Romans

‘Responding to the wonder of grace: transformed minds’ (Romans 12:2)

AudioPhilip

In Romans 12:2, Paul continues the theme of how we ought to live in response to the wonder of God’s grace given to His people. After telling us that nothing less than offering ourselves as ‘living sacrifices’ to God will do in verse 1, he then rounds out the picture by telling us the ‘how in verse 2 and indeed, in the rest of the chapter. Verse 2 tells us that a right response to God in this way includes our minds. Why? Because right thinking and right theology ultimately leads to right living, just as bad thinking and bad theology ultimately reveals itself and ends up in wrong living!

Message

Outline

• The second in this series
• What we’ve learned…
• A high bar & cheap grace
• See what Paul says about responding to grace…

  1. What we ought not do (v.2a)
  2. What we ought to do (v.2b)
  3. Why we ought to do it (v.2c)

Can you spot the difference?
What’s the Lord’s end goal in this?

‘Responding to the wonder of grace: living sacrifices’ (Romans 12:1)

AudioPhilip

It’s kind of unusual to start a series on the book of Romans at chapter 12, three-quarters of the way through the book! But in an attempt to cover the more ‘practical’ aspects of the Christian life, and to follow on from the series on Malachi, Romans 12 is a great place to start – especially Romans 12:1, where Paul gives some clear instructions about how to respond to the wonderful grace of God in the gospel – clear instructions but hard to do when you think about what they involve!

Message

Outline

• The first in this series
• Chapters 1-11? …
• ‘Therefore’ – theological & practical
• See what Paul says about responding to grace…

  1. What it is we should do (v.1b)
  2. Why it is we ought to do it (v.1a)
  3. What we are doing when we do it (v.1c)

That s…. word!
One man who took this seriously…
What will you offer to the Lord?

‘Prayer: For Saints, Servants and Souls’ (Philippians 1:9-11, Romans 15:30-33 and Colossians 4:2-6)

AudioPhilip

Guest preacher, Rev Stuart Withers (at the time minister of Rochester Presbyterian), preached from three main texts in his message on the importance of prayer (Philippians 1:9-11, Romans 15:30-33 and Colossians 4:2-6) in July 2017. Just as Paul exhorted us to make ‘all kinds of prayers for all the saints’ (Ephesians 6:18), so also in these texts we are reminded that prayer is the key for the encouragement of God’s people, the strengthening of His gospel workers and the means by which unbelievers are brought into the Kingdom of God. Great things happen when God’s people pray!

Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Holy, Holy, Holy
00:19 Introduction
00:38 Prayer
03:24 Bible reading: Philippians 1:9-11
Song: Behold Our God
04:47 Shorter Catechism Introduction
06:15 Catechism Questions 58-62
08:09 Bible reading: Romans 15:30-33 and Colossians 4:2-6
Song: Meekness and Majesty
Sermon: Philippians 1:9-11, Romans 15:30-33 and Colossians 4:2-6
Song: Come My Soul
09:32 Closing

Outline

  1. Praying for the saints (Philippians 1:9-11)
  2. Praying for servants of the gospel (Romans 15:30-33)
  3. Praying for unbelieving souls (Colossians 4:2-6)

‘An end-of-year text for the year ahead’ (Romans 11:33-36)

AudioPhilip

In this great doxology from the pen of the Apostle Paul in Romans 11:33-36, we find how Paul gave glory and praise to God because of certain aspects of His character, namely His wisdom and knowledge. As we come to the end of the year and with uncertainty ahead of us, it’s good to be reminded that God knows more than we do and is able to be trusted in all that He has promised.

‘Prayer: For Saints, Servants and Souls’ (Phil 1:9-11, Rom 15:30-33, Col 4:2-6)

AudioPhilip

Guest preacher, Rev Stuart Withers (Rochester Presbyterian), preached from three main texts in his message on the importance of prayer (Philippians 1:9-11, Romans 15:30-33 and Colossians 4:2-6.). Just as Paul exhorted us to make ‘all kinds of prayers for all the saints’ (Ephesians 6:18), so also in these texts we are reminded that prayer is the key for the encouragement of God’s people, the strengthening of His gospel workers and the means by which unbelievers are brought into the Kingdom of God. Great things happen when God’s people pray!

‘More than Conquerors’ (Romans 8:18-39)

AudioAndrew

Rev Ian Brown preached from Romans 8:18-39, where we are encouraged to see beyond our suffering to our hope which comes through Jesus’ death and the life that comes in his resurrection. Our salvation is not based on our own goodness or anything else but Jesus. We groan under the weight of sin and long to see Jesus face-to-face. Yet we already have this inheritance and it shapes our prayers and our life now.

‘Jesus, Adam and Us’ (Romans 5:12-21)

AudioAndrew

Ryan Smith spoke from Romans 5:12-21 about Jesus, Adam and us. Adam’s ‘one small step’ in the garden had giant consequences for all mankind falling into sin. Jesus is a man like Adam, but where Adam fell, Jesus is righteous and his death pays for all mankind. So while all are sinners by Adam (and by choice), we are righteous by faith in Christ.

‘The New Man – The New Life’ (Romans 6:1-14)

AudioAndrew

Rory Weightman spoke on Romans 6:1-14. After chapter 5 tells us that God’s grace is greater than our sin, chapter 6 starts with the question, “are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?” The answer is no: we died to sin through Jesus’ death; we are freed from sin; we are alive in Christ and so we should not continue in sin! Rather than be mastered by sin, we trust in Jesus as our master.