PEOPLE
NEED THE LORD
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A. Can
you imagine a world with over 7 billion people?
1. Each day there are 384 thousand new
souls that are born into this world.
2. Each day there are 156 thousand souls
that pass into eternity.
3. With each day there is a net increase 228
thousand people in the world.
B.
Among the nations of the world:
1. China - 1.3 billion
2. India - 1.2 billion
3. United States - 323 million
4. Indonesia - 253 million
5. Brazil - 202 million
C. In
2010 the Pew Research Center analyzed more than 2,500 censuses, surveys and
population registries with regard to world
religions. Their findings reveal:
1. 2.2 billion Christians (32% of the
world's population).
2. 1.6 billion Muslims (23%).
3. 1 billion Hindus (15%).
4. 500 million Buddhists (7%).
5. 14 million Jews (0.2%).
6. The study revealed that 84% (5.8
billion) of people around the world identify with
a religious group. More than 400
million people (6%) practice various folk or
traditional religions, including African
traditional religions, Chinese folk religions,
Native American religions and Australian
aboriginal religions.
7. Roughly one-in-six people (1.1 billion,
or 16%) have no religious affiliation making
them the third-largest group worldwide,
behind Christians and Muslims.
D. In
this vast multitude of diverse people all of us have the same need. It’s the
need expressed by the apostle Paul in Romans
2:1-5. Here Paul presents the
Reality, the Reasoning and the Remedy for
our personal accountability to God.
I. REALITY – vss. 1-2.
A. Paul wrote, “Therefore you have no
excuse, every one of you who passes
judgment, for in that which you judge
another, you condemn yourself; for you who
judge practice the same things. 2 And
we know that the judgment of God rightly falls
upon those who practice such things.”
1. It’s easy for us to judge others.
Years ago a preacher was crossing the Atlantic
Ocean by ship. When he arrived on
board he learned he would be sharing
a cabin with a man he did not know.
After meeting the man he went to the
captain and asked if he could store
his gold watch, wallet and valuables in the
ship’s safe. He said, “I met the man
I’m rooming with and just don’t trust him.”
The captain replied, “I’ll be glad
to keep your valuables. In fact, your roommate
has already been here and said the
same thing.”
2. The church in Rome, like most ancient
churches was composed of Christians
from both Jewish and Gentile
backgrounds. It was quite easy for the Jews, who
had received God’s law, to pass
judgment on the Gentiles because of their
pagan backgrounds.
3. Can you imagine this letter being
read in the church and the Jews hearing Paul’s
pronouncement of God’s wrath on the
Gentiles (1:18-32)? They would have
nodded their heads in agreement and
said, “Amen.”
a. The Gentiles had rejected God
even though His attributes like eternal power
and divine nature had been
revealed through what had been made (1:19).
b. The Gentiles had been given up to
impurity and unrighteousness because of
their refusal to honor God. They
had slipped into idolatry and immoral behavior
and all types of wickedness.
They not only did these things but took delight
when others did them.
B. Just as the Jews were feeling good about
themselves Paul brought them back to
reality. “The reality is that those of
you who are passing judgment are doing the
same things.”
1. Vs. 1 – “You condemn yourself; for
you who judge practice the same things.”
2. Vs. 2 – “the judgment of God rightly
falls upon those who practice such things.”
3. Vs. 12 – “For all who have sinned
without the Law will also perish without the
Law, and all who have sinned under the
Law will be judged by the Law.”
4. To illustrate this Paul asks several
rhetorical questions in vss. 21-23. “You,
therefore, who teach another, do you
not teach yourself? You who preach that
one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You
who say that one should not commit
adultery, do you commit adultery?
You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23 You who boast in
the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor
God?”
C. The stark reality is that all of us are
without excuse before God. The reality is that
we are no different than the people to
whom this letter was written.
1. How many times do we say, “I’m glad
I’m not like that guy.”
2. “I’m not perfect but they are
wicked.”
3. I’m bad but they are worse.”
4. We are trying to push ourselves up by
pushing others down. The reality,
however, is that we are all
unrighteous in ourselves.
5. Regardless of how good we think we
are, apart from Christ, we are still subject to
God’s wrath.
II. REASONING – vs. 3.
A. Into this irrational type of thinking
Paul brings reason. In verse 3 he asks, “But do
you suppose this, O man, when you pass
judgment on those who practice such
things and do the same yourself, that
you will escape the judgment of God?”
1. Did they really think God had a
double standard?
2.
Sometimes we read these words and think, “That’s for everyone else, not me.”
B. In the Old Testament book of Amos the
prophet began his book by pronouncing
judgment of cities and nations outside
of Israel and Judah. The people of Israel and
Judah were happy as long as Amos talked
about others. When he turned his
attention to them they became angry. It
reminds me of the preacher who was told to
preach about “witch-doctors” in
primitive tribes because “there’s not one within a
hundred miles and you won’t offend
anyone.”
III. REMEDY – vss. 4-5.
A. The real issue is addressed in verse 4.
“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His
kindness and tolerance and patience, not
knowing that the kindness of God leads
you to repentance?”
1. These people had experienced so much goodness
from God.
2. Two times in this verse Paul
mentioned the kindness of God.. This word is
mentioned two times in this verse.
It means benevolence or good will. God’s
nature is to be kind.
B. The Jews had heard and read about the
kindness of God.
1. Psalm 25:8 – “Good and upright is the
Lord.”
2. Psalm 31:19 – “How great is Your
goodness, which You have stored up for those
who fear You.”
3. Psalm 33:5 – “He loves righteousness
and justice; The earth is full of the
lovingkindness of the Lord.”
4. Psalm 52:1- “The lovingkindness of
God endures all day long.”
5. Psalm 107:8 – “Let them give thanks
to the Lord for His lovingkindness.”
C. The Jews had experienced so many
instances of God’s kindness.
1. God’s rescue of Israel from Egypt.
2. God’s patience in the wilderness even
when Israel made a golden calf.
3. God’s mercy during the days of judges
and kings. His patience with the people
during the wickedness of Israel and
Judah. Ultimately Israel rejected all of this.
However, they still pointed their
finger at others and said, “they are the guilty
ones.”
4.
Because they rejected God’s kindness notice what is going to happen to them
according to verse 5. “But because
of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart
you are storing up wrath for
yourself in the day of wrath.”
D. Are we not guilty as they were? Have we
taken advantage of God’s kindness and
goodness in our life. He has been
patient with us hoping to lead us to repentance.
With the dawning of every new day He
gives you the opportunity to know Him or to
know Him in a deeper way. So often,
however, we take it for granted.
1. We think we deserve grace. If it is
deserved it is not grace.
2. A man was sitting on his front porch
when a young man walked up and laid a $20
bill on the porch. He repeated this for a
week. The next day as the man sat on
the porch the young man walked by
and didn’t lay the $20 on the porch. The man
jumped up and angrily said, “Hey,
where’s my money!” What started out as grace
had become entitlement. We think we’re
entitled to God being kind and merciful
to us. We are not.
CONCLUSION:
A. The
stark reality is that all humanity has sinned and is worthy of the wrath of
God.
Thankfully God’s kindness has provided an
answer to this dilemma.
1. Jesus came as the appeasement for the
wrath of God.
2. When we repent and turn to Him in faith
and obedience to the gospel our sins are
forgiven. Our sins are remembered no more.
3. Psalm 86:5 –“For You, Lord, are good,
and ready to forgive, and abundant in
lovingkindness to all who call upon You.”
What will you do with His lovingkindness?
B.
Will you “call upon the Lord,” this day?
I.
