Romans 4:24-5:1, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, KY
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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.
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.
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
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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