We all know the frustration of prayers that seem to hit the ceiling. When we ask for healing, for provision, for justice, and the answer appears to be silence, it is easy to grow weary and stop asking altogether. But Jesus tells us in Luke 18 that this is exactly when we must not lose heart.

In this message, we look at the parable of the persistent widow and the unjust judge. Jesus contrasts a corrupt, self-serving judge who finally grants justice just to stop being bothered, with our heavenly Father who is the only truly just judge. The point is not that God is reluctant and we have to wear Him down. The point is that if even an unjust man will eventually do what is right when pressed, how much more will a perfectly good God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night?

We explore what it means to persist in prayer when our circumstances do not fit our expectations. Prayer is not about imposing our subjective sense of fairness on God or treating Him like a cosmic vending machine. It is about aligning ourselves with His infinite timetable and His perfect definition of what is right. Even when the answer is "no" or "not yet," we are called to keep believing, keep trusting, and keep praying. Prayer is our lifeline to God, and He promises to reward those who seek Him diligently.

If you have ever been tempted to give up on prayer, this message is for you. Let us listen to the Word of the Lord.

Supernatural healing can be a touchy subject. Some don't believe God does it anymore. Others think that anyone who is sick must have either unconfessed sin or a lack of faith. The truth is at neither extreme. This week we will have another look at one of those passages that seems to indicate a clear path to healing. We need some context here, so we will consider James 5:13-20.

We have come to the end of our exploration of Paul's letter to the believers in Rome. In these last few verses, he offers a few more words of wisdom, then finishes with an expression of worship that also summarizes much of what he has written. We will cover Romans 16:17-27 except for verses 21-24, which we went through last week as we explored all the people whom Paul mentioned in his lengthy exchange of greetings.

In the last episode, we considered how seemingly trivial details in a letter written over two thousand years ago still have something to teach us. We found clues that help us fit the letter into its historical context, saw how Paul put into practice the things he taught, and saw by connecting Paul's letter to the events in Acts how God's plans can replace our own to accomplish His higher purposes.

In Romans Chapter 16 we find more text that we might be tempted just to look past. Of what benefit could greetings to and from all these people be to us? We can identify a few of them from other places in the Bible, but most of them we know nothing more about than what Paul gives us here. You might be surprised.

In this age of technology, we aren't writing many actual letters. Some of us even find them to be a nuisance. I have often joked that I plan to put a paper shredder in place of my mail box and save myself a step. But a letter can be a thing of great value. Much of what we know of our nation's history comes from the letters written by the people who made that history. They reveal the personality and motivations of the people who wrote them, giving us insight beyond that which would be provided by official records. It is from their letters that we learn the deep Christian convictions of many of our founders.

But there is another collection of letters that is much older and much more important. They make up around a third of the New Testament, and account for 21 of the 27 books. Just as the founders' letters reveal the values that shaped our nation, these letters reveal the values that define God's kingdom. They give us instruction in the way we should live, and they also reveal something of the people who wrote them. Details that we might be tempted to skip over because they don't seem all that important actually help to authenticate the historical accounts and the people behind them.

As we near the end of our study of one such letter, the one Paul wrote to the church in Rome, we come to some of these seemingly insignificant details. There is a lot we can learn from them. This week we cover Romans 15:14-33. Nothing in God's word is wasted.

Drawing from Romans 15:7-13, Pastor Larry unpacks Paul’s powerful call: “Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.” Through this passage, we see Christ as the servant who fulfilled God’s promises to Israel and extended mercy to the Gentiles, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies that all nations would praise the Lord and find hope in Him.

You’ll discover:

• How Jesus bridges every divide—Jew and Gentile, and every barrier we face today.
• The true meaning of welcoming others as Christ welcomed us.
• The source of abounding hope, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit.

Whether you're hosting visitors, engaging with people from different backgrounds, or simply seeking unity in the body of Christ, this sermon reminds us that Jesus is for all who believe—and we are called to reflect that same welcoming heart.

One survey has identified as many as 50,000 distinct Christian groups who in some way distinguish themselves from others. This number is disheartening to those who feel that we should all be one. That is after all what Jesus Himself prayed (John 17:11.) That particular study named even small congregations of people, and accepted their self-identification as Christian, so the number of groups with significantly divergent theology is probably only in the hundreds. But isn't two to many? Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 11:18-19 that divisions will exist, differentiating faithful from the fake. He was speaking to a single congregation, but the principle holds. Heresies began developing even as the church was in its infancy.

But not every issue is worth fighting over. Truth remains truth whatever we believe about it, but some things matter more than others. Much of what has divided us across the centuries should be set aside in favor of working together for the glory of God. Jesus said that we would be known as His disciples by our love for each other (John 13:35.) What would happen if we did that? What would happen if we also loved even our enemies in the way that Jesus did?

In Romans Chapter 14, Paul addresses some specific issues that were points of contention between the Jewish and gentile believers to which he was writing. He speaks particularly to those who have come to an understanding that their freedom in Christ meant they didn't need to observe the dietary restrictions found in the Jewish law or observe the various feasts. He admonishes them to be respectful of those who had not yet come to that understanding. He says to all that we have only one judge, one master, and each of us is accountable to Him for our own faith. If we use our freedom in a way that causes weaker members to stumble, we are not acting out of love but out of selfishness.

In Chapter 15, he concludes this admonition with a call to unity and a reminder that we all find our hope in Jesus. For this episode we will consider Romans 15:1-6.

We highly value our freedom in the United States, but what does freedom mean? Is it absolute? That would be chaos. With freedom comes responsibility. It is as true in our public life as it is in our personal lives. As Christians, we often speak of our freedom in Christ. We are not in bondage to sin. We are not in bondage to a set of rules that could never save us. But does that mean we can do as we please? Paul would disagree. In Chapter 14 of his letter to the Romans, he addresses this issue as it relates to some of the controversies of his day. We may not struggle with the same specifics, but the principles that he teaches will certainly apply to us. This week we look at the second half of the chapter (13-23) as we continue our study through the book of Romans.

Sometimes we seem determined to find fault.  I think often this is an unconscious defense against the flaws we see in our own character, but whatever the reason, it’s a destructive tendency.  As we continue through our study of Paul's letter to the believers in Rome, we come to Romans 14:1-12. This passage addresses issues specific to the people and time when it was written, but it contains useful instruction for us today that goes beyond the obvious application.  It’s hard to be in unity if we’re pointing out each others’ faults and presenting ourselves as somehow better or more holy.  Obvious sin does need to be confronted, and Jesus gives us the process and the redemptive objective of applying it in Matthew 18, but too often we are the ones committing the greater sin with our criticism.  We may be right, but it is better to be righteous.  We should extend the same grace to others that we have received from God, and that’s a lot of grace.

We are continuing our study with Romans 13:8-14. Paul has provided teaching and instruction on everything from the basics of Christian theology to its application in our daily lives, and he is not finished yet. It may seem overwhelming, but in this passage he makes it simple, though in application it is anything but. He wraps it all up this way.

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does not work evil against a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.

Jesus Himself said something very similar when he was asked which was the greatest commandment in the law.

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Everything God has said and done is rooted in love. All of the things against which He has warned us are contrary to love. Love put Jesus on a cross. Love raised Him from the dead! Accept no imitations. The law of love is perfect. The law of love involves sacrifice and is contrary to selfishness. If only we could all learn what true love is, both to give and to receive.