The Bestest News Ever!
Notes
Transcript
Good Morning
Good Morning
Good Morning and Welcome to Freedom Chapel. My name is Pastor Terry, my wife Michelle and I serve as the lead pastors here at Freedom Chapel. We exist to bring hope to our community we do that by being a Place to Belong, Church for the Whole Family.
If you are new with us this morning would you please take the time fill out that little flap on the side of your bulletin. If you put it in the black boxes by the back door we will make a donation in your name to a local charity and send you cookies. Church can we show our guests some love this morning.
Before I jump into my message I want to first talk to you about some precautions we are taking in order to protect our people as Covid continues to spread through our county.
Annual Business Meeting
Annual Business Meeting
Join Us Today immediately after service.
Have You Met Edward?
Have You Met Edward?
We are going to continue our study of the Book of Romans. If you missed last week I announced that we are going to be taking a Journey through the book of Romans verse by verse. This style of teaching I believe allows the word of God to speak for itself. All I can say is trust me I believe God is going to do a tremendous work through this series.
If you have your Bibles turn with me to Romans 1:8-17
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.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
The Church in Rome
Founders are Unknown
Most likely started by Jews whom were in Jerusalem for Passover and were converted to Christianity after hearing Peters Sermon on the Day of Pentecost.
Those Believers were most likely joined by other believers from all over the Roman empire.
This church was a loose knit group of believers with diverse cultures and nationalities. In spite of having all the makings for division and factions this group of believers were making a difference in a very pagan, very sinful society. They were doing this all with our a well known leader. Paul emphasizes this in verse Romans 1:8
Romans 1:8 (ESV)
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
Notice that Paul immediately moves from his introduction to affirmation.
It is as if He is Saying Wow, look what Jesus has done in you. You Guys are standing out and everyone is taking notice. You guys are making Jesus Look Good!
These believes had come to the realization that Church is not a place you attend because you like the Leader.
CHURCH IS NOT A SOMETHING YOU GO TO, IT’S A FAMILY YOU BELONG TO!
CHURCH IS NOT A SOMETHING YOU GO TO, IT’S A FAMILY YOU BELONG TO!
What would Paul say about Freedom Chapel’s impact on society?
What would Paul say about Freedom Chapel’s impact on society?
What would Paul say about your impact on society?
What would Paul say about your impact on society?
Are we as a body of Believers making Jesus look Good?
Are we as a body of Believers making Jesus look Good?
These are questions we should be asking ourselves. We should seriously be evaluating our impact on our community.
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.
Like every other letter Paul has written He emphasis his passion for prayer and service. Paul was a man of prayer He prayed for the Ephesians, the Philippians, the Colossians, and the Thessalonians. All people he was acquainted with. This passage shows that he also prayed for those outside of his direct involvement.
Paul taught the importance of prayer, He practiced continuous prayer, and he prayed for other believers.
What Groups of Christians do you care enough about to pray for on a regular basis?
What Groups of Christians do you care enough about to pray for on a regular basis?
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.
Paul is motivated to get to Rome. Luke chronicled in the Book of Acts the many time Paul had made plans to go to Rome but was delayed in getting there.
I can imagine that Paul would have never planned on his trip in finally getting there being as difficult as it was.
Paul prayed for safe travels and God got him there safely but only after he was arrested, beaten, slapped in the face , shipwrecked, and bitten by a venomous snake.
Yet through all that hardship God was able to accomplish great things through Paul’s struggle.
Today Anxiety, Depression, Fear, and Anger rules the Church. I believe one of the biggest reasons for that is we have this idea that as Christians our path should be easy.
Too many of us have fallen trap to the Word of Faith, Name It Claim It, Prosperity Preachers of our day.
We don’t understand that when we are at our weakest, when things aren’t going as planned, when we face obstacles that is when God is able to do his greatest work in our lives.
Why because we have to put our trust in Him.
God strengthens those who persevere and trust in him in the midst of an obstacle.
God strengthens those who persevere and trust in him in the midst of an obstacle.
In the midst of these three verses Paul gives his reason for wanting to come to Rome.
Romans 1:11 (ESV)
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—
None of the Apostles had visited this church yet. Paul knew that just like when he arrived in Ephesus that if know one had been there to teach about the Holy Spirit than most likely no one knew of the Holy Spirit
1 And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
In this passage the word “Spiritual Gift” is used in the sense of a Supernatural Gift. It is a Gift given by the Holy Spirit.
In this passage the word “Spiritual Gift” is used in the sense of a Supernatural Gift. It is a Gift given by the Holy Spirit.
I know there are some of you here that are looking at me cross eyed because this idea of the Holy Spirit and Supernatural Gifts is foreign to you.
The very idea of someone laying hands on you or anyone else is rather uncomfortable.
Why because of television and social media we have all seen this abused. Faith Healers, Head Pushers, and Toe Steppers all come to mind when you think of the laying on of hands.
However, you have to delete large portions of the New Testament in order to navigate your self around this very real part of the Trinity of God.
However there has to be a balance. Paul is not saying here that he has the power to impart the Gift. The Holy Spirit is the giver of the gift but if now one is teaching of this gift the Holy Spirit doesn’t really have room to give.
Most likely in this church the only one operating in any spiritual gifting were those who had recieved else were.
So what are these Gifts, We will learn later in Romans 12.
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
I struggle at times with weird! I really struggle is out of control! However, I have to be real careful because we can not ignore the nee to lay on hands and pray.
14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
What we have to do is navigate through what is sensationalism and what is an actual move in the Holy Spirit.
My First Trip to Peru.
It was in that moment I had to come to the realization that if I wanted to see God move in the area of miracles I was going to have to allow the Spirit to operate in His Gifts as He sees fit.
However we have to remember that it is the God through his Spirit that distributes the gifts, Not A Man.
13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Paul demonstrates here in this scripture the natural progression for a believer who has been empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Verse 11: Spirit Empowerment
Verse 11: Spirit Empowerment
Verse 12: Mutual Encouragement
Verse 12: Mutual Encouragement
Verse 13: The Desire and Empowerment to Share the Gospel with Others
Verse 13: The Desire and Empowerment to Share the Gospel with Others
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.
Paul is telling us that regardless of language, nationality, or education level all need to hear the Best News Ever.
So now it is time to focus a section of Scripture that I believe should be the Battle Cry of every believer.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Ashamed: Means to be Restrained by the Anticipation of Shame.
Ashamed: Means to be Restrained by the Anticipation of Shame.
To be ashamed of the Gospel is not to be ashamed of salvation.
The Gospel is the Power of God for Salvation it is not Salvation.
The Gospel is Jesus..........The Gospel is that Jesus came to provide a different path of life contrary to the Path the The World Dealt me.
The Gospel isn’t about You or I, It Is About Jesus!
Romans 1:1–6 (ESV)
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
Philippians 2:9–11 (ESV)
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Gospel is the that Jesus is Lord!
The Gospel is the that Jesus is Lord!
To be Ashamed of the Gospel is to Not Live under his Lordship.
To be Ashamed of the Gospel is to Not Live under his Lordship.
To be Ashamed of the Gospel is to Not Share Jesus with others.
To be Ashamed of the Gospel is to Not Share Jesus with others.
The Gospel is our Power.
The word used here for power is
Dynamis: meaning Dynamite or Dymnamic
Dynamis: meaning Dynamite or Dymnamic
The creator of the explosive Dynamite used this word Dynamite to name his creation.
What Paul is saying is.
The Gospel is the Power to Clear a Path for New Construction.
The Gospel is the Power to Clear a Path for New Construction.
New Construction begins at Salvation.
New Construction begins at Salvation.
Romans 10:9 (ESV)
9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
This statement made by Paul is not something a person living in this time period would have taken lightly.
To Confess that Jesus is Lord would mean persecution and possible death.
This was a mere repeat after me prayer. This was an announcement that I am willing to give up my rights, and even my life to follow Jesus.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
This is to say.
It is under Jesus’s Lordship we are Made Right before God.
It is under Jesus’s Lordship we are Made Right before God.
Through God’s faithfulness to keeping his word so that we could believe through our faith or unconditional trust that.......
Jesus Christ took our sins upon himself, taking the punishment we deserved, and in exchange making us righteous before God.
Jesus Christ took our sins upon himself, taking the punishment we deserved, and in exchange making us righteous before God.
Romans 1:17 (ESV)
17 as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Paul is quoting Habakkuk 2:4
4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
We live in a world full of puffed up people. Puffed up in opinions, Puffed up in ability, Puffed Up in belief.
We are called to live differently. If we are truly going to live in Rightness with God we are going to have to live by Faith in Jesus’ Lordship.
Would you stand with me this morning.
Holy Spirit I invite you right now to begin to speak to every person here just what you want them to hear.