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(This should be read in your best "2 a.m. infomercial" voice.)
Have you ever thought that Christianity is just too hard?
Have you ever wondered if it was worth all the hassle of being good?
Have you ever justified that doing the wrong thing was actually the right thing?
Well, then have I got a story for you! Sometime between now and Sunday, read Romans 3 and see if there is any part if the lesson they are learning that you can identify with. (I already did, so if I had to you do too!)
See ya Sunday!
Jeff
This week's "Reflection" by Gary Keith, Executive & Teaching Pastor
Flawed
Romans 2:17-29
This week we learned from Paul that religious activity leads to a flawed relationship with God. That instead of focusing on rituals, God is concerned with matters of our heart. One of the key problems with focusing on religious ritual was the found in verse 24 – “No wonder the Scriptures say, 'The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.'” That was then – what about today?
During the message I quoted some portions of the book “UnChristian” written by David Kinnaman. In this book Kinnaman makes the case that many non-Christians want nothing to do with Christianity because of the behavior of Christians. He says that Christians are best known for what they are against – “they are perceived as judgmental, anti-homosexual, too political, out of touch with reality, insensitive to others, hypocritical – saying one thing and doing another.” I see a strong connection with the words of Paul in Romans and what this book has revealed as reality today.
What do you think? Is that too harsh an observation? Is it right on? How do you think Christian’s got this reputation? What can be done to change this reputation? Let’s talk!
Flawed
Romans 2:17-29
Depending on how you look at it, religion can be either good or bad. I think most of us look on religious people in a good way, even if we don’t agree with their religion. I remember once listening to a TV interview with the Dali Lama and thinking that many of the things he professed are good, even though he was missing the Jesus part – the most important and really life-changing part. And then there is Billy Graham. Many all over the world know almost nothing about Christianity, but revere Billy Graham as a true man of God. This is the good side of religion as observed by society.
But religion has a dark side as well. Looking back on history we can see that religion has caused dissention and wars and inspired much violence against the human race. Religion is the subject of our passage this week. Paul talks directly to the Jews and their religious activity and offers a better way. As we learn how to “Define the Relationship” with God, this idea of religion versus relationship is at the very center of our passage. I look forward to seeing you this week as we explore this teaching from Paul.
Gary
This week’s “Reflection” by Jeff Taylor, Pastor of Teaching & Worship
Romans 2:16 And this is the message I proclaim that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone¹s secret life.
What feelings does that stir up inside when you read that? Fear? Apprehension? Hope (that it will never happen)? We all have the things in our life that have been tucked neatly (or maybe not so neatly) away so that we can look good to others. We tuck it away so we can come to church. We tuck it away so people won't be grossed out by it. We tuck it away because if we ignore it, it may just go away. At least, that's what we want to believe.
The reality is that as good as we look on the outside, and as together we may pretend to have it, each of us are broken. And when Satan convinces us that our brokenness should be kept secret, we begin a journey through darkness that he convinces us we need to face alone. But Jesus came to set us free. We are promised that we can be filled with the Holy Spirit and that light and darkness cannot co-exist. So we have a choice to make. Expose the secrets to the light and receive healing as promised in the book of James, or continue to walk in darkness, justifying that somehow our sin is different, or that God will just ignore it and let it pass.
I want to encourage you, as I did at the end of the service on Sunday, to find someone to confess your sin to. That you may be set free from your addiction, habit, mindset, etc...that keeps you walking in darkness. Resist the devil and he will flee, and some of you need to resist by refusing to keep your secret sin a secret any longer.
If you would like to talk with a pastor please feel free to call the church office. Or find a believing friend or person in a Bible study that you trust and allow them to accept and love you through the healing.
It is so easy to look around and condemn the sin in other people's lives. It is easy to view the sinful actions of others, shake our head, and think how displeased God must be with their actions. The sins of others are ALWAYS worse or a bigger deal than the sin in our own lives...right?
This week as we venture into Defining the Relationship with God in Romans chapter 2:1-16, Paul doesn't pull any punches as he addresses the mindset of believers who are quick to call out the sins of others, but are unwilling to see the secret sin in their own life.
Read through Romans 1:1-2:16 as we prepare to hear God's word for the secret sin in each of our lives, and the destruction that comes from trying to hide the sin that God sees anyway.
See ya Sunday,
Jeff
This week’s “Reflection” by Gary Keith, Executive & Teaching Pastor
Broken
Romans 1:18-32
“How’s that workin’ for you?” is a common way Dr. Phil responds to guests on his show after they have just explained the mess they are in and how they are handling it. I couldn’t help but think about that as I reflected on the sermon for this week. Paul paints a very clear picture of why we are a broken people and the results of our brokenness in our relationship with God and with people.
Probably the most remembered and controversial part of Paul’s words in this passage is God’s view of homosexual behavior. I know this is a controversial subject to talk about and I also know that the church in America hasn’t done a very good job at representing God on this issue. I say that because God does not rate one sexual sin any different than any other – whether it be sex before marriage, sex outside of marriage, or homosexual behavior – all sexual sin is seen the same way by God, and yet the church seems to put more emphasis on homosexual behavior than adulterous behavior. I think this is inaccurate.
Why is it that people who sin by having sex before marriage or are involved in adultery feel more accepted in church than gay people? I’d like to hear your thoughts on this.
Also if you are gay and believe your were born that way and then read in the Bible that homosexual behavior is a sin, how does that cause you to think about God? I wonder about that as well.
This subject of brokenness affects all of us in some way – if you’re willing use this blog to reply to these questions or share something else that is on your mind.
Next week: Romans 2:1-16
This week we start a new series called “Define the Relationship.” It’s a study of the first five chapters of the New Testament book of Romans. For many, going to church is simply a religious activity. These people would more than likely define God as a distant being who makes rules for everyone to follow. If you follow these rules religiously, then all will be well; if you don’t, well that’s a whole other story.
It wasn’t until I went through a personal crisis in my early twenties that I began to really seek something more than religious activity. And in my seeking I found that God wanted not religious activity, but a personal relationship with His people – including me. In this series we will explore the different dimensions of our relationship with God. What is God like? How has He revealed Himself to us? What does He want from us? What does it mean to have a relationship with Him? What can I expect if I put my trust in Him? What about my sin and His holiness? How does that work?
As we start our series this week we will look at the broken condition of our relationship with God. May I suggest that you read Romans chapter one. We’ll focus on verses 18-32.
Also be praying for the 18 million Christian Egyptians as their country experiences much uncertainty during this revolution.
Gary
