Romans | The Power of the Gospel
Series // Apr 6 - Nov 16, 2019
Love & Light
September 22, 2019 • Chris Bennett
We who follow Jesus are foreigners. We are citizens of another country – one that is far off. So we have a choice: be swept up in the ways and habits of this confused and banged up country or we awaken ourselves, remembering who we are and begin to live like citizens of our true homeland. People of radical love. People of the day. People who wear Jesus. Because we can be sure about one thing – the dawn of a new world is coming. We don’t know when. But one day, one day this broken country in which we live will be swallowed up by our homeland.
Rome, the Emperor, and Romans 13
September 15, 2019 • Scott Lencke
Romans 13:1-7 offers some words that may ring familiar to many Christians: "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities..." At times, they seem to speak to our personal political perspectives. Other times, not as much. But how do we understand these words of Paul written not to the modern church of America, but to a group of house churches nestled in the capital of the ancient world? Perhaps that will give us clearer insight as to how we are to read this little snippet of Scripture today.
Living The Gospel
September 8, 2019 • Chris Bennett
In only thirteen verses, the Apostle Paul lays out over twenty commands – commands that are eerily reminiscent of Jesus’ teachings. Love relentlessly. Show hospitality. Hate evil. Reach for hope. Reject vengeance and bless tormentors. Serve God fervently. All these and many more make up these verses. But we’d be mistaken to view them merely as a spray of disjointed do’s and don’t’s. Rather, they are like flavor notes of full-bodied life in the gospel as we live under the reign of Jesus.
Our Spiritual Worship
September 1, 2019 • Chris Bennett
As we enter into the final stretch of our Romans series, the Apostle Paul brings to bear the full weight of the previous 11 chapters to show us exactly what it looks like to live a gospel-saturated life. And as we will see, the gospel touches everything. It leaves no stone unturned. The transforming power of God has no boundary. Our lives and our world – every molecule – belong to him as he reconstructs us into his renewed, holy people.
God’s Mercy & Compassion
August 11, 2019 • Ron Surgeon
“Have you ever looked at your life, confused, wondering why thing aren’t working out the way you believe God said they would? Romans 9 echos that question. Paul, with Israel’s unbelief in mind, wrestles with God’s faithfulness while bringing insight to the question, “Has the word of God failed?”
A Changed Heart
March 10, 2019 • Chris Bennett
We’ve all been exposed to toxic religion. Romans 2 doesn’t for one second go easy on the self-righteous judges inside the church. In fact, what we see is that God prefers a stumbling disciple who’s learning how to live in God’s kingdom to a stodgy bible pro who thinks he’s got it figured out. When it’s all said and done, it’s those who have the Spirit within and are putting one foot in front of the other in whom God delights.