Sermon Tone Analysis

Is hearing enough?

As we head into this last section on - Guilty! the Gentiles have been convicted, the world convicted now comes the Jews.

The Jews heard, knew the word, but was that enough?

Hear the word (Rom10:17; Mt11:15)

Faith comes by hearing we know that one.

Write the word (Deu11:18; Pro7:3)

and add to that

You hear the word so you can apply the word, right?

Apply the word (Jm1:22-25)

Q- hear, writing, applying does that mean you believe?

Come on in school you had to do math, but never thought it was going to be applicable, or science, or history, you did it but thought at the time it had no value, for the most part.

- in hindsight you found out many of those things were of great value.

So, belief goes beyond application, it goes to internalization

(Transition) So, this message this morning, the last of the “guilty” sub-section, of the messages hard to hear we will look at yes, even the Jews were guilty, and righteousness was needed.

Jews: Privilege without perception

Have you ever felt privileged?

The Jews thought that their Jewish heritage gave them privilege and preference, but they had a wrong perception.

First, we need to glean from the passage, we have broken down in three sections, I will do each section independently as we go through our study this morning.

Anything stick out to you?

Any words that we should define so to get better understanding?

Paul starts off (v.1) with a statement, or a question, what is it?

He answers the question (v.2), how does he answer it?

What can we know about the faithfulness of God (v.3-4)?

What does our (Jews) unrighteousness demonstrate (v.5-6)

We have to remember that Paul is addressing the church at Rome but with a focus on the Jews at the moment, it was for them, but yet we can still learn and apply too

An outlandish statement is made about what the apostles were supposedly saying, what is it (v.8)?

Some points to consider:

(Insert Points to consider Picture here)

Jews had privilege (advantage) but with wrong perception (vv.1-2)

They had been entrusted with the oracles of God; and we know they had the promises of God through the prophets

They thought being a Jew was enough, was it?

Can we have a wrong perception too?

They had been shown the faithfulness of God, yet there was unbelief (v.3)

They had the evidence yet they did not accept the evidence that was overwhelming.

They knew the faithfulness of God who said “this is My Son in whom I’m well pleased.”

Yet they did not believe.

God is true, but every man is a liar (v.4)

Paul throughout our entire passage inferences or uses other passages the readers would have been familiar with, note down from this verse (Job40:8; Jn3:33; Ps62:9) you may have those in the margin or center column of your bible, but in case not, there they are.

Our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God.

(v.5)

God is not unjust in inflicting wrath on the liar, on man, on the unrighteous.

Paul uses in the negative sense ‘Is God unjust?”

God was going to judge by truth; don’t believe the lies (vv.7-8)

Look again at (v.7) even when spoken of negatively (claims a lie), God is getting glory through the truth.

Truth presented does not mean truth received, truth believed, but it does not change the fact of the truth.

So what advantage did the Jews have?

None if they did not live up to the law, to the commands, to the ordinances of God.

Paul has been driving home the point, to the Gentiles, to the Jews we are all guilty, we are all in this together.

We are all under sin..

Presentation - all under sin

Guilty, Paul now changes to a court of law view, so join me and let’s see what is going on in the court.

Anything stick out, any words to define?

Paul is very bold about something (v.9), what is it?

(Insert a mountain of evidence picture here)

He goes on to lay out the evidence (vv.10-18), lets look and see what the evidence he presents is.

None righteous (v.10)

None understand (v.11); none seek God (v.11)

All have turned away (v.12); none do good (v.12)

Throat open grave (v.13); their tongues keep deceiving (v.13)

Mouth full of cursing, bitterness (v.14)

Swift to shed blood (v.15)

Destruction, misery are their path (v.16)

They know no peace (v.17)

They have no fear of God (v.18)

Now, I mentioned that our passage tonight is full in implications of other scripture or scripture itself, so here we got with the character of the sin mentioned (vv.10-12).

Keep in mind court setting and the Jews are the ones on trial here with a mountain of evidence being presented.

The court proceeding

OK, here we go, Paul is speaking to Jewish Christians in Rome, they would be very familiar with all his references, inferences, so I need to put those before you.

Charges - none righteous (Ps14:1-3)

Opening statement - All have turned away (Ps53:1-3)

Indictment - Because of their throats (Ps59:9)

Indictment is formal charge brought

Impeached testimony - (Ps5:9)

impeached calls into question the integrity of a practice

Arraignment (Ps10:7)

To call or bring before court an answer to the charge (indictment)

Incriminated (Isa59:1-7)

Strongly imply guilt of someone

Isa59:1-7 “1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood And your fingers with iniquity; Your lips have spoken falsehood, Your tongue mutters wickedness.

4 No one sues righteously and no one pleads honestly.

They trust in confusion and speak lies; They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.

5 They hatch adders’ eggs and weave the spider’s web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.

6 Their webs will not become clothing, Nor will they cover themselves with their works; Their works are works of iniquity, And an act of violence is in their hands.

7 Their feet run to evil, And they hasten to shed innocent blood; Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity, Devastation and destruction are in their highways.”

Implicated (Isa59:7-8)

to show someone involved in a crime

Final charge, they are cited (Ps36:1)

The Jews who had an advantage because they had the law, the prophets, the promises, but the wrong perception have been found guilty in the court because they deny their own scripture.

They were guilty under the law.

Under the law and pressure

The law has provided amble proof of the guilt, but there are some things the law cannot do, and we should look at too before we close.

(Insert under the law picture here)

Anything stick out to you, any words to define?

Who does the Law speak to (v.19)?

Who is accountable to God (v.19)?

What comes through the law (v.20)?

So, here is what the Law cannot do.

Law cannot pardon, cannot save

Law cannot justify or make righteous