Why I'm Going to Preach Through Romans

Actually, I am not writing to tell you why I am going to preach through Romans. That will certainly come out, but my post has a broader purpose. Let me explain and hopefully it will make sense.

You have been seeing in the emails that we're going to start a series in Romans. Romans is an important book for many reasons. Many essential doctrines are explained in Romans. This is why I titled the series "Established".  In Romans 1:11 Paul says: "I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established..." The word here (sometimes rendered "strengthen") also appears in 16:25 where Paul says God is able to strengthen them or establish them by the gospel which he has just explained in greater detail. This is Paul's concern for the Romans (and all the churches) and it is my concern for each of you. That is the concern every pastor has for his congregation. You all are all at different stages in your walk with Jesus, and many of you are established. But some of you are not. And understand that becoming established is not an even but a process. No matter how long you have been a Christian - you need to be strengthened. You need further establishing. Therefore, Romans is for you!

But I say all that to say this: the only way that you will experience this strengthening (or become more established) is if you want to be. Being present to hear the Word preached is of course essential if you want to be strengthened, but all by itself it IS NOT ENOUGH! Our Grace Groups are meant to assist in helping you become established. In the past, the Grace Groups were the only form of Christian Education that we offered. We studied all sorts of material and topics. This has shifted now towards sermon review. Here's why we have made this change: preparation is minimized/simplified, and also you will get more out of the sermon, therefore more established. Maybe you are thinking you can just do this at home. That certainly helps, but community helps even more. In Romans 12:5–6, Paul writes: "so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." And in 15:14 he expresses his certainty that they are " able to instruct one another." Our strengthening does not happen independent of one another. As Sly and the Family Stone put it: its a family affair. We are to teach each other. I can testify that I have learned alot from many of you. But if there were no Grace Groups or other meetings, those opportunities would be missed. 


Why not get into a Grace Group and find out what you are missing?