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(upbeat music) - Welcome to our daily drive time devotion to the book of Romans.
Hi, I am Pastor Tom Holliday, and I am looking forward to the life changing
truth that we're going to see together in this incredible book. There are two very
simple goals for this study.

First, an understanding of the books of the Bible. These drive time devotions,
we're going through books of the Bible so that you get a sense of what God's
word has to say. We're going to go through a chapter a week, usually take about 10
minutes a day, and I believe that through that, you'll have a better
understanding of Romans than ever before, because when you spend time with God's
word, you get a better understanding of God's word.

So the first goal is understanding the books of the Bible, but a second goal, a
second goal is a sense of closeness to God that results in this deepening
confidence that he really can, he really will change your life. Again, God's
word can give us that confidence. As we start out at this look at the book of
Romans, I want to ask you a question.

If God had business cards, I wonder what business they would reflect that he's
in. It would have to be a big card. He's an architect and a healer, God is a
counselor, he's a physicist, he's an author, he's a manager.

Amidst all of those different jobs and tasks that God has, let me just focus on
one. God is in the business of changing history. God changes history, he changes
world history.

History is marked by the birth of Jesus Christ into this world. Every time we
write down a date, we mark it by the birth and death of Jesus Christ. God is in
the business of changing world history.

He also changes national history, whether ancient history like Israel or
Babylon, Rome, or more modern history like England or the United States of
America. The history of nations has risen and fallen based on our response to
the God of the universe. God changes history.

He also changes family history. I don't know how many families I've talked to
who their entire history as a family, direction as a family has been changed by
the grace and love of Jesus Christ. God changes your history.

He has the power to change the focus. He has the power to change the direction
of our very lives. And so the goal for this study together through the book of
Romans is nothing less than a radical historical change.

I believe that our study of this book together will change history. Personal
history, family history, church family history, but also even national history
and world history. Now I know those sound like pretty big goals, but they are
the only goals that are big enough for this book because Romans is a history
changing book.

Just ask some of the greatest figures in history. Ask guys like Augustine or
Luther or Wesley. Augustine, one of the great early leaders of the church in 386
AD, he was 32 years old.

He heard a voice sitting out in his backyard saying pick up and read. And he
knew it meant to pick up and read from the Bible. He opened and he read from
Romans chapter 13 verses 13 to 14.

The Bible says there, let us behave decently as in the daytime, not in orgies
and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and
jealousy, rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. And do not think
about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Now when Augustine read
that, he was thinking about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

He was living a pretty selfish, self-centered, pleasure seeking life. When he
read these words he said he had what he called the light of relief. All the
shadows of doubt were dispelled and he realized that God could come into the
history of his life.

He didn't have to live the rest of his life just for some empty pleasures. He
could live his life to make a difference. And he did, he did.

He's one of the great theologians, the great leaders of the church. And Martin
Luther, when he was 31 years old, Romans chapter one verse 17 got a grip on his
life. Romans one 17 says, for in the gospel, a righteousness from God is
revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last.

Just as it is written, the righteous will live by faith. Luther later said that
that passage became for him the gateway to heaven. Even more than that, this
great leader of the Reformation, this is the passage of scripture that led his
heart to become the leader of the Reformation.

And this verse, this impact that happened in Luther's life, later it was
reflected in John Wesley's life, one of the later great leaders of the church.
Wesley went to a meeting where he heard about Luther's experience. It was in May
of 1738.

And he said that during that meeting something happened to his life. In fact,
here's his exact quote. Wesley said, "I felt I did trust Christ, "Christ alone
for salvation.

"And an assurance was given me "that he had taken away my sins, even mine, "and
saved me from the law of sin and death. " Well, the result of this change in
John Wesley's life was a revival that swept England and all the way into
America. Here's three guys.

The book of Romans came into their lives and it changed history. One was sitting
in his backyard, another was in deep study, another was at a church meeting that
he thought would be boring. Augustine was surprised by the truth in Romans.

Luther searched out the truth in Romans. Wesley stumbled over the truth in
Romans. One of them was a pagan, one was a monk, one was a cultural board
Christian, and all their lives were changed.

Martin Luther later was to say, "It is worthy not only that every Christian
"should know this book, "the book of Romans word for word by heart, "but also
that he should occupy himself with it every day "as the daily bread of his soul.
" He knew it had changed the history of his heart. John Calvin, another leader
during the Reformation, said, "If we have gained a true understanding "of this
epistle to the Romans, "we have an open door to all the most profound truths "of
scripture.

" William Tyndale, in his preface to the book of Romans, wrote, "The more it's
studied, the easier it is. "The more it's chewed, the pleasanter it is. " It's a
book that's worth studying.

And Richard Halverson, a more modern-day writer, wrote, "Western civilization is
a byproduct "of Paul's epistle to the Romans. " That is the history-changing
power of this book. So as we start to study this book together, I'd like to
invite you with me to have a couple of pictures in your mind.

I have the picture of walking into a courtroom, but I also have the picture of
walking through some grand mountains. First, this picture of walking into a
courtroom. As we walk into the book of Romans, we're walking into a reasoned
argument for the good news of Jesus' love.

Romans argues through some truths, and it's like you're sitting in a courtroom
hearing the proofs for the good news of Jesus Christ. So be prepared to enjoy
and hear those truths and proofs as we walk together through the book of Romans.
But it's not just a courtroom.

There's a lot more here. There's also this picture of these incredibly grand
mountains just surrounding you, just taking your breath away. We're walking
through the mountains of truth when we walk through the book of Romans together.

And when you get up in the mountains, do you know how it is? The air is clear.
The view is awesome.

And that's what the truths of this book have the power to do. It has the power
to clear up the air in our hearts. It has the power to give us the perspective
that we need to see what's really important in life.

Someone's called Romans the greatest epistle from the greatest apostle. The book
of Romans was carried to Rome by a deaconess at Sentria by the name of Phoebe.
Some think it may have started out simply as an introduction of Phoebe, a
commendation of Phoebe, but it ended up as the greatest theological work of the
New Testament.

This book, Romans, was written only 30 years or so after the crucifixion and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's just not that long. Just think, 30 years or
so ago, back in, say, 1976, Apple Computer Corporation was founded.

President was elected by the name of Carter. The top songs in the charts were
songs by Elton John in Chicago. That is not that long ago.

Some of us can remember that very well. And so when this book was written, the
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was still fresh on people's minds. And
this is a book that explains how the fresh and real truth of God's love can make
a history-changing difference in any person's life.

Each day, as we close these short devotional Bible studies, I'd like to lead you
in a brief time of prayer. God wrote this book. He is right here with you.

And so let's talk to him. I hope that this brief prayer can set the tone of hope
and confidence that you and I need in God for your day. As we pray, we need to
pray faith-directed prayers.

Now, we should tell the Lord our doubts when we pray, but we should also pray
with faith. Even if you don't feel it, when you pray with faith, that prayer
will change your life. Take a minute right now.

Now, if you're driving, don't close your eyes. But take a minute right now,
wherever you are, to pray with me. And just say to Jesus Christ, Lord, I want
the truth of the book of Romans to make a significant difference in my life.

Help me to understand these truths, to see how great a difference you can make
in me and through me. Jesus Christ, I specifically pray that you would keep me
aware of your love throughout this day. And I pray it in your name.

Amen. Let me tell you where we're headed. Change happens when the truth impacts
my life.

The book of Romans reminds us that change happens when I understand the truth
about sin and the truth about salvation, the truth about sanctification, my own
growth, the truth about God's sovereignty and the truth about service. And
tomorrow, we're going to dive into what this book has to say about how these truths
can make a history-changing difference in our lives. See you tomorrow as we look
together at Romans chapter one, verses one to seven.