SPECIAL DAYS: First Sunday in Lent

LESSON(S): Romans 10.8-13 (Luke 4.1-13)

SERMON TITLE: By the Word

INTRODUCTION:

1. The man came sliding, almost falling, down the hillside. The crowd of witnesses that had gathered parted to let him pass. With his momentum, he did not stop at the river's edge. He stopped beside the preacher quivering like a willow in the wind. You could see that he was drunk, lost and confused. This did not stop the preacher. He took the man by the back of his shirt and dunked him under the water. After a brief time he raised him up and asked, "Did you see Jesus down there?" The man confused did not know what was being aid or how to answer. The preacher took him by the back of the shirt and dunked him a second time, letting him stay under the water a little longer. When he finally raised the man he asked again,"Did you see Jesus down there?" The man, a bit sober, sputtering and gasping for air still did not fully realize what was happening to him. In response to his silence the preacher dunked him again, leaving him under the water for a long time. then the preacher finally raised him up to daylight and air, he asked a third time, "Did you see Jesus down there?" The man now nearly sober looked at the preacher with a confused expression on his faced and gasped, "Are you sure you lost him down there?"
   

2. We have a need to see Jesus.?

1. An old chorus

1. You probably know the words.
   

   In the morning I see his face,
   In the evening his form I trace
   In the darkness, his voice I know
   I see Jesus everywhere I go.

2. If I can see God in Jesus in everyone, then I will not be like some of whom Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote in Aurora Leigh, bk VII, I, 820,
    

   The whole strong clamour of a vehement soul
   Doth utter itself distinct. Earth's crammed with heaven,
   And every common bush afire with God:
   But only he who sees, takes off his shoes,
   The rest sit round it, and pluck blackberries,
   And daub their natural faces unaware
   More and more, from the first similitude (likeness).

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3. We can see Jesus.

This is why Paul writes the way he does in Romans 10:8-13, (NRSV).

¹Brothers and sisters, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. ²I can testify that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. ³For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted to God's righteousness.

1. They do not see.

2. In their blindness they attempt to do for themselves what they cannot do.

4For Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. ⁵Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that "the person who does these things will live by them."

1. Righteousness is right standing with God which is through Christ now available to everyone.

2. You cannot become righteous through law.

6But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷"or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

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1. The righteousness that comes by faith.

1. Believes what God says

2. Accepts what God offers

3. Does what God asks

2. It is the righteousness that comes by the law that seeks to manipulate Jesus.

8But what does it say?

1. What does the Word say.


"The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

2. To confess is not a public display where one makes an emotional profession of an acceptance of Jesus.

1. This is not similar to Paul's Damascus experience, although it can be.

2. It is described as something else altogether.

3. In the biblical language to confess: means to assent, that is, covenant, acknowledge:--con- (pro-) fess, confession is made, give thanks, promise.

1. To accept

2. To covenant

3. To promise


¹⁰For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. ¹¹The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

1. No one who believe in him will be put to shame.

12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. ¹³For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

1. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

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1. We call on the name of the Lord because he was the one who obtained the victory.
   
   Luke 4:1-13 (NRSVA)

   ¹Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, ²where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. ³The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread." ⁴Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'"

   1. To Jesus the word was near.

   2. The word was on his lips.

   3. He was successful in overcoming temptation because he knew the word.

   4. "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word which comes from the mouth of God,'" (Matthew 4.4).
      

   ⁵Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. ⁶And the devil said to him, "To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. ⁷If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." ⁸Jesus answered him, "It is written,

'Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.'"

1. Again, to Jesus the word was near.

2. The word was on his lips.

3. He was successful in overcoming temptation because he knew the word.

4. Again: "It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'"

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⁹Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, ¹⁰for it is written,

'He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,'

¹¹and

'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'"

¹²Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" ¹³When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Again, to Jesus the word was near. The word was on his lips. He was successful in overcoming temptation because he knew the word. Again: "It is said, (It is written) 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

1. Jesus did not fail

2. Jesus did not fail because he applied the word.

CONCLUSION:

1. A few days ago I was standing with Jerry (not his real name) at the time of the death of his wife.

1. Jerry is filled with grief and feeling a bit guilty.

1. He is not a church-goer, except at Christmas, and his children's confirmation.

2. I am attempting to help him understand that God loves him, unconditionally.

3. God looks at the inner person, at the heart, not on the exterior.

4. Jerry is a person who has faith.

5. He loves his wife and children and God, in his won way.

6. I cannot sit in judgement on his spiritual fitness before God.

2. I can only tell him that God does not keep score.

1. God loves us

2. God seeks to care for us.

2. What will God do for us and in us.

1. The word is near you.

2. The word is near you on your lips and in your heart.

3. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

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