Absolute Security

Who doesn’t want to feel secure? When you feel secure, you feel safe, accepted, and loved. Instead of feeling anxious about a recent diagnosis or upcoming test, you know inner peace. You have hope and confidence that, whatever is going on in your life, ultimately, things will work out for the good. Adding the descriptive term “absolute” means that we are unquestionably, undeniably, completely, utterly, entirely, definitely…secure!

Imagine not having such security! No sense of safety, acceptance, love, or peace. No hope or confidence concerning the future. Unfortunately, it’s the way many people live. Every institution and relationship to which they’ve turned has only failed them. Life is marked by despair.

Instead, God wants us to bask in the enjoyment of our security and new identity in Christ—to know love, safety, acceptance, confidence, and a solid, well-grounded hope concerning the future because of our relationship to Him.

Romans 8 is the chapter to which we turn for encouragement and solid hope. In the 12 weeks we will be living in this chapter, despite what may be going on in our lives, my prayer is that we will develop a robust faith in the promises of God that will lead to our experiencing overwhelming confidence and security for the present and the future. Our church is in the grip of Christ, and so are we!

Romans 8 has everything. It begins with “no condemnation” and ends with “no separation.” Between those incredible bookends, the chapter includes teaching on our justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (8:1–4), continues with a description of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives (8:5–13), and then speaks about our being adopted as children of God (8:14–17). It addresses the significance of suffering (8:17–18), the prospect of glory (8:17–18), the final redemption of our bodies (8:17–25), and, in fact, the restoration of all creation (8:19–21). It reassures us that as we wait for our resurrection and final transformation (8:23–24), the Spirit helps us in our weakness (8:26) and even prays for us (8:26–27).

There’s more. Romans 8 also teaches us about the good and sovereign providence of God in our lives (8:28), and that His goal is to transform us into the likeness of Christ (8:29). Indeed, Paul says, nothing can stop God from bringing that to pass (8:30). No one can successfully oppose us, bring any charge against us, condemn us, or finally separate us from God’s love for us in Christ (8:31–39).

Believers in Christ who are grounded in the themes of this chapter will enjoy greater security. We will then be motivated, out of gratitude, to live lives of worship and service. We will desire to share this amazing message with friends, fellowship with other believers, and grow even deeper in our faith, which will lead to even greater security, worship and service…and so on…as the cycle continues!

Absolute Security: Romans 8

Dealing with Conflict

Why this series? Two primary reasons: 1. Because we all live in a world where conflict happens. It occurs in all relationships. Yes, even in church. 2. Because according to the VitalChurch Assessment Report on City Church, which we participated in last fall, you said that as a church we typically do not handle conflict well. Seventy-five percentage of responders gave very low scores. Author Jim Van Yperen in his book entitled Peacemaking mentions the primary wrong ways we often handle conflict: some of us have a passive/evasive style of responding to conflict, while others of us have a defensive/aggressive style. We tend to respond to conflict in ways that reflects one of these wrong approaches. Unless we are learning how to handle conflict appropriately, we will continue to live with relational hurts and not experience the peace and unity that communicate to others the radical difference that Jesus makes in our lives. Does the Bible have anything to say about conflict resolution? A thousand times yes! Scripture is packed full of illustrations of conflict and numerous principles on how we are to conduct ourselves when we are at odds with others. In this series, several staff members will join Pastor Rich in addressing the following issues:

A Faith That Works (When Life Doesn't)

We don’t choose our circumstances, but we do choose how we respond. In the last few weeks our lives have changed in ways few could have imagined. It’s hard to make sense of all that’s happened. We’ve been left anxious and afraid. Disappointed and sad. Isolated and alone. It would be easy to despair.

But faith needs to work in bad times as well as good. That’s why we’re all looking for answers. How can we make sense of what’s happening? Where can we find hope for the future? And is it even possible for good to come from all this bad news?

St. Paul did not live an easy life (2 Cor. 11:24-31). Among other hardships, on more than one occasion he was arrested and put in prison. Experts tell us he spent as long as five and a half years in custody. Paul never called his hardships good, but he also didn’t find them meaningless.

Paul had a vision for life that was robust enough to find meaning even in suffering. On multiple occasions he pointed out how God was often at his creative best in bringing good out of very trying circumstances. But he did more than simply promise, “you’ll get through this.” In fact, he said, “you’ll do more than get through this; you’ll grow through this.” His was a faith that works. A faith that helps us navigate our way through whatever comes our way.

Paul learned from his suffering. His struggles clarified his understanding of and confidence in God. He grew to be a stronger and better person from his hardships. And he found purpose in life that motivated him to work hard at the things God gave him to do. In the end he found a contentment and joy that transcended circumstances.