In Romans chapter 2 the focus shifts to people who, on the surface at least, seem to be very respectable, moral, law-abiding people. They are inclined to place significant confidence in their respectability and reinforce this assumption by judging those who are rejecting God or replacing God and living very selfish and self-centered lives. This sermon teaches more about who ‘respectable’ people are and how they can be deceived in terms of their relationship with God. It also examines why only God has the right to judge the hearts and actions of all people.

When people suppress the truth of God and replace God for earthly idols, three things happen: 1) God’s wrath is revealed or unleashed; 2) The thinking and rationale of those who reject God becomes foolish and 3) Their lives begin to spiral downward into a selfish, sinful, self-centered and hedonistic way of life. This moral decline happens as a result of God ‘giving them over’. What does that mean?

What is life all about? Is that all there is? Does life have a greater purpose? Deep philosophical questions like these have occupied our human minds for centuries! In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon – the richest, wisest, most famous man of his time – wrestles with the fleeting transient nature of life. He helps us to see the futility of life from a mere physical, materialistic perspective. Solomon comes to a resounding conclusion that without God life has no ultimate meaning. All of our life’s pursuits fail to satisfy the longings of our heart until we learn to find our contentment in God alone.

People may be open to the idea of a loving God but most reject the teaching of a God who is just or wrathful. What is the wrath of God? Can a wrathful God also be loving? Why is God’s wrath ‘being revealed’ today in our world? How is it being revealed? Is it possible to escape the wrath of God?

Paul, the author of the Book of Romans, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes about 3 things in the first 17 verses of chapter one. He introduces himself, he introduces the gospel and he reveals his motives and mission. As an introduction to this series on Romans, this sermon looks at those three foundational thoughts.

How were you created? What were you created to do? God has some things to say to you about these questions in Psalm 139 and Ephesians 2.

In a world that is constantly shifting, grab on to the one thing that isn’t. The Scriptures give us incredible pictures of our Creator. Memorizing Scripture has enabled me to filter & determine what truth is through the day. My very identity and value is based on Scripture. How can anyone know the meaning of life without it? In today’s world, what are you reaching for?

The Apostle John finishes his letter with this warning: “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” These idols are the false ideas of Jesus propagated by false teachers. Even today, our culture has the propensity to create its own personal versions of Jesus. This sermon looks at these false Christs and why the true Jesus is the only One worthy of our worship!