Sermon Notes 11-29-2015

The Road to Romans!

The hard way (impossible way) or the easy way (the only way)

Romans 10:5–11 (NLT)

⁵For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.

⁶But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth).

⁷And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).”

⁸In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:

⁹If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

¹⁰For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

¹¹As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

The Jews were at a crossroad, the hard way (their old way of doing things) that was impossible. Or the easy way (the only way to heaven through Christ). Paul continues to show them through the old Testament that God had reveled his plan to them and they didn’t see it. This reinforces to us to keep in Gods word, stay close to him.

The hard way!

⁵For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands.

·      Keeping all the commands

·      Never straying

·      Never breaking just one little law

·      EVER

Gut check time!

·      How are you doing?

·      You shall have no other gods before Me.'

·      You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'

·      You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.'

·      Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.'

·      Honor your father and your mother.'

·      You shall not murder.'

·      You shall not commit adultery.'

·      You shall not steal.'

·      You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.'

·      You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.'

So how are you doing?

·      Ever break any

·      How about today?

·      Without Jesus, this is the only other way

·      And its impossible

Jesus said:

Matthew 22:36–40 (NLT)

³⁶“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

³⁷Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’

³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment.

³⁹A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

⁴⁰The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Where are you at with the saving Grace of Jesus?????

The easy way!

⁶But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth).

⁷And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).”

Its not hard!

He is again quoting the old (Deuteronomy 30;11-14)

·      You don’t have to go looking for it

·      Try to be perfect

·      You don’t need to have someone intercede for you

·      The way through Jesus is the path of least resistance

·      And unfortunately the path less traveled

·      There is scripture throughout the old testament pointing the way

Isaiah 35:8 (NLT)

⁸And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there.

·      Its forecasting a time when Jesus will usher in a new and perfect redemption

·      Its laying the foundation for a new way, a new purpose

·      Its setting the stage for Gods continuing ever evolving plan

The word is near you!

He is telling of a time when the holy spirit will descend upon all who believe!

⁸In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach:

three scripture point to this!

Deuteronomy 30:14 (NLT)

¹⁴No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.

Jeremiah 31:33 (NLT)

³³“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Isaiah 59:21 (NLT)

²¹“And this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the Lord, have spoken!

Jesus said it!

Luke 17:21 (NLT)

²¹You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”

Matthew Henry: When we speak of looking upon Christ, and receiving Christ, and feeding upon Christ, it is not Christ in heaven, nor Christ in the deep, that we mean; but Christ in the promise, Christ exhibited to us, and offered, in the word.

·      Its not what you do

·      Or how you act

·      Or what you wear

·      Its who words are on your heat

·      That speaks for you, when you cant

·      We need to be

o   Looking for Jesus

o   We need to receive Jesus

o   We need to feed on the life of Jesus for our nourishment

o   We need to be thirsty of everything Jesus!

The key to it all!!!!!

Romans 10:9 (ESV)

⁹because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

·      Confess

·      Repent

·      Believe

·      Jesus does the rest!

·      How simple is that!

·      No more pretending to be something you’re not

·      No more boxes to check

·      No more guilt

·      No more same

·      Just the light of Jesus, covering your sin, your mistakes, your blemishes

·       

¹⁰For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

·      WOW!

·      Its always been a heart issue

·      Searching your own heart

·      Dealing with Jesus one on one

·      Letting him in

·      Believing with everything you have that he is the answer

Back to what Jesus said!

Romans 10:11 (ESV)

¹¹For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

·      No more worrying about what everyone else thinks

·      The most important relationship you will ever have is Jesus

·      The first person you get advice from

·      The one you lean on

·      The one you count on

·      Other may fail you, Jesus wont

·      All he wants is your whole heart!