Coming Up: Sonday June 8 2014
Romans 3:21-31. Justification By Faith
Read Romans 3:21
Picture yourself standing in the dock in a court of law as the judge reads out his verdict. He lists the crimes levied against you and then, as the gavel slams down, he declares, ‘Guilty as charged!’ This is the situation each person in the
But our first thoughts in this scenario may be that we are more often than no ‘good people’. Sure we may have told the occasional lie or stolen the occasional thing from work, or maybe even had the occasional fling behind our partner’s back but we’ve never done anything really bad or wrong. In Romans 1-3 Paul has gone to great lengths to show that everyone, you and I included, are guilty before God. God requires absolute perfection and none of us is absolutely perfect!
Notice how verse 21 of Romans 3 begins. It starts with a BUT. The but contrasts everything that has been proven true in chapters 1-3. We are guilty before BUT… This but serves to introduce the good news to guilty sinners.
The Good News from God is that He has provided us with a righteousness that comes not from the law but from Himself as a gift. Let’s go back to the court room for a moment. After the judge has slammed down the gavel and the guilty verdict, he pauses before stating to you, ‘But there is someone here who has volunteered to pay your fine and to do your time for you’. As you stand there knowing your guilt and feeling the shame of your guilt, you have this good news placed in front of you.
Before we look at what to do with that good news, we are told that the law and the prophets have been telling us about the good news for centuries. When Paul uses the word “law” he could be referring to Bible books Genesis - Deuteronomy, or to God’s standard or to His righteous ways. He could even be using the phrase ‘the Law and the Prophets’ to refer to the entire Old Testament. Either way we are told that the Law which made us aware of our guilt and condemned us has been pointing forward to the good news since its inception.
The good news is that God has brought forward a way to deal with our guilt and shame. He has provided a way to deal justly with our sin? Before we consider the details of that good news tomorrow, put yourself in the court room again and ask yourself if you are willing to accept the judge’s offer? Will you accept the offer of someone willing to pay the fine and to do the time on your behalf? If you willingly say ‘Yes’ then you are beginning to understand the good news that God is talking about in Romans 3.
Prayer:
Given today’s reading jot down your own prayer points:
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks
Supplication:
¥ As you think of the missionaries and mission organisations your church supports, pray for their gospel work and that God would supply all their needs.
¥ .As you think of your own church’s ministries and outreaches pray that God would bless them and allow them to bear much fruit. Pray about your involvement in these.
A life of worship begins when we are willing to plead guilty before the Great and Mighty Judge and to freely accept the offer of the good news He gives us.
Discussion Questions For Families and Groups
1. If someone were to ask you what is meant by ’The Good News’ they’ve heard Christians talk about, what would you say?
2. What are the essential elements when sharing the good news with someone?
Discipleship Moment For Girls
Intro: Guilt is when we feel bad about something, maybe something we’ve said or done that we shouldn’t have.
There is good guilt and bad guilt. Good guilt drives us to seek God’s (and the other person’s) forgiveness. Bad guilt stays with us and makes us feel bad constantly.
Share: if possible, examples of good and bad guilt from your own life.
Read: Hebrews 10:22. 1 John 1:9
What should we do as soon as we feel guilty in our hearts?
If guilt arises again about the issue above, what should we do?
What role do you think adoration and praise plays in removing bad guilt?
Pray: for any bad guilt remaining in your heart to be removed.
Intro: Boys seem to be very good at doing dumb things. But when we’ve done these dumb things we often feel guilty. There is good guilt and bad guilt. Good guilt drives us to seek God’s (and the other person’s) forgiveness. Bad guilt stays with us and makes us feel bad constantly.
Share: some of the dumb things you’ve done and how you felt afterwards.
Read: Hebrews 10:22. 1 John 1:9
What should we do as soon as we feel guilty in our hearts?
If guilt arises again about the issue above, what should we do?
What role do you think adoration and praise plays in removing bad guilt?
Pray: for any bad guilt remaining in your heart to be removed.
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