The Unifying Gospel - Romans - Week 5
Notes
Transcript
A Living Faith
A Living Faith
Bible Passage: Romans 1:8–15
Bible Passage: Romans 1:8–15
Summary: In Romans 1:8–15, Paul expresses gratitude for the faith of the Roman believers, which is widely known. He emphasizes the importance of faith in shaping their lives and decisions, indicating that faith is not merely a practice but the essence of living for Christ.
Application: This passage encourages Christians to reflect on how deeply their faith influences their daily decisions, plans, and acts of service. It reminds us that true faith should permeate all aspects of our lives, guiding us in our relationships, work, and ministry.
Teaching: The sermon teaches that faith must be foundational to our lives, affecting every choice we make. Paul’s testimony about the Romans illustrates how vibrant faith can encourage others and lead to a unified purpose in serving God.
How this passage could point to Christ: Christ is central to our faith; He is the source and sustainer of our beliefs and actions. This passage underscores how our faith in Christ shouldn't be compartmentalized but should be a holistic part of our existence, reflecting the hope of salvation offered to all.
Big Idea: Living faith shapes our lives, influencing every decision and action we take as believers in Christ.
Recommended Study: As you prepare for this sermon, consider diving into the historical context of the Roman church using your Logos library. It may be beneficial to explore commentaries discussing the visibility of faith in early Christian communities and examine how cultural pressures influenced their practices. Additionally, look for articles addressing the integration of faith in daily life and how Paul's model serves as a guide for contemporary believers.
1. Proclaiming Faith Evidently
1. Proclaiming Faith Evidently
Shake it off
Romans 1:8-10
I thank God through Jesus for every one of you. That’s first. People everywhere keep telling me about your lives of faith, and every time I hear them, I thank him.
MSG - “Your lives of faith.”
Imagine Paul writing this letter to you. To this church. There is no exaggeration here when he says “lives of faith.”
Theres a difference between practicing your faith and lives of faith… having living faith.
Recently, giving statements went out from 2025. Our giving is a way to to illustrate the difference.
Was your giving an act of faith every once in a while? Or do you live a life where you give?
What about in sharing the gospel? Do you work up the faith to talk to someone about the gospel a few times a year, or do you talk about it whenever and with whomever?
Living faith and practicing faith are different. God’s only intention for faith was for living faith.
He showed us that in Jesus. Jesus was the only one to walk out a perfectly faithful life in godliness.
He didn’t show us that so we could strive for perfection, but in our weakness we could ask for help. We invite Him into every decision, then we’re living in faith.
Living faith shapes our lives, influencing every decision and action we take as believers in Christ because we’re choosing to humble ourselves to His presence.
Faith is not something that you can just simply have with the pursuit of His presence. Its a life that we live. Its not a part-time hobby.
We talk about “practicing” faith.
In a way, thats true because we can’t be perfectly faithful, but its not about practicing to make us perfect. Its about right now in this moment realizing that we can’t do it on our own but need Jesus to help us.
I can’t practice that… my kids practice baseball, basketball.
You might make a decision in faith. But theres a difference in that and living a life of faith. That means its not just something that you practice, but you live.
To live is different than to practice - its noticeable, its public. But it doesn’t mean its perfect.
Do you have to tell people you’re a Christian? Do you have to list it on your socials for the world to see?
Have you made mention you’re a Christian and someone says, “Oh I didn’t realize you went to church.”
True faith cannot be hidden. It permeates our surroundings in the same way that smoke fills and rises. Filling the space, but also going up. You can see it, you can smell it, you breathe it in.
When faith like that is seen, it can’t be hidden, but it inspires. It influences. Not because we’re so good, but people see that even in our weakness, theres a God who carries us through!
Like Paul, we can be in the practice of thanking others for their faith. Why? Because it helps us too!
Paul expresses thankfulness for their faith in God that is being proclaimed throughout the world.
What could make faith be proclaimed throughout the world?
In other words, Paul is saying, “you’re going viral!”
Basically the Romans were famous! It might not be impressive since theres famous pastors today. Theirs celebrity pastors.
Why are they famous?
They have a worship team that writes hit songs
They have a celebrity that attends their church
They had a viral video that talked about a subject that people care about
Their church grew to thousands of people so you can’t ignore that
Maybe they were just such a good speaker
None of these things are wrong…
Theres tons of stories of how churches grew and pastors became known.
But who can you point to thats famous for their living faith? Thats it.
Not a promotion of the practice of their faith, but it simply couldn’t be hidden because it was so against the grain of the culture.
Our culture tells us that we need to prop up our strengths to get to the top. Our faith says that we are weak and we need to rely on God’s strength.
Admitting weakness is vulnerability and against the status quo of the culture.
Living by faith contrasts the status quo of living in our culture.
Church how many times do we live by culture and practice our faith?
How many times do we practice our faith instead of living our faith?
You know why they were known throughout the world for their faith? Because they went against the culture.
Romans had different religions and the religions were secondary and effected by social conformity and politics.
Christian faith by contrast, is not secondary. Its about a faith that changes every part of our lives rather than simply integrating our faith into our lifestyle. It calls for a change.
Our faith should fundamentally reshape our priorities, relationships, and allegiances… even when that goes against the culture or the norm…. in fact, it should.
The Romans without Christ were just going thru motions of religious practices. All of a sudden, this group of diverse believers… Jews and non-Jews…. were walking out completely changed lives that were completely counter cultural.
There is no private faithful servants in God’s kingdom. Thats why the church grew, because being a Christian was shown by how people lived in community with one another.
Paul wanted to see this.
The AMP version says
I keep pleading that somehow by God’s will I may now at last prosper and come to you.
in my prayers, which is practically all the time, I ask him to clear the way for me to come and see you.
He’s asking God to clear the way so he can come see them.
They’re not preaching the gospel, they’re living the gospel.
They’re recognizing their weakness and in God’s strength, walking out faith.
From that point of view, we can be in community as a church and strengthen one another by our faith.
2. Promoting Faith Collectively
2. Promoting Faith Collectively
Romans 1:11-12
Paul really wanted to see them. It wasn’t an obligation like he had to the gentles, but a desire.
He’d pleaded with God for this desire. He’s thinking… “A group of people walking in faith and not needing rebuked?!”
Was this desire bad? Of course not.
Living by faith means that we live according to the Spirit. When God speaks to us and gives us direction to do or not do something. To go or not go somewhere. To spend or not spend money. We listen. He has something different in store for us.
For I am yearning to see you, that I may impart and share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen and establish you;
That is, that we may be mutually strengthened and encouraged and comforted by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
The longer this waiting goes on, the deeper the ache. I so want to be there to deliver God’s gift in person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! But don’t think I’m not expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do to you.
To us, this might sound selfish. But Paul is not expecting anything that he’s not willing to give. He’s not speaking to them as a man who claims to be better; but as flesh who is weak and is in the same boat as them. Faith to faith, he speaks. My faith will strengthen your faith and your faith will strengthen my faith.
How can our faith strengthen one another?
Bible study - a community where we gather to learn, ask questions and grow
Prayer - we gather to pray together
Community - you see someone struggling with something that you’ve struggled with.
Serving -
Counter cultural actions that line up with Christ to the point where we stand outside of the culture.
Baptisms - its public, meant to be public, and stays that I’m dying with Christ and sharing in His resurrection. My flesh dies and I walk in my new life given from Christ.
Testimonies - vulnerability, pretty counter cultural. How we were restored from being lost and stepped into the light.
Serving -
Praying - I recieved a word that was “pray for those who are actively against you.” I couldn’t do that in my strength.
3. Pursuing Faith Passionately
3. Pursuing Faith Passionately
Romans 1:13-15
You may have become a Christian and nothing about your life has changed. I had to learn this hard truth and I still learn it every day: If you aren’t living by faith, you aren’t living for Christ.
Calling yourself a Christian and chasing after the desires of your heart is like me calling myself a vegan but after church, you see me at KFC eating everything in sight. (Chick filla)
You might say, “hey aren’t you a vegan.”
I’d say, “Yes….well my heart really desires meat.”
We need to align our hearts with our declarations.
A vegan eats veggies over meat. A Christian seeks Christ over their desires.
Paul is not only declaring his faith, but he’s also living in it.
He has a desire to go see the Roman church, but God has not made a away or allowed it to happen.
Have you ever desired to do something but God told you no?
He doesn’t want his lack of visitation to be misinterpreted as a lack of desire to visit.
He has made plans to go to Rome to get some personal enjoyment out of it!
Nothing wrong with that right?
But heres the key: its his desire.
Now, does that mean that every one of our desires won’t happen?
No. God might place a desire on your heart and lead your toward it. That would make your desires aligned with Gods.
But God also might have something for you that is completely contrary to your desire.
Paul’s obligation was not as rewarding as going and ministering to an already established church.
Everyone I meet—it matters little whether they’re mannered or rude, smart or simple—deepens my sense of interdependence and obligation.
Paul’s job was to the share the Gospel. It was because of how he lived out his faith in God. It obligated him to preach it in the way and to whom God directed him to do so.
When I first started my walk in faith, I knew I was called into ministry. I was here at Flood City Church but planning to move to Pittsburgh. I looked for churches in Pittsburgh, but God prevented me from going. My desire was to go, but God called me here. Paul’s desire was to go to Rome, but God had other plans for him.
We need to let go of our desires and recognize and embrace our own calling in order to share our faith.
Closing
Closing
Faith is not just practice, but a life we live. Everything is rooted in faith. Our decisions, our planning, our serving.
To walk in faith church is never going to be something we do perfectly.
When we read about Jesus, instead of thinking “I could never do that.” Think, “thats the man whos helping me do this because I can’t on my own.”
You might feel like everyone around you wants you to fail and you have something to prove so you can’t fail… let me tell you… Jesus is there by your side, not wanting you to fail, but knows that eventually you will fall, and He’s ready to pick you up.
Walking by faith is like having this every day. That when you trip, He’s there. When you fall, He picks you up.
Living by faith isn’t attainable without His help. Take the pressure off your flesh and lean into Him. Pursue Him. Let Him lead you and guide you.
