The Gospel: God's Power to Save
Big Idea: The gospel is God's power for the helpless and God’s righteousness for the unrighteous.
1. God does what we cannot do (16)
2. God gives what we cannot make (17)
Preparing for Sunday
Come Ready to Worship
Each week, we provide the following resources to help you spiritually prepare for communal worship. Investing time in preparation will enable you to grow and worship God more deeply during the Sunday Service. Resources for the upcoming Sunday are available by Saturday morning.
Preparation Questions: Romans 1:16-17
1. Why might someone be ashamed of the gospel? What does Romans 1:16 tell us that should make us eager rather than ashamed to believe and proclaim it?
2. Where are you tempted to trust your own “power” rather than God’s for salvation? Consider things you might be putting your trust in (your morality,
accomplishments, reputation, religious activity, relationships, finances). Why
are these insufficient Saviors?
3. If God is righteous and we are unrighteous, how can guilty sinners stand righteous before Him? Why is this both humbling and liberating and how should it influence your walk?
4. Paul says, “The righteous shall live by faith.” What would it look like for you to live by faith this week, especially in an area where you feel weak, guilty, fearful, tempted, or unable?
Sunday Songs
You can listen to our musical lineup for the Sunday Service using the YouTube links or the Spotify Playlist below.
Song Highlight: Before the Throne of God Above
This song was originally written by Charitie Lee Bancroft in the 19th Century and was set to tune by Vikki Cook from Sovereign Grace in 1997. This beloved hymn beautifully captures the essence of Christ's mediation between God and man (it was a favorite as we went through the book of Hebrews). It is because of His sacrifice on our behalf that we can stand before God, not in judgement, but clothed in the Righteousness of our Savior. On our own merit, none of us could stand as Psalm 130:3 says "If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?" But it is through the perfect sacrifice of Christ in our place that we can come boldly into the throne room, knowing that as long as Christ stands in heaven so too does our mediation remain. And we know that He will never cease or fail to mediate for His elect.
The hymn also reminds us to look unto Christ amid our temptation and our attacks from the evil one and to be reminded of our right standing in Him. It harkens back to the glorious passage in Zechariah with his vision of Joshua the high priest standing before God:
"[1] Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. [2] And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, O Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this a brand plucked from the fire?” [3] Now Joshua was standing before the angel, clothed with filthy garments. [4] And the angel said to those who were standing before him, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” And to him he said, “Behold, I have taken your iniquity away from you, and I will clothe you with pure vestments.” - Zechariah 3:1-4 (ESV)
Satan and his dominions may attack and accuse us of all the wrong that we have done and sins that we have committed, but all our sins have been pardoned through the sacrifice of our Lord. We now are clothed not in filthy rags, but in Christ's glorious robes. Our life, security, peace, and joy are hid with and protected by Christ our Lord. We can find great joy and rest in that blessed assurance.