Walking in Deep, Sticky, Stinky Mud

In one paragraph

The pastor opened by placing this Sunday's passage inside the sweep of Romans as a whole: the good news of justification by faith that he preached last week has a shadow side, and you cannot fully feel the weight of the gospel until you have walked through the bad news first. This sermon was that walk. It was not comfortable, and he said so plainly before he started. He began by reminding the...

Read together

1. Romans 1:16 quoted as the opening statement of the gospel, the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes
2. 1 Corinthians 1:18-19 referenced as the source of the message-of-the-cross language applied to Romans 1:16
3. Romans 1:17 quoted to show the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, and the righteous shall live by faith
4. Romans 3:21-26 quoted as the bookend gospel passage showing justification by faith apart from the law
5. Romans 1:18-23 quoted as the unrighteousness of the Gentiles, suppressing the truth God made evident through creation
6. Romans 1:24-32 quoted as the consequences of Gentile rejection, God giving them over to impurity and a depraved mind
7. Romans 2:1-5 quoted as the condemnation of those who judge others while practicing the same things
8. Romans 2:6-11 quoted on judgment according to deeds, tribulation for evil and glory for good, with no partiality
9. Romans 2:12-16 quoted on judgment by a fair standard, the law written on Gentile hearts and conscience bearing witness
10. Romans 2:17-24 quoted as the Jewish failure to honor God, teaching others while breaking the law themselves
11. Romans 2:25-29 quoted on circumcision being worthless without keeping the law, true circumcision being of the heart
12. Romans 3:1-4 quoted on the advantage of the Jew and the faithfulness of God not nullified by unbelief
13. Romans 3:5-8 quoted on the objection that God is unrighteous to inflict wrath, answered in human terms
14. Romans 3:9-10 quoted to conclude that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, none righteous not even one
15. Psalm 14 cited as the source of the extended quote that none are righteous, none seek God
16. Psalm 53 cited alongside Psalm 14 as the source of the extended quote on universal sinfulness
17. Romans 3:19-20 quoted to close the bad news section, every mouth closed and no flesh justified by works of the law
18. Psalm 19 referenced as the heavens declaring the glory of God, day after day pouring forth speech
19. Nehemiah 9:6 quoted as the tag beside one of the cosmic paintings, declaring God alone made the heavens and all in them
20. Romans 15:13 quoted as the closing benediction, the God of hope filling with joy and peace by the Holy Spirit

Talk about it

1. Pastor Chris described Romans 1:18 through 3:20 as walking through 'deep, sticky, stinky mud' before arriving at the good news. Why do you think Paul spends so much time on the bad news before restating the gospel, and what would be lost if he had skipped straight to justification by faith?
2. Paul says the wrath of God is revealed against those who 'suppress the truth,' and he points to conscience and creation as things God has given everyone. Where have you seen people push back against what conscience or creation seems to be pointing to, and how do you personally respond to those two witnesses?
3. When Paul lists the sins of the Gentiles in Romans 1, the Jewish believers in Rome would have been saying 'amen, get them.' Then Paul turns and says 'therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment.' What does it feel like to be on the receiving end of that turn, and where are you most tempted to see yourself as exempt?
4. Pastor Chris drew a parallel between the Jewish believers who bore the name 'Jew' and relied on the law, and Christians today who have grown up in church, know the Bible, and check all the boxes. In what ways can familiarity with God's word become a false sense of security rather than a guide to living it out?
5. The sermon landed on the phrase 'justified as a gift by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.' Given everything Paul laid out about the universal reign of sin, what does it mean to you personally that justification is described as a gift, and how does that change the way you relate to people who are still in the mud?