Introduction

Some of us walked in today with lists—mental ledgers of what we did right and where we fell short. We carry them like heavy backpacks. We whisper, “Maybe if I try harder, God will be pleased.” And our hearts grow tired, tight, and tentative. Then we come to Romans 4 and hear a fresh breeze blow across our souls. God speaks of promise, not pressure; of grace, not grimness; of faith, not frantic striving. Like a cool drink on a scorching day, these words refresh the weary and re-center the wandering.

Picture Abraham under a star-salted sky, sand gathering in the creases of his sandals, promise echoing in his chest. No rulebook could count those stars. No checklist could manufacture that miracle. The Lord spoke, and a man believed. That old desert scene still sings in our modern hearts. Because if God can keep a promise to one aging nomad, He can keep a promise to you. Are you worried you’ve broken the rules too many times? Are you afraid you’ve blown your chance? Friend, grace is God’s answer to our anxious arithmetic.

Tim Keller wrote, “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” —Tim Keller

We will watch, with wonder, as God shows us how the Law exposes our inability, how grace arrives through faith, and how faith makes the promise certain for all who trust Him. No hoops to jump. No ladders to climb. Just open hands receiving what God is eager to give.

So breathe. Set down the scorecard. Bring your real self—questions, quirks, and quiet fears. God is already leaning in. He delights to do what we cannot. He delights to save, to steady, to supply. And He invites us to step into a promise older than the stars and as close as our next breath.

Scripture — Romans 4:13-16 (NIV) 13 It was not through the 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 depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, 15 because the 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 have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

Opening Prayer Gracious Father, thank You for Your steady, saving love. Thank You for promises that do not wobble when we do. By Your Spirit, quiet the noise within us—our fears, our fatigue, our frantic efforts to earn what You freely give. Let Your Word warm cold hearts and strengthen weak knees. Teach us through the Law where we fall short. Lead us by grace to Jesus, our righteousness. Give us living faith today—faith that receives, rests, and rejoices. Make Your promise feel near and necessary to every person in this room. We ask in the strong name of Jesus. Amen.

The Law Reveals Our Inability

When Scripture speaks of the Law, it is speaking of God’s good standard. It shows what love looks like in real life. It names what is right and what harms. That standard does more than inform. It exposes. It shows that our best days still fall short of the weight of glory. It reveals gaps we cannot close with effort or resolve.

Think of a bright light turned on in a dusty room. The light does not create dust. It only shows what is already there. The Law works like that. It shines. It uncovers. It tells the truth about the heart. And once the truth is seen, we cannot unsee it. We start to sense our need for a different kind of help.

Paul says the promise to Abraham did not ride in on rule-keeping. The promise arrived through the right standing God gives to those who trust Him. Abraham received that standing before the Sinai code existed. That timing matters. It means the promise was already running long before the commandments were carved. The Law can describe the life God loves. It cannot create that life within us. That is why Paul points away from law-keeping as the channel of inheritance. The Law can say, “This is the way.” It cannot make the heart walk in it. So the Law does holy work by stripping us of claims. It takes away the idea that we can earn the family name. It makes us small enough to be carried.

When people base their hope on rule-keeping, trust loses meaning and the promise ends up feeling empty. Paul says if heirs come from the Law, then faith is emptied and the promise collapses. Think through what that would be like. Every blessing would be a wage. Every assurance would rest on flawless performance. The mind would loop through questions. Did I do enough? Did I miss a step? The heart would never rest because the standard never blinks. Paul’s point is plain. A law-based inheritance would turn a promise into a contract with penalties on every page. And since the Law does not bend, the only honest verdict for us would be default. The Law, doing its job, shows that our account cannot cover the cost. That is why these verses press us away from earning and toward receiving.

Paul also says the Law brings wrath, and where there is no law there is no transgression. That line needs care. Sin exists even when a person does not know every rule. Yet transgression is when a clear line is crossed. The Law draws that line in ink. It makes our wrongs rise from vague to specific. Think of a posted speed sign. Before the sign, a driver may still be reckless. After the sign, the ticket names a charge. The Law does that in the soul. It turns vague guilt into true guilt with definition. This is mercy in disguise. The Law does not lash out. It witnesses. It testifies that the Holy One is just. It tells us why the world aches. It shows that wrath is not moods or flare-ups. Wrath is God’s settled stand against what kills love. Under that light, excuses wither. We see that the problem is not loose rules. The problem is deep within. The Law pulls the mask off and leaves our need in plain view.

Paul then says the promise rests on faith so that it may be by grace and guaranteed to all who share Abraham’s trust. This explains why the promise holds. If the foundation were our performance, the ground would crack every day. God tethers the promise to grace, and faith is the empty hand that receives it. This opens the family wide. Those who grew up with the commandments in hand can enter. Those who did not grow up with them can enter as well. The door is the same for all. Trust. In this way, the Law still serves us. It ushers us to the door by showing that no other path can carry our weight. It leaves us ready for a gift and ready for a Savior. And once the promise is received, the Law finds a new place in our lives. It becomes instruction for grateful children, not a ladder for anxious workers.

Grace Comes Through Faith

Grace comes close through trust ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO