Victory from Surrender
When In Romans Pt. 1 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Sermon Series: When In Romans – Pt. 1
Text: Romans 1:1-15
Date: January 12, 2025
SCRIPTURE READER: ROMANS 1:7-15
Hey well good morning! It’s great to be here with you today. My name is Chase, I serve as the lead pastor here at The Corners, and I’m excited to be here with you this morning.
If you’re Bible’s still open to Romans, keep it there because that’s where we’re gonna be this morning. And – before we dive in – let’s give a shout out to any of our first time guest this morning! We’re so glad you’re here....and let me just say, I say that every week, and I don’t want that to be just a formality or just another thing, but it’s to show that we here at The Corners – we don’t want to be insider focused....we want to be a group of Christians focused on reaching out, amen!!
And so that even includes anyone who might be here for the first time....so if that’s you, I’m glad you came to worship with us this morning.
Well, like I said, we’re gonna be in the book of Romans this morning. Last week, we started what will hopefully be a yearlong journey through this wonderful book. And last week we made it all the way to the end of verse 1.
And this week, the goal is to make it through verse 15. So...with that said, let me pray and then we’re gonna dive right in.
PRAY
Well, I want to start off this morning by looking at a trend that really started about a year and half ago. Okay, so here’s the joy of multigenerational church....for some in here this is like ancient because in internet years a year and half is like 20 years. But for others, maybe you never even knew this was thing, right....but in the fall of 2023, there was this trend of women asking the men in their life how often they think about the Ancient Roman Empire.
And so there were all these videos across all these different platforms where women ask men...how often they think about ancient Rome and what it reveled is that for many men, the notion of ancient Rome crosses the minds of many men on a weekly basis. For some even daily...and the trend...really the main point was to highlight the fact that there’s a significant disparity between the number of men and the number of women who think about the Roman Empire on a regular basis.
One guy said he thinks about it 1.6 times a day. Which was very specific.
But I went down the rabbit hole this week...yes I know a year and half late....but I went down the the rabbit hole of different articles from historians and sociologists and the like who took this viral comedic trend....combined it with some real world research and data and basically the consensus was that the reason many men think about the Roman Empire is because – quote – “Western societies have historically overemphasized the aspects of Roman history that are associated with masculinity in the popular imagination.”
It goes on to say...When one thinks about the Roman Empire...often, The first thing that comes to the mind is “an image of the Roman legion, the imperial eagle and that sort of military aspect — along with gladiators, which has a long association with masculinity and power...This is because historians have tended to view ancient Rome through the prism of politics and warfare, in part as a result of their reliance on “elite, masculine” sources.”
Okay...so why am I starting with this. Well, one because it’s still funny a year and half later how accurate the trend is in many relationships...not all...but many. But the real reason is because as we get into the book of Romans...it’s important that we understand that the backdrop as the name suggests is...Ancient Rome!
I mean it sounds obvious, but we have to understand that we can’t fully grasp this book without delving at least briefly into the historical context in which it was written which means...today we’re gonna think a lot about the Roman Empire.
And let me just say – we talked last week about how many people in church history have had their lives just absolutely filliped upside down by this letter to the Romans....and so my hope is that this happens to US...in that even if we’re not prone to thinking regularly about the Roman Empire itself, my hope is that our study this year will plant within us truths that we do think about every single day.
See...for many of us...the reality is we come to church on Sunday...think about some God stuff here on Sunday....and hope that that will get us through the hardships of life. (pause) We hope that a little bit of Jesus here...will carry us through the storms out there! But here’s the reaility....We need to become people who view all of life through a gospel lens! (pause)
That means..this book has got to be our guide and it should shape and fashion what we believe about everything. And as a result we should be thinking about the all the time!
Those outside the church should be saying...wait you think about the bible on Monday..and Thursday...and all the days in between....not just Sunday?
And we should say yeah!!! It’s a lamp to my feet.
But the only way that happens...is if we really know this book...which is why we’re devoting really this whole year to unpacking what is the most clear and systematicbook in the bible. Right, this was our major point last week.
The letter to the Romans is the clearest and most systematic presentation of Christian beliefs in the whole Bible.
It’s not more inspired...it’s not more important. But it’s the most clearly spelled out....and so here’s what I want to do this morning. Here’s our outline.
Last week, in looking at the first verse, we really saw Who Paul was, and what we can learn from that, and I want to do the same thing, but this time with the Romans. Who was Paul writing too and what the cultural backdrop, and in doing so we’ll see what we can learn from that.
So these are our headings: 1. Who are the Roman....2. What were they called to...or what are they supposed to do or be.....3. What was Paul’s attitude towards them....and then number 4. What can we learn from this...and again just like last week, I want to answer that both from standpoint of this year as a whole, as well as today.
And each of these headings – just so you’ll know – wll have a corospoding number of points to it’s it’s number in that heading 1 will have 1 point heading number 2 will have 2, heading number 3 will have 3 and 4 will have 4 points...so if you’re doing the math....actually don’t do the math, just know we’ll go through these rather quickly.
Let me say one more thing by way of introduction and then we’ll dive in....I showed this slide last week....this is our layout of the book of Romans. 16 chapters – divided into two parts...what we believe and how we should live. But it can also be broken down further into five sections... Sin, Salvation, Sanctification, Sovereignty, and Service.
Okay – last week, this week, and next week are all the introduction. And then Paul comes right out the gate swinging as he enters into the section on sin.
Okay I was thinking about this this week and maybe it might be helpful for some....think of a boxing match. Okay if you’ve ever seen boxing there’s a moment when one guy get’s introduced into the ring, then they introduce the other, then they come up to each other and tap gloves, right? Then the bell dings and they’re tyring to knock each other out.
Okay...last week was the introduction to Paul...this week is our introduction to the Romans....and then next week we’ll see them bump gloves if you will as we explore the thesis of the book in verses 16 and 17....and then Paul comes out of the gate holding no punches at all. It gets really real, really quick...so....that’s where we’re headed over these next couple weeks.
Alright, so.....lets meet The Romans. Not the Romanini’s although if you haven’t met them, they’re awesome...but the Romans.
THE ROMANS
Last week we looked briefly at the fact that the book of Romans, while it follows the book of Acts in it’s placement in the bible, it doesn’t follow chronologically...in fact the book of Romans was written during the events of the book of Acts.
Just a quick review...in the book of Acts, Jesus leaves the scene, right, he ascends into heaven and his disciples are waiting to see what’s gonna happen next...waht happens? God sends the Holy Spirit and Peter starts preaching because there’s a bunch of people from all over the known world who are in Jerusalem...it’s almost like God planned this whole thing out...and thousands pf people ger saved.
And so...it’s believed....it’s spelled out in scripture...but it’s believed that since the bible does tell us that some of the people that were there were from Rome....than many of those new believers went back to their homes in Rome and were like “yo, the craziest thing happened in Jerusalem!” And they shared the gospel and this...seemingly new movement...began to grow in Rome. And so Paul writes this letter to the Christians in Rome because the church had started to spread...but keep this in mind....he hadn’t actually been there yet. (pause) Okay, he gets there by the end of the book of Acts...but when this is written....he’s not there yet.
Okay...now check this out...brief aside, but this is important...even though there were Christian in Rome...there wasn’t an established church yet. Okay let me read from a commentator real quick. He says:
When we talk about the “Church in Rome,” we are not referring to a single congregation which meets in a large public building somewhere in the city. Rather, we are speaking of a number of groups of people meeting throughout the City of Rome, either in houses or tenement complexes (basically apartments). Paul’s greetings in Romans 16 are instructive regarding this point. Paul notes that some Christians meet with Priscilla and Aquila “in their house” (Rom. 16:5📷). Besides this group Paul mentions several other groups meeting in Rome (Rom. 16:10📷, 11📷, 14📷, 15📷). Rome was a city of one million people in the first century and Christianity was not a legal religion, therefore, Christians could not meet in a public building. The groups that Paul mentions suggests that the Church in Rome was scattered throughout the city and meeting in houses or apartments.
Now....the reason why I’m getting into this and the reason I think it’s important, is because – well one...I want to just remind us of the difference between what’s descriptive and prescriptive in the bible...right, some people will look at this model of te early Christians and say...this is what the church should be! Like a centralized leadership structure and a church having a building...that’s all wrong...we should be like those early churches in Rome.
Well....no, it’s not a one to one context as we’re about to see...so when we think of these early original readers...the fact they were meeting in homes primarily should be seen as descriptive, not prescriptive for us.....BUT....the other reason I want to mention this is because this should be encouraging to us.
Why, well because as many of you know...that’s how we started as a church!
- If you come to Corners 101 today you’ll here more of the story but when our church began in 2020. (Expand)
So this...the context of the Roman believers without a building...meeting in houses this should encourage and maybe this should even come to mind when we’re in our home groups meeting now...and especially when we have Home Group Sunday it’s Like, hey we’re gathering in a way that’s similar to the early Christians in Rome.
But again this is not a total 1 to 1 because there society...they’re context was much worse that ours...okay and to show that...let me give a quick flyover of ancient Rome.
Okay this is a HUGE over simplification. But Ancient Rome can really be divided into three periods.
The KINGS...not many people know, but Rome actually started off as a monarchy...but that didn’t go well...in fact the last guy – his name was Tarquinius....he was so bad they switched there whole system of government to a Republic. And gave people the ability to choose leaders. Like how nad do you have to be that a nation changes their whole set up so there’s never another you. So there was a Republic...and then in the later half of the final century BC there was a shift to how most of us think about Ancient Rome and that’s the empire....with the senate and the emperorer...by the end theres times it was even ruled by the military....but the legendary Roman Empire ruled the known world until the Western Emprie fell in 476 and ushered in the Dark Ages.
You say okay so what...this isn’t a history class...well let me show you a couple more things and then you’ll see why this ties in.
Okay there were like around 170 guys that had the title emperor, okay so a lot..but there’s a few that stick out above the rest. Let me just give you four. Julius Ceaser...okay he’s probably the most well known. Really doesn’t play a part in what I want you to know, but I put him on here just so you can see where he falls in this timeline.
But then like 100 years later there was a guy named Caligula. Okay this guy was crazy.
- made his horse senator
- went to war against the sea
- And that’s just the PG stuff...like the violence and the deviancy was unparalled.
- Wedding story
- Got sick and people said they were praying for him and had offered the god their life for his...and he’s like prove it.
Then there was Nero
- Expand
Then like 200 something years later, there was a guy named Constantine. Now, if that sound familiar we talked about him last January when we were in the book of Revelation!
- And since many of us, self included probably don’t remember what we had for dinner last week....let me refresh our memories.
- Expand
And Constantine eventually made the Christianity the official religion of Rome....which led to the Council of Nicea in 325 AD, which why we’re gonna study the Nicean Creed this summer as those events were exactly 1700 years ago this year...
Okay...deep breath... why are we talking about this. I know some of us find it interesting, others of us are like...i need to know how to find peace TODAY...what’s this got to do with me.
Well. Check this out....this period right here – between Nero and Constintine....is one of...actually not one of...it’s is the worst period of Christian persecution the world has ever seen. In fact, the end....there was an emperor named Diocletian...and he was like Nero who....Ima step it up a notch on these Christians...and the tale end became known as the great persecution.
So you’ve got Crazy mad emperor Caligula...then you’ve got Nero...then you’ve got 200 years of straight....total persecution and tyranny. But watch this...
Here’s where the book of Romans is written. Between Caligula’s mad reign and Nero’s craziness. Some scholars date it in the middle between them under Empoered Claudius...others say it was written at the beginning of Nero’s reign. Either way here’s what I want you to know:
The original recipients of Paul’s letter were in the middle of a depraved culture that would soon turn on them.
Again...we might not immediately see the relevance of this...but we can’t read this book in a vacuum. Yes, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this was written to us today on January 12, 2025 in Macedonia, OH. But understanding the original audience this was written to helps us to step into their shoes and see how they would of understood this.
So when we get to shocking verses in a few weeks about sexuality, or some of the culture application in the second part about how we as Christians should think about government...the temptation is to think...ah this is outdated...this is an old way of thinking...NO this book was just as if not more counter cultural then than it is now!
We’re coming at this in the midst of a post-Christian culture, they were in a pre-Christian culture because again it wasn’t until Constantine that this stuff would be seen as culturally normative. (pause) And The culture they were in was... grotesque, violent, over sensualized to the max...polytheistic which means they worshipped many gods, and really the only...cultural sin if you will...was to say there’s only one God and that the cultural morals of the day were out of wack?
Sound familiar.
Well, lets see how Paul identifies them despite all this craziness in the background...so if your Bible’s open to Romans 1, lets look at it again. And we’re gonna pick up the pace here, so if you’re nervous about the outline I gave and that I’ve given one point so far...don’t worry we’re still on time...we’ll be out by 2. (just kidding)
THE IDENITY OF THE ROMANS
Okay, so we said last week...Paul starts off like all of his letter by introducing himself. And he calls himself an Apostle and that he’s called by God...but we focused on the fact that he said he’s a slave to Christ...many of our English translations say “servant.” But he uses the more intense word...doulos which means slave...and then he goes on for like 5 verses to talk about how awesome Jesus is and what he’s done...which ultimaitly shows why identifying yourself as a slave to Christ is a good thing. Because Christ is good, amen.
And the let’s pick up in verse 7 here...he says:
7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
Okay...so first he says that they are loved by God. Why’s that matter. Well again, think of the context! (pause) To say they’ve lived through crazy unprecedented times is an understatement...and it’s about to get worse.
Who in this room needs and encouragement in their life? No more...direct....who’s tired of hearing things like these are unprecedented times...Do you see the parallel? Again it’s not 1 to 1...our cultural is nowhere near...well I shouldn’t say it’s nowhere near...but it is not on par with the depravity of ancient Rome. But it’s still dark outside is it not?
What is the news, but a daily...even an hourly reminder of the fact that the world that we live in is dying...broken...and filled with heartbreak and tragedy....and what the Christians in Ancient Rome needed then, and we need now, is a reminder that we are loved by God.
And catch this...lord willing we’ll come back to this in Romans chapter 8, but one of the questions that often comes up in theological circles is does God love everybody the same? Like, God is love, right? We say it all the time. But does he love every single person Christian, Budhist, Muslim, Athiest...the same? Well the answer is yes...and no.
There is a universal love that God has for everyone in the sence that...to use a theological term...a common grace is given to everyone. Like non-Christians can eat a real good brisket and enjoy it. They can see the beauty for a sunrise or tear up in a beautiful song...like God’s grace and love is given to the whole world in that sense...but there’s a special love for his people.
One commentator says it like this: Does God love everyone? Yes, He shows mercy and kindness to all. Does God love Christians more than He loves non-Christians? No, not in regards to His merciful love. Does God love Christians in a different way than He loves non-Christians? Yes; because believers have exercised faith in God’s Son, they are saved. God has a unique relationship with Christians in that only Christians have forgiveness based on God’s eternal grace. The unconditional, merciful love God has for everyone should bring us to faith, receiving with gratefulness the conditional, covenant love He grants those who receive Jesus Christ as Savior.
His love is different, and that should be encouraging! That in the midst of a dark world there is a special love and affection given to his children...and while that love is unconditional meaning there’s nothing we can do to lose it...it comes with a calling.
He says verse 7 again...7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Now...this shouldn’t bother us...but in some of your translations the “to be” is in italics. And that’s because the oldest manuscripts of the book of Romans don’t have that. So it just says those who are loved by God and called saints.
Why does that matter? Well it doesn’t alter the meaning really so it doesn’t....but some people can read this and think okay we’re loved by God...and we’re supposed to be saints, but....maybe that’s for like super Christians. That’s the special forces Christians...the Billy Graham and the John Pipers and the Josh Keyes, right?
The rest of us, we don’t have to be saints. Well, if you remember when we went through Epesians...we said there is no new testament concept of a Christian who’s not a saint.
Saint just means holy one. We just sang the song Only A Holy God....Holy means set apart and so it’s a reminder that God alone is set apart from everything and everyone....well likewise we’re called to be set apart from the rest of the world.
So...think about it....in the crazy backdrop that is Rome....Paul is writing to them...like a decade max maybe less before they’re about to go through the toughest time in the history of the church...and he’s starting by saying God loves you...AND...you’re called to be set apart.
That’s your identity....you are loved by God and you’re set apart from the rest of the world.
And Christian...2000 years later this should be our identity. Whatever you do for work, whatever your roll is at home, son/daughter/uncle/husband/wife/mother/father....those titles are important....but before any of that, if you are in Christ – you are loved in a unique way by God and you’re a saint.
We say here at the Corners often – TCC family, or Corners family....really we should call ourselves saints. So lets start from here on our by calling Nick Butto St. Nick.
But in all seriousness, this was their identity in their dark day, and it’s ours in our day as well, we are saints, loved by God.
PAULS ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE ROMANS
Well, lets move to heading number three...Paul’s identified them...but what’s his attitude towards them, let me read through verse 15.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
Okay, so...again paul’s never met these guys...and ladies. Or if he has met some....he hasn’t met all because he hasn’t been there....yet....he longs to see them. And it’s primarily so he can...see verse 13...reap some harvest, in other words he wants to see more believers.
But...just...do you sense his love for these people? (pause) it’s gonna be a while before we come back to this...like chapter 16....so November or December....but as we work through this book...Paul’s love for these believers he hasn’t met should be on our mind.
And it’s expressed in three ways: He was thankful for them, he prayed for them, and he was encouraged by them.
He was thankful for them. And thanksgiving led to prayer. Tough question...how often do we pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ? And not just for their needs, but prayers of thanksgiving for each other. Like God thank you for bringing this person in my life...would you grow them in their faith?
Because those prayers of thanksgiving, and...even more hearing how God answered they’re prayers should be encouraging to us! I love the verse in Revelation
- Expand – Rev 12
- I got some good news from a pastor friend of mine this week that had nothing to do with me....or our church...
And in the same way Paul’s like...man I’m thankful for you guys....I’m praying for you...and when I hear what God’s doing...there’s mutual encouragement. He’s saying I’m not just writing this for you...you’re preaching to me through your lives.
And brothers and sisters, I can say the same thing. I hope you leave here on Sunday’s encouraged....because I know I do....from you. When I see you singing in worship, fellowshipping in the lobby...serving in kids ministry or set up and tear down in the cold....responding to the messages all that – church I want you to know I’m thankful for you....Im praying for you regularly and I’m encouraged by you.
So what does all this mean for us? Rome was dark...yet the believers in Rome were loved by God and called to be set apart....and Paul was thankful for them, prayed for them, and there was mutual encouragement between them....what are our immediate takeaways from this today.
WHAT SHOULD WE TAKE AWAY
Let me quickly give you four. Number one: We need to view every aspect of our life through a Gospel lens.
Isn’t that what Paul does? Like all of life is mission! We’re only three verses into Romans and already Paul’s mentioned the gospel three times. And he’s raved and marveled at who Jesus is for like half of these verses.
And let me just say...it can be easy for us to think....well yeah he’s Paul. Of course he’s viewing the world through gospel everything he’s the greatest church planter ever...and the greatest missionary ever.
But check these verses out....they’re not on the screen behind me, but look at these:
- Corinthians: And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
- Phillipians: Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.
- Hebrews (we don’t know who wrote it but): Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.
So we need to follow his example, and as we’re working our way through the book...we, like Paul should be constantly checking ourselves and asking...am I trying to see how this fits into the view of our day, or is this shaping how I view the world.
Which leads to number 2: We need community! How long do you think the Christians in Rome could have made it on their own? How long could they have survived not just persecution, but...how long could they have withstood being influenced by the culture if they were on our own?
When we reflect on the context of this book as well as the identities of it’s writer and it’s original readers...community should be on the forefront of our mind!
I mentioned last week how there’s several pitfalls people fall into with this book, one – they don’t like it...there’s parts that go directly against our own desires and thoughts...or it can become just an intellect stimulant....we just marvel at how Paul lays out his defenses...but catch this...community...true gospel-centered community keeps us from either of those!
Because our brothers and sisters can keep us centered...they keep us from leaning on our own understanding and point us back to the Gospel.
And I would be remiss not to use this moment to remind us of how we form deeper community here at the corners. These our primary ways of connecting...moving past the Sunday gathering.
- Disciples Communities & Serve Teams
- Group Connect next Sunday at 5....you can RSVP using the QR code in the bullitien or on our events page.
Number 3. We need the Global Church.Just a quick reminder...the local church is this in here....it’s the regular gathering of believers who are in relatively close geographical proximaty that say...hey this is our local church. Sometimes it’s called the lower case C church...and the global church consists of all believers across the world all the way from the time of Pentecost till Jesus returns.
And so as we see Paul’s love for these brothers and sisters he’s never met...this should cause us to reflect on our own love for the Global church!
Do we have a love for the global church? One that causes us to...again...reaize that we’re not an island! And when I say Global church, I’m not just talking about those on the other side of the world, but those who live down the street from us that go to another local church.
Do we see them as our family....that we’ll spend eternity with?
I love this qupte from the late Eugene Patterson – the author of the Message Bible. He said:
A local church is a congregation of embarrassingly ordinary people in whom God chooses to be present in the world.”
The biblical fact is that there are no successful churches. There are, instead, communities of sinners, gathered before God week after week in towns and villages all over the world. The Holy Spirit gathers them and does his work in them. In these communities of sinners, one of the sinners is called pastor and given a designated responsibility in the community. The pastor’s responsibility is to keep the community attentive to God.
And Paul writes to the believers who don’t yet have a set organized structure not from a place of moral superiority...we’ll see that in chapter 7 when he’s like yo I get how hard it is to live this Christian life. I keep doing the stuff I don’t want to do too!! But lets keep our eyes on Jesus
You realize that’s all this is every week right? We’re not perfect. I’m not perfect....to quote Luther, I’m just one begger trying to tell other beggers where to find bread!
And so we need to realize that our faith is so much more than what goes on within these walls and within our services, and groups and we need the Global church.
Show let me just show you a few ways I hope we grasp this anew this this year and then we’ll land the plane.
- Kingdom Connection Sunday, Home Group Sunday, Creed, VBS
Okay now as I wrap up....let me say....This is only a fraction of what I believe the Lord is calling us to this year. Last week, I laid out the big timeline for the year and said we need to be praying and now...if you really get what I’m saying....than this should be a little intimidating for us...actually it should be very intimidating...because on top of ALL THIS and all the outwardly visible stuff that we want to see God do in this church....I’m saying internally we should be a church where we’re locked in on the Gospel...where we’re linking arms with each other and saying we’re not gonna do this Christian life thing on our own....and on top of that...we’re recognizing that there’s so much more to the church than just here...like when The Corners Chapel started four and half years ago, it didn’t usher in a new page of church history...the church is so much bigger than us....if all of that is our focus this year!
And undergirding all of that is a study through the book of Romans...understanding our faith...let me say...the enemy won’t like that.
See what the enemy wants is for us to think we’re better than that church down the street...that we’re better off theologically than this or that and so it turns into a comparison....but heres the deal...when we realize that we like Paul are slaves to Christ – which is the best title we can should give ourselves because our God is NOT a megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully...no our God isn’t any of that, but he’s a perfect, holy set a part God who loves us with a different kind of love...and regardless of where he’s placed us in world history...regardless of what’s going on around us...he’s called us to be set apart and one way we reflect this set apartness is by realizing and embracing all of this!!
Then church we are declaring war against the gates of hell.
But, friends....this is our final point. See Ancient Rome (founded in blood....) their greatest pride was there strength....their military. And I won’t go back into all the history but what’s crazy is that it was their power...that led to their downfall.
- Always scheming...always murdering...allways striving for power
- And Jesus comes along and says let me show you another way.
o Cicero.
But regardless here’s our final point: We need to surrender.
Surrender what? Our pride. Our desire to clean ourselves up before God. Anything we want to place before God. If we’re gonna see lives changed this year...if we’re gonna reach the lost...if we’re gonna be used by God...if we’re gonna get to the heart fo what Paul is saying and teaching in this book, friends we need to surrender, which brings us back to our theme for the year: UNALONE, UNASHAMED, & UNAFRAID
- Expand?
CONCLUSION
Pastor Ben
Day of Prayer where we pray for the World....pray for California...pray that the gospel will go forth...but we don’t have to wait for Wednesday to lay our desires down.
Again, wordly wisdom says surrender is wrong...we never give up never surrender, right?
- Nothing wrong with that from an earthly perspective....if im headed to a battle with flesh and blood...i want that mantra...but guess what our battle is not against flesh and blood....and victory (upside down logic of the kingdom) ....victory againt the spiritual real requires surrender to our king!
- Our dependance is our battle cry!!
- Our inability is our victory!
During Song
What are you trying to do in your life on your own? What are you clinging to? What fears are keeping you from taking the next step in your faith?
HOSTS
Regardless of what you’re walking back into when you leave these doors, know that we are now 90 minutes closer to heaven, Amen?
Let’s prause the Lord.