Romans 3:23 says ALL have sinned. So then the question is “Who is the judge of that sin?”

Who’s the judge? (Romans 2:1-4)

• You and I are not the judge. God is the judge of all that we do. He is the only one who is fair enough to judge.
• Self-righteousness is something that we can all struggle with. In fact, this sin is talked about more than all the other sins combined! It is the sin of the saints. It keeps others from Christ. In our self-righteousness, we judge money, clothes, food, actions, words, friends, schedules, denominations, translations…etc.
• Romans 14:12 says that each of us will give a personal account before God.
• Take a moment to appreciate how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you and then exhibit those same characteristics to others.

What does he judge? (Romans 2:5-11)

• Do not misinterpret this as works-based salvation. Go read Romans, focusing on chapter 3. We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ alone; not of our works, how nice we are, or how much we give to the church.
• The key word is the last word in Romans 2:7…”offers.” It is a gift from God.
• Paul writes in Philippians 1:27 to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ. The question is: “Do you live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ?” or “Do you live a life worthy of
  yourself?”
• What if the Lord hung out with you for one week? Could he go everywhere you go or are there certain things and places that you would prefer that the Lord just stayed at home?

Have you trusted Jesus? If no, and you would like to, email me at chris@communitybible.com and I will walk you through the steps. If yes, then do you live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ?

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What do you think about? It’s a good question…one we all have to answer, from 7th graders to 70 year olds. 1 Peter 3:15 (NLT) says, “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.” The book of Romans answers these questions in regards to Christianity. If you’re a Christian, curious, or skeptic you need to read this. Rome is in its prime, Nero is emperor, and it is basically the New York City of the day. Paul is writing to all the Christians in Rome.

Paul’s thesis statement is Romans 1:16-17.

It is all good news. (Romans 1:16)

• Jesus died on the cross for you and me and if we believe, we get to go to heaven. That is good news! That is the central theme of Romans – the cross and what it means to you and me.
• Paul covers some polarizing topics, some difficult sins, and some hard theology, but it is all about Jesus who gave his life for us!
• If you are a Christian, let me encourage you to look at the gospel as good news. Don’t look at it as something you do as a routine or because your mom told you to see it that way. Celebrate what God is doing and the good news of his son, Jesus.

The good news is for all. (Romans 1:16)

• The good news is for anyone that will believe. You don’t have to be in church all your life or of a specific denomination, background, or upbringing. We don’t ask for church ID cards before you come in.
• This is not an exclusive club – we don’t care where you have been. All we care about is where you are going. As a church, we accept you where you are in life and take you forward in your walk with Christ.

It all takes faith. (Romans 1:17)

• At the end of the day, it all takes faith. You either believe it or not. It is that simple.
• Everything that Paul writes has to be accepted by faith, and there is nothing I can say that will give you 100% proof.
• It really all boils down to: do you believe or not? You answer to God for what you believe and don’t believe.

Romans 1:17 is what helped fuel the passion in Martin Luther to start the Protestant Reformation nearly 500 years ago. You and I can read the same passage today. The gospel is still alive and fresh and will change your life if you let it.

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Valentine’s Day is one of the most worrisome holidays in America. Thanksgiving and Christmas are stressful, but Valentine’s Day is worrisome. Questions such as, “Do I spring for Russell Stovers or can I settle for a bag of M&M’s? Do I buy red roses or yellow roses? Do I say “I love you” or “I like you?” are all common.

Check out Philippians 4:6. Worry is being anxious about things that might happen, fretting over things that have already happened, and being fearful about things you cannot control. It can cause: nausea, diarrhea, high blood pressure, insomnia, headaches, or ulcers and can make normal life dysfunctional. If people ask “What’s wrong?” or “What’s got you down?” or “Why are you so sad?” then you are probably worrying too much.

Anxiety disorders affect about 40 million adults every year. It is the number one mental health problem even over depression. Worry costs the US workplace $46 billion each year and 88% is in lost productivity. If you find yourself in this category, you are not alone. Click here to see how other people are affected by worry.

Matthew 6:25-34

Don’t worry. (Matthew 6:25-32)
See the big picture (Matthew 6:25). Jesus says life is more than food and our bodies are more than clothing.

• Put your worries in perspective and widen your perspective to see all that God has for you.
• Understand life is more than material, miniscule things.
• Don’t get so worried over the little details, that you miss the big picture.

Know that God cares and is in control (Matthew 6:26–30). God cares for the beautiful birds and flowers that we see each day and he cares much more for you and me.

• Understand who God is, what he is capable of, and how much he cares for you.
• Proverbs 21:31 reminds us that it is our job to be prepared, but the result is in the Lord’s hands.

Jesus tells us not to worry, but then tells us what to do instead. If all He said was not to worry, that would last maybe a day or a week, but He tells us what to do in place of worrying.

Seek God. (Matthew 6:33)

• Seek God first. When troubles come, do you try to fix it yourself or seek God?
• Is God who you seek before all else, or is he a good Plan B?
• 1 Peter 5:7 says to cast all your worries on God. Do you really cast ALL your worries upon him?
• Live a righteous life. Are you busy helping others? Are you using your gifts and talents to expand the kingdom of God?
• Our needs will be met. Remember, out needs will be met, not our wants.
• Jesus is saying, trust me, I care for you and I will meet all your needs.

When we seek God and live a righteous life; we are too busy to worry during the day, and too sleepy to worry during the night.

Worry is all about perspective. Look at Matthew 6:32. Do you have a hope of life after death or is your hope in this life only? For those of us who have trusted Jesus as our Savior, we have an assured hope of life in Heaven. If you focus your attention on this hope, your worry will quickly fade.

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In Ephesians 6:18, the Apostle Paul says to pray at all times and on every occasion. The question then is how do we pray? Jesus addresses this topic on the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 6:5-13

Prayer should be to God. (Matthew 6:5-6)

• Don’t pray in front of people using the words “hath, thou, thine, wilt” unless you normally speak in this way.
• There is a difference between praying “in” public versus praying “for” the public. The difference is who are you trying to impress: God or the public?
• I have prayed before the city council and at business mixers, parties, sporting events, etc. I pray to God and disregard what they think.
• You don’t have to pray pretty words or even whole sentences! Your prayer should be to God and from the heart.

Prayer should be sincere. (Matthew 6:7-8)

• A perfect example is listening to someone sing the national anthem. You know those who sing for the country and those who sing for a record deal.
• If the American public can tell the difference between sincerity and fakeness, how much more can our heavenly Father tell the difference?
• The length of the prayer does not matter; it’s the sincerity that counts.
• My prayers are nothing to write home about, but I mean them.
• Start praying from a sincere heart by telling God exactly how you feel. He already knows what you are thinking, so you might as well unload on him. You will probably find it very therapeutic and comforting.

Prayer should be practiced. (Matthew 6:9-13)

• This will take some discipline, so use a reminder. Pray whenever you hear sirens or at a certain time of day. Pray whenever you hear certain songs on radio. Be creative!
• Tell the Lord, “As often as you remind me, I will pray.”
• You may ask, “If the Lord already knows what we are thinking, then why pray?” That would be like me saying, “My wife knows I love her, why should I tell her?” I have a growing relationship with my wife and we communicate daily. We should have a growing relationship with God and we should communicate with him daily.
• The Lord’s Prayer should be a sample not a substitute.

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You have heard do not murder (Matthew 5:21), do not commit adultery (Matthew 5:27), do not divorce (Matthew 5:31), do not break your vows (Matthew 5:33), and that the punishment must match the injury (Matthew 5:38). Jesus is talking about old Mosaic laws that had been twisted by the religious rulers of the day. In Matthew 5:38 Jesus is referring to an Old Testament law that was for those in authority; the religious leaders had taken it and made it good for personal use…thus, justifying revenge. Jesus is not repealing the law he instituted in Leviticus, but he is saying not to take matters into your own hands to get revenge.

Here is what this verse does not talk against:
Christians should be wimps, self-defense is bad, tough business negotiations are bad, or any law enforcement or military is bad (2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 12:19, and Luke 4:29).

Jesus specifically mentions the right cheek in the verse that follows. Considering most people are right-handed, this is referring to a backhanded slap from someone. The idea was when someone hurts or insults you, don’t repay with the same action. However, righting the wrong was okay.

You can right the wrong, but don’t repay with revenge (Matthew 21). How do you right the wrong?

Use the system Jesus taught (Matthew 18:15-19).
Unfortunately, people will insult and hurt us. You can count on that. Here is how you handle insults and hurts:

• First, one-on-one (Matthew 18:15).
• If that person doesn’t respond, then you handle it two-on-one (Matthew 18:16).
• If that person still doesn’t respond, then you handle it church-on-one (Matthew 18:17).

The idea is to save the relationship, not kick them out of the church.

Use the laws of the land (Romans 13:1-5).

• The laws of the land do not stop at the Christian’s doorstep.
• God has placed people in authority and has established laws of the land; Christians are not exempt from using or being punished by the laws of the land (Proverbs 20:26).

Revenge will take away your emotions, time, and energy from the things that are most important in your life.

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REaD Text is the study of the Sermon on the Mount. These are the actual words of Jesus, God on earth. This is the greatest sermon ever preached and it only lasted 10 minutes! The Greek philosophers had come and gone, the religious leaders were teaching earthly, works-based religion. Jesus came and taught how your earthly actions have eternal consequences or blessings.

Salt and Light – At first read it seems very random, but Jesus is brilliant with words. Both salt and light are distinctive, both make a difference, both are meant to be used, and both are instant.

Matthew 5:13-16

Salt = Character, who a person IS.
1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT), But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

• The Lord looks at character, integrity, morals, values, attitude, and the heart.
• Who are you when no one is watching?
• If salt gets mixed with dirt or impurities, it is useless. It really hasn’t lost its salt characteristics, but it has become useless in adding flavor to anything.
• It is much easier to keep your integrity than to gain it back.

Light = Conduct, what a person DOES.
Philippians 2:15 (NLT), so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

• A light is most effective in darkness.
• Being a godly person at church is nice, not very effective. Be a light in a dark place.
• A light should be used to turn people to Jesus, not blind them. Light shouldn’t scare people or point to us. It is all about showing people Jesus and the difference He can make in their life.
• Your outward conduct should match your inward character.

When our outward conduct matches our inner character; we can turn people to Jesus! That’s what it’s all about!

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When you stand firm in your faith, you are forever changed.
Genesis 22 tells how Abraham’s life was changed by faith. My life has been changed by faith. What about you? Has faith forever changed your life?

You can be forever changed by the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:16 (NLT), He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

• When you are plugged into the body of Christ, it is wonderful!
• The church is meant to help other members when they are hurting.

You can be forever changed by the power of prayer.
Romans 8:26-27 (NLT), And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

• When two or more are gathered, God is there. When God’s people pray, he listens.
• You may not know what to pray for, but God knows and listens.
• Pray by faith and trust that the Lord knows the needs.

You can be forever changed by how God was glorified.
John 12:27-28 (NLT), “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.”

• God is to get all the glory no matter the situation or outcome.
• When you follow Jesus, His power is revealed in unbelievable ways.

When you stand firm in the faith, you are forever changed.

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The only place the Bible defines Faith is Hebrews 11:1-40.

If You Feel Like A Hero of the Faith (Hebrews 11:4-35a)

• Enjoy it and don’t feel guilty. Don’t let guilt factor on you.
• Praise God and know that all blessings come from him.
• If you live in fear of the bad things that might happen, you will never live in joy of the good things that are happening (James 1:17).
• Remember Matthew 6:34 and don’t live in fear of it being taken away.

If You Feel Helpless in the Faith (Hebrews 11:35b-39a)

• They were anonymous, unlike the heroes.
• Don’t feel guilty – the Bible says all these people had faith.
• Know salvation and the Christian life is not works-based.
• Faith is not a tool to make things better.
• Your circumstances are not a litmus test of your faith.

Hebrews 11:39b-40 – The difference between us and the people of faith is the cross and what Jesus did for us 2000 years ago.

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