Romans 1:24-32
Filling The Emptiness

Introduction
1. I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation unto everyone who
believes…In it the righteousness of God is revealed. (Rom 1:16, 17)
2. In verse 18 the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness, unrighteousness, and
unbelief. They are without excuse…God has revealed Himself through their conscience and
creation. When they knew God they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful. They
became the authority. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. They endeavored to
fill a God-shaped emptiness.
3. On the inside of every person is a God-shaped emptiness. All around us are attempts to fill
that emptiness. That God-shaped emptiness in your life can only be fill by Jesus Christ.
4. Romans 1:24-32 we see how man attempts to fill that emptiness. When we take the place of
God, when we become the authority, we will worship something!

On the inside of every person is a God-shaped emptiness. How does man fill that emptiness?
I. IMPURE WORSHIP 1:24-25
Note the close connection between idolatry and immorality. Wherefore God gave them up
to uncleanness (sexual impurity)
A. The Rejection 24a
1. What happens in the following verses is the result of what happened in the previous
verses. The wrath of God is revealed…Because when the knew God they glorified
Him not as God. (18, 21)
2. They rejected God and the Truth of God…which leads to EMPTINESS.
3. C.S. Lewis: They are left to enjoy forever the terrible freedom they are given, and
they are therefore enslaved.
4. God gave them up…It is not that He gave up on them. God removes the restraints.
5. Sexual impurity…has always been with us. It tears up homes and families. It
becomes nearly the whole focus of society. God says, “Do you think that will
satisfy?” “Go ahead.” God allows men and women to experience the full effects of
their attempts to satisfy their desires apart from Him. He allows people to
discover…this isn’t it. He allows people to reap what they sow!
B. The Reservoir 24b
1. Through the lusts of their own hearts…Lusts is desires.
2. Hearts from v. 21 Darkened hearts.
3. Among whom also we all had our manner of life in times past in the lusts of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature the children
of wrath, even as others. (Eph 2:3)
C. The Result 24c
1. To dishonor their own bodies between themselves. Sex outside of marriage isn’t
beautiful.
2. Why is sex singled out? God lets this become public and accepted so we can see
what’s going on in our spiritual lives.
D. The Reason 25
1. Wrong worship…sex is linked with worship. Sex is a longing for worship.
2. Both are after worship. They want a sense of total fulfillment, a oneness, an identity.
3. Men and women think they will find fulfillment in sex. It is temporary…short lived.
God says, “Look it won’t work.” “Go ahead.” God know they will be left just as
dissatisfied, empty and hopeless as they started. This is even true in marriage. The
physical is important, especially early in marriage. Satisfaction is short lived.
True fulfillment comes in our relationship with God! (1:16,17)

On the inside of every person is a God-shaped emptiness. How does man fill that emptiness?
II. INDECENT WORSHIP 1:26-27
A.The Cause
1.For this cause…God gave them up. God gave them up to discover their emptiness.
2.For this cause…verse 25 man is the authority. Man is in control.
B.The Culmination
1.Lesbianism in v. 26 is female with female.
2.Homosexuality in v. 27 male with male.
3.This was a common practice in Paul’s day. In fact 14 or 15 emperors were practicing homosexuals, as well as Socrates and other philosophers.
C.The Continuation
1.Vile offenses…passions is what God calls these activities.
2.Burned (lit. burned out) in their lusts (not love) one for another. It was an all out effort to satisfy this emptiness that only God can fill!
D.The Conclusion
1.Exchanging the natural use…against nature…v. 26
2.Unnatural…unseemly (Indecent)…receiving in themselves that recompense which is fitting (Payment) Psychologically, emotionally, mentally there are consequences for violating natural laws. Youth are 5 times more likely to commit suicide.
3.This is God’s way of forcing us to see what’s going on in lives. The awful thing in homosexuality today is to live with the lie that there is no hope. There is tremendous hope.
Fulfillment comes in our relationship with Jesus Christ! (1:16,17)

On the inside of every person is a God-shaped emptiness. How does man fill that emptiness?
III. IMPROPER WORSHIP 1:28-32
A. The Source 28a
1. They did not see fit to acknowledge God…their thinking was affected.
2. Man puts God to the test, to meet his standards, qualifications. They want a God of
their liking. They refused Him in their knowledge and worship!
B. The Sense 28b
God gave them over to a reprobate mind
1.God allowed them to have a mind that cannot function as designed. They distinction between right or wrong is confused or lost.
2.We at that point are gods. We are the authority.
C. The Scheme 28c
1. To do those things which are unseemly…not proper.
2. There is a list of unseemly things. 21 are listed in the original.

D.The Scope 29-31
1.Each is ‘me’ centered. Each wants to be the authority. Each is wanting worship in order to be fulfilled.
2.Each is to bring us to that emptiness that only God can fill. I won’t name them all:
“Terrible freedom that enslaves” C.S. Lewis
*Unrighteousness…I deem what is right. *Fornication…all types of sexual sin.
*Covetousness…never satisfied, more, more. *Maliciousness…takes pleasure to do
harm. You are in control. *Full of envy…can’t stand to see someone get ahead.
*Murder…you play God. *Strife…cause trouble, to stir up. *Deceit…artificial, to be
something you are not. *Whisperers…Gossip *Backbiting…slanderer at someone
else’s expense. *Haters of God…Hating God. *Insolent…disrespectful, full of
spite. *Proud… “I” centered. *Disobedient to parents…problem with authority.
*Without understanding…Unable to listen to the words of one wiser. *Covenant
breakers…can’t be trusted, your word means nothing. *Without natural
affection…love of parents for children, children for parents, or a husband for wife
or wife for husband. *Unmerciful…ruthless.
E. The Sorrow 32
1. They know what God thinks, but they don’t care. They pull others in with them.
2. In the midst of this loneliness, emptiness, despair is there any hope? That’s the
point…none of the above can bring fulfillment.

Only God can fill that emptiness!
Jesus Christ is the dynamite of God that meets people where they are!!