The Book of Romans: Godlessness and Wickedness

Journey Church Bozeman Sermons

Bob Schwahn | Lead Pastor | January 28, 2024

Mark 2:17 (NIV)
Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Romans 1:18-20 (NIV)
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Psalm 19:1-4 (NIV)
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice[b] goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

Romans 1:21-23 (NIV)
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

How do you identify your idols?

Reflection Questions:

What comes to mind when you think about God’s wrath?

How has God revealed Himself through creation? What do you see in nature that points to a Creator?

What evidence to you see in culture that people suppress the truth about the existence of God? How do people live as if there is no God?

How do you see evidence of people worshipping creation rather than the Creator?
Paul describes God’s wrath against godlessness (not loving God with our heart and life) and wickedness (not loving our neighbor – people made in God’s image). How do you see godlessness and wickedness in your life? Is it hard to use those words to describe you and your life? Explain.

If we define idolatry as taking a good thing and making it a God thing (or an ultimate thing)… How do you see evidence of idolatry in our culture? In the church? In your life? Why can it be difficult to identify idols in our life?

Questions to identify potential idols in our life…

What do I worry about most?
What, if I failed or lost it, would cause me to feel that I did not even want to live?
What keeps me going?
What do I rely on or comfort myself with when things go bad or get difficult?
What do I think most easily about?
What does my mind go to when I am free to daydream?
What preoccupies me?
What prayer, unanswered, would make me seriously think about turning away from God?
What makes me feel the most self-worth?
What am I proudest of?
What do I really want and expect out of life?
What would really make me happy?
Where does my money, time, and energy flow freely and easily?

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Notes Page: https://journeybozeman.com/sermons/notes/2024.01.28.pdf