EXPLORE The Roman Road – Our Choice (8)

Romans 8:9 and 15-16
9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Key message
1) What is a Christian?
2) What happens when you become a Christian?
3) What are the benefits of being a Christian?

Insights
1) Romans 8:9
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

2) Romans 8:15-16
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

3) Romans 8:26-39
26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

EXPLORE The Roman Road – Our Response (7)

Romans 10: 9-11
9That 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.
10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
11As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

Questions by non-Christian
- Why do you believe God?
- What is/are the benefit(s) of believing God?
- Who can prove people would meet God after death?
- Does prayer helpful?
- How does God affect your life?


Insights
- How can you prove you would not meet God after death?
- Aquarium illustration:

认识神

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtmV0EMNJeA

Love Oxford - Combined service (23 May 2010 )

Super Macro Images - Butterfly

EXPLORE The Roman Road – God’s Promise (6)

Romans 6: 8-10, 4
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.
10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Key message
We are united in both the death and resurrection of Jesus.
8 ~ Bold statement (past-we died with Christ, future-we will live with him)
4 ~ A picture to explain the bold statement
9-10 ~ The evidence

Insights
- Baptism - it means both (1) to dip a thing into an element or liquid, and (2) to put an element or liquid over or on it.
(http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/baptism.html)
- The death of Jesus has washed away our sins and has taken away the anger from God. This is why we always hear Christians say that water and the blood of Jesus cleanse us or wash away our sin.
- 1 Peter 2: 9-10 ~ LIPS (mouth)
- 1 Peter 2: 11-12 ~ LIVE (action)
- Acts 2: 38-47 ~ what holy people look like


Illustrations