Pathway to Victory

Speaker 1

Hey podcast listeners, thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's Word through the most effective media available, like this podcast.

To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org/donate or follow the link in our show notes.

Now here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 2

Hi, this is Robert Jeffress and I'm glad to study God's Word with you every day. This Bible teaching program on today's edition of Pathway to Victory.

Speaker 3

Is it good news to say there is no benevolent Creator who loves us and has a plan for our life? Is it good news to say this world is all that there is and that when I close my eyes for the last time in death, I slip into nothingness? Is that good news?

That is bad news. We are the ones who have good news that there is a God who loves us.

Speaker 1

Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress. As Christians, we often refer to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the good news, but sometimes when we've heard the Gospel message again and again, we forget what great news it truly is.

Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress shares important truths about the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Book of Romans. Now here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message.

Speaker 3

Dr. Jeffress thanks David, and welcome again.

Speaker 2

To Pathway to Victory. Today I'm thrilled to introduce a study on one of my favorite sections of the Bible, the Book of Romans, chapters one through five. I'm calling this teaching series Grace Powered Living. The New Testament Book of Romans was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by the Apostle Paul. Paul was the most prolific writer of the New Testament, and many have called his Letter to the Romans his greatest contribution. A one-time Christian hater, Paul experienced a radical conversion, and these first five chapters in Romans clearly define the baseline for man's corruption and the gift of God's grace that liberates us.

Well, on this first day in this series, I'm pleased to offer a companion resource to anyone who asks for it. That is when your request includes a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. I'm referring to the eye-opening book that's called an Illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul. With pictures, maps, and illustrations, this book helps us understand how and why Paul was used by God in such extraordinary ways.

As a bonus, when you respond today, I'll also include the Journeys of Paul Map and brochure. David and I will give more details later in today's program. But right now, let's open our Bibles to the wonderful book of Romans. Our series is called Grace Powered Living, and I've titled today's message Good News from a Distant Land.

Speaker 3

I have always been fascinated with the Empire State Building since I first went to the top of that building when I was six years old. That building, for many years, as you know, was the tallest building in the world. And that's why I couldn't help but watch a documentary on the Discovery Channel about the building of the Empire State Building a while back. It talked about the construction of that great, great building. How is it that such a massive structure was able to stand under its own weight, was able to withstand the high winds that would beat against it? It even survived an occasional strike by an airplane against it, and yet it remained strong. The secret, the documentary said, of that building was its foundation.

In that documentary, it showed some 1920s newsreel of the men pouring thousands of pounds of concrete and steel beams into the hole beneath the building. The secret of that building's greatness was its foundation. How can you make sure that your faith remains strong in spite of the adversity, the attacks, even the doubts that beat against your faith? The secret is making sure you have a strong foundation. And that's what the book of Romans is all about. The book of Romans is that foundation for the Christian faith. So if you have your Bibles, I want you to turn to Romans, chapter one.

Now, let's look first of all at the center of the letter, Romans 1:1. He identifies himself with one word, Paul. Beginning in verse 2, he begins a fourfold description of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, what do we mean when we say gospel? Let's define that before we look at what the gospel actually is. The word simply means good news. That's what the word gospel means. It means good news. In what sense is it good news? One person writer says it this way. Martyn Lloyd Jones. He says, most of us don't really understand how good the news of the gospel really is because we don't contrast our gospel with that of other religions. If you understand what other religions teach, then you understand why the gospel truly is good news.

You see, there is no good news in other religions. Every other religion has bad news to deliver. And the bad news is you must work your way to earn God's approval. You are under a heavy burden of guilt that you have to work and work and work to try to absolve, and you never know when you've done enough to earn your God's favor. And that's why all the so-called holy men and monks and gurus of other religions walk around sad-faced all the time. It is not good news; it is bad news. We are the ones who have good news. That there is a God who loves us. That there is a God who guides the affairs of our life. That that God, even though we've offended him, offers to forgive us through faith in Jesus Christ. That is the good news of the Gospel.

Now I want you to notice here the characteristics of that Gospel. He gives us four characteristics here. First of all, he says this Gospel was described in the Old Testament. Look at chapter one, verse two, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. One of the charges against the Apostle Paul was by the Jews that he was preaching a brand new message in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is a new message that contradicts Judaism. Christianity is not a contradiction of Judaism. It is the completion of Judaism. And that's what Paul is saying here. He is saying this idea of a Messiah, a Savior who would take away the sins of the world, didn’t start in the New Testament. It was foretold in the Holy Scriptures.

Remember, even Jesus said that himself. Turn over, hold your place here, and turn over to Luke chapter 24. Remember when Jesus, after his resurrection, appeared to his disciples, two of them on the road to Emmaus? After they recognized him, he gently chided them for not recognizing him. Look at verse 25, Luke 24. He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart, to believe in all that the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?" Then, beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, he explained to them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures. The only Scriptures that had been written at that time were the Old Testament Scriptures. But Jesus went back and started with Moses and showed him how all the truths about himself had been foretold in the Scriptures. Everything about Jesus has been deposited in the Holy Scriptures. That's the Gospel here.

What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? First of all, it is described in the Old Testament. Secondly, it is dependent on Jesus Christ. It is dependent; it is centered on Jesus Christ. Look at verses 3 and 4. This gospel concerning his Son who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead according to the spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. Do you realize that almost every other religion in the world is built around the teachings of the founder of that religion? Confucianism, Buddhism are all based around the teachings of the founder of the faith. Not so with Christianity. Christianity is not built around the teachings of Jesus. A lot of people think they are. No, the basis of the Christian faith is not the teaching of Jesus. It is the person and work of Jesus Christ himself. That's what makes Christianity different than all the other religions.

That's what he's saying here. The Gospel depends upon three aspects of Christ's life, and he mentions them here. First of all, it's based on Christ's humanity. Look at verse three, the Gospel concerning his Son who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh. There were people in Paul's day who said, well, Jesus wasn't really human. He was a spirit and he just appeared to be human. That's what the Gnostics believed. Paul said, no, he was actually born of the flesh. One reason that is important is because it means he truly identifies with you and me. There is no adversity that strikes against your life. There is no temptation that befalls you. There is no heartbreaker loneliness that engulfs you that Jesus has not experienced himself. And that's why you can go to him, as the writer of Hebrews said, confident that we have a high priest who sympathizes with all of our weaknesses, his humanity.

The Gospel is also based on his deity. Look at verse four. He was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. The resurrection did not make Jesus the Son of God, but it proved that he was the Son of God. It was his resurrection that proved that when he died, he did not die for his own sins. Instead, he died for our sins. God accepted that sacrifice and proved it to the world by lifting Jesus up out of the grave. Thirdly, the third aspect of Jesus upon which the Gospel is built is his lordship. Notice how Paul summarizes in verse 4 the person of Jesus Christ. It is with the name Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Now, what's the big deal about that? Why is Jesus Christ the Lord so important? That word Lord is the word Kurios. It is the same Greek word that was used to translate the Old Testament in the Septuagint, the most holy name of God. Do you remember what the most holy name of God was? It was a name that the Hebrews would not utter. It was so holy. It was the name Yahweh. I am. And it is that word Kurios that is the Greek translation of the most holy name for God there is: Yahweh, the one God. The God who is yesterday, today, and forever, the sovereign over all the universe. Jesus Christ is Lord Kurios.

Now, this may come as a surprise, a shock to some of you. Before you start composing your email to send to me, listen to what I'm going to say. Did you know there's nothing really special about the name of Jesus? The word Jesus is the Old Testament word Joshua. Many people were named Joshua; it means deliverer. Jesus is his earthly name. Christos means Messiah or anointed one. But the first and premier name, the name that is above every other name, is Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is Lord.

James Montgomery Boice recounts the story of the martyrdom of Polycarp, one of the earliest church leaders, the bishop at Smyrna, who was executed for his faith on February 22, 156. You know why he was executed? He would not say, "Caesar is Lord." As they drove him in the chariot to the arena where he was going to be killed, the city officials, not wanting some great uproar in the city, pleaded with him and said, "What harm could there be in saying Caesar is Lord and sparing your own life?" This is what Polycarp said: "For 86 years I have been Christ's slave, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my king who saved me?" Polycarp refused to say, "Caesar is Lord" because there is only one Lord, one sovereign, and his name is Jesus Christ. That's what Paul is saying here.

Now, if that is true, if Jesus Christ is truly God, he is Lord, he is sovereign over all, then that has great implications for your life and my life. Paul talks about that in the third description of the Gospel. He said the gospel was not only described in the Old Testament and dependent upon the Lord Jesus Christ, but the gospel demands obedience. Look at verses 5 and 6 of Romans 1, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for his name's sake, among whom you also are called of Jesus Christ. Paul says, if we're going to preach the gospel, it's not just going to be, "You can get out of hell by trusting in Christ." We're going to preach the full gospel, the gospel whose ultimate end is obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what he's talking about here.

You see, if indeed we believe that Jesus Christ is Kurios, Lord sovereign over all, then as Paul said in Colossians 1:18, it means Christ should have first place in all things in our life. If Jesus Christ is Lord, it means he is Lord over your mind. You're not free to just think any thoughts you want to think. You're not free to dwell on any fantasy that comes into your mind and say, "I think I'll just think about that a little bit longer and take that to its ultimate need." You're not free to do that. Your mind doesn't belong to you. Jesus is Lord over your mind. Jesus is Lord. He is sovereign over your desires. You're not free to do anything you want to do. Your desires are under the lordship, the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. Jesus is Lord over your vocation. You're not free just to do whatever you want to do. Your vocation is under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is Lord over your time. You're not free to get up in the morning and say, "Gee, I just wonder how I'm going to spend my time today." No. Jesus is Lord; he is master. He is sovereign over your time. He is Lord. He is sovereign over your money. That money you have sitting in your checking account or in your savings account or in stocks and bonds, that's not yours. That is on loan to you from God. Jesus is Lord; he's master over your money. Jesus is Lord over this church, the First Baptist Church of Dallas. I'm not free as the pastor to do whatever I want to do. The deacons aren't free to do whatever they want to do. This church belongs to Jesus Christ. It is his church. He is Lord over this church.

And ladies and gentlemen, Jesus is Lord over this nation as well. We are not free as a country to do whatever we want to do under the name of separation of church and state. Jesus is not just Lord over the church and religious institutions; he is Lord over this nation as well. I was talking to somebody recently. They thought they were going to trip me up. They said, "You know, Pastor, you say that same-sex marriage is a counterfeit marriage and it weakens the family, and you don't think it ought to be legal." I said, "That's right." They said, "Well, if you believe that, shouldn't we outlaw adultery? Shouldn't we outlaw premarital sex? Shouldn't we outlaw these things that destroy and break down the family as well?"

What they were trying to get me to say was, "Oh, we don't want a theocracy. Oh, that's abhorrent. A theocracy. We don't want to be like those Middle Eastern countries where they mix God's laws, or whatever it is, laws with man's laws. No, we've got to separate our religion from our public policy." But I wouldn't say that. Instead, I said to this person, "You know what? God is no respecter of people, nations, or political systems. God's rule is simple. God will bless any nation that reverences him and His Word, and he will reject any nation that disobeys him." God is no respecter of people.

I remember reading an article some time ago. It was written by a Jewish rabbi, and the title of the article is "Why Jews Should Pray for a Christian America." In that article, this rabbi said, "The greatest threat to the survival of our nation is not from the right-wing Christians. It is from the left-wing, immoral, godless people who would try to separate our country from its nation's spiritual heritage." That's the greatest threat to our nation. I tell you, I get so tired of these theological pinheads, nincompoops. They write on these blogs all the time. They're from such and such seminary or they've written such and such books, and they've concocted some kind of excuse about why Christians shouldn't be engaged in the public policy and direction of our nation. I can't understand how anybody could develop a theology that says it's all right to give up. It is all right to surrender the direction of this nation to the godless, immoral infidels of this country. Why do we let that happen? The Bible says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, Kurios Jesus Christ." Jesus is Lord over this country.

The Gospel says that it is built around the person of Jesus Christ, his humanity, his deity, and his lordship. Fourthly, the gospel demonstrates God's love. Look at verse seven. He finally gets to the recipients of the letter: to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints. Grace to you and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the first mention of the theme you'll see throughout this book: the grace of Jesus Christ. What does grace mean? It refers to God's undeserved favor upon me. If you're a Christian today, if you're listening to this broadcast, understand this: you're not a Christian because you chose God. You're not a Christian because you awakened one day and said, "You know what? I think I'll trust in Jesus." If you're a Christian today, it's not because you chose God; it's because God chose you.

Ephesians 2:4 says, "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, he has made us alive together with Christ. For by grace you have been saved." If you don't remember one other thing I say today, remember this: God chose to love you not because of your goodness. God chose to love you in spite of your badness. He didn't choose you because of your goodness. He didn't choose me because of my goodness. He chose us in spite of our badness. That is the grace of Jesus Christ.

In his epic work on Romans, Donald Gray Barnhouse relates a story. It's a French legend about a young man who was dating an immoral, godless woman. The mother of the boy was a Christian, and she prayed that he would be extricated from the relationship with this godless woman. He even begged her, "Son, please end the relationship. It's taking you further and further away from God." And he wouldn't give in. The woman, knowing of the mother's displeasure, decided she needed to do something to get rid of the mother. So she kept begging her lover, "Please kill your mother. Murder your mother. Get her out of our lives." The man resisted her pleadings day after day. But one night, in a drunken stupor, the man decided to give in. He went to his mother's house and he brutally murdered her.

Then, to show his lover that he had done the dastardly deed, he cut out the heart of his dead mother. He took the bleeding heart in his hand and he ran back to his lover to show what he had done. As he ran, he tripped and he fell on the ground. The legend says, as he hit the ground, the bleeding heart cried out, "My son, are you hurt? My son, are you hurt?" Barnhouse says, "And that's the way God loves us. That's the way God loves you." But God demonstrated his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, he sent Christ to die for us. Paul had experienced firsthand the grace, the undeserved love of Jesus Christ, which is the very heart of the gospel, a gospel that is truly good news to those who believe.

Speaker 2

This graphic contrast certainly illustrates the depth of God's unconditional love for his children. And we'll celebrate the powerful grace of God throughout our daily study in the Book of Romans together.

I'm calling this Study in Romans 1:5 Grace powered living. In a moment, David will explain how you can receive my entire teaching series on audio CD and video DVD. This entire collection is unedited, meaning that you'll receive far more teaching material than you'll hear on the program.

And then this is our opportunity to tell you about a companion study tool on the life of the Apostle Paul. I used this one-of-a-kind book to prepare my sermon series because it gives so much context for the culture in which Paul ministered, and it opens our eyes to the journeys that caused the Gospel of Jesus Christ to spread like wildfire. This resource is called *An Illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul*.

I'm pleased to send you this book right away when you include a generous gift to support the growing ministry of Pathway to Victory. Now, in addition to the illustrated guide, I'm also going to send you the *Journeys of Paul Map* and brochure so that you can clearly trace the footsteps of this spiritual giant.

I'm looking forward to sending a package to your home, so thanks for getting in touch with us today. We want these two resources to empower you and also to serve as a symbol of your partnership with Pathway to Victory. We couldn't provide these daily programs without you, David.

Speaker 1

Thanks, Dr. Jeffress. When you give a generous gift of Pathway to Victory, you're invited to request a copy of an illustrated Guide to the Apostle Paul. As an added bonus, we will include the Journeys of Paul Map to help you trace the pathway of Paul's missionary journeys. If you'd like to request these helpful resources, call 866-999-2965 or go to ptv.org now.

When you invest $75 or more in this ministry, we'll also send you the audio and video disks for our current study in Romans 1 through 8 called Grace Powered Living. Listen to the full-length presentations during your daily commute or watch them with your small group Bible study. To request the CD and DVD sets, call 866-999-2965 or go to ptv.org. You're always welcome to send your request by mail to P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222. Again, that's P.O. Box 223609, Dallas, Texas 75222.

I'm David J. Mullins. The heart of the Gospel is that even though everyone has sinned, God provided an escape for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. But that leaves us with a perplexing question: what does it mean to have faith? Learn more when you listen Tuesday to Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas.

Picture yourself relaxing aboard a luxury cruise ship as you sail the Mediterranean Sea on the Pathway to Victory Journeys of Paul Mediterranean cruise, May 5-16, 2025. This 11-day journey will take you to unforgettable destinations in Italy, Turkey, and Greece. Plus, you'll have the option to extend your trip with additional adventures in Rome. To book your spot on the 2025 Journeys of Paul Mediterranean cruise, go to ptv.org.

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