Sunday Recap for 050519 – Big Idea: Motivation and Your Relationship with God

Sunday Recap for 050519 – Big Idea: Motivation and Your Relationship with God

motivation word handwritten on chalkboard with heart symbol instead of O

Sunday, May 5, 2019, Evident Grace Fellowship looked at Romans 4.1-12: 

 

Romans 4. What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

 

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;

 

8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” 9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

 

From those verses, we pursued this Big Idea and points:

 

Big Idea:  Motivation and a Relationship with God

 

What do you gain?

How are you blessed?

How do you bless others?

 

What do you gain?

 

Romans 4. What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

 

Did Abraham have a relationship with God because he obeyed?  Paul says no.  Abraham believed the promises of God, and God counted that faith as righteousness.  We don’t gain status before God by our obedience.  We have a relationship with God by faith, and because of what Jesus has done, our faith is counted as goodness.

 

How are you blessed?

 

6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

 

Romans wants to emphasize that this message has been consistent throughout the whole Bible so he quotes David.  David emphasizes the blessings of salvation by faith in past, present, and future.  Your deeds of the past are forgiven.  You live presently with your sins covered.  Going forward, God is not going to count your sin against you.

 

How do you bless others?

 

9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

 

But these blessings are not just for us.  They are for others as well.  Abraham was not just the father of the circumcised but also for the uncircumcised.  This is because Abraham believed before obeying.  So, as we believe, God intends for us to bless others who do not know God yet as well.

 

Big Idea:  Motivation and a Relationship with God

 

What do you gain?

How are you blessed?

How do you bless others?

 

Truth:  We are blessed because our sins are forgiven AND covered by the work of Jesus Christ.

 

Application:  Live knowing that God intends for you to honor Him, bless other Christians, and evangelize non-Christians as you grow in depth and knowledge of your relationship with Jesus.

 

Action: Practice this affirmation:

I am forgiven.

I am a blessing to other Christians.

I am the voice of hope to non-Christians.

 

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