Archive: Series Sermons Section 5

The Preacher's Study Archive
Series Sermons Section 5

How to Be Right With God (A series from the first six chapters of Romans.)

Considering The Parable of the River Book of Romans Intro
(Prolog Message - Redick) Part 1
What does it take to be right with God? This message is the first in a series based upon the first six chapters of Romans that asks this question. Borrowing from a parable by Max Lucado, it serves as a prolog to the series.

When People Turn Their Backs on God Romans 1:18-32
(The Gentiles' Failure to Be Right With God - Redick) Part 2
What about all of those people throughout man's history who have never heard about the God of Heaven or His Son, Jesus Christ - people in areas of the world where there are no Bibles in native tongues or, where there are simply no Bibles at all? Are such people saved or lost? If they are lost, how is it that God can justly condemn them when they've never heard the message of salvation?

You May Be Good, But You're Not Good Enough Romans 2:1-11
(The Moralist's Failure to Be Right With God - Redick) Part 3
"Believe me, I had my complaint before God filled out in triplicate and was ready to file it and was feeling pretty good about myself, too. That's when I looked down at my speedometer. I was going 65!" All of us can look quite good in our own self-righteousness as long as we're only being comparing ourselves to someone with "more" faults than our own. When we compare ourselves with the righteousness that God requires though, we're not good enough.

Why Your Religion Might Not Save You Romans 2:17-29
(The Self-sufficient Religionist's Failure to Please God - Redick) Part 4
A religious heritage is a real plus, but it doesn't buy you property on the banks of the River of Life. As for salvation, it doesn’t matter whether you come from a family of preachers or a clan of prisoners. Your pedigree may be a mile long. If so, that's great. Honor it. Just remember that the church isn't a dog or pony show where breeding commands a greater price. The best thing you can do to honor a godly heritage is to be godly yourself.

Mankind's Dirtiest Little Secret Romans 3:1-20
(The Terrible Truth About Ourselves - Redick) Part 5
"Oh, no! Let's not talk about that! Isn't there something better you could address on this fine morning? Look, El Niño has given us a mild winter (sorry for those of you who live in California!) The birds are singing. The stock market is up. Nearly all of us are working. I got up feeling so good today and now you're going to spoil it? Besides, don't you have anything better to do than pin something else on me? Maybe I should have stayed home and read the Sunday paper."

The Good News: Hear It Again for the First Time Romans 3:21-31
(God's Solution to Our Most Serious Problem - Redick) Part 6
"God has allowed man to struggle on his own in the shallows of human effort for many years under the law. Then one day, just as He planned from the beginning, He offered to replace man's inadequate righteousness, not with some inferior, cut down variety, but with the fully adequate gift of his own righteousness. I'm telling you - you don't get any better than that! The gospel is the good news that you do not have to depend upon your own sorry ability to live up to God's standards anymore. He will, if you meet His conditions of faith, give you His own."

The Good News: Hear It Again for the First Time - Continued Romans 3:21-31
(God's Solution to Our Most Serious Problem - Redick) Part 7
"A petite woman - no, more a girl than a woman, barley 18 - comes slowly to her feet, supported on either side by her defense lawyers, as she seems ready to collapse from the impact of the verdict. Slowly she raises her eyes to the bench and looks into the face of the judge - HER FATHER!"

Real Faith Obeys Romans 4:1-8
(Paul's use of Abraham as an Example of Faith - Redick) Part 8
If Paul intended to convey a "do nothing" faith in Romans as some claim, he surely picked a poor example of it in Abraham.

Real Faith Works Various Texts
(The Case for an Active Faith - Redick) Part 9
Here is the reconciliation of Paul and James. Paul was dealing with the problem of seeking justification by works alone. James was dealing with the problem of seeking justification by faith alone. Though they seem to be saying different things, they really are not. Rather, they are like two lawmen, back to back in the middle of the street, shooting in opposite directions at different bad guys, but in full harmony of purpose and well within the bounds of what is logical and right. Both had in mind an active, working faith. This special study examines the alleged contradition between the Bible's teaching of faith and works.

Real Faith Trusts Romans 4:9-23
(True Belief is Trust - Redick) Part 10
"In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations..."

Much, Much More Romans 5:1-11
(God'sWillingness to Justify His People - Redick) Part 11
"Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

Grace Reigns! Romans 5:12-21
(Grace Reaches Farther Than Sin - Redick) Part 12
We sometimes sing that old hymn "There Is Power in the Blood." If Paul were here with us today when we sang that song, I believe his singing would drown us all out because that is his point in this passage! There is tremendous power in the offering of Christ’s life for the sins of mankind.

Dead To Sin: Part 1 Romans 6:1-14 (Redick) Part 13
Every true Christian has repented. He or she has decided to quit living for sin or, said the way Paul puts it here, died to sin. No, this doesn’t mean we are perfect. It means we have made up our mind to do all we can to stop sinning. Paul is now reasoning, "If you died to sin (in your repentance), why is it that you would want to continue living in sin?" It doesn’t make any sense, does it?

Dead to Sin: Part 2 Romans 6:6-14 (Redick) Part 14
When we died with Christ we received a double cure. Not only was the guilt and eternal consequence taken away through the imputed righteousness of Christ, but sin’s death-grip control on our behavior was also broken. Where before we could not overcome the practice of sin, now we can.

We're Under Grace So What's the Harm in an Occasional Sin? Romans 6:15-23 (Redick) Part 15
We Christians sometimes ignore the fact that sin is still very powerful and can overwhelm our flesh. Though God has regenerated our spirits, you and I still live in unregenerate bodies that are weak and that can be lured by sin. Any time that we play around with sin we run the risk of becoming enslaved all over again.

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	Considering The Parable of the River Book of Romans Intro (Prolog Message - Redick) Part 1 What does it take to be right with God? This message is the first in a series based upon the first six chapters of Romans that asks this question. Borrowing from a parable by Max Lucado, it serves as a prolog to the series.
	When People Turn Their Backs on God Romans 1:18-32 (The Gentiles' Failure to Be Right With God - Redick) Part 2 What about all of those people throughout man's history who have never heard about the God of Heaven or His Son, Jesus Christ - people in areas of the world where there are no Bibles in native tongues or, where there are simply no Bibles at all? Are such people saved or lost? If they are lost, how is it that God can justly condemn them when they've never heard the message of salvation?
	You May Be Good, But You're Not Good Enough Romans 2:1-11 (The Moralist's Failure to Be Right With God - Redick) Part 3 "Believe me, I had my complaint before God filled out in triplicate and was ready to file it and was feeling pretty good about myself, too. That's when I looked down at my speedometer. I was going 65!" All of us can look quite good in our own self-righteousness as long as we're only being comparing ourselves to someone with "more" faults than our own. When we compare ourselves with the righteousness that God requires though, we're not good enough.
	Why Your Religion Might Not Save You Romans 2:17-29 (The Self-sufficient Religionist's Failure to Please God - Redick) Part 4 A religious heritage is a real plus, but it doesn't buy you property on the banks of the River of Life. As for salvation, it doesn’t matter whether you come from a family of preachers or a clan of prisoners. Your pedigree may be a mile long. If so, that's great. Honor it. Just remember that the church isn't a dog or pony show where breeding commands a greater price. The best thing you can do to honor a godly heritage is to be godly yourself.
	Mankind's Dirtiest Little Secret Romans 3:1-20 (The Terrible Truth About Ourselves - Redick) Part 5 "Oh, no! Let's not talk about that! Isn't there something better you could address on this fine morning? Look, El Niño has given us a mild winter (sorry for those of you who live in California!) The birds are singing. The stock market is up. Nearly all of us are working. I got up feeling so good today and now you're going to spoil it? Besides, don't you have anything better to do than pin something else on me? Maybe I should have stayed home and read the Sunday paper."
	The Good News: Hear It Again for the First Time Romans 3:21-31 (God's Solution to Our Most Serious Problem - Redick) Part 6 "God has allowed man to struggle on his own in the shallows of human effort for many years under the law. Then one day, just as He planned from the beginning, He offered to replace man's inadequate righteousness, not with some inferior, cut down variety, but with the fully adequate gift of his own righteousness. I'm telling you - you don't get any better than that! The gospel is the good news that you do not have to depend upon your own sorry ability to live up to God's standards anymore. He will, if you meet His conditions of faith, give you His own."
	The Good News: Hear It Again for the First Time - Continued Romans 3:21-31 (God's Solution to Our Most Serious Problem - Redick) Part 7 "A petite woman - no, more a girl than a woman, barley 18 - comes slowly to her feet, supported on either side by her defense lawyers, as she seems ready to collapse from the impact of the verdict. Slowly she raises her eyes to the bench and looks into the face of the judge - HER FATHER!"
	Real Faith Obeys Romans 4:1-8 (Paul's use of Abraham as an Example of Faith - Redick) Part 8 If Paul intended to convey a "do nothing" faith in Romans as some claim, he surely picked a poor example of it in Abraham.
	Real Faith Works Various Texts (The Case for an Active Faith - Redick) Part 9 Here is the reconciliation of Paul and James. Paul was dealing with the problem of seeking justification by works alone. James was dealing with the problem of seeking justification by faith alone. Though they seem to be saying different things, they really are not. Rather, they are like two lawmen, back to back in the middle of the street, shooting in opposite directions at different bad guys, but in full harmony of purpose and well within the bounds of what is logical and right. Both had in mind an active, working faith. This special study examines the alleged contradition between the Bible's teaching of faith and works.
	Real Faith Trusts Romans 4:9-23 (True Belief is Trust - Redick) Part 10 "In hope against hope he believed, in order that he might become a father of many nations..."
	Much, Much More Romans 5:1-11 (God'sWillingness to Justify His People - Redick) Part 11 "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."
	Grace Reigns! Romans 5:12-21 (Grace Reaches Farther Than Sin - Redick) Part 12 We sometimes sing that old hymn "There Is Power in the Blood." If Paul were here with us today when we sang that song, I believe his singing would drown us all out because that is his point in this passage! There is tremendous power in the offering of Christ’s life for the sins of mankind.
	Dead To Sin: Part 1 Romans 6:1-14 (Redick) Part 13 Every true Christian has repented. He or she has decided to quit living for sin or, said the way Paul puts it here, died to sin. No, this doesn’t mean we are perfect. It means we have made up our mind to do all we can to stop sinning. Paul is now reasoning, "If you died to sin (in your repentance), why is it that you would want to continue living in sin?" It doesn’t make any sense, does it?
	Dead to Sin: Part 2 Romans 6:6-14 (Redick) Part 14 When we died with Christ we received a double cure. Not only was the guilt and eternal consequence taken away through the imputed righteousness of Christ, but sin’s death-grip control on our behavior was also broken. Where before we could not overcome the practice of sin, now we can.
	We're Under Grace So What's the Harm in an Occasional Sin? Romans 6:15-23 (Redick) Part 15 We Christians sometimes ignore the fact that sin is still very powerful and can overwhelm our flesh. Though God has regenerated our spirits, you and I still live in unregenerate bodies that are weak and that can be lured by sin. Any time that we play around with sin we run the risk of becoming enslaved all over again.

The Preacher's Study Archive Series Sermons Section 5

The Preacher's Study Archive
Series Sermons Section 5