Hearing from Harmony

How can a person be justified before God? No one needs to be made guilty. All are guilty. We need to be made right. *Note: We lost about the last ten minutes of audio. That portion of the message is covered in review at the beginning of the next message.

Under the Power of Sin? Paul gives us what we call total depravity. While total depravity doesn’t mean everyone does the most and worst bad they can, it does mean we can get there.

How flexible are you? Paul has shown the Jews are just as inexcusable as the Gentiles are before God’s wrath. Trying to play word games will not account for righteousness before God.

Did you say circumcision? To most, it’s a fairly routine medical procedure. To the Jews Paul was preaching to, it was something to boast in.

Who is that masked man? The Jews had boasted in the law and thought they were exempt from God’s wrath. Paul shows the law had become a mask for them whereby they thought they were righteous.

Who’s to Judge? God is the judge, an impartial judge. When judgment is completely just and impartial, there are no secrets.

That’s Not Fair! We all have a keen sense of not being treated fairly when someone is shown a special favor over us, though we usually don’t complain when we receive such a favor. Paul talks about God’s judgment and reveals it is both righteous and impartial.

Only the Gentiles? After explaining God’s wrath being revealed against all ungodliness, Paul goes on to show that isn’t only a problem for Gentiles.

What does it look like for God’s wrath to be revealed? Paul writes that it is God giving people up. So, what does that mean?

Why was Paul not ashamed of the Gospel? Because it is the power of God to salvation and reveals God’s righteousness by faith.

Why did Paul want to visit Rome? He had a few reasons, but his primary reason was the gospel. In fact, the gospel was Paul’s priority in all he did.

What does it mean that Paul was a slave and an apostle? The salutation of the letter identifies Paul and his message.

Who is Paul, and what’s this letter about? This sermon launches a new series through the entire book of Romans.

How does it all end? A son is born. What does that mean?

Plucking Off A Shoe Boaz completes the transaction by affirming the details. The procedure is attested by the elders and witnesses, and the kinsman gives Boaz his shoe.

Let’s get started Boaz brings the nearer kinsman along with the elders of the city to the gates for the proceeding. He begins by making an official advertisement of the land for sale.

What’s this then? The book of Ruth takes a seemingly procedural turn when we get to chapter 4. Boaz goes to the city gate and goes through a strange proceeding. While the customs are mostly foreign, this section does contribute to the message of the book.

Well, what happened? Ruth returns to Naomi the next morning and tells her what happened with Boaz. Naomi responds with faith.

What happened next? Naomi had laid out an unusual plan. There certainly risks involved. In this passage, we find out how it played out.

What happens when hope awakens? Scene 4 starts with Naomi advising Ruth to action. She spells out a plan with some risks, but she is now moving with hope.

All day at home Naomi had to wait all day while Ruth went out to the fields that first time. She had no way of knowing what happened, and she probably didn’t expect what she found out.