1 00:00:08,257 --> 00:00:09,057 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:11,097 --> 00:00:13,817 Speaker 2: Did you know that Jesus Calling has its own YouTube channel. 3 00:00:14,257 --> 00:00:17,337 Speaker 2: It's full of great content that will enhance your spiritual life. 4 00:00:17,617 --> 00:00:20,577 Speaker 2: You'll find beautiful videos with short devotional moments to help 5 00:00:20,617 --> 00:00:23,096 Speaker 2: you through your day, as well as stories on video 6 00:00:23,217 --> 00:00:27,257 Speaker 2: from celebrities, authors, pastors, and everyday people who share what 7 00:00:27,297 --> 00:00:30,217 Speaker 2: their faith journey has meant to them. You'll also find 8 00:00:30,257 --> 00:00:33,737 Speaker 2: that Jesus Listens Stories of Prayer series hosted by Susie 9 00:00:33,817 --> 00:00:38,497 Speaker 2: McIntyre Eaton, featuring new guests monthly. Subscribe Today for new 10 00:00:38,577 --> 00:00:39,537 Speaker 2: videos each week. 11 00:00:41,457 --> 00:00:47,297 Speaker 3: What amazes me about Romans is here you have the 12 00:00:47,297 --> 00:00:52,097 Speaker 3: most significant letter in the history of the world. He's 13 00:00:52,177 --> 00:00:56,257 Speaker 3: writing the one hundred people in little house churches because 14 00:00:56,417 --> 00:01:01,657 Speaker 3: they can't get along and their community is imploding. There's 15 00:01:01,657 --> 00:01:05,137 Speaker 3: a whole backstory here of how it happened, But. 16 00:01:06,817 --> 00:01:07,337 Speaker 1: Is that one. 17 00:01:07,297 --> 00:01:12,457 Speaker 3: Hundred people banded together and Jesus can actually change a city. 18 00:01:12,217 --> 00:01:12,937 Speaker 1: Of a million. 19 00:01:14,937 --> 00:01:17,777 Speaker 2: Welcome to a special scripture focused bonus episode of the 20 00:01:17,857 --> 00:01:20,417 Speaker 2: Jesus Calling Podcast where we take a look at the 21 00:01:20,417 --> 00:01:24,737 Speaker 2: Book of Romans with pastor and author JD Walt. JD 22 00:01:25,017 --> 00:01:28,657 Speaker 2: walks us through how Romans illuminates the Christian journey as 23 00:01:28,697 --> 00:01:31,537 Speaker 2: one from death to life, the notion that faith was 24 00:01:31,577 --> 00:01:34,217 Speaker 2: designed to be a team sport, and how the opposite 25 00:01:34,217 --> 00:01:37,297 Speaker 2: of sin isn't behaving well, it's love on a whole 26 00:01:37,337 --> 00:01:37,857 Speaker 2: new level. 27 00:01:39,417 --> 00:01:39,937 Speaker 1: I'm J. D. 28 00:01:40,137 --> 00:01:45,777 Speaker 3: Walt, and I serve as the sower in Chief. That's 29 00:01:45,857 --> 00:01:50,577 Speaker 3: my title, kind of the CEO of a small awakening 30 00:01:50,697 --> 00:01:55,737 Speaker 3: company called Seedbed. Our mission is to sow for a 31 00:01:55,737 --> 00:02:01,657 Speaker 3: great awakening. We have publishing ministry, we have a conferencing ministry. 32 00:02:02,097 --> 00:02:05,177 Speaker 3: And then in addition to that, I serve as a 33 00:02:05,177 --> 00:02:10,657 Speaker 3: pastor of a small church in a tiny town called Jellette, Arkansas, 34 00:02:10,657 --> 00:02:20,417 Speaker 3: the Jilllet Methodist Church. I think I was probably either 35 00:02:20,497 --> 00:02:24,217 Speaker 3: lat in college or early in law school, and I 36 00:02:24,257 --> 00:02:27,977 Speaker 3: was reading my Bible. I grew up in the church 37 00:02:28,017 --> 00:02:32,617 Speaker 3: and grew up trying to understand but not really deep 38 00:02:32,657 --> 00:02:35,057 Speaker 3: into it. And I mean I just started reading Romans 39 00:02:35,417 --> 00:02:39,937 Speaker 3: and I remember coming across chapter eight, verse nine, and 40 00:02:40,017 --> 00:02:45,217 Speaker 3: it says, you, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature, 41 00:02:46,097 --> 00:02:50,216 Speaker 3: but by the spirit. If the Spirit of God lives 42 00:02:50,497 --> 00:02:53,017 Speaker 3: in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit 43 00:02:53,097 --> 00:02:58,376 Speaker 3: of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if 44 00:02:58,497 --> 00:03:03,217 Speaker 3: Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, 45 00:03:03,857 --> 00:03:08,777 Speaker 3: yet your spirit is a live because of righteousness. And 46 00:03:08,857 --> 00:03:11,537 Speaker 3: if the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the 47 00:03:11,617 --> 00:03:16,017 Speaker 3: dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from 48 00:03:16,057 --> 00:03:19,497 Speaker 3: the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies 49 00:03:19,937 --> 00:03:22,017 Speaker 3: through his spirit who lives in you. 50 00:03:22,137 --> 00:03:23,577 Speaker 1: That's a long text. 51 00:03:24,457 --> 00:03:29,657 Speaker 3: But I'm like, that's either not true or I'm not 52 00:03:29,777 --> 00:03:32,417 Speaker 3: getting it. And I came down on the side that 53 00:03:32,497 --> 00:03:35,937 Speaker 3: I wasn't getting it because I believe it's true. And 54 00:03:36,137 --> 00:03:41,137 Speaker 3: I begin to realize that I had kind of accepted 55 00:03:41,217 --> 00:03:44,457 Speaker 3: Romans Chapter seven, which is I don't do what I 56 00:03:44,497 --> 00:03:46,537 Speaker 3: want to do, and what I want to do I 57 00:03:46,577 --> 00:03:50,017 Speaker 3: can't do. And I had kind of accepted chapter seven 58 00:03:50,217 --> 00:03:56,217 Speaker 3: as the Christian life. And I realized it's not that 59 00:03:56,377 --> 00:03:59,537 Speaker 3: Chapter eight is the Christian life, and that we're not 60 00:03:59,697 --> 00:04:03,897 Speaker 3: doomed to a life of trying to manage our sin, 61 00:04:05,137 --> 00:04:12,257 Speaker 3: but we're actually set free to live a life beyond sin, 62 00:04:12,417 --> 00:04:17,056 Speaker 3: not perfect, but like full of love. The opposite of 63 00:04:17,097 --> 00:04:23,537 Speaker 3: sin is not good behavior, it's love unleashed. And I 64 00:04:23,616 --> 00:04:27,496 Speaker 3: began to wake up right in that time from reading 65 00:04:27,537 --> 00:04:30,657 Speaker 3: God's word and I'm like, okay, well, if this is true, 66 00:04:30,657 --> 00:04:34,217 Speaker 3: I got to level up my understanding of this and 67 00:04:34,616 --> 00:04:39,777 Speaker 3: begin to participate with what Jesus is doing by his 68 00:04:40,017 --> 00:04:45,176 Speaker 3: word and Holy Spirit in my life changed my life. 69 00:04:45,457 --> 00:04:50,377 Speaker 3: I think what I grew up experiencing Christianity, I think 70 00:04:50,416 --> 00:04:52,737 Speaker 3: I grew up experiencing it as. 71 00:04:54,017 --> 00:04:55,817 Speaker 1: Kind of a good to great program. 72 00:04:56,097 --> 00:04:58,257 Speaker 3: You know, I'm pretty good, or at least I'm not 73 00:04:58,416 --> 00:05:01,496 Speaker 3: that bad, and I just really need to get better. 74 00:05:02,337 --> 00:05:05,496 Speaker 3: And so my faith became a journey of trying harder 75 00:05:06,457 --> 00:05:10,896 Speaker 3: to be better, to do more. And I realized in 76 00:05:10,976 --> 00:05:14,456 Speaker 3: time that that was just self improvement teaching with a 77 00:05:14,457 --> 00:05:19,137 Speaker 3: little Jesus sprinkled over the top. And again the awakening 78 00:05:19,176 --> 00:05:23,097 Speaker 3: that I was experiencing led me to understand that the 79 00:05:23,176 --> 00:05:28,616 Speaker 3: Christian life and faith is not a good to great program. 80 00:05:28,816 --> 00:05:33,256 Speaker 3: It's a death to life movement. It's a darkness to 81 00:05:33,496 --> 00:05:38,736 Speaker 3: light movement. It's a chaos to love, chaos to new creation, 82 00:05:39,056 --> 00:05:44,736 Speaker 3: lost to love. Actually there's a step before it. You 83 00:05:44,777 --> 00:05:45,816 Speaker 3: go to Romans twelve. 84 00:05:46,017 --> 00:05:48,776 Speaker 1: That's kind of the big hinge chapter. 85 00:05:49,017 --> 00:05:54,096 Speaker 3: In Romans he preaches the whole Gospel than at twelve 86 00:05:54,217 --> 00:05:59,936 Speaker 3: one he says, therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, 87 00:06:01,137 --> 00:06:06,416 Speaker 3: in view of God's mercy, to offer your body as 88 00:06:06,457 --> 00:06:13,336 Speaker 3: a living sacrifice. Okay, that's consecration. It starts with consecration, 89 00:06:13,537 --> 00:06:17,337 Speaker 3: which is simply to say, Jesus, I belong to you. 90 00:06:18,496 --> 00:06:20,057 Speaker 1: I have to start in your hands. 91 00:06:20,217 --> 00:06:23,416 Speaker 3: I'm not bringing anything to this, but I'm starting by 92 00:06:23,457 --> 00:06:29,056 Speaker 3: giving you myself. And then he goes to verse two, 93 00:06:29,217 --> 00:06:33,137 Speaker 3: don't conform any longer to the pattern of this world, 94 00:06:33,217 --> 00:06:38,616 Speaker 3: but be transformed. Right, it's something he does. Our work 95 00:06:38,657 --> 00:06:41,337 Speaker 3: is to stay in his hands. His work is to 96 00:06:41,856 --> 00:06:42,897 Speaker 3: transform us. 97 00:06:42,897 --> 00:06:44,616 Speaker 1: That's transformation. So you see how. 98 00:06:44,537 --> 00:06:50,136 Speaker 3: Consecration, giving ourselves to him leads to transformation, which is 99 00:06:50,296 --> 00:06:54,296 Speaker 3: his work by his spirit forming his literal life in us. 100 00:06:55,176 --> 00:07:00,416 Speaker 3: And then that leads to demonstration, which is the rest 101 00:07:00,416 --> 00:07:04,497 Speaker 3: of verse to then you will be able to test 102 00:07:04,816 --> 00:07:09,137 Speaker 3: and prove what the will of God is is good, 103 00:07:09,217 --> 00:07:12,377 Speaker 3: pleasing and perfect will. So that's like you're demonstrating this 104 00:07:12,617 --> 00:07:16,377 Speaker 3: new way of life in the real world, and it's 105 00:07:16,457 --> 00:07:19,617 Speaker 3: really His presence in. 106 00:07:18,857 --> 00:07:22,497 Speaker 1: You doing it. You're participating. 107 00:07:23,097 --> 00:07:25,857 Speaker 3: You're going with a flow, if you will, the new flow, 108 00:07:26,097 --> 00:07:32,337 Speaker 3: not the old one, and people wind up seeing what God. 109 00:07:32,097 --> 00:07:35,377 Speaker 1: Is like through your life. That's the goal. 110 00:07:35,457 --> 00:07:38,057 Speaker 3: That's Romans in a nutshell, that's the Christian life in 111 00:07:38,097 --> 00:07:43,777 Speaker 3: a nutshell consecration transformation demonstration. 112 00:07:46,017 --> 00:07:48,217 Speaker 2: Stay tuned for more on the Book of Romans with J. D. 113 00:07:48,337 --> 00:07:56,377 Speaker 2: Walt after a brief message, These uncertain times bring anxiety 114 00:07:56,417 --> 00:07:59,897 Speaker 2: and fear, but Jesus Listens Prayers for Every Season gives 115 00:07:59,897 --> 00:08:04,337 Speaker 2: you daily prayers of comfort with seasonally inspired illustrations. This 116 00:08:04,457 --> 00:08:08,456 Speaker 2: beautiful book includes prayers that speak to your situation, whether 117 00:08:08,497 --> 00:08:11,937 Speaker 2: it's a time of stress or strength. Look for Jesus 118 00:08:11,977 --> 00:08:15,097 Speaker 2: Listens Prayers for Every Season wherever you buy books. 119 00:08:19,777 --> 00:08:25,937 Speaker 3: What amazes me about Romans is here you have the 120 00:08:25,977 --> 00:08:31,137 Speaker 3: most significant letter in the history of the world, and 121 00:08:31,177 --> 00:08:37,016 Speaker 3: we've mostly approached it as a doctrinal treatise, as theological teaching. 122 00:08:38,137 --> 00:08:42,177 Speaker 3: But like Paul, writes this letter not to give a 123 00:08:42,217 --> 00:08:46,697 Speaker 3: doctrinal treatise. He's writing this letter to a group of 124 00:08:46,857 --> 00:08:51,617 Speaker 3: one hundred ish people in a city of a million. 125 00:08:52,297 --> 00:08:55,497 Speaker 3: He's writing the one hundred people in little house churches 126 00:08:56,217 --> 00:09:00,737 Speaker 3: because they can't get along and their community is imploding. 127 00:09:01,817 --> 00:09:05,217 Speaker 3: There's a whole backstory here of how it happened. But 128 00:09:05,657 --> 00:09:10,217 Speaker 3: his faith is that one hundred people banded together and 129 00:09:10,377 --> 00:09:14,377 Speaker 3: Jesus can actually change a city of a million. It's 130 00:09:14,417 --> 00:09:19,697 Speaker 3: a statistical insignificant number of people. He believes that if 131 00:09:19,737 --> 00:09:24,377 Speaker 3: they really get Jesus, and if Jesus really gets them, 132 00:09:25,057 --> 00:09:27,937 Speaker 3: they can turn that city upside down with the love 133 00:09:27,977 --> 00:09:32,737 Speaker 3: of God. And it happened. It happened. And so Paul 134 00:09:32,897 --> 00:09:42,417 Speaker 3: spends a full twelve chapters, thirteen chapters just like preaching 135 00:09:42,457 --> 00:09:45,817 Speaker 3: the gospel, like, let me help you understand how the 136 00:09:45,857 --> 00:09:49,857 Speaker 3: gospel works, who Jesus is, what he does, what about 137 00:09:49,897 --> 00:09:54,457 Speaker 3: the Holy Spirit. And then finally he gets to their 138 00:09:54,577 --> 00:09:59,497 Speaker 3: conflict that they're completely at each other's throats about like 139 00:09:59,657 --> 00:10:05,857 Speaker 3: food sacrifice to idols and Sabbath and circumcision and all 140 00:10:05,977 --> 00:10:09,417 Speaker 3: the things Jews and Gentiles were fighting about. And this 141 00:10:09,537 --> 00:10:12,297 Speaker 3: is not like you can't solve this one politically, you 142 00:10:12,337 --> 00:10:17,777 Speaker 3: can't solve it sociologically, you can't solve it therapeutically. It 143 00:10:17,857 --> 00:10:23,537 Speaker 3: has to be solved transformationally, and that's the gospel. And 144 00:10:23,617 --> 00:10:26,297 Speaker 3: so he lays it out and he says, okay, let's 145 00:10:26,297 --> 00:10:27,577 Speaker 3: get down to brass tacks. 146 00:10:27,617 --> 00:10:31,497 Speaker 1: Now. You know, in the early Church they had a 147 00:10:31,577 --> 00:10:35,737 Speaker 1: saying one Christian is no Christian. 148 00:10:36,897 --> 00:10:41,737 Speaker 3: And you know, certainly every person has to become a 149 00:10:41,817 --> 00:10:46,097 Speaker 3: follower of Jesus, a Christian, a believer themselves. 150 00:10:46,217 --> 00:10:49,817 Speaker 1: But this is not like golf. It's like football. It's 151 00:10:49,897 --> 00:10:51,377 Speaker 1: a team sport. 152 00:10:51,657 --> 00:10:59,737 Speaker 3: And we are actually made for community. We already are 153 00:11:00,257 --> 00:11:07,017 Speaker 3: connected together. The church right is the awakening of people 154 00:11:07,737 --> 00:11:11,057 Speaker 3: not only to God but to each other. That's back 155 00:11:11,057 --> 00:11:15,097 Speaker 3: in that Romans twelve text, he says offer your bodies 156 00:11:15,937 --> 00:11:25,457 Speaker 3: plural as a living sacrifice singular. I often say the 157 00:11:25,497 --> 00:11:30,097 Speaker 3: Bible wasn't really written to be read. This sounds odd 158 00:11:30,177 --> 00:11:33,617 Speaker 3: to people because when it was written, and throughout most 159 00:11:33,657 --> 00:11:35,897 Speaker 3: of immune history people couldn't read. 160 00:11:36,217 --> 00:11:37,297 Speaker 1: There were no books. 161 00:11:38,617 --> 00:11:42,217 Speaker 3: The Bible was written to be heard, and that's why 162 00:11:42,257 --> 00:11:46,937 Speaker 3: in Romans it actually says faith it doesn't come by reading. 163 00:11:47,097 --> 00:11:50,217 Speaker 3: Faith comes by hearing and hearing. 164 00:11:49,897 --> 00:11:50,937 Speaker 1: By the word of God. 165 00:11:52,257 --> 00:11:54,617 Speaker 3: And so in those early days, the way the Bible 166 00:11:54,697 --> 00:11:57,817 Speaker 3: was written, it was written on scrolls and it was 167 00:11:57,937 --> 00:12:01,777 Speaker 3: carried to these churches. This letter of Romans was carried 168 00:12:01,817 --> 00:12:05,977 Speaker 3: by Phoebe to Rome from Paul, where it was to 169 00:12:06,137 --> 00:12:09,977 Speaker 3: groups of people together. It's meant to be heard together. 170 00:12:11,097 --> 00:12:15,097 Speaker 3: And see, God's word is its own power. It always 171 00:12:15,177 --> 00:12:19,337 Speaker 3: accomplishes its purposes whatever God sends it for. It's not 172 00:12:19,377 --> 00:12:22,417 Speaker 3: going to return to God without accomplishing it. And so 173 00:12:23,457 --> 00:12:27,097 Speaker 3: one of the greatest acts is simply being together in 174 00:12:27,217 --> 00:12:31,097 Speaker 3: God's word, because it's a word that actually moves us 175 00:12:31,257 --> 00:12:34,457 Speaker 3: toward each other. It moves us toward loving one another. 176 00:12:34,577 --> 00:12:38,297 Speaker 3: Love must be sincere Paul says in Romans twelve, you know, 177 00:12:39,257 --> 00:12:43,457 Speaker 3: honor one another. We've become convinced that the reason that 178 00:12:44,497 --> 00:12:48,457 Speaker 3: most people are actually stuck in their faith development, they're 179 00:12:48,497 --> 00:12:52,897 Speaker 3: stuck in their transformation. And they keep doing more and 180 00:12:52,977 --> 00:12:55,817 Speaker 3: more and more sort of individual activities, more and more 181 00:12:55,857 --> 00:13:00,977 Speaker 3: Bible studies, and it's not moving the needle. And we 182 00:13:01,097 --> 00:13:06,057 Speaker 3: become convinced that we are arrested in our faith divis delopment, 183 00:13:06,377 --> 00:13:11,297 Speaker 3: not because we lack information, but because we don't have 184 00:13:11,377 --> 00:13:17,697 Speaker 3: the kinds of relationships it takes to sustain real transformation. 185 00:13:18,657 --> 00:13:21,177 Speaker 1: It's amazing how so many. 186 00:13:20,937 --> 00:13:26,737 Speaker 3: People are awakening and growing into the people that God 187 00:13:26,817 --> 00:13:35,017 Speaker 3: dreamed of when he made us. I often say love 188 00:13:35,257 --> 00:13:39,297 Speaker 3: is the highest thing. When they ask Jesus what's the 189 00:13:39,337 --> 00:13:44,897 Speaker 3: greatest commandment, he says, love, love God, love your neighbor, 190 00:13:45,577 --> 00:13:52,857 Speaker 3: love yourself. And he's actually bringing a much deeper notion 191 00:13:52,977 --> 00:13:56,217 Speaker 3: of what love means. In the ancient text, they had 192 00:13:56,257 --> 00:13:59,457 Speaker 3: several words for love it's all just kind of lumped 193 00:13:59,457 --> 00:14:02,817 Speaker 3: together in English, and so we lose the sense of it. 194 00:14:02,857 --> 00:14:05,657 Speaker 3: And love is just like man, I love pizza, and 195 00:14:05,817 --> 00:14:09,817 Speaker 3: I love my kids, and I love God, and it's 196 00:14:09,937 --> 00:14:15,297 Speaker 3: like wow, Okay, we need a doctrine of love, not 197 00:14:15,417 --> 00:14:19,977 Speaker 3: to make it doctrinaire, but this is the subject for 198 00:14:20,097 --> 00:14:29,257 Speaker 3: God so loved the world right. Love is the core reality, 199 00:14:30,297 --> 00:14:31,217 Speaker 3: and really. 200 00:14:33,097 --> 00:14:37,697 Speaker 1: It's what moves the needle, only love. I often say 201 00:14:37,737 --> 00:14:41,577 Speaker 1: that love is the power of God. 202 00:14:43,097 --> 00:14:45,457 Speaker 3: I remember seeing this sign on a bank Marquee. I 203 00:14:45,617 --> 00:14:50,257 Speaker 3: drive by it every day my little town, and it said, 204 00:14:51,137 --> 00:14:56,777 Speaker 3: where there is great love, miracles always happen. 205 00:14:58,857 --> 00:15:05,497 Speaker 1: And isn't that true love just changes things? 206 00:15:05,537 --> 00:15:10,217 Speaker 3: Thanks? We certainly are in great need of it right 207 00:15:10,297 --> 00:15:13,137 Speaker 3: now in our culture, in America and in the world 208 00:15:13,417 --> 00:15:18,817 Speaker 3: where people are just so toxically divided and at odds 209 00:15:18,857 --> 00:15:19,497 Speaker 3: with each other. 210 00:15:21,697 --> 00:15:25,057 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to the special scripture focused bonus episode. 211 00:15:25,337 --> 00:15:28,977 Speaker 2: To learn more about JD Walt, please visit Jdwalt dot 212 00:15:29,017 --> 00:15:31,817 Speaker 2: com and be sure to check out his book Romans 213 00:15:32,057 --> 00:15:36,417 Speaker 2: from Sin Management to Love Unleashed, available at your favorite retailer. 214 00:15:37,577 --> 00:15:40,897 Speaker 2: Enjoy our entire series of scripture studies, each with different 215 00:15:40,937 --> 00:15:44,617 Speaker 2: Bible teachers and enthusiasts walking us through specific books and 216 00:15:44,657 --> 00:15:47,497 Speaker 2: people in the Bible. On the Jesus Calling YouTube channel. 217 00:15:48,657 --> 00:15:52,137 Speaker 2: To discover more inspiring stories of people making a positive impact, 218 00:15:52,537 --> 00:16:03,017 Speaker 2: visit Jesus Calling dot com slash podcast. Thanks for listening 219 00:16:03,017 --> 00:16:05,817 Speaker 2: to the Jesus Calling Stories of Faith podcast on the 220 00:16:05,857 --> 00:16:09,337 Speaker 2: Life Audio Network. Every week will bring you stories from 221 00:16:09,417 --> 00:16:12,377 Speaker 2: people who share their journeys of faith and how prayer 222 00:16:12,537 --> 00:16:16,417 Speaker 2: and a relationship with God transformed their lives. Be sure 223 00:16:16,457 --> 00:16:20,017 Speaker 2: to follow us on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or wherever you 224 00:16:20,097 --> 00:16:23,417 Speaker 2: listen to podcasts and leave us a review so others 225 00:16:23,417 --> 00:16:27,057 Speaker 2: can be inspired weekly by these stories of faith. Finally, 226 00:16:27,337 --> 00:16:28,577 Speaker 2: you can find encouragement.