The church I serve at, Central Peninsula Church, just finished a year long teaching series through the book of Romans. At the end of a series, I’m always a little sad and a little happy. Sad, that it’s over. Hours and hours of prep work went in to preparing each sermon and now it’s over. Happy, because, well, it’s over! Studying this book has been tremendous, but far from easy. I was ready to move on to our next series.
Many writers and theologians have talked about the importance of this book. Here are a few (Thanks to Shawn Peterson for these):
Tim Keller-“The book of Romans is the most sustained explanation of the heart of the gospel, and the most thrilling exploration of how that gospel goes to work in our hearts.”
Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Welsh preacher from the 20th Century)-“It (Romans) is one of the brightest gems of all. Someone has said that in the whole of the Scriptures the brightest and the most lustrous and flashing stone, or collection of stones, is this Epistle to the Romans, and that of these [chapter 8] is the brightest gem in the cluster.”
English pastor John Stott-“It was Paul’s devastating exposure of universal human sin and guilt in Romans 1-3 which rescued me from that kind of superficial evangelism which is preoccupied only with people’s felt needs.”
Augustine describes his experience of reading Romans as this-“It was as if a light of relief from all anxiety flooded into my heart. All the shadows of doubt were dispelled.”
It was by reading Romans 1:17 that Martin Luther had a break through that led to the Protestant Reformation. As a German monk he was taught that God required him to live a righteous life in order to be saved. He had grown to hate God for requiring him to do what he couldn’t do. So when he read “In the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last”, he had what he called, a break through. The Holy Spirit spoke to his heart and revealed the beautiful message of the Gospel. That experience has changed millions of people’s lives since then because Luther led the way for every Protestant church.
So, if you are bored and have some time, here are all 15 sermons I did on Romans (I did not preach on every passage) and the sermon’s big idea (main point). Enjoy!
Big Idea: Encouragement comes from prayer, faith and fellowship.
Big Idea: We are worse than we think.
Big Idea: You’re not as good as you think.
Big Idea: We are made right with God (justified) by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Big Idea: Faith always looks at problems in light of God’s promises.
Big Idea: You are no longer a slave of sin but a slave of God.
Big Idea: Jesus has rescued us from sin, but the struggle with it remains.
Big Idea: God will bring glory out of our groaning.
Big Idea: Absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ.
Big Idea: The Gospel is for everybody, but not everybody receives it.
Big Idea: God won’t give up on His people, he’s faithful!
Big Idea: Real love is loving like Jesus.
Big Idea: Submitting to authority will allow God to direct and protect our lives.
Big Idea: Welcome people the way Jesus welcomed you.
Big Idea: The mission of the church is to GO, GIVE and PRAY.
Big Idea: The goal of theology is doxology!
Pastor Rob Hall 