WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:08.160 So this morning we're continuing on in our series in Romans, and we come to a different 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:10.080 kind of section that we've been reading. 00:00:10.279 --> 00:00:15.780 As Matthew alluded to earlier, the time that all of this has been building. 00:00:17.339 --> 00:00:23.059 And in Romans 3, in verses 21 through 24, if you have your Bible, go ahead and turn 00:00:23.059 --> 00:00:28.260 with me, we're going to see that we get some relief, we get some hope. 00:00:30.920 --> 00:00:33.219 So with that, this is God's word. 00:00:35.480 --> 00:00:40.880 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law. 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:46.740 Although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith 00:00:46.740 --> 00:00:48.980 in Jesus Christ for all who believe. 00:00:48.980 --> 00:00:56.159 For there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:01.379 by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 00:01:01.839 --> 00:01:02.140 Amen. 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:03.019 Let's pray. 00:01:03.519 --> 00:01:08.640 Lord, we're thankful for your word this morning, for it shows us Christ Jesus. 00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:15.259 And we pray that you might work faith in our hearts, that we would love you more, and that 00:01:15.260 --> 00:01:21.680 we worship you because of your sending your son, that which was costly to you. 00:01:22.260 --> 00:01:24.160 And we pray this in Christ's name. 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:24.700 Amen. 00:01:26.140 --> 00:01:32.340 Have you ever considered or wondered, maybe even thought about how fortunate you are to 00:01:32.340 --> 00:01:33.439 live in Colorado Springs? 00:01:33.439 --> 00:01:41.000 And I say that knowing that some of you might be thinking, I can't wait to leave this place 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:41.299 behind. 00:01:41.420 --> 00:01:44.900 Hopefully that's not Charlie and Corey this morning as they set out to move. 00:01:45.219 --> 00:01:46.480 Maybe you've grown up here. 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:49.259 Maybe you're really anticipating graduation. 00:01:49.260 --> 00:01:51.560 Or you're looking for a new job. 00:01:51.900 --> 00:01:54.520 Or just excited for something that's new. 00:01:55.700 --> 00:01:57.080 A fresh start even. 00:01:58.260 --> 00:02:02.460 But we need to realize that we're fortunate because Colorado Springs is one of the most 00:02:02.460 --> 00:02:03.620 beautiful places to live. 00:02:03.700 --> 00:02:05.880 Maybe that's what's drawn you to here. 00:02:07.780 --> 00:02:13.040 But recently I was talking to somebody, and I won't name them. 00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:15.740 They said they hated Colorado Springs. 00:02:15.740 --> 00:02:18.740 Not just the town, but they thought it was ugly. 00:02:19.259 --> 00:02:20.659 And it blew my mind. 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:24.519 You could say maybe you don't enjoy aspects of Colorado Springs. 00:02:24.659 --> 00:02:26.539 Maybe it's too cold, or maybe it's too sunny. 00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:29.120 Those are all advantages, I think. 00:02:30.539 --> 00:02:32.519 And so it got me on this journey. 00:02:32.919 --> 00:02:37.780 I started looking because it was the first time I'd ever heard someone say that they thought 00:02:37.780 --> 00:02:40.039 Colorado Springs was ugly. 00:02:40.919 --> 00:02:42.500 So what do I do? 00:02:42.659 --> 00:02:43.599 I'm a good millennial. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:49.039 I went to the internet to see if other people thought this very same thing. 00:02:50.239 --> 00:02:56.799 And I scoured far and wide, and I stumbled across a list of the ugliest cities in America. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:00.739 Colorado Springs did not make that list, I'll tell you. 00:03:01.640 --> 00:03:08.620 But in conversation with this individual, they said they hated living here, and in fact, they 00:03:08.620 --> 00:03:10.659 thought the mountains were unimpressive. 00:03:10.980 --> 00:03:15.980 I get that if you think Colorado Springs is not the best place to live, you don't enjoy 00:03:15.980 --> 00:03:20.560 aspects of it, the amount of people that just looked out the windows right now is kind of 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:20.939 amazing. 00:03:21.700 --> 00:03:22.980 I'll just let you know that. 00:03:22.979 --> 00:03:26.299 But you can't say that it's not impressive. 00:03:27.079 --> 00:03:29.439 And this person kept doubling down on this. 00:03:29.519 --> 00:03:30.459 They hated living here. 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:39.500 And even with that, they thought the rest of Colorado was equally as unimpressive. 00:03:39.739 --> 00:03:41.139 And then it blew my mind. 00:03:42.079 --> 00:03:44.419 I couldn't find anybody else on the internet that thought this. 00:03:44.419 --> 00:03:47.619 And it didn't come up in the ugliest cities of America. 00:03:48.399 --> 00:03:56.199 But we know that even the vistas are impressive, that there are benefits to living here. 00:03:56.339 --> 00:03:58.259 Yes, we get 300 days of sunshine. 00:03:59.019 --> 00:04:00.039 Yes, we have winter. 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:03.659 But it's not as bad as if you lived in North Dakota or Canada. 00:04:03.959 --> 00:04:07.779 We have all these opportunities for recreation and fun stuff outside. 00:04:07.780 --> 00:04:09.860 But we have the views. 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:10.879 And they're amazing. 00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:12.140 Right? 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:17.839 I find myself each time I come out of a store, it's always when I go to a store, and it's 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:21.759 in different parts of town, that I come out, I'm released from shopping. 00:04:21.959 --> 00:04:22.339 Yes. 00:04:23.660 --> 00:04:28.759 And I look out, and I see new aspects of both Cheyenne Mountain or Pikes Peak. 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:31.079 It's almost like I've never seen it before. 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:32.379 And I'm amazed. 00:04:32.840 --> 00:04:35.220 I think it's partially elevation, too. 00:04:35.220 --> 00:04:38.620 Changes in elevation can make you see different things. 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:44.980 It catches my eye almost like the first time when I moved here so long ago. 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:49.960 But with all of this beauty, what happens when it becomes normal? 00:04:50.540 --> 00:04:52.580 When it becomes commonplace? 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:57.140 And when you think to yourself, man, that's just not that impressive anymore. 00:04:58.840 --> 00:05:03.380 When the landscapes that once caught our eye are just, eh. 00:05:05.220 --> 00:05:13.520 When you become immune to the stunning creation, even the magnitude, how high the mountains are 00:05:13.520 --> 00:05:15.080 and how low you are. 00:05:16.040 --> 00:05:18.140 You're simply unimpressed. 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:23.600 Even that, your wonder becomes less and less frequent. 00:05:24.520 --> 00:05:26.320 Maybe it disappears altogether. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:30.040 How the gold has become dim. 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:32.399 How the pure gold is changed. 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:36.920 The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street. 00:05:37.420 --> 00:05:41.620 The precious sons of Zion worth their weight in fine gold. 00:05:42.300 --> 00:05:45.480 How they are regarded as earthen pots. 00:05:46.439 --> 00:05:48.319 The work of a potter's hands. 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:52.459 Jeremiah wrote that about Israel, the nation of Israel. 00:05:52.459 --> 00:05:54.599 They had forgotten their God. 00:05:54.919 --> 00:05:56.779 They had forgotten his word. 00:05:58.019 --> 00:05:59.039 They were trapped. 00:06:01.259 --> 00:06:05.680 They forgot who God was and whose they were. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:09.459 The gold had become dim. 00:06:10.620 --> 00:06:11.759 They used to celebrate. 00:06:13.539 --> 00:06:16.179 They used to enjoy the scenery. 00:06:16.180 --> 00:06:20.280 But instead, it wasn't as grand anymore. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:22.060 God wasn't as grand. 00:06:22.340 --> 00:06:24.800 The gospel wasn't moving to them anymore. 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:31.139 The righteousness of God had not become their concern anymore. 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:35.220 We can see that and say, man, that's pretty icky. 00:06:35.220 --> 00:06:41.660 But the hard part is we know that sometimes the beauty fades in our own hearts. 00:06:42.840 --> 00:06:45.140 And it becomes less and less important. 00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:47.220 And the gold becomes dim. 00:06:48.520 --> 00:06:50.500 But what's the antidote to all this? 00:06:50.860 --> 00:06:52.580 How do we fix this problem? 00:06:53.180 --> 00:06:54.000 What do we do? 00:06:55.660 --> 00:06:59.580 We return to high points of scripture like this. 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:01.080 Like this one this morning. 00:07:01.079 --> 00:07:05.599 And we can see that God is glorious. 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:09.939 Because in this text this morning, we see the righteousness of God. 00:07:10.759 --> 00:07:14.459 But the righteousness of God comes to us. 00:07:14.939 --> 00:07:19.219 It's revealed in Christ Jesus in spite of sin. 00:07:20.719 --> 00:07:22.360 The righteousness of God. 00:07:23.259 --> 00:07:27.860 And as we look at that this morning, we're going to pause and take a look at the absence of righteousness. 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:29.139 That sin part. 00:07:29.139 --> 00:07:32.479 And then we're going to see the restoration that comes with the Redeemer. 00:07:32.939 --> 00:07:35.800 It's all about God and all about His righteousness. 00:07:36.479 --> 00:07:38.060 To reinvigorate us. 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:40.339 To see the grandeur of the gospel. 00:07:42.039 --> 00:07:44.599 So that the gold doesn't become dim. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:47.620 Righteousness, sin, and redemption. 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:50.240 First, let's turn our attention to righteousness. 00:07:50.819 --> 00:07:52.919 Look with me at verse 21. 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:57.599 Paul starts this reading with this word now. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:01.040 It's a shift, not in terms of time, but a shift in terms of thought. 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:06.320 And if you've been with us for any amount of time, Paul, we keep saying this week after week. 00:08:06.820 --> 00:08:08.900 And we talk about this during the week, Matthew and I. 00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:12.240 Paul is making this larger argument in the book of Romans. 00:08:12.620 --> 00:08:17.900 And he's marching on to kind of this point in the early chapters of Romans. 00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:20.939 He's not letting anybody loose. 00:08:20.939 --> 00:08:24.480 He's not letting anybody get out of the idea that they are sinful. 00:08:24.819 --> 00:08:25.860 Whether you're Jew. 00:08:26.219 --> 00:08:27.439 Whether you're Gentile. 00:08:27.899 --> 00:08:29.100 Whether you have the law. 00:08:29.579 --> 00:08:30.480 Whether you don't. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:39.740 He's making this argument that the righteousness of God is not found in the law. 00:08:39.740 --> 00:08:40.879 We see that. 00:08:41.799 --> 00:08:44.340 Especially on the heels of what we read last week. 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:45.779 What we looked at. 00:08:46.100 --> 00:08:49.919 But now he's pointing our attention to that real righteousness. 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:53.039 Not righteousness from the law, but the righteousness of God. 00:08:53.379 --> 00:08:55.519 And so it's a pivot, not in terms of time. 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:59.259 But it's a pivot in terms of what's really important. 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:01.360 What real righteousness is. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:06.600 Verse 21 continues this idea of righteousness. 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:08.740 Righteousness, but it's a change. 00:09:08.960 --> 00:09:11.740 So we have to pay attention and look for the change. 00:09:12.820 --> 00:09:15.720 Now if you're thinking, I thought we already talked about this. 00:09:15.920 --> 00:09:17.060 The righteousness of God. 00:09:17.379 --> 00:09:18.460 You would be right. 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:24.060 So what Paul does often is he'll pull ideas back that he's already addressed. 00:09:24.180 --> 00:09:25.340 And he'll revisit them. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:31.500 Or he'll grab them forward and pull them into the text that he's talking about right now. 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:33.620 Maybe something that he's going to develop later. 00:09:33.620 --> 00:09:36.759 We'll see that in the later chapters of Romans. 00:09:36.940 --> 00:09:42.100 But now you'd be right in saying, hey, I thought we already talked about the righteousness of God. 00:09:42.259 --> 00:09:43.919 Why is he coming back to this? 00:09:45.139 --> 00:09:48.080 He talked about it in Romans 1 verses 16 and 17. 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:52.019 When he said, the gospel was the power of God for salvation. 00:09:52.019 --> 00:09:53.399 To everyone who believes. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:54.799 To the Jew first. 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:56.639 And also to the Greek. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:01.759 For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:06.039 That same righteousness that Paul taught us about in Romans 1. 00:10:06.139 --> 00:10:07.480 That said, hey, this is where we're going. 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:08.919 This is why this is important. 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:12.340 He's pulling that forward into this chapter. 00:10:12.600 --> 00:10:15.000 And saying, hey, remember what I said back there? 00:10:15.379 --> 00:10:17.460 This is actually what it looks like. 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:22.740 And so if there's a sense in which the last couple weeks have been heavy and difficult. 00:10:23.100 --> 00:10:24.259 This is the break. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:26.559 This is the gasping for air that we've needed. 00:10:26.700 --> 00:10:29.039 This is the hope that we've been wanting. 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:33.839 But he's using Romans 1 and saying, hey, I'm going to explain this now. 00:10:33.959 --> 00:10:38.599 Because I've shown you that righteousness can't come from the law. 00:10:39.899 --> 00:10:43.120 In fact, it's not righteousness at all. 00:10:44.079 --> 00:10:45.819 This righteousness is different. 00:10:46.419 --> 00:10:49.099 This righteousness is God's moral character. 00:10:50.179 --> 00:10:54.480 And his justice and holiness and all of that wrapped up together. 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:58.440 In fact, it doesn't even come from the law. 00:10:59.420 --> 00:11:00.580 That's how he starts out. 00:11:01.420 --> 00:11:06.399 Now, what he's really talking about here, if we can identify it and synthesize it, is justification. 00:11:06.920 --> 00:11:08.659 How am I right before God? 00:11:08.980 --> 00:11:12.120 That's what he means when he's talking about the righteousness of God. 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:14.800 How is man standing before God? 00:11:15.159 --> 00:11:19.080 It was that question that Martin Luther was obsessed with. 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:23.379 He could not let that idea go for a second. 00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:26.500 And how did he solve that answer? 00:11:27.340 --> 00:11:29.840 How did he solve that in his own mind and heart? 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:31.120 Through Romans. 00:11:32.139 --> 00:11:37.660 God spoke to him through the words of Paul and assured him that he could. 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:41.840 But not on his own merit, but on God's. 00:11:41.840 --> 00:11:49.500 Now, if it comes apart from the law, it's a little strange here. 00:11:49.899 --> 00:11:54.180 Paul doesn't tell us that the law is completely worthless. 00:11:54.980 --> 00:11:56.800 He says, in fact, what? 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:00.040 The law and prophets bear witness to this. 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:00.800 Wait a second. 00:12:00.920 --> 00:12:05.460 I thought we just heard back in verse 20 that nothing good can come from the law. 00:12:05.540 --> 00:12:06.460 That it's not going to work. 00:12:06.460 --> 00:12:14.120 And then Paul said, wait, we don't get the righteousness of God from the law, but then the law and the prophets bear witness to it? 00:12:16.060 --> 00:12:23.340 Now, here we have an instance where Paul uses the term law in a couple different ways in really quick succession. 00:12:23.780 --> 00:12:25.220 It can be really stinking confusing. 00:12:25.800 --> 00:12:30.920 So let's just take a minute to just unpack that and try to figure out what's going on. 00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:43.000 So sometimes when he says the law, it's shorthand for, hey, I can earn my salvation or I think I can earn my salvation by keeping the law apart from any concern for God. 00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:43.879 Right? 00:12:43.979 --> 00:12:44.879 That would be bad. 00:12:45.899 --> 00:12:50.659 Sometimes when he uses the word law, he means the first five books of the Old Testament. 00:12:51.419 --> 00:12:55.559 Sometimes when he uses the word law, he means the Bible. 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:59.579 And sometimes it can be bad. 00:13:00.119 --> 00:13:01.239 It can be good. 00:13:01.639 --> 00:13:01.819 Right? 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:07.439 We know the bad use of the term law, but the good one is God's word. 00:13:07.859 --> 00:13:11.899 And so Paul can delight or even speak back to the Lord this. 00:13:12.099 --> 00:13:12.259 Right? 00:13:13.339 --> 00:13:14.439 Just like the psalmist. 00:13:14.699 --> 00:13:16.419 Lord, how I love your law. 00:13:17.239 --> 00:13:23.739 Clearly he's not talking about righteousness that comes from keeping the law or not keeping the law, which doesn't work. 00:13:23.740 --> 00:13:25.799 He's talking about a different law. 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:27.399 Lord, how I love your law. 00:13:27.500 --> 00:13:29.340 It is my meditation all the day. 00:13:29.700 --> 00:13:34.519 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:39.419 Now, as readers, we're kind of confused. 00:13:39.580 --> 00:13:40.220 What do we do? 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:43.299 How do we know if it's law good or law bad? 00:13:43.680 --> 00:13:49.720 How do we know if it's God's word or how do we know if it's this inability to earn righteousness? 00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:52.500 Well, you have to go on a treasure hunt. 00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:55.480 Treasure hunt of context clues. 00:13:56.580 --> 00:13:59.399 And so sometimes even your Bible might try to help you out. 00:13:59.960 --> 00:14:03.180 It might capitalize like the law and the prophets. 00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:05.639 That should let you know something's going on there. 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:15.919 But you have to read and you have to remember that righteousness doesn't come from your keeping or not keeping the law. 00:14:16.179 --> 00:14:17.419 It comes from God. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:21.019 It comes from something outside of yourself. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:30.159 Righteousness from the law without a shred of concern for God himself can never save. 00:14:30.580 --> 00:14:33.700 Only righteousness from God. 00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:35.879 Now, why does this matter? 00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:46.020 Why am I spending so much time on this idea that, hey, the law and prophets even bear witness to this fact that righteousness doesn't come from the law? 00:14:46.920 --> 00:14:49.820 Well, it's because it's not a new idea. 00:14:50.460 --> 00:14:54.720 Sometimes we get confused and think the newness of the New Testament is this idea. 00:14:55.060 --> 00:14:56.100 It's not new at all. 00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:59.160 In fact, it's a very old, old thing. 00:14:59.940 --> 00:15:02.000 There's a very famous British scholar. 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:09.340 I love that he's British because what he said about this is completely un-British and it's completely unscholarly. 00:15:09.620 --> 00:15:11.379 He said this about this. 00:15:11.820 --> 00:15:14.159 This is not some newfangled way. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:16.980 That's not how British people talk. 00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:32.240 But he's trying to emphasize the fact that this newness, the newness of the new covenant, the newness of the gospel, the newness of this manifestation that we'll see, is not that it comes from apart from the law. 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:35.500 It's new because Christ is here. 00:15:35.500 --> 00:15:40.960 The newness comes because Christ is on full display in the person and work. 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:43.000 He's flesh and bones. 00:15:43.680 --> 00:15:45.100 He's also a redeemer. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:47.519 He's also the sacrifice. 00:15:48.139 --> 00:15:54.580 And we can't separate those two ideas as we see and look at the newness of the righteousness of God. 00:15:54.580 --> 00:15:58.200 Look at verse 22 with me. 00:16:00.620 --> 00:16:05.400 The righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. 00:16:07.040 --> 00:16:10.180 The righteousness of God comes through faith, Paul says. 00:16:10.700 --> 00:16:17.860 Faith not in just a general, generic, sort of out there God that's disconnected, suspended. 00:16:18.460 --> 00:16:22.379 You might hear those kind of ideas from your friends, family members, neighbors. 00:16:22.379 --> 00:16:25.220 No, it's much more specific than that. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:26.679 It's faith in what? 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:28.240 Faith in Christ Jesus. 00:16:29.059 --> 00:16:34.019 Faith is the mechanism by which we are right before God. 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:42.159 Faith is the mechanism by which we attain or we get or justification is applied to us. 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:44.240 It's just not out there. 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:50.639 And then suddenly, magically, it continues to be out there and then it has no bearing upon us. 00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:55.080 Specifically, it's the faith of all who believe. 00:16:55.199 --> 00:16:56.480 It's not the faith of Jesus. 00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:58.699 It's not his own faith, himself. 00:17:00.220 --> 00:17:07.059 It's faith in Jesus Christ by which the Christian has justification applied to them. 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:10.579 You're right before God by trusting in Christ. 00:17:10.579 --> 00:17:15.179 In the 1800s, there was a man named George Wilson. 00:17:15.500 --> 00:17:20.419 He was convicted of robbing, I think, a U.S. male location. 00:17:20.839 --> 00:17:20.980 Okay? 00:17:21.299 --> 00:17:25.579 And he did so, so violently that he was actually thrown in jail. 00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:29.259 And he was going to be executed. 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:32.299 He did this with an accomplice named James Porter. 00:17:32.299 --> 00:17:40.240 And actually, they didn't murder anyone, but they were so violent and so nasty that they were threatened with execution. 00:17:40.899 --> 00:17:48.319 Now, Wilson's friends banded together and appealed to the highest authority that they knew of, the President of the United States. 00:17:48.839 --> 00:17:55.419 And they sought and actually received, acquired a pardon on behalf of George Wilson. 00:17:55.420 --> 00:18:01.900 Now, what Wilson did next is kind of interesting, and it had never been done before in the history of the United States. 00:18:02.340 --> 00:18:06.000 He had received a pardon, but he refused it. 00:18:06.360 --> 00:18:11.440 And it caused such a firestorm that the U.S. legal system didn't know what to do. 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:15.259 There was a Supreme Court case that went all the way to the United States Supreme Court. 00:18:15.860 --> 00:18:22.580 And they had to decide, if you don't accept a pardon, is it still applied on your behalf? 00:18:22.579 --> 00:18:25.759 Wilson never accepted that pardon. 00:18:26.460 --> 00:18:29.980 But it raised the question, is it still in place? 00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:31.359 Is it still valid? 00:18:31.659 --> 00:18:33.299 Does it still come with power? 00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:40.079 Wilson refused to accept the pardon that was freely offered to him. 00:18:42.039 --> 00:18:45.539 The righteousness of God is offered to us all. 00:18:46.099 --> 00:18:48.079 To every man, woman, and child. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:54.000 To every person that hears the gospel. 00:18:54.679 --> 00:18:57.799 And yet, what is required of them? 00:18:58.460 --> 00:18:59.339 What is required? 00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:01.279 Faith in Christ. 00:19:02.099 --> 00:19:07.480 The righteousness of God is only applied when we have faith in Jesus. 00:19:08.819 --> 00:19:13.539 And as God sent his own son, that which was costly to him, we will see in a second. 00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:16.699 He applies it through faith. 00:19:16.700 --> 00:19:21.400 He sent his only son, both God and man, to pay for the penalty of sin. 00:19:22.819 --> 00:19:28.759 And that pardon that you receive by trusting in Christ alone for your salvation. 00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:31.559 And Christ died the death that we all deserve. 00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:34.539 And yet, he was perfect. 00:19:34.900 --> 00:19:36.039 And we are not. 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:39.759 Faith is the condition of that pardon. 00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:45.100 That pardon that we need because we break God's law. 00:19:45.099 --> 00:19:51.959 We break God's law in little ways, in big ways, in attitudes, in actions. 00:19:52.659 --> 00:19:54.759 We break God's law in our heart. 00:19:55.679 --> 00:19:57.559 We need pardon. 00:19:58.899 --> 00:20:02.599 And it's applied to us because of our faith in Christ. 00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:12.439 And yet, we know that if we try to keep the law to earn righteousness, the irony in that is that we still love sin. 00:20:13.139 --> 00:20:17.139 It's that we love sin and we continuously have to root it out. 00:20:17.559 --> 00:20:19.059 And that's the Christian life. 00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:21.839 But sin is that absence of righteousness. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:26.740 The righteousness of God that's applied to us in faith is also absent. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:30.159 It's lacking because of sin. 00:20:31.099 --> 00:20:36.679 Now, at the very end of verse 22 and into 23, he starts this new idea. 00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:41.279 He talks about sin very directly and very frankly. 00:20:42.179 --> 00:20:43.099 Paul is clear. 00:20:43.099 --> 00:20:46.199 Sin is all people. 00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:48.619 It's in all people. 00:20:49.379 --> 00:20:50.679 It marks all people. 00:20:50.819 --> 00:20:51.779 It marks Jews. 00:20:52.419 --> 00:20:54.359 It marks Greeks, Gentiles. 00:20:54.759 --> 00:21:03.439 It marks men, women, children, every tribe, every tongue, whether we're sitting in here or not sitting in here this morning. 00:21:04.740 --> 00:21:06.539 So what are we going to do with that? 00:21:07.339 --> 00:21:08.740 There's no distinction. 00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:13.579 It's all quantitatively, all people as well. 00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:16.799 All people because sin is universal. 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:20.299 And it corrupts wholly. 00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:21.960 It affects our minds. 00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:23.359 It affects our bodies. 00:21:23.859 --> 00:21:26.599 It affects the way we think, the way we act. 00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:28.099 It affects our emotions. 00:21:29.660 --> 00:21:31.319 It's not very hopeful right now. 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:36.339 But it shows us that we need something else. 00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:42.619 Because if we keep going back to the law for that righteousness, it's going to fail. 00:21:45.579 --> 00:21:48.799 He's also very frank about the nature of sin. 00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:53.119 He talks very specifically about how it affects all people. 00:21:53.399 --> 00:21:55.619 And it affects all of us completely. 00:21:55.619 --> 00:21:58.479 But he also says that what? 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:01.379 It's falling short of the glory of God. 00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:05.619 Now, when you think of the term glory of God, you often don't think about man. 00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:08.979 And it's rightfully so, because we have sin. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:15.799 But Isaiah writes that man was created for God's glory. 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:17.419 So they're related somehow. 00:22:17.420 --> 00:22:26.800 Paul will even write later in 1 Corinthians that it's because man is in the image of God that he has glory. 00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:32.580 So man has some sort of glory that's reflective of God, but it's marred by sin. 00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:36.180 In fact, it's not even there anymore. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:41.140 It doesn't matter if the sin is big or small. 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:42.800 Everyone sins. 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:47.360 It's really bad, and it spoils the glory of God. 00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:51.759 Even if you just happen to sin a little bit or a lot of it. 00:22:52.380 --> 00:22:57.400 It carries that weight of eternity, and it carries the punishment with it. 00:22:57.400 --> 00:23:00.080 No matter if we think it's insignificant or not. 00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:02.279 No matter if it's huge. 00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:03.920 No matter if it's little. 00:23:04.039 --> 00:23:08.560 It still carries with it the weight of that punishment, 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:12.759 and the distortion, and the absence of the glory of God. 00:23:13.380 --> 00:23:14.300 It falls short. 00:23:14.299 --> 00:23:19.559 I have a friend from college who had a really, really terrible job. 00:23:20.119 --> 00:23:27.639 The irony is that really, really terrible job that he had, he is now the boss at the really, really terrible job. 00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:28.600 And he loves it. 00:23:28.599 --> 00:23:34.159 But in his job, they made plastic-injected molded parts. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:39.240 And his job, because he was a teenager, young college student, 00:23:39.640 --> 00:23:45.680 his job was to do the most menial part of that plastic-injected molded part creation. 00:23:45.800 --> 00:23:47.060 You might be thinking, what does that mean? 00:23:47.360 --> 00:23:50.220 Think of anything that's plastic that is created by a mold. 00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:51.799 You heat up plastic. 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:54.860 If you've done this in your microwave at home, it's a really fun time. 00:23:55.180 --> 00:24:00.140 And then you shoot it into a mold, just like you're making something, you're baking something, 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:01.640 like chocolate or anything like that. 00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:04.160 And it comes out in the shape that you want it to have. 00:24:04.600 --> 00:24:12.200 Now, his job was to take the plastic, heat it up in a souped-up microwave, 00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:17.299 get it really stinking hot, and then take it out and immediately stick it into the mold 00:24:17.299 --> 00:24:19.019 and make it into the shape of whatever they wanted. 00:24:19.019 --> 00:24:26.960 Now, as he did that, he had about 10 to 15 seconds where he was absolutely doing nothing. 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:29.879 And it would repeat over and over throughout the day, 00:24:30.019 --> 00:24:32.940 whether it was for 8 hours a day or 12 hours a day. 00:24:33.259 --> 00:24:35.639 But thankfully, his boss got the bright idea, 00:24:36.059 --> 00:24:39.099 hey, these guys are really bored as they're doing this job, 00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:40.680 so what are we going to do to help them out? 00:24:41.099 --> 00:24:43.160 We'll get them all TVs at their workstations. 00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:44.680 That's very nice of him, right? 00:24:44.680 --> 00:24:52.700 So for about 15 to 20 seconds in this process, because he would put it in the microwave for 15 or 20 seconds, 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:57.279 he'd watch TV, and then he'd turn around, and he'd inject it into the mold, and he'd make something. 00:24:57.980 --> 00:25:03.000 And then he'd watch and wait for about 15 to 20 more seconds as it cooled down, 00:25:03.060 --> 00:25:04.299 sometimes longer, maybe a minute. 00:25:04.620 --> 00:25:09.460 And then he'd turn back and watch TV, and he'd repeat that process over and over and over again 00:25:09.460 --> 00:25:10.759 until it was time to go home. 00:25:11.400 --> 00:25:15.200 So one day, I was fascinated by this, because this job sounds miserable, 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:16.980 and I'm thankful I'm not doing that job. 00:25:17.460 --> 00:25:20.620 And I said, what do you watch on television? 00:25:20.819 --> 00:25:24.059 And he said, well, I watch soap operas. 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:29.420 And I said, oh, that's really funny that you, as a young college-aged man, 00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:31.079 watch all the soap operas. 00:25:31.079 --> 00:25:34.720 And in fact, he knows all the storylines of every soap opera, 00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:37.600 and knew it for years because he worked there for years. 00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:44.240 Now, when he was challenged about this, when, like all young men do, make fun of each other, 00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:46.980 you make fun of them for being a soap opera watcher. 00:25:47.019 --> 00:25:49.599 And he said, no, no, no, no, I'm not a soap opera guy. 00:25:49.819 --> 00:25:53.099 I only watch it for 15 or 20 seconds. 00:25:54.139 --> 00:25:58.159 At the end of the day, he's still a soap opera watcher, 00:25:58.159 --> 00:26:02.099 whether he watches it religiously, day after day, 00:26:02.159 --> 00:26:04.079 as he sits down on the couch and watches it. 00:26:04.139 --> 00:26:05.199 There's nothing wrong with that. 00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:07.080 It's embarrassing for him. 00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:12.900 But even if he watches it for 10 seconds, he's still a soap opera watcher. 00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:16.779 Whether it's 10 seconds or planned or thought out, 00:26:17.080 --> 00:26:20.920 whether it's for a brief moment or it's his whole life, 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:23.299 he's still a soap opera watcher. 00:26:23.840 --> 00:26:25.980 He's recovered and doesn't watch soap operas anymore. 00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:31.120 But he'll always be known as the soap opera guy, even to this day. 00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:37.279 Now, when we sin, it doesn't matter if it's for 10 seconds or 15 seconds, 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:39.519 or it's entrenched in a lifetime. 00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:43.759 It still carries all that corrupting influence. 00:26:44.120 --> 00:26:46.099 It still carries the same punishment, 00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:49.079 whether it's for 10 seconds as the microwave closes, 00:26:49.079 --> 00:26:53.679 or we plan it out and we're entrenched for our entire lives. 00:26:54.259 --> 00:26:56.039 It still carries the same weight. 00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:59.399 It still carries the same punishment. 00:27:00.019 --> 00:27:02.559 It still falls short of God's glory. 00:27:04.539 --> 00:27:09.059 That's why Paul can say that every mouth is stopped 00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:12.199 and the whole world is accountable to God, 00:27:12.200 --> 00:27:16.380 because it's everyone, whether it's 10 seconds or a lifetime. 00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:20.819 The righteousness of God is gone. 00:27:21.380 --> 00:27:23.920 We've all fallen short. 00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:28.059 We all fall short of the glory of God. 00:27:28.759 --> 00:27:32.140 But we are not left in our sin, thank goodness, 00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:33.720 because we have a redeemer. 00:27:34.080 --> 00:27:35.940 Look with me at verse 24. 00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:42.840 And are justified by his grace as a gift 00:27:42.840 --> 00:27:45.740 through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 00:27:46.759 --> 00:27:49.860 There's two main parts to this verse. 00:27:50.080 --> 00:27:52.240 One is that it's free, thank goodness, 00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:55.039 because if it wasn't free, then we'd have to earn it. 00:27:55.120 --> 00:27:56.259 We'd have to do something. 00:27:56.940 --> 00:28:00.299 But free doesn't mean it doesn't come without a cost. 00:28:00.840 --> 00:28:04.519 It might be free to us, but it costs somebody somewhere. 00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:08.759 If you've taken economics before in any kind of format, 00:28:09.339 --> 00:28:11.379 high school, college, even middle school, 00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:16.799 you know there's this idea that there's no such thing as free lunch. 00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:18.720 Somebody's paying for that lunch, 00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:21.660 whether it's you, whether it's your mom or dad, 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:23.960 or whether it's somebody else, 00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:26.700 a wealthy benefactor who wants to give you lunch. 00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:29.740 There's no such thing as free lunch. 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:32.000 Everything comes at a cost. 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:39.240 The same is true of this grace that's offered to us in the gospel. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:42.759 He's kind of circled this idea for the last couple chapters 00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:47.259 that, hey, we're building, we're building, there's guilt. 00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:49.960 We have these brief encounters in sin, 00:28:50.019 --> 00:28:51.339 or we're entrenched in it. 00:28:51.900 --> 00:28:55.099 But somebody has to pay. 00:28:55.099 --> 00:28:57.539 It's just not us. 00:28:59.719 --> 00:29:03.659 The innocence that we have is because it comes at a cost, 00:29:04.019 --> 00:29:04.980 because of Jesus. 00:29:05.919 --> 00:29:08.859 God's grace in the gospel to us comes at a cost, 00:29:09.240 --> 00:29:11.159 a cost of Christ's life. 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:14.519 And it's graciously given to us 00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:16.679 because we couldn't earn it. 00:29:17.059 --> 00:29:19.779 We are the undeserving party because we've fallen short. 00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:21.319 That's why it's gracious. 00:29:21.579 --> 00:29:22.399 That's why it's free. 00:29:24.139 --> 00:29:27.039 But just because it's free doesn't mean it's costly. 00:29:29.180 --> 00:29:30.259 If it was cheap, 00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:32.500 if it didn't come at such a high price, 00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:36.799 it would still be free to us. 00:29:37.579 --> 00:29:39.599 It would still be effective. 00:29:40.180 --> 00:29:42.019 But think about from God's perspective, 00:29:42.019 --> 00:29:46.079 it comes with such weight and such high cost 00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:47.639 that it's not cheap, 00:29:48.019 --> 00:29:49.039 that it's not easy, 00:29:49.619 --> 00:29:52.099 that he's given his own son to redeem us. 00:29:53.180 --> 00:29:55.660 Justification is free. 00:29:55.900 --> 00:29:56.839 It is gracious, 00:29:57.039 --> 00:29:58.819 but it comes at a high cost. 00:29:59.200 --> 00:30:01.920 The idea of redemption itself, 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:02.900 the use of that term, 00:30:02.980 --> 00:30:04.680 is coming and paying at a price. 00:30:04.920 --> 00:30:07.960 It's coming and paying at the price of Christ's life. 00:30:08.940 --> 00:30:11.319 It's buying us back out of slavery. 00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:13.859 That's the same language that God uses 00:30:13.859 --> 00:30:17.000 when he talks about Israel being delivered from Egypt 00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:18.639 that he's bought back. 00:30:19.539 --> 00:30:22.579 Christ, the work of Christ, 00:30:23.159 --> 00:30:25.919 allows for God to buy us back 00:30:25.919 --> 00:30:28.460 out of the captivity of sin. 00:30:29.019 --> 00:30:31.279 And the currency is Christ's life. 00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:34.359 The gospels remind us of this 00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:37.259 when they say the son of man came not to be served, 00:30:37.259 --> 00:30:40.059 but to serve and give his life 00:30:40.059 --> 00:30:41.619 as a ransom for many, 00:30:42.220 --> 00:30:43.039 many of us. 00:30:43.879 --> 00:30:45.339 So whether you followed Christ 00:30:45.339 --> 00:30:46.900 for many, many years, right, 00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:49.940 and the gospel has become less glorious, 00:30:50.059 --> 00:30:50.799 it's become commonplace, 00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:53.660 uninteresting or boring, 00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:55.619 if we read these words 00:30:55.619 --> 00:30:57.180 and we're not reignited 00:30:57.180 --> 00:30:59.579 to see the beauty of the gospel, 00:30:59.579 --> 00:31:03.119 we have a problem. 00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:07.879 If we've never had these created worlds. 00:31:08.220 --> 00:31:11.039 The same is if you've walked with Christ 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:12.259 for many, many years. 00:31:12.859 --> 00:31:13.679 But in that, 00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:17.339 we should ask for us to be more gentle 00:31:17.339 --> 00:31:20.439 and humble and kind in our words, 00:31:20.599 --> 00:31:22.519 in our speech, in our action. 00:31:22.779 --> 00:31:25.199 We should be more compassionate to others 00:31:25.200 --> 00:31:27.759 because our lives have been transformed 00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:30.039 and we realize that we have no, 00:31:30.360 --> 00:31:32.039 in no way can we boast 00:31:32.039 --> 00:31:37.559 because God has been so kind to us in Christ. 00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:42.620 If you've never considered the claims 00:31:42.620 --> 00:31:43.740 of the gospel before, 00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:45.279 think on that. 00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:47.080 What are you gonna do with your sin? 00:31:47.539 --> 00:31:48.740 God has been compassionate 00:31:48.740 --> 00:31:49.840 in giving his son 00:31:49.840 --> 00:31:51.740 to each and every one of us 00:31:51.740 --> 00:31:53.039 and yet, 00:31:53.859 --> 00:31:57.319 we have to have faith in his son. 00:31:58.980 --> 00:32:00.539 If you're a Christian that struggles 00:32:00.539 --> 00:32:02.839 this morning or anytime 00:32:02.839 --> 00:32:04.759 with this idea of 00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:07.500 the weight of our own sin bogs us down 00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:09.140 and the weight of our sin 00:32:09.140 --> 00:32:10.880 makes us actually question, 00:32:11.039 --> 00:32:12.480 could God even love me? 00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:14.339 Like I don't even know 00:32:14.339 --> 00:32:15.460 what to do with that. 00:32:16.500 --> 00:32:19.359 Be assured that it is not your sin 00:32:19.359 --> 00:32:21.179 or lack of sin 00:32:21.179 --> 00:32:23.979 that secures your future. 00:32:24.399 --> 00:32:25.479 It's Christ's work. 00:32:26.179 --> 00:32:27.759 It's your faith in Jesus 00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:29.379 that does that. 00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:33.759 And as we continue to march on 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:35.579 and even grow discouraged 00:32:35.579 --> 00:32:38.240 with what seems like each passing day, 00:32:39.079 --> 00:32:40.979 that your own personal holiness 00:32:40.979 --> 00:32:42.539 isn't what secures 00:32:42.539 --> 00:32:45.199 the glory of God, 00:32:45.279 --> 00:32:46.740 the righteousness of God. 00:32:46.740 --> 00:32:49.460 By the works of the law, 00:32:49.599 --> 00:32:50.620 no one is justified. 00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:52.039 In fact, 00:32:53.099 --> 00:32:55.819 Christ has redeemed you. 00:32:56.839 --> 00:32:58.680 Wherever that finds you this morning, 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:00.620 may we all be reminded 00:33:00.620 --> 00:33:02.160 of the beauty of the gospel. 00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:04.039 May we consider it afresh. 00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:06.620 May we consider it for the first time. 00:33:07.299 --> 00:33:08.680 And may we worship him 00:33:08.680 --> 00:33:10.039 because of it. 00:33:10.819 --> 00:33:12.980 Because God is worthy of that. 00:33:13.400 --> 00:33:14.460 Because it's great 00:33:14.460 --> 00:33:16.579 and beautiful and grand. 00:33:17.480 --> 00:33:17.880 Amen. 00:33:18.220 --> 00:33:18.579 Let's pray. 00:33:20.579 --> 00:33:22.400 Lord, we're thankful this morning 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:24.059 for the reminder from your word 00:33:24.059 --> 00:33:25.579 about the beauty of the gospel, 00:33:26.340 --> 00:33:28.400 about the beauty of Christ's work, 00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:33.019 the righteousness that's found in you 00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:36.200 because of our faith in Christ Jesus. 00:33:36.700 --> 00:33:37.980 In spite of our sin, 00:33:38.539 --> 00:33:40.559 Lord, may we delight in those things 00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:42.019 this day. 00:33:42.019 --> 00:33:43.339 Amen. 00:33:43.339 --> 00:33:43.440 Amen.