Preaching sermons that work usually have a good outline structure that conveys the message to the audience with a natural flow of information. You will find that this sermon from Romans 2 has a simple outline structure that conveys the message in a logical sequence to the hearers.
Preaching sermons that work from Romans 2 is a sermon about the hypocrisy of religion. This sermon makes the point that there is a difference between religion and Christianity and these differences have eternal consequences.
Preaching Sermons That Work
Preaching Sermons That Work From Romans 2 is an expository sermon about The Hypocrisy of Religion. In an age when people are searching for spiritual truth, it is important that we realize that there are differences between religion and Christianity.
Snippets From Romans 2
INTRODUCTION: It is said that people with no ear for music say that it all sounds the same (now, I can relate to that), but lovers of music know better. Likewise, people who lack spiritual understanding often tell us that all religions are really the same.
A local newspaper said, “Local people from many religions . . . will be joining together in prayer for peace and unity.” A spokesman for the local Baha’i community who are organising the service said, “This is an opportunity for people of faith to join with each other and create a bond of love and unity. It will also be a chance for many who come, to see that we share much more than we realise. The unity of all faiths when seen together like this creates an understanding that we are not separate.”
Is this statement true? Are all religions similar? Do all religions lead to the same God? Many people would say yes, but is this the case?
Another writer said, “There are a lot of ‘religions’ in the world that have nothing to do with God. There are a lot of people with ‘religions’ that will never take them to heaven.”
Is this a true statement? Again people have different conclusions. Some say yes, but other say no? Who is right and who is wrong! In many ways, it is not a matter of who is right and who is wrong. The issue is that there is a difference between religion and Christianity.
Paul wanted his reader to realize the difference – to realize the hypocrisy of religion because it has eternal consequences (Romans 2:17-29).
There are three realization of the hypocrisy of religion. They are:
1. It lacks credibility (Romans 2:17-20)
Why does religion lack credibility?
A. It can be in name only (2:17a)
Religion per se (itself) can be in name only because it does not require a personal encounter with God or a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Just because you may be Baptist doesn’t mean you automatically know God personally.
The Jews were God’s chosen people; however, this privilege position did not mean they automatically knew God personally.
In fact, the Bible tells us that the opposite is true. Many Jews did not know God personally but they still claimed their privilege position.
Religion lack credibility because it can be in name only.
B. It can be in knowledge only (2:17-18)
Look at verse 17 & 18, “Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make boost in God, and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law.”
The Jews had a knowledge of God and His word but that knowledge did not lead them to a personal encounter with God (John 5:39-40).
Turn in your Bibles to John 5:39-40, look what it says, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of me. But you are not willing to come to me that you may have life.”
Having the Bible and knowing something of God’s word doesn’t mean we know God personally.
Also, the Jews taught God’s word (2:19-20).
Look at verse 19 & 20, “And [you] are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.”
Christianity is not just purely knowledge. It is a knowledge that leads to a personal, life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ.
2. It lack integrity (Romans 2:21-24)
Why does religion lack integrity?
A. It can be in word only <2:21-24)
Look at verse 21 to 24, it says, “You who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who day, ‘Do not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?’ You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boost in the law, do you dishonour God through breaking the law? For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,’ as it is written.”
Religion often preaches one thing and does something different. The Jews boasted in the Law of God; and yet, they continually broke this Law or manipulated the Work of God to their situation.
B. It lack power (2:23)
Look at verse 23, “You make your boost in the law, do you dishonour God through breaking the law?”
Religion has no power to obey the Work of God. The power to live the Christian life and obey the Work of God is in the person of Jesus Christ. As Paul said, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
3. It lack substance (Romans 2:25-29)
Why does religion lacks substance?
A. It can be outward only (2:25, 28)
Look at verse 25 & 28, “For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh.”
The Jews kept the outward sign of the covenant, which was circumcision, but failed to respond to God in a personal way.
God is always looking for a heart response (Jeremiah 7:22-23).
God said this to the nation of Israel in Jeremiah 7:22-23, “For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’”
Jesus said to the religious leaders, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me” (Matt 15:8-9).
B. It fails to recognize the inward response (2:29)
Look at verse 29, “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”
God is always looking for a heart response brought around by the Holy Spirit.
This is what Jesus inferred when he spoke to the religious leaders: “First cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also” (Matthew 23:26).
We can get caught up in religious activity, but God seeks an inward response, a heart response to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In a nutshell, this is the difference between religion and Christianity.
John Stott said, “It is not something outward and visible, but inward and invisible . . . it is in the heart, not the flesh . . . it is effected by the Spirit not the law; and it wins the approval of God not man.”
These Free Bible Sermons were compiled by Rev. D. Blackburn BA GDM.