Coming Up: Sonday September 7, 2014
I Am A New Creation In Christ - Romans 12:1-2
Read: Romans 12:1-2
It might be a bit daggy but the old preacher’s adage certainly holds true when we read Romans 12. “When you read ‘therefore’ you have to ask, What it’s there for?” The word therefore signals to us that the author is concluding a previous point and, out of that point, is about to make a new point. It’s like a big red flag to the reader that something very important is about to happen.
There is perhaps no greater example of this principal at work than here at the beginning of Romans 12. Paul writes: “Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy…” Paul makes a transition here from the first 11 chapters of Romans where he has been explaining and describing God’s incredible mercy towards His people to how we should respond to God’s mercy. Before we see our response to this mercy we ought to stop for a moment and ask what the therefore is there for. What has Paul said about God’s mercy so far that should cause us to act? Grab your Bible and come with me on a whirlwind tour of God’s great mercy in Romans 1-11.
After His initial greeting (Romans 1:1-17) Paul spends the first part of his letter establishing that everyone stands condemned before God because of their sin and is in desperate need of His grace. In Chapter 1 he describes the sinful person who lives a life of active and open rebellion against God. In chapter 2 he turns his sights upon the Jews and those who would think of themselves as ‘good people’. They too are sinful before God and are in need of His grace. He concludes in chapter 3 verse 23 that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
But Paul does not leave us condemned. He describes the way of salvation, the way to be made right with God and to have our sins dealt with forever. Right here in chapter 3 he describes a righteousness from God that comes through faith. Paul is quick to prove his point, using Abraham as Exhibit A to prove his case for salvation by faith in Chapter 4.
In Chapter 5 he describes the peace that we can have in this life because we are saved through faith. In fact, this righteousness through faith is so much greater than sin because just as sin condemns all men so righteousness through faith can bring salvation to all who believe.
The effects of this salvation in our lives are amazing. We are freed from the power of sin and its mastery over us (Chapter 6), we are freed from the burden of the law (Chapter 7), and we are given the Spirit so that we might live totally new lives (Chapter 8). Finally, Paul wraps up his argument in Chapters 9 to 11 by showing God at work through the gospel in both the history and future of Israel and shoring up our confidence and hope in our sovereign and gracious God.
Romans is an incredible explanation of God’s mercy, an explanation that should cause us to act. Don’t forget God’s mercy as we see our response this week.
Prayer:
Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Thank God for His incredible mercy to us. Pray that He would help us to always keep His mercy in mind and that we might live our lives as a response to His mercy.
It is easy to get into the trap of reading the Bible only to see what we should do as Christians. This is important but it always comes from what God has already done. Always read the Bible looking for God’s mercy first and our response second.
Fred is a new believer. Recently he has been reading through the book of Romans. A little confused, he asks you to explain Romans 1-11 to him in easy to understand language. As a group plan out your response.
Intro: I love reading the back cover of books. The author of the book condenses the whole story into a few paragraphs so that you can tell what the book is about.
Share: See if you can find a book with a description on the back. What does it say? Do you think it is a good summary of the story?
Read: Romans 1:16-17. These verses could almost be the back cover of the book of Romans. How would you sum up these verses in your own words? How would you describe the book of Romans to someone who asked?
Pray Together: Thank God for the book of Romans. Ask that He would help us to understand more about Him.
Intro: I love reading the back cover of books. The author of the book condenses the whole story into a few paragraphs so that you can tell what the book is about.
Share: See if you can find a book with a description on the back. What does it say? Do you think it is a good summary of the story?
Read: Romans 1:16-17. These verses could almost be the back cover of the book of Romans. How would you sum up these verses in your own words? How would you describe the book of Romans to someone who asked?
Pray Together: Thank God for the book of Romans. Ask that He would help us to understand more about Him.
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