U-turns Permitted

Today we read Romans 5:12-21. Paul is referring to two central stories that describe (and explain) the history of humankind. The story of Adam and the story of Jesus. How do these stories impact us? We start off with Forrest Gump......

Today we focus on Romans 5:3-5, Paul's comments about suffering. A word study shows that the primary kind of suffering Paul is referring to here is what is often translated as "affliction". The New Testament context for the word "affliction" is persecution. In other words, the suffering Paul is referring to here is the suffering caused by being a follower of Jesus in the Empire. That suffering includes what happens to us, but it also includes how we, as followers of Christ, take the suffering of the world upon ourselves. 

Today we look at this magnificent, central passage of the New Testament (if not the Bible), Romans 5:1-11. Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God. God rescues us from weakness, sin and enmity. 

Today we read Romans 4. Abraham's faith was "counted to him as righteousness". What does it mean that it was counted to him? And what gets counted to our accounts today? How does that work?

Today we read Romans 3:21-31, and think about the righteousness/justice of God that has appeared in Jesus, come to destroy evil and set all things right. Romans 3:21 contains one of the biggest "but now" reversals in the Bible: mankind has sinned, injustice is rampant, nothing we can do will change that...."but now"..... 

Today we look at Romans 1:18 through 3:20. In this section Paul is stereotyping both Gentiles and Jews, goading them into judging one another. Then he spears both groups through the conscience by saying that, in reality, all have sinned equally and no law-keeping of any kind can bring salvation. The fundamental issue is one of homelessness or belonging: do I belong to my tribe, or group, or family, or nation, or do I belong to God?

Today we look at Romans 1:18: God's wrath. "For God's wrath is being revealed..." Many people have lived in fear of God over the years and centuries because of passages like this and the way they are taught. Is that necessary? How did Iris and Nereus understand these words when Phoebe read them to him?

Today we read Romans 1:18-32. A very important passage for understanding Romans, the first part of a section that covers the first 5 chapters and concludes with Paul's great words in 5:18-21.

With this sermon, we go back to the first chapter of the letter to the Romans. This is also part of the introduction: how Paul uses some technical terms, declares the gospel and calls his listeners (and readers) to live by faith or allegiance to the only true King.

Today we continue with our look at the context of the letter to the Romans. Chapter 16 names many people involved with the house churches in Rome. Today we are introduced to two fictional members of those churches, the Mauretanian slave Iris and Jewish exile Nereus.