The Woodlands Bible Church Sermons

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,[a] that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[b] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[c]

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life[a] was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power[b] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from[c] faith for his name’s sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

You, Lord, showed favor to your land;    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.2 You forgave the iniquity of your people    and covered all their sins.[b]3 You set aside all your wrath    and turned from your fierce anger.

4 Restore us again, God our Savior,    and put away your displeasure toward us.5 Will you be angry with us forever?    Will you prolong your anger through all generations?6 Will you not revive us again,    that your people may rejoice in you?7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord,    and grant us your salvation.

8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;    he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—    but let them not turn to folly.9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,    that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Love and faithfulness meet together;    righteousness and peace kiss each other.11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,    and righteousness looks down from heaven.12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,    and our land will yield its harvest.13 Righteousness goes before him    and prepares the way for his steps.

1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,    who walk in obedience to him.2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;    blessings and prosperity will be yours.3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine    within your house;your children will be like olive shoots    around your table.4 Yes, this will be the blessing    for the man who fears the Lord.

5 May the Lord bless you from Zion;    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem    all the days of your life.6 May you live to see your children’s children—    peace be on Israel.

1 I will extol the Lord at all times;    his praise will always be on my lips.2 I will glory in the Lord;    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.3 Glorify the Lord with me;    let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;    he delivered me from all my fears.5 Those who look to him are radiant;    their faces are never covered with shame.6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;    he saved him out of all his troubles.7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,    and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,    for those who fear him lack nothing.10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.11 Come, my children, listen to me;    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.12 Whoever of you loves life    and desires to see many good days,13 keep your tongue from evil    and your lips from telling lies.14 Turn from evil and do good;    seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,    and his ears are attentive to their cry;16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,    to blot out their name from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;    he delivers them from all their troubles.18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 The righteous person may have many troubles,    but the Lord delivers him from them all;20 he protects all his bones,    not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked;    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.22 The Lord will rescue his servants;    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God;    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.2 Day after day they pour forth speech;    night after night they reveal knowledge.3 They have no speech, they use no words;    no sound is heard from them.4 Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth,    their words to the ends of the world.In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.5     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.6 It rises at one end of the heavens    and makes its circuit to the other;    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,    refreshing the soul.The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,    making wise the simple.8 The precepts of the Lord are right,    giving joy to the heart.The commands of the Lord are radiant,    giving light to the eyes.9 The fear of the Lord is pure,    enduring forever.The decrees of the Lord are firm,    and all of them are righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,    than much pure gold;they are sweeter than honey,    than honey from the honeycomb.11 By them your servant is warned;    in keeping them there is great reward.12 But who can discern their own errors?    Forgive my hidden faults.13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;    may they not rule over me.Then I will be blameless,    innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart    be pleasing in your sight,    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

1 Lord, our Lord,    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory    in the heavens.2 Through the praise of children and infants    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,    to silence the foe and the avenger.3 When I consider your heavens,    the work of your fingers,the moon and the stars,    which you have set in place,4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,    human beings that you care for them?[c]

5 You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e]    and crowned them[f] with glory and honor.6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;    you put everything under their[g] feet:7 all flocks and herds,    and the animals of the wild,8 the birds in the sky,    and the fish in the sea,    all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 Lord, our Lord,    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Romans 13:7

17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. Romans 6:17

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

3Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalms 82:3-4

7 Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.Deuteronomy 32:7

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19

6 “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” 7 I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. Psalm 2:6-7

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Matthew 17:5

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant[a] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”