Romans 4, versus 20 through 25.

Therefore also, it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

Now, not for his sake only was it written that it was reckoned to him, but for our sake also to whom it will be reckoned as those who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, he who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. Gracious Heavenly Father, we come now and seek your help once more for the Ministry of

the Word from this great book of Romans, the greatest letter ever written in the history of the world.

Who is sufficient for these things? Come, Father, I pray and give us your help.

Grant to those who are listening a sweet, attentive, docile, understanding, mind and spirit, I pray. And grant to me an anointing from the Holy Spirit that would

make my words more than mere human words that would be life-changing and hope-giving and pride, humbling, and God exulting

and church-un admissions, mobilizing and family healing.

And a thousand needs to be met, Lord, that I can't even imagine.

We love your word.

It is like five loaves and two fish in the hand of the Savior able to feed expanses of people who are not even in this

room.

So Lord, minister now this word in power for your glory and our joy in Jesus name I pray

Amen

Well I said last week that I was going to try to take up three questions that I didn't have

time for last week and I can only do two of them.

One of the reasons that I can only do two is because one of them, as it turns out in view of what was published in the counterpoint of the Star Tribune yesterday, is so amazingly relevant for our contemporary situation in Jewish Christian relations that I had to linger over it a little longer.

So I'll be back to that in a minute, but that's a partial explanation for why I don't get through all three.

So here are the two that I will try to tackle this morning that are rooted in this text and

then based on the wider understanding of this chapter.

Remember, the first question I raised last week was,

if we're justified by faith alone apart from works,

...