The Verdict!

SERMON OUTLINE:

• What’s the point of the law? (vs 1-8)

• What’s the state of humanity? (vs 9-18)

• What’s the conclusion of the matter? (19-20)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• There is a story told about a Dublin theatre manager named James Daly,

• (the story well may be apocryphal).

• But James Daly wanted to convince his friend,

• That he could introduce a new word into the English language.

• He chose at random 4 letters from the alphabet.

• The letters Q-U-I-Z.

• He then paid several men some money,

• To go throughout the streets of Dublin,

• And wherever they went they were to chalk on walls and on the pavements,

• Those letters

• The next morning when the city woke up,

• Everyone was baffled by this unusual expression - Q-U-I-Z.

• People would see it and ask one another, “What does it mean?”

• Soon the newspapers took up the story,

• And eventually this strange- sounding word was on the lips of everyone.

• And thus (say some) the term “quiz” was born,

• And incorporated into the language as a synonym for “questioning.”

TRANSITION:

• Now the section before us this morning:

• Is a series of question and answers.

• That have come out of what Paul taught in chapter 2.

• So, in this chapter the apostle Paul is addressing these hypothetical questions.

Question: What are these hypothetical questions?

Answer: There are lots of them.

• So, I have narrowed these many questions,

• Down to three main questions for us to consider today.

• So I am going for the big thought and not the details.

Ill:

• A Father and his small son were out walking one day;

• When the lad asked his dad a question;

• “How can electricity go through the wires stretched between the telephone poles?”

• His father replied; “I don’t know, I’ve never knew too much about electricity.”

• A few streets farther on, the boy asked another question:

• “Dad, what causes lightning and thunder?”

• His dad replied.

• “I don’t know, that too has always puzzled me!”

• The youngster continued to inquire about many things,

• None of which the father could explain.

• Finally, as they were nearing home, the boy said,

• “Dad, I hope you don’t mind me asking all those questions.”

• “Not at all,” replied his father.

• “If you don’t ask, how else are you going to learn?”

• TRANSITION:

• Chapter 3 is a serious of hypothetical questions.

• Note: Chapter 3 is also the seedbed for the rest of the book:

• Verses 1-4 deals with Israel’s unbelief;

• And this is his subject matter in chapters 9-11.

• In verse 8 he mentions the question of living a life of sin.

• And he deals with this in greater detail in chapters 6-8.

• Verse 21 brings up the topic of justification by faith;

• Again he will deal with this in greater detail in chapters 4-5.

• Finally in verse 32 he mentions establishing and obeying the law;

• This is his theme in chapters 12-16.

• So, chapter 3 is a very important chapter,

• That should whet your appetite for what is to come!

• Well, this morning let’s ask 3 main questions,

• Remember I am going for the big thought and not the details.

Question #1: What’s the point of the law? (1-8)

“What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.

3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written:

“So that you may be proved right when you speak

and prevail when you judge.”

5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7 Someone might argue, “If my falsehood enhances God’s truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?” 8 Why not say—as some slanderously claim that we say—“Let us do evil that good may result”? Their condemnation is just!”

If you were here for the previous studies in chapters 1 and 2,

• You will have noted the apostle Paul pointing out to his readers,

• That the Jews are not made right with God because they have the Law.

• The Law mentioned here is the Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible).