Have you ever received a package in which the contents do not match the outer packaging or labeling? That outer label is unhelpful and might even be dangerous. Similarly, Paul tells his fellow Jews that their outward religious acts are valuable only if they come from the heart. Such integrity might be impossible without a God who grants us new hearts through the Spirit!

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As Paul continues to explain the universal brokenness of all humanity, he anticipates and defuses potential excuses. In the previous passage, we saw how a lack of knowledge is not an excuse. In today's passage, we see the flip side -- that knowledge of God's instructions and even knowledge of God does not make us right if we are not faithful to what we know. Hypocritical religion hurts everyone and turns people away from God.

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For this holiday, here's a replay in which Pastor Kim shares that people often say that they feel distant from God because of a self-critical spirit or an image of God that is harsh and condemning. In this Psalm, we see God as slow to anger and abounding in love, a parent who is compassionate and gentle. What experiences and assumptions do we carry with us that warp our sense of who God is?

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Sermon #1 of Highrock's fall series, "Behind the Curtain: Secrets of the Seven Churches of Revelation" by Pastor Dave Swaim from Revelation 2:1-7

Continuing to address a congregation divided by spiritual pedigree and ethnicity, Paul emphasizes that they all had a connection to God's law. Jews had the Scriptures and were educated to know the Lord from a young age. Gentiles, even without the written Law, have a sense of God's law written into their consciences. We thus all share a connection to God's law and we all share the experience of breaking that law. We therefore have no excuse to judge others!

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How can we help one another to become better versions of ourselves? Not by judgment, though that is often where we turn. Instead, God demonstrates that it is grace and kindness that leads to life change. Sin is real and harmful, but the path forward is the Good News of Jesus, not laying the bad news on other people's shoulders.

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Paul has introduced himself as a chosen messenger of the Good News of Jesus. That Good News is an answer to some rather bad news, which he begins to lay out in today's passage. This bad news all starts when we are too proud to honor God and too entitled to be grateful for all that God has given us.

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Paul's eagerness to visit the church in Rome will eventually end with his execution! Still, he is undeterred because he is unashamed of the good news of Jesus, for it is the power of God at work to save all. Are we similarly unashamed, or do we need to experience more of its power for ourselves?

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In his opening greeting, Paul declares that he is a bond-servant of Jesus, chosen to bring the Good News of Jesus to all people. This simple greeting hides a subversive message, that the love of Jesus challenges all other allegiances -- including loyalty to the emperor! What loyalties might the Good News challenge and transform in us?

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Sermon #5 (and final) of Highrock's fall series, "Imago: Relationships that Reflect Our Maker" by a guest preacher, Prashan de Visser, from Matthew 5:9. Prashan is the founder and president of Global Unites, an organization that facilitates peacemaking environments and conversations among conflict-ridden groups in often war-torn nations.