How To Become A Dynamic Christian

Romans 1:1 - Paul, a bondservant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart unto the gospel of God,

Do you have a desire to be a dynamic believer in Jesus Christ?

To be the real thing instead of playing religious games?

Years ago the Emperor of China had a famous orchestra.

One particular member of the group did not have any real musical talent but had simply weaseled his way into as a member.

During the concerts he would always pretend to play but loved the attention and the money he was paid.

One day the Emperor had a idea. He wanted to have each member of the Orchestra play him a special solo performance. The man whose life was only pretend realized he couldn’t escape having to admit his lie and ended up committing suicide.

This event coined the phrase we still use today of being unwilling to ‘face the music’.

Are you the real thing? What if your Christianity became a solo act? ‘Give your testimony’ ‘Share your faith’….one day we will all stand before Jesus the King and give a solo performance!

•PAUL WAS THE REAL DEAL: Romans describes the genuine Christian life and what it is all about; It answers questions like…

1) What is sin?

2) How is a person saved?

3) How do I live life by the Spirit’s power?

4) What about spiritual gifts? Genuine surrender?

I believe every Christian desires to live a successful Christian life. Yet many of us have blown it. The devil discourages us because of our many failings.

We want to serve God but find it so difficult to consistently live the way we know we should. Paul was a successful Christian.

In the first verse of Romans we find some characteristics of Paul’s life that made him successful. Characteristics of a successful

We are beginning a new study and I promise that if you give yourself to learning the truths of this book your life and the life of this church will not be the same when we are done.

Not a simple book although the ROMAN ROAD is used to lead to salvation

Paul wrote because he could not physically go to Rome where a church had formed and wanted to explain the Christian life and essential Christian principles.

Our benefit that Paul wrote instead of went: wrote from Corinth which was one of the most wicked cities of his day. 55-56 A.D.

ROMANS’ IMPACT THROUGHOUT HISTORY

AUGUSTINE(386) – Sitting in the garden of a friend and was upset over his sinful life. Heard a little girl’s voice from the other side of a wall singing ‘Tolelego’ take up and read.

He looked around and saw a scroll which had been left. Opened it and read the 13th chapter of the Book of Romans, ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh with regard to it’s lusts’.

MARTIN LUTHER(1511) – Augustinian monk who was teaching a class on Romans and read 1:17, ‘The just shall live by faith’. WORKS RELIGION: Indulgences Sacrament

Made right before God without any action we do but by simple faith.

Brand new truth to him and changed him and let to the Protestant Revival.

JOHN BUNYAN – Sitting in a Bedford jail with the Book of Romans. Bunyan puts the themes of Romans in allegory through a book called Pilgrim’s Progress.

JOHN WESLEY(1700’s) – Came to Georgia as a missionary to the American Indians. Failed miserably and came to the conclusion that he was not saved. ‘I came to America to convert the Indians but who will convert me?’

Return trip: Storm – sailors panic – Moravians praying and praising.

Some time later while walking down Aldersgate street – reading Luther’s preface to Romans and heard 1:17 – ‘heart strangely warmed’.

If the Bible could only contain one book I would choose ROMANS

THEME: Righteousness of God and subtitle is The Total Depravity of Man

2cnd Century description: Short, bald, hook-nosed, had an eye disease and was not an eloquent speaker:

God used him to change the world – may think you have nothing much to offer.

One verse this morning: Description of Paul given by himself. Not a physical description: How would you describe yourself? Clues to why Paul was such a dynamic Christian.

1) No physical characteristics mentioned nor vocation or age: Hard to pick out of a police lineup described this way.

Three Important Truths(Keys to success in the Christian life) MASTER MISSION MESSAGE

A MAN WHO KNEW HIS MASTER Paul, a bondservant of Christ Jesus…

1. BONDSERVANT:

Unique word for slavery: English language has 26,000 words and you would be shocked at how few of them we really use in conversation but the Greek has about 122,000 different words to chose from. Paul chose a very specific word to describe himself: DOULOS