WEBVTT 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:05.648 Alright, so here's the question. 00:00:05.648 --> 00:00:06.224 This morning, 00:00:06.224 --> 00:00:07.704 before I read the passage, 00:00:07.704 --> 00:00:09.872 the two verses that we're going to look at here, 00:00:09.872 --> 00:00:11.280 the question is just simply this, 00:00:11.280 --> 00:00:12.600 why study the Bible? 00:00:13.360 --> 00:00:14.568 Why study it? 00:00:14.704 --> 00:00:15.896 Right? I mean, 00:00:16.048 --> 00:00:22.424 if you really want to ask ourselves about the priority that we undertake 00:00:22.472 --> 00:00:23.656 in studying the Bible, 00:00:23.656 --> 00:00:25.184 then we need to answer the question, 00:00:25.184 --> 00:00:26.834 why are we doing it? 00:00:26.584 --> 00:00:31.962 What's the reason for studying what we refer to as God's Word? 00:00:32.106 --> 00:00:34.538 Or maybe some people don't study it, 00:00:34.594 --> 00:00:35.570 some people read it. 00:00:35.570 --> 00:00:38.946 Yeah. But they don't really start to dig in to figure out kind of, 00:00:38.946 --> 00:00:39.890 well, what does it mean? 00:00:39.890 --> 00:00:40.354 To me, 00:00:40.354 --> 00:00:44.626 part of the thing that I've enjoyed most about preaching and being a 00:00:44.626 --> 00:00:48.590 pastor is making the Word of God applicable. 00:00:48.930 --> 00:00:52.042 How does it affect me if I read this verse or, 00:00:52.042 --> 00:00:56.568 or I dig into that word or I seek to understand this theme? 00:00:56.744 --> 00:00:59.496 What impact does that have on my life? 00:00:59.568 --> 00:01:01.352 How does it affect me? 00:01:01.536 --> 00:01:04.816 How does it change something about me and who I am? 00:01:04.816 --> 00:01:07.816 So after we answer the question of why study the Bible, 00:01:07.816 --> 00:01:08.320 being that, 00:01:08.320 --> 00:01:08.752 guess what? 00:01:08.656 --> 00:01:09.664 I want to know God better. 00:01:09.664 --> 00:01:13.808 The Bible is the revelation of God himself in written form to us, 00:01:13.808 --> 00:01:14.688 to his people, 00:01:14.688 --> 00:01:16.336 to the people who want to know him, 00:01:16.336 --> 00:01:19.756 to the people who are called according to, 00:01:19.808 --> 00:01:20.964 to his purposes. 00:01:21.012 --> 00:01:23.708 And so then this year we're asking the question, 00:01:23.708 --> 00:01:25.604 why the letter to the Romans? 00:01:25.604 --> 00:01:26.924 Why is it important? 00:01:27.820 --> 00:01:30.268 Why should we study the Book of Romans? 00:01:29.908 --> 00:01:33.396 Well, if you'll think back two years ago to 2023, 00:01:33.548 --> 00:01:36.188 we did the whole year in a series, 00:01:36.204 --> 00:01:38.756 sort of topic called Faith and Discipline. 00:01:38.948 --> 00:01:41.716 We talked about the disciplines of our faith. 00:01:41.908 --> 00:01:46.612 And then we looked at three books of the Bible in sort of a survey. 00:01:46.612 --> 00:01:48.108 We looked at Ecclesiastes, 00:01:48.244 --> 00:01:50.732 where after looking at the disciplines of our faith, 00:01:50.732 --> 00:01:54.124 Ecclesiastes was really how not to do it. 00:01:54.292 --> 00:01:58.172 Okay, it was like a bad example of discipline and faith. 00:01:58.316 --> 00:02:00.820 And then we went into Romans for three months, 00:02:00.820 --> 00:02:04.716 we did a survey of the Book of Romans and then October, 00:02:04.716 --> 00:02:05.564 November, December, 00:02:05.612 --> 00:02:07.916 we did a survey of the Book of Hebrews. 00:02:07.916 --> 00:02:10.756 And I began praying through those last six months of the year. 00:02:10.756 --> 00:02:11.236 And I was like, 00:02:11.236 --> 00:02:12.240 this is backwards. 00:02:13.220 --> 00:02:14.068 You know what, 00:02:14.068 --> 00:02:17.220 we need to go back through this whole process again, 00:02:17.220 --> 00:02:21.400 except we need to start with Hebrews because the Book of Hebrews 00:02:21.480 --> 00:02:24.488 identifies for us the object of our faith. 00:02:24.584 --> 00:02:28.656 Book of Hebrews just reveals Jesus to us that he is son and heir and 00:02:28.656 --> 00:02:29.208 Creator. 00:02:29.304 --> 00:02:30.808 He's the radiance of God's glory. 00:02:30.808 --> 00:02:33.480 He's the exact expression of the essence of God. 00:02:33.480 --> 00:02:34.552 He is high priest. 00:02:34.552 --> 00:02:36.768 He upholds and holds together all things. 00:02:36.768 --> 00:02:39.904 He's the King of Kings he's the Savior he's our Lord. 00:02:39.512 --> 00:02:42.368 See, so that's what Hebrews told us last year. 00:02:42.368 --> 00:02:43.688 Glad you were here. 00:02:44.430 --> 00:02:45.222 If you weren't, 00:02:45.222 --> 00:02:46.410 go read Hebrews. 00:02:47.150 --> 00:02:51.934 And now this year we're going to spend the whole year and most of next 00:02:51.934 --> 00:02:54.758 year probably in the book of Romans. 00:02:54.854 --> 00:02:57.910 Because where Hebrews identifies Jesus, 00:02:58.070 --> 00:03:00.130 Romans identifies us. 00:03:01.070 --> 00:03:03.710 It tells us who we are in Christ. 00:03:04.270 --> 00:03:08.006 It gives definition to our faith. 00:03:08.118 --> 00:03:11.614 Alright, so here's the two verses I want to share with you this morning. 00:03:11.614 --> 00:03:12.958 And we're going to kind of break, 00:03:12.958 --> 00:03:16.174 break them down just a little bit because in about three weeks we're 00:03:16.174 --> 00:03:18.462 going to be right back on these two verses. 00:03:18.462 --> 00:03:19.782 Just so you know, 00:03:19.798 --> 00:03:20.677 Romans 1, 00:03:20.742 --> 00:03:21.646 16 and 17, 00:03:21.718 --> 00:03:27.902 I happen to believe are kind of the outline or the thesis statement for 00:03:27.926 --> 00:03:29.576 the letter to the Romans. 00:03:29.550 --> 00:03:32.190 For I am not ashamed of the gospel. 00:03:32.230 --> 00:03:36.520 For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. 00:03:36.590 --> 00:03:39.560 To the Jew first and also to the Greek. 00:03:40.100 --> 00:03:44.996 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it 00:03:44.996 --> 00:03:45.756 is written. 00:03:45.868 --> 00:03:49.036 But the righteous man shall live by faith. 00:03:49.148 --> 00:03:50.364 Alright, let's pray. 00:03:50.492 --> 00:03:52.600 God, thank you for this day. 00:03:53.060 --> 00:03:55.700 Thank you God that we get to hang out together. 00:03:55.700 --> 00:03:58.388 God, we've enjoyed hanging out with you all week. 00:03:58.388 --> 00:04:01.688 And now we just come together for this family reunion. 00:04:01.052 --> 00:04:02.868 Time to be able to sing, 00:04:02.868 --> 00:04:04.076 to be able to celebrate, 00:04:04.076 --> 00:04:04.960 to pray, 00:04:05.300 --> 00:04:08.156 to consider together your word, 00:04:08.348 --> 00:04:15.132 God, to seek to understand and to help us understand that which we need 00:04:15.156 --> 00:04:16.920 to know about you. 00:04:17.620 --> 00:04:25.320 How it is that our lives can be what you desire most for them to be. 00:04:25.700 --> 00:04:26.268 So God, 00:04:26.268 --> 00:04:29.920 help us to listen. 00:04:31.060 --> 00:04:32.710 God help us to hear, 00:04:33.060 --> 00:04:34.710 help us to pay attention, 00:04:35.170 --> 00:04:36.490 help us to surrender, 00:04:36.490 --> 00:04:37.810 help us to obey. 00:04:37.866 --> 00:04:39.846 We pray it in Jesus name. 00:04:39.442 --> 00:04:40.666 Amen. Alright, 00:04:40.698 --> 00:04:43.666 so there's a phrase in these two verses that I want to focus on this 00:04:43.666 --> 00:04:45.890 morning. It's just simply faith to faith. 00:04:45.890 --> 00:04:49.426 We're going to call the messages through the book of Romans faith to 00:04:49.426 --> 00:04:52.066 faith for the next year and a half. 00:04:52.530 --> 00:04:53.330 At this point, 00:04:53.330 --> 00:04:59.194 I think it's either 69 or 89 weeks that the outline is working out to. 00:04:59.282 --> 00:05:00.050 All right, 00:05:00.210 --> 00:05:02.218 because I can't get it all done at once. 00:05:02.218 --> 00:05:04.528 But this idea of faith to faith. 00:05:04.562 --> 00:05:07.754 And so I was prompted to ask myself a few weeks ago, 00:05:07.754 --> 00:05:09.230 is your faith enough? 00:05:10.730 --> 00:05:12.190 Is my faith enough? 00:05:12.730 --> 00:05:17.682 Certainly if we confess with our mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in our 00:05:17.706 --> 00:05:19.874 heart that God raised him from the dead, 00:05:19.874 --> 00:05:21.346 we shall be saved. 00:05:21.458 --> 00:05:21.786 I mean, 00:05:21.786 --> 00:05:22.914 that's in Romans. 00:05:23.042 --> 00:05:28.162 Okay, so we understand that that is a faith position, 00:05:28.266 --> 00:05:29.710 a belief position. 00:05:30.480 --> 00:05:35.128 And yet when we see this Phrase the righteousness of God is revealed from 00:05:35.184 --> 00:05:37.180 faith to faith. 00:05:37.840 --> 00:05:39.160 What does that mean? 00:05:39.440 --> 00:05:41.256 What's faith to faith? 00:05:41.448 --> 00:05:42.232 I mean, 00:05:42.336 --> 00:05:43.660 I've got faith. 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:46.136 I believe in Jesus. 00:05:46.248 --> 00:05:51.856 I believe Jesus is the son of God and he is Lord and Savior and King of 00:05:51.856 --> 00:05:53.192 kings and wonderful counselor, 00:05:53.256 --> 00:05:53.928 mighty God. 00:05:54.024 --> 00:05:56.004 All that stuff that we say, 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:56.936 I believe that. 00:05:56.936 --> 00:05:58.586 Okay, so I've got faith, 00:05:58.640 --> 00:06:00.560 but to what? 00:06:00.680 --> 00:06:01.700 To faith. 00:06:02.600 --> 00:06:06.680 Alright, so Nick did this little study and it was kind of interesting. 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:10.600 Ready? He went through a lot of versions and since he's preaching this 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:14.192 same message up in Burgau at 10 o'clock this morning, 00:06:14.296 --> 00:06:15.936 we started talking about this yesterday. 00:06:15.936 --> 00:06:21.460 So the American Standard Version of the Bible says from faith unto faith. 00:06:22.530 --> 00:06:23.210 Okay? That, 00:06:23.250 --> 00:06:25.634 that gives a little different nuance to it, 00:06:25.634 --> 00:06:31.950 right? The common English Bible says from faithfulness for faith. 00:06:33.730 --> 00:06:38.830 Okay? The ESV says from faith for faith. 00:06:39.970 --> 00:06:43.002 The NIV says from faith. 00:06:43.146 --> 00:06:44.136 No by faith, 00:06:44.186 --> 00:06:45.590 from first to last, 00:06:47.180 --> 00:06:49.044 okay? The nlt, 00:06:49.092 --> 00:06:50.908 which is what Nick likes to preach from, 00:06:50.908 --> 00:06:54.840 says start to finish by faith. 00:06:55.900 --> 00:07:02.388 Okay? And then the New Revised Standard Version says through faith for 00:07:02.444 --> 00:07:03.160 faith. 00:07:03.580 --> 00:07:05.600 Alright, we all confused now. 00:07:06.940 --> 00:07:08.108 Well, if you think about, 00:07:08.108 --> 00:07:11.292 and remember I've said it over and over and over again, 00:07:11.292 --> 00:07:13.868 translation is an art form, 00:07:13.924 --> 00:07:15.040 not a science. 00:07:15.860 --> 00:07:18.900 Because when you start translating from Greek in this case, 00:07:18.900 --> 00:07:20.940 or from Hebrews or Aramaic, 00:07:21.020 --> 00:07:23.156 even what you end up with the English is. 00:07:23.156 --> 00:07:23.396 All right, 00:07:23.396 --> 00:07:25.268 here's what the Greek word looks like. 00:07:25.268 --> 00:07:25.788 In English, 00:07:25.788 --> 00:07:27.600 it could be 12 different words. 00:07:27.940 --> 00:07:29.932 How do you know which word? 00:07:29.996 --> 00:07:32.044 How do you know which conjunction? 00:07:32.092 --> 00:07:34.356 How do you know which preposition to use? 00:07:34.356 --> 00:07:37.084 Well, you've got to take it from the context. 00:07:37.084 --> 00:07:41.820 You got to understand what it is that God is revealing that God is 00:07:41.860 --> 00:07:42.556 pouring into, 00:07:42.628 --> 00:07:43.364 in this case, 00:07:43.364 --> 00:07:44.480 Paul, to, 00:07:44.580 --> 00:07:46.968 to put down in a written form. 00:07:47.104 --> 00:07:48.064 For us to what? 00:07:48.064 --> 00:07:48.872 Understand Paul? 00:07:48.936 --> 00:07:50.916 No, for us to understand God. 00:07:51.760 --> 00:07:56.040 See, all of it's got to point us back to understanding God revealing 00:07:56.040 --> 00:07:57.700 himself to us. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:07:59.560 So faith to faith. 00:07:59.592 --> 00:07:59.920 All right, 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:01.128 so I actually, 00:08:01.184 --> 00:08:02.408 this year I'll go ahead and tell y'all, 00:08:02.408 --> 00:08:06.460 I am using a Bible that you can't even get anymore, 00:08:06.960 --> 00:08:13.180 okay? I AM using the NAS 1977 version. 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:17.080 It was my textbook in Bible college, 00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:20.872 okay? And that's the one I've decided to use this year. 00:08:20.896 --> 00:08:23.840 Now, if you want to get as close as you can, 00:08:23.840 --> 00:08:25.568 because somebody asked me this last week, 00:08:25.568 --> 00:08:29.464 if you want to get as close as you can get you a 1995 NAS, 00:08:29.464 --> 00:08:32.904 it's about as close as you're going to get to the 77 NAS. 00:08:32.696 --> 00:08:33.120 I'm just, 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:34.736 just warning you ahead of time now, 00:08:34.736 --> 00:08:35.760 you're all probably going now. 00:08:35.760 --> 00:08:38.730 Why would you pick a Bible we can't get? 00:08:39.210 --> 00:08:44.290 Because I want you to read whatever Bible you got and let's understand it 00:08:44.330 --> 00:08:45.570 together. Okay? 00:08:45.730 --> 00:08:46.630 Alrighty. 00:08:47.850 --> 00:08:51.314 So here's the idea from alright, 00:08:51.362 --> 00:08:54.594 so our text says revealed from faith to faith. 00:08:54.642 --> 00:08:58.346 So when we get back to these two verses in a few weeks, 00:08:58.346 --> 00:09:00.250 we're going to really focus in on. 00:09:00.250 --> 00:09:06.714 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. 00:09:06.842 --> 00:09:08.842 So in all of these translations, 00:09:08.906 --> 00:09:11.090 here's what I want you to understand. 00:09:11.090 --> 00:09:16.670 From faith to faith simply implies faith progression. 00:09:18.370 --> 00:09:22.670 You might have faith unto salvation, 00:09:23.010 --> 00:09:26.106 faith to believe that Jesus is the Christ, 00:09:26.178 --> 00:09:27.706 the son of the living God, 00:09:27.706 --> 00:09:28.810 as Peter said, 00:09:28.930 --> 00:09:30.990 somewhere on a hillside somewhere. 00:09:32.420 --> 00:09:34.400 But is that where it stops? 00:09:35.460 --> 00:09:37.900 Is our faith supposed to remain? 00:09:38.060 --> 00:09:39.636 I got saved when I was 8 years old. 00:09:39.636 --> 00:09:43.620 Is faith supposed to stop at 8 years old and never be any more than that? 00:09:43.268 --> 00:09:43.924 No, see, 00:09:43.924 --> 00:09:47.148 our faith is supposed to grow from faith to faith, 00:09:47.148 --> 00:09:50.524 from faith for faith by faith through faith. 00:09:50.572 --> 00:09:55.920 All of those different translations simply imply that faith in salvation, 00:09:56.260 --> 00:09:57.660 our fire insurance, 00:09:57.740 --> 00:10:01.080 the sweet pie in the sky and the sweet by and by faith, 00:10:01.080 --> 00:10:02.328 right? No, 00:10:02.384 --> 00:10:04.200 no, it doesn't stop there. 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:07.360 And yet I know I grew up in a generation said, 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:10.968 well, long as you said the words, 00:10:11.144 --> 00:10:13.124 long as you dunked your head, 00:10:13.760 --> 00:10:14.424 you know, 00:10:14.512 --> 00:10:17.152 and that's the generation I grew up in. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:21.128 And it led us to this sort of easy believism, 00:10:21.224 --> 00:10:22.960 as one of my professors used to call it, 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:23.488 that said, 00:10:23.488 --> 00:10:24.896 well, just so long as you, 00:10:24.896 --> 00:10:27.936 you've done this and you can act any way you want to. 00:10:27.728 --> 00:10:29.144 That is not the Bible, 00:10:29.144 --> 00:10:34.620 folks. You cannot claim Christ and live like the devil. 00:10:35.760 --> 00:10:42.380 Sorry, but we don't work for our salvation either. 00:10:43.280 --> 00:10:45.660 There is a progression of faith. 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:47.400 So here's my question. 00:10:47.504 --> 00:10:49.424 Outside of is your faith big enough? 00:10:49.424 --> 00:10:51.500 Is your faith a growing faith? 00:10:52.340 --> 00:10:56.588 Do you see God growing you up in him? 00:10:56.724 --> 00:11:01.596 Because Romans is pivotal for believers. 00:11:01.788 --> 00:11:02.356 Matter of fact, 00:11:02.356 --> 00:11:04.756 there's some quotes I want to share with you this morning. 00:11:04.564 --> 00:11:10.092 This was all compiled by Liberty University in an article that was 00:11:10.116 --> 00:11:11.612 written Martin Luther. 00:11:11.676 --> 00:11:15.076 Now, I'm going to read to you and I don't like doing this, 00:11:15.076 --> 00:11:17.524 but I'm going to Martin Luther said this. 00:11:17.524 --> 00:11:18.480 The Epistle, 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:23.984 the letter to the Romans is really the chief part of the New Testament. 00:11:24.032 --> 00:11:26.816 It is truly the purest gospel. 00:11:27.008 --> 00:11:31.392 It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word 00:11:31.392 --> 00:11:32.300 by heart, 00:11:32.680 --> 00:11:37.216 but also that he should occupy himself with it every day as the daily 00:11:37.216 --> 00:11:38.624 bread of the soul. 00:11:38.752 --> 00:11:44.024 We can never read it or ponder over it too much for the more we deal with 00:11:44.024 --> 00:11:47.786 it. The more precious it becomes and the better it tastes. 00:11:47.978 --> 00:11:49.498 Martin Luther said that. 00:11:49.634 --> 00:11:51.910 John Calvin said, 00:11:52.690 --> 00:11:55.370 when anyone understands this epistle, 00:11:55.530 --> 00:12:01.710 he has a passage open to him to the understanding of the whole scripture. 00:12:03.410 --> 00:12:04.070 J.I. 00:12:04.042 --> 00:12:04.826 packer says, 00:12:04.898 --> 00:12:07.994 all roads in the Bible lead to Romans. 00:12:08.122 --> 00:12:13.290 And all views afforded by the Bible are seen most clearly from Romans. 00:12:13.370 --> 00:12:16.130 And when the message of Romans gets into a person's heart, 00:12:16.130 --> 00:12:18.440 there is no telling what may happen. 00:12:19.490 --> 00:12:24.266 John Piper said Romans is the most important theological Christian work 00:12:24.418 --> 00:12:25.550 ever written. 00:12:25.890 --> 00:12:27.042 And this last one, 00:12:27.042 --> 00:12:28.306 I never even heard of him. 00:12:28.130 --> 00:12:30.618 But it's in the article I was reading, 00:12:30.618 --> 00:12:31.870 Ben Merkel. 00:12:32.370 --> 00:12:35.186 No other letter in the history of the world has received as much 00:12:35.186 --> 00:12:39.266 attention or has been given as much consideration as Paul's letter to the 00:12:39.266 --> 00:12:40.186 Church at Rome. 00:12:40.186 --> 00:12:44.092 Paul's letter to the Church at Rome is the greatest letter ever written 00:12:44.092 --> 00:12:46.652 because of its great impact in history, 00:12:46.756 --> 00:12:51.020 its grand theology about Christ and its practical instructions for 00:12:51.060 --> 00:12:52.320 Christian living. 00:12:53.540 --> 00:12:54.860 And in that article, 00:12:54.964 --> 00:12:58.700 Liberty University actually sort of summarized the most profound 00:12:58.780 --> 00:13:03.580 discussion that Romans is the most profound discussion about the most 00:13:03.620 --> 00:13:06.524 profound subject in all the Scripture, 00:13:06.652 --> 00:13:10.470 God's plan and purpose for saving sinners. 00:13:11.610 --> 00:13:15.346 Romans gives definition to who we are in Christ, 00:13:15.418 --> 00:13:16.150 y'all. 00:13:16.810 --> 00:13:19.954 So we're going to spend a long time in Romans. 00:13:19.954 --> 00:13:20.938 Matter of fact, 00:13:20.938 --> 00:13:23.908 we might be in Romans when Jesus shows up. 00:13:26.010 --> 00:13:26.990 You see, 00:13:27.370 --> 00:13:32.530 I think it's important Paul undertakes to write to the Romans and we 00:13:32.570 --> 00:13:34.418 believe, or scholars tell me, 00:13:34.474 --> 00:13:36.306 because I'm not smart enough to know it myself. 00:13:36.306 --> 00:13:39.610 But scholars say he was in Corinth when he wrote this letter. 00:13:39.610 --> 00:13:45.868 You can find that in the Book of Acts that he wrote as sort of the 00:13:45.924 --> 00:13:49.420 precursor to his intended visit. 00:13:49.540 --> 00:13:50.276 As a matter of fact, 00:13:50.276 --> 00:13:54.612 when we start dealing with who Paul is and his journeys and his letter to 00:13:54.612 --> 00:13:56.276 the Romans and all that sort of thing, 00:13:56.276 --> 00:13:56.740 he says, 00:13:56.740 --> 00:14:01.360 I can't wait to get to Rome because I want to go to Spain. 00:14:01.860 --> 00:14:02.484 You know, 00:14:02.484 --> 00:14:04.364 this idea of Paul, 00:14:04.492 --> 00:14:08.694 Paul was motivated first and foremost by the Gospel, 00:14:08.742 --> 00:14:09.518 the good news, 00:14:09.518 --> 00:14:11.168 the message of Jesus Christ. 00:14:11.022 --> 00:14:15.806 He wanted to get as many places as he could get to tell as many people as 00:14:15.806 --> 00:14:18.982 he could tell about salvation in Jesus Christ. 00:14:19.086 --> 00:14:23.390 I wish the whole body of Christ throughout all the world today had that 00:14:23.390 --> 00:14:24.710 same kind of drive, 00:14:25.230 --> 00:14:29.446 right? To tell as many people as we could tell about Jesus, 00:14:29.638 --> 00:14:31.398 right? That was Paul's. 00:14:31.494 --> 00:14:32.814 That was his call. 00:14:33.540 --> 00:14:35.200 That was his motivation. 00:14:36.820 --> 00:14:40.252 It was the priority of not just his life, 00:14:40.356 --> 00:14:41.880 but who he was. 00:14:42.340 --> 00:14:42.900 I mean, 00:14:42.900 --> 00:14:46.124 God slaps him off a donkey on the way to Damascus, 00:14:46.124 --> 00:14:48.108 right? And he go, 00:14:48.244 --> 00:14:49.028 who are you, 00:14:49.028 --> 00:14:51.708 Lord? I'm Jesus, 00:14:51.884 --> 00:14:53.680 whom You're persecuting. 00:14:54.020 --> 00:14:57.200 Why are you kicking against the goads? 00:14:57.540 --> 00:15:00.560 Right? That's a translation for you. 00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:03.720 So why a book to Romans? 00:15:04.460 --> 00:15:05.268 All right, 00:15:05.404 --> 00:15:07.156 so in a. 00:15:07.228 --> 00:15:12.640 In a day and time where there is no Internet or television or, 00:15:13.020 --> 00:15:13.680 let's say, 00:15:13.724 --> 00:15:15.760 reliable mail service, 00:15:16.300 --> 00:15:21.652 right? Paul knows that if the gospel, 00:15:21.716 --> 00:15:23.700 the good news of Jesus Christ, 00:15:23.820 --> 00:15:26.732 is going to go out to the known world, 00:15:26.732 --> 00:15:30.460 then it needs to have an anchor and a root, 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:36.460 a deep system of belief in the capital city of the empire. 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:38.864 I want to get to Rome now. 00:15:38.864 --> 00:15:40.872 He's writing to Christians in Rome. 00:15:40.936 --> 00:15:43.232 So there are already Christians in Rome. 00:15:42.776 --> 00:15:43.984 And more than likely, 00:15:43.984 --> 00:15:47.256 if you go back and read in Acts at Pentecost, 00:15:47.256 --> 00:15:49.980 it says there were Romans in the crowd. 00:15:51.040 --> 00:15:54.616 And when they left after the whole celebration in Jerusalem, 00:15:54.648 --> 00:15:55.440 at that time, 00:15:55.440 --> 00:16:00.280 they went home to Rome and started telling others about Jesus and started 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:03.144 sharing the gospel and started bringing people into their homes. 00:16:03.144 --> 00:16:04.000 And so really, 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:07.176 we don't know at this point of a quote, 00:16:07.288 --> 00:16:09.420 First Baptist Church of Rome, 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:12.648 but they were having house churches, 00:16:12.824 --> 00:16:14.632 they were doing small group ministry. 00:16:14.632 --> 00:16:16.216 Y'all connect groups. 00:16:16.248 --> 00:16:17.272 How about that? 00:16:17.456 --> 00:16:20.600 Bringing people into their houses and telling them about Jesus, 00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:21.590 offering them some. 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:22.844 Some of them little hot. 00:16:22.844 --> 00:16:24.868 Them little sausages in a little biscuit, 00:16:24.868 --> 00:16:25.132 you know, 00:16:25.132 --> 00:16:25.920 those things. 00:16:28.380 --> 00:16:30.156 But you see what I mean? 00:16:30.156 --> 00:16:31.380 They were excited, 00:16:31.460 --> 00:16:33.284 having learned about Jesus, 00:16:33.412 --> 00:16:38.284 to get home to Rome and grab their friends and family and tell them about 00:16:38.284 --> 00:16:40.532 Jesus. And so Paul's writing this. 00:16:40.716 --> 00:16:42.366 We call it an epistle. 00:16:42.388 --> 00:16:43.588 It means a letter. 00:16:43.348 --> 00:16:46.980 He's writing a letter to Christians in the capital city of Rome, 00:16:46.980 --> 00:16:49.290 and it'll be passed around among them. 00:16:49.364 --> 00:16:52.746 The topic of the letter is the Gospel. 00:16:52.858 --> 00:17:01.706 Paul undertakes to write the most detailed explanation of what God has 00:17:01.778 --> 00:17:04.426 accomplished in the death, 00:17:04.498 --> 00:17:06.602 burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:17:06.706 --> 00:17:08.594 That's what Romans is all about. 00:17:08.594 --> 00:17:10.714 Okay, so we're going to hear big words. 00:17:10.538 --> 00:17:15.258 We're going to hear big words like sin and forgiveness and justification 00:17:15.354 --> 00:17:18.400 and. And we're going to get all that good theology in there, 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:19.888 right? And so we're going to hear. 00:17:19.888 --> 00:17:21.416 So that's why. 00:17:21.568 --> 00:17:24.328 That's why there's a book to the Romans. 00:17:24.424 --> 00:17:25.168 We call it. 00:17:25.168 --> 00:17:25.848 It's a letter, 00:17:25.848 --> 00:17:27.752 but we call it a book of the Bible. 00:17:27.752 --> 00:17:29.740 There's a book to the Romans. 00:17:30.080 --> 00:17:33.544 That's why Romans is not just for Romans, 00:17:33.592 --> 00:17:34.820 it's for us. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:37.464 You need to know Romans. 00:17:37.288 --> 00:17:38.992 Listen to all those smart people. 00:17:38.992 --> 00:17:39.752 Martin luther, 00:17:39.816 --> 00:17:40.264 John Calvin, 00:17:40.264 --> 00:17:40.904 J.L. packer, 00:17:40.904 --> 00:17:41.960 John Piper, 00:17:42.040 --> 00:17:43.112 I guess Ben Merkel. 00:17:43.112 --> 00:17:44.220 Smart. But anyway, 00:17:44.870 --> 00:17:46.520 you see what I mean. 00:17:46.278 --> 00:17:49.130 The idea is that Romans is for us, 00:17:49.910 --> 00:17:52.290 we should pay attention to Romans. 00:17:53.030 --> 00:17:56.902 I Love it that God and I got to give him credit for it. 00:17:56.902 --> 00:18:00.310 Because the idea is that two years ago when we were doing faith and 00:18:00.310 --> 00:18:03.862 discipline and we got toward the end of the year and we were working our 00:18:03.862 --> 00:18:05.222 way through Hebrews and I was like, 00:18:05.222 --> 00:18:07.646 man, there's a lot of stuff in Hebrews. 00:18:07.646 --> 00:18:09.998 We need to spend a lot of time in Hebrews. 00:18:09.998 --> 00:18:15.908 So we spent nine months in the book of Hebrews and it just kept coming 00:18:15.964 --> 00:18:19.020 back and just rolling it over and rolling it over and rolling it over 00:18:19.020 --> 00:18:22.640 that this is who Jesus is. 00:18:23.900 --> 00:18:25.492 And then Romans says, 00:18:25.596 --> 00:18:28.804 this is who you are in Christ. 00:18:28.892 --> 00:18:31.420 That's why the book of Romans is for us. 00:18:31.420 --> 00:18:32.748 So I want you to read it. 00:18:32.748 --> 00:18:34.284 A couple weeks ago I said, 00:18:34.284 --> 00:18:34.636 you know, 00:18:34.636 --> 00:18:36.996 we're going to take a week before we get into Romans, 00:18:36.996 --> 00:18:38.394 so just read Romans, 00:18:38.572 --> 00:18:40.882 read it and then read it again. 00:18:41.110 --> 00:18:44.566 It doesn't take long to read it from start to finish. 00:18:44.230 --> 00:18:44.726 I mean, 00:18:44.726 --> 00:18:44.982 you know, 00:18:44.982 --> 00:18:47.246 if you've read like War and Peace, 00:18:47.246 --> 00:18:48.770 this is cakewalk. 00:18:50.470 --> 00:18:52.726 Read Romans and when you finish it, 00:18:52.726 --> 00:18:53.716 read it again. 00:18:53.990 --> 00:18:57.446 Now some interesting things are going to happen this year and I think 00:18:57.446 --> 00:19:06.386 it's kind of interesting because next Sunday is deacon ordination Sunday 00:19:06.458 --> 00:19:11.138 when we celebrate those that you guys have observed and pointed out as 00:19:11.194 --> 00:19:14.034 just servant hearted men in the congregation. 00:19:14.162 --> 00:19:17.132 We're going to ordain five new deacons next week. 00:19:17.290 --> 00:19:20.920 A couple of them at 9:25 and a few of them at 10:40. 00:19:20.890 --> 00:19:23.546 But all morning long we're going to talk about what it means to be a 00:19:23.546 --> 00:19:26.350 servant, to have a servant's heart. 00:19:26.810 --> 00:19:28.290 So guess what happened? 00:19:28.450 --> 00:19:31.270 Because we inserted that into the schedule. 00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:36.360 All of the gathering in the Word videos are off sync with the dates. 00:19:37.740 --> 00:19:40.036 If you get the gathering in the Word devotional, 00:19:40.036 --> 00:19:43.800 that comes out by email every morning at 4:30 thereabout. 00:19:44.540 --> 00:19:45.364 It follows, 00:19:45.412 --> 00:19:50.292 typically I'll preach and then Monday through Friday you get it in the 00:19:50.316 --> 00:19:52.240 morning devotional all week long. 00:19:52.620 --> 00:19:56.378 Well, after next week's deacon ordination week, 00:19:56.564 --> 00:19:57.646 the next Monday, 00:19:57.798 --> 00:20:01.250 you're going to get the message before it's preached. 00:20:02.550 --> 00:20:06.934 So you get to spend time in Romans before we get here on Sunday about 00:20:06.934 --> 00:20:07.910 what we're going to talk about. 00:20:07.910 --> 00:20:09.302 And I started praying about that thing. 00:20:09.206 --> 00:20:09.510 I thought, 00:20:09.510 --> 00:20:09.846 oh man, 00:20:09.846 --> 00:20:13.126 I got to go back in and redo all those videos because we're about five 00:20:13.126 --> 00:20:13.654 weeks ahead. 00:20:13.654 --> 00:20:15.270 I never know what's going on, 00:20:15.270 --> 00:20:15.750 you know, 00:20:15.750 --> 00:20:17.166 with traveling and stuff. 00:20:17.198 --> 00:20:21.370 But so I got way ahead and then I was like, 00:20:22.800 --> 00:20:25.260 no, maybe that was planned. 00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:34.008 Maybe God wants us spending time in the Word in the letter to the Romans. 00:20:34.024 --> 00:20:37.648 And then we get together on Sunday morning and we can talk about it, 00:20:37.648 --> 00:20:39.152 we can share it together. 00:20:39.024 --> 00:20:39.888 And I was just like, 00:20:39.888 --> 00:20:41.420 God, you're so smart, 00:20:43.200 --> 00:20:45.460 right? There's a plan, 00:20:46.080 --> 00:20:47.300 God's at work. 00:20:47.930 --> 00:20:50.802 We just have to be surrendered and obey. 00:20:50.946 --> 00:20:53.790 Alrighty, what's it about? 00:20:54.890 --> 00:20:55.386 You know, 00:20:55.386 --> 00:20:58.026 what I share with you all the time. 00:20:58.074 --> 00:21:05.230 I am not a very trusting individual when it comes to news, 00:21:06.090 --> 00:21:08.400 right? I pick and choose my news. 00:21:10.730 --> 00:21:14.850 I try to be very discerning in who I listen to and what they say, 00:21:14.850 --> 00:21:18.100 right? The gospel. 00:21:18.260 --> 00:21:21.156 And we'll talk about this throughout this week, 00:21:21.228 --> 00:21:23.208 next week and the week after. 00:21:23.340 --> 00:21:26.820 Gospel comes from the word God spell. 00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:29.076 Now, every one of you that grew up in the 60s, 00:21:29.076 --> 00:21:29.588 go, oh, 00:21:29.588 --> 00:21:32.372 that was that musical they did on Broadway, 00:21:32.436 --> 00:21:32.766 right? 00:21:32.828 --> 00:21:33.908 God spell. 00:21:34.004 --> 00:21:36.676 Well, that's where the word gospel comes from. 00:21:36.828 --> 00:21:40.452 Because the word spell in Saxon, 00:21:40.516 --> 00:21:43.120 Anglo Saxon means story. 00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:48.140 So God's spell means God's story. 00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:53.712 So gospel means God's story. 00:21:53.896 --> 00:21:55.820 It's a good news story. 00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:03.696 That's why we translate the word gospel or we sort of define it as good 00:22:03.768 --> 00:22:06.784 news. All right? 00:22:06.872 --> 00:22:11.456 So I want you to think a minute before we dig deep in, 00:22:11.528 --> 00:22:12.848 deep into this realm, 00:22:12.850 --> 00:22:16.500 really. You know people that don't know Jesus, 00:22:18.920 --> 00:22:27.040 you know people that have never surrendered anything of themselves to a 00:22:27.080 --> 00:22:30.710 plan and a purpose that God may have for their lives. 00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:37.152 Now, there's a reason why so many people in my generation grew up with 00:22:37.256 --> 00:22:42.790 this evangelism outline called the Roman Road. 00:22:44.850 --> 00:22:51.050 Because Paul undertakes to explain from start to finish what it means to 00:22:51.090 --> 00:22:56.190 acknowledge and recognize that we're sinners, 00:22:58.130 --> 00:22:59.370 we're fallen, 00:22:59.450 --> 00:23:00.830 we're broken. 00:23:02.130 --> 00:23:04.390 And the only real means, 00:23:06.300 --> 00:23:09.720 healing, redemption, 00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:13.172 correction, life, 00:23:13.276 --> 00:23:17.960 fullness, whatever words you want to stick in there is Jesus. 00:23:19.900 --> 00:23:24.280 So you live in a world that needs Jesus. 00:23:25.260 --> 00:23:28.884 Paul identifies the gospel as the death, 00:23:28.972 --> 00:23:30.628 burial and resurrection of Christ. 00:23:30.684 --> 00:23:32.076 But what we know is, 00:23:32.076 --> 00:23:33.284 is that Jesus, 00:23:33.332 --> 00:23:34.320 from birth, 00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:37.260 actually pre existent eternity, 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:43.800 is God's good news for our broken, 00:23:43.880 --> 00:23:45.860 fallen, sinful state. 00:23:47.200 --> 00:23:49.840 We need to tell people the good news. 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:51.810 People need to hear it. 00:23:53.280 --> 00:23:55.520 Do they need to hear it from me? 00:23:55.520 --> 00:23:56.580 Not really. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:23:59.688 Do they need to hear it from Paul? 00:23:59.400 --> 00:24:01.050 Yeah, that's a good idea, 00:24:02.070 --> 00:24:06.090 Right? Who they going to listen to? 00:24:08.390 --> 00:24:12.570 You got friends and family members that will hear it from you. 00:24:13.670 --> 00:24:17.730 Okay. Why a book to the Romans? 00:24:18.550 --> 00:24:19.950 Because Paul, 00:24:20.030 --> 00:24:23.690 God wanted Paul to spread the good news. 00:24:24.470 --> 00:24:27.050 Why Romans for us? 00:24:27.630 --> 00:24:29.410 Because we need good news. 00:24:30.190 --> 00:24:33.230 We live in a world where there's not a lot, 00:24:33.230 --> 00:24:35.490 right? We need good news. 00:24:36.430 --> 00:24:37.654 What's it about? 00:24:37.822 --> 00:24:41.942 It's about Jesus and it's about who we are in Christ. 00:24:42.126 --> 00:24:43.774 If you don't know Jesus this morning. 00:24:43.774 --> 00:24:44.890 You need Jesus. 00:24:45.870 --> 00:24:46.770 You know, 00:24:47.070 --> 00:24:47.766 it's funny, 00:24:47.798 --> 00:24:51.366 we just came out of that whole gift giving season that we call Christmas, 00:24:51.366 --> 00:24:52.870 right? You know, 00:24:52.910 --> 00:24:54.750 people always call me up early. 00:24:54.750 --> 00:24:56.414 My family calls me up and goes, 00:24:56.414 --> 00:24:57.686 what do you want for Christmas? 00:24:57.518 --> 00:24:58.508 And I go, 00:24:59.190 --> 00:25:00.990 I don't want anything for Christmas. 00:25:00.990 --> 00:25:01.502 Be honest. 00:25:01.502 --> 00:25:01.974 I mean, 00:25:01.974 --> 00:25:05.950 typically, if I see something at Ross, 00:25:06.030 --> 00:25:07.130 I'll buy it, 00:25:08.950 --> 00:25:12.250 right? I mean, 00:25:12.790 --> 00:25:14.174 that's discount shopping, 00:25:14.222 --> 00:25:15.730 y'all. Anyway, 00:25:16.070 --> 00:25:17.050 you see, 00:25:18.470 --> 00:25:20.250 ask somebody what they need. 00:25:21.840 --> 00:25:22.848 What do they need? 00:25:22.848 --> 00:25:24.528 I read a book years ago, 00:25:24.528 --> 00:25:26.584 and I finished the book ultimately, 00:25:26.632 --> 00:25:30.072 because I walked with somebody through the book. 00:25:30.256 --> 00:25:32.512 But in the introduction of that book, 00:25:32.512 --> 00:25:36.024 the author was just broken. 00:25:36.152 --> 00:25:37.540 Life was a mess. 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:43.480 This author got before the Lord and in the prayer understood that God was 00:25:43.520 --> 00:25:46.180 saying, what do you want? 00:25:48.030 --> 00:25:50.010 And so they made a list. 00:25:50.750 --> 00:25:51.862 Made a list. 00:25:52.046 --> 00:25:55.346 All the things in this life that was a disappointment, 00:25:55.790 --> 00:25:58.910 all the things in this life that were a hurt. 00:25:58.910 --> 00:25:59.900 All the things. 00:25:59.950 --> 00:26:01.930 And this is what I want. 00:26:02.110 --> 00:26:07.050 And in the prayer that this author describes in the introduction, 00:26:07.870 --> 00:26:09.410 God's answer was, 00:26:10.110 --> 00:26:11.250 is that all? 00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:16.140 Because you can find all that in me. 00:26:17.800 --> 00:26:19.232 See, if you don't know Jesus, 00:26:19.232 --> 00:26:20.400 you need Jesus. 00:26:20.560 --> 00:26:22.128 We're going to sing one last song. 00:26:22.128 --> 00:26:23.448 You get to respond. 00:26:23.640 --> 00:26:26.008 You can respond right there where you are. 00:26:26.008 --> 00:26:27.296 If you want to know Jesus, 00:26:27.296 --> 00:26:28.280 just reach out to him. 00:26:28.280 --> 00:26:29.216 Admit your sin. 00:26:29.216 --> 00:26:31.352 Ask him to forgive you and save you. 00:26:31.352 --> 00:26:32.912 Maybe you want to pray with somebody, 00:26:32.912 --> 00:26:33.984 turn to your neighbor. 00:26:33.792 --> 00:26:35.432 Pray with somebody that you don't know. 00:26:35.432 --> 00:26:35.968 That's cool. 00:26:35.968 --> 00:26:36.296 You know, 00:26:36.296 --> 00:26:38.624 last week when I told you to look around and pray for somebody, 00:26:38.624 --> 00:26:39.976 Somebody came to me later and said, 00:26:39.976 --> 00:26:40.856 I picked somebody out. 00:26:40.856 --> 00:26:42.648 And I went to them after worship and said, 00:26:42.648 --> 00:26:44.356 you're the one I picked out and prayed for you. 00:26:44.356 --> 00:26:46.666 What can I pray for you about? 00:26:46.740 --> 00:26:49.040 He just had a bad diagnosis. 00:26:49.540 --> 00:26:50.180 God said, 00:26:50.180 --> 00:26:51.284 pray for me about that. 00:26:51.284 --> 00:26:52.480 So they prayed. 00:26:52.820 --> 00:26:54.220 Pray with your neighbor. 00:26:54.380 --> 00:26:55.636 If you want me to pray with you, 00:26:55.636 --> 00:26:57.286 I'll be standing right here. 00:26:57.940 --> 00:26:58.580 Really, though, 00:26:58.580 --> 00:27:01.308 we just get to respond to God and his word. 00:27:01.308 --> 00:27:02.908 Okay, let's pray together. 00:27:02.964 --> 00:27:04.164 God, thank you for this morning. 00:27:04.164 --> 00:27:05.516 And God, 00:27:05.548 --> 00:27:06.868 all that you're doing, 00:27:08.180 --> 00:27:12.356 things that you're doing around us and things that you're doing in us and 00:27:12.356 --> 00:27:14.500 the things you want to do in us. 00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:18.980 God, help us to acknowledge and recognize that we're not much. 00:27:19.840 --> 00:27:20.400 And yet, 00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:25.592 God, you love us and you choose us and you call us and you make us yours. 00:27:25.592 --> 00:27:25.952 And so, 00:27:25.952 --> 00:27:29.048 God, my prayer would be that 2025 is a year, 00:27:29.104 --> 00:27:33.724 God, where the gospel goes forth and where we're the ones who take it. 00:27:33.840 --> 00:27:34.472 That God, 00:27:34.472 --> 00:27:38.424 we are boldly proclaiming God, 00:27:38.472 --> 00:27:41.980 the life that we have in Jesus. 00:27:42.650 --> 00:27:45.610 God, if there's somebody this morning doesn't know Jesus, 00:27:45.610 --> 00:27:47.914 God just move their hearts to bow before youe. 00:27:47.914 --> 00:27:48.274 And God, 00:27:48.274 --> 00:27:52.106 if there are Christians here this morning that just need the strength and 00:27:52.106 --> 00:27:58.674 the boldness and the willingness to go out and live it in a loud way, 00:27:58.842 --> 00:28:00.658 God, that'd be my prayer. 00:28:00.834 --> 00:28:02.554 God, help us to respond to youo. 00:28:02.554 --> 00:28:03.834 We pray it in Jesus name, 00:28:03.834 --> 00:28:04.050 Amen.