Romans 4
Multicultural
Every culture, nation, ethnic group, every person has sin
Each one of us brings our own problems to the family and groups we are a part of
There is no nation or ethnic group that doesn’t have crimes
There is not a nation or ethnic group that has all the answers
And has solved the problems of humanity
From the beginning of creation, God has planned for one nation, one kingdom
Made of people of faith in God
Abraham’s faith becomes the model for all people
All people who believe Jesus Christ was raised from the dead
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification
People groups will always divide and change
But God is calling every person
No matter what culture, race or nationality you are from, back to Him
That He might be the Father of us all through Jesus Christ
Who made a way for us to be born again
Multicultural
If you are in tuned to the political arena,
where the battle for votes are fought for,
you know one of the most powerful words is “Race”.
The “Race Card” is played to trump all other issues.
The “Race Card” is played so often
and in so many ways.
It can be very confusing to know what
we are fighting for, other than votes.
There certainly are a lot of differences
among people groups.
Those differences are
growing faster as we see
global barriers overcome by better transportation.
If someone asked you to describe your identity to them,
where would you begin?
Would it come down to your skin color or your nationality?
What about the language you speak, your religion,
your cultural traditions or your family's ancestry?
Skin color is said to have come from solar effect
where people lived for generations.
America has become a land of liberty
for people from all over the world.
A lot of attention in the 1960’s was
given to the difference of skin color.
Battles were fought in our streets
based on the color of skin.
Since then, we have not only black and white
come to embrace each other,
but marriages between the two is now common.
This creates another group of people.
If I were to describe what nationality I am from…
It would be hard, because of my ancestors
intermarrying from other parts of the world.
The changes between races and ethnicity are changing.
Families are not staying together like
they did thousands of years ago.
The influences of different cultures
become blended more and more.
This may or may not matter to you, but it is a fact.
Paul spends a lot of time focused on the Jew.
What if you were to described a Jew.
In Jesus’s time there were differences that divided Jews.
Two groups you would be familiar with…
Would be the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Paul takes us back to the father of the Jews…
Abraham.
One of the ethnic, or their common national
and cultures traits of Jews, was circumcision.
Paul tells us God’s call to Abraham
was before he was circumcised.
Because of Abraham’s faith in God,
God made a promise to him.
A promise that his children would not only
be of his blood line, but of the world…
It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. Romans 4:13
As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations."
Romans 4:17
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations
Romans 4:18
Why is this important?
God has always loved the world.
From creation to Abraham…
God was looking for a person who would live by faith in God.
Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
The influences of Abraham’s faith
have been on his descendants till today.
But like all nationalities, cultures, ethnicities,
changes take place.
For the Jews…
The descendants of Abraham circumcision
and the law became their definition.
Paul says to the Jew…
You missed the point if you think circumcision
and the law justifies you as God’s people.
Abraham was to be the father
of every culture, nation, ethnic group
because of faith.
God so loved the world…
Every person, no matter what culture, nation, ethnic group.
Because He created us in His image
so we would have fellowship with Him.
Paul tells us there is ONE GOD who is not prejudice.
Abraham demonstrates to all people…
Natural descendants, as well, as the rest of
the world, how to become right with the Creator God.
being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Romans 4:21-25
Every culture, nation, ethnic group, every person has sin.
Each one of us bring our own problems
to the family and groups we are a part of.
There is no nation or ethnic group that doesn’t have crimes.
There is not a nation or ethnic group
that has all the answers and
has solved the problems of humanity.
From the beginning of creation,
God has planned for one nation, one kingdom,
made of people of faith in God.
Abraham’s faith becomes the model for all people…
All people…
Who believe Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.
He was delivered over to death for our sins
and was raised to life for our justification
People groups will always divide and change.
But God is calling every person…
No matter what culture, race or nationality
you are from back to Him…
That He might be the Father of us all
through Jesus Christ who made a way for us to be born again.
Scripture Reading
Romans 4 NIV
4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about — but not before God. 3 What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
4 Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. 5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 "Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. 10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before! 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless, 15 because law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring — not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed — the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old — and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23 The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
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