Romans
God's Good News Explained
Calvary Nexus Sunday Service 3-22-20
March 22, 2020 • Bruce Zachary
With restrictions on gathering, we have decided to film our service and make it available on multiple video services. We hope you take time to worship, and learn from the Word, together. Please reach out to us with any questions or needs you may have. We are available for you. The COVID-19 pandemic has closed several doors in our community and world, and there is a great and effective open door for Jesus’ followers for such a time as this. This is a time for us who love God to share his love, hope, and peace with our neighbors as we live the Missio Dei (mission of God).
Romans 14:1-13
March 1, 2020 • Austin Palmer
Every Christian comes into the Church with presuppositions regarding conscience, convictions, and commandments. As we desire to unify in love in Jesus’ name, tensions will rise between believers on account of these things. How do we navigate Christ-given unity without offending the consciences of others? The answer is love that suspends its own rights, as Jesus suspended
Romans 14:13-23
March 8, 2020 • Bruce Zachary
The Christian life is like walking a tightrope. The object is to navigate this life, and reach the desired destination, without falling into the twin perils of legalism (adding rules beyond those imposed by God) or liberalism (neglecting the limits created by God). The means to balance well is to learn the Bible, live it as empowered by the Holy Spirit, and follow Jesus. This challenge is magnified, however, when you imagine multiple people on the tightrope and their ability to follow Jesus well impacts others on the rope. Let’s consider our Christian liberty and responsibility to others and learn to exercise liberty with love.
Romans 12:9-21
February 17, 2020 • Bruce Zachary
As you appropriate and appreciate the gospel, and discover God’s love, forgiveness, restoration and life in Christ it stirs you to yearn to be transformed to be more like Jesus. In this portion of Scripture, Paul is teaching Jesus’ followers (at Rome) how to live their faith, and describes several traits of Christlike love. Living and loving like Jesus glorifies God, satisfies you, and blesses others. So, let’s discover how.
Romans 12:3-8
February 9, 2020 • Bruce Zachary
In light of God’s forgiveness, restoration, and life in Christ, it is only reasonable that God’s people would choose to live for Him. We serve God by serving others. When you engage in spiritual service, you’ll grow, others grow, you are satisfied, and God is glorified.
Romans 11:11-36
January 26, 2020 • Bruce Zachary
God’s plan to restore the Jews shall be accomplished. Since God’s plan and promises to Israel are sure you can be encouraged about the certainty of His promises to the Church. As you apprehend and appreciate God’ plan for restoration you’ll want to praise God and participate in His plan.
Romans 11:1-10
January 19, 2020 • Bruce Zachary
Do you ever feel discouraged about the state of your world, and difficulties spreading the gospel? Does it ever feel like God has neglected His promise to restore? Be encouraged, God’s plan to restore shall be fulfilled. In the interim, the faithful God will preserve a faithful remnant. Let’s discover the importance of God’s faithful remnant, and how to be part of that remnant.
Romans 10:1-21
January 12, 2020 • Bruce Zachary
Man has a responsibility in God’s redemptive plan. The reason why God doesn’t generally bring people to heaven once they get saved is because He has a mission for us to fulfill on earth. In essence, your mission can be distilled as follows: Live the Great Commandment(s) to love God supremely and love neighbors as you love yourself; and live the Great Commission to make disciples of Jesus. This is the remedy for any culture that has rejected Jesus, and this is where you’re going to experience the greatest satisfaction and purpose in life. You have the unique opportunity to impact eternity by living on mission. Let’s discover how you can live on mission.
Romans 9:19-33
December 15, 2019 • Bruce Zachary
The theology of Jesus’ gospel, and who will be saved, is never simply an intellectual issue. There is an emotional and spiritual layer to be navigated to get to a healthy destination. Let’s discover insights about God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility to help produce a healthy understanding of this tension so that we, and others we influence, can better navigate life.
Romans 9:1-18
December 8, 2019 • Bruce Zachary
God chose Israel, but Jews generally rejected Jesus as Messiah, how will this work out? In Romans 9-11 we will discover God’s righteousness and Israel’s restoration. Here, we see God’s sovereign redemption plan shall be fulfilled. Since God’s promises to Israel are sure, you can be secure in your salvation [8:39]. The Bible teaches both the sovereignty of God and the free will of man, “All the Father gives me will come to me (sovereign) and the one who comes (free will) I will by no means cast out” [Jn.6:37]. The concepts of God’s sovereignty and man’s free will are a paradox, and it appears wise not to overemphasize one to the exclusion of the other. Before seeking to resolve tension, it may be good to remember that we need not reconcile friends – man’s free will and God’s sovereignty are not enemies.
Romans 8:1-17
November 24, 2019 • Bruce Zachary
The Christian life is the Spirit-filled life. It is a life empowered by, directed by, and yielded to the Holy Spirit [Acts 1:5-8, Ephesians 5:18]. When you receive Christ, you receive a spiritual birth, and now have the power of the Spirit to live a life that is pleasing to God. There is a profound contentment that flows from appreciating and appropriating your new life in the Spirit.
Romans 7:12-25
November 17, 2019 • Bruce Zachary
C.S. Lewis observed, “No one knows how bad he is until he has tried to be good. We never know how hard it is to stop sinning until we try.” This is the reality for every follower of Jesus. Each of us have areas of our life that we have yielded to God, and each of us have aspects of our attitudes and actions that are not yet set-apart to God. This is the unpleasant reality: we do things that we know we shouldn’t, and fail to do things that we know we should. In the midst of this epic struggle, how can you live for God? The good news is that the way to please God is not burdensome, but is a blessing.
Romans 7:1-12
November 10, 2019 • Bruce Zachary
When you are united with Christ, you no longer have the burden of trying to be perfect to measure up to God’s standard. In addition, you actually are more productive in God’s kingdom, because the Spirit’s work in you causes you to be more bountiful in serving God than any efforts to follow rules apart from Christ could ever produce. Let’s discover the joy of bearing fruit for God through union with Christ.