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In this powerful exploration of Romans 5, we delve into the transformative power of justification through faith in Christ. The passage reveals seven incredible gifts we receive through our justification: peace with God, access to grace, hope in God's glory, strength in suffering, salvation from wrath, reconciliation, and the outpouring of God's love. As we unpack these truths, we're reminded of the profound impact of the cross - not just a symbol of death, but the ultimate expression of God's love and our pathway to life. This message challenges us to embrace our new identity in Christ and to boldly share this hope with others. Are we living in the full reality of what Christ has accomplished for us? How can we more effectively bridge the gap between our faith and a world in desperate need of this transformative truth?### Sermon Notes**Title: Understanding Justification and its Implications Through the Lens of Romans 5****Introduction:**- Welcome and dismissal of kids to their classes.- Acknowledgment of fall break participants.- Introduction to the passage from Romans 5:1-11.**Main Points:**1. **Justification by Faith:** - Defined as being in right standing with God, akin to "just as if I'd never sinned." - Emphasizes no record of wrongdoings due to Christ's sacrifice.2. **Peace with God:** - Not a promise of a problem-free life but assurance the war with sin is over. - Christ's death has created a peace treaty between humanity and God.3. **Access by Faith into Grace:** - Access to God compared to entering a room through a door; Jesus is the door. - Exclusivity of Christianity: Christ is the sole way to God.4. **Rejoicing in the Hope of the Glory of God:** - Hope as an unseen, yet powerful, force in the believer's life, producing joy even amid trials.5. **Rejoicing in Sufferings:** - Suffering is a process of pressing that leads to spiritual maturity. - Builds endurance, character, and hope within believers, refining them for God's purposes.6. **Saved from the Wrath of God:** - Jesus saves believers from the rightful judgment of sin due to His atoning sacrifice. - Understanding God's dual nature as both just and loving.7. **Reconciliation with God:** - Exchange of our sins for Christ's righteousness (reconciliation as a monetary term). - Seen through the lens of being washed, sanctified, and justified.**Conclusion:**- Emphasizes the transformative power of the cross.- Calls believers to understand their identity and live out their faith boldly.- Urges the church to be active in proclaiming the gospel, drawing from Charles Spurgeon's call to ensure no one perishes unwarned or unprayed for.### Practical Applications1. Reflect on your personal understanding of justification and how it affects your relationship with God. Consider journaling about areas where you feel guilt and contrast that with the truth of justification.2. Identify moments in your life where you can practice being a peacemaker with others, as a reflection of the peace God procured with you.3. Engage in an act of hospitality toward someone outside your immediate community as a reflection of God's reconciliatory love—consider inviting a neighbor or a co-worker for coffee.4. During personal prayer time, thank God for the access you have to Him through grace. Spend a moment in prayer without asking for anything—simply rest in the presence of God.5. Write down how you have seen suffering refine and mature you in your faith. Share your story over a meal with fellow believers to encourage one another.6. Be equipped to explain to someone why Christ's sacrifice is central to salvation. Practice this explanation with a fellow church member to feel more confident in evangelistic conversations.### Discussion Questions1. How has your understanding of justification by faith evolved over time? What difference does this make in your daily walk with God?2. In what ways have you experienced the "peace of God" amidst life's trials? Share a specific example with the group.3. How can you actively engage with those who hold different beliefs without compromising the truth of the gospel?4. Reflect on a time you've had to rejoice in suffering. What did you learn about God's character and your own faith during that period?5. Why is understanding the exclusivity of salvation through Christ important in today's multicultural environment? How can we lovingly communicate this truth?6. What are some practical ways you can participate in reconciliation within your community or family this week?7. How can our church follow the example set by the Coalition for Kids and create bridges, rather than barriers, to share God's love?
In this special Easter edition of Words of Grace, Pastor Benjamin Winslett proclaims the triumphant truth of Christianity: Christ is risen! Drawing from all four gospel accounts, Pastor Winslett walks listeners through the moments in which the empty tomb was discovered, exploring what the resurrection proves to us, and what it teaches us about our … Continue reading "He Is Risen Indeed!"
Preached at St Paul Lutheran Church, Rockford, Illinois on March 12th, 2025.Support Rev Fisk at SubscribeStarOrder Rev Fisk's books at AmazonCatch Rev Fisk on A Brief History of Power podcastFor video, visit Rev Fisk's Rumble channel Get the Mad Mondays newsletter, a round up of news from a Christian perspective with encouragement from Rev FiskFind out more about the Sons of Solomon, a prayer discipline for men
“How does the divine creator being become a “Father”? And how does this being become our Father? These questions emerge out of the conversation as Jonah and Patrick explore Ephesians 1:2-3. The questions lead us into the incredible thought that comes through at the beginning of Paul's letter and all early Christianity—Christ is our brother. Patrick and Jonah work to make sense of these mysteries of the new birth through Christ—the possibility of a whole new self.Support the Show.Many thanks to Camilla Lake for show notes and Podcast/Patreon production and communications. Thanks also to Elliott Chamberlin who composed our theme music, “Seeking Together.” The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of The Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website. This podcast is supported by our growing Patreon community. To learn more, go to www.patreon.com/ccseminary.
Leslie continues her new series on Navigating Modern Christianity with this powerful message on the "missing piece" in modern Christianity - Christ in us, the hope of glory. Instead of accepting defeat and mediocrity as normal, God can enable us to experience the amazing victory of a supernaturally transformed life - exchanging failure for faith and darkness for light. As Oswald Chambers once said, “When you know what God has done for you, the power and tyranny of sin is gone.” As Leslie shares, this amazing transformation cannot happen through even the very best of our human effort. It is only possible through the enabling power of God. We must choose to yield to His transforming work in our soul. For more resources from Leslie, visit www.setapart.org. To learn more about our 2024 Set Apart Conference, visit https://setapart.org/2024-set-apart-conference/. To support Set Apart Ministries, visit https://setapart.org/support/.
TEACHING SERIES: Christian TITLE: Session 4: Do We Need A Saviour? BY: Judy Moore DATE: Sunday 9 October 2022 BIBLE PASSAGES: Luke (Chapter 23, verses 32-43) Psalm 22 EXCERPT: In recent years, the self-help section of bookshops and websites has grown dramatically. It's almost as if we know we need help, but we can't quite work it out for ourselves. What if the centre of Christianity – Christ – is the solution we need. What if we need saving from ourselves rather than trying to help ourselves?! Welcome: What's true of Riverside Church when we meet together in-person is still true of us online. We are on a journey together to help people get to know Jesus and grow as his followers across Birmingham and beyond. Riverside is a church made up of people from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences all with one thing in common; our discovery of God and His amazing love. We hope you will feel at home among us and that you will find our weekly services, events and groups welcoming and relevant to your life. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you're so welcome in this community. To find out more about Riverside Church please visit our website: https://riverside-church.org.uk/ Useful Links: OUR WEBSITE: https://riverside-church.org.uk/ READ ONLINE (Church Blog) - https://www.riverside-church.org.uk/blog WATCH ONLINE (YouTube) - https://www.youtube.com/RiversideChurchBirmingham
HARDCORE CHRISTIANITY - Christ The Sinner Thursday Support the show: https://hardcorechristianity.com/donations/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The opening lines of John 17 contain an essence of the mysteries of Christianity - Christ's relationship to humanity and to God - flowing to us from this intimate prayer to the Father, the night before His crucifixion. Christ's hour has come. Through the “glory” of the cross, Christ is given the authority to grant eternal life, so that a new community can unfold and God's hope for humanity be fulfilled. Many thanks to Elliott Chamberlin who composed the theme music, “Seeking Together.” You can find more of his music here.Thanks also to Camilla Lake for the show notes and Patreon/Podcast communications and production.The Light in Every Thing is a podcast of the Seminary of The Christian Community in North America. Learn more about the Seminary and its offerings at our website.Support the show
We have all felt exhausted by the Christian life. It can make us question what God requires of us, whether he’s good and even whether we want to follow Jesus at all. But is that really the Christianity Christ came to offer? The Sermon on the Mount suggests something else…something better…something perfect.
What is a christian? What is being christlike? Is it what you have been told? Do the words in the bible support it? Who founded Christianity? Was it the Israelites of the book or was it another culture? Buckle up and roll with us as we discuss! Is it possible?
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:4-5) If we examine the picture Jesus is giving in this passage we see the Truth of the believer’s spiritual union with Christ. Just as the Vine and branches are as one – share the life of the Vine – so it is in Christ. “He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.” (I Cor. 6:17) This is the core of Christianity: Christ in us, or if you prefer, the believer in Christ. We are baptized into Christ and forever at one with Him in spirit.
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Last week we looked at the entirety of Scripture tells the story of Jesus, what does it look like when we pick and choose what we want about Jesus and ignore the whole of the story?
First Christians were Jews; Only a minority understood Christ; Christ warned many would not follow Him (but say they are Christians); Do YOU know what Christ said?; "Word of God" is much more than what's in the bible; When you discover you're wrong, you can do something about it; Look at all things anew; Make room for Holy Spirit in your heart and mind; Without Holy Spirit you will live in darkness; Humility!; Compartmentalizing self; Sitting in Tens, Hundreds and Thousands as Christ commanded; Epistles are specific to recipients; Religious pious duty - taking care of one another through freewill; Caesar coming-to-power stories; Welfare system their salvation in time of need; John the Baptist raised with Nazarites; Carob (not locusts) and wild honey; Do you know what Jesus would do?; Had they known Moses they would know Jesus; Gender dysphoria; Historically three generations before collapse of society; New History books; Polybius' warning 150BC; Children not being taught history by their grandparents; Republic vs Democracy; Lifting your veil = seeing with new eyes; 2 Corinthians 10 - casting down imagination and disobedience; Covetous have no inheritance in the kingdom of God; Fruits of flesh vs spirit; Examples of bizarre behavior; Strong delusion; Receiving revelation; Why Adam and Eve fled the garden; Accepting the real Jesus; Modern churches worship imaginations; This IS our home - magnify Christ HERE; Kingdom of Heaven at hand; People imagining they know Christ, often relying on instruction from men; Might believe a lie; Know Christ from revelation - Church built upon this; "Transferism"; Messiah is a capitalist; Can't drain the swamp when no one is willing to pull the plug; Charity or Tyranny; God doesn't owe you salvation; Showing fruits of spirit (works) evidence of salvation; Facing the truth; Open your mind to what you know that just ain't so; Best way to hear others is the way Christ commanded; Our "Authority" (2 Cor 10:8) = "exousia", aka "liberty"/right to choose; You have liberty of freely assembling and live Christ's "way" - right now!; Leaving out any truth makes it a lie; Early Church owned all things common; No exercising authority; Love requires sacrifice; Paul telling how the kingdom works; Denominator of Christianity = Christ; Not about outward appearance; "without our measure" - examine self; Why Christians persecuted?; Commandments not done away with; Religion spotted by the world will lose authority; Modern culture not know what a family is; Extra commands for ministers; Difference between ministers (Church) and laity (People); Paul running international welfare system; Modern churches go to the world; Early church was organized; Feeding 5000 miracle explained; Think a different way; "Glory" = giving credit; You have right to choose to let Holy Spirit into you; Covetous practices are contrary to Christ; HHC Books free online; Persevere in commands of Christ; 2 Corinthians 11 full of metaphors; More next time.
Paradox: "a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well-founded or true." What do we do when we come across a paradox in Scripture? Avoid it? Discard it? What if instead, we chose to study it? When we study it, we allow the Holy Spirit to enlighten us with a deeper understanding of any supposed contradictions. In this message, we wrestle with two truths: 1) Christianity - Christ - is for all people. It is truly all-inclusive. Nevertheless, not everyone will end up in heaven. The words of Jesus clarify the paradox for us.
09 - 09 - 2018 Basic Christianity - Christ The Mediator by Northwest Baptist Church
Happy Easter! On Sunday Morning Poetry #3 I'm reading the poem "Sailing to Byzantium" by William Butler Yeats. This is a poem often thought to be about Yeats' views on life after death. But I believe it's about Art as a religion, and, specifically, about the idea of reincarnation or "resurrection in our natural lives. "The coward dies many deaths, but the brave man dies but once." Julius Caesar. How can we worship reincarnation if we are an humanist atheist? How can we appreciate the death and rebirth of our own selves? Well listen in. I'll be discussion: The story of Easter according to Christianity (Christ's resurrection) The story of Demeter The Rape of Persephone The story of Dionysus (Bacchus) The Eleusinian Myths Cicero The Dionysian festival And of course a converse with verse with Sailing to Byzantium.
Happy Easter! On Sunday Morning Poetry #3 I'm reading the poem "Sailing to Byzantium" by William Butler Yeats. This is a poem often thought to be about Yeats' views on life after death. But I believe it's about Art as a religion, and, specifically, about the idea of reincarnation or "resurrection in our natural lives. "The coward dies many deaths, but the brave man dies but once." Julius Caesar. How can we worship reincarnation if we are an humanist atheist? How can we appreciate the death and rebirth of our own selves? Well listen in. I'll be discussion: The story of Easter according to Christianity (Christ's resurrection) The story of Demeter The Rape of Persephone The story of Dionysus (Bacchus) The Eleusinian Myths Cicero The Dionysian festival And of course a converse with verse with Sailing to Byzantium.
Christianity (Christ-in) is a holy lifestyle unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Any questions? I have a confession to make tonight on The BLAZE (Bible Study)
Are we missing the point with our practices? Do we know true rest in God?
Are we missing the point with our practices? Do we know true rest in God?