Are you part of a large extended family? Every year, my Mum’s side of the family gets together on the Saturday before Christmas. Over the years, this group has grown as cousins find partners and have children. Most of the time, we have more than 35 people there. Hannah and I try to get to these about every second year.
However, also on my mum’s side, I have been put in this even bigger extended family group chat with like another 30 people, with about half of them I just don’t know. And they also arrange even bigger extended family gatherings, which I have never attended. In this chat, I thought it would look rude for it to say “Andrew Vella has left the chat”, so I’m still in there, but I have kept it on mute. On Friday, I had 138 unread messages from them.
However, I think Guinness might be off about these. There is another family, that is massive, of which we can all be a part of.
We have seen in our series in Romans the problem of trying to be rightly aligned with God. Our actions are crooked and out of whack with what God wants. We don’t seek God. We worship other things. We tell people not to do things and then do them ourselves. We all break God’s laws. No one is obedient.
The only way we are made right before God is by faith in Jesus. Jesus died for us, taking on our wrongness, and we are given His rightness. That old song is right, “What can wash away our sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
Now, in Chapter 4, Paul brings in Abraham as an example to show that faith has always been the way people have been made right with God. It hasn’t been from obeying the law.
Abraham is considered the father of the Jewish race. He was given promises by God and the sign and seal of circumcision. But as it was pointed out last week, if you were to read the Abraham story, as we have been in our weekly series reading, it is worth noting that Genesis 15 comes before Genesis 17. Abraham was considered right two chapters before circumcision. Abraham’s obedience came after trusting in God’s promise.
Paul’s point is that, right back from Abraham, it has always been the case that people are aligned with God through faith. The monorail train to God runs on the “faith alone” track.
Today, Paul is continuing with the example of Abraham, showing that by having faith in the promises of God, we can be part of Abraham’s family. By mimicking Abraham and believing in a God who can bring life to the dead, we can be counted as rightly aligned before God.
Our outline today is all about faith.
- Faith, not law
- Faith includes us in God’s Family
- Faith trusts the Life-Giver
- Faith aligns us with God
Faith, Not Law
Paul starts off repeating an idea we have already seen. The promises God gave Abraham was based on his faith.It was not through the 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. For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression. (Romans 4:13–15 NIV)The power of the law is that it shows that we are lawbreakers. The law doesn’t have the power to save, it just points out when we break the rules.
If Abraham received the promises of God because he kept the law, then it would have been from his own works that God repayed Him back. It would have been like how if you work for a set amount of time, or complete a set project, your boss would then be obligated to pay you a certain amount. It wouldn’t be a gift; it would be what is deserved for the work done.
God doesn’t owe us anything for what we have done. We can’t look within ourselves to claim we deserve something from God. For all have sinned. All are misaligned with God.
But obedience to the law is not how Abraham received the promises from God. He received it from God as a gift, apart from any lawkeeping or lawbreaking he had done.
And what was the promise that Abraham received? Verse 13, “that he would be the heir of the world.” God promised Abraham that he and his offspring would inherit the world. What a gift! That is massive and completely undeserved. This family gets everything. Who do you have to marry to get into this family? How can someone get included in on this inheritance?
Faith Includes Us God’s Family
Paul continues: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 have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 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 into being things that were not. (Romans 4:16–17 NIV)This promise of inheriting the whole world comes by faith. It is purely given out of God’s grace and is guaranteed to all of Abraham's family.
Paul then digs into this idea about who is included in Abraham’s family. Abraham is considered the father, or technically the grandfather of Israel. Way back in Genesis, it went Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob’s name was changed to be Israel, and he had 12 sons, and each of those sons headed up the tribes of Israel.
But what Paul points out is that a careful reading of God’s promises to Abraham would show an extra “s” at the end of the word “nation”.
In verse 17,
As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” (Romans 4:17 NIV)That is a direct quote from Genesis 17:5
God’s promises that are written down say that Abraham will be the father of many nations. Not just one. More than one. The Greek word for nations here is ἐθνῶν (ethnos), which is the same Greek word used for Gentiles - those from other nations. So this means Abraham isn’t exclusively the father of the Jews, but of Gentiles too.
Paul shows from the original source that the Jews didn’t have exclusive rights to Abraham, but all the nations can be included into the promises Abraham received from God.
There is a common family trait in Abraham's family.
You know how sometimes children look a bit like their parents, or they pick up habits and behaviours from their household. There is a “like father, like son”, thing going on here. All who believe in the promises of God, like father Abraham did, can be added into this massive family that is bigger than 1% of Sweden. You and I can be chips off the old block and added to this family if we have the same faith as Abraham, who believed in God.
And specifically, what are we to believe about God? end of verse 17
God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. (Romans 4:17 NIV)Abraham had to believe that God can give life to the dead and create things that were not there, when he was promised a son. We have to believe this when we hear that Jesus rose from the dead.
To be part of Abraham’s family, we are to believe the same things as Abraham. Abraham had faith in the Life-Giving God.
Faith Trusts the Life-Giver
Abraham had to trust God when everything really seemed hopeless. In Genesis 17, God says Abraham will father a child to Sarah. Abraham was nearly 100 years old, and Sarah was 90. That sounds impossible.
Now in Genesis, Sarah was 90 with no access to IVF, and God says she is going to have a child. Abraham saw that it was impossible. Their bodies in this regard were as good as dead. No life can come from such an old couple. Abraham can’t do anything about this. He knows this. Everyone knows this.
But what did Abraham do?
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.” 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. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Abraham believed God’s promises and became the father of many nations. While’s Abrahams life journey in Genesis might has more downs than ups, by the time we are in Genesis 17, we see that despite facing the reality that it is biologically impossible for him to father a child with Sarah, he didn’t just walk away and give up on what God said. (Romans 4:18–21 NIV)In our serial reading today, we saw that despite all that he had gone through, over 24 years of waiting, we are told on that very day, Abraham obeyed God. He didn’t waver. He did what God asked of him. His immediate actions showed that he trusted in what God had said.
And God kept His word. God brought life to this ageing couple. Even though it looked like no life would come from this couple. God, the life-giver, gave life in Sarah’s womb. God was able to create from nothing and give life.
The following year, when Isaac was born, this for sure would have strengthened Abraham’s faith. Every time Abraham would have seen Isaac, he would be reminded that our God is a life-giver and a promise keeper.
Faith Aligns Us with God
Abraham is a model of faith that we can copy. As Paul goes on to sayThe words “it was credited to him [Abraham]” 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 4:23–25 NIV)For those who believe in Jesus, God will credit them with righteousness; that is, God will give them divine alignment. In the same way God credited Abraham with right-ness, we can be viewed as correct in God’s eyes if we trust in what Jesus has done for us. We are not saved because of our works, but by faith. This is the gospel message that has the power to save. This is the promise we need to have faith in.
We can sometimes hear this message about Jesus over and over again and sometimes think, “Yes, I know this on paper, but sometimes I’m not sure. Is it real? Is it true?” We can sort of think that our names are written down in the Book of Life, but only in pencil, and we are on probation. That perhaps when the next edition of the book comes out, we might get edited out.
But that is not what we are told. Jesus died for our sins and was raised to life for us to be seen as right. It has already been done on our behalf.
Jesus took our place as our representative. Like how in the World Cup we talk about Australia vs Paraguay, or Norway vs France. When really it is like 20 guys against another 20 guys. But those soccer players are representing the whole country. Their wins become the nation's wins. Jesus is like that. He came as the perfect representative for all of humanity. And His wins become our wins. He took on our sins and the punishment of death for us, and then He rose again to show that sin has no power over Him, and we get His victory.
Death is not a problem for God to overcome. Our God, who created everything out of nothing, can give life to the dead. Sarah’s womb was dead, and yet life came from it. Jesus was dead in the tomb, and yet life came from it. And God can do this too for us. He can take our deadness and turn it into life. We all are facing death because of sin, but because Jesus conquered death, we can be included in His promises if we believe.
Sometimes I think we are living in this moment when we tap with God, hoping that our sins are forgiven, for we can’t see our sins, or how they were transferred to Jesus. How can we really know that the sin transaction was successful? Well, Jesus provided the reciept when he walked out of the tomb. Jesus says it was accepted when He rose again.
Abraham’s faith was confirmed when baby Isaac was born. Our faith can be confirmed when we go to the empty tomb and see that Jesus is not there. He is alive. Our sins have been death with. We are credited with His right-ness
So when we struggle with doubt, don’t look within yourself and try and conjure up more faith somehow. Like, if only you believed even harder, you would be more confident or certain in your faith. Don’t look within. Don’t put your faith in your own faith. "It is not how hard we believe, but the One in whom we believe, that makes us right with God." (Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year A, Volume 3 Pastoral Perspective)
Look to Jesus and His resurrection, for He has made you right. Look back to the empty tomb and be reminded that our God is a life-giver and a promise keeper.
When you feel like you are despairing about the things you have done. About things you don’t want to tell anyone else in this room about. “When Satan tempts you to despair and tells you of your guilt within.” Don’t look inward for a defence. Don’t put your faith in yourself. Look to Jesus and His resurrection, for He has made you right.
The resurrection is the public press conference that sets the record straight. That is when God looks at you, He sees the perfection of Jesus. He says, “I see no fault in you. With you, I am well pleased.”
Now that Jesus has risen from the grave, there is no one who can condemn us. Neither death nor life, neigher angles or demons, or anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 8:38-39)
And the final point: For all those who believe that God can raise Jesus from the dead, we can be included into this massive family. If we are on the monorail of faith to God, that means everyone on it are not random commuters, but we are one big family, who one day will inherit the earth.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Mat 5:5). Jesus is going to come back again, and a new heaven and new earth are going to be made for all who believed in His saving work. And this will include a multitude from everywhere that no one can count.
That old kids' song is true:
Well, what might that look like now that you know all Christians are part of your family? How might you consider those in this room? We are brothers and sisters. Every Sunday, we come to a large family gathering. We are to notice and care for people in our family when they can’t make it to our events or when they are sick or need help. We can also ask our family to help, family are the people we should be able to turn to.
Do you pray for your family? How about for your family in this room? You might be thinking, “I don’t know what to pray for the people in this room, and I don’t know who needs care”. The only way to know those things is to get to know them. So try that. Hang around after church, meet someone new in the coffee breaks. Have meals together. Consider church as a family, as a relational network that exists beyond the service times.
As we gather on a Sunday, we are practising for the very big extended family get-together, where the life-giver God will banish death forever.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Mat 5:5). Jesus is going to come back again, and a new heaven and new earth are going to be made for all who believed in His saving work. And this will include a multitude from everywhere that no one can count.
That old kids' song is true:
Father Abraham has many kids,As we are all family, this means that as we look around this room and see everyone here, we are all related by faith. Sometimes we might have different spheres of responsibility, for who we invest in and who are only considered acquaintances. Usually, in this hierarchy of needs, you might consider family as the closest to care for.
many kids has father Abraham.
I am one of them and so are you,
so lets all priase the Lord.
Well, what might that look like now that you know all Christians are part of your family? How might you consider those in this room? We are brothers and sisters. Every Sunday, we come to a large family gathering. We are to notice and care for people in our family when they can’t make it to our events or when they are sick or need help. We can also ask our family to help, family are the people we should be able to turn to.
Do you pray for your family? How about for your family in this room? You might be thinking, “I don’t know what to pray for the people in this room, and I don’t know who needs care”. The only way to know those things is to get to know them. So try that. Hang around after church, meet someone new in the coffee breaks. Have meals together. Consider church as a family, as a relational network that exists beyond the service times.
As we gather on a Sunday, we are practising for the very big extended family get-together, where the life-giver God will banish death forever.
Almighty God,
We thank you that we can be included in the family of Abraham.
That not by the law, but by faith we can be considered right
We thank you that you give life and call into being things that were not
Help strengthen our faith by looking only to Jesus
Being reminded that he was delivered over to death for our sins
and was raised to life for our justification.
Help us to care for each other as a family and to practice our gatherings well
as we await our inheritance, where there will be no more death on the earth.
We ask this in Jesus’s name, our risen Lord. Amen.
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