Sermon Cloud

From Wrath To Righteousness

I pray that today will be the most encouraging sermon you’ve ever heard. 

Our text today is Romans 3:21-26.  Please turn there. 

There is a feeling nowadays that church is nice, something pleasant and positive that could be a good  influence in your life, if you have time for it.  If the kids don’t have athletic practice, or worse, a game.   If the family hasn’t scheduled a special event, like a bridal shower or get-together.  If you haven’t planned your monthly weekend getaway.  After all, summer is short around here.  So is fall.  So is spring.  It’s winter that lasts and lasts.  And even then, it’s nice to get away regularly from the rat race…and from church. 

For the majority of people in New England — if they think about church at all – feel that Christianity is just another “nice” thing in life, if you can find a satisfying  church, that is.  One that meets your needs.  One that isn’t too boring, with services that aren’t too complicated or sermons that aren’t too long. 

Nice.  You know, nice. 

Well, we’ve studied the first three chapters of Romans.  And in them, we’ve reviewed the ultimate – and miserable -- moral and spiritual condition of man.  It isn’t pretty.  Mankind is not only deficient when it comes to acceptance by God, mankind is downright rebellious.  We aren’t coming short of earning God’s acceptance.  In His eyes, we’re actually going the other way.  Worse, we’re pretty much oblivious to our state. 

Not good news.  Not good news at all. 

But now.  But now.  This entire sermon turns on these two words.  In fact, the entire Book of Romans turns on these two words.   

Our passage this morning contains the greatest news you will ever hear.  The finest possibly solution to whatever ails you.  The way, the one way, to acceptance by God.  Blessings and strength for your life now.  And an eternity of joy with God forever in Heaven. 

It all starts with the words “But now.” 

I tried sales during one of my bouts of unemployment.  Surprisingly, I was pretty good at it.  Surprising because, at the time, we couldn’t even afford what I was selling.  And it wasn’t that expensive. 

Anyway, I used to hate the word “but.”  To me it meant this: disregard everything I’ve said until now.  Now, I’m going to tell you the truth.  I like your product and I think you’re a fine salesman, but…  You know I really need this thing you’re selling, but. 

We get this a lot in relationships, too.  You know I really like you, but.   You’re the best worker in the whole department and if life were fair, you’d get that promotion, but… 

But.  Disregard everything I’ve said so far.  Now I’m going to tell you the truth. 

It’s not that way today.  Not with the Apostle Paul. 

He wants you to remember everything he has said in the first three chapters of Romans.  We’ve dead in sins.  Helpless to solve our problem.  Unable to be accepted by God or to even find Him – because of our sin nature. 

But now.  Let’s look at our text for today.   

Romans 3:21-26.  But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 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— 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. 

These verses are the great turning point of Romans.  They are literally a fulcrum upon which the message of salvation rests.  We needed to hear everything Paul said about our pain -- in order to fully appreciate all that he now says about salvation through Jesus Christ.. 

Personally, I think Paul had tears in his eyes as he dictated these words.  The transformation he was describing was real to him.  He himself had experienced it personally.  The tremendous change from sad and hopeless to glorious and forgiven. 

He had been an arch enemy of Jesus Christ and anyone who worshipped him.  He tried to get rid of them all.  All the while thinking he was doing right. 

But then Jesus appeared to him on the Road to Damascus.  Revealing Himself as the Son of God.  Flooding into Paul’s heart and mind.  Paul, you’ve been persecuting Me.  You thought you were attacking only believers.  But you’ve been attacking God Himself! 

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 

Just like the blind man who Jesus healed.  Just like John Newton wrote in his wonderful hymn Amazing

Grace.  One thing I know.  I was blind but now I see. 

Paul is passionate because of his personal experience. But he’s really talking about God’s universal offer of salvation to the entire human race.  That includes you.  And me.  And everyone we know.  And everyone we don’t know. 

All are sinners.  All are unacceptable to God.  All fall short of His standard.  All deserve punishment and will surely receive it. 

But now.  But now…what? 

Verse 21 mentions righteousness.  What a marvelous benefit.  We get to trade God’s wrath for God’s righteousness.  Before, we deserved and were receiving the wrath of God.  But now…the righteousness of God has been made known. 

Here in Bedford, I think people are like most people elsewhere.  They think they are on pretty good terms with God.  And if they are not, it’s only because God is in a bad mood right now.  He’ll get over it, they think. 

He won’t.  He literally can’t.  His holiness will not allow Him to ignore wrongdoing.  Sinners not only cannot come into His presence.  Sinners cannot even exist in His presence. 

But now a righteousness from God Himself.  His own righteousness.  Has been made know.  There is a way.  There is only one way.  But thank God, there is a way. 

Verse 24 mentions justification.  What a wonderful trade, the second one.  We are condemned in the first chapters of Romans, but now we are justified in the sight of God.  Not through anything we have done, but because of everything Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross. 

What a bargain.  We trade condemnation for justification. 

Here again.  Most people here in Bedford are just like everybody else.  They don’t think of themselves as under condemnation.  They are doing well.  They’re reasonably healthy.  They know they are not immortal, but they don’t mind acting like it. 

According to Romans and according to the over arching thrust of all Scripture, all mankind is under condemnation.  All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 

Apart from Christ, the citizens of Bedford are already under God’s wrath.  It is slowly building, and soon will be revealed. 

But now.  Because of Jesus Christ.  There is justification instead of condemnation.  In case you’re not familiar with that term -- justification – let me explain that it is a legal declaration of innocence.  Complete innocence.  It is not a verdict of not guilty, which is the best we can hope for in an earthly court of law.  It is a verdict of innocent – just if I’d never sinned. 

There’s more.  In Romans 7:6, Paul talks about our dying to sin that once bound us.  So a third trade is from bondage to Freedom. 

As a matter of fact, Romans 7:6 starts with those same two wonderful words.  But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. 

Apart from Christ, we are under the law – in other words, we will be judged strictly according to what we do and whatever moral code we follow.  We’re literally in bondage.  But in Christ, we are united with Him through the Holy Spirit.  Romans 6:22.  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 

There’s still more good news.  A fourth wonderful trade.  From exclusion to participation. 

Paul was writing to Gentiles.  Who had always been literally banned from the Jewish religion.  All of the Jewish religious advantages meant nothing to them.  But now.  Because of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross, suddenly God drew a larger circle.  And let them in.  Ephesians 2:19.  Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,

Do you feel not good enough?  Do you feel left out?  That somehow you don’t measure up – to anyone’s standards let along God’s?  Well, I have good news.  That might have been how it’s been for you.  But now… 

You’re included.  You’re in the family.  You are part of God’s household. 

Your situation may be like many others.  You understand a lot of this.  At least, you’ve heard it before, in one context or another.  You may not know the theology, but perhaps this was explained to you.  How you can be forgiven, one with God. 

But you know your past.  You know how your life.  You remember your sins and shortcomings.  All your failures.   

When satan attacks and reminds you of all you’ve done. When doubts assail you.  When you – for the one-millionth time – relive that terrible embarrassment of years ago, that awful failure, that monstrous sin – what do you tell satan?  What do you say?   

Do you agree with him?  Well, you can if you say something like this.  “Yes, that waswas that sort of person.  I did that sort of thing.  But now I’ve given my life to Christ.  I’m alive in Him.  I’m a new person, not that old one.  And satan, you can’t touch me now. 
true.  I

Then lift up your head!  You’re a child of the King! 

This is the essence of Christianity.  This is how faith answers when satan attacks.  It is not all about what you have done in the past.  It is all about what Jesus Christ has done in the past. 

It is not about your defeats.  It is about His victory! 

This is tremendously important.  This is why every church exists, even those that are no longer true to their heritage.  This is why the Gospel is good news for everyone. 

But now.  But now everything negative about our lives has been cancelled.  Overcome by the grace and love of God. 

I could preach for days about this and couldn’t even beg to cover it all.  Think of all that this means. 

1. God provides this righteousness.  It’s the heart of the Word of God.  It’s been revealed now, but it was promised throughout Scripture – Old Testament and New.
2. This righteousness is by grace.  We don’t deserve it.  You don’t deserve it.  In fact, we can’t do anything to deserve it.  So stop trying!
3. This is all possible because of the death of Jesus on the cross.  This is all available to you right now.  This morning. This minute.  There is no waiting period for the Gospel.
4. This is all available through simple faith.  You don’t have to do anything to get it.  In fact, you can’t do anything to get it.  All you can do is go to the one way that God provides.  Believe God   Trust God.  That the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the only way to be saved.
5. Salvation is certain.  It is a gift of God.  Almighty God Himself.  If human works had done it, then perhaps human works could undo it.  But it is wholly of God.  It is sure and certain because God Himself is sure and certain.  It is universal because God Himself created the universe.  It is all encompassing because God Himself is all encompassing.
6. You can be proud to be a Christian.  But not because you have done anything to deserve it. It is totally of God.  And this is as it should be.  What would heaven be like if all we heard from everyone was what they did to get there?  Imagine all the boasting.  We get enough of that in this life.  Who would want to listen to that bragging for all of eternity?  But it won’t be like that.  Not at all.  Salvation is a gift.  From God.  It is not by works, lest any man should boast.

What we will listen to forever in eternity – and what we ourselves will express – is unending joy and gratitude. 

Let me put it this way.  No one is heaven will be praising man.  Everyone is heaven will be praising God.  God and God alone. 

But now.  What wonderful words.  We were once in darkness.  But now there is light.  Once we were far away from God, and walking further into the distance.  But now we’ve been brought near.  In the past, we were slaves to sin, lost in it, captivated by it.  But now, we are free at last. And forever. 

I don’t know what you brought here with you.  I don’t know what sins you’ve committed.  I don’t know what there is about you that would be embarrassing for others to know.  I don’t know what weights you lugged in, burdened emotionally and spiritually by them. 

You might have come in here like that.  But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  

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

STORY 

We’re going to conclude now with a familiar hymn.  As we worship God together, concentrate on two of the words.  And as you do, take this moment, while we are singing, to commit – or recommit -- your life to Jesus Christ.  Thank Him for forgiving your sins.  Thank Him for giving you strength and faith to be victorious in this life.  Thank Him for giving you – as a gift – an eternal life of peace, hope and joy. 

Amazing Grace.  How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.  I once was lost BUT NOW I’m found.  Was blind BUT NOW I see. 

Let’s pray. 

Is today your day?  Is now your moment?