Sermon Notes - Romans 1:26-32 - Littleby Baptist Church - August 4, 2024

1.        Last week we saw some great things and some hard truths.

a.        We were reminded that God is evident in the creation around us.

b.       He is revealed to us when we simply look outside.

c.        We can see how amazing He is.

d.       How incredible His creation is.

e.        That should be all we need to know how awesome our God is.

f.          Enough for us to worship our God.

g.        To give Him the honor and glory He deserves.

2.        But that has not been enough for many.

a.        They see the same things when they look outside.

b.       But they do not see the majesty in it.

c.        They reject the truth that God is the creator.

d.       Day by day they focus on their personal truths.

e.        They are heading down the path of foolishness.

f.          The path that leads to wrath.

3.        We have to protect ourselves so that we are not led astray.

a.        We need to be in the Word of God.

b.       We need to continue to grow in our faith.

c.        We need to learn what it means to abide in Christ.

d.       Trusting in the Creator of all that is around us.

e.        Following His truth.

f.          It is His truth that sets us free, anything else is a trap.

4.        Let’s see where Paul takes us this morning.

5.        Romans 1:26-27

a.        For this reason… read vs. 25

b.       Because they turned away from THE truth found in creation.

c.        Because they have turned away from the truth about who God is.

d.       Because they deny the truth found in God’s Word.

e.        They have chased their idols; they chased their wicked ways…

f.          God delivered them over to them.

g.        In these verses it is clear, these individuals desired, they were inflamed for, unnatural homosexual relations.

h.        In Matthew Jesus quotes Genesis.

i.          Matthew 19:4-6

j.          A man and a woman untie and become one.

k.        That is the natural order of things.

l.          Paul is describing something that goes against God’s natural order.

m.     The people denied God’s truth which eventually led them to a path of denying God’s natural order of things.

n.        One step of denial leads to another which leads to another.

o.        It grew and grew.

p.       As they continued to reject God over and over, He eventually handed them over to their choice.

q.       A very sad thought.

6.        It does not matter what our idols are.

a.        If we chase them long enough, they become our god.

b.       They become the thing that our focus is on.

c.        They become what we desire.

d.       And eventually God will let us follow them.

e.        He can still save us.

f.          But we need to turn to Him and repent of our ways.

g.        Turn from our sin, turn from our idols.

h.        Repent and follow Jesus and we will be forgiven.

i.          No matter how far gone we are.

j.          Jesus can save us.

7.        Romans 1:28

a.        This might seem like Paul is repeating himself, but not really.

b.       In the previous verses he was talking about giving into a desire a passion.

c.        A physical act that compelled someone to do something.

d.       Here in verse 28, the individuals ‘did not think it worthwhile to acknowledge God.’

e.        The thought of God was not worth their time.

f.          These individuals may have heard about God.

g.        Learned about Him.

h.        But decided God was not worth their time.

i.          Wasn’t worth truly listening to.

j.          Wasn’t worth following.

k.        Today, that might be someone who grew up in church.

l.          Hears the messages, has the book knowledge… but chooses to walk away from God.

m.     Chooses to ignore Jesus.

n.        They reject God.

o.        As one rejects God.

p.       They reject the knowledge they have been given.

q.       They are delivered over to a corrupt mind.

r.          They cannot understand the Word of God.

8.        We saw this during Jesus’ ministry on earth.

a.        Matthew 13:10-16

b.       The Disciples were following Jesus and listening to Him, so they understood.

c.        Their eyes were open.

d.       The crowds had rejected the truth.

e.        They had rejected Jesus.

f.          In doing so they could not hear the truth of what Jesus was telling them.

g.        We see it time and again in the Gospels as Jesus teaches the crowds.

h.        They do not understand because they did not see Jesus for who He is.

i.          We see it in the Old Testament as people did not want to listen to the Prophets of God.

9.        Thankfully, when we turn to Jesus this brokenness can be restored.

a.        He can renew and repair this connection.

b.       As we draw near to Jesus, we begin to see the Truth for what it is.

c.        We begin to understand how much we really need the gift Jesus is offering.

d.       We begin to truly seek Him.

e.        To grow in our faith.

f.          To see Him at work.

g.        To see His Word come alive.

10.   Romans 1:29-31

a.        A couple of weeks ago we talked about how we are ‘righteous’ and how we are to live by faith.

b.       I prefer living by faith pursuing Jesus than to be identified with this list.

c.        But what we see here is what happens when people turn away from God.

d.       When someone rejects the truth of God.

e.        When they can no longer see the truth of who God is.

f.          When they can no longer understand God’s Word or see Him at work around them… they are lost.

g.        As they chase worldly knowledge and wisdom.

h.        When they reject Godly knowledge and wisdom…

i.          They become these things… (read the list again).

11.   Romans 1:32

a.        Although they know God’s just sentence… people tend to know right form wrong to some level.

b.       They tend to know what they are doing is wrong, even if they adamantly deny it.

c.        Even with the smallest inclination that something is wrong.

d.       Or with the smallest understanding of who God is.

e.        The reality that denying Him, suppressing His truth, and chasing unnatural things deserves punishment is not surprising.

f.          Paul is stating that most people understand that.

g.        Second Section –

h.        Those that do all these things we have talked about these last couple of weeks deserve to die.

i.          They deserve to face the ultimate punishment.

j.          The hard truth, this applies to all of us.

k.        None of us have lived perfectly and gone through life without committing anything on this list in verses 29-31.

l.          Third Section –

m.     Paul’s words here tell us, it is worse to encourage and celebrate someone for their evil behavior than it is to do it yourself.

n.        Introducing someone to gambling may seem like an innocent distraction, but it is a sin and double so if it causes a brother or sister to stumble.

o.        Sadly, we see sin encouraged and celebrated in the world today.

p.       We cannot change people’s way.

q.       We can live honoring God.

r.          We can treat people with kindness.

s.        We can love them.

t.          We can share the Gospel with them.

u.       And pray for the Holy Spirit to break through the darkness.

12.   John 8:30-32

a.        God’s Word will set us free.

b.       If we repent of our sins and give our lives to Jesus.

c.        We are set free from our sins and our idols.

d.       Jesus died on that cross to pay for our sins.

e.        He rose from the dead giving us new life.

f.          We need to repent and follow Him.

g.        Then the Holy Spirit will work in us.

h.        He will change us.

i.          Mold us.

j.          Shape us.

k.        Help us to walk away from our sins and to live righteously.

13.   We need Jesus working in each one of us.

14.   Every person to walk this earth Needs Jesus.

15.   If you don’t know Jesus, I would love to talk to you.