New Life In Christ For Everyone - Romans 6-8 - The River Church of the South Bay

Re-Centering Your Life on the Cross

August 15, 2022 • Josh White

We had the pleasure of hearing from Josh White, Pastor of Door of Hope Church in the heart of Portland Oregon... what a treat! He’s going be famous really soon (and it won’t go to his head as is way too common). Seriously. He’s twice as smart as me, and that is a compliment to him. He’s relevant, edgy, compassionate and just plain brilliant. He’s writing a book, Stumbling Toward Eternity and will talk about this book and about re-centering our lives on the cross in the midst of the cultural wars that are breaking out all around us. Threatening SCOTUS members at their place of residence? Rioting pregnancy centers that are trying to help others? Jan 6, school board show downs, things people say to one another on social media, politics undermining people’s character with falsities to win votes… it’s an all out war out there. What is the Christian to do? Now, these are my words, Todd, not Josh’s. Let’s let him speak and inform us from his perspective. He’s lived in the real world, endured some pretty crazy hardships in life, invited the heart of Portland into his church, and through it all, speaks a language that people understand and want to hear. He’s the only guy I know who can quote Nietzsche and Jesus in the same sentence. I have not met a guy like him, ever. He’s going to be a voice for our current generation and will train and raise up the next generation of leaders. Mark my words.

Jesus Shreds

May 29, 2022 • James Petitfils • Romans 7

It’s time to demolish those rusty, crusty, heavy, ugly, weighted shackles that you’ve been dragging—and dragged by—for far too long. Let’s let God shred the labels, lies, and overturned laws that we’ve been told and tell ourselves! As Paul of Tarsus eloquently puts it: Let’s re-entrust ourselves to “the God who delivers us through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25).

The End of Shame

June 5, 2022 • Taylor Jones • Romans 8:1–11

In a world filled with "shoulds," how can we actually live free of shame? Our typical approaches to our problem with shame usually involve either trying harder to keep the rules or trying to care less about expectations, but neither really address the problem at its root. Join us as we learn from Romans 8:1-11, about how finding ourselves in what God has done for us in Jesus not only brings the secure identity we need to be free from shame, but power by the Spirit to grow to be the kind of people we were always meant to be.

Holy Spirit Identity

June 12, 2022 • Todd Wendorff • Romans 8:12–25

We are winding up a study from the 3 middle chapters in Romans, 6-8, all about how to live our new life in Christ. Just because we have been resurrected to new life does not mean we actually enjoy the fruit of it. Romans 6:1 begins, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" The rest of chapters 6-8 is about how to live free from enslavement to our unbridled passions that run roughshod over our lives. What seems like “a free and easy down the road I go” turns out to be a country song nightmare - the wheels come off the truck, your wife leaves, dog dies, and you run out of beer! Free and easy isn’t the answer to the big question we ask ourselves - What will truly satisfy? The answer... the Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:12-25 we discover that the Holy Spirit gives us a new identity as adopted children of God, heirs of the kingdom to come. One always lives out of their identity.

The Person Who Has Caused Me the Most Harm

May 22, 2022 • Todd Wendorff • Romans 7

Romans 7 reveals the famous internal dialogue Paul has in his mind about failing to keep the law. I do what I don’t want to do. I actually hate what I do since it is contrary to what I know I want to do. If that does not describe the most common area of disappointment for most Christ followers. I do what I don’t want to do. It sounds like something within him is working against his true desires as a Christ follower. Why do I do the opposite of what I want to do? I do want to please God. I do.

New Nature New Motivation

May 8, 2022 • Todd Wendorff

We are back in Romans chapter 6 again. Last week we looked at the first 14 verses and learned that we have a new nature. We don’t have to give in to desires that are contrary to who we are in Christ. This week we’ll learn that we really don’t want to give in, once we realize the harm it causes. Now properly informed and properly motivated, new life in Christ awaits us.