Experiencing God's Grace and Peace in Community
Summary
In this message, I emphasize the profound experience of grace and peace that Paul wished for the members of the church in Rome. It's not enough to merely study these concepts academically; they must be lived and experienced. Grace and peace come from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, highlighting the intimate relationship Christians have with God. This relationship is not universal; God is a Father to Christians, not to everyone. The doctrine of the Trinity is subtly introduced here, showing the equality of Jesus Christ with God the Father, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. This understanding elevates our worship and appreciation of God's grace, which is manifested through the giving of His only begotten Son.
Paul's gratitude for the Roman Christians is not directed at them but at God, acknowledging that their faith and existence as Christians are due to God's grace. This faith is not extraordinary but is significant because it is spoken of throughout the Roman Empire, illustrating the spread of Christianity and the encouragement it brings to believers everywhere. The mention of the "whole world" is a hyperbolic expression referring to the Roman Empire, emphasizing the widespread impact of their faith.
The presence of Christians in Rome, the heart of the empire, is a testament to the gospel's reach beyond the Jewish community to the Gentiles. It serves as a powerful reminder that the gospel is for all, and its presence in such a significant city underscores its transformative power. The spread of this news, without modern communication tools, highlights the self-advertising nature of a true revival. When the Holy Spirit moves, it naturally draws attention and spreads, demonstrating the power of God at work.
Key Takeaways:
1. Experiencing grace and peace is essential for Christians, beyond mere academic understanding. These gifts from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ signify a personal relationship with God, which is unique to believers. This relationship transforms our understanding of God from a distant creator to a personal Father. [21:35]
2. The doctrine of the Trinity is subtly woven into Paul's greeting, emphasizing the equality of Jesus Christ with God the Father. This understanding deepens our worship and appreciation of the divine nature of Christ and the Holy Spirit, who are co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. [24:41]
3. Gratitude for fellow believers should be directed to God, acknowledging that their faith and existence as Christians are due to His grace. This perspective shifts our focus from human efforts to divine intervention in the lives of believers. [28:20]
4. The spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire, particularly in Rome, highlights the gospel's reach beyond cultural and geographical boundaries. It serves as a powerful reminder that the gospel is for all people, transcending ethnic and social barriers. [37:44]
5. True revival and the work of the Holy Spirit do not require human advertising; they naturally draw attention and spread. This emphasizes the power of God at work, encouraging the church to focus on experiencing the Holy Spirit's power rather than relying on human efforts for publicity. [39:25]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[20:47] - Experiencing Grace and Peace
[21:35] - God as Our Father
[22:12] - The Unique Relationship with God
[23:38] - Doctrine of the Trinity
[24:41] - The Person of Christ
[26:24] - Grace and Truth through Christ
[27:04] - Gratitude for the Roman Christians
[28:20] - Thanksgiving Directed to God
[30:22] - Faith in the Roman Church
[32:21] - The Spread of Faith
[34:26] - Impact of the Roman Christians
[37:44] - Gospel for All
[39:25] - Revival and the Holy Spirit
[40:53] - Experiencing the Power of the Holy Ghost
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Romans 1:7-8
2. John 1:14-17
3. Matthew 28:19
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Paul wish for the members of the church in Rome, and from whom do these gifts come? [21:35]
2. How does Paul describe the relationship between God and Christians in his greeting to the Romans? [22:12]
3. What is the significance of the phrase "the whole world" in the context of the Roman Christians' faith being spoken of? [32:21]
4. How does the sermon describe the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire, particularly in Rome? [37:44]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the understanding of God as a personal Father, rather than a distant creator, transform a believer's relationship with Him? [23:21]
2. In what ways does the doctrine of the Trinity, as subtly introduced by Paul, deepen our worship and appreciation of God? [24:41]
3. Why is it important to direct gratitude for fellow believers to God rather than to the individuals themselves? [28:20]
4. How does the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire serve as a reminder of the gospel's reach beyond cultural and geographical boundaries? [37:44]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your personal experience of grace and peace. How can you move beyond an academic understanding to truly live and experience these gifts in your daily life? [21:02]
2. How do you perceive your relationship with God? Do you see Him as a distant creator or as a personal Father? What steps can you take to deepen this relationship? [23:21]
3. Consider the role of the Trinity in your worship. How can you incorporate a deeper understanding of the Trinity into your personal or communal worship practices? [24:41]
4. When you think of fellow believers, do you find yourself thanking them or God for their faith and presence in your life? How can you shift your focus to acknowledge God's grace in their lives? [28:20]
5. The sermon highlights the natural spread of the gospel without modern communication tools. How can you contribute to the spread of the gospel in your community today, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than human efforts? [39:25]
6. Reflect on a time when you heard about the faith of Christians in a challenging environment. How did it impact your own faith journey, and how can you share similar stories to encourage others? [37:44]
7. What specific actions can you take this week to experience the power of the Holy Spirit in your life and community, rather than relying on human efforts for publicity? [40:53]
Devotional
Day 1: Experiencing Grace and Peace in Daily Life
Grace and peace are not just theological concepts to be studied; they are profound experiences that transform the believer's life. These gifts from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ signify a personal relationship with God, unique to those who follow Christ. This relationship changes our understanding of God from a distant creator to a personal Father who is intimately involved in our lives. As Christians, we are invited to live in the reality of this grace and peace, allowing it to permeate every aspect of our existence. [21:35]
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally create space in your daily routine to experience and reflect on God's grace and peace today?
Day 2: The Trinity in Our Worship
The doctrine of the Trinity is subtly woven into Paul's greeting, emphasizing the equality of Jesus Christ with God the Father. This understanding deepens our worship and appreciation of the divine nature of Christ and the Holy Spirit, who are co-equal and co-eternal with the Father. Recognizing the Trinity in our worship elevates our appreciation of God's grace, manifested through the giving of His only begotten Son. It invites us to engage with each person of the Trinity in a meaningful way, enriching our spiritual lives. [24:41]
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you incorporate a deeper understanding of the Trinity into your personal worship and prayer life this week?
Day 3: Gratitude Directed to God
Gratitude for fellow believers should be directed to God, acknowledging that their faith and existence as Christians are due to His grace. This perspective shifts our focus from human efforts to divine intervention in the lives of believers. By recognizing God's hand in the faith of others, we cultivate a heart of thankfulness and humility, understanding that all good things come from Him. This gratitude not only honors God but also strengthens our community as we celebrate His work in each other's lives. [28:20]
"I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints." (Philemon 1:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life can you thank God for today, acknowledging His work in their faith journey?
Day 4: The Gospel's Reach Beyond Boundaries
The spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire, particularly in Rome, highlights the gospel's reach beyond cultural and geographical boundaries. It serves as a powerful reminder that the gospel is for all people, transcending ethnic and social barriers. The presence of Christians in Rome, the heart of the empire, is a testament to the gospel's transformative power and its ability to unite diverse groups under the lordship of Christ. This encourages believers to share the gospel boldly, knowing it is meant for everyone. [37:44]
"And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations." (Mark 13:10, ESV)
Reflection: Is there someone from a different cultural or social background with whom you can share the gospel this week?
Day 5: Revival and the Work of the Holy Spirit
True revival and the work of the Holy Spirit do not require human advertising; they naturally draw attention and spread. This emphasizes the power of God at work, encouraging the church to focus on experiencing the Holy Spirit's power rather than relying on human efforts for publicity. When the Holy Spirit moves, it naturally draws people to God, demonstrating His power and presence in a way that human efforts cannot replicate. This invites believers to seek a genuine encounter with the Holy Spirit, trusting in His ability to transform lives. [39:25]
"And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness." (Acts 4:31, ESV)
Reflection: How can you open yourself to the work of the Holy Spirit today, allowing Him to move powerfully in and through you?
Quotes
God forbid that anybody should attend these meetings with a kind of academic interest only and as a student saying I'm interested in definitions of Grace and peace it isn't the definition you need my friend it's the experience of it God forbid that you should ever look at the word of God objectively and say ah I'm a student of the word you it's a good thing to be a student of the word but in order to become a practicer and an experiencer of the word and it's no use talking about terms unless we know what they are in our experience experimentally Grace and and peace be unto you has it come to you [00:20:30]
God is father to the Christian he's not father to anybody else there's no such thing as the universal fatherhood of God in that sense God is the maker of all we all his offspring in that sense but he's not father ye said our Lord to the Jews one day are of your father the devil and the works of your father he will do but the Christian knows God as his father he's not merely the philosophic ex the absolute the Eternal no no he's his father not only God the Creator but his father now and personal Our Father [00:22:19]
Grace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ well what's interesting in the end you say well here is Doctrine here is profound Doctrine this little word end here just tells me two things it tells me that the Lord Jesus Christ is equal to God it tells me that Jesus of Nazareth was not only a man that he is the Eternal Son of God God the father and what can you put by the sight of God nothing but God you can't put a man by the side of God you can't put a power you can't put anything anything put by the sight of God must be equal with God [00:23:38]
Paul has already told us that he is born of the seed of David according to the flesh declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of Holiness and the little word end tells us all that in other words you see he's here declaring in this purely pastal bit of the letter in which he's just putting them right with them sending a salutation he suddenly brings in the whole amazing doctrine of the person of Christ the only begotten Son of God co-equal coeternal with the father God the father [00:24:41]
He gives thanks to God for them first he says I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world now at the moment you notice we are simply concentrating on what he says to the rans not what he says about himself I'll come back to that under my SEC second heading but here we are dealing with the second thing he says to the Romans and it is that he thanks God for them and notice again the importance of this looked at negatively you notice he doesn't thank them he thanks God for them [00:27:04]
He doesn't thank them for being what they are he doesn't thank them for having joined the church and for being faithful I never understand ministers who thank people for attending a service and to tell them what good and nice people they are we are not to be praised my friends it's God who to be praised if we are what we are he thanks God for them doesn't thank them ah yes but again you see we're in the midst of deep and profound Doctrine why does he thank God for them [00:28:20]
He's already told us isn't he in verse 6 and in verse 7 especially that first half of verse 7 to all that be in Rome Christians in Rome why are they Christians in Rome because they are beloved of God he's loved them not only that he's called them he set them apart so naturally when he comes to this question of Thanksgiving for the Christians at Rome the only one to thank is God he says of himself I am what I am by the grace of God and they are what they are by the grace of God so he thanks God for them [00:28:40]
He thanks God for the fact that they are what they are that they are Christians but you notice that in an special manner he thanks God for their faith I first I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all because that's the meaning of that because your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world now what does he mean by saying that he thanks God for their faith well I don't hold the view that he means here that they had some very unusual or special Faith there is such a thing as that isn't there [00:29:15]
The Apostle here is really thanking God for the fact these people are Christians and that thus they're exercising their faith in God through the Lord Jesus Christ but in particular he thanks God for this because this he says he spoken of throughout the whole world now here are interesting words again take this expression the whole world I must just cleansing word about that because you will often find in discussions with people about certain doctrines they tend to say things like this they say now when the Bible says World it means world and World means world and World means the whole world [00:31:55]
The world in fact in its biblical usage in a place like this means the Roman Empire the then known and civilized World there were people in the world then outside the Roman Empire there were people living then in China but they'd never heard of these things China wasn't known then it hadn't been discovered but there were people living there so you see the whole world does not mean every single individual everywhere throughout the world I'm simply referring to it for the reason I've given that we really must be careful when we come across a word like this word world [00:33:27]
The Apostle I say is rejoicing in the Fai that in the Civilized world the Roman Empire as then known there was rejoicing because these Christians were members of the church in Rome do you think he means everybody in the Roman Empire I don't I think he really is referring only to the members of the churches in different countries the whole world here probably means Christian people scattered throughout the Roman Empire part they were the only ones who would be interested in this the others some of them might have heard it casually but we are quite certain that every single Roman citizen everywhere had not heard it [00:34:26]
A Revival never needs to be advertised it always advertises itself you don't need to advertise the work of the Holy Spirit it is its own advertisement you read the history of the church when a Revival breaks out in a little group it doesn't matter how small the news spreads and curiosity is awakened and people come and say what is this can we partake in this how can we get hold of this men doesn't need to advertise it it becomes known it spreads throughout the whole world it had happened here this is Revival this is Pentecost this is the work of the Holy Spirit [00:39:25]
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