Sunday Evening Service Speaker: Rev. Paul Hanna Title: Boast Not Thyself Of To Morrow Reading: Proverbs 27:1, James 4:1-17

Romans 3:20-28 answers how a sinner can stand righteous before a holy God. This Reformation Day sermon explains that justification in this passage is a legal verdict. God, the judge in the courtroom of heaven, declares a person righteous, and that verdict stands outside the believer, distinct from the inner renewal of sanctification. It rejects three unbiblical views: legalism, which trusts in our own law-keeping; universalism, which expects God to save everyone; and the Roman Catholic teaching that God infuses grace into the soul so that the believer can merit justifying righteousness. Paul teaches instead that God gives his righteousness in Christ as a gift, which the sinner receives by faith apart from works of the law. Christ's blood satisfied God's wrath, so God remains just when he justifies believers, and all boasting falls away.

Luke 18:9-14 contrasts the Pharisee and the tax collector to show that true justification comes not from religious performance but from humble repentance. The Pharisee boasts of his goodness and sees no need for mercy, while the tax collector, broken by guilt, pleads, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." His prayer reflects faith in God's atoning grace, symbolized by the mercy seat and fulfilled in Christ's sacrifice. Salvation is God's work, not human effort—the exalted will be humbled, and the humbled will be exalted—because the gospel calls us not to try harder but to acknowledge our need for Christ.

1. Introduction; 2. Delegated authority; 3. Designated area.

This sermon examines Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians that God chooses the foolish and weak things of the world to shame the wise and strong, ensuring that no human can boast in their own abilities. The central message emphasizes that salvation is entirely of grace, revealed to those who recognize their spiritual poverty and inability to save themselves. By contrasting the self-sufficiency of the world with the brokenness required for true faith, the exposition highlights that Christ becomes the believer's wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. The tone is both convicting and comforting, urging listeners to abandon pride in their own status or intellect and instead find their identity and glory solely in the Lord. Ultimately, the sermon asserts that God delights in using humble, broken sinners to display the magnitude of His grace and power.

1. Knowledge; 2. Finance; 3. Qualifications.

The sermon examines the final hours of Jesus' ministry, focusing on the prophetic warning of the disciples' imminent failure and the establishment of the New Covenant during the Last Supper. It highlights the contrast between the disciples' pride, particularly Peter's boastful loyalty, and the sobering reality of their impending denial and scattering. Despite this 'pile of debris,' the message identifies a priceless treasure in Jesus' promise to rise and gather them in Galilee, demonstrating that Christ's love forgives and restores those who fail Him. The preacher emphasizes that true faith relies not on human strength or self-sufficiency but on humble dependence on Jesus, who transforms weak, failing believers into bold witnesses of the Gospel. This narrative serves as a pastoral reminder that God's grace is sufficient for the weak and that His purpose is to refine faith through trials rather than abandon the scattered sheep.

We continue our study in the book of 2 Corinthians. For more information on the Church of Christian Liberty, visit churchcl.com To learn about our educational ministries, visit christianliberty.com

Have you ever believed God's promises with all your heart, prayed hard, and then watched heaven go silent while the wrong people prospered? Psalm 10 opens with that very question, "Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?", and takes us through three rooms: the room where the wicked man boasts that God will never see, the room where David prays, and the throne room, where a runaway servant woman, a cry in Gethsemane, and a Savior who still prays for His people all answer the same question. If God has seemed far away from you lately, come and hear why the psalm ends in a very different place: "O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted."

Rev. Dr. David E. Gilbert - The Righteousness of God

Nathan Hornfeld