Refuge Audio Podcast

The Apostle Paul’s passion for his brethren was so intense that he was willing to be cut off from Christ if that meant that they could be saved. Even though this desire was deep in his heart, in his head he knew that this wasn’t possible. In Romans 10, he begins to process why his family according to the flesh haven't yet yielded to Jesus to be saved. 

Because God chooses to be merciful, there are times when He chooses not to be merciful. That should terrify us and incentivize us to figure out why and when and with whom God make these choices. We should want to learn how we can be in His good graces and how we can be in the middle of His merciful choices.

In Romans 9, the Apostle Paul writes about his desire for his fellow Israelites to be saved from an eternity of paying the just penalty for their sin. But they are missing the key component—Jesus The Messiah. While Paul acknowledges their zeal and enthusiasm to honor God, it falls short when it is in an effort to earn self-righteousness by following the law. The only source of salvation offered to all of humanity is found in a flawless, sinless, substitutionary sacrifice who can take our place—Jesus, The Messiah.

The Jewish people have so much evidence of God’s existence. No other people group has maintained their national identity, religion, culture, cuisine & language for as long as the Jewish people have. Woven in within this heritage is the evidence of Jesus being the long-awaited Messiah, for all of what is entrusted to the Jewish people points to Him.

Romans 8 ends on top of a mountain of truth…and in the next sentence, Paul immediately brings us into his deep valley of grief and sorrow. But how could the assurance of nothing ever separating us from God’s love lead Paul to confess the “great sorrow and continual grief” in his heart? It was his realization of the future that awaits those who aren’t in Christ. We discovered how we share that sorrow and grief, and—most importantly—what our response should be!

In the last portion of Romans 8, the Apostle Paul asks a lot of questions. Not because he’s curious—he wants us to draw the inevitable conclusion of the clear and compelling, layered and logical argument he has been making since the beginning of his letter—God is for us and nothing can separate us from His love!

There are a finite number of days left until we are with Jesus in Heaven—forever! Until then, we lift up our heads and stand on our toes looking for and eagerly awaiting what is to come. And yet…this time of waiting can seem unbearable and difficult, can’t it? We have the hope, but is there help? YES—from the Holy Spirit who freely helps us in our weaknesses.

There is a longing & hoping among believers in Jesus as we wait for the person & the place for which we were made. And yet, it's so disorienting and frustrating that we find ourselves groaning for Him and His Kingdom. This isn’t by accident—creation was subjected to frustration by God in hopes that we would long and look forward to Jesus and Heaven.

In previous studies, we’ve learned how we can become a part of God’s family by grace through faith. So what does it mean that we “suffer with Him”? Must we experience persecution in order to belong to His family? Or is there more to suffering than meets the eye?