Let us open up the Word of God to Romans 1:16-32. The apostle Paul is writing to the believers in the city of Rome about the year 57AD. He has a desire to see those loved by God and called to be saints who reside in Rome. He was looking forward to fellowshipping with them and being encouraged in the faith. Sin is abounding all around. Caesar, the emperor of Rome, declares himself to be God. Self-centeredness or selfishness leads to a culture of lust. Sexual immorality, including homosexuality, is destroying family life. Children in this culture are throwing off the authority of their parents, and people are absorbed with themselves. This is the atmosphere when God is pushed out of a culture. However, where sin abounds, grace can much more abound. Tonight, let’s consider the title of the message, “Good News for a Bad World.” Let me define bad quickly. Bad means “failing to reach an acceptable standard, spoiled, not sound, morally objectionable, disobedient, harmful, faulty, or in serious trouble.” What I mean is the world lies in wickedness (1 John 5:19). It’s not just the world which finds itself in this state. Tonight, if you do not have the righteousness of Jesus Christ, then you are not good with God and in a bad or serious condition in regards to your soul. Let’s consider tonight from the passage 1) The Creator is Considered Dead, 18-24 2) The Creature is Considered Divine, 25-27 3) the Creature is celebrating disobedience, 28-32 4) the creation’s Savior conquers death (17-17). |
