Paul commands us to love the community of faith, but he goes further and describes how to love others in the world; even our enemies. In a world where some love some people some of the time, and others not at all. What would the world look like if the followers of Jesus love all the world all of the time? It's a hard task, but Paul thinks we are up to it. It means swimming against the current. It also means living by grace freely given to each of us.

Paul proclaims, for eleven chapter in the Letter to the Romans, that nothing, nada, zip can keep humanity from God’s love. It is Good news of the most abundant type. Unconditional love revealed in Christ. So what? If the new is so good, why does the world seems so bad? Read on, friends. Paul has some thoughts on the “so what” of the good news and what grace really looks like in our lives.

Promise; we make them, we work hard to keep them, we break them, we change them, and we forget them. Today we hear about promises as we continue our Series: “Good News: It’s What Grace Looks Like." Paul addresses the issue of will God keep God’s promises.

In times of chaos and trial we may wonder why God does not seem to be around. It was true for Elijah. It was true for Peter. Paul assures that God’s grace brings God much closer than we can imagine. Paul declares that salvation is as close as our lips and hearts… How is this possible?

Paul proclaims in language that soars, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.” (Romans 8) Really? What if we reject God? What about sinners? What about the people of Israel? Grace and the good news are hard for us because we forget who makes us God’s people. Paul knows. Clue? It isn’t you.

The pandemic has caused us to physically separate from those we love. Paul proclaims in Romans 8 the Good News about God's love and what it does to the power of sin that separates.

How do you know if you are “in Christ” or really have the faith that gives hope ? Are there rules to follow? Behaviors and habits to engage? Paul says that you are in Christ when Christ is in you, and it turns out that is pretty easy to know.

To be in Christ Jesus means that Christ’s death and resurrection is our death and resurrection. To be in Christ Jesus is not about having some right or privilege that makes us better than our neighbors, but rather about being empowered to live life to a higher standard.

We often make much out of God’s law. Mostly we believe that the Law is that which tells us what we can and cannot do. Paul would say, not so fast. Law and Gospel are deeply connected, one serving the other in offering us grace and new life.