THE POWER. God can make you different tomorrow

Transcription

1 THE POWER TO CHANGE God can make you different tomorrow T H E B O O K O F R O M A N S

2 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life g was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power i by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name s sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. R O M A N S 1

3 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, c that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. R O M A N S 1

4 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. R O M A N S 1

5 THE AMAZING ANNOUNCEMENT (THE GOOD NEWS)

6 THE PERSONAL GOSPEL 1. PLAN: God has created you and he loves you intensely. He wants to live in relationship with you. 2. PROBLEM: But your rebellion and sin has broken this relationship and separates you from God. This will lead to eternal death. 3. SOLUTION: Jesus died on the cross and took the punishment for sin that you deserved, so that you can be forgiven and set free from death. 4. RESPONSE: If you repent and trust in Jesus, you will be forgiven and put right with God so that you can have eternal life.

7 THE PERSONAL GOSPEL...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood to be received by faith. Romans 3:23 25

8 THE PERSONAL GOSPEL For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. Romans 1:16-17

9 THE KINGDOM GOSPEL 1. PLAN: God created this world perfect and intended people to live in love and justice with him as the King, in harmony with each other, and with the world. 2. PROBLEM: Sin with its self-centredness broke this harmony with God which led to broken relationships, a broken world and enslavement to idolatry. 3. SOLUTION: Jesus came to establish a new kingdom in which the world could again live in harmony with God. He showed us how his kingdom operates and died on the cross and rose again to restore the world and become the true King. 4. RESPONSE: As people submit, are transformed, and become kingdom people, God's kingdom is restored leading to a recreated world with God as King.

10 THE KINGDOM GOSPEL Share with the Lord s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:13-16

11 THE COSMIC GOSPEL 1. PLAN: God created this world from nothing and chose people to share the responsibility of ruling this world with love and goodness and power. 2. PROBLEM: Under the influence of Satan, people tried to grab this authority for themselves and, in doing this, alienated themselves from God and his kingdom and his supernatural power. The whole world suffered as evil powers ruled. 3. SOLUTION: Jesus came to this earth with authority and through his ministry, death and resurrection conquered the power of SIN and DEATH. 4. RESPONSE: Through Jesus' victory, we can enter God's cosmic, powerful reign and have access to all his resources through the Holy Spirit. God will reveal his cosmic gospel by using and transforming us in supernatural ways.

12 THE COSMIC GOSPEL For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. ROMANS 8:19-21

13 THE COSMIC GOSPEL I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done - by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. ROMANS 15:18 19

14 THE GOSPEL Through the person and work of Jesus Christ, God has fully accomplished salvation for all, rescuing us from judgement for sin into fellowship with him, and restoring creation in which we can enjoy our new life together. - TIM KELLER

15 THE POWER TO CHANGE