Romans 16: People Make the World Go Round

Class Outline:

---

Running on kindness!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in the resident congregation, turn off your electronic devices and put them away.  Let this be a place where you aren’t distracted by the world.

 

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!

 

The intimate part of having this ministry is what makes it special to me.  I’m happy to know that the people who study faithfully with this ministry will know the Lord personally when they meet Him face-to-face in heaven.  It’s also gratifying to know this ministry has led thousands of people to a relationship with Christ.  It's easy to forget positive impact in a world with a negative focus.  The Lord hasn't forgotten the righteous deeds done by the people who call Barah Ministries home.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

People Make the World Go Round

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

You’ve probably heard it said that the world would be a great place if it weren’t for people.  This idea has been talked aboutand even written about in song.  My “homie” … Chicago born and raised baritone singer Lou Rawls, who graduated from a school about seven blocks from my house, asked in one of his songs, “What’s the matter with the world?  Has the world gone mad?”  He concludes, “There’s nothing wrong with the world…it’s just the people that’s in it!”

 

You can relate.  A lot of your most memorable, high-impact“lessons” in life have been taught to you by people who have hurt you.  Living with the ache of troubled human relationships can sometimes be almost unbearable.  These aren’t the lessons we want to learn, and they definitely aren’t the lessons we ought to remember, but we remember them because they hurt.

 

A favorite childhood singing group, the Stylistics, sang a song you’ll hear at the break.  People Make the Word Go Round.  They do!In today’s lesson…Romans, Chapter 16…the apostle Paul acknowledges for the believers in Christ in first-century Rome the people that made his world go round.  As you learn today’s lesson, you might think about the people in your life that fit this description.

 

OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!  As the apostle Paul closed the epistle to the Romans, and as he reflected on all the people who have helped him along his spiritual journey, surely his thoughts turned to the Lord.  As they did, he probably mumbledto himself the words of this June Murphy song…I STAND AMAZED AT GRACE.

 

MUSIC

OPENING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

I STAND AMAZED AT GRACE

June Murphy

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, thank you for the people who have passed through our lives…there are the trivial many who have hurt us, yet You always bring us the critical few who love us in a way we can feel…thank you for the hurts, for without the bitter it would be unlikely that we would love the sweet…and thank you for the uncertainty of so many things…we may not be able to counton the world, but we certainly can count on You…

 

…use this lesson to help us value the people who contribute to our lives…and give us the discernment to tell the difference between those who help and those who hurt…and let us value both without letting a root of bitterness fester within us in the times when we encounter tribulation…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

People Make the World Go Round

 

LESSON PART ONE

 

World-famous philosopher Al Gleason unleashed wisdom from his inventory of wisdom during lunch the other day.  He expressed fascination at what happens over time as we study the Bible.  We start to realize that the people we learn about in the Bible are really people…just like you and me.

 

Some are small like Paul…some are inarticulate like Moses…some are adulterous like David…some are cowardly like Gideon…and some are gullible like Abraham…yet God’s divine power takes the inadequacies in us and uses our dumb ideas to make a difference in the world!

 

As we study the Bible, we learn we don’t have to be big, or smart, or mighty, or famous, or attractive to have impact.  God’s power is able to make us make a difference.  Every believer in Christ has the same power inside them that was used to resurrect Jesus Christ from the dead.  If we believed it, we’d use it on every decision.

 

The apostle Paul described the thoughts of Abraham in Romans, Chapter 4, Verses 20 and 21…

 

ROMANS 4:20

…with respect to the promise of God the Father, Abraham did not waver in unbelief…instead he grew strong in faith…giving glory to God…

 

ROMANS 4:21

…and he was fully assured that what God the Father had promised (a son…Isaac),  God the Father was able also to perform.

 

Al…thanks for the wisdom.  There is never a reason for a Christian to waver in unbelief.

We are two lessons away from the end of our second study of Paul’s letter to the Romans.  Our second time through the book took us less than a year and a half instead of seven years the first time through.  😊Today, we’ll study the final chapter of Romans…Chapter 16.  On the face of it, this could easily be seen as a throwaway chapter.  It is not.  It’s an intimate chapter.The apostle Paul thanks the people who make his world go around.

 

In these twenty-seven verses of Romans, Chapter 16 you’ll see a structure.

 

THE STRUCTURE OF ROMANS 16

 

Paul commends the person who delivered the letter

Paul greets specific friends in Rome (24 by name)

Paul Gives a Final Warning About False Teachers and False Teaching

Paul Makes General Remarks About the Friends with Him

Paul Concludes with a Benediction

 

So let’s hear the chapter using the NEW LIVING TRANSLATION, and then we’ll see what the Lord and the apostle Paul planned for us to learn in Romans, Chapter 16, Verses 1 to 27…

 

ROMANS 16:1

I (Paul) commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deaconess in the church in Cenchrea.

 

ROMANS 16:2

Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.

 

ROMANS 16:3

Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus.

 

ROMANS 16:4

In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches.

 

 

 

 

 

ROMANS 16:5

Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home.  Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.

 

ROMANS 16:6

Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit.

 

ROMANS 16:7

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me…highly respected among the apostles…they became followers of Christ before Idid.

 

ROMANS 16:8

Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

 

ROMANS 16:9

Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.

 

ROMANS 16:10

Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus.

 

ROMANS 16:11

Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.  Greet the Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus.

 

ROMANS 16:12

Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis…a womanwho has worked so hard for the Lord.

 

ROMANS 16:13

Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own…and greet also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me as well.

 

ROMANS 16:14

Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who meet with them.

 

 

ROMANS 16:15

Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them.

 

ROMANS 16:16

Greet each other with a sacred kiss.  All the churches of Christ send all ofyou their greetings.

 

ROMANS 16:17

And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them (as a strategy).

 

ROMANS 16:18

Such people are not serving Christ our Lord…they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.

 

ROMANS 16:19

But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and I want you to stay innocent of any wrong.

 

ROMANS 16:20

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of ourLord Jesus be with you.

 

ROMANS 16:21

Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings…as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.

 

ROMANS 16:22

I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord’s followers.

 

ROMANS 16:23

Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus.

 

 

ROMANS 16:25

Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.

 

ROMANS 16:26

But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.

 

ROMANS 16:27

All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.

 

Well, if you’re pregnant and listening to this message…you just heard thirty-three options for baby names!Now let’s study the passage verse-by-verse.  Romans, Chapter 16, Verses 1 and 2…

 

ROMANS 16:1

I (Paul) commend to you our sister Phoebe (a diakonos…a deaconess)who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea (the eastern seaport of Corinth)...

 

ROMANS 16:2

...that you receive Phoebe…a woman who is in union with the Lord (she’s a believer in Christ)…in a manner worthy of the saints (all believers in Christ)...and that you help her in whatever way she may need your help...for she has also been a helper of many (a protectress in the Greek)...and (a protectress) of myself as well.

 

Even though Satan, the enemy of God, would have us think otherwise, women play a very prominent role in the church.  There are some things God does not want them to do, but there are many more things God does want them to do.

 

What did Phoebe do?  Many things, but is there ANYTHING more important and more intimidating than taking a single copy of Paul’s letter to the Romans from Corinth to Rome?  Think about it.  What if she lost it?  What if she got the manuscript wet?  There were no copy machines!  She and she alone was TRUSTED to deliver one of the most high-impact documents in divine history.

 

This gem of a woman, under Satanic attack for the whole journey, was

protected by God, and she delivered the document successfully so BILLIONS of people could enjoy it and learn from it.  Paul should praise her…Amen?!

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verses 3 to 5…

 

ROMANS 16:3

SalutePriscilla and her husband Aquila (the tentmakers)...my fellow workers (in my other profession...tent making...who are also) in union with Christ Jesus...

 

ROMANS 16:4

...who, to save my life, risked their own necks...to them I (Paul) give thanks...and not only to them, but to all the churches of the Gentiles...

 

ROMANS 16:5a

...also salute the church that is in Priscilla and Aquila’s house.

 

Priscilla and Aquila taught Paul a trade!Priscilla and Aquila ALWAYS sponsored a church in their home.  As with all Christians of the day, this pair took risks in helping Paul that could cost them their lives.

 

It’s interesting that Pricilla is named first which is not the custom of the times, and the commentators seem to think it is recognition of her advanced state of spiritual maturity in comparison to her husband.  The rest of Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 5…

 

ROMANS 16:5b

Greet Epaenetus…my beloved brother...who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.

 

When the Bible talks about Asia, many times it is talking about the country of Turkey.  The churches discussed in the book of Revelation are all in Turkey… Pergamum…Sardis…Philadelphia…Smyrna…Thyatira…Ephesus…and Laodicea.

Someone had to be the first believer in Christ there, and Paul salutes our brother in Christ Epaenetus.

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 6…

 

ROMANS 16:6

Greet Mary...who has worked hard for you.

Mary is the Jewish name for Miriam, and she worked hard for the saints.  It’s always a pleasure to have someone like her who toils behind the scenes to make things happen for others.  She was selfless, as were most of these believers.

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 7…

 

ROMANS 16:7

Greet Andronicus and Junias...my kinsmen (they are Jewish) and my fellow prisoners (they were with Paul in the “slammer”)...who are outstanding among the apostles...who also were in union with Christ before me.

 

We owe a great debt to Jewish people for accepting and spreading the gospel message throughout the whole world…to the nations…to the Gentiles (which means nations).  A small group of Jewish people had an impact on the whole world and on each of us who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

 

Let’s never forget nor underestimate the persecution suffered by Jewish believers in Christ.  They have been abused from the beginning and they are abused to this very day.  Paul didn’t forget them.

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verses 8 and 9…

 

ROMANS 16:8

Greet Ampliatus...my beloved in the Lord.

 

ROMANS 16:9

Greet Urbanus...our fellow worker in Christ...and Stachys my beloved.

 

Beloved people are “divinely loved ones.”  That’s great title to bestow on our Christian friends…the beloved.  Paul didn’t forget his close friends.

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 10…

 

ROMANS 16:10

Greet Apelles, a tested and approved one who is in union with Christ.  And greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

 

Apelles was a man who endured many trials for the faith.

 

Aristobulus is believed to have come from a long line of unbelievers, among them Herod the Great who massacred children under the age of two in his quest to find and kill Jesus when he was a baby…and Herod Antipas who teamed up with his enemy, Pontius Pilate, and orchestrated the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

 

Over the years I have noticed that God always puts a believer in Christ in unbeliever families so they can be evangelized.  Most of their relatives don’t listen to them.  They reject the free gift of salvation that is possible from believing in the Lord.  Some listen to the gospel messageand they repent.  Most simply make fun of their believing relatives.

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 11…

 

ROMANS 16:11

Greet Herodion, my kinsman (a fellow Jew). Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in union with the Lord.

 

Everything related to Narcissus isn’t horrible!  Now let’s meet the twins in Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 12…

 

ROMANS 16:12

Greet Tryphaena(which means dainty) and Tryphosa (which means delicate)…workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved (a woman), who has worked hard in union with the Lord.

 

The twins…Tryphaena and Tryphosa…whose names mean “dainty” and “delicate”  were anything but that!  They, like Persis, worked hard to get churches established.  By the way, I thought black people named their kids funny names!  Speaking of black people…Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 13…

 

ROMANS 16:13

Salute Rufus…a choice man in the Lord…also greet his mother who is the one who keeps on mothering me.

 

Okay…Rufus isn’t black!  He has a great name, though!  Rufus is thought to be the son of Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried Jesus’ Cross as the Lord was on His way to Calvary to be crucified (LUKE 23:26).  Rufus’ Dad would have been proud of him.  Then there was Rufus’ Mom.  How can you describe the love a mother has for her children?  You can’t.  Not in words.  The Lord surrounds us with women who act as Mothers to us, many times when our own Mothers didn’t.  A big salute to Rufus’ Mom.

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verses 14 and 15…

 

ROMANS 16:14

Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them.

 

ROMANS 16:15

Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

 

Remember what the Lord said in Matthew, Chapter 18, Verse 20…

 

MATTHEW 18:20

“…where two or three have gathered together in My name, I (the Lord Jesus Christ) am there in their midst.”

 

Paul is acknowledging a couple of the many groups of Christians who gathered themselves together for what we call fellowship…what we call community…which is nothing more than a gathering of like-minded people who give us the thought that we are not alone in the battle that is Christianity.

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 16…

 

ROMANS 16:16

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ (throughout the whole first-century world) greet you.

 

The holy kiss is mentioned many times throughout Scripture.  It was known as the kiss of peace.  It is still done today.

 

 

The holy kiss is a simple message…let us be of the same mind…let us love each other…let us fight for each other…let us fight with each other…let no divisiveness or dissension be seen among us.  It would be wonderful if it were so for all.  Anytime we can create small pockets of unity it is to be enjoyed.

 

When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering and then we’ll continue to learn from this final chapter of Romans 16.

 

FIVE-MINUTE BREAK

PEOPLE MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND

The Stylistics

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

People Make the World Go Round

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

Nike has it right about athletics…JUST DO IT!  At Barah Ministries, we have this thought about generosity…JUST GIVE IT!  In Proverbs 3, Verse 9 the Lord says…

 

PROVERBS 3:9

Honor the Lord from your wealth…and from the first fruits of all your produce…

 

The Lord doesn’t need you to give…He wants you to WANT TO give.  Don’t ever underestimate the power of your giving.  Of course, Satan, the enemy of God influences you to be reluctant to give.  “What are they going to do with the money?”  “Why are they always asking for money?”

 

When you give to Barah Ministries you change lives.  You may not get to know how you make a difference while you are here on earth, but God knows the impact you make and will share it with you when you get to heaven.So give as if someone’s life depends on it…because it does!

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always inspiring offering messages.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

 

 

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

PHILIPPIANS 2:2

…make my joy complete by being of the same mind…maintaining the same unconditional love…being united in spirit…being intent on one purpose.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

People Make the World Go Round

 

LESSON PART TWO

 

Welcome back!

 

Well just when you thought it was safe to go outside…just when you thought Paul was finished with the teaching and closing this letter to the Romans, he gives us a final lesson.  It’s a warning and a plea.  Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 17…

 

ROMANS 16:17

Now I urge you, brethren (believers in Christ)...keep your eye on those who cause dissensions contrary to the teaching which you learned from me, and keep on turning away from them.

 

Who are these false teachers with their false teaching?   Here’s how the Greek words describe them.  They are those who causehindrances…those who put “obstacles” in your path...those who lay “snares” foryou...those who create “traps” for you...those who cause occasions of stumbling...they are your spiritual enemies who suggest things that hurt you.

 

What’s the strategy to handle them?  Turn away from them, even those who may be your relatives!  Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 18…

 

ROMANS 16:18

For these false teachers are slaves...not slaves of our Lord Jesus Christ...but slaves serving their own appetites (fattening their own bellies with lust)...false teachers who by their smooth and flattering speech deceive the minds of naïve people.

 

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verse 19…

 

ROMANS 16:19

For the report of your obedience has reached all of us...therefore I (Paul) am rejoicing over you...but as a reminder, I want you to be wise...be guiltyin what is good (the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ) and be innocent in what is evil (not being conformed to the world...instead being transformed by God through the renewing of your minds).

 

ROMANS 16:20

For the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

 

I hope that is literal!

 

False teachers are great salespeople.  Look what they have sold us regarding the gospel message.  All lies.  You have to work to be saved…a relationship with God is a way to get rich (the prosperity gospel)…division is better than unity (my religion is better than yours)…assailing the character of Christ as a conditional God…the thought that free will is a license to sin…the thought that God’s grace is something to be taken advantage of for lust…that “being a good person” will get you to heaven.  The good they preach was refuted by God in Mark, Chapter 10, Verse 18…

 

MARK 10:18

And Jesus said to a man who ran us to Him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.”

 

Paul rips these false gospel ideas as he teaches Timothy how to be a Pastor.  In First Timothy, Chapter 6, Verses 3 to 5, Paul Says to Timothy…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 6:3

If any teacher advocates a different doctrine…and many do…doctrines that are not sound like the doctrines of our Lord Jesus Christ…those who do not advocate the doctrines conforming to godliness (The Christian Way of Living)…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 6:4

…these false teachers are conceited and understand nothing…they have a morbid interest in controversial questions and they care about disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 6:5

…and constant friction between men of depraved mind…men deprived of the truth…who suppose that godliness simply is a means of monetary gain.

 

The truth is not “old school” as some claim.  The truth NEVER gets old.  It stands the test of time.

 

Romans, Chapter 16, Verses 21 to 24…

 

ROMANS 16:21

Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

 

ROMANS 16:22

I, Tertius (Paul’s scribe), who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.

 

ROMANS 16:23

Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.

 

ROMANS 16:24

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

 

As Paul closes the letter many commentators say that a host of believers in Christ joined him at the place from which he was writing.  There’s nothing better than being around people who love the Lord.  The Lord surrounds us with the people who make the world go round.  Do you notice them?  Do you bother to get to know them?

 

Paul closes with a blessing in Romans, Chapter 16, Verses 25 to 27…

 

ROMANS 16:25

Now to God the Father...who is able to establish you according to my gospel and according to the preaching concerning Jesus Christ...according to the revelation ofthe mystery doctrine of the Church Agewhich has been kept secret for long ages past...

 

ROMANS 16:26

...but now is manifested (made clearly visible) ... that by means of the Scriptures of the prophets...and according to the commandment of the eternal God...has been made known to all the nations...leading to the obedience of faith in Christ...

 

ROMANS 16:27

...to the only wise God and Father ... whose wisdom is displayed through Jesus Christ...be the glory forever. Amen.

 

We’ve just studied the foundational book of Biblical Christianity…and if you are a longtime member of this ministry, you have studied it twice.  If you go back to study it again, you will not be disappointed.

 

Christians who study Paul’s letter to the Romans understand Christianity.  We understand that we are saved free of charge by a God who loves us UNconditionally, who forgives us totally, and who gives us grace when we make mistakes.  We understand we are justified by faith in Christ.  We understand we have an eternal future in heaven, face-to-face with the Lord.  We understand that we cannot lose our salvation.  We KNOW are eternally secure.  We understand that all we have influenced to believe in Christ will be our friends forever in heaven.  We KNOW the Lord and how He thinks through the study of the Word.

We are happy we have made the most important decision in this life.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

The next ten minutes could be the ten most important minutes of your life.  You’ll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  We want you to know that…

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

He Wants You Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

…and what He wants for you is that you make the most important decision of your life.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ created you!  He loves you unconditionally.  He forgives you for every sin you’ll ever commit.  He offers you His grace when you make mistakes.  He has always had you in His mind for all eternity.  He knows your name.  The Lord wants the best for you.  Have you ever had a human being love you this way?

 

Well, if you don't yet have a relationship with the Lord and Jesus Christ, He

considers you to be a SPIRITUALLY DEAD sinner who needs a Savior.  Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 23 says…

 

ROMANS 3:23

…all creatures have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

 

Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 10 says…

 

ROMANS 3:10

…it is written, “There is no creature who is righteous…not even one…”

 

Your condition at physical birth IS NOT YOUR FAULT, but it is your circumstance.

 

Spiritual death, caused by sin, is a barrier between us and God.  Spiritual death is the first death.  Eternity in the Lake of Fire is the second death, and it’s your eternal fate if you close your eyes in this life as an unbeliever.  You do not want the second death!

 

God wants you to have a spiritual life.  First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22 says…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22

…all in union with Adam at physical birth (and that is every human being) are set to die the second death in the Lake of Fire…but all who are in union with Christ will be made spiritually alive by God.

 

The Lord provides you with the Bible to illuminate the SPIRITUAL LIFE, which is your path to heaven.  John, Chapter 20, Verse 31 says…

 

 

 

JOHN 20:31

…these things written in the Bible have been written so that you may BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ…(the Messiah…the Son of God…the Lord…who took on human form)…and that by believing in Him you may have the resurrection life (eternal life) in Hisname.

 

The Bible contains the Lord’s exact thinking.  It is your “owner’s manual”

for life.  The good news is the Lord Jesus Christ did something about your sin

problem.  He has a plan for your salvation because He doesn’t want anyone to go to the Lake of Fire…Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9 says…

 

SECOND PETER 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvation, as some accuse Him of...instead, He is patient toward unbelievers…not wishing for any to perish (in the Lake of Fire) but for all to come to repentance (a voluntary change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

By your own choice, you can be SPIRITUALLY ALIVE, making you special in God's sight…Psalm 116, Verse 15 says…

 

PSALM 116:15

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones (His saints… His spiritually alive believers in Christ).

 

The fact that GOD WANTS YOU and has made a way for you to be SPIRITUALLY ALIVE is a great thing to know, especially as you get older, because everyone dies.  What’s going to happen to you when you close your eyes in this life?  Will you go to heaven or will you go to hell?

 

It’s your choice.  How can you get to heaven?  RIGHT WHERE YOU SIT, RIGHT NOW, you can tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is the moment of eternal life for you.  Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

The ONE WAY…the ONLY WAY to get to heaven is through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ…John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said to the doubting apostle, Thomas, “I am the way (to salvation)… and I am the truth (through the gospel message in the Word of God)…and I am the resurrection life (eternal life)…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me.”

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ

in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to all of you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

Believing in Jesus Christ is acknowledging that you can’t do a thing to get to heaven on your own.  You confirm that being “a good person” does not get you to heaven.  It’s wiser to let God save you because once God does something, He never changes His mind!  In John, Chapter 10, Verses 28 and 29, the Lord says…

 

JOHN 10:28

“…I (the Lord Jesus Christ) give eternal life to believers in Christ, and they will never perish…and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

 

JOHN 10:29

“And My Father, who has given believers in Christ to me, is greater than all…and no one can snatch believers in Christout of my Father’s hand.”

 

You can’t lose your salvation.  If ANYONE says you can lose your salvation, they are lying to you.

 

God has an enemy, Satan, the ruler of this world.  He creates counterfeit lifestyles to blind your mind.  His strategy against the human race is RELIGION, and the religions of the world mislead you into thinking you're saved when you may not be.  Satan wants you to believe you can work your way to heaven, earning your own salvation.

 

What happens if you reject a relationship with Christ?  In Matthew, Chapter 25, Verse 30, the Lord shares the consequences…

 

MATTHEW 25:30

“Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness (the Lake of Fire)…and in

that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

 

So, heed the warning and accept the Lord’s invitation in John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son of God has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

You can join me and a host of your believer friends in heaven when you close your eyes in this life!  Reject SPIRITUAL DEATH.  Choose SPIRITUAL LIFE right now!

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s close with music!  In John, Chapter 13, Verse 34,the Lord gives everyone a simple way to identify a Christian…

 

JOHN 13:34

“A new commandment I (the Lord Jesus Christ) give to you, that you love one another unconditionally…even as I have loved you…unconditionally…that you also love one another unconditionally.”

 

Danny Gokey croons this truth in a beautiful song…which is the Lord’s command to us…LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE.

 

MUSIC

CLOSING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

LOVE GOD LOVE PEOPLE

Danny Gokey

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

…thank you for reminding us that people make the world go round…thank you for helping us to not be cynical about people…thank you for helping us stop to recognize the believers in Christ in our periphery as the apostle Paul did…

 

…let the insights from this lesson blossom within us…and help us to keep on valuing the people you surround us with…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Please make it a habit to listen to the announcements.  They are posted separately.  Keep current on the things going on and coming up in Barah Ministries.

 

DISCUSSING THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE

 

Join us Live or on Zoom Immediately Following the Lesson

 

GOT BIBLICAL QUESTIONS?

 

Ask the Pastor

pastor@barahministries.com

 

WANT US TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE?

 

Send your request to pastor@barahministries.com

 

 

KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

 

www.barahministries.com