Romans Chapter 3:21-24

The wall points our weaknesses in our need for a Savior, when you honestly go through the 10 Commandments when you honestly look at passages like love God with all your heart and soul to love our neighbor as ourselves in here on is really going on. I haven't done that.

I'm not doing it now and probably not going to do in the future. Welcome to cross a bridge. McGee will be all done many things wrong. Some of this may be more than others. The reality is that only race today. Pastor David encourages us to look towards Christ as he continues in the book of Romans chapter 3 is teaching great. Let's go now to so Romans chapter 3, an incredible book. Why does deep theology and at the same time, really basic spiritual truths. So Scott a need in the sense that you know you just came to the Lord or your checking out the claims of Jesus he can get a lot out of it.

If you've been walking with the Lord for 34 years you can get a lot out of it so something in here for everybody. Last week we finished up with verse 21 to reread that verse into 22, so Romans chapter 3 verse 21 reads but now the righteousness of God. Apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

Verse 22. Even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and all all who believe. For there is no difference. So have I spoken about verse 21 that this righteousness outside of the law is the righteousness of God that can be given to us through Jesus Christ through our faith in him. When I spent a lot of time again on verse 21 of you want some additional information, go to the website and get the podcast listen online. Looking at verse 22 and this is this is quite the statement and then for there is no different than we like to think about our differences as individuals and and certainly when when you think about individuals there's a lot of difference.

Some people are short. Some people are tall people are big, some people are small.

Some people are wealthy. Some people are not. Some people are incredibly intelligent and some people are less intelligent, so there's a lot of individual differences in people, but there's also a lot of similarities.

Every person that you will ever meet. Every person has walked the face of this planet needs the Savior needs forgiveness. And so this verse makes the bold statement that there's no difference out.

Paul is making this discussion and comparing that the two people groups of the world at that point, the Jewish and non-Jewish or Gentile, and Gentile, literally meaning idol worshipers but kind of a loose definition be in non-Jewish people anything and I want there is no difference.

So the gospel really is. It really is the great equalizer. The great equalizer is not the Colt revolver. It's not the atom bomb.

It's it's the cross is the cross because all people, you know, rich, poor, smart not so smart. You, however old you are, whatever skin color your you all every person with you go to church for the don't go to church really never been to church or go there all the times.

Every person stands in need of God's forgiveness stands in need for God's forgiveness and so it when you look at it like this is really hard to have spiritual pride yet of course we've been talking about it would been the book of Romans that we do develop spiritual pride.

Seems like over time Christians and churches in pastors as well develop spiritual pride about grace and forgiveness that they've been given some may the Lord forgive us for having spiritual pride, for there is no difference. In other words, if you've done a few things wrong and been forgiven you, stand righteous if you've done a lot of things wrong and you've been forgiven. You stand this righteous such an amazing thing in there is no difference in view of our desperation for the Lord hears the first life lesson here under the law, God requires righteousness for man under grace he gives righteousness to man from Jesus read that again under the law, God requires righteousness from man under grace he gives righteousness to man from Jesus. So there we have a Kenneth the two systems of be willed under the law and under the grace so under the law got its requirement is righteous one course, none of us can meet that.

So under grace. He is offering this righteousness through Jesus Christ. Let's understand this. This aspect of grace and really talk about grace today, but it's interesting you know the, the disciples came to Jesus one time ice and they were trying to figure out what they had to do what their requirements were worth what their limitations were so they came to Jesus in John chapter 6 verse 28 I said. Then they said to him, what shall we do that we may work the works of God and Jesus answered and said to them, this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he said it's so they're asking eight Lord what we have to do in Jesus is and here's what you have to do you have to believe that that's not to say that you just believe and that's it and everything do anything else never need read about a never native praying never need love God, love people know there's things that begin the change in your life, but until the big change happens no change can really what I mean by that is to become the Lord and ask him to forgive you of your sins. The big changes are really going to occur. You may try. We try very hard to me. Be very sincere until you can the Lord say Lord forgive me of my sins and give me the power to live for you can't really have a lasting change in your life. So I need understand that it all starts right there.

That's the way I started my Christian walk. Coming to Jesus asking in the forgive me… And really really friend that's the way my Christian life continues and come to the Lord and asking him repeatedly to forgive me of my sins and God is doing that deeper work and make he is causing me to want to do the things that the Bible talks about, but there is no difference what an incredible credible statement. Romans chapter 3 verse 23 says for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God for all absent now you know it all means integrate know it means you actually expect it fitted seriously look for it means you. You have sent the fall short of the glory of God, for which we don't viscerally have trouble applying this first other people and we translated cuts will others have said and fall short of the glory got but not make it personal. For I have sent and fall short of the glory of God.

Sin literally in the Greek, T, Tana, it is missing the mark.

In other words it's anywhere outside of the dead center. And so we all by definition, we will miss the mark. Now some may get closer than the others, but still, it's off of perfection.

It's it's like you know it's like trying to jump the Grand Canyon. If you okay you know it we got people on one side, if somehow we could talk people in the Tronic contest and we had people lined up on the edge of the Grand Canyon circuit winner try to jump to the other side there's some people that would just jump a little bit and flew straight down other some people that would get out a few feet.

Some may even get you many feet out, but every body is going to fall short of jump and that Grand Canyon someone comes in the righteousness of God. Some may get a little closer than others, but we all fall short. None of us are able to say all jump it and make it less just like a map. Some people may be more moral. Some people may be more kind is it it doesn't matter because we all fall short of that sin. In the Hebrew the word ash Hat set in the Greek again is from a TA in there's a concept of missing the mark is anything out of perfection.

Perfection is not winning the prize, as well as another kind of word picture. The Bible says this about sin first John chapter 3 verse four says those who sin and are opposed to the law of God for all sin opposes the law of God, so that's a definition that anything that opposes the law goes against what God has said is right, correct holy, righteous, that is sin anything else out of their is incorrect. It is sin. But now those that's talking about the sins of commission. We talked about this a lot here.

A lot of churches focus on the sins of commission and is important sins that you would commit lying, stealing, killing and adultery etc. etc. those are sins we commit, and those are Sands and as you follow Jesus there should begin to drop by the wayside. But there's also the sin of omission or omitting or not doing certain things in James talks about that. James chapter 4 verse 17 says therefore to him who knows to do good and does not do it to him it is sin. So there we have not only when you do something wrong that it's sin, but also if you failed to do something right.

It is said we need understand both aspects. There are times when we do stuff wrong and and and there are times when we failed to do what's right and so both of those things are send out. I cannot imagine anybody listen and think and well I have done everything right and my wife are may be as of late. Maybe think well you know this week, this month I have not sent. I cannot imagine somebody actually believe that but Leslie, that's true. Are you willing to say that over the past day past week, past month, then only and not doing things wrong, but you've also done everything right. In the words every person that you respect the witness to witness to every person you were supposed to love you loved every person that you were supposed to invite the church invited the church to. That's when it gets a little more difficult. This first John chapter 1 verse 10 says if we say that we have not send, we make him H Jesus a liar and his word is not in us. We say that would not sin, we make him a liar and his word is not in anytime anybody to say I don't send anymore. I haven't send her something like that what they're saying is they're saying that Jesus is a liar and his word has has no place in your life because the word says that we do miss there's a beautiful picture in it. Hebrews chapter 12 responses. Therefore, we also since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight in the sin which so easily ensnares us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking on the Jesus the author and finisher of our of our faith.

For the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and a set down at the right hand of the throne of God would often picture when it comes the sin and see what we look at this for Sukkot. We've all sin, so does that mean a we've all messed up was just keep messing up one of Paul's present this argument here and some other places none and and and and we don't look at it like that because Jesus came to save us from our sins in the fullness of that is not only to forgive us of our sin, but to set us free from ourselves, so that the selfishness and materialism. All these things used to have us bound up and still try to bound on this wing be set free from this friend get this picture in your head. Think of a hot air balloon being upon the ground and the there's enough force in that hot air balloon to lifted off the ground, but there's sandbags on the side of that balloon that have to be pitched out before the balloon can begin to float upward with think of that is the sins that are holding you back and hold you down and consider that that these things these great weights that would hold you down. That would hold you back. Need to begin to be cast off so great a way now course, only time I sent a lot of times we do is we compare ourselves to people to make us feel good. It would compare ourselves to mass murderers or the people of done really bad things and say well at least I haven't done matter.

Lisa hadn't done this or least haven't done it as many times as that person and Lisa hadn't killed that many people we had. We compare ourselves. The people that are gonna make us feel good Bible you're saying.

Compare your goodness your righteousness with the righteousness and goodness of Jesus Christ and we don't come out looking for good at least the rawness but again what Jesus is willing to do. Is it make that exchange. We talked about last week.

He's willing to make that exchange with this where we give him our sinfulness and he gives us his righteousness. We talked about that second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21 says for he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. So the life lesson here is the law points out our weaknesses in our need for a Savior. Thank you for listening to cross the bridge with David McGee will return to David's teaching in just a moment the tragedy in Benghazi. The bombings in Boston in the current unrest in Egypt are all vivid accounts of terrorism each time an event like this occurs, it often causes us to respond with fear.

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The whole book for the whole world. And now, let's return to pastor David's verse by verse teaching in the book of Romans verse 24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, being justified only talked about being justified a little bit before, but that was a while back Celeste touch base on it again justification. It's a theological term.

It's also a legal term, it means that you know being declared innocent but but more than that. It's not just a you got off on a technicality because you view or read the Miranda rights than is illegal search and seizure something like that. It's much more than that is here being declared completely and utterly innocent. Some amazing thing now. We talked a little bit about the phases if you will, of salvation and justification is not a process it's an act. It's an event because when you come to Jesus. A Jesus, I'm sorry. Please forgive me of my sin. Please help me to live for you not live for myself at that point, your justified is just of you as if you never did any thing wrong is not a process it's an act now another part of salvation we talked the other two parts are sanctification and glorification your justification. I was say sanctification. I am being safe wasn't me think location is a process single occasion is that daily thing we begin the to act more and more like Jesus. To love people more and more like Jesus.

That's that's that's in Acton and sometimes people confuse these two things justification happens is an act single occasion is a process over time, day by day.

So were immediately declared innocent.

But does that mean that all the problems are worked out now means would begin really to address the problem.

So here we get into the answer that the good news.

If you and there is no other good news when things is very interesting as you look at all the other world religions outside of Christianity as they all tell you what you gotta do you gotta do this you gotta do that but in Christianity. It's what's been done.

Jesus Christ died for you so that you can be declared innocent freely by his grace what is grace grace is unearned and undeserved favorites unearned and undeserved faith to God gives us his grace we have earned it. He gives it to us again this justified being justified freely. I didn't charge us to represent us in the courtroom being freely now it's free to us. It was very expensive.

The Jesus very expensive to the father but this is again the only way to be pardon.

This is a legal term been just about meaning you innocent of all charges.

If you're free to go if you will, and mentions redemption less understanding Starbucks we hear a lot been a lot of times we we speak Christian easements are for people and if that what it is were talking about the less understanding redemption is a very strong work and speaking to the crowd, they would've understood because the was the issue of slavery back in this day and being redeemed mean what that really means is if you went and you purchase somebody who was in bondage was in slavery and then set them free set them free. You purchased a minister say hey you gotta do this on you purchasing safe. Okay, now you're free that biblically were to look at when that occurs to the Christian to the follower of Jesus's arrow cabin ball of the price of been purchase.

I've been redeemed and I can go free. But now is to just free to do my own thing and free to serve the person who redeeming Jesus Christ. So how are we redeemed were redeemed God's grace through redemption. Is it by faith. It is by faith but by faith in Jesus is not just faith and faith. Some people teach that faith has its own unique power and there some truth in that.

But faith is more in the element or the instrument that's delivering. In other words, you can have faith that you're going to get in your car and your to be able to drive home but you know your car hasn't been running and not functioning.

The near phases can be misplaced. Certainly, as you put your faith in Jesus here, put your faith in an something someone is very strong. Philippians chapter 3 verse nine says this and being found in him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith so that Paul still looked kind of the same themes of you will and some of the other epistles, and certainly in Philippians sene in a way, it's not by the law about our actions, but through faith in Jesus Christ were given this righteousness.

Where else can we get this will occasionally offer you some.

I say well I'm a Christian, but I believe that there's many ways to God and and I'm sorry it's if you are a Christian. That's not something you can believe proclaimer team to because either your Christian if they want following Jesus. And I believe the Bible and Jesus is on the way, the truth like Americans father but by me. In John 14 or so you know I'm not a Christian and I believe that there are many ways the to God, so you can't say I'm a Christian.

I believe there's many ways to God because in your center.

Jesus was a liar.

You can really call yourself a Christian say that Jesus was alive in acts chapter 4 verse 12 says this, nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be say no other name only the name of Jesus see you and I don't get to redefine this. This is been placed in effect by God for us to go to what I like this borrowing that this is what got to the cake there's a problem there's a solution.

When I got all really like that solution as it was it that is the solution is not a solution is the solution use this analogy before but imagine going to Dr. and the doctors is like a guy got bad news, I got good news there will with abandon. Bad news is you terminate terminally you get your anodyne 30 day definitely was bad news was so good news. Good news is we have a cure if they just carrier… Would you looking to go to you only have one cure you have one way to get better, narrowminded thing to say that the point is, because you realize running is so thankful that there is a cure look at this disease is killing more people in cancer, heart disease, or anything that disease called sin and you realize there is a cure and his name is Jesus friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own Legion.

A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you if this was your first time praying that prayer with Pastor David we would love to hear from you.

You can call us toll-free at 877-458-5508 to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Also, if you been blessed by cross a bridge ministries would you consider supporting us with a financial gift when you call with your gift. Make sure to ask them about this month's special offer entitled know your future be immune to terrorism.

This insightful teaching will fill you with hope and also help you understand the truth about Islam donate today and will send you a CD or DVD copy right away as a way of saying thank you for your support.

Our number is 877-458-5508. That's 877-458-5508 or go online to cross a bridge.com did you know one of the keys to spiritual growth is to daily be in the word of God. I want to help you to do that.

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Thank you for listening and we hope you will join us again next time. As we continue to cross the bridge