David Heath-Whyte
NB: This is what I intended to say, for the genuine article, listen to the audio version
Righteousness
looking for Righteousness?
What do you think people are looking for?
Do you think they are looking for "Righteousness"?
Not self-righteousness, but biblical Righteousness: behaving in a way that is right and just and true - behaving how God wants and approves of?
It's not in the top ten of desirable qualities, is it?
People don't want to be Righteous.
What are people looking for?
People want life to be better;
things to go how they want;
to be able to enjoy themselves, without feeling guilty or responsible.
Most people, from day to day, simply aren't bothered about being 'right with God.'But: look how often the word turns up in our passage today! Our Good News about Jesus, is all about Righteousness.
What are we going to do?!
Romans 9-11
Remember that our big question for chapters 9-11 of Romans is: "Why don't my friends believe in Jesus?"
And it comes from Paul's question in these chapters.
Paul wrote this book as a letter to the believers in Rome: he wanted to encourage them, and get their help to go onwards to Spain and share the Gospel there. The "Gospel" is the message that we can trust in Jesus to put us right with God - explained brilliantly in chapters 1-8, and leading to the obvious question for Paul: "How come my people, the Jews, don't believe in Jesus?"
Last week in chapter 9 we saw that God had not failed: no, our Lord God is in-control and merciful. And so, while we weep over the tragedy of our friends not turning to Jesus, we rejoice that he has had mercy on us, and we persevere in prayer and evangelism.
This week, in chapter 10, we're going to see that the Israelites rejected Jesus because of what they thought about Righteousness. And as we look at what people think about Righteousness, we're going to see things that might be happening in our friends' hearts - or maybe even in our own hearts - in response to the message of Jesus: and that will help us to know what to do.
Anti-semitic?
Before we dive in, we do just need to ask: "Is what we're reading here anti-semitic?"
It would be if it was intended to inspire hatred of the Jews. But instead Paul is speaking some 'Home Truths' here: Paul is a Jew. And what's more, he loves his people - look at 10:1 "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved."
Paul had put a huge effort into trying to help his people see that Jesus was their Messiah - everywhere he went he would go to the synagogue and explain. And he knew first-hand how often they rejected the Good News. And he wasn't surprised, because this is what the Jewish Scripture, our Old Testament, said would happen. This chapter is full of OT verses - verses that proclaim faith in the Messiah, verses that challenge the disbelief of Abraham's descendants.
It's not anti-semitic: Paul loves his people, and wants the best for them: faith in Jesus.
And don't we want the best for our friends, too?
So lets see what God is teaching us here: What do they think about Righteousness? What's happening in their hearts?
perhaps they're not looking for Righteousness,
perhaps they're pursuing works to achieve Righteousness,
perhaps they've not understood Righteousness by faith in Jesus,
perhaps they've not heard the Gospel of Righteousness,
or perhaps they're simply stubborn and disobedient.
Not Looking
First of all - perhaps they're not looking for Righteousness.
Well, in that case, we have something great to offer: a Righteousness that actually fulfils what they are looking for.
Have a look at 9:30 "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it."
Paul sums up the historical results of God's Sovereign Mercy - and it's topsy-turvy: the non-Jews of the 1st Century were just like the non-Jews of today: they weren't looking for Righteousness. They probably wanted a better life, things to go just how they wanted, and to enjoy themselves without hassle. They certainly weren't looking for Righteousness.
But many of them got it - "Righteousness that is by faith": everywhere Paul went, he explained to people how Jesus was actually just-what-they-were-looking for, and many Gentiles turned, from their pagan or multi-faith existence, to faith in Jesus as their Lord and Risen Saviour.
Why would someone who is not looking for Righteousness, turn to Jesus?
Well why are people looking for a better life? why do people just want to enjoy themselves without hassle? Because life is hard - and life is hard (as chapters 1-2 of Romans explain) because we've turned away from God. And that's disastrous because he's the creator, and his way works; and because he's the judge who responds to our disobedience by making this world a frustrating place to live in.
Life is hard because of our sin, and God's judgement on it.
So what's the solution? A weekend golfing break, or a day at a health farm - that'll make me feel better!
But not for long: The solution is Righteousness by faith in Jesus. When he died on the cross, he took on himself God's judgement for your sin and my sin, and so he can give us the "not-guilty" verdict, before God: Righteousness. And because of his great generosity and love, he says we can have that, just by believing in him, with our lives: faith. The solution is Righteousness by faith in Jesus.
And that transforms our lives: when we put our lives in Jesus' hands, Life is better (in ways we'd never imagined); we're no longer bothered about things going our way - we want things to go God's way; and God the Holy Spirit gets to work in us, helping us to find joy in what God wants.
Perhaps our friends aren't looking for Righteousness? Then they are ideal candidates, and we have something great to offer them.
Pursuing Works
Or maybe our friends have rejected Jesus because they're pursuing works to make them Righteous.
Some people are bothered about being right with God - and they are determined to achieve this by how they live, and by their religious activities.
They're pursuing works to achieve Righteousness. And if that's the case, then we can offer them incredible freedom with Jesus.
In chapter 9:31 to 10:5, Paul explains that the Israelites were pursuing righteousness by works.
But they didn't get Righteousness: v.32 "Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling-stone"."
The "stumbling stone" comes from two verses in the OT prophet Isaiah. God himself is the stone: and if they trust in him he'll be a refuge for them, but if they think they can do it themselves, he'll be a stumbling stone
And Jesus is this stone to the Israelites.
10 verse 1: if only they would be saved - v.2 they really want to serve God, but they don't know the Gospel - so v.3 they try to do it their way, and not God's - by keeping the law. But, v.4 the whole point of the law is to point to Jesus: He alone completes it, and so he can bring righteousness to people by faith.
The Israelites were trying to get Righteousness by keeping God's law - v.5 "Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them."
If you keep God's law, completely, you will live.
This is biblical truth: if we don't break any of God's laws, he won't condemn us.
Well I've got a list here, of all the people, in the whole of human history who have kept God's law completely. These are all the people who are righteous by works, by the law.
See if your name is on the list: Here we go: "Jesus of Nazereth"
It's a short list, isn't it?
That's the list of all the people in the whole of human history who have kept God's law.
I wonder if you watched "Strictly Dance Fever" - reality TV about people wanting to be professional dancers. There are some people you can tell straight away are never going to make it - they're never going to be good enough, no matter how hard they try.
And that's what we're like, all of us, when it comes to being Righteous by our works: we don't make the grade.
If you think that you can do what you need to be right with God - by how you live, and what church services (or whatever) you go to - then you are on a treadmill that enslaves you, leaves you constantly feeling inadequate, and will lead you to death.
Perhaps you are pursuing works. Perhaps you're here today in the hope that it'll give you one more good mark in God's book. give it up! Get off the treadmill, and turn to Jesus. He has died for your failure-to-be-good-enough. You don't have to earn anything.
Perhaps your friends are pursuing works - well we have freedom to offer them.
Not Understood
Perhaps our friends aren't looking for Righteousness, or perhaps they're pursuing it by works, or maybe they haven't understood Righteousness by faith.
If our friends haven't understood Righteousness by faith, then we've got something straightforward to offer.
In verses 6 to 13 Paul explains Righteousness by faith, showing that it comes from the OT Scriptures - it's always been God's way.
He starts by quoting Moses again, from the book of Deuteronomy: Moses had given people God's law - and so he said to them: you don't have to go up to heaven to find it, or down to the depths - no, it's here, in your hearts. He was calling them to trust God, to believe what he said, and to obey him because of that. He was calling them to faith - faith that acts.
Paul applies these words to the Gospel - you don't have to go to heaven to get Christ down - he's come already. You don't have to go to the depths to bring Christ up - he's raised from death. Yes the Word is near you: it's the Gospel.
And what is the Gospel? v.9 That 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.
That's it? Yes - believe: believe that Jesus is the one who's come down from Heaven, he's the Lord. Believe that he has died for sin and been raised from the depths of death as the Living Saviour. Believe what God has made known to you about Jesus - believe it in your heart, so that it's part of your very being, and confess it with your mouth so that people know what you believe.
"oh, but faith is such a private matter" - not when it's faith in Jesus it isn't: we're called to confess publicly: "Jesus is Lord"
And: "you will be saved". You will have God's righteousness, instead of your own guilt. You will be justified, declared not-guilty, through what Jesus has done for you.
v.11 Paul goes back to that quote from Isaiah - Jesus may be a stumbling block to some, but "As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.""
It doesn't matter if you're a Jew, or not: v.12 "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile -- the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.""
This is life for those who aren't looking for Righteousness; and freedom for those struggling with works.
And if our friends haven't understood Jesus, then we've got something straightforward to offer, haven't we?
The Gospel is straightforward: trust in what God has done, not in what you can do.
What has God done? made it possible for you to be righteous, when you're not.
How? by Jesus coming down from heaven, dying on the cross, and being raised from death again. Believe in Him.It's simple, isn't it?
Not heard.
But perhaps our friends haven't heard the Gospel?
Then we've got to tell them.
In v.14-15 Paul gives us the ruthless logic of why he loves to share the Gospel.
It's all very well living a good life and hoping people will realise it's because you're a Christian. But let me ask you, v.14:
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? (they can't)
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? (impossible)
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? (true!)
15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? (off you go - I'll send you!)
As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
It's great, in God's eyes, to be the messenger of the Gospel.
We do need to be living Christ-centred lives, because Jesus Christ is central to us - and because we want people to see the difference Jesus makes.
But think about this: where do people think we think Righteousness comes from?
Suppose I work in a shop, and people know I go to church, and I'm a jolly nice person, helping all sorts of people, never lying and so on. Where will people think I think my Righteousness comes from?
Me. They'll think I'm righteous because I do good. They'll think I'm righteous by works.
They'll think: you've got to be good for God to accept you.
So how do we get them to understand that we're living like that because Jesus has saved us, and not so that Jesus will save us?
...
In the Autumn we're going to have another central midweek series looking at just how we can speak about Jesus to people. If you're not sure how to do it, or if you find it difficult - it's probably going to be Wednesday evenings in September.
Perhaps our friends haven't heard - then we've got to tell them about Jesus, somehow.
Stubborn
There's one last possibility mentioned here: Why don't our friends believe in Jesus? v.16-21: maybe they're just stubborn.
Paul explains that this is the Israelite's problem - just as God says in their Scriptures.
v.16: We've heard the good news - but "Not all the Israelites accepted the good news."
v.18 perhaps they haven't all heard? No - Paul himself has made sure that many have.
v.19 Perhaps they didn't understand? No - even those without understanding (that is, Gentiles) have come to faith.
v.21 God says in Isaiah: "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people."
And that is a fair description of the history of Israel in the OT: God was always faithful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love - but his people wandered and strayed from him all the time.
And God is still the same today - merciful, loving and patient: towards people we know who don't seem to want to know.
And if God keeps holding out his hands towards people - who are we to think we can stop?
Why?
I wonder what your friends are thinking? I wonder what you're thinking?
Chapter 10 says what matters is how we respond to God's message about Jesus, the gospel: v. 9 "That 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."
Perhaps our friends aren't looking for Righteousness?
then they're prime candidates - we've got life to offer themPerhaps they're pursuing Righteousness by works?
then we've got freedom to offer, through Jesus.Perhaps they've not understood Righteousness by faith?
then we've got something straightforward to explain.Perhaps they've not heard the Gospel?
then we've got to make it heard.Perhaps they're just stubborn
then we've got to trust our merciful, loving and patient Lord and Saviour - and keep holding out the wonderful Gospel of Jesus.