Romans Chapter 1:16-18

This is the point where we no longer struggle with someone more in the fullness of the presence of God and were delivered from everything pointing to that verse in Revelation. This is no more, no more, no more, no more pain. All those things are passed away. Everything becomes so.

I look forward to it are welcome to cross the bridge with dignity is the senior pastor of the bridge conclusion North Carolina. No matter what your life brings.

There something as a believer we can all look forward to and that is the hope of heaven is the destination matters and helps us get through our day to day life. Find out more about this is Dave continues his study in the book of Romans. But before we get into today student from beginning to end.

The Bible shows the special nature of God's relationship with the nation's but what does that have to do to get Romans chapter 11 tells us that God's covenant relationship with Israel has huge implications for to help you understand more pastor David wants to sing video recorded in the holy land called the Bible. This powerful resource will encourage and strengthen learn how connected you are God's chosen Israel the Bible and you I would think donation to help more people. This station in the on cross the bridge from death to visit, cross the bridge.com to request again cross the bridge. Now, here's David.

This teaching will be checked. Romans chapter 1 verse 16 says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek we talked last week we talked about these three IMs and verse 14, 15 and 16 verse 14 says I am a debtor to tell people about the Lord. Verse 15 says I am ready to preach and then verse 16 says I am not ashamed to have those three am statements of you will I am a debtor I am ready and I am not ashamed. We talked about that a little bit last week joining understand there's a responsibility everybody that comes to the Lord. Ask God to forgive the mother sent. There's a responsibility for us to live a life to tell other people about Jesus about the good news and I think sometimes we lose that sense of responsibility here and sometimes when Christians begin to talk about how messed up. The world is as if they had nothing to do with how messed up the world see how messed up.

The world is as a comment on how the church is doing.

Upon reaching the world and you know when we ask people they want asked Jesus to forgive the mother since we give an invitation at the end. Notice that when people come forward and were blessed are coming forward and making the greatest decision I've ever made that at that point they don't just disappear.

The Lord leaves them here. Why does he leave us here when they make it easier. And when you come to the Lord to Jesus, forgive me my sins usually no more struggle and send no more. You know struggle with selfishness number struggle of the world leaders the godliness here was a loser to tell other people to share our faith without somebody stopped you on the road and said hey you know I'm I'm lost in trying to get to this place would you look at so you know I'm busy time for you away would you say that hopefully not so I came up to and say longer had anything to eat anything you can do.

Hopefully you would give them something to eat and yet friend every day. This happens when somebody came up to you. It was Diane and you had the chair all in your body.

At that moment in time, would you say I'm too busy to worry about you that are dying to see these things certainly hope that you don't do any of these things, and yet every day were placed in these circumstances. So how do we reach people.

How do we reach the lost. What we've been talking about that GPS thing three things you can do that everybody can do is give prey and serve.

We can all do those things we can all give support the cost missionaries work in the church. We can pray, lifting up the name of Jesus praying for this church praying for the many outreaches that were involved with and serving here to help us to reach as many people as we can while we can to reaching people reach and teach this concept of belief. Notice what the verses for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who behaves appointment. That's not right. Is that what your version says everyone that behaves everyone and acts right is not what it says to everyone that believes you have to start your relationship with God not based upon your merit your works, but upon a belief in Jesus.

It's as simple as that. It's been said that in the garden. We could be in human beings and we became human doings is a lot of truth in that because a lot of us think God is interested in our goodness, but the Bible seems to point out that God is not really impressed with our goodness. My factual learn in this book, there is none righteous, no not want all the fallen short of the glory of God what's interested.

First and foremost in you changing your mind change in your heart and out of that outflow if you will. Your life begins to change, but it doesn't start with a change in behavior. It starts with the change literally in the Greek the word repentance is changing your mind. If you change your mind about who Jesus is and what is done for you. Your heart follows and then your life begins to change the disciples trying to do things right came up to Jesus in John chapter 6 verse 28 then they said to him, what shall we do that we may work the works of God and Jesus answered and said to them, this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he said Scott interesting and didn't give them what to do list. Jesus said this is the work of God you believe in him whom he sent. That's where it starts. Some of you may remember another account or where you may have heard or may have not where this rich young ruler comes in Jesus as I want to follow you and Jesus is go sell everything that you have been given to the poor. Why did Jesus give that man a to do list.

Jesus just wanted him to get rid of what was in the way from him truly believe that all starts with a belief there's three theological terms were gonna use in our study of the book of Romans is going get a little familiar with those one is justification and that is I was saved saved from the penalties for sends in my past letters. The moment you come to Jesus that Jesus, please forgive me my sins.

You are justified just as if you never did. That's what you can remember justification, just as is. I never did it. Another condition of salvation of you will is sanctification and that is I am being saved saved from the power of sin in my life today. In other words, once you start you asked Jesus to forgive me.

Ever since then, the power of God begins to express itself in your life and you find yourself wanting to do things that you didn't care about before many of you I know didn't used to go to church anywhere before you started coming here and as you come here it is an expression of the power of God in your life and sometimes may be run in the frenzy near what you don't son I am going to church and doing what you're going to church what's going on in your life.

That's the power of God being worked out in your life.

The third one glorification glorification will be saved saved from the presence of sin in the future. This is the point where we no longer struggle with sin when were in the fullness of the presence of God and were delivered from everything pointing to that verse in Revelation.

This is no more sickness no more death no more sorrow no more pain. All those things are passed away.

Everything becomes in the slot look forward to so justification, sanctification, glorification words simple, straightforward content you're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be back with more powerful insight from God's word in just a moment but first, God's grace and mercy is greater than any of us could ever fathom.

That's why he's been so faithful to the nation of Israel throughout the ages.

He's not finished. He's promised to remain true to them to the end. We want to show you what God's faithfulness toward Israel says about his relationship with you by sending you Pastor David's teaching video Israel the Bible and you in this exciting teaching recorded in the heart of the holy land. Pastor David unpacks important truths from God's relationships with Israel impact your life today. Israel the Bible and you is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life.

So visit cross the bridge.com to request yours again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Now back to today's teaching of verse 17 and at the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith God is righteous.

What we mean when we say that we meet his holy is another word we use the is perfect. He is without error.

God is righteous in faith to faith in the just shall live by faith.

Someone verse we have this word faith three times new living translation gives us this verse. In this way. Romans 117 says this good news tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith is a Scripture say it is through faith that a righteous person has life. So again it's pointed out that it's not through your behavior are your activities where your forgiven is doing act of faith. This is a very pivotal verse not only the book of Romans, but also in the Bible. Also in human history. Because this is the verse that really spoke to Martin Luther because at that time the Catholic Church was caught up in works and you have to do this to be saved and you gotta do that to be saved. They had started this practice of indulgence which is actually when you give money to be forgiven of certain sins actually had a menu list that if you did this you have to pay that if you pay that you could be forgiven now Martin Luther looked at that such Eli doesn't seem right knee came across this verse and it changed human history and also think the same word of God same Holy Spirit and can change your life as much as an impact in the life of Martin Luther.

If you have ears to hear. It's a quote from Habakkuk chapter 2 verse four hold the proudest soul was not upright in him, but the just shall live by faith. And this is the verse that started the Reformation. It's also quoted in Hebrews is also called noted in Galatians and what it say in his were not saved by our works were not saved by our good deed print.

If you've ever been told that God is interested in you doing the best that you can hopefully at the end of your life. Your good outweighs your bad that wasn't on biblical teaching.

That's not what the Bible says. The Bible says if you broken the law in one place. You broke it in every place and quite frankly even if from this point forward for the rest of your life.

You never did anything wrong. You still have your past sins that you can't take care. I think most of us are know that there's not real good chance of us going to the rest of our life without leaves us in a place of desperation. We can't earn it.

What we do and see people that still think they can earn it. That's a very frustrating life. There's many people that call themselves Christians that are trying to earn their salvation and their living a very hard life churches are filled with them this morning you asked people a are you going to heaven, everybody, everybody thinks are going to heaven, at least in the South. I was born and raised here, and that's and I mean seriously you ask anyone how all absolutely lying on it will turn amazingly good part was that the those three reasons are all wrong. According to the Bible were not saved by works were saved by faith, and that doesn't just count the day you come to Jesus and asked him to forgive yourself. That's every day you wake up you once again be dependent upon grace is one who received grace, we think, okay, I can take it from here. I don't really need the grace every day. All time outfront you need it every day. Every day you need the grace of God. The Bible tells us that the mercies of God are new every morning. No other new every morning you know I got gives you a fresh batch of mercy every morning because you use all of yesterday's completely up you don't have any mercy left from yesterday. You need a fresh batch of mercy. Thank you for a fresh patch of mercy house so desperate. Thank you and then you can get on with your day like that old joke got strangers weren't too far and done so well. Haven't spoke ill of anybody got angry at anybody had gossiped about anybody but the minute Lord I will get out of bed and I will need your help to get through this day.

For by grace were saved.

Galatians chapter 3 verse 11 says, but that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident quoting this again for just the just shall live by faith. No one is justified by the law to the law was given because it points out illuminates cast light on the fact that we sent you and understand the law than you were when be real clear on what sin is. We talk about the Pharisees and if you've read the Gospels before you seen the Pharisees and in the Pharisees were religious bunch of people we look back and we think will. They are all hypocritical knowledge as much a religious bigots or whatever they some of the more but the Bible says many of the Pharisees began to follow Jesus we see in the book of acts, so our notion that all the Pharisees were out in left field and just religious hypocrites is wrong. Some of them were deeply committed and deeply spiritual people and yet Jesus turns to the disciples and what he says must've really disturbed him because he said this in Matthew chapter 5 verse 20 pieces for I say to you that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, these Pharisees. I mean, they wouldn't go into the public market for fear of touching somebody that was unclean. They wouldn't eat. In some places for fear that the food was on clean very devout and yet Jesus says to the disciples unless your righteousness exceeds those you will see heaven. Maybe we should bring it into the modern-day unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of Satan, a Billy Graham there's no way that you will be allowed in the heaven puts in perspective done and so want to come to that point, you become a little more curious about how you would gain interest in the heaven. Well, the Bible tells us in Ephesians 28 through 10 says, for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves as a gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Now notice the trail here are saved by grace, not of yourselves, not of works, because if that were true, we, you and I would probably brag about others. People with evidently aren't familiar with this verse that fill the need to brag about their Christianity, as if they've achieved a certain level that nobody else can.

I got your gutters. Sometimes I stand at the entrance of the church, all you got all know you don't look like you have your ship, I'll pray for you got mine ironed got set up a system where that cannot happen. You cannot brag about what you cannot earn it. It's grace. It's a gift. Now follow the trailer saved by grace for what verse 10 tells us for good works to begin to do good things to begin to do right thing for you.

Stop salvation, but that power of God begins to emerge in your life like listen hello, we are saved by faith alone. It's interesting to me that Paul is writing this book this letter to the Romans.

He's not in the room.

We talked about that is not in the room yet he's writing this letter in the one of the great themes of this letter is the fact that you can't earn your salvation through these things and yet the church at Rome has engaged in these things such as indulgences, confession of your sins to a priest confession of your senses how to communion and bases forgiveness things on works. The very thing that Paul was writing about this kind of ironic. So again, our faith should lead to good works are facially asking Jesus to forgive us and that should lead to good works in and understand. We talk about faith or talk about a strong it's it's a trust it's more than belief is going well. I believe that Jesus died for the sins I believe that he was really God and it's more than just believe it's that you're trusting in that that's the way you're gaining entrance 11. That's the way your sins are forgiven her to describe this way. There's a man at Niagara Falls. He walked across the tight rope across Niagara Falls all the way over all the way back with the barrel movement and he gets back and he goes hey how many people believe I can put somebody in this barrel and will and do that again when they were really really believe many turned around he goes which one of you will it be who said they believed he could do it but they were willing to trust that he could so that's where it comes in is not just I call it a mental acquiescence or you got a mentally given the God that you believe the sink but that's what your trusting not just that they have salvation.

Galatians chapter 3 verse two says this only I want to learn from you. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith are you so foolish, having begun in the spirit. Are you now being made perfect by the flesh.

In other words, that day that you came the Jesus totally based upon grace, grace didn't stop there. You need grace every single day of your life after and you're not going to be perfected by your own efforts, but by the power and the spirit of God emerging in your life, beginning to change your life, leaves us again. Desperate for the spirit of God. Verse 18 for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness what was happening in the next few verses as he begins to describe what happens in this slippery slope than any of us can fall downriver not careful the wrath of God holding back the truth.

What is this mean suppress the truth in have cable to watch it openly confessed in front of you all think I will TiVo DVR coolest things ever invented these these programs on Discovery Channel history Channel, stuff like that. I enjoy watching.

I enjoy watching them some. Some of them that ask questions about spirituality asked questions about your sanity asked questions about the history of the church. I enjoy loosing when I get disturbed is when I see clearly there's agenda and they're not presenting well known archaeological evidence, there disregarding well-known historical and literary evidence in order to make their case stronger because what are they doing they're not there not want to engage in debate they have an agenda. They want to lead you to a certain truth to all will will you Jesus actually was married to Mary and Jesus was buried and this time we still have his bones are the Jesus was the son of a Roman soldier. All these things is not anything new that suppressing the truth. I love talking to people that don't know Jesus in heaven those discussions. I as a pastor, get to be honest, he gets more and more difficult because of course in my workplace. I hope everybody safe and so did all the staff to save but so you know actually have to go outside to find people to witness the incident, but the suppression of the truth that that's where I have a problem in some of these discussions understand the wrath of God is an emotion he has towards sin and wrongdoing.

Now I know a lot of people and we say God loves the center but hate the sin. This this verse kind of challenges part of that notion absolutely godless people absolute guidance to see people in the kingdom when somebody is messing up and suppressing the truth. This verse says it arouses God's anger now.

Again, this is this is God, looking on and seen things go wrong. People being mistreated. People being abused and all these things that arouses God's anger and you know my friend should arouse virus.

Now I'm not talking about necessarily having picket signs outside of abortion clinics on talk about loving people and, talking to them and seeing the things that they're going through and being upset at the evil that's in the world at the deceit that's in the world. Jesus said turn the other cheek inside look the other way and as I look on the landscape of humanity have to be honest, there are certain things that arouse anger and when we look at this. We look at our own lives, which is really friend if you want to get upset about sin. You know who send new should be the most upset about yours friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven.

You can know right now own Legion.

A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend if you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous to congratulations free and you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can call us toll-free at 877-458-5508 to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ before we go, we want to encourage you in your faith so that you can experience more of the grace and love of God for you.

That's why we like to send you Pastor David's teaching video recorded in the heart of the holy land called Israel the Bible and you this encouraging look into the history of Israel and God's covenant faithfulness to his chosen people will help you take bold new steps in your relationship with God. Israel the Bible in you is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life. So visit cross the bridge.com now to request a copy. Also, if you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday.

Why not join us for our lifestream at 9 AM and 11:30 AM. Just visit cross the bridge.com and click on our lifestream. Here you can watch Pastor David teach from his home church. The bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Again, that website is cross the bridge.com and be sure to join us next time across the bridge with David to hear more from the