TITLE: Hope is Here

TEXT: Romans 15:8-13

Hope is here…There’s…

1. A PROMISE: HOPE FOR THE WORLD - V.8-12

2. A PRAYER: HOPE FOR OUR HEARTS - V.13

A prayer for our hearts & for our church: Oh Lord, we need…

2A. A Single Focus: You are the God of Hope! – V.13a

2B. A Supernatural Filling: Joy & Peace by the Power of the Spirit! – V.13b

TITLE: Pursuing unity when we disagree PART 2

TEXT: Romans 14:13-15:7

Two highlights from last week to get us all up to speed:

RIGHTLY PLACE THE ISSUE

HUMBLY WELCOME THOSE WHO DISAGREE

Pursuing unity when we disagree about disputable matters:

1. DON’T LET YOUR FREEDOM HURT THE FAITH OF ANOTHER - V.13-15

Andy Naselli – “The concern here is not merely that your freedom may irritate or annoy or offend your weaker brother or sister. If a brother or sister simply doesn’t like your freedoms, that is their problem. But if your practice or freedom leads your brother or sister to sin against their conscience, then it becomes your problem. Christ gave up his life for that brother or sister; are you unwilling to give up your freedom if that would help your fellow believer avoid sinning against conscience?”

2. DON’T GET DISTRACTED FROM WHAT’S TRULY IMPORTANT - V.16-21

3. DON’T FLAUNT YOUR FREEDOMS & DON’T IMPOSE YOUR RESTRICTIONS – V.22-23

4 . DON’T LOSE SIGHT OF THE EXAMPLE & THE HOPE OF JESUS - 15:1-7

TITLE: Pursuing unity when we disagree PART 1

TEXT: Romans 14:1-12

Pursuing unity when we disagree about disputable matters…Three truths for today:

1. WELCOME ONE ANOTHER & DON’T FIGHT OVER OPINIONS – V.1-4

Andy Naselli– “First level issues are most central and essential to Christianity. You can’t deny these teachings and still be a Christian in any meaningful sense. For example, there is one God in three persons; Jesus is fully God and fully human; Jesus sacrificially died for sinners…”

“Second level issues create reasonable boundaries between Christians, such as different denominations and local churches. These issues will have a bearing on what sort of church you are part of. For example, what’s your view on baptism or church government or God’s Sovereignty in salvation…you don’t have to hold one particular view to be a Christian, but it’s challenging for a church to have a healthy unity when its leaders and members disagree on these matters.”

“Third level issues are disputable matters (also called matters of indifference or conscience). They might involve how you interpret particular passages of the Bible. For example, who are the ‘sons of God’ in Genesis 6? There’s more than one viable view. Third level issues also include many practical questions. For example, how should a Christian view the Sabbath? Is it okay on Sundays to go to a public restaurant? Or watch a football game? Or mow your lawn? Disputable matters aren’t unimportant, but members of the same church should be able to disagree on these issues and still have close fellowship with each other.”

2. PEOPLE WITH OPPOSING VIEWS CAN BOTH HONOR GOD – V.5-6

3. THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST IS THE KEY TO OUR UNITY – V.7-12

TITLE: It’s Time to Wake up!

TEXT: Romans 13:8-14

It’s time to wake up to….

1. THE PRIMACY OF CHRISTIAN LOVE – V.8-10

Romans 14:1 – “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.”

Leviticus 19:18 – “…you shall love your neighbor as yourself…”

Matthew 22:37-40 - “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

2. THE URGENCY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE – V.11-14

Douglas Moo – “In a society governed by the sun rather than by the convenience of artificial lighting, people rose at dawn. Only slackards would keep to their beds after the first glow of daylight. Early rising was especially necessary in the Near East, where the bulk of work needed to be done before the heat of midday. Paul wants no slackards among his readers. Christians are to be alert and eager to ‘present their bodies as a living sacrifice.’”

TITLE: Resurrection Hope for Hopeless Times

TEXT: John 21:1-7

There is Resurrection Hope…

1. WHEN WE’RE STRUGGLING WITH FAILURE – V.1-3

2. WHEN WE’VE FALLEN INTO FORGETFULNESS – V.3b-7

Luke 5:4-11 - 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

WHY OUR CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED

Text: John 18:38b - 19:16

HE WAS CRUCIFIED BECAUSE OF…

1) THE PEOPLE’S SENSELESS ANGST (18:38B-40)

HE WAS CRUCIFIED BECAUSE OF…

2) THE PRIESTS’ BLIND ENVY (19:1-7)

- D.A. Carson:

Once more Pilate steps out of the praetorium (cf. 18:28) to address the Jews. He delivers his verdict

(cf. 18:38), and then dramatically presents Jesus—a sorry sight, swollen, bruised, bleeding from those

cruel and ridiculous thorns. Aware as he is that it is the people who must choose the man who will

receive the governor’s amnesty, he presents Jesus as a beaten, harmless and rather pathetic figure to

make their choice of him as easy as possible. In his dramatic utterance Here is the man! (in Latin, Ecce

homo!), Pilate is speaking with dripping irony: Here is the man you find so dangerous and threatening:

can you not see he is harmless and somewhat ridiculous?

- ESV Study Bible:

“There are stories of Roman soldiers cruelly playing with different postures for crucified victims (e.g., Josephus,

Jewish War 5.449–551), though the use of nails and a crossbar appear to have been common. Modern medical

explanations for the cause of death on a cross have focused on either asphyxiation or shock. Crucifixion was

widely believed to be the worst form of execution, due to the excruciating pain and public shame. Hanging

suspended by one’s arms eventually caused great difficulty in breathing, which could be alleviated only by

pushing up with one’s feet to take the weight off the arms. But that motion itself would cause severe pain in

the feet, arms, legs, and back, causing the exhausted victim to slump down again, only to be nearly unable to

breathe once more. Eventually, the victim would succumb to suffocation, if he had not already died as a result

of the cumulative effect of the physical trauma inflicted on him.”

HE WAS CRUCIFIED BECAUSE OF…

3) PILATE’S SELF-INTERESTED COMPROMISE (19:8-16)

2

HE WAS CRUCIFIED BECAUSE OF…

4) GOD’S AUTHORITY (19:10-11)

John Stott:

Herod and Pilate, Gentiles and Jews, [the apostles] said, had together conspired against Jesus (Acts 4:27). More

important still, we ourselves are also guilty. If we were in their place, we would have done what they did.

Indeed we have done it. For whenever we turn away from Christ, we are crucifying the Son of God all over

again and subjecting him to public disgrace' (Heb. 6:6). We too sacrifice Jesus to our greed like Judas, to our

envy like the priests, to our ambition like Pilate. "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?' the old spiritual

asks. And we must answer, ‘Yes, we were there.' Not as spectators only but as participants, guilty participants,

plotting, scheming, betraying, bargaining, and handing him over to be crucified. We may try to wash our hands

of responsibility like Pilate. But our attempt will be as futile as his. For there is blood on our hands. Before we

can begin to see the cross as something done for us (leading us to faith and worship), we have to see it as

something done by us (leading us to repentance). Indeed, 'only the man who is prepared to own his share in

the guilt of the cross', wrote Canon Peter Green, "may claim his share in its grace'.

--

Horatius Bonar:

Twas I that shed the sacred blood; I nailed him to the tree;

I crucified the Christ of God; I joined the mockery.

Of all that shouting multitude; I feel that I am one;

And in that din of voices rude; I recognize my own.

Around the cross the throng I see; Mocking the Sufferer's groan;

Yet still my voice it seems to be; As if I mocked alone.

Octavius Winslow:

Who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas, for money; not Pilate, for fear; not the Jews, for envy; - but the

Father, for love!'

John 10:18 - No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down,

and I have authority to take it up again.

John Stott:

3

It is essential to ke

Series: FIRST IMPORTANCE

Title: We Need A Saviour

Text: Mark 8:31-38

1. Clarity about the crucifixion

2. Confrontation of pride and selfishness

3. Call to discipleship

4. Considering the implications

TITLE: Chaos, Christianity & The Government – Part 3

TEXT: Romans 13:1-7 | Various Scriptures

Since God is the Absolute, Sovereign & Supreme Authority over all other authorities, resistance to the government…

1. IS CLEARLY REQUIRED WHEN THEY COMMAND WHAT GOD FORBIDS OR FORBID WHAT GOD COMMANDS - Various Scriptures

Acts 5:29 - “We must obey God rather than men.”

Exodus 1:17 – “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.”

Esther 4:16 - “I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish”.

[Insert the attached Corrie Ten Boom Photo here]

2. MAY BE PERMITTED WHEN THEY INTRUDE ON OTHER GOD-GIVEN INSTITUTIONS IN A WAY THAT THE SCRIPTURES DO NOT ALLOW - Various Scriptures

Douglas Moo - Paul demands a “submission” to government: not strict and universal obedience. “Submission”... denotes a recognition of the place that God has given government in the ordering of the world. The Christian submits to government by acknowledging this divinely ordained status of government and its consequent right to demand the believer’s allegiance. In most cases, then, Christian submission to government will involve obeying what government tells the Christian to do. But government does not have absolute rights over the believer, for government, like every human institution, is subordinate to God himself. This means, then, that Christians may continue to “submit” to a particular government even as they, in obedience to a “higher” authority, refuse to do, in a given instance, what government requires.

Balance is needed. On the one hand, we must not obscure the teaching of Romans 13:1-7 in a flood of qualifications. Paul makes clear that government is ordained by God - indeed every particular governmental authority is ordained by God - and that the Christian must recognize and respond to this fact with an attitude of “submission”....On the other hand, we must not read Romans 13:1-7 out of its broad NT context and put government in a position relative to the Christian that only God can hold. Christians should give thanks for government as an institution of God; we should pray regularly for our leaders; and we should be prepared to follow the orders of our government. But we should also refuse to give government any absolute rights and should evaluate all its demands in the light of the gospel.

What can we do and how?

Appeal with knowledge – Acts 25:1-12

Confront with courage – Matthew 14:4

Pray with faith – 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Resist & accept to the consequences – Acts 5:29

TITLE: Chaos, Christianity & The Government – Part 2

TEXT: Romans 13:1-7

The authority of the government is:

1 LIMITED BY GOD – V.1

​​2 DELEGATED BY GOD – V.1b-2

Exodus 9:16 – “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”

Daniel 2:21 – “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings…”

Isaiah 44:28 – “Thus says the Lord… who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’”…

Proverbs 21:1 – “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

3 DEFINED BY GOD – V.3-7

Since God is the sovereign, supreme, & absolute authority over all, our total allegiance belongs to Him first. Therefore, resistance to the government…

3A. Is clearly necessary when they command what God forbids or forbid what God commands

Acts 5:29 - “We must obey God rather than men.”

Exodus 1:17 - “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.”

Esther 4:16 - “I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish”.

Daniel 6:10 - “When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.”

Daniel 9:16-18 - “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.’”

3B. Must be carefully discerned when they step outside of their delegated sphere of authority

FAMILY

[all 3 verses below on one slide please]

Genesis 2:24 - Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Ephesians 5:22-25 - Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…”

Colossians 3:20 - Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

CHURCH

Hebrews 13:17 - Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

GOVERNMENT

Romans 13:1 - Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

How?

Appeal

Confront

Pray

TITLE: Chaos, Christianity & the Government Part 1

TEXT: Romans 13:1-7

How Christians must relate to the governing authorities… We must understand:

1 THE COMMAND: BE SUBJECT TO THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES - V.1a

John Piper - Paul is probably writing to be read by government officials as well as by the church in Rome. In other words, he knows that this letter will find its way into Caesar’s household and into the hands of the civil authorities. He wants them to understand two truths. One is that Christians are not out to overthrow the empire politically by claiming Jesus, and not Caesar, is Lord. Christians submit to laws and pay taxes and show respect and do good in the community…. The other truth he wants the civil authorities to see is that their authority is based on God’s sovereignty and God’s moral law. Listen to that the way Caesar would, not just the way Christians would. It is a powerful statement that Caesar is not God…He is secondary not primary.

2 THE REASON: THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES ARE INSTITUTED BY GOD – V.1b-7

Everyone must be subject to the governing authorities BECAUSE…

2A. Resisting the authorities is resisting what God has appointed –V.2

2B. The governing authorities serve Gods purposes for our good–V.3-7

RC Sproul - “Christians in every generation must learn how to apply the Word of God in their specific circumstances, and the existing disagreements among believers testify to the fact that this task is often easier said than done. One issue that arises again and again is the extent to which believers are permitted by God to disobey the civil magistrate. Based solely on passages such as Romans 13:1–7, we might conclude that there is no circumstance under which Christians may defy the secular authorities. However, Romans 13:1–7 is not the only set of instructions we have on how to relate to the government from Paul, or even Scripture as a whole…. Rightly discerning when civil disobedience is lawful is no easy task.”