“Romans is the true masterpiece of the New Testament.” - Martin Luther We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Rejoice Happiness is an inside job.

1. Rejoice in God Romans 5:1-2  //  1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Justified: Moving from unrighteous to righteous

1. Rejoice in Hardship Romans 5:3-4  //  3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Character is forged through hardship You cannot decide what happens to you, but you can decide who you become.

1. We rejoice IN our sufferings,
2. knowing that suffering produces ENDURANCE
3. endurance produces CHARACTER
4. character produces HOPE,
5. and hope does not put us to shame

Leadership is about increasing your pain threshold. The greater the pain, the greater the impact.

1. Rejoice in Relationship

The most important stuff in your life isn’t stuff, it is relationships.

Romans 5:6-11  //  6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. 1.. Who you were 2. How you were saved 3. Who you are now

So what?