Romans Chapter 1:21-27

And one of the things that God gives you to overpower and be a victor over sin, a lot of you are holding in your hands right now, the word of God. It is God's truth. And it's God's truth. We're told in one passage that if we know the truth, there's an if there, if we know the truth and we're following the Lord, then the truth will set us free. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina.

We all need direction in life. And with God's word, we know we have the truth and therefore we can trust it. Find out more about this as David McGee continues in the book of Romans chapter one. But before we get into today's teaching, from beginning to end, the Bible shows the special nature of God's relationship with the nation of Israel.

But what does that have to do with you today? Romans chapter 11 tells us that God's covenant relationship with Israel has huge implications for you. To help you understand more, Pastor David wants to send you his teaching video recorded in the Holy Land called Israel, the Bible and You. This powerful resource will encourage and strengthen you as you learn how connected you are with God's chosen people. Israel, the Bible and You is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life. So visit crossthebridge.com to request your copy.

Again, that's crossthebridge.com. Now here's David McGee with part two of his teaching, the truth. Romans chapter one, verse 16 says, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Verse 19, Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. It's a great verse, powerful verse. Is manifest in them.

What does that mean? It means when you begin to follow Jesus, there's parts of your life that begin to change as that power of God emerges and your behavior changes and your attitude changes and people begin to notice those things as God is being manifested in your life. That's part of the way that people come to know the Lord. I say part of the way because every now and again I come across a Christian and I encourage them to witness or whatever and they say, well, you know, mine is a silent witness and I just prefer to let my light shine before people and not say anything.

Well, the problem with that concept is, and I'll try to say this in love, your light ain't that bright. Okay. If you think you can go into work and go, look, you want to pray the prayer now, don't you? That's not going to happen. Do you understand even Jesus used words?

So guess what? We need to use words. And as we do that now, if our words are without actions, then we're in trouble.

Our actions should be with words. It should be a combination of the manifestation of the word of God. And we look back a few verses and when you start talking about how to be saved, how to be forgiven, we're told in the Bible is the power of God that's unleashed at that moment. And whether somebody comes to the Lord or gets saved or not, that is between them and the Lord.

We're supposed to be telling and manifesting that power. Verse 20, for since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse. These are significant verses.

What is this verse literally saying? Well, friend, you can look at creation and know there's a God. Now I know there's some discussion and some debate, but when I look at creation, when I look at a mountain, when I look at planets, when I look at the sky, when I look at the earth, when I look at plants, I believe God created them. We're told that in the beginning. God created the heavens and the earth. I take that literally.

Now was it a literal six days? We could discuss that, but the fact God did it. And some of the concepts that we've come up with to explain away God are very interesting, aren't they? I mean, really, if you think of them in a logical fashion, and it always amuses me when the people proclaiming the theory, the theory of evolution, the theory of the Big Bang, when you really, they accuse Christians of not engaging in science. When let's, just the Big Bang theory, let's discuss that for just a second.

Okay. There was nothing, and then it exploded. There's kind of a major scientific flaw there, isn't there? Because I've never in my life seen nothing explode. And I have seen some explosions, but I've never seen anything explode and really produce something of order.

Actually, the opposite happens, doesn't it? When your body is constructed with such intricacy. The way your eyes work, the way the atmospheric pressure is exactly right for our bodies. Now, the theory of evolution, let's entertain it for a second. What your eyes evolved. Well, how did we see why our eyes were evolving?

That begins to not function, doesn't it? Well, it happened over millions and millions of years. Well, how did we eat?

How did we live if we couldn't see, if we were walking around for millions and millions of years and couldn't see to make food, to hunt, or anything like that? The whole theory just begins to fall apart when you begin to look at it. And then, of course, will you?

Well, it took millions and millions of years. Okay, wait a minute. I've got a watch on, okay? But what if I took this watch completely apart, dismantled it, put it in a paper bag, and shook it up? Do you think it would become a watch again?

No. What if I shook it up a long time? No, it's still not going to become a watch. See, when we give that time, we go, oh, well, you know. Again, it's pseudoscience. Evolution is pseudoscience. You have to understand that. And do the research. Don't take my word for it. Do the research.

Go out there. Now, if you're an evolutionist, I'm not going to call you dirty names. I would just encourage you to research it and understand that evolutionists are leaving the theory in droves now as they realize it doesn't work, as they examine DNA and they go, no way this evolved.

So some of them, so they don't have to be accountable to God or introduce a creator. Now, there's another big theory out there, and that is that our DNA was seeded here on this planet, glad you're sitting down, by aliens. And so this DNA structure that was left here by aliens now gives us the building blocks to evolve into humanity. The theories that we come up with so that we deny the truth.

Friend, this verse says it leaves us guilty. Because it takes a lot more faith to believe in the Big Bang theory and the theory of evolution than it does to look at nature and say, you know what, obviously there was a creator. Obviously, this is of intelligent design. And somebody, someone was constructing this.

Now, if somebody wants to admit that and say, we don't know who he is and not sure he's the God of the Bible. Okay, that's, I can go with that, but understand our bodies are just a testimony of the creation of God. The air that we breathe perfectly constructed for us. Let me ask you a question, friend, if you believe in evolution, how did that happen? Well, we were evolving to breathe.

Okay, help me with this. What happened while we were evolving to breathe? We would die. Well, then our children would evolve. No, we're dead. We're not breathing anymore because we couldn't breathe. So there's no offspring to evolve so that you can breathe.

There's some fundamental problems in this theory of evolution. So this is part of what this is talking about. And the Bible talks about this.

Psalm 19 one says this, the heavens tell of the glory of God, the skies to play as marvelous, display as marvelous craftsmanship. Day after day, they continue to speak night after night. They make him known. They speak without a sound or a word.

Their voice is silent in the skies. Yet their message has gone out to all the earth and their words to all the world. It's not just evolution because understand evolution oftentimes ties into atheism and atheism. Again, I have to challenge that as rationally ridiculous.

It is rationally ridiculous. Here's what I mean by that. If you're an atheist, what you're saying is there is no God. Okay, what do you have to know in order to know that? Well, pretty much you need to know everything because see, if you contain, let's say, 5% of the knowledge in the universe, okay, there's 95% chance that God exists.

And if you think you contain 5%, that's probably a little high. But let's say, you know, that you're saying you know everything. Well, if you know everything, what does that make you?

Makes you God. So if you're saying there is no God because I know everything, just guess what? Logically, you just said there is no God and I'm him.

That makes no sense. If you study logic at all, you can't get there from here. Psalm 14.1 says, the fool has said in his heart, there is no God.

Psalm 53.2 says, God looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there are any who understand who seek God. Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity and whatnot, said this. He said, this most beautiful system, the universe, could only proceed from the dominion of an intelligent and powerful being. That was the scientific conclusion that he came to. Louis Pasteur said this, the more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the creator. Now, guys, I could spend the next three hours giving you quotes of scientists who recognize design, intelligent design and creation. We're not going to do that, but I could, but when I see a car, I know, you know, if I see a Volvo go, wow, there must be a Volvo factory somewhere.

Now, I've not seen a Volvo factory, never personally visited one, but it has to exist because I'm looking at an exhibition of that intelligent design. So that begins to make you ask some questions. And this in part, this verse kind of speaks to that, what about the pygmies in Africa? What about, you know, and I have a heart for all people groups.

Understand, I want to reach the world or change the world. But oftentimes when somebody brings up something like that, it's a smokescreen because that's not really the question. If I'm sitting there talking to somebody about the gospel and then receiving Jesus as their savior and all of a sudden they say, well, what about the pygmies in Africa? Sometimes I go, well, wait a minute, you really have a heart for the pygmies? Oh yeah.

You have a heart for them to live a better life? Oh, absolutely. Okay.

Well, look, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to tell you a prayer to pray. You pray that prayer. Then you go over and you tell them because you have a heart for him. Does that work?

Usually it's an excuse. And God is saying here because of the majesty of his creation, they can begin to seek him and God who is merciful and God who is gracious somehow reaches them. I think a better question is why is there anybody on the planet at this point in time that hasn't heard the gospel and what can we do in order to reach them? Can we do more? Can we give more? Can we serve more?

Can we reach out more? Those are the real questions, not there's a flaw in the plan of God to reach people. The real issue is why do we ignore God? Why are we not doing all we can while we can to reach all we can?

Those are the burning questions we should be asking. You're listening to Pastor David McGee on Cross the Bridge. He'll be back with more powerful insight from God's word in just a moment. But first, God's grace and mercy is greater than any of us could ever fathom. That's why he's been so faithful to the nation of Israel throughout the ages.

And he's not finished. He's promised to remain true to them to the end. We want to show you what God's faithfulness toward Israel says about his relationship with you by sending you Pastor David's teaching video, Israel, the Bible and You. In this exciting teaching recorded in the heart of the Holy Land, Pastor David unpacks important truths from God's relationships with Israel that impact your life today. Israel, the Bible and You is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life. So visit crossthebridge.com to request yours.

Again, that website is crossthebridge.com. Now back to today's teaching. Verse 21, because although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor were thankful, but became futile in their hearts and their foolish hearts were darkened. Their thoughts and hearts were darkened. Do you understand God gave you imagination? I know most of us have abused that gift of imagination and taken it to bad places, but God gave us imagination. And I would encourage you as a believer to sit and let the creative forces of God begin to speak to you about how to reach people and what you can do and how you can serve the Lord. That is a great use of imagination and creativity. Imagine what you can do with your kids. Imagine what can be done in your church. Again, there's a battleground going on in our mind.

It's a big part of where the battleground is. Because if you think wrong, you're going to act wrong. If you begin to correct and adjust your thinking, then you stand a much better chance of correcting and adjusting your behavior.

So it's part of the process. The life lesson here is wrong thinking leads to doing wrong. Right thinking leads to doing right. Wrong thinking leads to doing wrong.

Right thinking leads to doing right. See, because if you say, well, we're just an accident, there is no creator, I would consider that wrong thinking. Because then if you're just a cosmic accident, what do you really matter?

As a matter of fact, what does anybody else around you really matter? And so then you can begin to define some human behaviors as they come back to that. But again, we rarely come across evolution. If you're sitting here in evolution, I'm not going to beat you up.

We're not going to dog this to death. The concept of the Bible is that God created heavens and the earth. Now, neither were they thankful. See, that kind of ties into that evolution thing, doesn't it? See, because if you think the earth just kind of evolved, are you really going to give thanks to God for what He created? See, when I see the ocean or the Rockies out west or things in Israel, I look at God, that is so awesome. If you look at the intricacy of a flower, it's like, oh, Lord, that is so beautiful. You painted that.

That's just gorgeous. And I'm thankful. But if I sit and look at the flower and go, well, that just kind of happened, I'm not giving thanks to God.

And this is a key thing because why? Because if we don't give thanks to God, we begin this slippery slope that the rest of the book of Romans, the rest of this chapter talk about. Do you glorify God as God?

Or do you try to get Him to conform to the image that you have of Him? That's one of the challenges in studying the Bible, isn't it? Because as you study the Bible, you realize that some of the stuff you grew up being taught in Sunday school and stuff wasn't necessarily scripturally accurate. As you go through the Bible, you see God more clearly.

And perhaps, friend, you see Him a little differently than you thought Him to be. And as we dig in the Bible, God reveals Himself and you can glorify God as God. But what's going to happen somewhere along that process, God is going to speak to you through His word, not through anything I say, through His word. And you're going to go, wow, I didn't know God was like that. And at that point, you have a choice of going, I don't want God to be like that.

I'm going the other way. Now, at that point, you are pretty much engaging in idolatry, conforming God to who you want Him to be, not trying to be conformed to who He is, glorifying Him as God. So being thankful. We talked a couple of weeks ago about not complaining. Not complaining is very important. It's biblical not to complain. But do we just stop there? No. Not only are we not supposed to complain, we're supposed to be thankful.

Oh, it just got a lot more challenging, didn't it? We're supposed to be thankful. Thankful for what? Well, according to the Bible, we're supposed to be thankful in all things. All things? All things. That's a challenge, isn't it? Well, my car is not running right.

I can't be thankful for that. Do you know only 8% of the world's population have cars? 92% of the world doesn't have cars. And they would look at you in your car and say, man, that guy, that girl, they're like rich.

They've got so much. A billion people in this plant don't have clean water. After service closes, probably people will go out to eat. Are you thankful for what you're eating? Because think about this while you eat. 800,000 people today won't eat.

300,000 children will not have anything to eat today. So think of that next time you're in front of something and go, hey, I like that. Being thankful. I know this is a challenge. It's a huge challenge. But if you think about it, this is a root human issue.

Why? Go back to the garden. What was the problem with Adam and Eve? They wanted something they weren't supposed to have. They weren't entirely thankful for what God had already given them. He gave them all these plants to enjoy. And God said, don't eat this one. And they're like, which one? Not supposed to eat that one?

Okay. What did they do? They ate from that fruit.

Why? They were not thankful for everything else. Are you thankful? Are you thankful for your job? Are you thankful for the food you eat? Are you thankful for these things? Or do you complain? Being thankful, do you understand that as a protection against all kinds of evil in your life?

Because once you start not to be thankful, once you start to look around this world and go, well, I don't have that. And I really want that. I really deserve that. And now I'll do anything to get it.

You begin down that slippery slope. You can't be jealous and be thankful. Can't be envious and be thankful. Can't be coveting and be thankful. Can't steal and be thankful. You can't commit adultery and be thankful. Can't commit murder and be thankful.

And you can't complain and be thankful. If you're thankful, here's some things that will happen in your life. Number one, you'll thank God. You'll serve God. You'll love God. You'll serve people. You'll serve the church.

You'll love people. You'll tithe. You'll honor God with your firstfruits.

You'll be thankful you get to keep 90% instead of complaining about having to give 10%. You'll worship God. You'll glorify God. You'll tell others about God.

Why? Because if you're thankful for what God has done on the cross, these things will start to take place in your life. But if you're not thankful for these things, well, friend, in love, you'll see yourself revealed in the next few verses in this chapter. Because the moment you begin not to be thankful, you open the door to all kinds of evil in your life. That's the reality. First Thessalonians 5 18 says, in everything, give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Paul writing from prison wrote us this first Philippians 4 11. Not that I was ever in need for have learned how to get along happily while they have much or little. Well, I think that's something we could all learn in it, how to get along happily, whether we have much or little. The final life lesson is you can choose to be miserable or thankful. The Bible says choose to be thankful. If you have a friend or somebody in your family who is always complaining, who's not thankful, let me ask you a question.

Do you enjoy being around that person? No, you don't. Now, a couple of weeks ago, I challenged you guys to focus on not complaining. I know that's a challenge. I was the next week, I actually within an hour after I left the stage, I was challenged. Just I got ready to say something like, can't say that I would be complaining. Went around the staff that week, you know, and somebody started complaining.

I go, Oh, what's that smell? Somebody's been complaining here. Now we move even further being thankful, being thankful. Jesus tells an interesting story. Well, it wasn't a story.

It actually happened. He healed 10 lepers, healed, 10 lepers, leprosy, a sentence of death. You're unclean. Nobody wants to see you. Can't be a part of the community. Can't touch people. You're written off.

You're sent to this little place where you can no longer interact with anybody. And 10 people were healed of leprosy. And one of them came back to thank him. Where are you this morning? Are you that 10% coming back to thank him? I hope you are.

Hope I am. So we should be thankful for all the Lord's done. Friend, do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?

You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short, simple prayer, simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Now God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you.

Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me, that I could be forgiven. And I believe you were raised from the dead, that I could have a new life. And I've done wrong things. I have sinned.

And I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you all of my days. In Jesus' name.

Amen. Friend, if you prayed that prayer, according to the Bible, you've been forgiven. You've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him.

And he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness, those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations, friend. You just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time, we'd love to hear from you. You can call us toll free at 877-458-5508 to receive our First Steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

You know each day comes with its share of stresses. So what better way to wake up than with an encouraging word from the Lord? Visit crossthebridge.com and sign up now for David McGee's email devotionals. Each devotion includes scripture and a message from the heart of David McGee.

It's easy and it's free. Sign up today at crossthebridge.com. Before we go, we want to encourage you in your faith so that you can experience more of the grace and love of God for you. That's why we'd like to send you Pastor David's teaching video recorded in the heart of the Holy Land called Israel, the Bible and You.

This encouraging look into the history of Israel and God's covenant faithfulness to His chosen people will help you take bold new steps in your relationship with God. Israel, the Bible and You is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life. So visit crossthebridge.com now to request your copy. Also, if you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday, why not join us for our live stream at 9 a.m. and 1130 a.m. Eastern? Just visit crossthebridge.com and click on our live stream link. There you can watch Pastor David teach from his home church, The Bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Again, that website is crossthebridge.com. And be sure to join us next time on Cross the Bridge with David McGee to hear more from the Book of Romans. We'll see you then.