Sunday Talks

INTRODUCTION Well guys, we live in a world that feels completely unstable, don’t we?  Nations rage. Leaders posture. Headlines change every few minutes. Social media just amplifies the fear and the outrage because it feels like everyone is fighting for control—politically, culturally, and personally.  If it feels "pretty jacked up out there," that's because it is. Last week in Psalm 1 , we talked about the Compass. We saw that life is a journey, and every journey requires dir

INTRODUCTION Well guys, as we step into this new year, most people are thinking about goals and resolutions. But as we kick off this new series, Life Compass , Psalm 1 reminds us of something deeper. It’s not just about what you want in life—it’s about the path you choose. You see, good intentions do not guarantee a good destination. A compass matters more than enthusiasm. If you are running 90 miles an hour in the wrong direction, you are just getting lost faster! Psalm 1 ac

INTRODUCTION Well guys, we’ve made it. We have walked through the depths of human sin and climbed the heights of God’s saving grace in this letter. It’s been quite a ride, hasn't it? We’ve seen that we are justified by faith alone, transformed by the renewing of our minds, and united as one body in Christ. But Paul doesn't end Romans with just a "feel-good" altar call. He ends with a sending call. But you know, Paul is like that friend who says he’s leaving the party but then

INTRODUCTION Last week in Romans 13, Paul called believers to live as transformed people out in “the wild” as I like to call it. Our faith is to shape how we live in society. We saw three big things: We are to submit to governing authorities. To love our neighbors. To live honorably in a watching world. But now in Romans 14, Paul turns the lens inward. Because even if we live well before the world, our witness can still be damaged if we tear one another apart inside the churc

INTRODUCTION If Romans 12  taught us how to live as transformed believers before one another , Romans 13  teaches us how to live as transformed believers before the watching world . Inside the church, it’s easy to talk about love, unity, grace, and harmony. That’s how it’s supposed to be, right?  The church is meant to be a place where we love one another, honor one another, and outdo one another in showing kindness. But the challenge comes when we step outside  the walls of

Introduction: Last week in Romans 11 , Paul showed us the overwhelming mercy of God — a mercy big enough to keep His promises to Israel, wide enough to welcome in the Gentiles, and deep enough to humble every one of us. Paul ended the chapter with a doxology: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.” Romans 12 opens by saying: Because God’s mercy is this big… your whole life should respond. The gospel doesn’t just change our status  before God —it changes the

INTRODUCTION Last week, we looked closely at Paul’s powerful message in Romans 10 : The gospel is near It’s accessible Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved We saw that salvation isn’t earned — it’s received by faith...And we were reminded that this good news must be shared, because faith comes by hearing the Word of Christ . But after announcing this wide-open invitation to salvation, Paul knows an important question remains — a question heavy on his Jewis

INTRODUCTION Have you ever noticed how complicated we make the things God made simple? We create steps… systems… ladders… checklists. We love to measure ourselves, compare ourselves, and try to prove ourselves. We may even create spiritual report cards— “Did I pray enough? Read enough? Behave enough?”  But when it comes to salvation, Paul reminds the church in Rome that God has brought the gospel near—as near as your mouth and your heart. Romans 10 is Paul’s heartbeat: That p

INTRODUCTION Have you ever made a plan that didn’t turn out the way you hoped — even though you did everything right? Maybe it was a career path that suddenly closed, a relationship that didn’t last, or a dream that seemed to crumble despite your best efforts. You did everything you could, but the outcome just wasn’t what you expected. That’s a glimpse of how Paul feels in Romans 9–10 as he looks at the nation of Israel — his people, his heritage, his heart. Israel had every

INTRODUCTION Have you ever tried so hard to do the right thing, only to fail again? Maybe you made promises to change — promises to be more patient, to stop losing your temper, to finally break that habit — but somehow, you found yourself right back in the same pattern. You meant well. You wanted to do better. But something inside kept pulling you back. That’s exactly what Paul describes in Romans 7 . He’s not talking about a minor struggle or a moment of weakness — he’s desc