Why God Isn't Disappointed In You [Part 3]

Pastor, author, and Bible teacher, Alan Wright.

There is nothing you could do to warrant his love, because he already loves. On the days that you don't feel God's love, here's what you need to remember, he's saying. For while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. That's Pastor Alan Wright. Welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. I am Daniel Britt, excited for you to hear the teaching today in the series, It's All Right Now, from Romans chapters four through seven, as presented at Rinaldo Church in North Carolina.

Now, if you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program, we sure want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. It can be yours for your donation this month to Alan Wright Ministries. So as you listen to today's message, go deeper as we send you today's special offer, and you can contact us at PastorAlan.org. That's PastorAlan.org, or call 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. More on that later in the program. But now let's get started with today's teaching. Here is Alan Wright.

C.S. Lewis says, need love says of a woman I cannot live without, or gift love says I long to give her happiness, comfort, and protection. Appreciative love gazes and holds its breath and is silent and rejoices that such a wonder should exist, even if not for him. And interestingly, and Lewis says this, our love for God begins with need love, because we need God. We need to be forgiven. We need his smiling face. We need his teaching. We need everything from God. And it's not wrong.

It's not bad. In fact, Lewis says it would be a bold and silly creature that came before its creator with the boast, I'm no beggar. I love you disinterestedly. Oh, we sing, I need you. Oh, I need you, because we do need him.

And this is how we start our journey. We're babies, and he feeds us, and he holds us, and he saves us, and he protects us, and he cares for us, and we love him. And so in one sense, to ever love God, Lewis says, man approaches God most nearly when he is in one sense least like God. For what can be more unlike than fullness and need, sovereignty and humility, righteousness and penitence, limitless power, and a cry for help.

That's God, limitless power, and we are a cry for help. So our love begins like that. But God's love is not need love.

He has no need. It's gift love from the get-go. And this is God's love. Lewis says this is primal love, gift love. In God, there is no hunger that needs to be filled, only plenteousness that desires to give.

I go into all of this because what Paul's talking about in verse five is the agape of God. It's essential that we know this is the nature of the love of God. He doesn't have a need that needs to be filled in his love towards you. He is love. He is love.

That's why there is nothing you could do to warrant his love because he already loves. So having experienced the love of God, Paul says in verse five, the agape of God, it's a different kind of love. He goes on to say at verse six that there is a way you can think about all of this. So on the days that you don't feel God's love, here's what you need to remember. He's saying, for while we were still weak at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.

For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die. But God shows his love. So he's given us his love, but he's saying now here's how you should think about his love.

Here's how he has demonstrated or proven his love. He shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So it's an argument from the greater to the lesser. He's saying hardly would anybody die for anybody. But if someone were to lay their life down for another, you could only imagine that if they would lay in their life down for a good person who for some reason deserved it. But the idea of laying your life down for someone who doesn't deserve it is almost unthinkable, and yet this is what God has done.

So he's making this argument from the greater to the lesser. If God has so loved you that while you were still a sinner, he died for you, then at every moment of your life you could imagine, can't you, that he loves you in the midst of whatever you're going through. Verse 10, for if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more now that we're reconciled shall we be saved by his life. This is a reference again to what Paul's already talked about in Romans, that our our alienation from God, that every single person has experienced because we were born in sin in a condition of sin.

Yes, some people do more good things than others, some people do really more bad things than others, but what we've learned in the early chapters of Romans is that everybody is in the same predicament of sin, born in the same predicament of sin, born in the same predicament of sin, born in that sin. And there was no way we could rescue ourselves, no way we could get back to God. And what Paul went on to say is that this predicament is not just a predicament for us, but in some ways it's like a predicament for God because he loves you so much. And yet, as we saw from the words of Tim Keller, if there are two kings competing for the same territory, then they are the same. And when we try to be our own lord, our own king, sovereign over our own lives, the territory of our lives, the scope of our lives, the destiny of our lives, the very thing that God is king over and wants to be king over, if we're both trying to be king, then we're at enmity with one another. James 4 says friendship with the world is enmity with God. And it's hard to think of yourself being an enemy, but that's in a real sense what you are in your sin. You're an enemy to God, you're an enemy to the throne of God, you're an enemy to his sovereignty, you're an enemy to all the good that he wants to do.

That's Alan Wright, and we'll have more teaching in a moment from today's important series. Seeing as Jesus Sees. It's the title of Pastor Alan Wright's newest book just released, and it's The Giant Secret of Real Transformation. Followers of Christ tend to focus on doing, so we've been told to ask, what would Jesus do? But even our noblest efforts to be more like Jesus ultimately fail for the same reason that pledging to keep the law never works.

There's no gospel power in our self-striving. But what if the secret to personal transformation and victorious living isn't found in doing as much as in seeing? Anyone who has ever had an aha moment or has suddenly discovered the truth of a situation knows that fresh vision changes everything. In his eye-opening new book, Alan Wright invites readers into a new simple spiritual practice, a little breath prayer that can be prayed throughout the day. Jesus, how do you see this?

It's a prayer that the Savior loves to answer, because after all, Christ came to be the light of the world. Clear away confusion, win over the darkness, and open your heart to wonder and joy by getting your copy of the book right away. When you make a gift to Alan Wright Ministries today, we'll send you Pastor Alan's new beautiful hardcover book. And as an additional thank you for your support, you'll also receive a free six-week Seeing as Jesus Sees companion video series from Pastor Alan, along with a study guide and a daily reading plan. Let Jesus take you by the hand and show you a whole new perspective for your life.

As you learn how to ask Christ for his eyes, you'll start seeing as Jesus sees, and you're going to love the view. The gospel is shared when you give to Alan Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you give today, we will send you today's special offer. We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Alan Wright Ministries. Call us at 877-544-4860. That's 877-544-4860. Or come to our website, PastorAlan.org.

Today's teaching now continues. Here once again is Alan Wright. It's hard to wrap your mind around this, but I was thinking about a story that paints a picture of this. King David was the most beloved king of Israel, and he was the one who was promised that someone from his lineage would be on the throne forever. And this is why Jesus had to be a son of David and was called the son of David.

The Messiah would come from David, and David was the one who restored peace to Israel, expanded the borders, I think seven to tenfold. And David was the most beloved figure in Israel's history. But David went through a lot of hard things, and one of which he went through was he had a son named Absalom who revolted against him. It's a long and sad story, but Absalom got really wounded in his heart because he had a half-brother Amnon who raped Absalom's sister, full sister, and two years later in revenge, Absalom killed Amnon. And Absalom would go outside the city gates and talk to people against his own father, David. And he stirred up discontent and gathered an army unto himself. And there was a revolt against the throne of David that was led by David's own son, Absalom. His own son had become his enemy.

What a picture. A picture of God, our king, and the son of David on his throne. The son of David on his throne.

He came into that which was his own, John said. His own did not receive him. Treated him like an enemy. People he came to save treated him like an enemy. And Absalom has an army and is fighting, and David has an army and is fighting, fighting, and a decisive battle eventually took place in the woods of Ephraim. And David got word of what had happened in 2 Samuel 18 31.

Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said to David, good news for my Lord the king, for the Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you. And king, David, the king said to the Cushite, is it well with the young man Absalom?

And the Cushite answered, may the enemies of my Lord the king and all who rise up against you be for evil be like that young man. And it was a way of telling him that Absalom was dead. He was a beautiful man, had long and flowing hair.

He was famous for that. And then he became entangled in the branches of a tree, his hair all tangled up in it. And one of king David's men impaled him.

And look at the king. Verse 33, the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, Oh, my son, Absalom, my son, my son, Absalom, would I had died instead of you. Oh, Absalom, my son, my son. Three things David said, is it well with Absalom? Is it well with my enemy, my arch enemy?

That's what he cares about. Oh, my son, Absalom, the grief in the king and his proclamation would that I had died instead of you. If you want to understand the love of God for his enemies, for us, you see it here. The love of Jesus is like this, who only wants it to be well with those for whom he came to serve and die for. Even those that were crucifying him when he said, Father, forgive them.

They don't know what they're doing. I'd like it to be well for those that are killing me. Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, he said, as he wept on the week before his death.

How I've longed to gather you like a mother hen and her chicks, and you're not willing. And instead of saying, would that I have died instead of my enemies, he did. This is what Paul is saying. While we were in our sin, while we were enemies of God, he came in the person of Jesus Christ, and he died for us. He wept over us, and then he bled for us, and now he reigns in power and glory to intercede for us. If God loved you infinitely when you were his enemy, how much must he love you?

Now you are his friend. If he loved you at your worst, then how might he love you when you're at your best? Instead of thinking that it has anything to do with your own righteousness, Paul has been saying to us for five chapters, look unto Jesus, because he, knowing the worst about you, came for you anyway. So you can experience the love of God by the Holy Spirit. And I want to pray.

I want to pray and I always pray for you. And I pray for my own heart, that we be baptized, immersed in the love of God, that it would be like swimming in an ocean. That it'd be like a complete, total transformation by being regularly in the love of God. That's what he's talking about at verse five. But when you don't sense the love of God, and you're wondering what sense to make of your life, and you're wondering how to think about the love of God, that's what verses six to 11 are all about.

Think about this. Think about this at exactly the right time Christ died for the ungodly. He died for his enemies. He loves you like that. And what this means, therefore, is that you can't be child of God, a disappointment to God, because he already showed his love for you when you were at your worst. J. I. Packer, in his beautiful knowing God, has this to say, what matters supremely, therefore, is not in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact, which underlies it, the fact that he knows me.

I'm graven on the palms of his hands. I am never out of his mind. All my knowledge of him depends on his sustained initiative in knowing me. I know him because he first knew me, continues to know me.

He knows me as a friend, one who loves me. And there is no moment when his eye is off me, or his attention distracted from me, and no moment, therefore, when his care falters. This is momentous knowledge. There's unspeakable comfort in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love and watching over me for my good. There is tremendous relief.

This is the point. There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself and quench his determination to bless me. It means God loves you like a parent loves a newborn. It's all gift love.

So there's not a messy diaper or sleepless night that can make the parent disappointed because the love is already there. And what this means is that the love that you live in and that transforms you comes to you because the Lord has lifted up his countenance upon you. And it is his nature to love. And therefore, you can't disappoint God. Instead, you're a delight to God. It means it's a far better and wiser thing to wake up in the morning and instead of saying, I hope to do some things today that'll please you, God, instead to say to your own soul and to God, Oh Lord, you know everything about me.

You know my worst, you know my best, and you've loved me to the end. So let me know about that love today and let me have that love for others as well. All this goes far to explain the last verse of our text. We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we've now received reconciliation, because the joy of the Lord comes when we see his smile. Child of God, Romans five verses five through 11 mean you will never come into the presence of God and see him shake his head in disappointment. But every time you come into the presence of God, he will lift up his countenance upon you and smile.

Because there is no surprise search of your backpack. He knew every squirt gun before he ever came to die for you. Such is the love of God, and that's the gospel. Alan Wright, our good news message, why God isn't disappointed in you. From the teaching, it's all right now, an in-depth study of Romans chapters four through seven.

Stay with us. Pastor Alan is back joining us in the studio, sharing his parting good news thought for the day in just a moment. Seeing as Jesus sees, it's the title of Pastor Alan Wright's newest book just released, and it's the giant secret of real transformation. Followers of Christ tend to focus on doing, so we've been told to ask, what would Jesus do? But even our noblest efforts to be more like Jesus ultimately fail for the same reason that pledging to Jesus is so important. There's no gospel power in our self-striving. But what if the secret to personal transformation and victorious living isn't found in doing as much as in seeing?

Anyone who has ever had an aha moment or has suddenly discovered the truth of a situation knows that fresh vision changes everything. In his eye-opening new book, Alan Wright invites readers into a new, simple, spiritual practice, a little breath prayer that can be prayed throughout the day. Jesus says, if you don't believe in Jesus, be prayed throughout the day. Jesus, how do you see this?

It's a prayer that the Savior loves to answer because after all, Christ came to be the light of the world. Clear away confusion, win over the darkness, and open your heart to wonder and joy by getting your copy of the book right away. When you make a gift to Alan Wright Ministries today, we'll send you Pastor Alan's new beautiful hardcover book. And as an additional thank you for your support, you'll also receive a free six-week Seeing as Jesus Sees companion video series from Pastor Alan, along with a study guide and a daily reading plan. Let Jesus take you by the hand and show you a whole new perspective for your life.

As you learn how to ask Christ for his eyes, you'll start seeing as Jesus sees, and you're going to love the view. The gospel is shared when you give to Alan Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you give today, we will send you today's special offer. We are happy to send this to you as our thanks from Alan Wright Ministries. Call us at 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. Or come to our website, PastorAlan.org. Back here in the studio to share Pastor Alan's parting good news thought for the day, and the imputation of Christ's righteousness.

Boy, that might to some sound like some archaic or dusty institutionally academic terminology, but it is so amazing when you let that sink in. It proves that God isn't disappointed in you. If God loved you knowing all your flaws, and he loves you in no way related to your merits, because God is love, then this utterly changes your relationship with God. Because it means that he died for you giving the perfect expression of love when you're at your worst, and that he knows all your flaws past, present, and future.

Let me say that again. God already knows all your flaws past, present, and future. He doesn't just know all the things you've done wrong. He doesn't just know everything that's still wrong. He also knows all the sin that you've yet to commit, but will. He knows all of it, and loves you, and died for you. It means therefore that you can't disillusion him. You can't quench his determination to love and bless you, because that's just the nature of God. And so in that sense, you can't ever be a disappointment to God.

He loves you no matter what. Thanks for listening today. Visit us online at pastorallen.org, or call 877-544-4860.

That's 877-544-4860. If you only caught part of today's teaching, not only can you listen again online, but also get a daily email devotional that matches today's teaching, delivered right to your email inbox, free. Find out more about these and other resources at pastorallen.org. That's pastorallen.org. Today's good news message is a listener supported production of Allen Wright Ministries.