Rub Some SOAP On It! - Pastor Steve Royalty

The congregation is urged into a posture of faithful witness: pray corporately for the city, hold fast to Jesus as the root of both justice and mercy, and deepen devotion through intentional engagement with Scripture. A call to prayer tonight models a church praying across the city and region, refusing partisan bite and choosing Christ’s way of both law and compassion. Communion is presented not as mere ritual but as the visible act that unifies believers around the body broken and blood poured out—the only lasting hope in times of chaos. Drawing on James 1, Scripture is described as a mirror that exposes what the heart hides; genuine faith moves from listening to obedient doing. Practical direction is given for converting reading into life change through SOAP—Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer—with concrete rhythms: pick a Bible plan, schedule times that fit personal rhythms, and give oneself grace in the narrow, long obedience of discipleship. Personal testimony illustrates how listening, persistence, and small acts of obedience sharpen the ear for God’s voice; hearing rarely arrives quickly but grows through repeated, disciplined practice. Finally, the community is invited to take a tangible next step—raise a hand, commit to a devotional rhythm, and receive prayer—so that the church might be a people who not only know truth but live it and lead others into it.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Choose Jesus over competing narratives Deep allegiance to Christ frees believers from choosing between false polarities. When Jesus is the center, justice and mercy become complementary practices rather than rival ideologies; Scripture and prayer shape priorities so actions are neither merely punitive nor naively sentimental. This posture reshapes public witness and personal response in tumultuous times. [05:18]
• 2. Communion unifies around Christ's sacrifice The Lord’s Supper gathers a fragmented people around one historical, transformative act: a body broken and a blood given for forgiveness. Shared remembrance reorients identity and compels unity, moving the church from factionalism toward covenantal belonging. Communion functions as both proclamation and practice of the gospel’s social power. [09:13]
• 3. Scripture acts as a revealing mirror The Bible exposes what habit or denial conceals, not to shame but to enable change. Looking honestly into that mirror makes repentance practical rather than theoretical, converting awareness into corrective action that leads to freedom. Regular reflection on the text trains moral sight. [33:07]
• 4. Practice SOAP to hear God Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer (SOAP) is a replicable discipline for turning reading into transformation. By asking what the text says, what it reveals about God and people, how life must change, and then praying it back to God, the reader invites the Spirit to translate truth into obedience. This method makes hearing God a skill, not a mystery. [45:12]
• 5. Hearing God demands disciplined persistence Hearing the Lord normally arrives by cumulative, steady obedience—“long, slow obedience in the same direction.” Moments of clarity usually follow years of tuning the heart; ordinary rhythms of Scripture and prayer create pathways for voice and guidance to grow clearer. Expect duration; practice devotion. [39:01]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [03:34] - Call to city-wide prayer
• [04:33] - Logistics: prayer points and plan
• [05:18] - Choosing Jesus: justice and mercy
• [08:11] - Communion as unity and hope
• [12:26] - Communion: remembrance and revival plea
• [28:15] - Revive series and personal rhythms
• [30:26] - James 1: Scripture as mirror
• [44:35] - SOAP explained: Scripture to prayer
• [56:33] - Practical plans, timing, and grace
• [81:16] - Commitment, prayer response, and blessing

Here is a Bible study guide based on the sermon summary and transcript:

Bible Reading

James 1:22-25 (ESV)
"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror, for he sees the kind of person he was and contrives to forget it immediately. But whoever looks into the perfect law, the law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not having become a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work—he will be blessed in his doing."

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV)
"For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, 'This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

Observation questions

1. James compares hearing the word without doing it to looking in a mirror and seeing something but then immediately forgetting it. What is the practical outcome of this kind of interaction with God's Word? [34:07]
2. The sermon mentions that the world wants us to choose sides between justice and mercy, but as followers of Jesus, we don't have to. What is the "one side" that believers are called to choose? [05:18]
3. Communion is described as a way to unify believers around a specific historical act. What are the two elements of communion, and what do they represent according to the sermon? [09:13]
4. The sermon emphasizes that hearing God's voice often comes through "long, slow obedience in the same direction." What does this phrase suggest about the nature of spiritual growth and understanding God's will? [42:12]

Interpretation questions

1. The analogy of the mirror in James 1 highlights the danger of self-deception when we hear God's Word but don't act on it. What are some ways people might "deceive themselves" by merely listening to Scripture without applying it? [33:43]
2. The sermon suggests that choosing Jesus means embracing both justice and mercy, rather than being forced into a false dichotomy. How does focusing on Jesus as the "root" of both justice and mercy help believers navigate complex societal issues? [05:18]
3. Communion is presented as a unifying act that reorients identity and compels unity. How does remembering Christ's sacrifice, the body broken and blood poured out, serve as a powerful force against factionalism within the church? [09:13]
4. The idea of "long, slow obedience in the same direction" implies a journey rather than an instant arrival. What does this perspective teach us about the process of developing a deeper ability to hear and follow God's voice? [42:12]

Application questions

1. The sermon encourages us to be "doers of the word, and not hearers only." [33:43] Think about a recent time you read or heard a passage from Scripture that called for a specific action. What was that passage, and what did you do (or not do) in response?
2. We are called to choose Jesus over competing narratives, embracing both justice and mercy. [05:18] In what specific area of your life or in your community are you currently feeling pressure to choose between what seems like justice and what seems like mercy? How can you intentionally seek Jesus' way in that situation?
3. Communion is a visible act that unifies believers around Christ's sacrifice. [09:13] As we approach the Lord's Supper, what is one specific way you can actively seek unity with others in the church, letting go of any personal grievances or divisions?
4. The Bible is described as a mirror that exposes what the heart hides, not to shame, but to enable change. [33:07] What is one area of your life where you might be avoiding looking honestly into the "mirror" of God's Word, and what small step could you take this week to face it with grace?
5. The SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) is offered as a practical way to convert reading into life change. [45:12] What is one tangible step you can commit to this week to implement the SOAP method into your personal devotional rhythm, even if it's just for one day?
6. Hearing God's voice is often described as a result of "long, slow obedience in the same direction." [42:12] What is one small, consistent act of obedience that you can commit to this week that aligns with following Jesus more closely, even if it doesn't feel like a dramatic breakthrough?
7. The sermon invites us to take a tangible next step in our devotional life. [01:21:16] What is one specific, actionable commitment you can make this week to deepen your engagement with Scripture and prayer, and how can you hold yourself accountable to that commitment?