What Makes Us An Heir Of God? A Sermon For The Second Sunday In Lent

What Makes Us an Heir of God? A Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent

Romans 4:13–25 NKJV

For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

We now come to the Second Sunday in Lent, a season of repentance in which we take stock of our spiritual standing before God, In it, we reflect upon the character of God as well as our own. This season prepares us for Holy Week in which the Lord Jesus came to Jerusalem to declare judgment upon Jerusalem for its rejection of Jesus and her many sins. At the same time, we remember that Jesus came to do something about it. It was He who would bear our sin upon the cross that we might be saved and have eternal life. Then comes the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, which is our hope for resurrection and eternal life.

Whereas this Sunday, I have chosen the Romans text for this Sunday to preach upon, it might be good to take a brief look at the other texts chosen for the Second Sunday in Lent, The Old Testament text comes from Genesis 17:1-7 in which the LORD appears to Abram and makes a covenant with Abraham, He would be blessed and become the father of many people and nations. This is reflected in the change of name to Abraham as well as the change of Sarai’s name to Sarah. This text also forms the foundation to Paul’s argument in Romans 4, as we shall see.

The Psalm text comes from Psalm 22:23-31. This is the Psalm which begins with “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” This psalm predicts a thousand years in advance the crucifixion of Jesus, who is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. It would ultimately be through Jesus that the promise of Abraham would come to many people and nations. It is interesting to note here that this portion of the psalm does not mention the crucifixion, but the resurrection. So our reflections upon the suffering of Christ during Lent is not the end but the means to the end. Resurrection Sunday follows Good Friday. (for more on this text, you can look up the sermon “The Rest of the Story” or “Did God Turn His Back Upon

Jesus” in this archive.

The Gospel text comes from Mark 8:31-38. Jesus had just heard Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ (Messiah). Peter was not directly commended for this as the source of this confession came from the Holy Spirit. In this text, Jesus begins to tell His disciples about His upcoming rejection and death in Jerusalem. This is too much for Peter who rebukes Jesus, saying that this could not happen to the Messiah. Mark brings out the detail that Jesus turned to all His disciples and not just Peter. His rebuke to Peter “Get thou behind me Satan” was meant for all His disciples. He also adds the detail that the words He next says is not just meant for the twelve as he speaks to the crowd also. The invitation to costly discipleship is to all who would follow Jesus, including us. During this season of Lent, we reflect that we must needs suffer if we would truly follow Jesus.