CULTURE SHIFT
A LOT HAS CHANGED IN OUR CULTURE IN THE PAST DECADE. IT’S REQUIRED PATIENCE, ADJUSTMENT AND WISDOM TO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THESE CHANGES. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TELL US ABOUT SHIFTS IN CULTURE? WHEN THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE THE BOOK OF ROMANS, HE SHOWED CULTURE’S CONFUSION AND HOW GOD STEPPED IN TO BRING HEALING AND HELP. HOW CAN I BE PART OF WHAT GOD IS DOING TO SHIFT CULTURE BACK TO HIM?
SERMON NOTES
JUNE 23 - CULTURE’S CONDITION
THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS OPENS WITH AN EXPLANATION OF WHY CULTURE HAS SHIFTED AWAY FROM GOD. MUCH OF WHAT PEOPLE IN THE FIRST CENTURY WERE EXPERIENCING IS BEING EXPERIENCED TODAY. HOW CAN I BETTER UNDERSTAND MY CULTURE AND MYSELF AND HOW CAN I FIND MY WAY WITH GOD WHEN SO MUCH OF MY CULTURE OPPOSES HIS WAY OF THINKING AND LIVING. TO GET A CLEARER PICTURE OF YOUR CONDITION, READ ROMANS 1-3.
JUNE 30 - CULTURE’S RESCUE
THE BEAUTY OF PAUL’S LETTER TO THE ROMANS IS THAT GOD DOESN’T GIVE UP ON HIS CREATION. EVEN WHEN CULTURE CHOOSES SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN GOD’S DESIGN, HE KEEPS LOVING THEM AND PURSUING THEM. GOD PROVIDED THE WORLD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE RESCUED FROM THEIR CONDITION WHEN HE CAME TO THE WORLD AS JESUS CHRIST. WHAT DO I NEED RESCUED FROM? AND, HOW DOES JESUS RESCUE MY CULTURE AS HE IS RESCUING ME? TO PREPARE FOR BEING RESCUED, READ ROMANS 4-6.
JULY 7 - CULTURE’S TRANSFORMATION
WHEN GOD CHANGES A SINGLE PERSON, HE BEGINS THE PROCESS OF TRANSFORMING AN ENTIRE CULTURE. AS PEOPLE BEGIN TO DISCOVER GOD’S DESIGN CAN BE TRUSTED, ENTIRE COMMUNITIES TAKE ON NEW HABITS, NEW IDENTITIES AND NEW VALUES. THE THING IS, THE NEW IS NOT NEW AT ALL. IT’S WHAT GOD INTENDED FOR US FROM THE BEGINNING. TO PREPARE TO BE TRANSFORMED, READ ROMANS 7-8.
JULY 14 - CULTURE’S CONFUSION
THE REASON CULTURE HAS SHIFTED SO MUCH IS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED. EVEN RELIGIOUS PEOPLE HAVE PUT THEIR TRUST IN THINGS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD’S PLAN FOR EVERYONE. IF MY CULTURE IS GOING TO SHIFT BACK TO GOD, IT MUST START WITH UNDERSTANDING WHO GOD IS AND WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IN THE HEART AND LIFE OF EVERY PERSON. TO CLEAR UP YOUR CONFUSION, READ ROMANS 9-11.
JULY 21 - CULTURE’S RENEWAL
NOW THAT I UNDERSTAND CULTURE’S SHIFT AND WHAT IT HAS DONE TO PEOPLE, I CAN BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE A DRAMATIC SHIFT BACK TO GOD. WHEN I ADMIT MY CONDITION, LET HIM RESCUE ME, TRANSFORM ME AND CLEAR UP MY CONFUSION I DISCOVER AN AMAZING RENEWAL OF MY HEART AND MY MIND. WHEN I HELP OTHERS EXPERIENCE THIS RENEWAL, MY ENTIRE COMMUNITY BEGINS THE CULTURE SHIFT. TO PREPARE FOR RENEWAL, READ ROMANS 12-16.
