Today’s sermon was called ‘A Church of Faith, Hope & Love’.
Today my goal is to share with you some big ideas from the writings of Paul with the hope of inspiring us to become an unmovable, unshakable and unstoppable church.
The Apostle Paul wrote to
Romans needed to be reminded of faith
Thessalonians needed to be reminded of Hope
Corinthians Needed to be reminded of love.
Didn’t get a chance to really mention how the book of Romans touched the lives of 3 men of God that helped shape the western world and the body of Christ.
St. Augustine (North African Genius that wrote city of God), Martin Luther (95 theses-Protestant reformation) and Revivalist John Wesley
1. In the summer of 386, a young man wept in the backyard of a friend. He knew his life of sin and rebellion against God left him empty and feeling dead; but he just couldn’t find the strength to make a final, real decision for Jesus Christ. As he sat, he heard children playing a game and they called out to each other these words: “Take up and read! Take up and read!” Thinking God had a message to him in the words of the children, he picked up a scroll laying nearby and began to read: not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires (Romans 13:13b-14). He didn’t read any further; he didn’t have to. Through the power of God’s Word, Augustine gained the faith to give his whole life to Jesus Christ at that moment.
2. In August of 1513, a monk lectured on the Book of Psalms to seminary students, but his inner life was nothing but turmoil. In his studies he came across Psalm 31:1: In Thy righteousness deliver me. The passage confused Luther; how could God’s righteousness do anything but condemn him to hell as a righteous punishment for his sins? Luther kept thinking about Romans 1:17, which says, the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” The monk went on to say: “Night and day I pondered until... I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, he justifies us by faith. Therefore I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise... This passage of Paul became to me a gateway into heaven.” Martin Luther was born again, and the Reformation began in his heart.
3. In May of 1738, a failed minister and missionary reluctantly went to a small Bible study where someone read aloud from Martin Luther’s Commentary on Romans. As the failed missionary said later: “While he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken my sins away, even mine.” John Wesley was saved that night in London.
So What:
We’re still in needed of Faith in a culture that wants us to worship politics, materialism and secularisms
We still love with a culture that wants to have a spiritual power contest, We still need Godly love with a biblical view in light of the culture trying to shape our worship.
We need biblical and Godly love that is not afraid to not be liked.
“Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”- Rick Warren
We need Hope in the midst of pandemics, Wars, Crime, recession we need to have a Christ Centered Biblical hope that gives us peace in the midst of the storms of life.
Now What:
Commit to reading Paul’s letters, Commit to helping us build an unshakable and immovable church, pray about inviting a friend, becoming a financial partner and volunteering once every 2 months.
God is looking for those who will worship him in spirit and in truth. For brave, faithful and joyful for church that will fearlessly celebrate the goodness of God in the midst of strange times.
Many of your have known there was a special calling on your life for a long time.
reel of today’s service: https://www.instagram.com/reel/
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