Build on Faith.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] All right, go ahead and have a seat. Welcome to Village Church. [0:03] If this is your first time here, my name’s Steve, one of the pastors here at Village Church. [0:08] And as always, I’m thankful and grateful to see each and every one of you. [0:13] Just before we get into God’s word, just by way of announcement, [0:18] as we announced weeks ago, we have been talking to [0:24] another church about purchasing a building.

[0:27] And this past week, we’ve both sides have now signed the contract. [0:31] So we’re officially under contract to purchase. [0:36] Yes, praise the Lord for that. [0:38] To purchase what has been Commonwealth Chapel on Courthouse Road. [0:44] So if you want to know where it is, drive towards the mall and it’s on the right. [0:48] If you go from here, but it’s down on Courthouse Road.

[0:52] And by God’s grace, we’ll be able to to close quickly on that building. [0:56] Just make a few changes and then move in very fast. [1:00] But, you know, God has just given us a great blessing here to expand [1:05] our potential, whereas hosting services and keeping our children secure, [1:11] giving them a great environment to learn in and simply give us a new area [1:16] of influence and mission in Chesterfield County and the city of Richmond as well.

[1:21] And so we are thankful and grateful [1:25] to what God is doing there and more than that, what God is doing here. [1:31] But even as we celebrate God doing things like that, [1:36] we want to be intentional, intentional [1:39] about maintaining a focus on God’s move of his spirit [1:45] through the mission of Jesus and what we do in our everyday lives, but also

[1:50] in caring for one another as a church. [1:53] So we want to ensure that in this season and beyond, [1:57] and in all seasons of ministry here as a church, that we build [2:01] and maintain a focus of prayer [2:04] for the needs within the church and in the lives [2:08] of every single person in this church.

[2:11] And part of that is understanding that that we care for people through our faith. [2:17] And we care for people within the church specifically [2:20] by obeying God’s call to pray for one another. [2:25] You know, we have a lot of young families in our church. [2:29] And because of that, a lot of times when when we get calls [2:32] to go to the hospital or we get calls to go and help a family with prayer,

[2:37] a lot of times it’s because of little ones that are sick. [2:41] And sometimes it’s fairly serious. [2:43] Sometimes it’s a little less serious. [2:44] But I tell you, for each and every parent, [2:47] it’s extremely serious when it’s your child. [2:50] And then we also get calls of people of all ages with all types of needs.

[2:54] Sometimes it’s health, sometimes it’s financial. [2:57] Sometimes it’s just a tough time that somebody is going through in their lives. [3:01] But what we want to do as a church is we want to be intentional. [3:04] And, you know, sometimes we even want to do a better job of building [3:07] and maintaining an attitude of prayer for one another. [3:12] I think of two examples just that are going on in our church right now

[3:16] with with cash to Ramsey and he’s in Pittsburgh right now [3:20] with the potential of possibly needing a liver transplant. [3:23] And I think of little Titus Meredith, [3:26] who’s got a tumor that’s undergoing treatment, has been undergoing treatment [3:30] for months now to shrink that for the potential of surgery to remove it. [3:35] And I think about the the diagnoses that have gone out

[3:39] in the past couple of weeks with parents dealing with with illnesses, [3:43] dealing with autism, dealing with all sorts of things. [3:47] And I tell you, if I went to to each person in this room, [3:53] either you or someone close to you [3:56] is dealing with some type of illness, dealing with some type of struggle. [4:01] And what I’m thankful for as a church is that we have been able

[4:06] to kind of decentralize things to a certain extent [4:09] so that the prayer ministry and the care ministry isn’t dependent [4:12] on just a few people, but instead we have 15 groups [4:18] within this church that are constantly caring for one another, [4:22] that are constantly praying for one another, [4:25] constantly calling and constantly seeing, do you have any needs?

[4:28] Is there something that I can pray with you about? [4:31] And so so I want to urge all of you. [4:34] To join a group, because each example that I’ve offered [4:40] they’re in a group, they’re being prayed for. [4:43] I don’t know. Sometimes you may feel like, well, who’s who’s meeting my needs? [4:47] Who’s praying for me?

[4:49] Well, if you’re in a group, I want you to know, number one, [4:51] you can always trust the people in your group. [4:52] They’re praying for you. [4:54] But number two, if you’re in here and you’re not in a group, [4:58] I want you to know that that is our main line of offense [5:02] and defense in this church to care for you

[5:06] so that we can obey the many one [5:09] another’s that the scripture gives us, and we can’t do that by ourselves. [5:14] We can only do that if we gather around with other people. [5:19] You know, we always say that you may not be in a time of your life right now [5:23] where you feel like you need people around you. [5:26] But it’s coming.

[5:29] Where there’s going to come a time where you need people around you, [5:32] you need to know that others are lifting you up in prayer. [5:35] You need to know that there’s someone just a phone call away [5:38] who has chosen to take the responsibility of being there for you. [5:43] And so today we’re going to have something called group link [5:46] right after the service.

[5:48] That is, if you are not currently involved [5:51] in one of our 15 village groups right over here, [5:54] Pastor James is going to gather and he’s going to be there [5:57] specifically to connect you to a group, to help you find a group [6:01] that you can be a part of, [6:02] to find some people that will commit to be praying for you week in and week out.

[6:08] So if you need to be in a group and you know who you are right over here, [6:13] right after the service, connect with Pastor James. [6:16] But in a way to build and maintain our emphasis as God expands our territory, [6:22] I just want to spend a few moments praying for needs that I know about. [6:26] And I want to also spend a few moments [6:27] praying for needs that you have that I may not know about.

[6:30] But I can guarantee you one thing. [6:32] God knows and God cares [6:36] and God uses, he promises to use our prayers [6:41] to bring about his will. [6:44] So join me in prayer. [6:46] Our father. We come before you as a very needy people.

[6:54] Lord, I just want to begin by lifting up our little ones to you. [6:59] Week after week, we hear stories of families that are struggling, [7:03] families that are having to learn how to cope with new needs with their children. [7:09] Lord, I specifically want to lift up the children that are really [7:14] in the circumstances where they need you to move the most on their behalf. [7:17] I think about baby cash. I think about baby Titus.

[7:21] What I right now want to pray for your healing. [7:27] Lord, I know and I believe that you are a God who can heal [7:33] the most severe of illnesses. [7:36] Lord, you can even heal death.

[7:40] But my prayer right now is that you would heal cash.

[7:45] You heal his liver. Heal his body. [7:49] I pray that you would heal Titus, that you would shrink that tumor.

[7:54] Lord, I pray also for their parents. [7:58] Lord, I pray that you would give them endurance. [8:00] They need it. Give them joy.

[8:05] Lord, and I pray that you would bear gospel fruit [8:09] in the lives of these families. [8:13] Lord, I think about the many others in this church family [8:16] and in the extended church family as well. [8:20] That also needs your healing hands. [8:23] God, you are everywhere right now.

[8:27] And my prayer is that you would reach into those lives [8:31] and that you would give healing. [8:33] That you would give comfort. [8:34] That you would give endurance, energy, joy, [8:37] and that you would bear gospel fruit that is undeniable. [8:42] That you would use the lives of all of the families in this church

[8:47] to bring people to faith in Jesus Christ. [8:52] Lord, I pray for our group leaders. [8:56] I pray for our group members. [8:59] Lord, I pray that you would continue to use them. [9:02] Lord, sometimes the weeks get tough. [9:06] It’s hard to remain joyful.

[9:08] It’s hard to remain energetic. [9:11] But I pray right now that you would give them a filling of the Holy Spirit [9:15] that would endure them through this and all seasons. [9:18] That you would remind them that your mercies are new every single day [9:23] and that we won’t need tomorrow what we are depending on today. [9:26] But tomorrow morning you will give us new energy, new strength, new mercy.

[9:31] Lord, I pray that we as a church would be there for each other. [9:37] That we would care for one another. [9:40] That we would depend on one another for prayer and support. [9:46] And Lord, help us as we walk through the journey of living your mission together. [9:53] That you would help us to be marked by the gospel of Jesus Christ [9:57] and our unending eternal faith that you are God.

[10:02] That you will endure us and that you will bring yourself the glory [10:06] as you promise to work all things, Lord. [10:09] All things to the good. [10:12] Of those who are called by you and those who love you. [10:17] Lord, may that be true of us. [10:21] In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

[10:26] Well, if you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them to Romans chapter 4 this morning. [10:31] Romans chapter 4. We’re going to be starting in verse 9 by God’s grace. [10:35] We’re going to make it through verse 15 this morning. [10:38] But Romans 4, as we saw last week, continues the story of Christianity [10:44] by showing God’s salvation by grace through faith. [10:49] The apostle Paul wrote Romans as an explanation of Christianity to a very young church.

[10:55] He means for it to be kind of a point A to point B story of what Christianity is. [11:02] And in the first half of the book, he gives us a lot of information [11:06] telling us what faith is, where faith comes from, where faith is going to take you to. [11:12] And then in the second half of the book, he’s going to really unpack what the life of Christianity is all about. [11:18] And then he begins to tell us what this should do inside of us practically in our everyday moments. [11:26] But above all, Paul thus far has explained that we are sinners in need of being saved from God’s wrath.

[11:37] But the good news beginning at the end of chapter three is that God has provided for us a Savior and God the Son, Jesus Christ, [11:45] that he came, lived a perfect life, died a sinner’s death, and then rose from the dead victorious over sin and death. [11:55] And that he means to apply that sacrifice and apply that new life in righteousness to every single person who does one thing. [12:06] And that is comes to faith in Jesus Christ as your God and your Savior. [12:13] And in every claim that Paul has made about faith thus far in this chapter, he’s presupposing objections that will come. [12:22] And he’s answering those objections. And last week he started by going all the way back to the beginning of what God did in the nation of Israel.

[12:31] And that is that he called what the nation of Israel looked at as the father of their faith, Abraham, to follow him. [12:39] And he looked at how Abraham was saved. And last week, the conclusion that he came to was that Abraham was saved by faith. [12:47] He was not saved by any works done by his hands. And Romans four, nine through fifteen, he’s going to again return to Abraham [12:57] to show how the promises of God through faith flow not only into his life, not only into the lives of those of Israel, [13:05] but out into all people who come to faith in Jesus Christ. And so let’s read starting in verse nine. [13:13] Paul writes this, he says, Is this blessing? Last week he quoted Psalm thirty two and he said that those who have grace are eternally blessed.

[13:24] He said, Is this blessing then only for the circumcised or also for the uncircumcised? [13:31] For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? [13:37] Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. [13:45] He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. [13:52] The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised so that righteousness would be counted to them as well. [14:01] And to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised, but also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

[14:13] For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. [14:21] For if it is the adherence of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. [14:29] For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law, there is no transgression.

[14:37] Number one this morning, I want you to understand that your identity must be built by faith.

[14:45] Your identity must be built by faith. [14:50] Paul, kind of like we said last week, he starts this cycle in chapter four where he reminds you over, where he is going to get repetitive, [14:59] where he is going to continuously go back to his original point over and over and over again to really emphasize that it is faith that saves and that it is never works done by your hands. [15:14] It is never something that you did, it is never something that you caused, but it is always, always, always an act of God’s grace through a very simple faith that God is who he says he is [15:27] and that he will do what he says he will do in the way that he describes that he will do it. [15:33] After quoting Psalm 32 there in verses seven and eight of Romans chapter four, he talks about the amazing blessing that it is to receive God’s grace,

[15:44] but then he returns to the question of faith and works and he kind of begins to ask a question like to tell us and ask us, [15:54] what is the limit of the blessing of God’s grace? What must you do to have your sins forgiven by God? [16:05] And what he wants you to do is he wants you to begin to answer that question for yourself, [16:10] because when he poses this question a second time starting in verse nine, he wants you to come, he wants to come to your mind for you to say, well, I know the answer. [16:19] The answer was back in verse four, God counts or credits his righteousness to us through faith. [16:30] What I want you to understand this morning that that is what you need to build the identity of your life around,

[16:38] that the enemy will come around constantly and say, why do you think you deserve the presence of God? [16:44] Why do you think you deserve to be saved? Why do you think your sin can be forgiven? [16:54] And sometimes we don’t even need the enemy to do that to us. Sometimes we do it to ourselves. [17:01] Sometimes the memories of something in our lives, the memories of something that we’ve done, the memories of the places that we’ve been, [17:08] the things that we’ve seen, the people that we know we have been. Sometimes those memories just emerge and begin to accuse us. [17:17] And every time those types of thoughts come into our mind or more than that, sometimes the thoughts, well, I deserve better than this.

[17:26] You know, I deserve for people to treat me better than they do. You know, I deserve much more than I have. [17:36] You see the works that I’ve done? You see the things that my hands have made? [17:41] Do you see all of the clout that I should have from people around me? [17:46] You know, maybe even I deserve a little better from God. [17:50] And Paul wants us to wants to remind us that these two different fields of thought are constantly going to be coming into our minds and into our lives [18:00] for the rest of our lives. And when they do, we need to remind ourselves, where does my righteousness come from?

[18:11] It comes from God. What gives me that righteousness? Faith in God. What has forgiven my sin? Jesus Christ. [18:22] How has he done it? On the cross. What have I done? I’ve simply believed. [18:29] No, I don’t deserve better, but God gives me better. I don’t deserve blessing, but God gives me blessing. [18:40] My works have earned me absolutely none of God’s grace, because then it wouldn’t be grace. [18:48] Then I wouldn’t need to be thankful to anyone but myself for it. [18:54] But the identity of faith looks to my life and it says God has done all of this.

[19:03] I have not. And because of that, I know that it is the work of grace. [19:11] So when he asked that question in verse 10, when he says how and when was it counted to Abraham?

[19:21] The moment that he had faith in the promise of God was when he was counted righteous. [19:31] You see, Israel, at that point in the first century, when the New Testament was being written, [19:38] Israel had become to understand this notion that salvation was not a work of grace through faith, [19:48] but rather salvation came through a means of a mark that they had worn on their bodies since the time of Abraham. [19:56] And that mark was the mark of circumcision that they truly believed. [20:01] And if you look back at the history and the oral what’s called the oral Torah and the Talmud,

[20:08] they truly believe that once you were circumcised on the either on the eighth day of your life, [20:13] if you were born into Israel or when you converted to Judaism and became circumcised, [20:19] that that was what saved you from God’s wrath of hell, that if you bore that mark, [20:26] no matter what happened in your life, because you were circumcised, you were saved by God. [20:32] And they wore that as a mark of pride. They wore that as a mark of we are the people of God. [20:38] And look at the work that we have done to show our devotion to God.

[20:43] And so they had completely misunderstood the way in which God saved them. [20:50] You know, it is always tempting to take a good thing, even a thing that happens because of faith [21:00] and believe that it earns you God’s favor so that you become dependent on your work rather than faith. [21:12] It’s always a temptation that’s going to happen in your life. [21:16] And we see that it happened to an entire people who were to be marked by their faith in God. [21:24] And that rather than being known, rather than looking constantly to faith for why they had the presence of God in their lives,

[21:34] they took what really was a sign of faith, what really was a symbol of faith, [21:42] what really was to be an outward sign of an inward reality of what God had done and was continuing to do [21:51] and continuously point to that and say, look at how good we are. Look at how far we’ve come. [21:58] I have really made my life good. [22:02] The rest of the world should look to me to see what it looks like to be a person of God. [22:12] And Paul looks at that and he says, No, no, Abraham was not saved from God’s wrath by circumcision.

[22:25] Abraham was not saved by any work that his hand had ever done. [22:30] He was counted righteous by God before he was ever circumcised. [22:38] And Paul has already explained this to us in Romans chapter two, starting in verse 28. [22:43] So let me remind you what he’s already said a few chapters previous. [22:47] He said, For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. [22:55] But a Jew is one inwardly and circumcision is a matter of the heart.

[23:01] He’s quoting Deuteronomy right there. By the spirit, not by the letter. [23:06] His praise is not from man, but from God. [23:10] The way that he ends, verse 29 is very vital for you to understand how the role of faith in your life is to work. [23:19] That the role of faith does not begin by what people see.

[23:27] The life of faith does not start off by people seeing something work in your life. [23:34] Because it is not about a work that’s done before man, but rather it is about a work that God is doing inside of you that no man will ever see. [23:46] Therefore, it is vital for you to understand that when you build your identity on your works, on the praises of man. [23:57] When you build your identity on what people can see about your life. [24:03] When you build your identity by what people say about your life. [24:08] When you build your identity on what is clear to everyone around you that’s going on right in front of their eyes, it ceases to be a blessing.

[24:22] It becomes something you earn and something you deserve. [24:28] But building your identity on faith. [24:33] Building your identity on something that God has begun to do inside of you. [24:39] Building your identity on something that people can’t see at the very beginning. [24:44] Building your identity on something that really humiliates you. [24:50] Because it says the worth isn’t about you.

[24:54] The worth is about God. [24:56] Building your identity on that. [24:59] Building your identity on faith in Jesus Christ creates thankfulness and worship to God. [25:08] It keeps the focus on God. [25:11] It puts the glory on God. [25:14] This is the truth that faith in Jesus drives us towards.

[25:21] Number two this morning, I want you to understand that faith causes obedience. [25:26] Obedience does not cause faith. [25:30] Faith causes obedience. [25:32] Obedience does not cause faith. [25:35] Faith brings an identity of dependence on God. [25:40] An identity built on works will build pride in yourself.

[25:44] I don’t care who you are or where you’re from. [25:46] That’s a struggle. [25:47] That’s a struggle for every single one of us gathered in this room today. [25:53] But then sometimes we might ask the question of man he’s really bringing in a lot of history here. [25:58] I mean good night I’m not in first century Israel. [26:01] I have nothing to do with those people.

[26:03] I have no claim to those people. [26:05] Circumcision was just a hospital thing for me. [26:08] I never gave it two thoughts. [26:10] But I want you to understand why it’s so vital for you to grasp the origins of what faith means to do in your lives. [26:20] Look again in Romans chapter four verse 11 with me. [26:26] And I want to read verse 11 and 12 and then I want to begin to unpack what he’s talking about in these two verses.

[26:31] Here’s what he says. [26:33] He says he speaking of Abraham received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. [26:47] The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe.

[26:55] Without being circumcised so that the righteousness would be counted to them as well and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised. [27:09] But who also walk in the footsteps of faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. [27:18] Note that there is this emphasis on here on before he was circumcised and while you are still uncircumcised. [27:29] Paul means to point out to you that the beginnings of faith do not start with your effort.

[27:39] Faith does not start with what you do. [27:43] Faith does not start with the life that you build or the life that you are building or the life that you’re going to build. [27:53] Faith is not in your self.

[27:59] This is not about believing in yourself. [28:03] This is not about fixing yourself. [28:07] This is not about fixing your life. [28:11] This is about believing in the work that God has done and God says he is going to do because that is the only type of faith that looks to God and says I’m dependent on you.

[28:34] Everything else builds self dependence. [28:36] Everything else builds self work self worth. [28:42] The gospel is about building and understanding that God alone is worthy that God alone can do the work of salvation that God alone is the means by which you can attain the grace that you need. [29:00] Here is how a pastor named John Piper puts it. [29:02] He says when having right standing with the most important person in the universe namely God is based on child like dependence on mercy rather than on will power performances of good works. [29:20] Boasting is excluded.

[29:23] That is important because in the end this universe is all about the greatness of God and not the greatness of man.

[29:36] Paul doesn’t want you to build self worth through doing which is what most do. [29:44] Paul in this text wants you to build self worth through what Jesus has done and that is faith.

[29:58] Then what when how and why become very important questions in salvation. [30:09] Because the answer to every one of those questions to be the correct answer must all push us to faith in Jesus alone. [30:22] And that is why Paul again warned in Galatians chapter five starting in verse two that it is faith and not works that saves. [30:30] Here’s what he says he says Look I Paul say to you that if you accept circumcision Christ will be of no advantage to you. [30:41] I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. [30:48] You are severed from Christ you who would be justified by the law.

[30:53] You have fallen away from grace for through the spirit by faith we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything but only faith working through love. [31:14] You see there was a group that had gone to the church at Galatia the church that Paul wrote this letter to that was attempting to convince that church that faith was good. [31:26] But if they really wanted salvation they needed to obey the law and be circumcised. [31:33] And Paul is warning them in a very severe manner that if they do that they’re denying Jesus.

[31:45] So you may say you may say oh wait wait a second. [31:49] And I think this is what those people that came into the church at Galatia were thinking.

[31:55] If you say that it is faith alone that it is to the total work of God’s grace that saves people from their sin. [32:07] They will begin to think that they don’t need to work their sin off themselves. [32:15] They will think that there’s nothing that they need to do to save themselves. [32:19] And to that Paul said yeah that’s what I’m saying. [32:23] And if you’re worried about that there’s some merit to your worry.

[32:30] But that’s the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[32:36] Friends there’s this struggle that comes into all of our lives. [32:39] There’s this tension that you should deal with and you have to deal with and that is how does faith and works go together. [32:48] And what the apostle Paul wants us to understand that when you build a foundation of faith and works.

[33:00] Half of that foundation will be flawed.

[33:03] Half of that foundation will be faulty. [33:06] Because half of that foundation will be built upon the works of a person who’s not perfect. [33:13] And so what Paul does mean to tell us in this section of Romans that you need to completely take works out of that foundation that you’re building a relationship with God.

[33:26] Your works do not factor in any way into your salvation. [33:36] It is completely faith alone by grace alone. [33:44] And we begin to get uncomfortable with that idea because we want to play a part. [33:53] We want a piece of the glory.

[33:57] And God says no I’m not going to give you that. [33:59] God says if I gave you that you’d ruin it all over again. [34:07] Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus that those of us who are sinners and that’s all of us friends. [34:16] Thanks be to God that he doesn’t make my works factor into it because it would crumble all around me. [34:23] Thanks be to God that my relationship with God that my reconciliation with him that my walk with him that my days my nights my mornings with him. [34:37] And praise God my eternity with him is not never has been and never will be based on anything that I have done that I am doing or that I ever will do.

[34:52] But it is all based on the grace that is only available in Jesus Christ my Lord. [35:02] And that is something to be thankful for. [35:07] There’s something to be grateful for. [35:09] That is something to be ecstatic about. [35:11] And that’s the only thing that creates a heart and a life of true worship. [35:18] But then you may also say what difference does it make.

[35:23] We just want people to be good and happy. [35:26] [35:27] So if a little works kind of sprinkles its way down into the foundation of grace that you’re building in your life what difference does it make if it keeps them happy. [35:35] Wrong.

[35:37] We want them to be reconciled to God through faith. [35:41] That is more important than anyone’s happiness because we know that they will not be eternally happy without that. [35:47] And any happiness that they have without that will be counterfeit and will be seen as sorrow in the end. [35:55] The point that Paul is making is that if you do not have faith in Jesus then you don’t have salvation. [36:01] And you are still headed towards God’s wrath. [36:05] Any happiness or peace that you have without faith in Jesus.

[36:13] The only true love according to Galatians chapter 5 verse 6 is one that leads to faith in Jesus. [36:25] Because that is the only place that salvation is found. [36:30] You know circumcision is the example that he uses here because it was timely. [36:36] It was a cultural example for him to use. [36:39] It was important to him to use. [36:40]

[36:40] [36:40] [36:40] But what I want you to understand is that you can insert any work or action done by your hands in its place. [36:52] When it comes to the grace of God through faith he tells us that circumcision or uncircumcision doesn’t factor into the equation.

[37:02] But friend I also want you to understand that no matter what work it is that you believe is gaining you the favor of God today.

[37:11] With or without it your relationship with God isn’t based on that work. [37:17] Whether you had a quiet time this morning or you didn’t have a quiet time this morning. [37:21] It doesn’t factor in to your salvation.

[37:25] Whether you think that you had an almighty week where you were the evangelist of the year.

[37:34] It doesn’t factor in to your reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. [37:38] Whether you are a good mom or you think you are the worst mom this week. [37:43] Whether you thought you were a good dad or a bad dad. [37:47] Good wife, bad wife. [37:49] Good husband, bad husband. [37:51] Good child, bad child.

[37:53] Good student, bad student. [37:55] I studied, I didn’t study. [37:57] I showed up prepared, I didn’t even have a pencil. [38:02] None of that factors in to your reconciliation with God. [38:08] All that factors in to that is faith in Jesus Christ and faith in Jesus Christ alone. [38:16] Because he is always prepared.

[38:18] Because he is always a good parent. [38:20] Because he is always studied up. [38:24] Because he is always the perfect evangelist. [38:27] Because he is always the perfect husband to his imperfect bride, the church. [38:32] Because he is always obedient. [38:34] Because he is always the sacrificial savior.

[38:37] Because he and he alone possesses always righteousness, always obedience, always perfection. [38:47] I can never measure up to that. [38:50] And God says, well thanks be to me, you don’t need to. [38:54] Because he credits it into my account through faith. [38:59] And faith alone. [39:02] Friend, I want you to understand that if you build your life on faith.

[39:10] You will work out your obedience to God. [39:13] But if you build your life on obedience. [39:17] You will never have faith in God. [39:20] Because you will never need to. [39:22] Because you will always trust your actions. [39:26] You will always be trying to build your worth.

[39:31] Your dessert.

[39:35] Your effort. [39:38] But God says through Jesus Christ, take a seat.

[39:43] Jesus has done everything that needs to be done. [39:49] Finally this morning, point number three, I want you to understand that belief comes before belonging. [39:56] Belief comes before belonging. [39:59] Look in verse 13. [40:02] Paul writes, he says, for the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law. [40:09] But through the righteousness of faith.

[40:13] For if it is the adherence of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. [40:20] For the law brings wrath. [40:22] But where there is no law, there’s no transgression. [40:27] I want you to understand that belonging to God is not about religion. [40:34] It’s different from a religion. [40:36] We are tempted to build our understanding of worship of God and being in God’s presence and going before God.

[40:43] To religious activities that depend on us doing it the right way for us to be. [40:48] I don’t know if you have to stand the right way, if you have to kneel the right way. [40:51] I mean if I pray on my knees for more than three minutes, I’m in pain. [40:55] And that’s all I’m thinking about. [40:58] If it’s near lunch time, I’m hungry, what’s for lunch? [41:03] And it’s like, well, when’s the right time? When’s the right moment?

[41:06] And so we begin to kind of form these very religious activity understandings of our relationship with God. [41:14] When it really needs to go back to what Paul’s been talking about from the beginning. [41:18] And that is that everything that I do, everything that I am is based on one thing, faith. [41:24] That I believe God. [41:26] And because of that, I can go into God’s presence because I belong there. [41:30] Why? Faith.

[41:31] I can be a part of the body of Christ. I belong there. Why? Faith. [41:36] Nothing I’ve done. Nothing I’m going to do. Just Jesus. [41:40] That’s all that earns me my keep is Jesus and Jesus alone. [41:45] Do you know that the law of God did not come until 500 years after Abraham?

[41:52] You went to Abraham and you said ten commandments, he would have had to have made something up. [41:56] It probably would have been like, well, feed the cows. I don’t know. [42:01] You know, he was not circumcised until almost 25 years after God originally intervened in his life. [42:10] That’s why Paul continuously says it was before he was circumcised. [42:15] Because we got a couple of decades going on after the whole faith thing started. [42:20] Following must proceed faith.

[42:24] It doesn’t precede faith. [42:26] And if it doesn’t come after faith, then you aren’t following at all. [42:30] You’re trying to pioneer a brand new path for yourself. [42:34] Religion says to try and work and earn. [42:37] But faith says to trust, to believe and to depend. [42:43] Faith calls you to rest because it relieves the anxiety of the unknown.

[42:47] Faith fully depends on the finished work of God and the fulfillment of the promises that he has made. [42:55] Because we believe that everything depends on God and God alone. [43:00] When you do and do and do so that you feel like you belong, [43:07] you are attempting to do the very thing that he warns you about in verses 13 through 15. [43:12] You are trying to adhere to the law of God. [43:18] But faith means that I belong because of Jesus.

[43:22] I believe Jesus above everything else in this world that would tell me that I don’t belong. [43:28] But without that, here’s what I want you to understand. [43:32] Without faith, you don’t belong. [43:36] If I don’t believe God, then all that I have is what I have made or can make myself. [43:48] I must believe that God is greater. [43:52] Abraham’s legacy, friends, is about faith.

[43:56] Abraham is the father of all who believe. [43:59] The work that God did in his life is so that I will believe God, [44:04] not so that I will just be in awe of Abraham. [44:08] Not just so that I will look at him and say, well, that’s a good example for me to follow. [44:12] God doesn’t want me to see that. God wants me to see the work of God. [44:16] God wants me to see the God that Abraham had faith in.

[44:20] And to all who receive faith in Jesus, the point is never you. [44:24] The point is always God. [44:26] You know, we already saw in Romans chapter three that God wants to be the just and the justifier. [44:38] Therefore, understand God wants you to belong, but it will only happen through faith. [44:46] The most important thing in your life will be whether you believe Jesus or not. [44:57] It won’t be about how much money you’ve earned.

[45:00] It won’t be about how many monuments you build to your worth. [45:05] It won’t be how many positions of power you ascend to. [45:10] It won’t be how famous you become by work that you’ve done. [45:14] It won’t be any authority that can ever be gained by your hands. [45:19] You understand the most important thing in your life will never be about your validation.

[45:26] About you being seen as right. [45:29] About the work of your hands being seen by anyone as good enough. [45:35] It will never factor into the most important thing in your life. [45:39] Because what God wants to show through the example of Abraham in verses 13 through 15 is the legacy that you need to be focused on leaving by what you do in your life is a legacy of faith in God.

[45:57] And that is all about what he has done, not about what you’ve done. [46:04] That is all about pointing people to understand that they need God. [46:08] Pointing people to understand that they need the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[46:16] It only happens though through faith. [46:20] You know as you follow Jesus there will be signs that you have faith in Jesus. [46:27] And that is where obedience comes into play. [46:31] I mean honestly when you belong to the people of God you do tend to look like the people of God.

[46:41] But don’t misunderstand your obedience as what made you into God’s people.

[46:50] Because your obedience isn’t what got you here. [46:54] Your obedience isn’t what keeps you here. [46:56] Your obedience isn’t going to be what endures you to the end. [47:03] There is only one thing that does that. [47:06] And that is faith in Jesus Christ. [47:09] It is only ever going to be about faith in Jesus.

[47:16] What Paul shows us in this passage is that it has always been about faith. [47:22] Faith in Jesus is why you belong. [47:24] Everything else is a benefit of being a citizen of God’s kingdom. [47:32] But understand that no matter who you are, what you’ve done, how long you’ve been here, how short of a time you’ve been here. [47:42] The blessing of God’s grace is eternal. [47:48] Because he does all the work.

[47:50] And we get all the benefit. [47:55] Friends, believe in Jesus.

[48:00] And in that moment you belong.

[48:05] In that moment your entry has been paid for. [48:11] In that moment your destiny has been forever sealed. [48:18] Not because of you, but because of what Jesus did on the cross and through the resurrection.

[48:29] As the band comes up, the life of faith is one that sometimes feels like a roller coaster. [48:41] Sometimes you feel like you’re going very slowly of a long hill. [48:48] And sometimes it feels like you’re plummeting very quickly to the lowest point in your life.

[48:55] But what God means for us to understand throughout the entire journey of life is that through faith you can know that he’s got you. [49:09] He’ll never leave you. He’ll never forsake you. [49:14] And in the end, he will bring you to the destination that he has marked out for you. [49:22] And that is his presence forever.

[49:26] Where the greatest joy that has ever been known is at.

[49:35] If you don’t believe that or you don’t have the assurance that you have the grace of Jesus Christ in your life, [49:44] this morning I want to invite you to put your trust, to place your faith in Jesus. [49:53] He is Lord. [49:55] And he commands that you come to him. [49:58] But he promises that if you place your faith in him, he will save you forever.

[50:07] If you don’t have Jesus, I tell you one thing. [50:11] You need him. [50:13] And you need him today.

[50:16] If you know Jesus, I invite you to one of the six stations around this room to drink the cup and eat the bread [50:24] that represent the price of love that our Lord paid to redeem us from sin. [50:33] His body was broken. His blood was shed. [50:37] And if you believe this morning, I invite you to come and eat and drink. [50:41] But as you do, thank him for the grace that he’s given you through faith. [50:49] When you’re ready, come.