May 25, 2025

Background:

• Paul wrote this letter to Rome
• Paul yearned to reach places where Christ was not known
• Paul hoped to go beyond Rome
• Paul gave the Christians in Rome the opportunity to digest his message before his arrival
• His letter was systematic and comprehensive
• It sets forth the mystery of God's love for us

Key Sermon Points:

1. God is for us

• Sometimes people we think would be there for us aren't
• That's not the case with God
• If God seems to be far away, then it's because we have moved away from god and not the other way around
• We must remain faithful to God
• The more we pray and have a daily devotion, the closer we feel to God
• It is certain that God is for us
• God's power enables us to defeat our enemies

2. Can God forsake us?

• God can never forsake us
• We have to meditate on the Word day and night
• God has conditions on our faithfulness
• We are in a spiritual war...even our flesh wars against us
• Sometimes there are stumbling blocks in our way, but we must persevere and forsake the body because it's all about Him
• God is faithful to give us all that we need (Psalm 37)
• It's important to trust in the Lord
• No one can snatch us from God's hands  (John 10:28-29)
• God freely gives to us because he loves us
• God is love
• Just as we didn't earn salvation, we cannot earn his protection (Romans 8:32)
• We are justified by Christ Jesus
• Grace causes us to receive a new nature in Christ...and the old nature is gone
• God imputes righteousness to us despite the fact that we do not have any good works on our own (Romans 4:5-6)
• God remakes us unto good works (Ephesians 2:10)
• He heals us in his time, but his grace is sufficient
• He gives us strength to endure

3. God guarantees grace to us

• Don't worry about what others say or think of you...it's all about God
• It's God's opinion that matters
• Tribulation from outside situations, inner depression, persecution, famine, peril shall never separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:35)
• Family and friends may desert you, but God is still there and won't leave us
• God has the last say no matter who is over you
• It's all about God and what he is going to do
• Paul states that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers...can separate us from the love of Jesus
• God's love is deeper and higher than anything!
• No matter where we are or what we are going through God is going to be there for us
• We can call on God no matter what
• We have all experienced separation...some temporary and some permanent
• The separation because of death can be the most difficult and hurtful
• The greatest separation that man has experience was with Adam and Eve with the separation from God introduced by sin
• If we are in the body of Christ, then death is only temporal and we will be reunited with God
• We have to trust God because we already have victory in Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:35-49)
• When we die, it's not done...our spirit will live forever with Christ
• We have hope in Christ Jesus
• It's a blessing to have a relationship with God
• When that relationship gets strong, we get stronger in him
• No matter what we are going through, we can call on the Lord because of our relationship with him
• It's about God's love
• We will go through a lot of things, but God is in control
• We have to give him all...and he will give us joy and a peace that passes all understanding
• God is faithful
• Without faith it is impossible to please God