Bible Baptist Church, Clarksville, TN

Devotional

Day 1: From Stones to Grace

Saul gripped the coats as stones flew. Stephen’s final words pierced the chaos: “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” Blood stained the ground, but mercy hung in the air. Saul approved the killing, yet grace pursued him. Years later, blinding light halted his rage. Jesus asked, “Why persecutest thou me?” The terrorist became a trophy. [24:59]

Jesus interrupts rebellion. He didn’t debate Saul’s theology or list his crimes. He revealed Himself as the wounded King. Conversion began with a question, not a sermon. The man who hated Christ’s name would carry it to nations.

Your story may lack drama, but the same grace stops every runaway heart. What hatred or pride fuels your resistance? Whose forgiveness might Jesus be asking you to receive today? When did you last marvel that Christ chose you despite knowing your worst?

“And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”
(Acts 9:4-5, KJV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for interrupting your life with grace. Confess one way you’ve resisted His pursuit.
Challenge: Text one person today: “God’s grace still amazes me. How can I pray for you?”

Day 2: Witness at the Coat Pile

Stephen’s face glowed like an angel as he preached. The Sanhedrin covered their ears, dragged him outside, and hurled rocks. Saul guarded the coats, calculating his rise. But the dying man’s prayer etched itself in his memory: “Lord, receive my spirit.” Bloodied stones became seeds. [22:22]

Martyrs don’t argue—they testify. Stephen re-told Israel’s story, showing their pattern of rejecting God’s messengers. His killers fulfilled the pattern again, unknowingly setting Saul’s conversion in motion. Even violence serves God’s plans.

You’ll face resistance when speaking truth. But your calm faithfulness today might plant seeds harvested decades later. Is there a ‘Stephen’ in your life—someone whose Christlike response to injustice still haunts you?

“And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
(Acts 7:59-60, KJV)

Prayer: Ask for courage to speak truth when opposed. Name one person who needs to see Christ in you.
Challenge: Write down the name of someone hostile to faith. Pray for them daily this week.

Day 3: Ear Pierced by Love

Paul called himself Christ’s bondservant—a term rooted in Exodus. Hebrew servants gained freedom after six years, but those who loved their master chose lifelong service. The awl pierced their ear at the doorpost, marking voluntary surrender. Paul’s life bore that scar. [39:50]

Jesus needs volunteers, not conscripts. The bondservant’s mark wasn’t a brand of shame but a badge of love. Paul served not to earn grace, but because grace had wrecked him. His identity shifted from Pharisee to owned.

Your service flows from being loved, not earning love. What doorpost moment could mark your “awl decision” to serve Christ permanently? What practical act today would mirror Paul’s bondservant choice?

“And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master…I will not go out free: Then his master shall…bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.”
(Exodus 21:5-6, KJV)

Prayer: Tell Jesus, “I choose to stay.” Ask Him to rekindle your first love.
Challenge: Do one unnoticed act of service today—wash dishes, send an encouraging note, take out trash.

Day 4: Light in Nero’s Shadow

Roman believers met in homes under Nero’s shadow. Paul wrote them from Corinth, affirming their sainthood. Soon, some would burn as human torches. Yet he opened with grace and peace—heaven’s gifts to those walking through hell. Their light outshone empire. [01:06:53]

Sainthood isn’t earned—it’s declared. These Romans weren’t spiritual elites but ordinary people trusting Christ. Their dark city needed ordinary saints: bakers, soldiers, mothers. Persecution couldn’t extinguish their peace because it came from beyond Rome.

You’re a saint in a modern “Rome.” Your quiet faithfulness in daily work matters. Where does your ordinary life need to collide with gospel extraordinary this week?

“To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
(Romans 1:7, KJV)

Prayer: Thank God for making you a saint. Ask for boldness to live it at work or home.
Challenge: Invite one coworker/neighbor to church using the lobby invitation card.

Day 5: Grace’s Compelling Echo

Paul called the gospel “the power of God.” He’d seen it transform pagans in Corinth, philosophers in Athens, and now Romans. Twenty years post-conversion, he still marveled. Grace wasn’t a theory—it was the echo of Damascus Road that kept him going. [01:14:05]

The gospel isn’t a lecture but a lifeline. Paul’s resume (persecutor, Pharisee) became a contrast to highlight Christ’s power. Your past doesn’t disqualify—it showcases grace. Every testimony whispers, “If He changed me…”

Your story is someone else’s evidence. When did you last share it? Who needs to hear how grace interrupted your life?

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…”
(Romans 1:16, KJV)

Prayer: Ask God for one opportunity today to say, “Let me tell you what Jesus did.”
Challenge: Write your conversion story in three sentences. Share it with one person by Sunday.

Sermon Summary

Philippians 2 sets the frame. Christ takes the form of a servant, humbles himself unto death, and God highly exalts him so that every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord. The church gathers to do on earth what heaven will one day do everywhere, honoring the name above every name.

Acts then paints the backdrop for Romans. Stephen stands in a synagogue, full of faith and the Holy Ghost, recounts Israel’s story, exposes a stiff neck, sees the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God, and is stoned. Saul holds the coats and breathes out slaughter. But on the way to Damascus, Jesus interrupts. The risen Lord confronts him, melts his rage with grace, and turns a persecutor into a preacher. From Arabia to the nations, Paul spends twenty years watching the gospel make idolaters into worshipers and plant churches where there were none.

From Corinth he writes to Rome. Romans keeps changing lives because Romans is the gospel. It lays out both the need and the effect of the gospel. In 1:1-7, one long sentence, the text keeps pointing to the same center: the gospel of God concerning his Son.

Paul names his new identity and purpose. He is a servant, literally a bond servant. Like Exodus 21’s pierced ear, his life is marked by love, not mere duty. He is called to be an apostle and separated unto the gospel. That clarity looks forward. Not only separated from, but separated unto. Believers need horizon-clarity, not just rearview boundaries.

The gospel is truly good news in a world addicted to clickbait and the same old cycle of sin. Jesus pierced time and space, took sin to the cross, died, and rose again. Romans 1:3-4 insists the focus is a Person. Concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, seed of David according to the flesh, declared Son of God with power by the resurrection. Jesus is what makes the news newsworthy.

Grace received leads to mission. By Christ, Paul received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith among all nations, for his name. The Roman believers are beloved of God, called to be saints. So they should be who they be. In Rome’s dark, pagan power center, lights started popping on in house gatherings, and their faith was talked about everywhere. Grace and peace flow from the throne even when persecution looms on earth. Good news is not good if nobody hears it. So the call is simple and concrete: take a step, share an invite, get equipped, and tell someone. For those who have not believed, the door stands open. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. Believe and be saved.

Key Takeaways

1. The gospel gives a new identity. Paul calls himself a servant, a bond servant marked by love, not mere obligation. Union with Christ redefines who a person is before it reorders what a person does. Identity fuels obedience when the ear has been pierced by grace. [39:26]
2. Separated unto the gospel, not just from. Separation without horizon becomes stall. Paul is separated unto the gospel, which gives forward motion, not just backward avoidance. Clarity about purpose keeps a life from drifting into endless negatives. [43:51]
3. Jesus himself is the good news. The text centers on God’s Son, fully man and fully God, declared Son of God with power by the resurrection. Knowledge stockpiles can puff up, but seeing Christ humbles and sends. The gospel is news because Jesus lives. [54:44]
4. Grace received sends believers on mission. By Christ, grace and apostleship arrive for the obedience of faith among all nations, for his name. The gift creates a stewardship, not storage. Saints are called to be who they are, so faith becomes public and durable. [59:09]
5. Start small, take faithful steps. Good news is only good when heard, so small obedience matters. A single invitation card can be the first nudge out of fear and into mission. God uses simple seeds to grow gospel fruit. [69:18]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:30] - Christ Exalted: Philippians 2
[20:38] - Turn to Romans 1
[21:37] - Stephen’s Witness and Martyrdom
[27:20] - Damascus Road: Jesus Interrupts
[31:25] - Writing Romans from Corinth
[32:25] - Why Romans Still Changes Lives
[36:10] - A Four-Part Roadmap of Romans
[39:26] - Bond Servant and Separated Purpose
[50:59] - The One Good News Breakthrough
[54:19] - Concerning His Son, Jesus Christ
[59:09] - Grace Given For Global Obedience
[63:10] - Lights Rising In Dark Rome
[69:18] - Start Sharing: The One Card Challenge
[74:05] - Invitation to Believe the Gospel

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Romans 1:1-7 (ESV)
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Observation Questions

How does Paul describe his identity and purpose in Romans 1:1-2? What specific terms does he use?
According to Romans 1:3-4, what two aspects of Jesus’ nature are emphasized, and how is His divine sonship confirmed?
In the sermon, what Old Testament illustration (Exodus 21) was used to explain Paul’s identity as a “bond servant”? [39:26]
What practical example did the sermon give for sharing the gospel in everyday life? [01:09:18]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul emphasize his identity as a “servant” and “apostle” before explaining the gospel? How might this shape how believers view their own purpose?
What does it mean to be “separated unto the gospel” (Romans 1:1) rather than just “separated from” something? How does this distinction affect a believer’s daily focus? [43:51]
The sermon states, “Grace received leads to mission.” How does Romans 1:5 connect the gift of grace to the responsibility of sharing the gospel?
Why is the resurrection of Jesus central to declaring Him as the “Son of God with power” (Romans 1:4)? How does this truth combat a purely academic understanding of the gospel? [54:44]

Application Questions

Paul’s identity as a “bond servant” was marked by love, not obligation. What practical step could you take this week to serve others joyfully rather than out of mere duty?
The sermon challenged believers to focus on “what we’re separated unto” rather than just what we avoid. What is one area of your life where you need to replace a “rearview boundary” with a forward-moving purpose?
The “one card challenge” encouraged sharing an invitation to church or a gospel tract. Who is one person in your life you could invite or share with this week, and how will you follow through? [01:09:18]
The Roman believers’ faith was “talked about everywhere” because they lived out their identity. What habits or relationships could you cultivate to make your faith more visible and impactful in your community?
The sermon warned against letting knowledge “puff up” instead of humbling us. How can you prioritize knowing Christ more deeply over merely accumulating biblical facts? [54:44]
Saul’s rage was melted by grace, turning him into a preacher. Is there a situation or relationship where you need to rely on grace to replace anger or fear with bold love?
The gospel is only “good news” if it’s shared. What fear or obstacle holds you back from talking about Jesus, and how can you trust God’s grace to overcome it this month?

Sermon Clips

and he gave himself to redeem sinful man out of all of that. He came into all of that sinfulness and that folks is good news. That is a good message. We get caught up on the rise and fall of government. We get caught up on the rise and fall of economies. We get caught up on the rise and fall of gas prices. But there's some good news I got for you today. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. That's good news. That's good news to be believed. [00:51:38] (45 seconds) #ChristRedeemsSinners

Rather than just stalling out in life, move forward with purpose. Know what's on the horizon of where your life is to be focused and where it's to be headed. And notice in verse number two, Paul points him back again to that gospel and he says that this is something that God promised early on. This isn't some newfangled idea that just came up on a whim that God just all of a sudden kind of created. He's saying, no, this is going back a long time. God's been working on this for quite a while. [00:46:44] (36 seconds) #GospelHasAlwaysBeenPromised

And Paul is writing to these Roman believers and it is an encouragement to us as well to know that the gospel that you and I have received is not just meant to be kept and hidden, but it is meant to be shared with others. The gospel that has been given to us is to be lived out. You see folks, good news isn't good news at all if nobody knows about it. You can have a cure to the worst disease in the world, but if people don't know about it, that's not good news to them, is it? If it stays hidden, if it stays kept, what good is it? [01:07:00] (45 seconds) #ShareTheGoodNews

The Bible teaches that all Christians are saints. Everyone that has believed the gospel, that has trusted Jesus Christ is a saint of God. Called to be saints, he says. That's who we are. It's our identity. And I love how Paul says it right there that we're called saints and you know what we need to do? We need to be who we be. If you're a saint, be that. That's who you are. That's your identity. Be that. Be what God has made you. [01:00:48] (37 seconds) #CalledToBeSaints

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What new identity does the gospel give believers?

How does the resurrection declare Jesus as God?

What mission follows receiving the gospel of grace?