Micah 1:1-16

GOD’s WORD COMES TO MICAH

Keywords 1:2

Hear, O peoples, all of you, listen, O earth and all who are in it, that the Sovereign LORD may witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.

 

1. God’s judgment falls on two capitals (1-7)

God is the sovereign ruler of all the earth. He reveals himself through his dealings

with his own people. He is angry because of the idolatry of Israel and Judah,

and he comes down from his dwelling place to tread the earth. His coming is

fearsome, because he comes to judge. Samaria was the capital of Northern Israel;

the poison of idolatry and immorality flowed from there. Jerusalem, capital of

Judah, had become like a pagan altar. The Assyrian Empire was God’s instrument

of judgment.

 

2. Weeping and mourning (8-16)

The Assyrian army would destroy Samaria and come to the very gates of

Jerusalem. This disaster is from the Lord. Micah wept and wailed and went about

naked, showing vividly the sorrow and shame of defeat and slavery. Lachish was

in Judah, near Micah’s home town. This city had followed the corrupt ways of

Northern Israel and had influenced all Judah. The cities of Judah would be overrun

by the Assyrian army.

 

Prayer Lord, cleanse all idols from my heart. Have mercy on your people to

repent before it is too late.

One Word God hates idol worship

 

Romans 16:17-27

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

Keywords 16:26b

so that all nations might believe and obey him--

 

1. Be wise and innocent (17-20)

Paul warned the believers to watch out for any who would try to cause division

within the church, or who would lead others to themselves rather than to God.

Being wise means discerning the grace of God. Being innocent means waiting on

Christ to crush Satan under our feet.

 

2. So that all nations might believe (21-27)

Paul wrote with the greetings of his fellow workers. Paul had worked among the

Gentiles to plant the hope of God in them. They shared, each in their own personal

way, in his priestly ministry, and they were always a blessing to Paul. Finally, he

blessed the Christians in Rome with a blessing of hope and vision for when all

nations will believe and obey God. It is God who establishes us to be gospel

workers. The hope of God is nothing less than the redemption of this world from

the power of sin, including all nations, to the worship of God. When all nations

believe and obey God then God will be glorified forever.

 

Prayer Lord, give me vision and hope to pray for all people to believe and obey

the gospel. Bless me to care about your glory.

One Word That all nations might believe

 

Romans 16:1-16

PAUL’s COWORKERS IN ROME

Keywords 16:1-2

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me.

 

1. Phoebe, Priscilla and Aquila, and Epenetus (1-5)

Paul concludes his letter with personal greetings to the people who had shared

in his gospel work throughout the Empire, and who were now in Rome. Phoebe

was the bearer of this very important letter. She had been a great help to many

people, especially to Paul and he instructs the Church to welcome her warmly and

supply all her needs. Priscilla and Aquila’s house church was a missionary church.

They were Jews, but they wholeheartedly participated in the ministry to Gentiles.

They were self-supporting laymen and fruitful one-to-one Bible teachers. (Ac 18)

Epenetus’ conversion brought hope that all Asia could be reached for Christ.

 

2. Hard-working women and others (6-16)

Paul recognized the women who worked hard making an environment for gospel

work--Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis. He acknowledges two outstanding

apostles (missionaries) who were his seniors. He encourages them all to show the

affection of Christ to one another (16).

 

Prayer Lord, help me to receive others in the Lord and to encourage all those

who work hard for you.

One Word Welcome one another with affection

Romans 15:14-33

A MINISTER OF CHRIST JESUS

Keywords 15:16

to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctifi ed by the Holy Spirit.

 

1. Mission is the gift of God’s grace (14-21)

It is by God’s grace that we are Christians, and by his grace we are called as

missionaries and Bible teachers. God’s people are called to be a kingdom of

priests. Paul wanted all people everywhere to repent and believe and obey the

Sovereign God. He served God’s holy vision. Even though Rome was the strategic

center of the Gentile world, it was not the goal. Paul looked forward to the

kingdom of God.

 

2. But first I must go to Jerusalem (22-33)

Paul wanted to preach the gospel as far as Spain, and he wanted the Christians

in Rome to share in this missionary vision and work. But he never forgot

Jerusalem. Paul was risking his life to take an offering from the Gentile churches

to the Christians in Jerusalem. This offering represented the testimony of God’s

salvation work in the Gentile world. Paul asked the Romans to pray that the

Jewish believers would accept the offering and his ministry among the Gentiles,

and that they would accept God’s priestly purpose for themselves.

 

Prayer Lord, restore my vision. Help me obey your world mission command

without losing sight of you

One Word A priestly ministry

 

Romans 15:1-13

WITH ONE HEART AND MOUTH GLORIFY GOD

Keywords 15:6

so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

1. Please your neighbor to build him up (1-6)

We are called to serve others. Christ is our example. He did not serve himself, but

served others (Mk 10:45). Finally, he died to save others. He teaches what it is to

please our neighbor and build him up. God encourages us through the Scriptures

in order to plant hope in our hearts. We please others and we glorify God when

we live in unity with Christ and those he has called.

 

2. As Christ accepted you (7-13)

Jesus served God’s purpose for the Jews. The Jews rejected God’s purpose for

themselves when they rejected Jesus and rejected world mission to the Gentiles.

But Jesus fulfilled God’s promise to Abraham--"through your offspring all nations

will be blessed." Christ accepted and forgave sinners. We are called to accept one

another as he accepted us. In Isaiah he promised that the people of all nations

would hope in the Messiah.

 

Prayer Lord, you are the hope of all nations. Give me your hope to serve your

purpose and accept others from all nations.

One Word Jesus accepts us all

 

Romans 14:13-23 /

BUILD UP ONE ANOTHER

Keywords 14:15

If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.

1. Don't cause a brother to stumble (13-15)

Passing judgment on our brothers is denying the gospel of forgiveness. We

should instead make a decision not to put any stumbling block in the way

of others. While I may have the right to eat anything or dress any way or go

anywhere, if what I do damages or destroys another’s character or faith, I am not

acting in love for my brother for whom Christ died.

 

2. Please God (16-18)

The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking. It is a matter of

righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. I must not please and serve

myself; I must serve Christ, and bring joy and peace to fellow believers. This is

pleasing to God.

 

3. If you doubt, don’t do it (19-23)

We must live to God alone, and build up others. Whatever does not come from

faith is sin.

 

Prayer Lord, help me to build up others and not tear them down by what I do or

say.

One Word Act in love and build up others

 

Romans 14:1-12

WE BELONG TO THE LORD

Keywords 14:8

If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

 

1. Accept others without passing judgment (1-8)

Christians have many differences. But each one is a servant of the same master,

Christ. The gospel truth cannot be compromised, but there are other disputable

matters about which we can agree to disagree. We should not judge others or

argue about whether to eat meat or which day to keep holy or how baptism

should be administered, etc. Concerning others we should be mindful of Christ;

concerning ourselves we must live to the Lord, for we all belong to him by his

blood.

 

2. We will stand before God’s judgment seat (9-12)

Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of all. He alone is the

judge (Jn 5:26-27). Each of us must examine himself or herself and be prepared to

give an account of our lives before God. We do not need to make comparisons or

judge others. We must acknowledge the Lordship of Christ, do what pleases him,

and be prepared to stand before the judgment seat of God.

 

Prayer Lord, help me to be strict with myself and generous with others. Help me

to live before you.

One Word Whether I live or die, I am the Lord’s