Grace Changes Everything Sermon Series
An 18-part Sermon Series on Romans
(Audio MP3 Downloads)
Series: Grace Changes Everything (A Series on Romans)
Sermon: (Part 1) The Gospel of Hope
Summary: Having never been to Rome, the apostle Paul is eager to travel to the capital of the Empire to proclaim the gospel. While in Corinth, he writes a letter to the church in Rome which takes the form of a deep, doctrinal discourse on the nature of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unlike the gospel propaganda of the Roman Emperors to bring about a new society, the gospel of Jesus contains the power to really heal our broken world. But a new society where everything is made right begins with healing the brokenness of individual human hearts, something only possible by an injection of the the righteousness of God through embracing Jesus as Lord.
Scripture Reading: Romans 1:1-17
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 2) The Crumbling of Society
Summary: In Romans 1:18-32, Paul addresses a fractured church in Rome that demonstrates characteristics of the brokenness of human society. He shows how both Jews and Gentiles are in the same condition; both are lost in sin and in desperate need of Gods grace. The wrath of God is coming upon humanity because we have rejected the Creator and have begun worshipping the creature of our own desires. When humanity rejects Gods created order (illustrated in the sin of homosexuality), society falls apart. Again, the only hope for a crumbling society is the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Scripture Reading: Romans 1:18-32
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 3) The Wreckage of Religion
Summary: In Romans 1, Paul demonstrates how that the wrath of God is coming upon the ungodly, unrighteous pagan world. In chapter 2, he turns to religious people (Jews) and show how that they are equally under Gods wrath (2:5). Paul explains how that the common mindsets of religion is misguided about salvation. Our only hope is to reject the wreckage or religion and embrace something else entirely, the gospel.
Scripture Reading: Romans 2:1-5
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 4) The Gift of Grace
Summary: The irreligious life of the pagan and the religious life of the Jew both prove to be dead ends toward finding worth (justification of your existence) and acceptance in life. The Gospel of Christ presents a radical idea that is unlike any other religious system. For the first (and last) time in history (but now) the righteousness of God has appeared. This is a perfect record that is available as a gift that comes to humanity. Acceptability from God is not achieved by our own moral performance record. Rather we need Christs performance record applied to us as a gift that is accepted by faith.
Scripture Reading: Romans 3:21-31
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 5) It Begins and Ends with Faith
Summary: In the early chapters of Romans, Paul builds the case that a system of law through works cannot save. Salvation is only possible from a system of grace through faith. In Romans 4, he demonstrates that even Abraham was saved by his faith and not by his works. Gods grace is received by faith. But not just any type of faith will save; only a living faith can save. A living faith is one that is fully convinced that God is able to do what he promised. This is the kind of faith that God counts as righteousness (Romans 4:21-22).
Scripture Reading: Romans 4:1-8
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 6) Peace and Assurance with God
Summary: When we understand the proper basis of our salvation the natural result is peace and assurance with God (Romans 5:1-5). Since we have been justified by faith (not by our works), we have peace with God because our confidence rests in Gods grace, not upon our performance. Once we realize the true basis of our salvation is our faith in Gods grace, it produces an overwhelming joyfulness in our hope as we are overwhelmed with the reality of Gods love for us.
Scripture Reading: Romans 5:1-11
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 7) Objections to Salvation by Grace
Summary: The system of salvation by grace through faith is revolutionary and is counterintuitive to the way we normally view religion. Salvation by Gods free gift of grace sounds too good to be true to many people. Those who still think in terms of winning Gods approval by moral performance naturally raise objections to grace. The main objection raised is that grace will cause people to be lazy at best or indulge in sin at worst. Paul wells knows these objections. He anticipates and destroys them all in Romans 6:1-7:13. Rather than encouraging sin, grace provides the real means of victory over sin. In truth, if you really get (understand) grace, then grace will get (transform) you.
Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1-14
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 8) A Christian is an Honored Failure
Summary: Christians have an inner tension between the willing and the doing. A Christian is a redeemed spirit within a yet-to-be-redeemed body. But even when we are on the losing end of our struggle with sin, we are not condemned! Jesus broke the connection between sin and death. Those who walk by the Spirit have a spiritual mindset from which behavior flows. A Christian is a person whose heart yearns and burns for God. Therefore, even in our sinful mistakes we are not condemned because, through Christ, Christians are honored failures before God.
Scripture Reading: Romans 7:14-8:8
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 9) Grace and the Spirit
Summary: The two major cogs in the mechanics of the gospel are grace and the Holy Spirit. These are perhaps two of the most avoided, ignored, and misunderstood concepts among us. The spiritual problem of humanity is two fold and requires the double cure of grace and the Spirit. We are guilty before God and need forgiveness by Jesus blood. But we also have a heart problem that is only solved by the regeneration and sanctification of the indwelling Holy Spirit. In Romans 8:9-17, the two crucial parts of the gospel plan converge as Paul discusses Grace and the Spirit.
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:9-17
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 10) Groans, Grace, and Glory
Summary: God's purpose in this life is not to make us comfortable. God's purpose for us in this life can be summarized with three words: groans, grace, and glory. In Romans 8:18-39, Paul explains that God extends his grace to us through the groans of this life not to escape the difficulties but that we might grow through them and be glorified. God's will and purpose for our lives is that we might mature and be conformed to the image of his Son. Everything God does in this life is working toward this purpose in our lives and in reality is a demonstration of his overflowing love for us.
Scripture Reading: Romans 8:18-30
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 11) Belief Sustains Grace
Summary: God's purpose has always been to bring about his message of grace and fulfill his promise to bless humanity through Abraham. God used ethnic Israel for this service but that does not obligate him to save them. Those elected to salvation are spiritual Israel--those who have embraced the gracious gift of God's Son by faith. God's grace is accessed by belief and it is sustained by belief. Believers are added to the olive tree of relationship with God by belief in Jesus. Unbelievers are taken away from the olive tree. But even unbelievers can be grafted back onto the tree by returning to belief. Belief is the key to maintaining and sustaining a relationship with God by his grace.
Scripture Reading: Romans 11:17-24
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 12) Transformed by Grace
Summary: The message of Romans is that the gospel is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16). In Romans 12:1-2, Paul moves into the practical implications of the power of the gospel to transform by grace. Grace has the power to transform your life, but you must set your mind on the things of God's grace. The power of God's grace motivates us to renew our minds toward a new kind of life where we daily present our bodies as living sacrifices as worship to God. Considering the amazing gift of God's grace, this is the only reasonable thing to do.
Scripture Reading: Romans 12:1-2
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 13) The Gifts of Grace
Summary: A life that is transformed by the power of grace is characterized by humble, unselfish service toward others (Romans 12:3-8). God has distributed gifts of grace to all Christians. In this lesson will are challenged to discover our spiritual gifts.
Scripture Reading: Romans 12:3-8
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 14) Grace-Givers
Summary: We have been freely given Gods grace, so the natural response is that we should go around freely giving grace. As Grace-Givers we must distribute undeserved blessings to our Christian friends and to our enemies. Paul gives practical instructions about a grace-changed-life in a potpourri of moral instructions in Romans 12:9-21.
Scripture Reading: Romans 12:9-21
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 15) Grace Can Change the World
Summary: Christians have always struggled with how to live in the midst of an unbelieving culture. This is especially hard when Christians face societal and political persecution for their faith. Yet, writing to Christians in the capital city of the Roman Empire, Paul instructs them to be submissive to the government (Romans 13:1-7). Cultural transformation does not happen through political crusades, social uprisings or trying to legislate morality. Real spiritual transformation only occurs when hearts are converted by the gospel of grace.
Scripture Reading: Romans 13:1-7
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 16) Love Like There is No Tomorrow
Summary: It seems strange that in the middle of a theological treatise on grace and salvation that Paul would tell his readers to submit to the government (Romans 13:1-7). In this lesson from Romans 13:8-14, we explore the historical setting behind Pauls words--the edict of Claudius. Christians need to be aware of their reputation before unbelievers. When we understand the message of grace, our hearts are stirred with love toward God and toward others. The reason we love others is not because of what tomorrow holds. Rather, because of Gods love for us we love others like there is no tomorrow.
Scripture Reading: Romans 13:8-14
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 17) How To Use Your Freedom
Summary: Sincere Christians dont always agree on questionable matters. On any issue of opinion there are always two sides: the abstainers and the partakers. In Romans 14, Paul gives timeless principles that should guide disciples of Jesus in how to interact with each other over questionable matters. Striking a careful balance, Paul warns against the tyranny of the weaker brother and the tyranny of the stronger brother. He encourages Christians to live in harmony and not force their opinions upon one another.
Scripture Reading: Romans 15:1-7
Series: Grace Changes Everything: A Series in Romans
Sermon: (Part 18) The Mission of Grace
Summary: As Paul concludes his letter to the Romans he greets numerous people who have been changed by the power of grace. The mission of grace is meant to inform not only the intellect, but to sink into our hearts and move us. Grace moves us to do things we would not normally do. In chapter 15:8-33, Paul shows how grace will move you to: (1) associate with people you would not normally associate with, (2) take risks you would not normally take, and (3) give in ways you would not normally give.
Scripture Reading: Romans 15:22-29