January 27, 2025 • 47 mins
In this episode, we explore the powerful theme of faith, focusing on the unwavering trust in God's promises despite life's challenges. Pastor Karl encourages us to acknowledge our limitations without lowering our expectations of God's ability to fulfill His promises. Drawing from the example of Abraham's faith, the episode highlights the importance of being fully persuaded in God's power to perform what He has promised, even when the process is uncertain.
The message also emphasizes that righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ, whose resurrection proves the sufficiency of His sacrifice for our salvation. With a call to leave behind religious baggage and accept God's grace, this episode invites listeners to reflect on the freedom and liberation offered through faith, making it clear that salvation is a gift, not something earned.
Join us as we dive deep into Romans 4, understanding the liberation that faith in Jesus brings and how we are called to live with a heart of gratitude and faith, trusting that God will complete the work He began in us.
Watch all our sermons on our youtube channel "Flipside Christian Church"
Join us in person 9:00am & 10:30am every Sunday morning.
37193 Ave 12 #3h, Madera, CA 93636
For more visit us at flipside.church
For more podcasts visit flipsidepodcasts.transistor.fm
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:06):
Oh, that is what the gospel means.
Good news.
Because that's what the gospel is.
It's good news.
I feel like I need to saythis as a pastor,
and especially as an American pastor.
The gospel is good news,
(00:27):
and it's better news
than the newsof the inauguration on Monday.
But I want us to understand that
the good news is the gospel of Christ,
not the inauguration of President Trump.
I feel like I need to say that because,
(00:48):
in my church world,
I see things
like pastors preaching in a Maga shirt,
which boggles my mind.
I say that because
I see and hear
church folk who are more aware of
(01:09):
President Trump's policiesthan they have Scripture memorized.
Something's wrong with their discipleship.
If that's the case.
I see it
because there's more celebrationsand the inauguration on the 20th.
Then there is heartache overthe fact that there are people under
huddle, are lost without Christ,and going to hell.
(01:29):
Something is profoundly wrongwith our discipleship.
If those things are the case.
And so I want to draw us to the main thingand make sure that at least
that this churchand those who hear my voice understand
the main thing will always bethe main thing
that our hope and our good news
is in Christ himcrucified and resurrected,
(01:50):
and that will drive everything we do
and will be more burdenedover people in our huddle
who don't knowJesus, who are lost without him eternally.
Then we are excited and beating
the drum of anythingthat happens on the political scale.
Do you understand? They understand.
(02:12):
And until we
have more scripture hidden in our heartthan policy in our head.
Something's faulty with our discipleship.
And we need to make sure that isnever the case.
The good news of the gospel of Christ.
Paul outlines it in the book of Romans.
(02:33):
And so inthe book of Romans is where we are.
And we'll go chapter through chapterevery week through this book.
Spend a couple chapters on chapter two,
a couple weeks on chapter eight,because it is so profound.
The Book of Romans is dividedinto four sections.
Chaptersone through chapter three, verse 20.
That was all about the wrath of God.
And Paul does a profound,
(02:56):
it makes a profound work, an argument
for the fact that our human souls, apart
from Christ and his work on the cross,are profoundly dark and sinful.
And he makes the
case in the first two chapters,whether you're one of those
that it's apparent to good folkhow bad they are,
(03:18):
or if you're one of thosewho think that we're pretty good,
both on equal ground and both profoundly
missed the glory of God,and both profoundly deep
in the darkness of sin and profoundly
need a Savior.
And in chapter three, verse 21 and four,
(03:39):
and all the way through chapter eight,he talks about the grace of God.
So he deals with the wrath of God,and that we're all deserving of it.
Apart from Christ,and then the grace of God,
and then he'll deal with the plan of God,and then the will of God.
And so we're just as the beginning parts
where Paul unpackswhat is called the grace of God.
(04:01):
And he's he's
he's the he's helped us understand
our need for a Savior, regardlessof how good we think we are.
And in introducing what grace is
and how we are saved through faithby grace.
In chapter four,he introduces to us two models.
And these two models were profoundlyimportant for the Jewish people.
(04:26):
There are two of their heroes.
For us, we would look at these twoand think, oh, they're pretty good guys.
But for the Jew, they were,
they're, they're,they're they're top shelf.
And one of them is Abraham,the father of the Jews.
And the other is David.
And the reason why Paul deals with Abrahamand David
(04:47):
in supporting his teaching
that were saved through faith by grace,and because Abraham was the father
of the Jewish race, and Davidwas the father of the Jewish royal line.
And so he says,both of these streams are important.
(05:07):
And says,
both of these guys that, thatthat everything it is to be a Jew,
both of these guysderive our identity from these two.
And they were both right with God.
That's what it means to be justified,to be right with God.
Both of these guys were right with Godbecause of their faith,
through their faith,
because of God's grace,not because of what they did.
(05:31):
And so chapterfour talks about these two guys.
And we're going to dive into that.
And so if you have a Bibleand brought one with you, you're
looking at your smart device.
I wanted to encourage youto go to Romans four.
Now in this Bible that's on page100, 1649, if that helps anybody.
This is, so this is,I have three Bibles that I use.
(05:54):
One ofthem is the one I've had for decades.
And friends of mine,Jim and Patty helped pay to get it
all rebound because it was absolutelyjust falling apart.
And I have decades, decades of notes
written in it, almost,where I can't see the the printed text.
I have.
So and I love using that Biblebecause it's just so rich and full for me.
But I'm getting so farI can't use anymore.
(06:16):
And I have this other Bible,
and it's a new King James Version.
I like kind of how it reads, and I've gota lot of and it's it's in better shape.
There's only about 2 or 3 sectionsthat are falling apart, and that one.
And so I'm like, well, which one do I use?
I don't want this stuff on.
And so then I got this Bible,and this Bible is one
that Sean I bought for our son Wyattwhen he was about in junior high.
(06:40):
And then as
he got older and, and through college,you wanted a different Bible.
So we got him different Bible.
But I keep this one because it'sa good it's it's I like how it's lays out.
It's it's not it's not as marked upand I can write more notes in it.
But what I love about this,this particular one
is that when I firststarted to open this up and reading it,
(07:01):
I found page after page after page
where my son Wyatt in juniorhigh and high school
underlined and underlined and underlinedas he would read his Bible every day.
And it just I just I when I hold off,I think I just think
thank you Lord.
(07:22):
Thank you for your grace.
In spite of what
I've done and didn't do as a father,
and in spite of my son learning
how to walk in obedience, still,
thank you for your grace.
Love the fact that our sonsare men of the word.
(07:43):
And they're figuring it out with Jesus.
And it's beautiful
to see some more of that began.
And so from this particular scripture,
the first three verses,what then shall we say that Abraham,
our forefather, according to Flashman,remember he's talking to Jews.
He said, so you want to talk aboutbeing right with God by faith?
Well, let's talk about Abraham.
(08:04):
What are we going to say about himas far as our flesh is
concerned, us being Jews,what did he discover in this matter?
In fact,if in fact Abraham was justified, made
right with God by works,he'd have something to boast about.
But number four, God,what does Scripture say?
Abraham believed God, and it was creditedto him as righteousness.
(08:27):
Abrahambelieved God and it was credited to him.
It was a charge to his account,as if he was righteous and right before
God because of he his belief,he believed God's Word.
Now, Abraham is an interesting scripturein that regard,
because it would make more sense to usif Paul tells us that Abraham was right
with God, because what he did,does that make sense to us?
(08:49):
And consider Abrahamfor a moment in Genesis 12,
God called Abraham and said, Abraham,I want you to leave
your home,your family, your mother, father,
and I want you to go to a placeI'll show you.
So just start walkingand I'll I'll tell you when you get there.
But just be obedient.
And Abraham was obedient. Genesis 12.
You can read about it,but the Bible doesn't say
(09:11):
that Abraham was maderight with God because he was obedient.
Just hang with me for a minute.
Just. Just stay here.
Later in Genesis 22,
God will say, Abraham,I want you to exhibit how much you love me
and sacrificeyour only son to me on Mount Moriah.
And Abraham was obedientin sacrificing his only son.
(09:33):
Now God stopped his answer.You didn't have to do it.
But Abraham was prepared to show Godthe depth of his love by his sacrifice.
So it would even make sense
if Paul were to say Abraham was maderight with God by his sacrifice.
But please understand, Abraham was rightwith God, not because of his obedience.
Abraham was right with God,not because of sacrifice.
Abraham was right with Godbecause he believed God.
(09:56):
Genesis 15.
It wasn't because of his obediencein Genesis 12.
It wasn't because of his sacrificein Genesis 22.
It was because of his belief in faith.
And what God said in Genesis 15.
It would make sense to
us because most of us believeat some level
(10:17):
that we are right with Godbecause we're obedient,
right?
It would make sense to us if we said,well, we're we're we're right with God.
If we're if we sacrifice for him andHis kingdom, it makes us right with God.
That would make sense to us.
That's what the Bible says.
The Bible says apart from what you do
(10:40):
and apart
from your behavior,
you can be right with God
through faith
because of his grace.
Abraham God said,
Abraham,you're going to be the father of a nation.
That blew Abraham's mindbecause he hadn't had a kid.
(11:05):
And by the like, he's 100 years old.
It's not going to happen
in his mind.
Do you see what I'm saying?
But he believed God, and that belief in
God is what made him right with God,
not his obedience nor his sacrifice.
See, now, here'swhat happens when we start
(11:25):
to walk this life of belief in faith.
There will be there is no doubt
that we will have times of doubt.
Okay,so if we say, I'm going to believe you
in faith, God,there will come times of doubt.
And Abraham's no different.
But we have to understand,
(11:46):
a very significant difference.
Abraham may have doubtedthe method of the promise,
but he never denied the outcome of it.
Abraham doubted the method
because he's 100 years old, his wife 90.
We all realize what happens, right?
Like it's stuff doesn't work.
They're not having a baby.
(12:06):
And so he may have doubtedthe method. And he did.
That's why
Hagar and Ishmael are in the story.
He figured, I can't do it through Sarah.
I'm going to do this through hermaidservant, Hagar and Ishmael was born.
He doubted the method,but he never denied the outcome.
So, friends, let me help you understand.
(12:29):
Though we may believe in faith,there will come times
because of whowe are, that we may doubt the method.
The disciples even said, Lord,I believe, help my unbelief.
So I believe this much.I want to believe this man.
So I got this.
Help me with this right?
But there's a difference between doubtand denial.
You may doubt the method.
(12:50):
God understands that.
But don't you ever deny the outcome.
God will do what he says
he will do,and he has done what he has said.
He has done.
And so
when we look at this whole process,that that we are right with God by faith
(13:14):
and not by works,it begs the question, well, then,
what role does obedience have?
If Abraham was made right with Godbecause of what he did?
Doesn't matter what we do.
Yes, of course it does not for salvation,
but because we're saved.
(13:36):
It looks like this
when we do those acts of righteousness,
those religious things,
when we try to live right with God,that's a word called sanctification.
I'm gonna throw some words at you.You're ready?
Yeah.
If you don't write this down,you want to forget it?
By the time I'm done,
(13:57):
this is going to be like drinking waterout of a fire hose for a minute.
But just hang with me.
The the the
work of living rightly beforeGod of obedience
is called the work of sanctification,where God sanctifies us.
Ultimately,that will culminate in glorification
when we're made perfect in heaven.
(14:17):
Okay, but those things don't happen
without the previous three thingsbeing in place.
Godly living sanctification culminatesin a glorification in heaven
because of God's redemption through
Jesus is propitiation,resulting in our justification.
Let me put it in English.
(14:37):
Last weekwe talked about these three issues
redemption, justification, propitiation.
Redemption is being bought at a price.
Propitiation is the substitute
that Jesus took on our placeto pay that price.
Justification is being right with God.
So I am right with God becauseGod bought me back because of the price
(15:00):
Jesus paid with his life to understand,okay, because that's happened.
Now I begin the process of sanctification.
Now because that's happened,God gives me the desire
and the ability to begin obeying him,being sanctified.
You understand?
Ultimately, I'll never reachthe totality of that on this earth
(15:21):
when I get to heaven. Glorification.
Most of usget the cart and the horse backwards.
We think I have to live rightly at this,the work of sanctification.
I got to do stuff right.
I got to be so that God justifies me.
I can be in rightstanding with him. You understand?
That is so based
(15:41):
backwards that Paul says it doesn't workthat way.
First, Jesus is our propitiation.
He paid the price
so that our redemption could
we could be bought back to be in rightstanding with God.
And we will never experiencethe work of sanctification,
(16:03):
living rightly apartfrom what Jesus did on the cross.
So he most of us can
take steps of being
a better personand a moral person on our own.
That's not hard.
A lot of moral people,
but we can only be sanctified
through the indwelling of God
(16:24):
because of the priceJesus paid on the cross for us.
And we enter into that relationshipthrough faith because of God's grace.
Once that happens, he starts
the sanctification process you follow.
So obedience
life, the way we live, it does matter,
(16:45):
as it's a reflection of the workthat's already been done,
not so that God will work on our behalf.
You got it.
This flies in the face of religion
because religion says I will do so,that God will move.
(17:07):
Christianity says Jesus has done
period.
Look at verse four and five.
Now to the one who worksis better than the King James Version.
Now to him who works the wages
(17:30):
paid him are not counted as grace,but as debt.
But to him who does not work, butbelieves on him who justifies the what?
The ungodly, his faith
is it counted for righteousness.
Here's what he's saying.
God's word, God's blessing.
(17:51):
God's move is not motivated
because of our fervent prayerand our devotion.
God's blessing
and his move is not motivated
because of our obedience and sacrifice.
If God or
(18:12):
to move on our behalfbecause we have worked,
that wouldn't be grace.
It would be out of debt.
Do you see what I'm saying?
I get so concerned when good church folk
have the idea that we prayed hardand we were fervent in our devotion,
(18:32):
and God moved.
I'm like, you're skating on real thin ice.
Because if we think that
because of our devotion and fervent
God will, you'll have to.
He'll be indebted to usto move on our behalf.
That.
That makes him in debt.
(18:53):
And can I just tell youthat God will be indebted
to nobody?
God moves
not because we've worked hardand he owes us our wages.
He moves because of his grace.
See, every time that we religious folk
(19:18):
assume
that I have been
diligent and I have been devoted,and I have been good,
God willmove on my life because of the or.
I have to be good and I have to be
right before.
And I have to
pray, and I have to read my Biblebecause that's what God is supposed.
(19:40):
I said duty nullifies grace.
And so I want to suggest.
Quit striving to be obedient
so that God will be good.
Quit working to be right
(20:02):
so that God will be gracious.
We have to be very careful about this.
To the one who works,what they're given isn't grace.
It's debt.
And when God moves, it'snot because he's dead into us.
(20:23):
It's because of grace.
Biblically,grace, it's a Greek word called is.
And it means literally favored, done
without expectation of return.
And in every sense,this Greek word was used in ancient times.
It was always gracegiven for a friend, never for an enemy.
(20:44):
So grace is favor
that's given without expectationof anything coming back.
And it was never done for an enemy.
It was always done for a frienduntil the New Testament and the cross,
the New Testament and the cross.
Grace at the cross was favor
(21:05):
done for enemies.
To understand,
Without any expectation
of anything coming back.
Favored.
And not for a friend, but for enemies.
For while we were sinners,Christ died for you.
(21:29):
Still, while you were enemies with God.
So you got to be very careful.
Have you ever heard the phrase,
well, they fallen from grace?
Yeah.
It's usually in the context of peoplewho were supposed to almost be perfect
(21:49):
and doing something really bad, right?
Right.
Did you know that the phrase fallenfrom grace is only one time in Scripture
and has nothing to do with someone'sbad sin?
Galatians five for
Galatians five four says this.
(22:12):
You who are trying to be right with God,
justified by the law, by your obedience,have been alienated from Christ.
You have what
fallen from grace?
The moment I have the position
that I am right with God,
that he's indebted to me
because of my obedience,
(22:35):
I have fallen from grace.
So to everyone who's
ever been disappointedin those who shouldn't
sin and who do
and have thought of them,they have fallen from grace.
No, my friend,
you are the one.
(22:56):
I am the one.
Those who have made
grave errorsand sinned haven't fallen from grace.
They've fallen into grace.
Us religious people.
(23:18):
We've fallen from it.
To see
how profoundly liberating grace is.
And how.
Scripture flies in the face of religion.
(23:42):
That's why one of our taglines
here is a little less religion,a little more relationship
with this God who loves us,who gave His Son to die for us,
who invites us through faith in the grace
so he can work his process
of sanctification,
(24:03):
not have us wear ourselves out with duty.
Is this stuff good or what?
I got so excited this weekthat I got to preach two messages today.
I was like, oh.
(24:28):
Look at this.
In verse six,
David says the same thing when he speaksof the blessedness of the one,
of the one to whom God creditsrighteousness apart from works.
And then, and then and then Paul quotesDavid from Psalm
32, blessed are those whose transgressionsare forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one who sinned.
The Lord will never count against them.
(24:48):
That this blows my mind,that Paul goes here.
He said, now we would understand
if God credited righteousness to Abrahambecause of all his good works.
But God also credited righteousnessto David.
But in referring to David,Paul does not refer to David's
good works, which were many.
(25:10):
He refers to David's bad works
because that verse, those two versesin Psalm 32, are written in response
to David's conviction and over his sinof adultery with that Sheba
and contracting her husband's death.
And so what Paul is saying here is God
(25:30):
makes us right with him through faith,
apart from our good works,and in spite of our bad
works.
He credits righteousness,
makes us right with the father,
both apart from our good works
(25:50):
and in spite of our bad works.
He gives us the righteousness of Christand places
it on us, regardless of the good or badwe've done.
Here's what I know.
Some people sit in this placeand hear my voice and think I'm
a pretty good person.
And Paul would say, inspite your good works don't matter.
(26:13):
You're right with God through faith.
And there are otherswho would hear my voice
that would say,you don't know what I've done.
You don't know where I've been.
I got a lot to make up for.
For God.
And likewise, Paul would say,
you're right with God
(26:36):
by faith, not by trying to make stuff up.
So no matter which side of that aisle
you sit.
The thing I love about some of David'swritings is if he were to go back
and read some of his early Psalms,he just beats the drum
about his purity.
(26:58):
And then
he grows up.
And his latersongs are not about his own purity.
They're about the mercy and grace of God.
Here's what I know.
Some of us been around the block
right?
Some of us have been down those alleys.
(27:22):
And for those of us who have lived enough,
they've been around the blockand down the alleys.
We know
we don't measure up.
And Scripture would tell us, you're right.
You don't measure up.
But in spite of your badness,
you are right with God,not because of your newfound goodness.
(27:45):
You are right with God.
Only through faith, because of his grace,has nothing to do with you.
Thank God.
I appreciate that one.
Clap.
You got a jewel in the crownfor that one. And.
(28:08):
I wish I had time
to go through this whole thing, man.
Paul develops this idea of verses
nine through 12 or so and
and basically what he says in those, in
those verses is just walkin the footsteps of Abraham.
Choices.
It takes a while to
say it, but it's a let's walkin the footsteps of Abraham.
(28:32):
What are the footsteps of Abraham?
The footsteps of Abrahamare those who walk in faith
before they ever do a thing.
He was made right with God before
he had the law or obey the law.
The footsteps of Abraham
are those who walk in faith apart from
(28:54):
the laws of God.
But in other words,
that by the laws of God does not make us
people of faith.
The strict laws of God without faith
in Christ in the cross makes us religious,
(29:15):
not righteous.
Righteous is imputed to us, given to us
through faith,
as it was for Abraham
before he was ever obedient
to the law.
Let me just look at,
(29:38):
At verse 13 1415.
It was it was not enoughthat the through the law that Abraham
and his offspring receive the promisethat he would be the heir of the world,
but through the righteousnessthat comes by faith,
for of those who depend onthe law are heirs faith means nothing,
(30:00):
and the promise is worthlessbecause the law brings wrath.
And where there's no law,there's no transgression.
When he uses that word transgression, he'stalking to a certain set of people.
So you see, when the Bible talks aboutsin, it uses multiple different words.
One is sin, one is transgression.
All these things.
(30:21):
When Paul uses that wordtransgression, here's what he means.
He means crossing the line.
You know the law and you crossed the line.
That's to transgress, to understand,
okay, so that we are without excuse.
We know the law, know God's rules.
We've crossed it.
(30:41):
We've transgressed.
Okay, but but Paul has already said,
even for those who don't have the law,
they have still sinnedbecause sin and that.
So where do you sin?
Because sin simply means missing the mark.
So here's, here's, here'sthe biblical truth.
Even without the law of Godand transgression, there's still sin,
(31:05):
because we have enough of the law of God
in our hearts to know rightand wrong at some level.
And we can't even live upto our own standard,
let alone God's perfect standard.
We've missed the mark.
Do you see what I'm saying?
That'swhy good people still need a savior.
Because good people missed the mark.
(31:25):
So whatever side you thinkyou're on, I just missed the mark.
Oh, no.
I've transgressed.
Both are right with God through faith.
Not behavior, not works, not law.
Look at this.
(31:46):
Verse 16.
Therefore the promise comes by faith,so that it may be by grace
and may be guaranteedto all Abraham's offspring.
He guaranteed to us.
Being right with Godis guaranteed to us through grace.
Because of God's grace.
Verse 17 as it is written,I have made you a father of many nations.
(32:07):
He is our father in the sight of God,in whom he believed the God.
Watch thisthe God who gives life to the dead
and calls into being things that were not.
Verse 18 against all hope,
Abraham in hope believed,and so became the father of many nations,
just as it had been said to himby God that he believed.
(32:30):
So shall your offspring be.
Here's what he's saying.
God, said Abraham, this is how I work,and this is what I'm going to do.
And Abraham,against all hope in hope, believed God
that God could do what he said.
He had faith.
(32:52):
In what God said.
And that faith made him righteouswith God,
made him right before God.
Now I want to help us understandwhat faith is.
Faith is not well, you know, I believeGod and skeptical of God's going to do
is going to do it.
No, faith doesn't mean doing nothingbut doing everything with reliance on God.
(33:12):
That's what faith is.
In other words, just because God toldAbraham, you're going to have a baby,
you know?
And, sure,
it doesn't mean Abraham and Sarah didn'tdo what they had to do to have a baby.
You understand?
We don't just get to sit back, say,okay, you got I got faith going.
Do whatever you want.
(33:34):
It mean it doesn't mean doingnothing means doing everything
with reliance on God.
And so here's what we've got to understandabout this whole faith thing.
Some people erroneously in two ways.
One, I got to performso God will be pleased and do no.
But secondly, because I have faith,I don't have to do anything.
No, here's the truth
(33:56):
all true believers obey.
All true believers obey.
See, faith in action is obedience.
And conversely, faithwithout action is disobedience.
So because I understand thatJesus is my propitiation, the price
(34:16):
that was paid for my redemption,to buy me back and know I'm right
with God justification and he's workingthis work of sanctification in me.
That work of sanctification meansI will obey,
because that is the sign of my faith.
Do you see what I'm saying?
But if we were to sit here and say,no, no, no, no, I believe that.
Yeah, Jesus paid my the priceand I'm right with God.
(34:39):
But I don't have to do anything.
It betrays what we say, that we believe
faith.
That action is dead is wayJames will say it.
Disobedience.
Look at verse 19.
(34:59):
Without weakening in his faith,he faced the fact
that his body was as good as dead.
Since he's about 100 years old,and that Sarah's womb was also dead.
Yet he did not waver through unbeliefregarding the promise of God.
Maybe the message,but not the outcome. Right?
He knew the outcome was coming,
but was strengthened in his faithand give glory to God.
Being fully persuaded that God hadthe power to do all that he promised.
(35:26):
This is why it was credited
to him as righteousness.
In hope he had hope
without weakening in the state,
that that God could raise the dead,
that God could call intobeing things that are not.
What did he call to be
(35:46):
Sarah's womb,
what was dead that he created life
in Sarah's womb?
If we believe, as Scripture teaches,
that God spoke all things into existence.
Calling out of nothing that which is now.
(36:10):
If you believe in that God, it'snot hard to have faith
and what God says he will do now.
Without weakening in his faith.
The interesting thing in verse 20, yethe did not waver through unbelief
regarding the promise of God,but was strengthened in his faith.
(36:31):
That word in his faithcan also mean by his faith.
So Abraham was strengthened in his faithand he was also strengthened by his faith.
Here's what I know. Faith is contagious
and so is fear.
And this is why it's so important,my dear friends, to be involved
in a huddle, in a small group, to sharelike minded faith with each other.
(36:51):
Because faith is contagious and sometimeswe need to be strengthened in our faith.
And oftentimesour strength is in our faith
because we're by people of faiththat make sense.
The one feeds the other.
I don't have any notes on this.
I just want to share with you.This is free for you this morning.
This part oneI'm gonna tell you right now,
(37:12):
if you want to know how to live in faithand want to know how to live by faith,
verse 19, 20 and 21.
We live by faith.
We live in faith when, like Abraham,
we don't consider thelimitations of our situation.
(37:32):
We say,God, all I see are my limitations, but
I'm not going to consider my limitationsbecause I understand who you are.
People of faithand people who live by faith
don't first consider their own limitation.
Without weakening his faith, he facethe fact that his body as good as dead.
God, this is what you got to work with.
Good luck.
(37:56):
Not only dothey not consider their own limitation
and their own situation,they don't lower the expectation of God.
Yet he did not waver through unbelief.
People of faith. People by faith.
Don't consider my own limitationand don't limit my expectation.
You follow me to what it meansto live by faith.
(38:17):
People of faithnot only don't consider our own limitation
nor lower our expectation of God,we also, no matter the circumstance,
give God adulation, which is glory,which is what the Bible says.
He did not waver through unbeliefregarding the promise of God,
but will strengthen his faithand give glory to God.
For 14 years
(38:38):
without any response.
Continue to give God glory.
So I understand my limitations, but I'mnot going to lower my expectation of God.
And through all those ups and downs, I'mgoing to give glory to God.
Because people of faith at the end.
The fourth thing, we live with Paul,full persuasion
(38:58):
and God's ability.
He was fully persuaded.
The Bible says
that God had the power to doall it promised
that God was able.
Listen, if God can make me right with himthrough faith,
not my obedience,because of the work of Jesus on the cross,
if God can do that
(39:21):
and startthis work of sanctification in me,
there's nothing I'm going to do.
If he cannot do.
But we have to understand when we say thatwe believe God can.
It's being able to domeans that I know God will perform,
not simply that he can perform.
And this
is where so many people, we just kind ofget off the horse at this point.
(39:43):
We don't finish a race
like I know God can.
And God I'm going to trust that you will,you know, please, maybe if you choose to.
Abraham was fully persuaded.
I know that I can,and what that means is I know God will.
I might doubt the process.
I get that,but I'm not going to deny the outcome.
He will.
(40:06):
And I'm going to believe him in faith,because I know he will.
Because I know his hand of gracetowards me is not motivated by what I do.
Just by my fact of believing.
It's a righteous act.
Let me just finish up here.
(40:28):
Someone told me this last week.
They said, hey, you need to quitapologizing for going long.
If I don't, if I don't want you to goon, I'll leave.
But you just do your thing.
I'm like, all right,so I guess you all got permission.
It's. I'm not going to be.
Well, I might be a little offended.
I'll act like I'm not offended.
I'll pray about it later.
Will be all right. But.
(40:49):
Look at what the Scripture says inverse 23.
The words it was credited to himwere written
not for him alone, but also for usto whom God will credit righteousness
for us, who believe in him,who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
He was delivered over toJesus, was delivered over
to death for our sins, and was raisedto life for our justification.
Here's the deal.
(41:09):
The resurrection of Jesus was proof
that his payment was enough,and God accepted it for you and for me.
See, at the end of the day,
Abraham believed that God would raise up
Isaac from a dead womb.
And that was credited to him
as righteousness.
(41:31):
You and me.
We believe that God raised up
Jesus from a dead tomb.
And that is credited to usas righteousness.
And resurrection faith is so much greater.
The reproductive faith.
And that faith makes us right with God.
(41:56):
And it's only through that faith
in Jesus and His work on the cross.
And the faith
in his resurrection that saves anybody.
And without that faith.
We receive God's wrath.
(42:18):
And what makes that message all good?
The good news
is the brilliance of graceon the backdrop of complete
and utter darkness.
That's what we're invited into.
(42:39):
And I want to invite you,
by the invitation of Christ,
to be right with him through faith.
Because of his grace,
and to drop all our religious baggage.
(42:59):
Why don't you pray with me?
Father, I thank you.
That you love us so muchthat you gave your son.
That whoever would believe in himwould have eternal life.
(43:22):
Thinking that you've given usthe invitation
to simply believe.
The truth of what you've said
and the truth of what you've done
through Jesus.
Father, I thank you
that you haven't asked nor expected us.
(43:45):
To be good enough
to be made right with youby our own actions and behavior.
You knew we couldn't do it.
I thank you that you paid our sin price
through your son on the cross.
(44:05):
Forgive us
for one thinking we're good enough
for you to be indebted to us, and two,for thinking we're bad enough
that we have to prove ourselves to you.
Father, I ask in this moment over us
that we would lay downour religious duty and behavior.
(44:29):
Come to you by faith.
Through faith, because of your grace.
And so, friends, in this moment,I want to invite you into this.
I want invite you in
whatever words make sense to you,between you and God,
just to say, God, thank you.
(44:54):
That I don't have to strive
to be good enough for you.
Because I admit I am not.
I confess my sin to you.
And I lay my sin before you.
(45:16):
And I believe through faith
that by your grace
your son Jesus is my Savior.
Apart
from what I've done,and in spite of what I've done, I accept
Jesus as the Savior and leader of my life.
(45:42):
Friends, still in this moment of prayer,if you've done that,
I invite you to take this next stepand just simply say, God,
I give you permission
through your spirit to begin
the work of my sanctification,
giving me the desire
and the abilityto live rightly before you.
(46:06):
And thank you
that one day in heaven.
All things will be completed.
Father, we love you,
Jesus.
We love you.
God help us.
Love you more.
Thank you.
(46:27):
In your name I pray. Amen.
A sin okay
Romans, a big book.
I'm proud of you.
Here's what I'd like you to,
if I may ask, this week, read Romans four
and just soak in it for a little while
and understand the liberation and freedomthat's been offered,
(46:51):
salvation that's offered.
And then read Romans five
and get ready for next week.
Paul'sjust going to keep the throttle down,
especially through chapter eight.
A lot of fun.
I'm looking forward
to going through with us together.
You know, people in your world, inyour huddle that don't have a church home
(47:15):
and you know, your assignment,
right?
Right.
Let's see.
Oh, that is what the gospel means.
Good news.
Because that's what the gospel is.
It's good news.
I feel like I need to saythis as a pastor,
and especially as an American pastor.
The gospel is good news,
(00:27):
and it's better news
than the newsof the inauguration on Monday.
But I want us to understand that
the good news is the gospel of Christ,
not the inauguration of President Trump.
I feel like I need to say that because,
(00:48):
in my church world,
I see things
like pastors preaching in a Maga shirt,
which boggles my mind.
I say that because
I see and hear
church folk who are more aware of
(01:09):
President Trump's policiesthan they have Scripture memorized.
Something's wrong with their discipleship.
If that's the case.
I see it
because there's more celebrationsand the inauguration on the 20th.
Then there is heartache overthe fact that there are people under
huddle, are lost without Christ,and going to hell.
(01:29):
Something is profoundly wrongwith our discipleship.
If those things are the case.
And so I want to draw us to the main thingand make sure that at least
that this churchand those who hear my voice understand
the main thing will always bethe main thing
that our hope and our good news
is in Christ himcrucified and resurrected,
(01:50):
and that will drive everything we do
and will be more burdenedover people in our huddle
who don't knowJesus, who are lost without him eternally.
Then we are excited and beating
the drum of anythingthat happens on the political scale.
Do you understand? They understand.
(02:12):
And until we
have more scripture hidden in our heartthan policy in our head.
Something's faulty with our discipleship.
And we need to make sure that isnever the case.
The good news of the gospel of Christ.
Paul outlines it in the book of Romans.
(02:33):
And so inthe book of Romans is where we are.
And we'll go chapter through chapterevery week through this book.
Spend a couple chapters on chapter two,
a couple weeks on chapter eight,because it is so profound.
The Book of Romans is dividedinto four sections.
Chaptersone through chapter three, verse 20.
That was all about the wrath of God.
And Paul does a profound,
(02:56):
it makes a profound work, an argument
for the fact that our human souls, apart
from Christ and his work on the cross,are profoundly dark and sinful.
And he makes the
case in the first two chapters,whether you're one of those
that it's apparent to good folkhow bad they are,
(03:18):
or if you're one of thosewho think that we're pretty good,
both on equal ground and both profoundly
missed the glory of God,and both profoundly deep
in the darkness of sin and profoundly
need a Savior.
And in chapter three, verse 21 and four,
(03:39):
and all the way through chapter eight,he talks about the grace of God.
So he deals with the wrath of God,and that we're all deserving of it.
Apart from Christ,and then the grace of God,
and then he'll deal with the plan of God,and then the will of God.
And so we're just as the beginning parts
where Paul unpackswhat is called the grace of God.
(04:01):
And he's he's
he's the he's helped us understand
our need for a Savior, regardlessof how good we think we are.
And in introducing what grace is
and how we are saved through faithby grace.
In chapter four,he introduces to us two models.
And these two models were profoundlyimportant for the Jewish people.
(04:26):
There are two of their heroes.
For us, we would look at these twoand think, oh, they're pretty good guys.
But for the Jew, they were,
they're, they're,they're they're top shelf.
And one of them is Abraham,the father of the Jews.
And the other is David.
And the reason why Paul deals with Abrahamand David
(04:47):
in supporting his teaching
that were saved through faith by grace,and because Abraham was the father
of the Jewish race, and Davidwas the father of the Jewish royal line.
And so he says,both of these streams are important.
(05:07):
And says,
both of these guys that, thatthat everything it is to be a Jew,
both of these guysderive our identity from these two.
And they were both right with God.
That's what it means to be justified,to be right with God.
Both of these guys were right with Godbecause of their faith,
through their faith,
because of God's grace,not because of what they did.
(05:31):
And so chapterfour talks about these two guys.
And we're going to dive into that.
And so if you have a Bibleand brought one with you, you're
looking at your smart device.
I wanted to encourage youto go to Romans four.
Now in this Bible that's on page100, 1649, if that helps anybody.
This is, so this is,I have three Bibles that I use.
(05:54):
One ofthem is the one I've had for decades.
And friends of mine,Jim and Patty helped pay to get it
all rebound because it was absolutelyjust falling apart.
And I have decades, decades of notes
written in it, almost,where I can't see the the printed text.
I have.
So and I love using that Biblebecause it's just so rich and full for me.
But I'm getting so farI can't use anymore.
(06:16):
And I have this other Bible,
and it's a new King James Version.
I like kind of how it reads, and I've gota lot of and it's it's in better shape.
There's only about 2 or 3 sectionsthat are falling apart, and that one.
And so I'm like, well, which one do I use?
I don't want this stuff on.
And so then I got this Bible,and this Bible is one
that Sean I bought for our son Wyattwhen he was about in junior high.
(06:40):
And then as
he got older and, and through college,you wanted a different Bible.
So we got him different Bible.
But I keep this one because it'sa good it's it's I like how it's lays out.
It's it's not it's not as marked upand I can write more notes in it.
But what I love about this,this particular one
is that when I firststarted to open this up and reading it,
(07:01):
I found page after page after page
where my son Wyatt in juniorhigh and high school
underlined and underlined and underlinedas he would read his Bible every day.
And it just I just I when I hold off,I think I just think
thank you Lord.
(07:22):
Thank you for your grace.
In spite of what
I've done and didn't do as a father,
and in spite of my son learning
how to walk in obedience, still,
thank you for your grace.
Love the fact that our sonsare men of the word.
(07:43):
And they're figuring it out with Jesus.
And it's beautiful
to see some more of that began.
And so from this particular scripture,
the first three verses,what then shall we say that Abraham,
our forefather, according to Flashman,remember he's talking to Jews.
He said, so you want to talk aboutbeing right with God by faith?
Well, let's talk about Abraham.
(08:04):
What are we going to say about himas far as our flesh is
concerned, us being Jews,what did he discover in this matter?
In fact,if in fact Abraham was justified, made
right with God by works,he'd have something to boast about.
But number four, God,what does Scripture say?
Abraham believed God, and it was creditedto him as righteousness.
(08:27):
Abrahambelieved God and it was credited to him.
It was a charge to his account,as if he was righteous and right before
God because of he his belief,he believed God's Word.
Now, Abraham is an interesting scripturein that regard,
because it would make more sense to usif Paul tells us that Abraham was right
with God, because what he did,does that make sense to us?
(08:49):
And consider Abrahamfor a moment in Genesis 12,
God called Abraham and said, Abraham,I want you to leave
your home,your family, your mother, father,
and I want you to go to a placeI'll show you.
So just start walkingand I'll I'll tell you when you get there.
But just be obedient.
And Abraham was obedient. Genesis 12.
You can read about it,but the Bible doesn't say
(09:11):
that Abraham was maderight with God because he was obedient.
Just hang with me for a minute.
Just. Just stay here.
Later in Genesis 22,
God will say, Abraham,I want you to exhibit how much you love me
and sacrificeyour only son to me on Mount Moriah.
And Abraham was obedientin sacrificing his only son.
(09:33):
Now God stopped his answer.You didn't have to do it.
But Abraham was prepared to show Godthe depth of his love by his sacrifice.
So it would even make sense
if Paul were to say Abraham was maderight with God by his sacrifice.
But please understand, Abraham was rightwith God, not because of his obedience.
Abraham was right with God,not because of sacrifice.
Abraham was right with Godbecause he believed God.
(09:56):
Genesis 15.
It wasn't because of his obediencein Genesis 12.
It wasn't because of his sacrificein Genesis 22.
It was because of his belief in faith.
And what God said in Genesis 15.
It would make sense to
us because most of us believeat some level
(10:17):
that we are right with Godbecause we're obedient,
right?
It would make sense to us if we said,well, we're we're we're right with God.
If we're if we sacrifice for him andHis kingdom, it makes us right with God.
That would make sense to us.
That's what the Bible says.
The Bible says apart from what you do
(10:40):
and apart
from your behavior,
you can be right with God
through faith
because of his grace.
Abraham God said,
Abraham,you're going to be the father of a nation.
That blew Abraham's mindbecause he hadn't had a kid.
(11:05):
And by the like, he's 100 years old.
It's not going to happen
in his mind.
Do you see what I'm saying?
But he believed God, and that belief in
God is what made him right with God,
not his obedience nor his sacrifice.
See, now, here'swhat happens when we start
(11:25):
to walk this life of belief in faith.
There will be there is no doubt
that we will have times of doubt.
Okay,so if we say, I'm going to believe you
in faith, God,there will come times of doubt.
And Abraham's no different.
But we have to understand,
(11:46):
a very significant difference.
Abraham may have doubtedthe method of the promise,
but he never denied the outcome of it.
Abraham doubted the method
because he's 100 years old, his wife 90.
We all realize what happens, right?
Like it's stuff doesn't work.
They're not having a baby.
(12:06):
And so he may have doubtedthe method. And he did.
That's why
Hagar and Ishmael are in the story.
He figured, I can't do it through Sarah.
I'm going to do this through hermaidservant, Hagar and Ishmael was born.
He doubted the method,but he never denied the outcome.
So, friends, let me help you understand.
(12:29):
Though we may believe in faith,there will come times
because of whowe are, that we may doubt the method.
The disciples even said, Lord,I believe, help my unbelief.
So I believe this much.I want to believe this man.
So I got this.
Help me with this right?
But there's a difference between doubtand denial.
You may doubt the method.
(12:50):
God understands that.
But don't you ever deny the outcome.
God will do what he says
he will do,and he has done what he has said.
He has done.
And so
when we look at this whole process,that that we are right with God by faith
(13:14):
and not by works,it begs the question, well, then,
what role does obedience have?
If Abraham was made right with Godbecause of what he did?
Doesn't matter what we do.
Yes, of course it does not for salvation,
but because we're saved.
(13:36):
It looks like this
when we do those acts of righteousness,
those religious things,
when we try to live right with God,that's a word called sanctification.
I'm gonna throw some words at you.You're ready?
Yeah.
If you don't write this down,you want to forget it?
By the time I'm done,
(13:57):
this is going to be like drinking waterout of a fire hose for a minute.
But just hang with me.
The the the
work of living rightly beforeGod of obedience
is called the work of sanctification,where God sanctifies us.
Ultimately,that will culminate in glorification
when we're made perfect in heaven.
(14:17):
Okay, but those things don't happen
without the previous three thingsbeing in place.
Godly living sanctification culminatesin a glorification in heaven
because of God's redemption through
Jesus is propitiation,resulting in our justification.
Let me put it in English.
(14:37):
Last weekwe talked about these three issues
redemption, justification, propitiation.
Redemption is being bought at a price.
Propitiation is the substitute
that Jesus took on our placeto pay that price.
Justification is being right with God.
So I am right with God becauseGod bought me back because of the price
(15:00):
Jesus paid with his life to understand,okay, because that's happened.
Now I begin the process of sanctification.
Now because that's happened,God gives me the desire
and the ability to begin obeying him,being sanctified.
You understand?
Ultimately, I'll never reachthe totality of that on this earth
(15:21):
when I get to heaven. Glorification.
Most of usget the cart and the horse backwards.
We think I have to live rightly at this,the work of sanctification.
I got to do stuff right.
I got to be so that God justifies me.
I can be in rightstanding with him. You understand?
That is so based
(15:41):
backwards that Paul says it doesn't workthat way.
First, Jesus is our propitiation.
He paid the price
so that our redemption could
we could be bought back to be in rightstanding with God.
And we will never experiencethe work of sanctification,
(16:03):
living rightly apartfrom what Jesus did on the cross.
So he most of us can
take steps of being
a better personand a moral person on our own.
That's not hard.
A lot of moral people,
but we can only be sanctified
through the indwelling of God
(16:24):
because of the priceJesus paid on the cross for us.
And we enter into that relationshipthrough faith because of God's grace.
Once that happens, he starts
the sanctification process you follow.
So obedience
life, the way we live, it does matter,
(16:45):
as it's a reflection of the workthat's already been done,
not so that God will work on our behalf.
You got it.
This flies in the face of religion
because religion says I will do so,that God will move.
(17:07):
Christianity says Jesus has done
period.
Look at verse four and five.
Now to the one who worksis better than the King James Version.
Now to him who works the wages
(17:30):
paid him are not counted as grace,but as debt.
But to him who does not work, butbelieves on him who justifies the what?
The ungodly, his faith
is it counted for righteousness.
Here's what he's saying.
God's word, God's blessing.
(17:51):
God's move is not motivated
because of our fervent prayerand our devotion.
God's blessing
and his move is not motivated
because of our obedience and sacrifice.
If God or
(18:12):
to move on our behalfbecause we have worked,
that wouldn't be grace.
It would be out of debt.
Do you see what I'm saying?
I get so concerned when good church folk
have the idea that we prayed hardand we were fervent in our devotion,
(18:32):
and God moved.
I'm like, you're skating on real thin ice.
Because if we think that
because of our devotion and fervent
God will, you'll have to.
He'll be indebted to usto move on our behalf.
That.
That makes him in debt.
(18:53):
And can I just tell youthat God will be indebted
to nobody?
God moves
not because we've worked hardand he owes us our wages.
He moves because of his grace.
See, every time that we religious folk
(19:18):
assume
that I have been
diligent and I have been devoted,and I have been good,
God willmove on my life because of the or.
I have to be good and I have to be
right before.
And I have to
pray, and I have to read my Biblebecause that's what God is supposed.
(19:40):
I said duty nullifies grace.
And so I want to suggest.
Quit striving to be obedient
so that God will be good.
Quit working to be right
(20:02):
so that God will be gracious.
We have to be very careful about this.
To the one who works,what they're given isn't grace.
It's debt.
And when God moves, it'snot because he's dead into us.
(20:23):
It's because of grace.
Biblically,grace, it's a Greek word called is.
And it means literally favored, done
without expectation of return.
And in every sense,this Greek word was used in ancient times.
It was always gracegiven for a friend, never for an enemy.
(20:44):
So grace is favor
that's given without expectationof anything coming back.
And it was never done for an enemy.
It was always done for a frienduntil the New Testament and the cross,
the New Testament and the cross.
Grace at the cross was favor
(21:05):
done for enemies.
To understand,
Without any expectation
of anything coming back.
Favored.
And not for a friend, but for enemies.
For while we were sinners,Christ died for you.
(21:29):
Still, while you were enemies with God.
So you got to be very careful.
Have you ever heard the phrase,
well, they fallen from grace?
Yeah.
It's usually in the context of peoplewho were supposed to almost be perfect
(21:49):
and doing something really bad, right?
Right.
Did you know that the phrase fallenfrom grace is only one time in Scripture
and has nothing to do with someone'sbad sin?
Galatians five for
Galatians five four says this.
(22:12):
You who are trying to be right with God,
justified by the law, by your obedience,have been alienated from Christ.
You have what
fallen from grace?
The moment I have the position
that I am right with God,
that he's indebted to me
because of my obedience,
(22:35):
I have fallen from grace.
So to everyone who's
ever been disappointedin those who shouldn't
sin and who do
and have thought of them,they have fallen from grace.
No, my friend,
you are the one.
(22:56):
I am the one.
Those who have made
grave errorsand sinned haven't fallen from grace.
They've fallen into grace.
Us religious people.
(23:18):
We've fallen from it.
To see
how profoundly liberating grace is.
And how.
Scripture flies in the face of religion.
(23:42):
That's why one of our taglines
here is a little less religion,a little more relationship
with this God who loves us,who gave His Son to die for us,
who invites us through faith in the grace
so he can work his process
of sanctification,
(24:03):
not have us wear ourselves out with duty.
Is this stuff good or what?
I got so excited this weekthat I got to preach two messages today.
I was like, oh.
(24:28):
Look at this.
In verse six,
David says the same thing when he speaksof the blessedness of the one,
of the one to whom God creditsrighteousness apart from works.
And then, and then and then Paul quotesDavid from Psalm
32, blessed are those whose transgressionsare forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one who sinned.
The Lord will never count against them.
(24:48):
That this blows my mind,that Paul goes here.
He said, now we would understand
if God credited righteousness to Abrahambecause of all his good works.
But God also credited righteousnessto David.
But in referring to David,Paul does not refer to David's
good works, which were many.
(25:10):
He refers to David's bad works
because that verse, those two versesin Psalm 32, are written in response
to David's conviction and over his sinof adultery with that Sheba
and contracting her husband's death.
And so what Paul is saying here is God
(25:30):
makes us right with him through faith,
apart from our good works,and in spite of our bad
works.
He credits righteousness,
makes us right with the father,
both apart from our good works
(25:50):
and in spite of our bad works.
He gives us the righteousness of Christand places
it on us, regardless of the good or badwe've done.
Here's what I know.
Some people sit in this placeand hear my voice and think I'm
a pretty good person.
And Paul would say, inspite your good works don't matter.
(26:13):
You're right with God through faith.
And there are otherswho would hear my voice
that would say,you don't know what I've done.
You don't know where I've been.
I got a lot to make up for.
For God.
And likewise, Paul would say,
you're right with God
(26:36):
by faith, not by trying to make stuff up.
So no matter which side of that aisle
you sit.
The thing I love about some of David'swritings is if he were to go back
and read some of his early Psalms,he just beats the drum
about his purity.
(26:58):
And then
he grows up.
And his latersongs are not about his own purity.
They're about the mercy and grace of God.
Here's what I know.
Some of us been around the block
right?
Some of us have been down those alleys.
(27:22):
And for those of us who have lived enough,
they've been around the blockand down the alleys.
We know
we don't measure up.
And Scripture would tell us, you're right.
You don't measure up.
But in spite of your badness,
you are right with God,not because of your newfound goodness.
(27:45):
You are right with God.
Only through faith, because of his grace,has nothing to do with you.
Thank God.
I appreciate that one.
Clap.
You got a jewel in the crownfor that one. And.
(28:08):
I wish I had time
to go through this whole thing, man.
Paul develops this idea of verses
nine through 12 or so and
and basically what he says in those, in
those verses is just walkin the footsteps of Abraham.
Choices.
It takes a while to
say it, but it's a let's walkin the footsteps of Abraham.
(28:32):
What are the footsteps of Abraham?
The footsteps of Abrahamare those who walk in faith
before they ever do a thing.
He was made right with God before
he had the law or obey the law.
The footsteps of Abraham
are those who walk in faith apart from
(28:54):
the laws of God.
But in other words,
that by the laws of God does not make us
people of faith.
The strict laws of God without faith
in Christ in the cross makes us religious,
(29:15):
not righteous.
Righteous is imputed to us, given to us
through faith,
as it was for Abraham
before he was ever obedient
to the law.
Let me just look at,
(29:38):
At verse 13 1415.
It was it was not enoughthat the through the law that Abraham
and his offspring receive the promisethat he would be the heir of the world,
but through the righteousnessthat comes by faith,
for of those who depend onthe law are heirs faith means nothing,
(30:00):
and the promise is worthlessbecause the law brings wrath.
And where there's no law,there's no transgression.
When he uses that word transgression, he'stalking to a certain set of people.
So you see, when the Bible talks aboutsin, it uses multiple different words.
One is sin, one is transgression.
All these things.
(30:21):
When Paul uses that wordtransgression, here's what he means.
He means crossing the line.
You know the law and you crossed the line.
That's to transgress, to understand,
okay, so that we are without excuse.
We know the law, know God's rules.
We've crossed it.
(30:41):
We've transgressed.
Okay, but but Paul has already said,
even for those who don't have the law,
they have still sinnedbecause sin and that.
So where do you sin?
Because sin simply means missing the mark.
So here's, here's, here'sthe biblical truth.
Even without the law of Godand transgression, there's still sin,
(31:05):
because we have enough of the law of God
in our hearts to know rightand wrong at some level.
And we can't even live upto our own standard,
let alone God's perfect standard.
We've missed the mark.
Do you see what I'm saying?
That'swhy good people still need a savior.
Because good people missed the mark.
(31:25):
So whatever side you thinkyou're on, I just missed the mark.
Oh, no.
I've transgressed.
Both are right with God through faith.
Not behavior, not works, not law.
Look at this.
(31:46):
Verse 16.
Therefore the promise comes by faith,so that it may be by grace
and may be guaranteedto all Abraham's offspring.
He guaranteed to us.
Being right with Godis guaranteed to us through grace.
Because of God's grace.
Verse 17 as it is written,I have made you a father of many nations.
(32:07):
He is our father in the sight of God,in whom he believed the God.
Watch thisthe God who gives life to the dead
and calls into being things that were not.
Verse 18 against all hope,
Abraham in hope believed,and so became the father of many nations,
just as it had been said to himby God that he believed.
(32:30):
So shall your offspring be.
Here's what he's saying.
God, said Abraham, this is how I work,and this is what I'm going to do.
And Abraham,against all hope in hope, believed God
that God could do what he said.
He had faith.
(32:52):
In what God said.
And that faith made him righteouswith God,
made him right before God.
Now I want to help us understandwhat faith is.
Faith is not well, you know, I believeGod and skeptical of God's going to do
is going to do it.
No, faith doesn't mean doing nothingbut doing everything with reliance on God.
(33:12):
That's what faith is.
In other words, just because God toldAbraham, you're going to have a baby,
you know?
And, sure,
it doesn't mean Abraham and Sarah didn'tdo what they had to do to have a baby.
You understand?
We don't just get to sit back, say,okay, you got I got faith going.
Do whatever you want.
(33:34):
It mean it doesn't mean doingnothing means doing everything
with reliance on God.
And so here's what we've got to understandabout this whole faith thing.
Some people erroneously in two ways.
One, I got to performso God will be pleased and do no.
But secondly, because I have faith,I don't have to do anything.
No, here's the truth
(33:56):
all true believers obey.
All true believers obey.
See, faith in action is obedience.
And conversely, faithwithout action is disobedience.
So because I understand thatJesus is my propitiation, the price
(34:16):
that was paid for my redemption,to buy me back and know I'm right
with God justification and he's workingthis work of sanctification in me.
That work of sanctification meansI will obey,
because that is the sign of my faith.
Do you see what I'm saying?
But if we were to sit here and say,no, no, no, no, I believe that.
Yeah, Jesus paid my the priceand I'm right with God.
(34:39):
But I don't have to do anything.
It betrays what we say, that we believe
faith.
That action is dead is wayJames will say it.
Disobedience.
Look at verse 19.
(34:59):
Without weakening in his faith,he faced the fact
that his body was as good as dead.
Since he's about 100 years old,and that Sarah's womb was also dead.
Yet he did not waver through unbeliefregarding the promise of God.
Maybe the message,but not the outcome. Right?
He knew the outcome was coming,
but was strengthened in his faithand give glory to God.
Being fully persuaded that God hadthe power to do all that he promised.
(35:26):
This is why it was credited
to him as righteousness.
In hope he had hope
without weakening in the state,
that that God could raise the dead,
that God could call intobeing things that are not.
What did he call to be
(35:46):
Sarah's womb,
what was dead that he created life
in Sarah's womb?
If we believe, as Scripture teaches,
that God spoke all things into existence.
Calling out of nothing that which is now.
(36:10):
If you believe in that God, it'snot hard to have faith
and what God says he will do now.
Without weakening in his faith.
The interesting thing in verse 20, yethe did not waver through unbelief
regarding the promise of God,but was strengthened in his faith.
(36:31):
That word in his faithcan also mean by his faith.
So Abraham was strengthened in his faithand he was also strengthened by his faith.
Here's what I know. Faith is contagious
and so is fear.
And this is why it's so important,my dear friends, to be involved
in a huddle, in a small group, to sharelike minded faith with each other.
(36:51):
Because faith is contagious and sometimeswe need to be strengthened in our faith.
And oftentimesour strength is in our faith
because we're by people of faiththat make sense.
The one feeds the other.
I don't have any notes on this.
I just want to share with you.This is free for you this morning.
This part oneI'm gonna tell you right now,
(37:12):
if you want to know how to live in faithand want to know how to live by faith,
verse 19, 20 and 21.
We live by faith.
We live in faith when, like Abraham,
we don't consider thelimitations of our situation.
(37:32):
We say,God, all I see are my limitations, but
I'm not going to consider my limitationsbecause I understand who you are.
People of faithand people who live by faith
don't first consider their own limitation.
Without weakening his faith, he facethe fact that his body as good as dead.
God, this is what you got to work with.
Good luck.
(37:56):
Not only dothey not consider their own limitation
and their own situation,they don't lower the expectation of God.
Yet he did not waver through unbelief.
People of faith. People by faith.
Don't consider my own limitationand don't limit my expectation.
You follow me to what it meansto live by faith.
(38:17):
People of faithnot only don't consider our own limitation
nor lower our expectation of God,we also, no matter the circumstance,
give God adulation, which is glory,which is what the Bible says.
He did not waver through unbeliefregarding the promise of God,
but will strengthen his faithand give glory to God.
For 14 years
(38:38):
without any response.
Continue to give God glory.
So I understand my limitations, but I'mnot going to lower my expectation of God.
And through all those ups and downs, I'mgoing to give glory to God.
Because people of faith at the end.
The fourth thing, we live with Paul,full persuasion
(38:58):
and God's ability.
He was fully persuaded.
The Bible says
that God had the power to doall it promised
that God was able.
Listen, if God can make me right with himthrough faith,
not my obedience,because of the work of Jesus on the cross,
if God can do that
(39:21):
and startthis work of sanctification in me,
there's nothing I'm going to do.
If he cannot do.
But we have to understand when we say thatwe believe God can.
It's being able to domeans that I know God will perform,
not simply that he can perform.
And this
is where so many people, we just kind ofget off the horse at this point.
(39:43):
We don't finish a race
like I know God can.
And God I'm going to trust that you will,you know, please, maybe if you choose to.
Abraham was fully persuaded.
I know that I can,and what that means is I know God will.
I might doubt the process.
I get that,but I'm not going to deny the outcome.
He will.
(40:06):
And I'm going to believe him in faith,because I know he will.
Because I know his hand of gracetowards me is not motivated by what I do.
Just by my fact of believing.
It's a righteous act.
Let me just finish up here.
(40:28):
Someone told me this last week.
They said, hey, you need to quitapologizing for going long.
If I don't, if I don't want you to goon, I'll leave.
But you just do your thing.
I'm like, all right,so I guess you all got permission.
It's. I'm not going to be.
Well, I might be a little offended.
I'll act like I'm not offended.
I'll pray about it later.
Will be all right. But.
(40:49):
Look at what the Scripture says inverse 23.
The words it was credited to himwere written
not for him alone, but also for usto whom God will credit righteousness
for us, who believe in him,who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
He was delivered over toJesus, was delivered over
to death for our sins, and was raisedto life for our justification.
Here's the deal.
(41:09):
The resurrection of Jesus was proof
that his payment was enough,and God accepted it for you and for me.
See, at the end of the day,
Abraham believed that God would raise up
Isaac from a dead womb.
And that was credited to him
as righteousness.
(41:31):
You and me.
We believe that God raised up
Jesus from a dead tomb.
And that is credited to usas righteousness.
And resurrection faith is so much greater.
The reproductive faith.
And that faith makes us right with God.
(41:56):
And it's only through that faith
in Jesus and His work on the cross.
And the faith
in his resurrection that saves anybody.
And without that faith.
We receive God's wrath.
(42:18):
And what makes that message all good?
The good news
is the brilliance of graceon the backdrop of complete
and utter darkness.
That's what we're invited into.
(42:39):
And I want to invite you,
by the invitation of Christ,
to be right with him through faith.
Because of his grace,
and to drop all our religious baggage.
(42:59):
Why don't you pray with me?
Father, I thank you.
That you love us so muchthat you gave your son.
That whoever would believe in himwould have eternal life.
(43:22):
Thinking that you've given usthe invitation
to simply believe.
The truth of what you've said
and the truth of what you've done
through Jesus.
Father, I thank you
that you haven't asked nor expected us.
(43:45):
To be good enough
to be made right with youby our own actions and behavior.
You knew we couldn't do it.
I thank you that you paid our sin price
through your son on the cross.
(44:05):
Forgive us
for one thinking we're good enough
for you to be indebted to us, and two,for thinking we're bad enough
that we have to prove ourselves to you.
Father, I ask in this moment over us
that we would lay downour religious duty and behavior.
(44:29):
Come to you by faith.
Through faith, because of your grace.
And so, friends, in this moment,I want to invite you into this.
I want invite you in
whatever words make sense to you,between you and God,
just to say, God, thank you.
(44:54):
That I don't have to strive
to be good enough for you.
Because I admit I am not.
I confess my sin to you.
And I lay my sin before you.
(45:16):
And I believe through faith
that by your grace
your son Jesus is my Savior.
Apart
from what I've done,and in spite of what I've done, I accept
Jesus as the Savior and leader of my life.
(45:42):
Friends, still in this moment of prayer,if you've done that,
I invite you to take this next stepand just simply say, God,
I give you permission
through your spirit to begin
the work of my sanctification,
giving me the desire
and the abilityto live rightly before you.
(46:06):
And thank you
that one day in heaven.
All things will be completed.
Father, we love you,
Jesus.
We love you.
God help us.
Love you more.
Thank you.
(46:27):
In your name I pray. Amen.
A sin okay
Romans, a big book.
I'm proud of you.
Here's what I'd like you to,
if I may ask, this week, read Romans four
and just soak in it for a little while
and understand the liberation and freedomthat's been offered,
(46:51):
salvation that's offered.
And then read Romans five
and get ready for next week.
Paul'sjust going to keep the throttle down,
especially through chapter eight.
A lot of fun.
I'm looking forward
to going through with us together.
You know, people in your world, inyour huddle that don't have a church home
(47:15):
and you know, your assignment,
right?
Right.
Let's see.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!