Hanging On By A Weed!

Romans 4:18
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Romans 4:19
Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead---since he was about a hundred years old---and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.

Romans 4:20
Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Heifer, Goat, Ram, Dove & Pigeon
Walk Between

Abram’s Name Change
Abram means “exalted father”
Abraham means “father of a multitude”

Romans 4:23
The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness---for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Romans 4:18
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed

NEVER LET GO!

How Do We Get “In”?

Abrahamic Covenant
Genesis 12:1-3

1. Great Nation
2. Personal Blessing
3. Great Name
4. All Nations Blessed

Abram’s Righteousness
4:1-3…..Imputed by faith
4:9-12…Not through circumcision
13-17….Not through the Law

Romans 4:13
It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, 15 because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring---not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” (He is our father in the sight of God), in whom he believed--- the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

”the God who gives life to the dead”

1. Abram’s dead (lifeless) body
2. Isaac back from the dead
3. Eternal Life for those of faith

Hebrews 11:17
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Galatians 4:28
“Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.”

“and calls things that are not as though they were.”
Gentiles were not Abram’s descendants.
God now calls Gentiles descendants.
(by faith)

What Should We Do?

1. Trust
2. Celebrate
3. Rejoice
4. Participate

Who gets “the blessedness?”

Romans 4:9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.

First Result
Romans 4:11 (cont.)
So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.

Romans 4:12
And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Abraham’s “Footsteps of Faith”
Genesis 12:1-4…..Calling
Genesis 12:7…….Altar at Shechem
Genesis 12:8…….Altar at Bethel/ Ai
Genesis 12:10-20..Lapse in Egypt
Genesis 13:3…….Altar at Bethel/ Ai

What guided Abraham’s “footsteps of faith?”

1. He believed in the presence of God.
2. He believed in the promise of God.
3. He believed in surrender to God.
4. He lived in daily devotion to the Lord.

1. We need to hear the call of God.
2. We need to trust in the promise of God.
3. We need to surrender to God.
4. We need to walk in daily devotion to God.

”How to Find Happiness…After You’ve Blown It”

”Justification by Faith”

• Abraham is Exhibit “A”
• Principle is Clarified
• David is Exhibit “B”

4:4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.
4:5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

POINT
Faith without works is credited (imputed) as righteousness.

4:6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
4:7 “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
4:8 Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”

POINT
Find your happiness through faith in Jesus Christ.

LIVING WITH AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

I. The Meaning of an Eternal Perspective

• A perspective is a point of view, a way of thinking about a matter.
• Having an eternal perspective means evaluating the beliefs, events and decisions of life from God’s point of view.

A. Our treasure can’t be stolen or destroyed. It is secure. (Matt. 6:19-21)
B. We can live without anxiety. (Matt. 6:25-34)

1. Because we understand how much God loves us and values us.
2. Because we understand that God will take care of us. (v 27)
3. Because we can be free from the pressures of the world. (v 31)

1. Because God is renewing our inner, eternal nature day by day, even though our bodies experience weakness and finally death. (v 16)
2. Because we recognize that enduring earthly afflictions produces an eternal value that far outweighs the trouble we face here on earth. (v 17)
3. Because we have learned to “see” and live for the true reality of the unseen eternal kingdom. (v 18)

• Esther and Mordecai
• David facing Goliath
• Joshua and Caleb
• Joseph

A. Choose to study and meditate on God’s Word.
B. Choose daily to measure values and decisions against the truth of God’s Word. (2 Cor. 10:3-6)
C. Choose to seek God’s Kingdom first and lay up eternal treasures. (Matt. 6:20,21,33; Col. 3:1-3)
D. Choose to walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Cor. 5:7)

I counted dollars while God counted crosses.
I counted gain while He counted losses.
I counted my worth by the things gained in store,
But He sized me up by the scars that I bore.
I coveted honors, and sought for degrees.
He wept as He counted the hours on my knees.
I never knew till one day by a grave,
How vain are the things that we spend life to save.

Conclusion:

• How many of my values are in line with what God values?
• Have I been caught up in temporal pursuits?
• Have I lost sight of God’s perspective in my life?
• What changes do I need to make that will help me to have more of an eternal perspective?

Abraham’s Discovery

Romans 4:1-3
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about---but not before God. 3 What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Abrahamic Covenant

• Great Nation
• Personal Bless
• Great Name
• Be a Blessing

Romans 4:1
What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter?

Romans 4:2
If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about---but not before God.

Romans 4:3
What does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

What’s the Difference?

• Imputed righteousness means ”declared” righteous.
• Imparted righteousness means ”made” righteous.

So What?

1. Most humble
2. Deeply grateful
3. Treasure
4. Good News
5. Justification can’t be reversed

Thank you, Lord!

Everyone’s God

Romans 3:29
Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Is God the God of the Jews only?
Is he not the God of the Gentiles too?

Jupiter
Juno
Mars
Venus
Minerva
Neptune
Ceres
Vulcan
Diana
Bacchus
Mercury
Vesta

American pragmatic religion is whatever God works for you.

Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Get Connected!

Humility Wears Well!

Romans 3:27
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

Romans 3:28
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

Result
We are humbled when we realize we have received such a valuable gift for no other reason than the generosity of the Giver.

Scriptures
Romans 4:2
1 Corinthians 4:7
2 Corinthians 10:17
Galatians 6:14
Ephesians 2:8-10
1 Corinthians 1:26-31

”God created the world out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing, he can make something out of us.” -- Martin Luther

A Portrait of Justice

”Justice is the constant and perpetual will to allot to every man his due.”
Domitus Ulpian (100 AD-228 AD)

God’s Justice

1. Legislative Justice…….moral law.
2. Distributive Justice……accountable.
3. Remunerative Justice….rewarding.
4. Punitive Justice………..punishing.

Romans 3:25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.

A Portrait of Justice
Jesus died to satisfy the justice of God.

Romans 3:26
…so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

John 1:11-12
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--

How?

• Admit we are a sinner.
• Believe Jesus died for our sins.
• Confess Jesus as our Lord & Savior.

"Johnny One Note"

Romans 3:22-24
There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Why is there no difference?

1. The problem is the same.
   • We violated the commandment.
   • We violated God’s nature.

2. The solution is the same.
   • ”justified” means declared righteous.
   • ”freely” means it didn’t cost us.

How did God justify us?

• He paid a ransom.
• The price was Jesus.

Exodus 21:5-6
"But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ 6 then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life."

”Put the awl through my ear, O Jesus.”

Things Have Changed!

Romans 3:21
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

Two Observations

• Things have changed.
• There’s a new righteousness.

The New Righteousness

• Not from the Law.
• Affirmed by the Scriptures.
• Originated with God.
• Based on faith.

For the Apostle Paul this new righteousness meant “freedom”.

For God the new righteousness expressed “love, mercy and grace”.

Things Have Changed!