Christianity 101-The Roman Road

[ftwspursfan]

I've been posting stuff on Facebook about the SS lesson I'm prepping for this week. I thought it might be good enough to merit a thread and perhaps y'all can help me in final prep. This will be several posts in succession as I have posted them on FB.

"Very Important SS lesson for my 4th grade boys this week: the Roman Road. Pray for them and me as there might be one who has not committed his life to Jesus. Pray for Devin, Cameron, Zach, John Michael, Robert, Cooper, Gage, Michael, Aaron, Ethan, Dominique and Christian. Pray they will understand how to use the scriptures of the Roman Road along with their testimonies to share Jesus with others."

[ftwspursfan]

As we start, I'm using the NLT as it is very understandable for my 10yo boys. Please don't critique the translation, thanks! I'm using all these scriptures in my lesson this week but we will focus on the passages in Romans that I will get to shortly.

13“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it." Jesus speaking in Matt 7:13-14 NLT

Matthew 7 is the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus ends the sermon by discussing false teachers and telling His followers to obey all His teaching. In verses 13-14, Jesus describes the road to life and the highway to hell in very dramatic and harrowing language. A wake-up call right at the end of the Sermon on the Mount.

[ftwspursfan]

6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NLT John 14 is the last teaching of Jesus in the upper room right before they leave for the garden of Gethsemane. So, one of Jesus' last teachings was to tell His disciples that He was THE way, THE truth and THE life, not one of a few but the only one. And He was about to prove His point through His death, burial and resurrection.

[ftwspursfan]

16“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 NLT In the first half of John 3, Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus about being born again. The 2nd half of John 3 is an amazing talk by John the Baptist about how great Jesus is!

OK, I have to comment on the word "believe". In the Greek it means more than believe. Believe implies head-knowledge in English and it does not do justice to what Jesus was saying here. In another passage, Jesus tells his disciples that the demons believe and tremble at His presence. Believe in John 3:16 means trust in, rely on and cling to. That is what becoming a believer means; that we trust Him, rely on Him and cling to Him at all times and in every way about everything!

[ftwspursfan]

23For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 3:23 NLT Now we start down the Roman Road...

The first verse on the road states the problem and yes, we all have a problem. EVERY ONE sins and none of us have a right to enter into a relationship with a Holy God because of our sin. We cannot solve this problem on our own; only He can!

[ftwspursfan]

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT So we have a sin problem and a Holy God steps in to resolve the problem. And He did it without us having to do ANY THING to solve the sin issue ourselves. Oh, how He loves you and me!

Now lets read the whole passage in verses 6-11: 6When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:6-11 NLT Verse 6 sets the stage as Paul tells us that we are without hope and help, BUT GOD!!!

[ftwspursfan]

23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NLT So we know that all of us sin and we are destined to death and eternal separation from a Holy God. Yet, He created us and loves us beyond measure, so He sends His Son down to earth to pay the debt we owe. Jesus is the narrow way for us to have right relationship with God.

[Longing2cJesus]

T Mike,

I am that God will Bless His Word as you share with these young men the plan of Salvation through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

God's Word says: Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it

And for encouragement a Word from the Lord:

Mar 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them].

May God Bless you as you teach the young.


Ann

[mattfivefour]

T Mike,

I am that God will Bless His Word as you share with these young men the plan of Salvation through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

May God Bless you as you teach the young.


Ann

Amen.

[ftwspursfan]

Thanks much Ann and Adrian!

13For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 NLT Paul quotes part of Joel 2:32 here. So, Mr. Mike, you're telling us that EVERYONE has a sin problem and it separates us from God. But God had a plan to fix it and he sent Jesus to die on a cross so we can have a relationship with God, right? Yes and further that sin comes with a death penalty and it is eternal and forever. Jesus took the death penalty for us and he offers us the way to escape the hell we deserve. His sacrifice allows us to have eternal life with Him in the glorious setting of Heaven. So, how do you call on the name of the Lord? I'm glad you asked..

[mattfivefour]

13For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 NLT Paul quotes part of Joel 2:32 here. So, Mr. Mike, you're telling us that EVERYONE has a sin problem and it separates us from God. But God had a plan to fix it and he sent Jesus to die on a cross so we can have a relationship with God, right? Yes and further that sin comes with a death penalty and it is eternal and forever. Jesus took the death penalty for us and he offers us the way to escape the hell we deserve. His sacrifice allows us to have eternal life with Him in the glorious setting of Heaven. So, how do you call on the name of the Lord? I'm glad you asked..

[ftwspursfan]

9If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10 NLT

Calling on the Lord involves praying from a humble heart. It is not difficult to do and God does not have a list of hoops we must jump through to test our sincerity. He knows us and loves us immensely! We pray to Him and confess our sinful nature and tell Him of our desire to have a relationship with Him. We ask Him to save us and set us free from sin. We acknowledge what Jesus has done for us on the cross and we commit to living a life in obedience to Him. His Holy Spirit will come into our hearts and will guide us as we live out our lives on earth. That is it. That's all we have to do, Mr Mike? How can I know that God will hear me and accept me as His own? Good question, I've got one more passage to read on the Roman Road..

[ftwspursfan]

9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:9 NLT

God is all-knowing, all powerful and always present. What He says He will do, He does. He promises forgiveness, salvation and eternal life with Him to anyone who comes humbly to Him. He hears us when we pray and He is faithful to do all that He promises. He is a great and loving Father and we can completely trust Him in all things. My questions to you is...What are you going to do now that you know all that God has done for you? Will you heed His call for the great gift of salvation? Today is the day and now is the time! Do not wait!

Readers of Rapture Forums, this message is not just for my 4th Grade boys SS class this coming Sunday. This appeal is to YOU; whether you are 8 or 88. The Lord is reaching out to you right now. What are you going to do? What will you say when you come face to face with a Holy God? Jesus is the ONLY WAY! Cry out to Him. He will hear you when you pray and He is faithful to receive you as His own. Peter says in Acts 4; 11For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says,‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ 12There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12 NLT and Philippians 2:10-11 NLT tells us: 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Jesus is Lord of all whether you believe Him or not just like the Bible is true whether you believe it or not. Now is the day of salvation, cry out to Him because you do not want to be crying on bended knee because your choice was to disregard Him. Do not choose hell; choose life and choose Christ tonight, NOW!!!