The Webster Bible Church Podcast

Renewed Thinking - Romans 12:3-8

"Believers are to use their gifts humbly and corporately to build up the body of Christ and bring glory to God."

 

1. Think Rightly About Ourselves Romans 12:3

 

2. Think Rightly About Fellow Believers Romans 12:4-5

 

3. Think Rightly About our Gifts Romans 12:6-8

Living Sacrifice - Romans 12:1-2

True worship entails dedicating your whole self to God.

 

1. The Appeal
Romans 12:1

 

True worship entails dedicating your whole self to God.

 

2. The Admonition
Romans 12:2a

 

"Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold."

 

We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18

 

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 5:14

 

3. The Aftereffect
Romans 12:2b

 

True worship entails dedicating your whole self to God.

 

Am I Saved?

What is Truth?

 

Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world-to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" 

 

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews...
John 18:37-38

 

None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.
Romans 3:10-12

 

And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth." When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.
Luke 18:18-23

 

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 
Ephesians 2:4-8

 

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' 
Matthew 7:21-23

 

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?-unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
2 Corinthians 13:5

 

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
1 John 5:13

 

1 - You Believe

 

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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Romans 10:9-10

 

2 - Your Life Is Changed

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17

 

In him [him being Christ] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14

 

3 - Your Love Is Active

 

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
1 John 4:11-12

 

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
John 13:34-35

 

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25

 

4 - You Face Persecution

 

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted
2 Timothy 3:2

 

5 - Your Conduct Increasingly Pleases God

 

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
1 John 3:9

 

 

 

 

 

Post Tenebras Lux ”After Darkness, Light” John 20:1-21

Seeing Jesus alive was the last thing his followers expected to see.

 

Vs. 1: Mary "saw that the stone had been taken away."

 

Vs. 5: John "saw the linen cloths lying there."

 

Vs. 6: Peter "Peter saw the linen cloths lying there..." (3 slide series)

 

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.
John 20:6 NLT

 

He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the 
dead...."
Luke 24:45-46

 

 

God’s Glorious Plan - Romans 11:11-36

"Hosanna in the highest!"

 

As it is written, '"God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day."
Romans 11:8 (cf. Isa. 29:10; Deut. 29:4)

 

God's Glorious Plan
Romans 11:11-36

 

Providential Strategy
Romans 11:11-16

 

This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from 
the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace.
Colossians 1:6 NLT

 

Privileged Status
Romans 11:17-24

 

"Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people producing its fruits."
Jesus Christ (Matt. 21:43)

 

So also Abraham "believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Galatians 3:6-9 NIV

 

Promised Salvation
Romans 11:25-32

 

Praise God for his marvelous plan to save all Israel!

 

Praise-filled Summary
Romans 11:33-36

 

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.
Romans 10:9 

 

 

 

 

The Remnant - Romans 11:1-10

This is what the Lord says: "Only if the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth below explored, will I reject all of Israel's descendants because of all they have done - this is the Lord's declaration."
Jeremiah 31:37

 

God has not rejected his people, "a remnant chosen by grace."

 

"It is not fitting that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables."
Acts 6:3

 

1. Always a remnant
Romans 11:1-5a

 

"For the LORD will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance."
Psalm 94:14 NLT

 

"For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself."
1 Samuel 12:22

 

In 1900, more than half the world's population (54.3%) was unevangelized. That has now fallen to 28%. - 2022 Status of Global Christianity report 

 

This year, 93 million copies of God's Word will be printed, up from 54 million in 2000 and 5 million in 1900. - 2022 Status of Global Christianity report 

 

Christianity is growing faster in Africa than any other place in the world, and more Christians live in Africa than any other continent. - 2022 Status of Global Christianity report

 

2. All of grace
Romans 11:5b-6a

 

3. Accounting for the rest
Romans 11:7-10

 

As it belongs to him to give eyes to see, and to enlighten minds by the spirit of judgment and understanding,
so he alone deprives us of all light, when he sees that by a wicked and depraved heart of the truth
we of our own accord wish for darkness.
- John Calvin

Good News For All - Romans 10:5-21

"But it is not as though the word of God has failed...." 
Romans 9:6

... They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 
1 Peter 2:8

Salvation is yours if you want it.

1. The Message of Salvation Romans 10:5-13

Because, 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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one con-fesses and is saved. 
- Romans 10:9-10

Confess with your mouth... Believe in your heart.... You will be saved. With the heart one believes... With the mouth one confesses....

2. The Messengers of Salvation Romans 10:14-15

Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages ... proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.... When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, 
because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are 
few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." 
Matthew 9:35-38

3. Those Missing Out on Salvation Romans 10:16-21

 

Believing, Not Achieving - Romans 9:30-10:4

To be right with God, you must bank on Jesus.

1. The Faith of the Gentiles (Rom. 9:30)

21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. Romans 3:21-22 NLT

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

2. The Failure of the Jews (9:31 - 10:3)

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his [God's] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 

3. The Fact of the Gospel (Rom. 10:4)

To be right with God, you must bank on Jesus.

Morality and religiosity kill spiritual life unless grounded in the gospel. ... Moral and religious activity are like radiation - very dangerous unless properly contained. The gospel is the container that lets us put morality and religious deeds to good use. - Daniel Doriani

God’s Purpose Of Election - Part 2 - Romans 9:14-20

Lord, 'tis not that I did choose you; That, I know, could never be,
For this heart would still refuse you Had your grace not chosen me.

 

Salvation depends ultimately on God's sovereign choice.

 

Mercy is God's to dispense as he wills.

 

God has the final say.
Romans 9:14-18

 

We do not.
Romans 9:19-21

 

"What if ...?"
Romans 9:22-29

 

"I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and has the sand that is on the seashore."
Genesis 22:17

 

If you are a Christian, then thank God - don't judge him.

 

If you are not a Christian, then receive Christ - don't reject him.

God’s Purpose Of Election - Part 1 - Romans 9:1-13

The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship 
him. John 4:24

PAUL'S ANGUISH: Most Jews are not saved Romans 9:1-5

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree." Galatians 3:13

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-everyone-to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5,6

PAUL'S ASSURANCE: God's Word has not failed Romans 8:6-13

a. God's choice of Isaac over Ishmael (vv. 7-9)

b. God's choice of Jacob over Esau (vv. 10-13)

Salvation depends ultimately on God's calling and nothing else.