St. Luke's, Ramsgate

As Paul concludes his discussion as to why so few Jews were accepting the Good News about Jesus he challenges the non-Jews in the Roman church not to think of themselves as better than the Jews. Rather, he reminds them of the God they have come to worship and what he is like.

What should Christians be most afraid of?

In this sermon we explore Paul's image of the Olive Tree, a picture of God's community. As Christians we have the privilege by God's grace of being grafted into this tree.

Why doesn't everyone believe the good news? It is a question that Christians struggle with today and it is one that Paul was struggling with in the first century.

For Paul, the issue was particularly acute when it came to the Jews. After all they were God's chosen people.

In chapter 9, he has looked at the question from the perspective of God's sovereignty. Now he looks at it from the perspective of human attitudes and choices.

Jesus want us to be fruitful Christians. But what is the secret of achieving this fruitfulness?

In this passage from John, Jesus explains how we need to remain in him to be fruitful for God.

Why don't people become Christians? This is a big and emotive question. As he wrote Romans, Paul was particularly concerned with the question about why so many of his fellow Jews failed to become Christians.

In Romans 9 he deals with the question in terms of God's choice. If God is in control, why do some put their trust in Jesus, whilst others don't?

As Jesus goes to the cross, the people around him react in different ways. But what can we learn from their responses?