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Tremble At His Word
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Luke 4:31-44 | Jesus begins his Great Commission with the statement, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." This authority didn't begin only after his resurrection, but we see his authority on display as Luke unpacks the beginning of his earthly ministry. This week we will see the authority of Jesus' word, his authority over the demonic, his authority over disease, and his authority to preach the good news of the Kingdom! Our Lord truly is the one with ALL authority!
Luke 4:14-30 | Jesus stood up in the synagogue at Nazareth, unrolled the scroll of Isaiah, found Isaiah 61, and unapologetically declared who he was. He is the good news preacher, the bondage breaker, and the strong Savior. This revelation of who He is demands a response. His declaration demands a decision. Will we submit to Him for who He is?
Luke 4:1-13 | The scriptures tell us that Jesus was tempted in every way as we are and yet was without sin. Luke 4 gives us a powerful scene of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness. This passage shows us the schemes the enemy uses to tempt, and more importantly, how Jesus used God's word to withstand temptation. When we are tempted to sin, the Word has the power to win.
Luke 3:21-38 | Jesus is the Son of God. The theology of Jesus as the very Son of God is central to our understanding of his work as Lord and Savior. As we walk through the end of Luke 3, we want to look at the Father's affirmation of the Son and the genealogy of Jesus. With both of these Luke desires us to see and worship Jesus as the Son of God.
1 Corinthians 15:1-28 | At the center of Christianity is the gospel, and at the center of that gospel is a crucified and risen Savior. This Easter, we turn to 1 Corinthians 15 to ask and answer three crucial questions for our lives: 1) Why do I need the gospel?, 2) What is the gospel?, and 3) Why is the resurrection essential to the gospel? Join us as we celebrate the hope giving reality of the Risen Christ.
Luke 3:18-20 | John the Baptist came preaching a baptism of repentance. This demanded he confront people in their sin and point them to the coming Savior from sin. And John was willing to confront everyone in their sin, including Herod. His confrontation of Herod proved very costly from an earthly standpoint. Obedience is costly. Confrontation often costly. But it's a worthy cost. Let's look at that together.
Luke 3:15-17 | John the Baptist reminds us that life and ministry were never meant to point to us, but to Jesus. In a moment where people could have easily elevated him, John makes it clear: he’s not the Savior, he’s just pointing to Him. And that same calling is on us. Our lives are meant to function like a signpost, directing people to Christ.
Luke 3:7-14 | Wrath. Repentance. Judgment. Response. Some of these words carry heavy connotations. Sometimes, people may even want to avoid these words. John the Baptist didn't. His preaching confronted the crowds with the reality of God's wrath, the need for genuine repentance, the nearness of God's judgment, and the demand to respond. On Sunday, we will see what he had to say and open our hearts to any ways the Holy Spirit seeks to confront us through the power of His Word.
Luke 3:1-6 | There are two massive and connected statements regarding the life of John the Baptist. The first is something he said: "He must increase, and I must decrease."" The second is something Jesus said of him: "...among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist..." These realities are connected. John understood the best way he could spend his life was to humble himself in a way that exalted Jesus. This is the picture of true greatness. We begin a four week look at the life and ministry of John the Baptist seeking to understand what a life of decrease so Christ increases can look like.
Luke 2:41-52 | As we turn our eyes to Luke 2:41-52, we see the only account in the gospels of Jesus’ life between his birth and the beginning of his adult ministry. The story of Jesus’ time in the temple as a twelve-year-old is all about obedience: obedience modeled by his parents, obedience to his heavenly father, and obedience to his earthly parents.
Luke 2:22-38 |What are you ultimately waiting for with eager anticipation? We may eagerly anticipate many good things, but only one can be ultimate: the day our faith becomes sight. The day we see our Savior face to face. In Luke 2 we are introduced to Simeon and Anna, two aged saints waiting and longing for their faith to become sight. Though we now live between the two comings of Christ, we can learn much from these two saints about what it looks like to wait and worship until our faith becomes sight.
Luke 2:1-21 |The King of Kings came to earth in the humblest of ways. His birth was announced to the most unlikely of people. Worship over what had happened resounded in the most unlikely of places. The message was shared by the most unlikely of messengers. The Highest King came in the humblest of ways, and there is so much for us to be instructed and encouraged by as we look at this reality.
Luke 1:57-80 | John's birth had been foretold, now it is realized. With this promise from God fulfilled, worshipful ramifications ripple. And with this promise fulfilled, Zechariah is filled with a prophecy of praise. This passage highlights for us God as a promise keeper and compassionate Redeemer. The implications of these two realities of God have a massive impact on how we live with Him in the here and now of everyday life.
Luke 1:26-56 | We know Jesus is gracious. We experience his grace. We see his grace in his life, death, and resurrection. Luke 1 unpacks for us, though, the grace of God in the announcement to Mary that she will conceive and give birth to a son. Everything about Gabriel's announcement to Mary magnifies the amazement of God's glorious grace. So let's walk through this announcement in Luke 1 and see grace signified, grace personified, and grace magnified in such a way that leads us to deeper awe of God's amazing grace.
Luke 1:5-25 | We established in week one that he Gospel of Luke is a Spirit-inspired, historically perfect, authorized biography of the Lord Jesus Christ. So what we might expect next is for Luke to mention Jesus...but he doesn't. Mary and Joseph? Nope. Luke introduces us first to the parents of John the Baptist. Why is this? And what are some massive lessons God is teaching us through this couple we meet in Luke 1?
Luke 1:1-4 | What are you certain about? I didn't ask what you were confident about, but what are you absolutely certain about? Some say you can't be certain about anything. Luke would beg to differ. This Sunday we begin our series in the gospel of Luke, and we begin with the declaration that we can have absolute certainty about Jesus. Let's go on this journey together to see the life and teaching of Jesus Christ and what it means for us to follow him as Lord with absolute certainty.
Acts 4:23-31 | What is our greatest need to be a faithful gospel witness? What is our greatest hurdle to a life of faithfully sharing Christ with the lost? It isn't more training. It is more boldness. In Acts 4 we see the church gather in the face of threats to ask the Lord not for more safety, or more training, but to ask for more boldness. This Sunday, as the final sermon in our prayer series and the final session of our Sent Conference, we will look at the prayer, the power, and the perseverance of prayer-fueled witness.
Various Passages in Acts | The old adage goes, "The family that prays together, stays together." It's true for church families as well: The church that prays together, stays together. There is unity, fellowship, joy, and missional oneness that comes as we devote ourselves to prayer together. We will take a walk through the book of Acts to look at the times the church gathered for prayer together and the circumstances that drove them to corporate prayer. This must deepen our own convictions for the priority of corporate prayer.
Matthew 6:5-13 | E.M. Bounds in his classic, Power Through Prayer, notes that prayer is great spiritual work, and our flesh opposes great spiritual work. This is so true. We long to lean into this great spiritual work in a deeper way because we know there is a depth of communion, transformation, and enjoyment with the Lord as our prayer life with Him deepens. This Sunday we turn to Jesus' teaching on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount to prepare us for a deeper prayer life in 2026.
Nehemiah 13 | Nehemiah came to Jerusalem the first time a revivalist. He now returns to Jerusalem a reformer. A reformer sees the evils that are downright wrong and seeks to make them right before the Lord. In this chapter we will watch as Nehemiah seeks to bring purity back to the people of God and their worship of God through the reforms he initiates. As we walk through each of these five reforms, may we be sensitive to where the Lord may want to reform these areas in our own lives as well.
Nehemiah 12:27-47 | Most versions of Nehemiah 12:27-47 have the heading “the dedication of the wall.” As this passage of scripture unfolds, we’ll see much more than just a dedication of a wall, and much more than the celebration of an incredible accomplishment, but an all-out worship service to a sovereign God who always fulfills his promises. This morning we’ll unpack four elements of corporate worship we see from this wall dedication, and how they impact the corporate worship gathering today.
Nehemiah 9-10 | God's people have been captivated by God's Word, and now they are under conviction. As Nehemiah 9 begins we find God's people gathered in sackcloth, fasting, and with earth on their heads. This is a solemn assembly. In the midst of this conviction, we see them express God-exalting contrite confession (ch. 9) and God-exalting resolute repentance (ch. 10). What bout their confession and repentance keeps God at the forefront and his glory their motivation? And what can we learn so our confession and repentance is driven more by the worship of God than by the wallowing in self? Let's get a glimpse of what God-exalting confession and repentance looks like in our life.
Nehemiah 7-8 | The Word of God...that lamp to our feet, hammer to our will, double-edged sword that pierces our inmost being. The power of the Word of God transforms everything. Nehemiah 8 is a vivid picture of a revival with the Word of God at the center of it. As we walk through it together we will look at 6 Convictions for People of the Word. This passage will stoke our reverence for and dependence on the Word of God.
Nehemiah 7-8 | The Word of God...that lamp to our feet, hammer to our will, double-edged sword that pierces our inmost being. The power of the Word of God transforms everything. Nehemiah 8 is a vivid picture of a revival with the Word of God at the center of it. As we walk through it together we will look at 6 Convictions for People of the Word. This passage will stoke our reverence for and dependence on the Word of God.
Nehemiah 6 | There are very few guarantees in life. One of them is this: if you are faithfully walking in obedience to the Lord, opposition will come. What do we do when opposition hits? How should we respond? As we continue our study of the book of Nehemiah, we’ll see what chapter 6 has to say about our response to spiritual opposition.
Nehemiah 5 | In the midst of the wall's rebuilding, there is a major problem. The problem does not lie in a breach of the wall but rather in a breach of love among God's people. As Nehemiah learns of the injustice, he puts the people over the project, and with a loving, righteous indignation seeks to right what is wrong. What was this problem? What does it look like to pursue justice? What does loving sacrifice for the people of God look like? And how does Jesus encapsulate the perfect picture of all of this? Nehemiah 5 will tell us how.
Nehemiah 4 | If we are faithful to obey the Lord and be about his work, we will face opposition. What the Lord is moving forward for his glory and Kingdom, the enemy will be sure to oppose. In Nehemiah 4 we see opposition to the rebuilding of the walls. In this chapter we will see what kinds of opposition God's people face, and we will also learn how to press on and persevere in the face of opposition.
Nehemiah 3 | Nehemiah 3 is a beautiful picture of what it looks like when all of God's people come together to do God's work for God's glory. This chapter is a detailed unpacking of the different groups that rebuilt the different sections of the wall around Jerusalem. Within these details we will be built up and encouraged to faithfully play our part alongside God's people to do God's work for His glory!
Nehemiah 2 | Our God establishes our steps and turns hearts of kings as he pleases. We know these Proverbs to be true, and as we study Nehemiah 2, we get to see them functionally play out. Nehemiah will pray, he will plan, and he will obey, and we will see God sovereignly accomplish his will.
Christmas: Word-Fulfilling, Worshipful Wonder
The scenes of Luke 2 are truly remarkable. You have a pilgrimage of a faithful couple fulfilling past promises from God. You have a supernatural worship service that breaks out in a sheep field. You have a moment of reverent wonder at the side of a manger. In all of it we want to see in the Christmas story the glory of the one born in Bethlehem and let it lead us to worshipful wonder this Christmas.
Promises Fulfilled
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Here Comes A King
Luke 1:26-56 | The human heart wanders in restlessness until the moment it sees the glory of Christ. We were made to behold the glory of God and the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God is seen in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). From the very first angelic announcement of the birth of Jesus, there is glory packed into this description of who this coming King is. We want to see the glory of Jesus in this birth announcement and then let that lead us to respond accordingly. Our hearts will overflow with joy when we look again at who he is and why he has come.
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Prepping for a Christ-Exalting Christmas
It's December. We are gearing up for the celebration of Christmas. For many of us, we love this time--the family, the friends, the food, the fun. In the midst of the buildup for Christmas, we want to ask a really important question: What would make this Christmas the most Christ-exalting Christmas we have ever experienced? Let's look at a godly couple at the beginning of Luke's gospel who can help prepare our hearts for a Christ-exalting Christmas.
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Bring Them Here To Me!
Matthew 14:13-21 | Pastor Robbie Symons of Hope Bible Church Oakville leads us through a study of a familiar, yet rich, passage.
Justification By Faith (Part 1)
Romans 4:1-12 | Justification by faith. God is leading Paul to hammer home this essential message of the Christian faith: One is made righteous before God by faith. He has brought it up in every paragraph in this section of the letter, and he will hammer it home by showing in chapter four how even Abraham was justified in this way. Romans four is a gift from God to take us into a deeper understanding of this essential doctrine, and we will begin our study by looking at Part One of these "5 Must-Know Truths of Justification by Faith."
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Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Gospel-Powered Humility, Urgency, Unity, & Righteousness (Pt. 2)
Romans 3:27-31 | I don't know who said it first, but I do remember clearly when I first heard it said:
A gospel that has not changed us has not saved us.
Boom! It sat on me with clarity and conviction. This message of a righteousness that has been won by Christ, through his atoning sacrifice on the cross, and extended to us as a gift of grace WILL produce change in our lives. It will! As we come to the end of Romans 3 we see how this is the case. Last week we looked at gospel-powered unity. In part 2 this week we see how the gospel powers urgency, unity, and lives lived righteously.
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Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Gospel-Powered Humility, Unity, and Righteousness
Romans 3:27-31 | I don't know who said it first, but I do remember clearly when I first heard it said:
A gospel that has not changed us has not saved us.
Boom! It sat on me with clarity and conviction. This message of a righteousness that has been won by Christ, through his atoning sacrifice on the cross, and extended to us as a gift of grace WILL produce change in our lives. It will! As we come to the end of Romans 3 we see three clear ways the gospel practically will impact our lives. Today we look at the first of these: Gospel-powered humility.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
How God Saves
Romans 3:21-26 | "But now..."
With those two beautiful transitional words we get a gospel soundtrack shift in the letter to the Romans. Paul has written to them of man's wickedness which deserves God's wrath. He has announced that there is no one righteous, no not one. But now...gospel hope! But now...we are told how we are made right with God! As we walk through Romans 3:21-26 we get the answer to life's biggest questions: How are we made right with God?, How has God accomplished this?, and What does this tell us about the goodness of our God? These verses are packed with joy-filled hope for every human heart.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
God: Faithful, Righteous, and True
Romans 3:1-20 | In Romans 2 Paul made some pretty startling claims for a Jewish listener. They weren't ultimately saved by their lineage or their rituals, they needed a circumcision of heart. As Romans 3 begins, Paul anticipates their pushback and speaks to it. Within this we hear beautiful teaching on God's faithfulness, man's total unrighteousness, and a crescendo of hope for how God's faithfulness makes a way for unrighteous man to get right with him.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Circumcision of the Heart
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Self-Righteousness: A Silent Killer
Romans 2:1-16 | It is easy to read the end of Romans 1 and think, "Yeah, go those ungodly and wicked people, Paul!" And then you turn to Romans 2. In Romans 2 Paul goes after the self-righteous person who is equally defiant to the gospel. Self-righteousness is dangerous. Deadly. It is a silent killer because it leaves its suspect thinking they are righteous because of their externals all the while living with a dead heart inside. We must reject a facade of righteousness of our own making and receive the righteousness of Christ that comes by faith. This message serves as a "self-righteous detector" in our life to turn us to the righteousness found in the hope of the gospel.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Wrath Revealed (Part 4)
Romans 1:28-32 | In Romans 1:18 Paul said, "The wrath of God is revealed..." He said is revealed, not will be revealed, but God's wrath is revealed. There is a present nature to God's wrath toward the ungodly and unrighteous. How so? How is God's wrath being presently poured out on the unrighteous. The answer is what we find in Romans 1:24-32, and it has to do with the repeated statement, "God gave them up..." God's wrath is being revealed against the unrighteous in that he is giving them over to what they want. What are the three things mentioned that God gives the unrighteous over to? Today we pick it up with the third of these statements, the unrighteous given up to a debased mind.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Wrath Revealed (Part 3)
Romans 1:26-27 | In Romans 1:18 Paul said, "The wrath of God is revealed..." He said is revealed, not will be revealed, but God's wrath is revealed. There is a present nature to God's wrath toward the ungodly and unrighteous. How so? How is God's wrath being presently poured out on the unrighteous. The answer is what we find in Romans 1:24-32, and it has to do with the repeated statement, "God gave them up..." God's wrath is being revealed against the unrighteous in that he is giving them over to what they want. What are the three things mentioned that God gives the unrighteous over to? Today we pick it up with the second, the unrighteous given up to dishonorable passions.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Wrath Revealed (Part 2)
Romans 1:24-25 | In Romans 1:18 Paul said, "The wrath of God is revealed..." He said is revealed, not will be revealed, but God's wrath is revealed. There is a present nature to God's wrath toward the ungodly and unrighteous. How so? How is God's wrath being presently poured out on the unrighteous. The answer is what we find in Romans 1:24-32, and it has to do with the repeated statement, "God gave them up..." God's wrath is being revealed against the unrighteous in that he is giving them over to what they want. What are the three things mentioned that God gives the unrighteous over to? Why is that such a tragic reality? What is the hope for those who have been given over to these things?
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Wrath Revealed
Romans 1:18-23 | Paul has given us his thesis, his big idea, in Romans 1:16-17. Now he begins his beautiful, air-tight, logical unpacking of that thesis. We now embark on the beautiful journey to see Paul unpack the glorious gospel of God. But where does he start? He starts where much of our contemporary culture tends to avoid when talking about God. Paul begins his gospel-unpacking with a look squarely at the wrath of God revealed against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of man. We will make our way through Romans 1:18-23 by unpacking four questions to help us understanding the God's wrath revealed.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Unashamed
Romans 1:16-17 | That great locker room pep talk kind of passage that gets us fired up for the gospel. That calls us to an unashamed life built on the gospel. But do we understand why we are not ashamed of the gospel? Have we looked deeply at what Paul says here as to the reasoning for his unashamedness of the gospel of God? Only when we see these things in this passage will our locker room passion for the gospel transcend into boldness on the fields of lostness in our actual day to day lives.
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Faith in Jesus and His Gospel
Romans 1:8-15
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Introducing Romans (Part 2)
Romans 1:1-7 | Who are you? Why do you exist? Whoa, those are some pretty big questions. When you introduce yourself, what are the important things you say that describe who you are? When you think about your "life's work", what comes to mind? In the greeting to this letter we learn how Paul describes who he is and we see this major purpose of his life that captures why he is writing this letter to the Romans. As we look at these truths and get introduced to this letter, it will help us define who we are as well and this great purpose we have here to the glory of God.
Romans 1:1-7 | Who are you? Why do you exist? Whoa, those are some pretty big questions. When you introduce yourself, what are the important things you say that describe who you are? When you think about your "life's work", what comes to mind? In the greeting to this letter we learn how Paul describes who he is and we see this major purpose of his life that captures why he is writing this letter to the Romans. As we look at these truths and get introduced to this letter, it will help us define who we are as well and this great purpose we have here to the glory of God.
APPLICATION GUIDE | SERMON SLIDES | SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES
More from this series:
Ok, here we are. The final words of Paul's letter to the Romans. The letter closes with a worshipful doxology, declaring that God is worthy of all glory forever. As Paul glorifies God, he reminds us of an important reality that we must cling to as we close this book: the gospel is not only the power to save us, it is the power to strengthen us as well. So as we close our series in the book of Romans, we do so with the strong reminder that God, who strengthens us in the gospel, is worthy of all glory forever.
The end of Romans has many features customary of how Paul closes a letter, but there are two unique features. One of these uniquenesses is that he interrupts his greeting section for some final exhortations and encouragements to the church. Today we look at what was so important to Paul that he interrupts his greetings to make sure he says these final words to the Romans. In this, he highlights a problem for us to watch out for, a promise for us to believe, and a prayer for us to live by.
You open to Romans 16, and what do you find dominating the first 16 verses?
Names.
27 of them to be exact.
It's easy to come to sections like this of Paul's letters and speed read through them. But we need to slow down here. What do all these names and descriptions tell us about a congregation and people known and loved by Paul? How does this section help us understand that all the gospel doctrine and ethics Paul has laid down in this letter are rooted in a deep love for the people on the other side of the letter? We have much to see here for how gospel doctrine gets lived out in the context of personal relationships within a congregation.
Paul had an ambition to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. In other words, Paul lived with a passion for the gospel frontiers. He wanted to go to the places where the gospel had yet to go and announce the good news of Christ there. In this week's passage, we see Paul's eyes fixed on a new gospel frontier of Spain. As we walk through this together we want to pull out four factors for forward movement to gospel frontiers. Let's let God's word fill us with a greater zeal for the gospel frontiers in our day where the gospel must go forward!
Why witness? How should we witness? This morning we unpack the heart of witness—We witness to the glory of God, so the lost can experience our glorious God.
In the church at Rome there were some conscience controversies:
"Should we eat that or not?
"Should we drink that or not?
"Should we celebrate that day or not?"
In our congregation today there are unique matters of conscience as well. Last week we looked at Five Gospel Unifiers for us on matters of conscience. Those Five Gospel Unifiers from last week lay a foundation for us to build on as to how we practically live with one another in these matters. Today we tackle this by looking at Romans 14:13-15:13 and from this passage will make 3 resolutions to love my neighbor in matters of conscience.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
It is evident how much Paul wants to drive home the reality that people who have come to believe the gospel will now live lives marked by gospel-empowered love. In this passage, Paul summarizes that to love is to fulfill the law. He also helps us see that walking in love and walking in the light go hand-in-hand. Let's look together at what a gospel-empowered life of love and light looks like.
"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities..."
Crickets.
Really? But Paul, do you have any idea what our governing authorities are doing? Certainly this doesn't apply to us in the political climate we are in, right? Well, let's take a look at what this passage says. It is very clear. The Word here has important truth for us to understand in the political climate we live in and this election season we find ourselves in the throes of. There is no better passage for us to understand what it looks like for us to live as gospel citizens as it relates to how we live subject to our governing authorities. Buckle up...here we go.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. Last week we looked at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. This week we tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Paul comes to what we call a "rapid fire" section of his letter. A series of commands and instructions that come quickly and pointedly in Romans 12:9-21. Though it is rapid fire, they aren't entirely disconnected. Verse 9 serves as a proper header for these verses around the theme of genuine love. This week we look at what genuine love for one another in the body of Christ looks like. Next week we will tackle what genuine love for our enemies looks like.
Lord, keep me low. Lord, build your church. Lord, use me.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
As Paul moves to his instructions for what a life shaped by the gospel looks like, he begins with an appeal. His appeal is that his readers would live as sacrifices to God. What kind of sacrifices are we to be? How does this define for us what true worship is? What would prevent us from becoming these sacrifices? What is the catalyst that leads us to this kind of gospel-shaped sacrifice? All this is answered in two really important verses of this book.
In Romans 11:25-36, Paul reveals the fuller picture of God’s plan of salvation by explaining the “mystery” that in the end, “all Israel will be saved.” He goes on to focus on the centrality of God’s mercy in the salvation of all the elect, both Jew and Gentile. Finally, in concluding this section of his letter to the Romans, Paul writes a doxology in which we are reminded that this entire plan of salvation is designed specifically for God’s glory. Our salvation isn’t the ultimate goal; God’s glory is.
God's ways are not our ways. We see this throughout this section of Romans. God is doing a great work for maximum redemption of both Jew and Gentile, and he is carrying that out in a way he knows is best. Paul says a remnant of Israel has been chosen by grace, the rest have been hardened, but we see in this week's passage how God is using even that hardening for greater salvation for Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 10 ends a bit heavy with these words Paul quotes describing Israel's heart, "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." This leads him to begin chapter 11 with a really important question: Has God rejected his people? The answer to that is an emphatic no. God is redeeming a remnant of grace from within Israel while he is hardening the rest. But even God's hardening has redemptive purposes of which we will uncover as we make our way through Romans 11. This Sunday we sit in the glorious realities of grace and, Lord willing, will leave with deeper gratitude for the grace of God.
Romans 10:14-21 | Romans 10:14-21 helps us learn our next step in rightly responding to the good news. This passage is pivotal in shaping our understanding of what must take place in order for lost sinners to be saved by God. It is also a crucial text for supplying believers with passion and urgency to share the gospel. Through this passage, we see how God graciously breaks down the excuses we tend to make to neglect our next steps of obedience. He does this to lead us into the delight of obedience so that He may be glorified. God, be magnified through our obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
The anthem over all of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God to save all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. As we come to Romans 9, we see Paul's burden for the Jewish people who are still lost and have not believed the gospel. He raises an important question: Has God's word somehow failed? Is God's promise to save not powerful enough to save so many Jews still lost? Paul's answer to this is massive as it teaches us in some of the clearest language in all the Bible of the power and beauty of God's providence to save those he is calling to himself.
Romans 8:31-39 | In Christ, we are more than conquerors. But how? As we find in Romans 8:31-39, we are more than conquerors because of God, and four specific things he has done for us.
There is no denying that this world is filled with heartaches that give us a heavenly homesickness. Last week we saw that in the groaning of our heartaches, the Lord lifts our eyes to the splendor of future glory. This week we see that not only does the Lord lift our eyes to future glory in our present groanings, but he is also so kind and good to give us very tangible help in our present sufferings. What are these helps and assurances that the Lord gives his people in the present groaning of life? Let's look at these together in Romans 8:26-30.
How do believers press on in the midst of suffering? Romans 8:18-25 provides us with great insight on this question. This text fills us as hope as we long together for God to make all things right in glory. As believers, we can allow our suffering to fuel our hope in the future glory that is to be revealed. God, we want to behold more of your glory. Show us your glory, Lord.
Luke 5:1-11 | After a career defining catch of fish, a group of fishermen left it all to follow Jesus. Jesus had shown his power and authority so clearly that these men were willing to leave everything and follow Him. When we see Jesus for who He is, we will follow Him wherever He calls. These 11 verses on Sunday might just change the entire trajectory of how we follow Jesus.