A Radical Perspective

Sermon from CCM Ladybarn

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LISTEN

This sermon was preached by Elisabeth Brownlee at the Ladybarn site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 29th July 2018.

SERIES

This message was part of the ‘SERIES NAME’ series, preached at Christ Church Manchester’s church in Withington in EARLY/MID/LATE YEAR. The full series included the following sermons:

BIBLE VERSES

This sermon was based on Romans 8:31-39

God’s Everlasting Love

31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

KEY POINTS

A Change of Perspective

  • Even a small change in our perspective, our viewpoint can have a very big impact on how we live our lives.
  • Paul is offering a radical perspective on the Christian life in this passage.
  • Are we willing to alter our perspective and live in this radical way?

We Do Not Need to Fear

  • We don’t have to fear people – ‘if God is for us who can be against us’ v31
  • We don’t have to fear lacking anything – ‘He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?’ v32
  • We don’t have to fear the devil – ‘Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.’ v33
  • We don’t have to fear God – ‘Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.’ v34
  • We don’t have to fear circumstances or the future – ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”‘ v35-36

Choosing the Radical Perspective

  • Do we want to adopt this radical perspective. It doesn’t come naturally, it requires effort and we need help.
  • We need the Holy Spirit to bring the truth of God’s word to life for us and to empower us to live in that truth.
  • We need one another, our Christian brothers and sisters. We need to give one another more than just practical advice and common sense in life – we need to remind each other to live by this Radical perspective.

MORE SERMONS

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