Righteousness Is a Five-Letter Word

Romans 4

Romans 4:1-3

1A. Abraham Prove Righteousness Comes by Faith

Genesis 15:6

Romans 4:4-5

1B. Grace Is Not Wages—It Is a Gift

Romans 4:6-8

Psalm 51:16-17

Romans 4:9-10

2. Circumcision Proves Righteousness Comes Before Religious Works

Romans 4:11-12

Romans 4:13-15

3. The Law Proves Righteousness Must Come by Grace through Faith

Romans 4:16

Romans 4:16-22

4. Faith Proves Righteousness Comes by God’s Power, Not Ours

Abraham grasped two concepts about God:

1. God gives life to the dead

2. God calls into existence things that do not exist

[list together]

Four Marks of Abraham’s Faith:

1. He did not waver in unbelief (v. 20)

2. He grew strong in faith (v. 20)

3. He gave glory to God (v. 20)

4. He was fully convinced God was able to do what He had promised (v. 21)

Romans 4:23-25

Applications:

1. Let us never get over the good news of justification by faith

2. Let us never get over the face that we are part of the people of God

3. Let us allow the doctrine of justification by faith to shape our lives and the life of our church

What should this believing community look like?

1. We should be a humble people

2. We should be a happy people

3. We should be an obedient people

4. We should be a missional people

5. We should be a hope-filled, faith-filled people

David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan

1 Samuel 31:1-6

David Guzik, As sad as anything was in this account, sad is the absence of any kind of sorrow or repentance or crying out to God at all on Saul’s part. He was told the previous day that he would die (1 Samuel 28:19), yet he did not seem to prepare his soul to meet God in any way.

At the end of his life Saul became so hardened to sin that he did not want to repent. Many people put off getting right with God until a later time, assuming they will still want to get right with God then. But that is a dangerous assumption because repentance is a gift from God and if it is here today it should be received today.

1 Samuel 26:21, (partial) "Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly"

A Man Plays the Fool When:

1. He neglects his godly friends.

2. He goes on enterprises for God before God has sent him.

3. He disobeys God, even in seemingly small matters.

4. He tries to cover up his disobedience to God by religious excuses.

A Man Plays the Fool When:

5. He tries to persuade himself that he is doing the will of God, when all the while, down deep inside, he knows otherwise.

6. He allows some jealousy or envy to master and control and deprave him.

7. He knowingly fights against God.

8. He turns from his God, the God he has grieved, and seeks an alternative in spiritism with the spirits in the beyond.

Disobedience with without repentance always brings harsh consequences.

2 Samuel 1:1-10

2 Samuel 1:11-16

Forgiveness is always a better option than bitterness.

(Forgiveness frees; bitterness binds)

2 Samuel 1:17-18

2 Samuel 1:19-21

2 Samuel 1:22-26

2 Samuel 1:27

Mighty things are brought down by little things

What to do at Easter

Matthew 28:1-8

The four directive words of the angel were: Come, See, Go, Tell

Matthew 28:5 (partial)-6, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, COME and see the place where the Lord lay.

Show 2 Pictures of Pyramid house

Matthew 11:28-30 (please show these 3 verses together on 1 screen)

Matthew 28:6 (partial) … SEE the place where the Lord lay.

Show 2 Pictures of the Garden Tomb

John 1:45-46

Matthew 28:7, And GO quickly and TELL His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.

Matthew 28:8

Forgiven Forever

Hebrews 10:1-18

Hebrews 10:1

Hebrews 9:11-12

Hebrews 9:22

Hebrews 10:1-4

I. A Sacrifice Sufficient to Take Away Sin

Hebrews 10:5-10

II. A Sacrifice Sufficient to Supplant Old Testament Sacrifices

Psalm 40:6-8

Hebrews 10:7

Hebrews 10:11-14

III. A Sacrifice Sufficient to Bring Perfection

Hebrews 10:15-18

IV. A Sacrifice Sufficient to Bring Forgiveness Forever

Jeremiah 31:31-34

The Three Wonders of Palm Sunday

Matthew 21:1-8

Matthew 21:9-11

1. The Wonder of the Preparation

Luke 19:30

2. The Wonder of Fulfilled Prophecy

Zechariah 9:9

3. The Wonder of His Presence

Show pics 1, 2, 3 (Please wait for me to prompt you before putting pics up.)

1 Corinthians 5:7 NLT (partial) Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.

John 5:24 NKJV

John 5:24 AMPC: I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words [who listens to My message] and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life. And he does not come into judgment [does not incur sentence of judgment, will not come under condemnation], but he has already passed over out of death into life.

our sacrifice!

Lamb of God – ‘Seh-HaElohim’ (Hebrew) Pronounced See Ha-el-oh-heem

David Recovers His Losses

1 Samuel 30:1-4

1 Samuel 30:5-6

Verse 6b KJV: “David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.”

Matthew Henry, “When he was at his wits in, he was not at his faith’s end.”

David strengthened himself by:

1. Remembering God’s love and faithfulness.

2. Remembering God’s promise and calling.

3. Remembering God’s past deliverances.

Charles Spurgeon, “Some of the best talks in the world are those which a man has with himself. He who speaks to everybody except himself is a great fool.”

1 Samuel 30:7-8

1 Samuel 30:9-10

1 Samuel 30:11-19

1 Samuel 30:20-22

1 Samuel 30:23-25

Charles Spurgeon, “You Little-Faiths, you Despondencies, you Much-Afraids, you Feeble-Minds, you that sigh more than you sing, you that would but cannot, you that have a great heart for holiness, but feel beaten back in your struggles, the Lord shall give you his love, his grace, his favor, as surely as he gives it to those who can do great things in his name.”

1 Samuel 30:26-31

How David Recovered His Losses:

1. He strengthened himself in the LORD his God. (v. 1 Sam. 30:6)

2. He inquired of the LORD. (1 Sam. 30:8)

3. He did what God told him to do. (1 Sam. 30:9)

4. He showed unexpected care and kindness to others. (1 Sam. 30:11)

5. He saw it as the LORD’s victory. (1 Sam. 30:23)

6. He shared the reward with others. (1 Sam. 30:24)

7. He did what he could to mend relationships. (1 Sam. 30:26-31)

FREELY FORGIVEN – FORGIVING FREELY

Romans 3:24

1. Forgiveness Is The Command For Those Who Are Forgiven

Ephesians 4:32

2. The Gift of Forgiveness

Ephesians 2:1-10

2 Corinthians 5:17

3. What Unforgiveness Reveals

Matthew 18:21-35

David, Nabal, and Abigail

1 Samuel 25:1

1 Samuel 25:2-3

1 Samuel 25:4-8

1 Samuel 25:9-11

1. Rich or poor, plenty or little – all that we have is on loan from God and He expects us to use it for His glory (1 Sam. 25:11)

Proverbs 3:27, Don’t withhold good from those whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

1 Samuel 25:12-13

Ecclesiastes 7:9 Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools. NLT: "Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool."

Chuck Swindoll: Anger is one of the most debilitating emotions we wrestle — with.

One reason it is debilitating and paralyzing is that it is so unpredictable—it can be on us almost before we know it . . . and it can wear so many different faces. Sometimes it's just an irritation, or the blurting out of a statement or a word we later wish we hadn't said. Occasionally, it comes out with such force that it results in hostile actions.

Another reason anger is debilitating is because it's so public. You cannot hide anger; it's on display. It's there for everybody to witness and remember. The answer, of course, is self-control. But it’s one thing to say it and it's another thing entirely to practice it.

2. “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression.” (Prov.19:11; 1 Sam. 25:13)

LET YOUR EMOTIONS SUBSIDE THEN DECIDE.

1 Samuel 25:14-19

1 Samuel 25:20-25

David Jeremiah, "If you really want to know what a man is like, ask his wife."

Nabal – Hebrew word for ‘fool’

1 Samuel 25:26-31

1 Samuel 25:32-38

3. “A soft answer (a gentle response) turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Prov. 15:1; 1 Sam 25:24-31)

1 Samuel 25: 32-38

1 Samuel 25:39-44

Fully Forgiven in Christ

Colossians 2:11-15

Psalm 1:1-3

What is forgiveness? Forgiveness is pardon [of sin]

Colossians 2:11-15

I. Our Complete Need for Forgiveness – vv. 11-13a

Psalm 130:3-4

II. God’s Decisive Act of Forgiveness – vv. 13b-15

Colossians 2:13-15

Colossians 2:14 KJV

Colossians 2:15

III. The Ongoing Result: No Condemnation

2 Corinthians 2:14

Show triumph picture

Romans 8:1

Hebrews 8:12

1 John 1:9

1. God Gives Bread to Those Who Are Hungry

Exodus 16:14-15

John 6:33-35

2. Only God’s Bread Can Give Life

John 6:27, 33, 40, 47, 50-51, 54, 57-58

3. We Must Eat the Bread to Live