Romans 1: What is God's Message to You in the First Passage of Romans?Obedience can be summed up in one word.
If you're in the resident congregation, turn off your electronic devices and put them away.Let this be a place where you aren't distracted by the world.
Welcome To BARAH MINISTRIES
Rory Clark Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.My name is Pastor Rory Clark.Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!
OPENING AGENDA
You may be wondering some things about Barah Ministries…
Who is the God we worship? What is our source of truth? Who is our enemy?
We start our Bible lessons this way every time because, as the apostle Paul says in Philippians, Chapter 3, Verse 1…
PHILIPPIANS 3:1 To write the same things again and again is no trouble to me…and it is a safeguard for you.
It's no trouble for me to remind you of the keys to a REAL spiritual life…our God, His Word, and our enemy.
Who is the God We Worship?
We worship a Triune Godhead…one God who expresses Himself to mankind as three separate, distinct, co-equal, co-infinite, co-eternal Persons…God the Father…God the Son… and God the Holy Spirit.Each of them has the same power.Each of them operates with the other on the same page!
GOD THE FATHER is the author of the plan of God for all creatures.In God the Father's plan, He PROVIDES…He surrounds you with beauty…He offers satisfying work…He makes available delicious and healthy food…He provides companionship so you won't be lonely (both through Himself and through others)…and He does all these things in the face of our disobedience, disloyalty, and failuresbecause of who He is…not because of who we are.In Philippians, Chapter 4, Verse 19…a promise…
PHILIPPIANS 4:19 …God the Father will supply ALL your needs according to His glorious riches for those of you in union with Christ Jesus.
GOD THE SON (the Lord) volunteered to execute God the Father's plan.Recently, we celebrated His birth, and we were reminded who He is in Matthew, Chapter 1, Verse 23…
MATTHEW 1:23 "Behold…the virgin Mary shall be pregnant with a child and she shall bear a Son…and Joseph and Mary shall call His name Immanuel," which translated means, "God with us."
Jesus Christ is God.There is no human being who has come to the earth who has been called "God with us."
There is ONE AND ONLY ONE WAY to heaven.You invest your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, asking Him to save you.Jesus is the Christ…the Jewish Messiah…and by believing in Him, you instantly have the resurrection life… eternal life…in His name.He is willing to save you from eternal misery.
We worship GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.He is our Mentor and Teacher…our guide…and the rudder of a Christian's life.He is fully God, equal in every way to God the Father and God the Son.We just celebrated one of His many divine accomplishments as Matthew, Chapter 1, Verse 18 reminds us…
MATTHEW 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, before they had sexual intercourse, she was found to be pregnant with a child by the agency of God the Holy Spirit.
Only God can facilitate a virgin birth.
What is Our Source of Truth?
As Christians, we can develop a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the entire Godhead through the DAILY study of THE WORD OF GOD…THE BIBLE.
The Bible is a single book with a single author…about a single person…Jesus… with a single theme…unconditional love (the Beatles were right…all we need is love).The sixty-six books of the Bible took over sixteen hundred years to write and assemble…with chapters written by forty different writers…and they were people as depraved as you and me…people like Paul, David, Matthew, and Peter.Second Timothy, Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17 say…
SECOND TIMOTHY 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed (into the writers of Scripture) … and Scripture is profitable for teaching…for reproof…for correction…and for training in righteousness…
SECOND TIMOTHY 3:17 …so that the man of God may be mature…totally equipped for every good work.
Schedule time EVERY DAY to studyGod's Word and to let it set the direction for your day. It's the best thing you can do for yourself.
Who is Our Enemy?
GOD HAS AN ENEMY…Satan…whom God made 'the ruler of this world' for a finite period.He is the enemy of believers in Christ.
In TheArt of War…the best, most used, most studied treatise on competitive warfare and the war bible for every military organization in the world, author Sun Tzu says this…
THE ART OF WAR by Sun Tzu
If you know yourself and you know your enemy, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles…
THE ART OF WAR by Sun Tzu
…if you know only yourself and not your enemy, for every victory you gain, you will sustain a defeat…
THE ART OF WAR by Sun Tzu
…if you know neither yourself nor your enemy, you will succumb in every battle.
The biggest enemy of believers in Christ is IGNORANCE OF THE ENEMY.Your spiritual life and your soul are a battlefield on which an invisible war is being waged.Ephesians, Chapter 6, Verse 12…
EPHESIANS 6:12a For our struggle (as believers in Christ) is not against flesh and blood (it's not against human beings)…
EPHESIANS 6:12b …our struggle is against the (demonic) rulers, against the (demonic) powers, against the (demonic) world forces of this darkness (in Satan's kingdom)…our struggle is against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Do know your enemy?Paul warns believers in Christ in Acts, Chapter 20, Verses 28 to 30…
ACTS 20:28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock…among which God the Holy Spirit has made you overseers…to shepherd the church of God which Hepurchased with His own blood.
ACTS 20:29 I (Paul) know that after my departure SAVAGE WOLVES will come in among you, not sparing the flock… ACTS 20:30 …and from among your own selves men will arise…speaking perverse things…to draw away the disciples after them.
Satan uses ignorant believers in Christ to destroy relationships, to destroy churches, and to destroy anything valuable to us. Don't be his victim.
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON What is God's Message to You in the First Passage of Romans?
LESSON INTRODUCTION
Paul's letter to the Romans is a gift from God.Our study will be directed by God the Holy Spirit…the same Holy Spirit who directed Paul's writing of the letter…the One who guides us into all the truth as the Lord said of the Holy Spirit to His apostles.
In today's lesson, we'll reflect on some things the apostle Paul says in the opening of the letter.While Paul's writing may appear to simply be a greeting, it's important to realize and to connect to the way God sees us, for our own edification.
And as we do regularly, honoring the Lord's command, we'll celebrate the Lord's Supper today.Get your bread and your wine…and settle in to join us.Today,we'll learn that at the Cross, the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated the meaning of SACRIFICE.
OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION
Let's hear some music! Prayer is a critical part of the Christian's life. It'sthe chance to have a direct conversation with God. It's something we need to do every day. It's best to pray in an environment free from distractions while also sending prayers up to our God throughout the day for everything we do.
We are confident God hears our prayers, and He answers them, yet not always on our time frame.In John, Chapter 16, Verse 23, the Lord Jesus Christ says…
JOHN 16:23b …whatever you ask God the Father,He will give it to you in My name. We aren't discouraged by God's time frame.As Danny Gokey sings, if your prayers aren't answered, maybe you just HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET.
MUSIC OPENING SONG Let's Sing the Lord's Praises
HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET Danny Gokey
OPENING PRAYER Let us pray...
We're grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Father, thank you for the power in the Word of God…thank you for using it to search the depths of each of us…thank you for letting the Word reveal to us exactly who we are…and thank you that is not a condemnation experience…instead, it is a way to feel enlightened and wise…
…let the Word in today's lesson penetrate in such a way that we are edified by it…and help us to answer the unanswered questions in our lives as Christians…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ's name...Amen.
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON What is God's Message to You in the First Passage of Romans?
LESSON PART ONE
Paul's letter to the Romans has four hundred and thirty-three power-packed verses.
More than anything else, the letter to the Romans is about the wonder of God.The Lord is mentioned every fifty words…and over one hundred and fifty times…His amazing grace is the dominant theme and the prevailing thought in the letter.
Romans is about faith in the gospel message of God to the human race. It's about your salvation. It'sthe good news about what the Lord did at the Cross to ensure that WHOSOEVER can be saved.
In the last lesson, we reviewed the structure of Paul's letter to the Romans…
ROMANS, CHAPTERS 1 to 3 The Depravity of Man Incurs the Wrath of God
The first three chapters are the bad news that most people don't want to hear.These chapters turn people off because people think of themselves differently than they are.They think they are "basically good." God has a different opinion!
ROMANS, CHAPTERS 4 TO 8 God's Grace Saves All Who Want Deliverance from Sin
Despite our depravity, it is by God's grace that we are saved…through faith in Christ alone.God wants us to bring our resume to Him.He greets us and our accomplishments with open arms!What are our accomplishments?Drug addiction…sexual immorality…alcoholism…abuse…broken relationships… pride…an ineffective mindset.There is more.The worse we are, the better God likes us.In grace, He welcomes sinners.
ROMANS, CHAPTERS 9 TO 11 God Still Has a Plan for the Jews
The Jewish race has been set aside for a time for rejecting their Messiah, but the Lord has not forgotten the Jews, nor has He forgotten His promises to Abraham.Every promise He made to Abraham will be fulfilled.
ROMANS, CHAPTERS 12 TO 16 The Will of God for the Human Race
What does God want us to do to ensure that we reflect Him well?How does the Holy Spirit guide us to maturity?What does God see when He looks at His believers?He sees the finished product…a product He molded…and He is proud of His children.
We are studying the first chapter of Romans.What is the structure of Romans Chapter One?
ROMANS CHAPTER ONE
The Salutation (Verses 1 to 7)
An Affirmation (Verses 8 to 13)
The Main Message (Verses 14 to 17)
The Indictment Against the Whole Human Race (Verses 18 to 32)
Last week, we studied the first passage of Romans Chapter 1, Verses 1 to 7. There are a few more things to consider before we move on.Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 1…
ROMANS 1:1 This letter is written by me, Paul, a bond-servant and voluntary slave of the Christ…Jesus…by calling an apostle…and a set apart one by God the Father for the dissemination of the gospel message of God the Father to the Gentiles…as a minister…
What is a bond servant? It's a person who realizes that God is the Boss.This person is all too happy to serve His Creator.What is the most important attribute a bondservant can possess?Obedience.Great bond servants agree with everything the master proposes.
Paul is called.What does it mean to be called?You are called!Matthew, Chapter 22, Verse 14…
MATTHEW 22:14 Many are called…few are chosen.
Being called means you are invited to a privilege.Being saved is a privilege.Those who are the chosen ones respond positively to God's gospel offer.
Being called also means that God has a calling attached to your life.As a Pastor…no matter what people say…no matter how people attack a Pastor…the pastor was called by God even before he was in his mother's womb.The Pastor was personally selected to serve God by teaching others who the Lord is, and how the Lord thinks, and how what the Lord thinks can be applied to your life so you can have a life beyond your wildest dreams.What has God called you to do?
What does it mean to be set apart?It means to be separated by God TO a new life…the Christian life…a relationship with Christ.The Lord gives us a race to run, and we do it willingly!
The set-apart ones have five critical questions to answer in this life…
LIFE'S CRITICAL QUESTIONS
Who are you? Where did you come from? Where are you going? How will you get there? What is your purpose in life?
What is the gospel message? It's a gift to you from the source of God.The gospel message and its offer do not come from men…gurus people like to worship. In Christianity, the Lord…God the Son, does the ALL the work…you receive the benefit.When you believe in Christ, God the Holy Spirit baptizes you…the baptism of the Spirit…he places you into a permanent union with Jesus Christ…a union you can't get out of.
The gospel was promised beforehand…before Jesus came to the earth as the God-Man.The Gospel is about God the Son…and, in human form, Jesus…the Christ…the Jewish Messiah.The gospel message is not an invitation to clean up your life. It's an invitation to let God clean up your life because He is good at it, and He never fails.So, put away your morals and your integrity.Let God BE that for you.
What is a minister? It's a person who nurtures you by teaching you the Word of God.
There's a lot in that first verse…all of it applies to you and demands that you reflect intensely on its truths.
ROMANS 1:2 …and this is the gospel message that God the Father promised beforehand to the human race through His prophets in the holy Scriptures of the Old Testament…
What does it mean to be saved?Paul describes it in his letter to the Romans from start to finish.God does everything by plan.Paul reveals God's plan.Do you plan?Do you make decisions about what it takes to be an effective Christian?
ROMANS 1:3 …a gospel message concerning God the Father's Son, the Lord, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh as true humanity, whose name is Jesus Christ…
Why is it important to know that the Lord Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100% man in one person?He is undiminished.He is complete.He is perfect.And there is not a thing that is impossible for Him.He indwells you.He is with you at all times.Are you counting on Him?
ROMANS 1:4 …and Jesus Christ was declared the Son of God with divine power by means of His resurrection from the dead, accomplished through the enabling power of the God who is the Spirit of holiness…God the Holy Spirit…we are talking about this Jesus Christ, our Lord, God the Son…
What is the significance of the Lord's resurrection from the dead?He proved His Deity.No man has ever done that, despite many claiming to be God.
ROMANS 1:5 …through which Christ I, Paul, have received from God the Father both grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ's Person…
What is an apostle?He is someone God sends out with the divine power and the divine authority to preach.
ROMANS 1:6 …among whom you saints in Rome, as believers in Christ, also are the possession of Jesus Christ by calling…
What is a saint? It's a holy person from the source of God…holy because God made him so.
ROMANS 1:7 …and this letter is written to all of you who are the divinely loved ones of God the Father…you believers in Christ living in Rome, saints by calling, the set-apart ones…grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
What does it mean to be beloved?God love you unconditionally, forgives you totally, and allows you to make mistakes as you learn.Are you learning?
So, as you study a Biblical letter, ask yourself these kind of questions and watch God the Holy Spirit answer every one of them.
When we return from the break,we'll take the offering, and then we'll celebrate the Lord's Supper.At the Cross, the Lord taught us the meaning of sacrifice.
FIVE-MINUTE BREAK NOBODY Casting Crowns
TODAY'S BIBLE LESSON What is God's Message to You in the First Passage of Romans?
OFFERING INTRODUCTION
Did Jesus ever think about money?Rarely!What the Lord did think about was giving.He also thought about providing.As you think about giving today and every day, let your attitude reflect the Lord'sgiving attitude as communicated in Acts, Chapter 20, Verse 35…
ACTS 20:35b "…remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Your giving provides.There are people we don't even know who benefit from Barah Ministries.
Since you benefit from the Lord's thoughts in these Bible lessons, it just makes sense to contribute to the workers who communicate His thoughts to you.Give generously just as the Lord gives to you, and watch what the Lord credits back to your account. Let's welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always inspiring offering messages.
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
OFFERING VERSE
FIRST JOHN 5:19 We believers in Christ know that we are of children of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (Satan).
OFFERING SONG THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU Instrumental Version
THE LORD'S SUPPER CELEBRATION At the Cross, the Lord Taught Us the Meaning of Sacrifice
Sacrifice.
Does the name Timothy J. McCarthy mean anything to you?Probably not.It meant a lot to late American President Ronald Reagan.In 1981, this courageous Secret Service Agent foiled an assassination attempt by John Hinckley, stepping in front of a bullet intended for the President.
Sacrifice.
Does the name Milton Olive mean anything to you?Probably not.He meant a lot to a platoon of his peers.In 1965, at the age of 18, Olive sacrificed his life to save fellow soldiers.
Olive and four other soldiers were inaVietnamese jungle when a grenade was thrown into their midst.Olive grabbed the grenadein his hand and fell on it, absorbing the blast with his body.His complete disregard for his own safety prevented additional loss of life for the members of his platoon.
Sacrifice.
What is sacrifice?
SACRIFICE The act of giving up something valuable for a greater purpose.Something done for others both voluntarily and gladly for their sake.
Does the name the Lord Jesus Christ mean anything to you?If you're a believer in Christ, it does.He made the ultimate sacrifice for you personally.John, Chapter 15, Verse 13…
JOHN 15:13 Greater unconditional love has no one than this…that one lay down his life for his friends.
Sacrifice.
God the Father experienced sacrifice.Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 8 says…
ROMANS 5:8 God the Father demonstrates His own unconditional love toward all mankind…in that while we were yet sinners (while we were unrighteous, ungodly, unbelievers), Christ died a sacrificial deathfor us.
God the Father chose to sacrifice His beloved Son.He sent the Lord Jesus Christ to die so we could live.
Sacrifice.
The sacrifice of Christ atoned for the sins of all mankind.In Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 14, the Lord says…
ROMANS 6:14 …(because of my sacrifice) sin shall not any longer be a master over you believers in Christ…for you are not under the law but you are under grace.
Sacrifice.
The Lord's work on the Cross is the ultimate sacrifice.It was a blood sacrifice.
What's it like for you when you stop to reflect, knowing the Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for you…a blood sacrifice…a suffering incomparable in divine history?
Sacrifice.
The Lord is a teacher, and He has been teaching us about sacrifice from the beginning.Genesis Chapter 3, Verse 21…
GENESIS 3:21 (After they sinned, and covered themselves with plants…fig leaves)…the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and He clothed them.
The death of another creature provided clothing for the benefit of Adam and Eve.The Lord was teaching about Himself in the Garden of Eden.
Sacrifice.
The Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac.Genesis, Chapter 22, Verses 1 and 2…
GENESIS 22:1 Now it came about…that the Lord God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And Abraham said, "Here I am."
GENESIS 22:2 The Lord God said, "Take now your son…your only son whom you love…Isaac… and go to the land of Moriah…and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you."
The Lord was asking Abraham to sacrifice.Abraham agreed toit.Genesis, Chapter 22, Verses 10 to 13…
GENESIS 22:10 Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
GENESIS 22:11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And Abraham said, "Here I am."
GENESIS 22:12 The Lord God said, "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad…and do nothing to him…for now I know that you respect the wishes of your Lord God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
GENESIS 22:13 Then Abraham raised his eyes…and behind him he saw a ram caught in the thicket by his horns…and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
The Lord God provided a sacrificial ram to save Isaac.God the Father provided a sacrificial lamb to save us.John the Baptist called the Lord what He is in John, Chapter 1, Verse 29…
JOHN 1:29b "Behold…this is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"
Sacrifice.
Enduring crucifixion is a sacrifice.Suffering on the Cross was the Lord's sacrifice.And we celebrate Him and His sacrifice today.
As believers in Christ, we are allowed to suffer for His name's sake.When people look at Christians, they don't see the suffering, but we suffer.The Lord asks us to follow His example in suffering…Luke, Chapter 9, Verses 23 and 24…
LUKE 9:23 And the Lord Jesus Christ was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me…he must deny himself…and take up his cross daily and follow Me."
Sacrifice.
LUKE 9:24 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it…but whoever loses his life for My sake…he is the one who will save it." Christians suffer so we can know through the testing of experience what Christ endured.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching us the meaning of sacrifice.Thank you for teaching us how to sacrifice.Thank you for allowing us to be hurt from sacrifice.In allowing us to sacrifice, you teach us who You are and what You endured so we can get to know You more intimately.
THE LORD'S SUPPER CELEBRATION Enjoying the Elements
Bread and wine.
The Lord gave us these things to remember Him.We will enjoy the elements together in a few moments as we listen to The Lord's Supper Song.
Matthew, Chapter 26, Verses 26 to 28, tells us the reason the Lord wants us to celebrate this meal together…
MATTHEW 26:26 While the apostles were eating, Jesus took some bread…and after a blessing…He broke the bread, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take…eat…this is My body which is being broken for you."
MATTHEW 26:27 And when Jesus had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it…all of you…"
MATTHEW 26:28 “…for this is My blood…the blood of a new covenant…My blood…poured out for WHOSOEVER…for the forgiveness of sins.”
We celebrate to remember.
Jesus Christ died as our sin substitute…Jesus Christ is risen from the dead to prove His Deity…Jesus Christ will come again to gather us unto Himself.Jesus forgives us once and for all time through His work on the Cross.We celebrate, and we are grateful.
Enjoy the elements as we listen to June Murphy remind us of the value of sacrifice and suffering in her song WHEN YOU SUFFER.
THE LORD'S SUPPER SONG
WHEN YOU SUFFER June Murphy
THE GOSPEL MESSAGE The Good News of Jesus Christ's Salvation Offer to the Human Race
The closing moments of this lesson could be the ten most important minutes of your life. You'll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.We want you to know that…
GOD WANTS YOU! He Wants You Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life
Even if you don't believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you still matter to God.He created you… you're one of His creatures…and He wants the highest and best for you.Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9 says…
SECOND PETER 3:9 The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvation, as some accuse Him of...instead, He is patient toward unbelievers…not wishing for any to perish (in the Lake of Fire) but for all to come to repentance (a voluntary change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).
The bad news is that everyone is born in a state of unrighteousness, including you.You were born physically alive and spiritually dead as an ungodly, unrighteous unbeliever.You were born on Satan's team.In God's eyes, you were born a sinner,and you need a Savior.
It's not your fault, but it is your circumstance.
In First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22, the Bible says…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22a For all in union with Adam at physical birth (and that is every human being who comes to earth) are set to die the second death in the Lake of Fire…
To God's enemy, Satan…the ruler of this world…you don't matter at all.FirstPeter, Chapter 5, Verse 8 says…
FIRST PETER 5:8 Be of sober spirit…be on the alert!Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
You are the "someone" on Satan's list.
Satan despises you so much he doesn't want you to be saved.He doesn't want you to be with God in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.Instead, he wants you to be with him in the Lake of Fire, and he wants you so badly that he sends false teachers with false teachings to deceive you.In Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 15…the Lord Himself warns about this…
MATTHEW 7:15 "Beware of the false teachers…who come to you in sheep's clothing…but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
When an animal is ravenous, it has an insatiable desire to tear you apart.So, it is with false teachers who pretend to be for you, yet truly, they want you to be twice the sons of hell that they are.
This gospel message offers GOOD NEWS to rescue you from the kingdom of death and darkness you were born into, inviting you to be born again to the spiritual life available in God's kingdom of light.You can choose to be on God's team.John, Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17 highlight Jesus' mission concerning you…
JOHN 3:16 "For God the Father loved the world unconditionally…and He loved the world so much…that He gave His uniquely born Son (the God-man…the Lord Jesus Christ…to be crucified on a Cross) … so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish, but haseternal life."
JOHN 3:17 For God the Father did not send God the Son (the Lord) into the world to judge the world…but the Father sent the Son into the world that the world might be saved through Him.
God wants you to respond positively to the good news of this gospel message so He can save you!
Who is this God who saves you?The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ…in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3 For I (the apostle Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4 …and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…
If a gospel message makes it sound like you have to work to get to heaven, it's a false gospel message from a false teacher.Romans, Chapter 11, Verse 6 says you don't have to work to be saved…
ROMANS 11:6 …if salvation is by grace (a free gift from God) … and of course it is…it is no longer on the basis of your works…otherwise, grace (as a free gift) is no longer grace (it is not free).
Romans, Chapter 4, Verse 4 says you CAN'T work for salvation…
ROMANS 4:4 Now to the one who works for salvation, his wage for his workis not credited to his accountas a favor from the grace of God, but his wage is creditedas what is due for the work.
Your hardest work is not perfect enough to earn you a spot in heaven.So relax!You can get to heaven when you close your eyes in this life free of charge.Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31 says…
ACTS 16:31 "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God, you and everyone in your household who also believes."
John, Chapter 3, Verse 36 warns you and invites you…
JOHN 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him."
If you choose, you can spend eternity with God's enemy, Satan, in the Lake of Fire…OR…you can have the free gift of eternal life right this minute!RIGHT WHERE YOU SIT, RIGHT NOW, God can save you if you let Him.You can tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is the moment of eternal life for you.
Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 9 and 10 exhortyou…
ROMANS 10:9 …if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (that He is God)…and if you believe in your heart that God the Father raised Him from the dead… you will be saved…
ROMANS 10:10 …for with the heart a person believes…resulting in the imputation of absolute righteousness by God (your admission ticket to heaven)…and with the mouth a person confesses (admitting faith in Christ alone)resulting in salvation.
There is a consequence for rejecting a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ…in Matthew, Chapter 8, Verse 12, the Lord says…
MATTHEW 8:12 "…the sons of (Satan's) kingdom (unbelievers) will be cast out into the outer darkness…in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Many parents are false teachers, leading their children to an eternity in the Lake of Fire.Do you want to know if you're a good parent?Just ask yourself a simple question…are you influencing your children to have a relationship with the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Sovereign God of the Universe?
He is the ONLY WAY to get to heaven according to John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…
JOHN 14:6 Jesus said to the doubting apostle, Thomas, "I am the way (to salvation), and I am the truth (through the gospel message…the Word of God), and I am the resurrection life…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me."
There's no time to waste! God wants you. If you want to go to heaven when you close your eyes in this life, simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved! Take His Word for it concerning salvation, and the resurrection life is yours free of charge!
CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION
Let's close with music! The Lord cares about you.Because He cares for you, He doesn't want you to worry about anything.In Matthew, Chapter 6, Verses 25 and 26, He says…
MATTHEW 6:25 "For this reason, I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you…do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink…nor for your body, as to what you will put on.Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?"
MATTHEW 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air (like sparrows)…they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns (harvest)…and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.Are you not worth much more than they?"
Of course, you are! Here's a reminder from Cory Asbury in his song SPARROWS.
MUSIC CLOSING SONG Let's Sing the Lord's Praises
SPARROWS Cory Asbury
CLOSING PRAYER Let us pray...
Almighty God and Father…
Thank you for this life-changing book…the Bible…the Word of God…as believers in Christ, we have fixed our hope on You and Your Word, and the Bible is a constant source of hope…thank you for the lesson today which reminds us to go deeper than the surface in our study of the Word…
…allow us to proclaim your gospel message everywhere we go…and help us to remember that when we are evangelizing, it is God the Holy Spirit who is doing the work…not us…so help us to trust Him…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ's name...Amen.
DISCUSSING THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE
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GOT BIBLICAL QUESTIONS?
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KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!
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