Romans 1: We Have Lost Our Way

Announcements:

-Local Church Conference after church on 4/14

- kids camp interest meeting after service today

-Next Steps Class 4/21 (changed from 4/7)

-Women's retreat

-Student Ministry Starting on 5/8

-Wednesday Night Bible Study (at the building and on zoom @7pm)-Gospel Of John

-Thursday Night Prayer @6:45

-Offering/Giving, Online or in the black box.

Read Romans 1:16-17.

PRAY!!

Intro Section:

-I am excited to kick off this Romans series this morning. Just a couple of things about Romans before we start unpacking the for today.

-Paul wrote his letter to the Romans several decades after his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus. During that intervening time, Paul spent several years sorting out his own understanding of the relationship between his Jewish heritage and the new covenant revealed in God’s Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Before Paul’s public ministry, he lived in solitude in Arabia and in his home city of Tarsus.

-Its estimated he wrote this letter somewhere between AD 56-58

-Paul wrote Romans to proclaim the glory of Jesus by teaching doctrine and to edify and encourage those who would receive the letter in Rome. Paul makes it very clear as well in this letter that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves.

-Paul uses an extended and rather continuous progression of thought to develop the theme of God’s righteousness and its availability to humans through faith

-The main theme in Romans is righteousness (which means what is right and pleasing to God!)

-There was a disagreement between jewish and gentile believers on Righteousness. The disagreement was how righteousness, which was a reflection of God’s character, was to be attained.

-Jewish believers considered righteousness to be a moral accomplishment, attained by observing rituals and obeying the law. Persons who thus became righteous could expect the blessings (grace) of God to be bestowed upon them.

-What the Gentile believers in Rome thought about righteousness is more difficult to determine. Some no doubt assumed that righteousness was inconsequential to salvation. They had come to Christ seeking eternal life, and they rejoiced in their salvation without giving much thought at all to God’s moral character and His desire for a reflection of that character in the lives of those who followed His Son. These believers assumed they were righteous, without giving thought to what righteousness might mean in terms of a transformed life.

-Other Gentiles probably had heard Paul’s gospel and understood righteousness to be God’s gracious gift to those who trust in Him. In Paul’s view, righteousness does not qualify one for God’s grace; grace is a gift that enables one to be righteous before God. In either understanding of grace, the Gentile believers rejected the moralism and legalism that characterized the Jewish understanding of righteousness.

-To clear up the misconceptions in this congregation, Paul takes them back to the starting point of salvation—the realization that all persons, whether Jew or Gentile, have no innate righteousness to offer God as a ticket to a right standing with Him. All humans are sinners and “fall short” of what God desires (Rom. 3:23).

-To attain a right standing with a righteous God, one must, according to Paul, exercise faith and faith alone

-Something we all need to remember is that we have added chapters and verse numbers to make it easier too reference/read God’s word which is super helpful for us. But sometimes that can prevent us from seeing the bigger picture that is being painted in the book.

When we keep this in mind we can really break romans down into 4 sections:

1.Righteousness Needed (1:18-3:20)

2.Righteousness Provided (3:21-8:39)

3.Righteousness Vindicated (9:1-11:36)

4.Righteousness Practiced (12:1-15:13)

I wanna to lay this little equation before you… PRIDE + PASSION/DESIRES = PROBLEM.

-Pride is when we think we know what’s best for ourselves and nobody can tell us otherwise, we think way to highly of ourselves and we can do no wrong, basically everyone else is wrong and I’m right type of things…we become the little “g” god’s of our lives.(This gets in the way of us surrendering to God)

-Passion/Desire is a strong feeling of wanting to have something. This feeling can be extremely hard to control and we desperately chase after what ever this thing is, which usually brings us some sense of comfort or self satisfaction, more often than not things that God does not desire for us. (This blinds us from Gods truth, and binds us)

-The Problem is that the unhealthy combination of things I just said usually lead us deep into a life of sin, which does and will separate us from God. We try to fill voids/needs with our desires especially when it comes to sex and our sexuality. ( this kills us, sin always leads to death)

-I want us to keep all of this in mind this morning as we walk through Romans 1. Some of the stuff we will be covering is deep and for some maybe even uncomfortable. Bear with me as we unpack this….

No One Has an Excuse Section:

Read Romans 1:18-25.

-It is remarkable that in this passage, which deals with the moral depravity of human hearts, Paul makes no mention of Satan or any other evil agent. He focuses instead on the thoughts and resulting actions of humans—persons like you and me—who are deceived by whatever means, and then stray from the truth. Furthermore, when we stray, we are not so likely to chase after the demonic and the occultic as we are to be tempted to worship the things of God’s good creation, rather than God himself.

the Apostle Paul paints a vivid picture of humanity's condition, revealing both the wrath of God and the glory of His creation.

The Wrath of God (Romans 1:18-20):Paul begins by asserting that the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. It's important to understand that this wrath isn't a volatile outburst of anger, but rather the necessary response of a holy God toward sin. God's wrath is a reflection of His justice, His disgust with evil, and His commitment to righteousness.

- The passage speaks of humanity's suppression of the truth. Despite the clear evidence of God's existence and attributes in creation, people have chosen to suppress this truth in unrighteousness. This suppression isn't merely ignorance but a willful rejection of God's revelation.

- Consequences of Suppression: Paul emphasizes that this suppression leads to futile thinking and darkened hearts. When humanity rejects the truth of God, they exchange it for lies and embrace various forms of idolatry. This idolatry isn't limited to physical idols but extends to anything exalted above God in one's life.

The Glory of Creation (Romans 1:21-25):Having discussed the wrath of God, Paul now contrasts it with the glory of God revealed in creation.

-Manifestation of God's Power and Divinity: Creation itself bears witness to the power and divinity of God. From the vast expanse of the cosmos to the intricate details of the natural world, every aspect of creation points to its Creator. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the earth proclaims His handiwork.

-Humanity's Exchange: Despite this clear revelation, humanity exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, animals, and creeping things. This exchange reflects the tragedy of idolatry, where the created is worshipped instead of the Creator.

So here is the 3-fold sequence happening in these verses:

1.Human beings exchange God for what God has created, we prefer the creation over the creator

2. God hands us over to what we prefer, He is not some evil, cosmic dictator who forces HIs way upon us, He loves you enough to allow you to make the decision.

3.We act out externally and bodily in our sexual relations which is a dramatization of the internal, spiritual condition of the fallen human soul, namely the horrendous exchange of God for men and the images of power.

there are very real Consequences of Idolatry: Paul describes the downward spiral that follows idolatry. Instead of leading to enlightenment, idolatry results in spiritual blindness and moral decay. Humanity becomes enslaved to passions and desires, pursuing fleeting pleasures that ultimately leave them empty and broken.

-This all leads us to absolute brokenness which Paul breaks down in very detailed manner in the rest of Romans 1.

Sin Is Sin Section:

Read Romans 1:26-32.

-We live in a fallen world and within that a culture that has perverted sex.. WE ARE A SEXUALLY BROKEN PEOPLE/CULTURE…

-Sexuality is a big thing. God created men and women for sex to reproduce and it is truly a gift when recognized in the confide of marriage.

-unfortunately in this day in age that’s just not the case. We have abused it and worshiped and have valued sex over God.

-In this passage we see Paul talk about how homosexuality, which in his day and the audience he was writing to would not have found it controversial that it is against Gods design. we can go all the way back to Genesis as we read earlier to see what He intended  for creation.

-Then comes the gender identity issue tat has become extremely prevalent in our day and age, God doesn’t leave any gray area when it comes to this, He create mankind in His image “Man” and Woman” He created them. For us to reject how God created us, is us in turn rejecting God.

-Now I know for some of you to hear that it seems harsh, maybe because you know someone who’s is struggling with this or maybe that someone is you. I want you to hear me loud and clear!!! You are loved! By me, this church, and God.

-This is not about condemnation and calling you out, or making you feel isolated, or unworthy of God’s love. (We are all unworthy of Gods love.) this about pointing you to the truth which can be hard see and accept sometimes.

-My job is not to tell you to fix this, or fix that part of your life or change your sinful behaviors. (this applies to all of us who are stuck in sin)

-Im not In this for behavior modification (trying to just fix a behavior rather than the heart just leads to more pain for everyone) My job is to point to Jesus Christ. He is the one who will change your heart and perspective on things. He is the one who will transform you from the inside out, if you surrender everything before Him….

And that brings me to the most important question…..Are you willing to surrender every part of your life over to Jesus? For all that God is? Including your sexuality, and anything else you find value in or find your identity in.

-For some of you in this room who may be struggling with this or know someone who is, it can leave you feeling all alone, that no one cares truly, and that you are just stuck in this cycle no matter what. Let me tell you something that’s the same for every sin…..

-Lets be clear here sin is sin!!!All sin is offensive to God. Without Christ, we are lost, whatever type of sin has entangled us.

but not all sin is weighed the same if we are honest, all sexual sin, gets more attention in scripture than many other types of sins theft, lying etc

-those of you in this room, who may have judged someone living a homosexual lifestyle or who has struggled with same sex attraction and looked down or even bullied people who are

Let me read to you Romans 2:1 “Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.”

(and church we have done a terrible job when reaching people here!)

-‌The line between good and evil runs, not between ‘us’ and ‘them’, but down the middle of each of us.

-Are Addicted to pornography, have you been involved in adultery, having sex before marriage with your boyfriends and girlfriends (even if you think they are the one) those are all sexual sins!!

They are all against Gods design and against what He desires for you…..Far to many of us in this room have found our identity in the things we have talked about today and not in Jesus. Our pride, passion and desires have led us to a place of brokenness…. Sexual brokenness….

-Lets be real for a minute we all in here have feelings and are tempted. But we are not our feelings or our thoughts (praise God if that were the case i would be a convicted murderer or dead myself).

Lets Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Sexual sin is talked about differently than other sins because of how powerful it is! We have the choice when temptation comes, we can flee, or we can indulge in it. We can never flee from it on our own though we aren't strong enough for that. We must flee from all sin but it is interesting how there is an emphasis for us to flee from sexual sin and to not putting ourselves in situations where we can fall victim to sexual sin.

-The deepest problem of our lives, whether heterosexual or homosexual , gender confused or any other sexual sin, is the terrible exchange of the glory of God for idols.

-The exchange of the truth for a lie. The thought of thinking its foolish to acknowledge  God. Failed worship and being separated from God is our greatest disorder it doesn’t matter how we ended up there. This is beneath all the maladies of this world. Repairing this relationship with God is  our main concern which only happens when we give our lives to Jesus who alone saves us and makes us right with the Father, not first how to fix our sexual brokenness.

-Sexual brokenness can be defined as any sexual activity or sexual experience that does not honor God. We live in a sexually broken culture that is reaping the harvest of the sexual revolution.

-Sexual brokenness is nothing new. The Old Testament contains examples of sexual violence, rape, adultery, and every other kind of sexual sin (Ezekiel 33:26; 2 Samuel 13:1–20; Hosea 4:1–2). The Bible also offers the promise of healing for those who experience sexual brokenness.

-Sexual brokenness is due to humanity’s rejection of God’s authority. When a culture removes God as its final authority and replaces Him with situational ethics and personal freedoms, chaos results.

- Sexual expression is often the first target when Satan attacks a person or a nation.

-Those who refuse God’s values and demand the right to do with their bodies whatever lust dictates reap a host of societal ills: sexually transmitted diseases, fatherless children, rape, homosexuality, perversions, pedophilia, unwed births, abortion, child molestation, porn addiction and more.

-Sexual brokenness can be confronted on two levels: national and personal. Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” A nation’s sexual brokenness can be reversed if the people in that nation will return to God (Zechariah 1:3). When godly laws are reinstated, punishments are enforced for sexual crimes, and leaders model integrity and morality, a nation regains its collective sanity. Sexual brokenness begins to heal as respect, honor, and purity become social norms. The children born into such a world can grow up whole and happy without the scars their parents and grandparents carried.

-Individuals who realize their lives are sexually broken can also seek healing in the Lord. Psalm 23:3 says of the Lord our Shepherd: “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” God is the Restorer of broken people. To restore means to make as though new, and there are several ways that God makes sexually broken people new:

1. He renews our minds through His Word (Romans 12:1–2). He replaces old thought patterns with His truth. Lies that once kept us in bondage are now recognized as lies and rejected (2 Corinthians 10:5). Destructive thinking that led to depression, addiction, or promiscuity can be replaced with godly thoughts and self-worth as biblical truth takes root and grows. 2. He heals our attitudes about our bodies. A body that once brought shame becomes the temple of the Holy Spirit when we surrender our lives to Him (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). We learn to value our bodies, and we realize we were created for God’s purpose and pleasure (Colossians 1:16), not as a toy for someone else. 3. He restores relationships. Whereas in our sexual brokenness we may have defiled many relationships, we now learn how to treat others with all purity (1 Timothy 5:1–2). We make amends for any part we may have had in creating or sustaining the brokenness, asking forgiveness when appropriate and forgiving all who sinned against us (Matthew 18:21–35). 4. Once restored, we set healthy boundaries for our own sexuality. We recognize that sex is a good gift from a loving Creator and, when used wrongly, only wounds our souls. We obey the command to “flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). We recommit ourselves to purity in body and soul and set wise boundaries in order not to “make provision for the flesh and its lusts” (Romans 13:14). -Part of healing from sexual brokenness is to allow God’s Word, not our culture, to define sexual immorality. If we are to be followers of Christ, we look only to Him for direction (Hebrews 12:2). It matters not what culture thinks, what celebrities do, or what our neighbors approve. It only matters what God says, and it is His approval we seek if we want to remain sexually healed.

-We must all accept the fact that we are broken in many ways. This world breaks us. Evil breaks us. Heartache, pain, betrayal, and abuse can break us. Scars linger long after healing has occurred, and remnants of our old selves may still battle for attention.

-Those who are same-sex attracted may always battle that desire.

-Those who have been sexually violated may always flinch when touched a certain way.

-Those who have struggled with sexual addictions, may always feel the pull and desire to go back to it.

-Child abuse survivors and victims of sex trafficking and other sex crimes may carry the scars and the social judgments for the rest of their earthly lives.

- But inner healing can take place anyway. Learning to find complete fulfillment in a vital relationship with Jesus provides the strength to overcome sexual brokenness.

- When we understand that our bodies are dedicated to the Lord as His temple, we can claim this promise for ourselves. We can conquer sexual brokenness when the Lord of heaven’s armies is on our side (Isaiah 41:10; Jeremiah 1:19).

….And its not fixing our behavior or pretending our desires aren't their  or that we don’t struggle with temptations. Instead it is surrendering every part of our lives over to Jesus.. We must deny ourselves and pick up our cross daily

Read Luke 9:23-24“Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. F

Read Matthew 11:28–30 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Read John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Read John 6:35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.”

-When Jesus is at the center of our lives He will truly satisfy our every need!

TO go back to our little equation thingy lol   PRIDE + PASSION/DESIRES = PROBLEM <Jesus is greater than all of this and has made a way for you and me to be healed from all of this.

So, Will you surrender? what is that sin that has help you captive for to long? are you tired of it it consuming you…Repent and give it all to Jesus!

I want to take this time to reflect and repent…We are going to play a song called Take It All Away:

Week 1 Questions:

1.How do you live a “righteous” life?

2.How have you worshiped the creation rather than the creator?

3. Sexual sin is a big deal to God.How has sexual brokenness impacted your life? Have you found healing in Jesus?

4.Have you judged others based on their sins?