Romans

Sadly, many Christians today struggle to feel God’s love for them. This means that when we fail or fall short of God’s standards, instead of running to God we run away from God. We try to get things right in our own way so that we can present a ‘perfect picture’ to God. We feel insecure in God’s presence. In this sermon, Daniel reminds us that God’s presence is the safest place to be, because there is nothing in heaven or on earth that could ever separate us from the love of God.

If all the promises of God towards us are true, then we have no need to fear. We can go through life knowing that no scheme of man, no scheme of the enemy, not even our own weaknesses could ever stop God fulling His purposes through us. We can go through life knowing that because God is for us, He will give us all that we need to flourish in this life. ‘ He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ‘

In a world full of difficulties, trials, and suffering, where do we find our hope? Where is God in those moments? In this sermon Daniel reminds us that God is sovereign over every aspect of our life, and everything that He allows in our life He allows for our good, even the difficulties He allows into our life will work out ultimately for our good.

We live in a broken world where they is much pain and suffering. In this sermon, Pete helps us to see that by looking forward in hope, and patiently waiting for God who is reversing the curse on creation and humanity and bringing all things into glorious freedom, believers can endure present suffering and pain.

Some of us struggle to grow our relationship with God, this might be because we relate to Him in the wrong way. Many relate to Him out of fear of punishment. The bible often tells us to fear God, however this fear has to do with a reverential awe of God, not a fear of punishment. In this sermon, Marcio unpicks this and other reasons why we are not growing in our relationship with God. He then helps us to understand how we are to relate to God so we can grow in our relationship with Him.

The world is made of things that are natural and supernatural. In the same way there are things about us that are natural and some things that are supernatural. While some religions might prioritize flesh over spirit, or spirit over flesh, the Christian view is that Jesus has come in the flesh to bring our bodies into the domain of the Spirit, the kingdom of God.

Do you feel like you are doing all that you can do to please God, yet constantly have a worrying feeling that you aren’t doing enough? A lot of Christians go through life with a feeling of constant condemnation, trying more and more to reach an unattainable standard. The truth is that we have fallen short of God’s standard, but the good news is that the bible tells us that, “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”. In this sermon Daniel unpacks what this truth means for Christians.

So often we Christians approach God through the law, we continually try in our own strength to reach the standards of the law but fail at it, putting heavy burdens on ourselves. The law is like a perfect husband who continually reminds us of our failures but never helps us to overcome them. In this sermon, Pete reminds us that we are to relate to and approach God through Jesus because He is the perfect Husband who has satisfied the demands of the law and who helps us to become more like God.

In this sermon Daniel reminds us that Christianity is not about the externals of our lives e.g going to church on a Sunday, but about a complete transformation of our inward self.