Romans in 9 Movements

Over the past 16 months, we have preached through the book of Romans at Wildwood Community Church. The 43 sermons walked us verse by verse through Romans 1:1 – 16:27. We arranged our study in 9 different series, represented in the graphic above. It is our hope that these 9 divisions will help you remember the truth God has given us inside Paul’s masterful Epistle.

Below is a a summary of Romans in a single paragraph, using the series titles as keywords:

There is Good News for people everywhere! This good news (or gospel) shows the power of God which is able to deliver salvation to those who believe. In Christ, the righteousness of God is given to sinful people like you and me. We receive this gracious gift of salvation NOT by our works, but by faith. This is the way it has always been in God’s economy. From Abraham to Christ (the ABC’s of Faith), we have seen that the righteous live by faith. When we come into a relationship with God by faith, we are Set Free from sin’s necessary rule in our lives. We now have a choice to live out a new life in Christ. However, there is a problem. As we try to live out our new life in Christ, we do so inside the old address of our flesh. Therefore, we need the Holy Spirit to empower us to live a truly Spiritual Life, walking with the God who loves us. Now, if our hope is tied to God and His work in our lives, how do we know He will be faithful to make good on His promises? We find out the faithfulness of God by looking at the way He has dealt with other members of His spiritual Family Tree. By seeing how God has been faithful to His children Israel, we can have faith that He will make good on His promises to us as well. Once we realize all that God has done for us in Christ, we want to respond and Aim our lives – pointed towards His purpose for us, laying down our lives as a living sacrifice before Him. As we do this, we will live out our lives in a secular world but inside of His sovereignty as we live in Nations Under God. We are truly to honor our government, but we are to Walk in Love with our fellow Christian, limiting our freedoms to not tear down our brother or sister who Christ is building up. All this knowledge of Christ leads to our involvement with Christ in His great Co:Mission, taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The Gospel is the power of God that is able to strengthen us . . . and those around us. Given this incredible truth, it is not a surprise that Paul ends praising God – “to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen!” (Romans 16:27)

Let us thank God together for the power of the Gospel — the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Series Titles:

G ood News – Romans 1-3
ABC’s of Faith – Romans 4-5
Set Free – Romans 6
Spiritual Life – Romans 7-8
Family Tree – Romans 9-11
Aim – Romans 12
Nations Under God – Romans 13:1-7
Walk in Love – Romans 13:8 – 15:13
Co:Mission – Romans 15:14 – 16:27

Family Tree (part 7) Sermon Audio/Video

On Sunday, July 17, Pastor Bruce Hess concluded our series on Romans 9-11 by preaching part 7 in the “Family Tree” series at Wildwood Community Church. The message focused on Romans 11:25-36. Below you will find the audio and video from the sermon to listen to/watch or share.

To download the audio, click on this link:

Family Tree #7

To listen online, use the media player below:

To watch the sermon video, use the Vimeo video below:

Family Tree (part 6) Sermon Audio/Video

On Sunday, July 10, Pastor John Abernethy continued our series on Romans 9-11 by preaching part 6 in the “Family Tree” series at Wildwood Community Church. The message focused on Romans 11:11-24. Below you will find the audio and video from the sermon to listen to/watch or share.

To download the audio, click on this link:

Family Tree #6

To listen online, use the media player below:

To watch the video, use the Vimeo video below:

Family Tree (part 5) Sermon Audio/Video

This morning at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Romans 11:1-10. This message was part 5 in the “Family Tree” series. Below you will find the sermon audio and video to listen to, watch, or share.

To listen offline, click on the link below:

Family Tree part #5

To listen online, use the media player below:

To watch the sermon video, use the Vimeo video below:

Family Tree (part 5) Sermon Questions

On Sunday, June 26, 2016 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Romans 11:1-10. This message was part 5 in the “Family Tree” series. Below are a set of questions related to the message for group discussion or personal reflection.

Sermon Questions:

Read Romans 11:1-10
Has there ever been something you have experienced in your life that has caused you to question God’s trustworthiness (i.e. that He would not do what He said He would do)?
Have you ever seen God save someone who seemed very hardened against the things of God at some point in their life?
Have you ever seen God do something in your life in the midst of a very hard circumstance where the only explanation was that God “showed up”?
Have you ever seen someone who seemed “blind” to spiritual truths and the things of God (as described in 11:7-8)?
What stood out to you most from this message/passage?

To download these questions in pdf format, click here.

Family Tree part 5 Preview

Salvation is by grace through faith.

You know why?

Because God is gracious and faithful . . . and salvation is fully His work.

By His grace, He can save the hardest of heart in the hardest of times. Join us Sunday as we celebrate this truth by looking at Romans 11:1-10 together in part 5 of our series “Family Tree” at Wildwood Community Church. See you in either our 9:30 or 11:00 worship service.

Family Tree (part 4) Sermon Audio/Video

On Sunday, June 19, 2016 at Wildwood Community Church, I preached a sermon based on Romans 10:5-21. This message was part 4 of the “Family Tree” series. Below you will find the audio and video from this message to listen/watch or share.

To listen to the audio offline, download via this link:

Family Tree #4

To listen online, use the media player below:

To watch the sermon video, use the Vimeo video below:

Family Tree (Part 4) Sermon Questions

On Sunday, June 19 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a message based on Romans 10:5-21. This message was part 4 in the “Family Tree” series. Below are a set of questions related to the message for personal reflection or group discussion.

Sermon Questions:

Read Romans 10:5-21
What do you think is meant by saying that “salvation is easily accessible” (as demonstrated by 10:5-10)?
Have you ever publicly professed your faith in Christ through water baptism? If so, when? If not, why not?
Who are some people in your life (locally or around the world) that you feel God leading you to share Christ with? What steps can you take this week to engage them with the Gospel?
What are some of the common reasons you hear from others about why they reject the Gospel?
What stood out to you most from this message/passage?

To access these questions in pdf format, click here.

Family Tree (Part 4) Preview

I stood there over my putt for a good two or three seconds. I needed to sink this par saver to keep pace with my opponent and not fall behind before we headed to the back nine. I lined it up, hit it clean and watched it disappear into the bottom of the cup!

No, this was not my attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open . . . it was me making my putt to save “2” on the seventh hole of mini golf at Hey Day Family Fun Center in Norman; and my opponent was my nine year old son Josh. After we finished this hole, we had to determine where to go next, as the path to the next tee box moved in two different directions. On one path (on a steep incline) sat a sign that pointed to the next hole. On the other path (a much more gradual and curb-free ascent) sat a sign that said “ADA Route.”

Josh wanted to know what the “ADA Route” was all about. I told him it was related to the “Americans with Disabilities Act” and provided a path for people in wheel chairs to enjoy their round of golf just like we were by taking a more acceptable route. The owners of Hey Day had thought ahead and made their course accessible to all.

As we played mini golf this afternoon, I was reminded of Romans 10:5-21 — the verses that will serve as the anchor of our sermon on Sunday (part 4 in the “Family Tree” series). The climb to salvation is extremely steep and impossible to scale in the strength of our own good works. In fact, because of our sin, no one has a chance of climbing to salvation in our own power. However, our God thought ahead and made a way for our salvation to be accessible to all. The Way God provided is through Jesus Christ our Lord and connects us to salvation through faith in Him.

Join us Sunday, June 19 in our 9:30 or 11:00 service at Wildwood Community Church as we see how God has made salvation easily accessible, equally accessible, evangelistically accessible to all . . . even though most still reject it. See you Sunday . . . and invite a friend!

Family Tree (part 3) Sermon Audio/Video

On Sunday, June 12, 2016 at Wildwood Community Church I preached a message based on Romans 9:30 – 10:4. This message was part 3 in the “Family Tree” series. Below is the sermon audio and video for you to listen to/watch or share.

To listen offline, download the audio here:

Family Tree #3

To listen online, use the media player below:

To watch the sermon video, use the Vimeo video below: