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A Boast-Free Gospel Paul has already outlined in Romans 3:21-26 that salvation is a gift from God to all who have faith in Christ Jesus. In verses 27-31, Paul takes that assertion to its conclusion: we must boast in nothing in ourselves because only Christ’s work on the cross saves. Pastor Daniel Montgomery unpacks this truth: if we could do any work to save ourselves, salvation would no longer be a gift but something we purchase. But salvation is a gift so pride in anything but Christ is hollow and damaging.
Faith of AbrahamPaul has just spun off 3 chapters of amazing theology. He could keep on rolling, but instead, he drives home his points by pulling from one of the most familiar stories in the OT. He asks and answers the question, “What does the Scripture say?” Most from Paul’s day would have been familiar with Abraham’s story so the point would have been powerful. However, many people today are more familiar with the story of Bart Simpson than Abraham, so it would do us some good to step back and review his amazing life. Faith of Abraham Pt. 2Last week we heard how Abraham is the forefather of our faith. God chose Abraham and made him some incredible promises. Also, Abraham is the father of ALL who have faith. Abraham was justified by faith just like we are today. But the story continues. If we stopped after last week, we would only have part of the story. This week, we want to re-enter the story and hear how Abraham is an example for us all. Even though Abraham was faced with a hopeless situation, he believed that God would do all that He promised. Abraham was far from perfect, but he had great faith in the perfect and always faithful God. The Word of the Lord, Literally – Reading Romans 4-8The word ‘fundamentalism’ and the phrase ‘take the Bible literally’ are current hot-button issues with Christianity in America. In the first half of the message, teaching pastor Daniel Montgomery looks at what people often really mean when they say these things offers a more nuanced way to continue the conversation when someone calls you a ‘Fundy’. In the second half of the message, Daniel recites Romans 4-8. As we work through this book, we don’t want to lose sight of the big picture so we take a broad look at a large chunk of Scripture, beginning with the significance of the faith of Abraham and culminating with the truth that nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ.
RejoiceIn the midst of suffering, these four questions can kill the joy in your faith: Where do I stand with God? Why is this happening to me? Does God really care? How can I be sure I’ll make it into heaven? This week, Pastor Daniel Montgomery takes us through the beginning of Romans 5. Paul is telling the Roman Christians that thanks to the great love of God, shown in the finished work of Christ, they have reconciliation and access to God as his friend, no longer his enemies.
Conquered By Grace - The Human Being As BattlegroundThis week, Sojourn was visited by a local seminary professor, Dr. Mark Seifrid, to preach on Romans 5:12-21. Most recently, Dr. Seifrid contributed commentary on Acts to D.A. Carson’s Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. His other books include Justification by Faith, and Christ Our Righteousness. Sojourn is very thankful to have friendships with world-class New Testament thinkers and welcomes Dr. Seifrid to the podcast.
Should We Really Keep On Sinning?This weeks pastor Daniel teaches from Romans 6:1-14. Paul starts this passage in Romans with one of the most central questions to living the Christian life found in the New Testament: What then, should we go on sinning so that grace may increase? Since we’re under grace, does that mean we have license to live however we please, as sinfully as we wish because sin is so pleasing? Pastor Daniel Montgomery takes us through Paul’s answer: By no means! He unpacks the reality of our union with Christ in all three movements of Christ’s passion: death, burial and resurrection.
Who Are You Married ToJust like slavery to sin begins at birth, slavery to God begins at new birth. God gives us a new heart with new desires and a new lease on life. We by no means are perfect, but we are changed. And this change is the beginning of all the process of change that will take place over a lifetime. However, the truth is, we as Christians can find ourselves enslaved to all sorts of things. The good news is that the power of sin has been broken, but God uses the struggle with sin in all of us to grow us to be more like Christ.
The Radically Realistic GospelThis week, guest speaker, Dr. Mark Seifrid teaches from Romans 7:7-25.
The New WayThere is therefore now no condemnation for those that are in Christ. If the Gospel of God could be distilled into one sentence, this would be it. Pastor Daniel Montgomery continues the trek through Romans this week, entering Romans 8. There is a new way for Christians: the way of the Spirit, the way of life. God completed the work of salvation in Christ and Paul teaches us that God continues the work of redeeming our hearts from sin through the gift of the Spirit, giving us new desires and a wholly
New Life As Children Of GodChristians are not guilty before God. In his death, burial and resurrection, Christ took the guilt that we deserve and he took the full punishment on himself so now we are righteous before God and live under no condemnation. This is the fundamental truth on which all Christianity stands, the foundation. And it gets better and better. This week, Pastor Daniel Montgomery continues in Romans 8 and unpacks the concept of “sonship” - Christians are all “sons of God.” In Christ, we not only have a right standing with God in the legal, guilty/not-guilty sense, but we have the privileged standing of being children of God and co-heirs with Jesus Christ, our Savior and Brother. Pastor Daniel looks at what it means to be led by the Spirit and the benefits of being a child of God as well as two common misconceptions about the idea of “sonship.”
Is This As Good As It Gets?This week’s message is brought by Sojourn elder Rob Plummer. Rob is a New Testament professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. He examines the famous “memory verse” Romans 8:28 (And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purposes) as well as the following two verses. Is this life as good as it gets? When we struggle, when we suffer, when we achieve our goals and they just don’t deliver on our expectations, is that all we can hope for? The answer for Christians is absolutely not.
Think!This week’s text is widely considered one of the peaks of the Gospel. Paul has spent eight chapters in Romans building a very logical case for Christian faith and now he has laid it all out and is ready to drive it home. These nine verses are all about victory and assurance and though the victory may seem distant and possibly even unlikely from our earthly standpoint, we are given assurance that God will complete what he begins in us. Paul uses 5 rhetorical questions to illustrate how broad and deep our victory and assurance in Christ truly are.
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