1. The Lawyer
An independent woman started her own business. She was shrewd and diligent, so business kept coming in. Pretty soon she realized she needed an in-house counsel, and so she began interviewing young lawyers.
"As I’m sure you can understand," she started off with one of the first applicants, "in a business like this, our personal integrity must be beyond question." She leaned forward. "Mr. Peterson, are you an ’honest’ lawyer?"
"Honest?" replied the job prospect. "Let me tell you something about honesty. Why, I’m so honest that my dad lent me $15,000 for my education and I paid back every penny the minute I tried my very first case."
"Impressive. And what sort of case was that?"
He squirmed in his seat and admitted, "The case where my father sued me for the money."
The book of Romans was written by a great religious lawyer. He is writing as if he were presenting his case as a legal argument.
2. Romans 16.25-27
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
3. [Reader’s Digest summarized lengthy books in a concise format – Good for all of us busy Americans – even came out with a Reader’s Digest Version of the Bible so we don’t have to worry about that pesky minutia.
4. Our text gives a summary of the gospel
I. The Gospel Message
A. Yeshua’s (Jesus’) Story – Romans 3.21-24
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
F.B. Meyer wrote about two Germans who wanted to climb the Matterhorn. They hired three guides and began their ascent at the steepest and most slippery part. The men roped themselves together in this order: guide, traveler, guide, traveler, guide.
They had gone only a little way up the side when the last man lost his footing. He was held up temporarily by the other four, because each had a toehold in the niches they had cut in the ice. But then the next man slipped, and he pulled down the two above him. The only one to stand firm was the first guide, who had driven a spike deep into the ice. Because he held his ground, all the men beneath him regained their footing.
F.B. Meyer concluded his story by drawing a spiritual application. He said, "I am like one of those men who slipped, but thank God, I am bound in a living partnership to Christ. And because He stands, I will never perish."
1. “Messiah”
2. Anticipated – OT/Today (return)
B. “Good News” is to Be Declared (Romans 10.14-17)
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
1. Good Facts – 1 Corinthians 15.1-4 (The Death, Burial, and Resurrection)
2. Good Promises
a. To provide wholeness – Saved/Lost is not just about heaven and hell
Why did he come? Son of Man is come to seek and save lost (Luke 19.10); not just go to heaven (“get me out of here”); Hints back to Ezekiel 34.11-12, 16 (done by God) – Yeshua is calling himself God;
Lost – bring back stray; bandage hurt and crippled; strengthen weak and sick (v. 20 – I myself will; v. 23 I will raise up one shepherd feed them; I will be their God)
Saved – Luke 7.50 – And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Healed – Matthew 9.22 – Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.
The woman was “Yeshua-ed” – Saved or made whole;
Issue of blood for 12 years touched tzitzit (Numbers 15.37ff; represents the totality of God); to be “whole”;
The woman with the issue of blood has heard the teachings of Yeshua and declares himself to be God and says – if I can touch his tzitzit I will be ‘yeshua-ed’ – his name is Yeshua and means to save/make whole;
Why did she do this? Seems strange she would touch the edge of his garment – Malachi 4.2 – “Sun of righteousness (euphemism for shining one of righteousness; messiah) with healing in its/his wings”; when she heard Yeshua speaking and understood he was declaring himself to be God, she linked the passages together and grabbed his tzitzitot and was made whole
On the morning of December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright laid out the sections of a 60-foot wooden launching track on flat ground about 100 feet west of their camp. Orville took his place as pilot. The airplane traveled along the launching rail on a wheeled dolly, rose into the air, and landed in the sand after an unsteady, 12-second, 120-foot flight. After many attempts, the Wright brothers were finally successful in getting their "flying machine" off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister, Katherine: "We have actually flown 120 feet! Will be home for Christmas." Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, "How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas." He had totally missed the BIG news--man had flown!*
b. To provide freedom – Romans 6.17-18
17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.
1) From sin – Romans 6.3-4
2) From condemnation
3) From death
3. A Good Possession – “MY Gospel”
a. His proclamation
b. His Ownership – for all and for ME
II. The Gospel Mystery
A. Truth Formerly Concealed Is Now Revealed – Romans 11.25
Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
Road to Emmaus – Luke 24
Parables
Hidden Gospel in OT – Isaiah 53; Psalm 22
Lord’s Supper is More Than crackers and juice – Body and Blood – 1 Corinthians 11.27-34
B. The BIG Mystery – the Nations
1. We Expect Salvation for Israel in God’s Plan – Romans 1.16
2. Jews’ Advantages:
a. Scriptures – Romans 3.1-2
b. God’s Focus – Romans 9.4-5
3. SURPRISE! God Let the Nations in – Romans 11.30-32
30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.
It was a few days before Christmas on the Oregon coast. Two men whose families lived next door opted to go sailing while their wives went Christmas shopping. An unexpected storm surprised the weekend sailors. Before long, the sea became angry, and the two had a difficult time keeping the sailboat under control.
While heading toward the harbor, the craft hit a sandbar and grounded. Both men jumped overboard into the icy water and began to push and shove in an attempt to get the sailboat into deeper water. Knee-deep in mud and repeatedly bounced against the hull by unfriendly waves, the one said to the other, “Sure beats Christmas shopping, doesn’t it?”
III. The Gospel Manifestations
A. Our Obedience to God
1. The Obedience of Yeshua (Jesus) – Romans 5.19
19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. = “Attentive; Hearkening; Compliance; Submissive”
2. Obedience is Learned – Hebrews 5.8
3. Obedience is Seen in Our Actions – Romans 12.9-14
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
B. Our Obedience Brings Glory to God – Romans 16.26-27
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory
Matthew 5.16 – Let light shine; glorify Father in Heaven AS:
1. God of Eternity (eternal/immortal)
False gods/idols began with man
Man began with God – Psalm 90.1-2 (from everlasting to everlasting – you are God)
2. God of Wisdom
3. God of Power – Ephesians 3.20-21
3 Hebrew Boys – Our God is able
Three things Hebrews would die for rather than be forced to do:
Commit Murder; Immorality; idolatrous worship
4. God of Worthiness (Deserves Worship)
Conclusion
According to writers Kent McDill and Melissa Isaacson, Don Calhoun worked for five dollars an hour at an office supply store in Bloomington, Illinois. He had attended 2 Chicago Bulls basketball games in his life, and now he was going to his third. When he strolled into Chicago Stadium, a woman who worked for the Bulls organization walked up to him and told him they were selecting him to take part in a promotional event during the game called the Million Dollar Shot.
The Shot came after a time-out in the third quarter. If Calhoun could shoot a basket standing seventy-nine feet away that means he had to stand behind the free throw line on the opposite end of the court and throw the ball three quarters of the length of the court-he would win one million dollars.
Calhoun played basketball at the Bloomington YMCA but he had never tried a shot like this before. He took the basketball in his hands and looked over at Michael Jordan and the rest of the Bulls. He could see they were pulling for him.
Calhoun stepped to the line and let fly. As soon as the basketball left his hand, Coach Phil Jackson said, "It’s good." Indeed, the ball went through the basket in a swish. The stadium crowd went wild. Calhoun rushed into the arms of Michael Jordan, and the Bulls players crowded around slapping him on the back.
When Don Calhoun went home that night, he had only two dollars in his wallet, but he would receive fifty thousand dollars a year for the next twenty years of his life.
Sometimes one action, one decision, one moment can change everything for you. So it is when you choose to accept God’s Glorious Gospel and receive Christ into your life.
