"Sola Fide" (Romans 4:1-16)

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Exactly 507 years ago this week, German monk Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of his local church in Wittenberg, Germany. This began what became known as the Protestant Reformation - and it is how, in God's Providence, we are worshiping Christ in 2024 at Ruggles. Central to the Protestant Reformation was recovering the biblical teaching from our passage this Sunday - that we are justified, or made righteous, before God not by our works, but by faith alone. We'll see this Sunday what revolutionized and reformed the Church, and why "sola fide" is such glorious good news for us today!

"More Than Forgiveness" (Romans 3:21-31)

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This Sunday's passage is a detailed x-ray of how God saves us in the gospel. Significantly, we'll see that God's gift to us in the gospel is much more than forgiveness! Here the Apostle Paul paints a picture of our salvation with words like "righteousness," "grace," "justification," "law," "redemption," and "propitiation." Finally, we'll see why continuing to believe and boast only in the gospel is a crucial antidote to our pride, our anxiety, and our relationships with others.

"Guilty As Charged" (Romans 3:1-20)

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So how bad is it really? This Sunday we come to the Apostle Paul's climactic conclusion about the depth and breadth of humanity's sin and rebellion against God. The truth is, all are sinners deserving the death penalty. We are guilty as charged by God, the only just judge. We'll see not only how bad it is but also the benefit to reading this sweeping judgment against us. 

"A Matter of the Heart" (Romans 2:17-29)

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How do you know that you're a Christian? This is a simple but relevant question, because Scripture is clear that it's possible (even common) for people to be deceived about their relationship with God--particulaly "religious" people with a background in church. And this is who the Apostle Paul addresses in our passage this Sunday. We'll see the reality of false assurance and the defining factor of true salvatoin in Christ. It's a matter of the heart.

"The Perfect Judge" (Romans 2:1-16)

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It's so easy to be judgmental of others' sins while overlooking our own. In our passage this Sunday, the Apostle Paul says the wrath of God is not only on "unreligious" sinners but it falls justly on hypocritical "religious" sinners, too! So how can we discern what is right, both for ourselves and others, without falling into judgmentalism? 

"The Heart of Gospel Ministry" (Romans 1:8-15)

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What does the Christian life look like? Last week we began the book of Romans, and we saw the Apostle Paul's calling--and our calling--is to be set apart for Christ and his gospel. But what does that mean practically? We'll see in this week's passage that believing the gospel should motivate us to share this good news with others.

"The Charge of the Church" (Matthew 28:16-20)

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What is the church for? We'll remember and consider anew this Sunday Jesus' "Great Commission" for his church. What is our role in Christ's mission, both as individuals and as a church, and how do we accomplish this task we've been given?

"So, is it really good?" (Genesis 1-3)

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When people encountered Jesus, they noticed His kindness, the gracious words that came out of his mouth, His compassion for people. Jesus was someone you wanted to learn from and to hang out with. There was something about Him that drew you in.  He wasn’t like other people.  Jesus somehow consistently lived a beautiful life?  

Are you living a beautiful life?  How do we even define a beautiful life in 2024, given the numerous options and definitions swirling around us?  Regardless of the definition you choose, why does it end up producing selfish people, who don’t act like Jesus, even those who believe in him?  How did it all go so wrong?  To answer these questions we need to go back to beginning, to the garden of Eden and allow God to unpack this dilemma for us.

"I Shall Not Be Shaken" (Psalm 62)

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What does a faithful response to difficult times look like? What or who do we turn to when we feel personally attacked or threatened? Psalm 62 shows us that only God is a trustworthy refuge in troubled times. How is this Psalm fulfilled by Christ and how does David's contemplation instruct us today as we read it?

"My God is YHWH" (1 Kings 17:1-24)

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You and I have probably gone through seasons of lack or situations that didn’t make any physical or spiritual sense, yet Scripture still edifies us to trust God, his will, and his providential power. I love to call such seasons “deserts”. What does trust in God’s providence look like in these seasons? Journey with Elijah in 1 Kings 17 and see why we can dare to trust God again! 

"How To Live With No Fear" (Psalm 27)

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What do you fear in your life? Or better yet, who do you fear? It can be so easy for us to live life accepting that fear is an integral part of our day to day lives, but the Bible offers a different approach. This Sunday we will go through Psalm 27 and understand the truth that we can live lives without fear by putting our confidence and trust in God and His will, even when we face attacks by our enemies.

"Faith in God's Will" (Genesis 48:1-22)

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Have you ever considered what you might say on your deathbed? What would be your last words? In all of the Jacob’s long life it is what happens on his deathbed that the New Testament book of Hebrews records as his greatest act of faith. We’ll see how Jacob trusted in God’s will, God’s plan, and God’s choice even more than his eyes could see.

"Comfort for the Crossroads" (Genesis 46:1-34)

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What do you do when you come to a crossroads in your life? A crucial decision that must be made that will have far-reaching consequences. How do you discern God's will in it? In Sunday's passage, Jacob comes to his own crossroads--the edge of the Promised Land--and he is afraid. What comfort does the Lord offer him? What does He offer us? We'll consider this as we continue the story of Joseph: the favorite son, rejected by his brothers, thought to be dead, but is alive to bring salvation to his family.