Sermon: Romans Part 8 (Pastor Brian Fuller - Romans 1:26-32)

Hi, and welcome to the Sermon Podcast of First Baptist Church Woodlawn in Woodlawn,

Illinois. I'm Senior Pastor Brian Fuller, and it is our desire to

impact the world with the Gospel of Jesus. We do so through small group

ministry, personal testimony, as well as corporate gatherings. You can find us

on Facebook, YouTube, and our website FBC Woodlawn dot org. Join us

now as we hear from God's word. Oh kids, you're such a blessing,

so grateful that not only are they here learning on so grateful that not

only are they here, but they take part, you know, and I

love when they answer the questions, and it is. It's a wonderful.

It's a wonderful thing. Anticipating fellowship today with everyone, so make sure you

stay for our potluck meal after church. It's going to be wonderful time of

fellowship together. Well, today we continue through a study of Romans, and

if you're keeping score, today is part eight and we're not yet through the

first chapter. So Romans is so deep, as you know, and I've

entitled overall the sermons series the Heart of the Gospel, and that's really what

it is. If you ever want to know what the Gospel of Jesus is,

just read through the Book of Romans and you will hear very clearly what

the gospel message is and what the requirements are to receive Christ. Right.

There's a lot of people that would say, well, the love and salvation

of God is unconditional. Well it's not. Salvation of God is not unconditional

because there are conditions. You must repent of your sin to come to Christ.

You must acknowledge that He is Lord and that you have sinned. Those

are the conditions to come to Christ. And so yes, for God so

loved the world right that he gave. But to say that his salvation is

unconditional is not true. So today we hit really hard. Today. We're

gonna look at verses twenty six through thirty two of Romans Chapter one, and

we'll just jump in verse twenty six. For this reason, God gave them

up to dishonorable passions for their women, exchange natural relations for those that are

contrary to nature. And the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and

were consumed with passion for one another. Men committing shameless acts with men and

receiving in themselves that do penalty for their error. And since they did not

see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to

do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of

unrighteousness, evil, coveteousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder,

strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of

God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,

foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree

that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them,

but give approval to those who practice them. Have a good day.

Let's pray, Dear God, thank you that you love us enough to warn

us, to correct us, and to love us with a love that is

like no other. Lord. I pray that you would speak clearly to each

one of us today what you would have us to glean from this this word,

it's your word, Have your way in Jesus name. Maybe I was

a in a meeting with a few other area of pastors just just recently.

We meet our on a monthly basis, and and we uh. We we

do things for our community, which is which is great, but we also

talk about spiritual health and things that are going on spiritually and in our not

only in our area, but in our in our country. And and one

of the pastors may the comment that it seems that the Gospel is being watered

down by many preachers today. And I made the simple point that not only

was that true, but in many pulpits around the country, not only is

the gospel being softened and watered down, but what is being preached isn't the

gospel at all. And it's just hard to believe what I'm hearing come out

of the mouths of those who claim to be pastors and preachers. There are

many false gospels that are being preached. And Paul even made the statement,

which is not the gospel at all. And if you listen to Galatians chapter

one six through nine, Faul says this. He says, I am astonished

that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ

and are turning to a different gospel. Not that there is another one,

but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a

gospel contrary to the one we preach to you, let him be a cursed.

As we have said before, So now I say again, if anyone

is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you receive, let him

be a curse. Do you think there's not a responsibility that comes with preaching

the word of God? And how many there are that twisted and distorted.

I saw a video just over the last couple of days at a men's conference

that had a pole and a man with no shirt on climbing the pole and

like, and there was a public rebuke by one of the speakers because of

it. And uh, the one who gave the rebuke was himself rebuked because

he gave the rebuke. Some of you may know what I'm talking about,

and I just share all all of this because today's text is straight out of

the headlines. It takes up much of what we see and what we hear

on on social media, and probably much of what we talk about in our

day to day conversations, right, and there are opinions that abound even in

church. So I'm going to ask ask you right now, I'm going to

ask you to ask God as you're as you're listening this morning, that your

your heart would be this would be the prayer of your heart. Lord opened

my eyes and my ears to see and hear the truth of the Gospel and

to not be tainted or swayed by my own opinion or by the opinion of

others. So pray that as you listen to what the Word of God says

today and in today's tumultuous social and political culture, I'll just say, you

ain't seen nothing yet. We're six months from an election and it's going to

get nasty. You're gonna be bombarded with opinions and falsehoods on every side,

every side. And I'll tell you right now, I'll tell you again later,

turn off the news. Turn it off. We need the absolute truth

of God's world to set us straight and to keep us straight. So if

you find yourself listening ears this morning, if you find yourself confused and unclear

on these topics, you can only blame yourself for not being in God's word.

Turn off the news, get your nose out of your phone, and

get in God's word. And that's every single one of us, and I

don't know how to put it any more plainly than that. But of course

I say it in love because I love you and I care for your well

being. I care for your spiritual wellbeing. But it's more than just caring

for your spiritual wellbeing. I care for your mental well being because that is

what is going to come under attack more and more and more. And I've

entitled this sermon evil in plain View because not only is evil in plain view

today, but it slaps you in the face, and it announces itself boldly,

and it mesmerizes a young generation. It mesmerizes a young generation with the

face of Taylor Swift, you gotta hear me, Dwayne the Rock Johnson and

many others in the music and entertainment business are buying into a lie and they

are influencing a generation. And I'm pretty sure I'll preach on that sometime relatively

soon. But it's in your face, and they very quickly call it evil,

but there are so many, especially young young people and parents, that

are falling for it. Hook line and singer, Open your eyes, open

your ears, as in ancient times, and it's not so ancient times as

it also today. Verse twenty five left off last week. Verse twenty five.

Man has exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and

served the creature rather than the Creator. We begin today with verse twenty six.

For this reason, God gave them up to dishonorable passions for their women

exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature verse twenty seven, and

the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for

one another. We live in a society today that has abandoned and dethroned God.

I get mad when I think about what society has done with the one

who created the universe on purpose intentionally has dethroned God God because of it,

God has abandoned our society, allowing it to be given over to shameful and

unnatural passions. And Paul calls them dishonorable passions. The amplified version of Scripture

calls them vile affections and degrading passions. In the NIV says shameful luss and

no matter how you slice it, their actions show a complete disregard for the

principles of God, exchanged for sinful pleasures and careless living. If you look

at Genesis chapter nineteen, look at how God destroyed the cities of Sodom and

Gomorrah for the same sins America is guilty of. Today, today, it

is more acceptable to be considered trans and homosexual than it is to be heterosexual

and God fearing. That's what mainstream media would have you believe. And pastors

are ridiculed and Christians publicly slandered for standing firm on biblical principles of marriage consisting

of one man and one woman. And I don't have to go into detail

concerning what verses twenty six and twenty seven mean. Women gave up having sex

with their husbands and started having sex with other women, and men gave up

having sex with their wives to have sex with other men. And it is

an abomination in the eyes of God. And you and I know that natural

relations is that between husband and his wife. Homosexuality is contrary to nature,

not only to Scripture, it's contrary to nature. There is only one way

to procreate, and that is through the natural interaction between man and wife.

And I hope that doesn't embarrass you today. I hope you say preach it

pastor num Verse twenty eight and since they did not see fit to acknowledge God.

God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to

be done. God gave them up to a debased mind. A debased mind

is a mind that is corrupt. It has been lowered in character and dignity.

A debased mind has very little value. God gave them up to He

released them to be controlled by their corruption. And it is a mental perversion.

So many of those we see today they flaunt their sexual perversion. They

exhibit a mental instability. And this mental perversion leads not only to sexual perversion,

but a scripture says, all kinds of sin and evil, all kinds

of unrighteousness Verse twenty nine. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousnes.

And if, by chance, if by chance, someone with this state of

mind comes across the video of this message, I would expect to receive hate

mail. I would expect to be condemned for my narrow mindedness and my lack

of compassion. And I'm sure that I'd be labeled an extremist and accused of

hate and intolerance. Praise God, I'm fine with that. I'd be in

good company. I thank God. Because of the Cross, and in submitting

to the authority of God and his word, I like you, am a

new creation in Christ Jesus two Corinthians five p. Seventeen. The old has

passed away, the new has come, and I praise God that he has

given me, and He's given you the mind of Christ. Colossians three one

through three says, if you then have been raised with Christ, seek the

things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are

on the earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with

Christ in God. And because the battle is in our mind right, that's

where the battle is. We all fight it every day, different battles,

different folks, but we all fight a battle in our mind every day.

And because of that we must be continually renewed in our mind and cleansed in

our mind. Right, set your mind on things above and Ephesians five Paul

describes how husbands should love their wives, presenting them, He says, presenting

them clean, having cleansed her or covered her by the washing of water with

the word. And it's a beautiful picture of the bride of Christ being washed

and cleansed of by the word of God, by Jesus with the Word of

God. And as we allow the word of God to change our mind,

we will think differently, our conduct will be different, our attitude will be

different. And guess what, what, pastor, you have to actively be

in the Word of God for the cleansing of your mind to take place.

You know, you know, you know, I don't have a math mind.

I don't have much of a science mind either, especially when it comes

to the math stuff in science. It's gotta go hand in hand. It

doesn't happen by osmosis. You know, you've got to be actively involved,

and you've got to read the Word. You've got to study the Word for

yourself. Don't take my word for it. Don't just listen to what the

pastor says on Sunday and think that that's gonna sustain you for the rest of

the week. We desperately need to seek God every day in this world because

the lost desperately need Jesus. And I pray and I hope that you know

somebody lost in your life because they need Jesus. Back to verses twenty eight

and twenty nine, says and since they did not see fit to acknowledge God.

God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to

be done, and they were filled with all manner of unrighteousness because of their

failure to honor God and to acknowledge God. In their corrupted mind, they

were also filled with and then Paul lists this whole list of stuff, evil

stuff. He said, they were also filled with evil, coveteousness, malice.

They were full of envy, murder, strife, eat, maliciousness.

They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolence, which means rude

or arrogant, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,

foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Those are the characteristics that come from

a mind that is corrupt and a heart that is darkened. They intentionally reject

God. On purpose, they reject God, and the result is all manner

of unrighteousness. Listening ears, let us be reminded that our battle is not

against flesh and blood. Our battle is against the dark powers and the influence

of satanic forces that are in the world. We do not fight against people.

We fight against the forces of evil in the spirit with the word of

God, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, with the authority of Jesus name.

That's how we fight our battles Ephesian six eleven and twelve. Put on the

whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes

of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but

against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present

darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. But sometimes

a lot of times we want to lash out in the flesh, and Satan

would love nothing more than that for us to get caught up in a physical

war and a war of words. And it's no surprise today that this battle

is in our face. It's no surprise that all manner of unrighteousness, as

Paul mentions, is on full display in the most public of places. Right.

It's not hidden anymore, and it is alarming. It should be alarming

to you. It should drive you to God's word. It should drive you

to your knees in prayer for your family, for your school, for your

church, and for your government triumph. And in this urgency to pray,

and I hope you haven't, which is an essential part of our foundation in

Christ. To pray without ceasing, Amen. First Thessalonians five point seventeen.

We must also stand strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

How by putting on the whole armor of God to stand against the schemes

of the devil. I just want you to just put a marker on Ephesian

six. Just read it all week because you need it. We all need

it. And I remember preaching on this a couple of years ago whenever it

was and I told you to read the Ephesian six every day to be reminded

that we need the whole armor of God to stand against the schemes of the

devil. And that's what we do in our private time with God. That's

our that's our private time in the closet seeking God. We have his word,

we pray and put on the whole armor of God to stand. And

you also attend church faithfully. Amen. That prepares you for how you will

react in public when you are faced with all manners of unrighteousness. Because it's

not a physical battle in which we are engaged. It is a spiritual battle.

And to fight this battle, that must be prepared for in the spirits.

You know. I think more and more as I get a little bit

older, and I think maybe it's just signs of the times, don't I

don't know really exactly what it is. I hope it's the Holy Spirit dealing

with me. I've become a little bit more of a conspiracy theorist, you

know. I believe more and more that all the stuff that I always thought

was kind of wild and crazy, I gotta believe it now. I'm grateful

that I can say whatever I want from the pulpit now about the government,

because all that has been overturned in the courts. Preachers can say whatever they

want about the government and the pulpit now. I don't know if you knew

that or not, but it's true. They may still come after me,

but you know what we have, God, I don't know what. They

have way too much control. I'll tell you that I believe there is coming

a day when not only will our internet be turned off, without our electricity

be turned off. That's how they can control us anyway. So here's how,

here's how we fight this battle in the physical Okay, you know how

we fight it in the in the spiritual by putting on the whole armor of

God. Right, we pray we fight this battle in the physical. According

to first John four seven and eight, Beloved, let us love one another,

for love is from God. And whoever loves has been born of God

and knows God. And anyone who does not love does not know God.

Because God is love. And in one John four nineteen, we love because

He first loved us. That's our battle, that's our physical battle. It's

gonna go back and forth here for just a little bit. The offense go

back to the offense or the sin of rejecting God when he has proven his

existence to all people. That's serious stuff. To reject God when he has

proven himself is serious. When they blatantly defy and dishonor Him and instead worship

images of man and animals, that is the greatest act of futility that man

could ever commit. And Paul has strong words for those who practice such things,

and this is I really want to I want to drive this home verse

thirty two. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things

deserve to die, they not only do them, but they give approval to

those who practice them. And I repeated that that that idea, that truth,

because I don't want you to think that I was just glossing over this

great offense against God by saying that we love because God first loved us.

Yeah, it's true. It's true. We do show the love of Jesus

to others because He first loved us. We choose to love others and to

tell them about Jesus when we feel like ripping their face off. There's not

a stronger warning in scripture to those who deny and reject God. Paul says

they deserve to die. And the challenge that lies with you and me as

followers of Jesus, is to pray that their eyes would be opened, that

their darkened and their hardened heart would be softened and illuminated to receive the free

gift of God salvation through Christ Jesus. So let us be equipped to stand

firm in our faith, growing in the knowledge of God by it, by

reading and studying His word, and praying for those whom the enemy has deceived,

and loving them into the Kingdom of God with the love which He loved

us. The evil, the evil that is in plain view, needs the

love of Jesus shown and the Word of God proclaimed in plainview. Amen,

Let's pray. Thank you for tuning in to today's broadcast. We hope you

are encouraged and challenged by the preaching of God's word. You can reach us

by phone at six one eight three nine zero ten forty six, contact us

via Facebook or our website FBC Woodlawn dot org. It's our prayer that you

answer the call of God on your life to follow him and share your faith's

story with others. Goodbye for now, and God bless you.