No Apologies - "Trust The Story" - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

When in Romans - "Can We Trust God's Plan?"

Romans 9:2 – 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. Romans 10:1 – 1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning them is for their salvation.  SERMON TITLE: “CAN WE TRUST GOD’S PLAN” 1. OUR *STABILITY IS IN GOD’S *SOVEREIGNTY Romans 9:6-8 – 6 Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Neither is it the case that all of Abraham’s children are his descendants., On the contrary, your offspring will be traced through Isaac., 8 That is, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but the children of the promise are considered to be the offspring.  Romans 9:14-16 – 14 What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! 15 For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion., 16 So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy. Romans 9:30-32 – 30 What should we say then? Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness — namely the righteousness that comes from faith. 31 But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not achieved the righteousness of the law., 32 Why is that? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.  2. GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY DOESN’T *REMOVE OUR *RESPONSIBILITY RESPONSIBILITY #1: OUR *RESPONSE TO *GOD Romans 10:8-13 – 8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame,12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  RESPONSIBILITY #2: OUR *RESPONSE TO *OTHERS Romans 10:14-17 – 14 How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news., 16 But not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message?, 17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.  3. WE CAN *TRUST HIS *PLAN BECAUSE HE *KEEPS HIS *WORD. Romans 11: 1a – 1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? Absolutely not!  Romans 11:2-5 – 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah — how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I am the only one left, and they are trying to take my life!, 4 But what was God’s answer to him? I have left seven thousand for myself who have not bowed down to Baal., 5 In the same way, then, there is also at the present time a remnant chosen by grace. Romans 11:29 – 29 since God’s gracious gifts and calling are irrevocable. Romans 10:9 – 9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

When in Romans - "HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT HELP US?" - ROMANS 8

Romans 7:24-25a – 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!... TITLE: “HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT HELP US?” 1. THE HOLY SPIRIT *EMPOWERS US Romans 8:1-2 – 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.  Romans 8:3-4 – 3 For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  Romans 8:6-9 – 6 Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. Romans 8:11 – 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you. Romans 8:13 – 13 because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 2. THE HOLY SPIRIT *ASSURES US Romans 8:14-16 – For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father! ” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, Ephesians 1:13-14 – 13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. 14 The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory. Romans 8:17 – 17 and if children, also heirs — heirs of God and coheirs with Christ — if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 3. THE HOLY SPIRIT *INTERCEDES FOR US Romans 8:18 – For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. Romans 8:23-25 NASB – "We groan within ourselves, waiting for our full redemption — but we wait with perseverance, in hope, for what we do not yet see." Romans 8:26-27 – 26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us, with inexpressible groanings. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because he intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  Romans 8:28 – We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:29-30 – For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified. 4. THE HOLY SPIRIT *SUSTAINS US Romans 8:31-32 – What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? Romans 8:34 – 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. Romans 8:35,37-39 – Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. No condemnation → empowered by the Spirit → adopted and sealed → interceded for → nothing separates us.

When in Romans - Free, But Still Fighting

1. We are celebrating our country's 250th birthday next week! July 6, is going to be RED, WHITE, & BLUE Sunday at Victory Hill! We're celebrating America's birthday in a big way with a few surprises, and an unforgettable morning together.  Invite your family, bring a friend, and wear red, white, and blue! 2. If you haven’t found your place to serve yet, we want you to know it really can be this easy. (REFER TO SERVE CARD RACK) Take a look at the Serve Card Rack in the lobby. Find a team that interests you, pull a card, scan the QR code, and sign up. From there, a team leader will reach out, answer any questions, and help you learn more about that team. Serving is one of the best ways to find community, use your gifts, and be part of what God is doing here at Victory Hill. So don’t overthink it — grab a card today and take your next step!

Fathers Day - Things I Wish They Knew

(Ephesians 6:1-4 csb) Children, obey your parents in the Lord, because this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, 3 so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. 4 Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Malachi 4:6 csb) And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

When in Romans - How are we saved?

(Romans 1:16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.   How Are We Saved? (Romans 3:23) For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God  (Romans 3:24) they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 1. We Are Saved *Freely. 2. We Are Saved *Exclusively. (Romans 3:27-28) Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By one of works? No, on the contrary, by a law of faith. 28 For we conclude that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. (Philippians 3:4b-6) ...If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless. (Romans 4:3-5) For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness. 4 Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness. 3. We Are Saved *Completely. (Romans 5:1-2) Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 4. We Are Saved *Securely. (Romans 5:8-10, 20) But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 20 The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more (John 10:28-29) I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” (Matthew 28:18) Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.