This week we continue with Week 4 of our sermon series, “Things Jesus Never Said.” As we have seen throughout this series, we have a tendency to pick up ideas and thoughts about God and His word as we go along. Some of these things can be helpful, that is, if they are true! Unfortunately, though many of them are not true, some in fact are downright dangerous! It could be a saying we have heard that sticks with us (as we have seen in our past 2 weeks) or simply an idea we have grabbed hold of and built a belief around without even realizing it (as we will see this week). Often it is our actions and the way we approach trials that will reveal some of these “Hitchhikers.” This week we look at some of the reasons why in our pursuit of righteousness, we often act as though Jesus told us to “go therefore and try harder” rather than telling us to “deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him.”
Romans 3:21-26
"But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
