Romans Chapter 1 will begin reading at verse 18.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness

because that which is known about God is evident within them, for God made it evident to them.

For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes,

his eternal power, and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

For even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks.

But they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened.

Professing to be wise, they became fools

and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of a corruptible man and of birds and

forefooted animals and crawling creatures. Father, I ask for your help as I undertake to open in verse 18 for our hearts and minds and lives and church and city and the nations.

I ask that this not be a wasted half hour and that you would come by your spirit and continue to give a kneeling posture to our hearts that we would bow before your authority

and be changed by your holy revelation. So draw near now and give me an anointing for this work of preaching, I pray, and a special blessing of hearing upon your people.

And should there be some here as I am sure there are who are unbelieving.

I ask that they would be given the gift of careful listening

and true understanding and right judgment and humble consideration and be drawn by the beauty of Christ and his gospel into saving faith.

In Jesus, name I pray, amen.

We're going to take a major turn now in our exposition of the Book of Romans.

The theme of the letter, we've been on for six weeks in verses 16 and 17 of chapter one, namely the power of God which saves believers, by revealing

to them month after month and year after year what they so desperately need every day, namely the gift of righteousness

offered freely to faith. And in verse 18, he begins a section about sin and judgment and wrath that will take

him all the way to chapter 3,

3, 1, 18 to the end of chapter 1

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