We His People - We Believe

We His People - We Believe

Dave Riddle - 9/3/2023

Key Passage: John 3:14-16

You may have heard “Hope is not a strategy”

• There is some truth to that popular saying.

• But hope IS an essential part of our faith.

• 1 Corinthians 13:13

• Hebrews 11:1-3

• Romans 15:13

We Believe

• We are people of faith.

• John 3:14-16

• Ephesians 2:8-9

• Saved by faith though grace.

• Romans 5:1-2

• Faith and hope

We often struggle to live by faith

• So often, we walk by what we see, know, and feel, rather than walking by faith.

• Galatians 2:20

• 2 Corinthians 5:7

• walk = peripateo (Greek: περιπατέω) literally: to tread all around, walk at large. Figuratively: to live, to make one’s way, to regulate one’s life, to conduct oneself

• Are you living in a manner consistent with your confident belief in God’s promises?

• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

• We do not focus on what is seen!

On what our whom do you set your eyes?

• What/who are you chasing?

• Are we people who live by faith?

• Romans 8:24-25

The Canaanite Woman’s Faith 

• Matthew 15:21-28

• Great faith is powerful

The Disciples failure to heal

• Matthew 17:14-21

• Little faith is powerful

The Fiery Furnace

• Daniel 3

• We have faith even if God doesn’t answer our prayers.

• We have faith even in death.

Do you believe?

• John 11:25-26

Pray for Me!

***We’re sorry to say that this week’s message was not recorded due to some technical difficulties. The notes from the message can be found below and we hope to be back up and running with audio next week. We’re sorry for the inconvenience! ***

Pray for Me!

Dave Riddle - 2/23/20

Key Passage: Romans 15:30-33

Paul’s Passionate Plea

• Romans 15:30 - “I appeal to you”

  • “Appeal”: parakaleō (Greek: παρακαλέω) - to beg, entreat, beseech. 

• Romans 15:30 - “strive together with me”

  • synagōnizomai (Greek: συναγωνίζομαι) - agonize together, struggle in company  with, to labor fervently, i.e. (figuratively) to be a partner (assistant):—strive together with. Used to describe ancient Olympic wrestlers.

• Why don’t we ask for prayer in this way?

  • Pride? Unbelief?

Paul’s Specific Requests

• Related to Jerusalem

  • Protection

    • Romans 15:31 - “pray that I may be rescued...”

  • Reception

    • Romans 15:31 - “pray... that my ministry will be acceptable to the saints”

    • Why is Paul asking this?

      • The offering we talked about last week.

      • There was some tension between Paul and the Jewish believers who felt that he had devalued his Jewish heritage.

• Related to Rome

  • Arrival

    • Romans 15:32 - “that, by God’s will, I may come to you with joy.”

      • He has been prevented many times from visiting them already (Romans 15:23b)

  • Rejuvenation 

    • Romans 15:32 - “refreshed together with you.”

Paul’s prayer for them:

• God’s Serene Presence

  • Romans 15:33 - “May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen”

  • eirēnē (Greek: εἰρήνη) - peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord. The tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is 

How does the story end?

• we can assume the Roman believers prayed along with Paul for these things.

  • Most likely an answered prayer

• We don’t know how the Jewish believers accepted Paul’s gift.

  • From what we can see this gift didn’t appear to have caused any problems. 

    • Most likely an answered prayer.

• Was Paul protected?

  • A mixed bag of answered and unanswered prayers.

    • He went through some terrible things and was protected from some terrible things.

• Did Paul arrive in Rome safely?

  • An answered prayer, but not in the way Paul expected. 

    • Paul arrived, but as a prisoner after a long and harrowing journey.

Paul’s Apostolic Travel Plan

Paul’s Apostolic Travel Plan

Dave Riddle - 2/16/20

Key Passage: Romans 15:22-29

What Was

• Romans 15:23b - ...I have strongly desired for many years to come to you...

  • He never allows his personal desires to override his calling.

  • Taking the gospel to those who had never heard it was Paul’s primary objective.

What Is

• Romans 15:23a - But now I no longer have any work to do in these regions...

  • There was still a lot of work to be done, but Paul’s work was finished.

    • He had planted churches, trained leaders, and empowered believers.

• Romans 15:25 - Right now I’m traveling to Jerusalem to serve the saints...

  • Why was the church in Jerusalem so impoverished?

    • Potentially as a result of their extreme generosity (as seen in Acts 2 & 4).

• Romans 15:26-27 

  • Paul acknowledges the importance of the Jerusalem church in the planting and thriving of churches all around the Mediterranean.

    • He is asking now for those churches to bless the Jerusalem church in the midst of their great need.

What‘s Next

• Romans 15:28 - I will visit you on the way to Spain.

  • Spain was one of the furthest reaches of the Roman government at the time

    • Many Jews, few Christians.

    • A place ripe for the gospel.

  • A tremendously long and difficult journey.

• Romans 15:24 - I hope to see you when I pass though and to be assisted by you...

  • He isn’t staying long.

  • He anticipates being “filled up” by their fellowship and support.

What’s For Sure

• Romans 15:29 - ...I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

  • He takes the focus off himself and places it on Jesus.

What do we take away?

1. Paul’s preoccupation with the Gospel

2. The importance he places on people in need.

3. The importance Paul places on the mutual benefit we have in building each other up.

Paul's Apostolic Recap

Paul’s Apostolic Recap

Dave Riddle - 2/09/20

Key Passage: Romans 15:14-21

Notes to His Readers

Affirmation

• Romans 15:14

  • you are full of goodness and knowledge

Challenge

• Romans 15:15

  • nevertheless... remember
    

Description of His Ministry 

Priestly

• Romans 15:16

  • a priest of the gospel.

  • Offering his gentile converts up to God as a living sacrifice.

    • Acceptable and pleasing

Supernatural

• Romans 15:18-19

  • His ministry is not about his own talent or intellect, but what God is doing through him.

Good News

• Romans 15:19-20

  • Paul’s one desire was to be obsessed with the good news of Jesus Christ.

  • Everything that we have to offer the world is rooted in the good news

Trailblazing

• Romans 15:20

  • Taking the gospel where it’s never been before!

Do you have a clear picture of what God is calling you to do?

Romans - The Weak and The Strong

The Weak and The Strong

Dave Riddle - 1/26/20

Key Passage: Romans 14:1-15:13

In this context, “the weak” are most likely Jewish Christians who are hung up on strict dietary and ceremonial laws.

Full and Total Acceptance

• Romans 14:1

  • Welcome them and don’t quarrel over opinions!

  • “Welcome” - proslambanō (προσλαμβάνω) take hold of; bring along; lead aside; welcome; gather together; take as ones helper; partner. 

  • Love them.

• Romans 14:2

  • Freedom vs. strict adherence 

No Contempt or Condemnation

• Romans 14:3-13a

  • We can’t allow minor disagreements to cause division among us.

  • We welcome them:

    • Because God does.

    • Because of Christ’s work

    • Because they’re our brothers and sisters.

    • Because we will ALL stand before God’s judgement some day.

Seek Peace and Health, not Stress and Destruction

• Romans 14:13b-23

  • 14:13 - don’t cause stress and strife

  • 14:19 - pursue peace and build others up.

Choose to Support Others More than Satisfying Self

• Romans 15:1-13 

  • 15:1 - the strong have an obligation to bear the weakness of the weak.

  • 15:2 - how do my choices impact others and help them grow in their faith?

Practical exhortations built on theological foundations.

Therefore...

• Romans 15:7

  • Accept (proslambanō) one another, just as Christ also accepted (proslambanō) you!

The Will of God

The Will of God

Charles Bai - 10/13/19

Key Passage: Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2

• The will of God... is good acceptable and perfect

  • Good: Luke 18:19 - no one is good except God alone.

  • Acceptable: Matthew 3:17 - This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

  • Perfect: Revelation 4:11 - all things created by the will of God

Matthew 6:9-13

• When we pray we need to think about three things.

  • The name of God

    • Holy

  • The Kingdom of God

    • Will come

  • The Will of God

    • On Earth as it is in Heaven

Matthew 7:21

• 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.

  • So, what IS the will of God?

1 Thessalonians 4:3

• For this is the will of God, your sanctification...

  • Sanctification

    • To be made holy

    • To be set apart

How are we sanctified?

• by the Holy Spirit

  • Romans 15:16

• Through the truth of God’s word

  • John 17:15-17

    • Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

  • Read the word of God!

Ephesians 4:24/Colossians 3:10

• “Put on the new self/new man...”