We have seen a progression so far that Paul was eager to preach the gospel in Rome because it is the power of God to save, and because the wrath of God is being revealed. Last week we came to understand that God's wrath is often the opposite of the way we think about it, and that it shows up in God turning us over to our desires, giving us what we want apart from Him. This week that explanation continues and we will see that the symptoms in our lives are that things get twisted up. Our own separation from God shows up in twisted sexuality, twisted minds, and twisted religion. We will work together this week to find clarity on what Scripture has to say about these culturally sensitive issues, and see where we can find hope.
Twisted
Romans 1:24-2:4
February 3, 2020 • Pastor Bill Riedel
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Romans: The Heart of the Gospel
Hope Against Hope
March 15, 2020 • Pastor Bill Riedel
This Sunday we stay in our series in Romans and close the chapter with Romans 4:16-25. It is an incredibly timely text for us. This passage takes us into a further exploration of Abraham and Sarah’s life and shows us how to respond when we are living in the gap between the hopes we have and the reality we experience. How do we respond when the promises of God feel distant? What does it mean to have faith when things are uncertain and scary? How can we have hope when we get knocked down over and over again?
Faith Counted as Righteousness
March 8, 2020 • Pastor Bill Riedel
As we begin a new chapter in the letter to the Romans, the argument turns to the Hebrew Bible to support the idea that it is God's grace alone through faith alone that we are declared righteous in God's sight. Over the next two Sundays, we will explore the story of Abraham and see how it points ahead to what was accomplished through Christ.
Redemption in Christ Jesus
March 1, 2020 • Pastor Bill Riedel
Some have said that the first paragraph of this section is the most important paragraph ever written, and Luther called it the center of the whole Bible. After spending 2 1/2 chapters setting the stage with the intense need we have for a Savior, the text takes an abrupt turn to show us that there is great hope!