Jesus Raised Again For Our Justification

3-16-08 Sermon Justification by Faith

Lets go back a couple of Sundays and use our reminiscence to

recall past events

1. Sun Mar 2nd Lesson Power of the Gospel

- Paul writes his letter to this new church (in ROME!)

- Romans 1:8 “For I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of thorough out the whole world.”

What did this church have that the others didn’t?

I must needs see Caesar (Paul’s landmark of his ministry)

- Acts 25:10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.?

- where he soon after lost his head at Nero’s chop block to a sword

Every Christian will have their Caesar or Golilaths

We all have a destined purpose for our lives

- our purpose is being a Christian (yes)

- but even, more than that, our purpose: to take the gospel even further

- someone we have to stand before (our own Caesar)

Who will be the last person I will be sent to minister to?

There will be a last person to witness to A last sermon to preach

- who could that be to?

- a last sermon to be preached

2. I recall Sun March 9th, Lesson “Need for the Gospel”

- good news deliverance from the wrath of God Rom 1:18

- The gospel reveals that the only way to have

- a right relationship with God

- is through faith in Christ

- for all have sinned and came short of the glory of God.

3. And today “JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH”

this statement is second only to the resurrection of Christ Jesus

- because:

- any good named person could have been born

- any good named person could have died for us (even in war)

- only one laid his life down (freely, no man took it)

- only one had the power to raise it back up again

1st most powerful word is resurrection

2nd most powerful word is this word Justification

- there is not a more powerful word in the Word of God

- justification: as if you had never sinned

The atonement blood: Accepting it by faith is our justification

“Him that justifies the ungodly” Rom 4:5

Abraham was hand picked out of an ungodly nation:

- A nation that was judged at the tower of Babel

- all men were warped and vile

- the destruction of the tower of Babel

- was a judgment for their continuous sinning

- all wrapped up in the flesh (carnal, Idolatry)

- no body there served God

Abraham (found in that condition) grabbed hold of God by faith

- and would not let Him go

Abraham, you are going to be a wonderer

- you will follow even when you don’t understand

- God snatched him up and gave him an opportunity of a life time

Abraham: A type or shadow of the Apostle Paul

- a vile man a murderer a persecutor

- God snatched him up and Paul never let go

- and God gave him an opportunity of a life time.

The Jews under the law believed that

- their biological relationship with Abraham was their justification

- he was the founder of their faith

- they associated circumcision with justification

It was very powerful to say

I am a Jew by birth

my father was father Abraham

I was circumcised according to Jewish customs

I am justified because I have kept all of the law

- thus a confidence in human works

This issue is still alive today

- many Americans believe, being American makes them Christian

- some base their claim on a heritage alone

- like born into a certain family

- some base their claim of I was baptized when I was 12

- some believe because they joined a certain church

- or a certain denomination

They believe that the faith of their parents was imparted to them

Justification is a gift! Based upon the fact that we believe

- based upon the fact that we have faith

- (to trust Jesus to live it through us)

QUESTION: why couldn’t Abraham boast?

- he brought nothing into it!

QUESTION: Who do unbelievers serve?

ye cannot have two masters

QUESTION: how do they serve this Jehovah God?

With Abraham, it was God who took the initiative

- God invited him to go on a journey

- to look for another city

- whose builder and maker was God

- a city that has foundations

Rom 4:7 Those who follow his example of faith are children of Abraham

Rom 4:8 “God would justify the heathern through faith”

even Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Could not make the grade