Grace’s Latest Messages
Why Do I Do That? (Romans 7:13-25)
This week at Grace, we're continuing through Romans 7, looking at one of the most personal sections Paul ever wrote: Why do I do the things I don't want to do and don't the things I do want to do? Why is it so hard to be consistent about doing what is good?
Why talk about this passage on Mother's Day? (Besides that it's "next" in our series). Mothers experience the truth of this passage in spades - they experience it when their children struggle to do the right thing, as well as their own growth in Christ.
There's no one who needs a more accurate, biblical, and robust theology of human nature than moms. Without it, we end up pretending, shaming, or living wracked with guilt.
I'm hopeful that this Mother's Day passage of Scripture will help us see ourselves and others from a gracious and biblical frame of mind, so that we can move toward Christ together.
See you Sunday!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
- Romans 7:13-25
What the Law Does to Us (Romans 7:1-12)
Why is sin so hard to stop?
If we know the right thing to do, why is it so hard to do it? And if we know the wrong thing, and agree that it's wrong, why is it so hard to stop doing it?
If you've been a Christian for any length of time, you've probably struggled with this question. Didn't you think you'd be further along by now? I know I did.
Over the next two weeks at Grace, we're going to cover Romans 7, which addresses this question. This week, we'll look at Romans 7:1-12, which addresses the good and bad that come from the law itself.
I'm really looking forward to the way that this chapter of Scripture could give us a different paradigm to understand sin, growth, and our hope for the future.
Looking forward to seeing you on Sunday at Grace!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.
4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
- Romans 7:1-12
Once You Were, But Now You Are (Romans 6:15-23)
Baptism Sunday!
I hope you’re able to join us this Sunday. It’s a special day as we’ll be baptizing 13 people throughout our morning services. Baptism is a powerful and meaningful picture of what Jesus has done for us through faith. As we heard in Pastor Bob’s message last week:
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:4-5).
We can think of this Sunday as sort of a ‘Show and Tell’ of the gospel. Baptism shows what Jesus has done and the sermon tells what Jesus has done. Speaking of the sermon, keep reading.
Romans 6
This Sunday we’ll continue our series in Paul’s letter to the Romans as we work our way through Romans 6:15-23 (see below).
This passage uses some strong language to communicate our relationship to sin and death, but also our relationship with righteousness and God.
Sometime before Sunday, I’d encourage you to read and reflect on Paul’s words - what does he say about life before grace and life after grace?
The change is staggering. I hope this Sunday will encourage us to even more staggering-ness!
15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
With Christ in Baptism: From Death to Life (Romans 6:1-14)
Tell me about your baptism.
For many of us, our mind turns to the day we went under the water. After all, baptism is a once-in-a-lifetime memory of our Christian life. We might remember where we were, who was with us, or what we felt.
It's good to have such strong emotions tied to baptism. But do you think you could describe what happened in your baptism? Why did you go under the water? Why come back out? What does the action of baptism symbolize and what does it have to do with your life now?
That's the theme of Romans 6:1-14. It's the longest and most complete theological reflection on baptism in all of Paul's letters, and it's deeply relevant for our lives today.
Looking forward to opening it with you this Sunday at Grace.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
PS. If you are considering taking the step of being baptized in the worship services on April 28th, please come to the church library this Sunday at 9:30 AM to participate in the orientation class with Pastors Tim and Jason.
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
- Romans 6:1-14
Original Sin (Romans 5:12-21)
Why do I care what happens with my favorite sports teams?
Especially with the professional teams (Dodgers, Lakers, Sharks, and 49ers, if you're curious) - the players are mercenaries from around the world who are just putting on a uniform for a paycheck. It defies reason why I would feel proud when they win or grumpy when they lose.
But I do.
(Maybe too much, if I'm honest).
At the core of sports fandom (at least for me) is an identification with the teams we cheer for. We put on the hats, the shirts, and the jerseys, and label ourselves with the heroes on the field. This representation is artificial, contrived, and voluntary. And yet it holds tremendous meaning for many of us.
(And it's not just sports fans - why do you pull for the romantic leads to get together in a movie or the hero to save the day in a favorite show?)
It points to something deeply true about all of us: we are represented by another. Not just in sports or movies, but in spiritually significant ways.
This week at Grace, we're continuing through Romans 5, look at verses 12-21. This compact and profound passage is going to make the case that these representations have eternal significance for all of us, and we all have a decision to make about whose side we are on. By nature we are all represented by Adam. And, if we choose to follow him, we are represented by Christ.
Looking forward to talking about it with you this Sunday at Grace.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
- Romans 5:12-21
O How He Loves You and Me (Romans 5:6-11)
This week I read about a painting from the Dutch Artist, Rembrandt entitled The Raising of the Cross. In reflection of Holy Week there was something beautiful, sad, and beautiful [again] about this image.
In the image you see Jesus being raised on the cross, and there’s no shortage of paintings like these as many artists have responded and painted powerful depictions of the Passion of the Christ. Rembrandt’s work was different in that he had painted himself into the work of art.
If you take a look at the image, the man at the feet of Jesus, with the blue beret is said to be Rembrandt himself participating in the crucifixion of Jesus.
The work of art in and of itself is beautiful.
The work of art is sad because it communicates a truth that, though this happened many years ago… still Jesus died for OUR sins (something Rembrandt seemed to have understood).
The work of art is beautiful in that, while we were still sinners… Christ died for us. He not only paid for the penalty of our sins… but he did so willingly (John 10:17-18).
O how He loves you and me!
This Sunday we are going to be taking a look at Romans 5:6-11 and swim around in this concept of God’s great love for us!
Hope to see you there!
Jason Ricafranca
6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
- Romans 5:6-11
What Good is Faith in Christ? (Romans 5:1-5)
"He is Risen!"
"He is Risen Indeed!"
This call and response has marked Easter worship for as long as I can remember, and rightly so. It's a declaration of the wonder of the resurrection.
This week at Grace, we're going to talk about the implications of that resurrection for us today. We're going to stay in our Romans series, looking at Romans 5:1-5. While it doesn't include the resurrection story explicitly, it does explain the resurrection's implications for us today - how faith in the resurrection of Jesus brings peace with God, establishes our standing before God, and causes us to reconsider the meaning of suffering.
Looking forward to celebrating the resurrection of Jesus with you this Sunday!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
- Romans 5:1-5
Why Justification by Faith Matters (Romans 4:13-25)
One of the rallying cries of the Reformation was, "Justification by Faith Alone!"
And for the past 500 years, those of us who trace our theological heritage to the Reformers have internalized the importance of those words.
But why does justification by faith alone matter so much? What problems does it solve?
This week at Grace, we're going to look at Romans 4:13-25, a passage that helps us think about what it means to be justified by grace through faith. That is, what sort of faith does God want from us? How is it demonstrated? And what should we do if we feel like our faith is lacking?
Let's talk about it Sunday at Grace.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.
16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
- Romans 4:13-25
Counted Righteous Apart From Works (Romans 4:1-12)
When I was in Bible College, a long time ago, a friend of mine recited a little ditty about the difference between works and faith. I’ve never forgotten it.
Here it is:
Work, work, the Law demands
But gives us neither feet nor hands
A sweeter sound the gospel brings
It bids us fly, and gives us wings
Read through Romans 4:1-12 before Sunday and come ready to hear the difference between what we can do and what God has done.
Blessings,
Tim
What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
- Romans 4:1-12
"But Now..." (Romans 3:21-31)
This week's passage from Romans 3 changed the world.
No, I'm not kidding.
Martin Luther called it the center of the book of Romans and the center of the whole of the Bible.
Leon Morris said it was quite possibly the most important paragraph ever written.
So, why is it such a big deal? Because it defines the benefits of the gospel for us, and shows how Christ's death on the cross frees us from needing to earn our way to God.
In the process, it turns many of our assumptions and insecurities on their heads, and leads us to a path of freedom and joy.
I can't wait to talk about it with you this Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
What Good is Religion? (Romans 3:1-20)
"What good is religion?"
That question sounds like it should come from some combative atheist, eager to prove faith worthless.
But it's actually the question on the lips of the apostle Paul. What good is the law? What good is being moral? What is the point of all of this?
This week at Grace, we're talking about Romans 3:1-20, where Paul makes the case that religion is not inherently valuable or worthless, but is meant to point us to something beyond itself. It's a culmination of the case that Paul has been making so far, that religious activity is not the thing that we need to solve our deepest problems. For that, we need the gospel of Jesus.
Hope to see you Sunday at Grace!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,
“That you may be justified in your words,
and prevail when you are judged.”
But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
“Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
“The venom of asps is under their lips.”
“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”
“Their feet are swift to shed blood;
in their paths are ruin and misery,
and the way of peace they have not known.”
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
- Romans 3:1-20
Proud of the Wrong Things (Romans 2:12-29)
What are some of the things that you're proud of?
Maybe it's an outfit you look good in, your nationality, a collection you have, your kids or grandkids, or a sports team you root for.
Have you ever met someone who took pride in the wrong things? Sometimes it can be embarrassing or silly (like a grown man with a My Little Pony collection), but other times it's more sinister or destructive (like the "White Pride" of the KKK).
This week at Grace, we're going to talk about the hazards that come from taking pride in the wrong things spiritually. In Romans 2:12-29, Paul warns the Jewish Christians about the temptations of taking pride in the law, at the expense of the other nations of the world and their own need for the gospel.
This temptation is still there for us, especially for those of us who are more committed to our faith. Religious superiority and judgmentalism is a relentless source of pride, and can destroy our relationship with God and other people.
Let's talk about how to recognize it and choose a better path together this Sunday at Grace.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
- Romans 2:12-29
God's Judgement and Ours (Romans 2:1-11)
Have you ever sat through a sermon and heard a really good point that made you think about a certain friend who could use that advice?
I remember growing up in the church and every once and a while the pastor would preach on a message that my parents REALLY wanted me to hear. Any time the messages spoke about: honoring your father and mother OR doing everything without complaining or arguing…
I could count on my mom or my dad nudging me in the pews… or my favorite reaction was my mom leaning in my periphery to lock eye contact with me to make sure I was listening!
It seems silly to think about it these days, but how awkward would it be if the message transitioned to a topic like the sinfulness of humanity and I nudged my parents back?
Well, I know my parents would not appreciate that… but this is what we’re going to be getting into this weekend. Romans 1 focuses on the Gentiles and their blatant ungodly and unrighteousness. It was easy for the Jews in the community, those who had been familiar with moral and religious traditions to look down on those whose sins were perhaps more glaring or obvious than their own.
And get this… whether blatantly flagrant or not… God’s wrath still falls on our sinfulness. This is heavy and difficult topic to process and I hope that you’re present this Sunday as we dive more into the text of Romans chapter 2:1-11!
Hope to see you there!
Jason Ricafranca
Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.
- Romans 2:1-11
The Results of Suppressing God (Romans 1:25-32)
In the past few months, as I've mentioned to people in our church that we were teaching through Romans, one of the comments I've heard repeatedly is, "Wow, so what are you going to say about the end of chapter 1?"
Well, it's here.
Romans 1:26-27 is the longest and clearest statement about same-sex sexual behavior in the New Testament. It's hotly debated online, each word parsed and phrase disputed in light of the current cultural obsession with issues of sexual morality.
While I'm not eager to jump into the fray in the online debates, I do have a burden to help you navigate this as a Christian today. For many in our church, this is a deeply personal and emotional topic, tied to their own sexuality or that of someone they love. And for all of us in this culture, it is something that we are forced to reckon with and determine our own convictions.
Let's approach this Sunday with a high regard for God's Word, a deep humility about our own flawed motivations, and a commitment to Christian charity toward one another.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
- Romans 1:24-32
The Faith of Atheism (Romans 1:18-23)
There was a survey that came out this week from Pew Research that found that 28% of Americans describe themselves as "Nones" when it comes to religion. (This includes both Atheists/Agnostics and the larger sub-group, "Nothing in Particular").
This isn't news to you, I'm sure.
But is it true? Are there really people who have no faith at all? The Bible pushes back on this idea. While people might not identify with a certain group of people of faith, we are all worshiping creatures who make something ultimate in our lives. Romans 1:18-23 goes even further, saying that all people in all places have an innate sense of God's reality.
These are strong claims. And I'm sure that some of my agnostic friends would push back on the idea that they are suppressing anything. So I'm eager for you to examine this passage of Scripture closely for yourself, and carefully consider what it tells us about God, human nature, and our world today.
Look forward to seeing you Sunday at Grace!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
- Romans 1:18-23
Unashamed of the Gospel (Romans 1:8-17)
It is a popular thing in our culture today to claim that we are "boldly unashamed." Whether about moral actions, political allegiances, body image, or many other categories, we have made being "unashamed" a virtue.
Behind this declaration of culture is a self-created independence - no one has the right to tell me what to do, who to support, what to look like, or any other category.
But the Biblical reason for being unashamed is so much deeper, broader, and more lasting. As we'll see this week in Romans 1:16, Paul was unashamed of the gospel, and we can join him in this confidence.
Looking forward to seeing you at Grace on Sunday!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
- Romans 1:8-17
Blessed are the Neighborly (Romans 1:1-7)
This week at Grace, we're starting our (almost) year-long study of the book of Romans.
It's hard to overstate the importance of this letter in Christian history - it's the book that Augustine credited with for his conversion, it's what sparked Luther toward the Reformation, and for many of us it's how we think about the gospel (think of the "Romans Road" with such salvation-descriptive verses as 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, and 10:9).
But don't mistake this importance and familiarity for simplicity. There's much in Romans that we all still need to learn and grow from.
I'm eager to start working through this epistle with you all this Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Romans 1:1-7
Blessed are the Neighborly (Luke 10:25-37)
Through the Parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus is, in essence, asking an expert in the Jewish law what the Bee Gees have been asking since 1977 – “How deep is your love?”
To find out how he answers, as well as considering your own response, join us on Sunday.
25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37)
See you soon,
Pastor Tim
Why Worry? (Luke 22:22-34)
Rollover minutes. Aren’t they great? Whatever minutes on your cell phone plan you didn’t use last month, you get to carry into the next.
You know what’s not great to carry over from one month to the next? Or, considering when we are, one year to the next? Worry.
Who wants to rollover their worry? To keep accruing it, to bank it, to have it stick around so that you always have enough?
Answer: no one!
Then why do we do that? Why do we worry, and worry, and worry some more?
The truth is, there are good reasons to worry. But, more importantly, there are better reasons to not worry.
Come Sunday and hear Jesus (in Luke 12:22-34) tell us why this is so.
See you soon,
Pastor Tim
22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
- Luke 12:22-34
The End of Mark's Gospel and Biblical Integrity (Mark 16:9-20)
This week at Grace, we're finishing the Gospel of Mark after 57 weeks.
But Mark ends on an odd note - with a passage that is disputed about whether it was originally there or not. What we know as "Mark 16:9-20" seems to have been added sometime after the original book of Mark was written, with an unknown editor borrowing some verses from the other gospels to "improve" Mark's ending.
So, why listen to a sermon on something that isn't truly biblical? Because it gives us a chance to address some commonly misunderstood issues of the Bible: where it came from, how we got the Bible that is in our hands, and why we can have confidence in the Scriptures.
Look forward to seeing you Sunday at Grace!
In Christ,
Pastor Bob
[Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.]
9 [[Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
12 After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.]]
- Mark 16:9-20