We Stand
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Introduction:
Introduction:
I am looking forward to walking through this Disciple Now weekend with you guys, and I am especially excited about the theme this year, “Unashamed”. In my opinion, which you will learn is almost always correct, getting to wear the “unashamed” name tag because of our faith in Jesus is quite possibly one of the best things about being a Christ-follower. Unfortunately, there is a process to obtain that Unashamed nametag. You see, people are inherently sinful and have been since the beginning, like the very beginning.
Does anyone have younger kids at home? Or little brothers or sisters? If so, then you know that sin and evil is for real from the start of life outside the womb. It starts with babies not sleeping at night because they are “hungry”. Then it turns worse into toddlerdom, this is also the phase of life known as “terrible twos”. Like, that’s wild that it is common knowledge across the whole world that an entire year of life has been written off as terrible. But they are still walking through the process of figuring out right from wrong. The best way to accomplish that task is to correct them when they do something wrong, then redirect them to what the correct action or choice is. It is a process of refinement.
In the same way, the Apostle Paul begins to write to the church in Rome in order to point out to this new church that what they thought was the right way to pursue God, was in fact, no more. But Romans were a whole lot like Bama fans in the fact that they thought they were the best and always right. So leave it to Paul to lovingly, but directly address the church’s issue with sin and brokenness.
It’s the same deal for all of us today. So often I have put my identity in what I am good at whether that’s baseball, ministry, or fixing things. But the reality is those are not the things that I am defined by, nor are they the things that I should want to be defined by. They give me a sense of accomplishment and they are good things. Just because they are good things, doesn’t mean they are God things. So as we grow in our faith this weekend, let’s understand stop trading God for good so we can really live Unashamed lives!
So let’s take a look at how Paul addresses the Roman Church in Romans 3:21-26
Passage
Passage
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Message:
Message:
1. Our Position before Christ (v.23)
1. Our Position before Christ (v.23)
In order to help truly appreciate our position after we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, it helps humble us to remember just what we were saved from. Paul writes this young church in an attempt to teach them that just because the OT law said that the Jews were God’s people, it no longer means that they have a free pass to live life as they want.
It reminds me of a friend that I had in high school. This dude, had just about everything he could of wanted, simply because of who he called mom and dad. I mean, this guy got a brand new Camero SS, murdered out; dark tint, black rims. This thing was NICE. He was on the baseball team, beautiful girlfriend, living the dream.
Then I remember a day that this seemingly untouchable guy realized he was human after all. He was speeding, which wasn’t a big deal because his parents had gotten him out of several speeding tickets, but when he got pulled over, he had been drinking as well.
He finally got what he deserved.
In the same way, this was essentially the Apostle Paul’s way of telling the Romans that their free ride had come to and end, that they were on the same level as everyone else because when Jesus came, He came for all mankind. They had to come to the conclusion that just because they resided within Rome, the pinnacle of civilization at this time, that wasn’t enough to save them.
So what does that mean for us?
Knowing where you stand before God impacts the way that you view and serve Him.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
This one verse tells us everything that we need to know about our ability obtain favor with God apart from His Son and Holy Spirit. The condition of sin in our life is the wedge that separates us from the knowing the perfect love of God. Sin is not something that we should be okay with nor should we tolerate it in our lives.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
At the end of the day, we have fallen short of the mark of perfection. So what do we need to understand next?
2. Our Provision by Christ (v.24-25)
2. Our Provision by Christ (v.24-25)
24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
I think that the point of the Gospel that people battle with most is that of grace and justification. What I mean by that is that people truly have a difficult time grasping the concept that we have the opportunity of Eternal life with God because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. I think this difficulty comes from the simply fact that nothing on this side of eternity that is worth having comes with a free price tag.
You see, because of verse 23, there is absolutely a need for reconciliation between us (sinners) and God (the Father). The reason why is because God is perfection.
4 “The Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
just and upright is he.
So if God is perfect, and we are not (verse 23), then there is quite a chasm between our current condition and where we need to be, which if you were wondering is in right standing with God.
48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
But this is not possible due to the fact that we are naturally sinful and can do absolutely nothing about it.
Enter in verses 24-25
24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
The neat thing to me in this passage is the word “justification”, which means that the righteousness of Jesus was transferred to my account. In other words, by debt has officially been paid in full.
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
With Jesus being the one that was the provision for our sins, let’s take a look at the ultimate provider.
3. Our Provider (v.26)
3. Our Provider (v.26)
26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
The last amazing part of this story, is simply the quality of the gift that we have in Jesus. You see, God could of very easily lowered his standard by which the metric of sin is dealt with. But instead, He provided the totality of the payment that He demanded. In other words, not only did God require a sin payment from humans that could not payment, but He provided payment in the form of His one and only Son.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
So what does this mean for me?
I am glad you asked. It means a couple of different things, depending on where you are in your own walk with God.
God desires a relationship with you and He provided a way for you to enter into a relationship with Him.
Worship: the first proper response to a gift such as this is to come to God through worship and thanksgiving
Live a life that is worth of the gift that we have recieved.
Response:
Response:
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.