Woodridge Community Church Sermons

God's law is good, but the result of being under the law is not good for all who do not keep the law, and none of us can keep it. Thankfully, as Paul declared in Romans 6:14, sin will have no dominion over the Christian because the Christian is not under law but under grace. In this second sermon on Romans 7:13-25, we will look at Paul's argument in light of Romans 6 and 8, consider the objections that Paul addresses, and how those who are under grace can apply this passage.

In this section of Romans 7, Paul continues explaining the purposes of God's holy, righteous, and good law. While considered by many to be one of the most difficult sections of the epistle to interpret, it contains valuable insight on the nature of God's law and the believer's relationship to it.

Questions about the believer's relationship to the Law are as old as Christianity itself. We're dead to it, and yet its God-breathed words are profitable for training in righteousness. How do we — or, rather, how does God in Christ — hold these things together?

The wages of sin is death, but in a paradoxical way, death is also the means of freedom.  In this passage, the apostle Paul shows us that because the Christian is dead to his bondage to the law, he is free to be joined to the risen Christ - the One who defeated death - so that he can bear fruit to the glory of God.

Everyone is a slave of someone or something. In this passage, the Apostle Paul explains that Christians were once slaves of sin. But, having been set free from sin, we are now slaves of God. Remembering that God is our master will help us obey God and disobey sin.

The Christian life is often a battle. One of these battles is against indwelling sin because, as John Owen put it, we must be killing sin or sin will be killing us. In this passage, the Apostle Paul exhorts all who are united to Christ to fight sin and to be instruments for righteousness.

Having considered, on Good Friday, the death of Jesus Christ and what it accomplished. On Easter morning our focus shifts to Jesus' resurrection and what it accomplished. This Resurrection Sunday we will look at what Romans 6:1-11 teaches us about the implications of Jesus' resurrection. 

Good Friday is a day to reflect on the death of Jesus Christ and consider what it accomplished. We will do this by continuing our current sermon series through Romans, as the very next verses point us to the cross and the significance of Jesus' death. Here we are told of Jesus' obedience and how his one act of righteousness leads to our justification.

The greatest problem facing humanity was brought about by one act of transgression done by one man. Because of that one sin committed by that one man, death became the inheritance of all men. But even as that one trespass led to condemnation for all men, one act of righteousness accomplished by one man eradicated the problem of death by bestowing one free gift of justification and life to all those who would receive it. That is the essence of the gospel. Come join us as we take a deeper look at the great blessing of hope that is the inheritance of the Christian, provided without charge through the sacrifice of the one man Jesus Christ.

In the first four chapters of Romans, the Apostle Paul put before us the righteousness of God, the unrighteousness of man, and the truth of justification by faith alone. Paul will now place before us the great blessings of justification. All who have been justified by faith in Christ have lasting peace with God, hope in their suffering, and the assurance of God's love.

With the closing verses of Romans chapter four the Apostle Paul assures us that God's declaration of Abraham's righteousness by faith is for all, who like Abraham, trust in the God who raised Jesus from the dead. What precious words these are for all who believe in the one who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification!

In Romans 4:13-22, Paul continues to unpack the wonderful reality of justification by faith alone. Nothing in us can ever earn salvation. It is entirely a work of God that we receive by faith.

The Apostle Paul again uses Abraham as an example to demonstrate the truth of justification by faith alone. This time, Paul draws our attention to Abraham being justified before he was circumcised. That justification came before the covenant sign of circumcision has implications on the relationship between believing Jews and believing Gentiles and our understanding of the New Covenant sign of baptism.

In this passage, the Apostle Paul uses Abraham as an example to demonstrate the truth in the previous passage that when it comes to justification, no one, not even Abraham, has something to boast about. By doing this Paul explains how sinners were justified in the Old Testament before the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.

In the preceding passage the Apostle Paul laid out the great gospel doctrine of justification by faith in Jesus Christ. In this passage he will make an important application of this doctrine explaining that because justification is by faith and not by works those who are justified have no reason to boast. From this we are reminded that while self-righteous pride will flourish within a theology of justification by works, it is destroyed by the doctrine of justification by faith.

It has been since Oct 20th of last year that we have been preaching on the “bad news” associated with man's sin and disobedience to God's law, and in today's sermon, Paul leads us in rejoicing in the “good news” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the salvation it brings! Paul encourages us to contemplate the glory of propitiation and limited atonement as laid out plainly in the text.

Ever since Romans 1:18 the Apostle Paul has been laying out the bad news that all people, both Jews and Gentiles, have sinned, are unrighteous, and are deserving of the righteous judgement of God. Before Paul begins to lay out the good news of God's grace for sinners in Jesus Christ, with this passage he summarizes the bad news that all are under sin so that all people would see their great need for Jesus Christ.

If, as Paul states plainly in Romans 2, that the genuine quality of Jewishness and circumcision is inward and spiritual, why did God institute and attach promises to physical circumcision in the first place? Was He mistaken? Did He change His mind? And how can He be trusted if He's (seemingly) the one going back on His Word?In Romans 3:1-8, Paul begins to answer these objections and sets the stage for the clearest vindication of God's faithfulness — the good news of true life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the previous passage the Apostle Paul explained how it is that God will justly judge sinful Gentiles who do not have the law. In this passage Paul turns his attention to God's judgement of sinful Jews who have the law but do not keep it. The reality of God's righteous judgment of unrighteous Jews and Gentiles is to lead all of us to the reality of our great need for the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

In this portion of Romans, the Apostle Paul has been laying out the bad news regarding the sinfulness of all people and the righteous judgment of God. Building upon the previous passage regarding God not showing partiality, with these verses Paul explains how it is that God will judge Gentiles even though they do not have the law. In considering these realities we are all shown our great need for Christ.

For quite some time, the elders of our church have been studying and discussing the roles of men and women related to the diaconate, concluding that our church should no longer have deaconesses. This two-part sermon series will help our church family better understand why we are making this change and revisit God's glorious design for men and women in Christ's church.

For quite some time, the elders of our church have been studying and discussing the roles of men and women related to the diaconate, concluding that our church should no longer have deaconesses. This two-part sermon series will help our church family better understand why we are making this change and revisit God's glorious design for men and women in Christ's church.

In Psalm 119 the psalmist shows us the beauty and necessity of getting God's word rooted deep down in our heart. This is essential to living a life on a godly path that is full of praise and purpose.

This Christmas Eve to help prepare our hearts to celebrate the joyous occasion of our Savior's birth we will turn to Matthew 1:23 and consider what it means that Jesus Christ is Immanuel.

God is love. One of the glorious ways that this truth is made known to us is by the birth of Jesus Christ. With this second Advent-focused sermon we will turn to 1 John to consider the connection between Jesus' birth and the love of God.

At the very heart of the Advent season is joy. When the angels appeared to the shepherds outside of Bethlehem and announced Jesus' birth they told them that Jesus' birth was “good news of great joy”. With this first Advent-focused sermon we will turn to the Gospel of Luke to consider why Jesus' birth is good news of great joy.

As people who have been born again, made alive in Christ, and given the ability by the Holy Spirit to see our sin for what it is, repent of it, and put our faith in Christ, it is sometimes easy to overlook the fact that Christians too will one day stand before the judgment seat. This week's passage of scripture clearly teaches that ALL people - no exceptions - will one day stand before God the Son and be judged on the basis of their works. But how can this be if Scripture says elsewhere that people are saved by grace through faith, and not by their works? Come join us as we look into what is coming in the final judgment.

Paul now turns his attention to people who judge those who suppress the truth and sin while committing the very same sins themselves. Hypocrites, like those they judge, are without excuse, under God's righteous wrath and need to repent and believe the gospel.

As we seek to understand how our emotions affect us we need to understand that we experience many emotions simultaneously. We have many things in our life affecting the way we feel and often times this can cause confusion and frustration in our lives. Having a clear understanding why this is a normal part of being human and knowing how to respond biblically will aid us as we seek to honor the Lord through the many emotions that come our way. 

With these final verses of chapter one Paul explains more of the horrific results of idolatry and God's righteous wrath in response. There is a clear progression downward; first idolatry impacts one's worship, then their body, then their mind. Here we also find Paul's longest list of specific sins in all of his letters which are the fruits of a debased mind. The only reason why this passage doesn't describe who all of us are today is because of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Proponents of baptismal regeneration will often cite 1 Peter 3:21, which plainly states that “Baptism saves you.” Is that the final nail in the Baptist coffin? Was Peter confirming that baptism is the instrument God uses to bring about the new birth in the lives of His people? Through an examination of 1 Peter's context, we come to see that the apostle is making a much different point about baptism and salvation in the life of the believer. Rest assured, even Baptists can confess the truth of 1 Peter 3:21.

While so many in our day believe they are wise and loving for accepting, affirming, and celebrating homosexuality, this passage teaches us the very opposite. Homosexuality and any act like it are destructive sins that can be traced back to idolatry and the foolishness of exchanging the truth for a lie. Here again we are reminded of God's righteous wrath and our great need for Jesus Christ.

As Protestant Christians, we believe that the Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice because it is the very word of God. Despite what some seem to think, God's word has much to say about the civil government and Romans 13:1-7 is a key passage. With another important election, it will benefit us greatly to consider what God says about his purposes for, the authority of, and our relationship to the civil government.

The Ephesian church's faith in Jesus Christ was a source of great joy for the Apostle Paul causing him to give thanks to God in prayer. With this passage Pastor Marsel Lela from Disciples Church desires to encourage us and give thanks to God for the 10-year partnership between Disciples Church and Woodridge. It is a partnership that has mutually encouraged both churches so let us rejoice together and give thanks to God.

We cannot rightly understand the good news of the gospel unless we have a proper understanding of the bad news. This bad news has to do with our unrighteousness before the Holy God who made us and what we deserve from God because of our sin. In this passage the apostle Paul explains this bad news which should cause those not yet trusting in Christ to turn from their sin and trust in Christ and cause those who trust in Christ to give thanks to God for the good news.

These two verses provide Paul's thesis statement in Romans. Here Paul declares that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe and that the gospel reveals the righteousness of God. These great truths explain why Paul was not ashamed of the gospel and why we should not be ashamed of it either.

In this passage Paul shares his heart for the Romans, gives thanks to God for their faith in Christ and tells them of his desire to preach the gospel to them. Here we are reminded of the great blessing it is to be with other Christians and how we can strengthen and encourage one another.

Paul's letter to the church in Rome contains the most in-depth exposition of the gospel which explains why John Calvin described it as “the doorway to the treasure of all scripture”. Throughout church history God has used this letter to open eyes, change hearts and bring glory to Christ. Romans 13:13 played an important role in Augustine's conversion and Romans 1:17 helped Martin Luther understand justification by faith alone which was the spark that lit the flame of the Protestant Reformation. These first seven verses provide us with helpful context and put before us the main focus of this magnificent letter which is the gospel of God.

When we are in desperate times and our heart is faint we are to call out to the LORD for help. David experienced many desperate times and in this psalm he provides us with a powerful example of what it sounds like when God's people call out to the Lord Jesus Christ who is our rock and refuge.

Have you ever been accused of something knowing you are in the right? How have you dealt with that? Have you been able to forgive others while looking to The Lord for your strength? In today's Psalm we will see how David, when unjustly accused by others, looks to God for His strength and steadfast love, asking Him for vindication and testing as he walks on the level ground only The Lord can provide.

What type of worship do you like? Answers to this question often include instruments, types of music and various stylistic preferences. While all of these things matter, the most important question to ask is what type of worship does God like? To put it a better way, what type of worship does God deserve? Psalm 33 helps answer this most important question.

The Christian life is a long and arduous journey. Yet all the while, it is centered on a matchless God and supported by His Spirit-born people. Psalm 134 demonstrates these matters in the lives of God's Old Testament people — and points us to discover their every blessing as God's new covenant saints.

In this psalm David speaks of one generation commending God's works and mighty acts to another. The idea of one generation praising God to another makes this psalm especially fitting for our church's 35th anniversary celebration. May God use our time in this psalm to help us praise him for another 35 years!

This Psalm gives us a great depiction of the heart of a faith-filled believer in a season of crisis. It's a prayer and a petition to the covenant keeping God, full of devout affection toward Him. In it we'll see the holy desires for God to show favor upon His people, the ask for deliverance from enemies and troubles as well as the plea of grace needed for the repentance of sins, and what it looks like to continue trusting and waiting on the promises of God.

This psalm is a corporate song of lament and a plea for God to act in response to the wicked actions of those who oppose God and his people. What are we who trust in Jesus Christ to think and do when we suffer and God's name is dishonored? This psalm captures the reality of such times and gives us words to pray and sing.

Psalm 50 speaks directly to the reality of God's coming judgement over the earth. Although there are many who think that He keeps silent about sin, Psalm 50 is a reminder that God is just and sin will not be overlooked.

This psalm unashamedly declares the glorious reality of God's rule over all of his creation. Hearing the truth of God's rule over everything and everyone even as we see wickedness around us is to strengthen the faith of God's people and lead us to rejoice in the LORD our sovereign God.

In this royal psalm King David describes a ruler who is greater than himself, one who is his Lord and will sit at the right hand of the LORD. In the gospels Jesus refers to himself as the one that David was describing in this psalm and other New Testament passages make the same connection. This is a powerful and prophetic song that directs us to the glorious rule, the priestly work and the total triumph of Jesus Christ.

We have all had times when we've prayed earnestly for a certain thing to be given to us or a specific outcome to happen, but our prayers have seemingly been met by a lack of action. What is happening? Is God not hearing us? In Psalm 28, David faced a similar dilemma. We can learn much from his response to the situation he found himself in so many years ago.