WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:06.240 We're going to be in Romans chapter 10, and we're going to be reading verses 1 through 13 here this morning. 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:12.080 And as you're turning there, I just want to remind you, our church is very much about discipleship. 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:22.480 Everything that we do from right now to our home groups to small one-on-one settings, it's really all about discipleship, all about helping each other to become more like Jesus. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:25.679 And that's what we're doing here this morning as we dig into God's Word. 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:36.399 This is about understanding the intent of the author to the original audience, but then not forgetting to ask the question of how does this apply to me? 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:42.960 And not only stopping there with how does this apply to me, but taking it one step further, and Lord, what do you want me to do with it? 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:48.479 How do you want me to take what I'm learning this morning and then help disciple somebody else? 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:51.039 And help disciple somebody else. 00:00:51.200 --> 00:01:04.560 So as we're going through this, I really want to encourage you to highlight and to underline and to circle things within the text so that the next time you come across this, you would be able to teach somebody this text yourself. 00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:06.879 So that was really the heart behind this. 00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:12.480 Isn't just kind of like, oh, I'm gonna come here something motivational and hopefully it applies, and then I'm gonna go about my day. 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:15.680 This is really about becoming more like Jesus. 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:20.719 This is what we call our formal time of discipleship here on Sunday mornings. 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:30.560 So with that, if you're able, would you please stand and we're gonna read Romans 10 verses 1 through 13. 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:42.319 Brothers and sisters, my heart's desire and prayer to God concerning them, and he's still referring to the Israelites here, is for their salvation. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:49.040 I can testify about them that they have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:58.719 Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted to God's righteousness. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:03.519 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:11.120 Since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law, the one who does these things will live by them. 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:24.879 But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this do not say in your heart who will go up to heaven, that is, to bring Christ down, or who will go down into the abyss, that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:27.759 On the contrary, what does it say? 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:32.639 The message is near you, in your mouth, and in your heart. 00:02:32.879 --> 00:02:35.759 This is the message of faith that we proclaim. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:43.520 If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:50.639 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:03:04.560 For the Scripture says, everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:09.280 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:10.879 Let's pray. 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:15.199 Lord, I thank you so much for the gift of your word. 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:20.639 Lord, I thank you so much for this book of Romans that we have been going through verse by verse. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:28.319 And Lord, I pray that this section that we're tackling here this morning, Lord, that you would be the revealer of all things to us. 00:03:28.479 --> 00:03:32.719 That it would be your Holy Spirit living inside of us that is our teacher. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:36.080 So Lord, I pray that we would come with humble hearts. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:46.719 Lord, that we would come humbly submitted to you, and that we would allow you to do the work that you desire to do inside of each one of us here this morning. 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:53.840 Give us eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts that are soft and ready to be molded and shaped by you. 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:59.360 God, we love you so much and we desire to be more like Jesus daily. 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:04.000 So I pray that that process of discipleship would continue here this morning. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:05.919 Pray these things in Jesus' name. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:06.800 Amen. 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:08.560 You may be seated. 00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:15.039 So the book of Romans, if you haven't noticed yet, is about faith. 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:20.160 You know, if I had to summarize the whole book into one word, I think that's what it would be. 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:21.279 It would be faith. 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:25.839 You know, it's not about, you know, Paul talks so much about, it's not about who you are. 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:30.160 It's not about what you've done, it's about faith in God. 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:38.000 And every person on the planet, Paul's telling us all the way through Romans so far, is on the same playing field. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:41.199 Nobody has an advantage that the other doesn't. 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:47.360 Until, that is, you place your full faith and your full trust in Jesus Christ. 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:55.439 And then we go from being enemies of God to being adopted into his family as his sons and his daughters. 00:04:55.759 --> 00:05:07.600 And it's the biggest thing, or biggest theme, I should say, in this book, because it's also what the Jews are struggling with the most in the church in Rome. 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:14.319 They're struggling with the fact that the Gentiles are now on equal footing with them regarding access to God. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:20.480 And I feel like Paul's telling them, you know, just for a moment, let's just forget about the Gentiles. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:22.399 Let's stop being jealous of them. 00:05:22.480 --> 00:05:32.879 Let's stop worrying about this, this, um, let's stop worrying about their access to God, and let's start worrying about your access to God. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:38.639 He's telling them, let's just worry about yourself and let's worry about the hardness of your own heart. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.519 And that should be our desire this morning as well. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:48.000 As we read through this, not saying, oh, I know somebody like that, but saying, Lord, how is this found in me? 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:53.759 And just coming to him with open hands and just saying, okay, God, affect me this morning. 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:57.360 And as we're going to see in chapter 10, that's what Paul's doing. 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:00.639 He's letting the Jews know that they're not okay. 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:05.360 He's preaching the gospel, and the gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:08.399 And he's giving them that, that he's preaching it to them. 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:17.519 And as you'll see, he's going to prove to them that they're not okay by quoting a bunch of Old Testament verses that we're going to be going through this morning. 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:23.920 And he's going to boil righteousness and salvation down to the head and the heart. 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:27.759 And that's the title of the message this morning: The Head and the Heart. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:32.160 So look for that theme as we jump in and get into the word here this morning. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:34.319 So look at verse 1 again with me. 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:41.839 It says, Brothers and sisters, my heart's desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:46.879 You know, as Paul started chapter 9 in that first verse, he's starting chapter 10 as well. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:50.959 He's talking about his love for his fellow Israelites. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:54.000 Which, when you think about it, it's really amazing. 00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:59.439 Because his fellow Israelites have been persecuting him like crazy. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:11.600 But in chapter 9, he goes as far as to say that he would forfeit his right standing with God if it meant that his Jewish brothers and sisters could gain right standing with God. 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:13.279 That's how much he loves them. 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:21.279 And here he reiterates that his heart's desire, it says, and prayer is for their salvation. 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:29.680 Now I want you to remember, because remember, chapters 9, 10, and 11 are just one flow of thought that we're breaking up into little spots. 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:38.879 But remember that chapter 9 was Paul convincing the Jews in Rome that they were not righteous just because they could call Abraham their father. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:44.160 He was convincing them that just by following the law, they were not righteous. 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:54.240 That just because they are God's elect, you know, God's chosen nation, that without faith, they were no different than the Gentiles. 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:56.879 That's kind of a summation of chapter 9. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:07:59.759 You know, all have fallen short of the glory of God. 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:01.680 That's what he's communicating to them. 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:04.480 But Paul knows that they are deceived. 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:08.160 And we're going to see this as we continue on in this passage. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:14.079 He knows that the Jews have this false sense of security, thinking that they are okay. 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:19.040 Because of their birthright and because of their effort to follow the law. 00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:23.120 And they still kind of have this attitude of, well, at least I'm not a Gentile. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:25.680 At least I'm not like those other people. 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:32.000 That's why Paul is saying here in verse 1 that it's his heart's desire for their salvation. 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:35.759 For his brothers and sisters of the Jewish nation. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:38.639 It's his heart's desire for their salvation. 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:46.159 Now, Paul's gonna go ahead in verse 2, and he's gonna compliment the Jews for half a sentence. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:48.320 And then he's gonna slap them in the face. 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:49.120 Look at verse 2. 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:53.440 He says, I can testify about them that they have zeal for God. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:54.639 There's the compliment. 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:58.000 But not according to knowledge. 00:08:58.320 --> 00:09:02.399 Paul isn't doubting that his Jewish brethren aren't serious about their beliefs. 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:05.279 He's saying that they have zeal for God. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:13.120 They are serious, they have enthusiasm, they have excitement for being Jewish, both in heritage and in religious practice. 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:17.039 But their zeal is missing a major ingredient. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:18.720 It's missing knowledge. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:22.159 And Paul's writing from a place of experience here. 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:25.600 He can relate to the present state of the Jews. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:28.559 And I'm going to read you Philippians 3, verses 5 through 6. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:32.080 And this is how Paul is describing himself to the Philippian church. 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:42.080 He says that he was circumcised the eighth day of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:44.799 Regarding the law, a Pharisee. 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:48.240 Regarding zeal, persecuting the church. 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:52.559 Regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:57.519 And that's why he can say in verse 2 here, I can testify. 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:08.480 See, Paul's not that far removed from being in the same boat of the Jewish audience that he's talking to right now. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:11.759 You know, we did a discipleship class here a couple months ago. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:13.759 Good number of you were a part of that. 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:21.039 And we used the textbook of the disciple, and it talked about this exact thing that we're talking about here this morning. 00:10:21.279 --> 00:10:22.639 Zeal without knowledge. 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:34.000 You know, there's a whole chapter, chapter 13 of that book, that's dedicated to the head and the heart, and the importance of the heart and mind growing together at the same rate. 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:37.600 Here with these Israelites, they had zeal. 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:45.919 So their hearts were in it, but their minds were lacking in understanding of what God really intended in the Old Testament. 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:48.240 So I want to read you a quote. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:53.600 And the temptation here, I'm going to talk about the head, and I'm going to talk about the heart by reading these quotes from this passage. 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:57.759 The temptation is to be like, you know what, I know somebody just like that. 00:10:58.080 --> 00:10:59.600 That's not what we're doing here. 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:02.320 What we're doing is, Lord, which side am I on? 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:04.960 Do I lean towards the head or do I lean towards the heart? 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:07.279 Because the perfect balance is found right in the middle. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:08.639 But I'll read you this first quote. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:22.000 He says, think for a moment what happens if your heart is becoming increasingly humbly submitted to Jesus, but your mind is not growing in the Word of God on an ongoing basis. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:26.559 What you can begin to see is a sort of a mystical view of God. 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:30.799 And in some cases, a very ritualistic relationship with God. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:31.759 Sound familiar? 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:35.039 This is talking a lot about what the Jews are going through. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:43.840 He goes on, you can become susceptible to fads of teaching from different teachers and religious leaders. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:49.679 You may have a heart that is humbly submitted to God, but with limited knowledge. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:51.039 Watch out. 00:11:51.360 --> 00:12:08.000 If you're not growing to know more of God, of who God really is, how he has designed you to follow him, what he is providing for you, or how he has designed you to become closer to him and more like him, you can easily be led astray. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:16.399 And I think that's a great picture of who Paul is writing to right now in the Roman Church, to this Jewish audience. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:24.000 Now, the other side of that is what happens if our mind is growing, but our heart isn't growing at the same rate. 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:25.120 He goes on. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:38.799 Growing as a Christian becomes all about learning more and more from the Word and others who teach the Word. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:43.360 You may become a prolific reader of Bible doctrine and theology. 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:49.279 You may become an outstanding, proficient Bible student, even priding yourself on what you know. 00:12:49.440 --> 00:13:04.559 But your heart is cold and hard when it comes to being truly, humbly submitted to Jesus, and you will tend to grow increasingly rigid and maybe even legalistic in the way you talk about and live out your Christian life. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:13.039 Spiritual growth will become nothing other than learning more and more and working harder and harder to practice what you know. 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:16.639 And making sure that everybody else is doing the same thing. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:29.279 Jesus warned about this, quoting Isaiah the prophet, to those who were doing seemingly the right things on the outside when he said, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:31.919 In vain do they worship me. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:33.519 So I want to ask that question. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:38.240 Which side of that spectrum do you think that you fall on? 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:47.279 Because a bit later he says, You can never have a heart that is too humbly submitted, or a mind that is too biblically formed. 00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:52.799 But God designed them to be in balance with one another. 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:59.440 So, in other words, your zeal should match your knowledge, and your knowledge should match your zeal. 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:10.240 Because as soon as you get out of balance, either way, that's when pride sets in, and we put ourselves in the place of God as judge. 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:17.120 Because you start looking at the opposite side of whatever side you're on and saying, I can't believe that they do that. 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:21.679 Or I can't believe that they don't do that, and they actually call themselves a Christian. 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:25.200 You know, if only they had the knowledge that I have. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:29.679 Or if only they had the compassion that I have. 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:39.120 Because as soon as you see yourself as better or more compassionate or better informed than other Christians, you're out of balance. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:47.039 Because that means your thoughts towards other Christians are informed through the pride of your own works. 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:52.000 That is the definition of self-righteousness. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.399 And that is never biblical. 00:14:54.720 --> 00:15:02.720 You know, the Jews to this point had the whole Old Testament, but they had been seeing it through the lens of their culture. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:08.799 They've been interpreting it, not through faith, but they've been interpreting it through their works. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:13.360 You know, we saw this a lot as we were studying through the book of Mark together. 00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:18.639 They were looking forward to a Messiah that they had made up in their own head. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:28.240 They weren't looking forward to the Messiah through their knowledge of Scripture, but through the zeal of what they wanted to be true. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:34.559 That's the lens in which they were projecting or their expectations towards the coming Messiah was going to be. 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:38.960 They wanted a Messiah that was going to alleviate them from their current circumstances. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:41.200 And that was really what they were focused on. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:46.159 That was one of the reasons that Jesus was rejected by the majority of the Jews. 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:57.600 They wanted somebody to come in and overthrow the current Roman occupation, the current Roman persecution and oppression that they were experiencing. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:03.039 Jesus did so much more than the Jews wanted him to do. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:09.440 He overthrew the occupation and the persecution and the oppression of sin and death. 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:22.000 You see, Jesus had a much bigger agenda, and we should be very thankful that he had a much bigger agenda than what the Jews wanted as we sit here today. 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:26.720 Because if we were sitting here and Jesus did what the Jews wanted, we'd be like, gee, thanks. 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:27.679 What about us? 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:32.720 You alleviated the Roman persecution, but we're still dealing with sin and death. 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:45.279 But when the Jews realized that he was not going to be the God that they wanted him to be, in their zeal and in their lack of knowledge, they not only rejected him, but they killed him. 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:47.120 Look at verse 3. 00:16:47.200 --> 00:17:01.440 It says, Since they are ignorant of the righteousness of God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, or you can read that, self-righteousness, they have not submitted to God's righteousness. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:12.720 Again, misinterpreting Scripture, thinking that it was their works that gained favor and right standing with God through their own self-righteousness. 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:16.720 When all God wanted this whole time was their faith. 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:21.920 He wanted their trust, he wanted their obedience, he wanted their full surrender to him. 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:25.440 And he made that clear through Abraham. 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:37.200 If the Jews read the story of Abraham, knew the story of Abraham, they would know that Abraham believed God, and that is what was credited to him as righteousness. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:45.440 But here are the Jews trying to earn their way to God and depending upon their heritage instead of depending upon him. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:53.440 But we can't be too harsh on the Israelites of old because we do the exact same thing here today. 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:58.960 You know, we have this urge within us to earn right standing with God. 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:02.640 And it's absolutely nothing but our pride. 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:09.920 You know, deep down we want to be able to take credit, at least for some of our righteousness. 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:16.880 We want to look good, and we want to make people think that we're stronger than they are. 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:26.079 We want people to think that we're more intelligent than they are, that we're more informed than they are, or maybe that we're more compassionate than they are. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:31.759 We want people to believe that we have things together and we have things figured out. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:44.319 And I think oftentimes we want to be able to point to a decision that we've made, or a temptation that we've resisted and say, yeah, I did that. 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:48.240 I mean, it was all God, but you know, he couldn't have done it without me. 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:54.640 We have that temptation to want to take credit for the things that only God can do. 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:57.200 And look at how he ends verse 3. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:02.160 He says, They have not submitted to God's righteousness. 00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:08.480 You know, here in this theme of submission, we're seeing this theme of submission once again. 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:16.400 Two weeks ago, we talked about how God considered a true Israelite as one that was governed by God. 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:19.680 Somebody that was submitted to him. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:26.720 And here Paul is pointing out that the majority of Jews have not submitted to God's righteousness. 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:30.240 You know, this whole time, God just wanted their hearts. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:32.799 God wanted relationship with them. 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:40.640 He wanted their trust, he wanted their dependence upon him, and he gave them every reason to do those things. 00:19:40.880 --> 00:19:44.799 But they kept going on as if they could do it on their own. 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:50.480 Trying to obey the law, but not submitting to the lawgiver. 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:56.880 And if you read through the Old Testament, you'll see that that got them absolutely nowhere. 00:19:57.039 --> 00:20:03.359 They only proved over and over again that trying to obey the law was impossible. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:05.759 And that's really what this next section is about. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:07.279 Look at verse 4. 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:13.039 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:20.240 Now it says is the end of the law right here in this passage, meaning the fulfillment of the law. 00:20:20.480 --> 00:20:32.000 Jesus was the thing, or maybe I should say he was that person, or he was God that accomplished what the law was meant for, which is righteousness, as it says right here. 00:20:32.319 --> 00:20:34.079 He accomplished it. 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:36.000 He fulfilled it. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:38.720 He did what nobody else can do. 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:42.720 Now, with that understanding, look at verse 4 again. 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:49.039 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:59.359 You see, Jesus now provides that righteousness, his righteousness, to everyone who believes. 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:05.279 And believing, here's the word again, requires faith. 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:07.200 It's back to faith again. 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:13.039 And now true faith that leads to righteousness can only come through Jesus Christ. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:16.960 Romans 3.22, we already went through this a couple months ago. 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:21.359 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:24.240 And then we have 2 Corinthians 5.21. 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:33.759 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:40.160 Think of Christ as the fulfillment of the law like this. 00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:46.400 Jesus came, never broke a single law that God gave. 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:54.240 He accomplished perfect righteousness by upholding every law perfectly. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:56.559 And then he gave it to us. 00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:59.440 As if we had done it ourselves. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:06.480 And all we have to do is have faith, believe in Christ, and accept that free gift. 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:08.720 That's how easy he made it for us. 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:12.000 And he'll explain how that takes place in verse 9. 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:17.839 But first, Paul's going to compare and contrast the righteousness from the law and from faith. 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:19.680 So look at verse 5 with me. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:28.640 Since Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law, the one who does these things will live by them. 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:33.359 And what he's doing, he's quoting Leviticus 18, verse 5. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:42.880 And I think an easier way of understanding this verse is reading it the one who does these things, referring to the law, will find life through them. 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:47.920 But the problem is, as we've been talking about, no one can uphold the law. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:52.799 And therefore, no one can find life in the law. 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:58.799 Because no one can find life in their own self-righteousness. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:06.880 The bottom line here, you're not going to find righteousness through your effort of upholding the law. 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:18.160 Isaiah 64, 6 says, all of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment. 00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:25.839 Literally, our own righteousness, our self-righteousness is like menstrual cloths before God. 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:28.799 That's what God thinks of our own self-righteousness. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:34.000 He goes on in verse 6, but the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:43.839 That is to bring Christ up from the dead. 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:46.240 On the contrary, what does it say? 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:51.519 The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:56.160 If you're highlighting an underlining mouth and heart right there in that passage. 00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:08.559 Paul is quoting from Deuteronomy 9.4 and also from Deuteronomy 30, verses 12 through 14, where the whole idea is that no one can go up to heaven and grab a hold of righteousness and bring it down. 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:15.759 And no one can go down into the abyss, grab a hold of righteousness and bring Christ up from the dead on their own. 00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:19.279 Meaning this had to be done by God. 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:22.960 And that's why Jesus had to do it for us. 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:27.039 Because we had no way of doing those things on our own. 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:34.960 And note in verse 8 that it says, the message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:39.920 Again, take note of mouth and heart, leading in to the second half of verse 8. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:41.359 So 8b. 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:45.200 This is the message of faith that we proclaim. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:53.440 If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.839 This is the gospel. 00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:59.839 This is what is required of true faith. 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:11.599 And if we want a shot at having any righteousness, any shot at having an eternity that is secure in heaven, in perfect relationship with God. 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:14.559 That's what it takes. 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:21.359 You know, and at first glance, when you first look at this verse, you may think, this sounds too easy. 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:23.279 Confess and believe. 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:28.559 You know, is this really enough just to say it with my mouth and believe that he's God? 00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:31.359 Well, I want to throw a definition up for confess here. 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:32.960 This is from the Greek dictionary. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:35.519 It says, confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord. 00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:40.720 Now, the word confess, the definition is to say the same thing as another. 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:45.200 To agree with, assent to concede. 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:50.799 So to agree with and concede that Jesus is Lord. 00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:53.119 So you see, that's not just words. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:55.200 It's not just, yeah, I believe in God. 00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:58.079 He's somewhere far out there, but yeah, I believe in him. 00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:07.680 What this is saying is you're agreeing with the fact that Jesus is Lord, and agreeing that he is Lord over your life as well. 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:09.920 Because look at the definition for Lord. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:11.119 Let's put that up. 00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:19.599 The definition for Lord in the Greek He to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:29.200 Master, Lord, the possessor and disposer of a thing, the owner, one who has control of the person, the master. 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:35.440 And then in the state, so it's talking about government, the sovereign prince, chief, the Roman emperor. 00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:47.839 So you're confessing and agreeing and conceding that Jesus is your master, that he has deciding authority over you, and that you belong to him. 00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:53.680 You see how that confession just isn't a nonchalant phrase that we say? 00:26:53.920 --> 00:27:02.480 It's a complete submission to Jesus, an agreement that he is who he said he is, and he is who God said he is. 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:08.720 And notice that all of that that we're just talking about has to do with our mind, right? 00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:11.599 This agreement, this understanding. 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:14.319 But look at what the second part of the verse deals with. 00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:20.160 It says, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:22.960 Now we're talking about the belief. 00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:27.599 Now we're talking about the faith where the zeal comes in, the heart. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:39.440 Having that faith that God raised Jesus from the dead and believing it with all of your heart, without question, with the faith like Abraham had. 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:41.200 Because look at verse 10. 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:50.400 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:57.759 So believing in your heart, just as Abraham did, still results in righteousness, as it always has with God. 00:27:57.920 --> 00:28:01.200 And we saw that through the story of Abraham a few weeks back. 00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:05.599 Confessing with your mouth, you know, that's relating to the head. 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:08.000 That's what results in salvation. 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:14.000 You see, it's all about belief, the head, and trust, the heart. 00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:25.119 You know, the simplest way that I think I can put it is it's a life of abiding in Christ and humbly submitting to God. 00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:30.880 That's what it means to confess with your mouth and believe in your heart. 00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:38.720 So it's not just something that we can fleetingly say, this has a lot more to do with how we're living our life. 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:42.000 Verse 11. 00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:48.799 For the scripture says, everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame. 00:28:49.119 --> 00:28:55.359 Remember, there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:57.039 Verse 12. 00:28:57.359 --> 00:29:06.240 Since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:11.519 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:16.319 Chapters 1 through 8 of Romans can be summarized, I think, in verse 12 here. 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:20.799 Reiterating that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:25.920 And we've talked a lot about that so far over the weeks and weeks that we've been in Romans. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:33.599 But he's reminding the Roman church, Paul is, that God is the Lord of all who call on him. 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:36.240 Think on that for a second. 00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:40.559 He is the Lord of all who call on him. 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:43.200 You might be thinking, wait, wait, wait, wait. 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:48.319 What about Romans chapter 8, verses 29 and 30 that we just went over a couple weeks ago? 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:50.640 And I'll read that to you just to jog your memory. 00:29:50.720 --> 00:30:00.400 It says, For those he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:03.440 And those he predestined, he also called. 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:08.559 And those he called, he also justified, and those he justified, he also glorified. 00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:13.680 And you might be thinking, you know, but right here it says, all those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:16.160 Wait, I thought God called. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:20.720 You know, but Paul, now you're telling me that it's about me calling his name? 00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:21.920 Which is it, Paul? 00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:25.680 I think if we asked Paul that question, he would just say, yes. 00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:28.319 It's both. 00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:33.759 God doesn't call and then force us into something that we don't want to be a part of. 00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:39.839 He calls and he lets us choose if we want to call on his name as well. 00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:43.680 Think of his calling on Israel. 00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:46.400 You know, we talked so much about this already in Romans. 00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:55.279 And track with me here, because it, you know, it could get a little complicated, but he called a nation in which to reveal himself through. 00:30:55.839 --> 00:31:01.920 And yet he only considered Israelites those whose faith was in him. 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:06.799 That's what chapter 9 was about, specifically 9.6. 00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:11.759 Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:13.359 That's what he's talking about. 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:20.319 And remember, as we've already talked about, chapters 9 through 11, it's just all this one consistent flow of thought. 00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:24.079 And Paul just said those words in chapter 9. 00:31:24.799 --> 00:31:27.200 And it's all being tied together here. 00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:29.279 Yes, God calls us. 00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:34.480 But chapter 10 is about our response to that call. 00:31:34.880 --> 00:31:38.720 Believing and confessing and calling on the name of the Lord. 00:31:38.960 --> 00:31:53.200 This chapter is about the personal responsibility of each individual, whether Jew or Greek, to accept that call and then in turn call on the name of the Lord for yourself. 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:59.839 If you have not accepted that call, God's calling you right now. 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:05.279 And all you have to do is call on his name to accept that. 00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:15.440 To confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord of your life, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved. 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:20.799 For all of eternity, in paradise, in perfect relationship with God. 00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:29.279 We need to realize, I believe, as followers of Christ, that we cannot bring God any righteousness. 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:37.279 It doesn't matter what we've done or where we've come from, good or bad, it doesn't matter before God. 00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:41.359 We cannot bring him any righteousness. 00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:45.279 So it doesn't matter what you've done. 00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:50.640 And today, if you've never called on the name of the Lord, I want to invite you to do that. 00:32:50.960 --> 00:33:05.759 To confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and master over your life, and to believe in your heart with the faith of Abraham that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved here this morning. 00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:10.000 Jesus really could not have made it any easier for us. 00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:22.960 He died a torturous death, but he made it so incredibly easy for us to accept that gift of salvation, to accept the righteousness that he's so freely offering each one of us. 00:33:23.039 --> 00:33:25.200 So if that is you, I'm going to pray a prayer. 00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:26.640 Just repeat it. 00:33:27.359 --> 00:33:31.279 Confessing with your mouth and believing your heart that he is Jesus Christ. 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:34.000 Lord, I am a sinner. 00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:36.240 I've fallen short. 00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:40.720 I've tried to do things on my own for way too long. 00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:44.799 And I realize that I can do nothing without you. 00:33:45.119 --> 00:33:50.880 I realize that I am a horrible master of myself, my own world. 00:33:51.039 --> 00:33:55.359 And I ask, Jesus, that you would be the master of my life. 00:33:56.000 --> 00:34:01.920 And I believe in you with all of my heart, with all of my mind, with all of my soul and all of my strength. 00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:05.680 Would you come and take the throne of my life? 00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:14.480 And for all of us, Lord, I pray that you would help us to submit to you more each day. 00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:23.519 Lord, that we wouldn't become top-heavy with head knowledge, but but not have compassion towards our neighbor. 00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:30.559 And I pray that, Lord, we wouldn't become so compassionate that we put your word down and don't match that with knowledge. 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:40.000 Lord, help us to grow in a balanced way where our compassions are growing for your people, for those that are lost. 00:34:40.239 --> 00:34:43.599 Lord, but our knowledge of you is growing as well. 00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:46.800 We don't want just head knowledge, we want heart knowledge as well. 00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:51.840 Lord, help us to become more like Jesus on a daily basis, we pray. 00:34:52.639 --> 00:35:03.679 Help us to be wonderful disciples that are growing to be more like you and teaching others to be more like you as well. 00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:10.880 Again, Lord, we thank you for your work to chisel away at us for all of the things that you want to chip away from our life. 00:35:11.119 --> 00:35:14.719 Help us to become more humbly submitted to you. 00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:17.679 Teach us how to love you and to love others well. 00:35:17.840 --> 00:35:18.400 We pray. 00:35:18.639 --> 00:35:19.760 In Jesus' name. 00:35:20.000 --> 00:35:20.639 Amen.