This video helps set the priesthood of the Tabernacle and the really strange sounding “Millu’im Offering” into principles for our walk with God:
A “red card” is a penalty card used in many sports as a means of reprimanding a player, coach or team official. They are usually used by referees to indicate that a player has committed an offense. I mention that, not because this is a sports lesson, but because there are times when it seemed appropriate to the Apostle Paul to raise a “red card” to some of the people in the church of the first century, because they were acting in ways that needed to be “called out”. It isn’t unloving to call out bad behavior, though it can be done in an unloving way. In fact, the basis of much of parenting is doing just that: letting a child know what behavior will not be accepted as they journey through life. In this lesson, we are going to watch as Paul pulled a “red card” out of his toga for instruction during a service in the growing infant church of the first century. They were doing something wrong – and it is something we need to take another look at as we pass through this letter.
If you will allow me, I want to begin this lesson in an unusual way – with a story that is both NEGATIVE and PERSONAL. I won’t end there, but I am choosing to do this because I believe it will help us understand the passage of Scripture we are about to study together – both the specific features of the text and how emotionally deep the issues involved truly are even in our day…
A couple of years ago I got a phone call from a young woman who was very upset with a leader in the church where I was serving. She reported to me that she was in a public place in town and she saw one of our church leaders at the time ordering a beer with his sandwich at a vendor’s stand. Even worse (in her mind), that leader offered to buy a beer for the guy that he was going to sit at lunch with, but the man declined because he didn’t drink. It turns out, the man the leader was sitting with was a friend of the woman who called, and he was a Christian who grew up being taught that any consumption of beer was a sin – a violation for any Christian. Though he thought it was terrible that anyone who confessed Christ as Savior would drink a beer, much less offer to another brother a beer, he didn’t tell the church leader that he was offended at the purchase and offer, but rather took his offended spirit to the young woman who called me. She was indignant when she brought it to me.
I think she thought she knew how I would respond – and I didn’t live up to her expectations. I know that because she was so deeply offended that she left that church and verbally shared her disappointment with others in the Christian community. In fact, four others left that fellowship – never to return to the best of my knowledge. They left primarily because their expectation was that I would strip the man from any leadership position and that our church would publicly apologize to her friend for his “sin of participation” in alcohol consumption. I honestly tried my best to respond to her kindly, but because I didn’t do what she wanted, she left and took her friends with her.
I wasn’t hurt because she chose to leave the church where I was serving – I try not to let that be a problem to me. Over the years I have come to recognize there are many reasons people may be led to move from wherever I am to another place. God is at work in people’s lives, and I believe my voice is just one among many. I truly know many who do this work well and I admire them, and feel privileged every time you take the time to walk back in and sit down for another hour together. I did hurt when she left, though. I hurt because I enjoyed her company when she was with us. She brought a great testimony for God. I hurt because she didn’t mind defaming a whole room full of brothers and sisters she once called her “spiritual family”.
The Bible makes distinctions about three kinds of behavior, and different passages address each. Sometimes, the passage we read is encouraging an appropriate expression of the faith by a Christian – it is a GOOD behavior. Other times, the passage is explaining why God put limits on a choice and how we should not pass by the fences He placed – that is a BAD behavior. Still others, like the ones we are going to look more closely at in Romans 14, are behaviors that God neither forbids, nor encourages – they are PERSONAL CONVICTION behaviors. The passage we want to examine is very much about things that different Christians view in different ways. These are passages that often confuse people that don’t know God, as well as immature believers, who read nothing more than “you don’t get to judge others” and conclude they understand the Bible.
Let’s be clear: the same Apostle that wrote what we will study today also told a church to remove a man in sexual sin from a congregation of believers in 1 Corinthians 5 – because that was a BAD behavior. Later when he repented, Paul told them to “let him back in” and stop forbidding his participation – because that was GOOD behavior.
You can’t raise a child without making judgments about who they should, and should not spend time with. That is part of good parenting. At the same time, there are choices that each believer is privileged to make with the Spirit of God that are not another person’s choice to make for them.
Because you love Jesus doesn’t mean you must be a Republican or Democrat – that is your choice, and it is based on how you grew up, and who you believe has a better vision, in general, for the country. Your Christianity isn’t wrapped in whether you like the new healthcare legislation. We don’t run campaigns in the foyer, and we don’t try to speak for or against every piece of new government legislation – though even our staff has personal opinions, I am sure, about many of the news headlines. You can agree or disagree on whether our country should be pressing to make an agreement with Iran this month – or not. Let me say it plainly: You may have many very passionate ideas and beliefs that are truly are rooted to your best understanding of how to apply God’s Word to daily life – but that doesn’t mean that you are right. It also doesn’t mean you have the right to expect to win the argument even in a room full of Christians. In fact, your argument may be wounding other believers… so we need to talk about it.
I know we need to talk about it, because God prompted Paul to write about it in Romans 14 (and 1 Corinthians 8-10), and our study in Romans will be where we place our attention for this lesson. Here is the point…
The idea is summarized in the beginning of the passage…Paul warned the Roman believers: “Include those who are not mature in their faith (ability to see what God says is true), whose Biblical worldview is limited. Include them to help them, not simply to judge their condition (and control by your preferences their choices)”. (14:1).
There are two points we must recall before we can embrace the passage and truly understand it:
These same principles DO NOT APPLY in cases where the Bible is explicit about what must be done or avoided. Two believers who are engaged in a sexual relationship outside of marriage are violating Scripture and committing sin – and that isn’t what we are talking about. A man who is breaking into your car is stealing. If you find out about it, you needn’t worry that you are being judgmental, you can just call 9-1-1 and let the police worry about that. We ARE allowed to stand against sin that is called such in Scripture – in fact we are commanded to do it. When people want to persuade the public that they should be able to do something the Bible calls sin, we have every right as a American to object, and every duty as a Christian to live inside the text – no matter what the world accepts as their ever-changing moral standard.
As much as we may hesitate to admit it, they aren’t an identical list. When people aren’t doing what we think they should – we have a tendency to mislabel them. Sometimes we can’t tell if the person in front of us is really a rebel or just a confused person who doesn’t know enough about God’s Word to really understand what we are saying. If we treat a searching or immature Christian as a rebel, we can wound them badly, and perhaps push them from a proper walk with God. Their hurt can become Satan’s playground to hinder them from growth – so we need to be careful.
Let’s get into our study of Romans 14, and set it in the letter Paul wrote, as he moved his thoughts from Heaven and God’s work to earth (Romans 1-11) to the believer’s daily experience (Romans 12-16). Certainly both Heaven’s work and earth’s testimony are important. Certainly the first one affected – and even made possible – the second. The fact is, though, believers need to know more than their position – they need to know what being a “believer” means in practical terms. How does an eternal relationship with God affect a Tuesday in July? That is what the second part of Romans is all about.
In Romans 12 set the stage for the section, in three simple facts.
First, we are not our own, and therefore must recognize God has the right to inspect and correct our behaviors (Romans 12:1-2).
Second, we were empowered to serve one another, not simply saved to change our eternity (Romans 12:3-8).
Third, God set the parameters of proper attitudes and actions (12:9-21). He offered a series of them:
1. Authentic love (12:9a).
2. Life choices that stand against evil and for what God calls “good (12:9b).
3. Showing Deference: A “my brother first” deferral that puts away selfishness (12:10-11).
4. Good attitudes: A hopeful voice, a patient spirit and prayerful decision making processes (12:12) and even a kind gentleness (12:16).
5. Inviting: A loving spirit toward people (12:13).
6. Forgiving: Blessing one who has tried to smear our reputation (12:14).
7. Supporting: Coming beside the hurting to be a refuge of tears, or celebrating with party hats one who is rejoicing (12:15).
8. Confidence: A tongue that tries to make peace without compromise (12:17-18) a heart that quickly regains peace when wounded (12:19-20).
9. Outreaching: We should do what it takes to be renewed to the task of constantly peering into the painful darkness – not to curse it – but to rescue those lost in it (12:21).
In Romans 13, Paul took a few moments to leave the relationships between believers in the church, and addressed how a follower of Jesus should be a good and obedient citizen if it was at all possible. The important point we acknowledged when we looked at Romans 13 is that we are entirely unable to “pull off” the Christian life in the flesh – but NEED the Holy Spirit to empower our lives and convict us when our choices begin to “wander off the rails”.
He didn’t linger in that thought, but turned back to relationships between believers to continue his points from Romans 12, as if certain behaviors were necessary to address right away – and it appears they truly were. People were hurting each other in the circle of believers, and what was worse – they thought they were right in doing so. Let’s look closer. Paul began by introducing someone:
Romans 14:1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.
The weak in faith are not, in the context, those who don’t know God. They are clearly followers of the Lord Jesus based on how he described them in the remainder of the text. They are apparently those who are still unstable enough in their walk that they will stumble if someone’s behavior drives them off course. They probably don’t know the Word very well (though they may not know they do not), and clearly aren’t strong enough to grasp on their own what God allows and what God doesn’t.
In my experience, they are often compassionate people who accept out of love those who are walking in sin and are dangerous – but they love them and cannot see danger in both their closeness to them, and their inability to answer of the hope that is within them clearly. They may be those who continue to think in un-Biblical ways because God has not yet begun a transforming work in them in some area and they may not understand the critical thinking path that allows a more mature believer to see the issue with the greater clarity and context that comes from years in the Spirit and the Word.
Look at the description of the “weak in faith” person, and note the problems they enter the room bearing (consciously or subconsciously). The Apostle offered two distinct issues that plagued their thinking. One of them related to the mundane world of food and its preparation. The second related to the spiritual demands of corporate worship and its timing.
Romans 14:2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.
Here is the key: The case of the food is not simply about “carnivores” and “vegetarians” – it is about people who perceive the dangers of “unholy affiliation” (14:2-4).
Jews who were scattered throughout the provinces in the Roman period had very specific eating requirements based on Leviticus 11 and other passages of the Law. Unless they had access to both a kosher butcher, and a rabbi who was recognized to be able to declare foods kosher under the law (in terms of their origin and preparation) – they had to eat vegetables alone. Some of them came to Jesus and yet were still Jews, so they ate restricted meals, and their faith in Messiah did not mean they could simply buy the local ham or improperly bled beef.
Add to that, the meat that was available in the marketplace was often associated with pagan offerings as described in 1 Corinthian 8-10. Gentile born believers knew well the pagan associations with meat “offered to idols” before it hit the market (often at discount prices). Some believers associated the meat with the idolatry – especially if they had been involved in that kind of cultic life before they came to Jesus. It felt like a deep regression into the power of the occult to have that burger – and they couldn’t in good conscience do it. Other Gentile born followers of Jesus grew up in small villages, and it simply never had that connotation in their mind – so they didn’t care.
With all that as background, here is the problem: some Jews associated meats with improper standards of preparation, while some Gentiles felt a cultic influence was creeping into the life of a believer if they bought meat offered to idols. In short, some people associate certain practices with a part of their life before their walk with God. In their minds the practice is inextricably linked to the evil foundation in their mental association. It can’t be right, because it was a part of the life of darkness to them…they believe all followers of Jesus should see the purity of their thinking and stop a practice based on their logic.
They were likely tempted to lean into two opposite extremes as a result:
The one who eats meat is not to belittle the one who is so concerned they refuse all meat. (14:3a) It is often the temptation of those who have a broader perspective to look down on those who restrict their behavior but seem somewhat legalistic.
Here is the problem with the partaker’s line of thought – they don’t see the depth of passion and strength of heart the Kingdom gains by having someone like an abstainer among them. They can easily lack appreciation for the amount of time and energy the abstainer put into making their walk with God a very pure behavior. It takes discipline and work to walk with God, and they may not be correct at all their conclusions, and may even be overly restrictive – but that doesn’t mean they are trying to be a pain – they are working to sharpen their walk and help us all be the spotless bride that Jesus deserves.
The more liberal mind often has grasped more information on a subject, but that doesn’t justify less respect for a brother. We live in times when the simplest problems are being obscured by complexity. Rather than take all week to read the details of an Iran treaty, why not ask a simple question like: “Is it right to deal with people while they are actively seeking to destroy you and your interests in their speeches and support of terrorism?” All the complexity of what IS and IS NOT included in an agreement gets clarified by the contextual question of whether we should negotiate with people actively and openly engaged in terrorism on an international level. Regardless of how you feel about the agreement, my point is that it is easy to end up befuddled by complexity and lose the simplicity of any right and wrong anywhere. Everything becomes a relative grey because you are so educated – you no longer can call evil what it is. Can we not agree that blowing up children on a bus to make a point make you inherently uncivilized? Can we all agree that supporting such actions should keep you from sitting at the table of civilized nations?
The one who abstains should not judge the one who eats the meat. (14:3b). It is natural that those who believe something strongly enough to discipline themselves to keep from it will tend to see those who participate as “liberal” and “less dedicated” to the truths that they have experienced.
Here is the problem with that abstainer’s thought – they aren’t as consistent as they think they are. The days of the week in our modern English speaking culture were named after the classical planets in Hellenistic astrology, according to a system introduced in Late Antiquity. The Germanic tribes added to the terms, but all were thoroughly laced in a pagan system of celebration. For instance, the term Sunday came from the Old English Sunnandæg meaning “sun’s day” and a Germanic myth of a goddess who gave birth to the other days. We could go on and on, speaking of names of months, holidays and the like. In other words, no one can cut all that pagan influences out of their life and still function in the world. Paul wrote Scripture in a Greek language with words heavily laden and often derived from pagan mythology. He didn’t tell people to learn Hebrew before he would give them the Gospel.
Be careful with what I am saying. I am not arguing that because we have a little paganism in our culture you should dive into the deep end of the pool. I am simply making the point that purists only see the parts of purity that bug THEM, and not the total picture… it is perhaps more complex than they like to realize. Therefore, two things are essential: we must remove from our lives the things God speaks into our heart about, and we must be gentle toward those who do not – if it is not specified in Scripture. We can pray that God will show them something, and we can lovingly discuss their view – but we have no right to even THINK of ourselves as BETTER because we have a particular view on a preference. If the Bible doesn’t say it, it isn’t dogma – and you don’t have the right to be dogmatic about things that aren’t dogma.
A Warning to Both Sides of the Argument: Don’t argue!
Paul offered these words to the “hyper-careful vegetarians” and to the “liberal thinking carnivores” – stop arguing and don’t hurt one another. Why? Listen to the word:
Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
In other words, it isn’t the menu that is a problem – it is the attitudes and treatment to one another that are problems. Both responses are wrong (14:4), because neither is to live comparing their walk to the other, nor are they to attempt to control others who serve God. They are to call on their Master for personal direction and live according to the conscious presence of the Master in their lives.
Take your time with this one, because it can be hard to follow, and it is critical. In Romans 14, Paul wrote:
Romans 14:5 “One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike.”
Some people have been deeply blessed by practices that God commanded them to keep. They know what God did in their lives through obedience, and they cannot understand their limited application – how a believer could live without that practice that is so meaningful to them…Some of my Jewish believing friends fall into this camp – but mostly it comes from people who weren’t born Jewish, but insist that all followers of Jesus must follow the practices given specifically to the Jewish people. They essentially are forcing what God commanded a specific group onto the whole of those who would follow God.
Let’s say it this way: God commanded that some people were to keep particular days (Jews and Sabbath, Holy Days) but others had no such command, and weren’t a part of the context at the time the Scripture command was given. Some people began, already in the first century, to try and enforce these prescribed days and celebrations on all believers in an effort to make all one (14:5a). Still others tried to make the case that although some believers were not commanded to keep those unique Jewish markers, still they would benefit from keeping them.
Since God is in charge and God created communication, we can safely leave some things to the Holy Spirit (smile) – like giving believers direction in areas not specified by Scripture. Keep reading:
Romans 14:5b “…Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Each believer that was not specifically commanded by God’s Spirit to celebrate on a certain day or in a certain way was free to choose, but needed to consciously consider the choice (14:5b). Each of us serves the Lord Jesus – and when His Word hasn’t clearly told us what to do, we have His Holy Spirit within to do that.
Let’s be clear: Legalism kills the work of the Spirit, because it allows someone else to play the role of the Holy Spirit in leading God’s people. It stifles conviction and rests control in the hands of men, but God didn’t put that decision in the hands of men. Legalism is thwarted by people of conviction speaking out against “lowest common denominator” faith.
Why didn’t God tell us everything? First, He offered principles to virtually every area of life I can think of. Second, it occurs to me that these disagreements opened the opportunity for the Lord to develop backbone in the family of faith. By developing thoughtful reasons for behavior, we consciously choose to live for the Lord instead of obediently following the dictates of human institution!
Every believer must remember that Jesus will judge our behaviors and performance:
Romans 14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God.” 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
We must ever be mindful that Jesus is the Righteous Judge, and He alone must be pleased by our walk. He is perfectly capable of righting what is wrong. Don’t skip over 14:12, because it is critical to understand. I will not be standing with you at the judgment of your works. Jesus was judged for your sins, but your works are open for inspection NOW and when you stand before Him – and you will do that ALONE. You will need to explain to Jesus why you chose to do things His Spirit told you not to do. Your mom won’t step in an explain your “special case” – this one is all on you.
Finally, Paul made clear that we must do everything possible to avoid causing another brother to stumble into sin because of our behavior. (14:13).
Romans 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.
It is possible the best way to avoid any possible offense may be to participate in some behaviors only in private – but that is for the second part of this lesson. In the next lesson, we will talk about the “avoiding all appearances of evil”. For now, it is important that we make sure we understand that we can be WRONG in attitude even when we are RIGHT in practice.
Believers must be taught not to harm those who are weaker in their Biblical world view with things the Bible allows individuals to decide between them and God.
I cannot close this without finishing what I told the woman with the complaint about the church leader, or I know what mail I will receive this week!
I asked the woman to meet with me, and asked her to bring all that she could find on what the Bible said about ordering a beer at a vendor stand. In addition, I asked her to read Matthew 18 and answer this question: If you or your friend were offended at the leader’s behavior, did you take the time to tell him that? Why or why not?
When we met, I asked her if the Bible said that any alcohol consumption was sin. She said, “No! I believe drunkenness is a sin.” I asked her if the leader acted as if he was intoxicated, or consumed anything more that would make you believe he had been intoxicated at that or any other time? She said, “No! But I was offended!” I said, “Do you have the right to dictate his behavior in an area where the Bible does not?” She said, “If I am offended, he shouldn’t do it!” I said, “First, he doesn’t know you are offended, because you didn’t tell him – you told me. Second, the Bible did not give you the right to dictate the work of the Spirit in an area where you agree the Bible does not specifically call out the proper choice.”
Then, I stopped. I could tell she was hurt, and I didn’t want that. I tried to share about this passage and the one in 1 Corinthians 8-10. She agreed in principle, but was just sure that because she felt so strongly about it, it must have been a “God thing”. I told her the same Spirit at work in her was at work in that leader. I asked if she prayed for him. She said, “No! I want him to step down!” I replied: “That’s fine. My question is, does Jesus want him to step down? You’ll only know if you take the time to talk to Jesus about that, and then sit and talk with that leader directly.” She left, took others with her, and never returned. She missed the lesson.
You see, I know that leader. I know he would never touch another beer in public again if he thought it would genuinely cause someone to stumble. She didn’t stumble. She tried to dictate legalism, and when she couldn’t make the rules – she left to spread her sense of righteous indignation elsewhere.
Let me end with this: You will never fix broken things by making up your own rules. Jesus told us how to act with one another, and He is the Master.
Sometimes we are just so rebellious there is no better word for us. The same was true of Israel – and God promised that His love would be victorious over their stubborn hearts!
Some of the tough passages about God’s work in your life can also be jewels to be mined!Here is the conference video at:
When I was a kid, Peter Graves used to get his spy assignments for a secret team of agents on a reel to reel tape recorder. Every episode, we heard the words: “Your mission, should you decide to accept it is…” The fun part was the end of his listening to the message when it ended with: ”This tape will self-destruct in five seconds.” Right in front of our eye the tape would start smoking, and evaporate! Oh those were simpler days! We sat mystified at how these secret spies of the underworld could pass undetected messages beneath the nose of an unsuspecting public. During the whole series (1966-73), Bruce Geller (the producer) kept us guessing at how the “IMF” or “Impossible Mission Force” would trick one bad guy after another. Every problem seemed insurmountable. Every enemy seemed clever. Yet, episode after episode, the “Impossible Mission Force” pulled out some new magic.
Don’t lose me on the illustration… As I was preparing anew the lesson from Romans 13, I recognized it was a very simple passage. It contains plain instruction and is not written in a pretentious style that demands too much of any reader to grasp. Yet, though it is simple on the surface, the demands of the passage require an understanding of the broader context that we must recognize, or the passage will leave us wanting. We will read God’s Word, seek to do what He told us, and find ourselves defeated and depleted. What do I mean? Look for a moment, even before reading the whole chapter, at the last line of Romans 13, found in verse 14: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to [its] lusts.”
Now ask yourself, “What does that truly mean?” Am I about to listen to a message that encourages me to look at a model Christian as one who leaves today in their car without using the air conditioner? Will they refuse a good restaurant for lunch and go home to eat bread, drink water and send the money they would have spent to missionaries? Will they avoid comforts through the week, and sleep on a hard floor rather than a soft mattress? “You’re being silly!” some will protest. Maybe. Now, let me ask you, how does one make NO PROVISION for the flesh in regard to its lusts and walk through a buffet line? There must be more to this! The passage appears to tell us what God expects from us, but not HOW God expects us to do what He told us to do.
In an effort to make clear what I believe must be understood about the passage, I am going to ask you to allow me to change the normal way I construct a lesson. If you will be patient, I would like to take a few minutes and take apart the passage BEFORE we look at the key principle we will consider… If you will be patient, the method will make sense.
Before moving into the lesson, we should note again that our text is part of the section that deals with God’s desired behaviors from those who have first recognized their sinfulness (Romans 1-3), and the gift of God that is our salvation (Romans 4-5). It is written for those who know that God empowers us to walk with Him (Romans 6-8), and for those who trust God for doing what is right in His plan – keeping His Word at all times, as exemplified in His relationship with Israel (Romans 9-11). Romans 12-16 was clearly written for the believer and about the measure of a believer. In that context, it offers four simple, straightforward instructions.
As a follower of Jesus, we accept that what is happening in the physical world is but a symptom of the spiritual world. We believe that behind the scenes are two competing agendas – that of a loving God and another of a deceiving enemy. Though God’s enemy has great power on our planet, he is limited to the realm God has set for him until the time that evil is brought to an end. Ultimately, all things happen under the authority of our Heavenly Father – even the things He is not pleased by. Yet, the underlying system, though at times suffering from later corruptions, is still a reflection of His original establishment. Paul put it this way…
Romans 13:1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
The text argued for obedient and respectful believers in the public realm. Don’t miss that there are three important principles related in this portion:
• Design: First, God had an original design for civil authority. Part of honoring God in this text is choosing as believers to in practical ways place ourselves beneath the authority the Word claims God placed over us (13:1a). The text also made clear that it was God’s design that authorities were placed to help those who desired to do good and cooperate with society, and to keep those who did evil in fear (13:3-4). Government had a divine design. Civil authority had a God-strategy.
• Rebellion: Second, God expects believers to follow His appointed authorities. Refusal to follow the authorities (with the exception of the most radical circumstances covered in the few places concerning civil disobedience elsewhere in Scripture) is ultimately a refusal to follow God’s ordained order (13:1b). In fact, our rebellion against God’s placed civil authority is another form of rebellion against God. The statement is not absolute – for there were times when believers had to stand against civil authority to preserve life and obey God – but they were the rare exception. We must remember that there is a distinction between people in Scripture who were motivated by an intense desire to follow God with their whole heart – that ran into conflict with the authorities, and people who were motivated by rebellion and self-will to fight the authority at hand. With rare exception, God expects His followers to respect civil authorities.
• Results: Third, God endowed civil authorities with effective tools to punish those who would not follow. Those who refuse to follow the God-ordained authority do so at their own peril and should anticipate no aid from God in doing so (13:2). Standing against God-ordained authorities will not only incur certain negative outcomes, but will also violate your sense of guiltlessness before God and man (13:5). God has not appointed them without some real power.
The theory of obedience was made much more practical by Paul pointing to our use of money to show obedience and honor. He noted:
Romans 13:6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for [rulers] are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax [is due]; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
This isn’t heady, it simply requires that we not “in theory” to embrace civil authority and then feel justified starving its ability to collect revenue necessary to perform its vital civil tasks. The passage requires that we openly agree to pay, honor and show respect to those in authority. Bear in mind Paul was a Roman, writing during the early years of Emperor Nero. Though he was not yet acting out, there were ample illustrations of inequitable rulers readily available at the time.
Don’t cynically read this as some kind of patronizing passage to keep the authorities off the back of the early church leaders – it is both their record and the breathed Word of God! The instruction was clearly to respect, fear and honor civil authority based on their placement by God. This included paying taxes into a system that used the money for purposes we wouldn’t individually agree to as believers. There is yet a third instruction…
It is important for us to note that when God calls for us to give honor, fear and treasure to civil authority, He has the right to direct my finances. All that I have has come into my life because of My Heavenly Father. Listen to what God directed:
Romans 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled [the] law. 9 For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of [the] law.
We are to keep our ledger clear of debt, but recognize there is one part of the ledger that can never be clear: the part concerning our love. We OWE it to people to love them. If we violate the sacredness of another person’s marriage – we steal from someone. We steal their special bond, violate the sacredness of their promises and covenant to each other, and potentially wound their children and family. When we kill another human being, we steal their right to more opportunities for forgiveness, more chances to find love and experience grace – we take from them what is not ours to take. When we take from another the things that are justly theirs, we remove from them the fruit of their labors, and we show ourselves discontented with what God has placed rightfully in our hands. All these are sins: adultery, murder, theft. We must not take, but we are equally commanded not to withhold – or we also sin. We are not to withhold our deliberate action to meet the needs of those around us, without the expectation of any specific return on our action. We are to love, because we were commanded to by God. – that is reason enough. There is one final command…
Perhaps summarizing the whole passage, the end of the text calls for us to deliberately change our appearance…
Romans 13:11 [Do] this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12 The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to [its] lusts.
God called on every follower of Jesus to lay aside the works of a life built on self, and put on the attitudes, character and action that were exemplified in our Savior Some things are to be removed: carousing and drunkenness, sexual promiscuity, sensuality, divisions and the poison of jealousy. Some things are to be increasingly evident: Christ-like focus on fulfilling the desires of our Father in self denial.
What is absolutely clear is this: Paul, under the direction of God’s Spirit, made a list of things in Romans 13 he wanted believers to observe with their lives. He instructed them to DO some things. Left by itself, Paul’s words can look like a “self-help” directional seminar. It can sound like he is giving us a shopping list of things to do in order to have God “check off” on our life sheet – “Good job!” To some limited extent, that is true…but only in the context of a yet greater truth – and here is the point you waited so patiently to understand…
Years ago I heard a Pastor in Canada say that he thought of these kinds of Bible passages like a J C Penney catalogue. He could look through the catalogue of God’s Word and see the things he wanted to have, spiritually speaking, in his life. To get them, he would pray. He looked at prayer like “placing the order” from the catalogue of the Scripture. He could visualize himself praying, and as he did, his request was sent it up to Heaven. He imagined a long room full of angelic employees who would take his request, let’s say, to be “more loving” – and drop it on the angel’s desk marked “more love”. They would package some special amount of love and shoot it down to his heart with a spiritual arrow. If he read that he shouldn’t be jealous, he would ask God to give him more strength to keep him from succumbing to jealousy, and then could just see an angel at the “spiritual strength” desk shooting an arrow at him as he slept, hitting him in the heart. This is how he viewed his Christian life for years – the Bible catalogue and the “angelic arrow” Federal Express. The problem is that kind of life gets heavy – because it isn’t a whole view of what God told us about the spiritual world and walking in it well.
Behind the problem with that thinking is that doesn’t take into account ALL of what God told us, only part of it. Paul knew something about the list he gave the early believers that we must understand or we will work hard to be good Christians and fail every time. Here is the truth: the standards were absolutely impossible for them to pull off on their own.
Let me say it another way directly from the passage we have just studied. You may want to walk in constant obedient subjection to those in authority over you. You may desire to pay everyone everything you owe them – all the time. You may seek to be known as the most loving neighbor in the history of mankind. You may have a sincere yearning to reflect only works that are in harmony with the life and teachings of Jesus. You may aspire to walk without a hint of sexual impurity in your innermost thoughts. You may voraciously hunger to live a life without a single conflict with those around you, and never allow the cancer of jealousy to eat away at your soul. You may truly, whole-heartedly and with all your best intention crave a life that could stand before God and man and say: “Inspect me, within and without, and you will see one who makes not even a slight provision for my fleshly hungers – but lives a life of purity and wholesome thinking.” Here is the truth: you don’t have the power to pull it off. There isn’t one Christian you have ever met that can make the claim that they have successfully pulled off that list – not one.
Some will react inside with objections because they have worked to know the Word and believe that alone should bring about victory. Your knowledge of God’s Word will be helpful, but it won’t get the job done, either. Before you reject what I am saying… listen. Most of you know me. I am a Bible teacher and I push with all my strength to get people to study the Word and know the Word in order to LIVE the Word. Yet, I have to woefully admit that that isn’t the whole story – by itself that prescription won’t work.
Consider the context of Paul’s earlier words in Romans 7, where he clearly showed that while the Law of God made clear we are self-willed and fall woefully short of right behavior, that same Law was entirely inadequate to make me pleasing to Him – because it didn’t provide the power to pull it off. In fact, Paul went on to tell us HE couldn’t pull off the Law:
Romans 7:15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I [would] like to [do], but I am doing the very thing I hate. 16 But if I do the very thing I do not want [to do], I agree with the Law, [confessing] that the Law is good.
Paul made it clear: He was inadequate in his will power to follow the patterns and practices God outlined for him, and the knowledge of the will of God didn’t come with the power to obey God in and of itself. Is it any wonder you and I struggle with the same thing? Most of us have far less training, far less successful church planting and far less impact on our generation than Paul had on his, and yet HE couldn’t pull of godliness with his own power. He couldn’t get from text to practice without dropping the ball!
Here is the truth: Your knowledge of God’s Word will make greater obedience eventually possible, but it will not, by itself, make you obedient to Jesus. Those of us who have both known Christ for a long time, and who have carefully studied His Word can testify without exception that we are sure of our salvation, that we are thankful for the Word of God – but that we are very much still strugglers against sin in our own lives. There is no question about it, I won’t “learn my way out of temptation” or “learn my way into consistent victory over sin.” The power simply isn’t there. If Paul couldn’t, what makes me so arrogant to think that I will be able to accomplish this? But wait… that isn’t the whole problem. I must also face a world that is cold to my labor to obey and honor God.
Add to the truth that I am a fallen vessel the fact that I live in times that are increasingly discouraging me to walk in a way that pleases God. This world is no friend to grace, to obedience and to honoring Christ. It hasn’t been since Paul’s day. He wrote:
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 [we are] afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
Paul made clear that his power wasn’t from the flesh, but the weakness of his flesh would make it clear to anyone who was watching that when he did right it was God working through his broken life. You read no arrogance in 4:7, but a broken man who exalted Christ in each victory! Immediately after, Paul made clear that life wasn’t easy. The world wasn’t friendly to his faith. He described the constant pressure on him in 4:8-10. Listen to the words closely: “afflicted – not crushed; confused – not despairing; persecuted – not alone; struck down – not destroyed; marked by the call of the Cross – dead to self. He didn’t want to live for Himself… he wanted Jesus to live through Him.
Here is the great challenge of our time – not battling people who believe they found liberty by forcing an agenda through judicial fiat, but by battling a false view of hope, love and true fulfillment. As God’s church in this age, we must renew ourselves to the task of articulating clearly the truth that finding ultimate freedom cannot come from trust in this world and its pleasures. The call of Christ is to “come and die to self that I might live through you!”
The Bible is clear: true happiness will not be found in even the best human relationships, because all of us are fickle, fragile and frail. Our “lifetime lover” may believe they will be faithful, and they may love us deeply – but we may still end up sitting beside their empty chair. Don’t forget that they are not in control of the length of their days, and if they were, they would honestly reveal they struggle to be in control of their wandering desires throughout their life. We rob people of the truth when we act as though real fulfillment can be found in relationships with people.
Come now, believer, let us renew ourselves to the grand message yet again! Relationships on a broken planet filled with flawed people cannot be where ultimate fulfillment is found. It is the Gospel that sets people free. It is Jesus Who saves! It is God’s Spirit Who brings true liberty! No acceptance by the crowd, no sense of empowerment, no decoration of earthly riches and no form of sexual expression ever will make me free. Only Jesus can do that.
Your growth isn’t dependent on you alone, but you play a role in it.
First, I must reckon that the foundation of my relationship with God is not based on my performance – but on Christ’s work.
Romans 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God [did]: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and [as an offering] for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us…
That doesn’t mean that I should get mystical and fuzzy about obedience – it means that I shouldn’t look at my relationship with God like I am hanging over a precipice and clinging with my fingertips to God – hoping to stay strong enough to get through and not fall. Jesus said the Father holds me in His hand, not the other way around. I am to live my life on the solid foundation that God loves me, wants me to succeed in my walk, and is willing to help me do it. Listen to the words we read from Romans 8:
I do not live under a heavy weight of condemnation, because I am in Christ. The Atonement Law was temporary and brought renewed need for sacrifice – but Jesus paid it all. He became all the condemnation to lift it from me once and for all. God won’t condemn me. He isn’t looking for a way to get rid of me, judge me or guilt me. He wants me to respond to our relationship – not to try to earn one. That part is DONE.
I need to grasp that the operation of “Christ in me” is to become my directing force, and not the threat that more condemnation and death. When I read, I skipped verse 2, where this idea is very clear:
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death… who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Did you notice the two laws that were posed against one another? The first was the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ” and the second was the “law of sin and of death”. What are these laws? Work backwards from the end.
Let’s unpack the verse anew… the law that there must be constant sacrifice to keep you in standing with God has been replaced by Jesus breathing life into the dead and marking them before the Father as His very own – filled with His life. We live in constant fellowship with a Holy God Who sees us as alive with the life of His Son. We walk, not to earn His love and His acceptance, but embracing that we fully have both.
Second, we must recognize the beauty of the empowering work of the Spirit. This is not a mystical force, but God doing in and through us what we cannot do, as we open the doors of our inner man to Him. We offer Him control, and He does with that openness what we cannot:
Romans 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able [to do so], 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Note the phrase: “set their minds”. This is a term about our human responsibility. We have the Spirit of God indwelling us (8:9a), but that isn’t all there is to the operation of the Spirit. In fact, there is a process of “setting our mind” according to our Spirit-filled status. We can open ourselves to God’s direction by refusing to feed on rebellion and deliberately refusing that which would quench His work in us.
Years ago I read a story about men in one of the concentration camps in World War II. The war was nearly over, and the SS guards left the camp early one morning as the Allied army approached. They left the gate unlocked. Remarkably the bewildered prisoners did not leave. Some thought it was a trick. Others were simply beaten into subjection by their evil captors. In the end, they all realized them were free men living in the trap from which they had now been freed. Many believers are like that. They live under sin as though it is still their master – but the power of Christ and the work of His Spirit has set them free to please the Father!
Finally, we must see the world properly. Paul wrote again in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
• We recognize that we cannot put our hope for fulfillment in the flesh, because it is falling apart.
• We commit ourselves to allowing God to renew us within even as things fall apart without.
• We recognize that physical suffering is temporary and small compared to eternal reward.
• We measure life, not by what the eye sees, but by the eternal nature of the spiritual world.
James White illustrated this when he wrote: “I sat down and looked through some magazines this past week. I discovered that if I want to feel right, I need to get a NordicTrack. I don’t have a NordicTrack, just a membership down at the gym, so I suddenly realized that I didn’t feel as healthy as I thought I did. I then read that if I wanted to be stylish, I would need to buy a Toyota Camry. Our family van was in the shop, so I had been driving our old Mercury Sable. That felt bad enough. Real men drive SUVs or bright red sports cars. I’ve got four kids, so I don’t have the luxury of driving what real men drive. So I found out that I couldn’t be stylish with the cars I owned. Then I saw that if I wanted to really feel the spring season, I had to dress for the spring season, and the only place for that was at Dillard’s. I knew I wouldn’t have a chance to go to Dillard’s that week. Suddenly the beautiful weather just didn’t seem that beautiful. I just wasn’t dressed for it. It didn’t get any better. I learned that I needed to be opening my mail with knife from Oneida. I only had a two-dollar letter opener from Office Depot. Now even my mail was disappointing. On top of that, I discovered that I couldn’t have a good meal if I wasn’t in Texas – at least not a meal that would satisfy me. So much for my Lean Cuisines. Then I read that if I wanted to be a man, at least a manlier man than my neighbor, I had to drive a Yard-Man mower with a Briggs and Stratton engine. At least it was cheaper than a new SUV. I like my house until I saw the new development’s ad. I thought my family and I were close until I realized we didn’t have season passes to the amusement park. I even thought I loved my wife, but since I hadn’t bought her a diamond necklace from the jewelry store, I was informed that I didn’t. I found out that I can’t even be romantic with my wife unless we use Sylvania light bulbs. Wouldn’t you know, we have GE. By the time I got finished with those magazines, I wasn’t just depressed – I needed counseling. Ever felt that way? We all have. It’s the sad fruit of living life that covets. James Emery White, You Can Experience an Authentic Life (Nashville: Word Publishing, 2000), 139-140
Believers don’t look at the world the same way as those who haven’t yet met Jesus! We live in JOY to follow our Heavenly Father – but we do it in His power and Jesus’ identity. We know what He called us to do, but we also recognize that apart from Jesus we can do nothing.
In August 1992, I was living in Broward County in South Florida, as Hurricane Andrew hit the eastern shore of our state. In its wake, the storm left a total of sixty-five dead, and drummed the state with a “category five” storm, packing one hundred seventy-five mile an hour winds. The storm surge alone caused half a billion dollars in damage from Kendall to Key Largo. More than 1.4 million people lost electricity for a time and 63,000 homes were destroyed, leaving at least 175,000 Floridians homeless. The storm destroyed or damaged some 82,000 businesses, 31 public schools, 9500 traffic signals and 59 hospital and health facilities.
As the storm approached, we were treated on television to the methods of “saving our homes”, which included such bold measures as lining inner rooms of our house with mattresses and putting masking tape across our windows. In retrospect, I am thinking they should have simply told us to “Run like mad!” There is simply no way that the preparations they gave us could withstand 175-mile-an-hour winds in our neighborhoods and expect the tape on their windows to make any difference as such a storm blew through! In fact, traveling to areas that were hard hit the day after, one couldn’t even discern where neighborhoods and streets once were, even if they had taped windows. The place was thrashed by such insurmountable power it now seems pointless to have prepared to stand up against its arrival.
One of the worst feelings I can think of is the feeling of powerlessness in the face of some coming trouble. It is that “beat-down” feeling of being subject to forces that are so strong, no amount of effort seems to make any difference. It is depressing to watch things turn from bad to worse when you feel you have no way to avoid the onslaught. I believe many who follow Jesus in these latter days are being pushed down by exactly that perception – the days are too evil and the power of God’s people and message are too small. I have good news for you, the truth is far from that view, and perhaps we all need to look into the Word for a reminder of the truth!
Nearly two thousand years ago, the church of Jesus Christ was unknown in any neighborhood. Jesus was a name associated with a hated and marginal people group – the Jews. Within a few generations, what began as a small band of Jewish fishermen and their friends grew into a formidable and effective movement of people. It isn’t what many people think. It wasn’t because they were different people than we are today…The power wasn’t because of them. It wasn’t from within them. It wasn’t in light of their abilities, their history, or their connections to the power center of their day. Small people, broken people, insignificant people (from the world’s point of view), were empowered by God to change their world with the message of truth – and they still are being empowered. In the beginning they were not organized; they did not have an expansion plan. They did not all speak the same language, nor did they eat the same food. They were a diverse lot chosen by the Spirit of God and told to live out the power of transformation done by God in them. They didn’t need to worry about how their lives fit the overall plan of God beyond living in obedience to Jesus in their homes, their neighborhoods and their relationships. They were told to follow God’s Word, obey the voice of God’s Spirit, and trust that God had a plan that was bigger than they could understand and more powerful than they could imagine. They were on a quest that rippled through two thousand years of western history with the Gospel.
This lesson begins a series on their story – the tale of God’s move among men that began with a simple account of His gathering, instructing and then empowering of them.
What is clear from the beginning of the letter is this: these men and women were completely convinced they saw the Risen Christ, and they felt they tested Him so thoroughly there was no way they were duped or sold some myth. Luke began his account of their lives together this way:
Acts 1:1 The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up [to heaven], after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. 3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over [a period of] forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.
The earliest followers said they walked with the Risen Jesus. They spoke to Him. They knew it was Him. Yet, if you look closely at the words in Acts 1:2, you will notice they had something more than evidence and a convinced heart – they had a promise of God’s Spirit. Jesus offered proof, but He also offered the promise of power. Though the occasion of the coming of that power didn’t yet take place in the narrative (that is a story for Acts 2), the promise of that coming power was clear from the beginning of the story
The story of the church began with those who met Christ. Don’t forget that! You are not part of the church of Jesus Christ because your parents were, nor because you generally agree with the moral statements of a church. Your part in the body begins with your commitment to Jesus Christ – everything else is secondary. You cannot give away a Jesus you do not know.
Notice also that their knowledge of Jesus and their firm belief that He was raised from the dead wasn’t all they needed to reach a lost world. Their natural strengths weren’t very impressive.
I think of the historian who recorded Benjamin Franklin in remarks to the Continental Convention, June 28, 1787. He said: “I have lived, Sir, a long time [81 years-old], and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God Governs in the affairs of men.” [as quoted in America’s God and Country, William J. Federer editor, Fame Publishing, Inc., Coppell, Texas. p.249]
It is worth recalling over and over again that God didn’t tell His people to do anything without the power God provided for them to accomplish it! Yes, He wanted the first century disciples to have sufficient evidence to follow Him – but that wasn’t enough. It never is! We don’t simply “win an argument” with evidence that brings people to Christ, because the issue isn’t simply cognitive. Salvation and transformation are both works of God’s Spirit within. That isn’t an excuse to get lazy on understanding the evidence at all – it is an admission that there is more to the story than simply showing the empty tomb and claiming Christ is risen.
If you scan the opening chapter of the Book of Acts, you will quickly note it contains not one, but three stories:
• First, it was a story of Jesus’ redirection of the disciples toward the promise that they should anticipate being empowered by the Father to become apostles of the truth (1:1-8). They were the right people, with the wrong sense of timing and wrong emphasis of ministry.
• Second, it was the account of Jesus’ final instructions to them at His recorded “Ascension” to Heaven (1:9-11). Here the disciples were the right people with the wrong perspective – looking up instead of looking out.
• Third, the bulk of the passage was a simple record about selecting Judas’ replacement in the leadership line up (1:12-26). Finally, the disciples were the right people in the wrong number to accomplish the task Jesus gave them.
These three accounts, then, offer us the opening lesson of God’s movement in the right team – but before the empowering work took place. It is essential to remember that all three of these stories took place BEFORE the empowering of the Spirit. They had their best recollections of the Master from years of traveling with Him. They listened to His departing instructions and believed His evidences to them, and they understood the need for dedicated leadership – but they were not ready to change the world – because they didn’t have the empowering of God to do so. In some ways, the three stories of chapter one remind us of the absolute need for the Spirit in chapter two. The right team without the right guide will get to the wrong place.
There is more to bringing a message that transforms than simply being right about the story to which we testify. Go back to the men and women at the beginning. Listen to their story:
Dr. Luke recorded: Acts 1:4 “Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” [He said], “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Jesus told them they needed to remain together and in the place He specified before they would get what they needed most. God’s choice was, from the very beginning, to empower people who stood together with the others. It is easy to view God’s empowering as an individual thing – since our ministry is accomplished with great personal effort. At the same time, you will find after studying the whole of the New Testament, the truth that God meant from the beginning for the work to be accomplished through a unified body of believers – diverse but cohesive. The simple fact of the story of the Gospel’s spread was this: the whole team needed each other. Individual work was always seen as a part of the whole. The work was borne along by yielded, humble team workers – not superstars that felt they needed to be highlighted as “apart from the others”. The message didn’t move until the team was assembled. The timing wasn’t right until they were clear on “team”. Luke continued…
Acts 1:6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
I think it is significant that although they wanted to obey the Master, apart from God’s empowering they were on the “wrong page” about what was to become the center of the story. Even as a team, they simply weren’t on the right page at all. They weren’t ready for what God called them to do.
They were, in fact, a small group of frightened Jews huddled in Jerusalem, about to face the physical loss of their Master and trying to figure out what would happen next. Their story, as the Book of Acts reveals it, moved from that handful to hundreds, then thousands, and eventually to an articulate advocate of Jesus who made the public proclamation of the Gospel to the power base at the center of the Roman world. But… don’t jump to the end. The process of HOW God used them was also important. It is for that reason it was recorded.
Note the verses. They obeyed and stayed together. They began as convinced and obedient followers. Things were going very well (as is often the case with followers of Jesus) until they opened their mouths. They asked about TIMING, the queried about RESTORATION… but mostly they wanted to know about coming POWER. The term “Kingdom” was power–packed! That was at the core of the question. “Is Israel about to rise out of the ashes of Gentile domination?” they asked.
The earliest followers were plagued with the same problem every successive generation of believers has been – they thought they needed to understand the plan. Jesus made plain that wasn’t the problem. God never called us to understand His whole plan – only to follow His leading. They didn’t need understanding – they needed to lend to His empowering their trust and obedience. They needed His Spirit within. Their witness would be wholly ineffective without the leading, transforming, wooing and directing power of the God at work in and through them. He promised it would come shortly, and they were told to use it to reach the world. When the church feels it needs to understand what God is doing, it wanders. When she bows her knee and seeks the guidance of the Spirit with whole-hearted intent to obey, God unfolds the next step before her.
A short time later, the earliest followers stood on the hill east of Jerusalem, gathered around their risen Savior. The time had come. Luke wrote:
Acts 1:9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
The problem now wasn’t one of speech, but one of gaze.
The church was standing on a hill looking at the PAST. They saw Jesus taken up, but they weren’t ready to MOVE ON in obedience to what God called their generation to do. They wanted what USED to be. They wanted Jesus back. Truthfully, I don’t have any struggle understanding why they felt the way they did. It was BETTER with the Savior coming to visit. It felt like old times. They could reminisce about Peter’s dumb answers around the campfire and laugh together. They could spend more time asking questions about their prophecy charts and huddle together without having to walk among the infidels. Who wouldn’t rather spend time with brothers than walking the streets filled with pig-eating pagans?
The earliest believers looked BACK. They looked to what HAD BEEN. Though that can be comforting, it does little to move a vision forward. To do that, we must look ahead.
Jesus ascended to Heaven and the first followers stood there looking up. They looked up because He was gone, but also for another reason – most of the time Heaven is easier to look at than earth. The angel made it clear – Jesus had been taken to Heaven, and from Heaven Jesus would one day return. Why stand looking at the sky, then? Because, frankly, the earth can look like an awful mess. Working with people can be very hard, in part because people are unpredictable on a sin-ravaged planet.
There has always been a temptation for churches to block a view of the mission field with a lovely picture of the “church world” – the place where our values are already appreciated and our Savior is already loved. There has always been a temptation to stay in the warmth of worship and not “break the huddle” to face the world. The earliest believers looked UP. They looked at the comforting views of Heaven and not the uncomfortable reality of reaching out to the mess that was the Roman world. We can understand what they were doing, because there are many times we would like to do the same thing.
Stop for a second and remember what Jesus was doing. He got them together, because they needed to be a team before they could be God’s team. Then He redirected their attention from understanding the plan to following a Person – Him. He left, and an angel got them focused on what they were told to do – get prepared for the ministry as the Spirit was about to come and empower them to accomplish the work Jesus had just outlined.
Next, Luke made clear how the disciples addressed the final preparation for the coming of the Spirit – they “refilled” the vacant leadership position of the late Judas Iscariot. He wrote:
Acts 1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they had entered [the city], they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James [the son] of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas [the] [son] of James. 14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with [the] women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. 15 At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 “For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms, LET HIS HOMESTEAD BE MADE DESOLATE, AND LET NO ONE DWELL IN IT’; and, ‘LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS OFFICE.’ 21 “Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us– one of these [must] become a witness with us of His resurrection.” 23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen 25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
Before the empowering of the Spirit, there was the final organization of the leadership to prepare. We have seen it over and over – everything rises or falls on leadership. Poorly organized and poorly prepared leaders normaly mean poorly executed plans.
• Sometimes the issue of preparation is ethical. When morally bankrupt leaders feed their own popularity by endorsing whatever base instinct and perversion men are currently fixated on, they fail to challenge people with true moral courage – the kind that forces men to think of their actions in terms of consequences to succeeding generations.
• Sometimes the issue of preparation is tactical. When leaders don’t understand their role on the team, or don’t know how to effectively operate in their position – the work will falter in spite of their best intentions.
What is essential is this: the right men and women must be placed in the right positions with the right understanding of their role. How did the earliest followers accomplish this task?
The Scriptures offer key tests we must pose as we look for leaders who are truly following God and can lead us in that pursuit.
First, they chose team players. Look closely at the text:
Acts 1:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem …. 13 … they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James [the son] of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas [the] [son] of James.
The description is of those who were comfortable with those who were currently in leadership of the movement. The disciples were named to make it crystal clear the new leader understood he was joining the already established group. Adding leaders with differing approaches to some of the problems can be a strength – but there is a caution here. Never add someone who displays contempt for those who hold the position today. David wasn’t ready to be made KING of his people until he displayed supreme respect for the office while Saul held it. Contempt before placement in leadership is a portent of trouble when the leader gains the office.
Second, they sought someone who had the goal of continued unity:
Acts 1:14 These all with one mind…”
Stop reading mid-sentence…note the attitude of the leaders in the room. They were TOGETHER in the way they thought. They were UNITED. Unity is not uniformity. We don’t all have to like the same flavors, prefer the same music and wear the same uniforms. We can express much individuality without undermining unity. The idea of unity is rooted in the ability to see beyond your preferences and care about how the others in the room feel. It is about appreciation for another’s perspective, and care for another’s emotional well-being. Selfish people aren’t unifiers. Perhaps the secret to their unity can be found as we keep reading…
Third, they were openly dependent on God for their next move:
Acts 1:14b: “…were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with [the] women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”
Even with the most qualified group possible, they didn’t make the next move as a committee. They were a team. Committees talk about things. Teams are committed to carrying out the work. They geared up to do what was next, not by passive waiting, but by active seeking of God’s direction. They didn’t PRAY, they DEVOTED THEMSELVES to seeking God’s face, listening for God’s voice. They knew they didn’t know what to do – and they placed total confidence in the Lord’s directions. They didn’t pray to bring God the news, but to wrap themselves in Him. He already knew where He wanted things to go.
Max Lucado told of a church in Scotland back in the 1940s that was struggling to keep the doors open. A couple of its members were two older ladies who were invalids and couldn’t get out for worship any longer. But these ladies refused to allow their infirmities to get in the way of serving their God. They became convinced that their community needed Jesus desperately and they were going to do something about it. They were going to pray. They determined to make their house a house of prayer. Around the clock they prayed for God do something powerful. Then one day, one of the ladies became convinced that God wanted a revivalist by the name of Campbell to come and hold meetings at their church. They talked to their preacher and he contacted Campbell…but Campbell was unavailable. He was booked up. The women refused to give up in their prayers however…and it wasn’t long before–oddly enough–some of Campbell’s other revivals became cancelled and he decided to accept the invitation of that small church. He arrived and held 5 weeks of meetings. The Revival was so well received that hundreds showed up each night. And lives were so changed that many of the local taverns had to close up because they lacked patrons. One might think it was because of the powerful preaching of a renowned revivalist. But in reality it was because of the faithfulness of two invalid older ladies who dedicated themselves to prayer. (From Sermon Central message by Jeff Strite, “God’s Idea of Church”, 5/2/2011).
Fourth, they took their cues from the Word of God:
Acts 1:15 … Peter stood up in the … gathering … and said, 16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
Peter reasoned from the Scripture that the betrayal of Jesus was not a blind spot in the text – but a foretold reality. He related what happened from the Word of God, and showed a confidence in that Word. As the church struggles to move forward in our day, it is most often mired by those who both claim the heritage of the faith and yet have moved from the founding text of the faith. Our faith is in a Person, but the knowledge of that faith is found firmly expressed in His unchanging Word. Peter knew the early struggles of the body needed to find their solutions in the Word – just as we know our generation of believers will find their solutions in the same place.
Fifth, they chose one from among those who had already been thoroughly versed in the work of Jesus Christ:
Acts 1:21 “…Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us– one of these [must] become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
Paul later warned Timothy not to appoint someone to leadership in the zeal of their newness to the work – but to allow them to season and grow. A novice in Jesus is like a novice swordsman. They are often energetic, but just as often dangerous.
Finally, they recognized they didn’t know the most critical thing about their choice – the heart of men:
Acts 1:23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen … 26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
It seems silly to end the story with something they felt weak about – their inability to read what was inside a man. At the same time, that may be the perfect place to set up the empowering passage that directly follows the opening chapter of the Book of Acts. It reminds us that we don’t have what it takes on our own.
We DO know that it is easy for us to be on the wrong page – thinking we need to understand God’s plan for our life and ministry rather than clinging to His hand and walking daily under His direction.
We DO know it is easy for us to be Heaven-ward in our gaze and miss the lost and hurting world around us. We can be caught up in a vision of worship at the expense of a call to walk, work and witness.
We DO know that we can be easily tempted to place people in leadership based on their abilities, not on their intimacy with Jesus and their firm track record of commitment to Him.
We DO know that we can try to committee our way to the future and think we know what we do not know – but that is not how the story of the early work was told. It was explained in a careful way…
It probably won’t look dramatic – it will look like a quiet revolution of love:
After the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, no person in all of East Germany was more despised than the former Communist dictator Erich Honecher. He had been stripped of all his offices. Even the Communist Party rejected him. Kicked out of his villa, the new government refused him and his wife new housing. The Honechers were homeless and destitute. Enter pastor Uwe Holmer, director of a Christian help center north of Berlin. Made aware of the Honechers’ straits, Pastor Holmer felt it would be wrong to give them a room meant for even needier people. So the pastor and his family decided to take the former dictator into their own home! Erich Honecher’s wife, Margot, had ruled the East German educational system for twenty-six years. Eight of Pastor Holmer’s ten children had been turned down for higher education due to Mrs. Honecher’s policies, which discriminated against Christians. Now the Holmers were caring for their personal enemy—the most hated man in Germany. This was so unnatural, so unconventional, so Christlike. By the grace of God, the Holmers loved their enemies, did them good, blessed them, and prayed for them. They turned the other cheek. They gave their enemies their coat (their own home). They did to the Honechers what they would have wished the Honechers would do to them. (Reported by George Cowan to Campus Crusade at the U.S. Division Meeting Devotions, Thursday, March 22, 1990.)
In the next lesson, we will see God take all the parts of the work that were carefully assembled and ready – and plug them into the power source of the in-dwelling Spirit of God!
In a Harris Interactive poll taken in several job sectors in the US throughout 2013, undefined work expectations topped the list of five work stress factors. The most unhappy employees on the record were NOT those who were the least paid by their companies, but rather those who felt that a loose work structure, the lack of a formal job description and generally poor leadership left them uncertain when they were doing their job well. Psychologists remarked that affirmation and acceptance are important, but they are meaningless without real measurements. It seems that people need to know what your expectations are as an employer or you will frustrate them in their work.
What is true in our work lives can also be said of other parts of our life as well. Even in our spiritual journey, we will be frustrated if we don’t know whether we are following Jesus well. Fortunately, the Master outlines His expectations clearly, so there should be little surprise when we stand before Him for inspection at the end of all things.
Before I get too far along, let’s step back for a moment…In our last lesson we made the note that the view from above is a different view. The Bible makes clear that from God’s lofty perspective, human history appears much differently than it does to us as we pass through life. He both designed and observed the end from the beginning in the text and He alone sees it all from the Creator’s unique perspective. Part of the understanding of the “Holiness” of God is recognizing His uniqueness.
From His lofty position, God has not remained silent. He has told us that in our fallen state, we cannot work our way to Him. He has made plain how one can have a relationship with Him. He has even told us what to do after we have invited Him to take our lives and use them for His glory…Let’s say it this way: God knows what He intends for us, as well as what He expects from those of us who claim to follow Him. In Romans 12, Paul appeared to cite five specific expectations of God for each person who calls themselves a follower of Jesus. All of them help me recall…
Of course, there are those who disagree. They believe God has not been clear about what He wants from a follower. More often than not, when I meet them, they are either people who invest little in the study of the Word, or they do not take the text of Scripture seriously. Because you are engaging this lesson willingly, let me assume that is not you’re your approach. Let’s challenge that thinking with Scripture… Let’s boldly ask the question:
In Romans 12, we find five expectations that are clear and require something of us as followers…
Romans 12:1 “… present your bodies … to God, [which is] your spiritual service of worship.”
Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world….”
Romans 12:2b: ”…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Each of these three points we spent significant time unpacking in our last lesson. We also introduced the next two, but took much less time to really make them clear. Let’s look at them now…
Scan the New Testament and it will become immediately clear that when I was “born again” it was into an identifiable body – not simply an individual thing. Add to that , it is clear in Romans that God called us to DO SOMETHING with our new life in Him. Yet our ACTIONS begin with, and are founded on, our CONNECTION to other believers. Consider God’s instruction…
Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
Paul chided: “Christian, Know Thyself!” We aren’t good enough to save ourselves, and we aren’t clever enough to figure out what a life in Christ is to look like. If we were, we would not need God’s Word and the indwelling of God’s Spirit.
At the heart of the teaching, Paul claimed something important about the SOURCE of the truth he was about to express. He wrote: “For through the grace given to me”… which was a way of expressing: “Based on my own gifts…” In other words, Paul’s apostleship gift set helped him to see clearly this truth: some believers think they are too good for the body. Some people think the flock holds them back from being what God wants them to be – and they are WRONG. Paul made clear:
Romans 12:4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, [each of us is to exercise them accordingly]: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
Let us not waver in this truth: Each believer’s salvation can only be obediently worked out in the context of relationship to the rest of the body.
It is sheer silliness to believe that individual body parts can thrive without the whole of the body. One who believes this is wrong, and one who acts on a belief that the “body connection” is somehow “incidental” is disobedient to revealed Scripture. The sad truth is that amounts to literally millions of people who claim to follow Jesus. Biblically speaking, we must recognize that just as salvation and giftedness were dispensed from God’s hand, so our walk has been outfitted with our place in the body of Christ in mind.” The church is the body of Christ active and alive in the world today, and we have not been gifted to stand apart from the body. We were designed to be challenged together, grow together and be moved by His hand together.
I appreciated Ed Stetzer’s recent column about the Christian Church in America. He wrote an article published in Christianity Today called: “The State of the Church in America: Hint: It’s Not Dying!”
He noted that in 2009, the results of the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) caused some to predict the coming and swift demise of Christianity in America. The media across America quickly bought in. The poll showed that from 1990-2009, Americans who “self-identified” as “Christians” fell from 86 percent to 76 percent. It indicated Americans who claimed no religious affiliation rose between 8 and 15 percent in the same time period.
Pundits couldn’t contain themselves. No word on the mass immigration of Near Eastern people into the country during that time. No context… just a “tongue in cheek” sad anthem for the demise of the Christian message. Newsweek ran on its cover: “The End of Christian America” while the internet buzzed with word of “The Coming Evangelical Collapse”. No one dug deeper, for the numbers obviously meant Christianity was in precipitous decline.
On to the Pew Research Study from 2012, where the number of “unaffiliated” increased another five percent in the previous five years alone. Some concluded that Christians were leaving the faith in droves. Ed posited something with more depth than a funerary dirge: Nominal Christians of yesteryear found that it was no longer to their public advantage to claim that faith to which they were tenuously attached. It didn’t get votes or promotions anymore, so they stopped checking the box that had, to them, little meaning anyway.
Today, around 75 percent of Americans call themselves Christians—regardless of how others might define them. Ed made the helpful distinction of separating those who profess Christianity into three categories: cultural, congregational and convictional.
• Cultural Christians are those who believe themselves to be Christians simply because their culture tells them they are. They are Christian by heritage. They are not practicing a vibrant faith. This group appears to make up around about one-third of the 75 percent who self-identify as Christians—a quarter of all Americans.
• Congregational Christians are also marginal about their personal practice, but have some connection to congregational life. They have a “home church” they grew up in and perhaps where they were married. They might even visit occasionally. Again, we wouldn’t observe them in what would be normally called “vibrant faith”. They are occasional attendees. They appear to comprise another third of the 75 percent—or about a quarter of all Americans.
• Convictional Christians are those who would openly say that they have met Jesus, and He changed their lives. They appear to also make up the final third of the 75 percent—or about a quarter of all Americans.
In essence, he argued that the Church is not dying – it is just being more clearly defined.
Why the media hype, then? Stetzer wisely quipped: “Crises sell books but usually don’t fix problems.” (I have leaned heavily on the article, but there is much more meat to it. I encourage you to read it at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/october/state-of-american-church.html.)
Though I agree that the church is being clarified (and I invite that action in these days), I do think Christians need to get off the page of how the church is the problem. Jesus isn’t feeding the press the negative stories – they are coming from another direction. Let’s be clear: Just as God demanded our recognition of CONNECTION to Him – so He demanded our connection to the Body of Christ. Both are essential for effective Christian living. Based on this passage, I am forced to conclude two things:
• God expects us to see ourselves first as connected to the head of the Body – to Jesus Christ. Without a deep understanding of both our union with Christ, and the headship of Christ, we will inevitably end up in harsh Christian legalism or woeful Christian license. The only proper and delicately balanced fix for both of these sinful states is intimacy with the Savior, allowing His mind to flow in us.
• After we have decided to yield ourselves to His thoughts as our “head”, we must, in turn, acknowledge the rest of the body to which we are attached. We should give PRIORITY to the body as we serve and follow the Savior.
Look again at Romans 12…
Romans 12:4 “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function…”
It is clear that parts of the body function differently, and each part has a specific role in the body of Messiah. We are uniquely created to work as one body.
May I kindly ask you: “Have you discerned what role you play?” It seems that would be a very important foundation beneath our obedience in the rest of the passage. It appears we would need to learn what that role is (by carefully examining the Divinely-appointed gifts placed in us), and then measure where we are to expend our energies “serving Jesus by serving His body.”
If the work of the Shepherd is, in part, to “equip the saints to do the work of the ministry,” it seems I am responsible to actively encourage you to find a place for those gifts to be at work in this community. We are going to enlist you to help move the body forward in the areas where you are gifted and growing. We need to grow, but we need to serve in order to develop spiritual “muscles” properly tuned to accomplish our Master’s desires. If we choose not to – even the prime purposes of the church will be subverted in our lives.
This is a truth we must recognize: “No team takes the field without each one knowing their positions and the requisite responsibilities of that position.” You and I both have one, and you must actively seek understanding of that role. Look again at our text…
Romans 12:5 “…so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
God has a goal that many believers in our culture simply do not seem to be grasping. It appears they haven’t “bought in” to God’s plan. His goal isn’t simply about salvation – that is CONNECTING PEOPLE to Him. It is equally about “body life” where each believer recognizes their connection to EACH OTHER.
I cannot let this pass. I must make sure this is clear: If you go to church because you like the messages, but you have no interest in connection to the people, something is wrong inside. You need to talk to Jesus about it.
Since Paul finished his thought on the body a few verses later, it is important we see the two final thoughts:
After he made clear in 12:6 that an obedient believer exercises his or her individual gifts according to what God placed in their lives, he said something you may have missed. Paul said the limitation for their operation and effectiveness is “according to the proportion of his faith”. What does that mean? If “faith” is “seeing it the way God says it is in His Word” or “a Biblical world view”, then it is clear that one’s gifts are only PART of the equation of one’s ability to be used effectively. The other part of the equation is how much we know and understand of God’s Word.
That means, that a believer is not hindered by “not being gifted” but may be stunted in their effectiveness by “not being diligent” to learn and live out God’s Word! In 12;7-8 it is clear that whatever our gift area, we are to perform it with all our might. What stops effective service, it appears, may be our unwillingness to work hard at knowing God’s Word and at giving our best to God’s people. When Sunday becomes the END of the week – we are missing the point of what God wants in connection. The body isn’t to get “what we have left” – but the first fruits of our labors.
The balance of the passage seems like a shopping list of behaviors, but they all come together at a singular expectation of our Father in Heaven…
In other places, God said things like “You are not your own” and “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Here, Paul specified by the Spirit some straightforward behaviors:
God is the Engineer Who has specified our behaviors in five areas:
In relationship to other believers:
The Spirit of God spoke through Paul and instructed us to get along with one another by being REAL, by deliberately working to HELP ONE ANOTHER in whatever way we can, by laying down our rights to our preferences on behalf of one another and serving one another as best we can. Look at the verses:
Believers should be authentic: 12:9a: “[Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. (an-oo-pok’-ree-tos – without pretending) – We are called to be REAL PEOPLE…Our action to meet needs must be done without pretending that we care. Many a church could finish the sermon there. People come to GET, but not to CARE.
Believers should hold other believers in high regard: 12:10a “[Be] devoted to one another in brotherly love;
Believers should yield our preferences to other believers wherever possible: 12:10b “…give preference to one another in honor;
Believers should serve one another with enthusiasm: 12:11 “not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit. We are called to build WITH PROFOUND EAGERNESS AND ENERGY. It is easy to let the body come a distant second. We must not be lulled into thinking that my attendance is optional and self-oriented – I will come if there is ‘SOMETHING FOR ME”. That isn’t Biblical thinking and does not reflect the eagerness God wants. I will not settle in my life for a cool and self-interested life – I want Jesus to keep the fire HOT.
First, believers should view their service to each other as service to the Savior: 12:11b “serving the Lord.” Second, they should keep it practical – Believers should show practical love: 12:13 “contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.” Third, they should serve with a goal – Believers should strive for unity: 12:16 “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Fourth, we should be relational in our service. We aren’t waiters or slaves – we are brothers. Believers should rejoice with compassion but without jealousy: 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”
Let me be as clear as I know how. If you find a believer that lives for Jesus apart from any local body of believers, if they criticize the Christian community but do not live connected to it – they are walking in disobedience. There is no way they can take seriously God’s commands for how we are to walk together in that state.
God didn’t only speak about how we should live with each other as believers – He instructed us on the fine art of living in the lost world. Can anyone use some instruction on dealing with the lost world right now?
Here is what God said. Take it in slowly:
Believers should respond graciously to the world: 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Later, he added: 12:17a “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.” Later he wrote: 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath [of God], for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 20 “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”
Stop and consider what we just read from our Father in Heaven. We are to BLESS and we are to WITHHOLD what seems just. We are to patiently respond to attacks that are illogical, unwarranted and harsh. People will insult you and angrily curse at you – all in the name of YOUR intolerance. It won’t seem illogical to them – because they are living in a world with its feet planted firmly in the air.
There is no logical basis for morality in the context of a naturally developing and evolving planet that had no Creator and no particular purpose. None! If you are looking for fairness, you are looking in the wrong generation and belief system.
Though you should not anticipate fairness, believers should walk circumspectly and deliberately: 12:17b “Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. We aren’t supposed to look for ways to aggravate those around us! Not only that, believers should walk victoriously! We need to keep our head up and do right no matter how much it is criticized Romans 12:21 explains: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Let me take a moment here…
We believe is an Eternal, All powerful, All knowing, Loving, Gracious, Holy, Unchanging, Matchless God Who made a million angels, threw the stars into place, created man from the dust of the ground and woman from man. We believe He has flooded the planet, and saved a man’s life in a fish. We believe He raised His Son from the dead, and rolled the stone from the tomb. We believe He called His Son up to Heaven and Jesus left the earth in front of His followers. I don’t know another way to break this to you… God is not overwhelmed by the powers of evil on this tiny third rock from the star we call the sun. Satan and his ilk operate until the Father says they cannot. In that moment, right will conquer wrong. Don’t forget that. Don’t get worn down with evil. God isn’t … and He has told us not to allow it to happen to us.
There has perhaps never been a time when rehearsing this truth seemed so relevant as in this generation. The Scripture is absolutely clear on two points that must be emphasized in Biblical terms:
First, believers must cut some things from their lives: 12:9b: “…Abhor what is evil.” We cannot, and we must not be comfortable with the world’s choices when they violate what the Scripture teaches. We cannot support wrong to sound more reasonable, more educated or more up to date in our thinking. What God calls wrong is exactly that. Finding more palatable terms for evil will only place you on the side that argues against God.
Second, believers must deliberately add some things to our lives: 12:9b “…cling to what is good.” Our faith is about a positive relationship with a positive God. We are not to be known simply by what we are against. Remember, we are talking about lifestyle choices here! We should choose to be a part of things the Bible calls good. We should “cling” to them. They should be our first choice. How shall we gauge them? Paul left us with these words through the Spirit:
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
While removing from my life evil and clinging to good is essential, there is an attitude about life which I must reflect:
Believers should be encouraging people: 12:12a “rejoicing in hope…” We aren’t supposed to be “doom and gloom” people. We should look for God’s hand in all things and celebrate His goodness in our daily walk! If you drain people with your presence, your demeanor and your words – you are NOT representing Jesus well, even if you are telling the truth about things. There is more to it than speaking the truth – there is also winsomeness and love!
Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, visited a church in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, nearly a year after the devastating earthquake. The church’s building consisted of a tent made from white tarps and duct tape, pitched in the midst of a sprawling camp for thousands of people still homeless from the earthquake. In the front row of that church sat six amputees ranging in age from 6 to 60. They were clapping and smiling as they sang song after song and lifted their prayers to God. The worship was full of hope…[and] with thanksgiving to the Lord. No one was singing louder or praying more fervently than Demosi Louphine, a 32-year-old unemployed single mother of two. During the earthquake, a collapsed building crushed her right arm and left leg. After four days both limbs had to be amputated, but she was leading the choir, standing on her prosthesis and lifting her one hand high in praise to God… Following the service, Stearns met Demosi and her two daughters, ages eight and ten, who were living in a tent just five feet tall and perhaps eight feet wide. She had lost her job, her home, and two limbs, but she was deeply grateful because God spared her life on January 12th last year (2010)…”He brought me back like Lazarus, giving me the gift of life,” says Demosi…[who] believes she survived the devastating quake for two reasons: to raise her girls and to serve her Lord for a few more years. Richard Stearns comments: “It makes no sense to me as an ‘entitled American’ who grouses at the smallest inconveniences–a clogged drain or a slow wi-fi connection in my home. Yet here in this place, many people who had lost everything…expressed nothing but praise.” Then he continues, “They have so much more to offer me than I to them. I feel pity and sadness for them, but it is they who might better pity me for the shallowness of my own walk with Christ.” (Richard Stearns, Suffering and Rejoicing in a Haitian Tent Camp, www.Christianitytoday.com, 1-12-11).
Believers should be enduring people: 12:12b “persevering in tribulation…” Our discipleship should train people to withstand setbacks, to walk under the load of scathing rebuke. Early believers were lit as torches and nailed to crosses. We must be able to endure with great love the anger of social media without considering it equal to early persecution. “They could suffer defeats, we must be able to endure negative tweets.”
We would be wrong if we did not make sure that everyone understood we do not have the power to go on without God. We must seek intimacy with God: 12:12b “devoted to prayer…” God’s church is powerless unless it is DEPENDENT ON GOD. In these days we NEED God’s power. The community will not support our aims. The government will not reckon our objectives as good. The courts will increasingly be at odds with our goals. Our power doesn’t come from history. It doesn’t come from our financial strength. Our strength, our hope, our destiny comes from the Lord. We must fall before Him or we will be a people without strength.
Paul Wallace tells the story of a little church that learned to trust God:
A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary. Unfortunately, the church with its undersized parking lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built. In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard. Undaunted, the pastor announced the next Sunday morning that he would meet that evening with all members who had “mountain moving faith.” They would hold a prayer session asking God to remove the mountain from the back yard and to somehow provide enough money to have it paved and painted before the scheduled opening dedication service the following week. At the appointed time, 24 of the congregation’s 300 members assembled for prayer. They prayed for nearly three hours. At ten o’clock the pastor said the final “Amen.” “We’ll open next Sunday as scheduled,” he assured everyone. “God has never let us down before, and I believe He will be faithful this time too.” The next morning, as he was working in his study, there came a loud knock at the pastor’s door. When he called, “Come in,” a rough looking construction foreman appeared, removing his hard hat as he entered. “Excuse me, Reverend. I’m from Acme Construction Company over in the next county. We’re building a huge new shopping mall over there and we need some fill dirt. Would you be willing to sell us a chunk of that mountain behind the church? We’ll pay you for the dirt we remove and pave all the exposed area free of charge, if we can have it right away. We can’t do anything else until we get the dirt in and allow it to settle properly.” The little church was dedicated the next Sunday as originally planned and there were far more members with “mountain moving faith” on opening Sunday than there had been the previous week!
If you roll your eyes inside, cynicism has already set in. God is still God. He is still in control. Nothing is too difficult for Him.
The choice to allow His hand to do it is mine.
“All roads lead somewhere.” That is a stupid saying, isn’t it? Not really. It is important that we recognize that our choices have consequences, and that any path we choose will inevitably bring us to the place toward which it was designed. In this lesson, I want to talk about two paths that lead to two very distinct places. You have been hearing about them all week – because the world sings loudly about one of them…but you may not have picked out the significance of each path, and you may have thought little about their destination. Let me set the scene for a moment…
The other day I sat across from a picture at the Accademia Art Museum in Venice, staring at a picture that captured the cruelty on the faces of Roman soldiers nailing Jesus to the cross. It was a profound picture, painted in the period of the Venetian Renaissance, and I wanted to take in all that was in the frame. As I sat, what caught my attention was not only the sad and gruesome picture, but the nonchalant way people viewed the horror of it. It was as though it were just a remembrance of yet another misguided man who was cared for by yet another government program. “Did they not know what the scene portrayed? Didn’t they care?” I thought. To be fair, it is a museum, and there are many wonderful pieces of art – so perhaps this one piece, and its message, was simply “drowned out” like a lone YouTube in the sea of the modern internet.
After a few moments, a tour group came through. The guide was obviously well versed in the paintings of the gallery and I thought this would be an opportunity to hear a different approach. She stopped before the painting, and though my view was blocked, her words were clear. She spoke of the brush strokes of the master painter. She gave the date and the time it was painted. As she began to explain the contents of the horrifying picture, she digressed into the story of the painter and his lascivious lifestyle and rampages of sin during the time he was commissioned to paint the scene. She noted that the women before the cross had the faces of prostitutes he knew. She noted the Roman soldiers had faces of men he lost to in gambling. What she never noted – not for a second – was the story that was being portrayed. It was as though the payment of man’s sin by Jesus was an incidental matter when compared to the scintillating details of the playboy lifestyle of the painter, because to her – it was. I felt robbed.
Ravi Zacharias told a story several years ago that illustrates this same phenomenon (I am paraphrasing by memory): “A musician in Scotland used to travel to churches on different special occasions to play his bagpipes. Since it has become in some ways a dying instrument (though recently seeing a bit of a revival), the man found himself in demand at weddings, funerals and other special moments. One day a priest of the Anglican church who knew the man phoned him up and asked him to come to play at a pauper’s funeral. He explained the man had no family or friends to speak of, and that he would no doubt be there alone with the priest at the grave site. The problem was that the graves for paupers were in remote places, and the man who was to play the pipes got lost on the way to the cemetery. Try as he may, he could not seem to find the place. By the time he came to the hill where he saw the hole, the priest was long gone, and there was nothing more he could do. He was broken and hurt. This poor man! No one came to his funeral. He looked about and spied only the men standing about with shovels. He looked into the hole and saw only a cement top, and knew he was too late. What came next was all he could think to do. He took out the bagpipes and began to play. He played and played. The trees shook and the man could almost feel the touch of angels as “Amazing Grace” bellowed from the pipes. The men dropped their shovels and began to weep. The musician wept. They all felt a profound tug on them on that lonely hillside that afternoon. Spent, the wet-eyed musician began to put away his instrument without a word to the men who gathered about. As he walked away, he heard one of the grimy workers utter, ”I have never seen anything like what I saw today, and I have been putting in septic tanks for twenty years now!”
There is nothing like being so completely stirred about something spiritually significant on the wrong occasion before the wrong crowd. You may feel God move in you and want to share it – but when you look about, you would surely be casting elegant pearls amid the milling hillside swine. Some of God’s greatest works not only go uncelebrated by men – they are scoffed at by them. Let me encourage you – that story happened to our Savior as well. Jesus was shoved forcibly to the ground as nails were driven through His flesh – and walking by were busy people with such ambivalence it defies imagination in such a human and painful scene. Add to that, there were those who had never cared for the sick, much less healed them – but they were ready and waiting to be found openly mocking the One Who came to give them hope and life.
I want to take you back to the Cross in this lesson in Matthew 27, for it is where our last lesson in the study of the journey with Jesus ended. I want to remind you that Matthew’s Gospel offered a gripping account in which, just as Jesus’ flesh was torn before the eyes of a crowd, many seemed unaware of the profound nature and power of the scene that was unfolding outside the city gate of Jerusalem that morning. A man was being killed between two others – but there was much more happening there. The very Creator of the universe had put on skin, and was – by an unparalleled act of self-denial – making full payment for the sin of mankind. For most passers-by, He might as well have been a common thief getting his just deserts.
Matthew set the scene to make the point people are walking on two dramatically different trails and these paths are leading to two very different places. Let me say it this way:
Before we talk around the Scripture, let’s first take some encouragement about those who follow the path of the Savior. We need to know something critical – not all believers look exactly the same. The path toward a transformed life appears different in different people. Let me show you what I mean from the Word: Stand at the foot of Calvary. You’ll hear the voices of mockers and the jeers of passers-by. Yet, if you take a moment, you will see people moved and changed by what they saw. They seem to be three different “types” of people.
First, God transformed an unlikely and hardened man to become immediately vocal: The Power of the Resurrection convinced a seasoned Roman field soldier to believe – and he became an immediate vocal witness.
Matthew 27:54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
This guy didn’t need a theology course or a Bible primer – he simply stood back and observed Jesus in action. He saw the darkness fall on the landscape. He listened as the scoffers attacked and as Jesus asked His Father to forgive them in the face of their hatred. He took it all in and simply saw the truth – Jesus was exactly Who He claimed to be.
Some people are caught in a dramatic moment in life and God gets their attention. He snags their heart in a profound way, and they cannot help but be shaken to their core. They may be broken because of a loss, or hurt because of a setback – and God shows tenderness and love to them. They come to Jesus, and they become immediately vocal about what God has done for them. They are a blessing to the church, and these conversions are often the most talked about – but they are only one kind of transformed person.
Next, if you scanned the scene at the foot of the Cross of Jesus, you would notice at least a trio of ladies who loved Jesus and were quietly practical. The gentle and loving touch of the Master caused some tender-hearted women to follow – even though their discipleship was quieter and more of a practical nature. Matthew wrote:
Matthew 27:55 Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him. 56 Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
These are the many who aren’t highlighted in the journals – they are the quiet followers of Jesus who just meet needs. They love Him deeply. They are wounded when they see the cruelty of people toward God and His Word. At the same time, they don’t talk as much… they DO to show love. Mary Magdalene was delivered of demons earlier in her life, and she was ever grateful to Jesus. Mrs. Zebedee saw her boys changed by the teachings of Jesus, and she couldn’t believe how even “sons of thunder” could learn to keep their mouths shut. These women followed Jesus faithfully, supported Him financially and materially, and cared for the practical needs of the group of disciples daily. You don’t think God would have left the practical needs of the movement in the hands of a group of men who aspired to be budding theologians, do you?
Some followers are quiet. They LIVE their witness. They show up, they do the work, and if asked they explain their love in verbal terms – but words aren’t their first approach. They live the Gospel, and preach it with their hands and feet. The church cannot ONLY have them, but we cannot live without them. Someone must keep the practical side working…
Third, if you keep looking at the cross, you will see a man Matthew carefully remembered…there was a man who didn’t respond out loud, as far as we know, about Jesus, until he suddenly became overtly courageous in front of his peers. The profound truths presented to a learned man caused him to believe in Jesus and become a brave disciple in the face of Jesus’ opponents. Matthew wrote:
Matthew 27:57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given [to him]. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.
Joseph was well known in his community. Following Jesus cost him. It cost him friends. It cost him respect and stature. When the time came, Joe had enough of the religious farce, and he threw down the pretense and declared his allegiance to Jesus. Sometimes it takes an injustice or an intense event to bring the quiet believers out to the fore. Joe believed, and in the end it didn’t matter if people knew it or not.
Thank God for Joe. We need a few of them to step out right about now. We need some on the floor of the Congress, and in the Senate – a few on the court that will unashamedly say that faith is not a dirty word and the bullying of the people of faith must end. We need Joe to step up and stop hiding!
Matthew wasn’t finished his story. He made it clear…painfully clear.
Each person encountered Jesus and became what God gifted them to be. Each responded differently, because each was gifted differently. Each had different burdens, and so each responded according to what God laid on their heart.
It wasn’t easy to follow a Crucified Savior. Remember our last lesson when Jesus encountered mockers at the Cross (27:1-53)? They including soldiers, onlookers and even a fellow condemned man… each hurled insults and made the point that Jesus looked weak and broken. Yet, that wasn’t the whole story then. It isn’t the whole story now. Even today, there are men beheaded on beaches who had little physical strength, but their testimony is emboldening other believers.
He promised He would, just as He promised us that in the last days difficult times would come. People, though, are sadly very selective hearers. The account closed with two stories – one in the garden of the burial, where a woman sat crushed before a closed stone tomb, and the other scene was a back room deal off stage where priests attempted to make sure this was the “end of the line” for this Jesus movement. Matthew weaves both stories together:
Matthew 27:61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave. 62 Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, After three days I [am to] rise again.’ 64 “Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it [as] secure as you know how.” 66 And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.
Wait! The story doesn’t end with a sealed tomb. The story doesn’t end with a Crucified Savior. The story ends in LIFE.
Last week my wife was in a Venetian glass blowing shop. She was trying to find a cross that could hang on the wall, but all she could find was a Crucifix, and no cross without Jesus’ lifeless body hanging on it. She asked the man if he had any like that, and he went to check. When he came back, he politely asked me if we “Didn’t believe in Jesus.” I made clear that we did, and that we know the He died on the Cross. Then I told Him that we choose to focus, not simply on His DEATH – which we know was essential to deal with our sin, but with His RESURRECTION – which is how the Bible ended the story. He smiled and said he understood. It was a matter of “focus”. He evidently hadn’t thought about it that way before.
Watch as the Gospel moved out in Matthew 28. Look specifically for how God worked in the people:
Matthew 28:1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. 2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” 8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.
Don’t miss this truth! The very same Scriptures that bring us HOPE seem like CONDEMNATION to those who do not know God. The coming of Jesus EXCITES us, but (if they truly believe it) would SCARE them. That is why Paul wrote that the fragrance of the Gospel is life to us but death to them.
Look at these two groups: a contingent of strong soldiers and a group of peasant women carrying spices…
• In verse one the women gathered early in the morning and brought the preparation spices to the grave.
• In verse two they saw the effects of great power and observed a now open tomb, with a messenger sitting on top of the stone. In verse three, he was obviously not a nearby hobo or stray wanderer – this was someone who knew how to make an entrance!
• Skip verse four for the moment, and look at verses five to eight. Listen as the angel gave instructions to the women. They were to put off fear. They were to believe Jesus’ prior promises. They were to confirm He was gone and tell the disciples.
Now stop and look at the fallen soldiers on the ground. A couple of peasant women encountered the angel, but were sent with a mission. A group of soldiers encounter God’s emissary and were paralyzed and struck down. God was at work in power – and it wasn’t dependent on the ability of the women, their station in life, or what they could accomplish without Him. God’s work NEVER is dependent on the raw material – it is always about what God can do with us – NOT WHO WE ARE WITHOUT HIM.
Notice the women OBEYED, and as a result, God gave them something MORE. Jesus came to them because they were already following what He sent ahead for them to DO. It is in obedience that we get a greater grasp of truth. It is in surrender that we see more and more of the Savior! Matthew continued the story:
Matthew 28:9 And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
Jesus took these surrendered women and started a “wave” of testimony that continues around the globe today! They didn’t look like much. Two peasant girls sticking their arms in the air hardly seemed like an auspicious beginning. Here is the thing: Don’t count out small things when God is involved. Don’t make the mistake of putting your money on the soldiers and betting against the peasant girls. With God, the whole equation changes! Jesus took the small and made it great, the powerful and made it a quivering mass.
Stop for a moment and look at the dark side of the story.
Matthew wanted you to see more than just Jesus’ side of the story…He wrote:
Matthew 28:11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14 “And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, [and is] to this day.
Here is the dark side. A shadowed room was filled with sullen faces making plots to stop the spread of something that could threaten their power plans. Men don’t want to kneel – we are stubborn and self-strong.
These men knew what they wanted, and truth wasn’t going to stand in their way. Over and over you will read a slick presentation of this same old tired philosophy that can all be summarized in a single sentence: “Do whatever makes you feel most comfortable, Live whatever way you think you will be happy.” That is our world. It isn’t rooted in truth – it is rooted in the lie that attempts to convince people that chasing after their desires is more important that recognizing the Truth. Our world rages against anyone or anything that dares to attempt to block their headlong race toward whatever carnal pleasure is the flavor of the month.
Look at verse eleven. It started with a report of what happened. By verse twelve it was time for a “pay off” and by verse thirteen a LIE was put in place of the truth. Verse fourteen cemented the back scratching “here is how we will cover for you” part of the lies. The scene closed in verse fifteen with heart-warming loyalty and fidelity among a lying bunch of creeps and scoundrels.
That is the picture of the enemy at work. That room. It isn’t IGNORANCE that is killing mankind. It is rebellion. It is self-will. It is denial of a Creator to get what is His – our worship, our praise, our service. It isn’t just happening in pagan places, strip joints and bars… it is happening in Christian homes and wayward churches. Jesus called us to follow – and many are following something else.
The disciples slipped back up to the Galilee. Matthew omits some of the story because he was attempting to get to the “punch line” of the end – the instruction of the Savior to move out and advance into the darkness with His presence and power… Matthew recorded:
Matthew 28:16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.
Again we see this truth – they heard from Jesus because they obeyed Him and went where He told them to be. How many believers spend their lives wondering why Jesus won’t tell them MORE, when they willfully deny the part He already told them? Matthew continued:
Matthew 18:17 When they saw Him, they worshiped [Him]; but some were doubtful.
Showing up is PART of what we are called to do. Listening to Jesus’ instruction makes a great BEGINNING. At the same time, we must come to the place where we BELIEVE what Jesus said. We must BELIEVE Who Jesus truly is. We must decide that we are willing to have Him direct our lives. He made it clear, as Matthew ended the account:
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Look at the words of Jesus closely. He said the Father placed ALL AUTHORITY in both the physical realm and spiritual realm into His hands. We must understand there is NOTHING that is beyond His grasp to accomplish.
He continued with a simple statement. The sentence is not well translated. There is but ONE VERB – one action only. The statement was “In your going” (mathetousete) – MAKE DISCIPLES. We must understand the task is not merely to offer the truth to the world, but to richly, intentionally and powerfully invest the truth in those who respond to God’s call.
He made clear that the discipleship process was to be world-wide, and include people once estranged from God after the post-Ark scattering. We must be investing in both local outreach and world mission.
He explained the process of discipleship as the careful and systematic teaching of all of His Word, based on those who make known their declaration of faith in the Lord Jesus. They are to recognize that God is One in essence, but multiple in personality – and publicly be willing to stand for that truth. We must be openly expecting people to practice what Jesus told us to do, and not to be wary of obedience to every part of His teaching.
We teach. We baptize. We explain His Word – and He promised that He would be here with us. We aren’t alone in what we do! We don’t have to rely on the sum of our abilities or wallets to get the message out. Jesus knows how to make powerful soldiers drop to their bellies and peasant women walk in power. He can feed a village from a boy’s lunch. He isn’t short on resources – only real servants.
Look at the contrast we have seen.
The enemy pulled men into self-protection, lies and protection of their chasing of their own lusts until they are driven by works of the flesh. They lied without guilt and covered up the truth – as if that was “best” for all concerned. Listen to the words of Paul to the Galatians, and you can see the connection…
Galatians 5:17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. … 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The problem is, the poison of these deeds is so pervasive, we get used to them everywhere. Darkness ends up looking normal, because our eyes adjust.
In ancient Pompeii, the water pipes that supplied the city were bonded with lead that slowly poisoned the population. The first symptom of the lead poisoning was that it took away their ability to truly taste things, so the profound spices were being dumped in to keep it tasting like anything at all. Life in our world is like that. People dump in things to try to bring back sensitivity to taste buds that have been crippled by poison.
Look at the other side of the coin.
God sets men free to discover the truth about love, sexuality, freedom, responsibility, family, community, tenderness, selflessness, true riches – He isn’t holding back! Galatians continued:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
God frees us to be who He created us to be. The grand message of the Bible can be summarized into one thought: ‘I am the Lord, and there is no place or person to turn to for true refuge beside Me.'” God has never been embarrassed about His role in the world, and has never felt He needed the affirmation of the masses to be Who He is. We don’t have the answers inside us – because we are broken until we have Him. Here is the truth…
Every choice leads somewhere…
The massive dome at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome rises nearly four hundred fifty feet in the air, with its interior is nearly one hundred forty feet wide. It is the highest dome you will ever see, but not the largest one. The dome of the Pantheon built in the second century is a few feet wider and Brunelleschi’s massive dome on the Duomo in Florence is a few feet wider still. To me, what is striking about the dome found in St. Peter’s is that you can make out, if you look ever so closely, the shape of people walking around the catwalk who dared to take the elevator up to the dome for what I am told is a fantastic view of Rome. They look like tiny specks and perhaps ants, but they are people at a great distance above your head if you are within the massive church. Those who know me well, know that I enjoy watching the people from BELOW, because (though some would call me afraid of height) I like to believe I merely have a “more healthy respect for gravity”. I am told by those “in the know” that the view is awesome…and I have decided to accept their view without the need to check it out on my own!
What I can easily imagine is that the view from above is a different view. Just as in a parade, we generally see only the float in front of us and perhaps the one behind (as well as the crowd gathered on the side of the street), but we cannot see clearly the turns in the road ahead. From beside the parade, we could see each float as it passes by us, and we may even be able to glimpse at coming floats and anticipate what may appear next. Yet, from above the parade, let’s say from the perspective of a blimp, we could see the end of the parade perhaps from the beginning place – all from one vantage point. The whole parade may be observed at one time! That view would be far more informed than any other!
Now, life isn’t merely a parade, and human history is not simply a series of floats wafting by a group of admiring spectators – but there is a point to this illustration. The Bible makes clear that from God’s lofty perspective, human history appears much differently than it does to us as we pass through life. He both observed and designed the end from the beginning in the text and He alone sees it all from His perspective. Let’s say it this way: God knows what He intends for us, as well as what He expects from those of us who claim to follow Him. He has graciously taken the time to share with us some small pieces of His plan through His word. For that reason we want to take a few moments and look at what He says about the lives of believers and His expectation of us. In Romans 12, Paul appeared to cite five specific expectations of God for each person who calls themselves a follower of Jesus. Let’s first be clear…
Like the pervasive road signs designed to tell us when to stop and how fast is “too fast” on the road – God’s Word gives us what the Engineer planned for the road of life…
Before I begin, let me stop here and say something that may help you concentrate. All week long you may feel people place expectations on you. It may not be fun to come into church and hear that God also has a set of expectations. The popular message of today is all about BENEFITS – not about responsibilities. You may want to simply let me blather on and you will politely listen and then go on about your life. I am asking you to stay engaged. Don’t turn off. Why? Because our greatest privilege in this life is to walk with our Creator and fulfill His designs for us. It isn’t heavy unless we resist Him and ignore the Engineers road signs… and that never leads anyplace but to pain.
Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service of worship.
Note Romans 12:1 began with a simple word…”Therefore”. The connective term links what Paul wrote after to what he expressed before that word. There are two senses for this connection – a big one and a small one:
The big one: The letter has explained the big plan of God – moving from lost men (1:1-3:20) to God’s incredible gift – declaring sinner that trust the sacrificial work of Jesus as righteous (3:21-5:21). Astoundingly, God did not stop there. He went on to take those He declared righteous and empower them to be free from slavery to sin (6) and the arduous constraints of a singular legal set of contracts (7) – to be energized through the very indwelling of His Holy Spirit (8). He took pains to describe how God would continue His faithful and eternal love for the Jewish people who for a time were blindly acting in opposition to their own Promised Son (9-11). This was a power-packed “therefore”. God saved lost men, empowered them, and kept His over-arching plan to one group while embracing another. Everything Paul said after was with that in mind.
The “small” one: Not to minimize the content, but the “therefore” has a more immediate context as well. The immediate context was the few verses that ended chapter 11. Remember this was originally one letter, without the chapter divisions, so the “therefore” flows from the words of an exclamatory prayer:
11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35 Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
In Romans 11:33-36, Paul was marveling over what God did in putting a judgment of temporary blindness on the eyes of the Jewish people in order to save the nations that Israel did not reach out to, on His way back to opening their eyes. Paul’s heart was overtaken by the mastery of it all. Paul was experiencing as he offered eight important truths from a heart of worship:
• God’s wisdom is deep and rich – He is neither impractical nor outsmarted by the problems of men in their blindness.
• God’s knowledge is vast – He is not waiting for help to understand the situation.
• God’s way of judging things are beyond my capability to properly understand – He alone knows how to “do history” the right way..
• I can offer nothing to Him in counsel – I stand before a vast God as a man undone by His brilliance. I have no “better way” to do what He does in telling His story to the universe.
• He owes me nothing – for all that is belongs to Him “free and clear”.
• Everything started with Him – He is the origin.
• Everything is held together through Him – He is the purpose and connecting tissue.
• Everything consummates in Him – He holds the destiny of everything.
In light of the incredible work of God in saving men that will believe, and in light of the astounding Mastery of God over all, He expects that I will surrender to His plan and not try to “write a better plan” for my life.
Look again at Romans 12:1 and read it carefully with me as I translate each word from the original language with some additional fullness:
• Therefore: (because of all that I have told you about God’s magnificent person and His wondrous saving work for you)…
• I urge you brethren, (I come beside you, as a paraklete – “one brought alongside to brace”). Don’t forget that he addressed them as brothers – a term Paul uses of other believers. The call to inspection will not work for someone who does not know Jesus personally already.
• by the mercies of God: (based on the mercies or “oiktirmos”: pity or compassion; In the Modern Hebrew version the translators used the Hebrew equivalent word “racham” – a word that infers the bonding with a mother. It is related to “rechem” – the word for the womb”. If that choice was accurate – as I believe it was – the mercies of God mentioned here and in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 are the deep comforts of God that flow from His bond to us as from His own “womb connection”. That sounds strange, but it makes sense if you think about it. We call Him “Father” because we came from Him, and were “birthed” from within His mind.
• to present your bodies: present is the Greek term “paris-taymee” – to “place beside”. The idea was vivid in the mind of the Hebrew worshipper like Paul who had been to the Temple in Jerusalem. On the north side of the Temple proper (the Hekhal building) a chamber called the “chamber of the lambs” was used to hold animals before sacrifice – a place of holding and inspection before they were taken to the final inspection pen near the slaughtering place. It was given water to drink from a golden cup so that it would be easier to skin.”
Beside the altar were additional pens for inspection. The point of the command by God to “present your bodies” is a call to VOLUNTARY COMPLETE INSPECTION. It is not a call to be sacrificed – but to be inspected for eligibility. The inspection is not simply of the body, but of the sound state of the whole being – it INCLUDES the body. Practical purity matters as much as theoretical theology.
• a living and holy sacrifice: This life matters – not just the afterlife. The terms “living” (zao – alive) and “holy” (hagios) remind us that we are to become an offering while alive by being distinct for God’s purposes. Either we embrace the purpose of our life is to serve God, or we live life to serve self. It is our choice.
• acceptable to God: Mature believers know that PLEASING GOD is the goal, a fulfilled life is the mere byproduct of it – not the other way around! We don’t serve simply to GET, we get because we live to SERVE Him.
• which is your spiritual service of worship: Paul even exclaimed it was “a reasonable plan” from God. The word “spiritual” is the LOGIKOS – it is logical. God thinks rebellion is ILLOGICAL based on the reality that He made everything, connects everything and stands at the end of it all.
Maybe it is time for me to offer the most basic concept from God’s revealed truth – there is nowhere to turn in eternity but to Him. He is not One of many. That is at the core all that God said in the Law. He made clear over and over again this simple but powerful truth. He felt so strongly about it He etched it out on stone with His very finger before Moses:
Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5 “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.”
It is as though God said simply this: “I am God. You can look, but you won’t find another real alternative. There isn’t anyone else. Buddha didn’t create anything – he was a guy with an idea under a tree who died and realized he was wrong. Mohammed was a man with an ability to tell stories, but he died as well. Confucius offered some interesting nuggets of wisdom, but he was not around when I created everything. To think that I will perhaps not notice your rebellion, or somehow you will be able to talk me into how you are actually right when in your heart you know you are selfish is a pipe dream. It’s not going to happen. I was there at the beginning, I am working a plan in these days – and I will be there, alone as King of the Heavens – at the end of it all.
Let’s say it clearly: Unhindered worship only happens when I surrender every part of me to God. A softened spiritual heart that is living in sexual sin won’t do. A pleasant-natured person that is in church every Sunday morning but denies God’s right to call the shots at your work place isn’t going to work. A tear-filled eye in worship won’t negate a hardened heart when it comes to choices that honor God outside the sanctuary. It doesn’t mean that I am perfect and do everything correctly – it means that I am laboring intensely at allowing God to access every room of my heart and rearrange the furniture in each. One door left closed to Him denies Him His right to everything.
The bottom line on God’s expectation is this – you have to VOTE to let Him place you in the inspection cage or pen – every part of you. You must yield and surrender to Him – a whole life, not just the “religious” part. Any partial vote will not be counted.
God is in the remodeling business. The Word reminds:
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world….
Look at the phrases – don’t gloss over these familiar words.
We must recognize that the “default” setting of our life is to become “conformed” (soos-khay-mat-id’-zo – is from “sun” – the word “together with” and “schematic” – to assume a certain form or figure as in a schematic sets the design of). The term “of this world (ai-on)” are actually “of this age” – a time related term. The term ‘not conformed to this world’ is literally ‘not conformed to this age’. The call to distinctiveness is a call to look different than others in our time. We are to live as those with prophetic voices, not try to become public relations officers for our Creator.
Let that sink in… the call to distinctiveness is a call to look different than others in our time.
What God has said, then, is that He has an expectation that He can and will inspect our lives. Further, He desires us to intentionally SHUN becoming what everyone else is. Yet, He goes on…
Romans 12:2b: ”…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
A fallen world thinks wrongly. When God marked us as needing “transformation” (metamorphoo: from morphe – shaping) He was referring to the reshaping of our way of thinking (the word “mind” is nous – our comprehension or understanding). We do what we do because we think what we think.
Did you ever walk across the floor with only socks on your feet only to “find” the thumb tack that was lost yesterday in the rug? You walked with confidence until the pain shot into your foot. When the pain comes, you recognize that your walk was hazardous. God wants to change our walk by changing our comprehension of what we SEE and THINK before we walk.
Second, we need to recognize that to change thinking, our mind must be “renewed”. The word “anakainósis” is a compound word that would be translated today as a “total make over”. You have seen them on TV – total makeover houses. Producers come upon a family with a sad story and an aging home. They bring in a group of creative professionals, a small budget and a short span of time – and off they go making changes to the building that leave astounding results. What that team does to a home, the Spirit of God is doing in believers that will allow Him.
Third, it is essential that we realize that God’s goal in changing our thinking is so that we will launch into a new series of experiences in our life to test what will delight our Heavenly Father. The phrase “so that you may prove what the will of God is” can seem a bit cryptic. What it literally says is this: In order that you can test and find true (dokimadzo) the desire of God (thelema: his desire or delight). That desire of God will both please Him and be a filled with good, kind and generous things. It will also bring you purpose (“perfect” is the term “telios” or purposed, mature and complete).
God’s expectation is that we will open to inspection, to shun conformity to the world, and to allow a total remake of our minds… but there is still more…
By now, our reading of Romans 12 made clear that God is not merely looking for passive surrender without active participation. He wants each of us to yield, then He wants us to DO SOMETHING. What is it? In a word, it is to CONNECT.
Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, [each of us is to exercise them accordingly]: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
Break the text down, for God has an expectation that we will actively do three things:
Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”
We live in a time when the mooring of a firm moral pillar including an absolute recognition of a Creator has eroded away. As G.K. Chesterton quipped: “Modern man has his feet firmly planted in mid-air.” Because of that, the call to radical individualism and profound uniqueness is more often than not nothing more than a masked call to ego and self-exaltation. It goes against the grain to call people to live a connected life of serving one another above self.
Remember that “faith” is a form of the word that we could best translate “Biblical world view”. It is “seeing the world as God says it truly is.” God says that we have to stop looking at ourselves in the same way we used to in the world. We are not the tent of our body. We are not the accomplishments of our workplace. We are not the relationships of our home. We are, at our core, His deeply loved child, designed to bring joy to His heart and mature in His truth. We need not falsely puff ourselves up – for there is no higher place for us than what we were truly called to be as a child of the King!
Why is the EGO hindering us? Because it keeps us from attaining what God really wants for us. Some of us will not function in the body because we believe we are too important in other arenas of life to get busy with the needy believers around us – that hurts but it is just the truth. We are too busy to set aside what we are doing to help. We are often busy at work making more money for things that will not have eternal value, so we cannot be faithful in co-laboring for souls. Others are self conscious and cannot bring themselves to get past their own problems. When EGO wins, the cross loses – whether it is an inflated ego or a marred self-image. In the end, it is nothing more than self-indulgence – which is at the heart of conflict with the Gospel of surrender.
Romans 12:4 “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function…”
We are told to actively seek the specific function we have in the body of Messiah. We are uniquely created to play a role. We are to learn what that role is (by carefully examining the Divinely appointed gifts placed in us), and we are to expend our energies “serving Jesus by serving His body.” In the coming studies we are going to work to identify our gifts. We are going to study where such gifts are normally used. We are going to actively encourage you to find a place for those gifts to be at work in your community. We are going to enlist you to help move the body forward where you are growing. We need to grow, but we need to serve to develop muscles properly and to accomplish our Master’s desires. If we choose not to – even the prime purposes of the church will be subverted in our lives. All of this is to help equip you to function in your role. No team takes the field without each one knowing their positions and the requisite responsibilities of that position. You have one, and you must actively seek understanding of that role.
Romans 12:5 “…so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
In the coming studies we will be able to see it even more clearly… God has a goal that many believers in our culture are not grabbing. They haven’t bought in. God’s goal is CONNECTING PEOPLE to Him and to EACH OTHER. If you go to church because you like the messages, but you have no interest in connection to the people, something is wrong inside. Your thinking needs to be remodeled. We MUST break out of this drive through window Christianity that gets personally served into our mobile spaces designed for my comfort and isolation. If we do not break out, we will never be the church God intends us to become.
When you look intently at Romans 12:4-8, seven facts surface quickly:
• Fact One: The church has a MODEL. God compared the church body to the physical body we live in – believers are designed to be connected and disconnection kills our real functions (12:4a).
• Fact Two: Each part of the body has UNIQUENESS (12:4b).
• Fact Three: The design is for FUNCTION. God openly revealed that the purpose of each part is to have a specific function – to DO something. (12:4b).
• Fact Four: The work must have UNITY (12:5).
• Fact Five: God has provided EMPOWERING. God has specifically enabled us to maintain a function in the body that is vital and differs in nature from others – and He expects us to use them.
• Facts Six: Each operation must be absorbed in MAXIMIZING (12:6a). Seven examples of gifting are offered with one binding idea – we are to use them to their fullest in accordance to what we were given.
• Fact SEVEN: Basic body operations are named for SERVICE. (12:6bff).
God wants to make you over your thinking and restructure your life to connect you deeply to Him and other believers. Connection is the expressed goal.
We are going to spend time here in our next lesson. For now, just touch the edges of what God revealed about our behaviors…
Romans 12:9 “[Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 [Be] devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath [of God], for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 20 “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Here are just a few…
We should be an authentic lot: Rom. 12:9 Let love (agape) be without hypocrisy. (an-oo-pok’-ree-tos – without pretending). We are called to be REAL PEOPLE…Our action to meet needs must be done without pretending that we care. Many a church could finish the sermon there. People come to GET, but not to CARE.
We should be a selective lot: Rom. 12:9b “…Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good.” The architects dream must be carefully constructed by our careful choice of materials in with which we build life.
We should be a dedicated lot: Rom. 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.”
We should be an energetic lot: Romans 12:11 “…not lagging behind in diligence fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; We are called to build WITH PROFOUND EAGERNESS AND ENERGY. It is easy to let the body come a distant second. We must not be lulled into thinking that my attendance is optional and self-oriented – I will come if there is ‘SOMETHING FOR ME”. That isn’t Biblical thinking and does not reflect the eagerness God wants. I will not settle in my life for a cool and self-interested life – I want Jesus to keep the fire HOT.
We should SOUND like the church: Romans 12:12 “…rejoicing in hope …persevering) in tribulation …devoted to prayer. God’s church is powerless unless it is DEPENDENT ON GOD.
We should LOOK LIKE the church: Romans 12:13 “…contributing to the needs of the saints and practicing hospitality.
• She is called a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD that exemplifies in lifestyle a separate set of values than that of its age – she is not patterned by Madison Avenue nor driven by Rodeo Drive.
• She is called the Branches of the TRUE VINE, drawing her life from Her Savior. She doesn’t suckle the world’s nourishment to grow, but derives her life from spiritual truth and surrendered conversion.
• She is the flock of a GREAT SHEPHERD, being led by the staff tap and voice of one that knows the place of green pastures and still waters.
• She is a BODY, and FAMILY, a TEMPLE, a BROTHERHOOD, a FRATERNITY of SLAVES…
THAT IS GOD’S CHURCH. It isn’t some sand castle that can be swept away so easily. Armies have tried. Governments have nailed doors on church buildings shut and thought they could stop her from growing. Philosophers have mocked her and tried to shame her. Scientists have tried to out think her. Still she lives and grows. Beloved, she is God’s church! Paul was used by the Spirit to say it plainly:
He wants me to be inspected, resistant to the world’s mold, open to His remodeling of my mind, connected to His body (the church) and set in life to act according to His command…The choice to allow His hand to do it is mine.
Almost in the perfect center of the north end of the city of Paris, the hill of Montmartre and its grand white Cathedral of “Sacré-Cœur” (Sacred Heart) seem perched above the city. From the church you are afforded one of the most magnificent views of the “city of lights” that doesn’t require going up in a rickety elevator on an old “erector set” called the Eiffel Tower. Montmartre is noted for several things, but probably best known for the quarter’s daily working street artists. Gathered near the square due west of the church, these artists sit in front of easels painting either in oils or watercolor, while others around them are sketching, chalking and creating in a host of artistic media. Though I could not do what they do, I confess that I love to walk around and see artists at work.
One of the most fascinating parts of the experience of watching an artist develop a picture is what I would call the “layering” of the picture. For a long time, the artist of a landscape (and even many who detail the background of a portrait) may work on the background of a picture with a variety of colors and shades that have no discernible purpose at all to the lesser trained eye. Often, I cannot make “heads nor tails” of the picture as they develop it in the early stages. Yet, if I wait patiently and don’t distract them, the artist will carefully offer an amazing transformation of the canvas – and the scene will begin to assemble and make itself known…
Let’s face it: One of the best ways to describe God may well be that He is the greatest of all Artists. He is the author of art – just as He is the Author of all things. He works the background of something, sometimes for hundreds of years, before anything becomes clear at all. He works very carefully on every detail of the setting, so that His picture becomes clear. In fact, there are many words that describe God, but none sweeter than the word “patient”. If you watch Him work the canvas of history, you get the same thrill as standing over the artist’s shoulder. That is one of the things that His Word affords us – the longer view of history from the Artist’s perspective! Watching His work, it becomes readily apparent that God works through the eons of time to tell His story and is meticulous about every detail- because each layer will affect the later story – and all of it is a singular picture. I mention that truth because our lesson comes from a text that exposes this very idea… Paul’s writing in Romans 11 teaches this central truth…
Because that is true, we find that God’s work with the Jewish people, in spite of their rejection of Messiah’s first coming, is not finished. He wants His estranged bride to return to Him, and see the gift He has given for them. As a result, their rejection of God is…
Paul made the point that NOT ALL Jews refused to see the work God did in Messiah for them. Some believed and remained people of faith…for God was not done with the Jewish people. He wrote:
Romans 11:1 I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says in [the passage about] Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 “Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.” 4 But what is the divine response to him? “I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.” 5 In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to [God’s] gracious choice. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.
Before we go too far into our lesson, let’s remember something: It is easy to “tune out” to passages that don’t seem immediately relevant to “us”. Don’t do it! Be patient with the Artist – He has something profound and wonderful to show us! The earliest layer to the picture was a time when Jews pointed the way to God. The atonement sacrifices brought temporary, but real peace with God. The nations made their own false gods, while the Jewish people were endowed with the revealed truths of the Creator Who had been rejected by the sons of the sons of Noah. The first layer was the layer of joy from a people of the Law, a layer with Mount Sinai in the background.
Over that was a “second layer” of the historical canvas – the layer of the Cross. The Jewish people were represented on that dark part of the canvas by some leaders who were bitter and self-interested. They rejected Jesus when He stood before them, and they had no place for the work of the people of the Way – who seemed as “upstart Jews” who were unwilling to follow Jerusalem and the Temple leadership. They sought to shut down the message of the nascent group, and they hounded the steps of Paul as he led people to Jesus’ teachings and the work of cleansing through His death. Paul opened Romans 11 with a question: “Is this the last layer of the canvas?” His answer was a loud and clear: “No!”
He made a few points:
First, God’s curtain of spiritual blindness that fell on the Jewish people as a whole did not include all of them – for he was an example of a small piece of the original cloth of the Jewish people: he and other Jewish believers were pieces of remnant fragments of the nation. That should remind us that the message of the Lord is not MORE TRUE because His Word is MORE POPULAR. As our culture moves from its Christian moorings back toward a rebirth of paganism, don’t underestimate the power of God to revive His message at any time. The Bible promises that even in the darkness of the Great Tribulation, yet there will be a remnant of witnesses that will proclaim a walk with God – even to their own peril.
Second, this wasn’t a strange work of God – but a familiar theme from the earlier canvas. God was probably NEVER held by the majority on a personal and intimate level, and at times, it seemed like believers were almost ALONE in their following of God. Elijah was provided as an example in verse two. God’s reply in verses three and four help set things in perspective: I have always had more in my fold than people could obviously tell. That is an important truth: often when it comes to the believers and their strength – things aren’t what they appear to be. Sometimes we look much weaker than we are. Remember that in the days ahead… the world will call our message as “defeated” – a relic of the time past. Yet, they will not know how many draw their personal strength from a personal and vital walk with the Lord and His Word.
The end of the short passage encouraged people who believed that there were others who also found refuge in the faith that brought life. Their belief in the sacrifice of Jesus became the basis of their walk with God, and they were now living examples of the remnant – in spite of the rejection of the majority of their people. Herein is a great lesson: The greatest “take away” to this short view of a snapshot from the history of the relationship between God and Israel is this: It doesn’t matter what you have done, if you are still alive, you can turn back to God – because of His grace.
That isn’t a lesson for someone else from some other time and place: it is a lesson for us right now. You haven’t done anything to get too far from God. He is still beckoning you to come to Him if you haven’t made that choice. He still wants you, no matter how profound your rejection has been, and no matter how deliberate you have been at defying His Word. Grace is unmerited favor. Faith is seeing it His way. Salvation is embracing His forgiveness – given in grace and accessed by faith. Here is the truth: It doesn’t matter what brought you to this point – you are still invited to have a relationship with God through the completed work of Jesus – until you breathe your last breath – and then time runs out. The people of Israel committed many heinous acts against God – but He kept coming at them. In the same way, it could be that He is coming at you right now, once again, to get you to respond. Don’t back away. Israel has been an example of God’s patience – and you can be the benefactor of responding to a patient God!
Yet, that isn’t all! God’s work in Israel is not total – there were SOME who believed even at the time of Paul (just as there are some now)! Yet, Paul offered more…God’s rejection of those who led Israel, and the dark curtain He placed over many of their hearts is not the final layer of the canvas. His veiling is…
God STILL has a future for the Jewish people. Paul wrote:
Romans 11:7 What then? What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened; 8 just as it is written, “GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY.” 9 And David says, “LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. 10 “LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER.” 11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation [has come] to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. 12 Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!
Paul returned in verse seven to a familiar theme of the past few chapters, because it was an argument being pressed by those who were drawing men and women to defect from their faith in Jesus. The argument was this: “How is it possible that the God of Abraham would draw many pagans to Himself, while those who stood in long Temple lines in Jerusalem were largely blinded from a true and vital walk with Him?” Paul’s answer was clear: God promised that would be the case in the prophets.
People are always surprised by God when He does EXACTLY what He promised for generations in the prophets. God told them that a “spirit of stupor” would overcome them spiritually. They would stop seeing, in spite of the fact they would have the Scriptures all around them. The Word would become tradition, the miracles of their dramatic rescue from Egypt would become mere relics of memory. Verse ten explained they would stop “bending their backs” – they wouldn’t worship and fall down before God. They would have all the trappings of a grand cathedral in Europe that bears nothing more than a museum of art themes of the Bible. In Christian terms – the Cross would become jewelry, the hymns a form of entertainment. Even the grandest memories of worship, the very “Hallelujah Chorus” of Handel, would become a warm memory of times with family – not a pricking memory of deep worship of God. That is what happened to the Jewish people long ago, but it has happened to my people in my lifetime – so it is not nearly so remote and strange. I understand how it happens… I have seen it happen. When people play with holy things and don’t treat them as unique and distinct – they become common. Even the very sharp and powerful Word of God can become a source book for scholarly quotation, rather than a guide for our daily walk in worship and service of God.
Yet, that isn’t the end of these verses. There is a wonderful conclusion to the ancient paragraph that reveals something of the character of God. He closed his thought with the fact that God had OTHER PROMISES as well. Not everything God promised was judgment – it was directed at warning. It was given to draw people back from their sin. God promised that a new relationship would rise from the darkness like a living Phoenix from the pile of dry ashes. Verses eleven and twelve press the case – Israel will again live. They will go through a time of jealousy, unable to understand how the God of Israel could become the God of so many others and yet feel distant from them. That nagging jealousy would eventually result in their own return! How could that be??? Here is the truth: God isn’t just about where people are, He is about where He is taking them. This is the encouragement to the parent who is sobbing at night because of the hardness in the heart of their grown child: God isn’t done with them yet!
People often don’t get to their destination by all good experiences and good feelings. Sometimes events scare them and put them back where they belong.
I am thinking of the story of the man who stumbled into an open grave when cutting across the cemetery to get home more quickly. You see, he was in a hurry, and he thought he could take a short cut. He lived nearby, and wasn’t easily spooked because he had passed through the cemetery hundreds of times. This time was different. He didn’t see it coming. An open grave came upon him and his foot fell where he thought ground would be – only to find himself stuck in a hole. Startled, but unhurt, he tried climbing out of the hole… but each time he clawed the sides to boost upward, the earth crumbled in his hands and he tumbled back into the grave. After several unsuccessful and painful attempts, he sat down in a corner and decided to wait for help to come, or the sun to rise when the workers would return to the hole. What must have been a few hours passed. Another man wandered into the cemetery, also one who had been there many time. He was a street drunk, and like a movie “on cue” he stumbled thru the cemetery and fell into the grave. After a few misguided attempts to jump and claw and climb his way out… he also concluded there was no way to get out. The first resident of the hole said nothing as he watched the drink struggle for a bit, and then quietly said to him: “You’re never going to get out of here.” Yet, in a burst of fear and energy – the old drunk DID!
Take a moment and think about the words of verse twelve: Romans 11:12 “Now if their transgression is riches for the world and their failure is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!” Can you see the promise in the verse. Jews WILL again have a relationship, as a people, to the God of their past. He has affirmed they will come home to Him. Their long struggle in man-made rules and intricate laws will finally be broken by a path back to His arms – for He has declared it!
How can that be? The answer is simple. God is at work in them even when it appears He is not. Paul continued…God’s work is…
Romans 11:13 But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow countrymen and save some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will [their] acceptance be but life from the dead?
It is hard for us to hear this truth, but it is important: Sometimes the time spent in darkness defines God’s future uses of us in the light. Sometimes the years our children spend walking in the world as though we had not taught them of Christ are exactly what God will use to shape their heart for outreach in the future. Perfect Christians cannot reach fallen neighbors. Only those who have felt the pull of temptation can help others recognize the prints of her icy fingers on their heart. I am in no way justifying some “sowing of the wild oats” theology – but am making a simple point: Our experiences, for good or bad, shape us as a tool in the hand of God. It could be that your son or your daughter today walk in defiance of the Lord – but today isn’t the last day. Ask some of the great leaders of our time if Christian kids are always examples on the way to being leaders of the faith? You know the answer!
God declared that the temporary and partial rejection of the Jewish people of Him brought benefits to the world – but it did something more. Through time it showed them graphically that there is no one like the Lord. There is no one Who would love them in spite of their sin and deliberate rebellion against Him! There is no one who would see all of the darkest and most selfish parts of them, and yet still conclude they are worth giving all to embrace. You are loved as Israel is loved – and so is your wayward child or grandchild. It hurts to see it – but remember this: God knows that hurt. He has lived with more of it than any of us can imagine!
At this point in his argument, Paul changed his tone a bit. He saw a problem emerging that has become profound in the centuries… the conceit of pagans who come to Christ in the face of kicking and rebellious Jews who await a promised return to God. Paul warned we of the church must walk…
There is a temptation to see what God is doing in US as the APEX of what God desired to do in the ages. Every figure, when painted onto the canvas, can begin to feel as though the whole picture frames ONLY THEM. Paul made the problem clear:
Romans 11:16 If the first piece [of dough] is holy, the lump is also; and if the root is holy, the branches are too. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, [remember that] it is not you who supports the root, but the root [supports] you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand by your faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; 21 for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either. 22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural [branches] be grafted into their own olive tree?
God delights in using broken people and broken things. All of us who have a walk with God know that we don’t deserve His love – and we can easily make as big a mess out of our lives as any of our lost neighbors are doing right now. We are not better than others. We are not more loveable. We are not more stable. We know ourselves…
Here is the truth: A walk with God brings delight – but it can also bring arrogance. We can look down on others because we feel a specialness that was designed for our encouragement, not for our hard-hearted exclusion of others. When we see ourselves as the center of God’s plan – but we must also be wary that we don’t make more of ourselves than we ought!
In this history of the church, it is obvious that those from a pagan background felt superior to the Jewish people, probably as an initial reaction to the Jewish attacks on the early faith. We must admit this history of Anti-Semitic tradition within the church and move to seeing them again as a people of future promise. That was Paul’s point.
At the same time, we must apply that principle to many others around us. God is at work in people that we may easily disdain. That philandering man at the office, now on his fourth wife and seeking yet more “action on the side” is falling through life trying to find happiness in the bedroom – but it isn’t there. That gay neighbor who believes their whole being is somehow tied to their feelings of attraction may not seem a likely candidate for a close friendship, but God is at work there. The lonely and fearful prisoner, sitting in a jail cell and surrounded by strangers may not seem the best investment of your time on earth, but if God leads – you would be wrong about that! That young hyperactive child with the frazzled and underpaid single parent may not seem like fertile ground for the Gospel – but you are wrong. God has already planned a spouse and five more children slated for a family of the future that will be an example of godliness in their future neighborhood. What is missing from the recipe? Your participation!
Let’s face it: People who are too good to get involved in the lives of other people are of little good to the Kingdom. The church of our day needs to take this to heart. People are the center of God’s outreach plan. Those of us with a walk with God are the people assets of outreach, and lost people are object of God’s affection. If we get so busy running the church programming to suit the believers, we can forget that the church wasn’t given to the believer to give him a place to feel at home – it was primarily given to the community so that a people of witness would be equipped. We are left on earth for those who do not know Him, but desperately need to know Him. He is there only hope for fulfillment now and “forever peace” in the future.
Let’s not get arrogant about God’s work in us – and become more focused on God’s work THROUGH us. The Jewish people have a future because God declared it so. Yet, so do a great many others – if we will not be TOO GOOD to reach into their lives! The tricky part about God’s work is this…It is often…
Paul knew his people were going to be renewed to a walk with God. Yet, he knew that believers who only looked at the current attempts of Jewish leadership to discourage and dissect the early church could not see the bigger program of God. He saw it, because his view wasn’t based on the news – but on the Word of God.
Romans 11:25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery– so that you will not be wise in your own estimation– that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; 26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB.” 27 “THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” 28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of [God’s] choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. 32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 35 Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him [be] the glory forever. Amen.
A Biblical world view allowed Paul to see what others could not see – that God was at work carefully painting another layer on His picture of human history! God was working an intricate plan, and believers who took their cue from the news would not see what God was doing. That is STILL a major problem with the church of Jesus Christ.
Many in the church see Israel as replaced – but verses twenty-five to twenty-seven make no literal sense in that scenario. Others focus on current Jewish opposition to the Gospel and conclude that because they are hard to reach, the efforts would be better spent elsewhere – but that doesn’t take into account Paul’s answer in verses twenty-eight and twenty-nine.
Here is the simple truth: God doesn’t give up on His plan…He keeps steadily working it out. He works it out when even the believers don’t believe. He plods ahead, unaffected by our doubt and complaint – because He knows what He is doing. He knows where it all ends… in His glory.
Let me ask you a serious and important question before we leave this lesson: “What role to YOU play as the Artist does His work on the canvas?”
This past week I read an article by a man who was part of a team of managers tasked with revitalizing failing departments in the business world that were badly under-performing. He made a remark like:
“One of the first things we did was sit around and watch. A simple seat near the water cooler helped me understand the workers in the office. They were in every office! There was the:
· GOSSIP – Did you hear about so and so?
· WHINER – Did you know the other department got a raise? Can you believe…
· MURMURER – I can’t stand our boss. I hate this company…
· LAZY – Between the restroom and the water cooler, my morning is all booked!
· THIEF – You can go, I will clock out for you later…
He said: Every area had its GOSSIP, its WHINER, its REBEL LEADER IN THE MAKING, its HIDING LAZY PERSON… its THIEF. I was no industry genius, all I had to do was WATCH. If I paid attention – people made their own reputation, day by day.”
Let me ask you plainly again: “What is your role in God’s outreach work? Are you busy doing Kingdom work, or hiding on the golf course and whining at the political media desk? People aren’t won to Christ by outrage – but by loving engagement. Yet, it seems, many prefer to spend the time consuming the next story that will fuel their outrage rather than spending their time engaging in love the people God placed all around them.
Last week is GONE. You cannot recover it. What will this week bring? Are you walking away from this short lesson in the Word anticipating that God wants to work through YOU?
God is working a plan to show Who He is through His people – and it is being artistically sculpted from materials that do not look now like they will look when He is finished.
Isn’t that the best news you have heard in a long time? You may not look the way you will when God is done transforming you, but God is at work on you, just as He is on the whole picture He is making.
You may not know her name, but Martha Graham (May 11, 1894 – April 1, 1991) was an American modern dancer and choreographer with a remarkable career. Her influence on modern dance has been compared to Picasso’s on modern visual arts, Stravinsky’s on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright’s on architecture. Her career longevity was also impressive. She danced and choreographed for over seventy years! Professional dancers experience the same physical wear and tear as other professional athletes. Martha Graham surpassed every standard. Her success and acclaim extended beyond the dance world when Graham was the first dancer ever to perform at the White House and travel abroad as a cultural ambassador. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Japan’s Imperial Order of the Precious Crown, and the Key to the City of Paris. Her most famous quote was: “No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.” (Adapted from a sermon by Rev. Kelly Mitchell, sermon central.com).
Would you be open to the idea that God is still at work on the canvas, because so many are still lost? So many still need to see your life, hear your story and know your God. Some of them are the Apostle Paul’s distant relatives… and a great promise awaits them someday soon!
