My name's Kyle want to say thank you for being here today.
If you're visiting special, thanks to you.
We were going to be in Romans chapter 1 today, Romans chapter
1. So if you have your Bible, you
can grab it. Open it up to Romans 1.
That comes to mediately after acts.
Anyway, today we're getting into what, what you would call as a
polemic series Tech. Sorry, not serious, but sermon.
Just a one-off sermon and we're going to we're going to make a
stance known today in light of what's coming next month.
And so I'll start that by saying this New Life Community Church
holds the position that God's word is divinely inspired that
it is infallible and that it is inerrant.
God's word is divinely inspired and Fallible and in Aaron's.
Therefore it is the Supreme standard by which all human
conduct Creeds and opinions shall be tried the Supreme
standard by which all human conduct Creeds and opinions
shall be tried. So, the word of God is our
ultimate Authority. In other words, it is our
ultimate Authority and everything on.
On Earth, including our own Hearts, our own opinions, our
own, wishes and desires everything on Earth.
Must be Tried by it, but the world doesn't see it this way.
The world thinks differently and it approaches it in a different
way. The world is going to eagerly
and is actively actually eagerly attempting to make God's word
uninspired, to make it fallible, to make it errant question, the
authority. Ultimately, what they're
attempting to do, is to make God's word Irrelevant for
ordering creation, ordering our lives and they're doing it by
the pride of their own unbelief doing it by the pride of their
own unbelief. So God's word gives us the
answer to, why are these things happening?
Why does the unbelieving world participate this way?
Why do they play the game in this way?
Why do they behave this way? This way in Romans 1:16 through
32, if you would, would you stand for the reading of God's
word today? When I finish reading, I'll say
this is God's holy word and you will respond.
Thanks, be to God. We want to show that God's word
is higher than any other thought, we have here.
Romans 1:16 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 for in it.
The righteousness of God is revealed from faith for Faith as
it is written. Righteous shall live by faith.
For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their
unrighteousness suppress the truth for what can be known
about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them
for his invisible attributes. Namely, his eternal power, and
divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the
creation of the world. And the things that have been
made. So they are without excuse verse
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 claiming to be wise,
they became fools and exchanged, the glory of the immortal.
God for images, resembling mortal man and birds and animals
and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up and
the lusts of their hearts to impurity to the dishonoring of
their bodies among themselves because they exchanged the truth
about God, for a lie and worshipped and served the
creature rather than the Creator.
Who is blessed forever. Amen.
For this reason, verse 26, God gave them up to dishonorable
passions for their women, exchanged natural relations for
those that are contrary to Nature and the men likewise gave
up national now 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. 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. They were filled with all manner
of unrighteousness, evil covetousness, malice, they are
full of Envy murder Strife, deceit, malice Asha sness.
They are gossips slanderers. Haters of God insolent Hadi
boastful, inventors of evil disobedient to parents, foolish
faithless, heartless, ruthless. 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.
This is God's. Holy word.
Thanks be to God. Let me pray for us.
You have a seat Heavenly Father. We thank you for today.
We thank you for your word o God.
We know that it has come to us and true that it reveals to us
faith for Faith. So that We might know who you
are father that we might follow you and walk with you and walk
in a manner, worthy of the Gospel which we've received and
we thank you, Father. That the gospel is the power of
God unto salvation, for all, who believe.
So, father is men and women and boys and girls in here.
I pray that you help us to believe wholeheartedly your
gospel today or that we would trust in you and in you alone.
And Lord, we pray that you would use.
Use your gospel to save. Sinners to save those of whom.
We once were father to relieve them, Father of their
oppressions, the sin and to help them to know true Freedom In
Christ Alone. Lord help us to be bold in this
message. Help us to be bold.
And this hour of our day of our time that we live in Lord help
us to fight for truth and to stand on it.
Wholeheartedly unreservedly boldly.
It's in Christ's name. I pray, amen.
You may be seated. Half of you had already see that
half of you had not well, we'll try by the end of the service to
walk together. More fully.
Alright. More in unity.
The unbelieving world lives by the changing tide.
Of individualism. And by this changing tide, what
I mean is that it can go from one place to the next very
quickly just simply based on feelings and by individualism
what they're doing is, they're forming their conduct, by
whatever they decide is true. They form their conduct the
things they do, they form their Creed's, The Things, They
believe, the things they profess, and they form their
opinions on what is right or wrong.
The truth is, Is subject to change its subject to
perspective? It's subject to the one who
holds it. And not subject to God, there
their Mantra, if you will their Creed, if I could write one for
them would be, if it feels good to you than do it, it seems
right to you, then do it. Christian's, however, must form
their conduct and Creeds and their opinions by the gold
standard of God's. Holy word, we must stand on
Truth, our Mantra. If I could write one Forest must
be what God instructs, that we shall do, what God instructs
that we shall do. Another way we might sum up.
What? Romans 1 is saying to us today?
Is this unbelievers boast in their sins while Believers boast
in their savior? Unbelievers, boast in their
sins. Why Believers boast?
And their savior, there is a pride of unbelief as a pride to
this. This is what Paul is writing in
Romans 1. It's all about the pride of the
man, the pride of the person and perhaps this is not more
evidence than what we were seeing regarding beliefs on
marriage and sexuality and gender.
The world is engaged in active combat against what God's word
says. Is about marriage and sexuality
and gender. The world has set itself against
God's word, but this is not new. This has been going on for
Millennia. One glaring example of this
comes to achieve each June, one, glaring example of this comes
flying in our face. Each June with pride months
pride month is set aside each year.
This Is How They word. It is set aside each year to
promote the listen to these words.
The self-affirmation dignity equality and increased
visibility of the lgbtq+ community.
The point of what they're saying.
Is that they're taking pride in their chosen way of life, rather
than filling, shame, that's literally why they call it pride
month to be proud of who you are.
Again, if it feels good to you then do it.
Don't withhold this from yourself.
They proudly say this to one another while the rest of the
world cheers them on including Lately many ill-informed
evangelicals many Christians, Advocates of Pride falsely
believe that this is a step forward in the liberation of the
lgbtq+ community. However, the scriptures are
showing us here that it's simply a giant leap in further
hardening, their hearts toward God and His holy word, which
ironically is the only thing that promises true liberation.
Ian, the only thing that promise is true salvation and so
thanking they're free, they're becoming more bound becoming
more and slave to their sins. So what has led men and women to
do this for Millennia? It's Pride.
Just good old-fashioned Pride. Romans 1:18 through 25 for the
wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness
suppress the truth for what can be known about God is plain to
them, because God has shown it to them for his invisible
attributes. Namely, his eternal power, and
divine nature have been clearly perceived ever since the
beginning. Sorry, the creation of the world
in the things that have been made.
So they Without excuse 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 just rereading this and get it in our minds.
Claiming to be wise, they became fools.
See essence of Pride, isn't it? Claiming to be wise, they became
fools and exchanged, the glory of the immortal.
God for images, resembling mortal man and birds and animals
and creeping things, therefore God gave them up to the Sorry
God gave them up in the loft. Of their hearts to impurity to
the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.
Because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and they
worshipped and served the creature rather than the
Creator. Who is blessed forever, amen.
So Paul is saying here that God has shown himself to the world
but in creation we clearly see God's eternal power and divine
nature nature or creation is a witness to the divine nature of
God. It's a witness to the eternal
power of God that God has created and when you look at
creation it should it's meant to cause you to see that there is a
creator. The world knows God because he
has made himself known God does in other words God does not
believe in atheists as one man has said God is not a believer
in atheist, right? He's saying I have revealed
myself to man they know me and so there is no one excused from
this knowledge of God, God has revealed himself in creation and
so from the rising and setting of the Sun to the Colorado
Rockies. You can see God from the genders
to the formation of a child in the womb, you can see the hand
of God from the tiniest insect to the largest animal.
You can see God. All of it and everything in
between, which is we haven't nearly exhausted all of Creation
in my poor examples there. But everything in between all of
those things, testifies to the glory of God and his creation,
and they Know this. Yet they suppress the truth and
their unrighteousness. Now, the idea of suppression
here is really, it's really interesting and it's what helps
us get to the idea of apologetics and what we're after
in apologetics what we're after in proclaiming the truth.
So, the idea of suppression is this.
It's that you're holding something down.
All right. So it's summertime, maybe.
Some of you have had the opportunity to be in a pool
already. Maybe you've played with a beach
ball in the pool, right? Right?
You take a beach ball and try to push it under the water.
I remember as a kid trying to sit on a ball in the water,
right? And your kind of wobbly and it
just pops up flies out of the pool.
This is the idea of suppression is that you're pushing down,
they are pushing down in there. Unrighteousness truth And
they're just holding it and they're they're praying if they
pray there they're hoping against hope.
That truth will not fly out of their hands up into the air for
all to see. They are suppressing truth and
so on apologetics one way to do, apologetics one way to talk to
an unbeliever who is suppressing truth one way is to give them
more beach balls. It's to say, hey, here's more.
Truth or to make the beach ball larger right to where it becomes
harder and harder to suppress the truth.
This is one way you can do apologetics you can continue to
give evidence of God. Another way to do apologetics is
to figure out how you might pry fingers away from the beach
ball. And so in unraveling their
worldview, you are removing their hand from the beach ball
so to speak. And so, the beach ball by the
power of God, hopefully will come to the surface and this
will lead to their understanding of their need for a savior.
So make sense. So this is what this is.
The indictment, from Paul, the Assessing the truth.
In their unrighteousness has rendered their thinking useless,
but that's what he means by feudal.
That their thinking has become becomes futile in their, in
their thinking and their minds. What Paul is saying is they
think they're wise but they're fools, they think that they have
truth but they're actually suppressing truth and they're
showing that by suppressing their truth, they don't know
anything. Their futile in their thinking,
actually. It's really a sad thing.
To behold I don't stand here today pridefully gloating over
unbelievers, it's heartbreaking. That God has been made known to
them and yet in their unrighteousness, they choose to
suppress the truth about God and to run headlong into their own
idolatry. But Paul is saying here, their
arguments are nonsensical. They don't make sense.
They're claiming to be wise if they became fools.
Why? Because they exchanged the glory
of the immortal God for images, resembling Creation.
In other words, they're created to worship God.
And God has made himself known in creation that they might be
able to find God. And ultimately, you find.
God has revealed himself naturally, but he's revealed
himself supernaturally through his word and so we ultimately
come to know God. Intimately through his word as
he saves us from our sins, reveals himself to us and we're
in right relationship again. But what they've done is even in
nature, they're looking into it and they're saying, no, the
creative order from God is wrong.
And so they've making themselves wisely become fools.
The way God has designed, it is not the way we want to live.
And so we ignore it and the created to worship, God, created
to walk and fellowship with God. And yet in unrighteousness they
worship, man, they worship themselves worship animals and
all sorts of things, and you see this over and again and
unbelievers, it's not just with gender and sexuality in
marriage. Let's one Giants battle.
That's one that Paul sets. Aside here is one of the
greatest evidences of someone who's been given over.
To their unnatural Passions. But that's not the only battle.
There's many bibles out there, there are many things, many
instances I should say where creation is put over God where
we worship the creation rather than the Creator.
Their pride is the center of their unbelief.
The pride is the center of their unbelief in Pride, the claim to
be wise, it boasts in their sins believing themselves to be
liberated. Yet they are fools and fooled
themselves by buying into the LIE of the garden.
The same lie that the serpent tells to Eve.
If you will eat of this fruit, you will be like, God, And so
they take the fruits of their own unrighteousness and they eat
it and they offer it to others who eat also.
And they cheer one, another on, as they eat the fruit that is
leading to impending death. Unbelievers, boasts in their
sins while Believers boast in their savior.
Furthermore, after versus 20 after verse 25, Paul makes it
clear that their sinful behavior is so far removed from Freedom
by showing that it really is the righteous Judgment of God.
We see that they are under God's judgment as they think they're
free. They seek to remove themselves
from the rule of God yet. So ironically, they have run
headlong into his righteous judgment.
Romans 1:26, or 32, for this reason, God gave them up to
dishonorable passions for their women, exchanged natural
relations for those that are contrary to Nature 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. 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. They were filled with all manner
of unrighteousness, evil covetousness malice, they were
full of Envy murder Strife, deceit.
Maliciousness, they are gossips slanderers.
Haters of God insolent Hadi boastful, inventors of evil
disobedient to parents, foolish faithless, heartless, ruthless,
There's really none of us who are left off this list.
Though, they know, God's righteous decree that those who
practice such things deserve to die.
They not only do them, but they give approval to those who
practice them. So again, claiming to be wise to
become fools, their minds are darkened yet, they believe that
their minds are enlightened, their hearts are dark, and yet
they believe they're living the enlightened experience.
The following, however, their own lust-filled, passions has
landed them, squarely under God's righteous.
Judgments God gave them up. We read to dishonorable
passions. That is the idea of him, giving
them up to. It means he's surrendering them
to them. To give something up is to be
surrendered to someone or to some thing gave them up to
dishonorable. Passions got a surrendering them
over to their dishonorable passions.
They did not want his authority, they wanted to be their own
authority and so they got what they want.
They got what they wanted. They sought it out.
They suppress the truth. And made themselves wise, they
claimed that God was a fool. It's obvious.
However, back to this idea of pride month, it's obvious in the
anatomy of a man, and a woman that they are made to fit
together that they were made to be one flesh that they are made
for the purpose of being fruitful and multiplying not
only in having children, but that's one of the ways.
However, the world chooses to ignore God's creative order the
world chooses to establish their own order because they see
themselves as God, like, they are their own God.
So in their dishonorable passions, men are perversely
drawn to men and women are perversely drawn to women.
It's an Abomination. It it abhors.
God's word by its actions and it's Proclamation.
Yes, we must be clear on that. God has established the order of
the Sexes. He did this at creation Genesis
1:27, we read. So God created man in his own
image. In the image of God, he created
him male and female he created them.
Just a few verses later, a zoomed in picture of what took
place at creation. God creates man from the dust of
the ground and breathed into him life and then he says that it's
not good, that man should be alone.
And so he creates a woman from the side of the man from the rib
of a man of the man. And in verse 24 of chapter, 2 of
Genesis, we read this therefore a man shall leave his father and
his mother and hold fast to his wife and they shall become one
flesh. Again, it's clear.
The creative order here and it's clear how the world has turned
it upside down. From these two verses alone, we
can rightly conclude that God created mankind male and female
in his own image and God created marriage to be between a man and
his wife. But the unbelieving world hates
these truths. That's the product of pride, in
their unbelief. But remember G, what Jesus said,
we just read this last week but I'm going to remind you again,
what Jesus said about the lithe and the lovers of Darkness John
3:9 through 19, through 20 Jesus, talking to Nicodemus, he
saying that the light has come into the world.
But they hated the light he says this is the Judgment that the
light has come into the world and the people loved the
darkness rather than the light because their Works were evil.
For everyone. Who does wicked things hates the
light and does not come to the light, lest his work, should be
exposed again, it's the same principle here, they are lovers
of themselves, their lovers of their own sinful desires, their
lovers of their own darkness and foolishly.
They think that their darkness is light.
They think that they're dark This is Liberation, they think
that their darkness is freedom. And yet they're bound to walk in
the darkness until the light is revealed to them, but the
judgment is that the light is here.
Truth is here. God has made himself known in
the face of Christ Jesus. In him, we have the radiance of
the glory of God. He's the exact imprint of the
father. And he has made known to us
truth. His Apostles have made known to
us Truth by the spirit of God who instructed them after
Christ. Ascended into heaven.
And so we see that God gave has given them up to dishonorable
passions as an act of judgment. We also read that God gave them
up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
They are the word debased. Here means morally,
reprehensible, Which we see in their perverted views of gender
sexuality in marriage, but it's also seen in their character
again. These verses they were filled
with all manner of unrighteousness.
I won't read the whole list again but it's evil.
Malice murder Strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossips
slanderers, haters of God hottie.
Boastful foolish faithless, heartless ruthless.
You get the points. All manner of unrighteousness
and so there is nothing righteous in them which Paul
will go on to say explicitly in Romans 3, just two chapters
later he'll say that there is none righteous.
No not one. There is none who seeks the
Lord. And so, there's nothing
righteous in them. They've gotten exactly what they
wanted. That's part of the Judgment,
they know, God's righteous decree.
They know that those who practice such evil deserve to
die. And yet not only do they do
them, but they give approval to those who practice them.
Misery loves company. There's always room at the table
of the unrighteous scoffer, there's always a seat there.
That unrighteous golfer wilda ride you and your high view of
God's word. Hilda ride, you and your
attempts to be obedient to the word of God especially when you
fail. That's scoffer will try every
way he can to break you down. and to draw you in, if he can to
his own evil actions to his own scoffing, But I tell you that
Psalm one promises, the man who will stand on the righteous,
decrees of God, the man who will stand on God's instruction.
There's a promise there for him and and for her.
But the one who will trust God's word, the one who will meditate
on it day and night. The psalmist says that he will
become like a tree that is firmly planted beside a flowing
stream that bears fruits and do season.
It is unshakable, he will not be moved and he says he will not be
moved because God knows his way. In other words, God keeps him in
safety because the righteous one has hidden himself in God.
This is what you're doing. When you stand on the word of
God is you're hiding yourself under the safety of the Trinity,
you're hiding yourself under God, you're placing yourself
under his care and under his provision and you're saying,
father, my life, I count, not my own, I am yours and I trust you
fully. I'm going to stand on your word.
Regardless of what the world around me does.
I'm going to walk with you? And so, I urge you brothers and
sisters do not be swayed by the ways of the world, do not be
swayed by the cunning attempts, the cunning arguments, the
attractiveness of it, all that we should preach and all
inclusive message. That God Saves everyone.
Whether they believe or not. That all roads lead to Heaven as
long as you're a good person. I'm telling you deny those
things stand on the word of God because no one's getting into
heaven believing those things. It's unloving to affirm people
and such foolishness. Do you hear me?
It's unloving to affirm people in that.
You cannot say that you love your neighbor and support their
sins. You can't do that.
It's unloving to do this. It's unloving to dismiss
scripture for your neighbor and to say sure do what?
Feels right, there's no love in that.
You might sound loving, you might feel loving.
But the truth is, there's no love in it at all.
Ephesians 4 tells us to speak the truth in love so that we are
not. Those kind of people who are
tossed to and fro by every cunning argument, every wind of
Doctrine. Every foolish belief.
So, as to speak the truth in love, so that every member
talking now about the body of Christ, every member is
strengthened, every member is given the ability to grow.
And so if I'm standing on foolish, doctrines, And my dear
sister, Miss Tracy comes to me and says Kyle, I love you but
you're being an idiot right now. I need to hear that.
Right. And this is what the body of
Christ is for. And so I'll ask well how in what
ways and she'll explain them to me.
And I pray that the Lord would open my eyes to hear about from
eyes to see open my ears to hear his truths and those moments of
reproof of rebuke. This is part of what the body of
Christ is for. So, I'm encouraging you today.
Do not be swayed. You're not soften your stance on
the trustworthiness and the faithfulness of God's Eternal
work. I want to attempt to provide
some further Clarity by reading to you some affirmations and
denials of a statement that we've signed as a church, is
called the Nashville statement on biblical sexuality.
You can find this on our website under our beliefs.
I don't know if you've read this or not.
It's, we've had it up for a while now well over a year but
there's some affirmations in denial here that will help
clarify what we're saying and I'm going to read some of these
to you. These are things that we Believe
as an elder team, these are things, we believe as a church.
We affirm that God designed marriage to be a covenant will
sexual procreative lifelong Union of one man and one woman
as husband and wife, and is meant to signify.
The Covenant Love between Christ and his bride.
The church amen. We deny that God designed
marriage to be a homosexual polygamists or polyamorous
relationship. We also denied that marriage is
a mere human contract rather than a covenant made before God.
We affirm that gods revealed will for all people is Chastity
outside of marriage and Fidelity within marriage.
We deny that any affections desires, our commitments ever
justify sexual intercourse before outside marriage nor do
they justify any form of sexual immorality.
We affirm that God created, Adam and Eve the first human beings
in his own image equal before God as persons and distinct as
male and female. We deny that the divinely
ordained differences Between male and female render them
unequal and dignity or Worse. We affirm that divinely ordained
differences between male and female, reflect God's original
creation, design and are meant for human, good and human
flourishing. We deny that such differences
are a result of the fall or are a tragedy to be overcome.
We affirm that the differences between male and female
reproductive structures are integral to God's design for
self-conception, as male or female.
We deny that physical anomalies or psychological conditions
nullify the god-appointed link between biological sex and
self-conception is male or female.
We affirm that those born with a physical disorder of sex.
Development are created in the image of God and have dignity
and worth equal to all other image.
Bearers, they are acknowledged by our lord Jesus.
And his words about eunuchs who were born that way from their
mother's womb with all others. They are welcome as faithful
followers of Jesus Christ and should embrace their biological
sex insofar, as it may be known. We denied that ambiguities
related to a person's biological sex, render one, incapable of
living a free. Fruitful life and joyful
obedience to Christ? We affirm that self-conception
is male or female, should be defined by God's holy purposes
in creation and Redemption. As revealed in scripture, we
deny that adopting a homosexual or transgender self-conception
is consistent with God's holy purposes in creation and
Redemption. We affirm that people who
experience sexual attraction for the same sex may live a rich and
fruitful life pleasing to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
As they like all Christians, walk and purity of life.
We denied sexual attraction for the same sex as part of the
natural goodness of God's original creation or that it
puts a person outside, the hope of the Gospel.
We affirm that sin, distort sexual desires by directing them
away from the marriage, covenant.
Towards sexual immorality, a distortion that includes both
heterosexual and homosexual immorality.
We deny that an enduring pattern of desire for sexual immorality,
justifies sexually, immoral Behavior.
We affirm that it is sinful to approve of homosexuality
immorality or transgenderism and that such approval constitutes
an essential departure from Christian faithfulness and
witness. We deny that the approval of
homosexual immorality or transgender is Ism is a matter
of moral indifference about which otherwise faithful
Christians should agree to disagree again.
Unbelievers boast in their sins. Why Believers boast in their
safe of the truly sad, part of all of this?
Is the unbelievers attempt to liberate themselves by their own
Passions. Because in it, they are bound.
They are as bound as they've ever been, and maybe more about
maybe more. So, Only the Gospel of Jesus
Christ promises, Liberation and freedom from sins.
The gospel alone is the power of God unto salvation.
Paul began this section with a reminder to these Roman
Believers. He says, for I am not ashamed of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it, is the power of God, for
salvation to everyone, who believes to the Jew, first into
the gents I are into. Also, to the Greek verse 17 for
in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for
Faith. As it is written, the righteous
shall live by faith. And so what Paul is saying, is
the gospel is the saving power of God.
God and which the righteousness of God is revealed to capture
the gravity and the weight of what Paul is saying of this
statement to these Believers in this first century moments.
We, you must consider the context here that the Christians
who are in Rome. Paul is writing to their living
under the rule of Rome's, power and their influence.
And because Rome's power and influence was far and wide and
it was brutal toward Christians and many ways.
Many Christians, lost their lives at the hands of Roman
soldiers. Under the rule of guys like
Nero. In that moment as your brothers
and sisters are literally being torn, limb from limb, or set on
fire, it would be very tempting to be ashamed of the Gospel, due
to the lack of your own size, the lack of your own Fame, and
the lack of your own honor. It would be very easy to say,
well, let me just hide my little light under this bushel here.
But Paul statements. Reminds these Roman Christians
that they possess a power that is greater than the power of
Rome. Which is that the one that is
executing them. They possess the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. And Paul says, this is not going
to finish it. We'll start over.
I've been fighting it. Thought I could make it.
They possess. The power of God in the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. And Paul says, this is the power
of God which is able to save sinners.
It's able to save all of those who believe.
And verse 17, he reminds them that by the proclamation of the
Gospel faith is revealed for faith.
Our faith is revealed unto faith, we might say salvation by
faith. Alone comes from the gospel
alone. Paul makes this point.
Very, very clear in Romans chapter 10 where he says out
loud, he's riding this for them to read and and he says this, he
says, how will they believe unless One carries the good news
and how will the good news be heard?
Unless someone preaches the good news and then he says that Faith
Comes. He's talking about saving faith,
faith comes from the hearing, and the hearing comes from the
word of God. And so, the gospel is the power
of God unto salvation, to all, who believe and it must be told
so that it must be heard. So that it might be believed.
If you today or alive in Christ as we looked at over the last 12
weeks or so, it was longer than that.
If you are alive in Christ today, it's because of your
belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It's because of Salvation by the grace of God, that's come to
you. And so you are truly alive, you
have eternal life now and I I want you to walk in that life
each day God has called Adieu to New Life that you might walk
with him Among The unbelieving World.
God does not save you and take you. he saves you and
commissions, you To go into all the world.
And to proclaim the good news of Christ.
The teach all that He commands. Baptizing believers.
Your commissioned by God to do this, because it's by that
message and it's by that faith, that people will be saved you,
and I must receive the same truth today.
That Paul is telling the Romans here, As the World Turns had
long and runs over the Cliffs of self-expression and
individualism you, and I You and I must refuse to make gods of
man and take up the flag of the gospel and runs forward
faithfulness to God. Run toward eternal life.
How many of you have seen the Patriot Mel Gibson the Patriot?
Not the, Never mind, I can't remember his name, but I almost
said, Sylvester Stallone, but the other guy, the the karate,
man. What's his name?
Jasper? You know, movies.
Anyway. What?
Yes, Steven Seagal. Yeah.
Then when the in a movie called The Patriot or something, also,
I don't remember anyone, not important, but in the Patriot
with Mel Gibson, the one that really matters right now, No
Gibson plays. A guy named Benjamin Martin,
who's a militia leader, and and he didn't want to even join the
war, but he joins the war because his sons are brutally
killed in front of him. And so at the end and that in
the final battle scene of this movie, the Redcoats are
advancing their winning the battle.
The bluecoats are beginning to retreat and Mel, Gibson's kind
of surveying the scene as he's coming to and he's looking
around and and the movies playing The Slow Mo, you know,
to capture the, all of that. And Martin goes, and he grabs a
patched-up American flag, and you can probably see the visual
in your mind. If you see anybody, he begins to
run toward the battle. it just grabs the flag, he takes off,
running toward the floor, toward the battle, he's running office,
it of these Warriors who are retreating But in doing so he
inspires them to turn and to keep fighting.
But that's the kind of faith that you and I are to have in
this age of unchecked pride. You're to have the kind of faith
that goes against the grain. That goes against.
The afraid, the fearful, the worried, the scared the nervous.
It goes against all the ones who were running away because the
world's attacks are too much. You're to have the kind of faith
that is strong amid a time when there is little faith.
And your to run against the grain, your to carry the flag of
the Gospel. In this time, You're not alone
in this. if you need courage, for this read Acts, Read
Philippians read first and second Peter.
Read 1st 2nd 3rd. John read revelation.
Read the gospels read. All of the Epistles, read your
new testament is what I'm saying today.
Your brothers and sisters, who started this whole thing.
When you now stand on the shoulders of have been fighting,
this battle fought, this battle long before us and we are well,
equipped by the word that God gave them for us.
We are well, equipped by the same spirit of God, that was
alive and them is alive. And us the same spirit of God,
that raised Christ, from the dead, is our spirit.
It's the one who dwells in us. We are his Temple.
You can fight the fight with boldness.
You can run the race without fear and Paul in Philippians
1:27. He's writing from prison.
And he's encouraging the church at Philippi.
In the midst of their great persecution that their enduring
and this is what he says in verses 27 through 30.
He says only let your manner of of Life be worthy of the gospel
of Christ. Another one live in such a way
that you show you believe going to be worthy of the Gospel
you've received he says so that whether I come and see or in my
absence. I may hear of you that you are
standing firm in one spirit. With one mind striving side by
side for the faith of the Gospel listen to verse 28 and not
frightened in anything by your opponent's not frightened and
anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of
their destruction but of your salvation and that from God,
what's a clear sign? The fact that you are walking
worthy of the Gospel if you're standing firm in one spirit with
one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.
And so you are not frightened. You're not frightened by. and
when the world looks on, when your opponent's look on,
Declaring themselves wise, thinking you to be a fool and
they see a church, a people who are immovable because of their
belief in the gospel of Christ. It's a billboard for them of
death. it's one way, one more way that the Lord might arrest
their attention and so save them Not frightened and anything by
your opponent's. This is a clear sign to them of
their destruction, but of your salvation.
So again, in standing firm striving side by side with one
mind. It's a confirmation that you are
in Christ. And so, it's important that we
have one another in these kinds of days.
And then in verse 29, he says, for it has been granted to you.
That for the sake of Christ, you should not only believe in him
but also suffer for his sake. So this is one more way you can
take joy in your trials is James says, in chapter one, is knowing
that your trials, your sufferings have come to you from
God. So that you can suffer for the
sake of Christ, which is one more identity Mark that you are
in Christ. If you are living a life, that
is free of suffering and always you experience, no suffering at
all. No Kickback for your beliefs.
Then you need to ask yourself, am I really standing for
anything? I'm not saying you go out and be
intentionally disruptive and try to stir up stuff, but if you're
not cowering amid conversations with co-workers and employees,
or friends or roommates or spouse children, whatever, and
you're going to experience some friction for your beliefs in
Christ. And so if there is no friction
there, maybe they're maybe not much evidence outside of in your
heart, to your belief, you should be more bold, should take
a stand. And he says, you're engaged in
the same conflict that you saw I had.
And now hear that I still have and so by engaging in these
things you are identifying yourself with Christ with the
Apostle Paul and with all those who have gone before you, you do
not stand alone. It's in Hebrews that we read
about the great cloud of witnesses that we have.
To these truths into the things that we stand for.
And so in light of God's verdict on Humanity as we've seen in
Romans 1 today, the gospel must gain urgency in your life.
It must gain urgency in your life behind the good news of the
Gospel lies, the tough news, the difficult news, the bad news, if
you will, that all people are implicated in Acts in the
attitudes that God has promised to punish unless his means of
Grace are embraced. So, the gospel is the antidotes.
Because it's through trust in Christ.
That Obedience of Faith Comes which is the kind of believing
that God requires Obedience of faith.
The gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who
believes. So as you look on the pride of
unbelief that is on display in our world today, do not envy it.
Do not support it. But stand firm on the gospel of
Christ. Pray for the Salvation of
Sinners by the grace of God, as you boldly witness to the saving
power of the Gospel with unbelievers.
Again, here's some affirmations, just a few more affirmations and
denials from the Nashville statement on biblical sexuality.
In regards to how we live with these truths.
We affirm that our duties. We affirm our duty to speak the
truth, and love at all times, including when we speak to or
about one another as male or female, we deny any obligation
to speak in such ways that our God's design of His Image
bearers as male and female. In other words, refused to use
the pronouns refused to We affirm that the grace of God in
Christ gives both merciful pardon and transforming power
and that this pardon and power enable a follower of Jesus to
put to death sinful desires and to walk in a manner worthy of
the Lord praise God. We deny that the grace of God in
Christ is insufficient to forgive all sexual sins and to
give power for Holiness to every believer who feels drawn into
sexual sin. We affirm that the grace of God
in Christ and able Sinners to forsake transgender self
conceptions. And by Divine forbearance to
accept the god-ordained link between one's biological sex and
one's self conception is male or female.
We deny that the grace of God in Christ sanctions self
conceptions. That are at odds with gods
revealed. Will we affirm that Christ?
Jesus has come into the world to save Sinners and that through
Christ's death and Resurrection. Forgiveness of sins and eternal
life are available to every person who repents of sin and
Trust In Christ Alone as Savior, Lord, and supreme treasure.
We didn't, I love this one, but the Lord's arm is too short to
save or that any sinner is beyond his reach.
Amen. The gospel is the power of God
unto salvation believe in brothers and sisters for
claimants. It is the thing that liberates
Sinners, finally forever. Amen.
Remember unbelievers are going to boast and their sins.
But our duty is to post and our savior.
Would you stand and pray with me today?
Gracious. Heavenly Father we have heard
your words today. Now, help us to receive your
word. Lord, would you buy your spirit?
Allow us to believe your word wholeheartedly.
To remember it, to process it to live.
It father, help us to be the kind of men and women who
understand That unbelievers, running headlong into their
lustful, behaviors desires. Are actually under your
judgments. And that this is.
A terrifying thing. Father.
Would you give us an urgency to proclaim the gospel to friends
and to family members? To those around us who we know,
do not know you. Would you open a door for us?
Father, to talk about our God. To talk about your salvation, to
talk about the freedom. We now have from sin.
The ability, we have to hide ourselves in Christ.
Our sins are forgiven, our sins are washed away.
We are free forever from their guilt and the shame.
Father, we ask That you would use Christians around the world.
But Christians in our nation, A Remnant, father of Christians
who will Proclaim your word who will stand for truth.
Who will save people from the deranged behavior?
That is being applauded today. The things that are being done
to children in the name of this movement or unimaginable.
The places that this has yet to go.
If we keep running down this road, Are unthinkable.
Lord, we need you. We need a move of your spirit.
Heavenly Father, use your people for that.
Use us begin at here. In Columbia County, help us Lord
to proclaim the good news of the gospel of Christ Faithfully.
Lord, we thank you that you've commissioned us to go.
You've commissioned us to live in this world as Christians.
And Lord, not only have you commissioned us but you've
equipped Us by your spirit to do just that help us to raise the
flag, to raise the banner of the Gospel.
Hi that all may see it, but Sinners may be drawn into it and
receive salvation in Your Name. Lord, we love you.
We thank you for the Salvation. We have forgive us, Lord of
timidity. Forgive us Lord.
Where we have lacked. Boldness, or where we have
thought that, we don't know enough to say anything, forgive
us, Lord, for the Times where we have just tried to get along.
Or none of that is going to save sinners.
Help us father help us Lord to be to be Soul winners.
For your name. Lord, we pray these things.
According to the name of Christ who has saved us.
We ask that you work them into us.
Amen. Amen.