Would you turn with me to Romans
chapter three? Tonight, we're going to observe the Lord's table
together. And I'm going to be preaching from Luke chapter nine,
where the Lord said, follow me. And that's what I want to try
to deal with this thing of following the Lord, Jesus Christ. I hope you'll pray for me that
the Lord will enable me to preach the gospel this morning. And
I hope you'll pray for yourselves that the Lord will give me and
you both the grace to hear the gospel. That'd be a blessing,
wouldn't it? I've entitled this message, God,
Judge or Judged? God, Judge or Judged? Now this is not a generalization
when I say that there are only two kinds of people in this world,
those who judge God and those who justify God. Those who are God's critics and
those who worship God. You and I, Right now, present
tense fall into one of those two groups. Somebody who sits
in judgment upon God or someone who stands before him as the
judge. As soon as Adam fell, he became
God's critic. It's almost humorous. He said,
the woman that you gave me. He's blaming God, isn't he? The
woman that you gave me, she gave me of the fruit and I did eat.
The obvious implication, if you had not given me this woman,
this would have never happened. You set me up for failure. I'm a victim. This is not my
fault. If you wouldn't have given me
this woman, this would have never happened. Thus, Adam became God's
judge. And this is what every natural
man does until God saves him. And then he becomes one who justifies
God. Look in Romans chapter three,
verse four, This is Paul quoting Psalm 51. God forbid, yea, let
God be true, but every man a liar as it's written that thou mightest
be justified in thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art
judged, when a natural man judges you. Now in this epistle to the
Romans, Paul had been talking about people without a Bible,
without a revelation from God, the Gentiles. They had no copy
of the Bible. And he talked about those people
with a Bible, the Jews, and actually these people with a Bible had
accrued to themselves greater guilt than the people without
a Bible because they sinned against greater light. Look in Romans
chapter two, verse 21. Thou therefore, speaking to the
Jews that had the form and knowledge of the law, the truth of the
law in verse 20. Thou therefore, which teaches
to another, teaches thou not thyself? Thou that preaches to
man should not steal. Does thou steal? Thou that says
to man should not commit adultery. Does thou commit adultery? Thou
that abhors idols. Does thou commit sacrilege? Thou
that makest thy boast of the law through breaking the law
dishonorous thou God. Actually, they accrued more guilt
to themselves than the people without a Bible because they
sinned against greater light. Now, Paul asked this question,
Romans chapter three, verse one, what advantage then hath the
Jew? He's got a Bible, but he's got more guilt because of greater
light. What advantage hath the Jew?
And what profit is there in circumcision? And he answers that question
in verse two, much every way chiefly because unto them were
committed the oracles of God, the word of God, the divine utterance. I want to hear a word from God,
don't you? I don't want to hear a word from man. I want to hear
a word from God. Now, God makes himself known
in this book. Now, there are a lot of things
we can know about God without this book. Did you know that?
There's things we can know about God. We don't need a Bible. Creation
speaks much. Look in Romans chapter one, verse
20. Verse 19 actually, because that
which may be known of God is manifest in them for God showed
it to them. For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead
so that they are without excuse. Now creation, we have this beautiful
day. If it's a rainy day, it doesn't
make any difference. Creation tells us somebody made all this. And he was before any of this. He's eternal. And he is almighty,
what power it took to create the universe. Now, everybody
knows what I'm saying. Somebody says, what about atheists?
Well, they might have began atheists, or I mean, they might be atheists
now, but they didn't begin atheists. That's where they just turn the
lights off and don't like what they've learned. But everybody
knows truly that God is, he was before any of this, his eternal
power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Now we can
know some things about God. But we will not know God apart
from this book. You see, will the light of nature
answer this question? Will God forgive sin? Will God
save sinners? Will God be merciful? Will God
be gracious? We cannot know those things apart
from this book called the Bible. God is not known apart from this
book. So unto the Jews, there were great privileges. because
under they were committed the oracles of God. And this book
is given to tell us who God is in all of his most glorious and
excellent attributes. In this book, we learn of the
nature of God, of the person of God, not just simply things
about him, but who he is. We find out in this book that
he's immutable. that he never changes. I am the
Lord. I change not. Therefore ye sons
of Jacob are not consumed. We learn of his infinity. He never began to be, and he'll
never end. We learn of his omnipresence.
You know, you can't go anywhere where God's not there because
he's everywhere. We learn of his omnipotence.
He's got the power to do whatever he's pleased to do. Is anything
too hard for the Lord? We learn of his omniscience.
I love this. You know, he can't learn anything
because he knows everything. We learn of his wisdom. God only
wise. We learn of His sovereignty.
That's who He is. To say God is sovereign is to
say God is God. That means He controls everything and everybody
and me and you are in His hands. Even the thoughts that are going
through our mind right now, He's in control of. He's supreme. He's sovereign. He has a will.
He has the power to make sure His will comes to pass. And He
always does make sure His will comes to pass. In this book,
we find the love of God, the mercy of God. The grace of God. The long-suffering of God. The goodness of God. The anger of God. The wrath of God. The hatred of God. The joy of God. The holiness of God. justice and the righteousness
of God. The veracity, the truth of God,
his faithfulness, his independence. I love that scripture. If I was
hungry, I wouldn't tell you. The cattle on a thousand hills
are mine. The blessedness of God, the blessed
one who is God over all, blessed forever. What a blessing to have
the oracles of God, which tell us who he is and how he saves
sinners. What advantage hath the Jew?
Much in every way, because unto them were committed the oracles
of God. Now let's go back to Romans chapter
three, verse three. For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the
faith of God without effect? You know, the majority of the
Jews in the Old Testament times who had the law committed to
them on Mount Sinai, they were given the oracles of God. The
majority did not believe. How many of those Israelites
entered the promised land who were over 20 years old. Anybody
know? Two. Out of all those, perhaps millions,
only two entered the promised land. Joshua and Caleb. The rest could not enter in because
of unbelief. Now, Paul asked this question,
shall their unbelief and their inability to enter into the promised
land render God's faithfulness to his promises of non-effect? ineffective and unfulfilled.
Now hear his answer. Verse four, God forbid. Now this is one of 10 times in
this book, Paul uses this phrase, God forbid perish the thought. Let's look at him real carefully
in chapter in verse six or verse five, He says, if our unrighteousness
can mean the righteousness of God, what should we say? Is God
unrighteous and takes vengeance? If, if my unrighteousness serves
as a backdrop to show God's righteousness and holiness in the punishment
of my sin, would that mean God would be wrong for punishing
me? God forbid. Look in chapter three, verse
31. Do we make them void the law
through faith that we just set aside the law? God forbid. Yay. We established the law. Look in chapter six, verse one. What should we say
then? Shall we continue in sin? that grace may abound. Now, this is a reference to what
he said in verse 20 of chapter 5. Moreover, the law entered
that the offense might abound, might overflow. But where sin
abounded, you find me a place where sin abounds. Grace did
much more abound that as sin hath reigned unto death, even
so might grace reign through righteousness. unto eternal life
by Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, what should we say then?
Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid
that we would think such a thought. Look in verse 14 of the same
chapter. Here we have the promise for sin shall not have dominion
over you for you're not under the law. But under grace, I can't
tell you how many times I want to use that with the Lord. Lord,
you promised in your word, sin shall not have dominion over
me. You promised that, not me. And here's the promise. Here's
the reason why. You're not under the law, but under grace. Lord,
I ask by your grace that sin might not have dominion over
me. You made this promise. And that's what every believer
does now. What's the response? What then? Verse 15. What then?
Shall we sin? Because we're not under the law,
but under grace. Since we're under grace and we'll have to
give an account for ourself, for our sin. Shall we sin? Because
we're not under the law, but under grace. God forbid. Perish the thought of such wickedness. Look in chapter 7. Verse 7. What should we say then? Is the
law sin? I mean, the law exposes our sinfulness
and shows us how bad we are. Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I'd not known sin, but by
the law, for I'd not known lust, except the law had said thou
shalt not covet. Verse 13 of the same chapter.
What was then that which is good made death unto me? Talking about
the law. Is it the cause of my death? God forbid. But seeing
that it might appear sin works death in me by that which is
good. that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. Look in Romans chapter nine. This is when Paul was teaching
divine election, beginning in verse 11 for the children being
not yet born, talking about Jacob and Esau, neither having done
any good or evil that the purpose of God, according to election
might stand not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said
unto her, the elder shall serve the younger as it's written.
Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. Oh, what should
we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Is God unfair in loving
Jacob and hating Esau? God forbid. Paul says, God forbid
that we would ever chart God with unfairness. Look in chapter
11, verse one. I say then, has God cast away
his people? God forbid. God never casts away
his people, for I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham,
of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away his people,
which he foreknew. Look in verse 11. I say then, have they stumbled
that they should fall? Did God create them simply to
damn them? God forbid, but rather through
their fall. Salvation is come to the Gentiles,
for to provoke them to jealousy. God always brings good out of
evil. Now go back to our text in Romans
chapter three. Now, what if verse three, what
if son did not believe, show their unbelief, make the faith
of God without effect and meaningless. God forbid. I love the way Paul
says this. Yay. Let God be true, but every
man, a liar. God's true in the reality of
his being. And this includes the truth and
reality of all his perfections that I've just mentioned. This
is true of each person of the Godhead. Let God be true and
every man a liar. Can you say amen to that from
the depths of your heart? Let God be true and every man
a liar. Now listen to this, just because
somebody doesn't believe that in no way nullifies what God
has said. Would you disbelieve God's word
simply because somebody else doesn't believe it? Did God fail
to keep his promise because some did not believe? Will God be
unfaithful to his son, though some do not believe? Listen,
all Christ died for will be saved. All God's promises are kept. And you know, in the preaching
of the gospel, we don't beg sinners to accept him so he can have
his way. Not at all. We call on them to
sue for mercy. Will God alter his truth if some
do not believe? No. What if nobody believes? Let God be true and every man
a liar. You see, we're on the Lord's
side. You know, the majority never
has been in the right, have they? I'm not worried about being in
the majority. And by his grace, we're willing to believe even
if we do so alone. Now look what he says in verse
four. He says, God forbid, yea, let God be true in every man
a liar as it is written that thou mightest be justified in
thy sayings and mightest overcome when thou art judged. Now, Paul appeals to this scripture
in Psalm 51, four, you're justified in all that you say, and you
overcome when you're judged. I couldn't help when I thought
of thinking about that, but think about Romans chapter nine, once
again, flip over Romans chapter nine, verse 17. For the scripture saith unto
Pharaoh. You know, that's glorious right there. God said this to
Pharaoh before this scripture had ever been written. But yet
when the scripture speaks, God speaks. The scripture says to
Pharaoh. That's the same thing as saying
God says to Pharaoh. That's the supremacy and the
glory of this book we're looking at right now. The scripture saith
to Pharaoh. Even for this same purpose have
I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that
my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore, have
he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardness. Thou wilt say unto me, why does
he yet thine vault? For who has resisted his will?
If he hardens my heart, how can I be held responsible for having
a hardened heart when he did it? I love Paul's answer. Nay, but O man, who are you to
reply against God? Since when do you have the moral
authority to set in judgment upon God and say, I don't think
that's right? You're out of your league. Who
are you to reply against God? Now for somebody like me or you
to sit in judgment on God and to be his critic and his judge
is almost, I don't want to say humorous, but it is kind of humorous.
Look in chapter two, verse one. Romans 2 chapter 1. Therefore
thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art, but judgest. Now, if you find in someone else,
something that's morally reprehensible and you judge them and you're
critical for them because of their behavior. Every one of
us have been there. What does Paul say? Therefore,
thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest.
For wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you
do the same things you're judging them for. You do the precise
same things. For somebody like me or you to
sit in judgment on God is just as wrong as it can be. For me
to sit in judgment on another is hypocrisy. That's all it is. The Lord forbids it. He says,
judge not that you be not judged. And you know, there's nothing,
listen carefully. There's nothing that will destroy
the peace and the unity of a church and believers like a critical
judgmental spirit. May God deliver us from that. Now, I want to say this. If you
hear the gospel and if I hear the gospel preach, I'm talking
about the gospel. If I hear the gospel preached, the truth preached,
the gospel of God, and I'm not blessed, I've come in with a
critical and judgmental spirit, judging God. Judging. May the Lord deliver us from
that. The Lord's not going to speak to us like that. We can
blame the preacher. We usually do. I've done it.
And we fail to look to where the real problem is. The person who judges others
ultimately sits in judgment upon God. Let me tell you something,
God's going to win that battle. He overcomes. When he's judged,
he overcomes. Now back to Romans three, verse
five. But if our unrighteousness commend
the righteousness of God, what should we say? Is God unrighteous
who taketh vengeance as a man if our unrighteousness serves
as a platform for God to demonstrate his righteousness in punishing
us? And Paul says, I speak as a natural man. Is God unrighteous to take vengeance?
Verse six, God forbid. For then how shall God judge
the world? Now God's judge. We can judge
him if we want, but it's to our destruction. God is the judge
of the world and whatsoever he does is right. Do you believe
that? Shall not the judge of the earth do right? That's who he is. He's the judge
of the earth. Paul says in verse seven, for
if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto
his glory, Why yet am I also judged as a sinner? Now, Paul
is saying God's righteousness and glory is demonstrated in
him judging somebody like me when I'm sinful. Well, how could
God be right in punishing me if that's the case? Paul speaking
as a man, and he says in verse eight, And not rather as we be
slanderously reported, and some affirm that we say, let us do
evil, the good make up. We're not saying anything like
that, Paul says. Anybody that says something like that, their
damnation is just. What then, verse nine, what then?
Are we, we with the oracles of God, we Jews, are we better than
they? No, in no wise, for we have before
proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. People with a Bible, people without
a Bible. They're all under sin, under
the complete dominion and control of sin. Slaves to sin. Now read what he goes on to say
next, verse 10. As it is written. Now remember, anything we believe,
we don't believe it because it's what we experience or because
of what we think or what we feel. As it is written. That's our only standard as it
is written. And then Paul quotes from Psalm
53 and Psalm 14. And look what he says. There
is none righteous. No, not one. There's none that understands. There's none. that seeks after
God. All the Lord has to do is leave
us alone. We won't understand. We won't
sink. We'll die and we'll go to hell.
They are all verse 12. They are all without exception
to this rule. They are all gone out of the
way. That's a willful turning out
of the way. Now, This sinful nature that
we talk about, the will's involved. It's not like somebody says the
devil made me do it. No, you did what you wanted to
do. The will is always involved and that's why it's so bad. They
are all gone out of the way. They are together become unprofitable. worthless, there is none that
doeth good. No, not one. That's God's testimony
about me. That's God's testimony about
you. There is none that doeth good. No, not one. Now look how
he goes on to describe us from verse 13 and 14. Their throat
is an open sepulcher, an open grave. With their tongues, they've
used deceit. The poison of asps is under their
lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Slander, gossip and blasphemy. Harsh words for God and all authority. Bitterness, murmuring and exaggeration
flow freely. He's talking about the words
of the natural man. And look at his next statement
concerning our actions, verse 15. Their feet are swift to shed
blood. Now, somebody may be thinking,
I've never murdered anybody. And I think generally, generally
speaking, concerning the Ten Commandments, that's the thing
that we think we've probably done the best with. I've never murdered anybody.
Um, yeah, I have. For one thing, God's throne would
not be safe for a second if you could get to it. Now, that's
how serious this thing is. You'd murder God if you could.
Somebody says, no, I wouldn't. Well, you might not murder the
God you feel comfortable with, the God you keep in your back
pocket and manipulate and get him to do whatever you want.
You like that God. But I'm talking about the God of the Bible, the
holy God, the righteous God, the God who sits on the throne
ruling and reigning. No, the natural man would kill
that God if he could. Thank God he can't. And how many
murders have we had when we've murdered people's character by
innuendo and slander? Same thing. Murdering somebody
when we're angry without a cause, jealous, envious, bring them
down to bring ourselves up. Their feet are swift, swift,
quick to shed blood. Verse 16, destruction and misery. are in their ways. This is all
they bring to the table to themselves and others. Destruction and misery
are in their ways and the way of peace. What is the way of
peace? He is our peace. Peace by his blood. Having been justified by faith
we have peace with God. through our Lord Jesus, the way
of peace, the way of peace by Christ. They have not known verse
18. There is no fear of God before
their eyes. No reverence, no true fear of
the living God when we're in awe before him. That's not just
a... All they got playing slave is fear. Every natural man does.
I'm afraid if I don't do right, God will take this from me or
take that from me or I have this trial or that trial and I want
to get this... That's not the fear of God. The fear of God is a genuine
awe before him where you bow before him as Lord. There's no
fear of God before their eyes. Verse 19. Now we know that what
things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law, that every mouth may be stopped. All judging of God
is over. and all the world may become
guilty before God. Has my mouth ever been stopped? Have I ever been done with all
self-justification and self-vindication and stood before God Guilty as
charged. Guilty as charged. Now, I'll tell you what. If you
ever see the Lord, here's the key to this. This is not just
trying to teach the doctrine of total depravity. That's not
what this is about. But I know this. If you ever see the Lord,
like Isaiah did, In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw
also the Lord high and lifted up, and His train filled the
temple. And what did Isaiah say when he saw Him? He said, then
said I, woe is me, I'm undone. I'm a man of unclean lips. I
dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes
have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Daniel said, when I
saw him, my comeliness, that which I thought was beautiful
about myself, turned to corruption. Now, here's the key. It's not
just becoming indoctrinated in the doctrine of total depravity.
It's seeing who the Lord is. You ever see who the Lord is?
Here's proof when you've seen who the Lord is. You'll see who
you are. It really is that simple. You see who the Lord is. you
will see who you are. And here's what's going to happen.
Verse 19. Now we know that what things
so ever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law,
that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may stand guilty,
subject to the judgment of God. Therefore, here's one thing you're
convinced of. Therefore, by the deeds of the
law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For by
the law is the knowledge of sin. All the law does is expose our
guilt and leave us without excuse. It shows us the depths and the
darkness of our sin and depravity, and it shuts us up to faith in
Christ. I tell you what now. It is a good thing. It's a good
thing. It's a blessing of God to be
shut up by the law, to where you have nowhere to look but
Christ only. And you cry with that publican
of old, God be merciful to me, thee sinner. Now I'd like us to go back to
Psalm 51. Now, you probably remember the
occasion of the writing of this psalm. David had sinned greatly
against God. He committed adultery. He was then guilty of cold-blooded,
premeditated murder. You say, could a believer do
that? Yep, David did. David, the man
after God's own heart, he tried to cover it all up by murdering
this man. And you remember when the Lord
sent the prophet to him to tell him that story, David stayed
in this hardened condition for over a year, actually had the
baby from Bathsheba and stayed in this hardened, callous condition
for over a year. This is David, man after God's
own heart. And then God sent Nathan, the
prophet to him. And you remember that story?
There was a man who had a little lamb, and he treated it as if
it was his daughter. It actually ate at his table.
He loved that little lamb. And there was a man who had many
flocks, and a stranger came through to visit that rich man with the
many flocks, and he didn't want to waste his money or his lambs
on this fella, so he goes and takes that one man's little lamb
that he loved so dearly. And he killed it. And he fed
it to that man. And David heard that story. He
said, as the Lord liveth, that man's going to die. He was angry. He wanted that man to be put
to death for his sin. And then Nathan said, thou art
the man. Thou art the man. And David said, I've sinned. And Nathan said, the Lord hath
put away thy sin. Now that's the best thing anybody
can ever hear. The Lord, the Lord hath put away
thy sin. And then David wrote and penned
this psalm, this psalm that we're so very thankful for. Psalm 51. David said, after hearing the
words of mercy and grace, now this is interesting. This is
after the Lord had said, the Lord had put away thy sin. Then
he goes and pens this psalm, have mercy upon me, O God. according
to thy loving kindness. I can't find a reason for you
to have mercy. Have it according to your loving
kindness, according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions that
I stand guilty before you with. Blot them out. You know what
David's doing here? He's saying, Lord, do something
about my sin. I can't do anything about it. I'm asking you to do
something about my sin. Wash me thoroughly, throughly
from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge
my transgressions. My sin is ever before me against
thee. Thee only have I sinned and done
this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when
you speak and be clear when you're judged. Isn't it an awful thing
when we stand and try to judge the living God? David says, behold,
here's why I am the way I am. I was shaped in iniquity and
sin. Did my mother conceive me? When I was conceived, I was born
a sinner. Behold, thou desires truth in
the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know
wisdom. Purge me with hyssop. And David knew exactly what he
was talking about. He was talking about the blood
of the paschal lamb over the door. And God said, when I see
the blood, I will pass over you. Purge me with hyssop and I shall
be clean. Wash me. and I shall be whiter
than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness,
that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy
face from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in
me a clean heart, O God. Mine's filthy and I can't make
a new one. Create in me a clean heart, O
God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from
thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore
unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors
thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver
me from blood guiltiness. And I have no doubt that that
more than anything else is a reference to guilty of the blood of Christ. That's why Christ died. My sin
put him to death. Deliver me from blood guiltiness,
O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud
of thy righteousness. Not just your mercy, not just
your, thy righteousness, the righteousness God gives in salvation.
Oh Lord, open thou my lips and my mouth shall show forth thy
praise, for thou desirest not sacrifice. I know that these
animal sacrifices don't appease your wrath. Else would I give
it. Thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God. Now here's what God's pleased
with. The sacrifices of God. are a broken spirit. A broken and a contrite heart,
oh God thou will not despise. Now what is this broken heart?
A broken heart doesn't work. It's no good. What do you do
with broken stuff? Throw it away. It's no good. Yet the heart It is at its best
state when broken. Broken in a contrite heart, O
God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure
and desire, and build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt
thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt
offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then shall they offer bullocks
upon thine altar. Now, I entitled this message,
God, Judge or Judged? He's the judge, isn't he? He's the judge. And the only
hope that I have, and the only hope that you have, is that the
great judge will declare me to be justified. Now remember this, justification
isn't something God offers you. It's something he declares you
to be. Through the work of Christ on the cross. And so I stand
before my judge and I say, oh, that I may win Christ and be
found in him. Not having my own righteousness,
which is of the law. I don't want to have anything
to do with that. but that which is through the faithfulness of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God, by faith. Let's pray together.