Main Idea: Downtown Church must be formed by the gospel of Jesus!
Today's Scripture (Romans 1:16-17)
I. Righteousness is our biggest need!
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed.” (Romans 1:17a)
“It is for freedom that Christ set us free!” (Galatians 5:1)
II. The Gospel secures certain and immediate righteousness!
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11)
a. It begins with desperation.
“None is righteous, no not one…All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:10,23).
b. It ends with faith in the sufficiency of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith (3:21-25).”
III. The gospel is power!
“…it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (1:16b).”
“…we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ…(1:5-6).”
"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 (1:16).”
