Romans 11

Pastor Marshall Ochs | MARCH 15, 2026

In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Romans 11. In this chapter, Paul explains that God has not rejected Israel. A faithful remnant of believing Jews still exists, just as it has throughout history. Paul teaches that Israel’s unbelief opened the door for Gentiles to receive the Gospel, and God will ultimately use Gentile faith to stir many Jews to believe in Christ as part of His larger redemptive plan. The chapter concludes by emphasizing God’s sovereign control over history and calling believers to respond to His wisdom and mercy with humble worship.

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1. Paul explains that God has always preserved a faithful remnant of Israel. How does this idea encourage you when it feels like faithfulness to God is rare or declining?

2. In Romans 11, Paul reminds Gentile believers not to become arrogant toward Israel. What are some ways believers today might unintentionally become prideful about their faith or spiritual position?

3. The olive tree illustration shows that believers are sustained by deep spiritual roots. What does it mean for your faith to be connected to God’s larger story throughout history?

4. Paul teaches that God used Israel’s rejection of the gospel to open the door for Gentiles. What does this teach you about how God can work through difficult or unexpected circumstances?

5. Romans 11 suggests that observing transformed lives can lead others to faith. In what ways might your life show Jesus to others?

6. Paul ultimately responds to God’s wisdom and plan with worship. Why do you think understanding God more deeply should lead to worship rather than just knowledge?

7. The conclusion emphasizes living with the mindset that everything is “from Him, through Him, and to Him.” How might your daily decisions change if you consistently lived with this perspective?

8. Great joy and contentment come from focusing less on ourselves and more on God’s purposes. What practical habits could help you cultivate this mindset?

9. After studying Romans 9–11 and God’s plan throughout history, what aspect of God’s character stands out to you the most, and why?

Romans 10

Pastor Marshall Ochs | MARCH 8, 2026

In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Romans 10. In this chapter, Paul explains that God’s promises to Israel have not failed; rather, salvation has always been based on faith, not ethnic identity or good works. Paul grieves that many Jews have rejected the Gospel even though God made His word clear and near to them, while Gentiles are coming to faith because the message is being preached and believed. The chapter emphasizes that salvation comes through hearing and believing the gospel and calls believers to pray for the lost and participate in sharing the message of Christ.

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REFLECT

In Romans 9-11, Paul covers the questions, “Did God’s promises fail, and how can we trust that Jesus won’t fail?” He is also covering the issue of who belongs to the one true Israel. Paul explains that it is not based on an ethnic or bloodline connection. The one true Israel is based on faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah. His heart is burdened for the Jewish people and his desire to see them come to faith in Jesus.

Like the Jewish people of Paul’s day, we too can easily slip into the misguided mindset that if we are generally “good people” and we do “good works” God is pleased with us and would surely let us into heaven. This is the lie that many people in our society believe today. Good works do not get us into heaven, but we do good works because God saved us through His Son, Jesus. It is our responsibility to understand and accept that faith in Jesus is the ONLY way to salvation and eternity with God. It is also our responsibility to share our faith with others and to pray for them. Paul is grieved for his Jewish brothers and sisters that have not accepted Christ, and he takes his grief to the Lord in prayer. Prayer is essential in our lives!

• Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior? (Please read Romans 10:9-10) Salvation is for everyone!

• If you have accepted Christ, who has God placed on your heart to pray for that needs to come to faith in Jesus? List them by name and begin to pray faithfully for them. Ask the Lord to show you how to share your faith with them. We can’t save anyone; however, the Holy Spirit can speak to their hearts through us.

Paul goes on to teach the people that God is close to them. He did all the work through His son, Jesus. God made the way for us. We don’t have to do anything to try and “reach” God. God reached out to us. It is up to each person to make the choice if they will receive or reject Christ. We are all accountable for that choice. The Jews struggled to accept this message of salvation because it was offered to both the Jew and the Gentile. They didn’t really like that plan. Israel rejected not only God’s plan of salvation, but also His inclusion of the Gentiles as co-heirs.

• Has there been a time in your life when you could see God working – see His plan in your life, and you didn’t like it or agree with it? We often want our own way, or for God to follow our plan. It is up to us to accept God’s plan for us and operate in His blessing, or reject His plan and suffer the consequences of our disobedience.

• What is God currently asking you to do and what is your response to Him?

We are all missionaries right where we are planted. Your ministry is what God has called YOU to do. Everywhere you go there is opportunity for ministry – at home, work, school, social gatherings, public places you frequent… Your conversations and the way you treat people is a ministry. In everything we say and do, we should be pointing others to Christ.

• In what ways do you see God calling you to minister where He has planted you? Keep praying, keep seeking, and He will equip you.

Romans 9

Pastor Marshall Ochs | MARCH 1, 2026

In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Romans 9. In this chapter, Paul starts by expressing deep sorrow over Israel’s unbelief and clarifies that God’s promises have not failed, because “true Israel” has always been defined by faith rather than ethnicity. Paul explains that God chooses nations, individuals, and roles for His purposes in history, but people are responsible for how they respond in faith. Ultimately, salvation is not about heritage but belief—anyone, Jew or Gentile, who trusts in Jesus is part of God’s true people and will not be put to shame.

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Paul expresses concern for his Jewish brothers and sisters who do not know Jesus. His great love for them and his desire to see them come to a saving knowledge of Jesus is of utmost importance to him.

• Have you made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior?

• If you have accepted Jesus, do you have a burden for others to know Him?

• How open are you about your faith to others?

Israel was God’s chosen people, from which He would bring the Messiah. However, they were not all followers of the one true God and accepting of Jesus as the Messiah. Those who chose to come by faith to Christ were considered the true Israel – Jew and Gentile alike. This was hard for the Jewish people to accept. They felt that heritage and good deeds were the way to God.

• Have you found yourself trying to earn your salvation through good works or because you were born into a Christian family?

The question that has been debated for centuries is: If God is all powerful and all knowing, does He pick some people to come to faith in Jesus and go to Heaven, and others to reject Him and go to hell? Paul shows us in God’s word that He does not. We all have the choice to embrace Jesus or reject Him. God certainly chooses how and through whom He will accomplish His will (see Pastor Marshall’s notes for more details).  However, we are ultimately responsible choosing to place our faith in Jesus.

Paul uses scripture to make his point to the people (see notes for references). If we are believers in Christ, we must know the Word of God! It is our greatest weapon against the enemy and our greatest resource for knowing our Savior and living according to His will.

• How much time are you investing in reading God’s word?

• Why or why not is it part of your daily routine?  If it isn’t, it’s never too late to start today! 

Romans 8

Pastor Marshall Ochs | FEBRUARY 22, 2026

In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Romans 8. In this chapter, Paul contrasts the frustration of life under the law in Romans 7 with the freedom and new life found in Christ through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in believers and enables them to walk in obedience. Paul explains that believers are no longer slaves to sin but adopted children of God, called to live by the Spirit, persevere through suffering, and trust that present pain cannot compare to future glory. The chapter culminates in the assurance that God is working all things for His purposes and that nothing can separate believers from the love of Christ.

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REFLECT

1. What does being guided by the Holy Spirit look like in your daily life?

2. What steps can you take to foster a Spirit mindset instead of a fleshly mindset?

3. How will you prioritize time for reflection and prayer to align your mindset with the Spirit?

4. What practical changes can you make to ensure you are spiritually nourished rather than influenced by worldly inputs?

5. In moments of temptation, what specific truths about your identity in Christ can you hold onto?

6. How does the promise of future glory impact your perspective on current suffering?

7. How can you support one another in persevering through suffering as a community?

Romans 7

Pastor Marshall Ochs | FEBRUARY 15, 2026

In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Romans 7. In this chapter, Paul teaches that believers are no longer bound to the law but are made alive in Christ, moving from slavery to sin and death into freedom through the Spirit. Paul explains that the law itself is good but exposes and even provokes sin, revealing humanity’s need for Jesus to bring true freedom and power to obey. The chapter concludes by emphasizing that Christians now live under the “law of Christ”—loving God and others—and are empowered by the Spirit rather than trapped in the cycle of sin.

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REFLECT

Paul’s message in Romans 7 is directed toward the Jewish believers, emphasizing that the law itself cannot save them. The law, while important, does not have the power to deliver individuals from sin. It actually condemns those trying to keep the law because they cannot live up to it.

Have you had the realization in your life that there is no way you could be “good enough” or “work your way to heaven?”

Paul uses marriage to illustrate his point.  When a spouse dies, the law of marriage no longer applies.  The living spouse is allowed to marry another.  In the same manor, when we accept Christ as our Savior, we have a life no longer bound by the law.  We now have a life united – married to Christ.  The law and the sin struggle of the inability to keep it no longer condemns us.  Christ has set us free from that condemnation.

Have you accepted Christ as your Savior and still struggle with the feelings of shame or guilt?  Jesus died to set us free from that shame and guilt!  Let today be the day that you cry out to God and lay that down!

Paul explains that the law showed people what they should not be doing and yet, it only made them want to do it more.  Sin took advantage of the law in this way.  In Romans 7:14-8:2, Paul speaks to this very issue.  The unbeliever’s life is centered around their own desires.  The Christian’s life is centered around the desire to live for and please God.  However, we cannot do this in our own power.  It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we live for Christ.  He transforms us day by day to live for Him.  Jesus sets us free from being slaves to sin.

Do you find yourself struggling with sin?  Have you asked the Lord to help you lay it down and live for Him?  Only He has the power to transform your life and set you free.  You cannot do it in your own power.

We cannot keep living by a set of rules in our own power.  We can live by the power of Christ in us which motivates us to gladly serve God and others.  God’s law is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love others as yourself.  If we make this our plea to God, He is faithful to answer.

Is this your desire?  If so, pray to the Lord to transform your mind and set your desires on Him.  Watch what He will do!

Romans 6

Pastor Marshall Ochs | FEBRUARY 8, 2026

In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Romans 6. In this chapter, Paul teaches that God’s grace is not permission to continue sinning but the power to live a new life, because believers are united with Christ in His death and resurrection and are therefore “dead to sin” and alive to God. Paul explains that Christians are no longer slaves to sin but are now called to live in obedience and righteousness, using the truth of their identity in Christ—especially verses like Romans 6:11—as a practical weapon against temptation.

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REFLECT

1. What does it mean to be ‘dead to sin’ in your daily life?

2. How can the image of baptism strengthen your understanding of your new life in Christ?

3. In what areas do you find it hardest to believe that you are dead to sin and alive in Christ?

4. How does understanding grace as a motivator for transformation rather than a license to sin change your perspective?

5. What steps can you take to remind yourself of your new identity in Christ throughout your week?

6. What does it look like to be a ‘slave to righteousness’ in your everyday choices?

7. How can speaking Scripture, like Romans 6:11, empower you in moments of temptation?
   

Romans 5

Pastor Marshall Ochs | FEBRUARY 1, 2026

In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Romans 5. In this chapter, Paul explains the results of being justified by faith: believers now have peace with God, access to sustaining grace, hope, and a new purpose even in suffering, all made possible through Christ’s saving work while we were still sinners. Paul highlights reconciliation as the greatest outcome—full restoration to God—and contrasts Adam’s disobedience, which brought death, with Christ’s obedience, which brings life and righteousness. Christ’s work calls all believers to live a new life that reflects this gift.

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1. Peace doesn’t mean the absence of trials, but rather a confidence in knowing that everything has been put back in order – under God’s control – regardless of outward circumstances. As a believer in Christ, are you experiencing the peace of God in your life? Why or why not?

2. We have been given peace, grace, power and hope to endure and stand firm no matter what life throws at us. Do you find that you have feelings of despair or hopelessness when facing trials?

3. Challenges, pain, sorrows and suffering have a purpose in our lives. They force us to look up and not down. These moments or seasons produce endurance which produces strength of character which produces confident hope (verse 3). They are faith builders! How have trials or difficult circumstances in your life grown your faith?

4. Knowing that we have been forgiven and cleansed by Christ’s shed blood, we live with great expectation, knowing that we are spared from the judgement and wrath of God. (Verse 8) While we were sinners, Christ died for us! When you think about this, how do you feel? Does it produce a feeling of immense joy and an attitude of thanksgiving?

5. The scripture refers to this as reconciliation. Like a runaway child returning home, we have been fully restored. Our sins are completely forgiven! Even if our sins were great – our God is greater! Have you have struggled to believe that God’s grace is enough to cover your sin? Let today be the day that you trust what God has said and live in confidence that it is under His shed blood (verses 9-11).

6. Having experienced this great love and reconciliation, how is this reflected to others in your life? Have you held on to unforgiveness or grudges against others? We cannot withhold the same forgiveness from others that we have been given through Christ. How would it change your life if you practiced the same forgiveness and reconciliation that you have experienced?

7. Often, our identity is tied up in our unforgiveness of someone else’s sin against us. We may believe that if we forgive them, they’re “getting away with it.” We lack faith to let God handle it. Holding onto these feelings and beliefs deeply affects our relationship with God and others. It is a life held hostage by anger and resentment. If this is where you are today, do you truly trust God to handle your pain and those who have offended you? Will you make today the day you lay it at His feet?

See this week’s message notes and pay close attention to the “conclusion” section. The sanctification process is Christ working in us to make us new – transforming us into His image. We must not live in captivity to our old ways or our old life. We have been made new! Don’t look back! Move forward into a new life! No more eating garbage! Feast at the King’s table!

Romans 4

Pastor Marshall Ochs | January 25, 2026

In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Romans 4. In this chapter, Paul teaches that no one—Jew or Gentile—is made right with God by works or obedience to the Law, but by faith alone. Using Abraham as an example of righteousness credited through belief rather than actions, Paul explains that Abraham was declared righteous before circumcision, making him the father of faith for all who believe. This same faith now applies to believers who trust in Christ for forgiveness and resurrection life. The chapter concludes by emphasizing that the Christian life begins and continues in faith, expressed through dependence on God and persistent prayer.

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Reflect

1. How does Abraham’s faith serve as a model for our own faith journey?

2. What does it mean to you that righteousness is counted to us through belief, not through works?

3. In what ways can you strengthen your faith in God’s promises, as Abraham did?

4. What role does prayer play in exercising your faith in God’s daily provisions?

5. How do you respond to the idea that faith is both the beginning and the journey of your Christian walk?

6. What are some specific ‘daily bread needs’ you should bring to God in prayer?

7. How can you cultivate a habit of asking God for help in your everyday life?

8. What does it look like to live a life fully dependent on God rather than on your own abilities?