The Main Idea: God’s been communicating his covenant grace in Christ from the beginning to the end of biblical revelation.

*The Big Question: What has God been doing as the pages of Scripture unfold?

*The Central Point: Lessons Large & Small Establish Christ As THE Savior. The APOSTLE Paul Teaches That the POINT of Bible History is SALVATION IN CHRIST. He teaches you through:

1.) HIS HOLY CONSTERNATION (9:1-5) – (Application: Don’t get SO CLOSE, and yet be SO FAR AWAY from the GOSPEL of God’s love for you in Christ.)

2.) HIS MISSIONARY HEART (10:1-4) – (Application: Don’t think going to church and trying to be a “good Christian” will get you anywhere with God... ONLY the GOSPEL of God’s love for you in Christ will.)

The Main Idea: God’s covenant grace in Christ gives us the beginning and the end of salvation.

*The Big Question: What is the Christian SECRET to living life?

*The Central Point: Because of Christ You Can SEE God LOVES You. God wants you to envision Himself as:

1.) THE CHEERFUL GIVER: HE DELIVERS ALL THINGS TO YOU IN CHRIST (vv. 31-32) – (Application: He doesn’t merely save your soul, but GIVES to you ALL THINGS in Christ.)

2.) THE JUSTIFYING JUDGE: HE DECLARES YOU RIGHTEOUS IN CHRIST (vv. 33-34) – (Application: Not even Christ can speak a word of CONDEMNATION against you because God CHOSE you in Christ.)

3.) THE SOVEREIGN KING: HE DECREES THAT YOU’RE ETERNALLY SECURE IN CHRIST (vv. 35-39) – (Application: Christ, filled with God’s love, makes YOU SURE he will NEVER abandon you.)

The Main Idea: God’s covenant grace shows us that as we SUFFER we can KNOW he loves us.

*The Big Question: What is the Christian SECRET to getting through suffering?

*The Central Point: Because of Christ You Can KNOW God LOVES You. God gives you two KEYS to UNLOCK this secret:

1.) WHAT YOU CAN KNOW (v. 28) – (Application: Your SUFFERING is in God’s loving hands directing it toward his purpose for you.)

2.) WHAT GOD KNOWS THAT YOU CAN KNOW (vv. 29-30) – (Application: In God’s loving hands your SUFFERING will make you like Christ, the Savior whom you love.)

The Main Idea: God’s covenant grace shows us how to relate with Christ through the Spirit as we SUFFER.

*The Big Question: What MUST you UNDERSTAND CLEARLY to live a righteous Christian life?

*The Central Point: Fifth: How to Handle Your Suffering with Christ. Christ, by the Spirit, Wants You to Have Three Evaluation Points to Deal with Your Suffering with Christ:

1.) EVALUATING YOUR SUFFERING (vv. 18-21) – (Application: The Spirit gives you the vision of glory you have with Christ so you can have real hope and NOT “I hope so...”)

2.) EVALUATING YOUR SPOT (vv. 22-25) – (Application: The Spirit explains why you now groan in suffering so you can know you are God’s child through Christ’s redemption.)

3.) EVALUATING YOUR STRENGTH (vv. 26-27) – (Application: The Spirit walks with you in weakness to teach you how to lean on Christ through prayer.)

The Main Idea: God’s covenant grace shows us how to relate with Christ through the Spirit.

*The Big Question: What MUST you UNDERSTAND CLEARLY to live a righteous Christian life?

*The Central Point: Fourth: How You Gain a Sense of Christ’s Activity in Your Life. Christ, by the Spirit, Gives You Three Senses for Living a Righteous Christian Life:

1.) A SENSE OF OBLIGATION (vv. 12-13) – (Application: The Spirit frees you from obliging the flesh so that you can please Christ.)

2.) A SENSE OF PRESENCE (vv. 14-16) – (Application: The Spirit leads you out of orphan fear to the Fatherly safety secured by Christ.)

3.) A SENSE OF PURPOSE (v. 17) – (Application: The Spirit guarantees your present suffering will yield future glory with Christ.)

The Main Idea: God’s covenant grace changes our relationship with Christ through the Spirit.

*The Big Question: What MUST you UNDERSTAND CLEARLY to live a righteous Christian life?

*The Central Point: Third: Your Relationship with Christ Through the Spirit. Christ, through the Spirit, Gives You Three Keys to Living a Righteous Christian Life:

1.) A SPIRIT-BORN FREEDOM (vv. 1-4a) – (Application: Christ removes the sting of the law of sin and sets the believer free by the law of the Spirit of life.)

2.) A SPIRIT-CENTERED MINDSET (vv. 4b-8) – (Application: Christ removes the weakness of the flesh and clarifies the aim of the believer.)

3.) A SPIRIT-EMPOWERED RESURRECTION (vv. 9-11) – (Application: Christ removes the deadness of the human spirit and breathes new life into the believer.)

The Main Idea: God’s covenant grace changes our relationship to ourselves under God’s law.

*The Big Question: What MUST you UNDERSTAND CLEARLY to live a righteous Christian life?

*The Central Point: Second: Your Relationship to Yourself Under God’s Law. Christ Does Three Things to CHANGE Your Relationship to YOURSELF Under God’s Law:

1.) (Last Time) CHRIST DIAGNOSES YOUR PROBLEM (vv. 13-14) – (Application: Christ has changed your grasp of the seriousness of indwelling sin.)

2.) CHRIST DESCRIBES YOUR PROGNOSIS (vv. 15-20) – (Application: Christ has changed your daily map in the struggle against indwelling sin.)

3.) CHRIST DELIVERS YOUR PROGRESS (vv. 21-25) – (Application: Christ has changed your manner of dealing with indwelling sin.)

The Main Idea: God’s covenant grace changes our relationship to ourselves under God’s law.

*The Big Question: What MUST you UNDERSTAND CLEARLY to live a righteous Christian life?

*The Central Point: Second: Your Relationship to Yourself Under God’s Law. Christ Does Three Things to CHANGE Your Relationship to YOURSELF Under God’s Law:

1.) CHRIST DIAGNOSES YOUR PROBLEM (vv. 13-14) – (Application: Christ has changed your grasp of the seriousness of indwelling sin.)

2.) (NEXT EPISODE) CHRIST DESCRIBES YOUR PROGNOSIS (vv. 15-20) – (Application: Christ has changed your daily map in the struggle against indwelling sin.)

3.) (NEXT EPISODE) CHRIST DELIVERS YOUR PROGRESS (vv. 21-25) – (Application: Christ has changed your manner of dealing with indwelling sin.)

The Main Idea: God’s covenant grace changes our relationship to God’s law.

*The Big Question: What MUST you UNDERSTAND CLEARLY to live a righteous Christian life?

*The Central Point: First: Your Relationship to God’s Law. Christ Does Three Things to CHANGE Your Relationship to God’s Law:

1.) CHRIST DEFINES YOU APART FROM THE LAW (vv. 1-3) – (Application: UNDERSTAND CLEARLY that Christ has changed your name to “Law-follower from the Heart”.)

2.) CHRIST RELEASES YOU FROM THE LAW’S MASTERY (vv. 4-8) – (Application: UNDERSTAND CLEARLY that Christ’s Lordship is now your MASTERY through the Spirit.)

3.) CHRIST DELIVERS THE LIFE THE LAW CAN’T (vv. 9-12) – (Application: UNDERSTAND CLEARLY that Christ, through the Spirit, has fundamentally changed you!)

The Main Idea: God’s grace frees us to live a righteous life!

*The Big Question: How do we live a righteous life?

*The Central Point: Bound to Him We’re Bound to Change! God’s Grace Makes Three Fundamental Changes in Us:

1.) A CHANGE IN DIRECTION (vv. 15-16) – (Application: God’s grace redirects our steps from sin to righteousness.)

2.) A CHANGE IN MOTIVATION (vv. 17-19) – (Application: God’s grace reorients our hearts from self to gratefulness to God.)

3.) A CHANGE IN OBJECTIVES (vv. 20-23) – (Application: God’s grace refocuses our vision from shame to eternal life.)