Let's Take A Walk

(Easter Sermon 2008 - Text: Luke 24:13-32)

There is a walk I’d like for you to take with me, today. This walk was taken nearly 2000 years ago. It was a walk taken by three men, two of whom are confused and filled with pain, they think they know more than their companion does—but he knows so much more than they.

13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
19 "What things?" he asked.
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

We are so tempted to view these disciples comically—to view them as dimwits who have no concept of what’s going on! They have half of the gospel message down: He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him…But the resurrection half of the message is walking right beside them! Oh we would be so much more wise and informed! But would we? It’s hard to see clearly when your eyes are filled with tears. Notice how Jesus walks with them in their despair. He doesn’t wait for them to exercise great faith—he doesn’t wait until they are in a better mood—he condescends to walk with them in their pain and confusion, unknown and unrecognized. Have you walked that walk? Your husband loses his job, you're in the middle of an ugly divorce, a family member is involved in a terrible accident, your health deteriorates and never seems to get better, finances dwindle while bills pile up.

You have the suffering part of the gospel message down—but you wonder: Where is God when I need him? Where is Jesus? Where is that resurrection promise? You feel guilty for not having much faith—you feel guilty for wondering.

But it’s really hard to see clearly when your eyes are filled with tears!

So what does Jesus do? In what I see as a gentle rebuke Jesus tells them the issue isn’t dimwittedness as it is a dull heart—and then he opens the Scriptures with them.

25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

These aren’t new revelations or even new interpretations. Jesus has been teaching his followers for three years about what would happen to the Messiah. They had heard these things before! It’s easy to criticize them—but when you’re little boy looks up into your worried face and says, “Don’t worry mommy, you told me God is there when we’re afraid” you get an idea of what they were going through. Sometimes we, like they, just need to be reminded.

There is a word play in chapter 24. Jesus opened their eyes after he opened scripture to them. Later on in verse 45 when Jesus is talking with the apostles Luke says: Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke tells us there is a dynamic between the opening of eyes and the opening of scripture. Add to that the breaking of bread—where Jesus is recognized when he serves as host. But it all starts with the Scripture. Luke ties it all together: the opening of the scripture with the opening of eyes and the opening of the mind. It isn’t until they understand God’s Word that they understand God’s presence in the breaking of bread.

This is difficult for us because we are so geared to experience and visual stimulus—we want to experience the resurrected Christ is some mysterious inexplicable way. And yet, the consistent witness of people of faith and the witness of the Bible tells us that the experience of the resurrection is closely tied to hearing or reading the message and then in the joy of breaking bread. Are we surprised that when Christians face the ultimate challenge of death that they usually turn to scripture for a source of hope and strength? It is in meditation upon and listening to the Word that we begin to understand that the resurrected Lord walks with us! It is in prayer and meditation in his word that we begin to grasp his presence. It is in the experience of community and the sharing of food where the joy of resurrection is revealed. My challenge to you is to begin today to open your eyes by opening your Bible—for some of you it may be the first time you really see him—and you may discover that you love him.

I don’t know what kind of challenges and problems you’ve faced this week. In your fear, despair, and frustration it is so easy to miss sight of Jesus. But you’ve heard the word: He is here. In a moment we’re going to take bread and remember we don’t serve a dead teacher, but a risen Messiah! Everything has changed! Don’t let your tears prevent you from recognizing his presence! The pain of the cross is eclipsed by the joy of the resurrection.

In a few minutes you are going to walk out the doors of this building. You will return to facing all kinds of situations: some of you will be content with few challenges; others will be facing very difficult situations—maybe even an uncertain future. I want you to hear something clearly: Jesus walks with you. You may not realize it, it may seem he is in another world, you may not see him, you may not recognize him—not until you open the scripture and break bread with him. Right now, let’s break bread with our host: the resurrected Messiah! And then let’s walk out into the streets of our city living in the confidence that our Lord walks with us.

Four Means of Grace Part 2: Prayer

I find it very difficult to teach about prayer.

It isn’t because prayer is a mysterious and esoteric practice where only a few spiritual giants live and move. It isn’t because the practice of prayer is impossibly complicated and difficult.

I find it very difficult to preach on prayer...

...but not because the Bible gives us impossible ideals to follow or because we just don’t know enough about prayer.

I find it very difficult to instruct people about prayer because prayer is none of those things.

Truth is: many of you already know so much about prayer that I seriously doubt I will have anything to say to you that you have not heard somewhere before. Prayer is one of those topics about which you expect to hear religious teachers teach and preachers preach. It is one of those topics most every Bible class has explored dozens of times. It is one of those basic disciplines commonly practiced by people across America (even by atheists and agnostics).

Prayer is also what men like David Lipscomb and James Harding described as one of the four means of Grace—that is one of the practices of the early Church God used to transform people into the image of Jesus. It is the environment where the Holy Spirit does his work on us.

But if that is true, then why are there so many praying and yet so few being transformed? If there is so much power in prayer, then why do churches seem so often to be powerless? If God really hears our prayers, then why do people still die? Why does it seem that certain diseases are never healed? Why do we still experience difficulties and problems, trials and tribulations?

I won’t pretend to be able to answer all of those questions, especially in this brief discussion! However, perhaps we can deal with these issues from the back door, by discussing exactly what God had in mind when he calls us to pray.

That God calls us to pray is beyond dispute. You can’t read through the Bible without recognizing God’s expectation. Luke begins his gospel story with Zachariah’s and Mary’s prayer. He depicts Jesus in Luke 5 as going out to the wilderness to pray as a common practice. He dies with a prayer on his lips. When he opens scriptures and prays over bread, the disciples in Emmaus recognize him. The book of Acts (Luke, the sequel) is a book filled with prayer. The letters of Paul are filled with his personal prayers and his requests for his readers to pray for him as he prays for them. Prayer is an essential Christian practice.

But what is the purpose of prayer? Basically I think the purpose of prayer can be summed up in three words: relationship, transformation, and kingdom.

We’ve often viewed prayer as the place where we beg God to do our will—to accomplish our agendas and to do our bidding. Now when we say it that way it sounds crass and horribly self-centered. But ultimately, isn’t that true? If you were to listen to our prayers what do you think you'd hear most often? Do you think you’d hear more requests for healing of people we love or like, more calls for God’s help and deliverance from the things in our lives, which frighten us, and more calls for God to spare the lives of people we know and we love? More often than not, those issues take the pride of place and time in our prayers.

I'm not suggesting it is wrong to pray for healing and deliverance. There are several examples in the Bible of just those kinds of prayers. The book of Psalms are loaded with prayers for deliverance, protection, and health. According to James 5, one of the tasks of elders in local churches is to pray over sick people.

But what if that were not the ultimate point behind prayer?

What if ultimately the point of prayer was to embrace God? The psalmist, David calls out in Psalm 63:

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you... your love is better than life…on my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night…I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you.

This is the prayer of relationship. Far too often we’ve allowed non-believers frame the argument about the existence of God here.

“If there is a God, why isn’t he answering your prayers?”

Who said the primary purpose of prayer was for God to wait on us? That would be like saying: "If your wife exists why doesn’t she do what you want her to do?" Are we assuming the purpose of conversation is to get people whom we love or wish to know to do things for us--to manipulate them into doing our will? Or is the purpose of conversation to know someone better: to develop a deeper relationship with that person?

Maybe we place our focus too often on the wrong things.

We pray to know God, to embrace him.

We’ve already briefly discussed this idea of transformation—being changed into a people who reflect kingdom values--who live to do God's will. When examining the prayers of Jesus, I am struck with the fact that he was most concerned about the will of God being accomplished: This was the essence of his three hour prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. He cried out: I don't want to do this! But he ended up with: Not what I want, but what you want! That prayer only takes about 10-15 seconds to say. Yet according to The Gospel of Mark, Jesus prayed that prayer, face on the ground, for three hours! He was literally praying himself into the will of God.

According to the Hebrew writer, when Christ came into the world he said… “I have come to do your will O God” (Hebrews 10:5, 7).

One of the primary purposes of prayer is to change our will into God’s will. To make us into his image.

Senator John McCain, when he was a POW in Viet Nam was offered the opportunity to go home. Broken arm, messed up knee, he weighed about 100 lbs.

I wanted to go home more than almost anything in the world. But our code of conduct says the sick and injured go home in order of capture and there were others who had been there longer. I knew they wanted to release me because my father was commander of US forces in the Pacific…I prayed for the strength to make the right decision. and I am certain those prayers helped me do what I had to do. I had to stay there.

McCain had a better view of prayer than many church leaders. He was praying himself away from self-centeredness—he was praying himself into doing what Jesus would do.

The purpose of prayer also revolves around God’s Kingdom Agenda. Just what is the kingdom agenda? It is most simply expressed in what is called The Lord’s Prayer: ”Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.”

God’s kingdom agenda is for world to be made right again: for people to be reconciled to him, to each other, for peace to fill the earth, for God’s justice to be accomplished and his mercy to be shown.

Praying “your kingdom come” is not praying that the church would be established. I grew up hearing that. Bible teachers in Sunday school told me we couldn’t pray the Lord’s prayer anymore because the kingdom came on the day of Pentecost. I want you to notice, no where in the Bible do we see any passage telling us the kingdom and the church are exclusively paralleled. Nor does Jesus say: “Pray this way until the church is established on Pentecost.” Kingdom come is parallel to “your will being done on earth” not to “your church coming into existence at Pentecost.”

There is still poverty and hatred and injustice and war in existence. God’s will is not being done on the earth, yet. It is not God’s will for people to kill each other. It is not God’s will for the sex-slave trade to be thriving all over the world. It is not God’s will for children to be abused by their parents or wives to be beaten by their husbands. It is not God’s will for people to be dominated by their fears and dominated by Satan. It is God’s will for this world to be renewed and for the people in this world to experience renewal. It’s time we started taking seriously our call to pray—especially to pray for God’s kingdom agenda.

I think it is interesting Jesus’ disciples never asked him to teach them how to preach or how to conduct an evangelistic Bible study. His disciples never seem to ask him how to meditate or how to study the Bible. They asked him: Teach us to pray. Maybe that should be our first prayer request.

I am not an expert in prayer. None of us are. We are all fellow travelers trying to know God better, trying to be more like Jesus, and trying to make the world a better place. We need to start with prayer. Because we can’t know God, we can’t transform ourselves, we can’t change the world: but God can. Perhaps our problem has been we thought prayer was just something you did at supper time or in church—or perhaps prayer was more about asking for our own needs. Or maybe we thought prayer was really just a waste of time—maybe we bought into the lie that God doesn’t work in this world anymore since the apostles died. Whatever reason—it’s time for us to repent and turn back to God and to pray.

What can I do? The best way to learn how to pray is to pray. Pray the psalms, pray the Lord’s prayer, pray your own prayers every day. Jesus followed a rhythm of prayer. According to Luke 5 it was Jesus’ regular practice to go out to the wilderness to pray. In Acts 10 we notice Peter keeps a schedule of prayer. This is a place to start. The psalms speak of seeking God morning, noon and night. Other psalms mention praying to God seven times a day. Others mention praying morning and evening. The trick is: set up as schedule and pray. Pray to know God, to love God, to embrace God. Pray for his transforming power: that he will change you into a person who longs to do his will—that he will change you into the image of Jesus.

Here’s my challenge: this week devote yourself to prayer. When you wake up in the morning, the very first thing you do—you don’t even have to get out of bed: pray the Lord’s prayer. Pray it as your prayer. Pray it in your own words if you don’t have it memorized word by word. As you drive to work, use that time as prayer time. Don’t use prayer language—just talk to God the way you talk with a friend. Tell him about what you fear, what you are excited about, what you dread. Ask for wisdom to act as his person. During your morning coffee break—take a moment to talk with God. Ask him how you are doing so far. Pray for those at work who may be experiencing problems or challenges. At lunch pray: pray a psalm, pray the Lord’s prayer again. Pray a song such as My Jesus I love thee I know thou art mine / for thee all the follies of sin I resign / my gracious redeemer / my savior art thou / if ever I loved you / my Jesus ‘tis now. On your way home pray God will help you to respond to your family with his character and attitude. When you go to sleep at night close out with a prayer. Review your day, ask God how you could have done better to reflect his glory. Ask him to help you see opportunities to do his will, to seek peace, to love others, to provide justice and help. Close again with the Lord’s prayer.

I find it very difficult to preach on prayer. Not because it is mysterious, but because it is not. I find it difficult because there isn’t much more I can say that you don’t already know. I find it difficult because we have so often taken the practice for granted, it is hard for us to really hear it fresh. I find it difficult because we are a people who long to hear new things—more powerful things. We want new understandings and new theories. But the search for new theories is merely an excuse to avoid the practice. Truth: if we are a people who believe God lives and moves in this world; if we are a people who believe God wants to see his will done in this world; if we are a people who believe in God’s agenda and his vision—then we will pray. We will pray continuously, we will pray regularly, we will pray fervently.

Let those who have ears to hear, hear God’s word to them.

Four Means of Grace: Scripture

Why do we follow Jesus?

What is the purpose of the Christian life?

Do we become Christian in order to escape hell? Do we involve ourselves in religious activities for the same reason: to escape Hell? What is the ultimate point?

What are we ultimately trying to accomplish in the world as followers of Jesus?

Is our purpose to convince as many people as possible to agree with us mentally; to join us in our club meetings? Or are we involved in something much more significant?

In 1887, James A. Harding (for whom Harding University was named) lamented over what he called an unconverted membership who were only baptized to escape hell—but who had no idea about what living for Jesus entailed. He criticized the gospel or "protracted" meeting (some call them "Revivals") as nothing but a high pressure event merely used to gain converts—not to make disciples. He believed many had no concept of their purpose.

Just what is it that is important about following Jesus?

You cannot read the Bible without getting the distinct impression the Christian life is about bringing God’s kingdom into reality in the world. What does that mean? I am not talking about some pre- or post- or para- or whatever-millennial teaching.

Kingdom of God involves the transformation of the world: the transformation of communities and individuals. The idea is to make the world a place where God’s kingdom values dominate; a place where people are reconciled with each other; a place of forgiveness and peace; a place where the poor are cared for, the hungry fed, the sick healed. As John Eldridge puts it: Jesus’ miracles are illustrations of what the kingdom is supposed to be about: lame healed, dead raised, the blind seeing and the good news being proclaimed!

The word for this is transformation. Following Jesus is not primarily about fire insurance or protection from Hell. Our goal is to allow God to transform us into the image of Jesus! Jesus is the personification of the Kingdom. The church is his body—his presence on earth. As individuals and as a community of believers we are to be the presence of Jesus wherever we live, move and breathe.

But how does that work? I'm not even close to the kind of person Jesus is! It seems Kingdom values are so far from me at times! I'm impatient, selfish, uncaring. I'm too materialistic and self-centered. How do I become transformed into the image of Jesus?

The early preachers of the Churches of Christ turned to Acts 2:42-47 and discovered four disciplines which they called “four means of grace.” [1] These were not activities that gained God’s favor or somehow earned salvation. One writer described them in this way. They were

appointed means by which God dynamically acts among in and through his people…[they were] modes of divine transformation through which God graciously sanctifies believers. [2]

In other words: these activities served as the environment where the Holy Spirit works to make us more like Jesus.

In Acts 2:42-47 Luke writes about how the first disciples grew in their walk with God. The four disciplines or activities found in this passage are: 1) Scripture, 2) serving others—especially the poor, 3) intentional community that included the sharing of the Supper, and 4) regular and constant prayer.

Right now let's focus on just one of these items: involvement with scripture—or the sacred writings. Specifically we want to discuss reading, contemplating, and hearing God’s word.

I don’t suppose we should be too surprised to discover the Bible is literally filled with texts extolling the virtue of reading, hearing and meditating on the words of scripture. Psalm 119 is the longest discussion in the Bible upon the benefits of contemplating scripture—176 verses in all, this poem praises meditation on God’s word. The psalmist declares a blessing on anyone who meditates on it day and night, who recites it, who lives by it. Paul tells Timothy how the writings make one wise into salvation; how they are God’s tool to train God’s people to do God’s will. He tells Timothy not to neglect the public reading of Scripture—something that is not practiced as often among non-liturgical churches as should be. Joshua was told to meditate on God’s law day and night. Israel was expected to gather every seven years to hear the entire Law read out loud. From the earliest days of the church it was a regular practice to read the writings of the apostles and the Old Testament as long as there was time.

There were few personal copies of scripture. There were no printing presses. Paper was expensive. The Old Testament had to be hand copied. Hand copying meant the hiring of an educated laborer and that cost money. The first 1,000 years of the church a people could not easily obtain their own copies of the Bible in their own languages. Yet people took seriously the command to meditate on the word. Jewish children memorized Genesis through Deuteronomy by age four. By age twelve they had memorized the rest of the Old Testament. Adults constantly recited the word of God from memory as an exercise in meditating ("Your words will not depart from my mouth").

And I wonder.

How serious are we about this process of transformation?

Today there is a glut on the Bible market. There are literally hundreds of English translations. Bibles are inexpensive—you can even get copies free if you just search for them on the internet! There are audio Bibles, video Bibles, MP3 players with nothing but the Bible loaded on them.

But do we spend any time in the Bible?

Do we read our Bibles with any regularity?

Do we listen to any recordings of the Bible? Do we set aside regular time to meditate or contemplate the word of God? Why? To earn brownie points from God? No! We do it to hear God’s voice, to get a glimpse of this one who loves us, to enter into the environment where the Holy Spirit can work to make us more like Jesus!

I'm not talking about reading John MacArthur, Max Lucado, Chuck Swindoll, John Eldridge or listening to Christian radio. [3] They may be helpful for you—but when you read them you are only reading about the Bible—you are not reading the Bible. As long as I limit my intake of God’s word, I will continue to be anemic and malnourished. I will not grow the way God longs for me to grow. If we are going to mature—if we are going to become more like Jesus, then we are going to have to enter where God can do his work. We are going to have to enter the world of the Bible.

So what do we do? I have some ideas that may be helpful. These are just ideas—they are not set in stone. These are not the final answer—they are merely handles to grasp.

First of all begin by reading the Bible.

Wow, that’s deep.

What I mean is get an easy to read version like The Message or The New Living Translation and each evening read through a book. Don’t just read a chapter. Take a small book like Philippians or Ruth and read through it in a sitting or a couple of sittings. Get the feel of it. You might want to set a schedule so you will be certain to read through the entire Bible in either a one year, two year or three year time frame. (This isn't a contest to see how soon you can read through the Bible, OK?)Start with this. Read it right before you go to bed at night or right when you get up. Don’t worry about depth study, just read it like you would any book. Now if this is somewhat of a problem—maybe you’re not the greatest reader in the world, maybe your eyes are going bad. That’s ok: buy the Bible on CD and listen! It works was well—may be even better!

Secondly, every day set aside time for biblical contemplation. If you can’t every day, at least once or twice a week, take the time for more in depth study. Take a smaller text—a chapter or a dozen verses and spend time digging into it to determine what God is saying. Use your lunch break or get up a bit earlier—whatever it takes, make the time for this. Ask yourself questions such as: What is this passage saying? What does it mean? What am I discovering about God? About myself? What is God’s message for me? Every day I send out a daily devotional outline on the email which is designed to help people meditate on Scripture and pray. If you need an outline, follow that one (you can contact me and give me your email and I'll send it to you). If that doesn’t work for you, use something else. Just try something!

Thirdly, include a brief reading at supper time with your family (you can combine this with the first suggestion). If you have children, incorporate them in the reading. Take turns and read. Make this into a fun time with your family. Read expressively. There are dozens of Bibles divided into daily readings especially with children in mind. In this way you introduce your children to the discipline of Bible reading.

Finally, be patient: do not give up. This is not a two week program to make you suddenly spiritual! This is a life-long commitment to place yourself in front of God—to listen to him and to allow him to take you and shape you into the image of his Son. Like exercise, you don’t exercise two weeks and end up becoming ultra-ripped and muscular! It is a life-style. It means you’ll have to say no to some other things. You may have to watch less television or get off the internet sooner. I would suggest if you are serious about this following Jesus, you will make the time you will sacrifice to spend time in his word.

So, again: Why do we follow Jesus?

I hope we follow Jesus to change this world—to transform it into a place where the Kingdom flourishes. I hope we follow Jesus in order to be like Jesus. Jesus once said a disciple when he becomes fully mature becomes like his teacher. Are you willing to discipline yourself and to give God the chance to form Jesus in your heart?

Let’s commit ourselves to be more than Christians in name. Let’s commit ourselves to being followers—disciples of Jesus: people who seek to become just like him.
______________________________
[1] John Mark Hicks and Bobby Valentine, Kingdom Come: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of David Lipscomb and James A. Harding (Abilene: Leafwood Publishers, 2006), pp 75-76.
[2] Hicks and Valentine, p 76.
[3] This is not a criticism of any of these men or of Christian radio. I think it would be safe to say proponents of Christian media and the above mentioned authors would be very upset to learn their readers read them exclusively and neglected reading the Bible! The problem is not Christian devotional literature. The problem is our lack of discipline!

Genocide

What leads people to fuss, fight, hate and kill each other? In Rwanda, Burundi, and Zaire we have seen ethnic wars raging since the 1950s between the Hutus and the Tutsis. If you have not seen the movie Hotel Rwanda you owe it to yourself to watch it. It will make you heart sick, but it is a re-enactment of true events which happened in Rwanda in the mid-1990s.

But such hatred and atrocities are not limited to Central Africa. The ethnic cleansing that took place between the Croatian, Serbians, Albanian and Muslim populations in Yugoslavia reflected the same kind of evil as demonstrated between the Tutsis and Hutus. In South Africa it was the horrendous policy of Apartheid which was so misunderstood by many of us in the United States that served as a demonstration of how evil people can be—how cruel and how divided. We’ve seen this division between India and Pakistan, England and Ireland, Israel and Palestine—ad infinitum, ad nauseum.

In America we see some of the same things. There are still problems with racism between Hispanic, African-American, whites, and Asians—there are still problems between people of different social classes, still prejudicial attitudes that keep us divided and suspicious. Even among people who claim to be followers of Jesus there are battles over issues that seem so inconsequential when compared to the injustices and poverty we see here in the United States and across the world.

It has been this way for a long time—even since the beginning of the church. There was no church in the first century that escaped such problems: problems of division and misunderstanding. We’ve seen this is especially true among the Christians who lived in Rome. Paul has spent a quite a bit of time pointing out how everyone—Jew and Gentile, slave and free, poor and rich, male and female are in the same boat. Without God we are rootless, helpless, and lost. No one has the right to stand up with his chest puffed out and proclaim superiority over anyone else. We are equally without hope and without God in the world!

But while we are equally lost—we are equally loved. There is no one God wants to be lost. There is no one God wants alienated. There is no one God does not want in his family. And in Romans 15:7 through the end of the book Paul makes his concluding point:

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to conform the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy… [1]

Paul then begins to quote the Hebrew Scriptures from the Psalms, 2 Samuel, Deuteronomy and Isaiah showing that God from the very beginning planned for Jew and Gentile to join together as God’s people for his glory and praise. He started out in Romans 1-3 to demonstrate how all are equally lost—and he ends up in Romans 15 demonstrating how all are equally loved.

Paul’s dream is for all people to be filled with the hope of God’s love and the power of his Spirit. His desire is for all people to be filled with joy and to live in peace with each other—living under the rule of God’s Spirit. This is what he says in verse 13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. [2]

For the rest of the letter Paul talks about his mission to the Gentiles—how he wants to stop off in Rome and use it as a base of operations for a mission to Spain and perhaps farther. He discusses his heart’s desire for the Jewish Christians of Judea to accept the financial aid he has collected from Gentile churches from all over the world in order to seal relationships between Jew and Gentile.

For Paul, the sign of God’s reign and Kingdom coming, the demonstration of God’s will being done on earth as it is in Heaven, is the reconciliation between various ethnic and social groups. The demonstration of God’s kingdom is that in Christ it could be truly understood and lived out there is no distinction between slave and free, rich or poor, Jew and Gentile, Greek and Barbarian, male and female. The boundaries that prevented the disparate groups from eating together, from associating with each other, from loving each other would be torn down and completely demolished.

When Paul envisions the powers of satanic spiritual forces being dismantled, this is one of the main issues. For Paul there is no place for racial slurs, insensitive joking, and rude behavior toward each other. For Paul there was no place for a black church, a Hispanic church, a white church, a rich church, or a poor church in the same town—instead, there should be only one family of God where everyone is welcome, where no division occurs.

This is why men like David Lipscomb in the mid and late 1800s literally condemned the wearing of your “Sunday best” to assemblies—because not everyone could dress that way. Instead you wear every day street clothes so as not to embarrass the poor—to demonstrate that acceptance by God had nothing to do with whether you wore suits, ties, and nice dresses. When churches demand “dressing up” it is more a reflection of their social status than God’s will.

This is why one Christian professor in Nashville, Tennessee received several threatening phone calls in the sixties and early seventies when he attacked the segregation policies of Christian Colleges and of our own congregations. He was merely reflecting the sensibilities of Paul and the understanding of David Lipscomb who said:

To object to any child of God participating in the service on account of his social or civil state, his race or color is to object to Jesus Christ and to cast him from our association. It is a fearful thing to do. I have never been satisfied of the righteousness of forming congregations in a community along race lines. In the days of Jesus and his apostles the race antagonism between Jew and Gentile was strong and bitter. Converts were made from both races. I find no evidence that they met in different places as separate congregations. Troubles arose over the race question, but these troubles were harmonized within the churches, and the wall of separation and division was weakened, not strengthened. [3]

This is why it is imperative we who call ourselves followers of Jesus must live out the love of Jesus before all people! It is why we must do everything we can to tear down the walls that divide us, no matter what they are. If we cannot live together in peace, if we cannot demonstrate the values of God’s kingdom toward each other, then we cannot defeat the powers of evil in our world. If we cannot overcome our differences we are in danger of becoming completely ineffective in impacting the world in which we live. We risk becoming a defensive fortress against the world around us instead of an expeditionary force against the dominion of Darkness.

Paul’s fear is the church in Rome will fall under the weight of division. But Paul is convinced it doesn’t have to be this way. He says in 15:14 – I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me… [4] He ends his letter with: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. [5]

And I can’t think of a better way to end this study: with a plea for unity and a confident belief that you are full of goodness and willing to accomplish what God wants. It is Satan’s world that is filled with selfishness and self-centeredness. It is Satan’s dominion where hatred and impatience is tolerated. It is Satan’s realm where people fuss and fight and ignore those who are in desperate need of love and care. It is Satan’s realm where people are divided over race, social standing, politics, and personal opinions—to the point they are incapable of coming together.

But you are not that way. I am convinced you are full of goodness and competent to instruct one another—you can be patient, longsuffering, and loving with each other. I am convinced the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Because when we our eyes are opened and we recognize Satan’s deception and when we open our eyes to see the possibilities of God’s kingdom in our midst—then Satan can rule no more! He will be crushed.

So may we recognize the goodness God has given us. May we learn how to be patient and unselfish with each other. May we open our eyes to see the possibilities of God’s kingdom in our midst where people are not rejected due to outward appearances or customs, but accepted by us because they are accepted by God. And may Satan be crushed under our feet through the power of God.

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[1] Romans 15:7-8, The New International Version
[2] Romans 15:13, The New International Version
[3] http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/race/negro.html
[4] Romans 15:14, The New International Version
[5] Romans 16:20, The New International Version

Accept One Another

First Reading: Romans 14:1-6

If you were to visit any church in your area, or in the surrounding towns you would discover some amazing similarities. Regardless of the brand name, most every one of them will have a building that’s similar to yours in seating arrangement and structure. Oh, some will be larger or smaller, some will have a center aisle or two or three aisles off centered, or maybe theatre seating or portable seats rather than pews, but you’d recognize the general structure as “church building.” Most would have similar structure to their worship assemblies depending on whether they were of a liturgical tradition or more of an informal tradition. Some would observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, others quarterly or monthly. Regardless they would still observe it in a fashion very similar to the way you do it. I'm willing to bet in most all of the assemblies the main event is the preaching (not all, but most all). If you listened to the things they fussed about, you might be surprised to hear some of the same issues you fuss about with just a little different face put on them.

So, if a non-Christian were to walk into your assembly, would they notice any difference? Probably not. Even though I belong to an a cappella church—I’ve had many people visit who, afterwards, didn’t even realize there were no instruments. They’d give me a blank look and then say, “You know, I wondered what was different! I just couldn’t put my finger on it!”

And I wonder—what is the difference? In fact, what is the difference between your church and any group: social or religious? What should mark us out to those who know nothing of Christianity?

Jesus said there is one thing that would make his followers stand out from any one else. In John 13:34, 35 he said, Love one another, as I have loved you so you should love one another. By this all men will know you are my followers if you have love for one another. This is the distinctive mark that sets apart all followers of Jesus from everyone else—the love by which we treat each other. (If you wish to argue, please take it up with Jesus--he said it, I didn't). Paul said it this way in Romans chapters 14 and 15: Accept one another. In Romans 14:1, he says Accept him whose faith is weak without passing judgment on disputable matters.

We’ve been going through the book of Romans where we’ve noticed allusions to problems between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians and now we’ve come to perhaps one of the main problems. The Jewish Christians are vegetarians. Why is that? Because in Rome there was no sure way to ascertain the meat bought in the market was 1) not offered to idols and/or 2) slaughtered according to kosher law. So the Jewish Christians, to avoid accidentally breaking the law of Moses, chose not to eat meat. Those Christians of a more mature faith understood all creation to be blessed by God and all foods were clean. And so we have a real problem—I would imagine especially during the first century version of the pot-luck meal! So what to do?

Paul says: Accept each other without passing judgment. But there are real differences. Jewish Christians believe it is a sin! They are wrong—but they think it is a sin and they condemn the Gentile Christians. Paul says, “Stop it. Accept one another.” But why? Why should we Jewish Christians accept what we believe is sinful behavior? Why should we Gentile Christians accept these silly people who want to suppress our freedom in Christ? In verses 1-6 Paul tells us first, because each group is doing their best to honor God through these matters of conscience.

This is important because sometimes I think people don’t believe this. We try to assign ulterior and sinful motives to people. We refuse to give each other the benefit of the doubt. “You just want to water down God’s requirements so you don’t have to do thus-and-so!” Or, “You’re just a legalist trying to get your ticket punched and earn your way to heaven!” Is it possible all of us are trying to honor God sincerely? Paul says, not only is that possible, but that’s exactly what is going on! Gentile Christians, are not to judge Jewish Christians because they still follow kosher dietary rules or observe the Sabbath and Passover. They are honoring God. Jewish Christians, are not to condemn the Gentile Christians because they don’t agree with them!

Secondly, Paul says we accept one another because God accepts us. That’s what he says in verse three. God accepted the Jewish Christians even though they didn’t realize the freedom they had—and he accepted the Gentile Christians who celebrated the freedom they had in Christ.

But Paul continues with more reasons in Romans 14:7-12.

Second Reading: Romans 14:7-12

In the text above, Paul gives us another basic reason why we are to accept each other: Jesus died and was resurrected to be Lord, Master of us all. Jesus didn’t die and raise to make us petty tyrants over each other. We are not each other’s master, Jesus is.

It is not our place to look down on each other and to judge each other’s motives or condemn each other when we are trying to live according to our consciences. In the first century it would have been considered bad manners to correct someone else’s slave. It was even bad manners to go to someone and tattle on his slave or servant. That would be perceived as meddling in affairs that were not yours. Paul makes the same argument. We are accountable to God. We do not pass judgments on disputable matters because God is the judge and Jesus is Lord. I am not.

Third Reading: Romans 14:13-23

Paul has been setting the Roman Christians up for this section in chapters 12 and 13. In Romans 12:9-11 and 13:8 Paul tells the Roman Christians they are to love each other, sincerely from the heart. They—and by extension, we—are indebted to God and to each other. We owe it to each other to love one another. We are to accept one another because we owe the debt of love.

In verses 13-23 Paul warns his readers about not acting with love. He comes back to the two actions which do not demonstrate love: verse 13 - Passing judgment on each other or condemning each other and in verses 15 and 16 – distressing your brother by leading him to blaspheme God because of your freedom.

Notice Paul does not speak hesitantly or vaguely about what he believes in the matter. He is quite blunt in pointing out who believes the wrong thing. Some suggest people shouldn’t talk about scriptural issues which make people uncomfortable—but Paul doesn’t shy away from this: he wants people to know truth and to grow. He doesn’t avoid controversial issues. It isn't ethical for a Doctor to withhold vital information from a patient--even difficult information. I don’t think we can in good conscience skip over truth because someone may not appreciate it or like it.

But, Paul says, all the same we must love each other and treat each other with deference, even if we perceive them to be wrong. So, Paul, how do we act out of love? Quit condemning and judging. If a person will end up blaspheming God because of your freedom, thereby losing their soul—then give up your freedom. The NIV says in verse 16: “Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.” But that doesn’t really make much sense contextually. The word is not evil but literally, it is the word blaspheme. The Message translation captures the idea more accurately: “Would you risk sending them to hell over an item in their diet? Don’t you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning!”

These Jewish Christians were in danger of chucking the whole Christianity thing. If this Christianity is about throwing our God-given heritage in the trash then I'm out of here! Forget it! I’ll go back to Judaism! If your freedom leads to someone else denouncing their faith in Christ, give up your freedom. Finally, Paul tells them to bend over backwards and defer to each other in order to create peace and to build each other up. That is the least we can do for people we really love.

Fourth Reading: Romans 15:1-7

Why should we bend over backwards for each other? Paul gives us two more reasons.

First, we bend over backwards, defer to each other, and accept one another because Jesus himself did the same thing. By coming to our world, living among us and dying he gave up his rights to make us family. How can we insult our Savior’s memory by refusing to love each other? How can we look Jesus in the face on judgment day and say: “I wasn’t willing to accept my brother with his differences even though you died to make him my brother?” or “I didn’t want to accept her even though you died to make her acceptable. She may be acceptable to you, but not to me?” Am I more holy or am I a better judge than Jesus, himself? Jesus died to make us family. Would we destroy his work?

Secondly, we accept one another because our unity brings glory to God. This is what Paul says in verses six and seven: his goal is that we with one mind and one voice glorify the Father and the Lord Jesus. He says in verse seven: Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. If there were no other reason, this would be enough, wouldn’t it? It makes God happy when we accept each other.

So where do we go from here? How do we go about this business of accepting one another as Paul urges the Romans and us to do?

I am not wise and I'm not the sharpest tool in the box. Maybe you can help me, maybe you have better ideas. But maybe we might get some ideas by looking at three scenarios that could conceivably happen in a church. I submit them to you to think about and contemplate.

Scenario one: Among Churches of Christ there are some groups who believe using more than one cup to serve the Lord’s Supper is evil and unbiblical (I know this sounds strange to some). They believe to use trays and multiple cups are against God’s will. If you pass a tray with multiple cups you have actually prevented them from exercising their conscience. If they take that little cup—then they will feel they have sinned against God personally. Let me ask you, are you willing to give up your freedom if such a family placed membership in your congregation? Durnig the winter there are a lot of people out with the flu—and to some of you, the flu could be lethal. Would you be willing to risk the flu to keep unity: to keep them from sinning against their conscience? If I am not willing to give up my freedom in this instance, how can I be justified in asking someone else to give up his or her freedom over something I don’t like?

Scenario two: Again, among Churches of Christ there are those who believe attending separate Bible classes before or after the Sunday assembly as sinful. They think it is not authorized in the scripture and therefore it is prohibited. They believe it is sinful. What if several of these Christians placed membership in your congregation? How would you attempt to be reconciled with them so as not to make them sin against their conscience? Would you suggest that if they feel attending such a class is sinful, then they should not feel obligated to attend such a class? Is it possible that is something that reflects the spirit of Romans 14?

Scenario three: A different situation and perhaps more difficult. You’ve really gone out and tried to bring people to Christ. In so doing, perhaps you converted a devout Muslim family, or Jewish family, or Hindu family. Each of those groups has strict dietary laws. They want to fellowship with your church and become integrated as family members. But what about pot luck meals? Their consciences cannot accept the eating of meat or of pork or catfish! What do you do? How do you deal with the situation? What creative ways can you find to defer to each other: to love each other?

I am not giving you solutions. I am only asking you to consider and to think through them very seriously. I am asking us to be honest with ourselves as we consider these scenarios, too.

What is the difference between your church and other groups? If a non-Christian were to come to your assembly what is the one thing that should stand out above anything else? I won’t argue with Jesus: he says the mark of distinction is the love we have for one another. Paul seems to concur when he says we do everything we can to accept one another—to give in, to defer, and to bend over backwards in order to build each other up.

I think the best way to end this is with the blessing Paul himself gives in Romans 15:7:

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wake Up

Romans 13:8-14

Is it part of the “dad contract” that he has to be the one who wakes up everyone else in the morning? I don’t know how I got the job—well, yeah I do. I get up before everyone else. Every morning ever since our children started school it has fallen to me to wake them up. I used to do it real cutesy like:

Daddy’s coming up to your room to wake you up…

I'm 10 steps away…

four steps…

three steps…

yaaarrrh!

Then I’d pounce on the kids and tickle them until they screamed Stahaahahahap Daddy!!!

After a while that got old and embarrassing to the kids. (I quit last week) I’d still do it for a while just to show them! Now it’s the turn the light on routine and nag until they get up. This is the 10th time I’ve told you to get up!

My uncle Jess probably would have been turned into child protective services for what he did to my older cousin when he was twelve. He wouldn’t get up for school after several warnings. Finally Jess had enough and picked up a cattle prod. That was the last time my cousin Eddie had to ever be told to get up twice!

Waking up and getting going in the morning is hard for some folks—easier for others (ask my wife: Terri’s not a morning person…come to think of it, she’s not an evening person either). But there comes a time when it’s time to get going! You can’t spend your life in bed—although some would like to try. If you are going to live life, you have to get moving, get going, hop to it! And this is the imagery Paul uses in Romans 13:11. He basically says, Look at the clock! Realize what time it is! Time to get up!

“The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when you first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.”

What is he talking about? He’s telling his readers, and us, too: these are the last days we live in! Paul may had the destruction of Jerusalem in mind, but we can’t rule out he also had the last day when God will vindicate all of his children and recreate the heavens and the earth and resurrect the dead. That day gets closer and closer. It’s time to wake up and start living like you believe it! In verses 12 and following he continues:

Night time is almost done; it’s almost time for the dawn. Get rid of the nighttime lifestyle—living in the dark and darkness—and get dressed with your armor of light. Behave decently, like people who live in the light, not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and orgies, not in hateful bickering and jealousy. (Personal paraphrase)

This was a counter-cultural message then and it is counter-cultural now. When the norm is living together before marriage or chasing after someone else’s wife, drinking yourself into oblivion—the life-style of a Jesus-follower stands in stark contrast. But it doesn’t just stop with that.

Good religious folk like to point out these behaviors and say: Well, I never! But Paul adds things like “hateful bickering and jealousy.” You notice they belong to the same list? All of these actions are self-centered and selfish. I'm not concerned with the needs, feelings or best interests of others. I am pursuing what I want and that’s it. I can gloss it over, I can call it love when it’s really lust. I can pretend my motives are honorable. But Paul cuts right through it and says: It’s living in the darkness and it’s time to wake up. If you follow Jesus, you’ve entered into a new way of looking at life and a new way of living life. Quit wearing those old grave clothes! Get dressed for the day time! Put on the armor of light! He words it another way in verse fourteen: Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus. You wrap yourself up in him! When you look at him you don’t see this kind of behavior. “Well that’s Jesus!” Yes, and your point is? “I'm not Jesus!” Congratulations! But if you are a Jesus follower that is your aim to be transformed into his image! Your life is to be wrapped up in his!

Another way to describe the kind of life Christ lived is found in the verses right before this little text: verses eight through ten. Paul says: there’s only one kind of debt that’s good and that’s the kind you need to be in: to love. You owe it to love everyone! That’s the way Jesus lived. In fact, by loving people—not lusting people but loving people—you live the way Jesus did.

Jesus fulfilled the law, right? When you love people you fulfill the law, too. All of those commands such as, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet your neighbor’s wife or goods,” and all of the other commands that are out there are summed up in the one rule—the rule Jesus said was the second great command: Love your neighbor as yourself.

How is that, Paul? Quite simply: when you love your neighbor, you won’t cheat him, you won’t try to seduce his or her mate, you won’t hurt him or her or treat him or her in any way that would cause them harm. And by the way: everyone is your neighbor—including your spouse, your children, your friends, and your enemies. When you wake up and start living like it’s daylight—when you get yourself dressed up in Jesus, this is the kind of life style you live.

Paul said something like this in his letter to the Christ-followers in Ephesus. He said:

For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. –Ephesians 5:8-17 NIV-

Our problem is we are too busy being wrapped up in our own will: in what we want! Maybe this isn’t you—but it’s my observation that people in our society—and many who call themselves Christians—can be some of the most self-centered and selfish people in the world. I don’t really care how God wants me to live—this is what I want! I want what I want when I want it—and I will do whatever it takes to get what I want; even if it destroys my marriage, destroys my health, hurts other people, stomps on the feelings of the people around me, or crushes the spirits of my children.

And we are so wrapped up in that darkness, we can’t even see it!

It's time to wake up.

Paul’s like the daddy who gets up in the morning. It’s time to wake up, everyone! Look at the time! Get dressed! Start living like it’s daylight! Wake up O sleeper and rise from the dead! Christ will shine on you!

May you begin to understand God’s will. May you recognize God has made you to be wrapped up in the life of Christ. May you understand your call to die to your own selfish desires and pleasures and to wake up to the people around you: to put to death self-centered lusts, selfishness, jealousy, bitter hatred and instead, to love your neighbor—looking out for the interests of others, just as Jesus did. It’s time to wake up and get dressed!

Religion and Politics, Dude...

Several years ago I had an interesting exchange of letters between a columnist of The Tennessean, a newspaper published in Nashville. The young man was Jewish and he took great umbrage at a recent announcement the Southern Baptist Convention would start focusing a lot of attention on evangelizing Jews. We had a cordial discussion in two or three letters in which I felt we both experienced a little bit of connection. But he finally drew the line. He wrote to me thanking me for the conversation. But he really didn't want to discuss matters of faith. He ended the letter with “Religion and politics, dude. Religion and politics.”*

I respected his wishes and did not continue the discussion. But his words stuck to me. This is the constant refrain we’ve been taught: never discuss religion and politics. There’s a corresponding cliché: religion and politics don’t mix. Religion and politics, dude—religion and politics.

For Churches of Christ, religion and politics have been a challenge due to two streams of thought that began with a couple of guys named Alexander Campbell and Barton W. Stone. For those of you who aren’t familiar with these names—these men are credited with starting a couple of movements in the late 1700s and early 1800s that became identified as Churches of Christ/Christian Churches. These two men were as different as could be. While both of them had been Presbyterian ministers they had two different mind sets. Alexander was rationalistic all the way—everything seemed to focus on the intellect and logic. Barton W. Stone focused more on the heart and on the Spirit of God. Campbell sought to restore the Ancient order, Stone saw unity as his "polar star".

When it came to politics Stone and Campbell differed there, too. Stone and those who followed his line of thought—men like David Lipscomb—saw the government as in competition with the Kingdom of God. You did not involve yourself in government. Obey the laws, but don’t put your trust in any way in government. Campbell and those who followed him—men like James A. Garfield, on the other hand, saw the American government as completely blessed by God. Campbell participated freely in government—even served as a legislator in the state of Virginia. Garfield, a Church of Christ/Christian Church preacher eventually became president of the United States.

I can only imagine how Stone and Campbell might have differed in a discussion of Romans 13:1-7. Let’s take a look at the text.

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so
will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (NIV)

This text has been used and abused throughout the ages—especially by governments. Ancient kings and queens in Europe would point to this passage as justification for all of their policies. They would use the text to keep chains on their subjects and to shut them up.

But what is Paul telling us here?

To get the point we need to back up to chapter twelve and the immediate context which leads up to Paul’s admonition to submit oneself to the governing authorities. He has just told these Roman Jesus-followers under no circumstances are they allowed to take personal vengeance. If anything they are to respond to wrongs and evil with love and kindness.

But this does not mean God does not care about injustice and evil. Paul is saying God is the one in charge and he has set the world up to include governments in order to create stability and to deal with injustice and evil. Read that passage again carefully! Notice the emphasis upon punishing the evil doer and rewarding those who do good. God is a God of order not chaos.

Even so, don’t think for a moment this passage would have thrilled the occupant of the Roman throne—a particularly sordid fellow named Nero. It would have been news to him to hear he was a servant of God and put in place by God. It would have been unwelcome news to him to hear that somehow he was responsible to this Jewish and Christian God. After all, he was Caesar—the Lord and Savior of the Roman empire—the son of a god, worshipped as a god himself!

Paul is not suggesting people sheepishly view governments as particularly honorable. However, Paul is saying Jesus-followers should not be viewed as violent revolutionaries who defiantly stick their thumbs in the eye of the government, either. This is particularly relevant to these Christians living in Rome.

Rome was well known for its severe taxation. In fact, according to scholars it was not unusual to hear of violent riots in Rome by folks who just got tired of being taxed. Paul is saying Christ-followers are not to be the kind of people who riot and refuse to pay their taxes. Such behavior does not honor God.

For the Jewish Christians Paul’s words are particularlyrelevant. It will not be long before a group of Jewish Zealots will begin waging war in Palestine in an attempt to overthrow the Roman government. It will take a few years, but Rome will decisively crush the revolt and even destroy the temple in Jerusalem. It will be a temptation for Jewish Christians to want to join in the fight for freedom—after all, they didn’t quit being Jewish when they became Christians! So Paul’s advice is: obey the government. Do not become zealots and revolutionaries. God is a god of order—live orderly lives before your neighbors.

This is not to say you do not stand up to injustice when it occurs. Paul knows when to stand up, even to governmental authorities. On several occasions Paul showed no problem in confronting governing authorities and calling them on the carpet for their injustice.** God’s people are not to stand for evil and injustice.

However, Paul insists God’s people are to respect government and live quiet and honorable lives in their communities, bringing respect to the name of Jesus.

So what does that mean to us in America? Our government is a representative Republic, not an Empire or even a Greek Democracy. So how are we to behave?

Paul’s overriding concern is God’s people live orderly and honorable lives and to avoid appearing as militants. Don’t be running around joining militia movements and groups like The Republic of Texas. Obey the law.

Personally, I think Paul would be opposed to Christians picketing abortion clinics and harassing Doctors. He certainly would condemn destroying the property of others, threatening people, and resorting to violence.

I strongly believe Paul would be horrified at the antics and tactics of the Westboro Baptist Church who pickets the funerals of soldiers, holding up vicious signs designed to do nothing but hurt people. This isn't preaching truth, this is fomenting hate and bringing shame on the cause of Jesus.

This won’t be popular, but I suggest Paul would think we are misguided over our demonstrations and protestations regarding mandated school prayer worded by a school official and forced on students who might happen to be Muslim, Hindu or atheist. (Just a side note—we’re all for school mandated prayer unless the school administrator is a devote Hindu who words a prayer to the god Krisna!)

More painful: paying taxes is not an option—even if you think the government doesn’t have the constitutional right to taxation! Paul says: pay taxes. Don't pull a Wesley Snipes! It doesn’t mean you can’t take all of your legal deductions—but pay your taxes.

Romans 13:1-7 means you respect the government—even if you particularly dislike whoever is President or Governor or Senator or police chief or even dog catcher at any given time.

It means you obey local law, too. Some of the most cynical people in the world are policemen and women. You know why? Because they deal with people who claim to be Christian yet who treat them so rudely, who will lie to get out of a ticket, who seem to act as if the law doesn’t apply to them. The cynicism is not the fault of the officer. It’s our fault.

Peter wrote something similar to Christians during the reign of the same Emperor, Nero. I think Paul and Peter are in total agreement here. Listen to Peter’s words out of 1 Peter 2:12-17:

12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. (NIV)

And to capture the idea succinctly Peter says in 4:15 – “If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.”

Religion and politics, dude…Religion and politics. Do they mix? They ought to, if we act the way we ought. Paul does not discourage Jesus followers to participate in the process of government. However, he expects us to bring honor to the name of Jesus. Honor is brought by living orderly and respectful lives—honoring the authorities.

May we as the people of God honor the government. May we honor those who serve as administrators, police, legislators, and executive officers. May we never be seen as a people who are eager to cause a disturbance and draw attention to ourselves. Instead, may we live peaceful and honorable lives among those who do not know God. May we never run from speaking out against evil and injustice, but may we never do so in such a way as to dishonor the name of Jesus.
__________
*I have to admit, I was a little put out with him on what I saw as avoidance. It was he who brought up the whole topic of religion with his article! But you have to respect people's comfort levels and give them their space!
**E.g., cf. Acts 16:37-39 and 23:1-5

A willing human being is so difficult to find these days...

In April 2002 it was reported in the BBC the followers of a Hindu cult have revived the practice of human sacrifice.[1] They had been using animals but had been heavily attacked by animal rights groups for their use—so they decided to go the traditional route of human sacrifice.

I'm glad they drew the line somewhere.

As you can imagine, this too had some challenges. After all, as Dr. Sharmah—a cultural expert noted, “A willing human being is difficult to find these days.” So the worshippers of the Mother Goddess Shakti have opted to sacrifice human effigies made of floor. They figured there are no wheat-rights groups around to protest, I suppose—no organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Bread to raise a ruckus.

Human sacrifice had been utilized by ancient cultures like the Mayans, Aztecs, Greeks, Canaanites, and Romans for centuries. The practice may not have been wide spread among the Greeks, but it was known. The Romans finally abandoned it as barbaric, although they showed vestiges of it in the ritual execution of prisoners of war following a Roman General’s Triumph or during gladiatorial games. The Jews have most always viewed it as an abomination (except during times of apostasy—or whenever it appeared like the thing to do by some leader in a crisis mode). So when Paul begins Romans 12 with the words: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God"[2]—you figure it probably had to raise some eyebrows.

However, the sacrifice Paul has in mind is not a bloody sacrifice to appease some angry god. The sacrifice Paul has in mind is one that lives, not dies. But the fact the sacrifice is not dying but living doesn’t make it any easier. Sometimes dying for a cause can be viewed as a little easier than actually living for the cause and giving your life up in service. Again, as Dr. Sharmah says, “A willing human being is difficult to find these days.”

Throughout the book of Romans Paul has been arguing how God has worked out a plan to redeem all of his creation. Mankind had the chance to embrace God but had walked away from him. First the Gentiles and then the Jews. The entire creation was subjected to frustration and decay. But God worked through Jesus to create a way in which mankind and creation could be reconciled to God—a way in which man could be rescued. And through Jesus—the Jewish Messiah—God created the way for Jew and Gentile to come together and to form new Israel; to be one new man under the rule of the Messiah.

Because of God’s amazing work and because of such great mercy Paul urges the Romans to offer their bodies as living sacrifices.

But what does it mean to offer one’s body as a living sacrifice? When Paul calls this a spiritual act of worship does he mean going to church? Not at all. This is something more demanding than changing what you do on one day a week. Paul says being a living sacrifice involves something called avoiding being conformed to the prevalent culture and being transformed into something else. Some scholars refer to this as renunciation and renewal.

The New International Version words verse two this way: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Eugene Peterson captures the meaning beautifully in The Message when he translates it this way: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.[3]” If we are going to offer ourselves every day to God in the way we live we must come to grips with the fact that this is not about changing one or two little habits. So often people think being a Christian is wrapped up in the phrase: “We don’t smoke, we don’t chew and we don’t go with the girls that do!” This is not Christianity! This is merely changing some behaviors that frankly you could change and still be a self-centered atheist.

Being a living sacrifice involves a total reorientation of one’s mind. Paul has already explored this territory earlier in Romans 6 and Romans 8. We’ve been co-crucified with Christ. When we went through baptism it was like being killed and buried with Christ—and rising up to live a totally changed life-style. We are no longer operating from the mindset of a self-centered culture. Instead, we are setting our minds on the desires of the Holy Spirit. Do you see the connection? Renewing the mind involves setting our minds on God’s priorities. We are dedicating our day-to-day lives to living after what the Spirit dictates—to be, as Paul says in Romans 8:29, “conformed to the likeness of [God’s] son.” And when we find ourselves focusing all of our heart, mind and soul on Jesus and dedicating our energies to reflecting his glory in our lives—then we will know exactly what is God’s will.

Note carefully this is a body, soul, and spirit thing. The Greeks and Romans tended to view the body as merely a dish or a jar that holds the soul. Jews and Christians see body, soul, and spirit as an integrated whole. What you focus your heart on is played out in your body. There is no separation between body and spirit, spiritual and physical, religious and mundane, Sunday and Monday. This is our vocation—to live our lives totally dedicated to God day in and day out.

Paul then points out the most obvious place where this spiritual sacrifice is lived out: in relationship with each other. In Romans 12:3-5, Paul says:

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (New International Version)

This has been the issue for most of the letter, hasn’t it? All theology is practical theology. All doctrine, all teaching is lived out in how we treat people—especially the family of God. To be formed into the image of God’s son is to take on humility: to consider others more important, to find your place in the family of God and to serve. Paul compares God’s family to the human body with all its various body parts working in harmony with each other. Rather than giving us an exhaustive list of spiritual gifts Paul is merely giving some examples. His point is not that we should take gift inventories to discover our spiritual gift, but that we should devote ourselves to doing our part to make this family a healthy and loving family.

For the rest of the chapter Paul spells it out further. We need to love one another sincerely—to actually be devoted to one another and to honor each other above ourselves. The church that is filled with living sacrifices is a church where people bless each other. It is a group of people who care of each others’ needs. It is a group of people who feel so much at home with each other you can always find them in and out of each others’ home drinking coffee and tea and eating meals. They celebrate each others’ victories and they weep through each others’ tragedies. Rather than cursing each other and holding grudges and making lists of offenses—they readily forgive. They give up their pride and conceit.

This is what it means to offer your bodies as living sacrifices. This is what it means to renew your minds and avoid conformity with the world. It is merely getting into the mind of Christ—it is to become literally the body of Christ: an unselfish, loving, and joyful demonstration of God’s character.

Someone once said: “The problem with living sacrifices is they tend to crawl off the altar.” Or as Dr. Sharmah said, “A willing human being is difficult to find these days.” Don’t get me wrong, I'm glad the cult of Shakti hasn’t been able to offer real human sacrifices! But it seems par for the course that they have to resort to using effigies. Maybe that is what we’ve done. Rather than offer ourselves we’ve created suit-and-tie effigies of ourselves that only dedicate a few hours a week to engage in “God talk” and to act polite. Listen carefully: our call is not to dress nicely, act polite, and engage in some religious practices. Our calling is to dedicate our very lives every day in complete service to God’s mission of redeeming the world—of bringing his justice and mercy into the lives of those around us.

May you accept the God’s challenge to be a living sacrifice. May you devote your life to the imitation of Christ. May you demonstrate you have received God’s mercy by the love you show to those around you. Do not allow a self-centered world force you into its mold. Rather be one of the few willing ones who will die to yourself and live for God.
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[1] “Indian temple revives ‘human sacrifice’, BBC News April 3, 2002.
[2] Romans 12:1, New International Version
[3] Eugene Peterson, The Message (Romans 12:2). NavPress, 2004.

Something To Take Your Breath Away...

Romans 10:1-11:36

Have you ever run across something so intricate, so beautiful, so complex that you just had to step back and catch your breath in wonder? For Simon, Danny Glover’s character in the movie, Grand Canyon, it is the canyon itself that makes him step back in wonder—makes him feel small, even insignificant. I love his description of the canyon to Kevin Kline’s character, Mack. He says:

"You ever been to the Grand Canyon? Its pretty, but that’s not the thing of it. You can sit on the edge of that big ol' thing and those rocks... the cliffs and rocks are so old... it took so long for that thing to get like that... and it ain't done either! It happens right there while your watching it. Its happening right now as we are sitting here in this ugly town. When you sit on the edge of that thing, you realize what a joke we people really are... what big heads we have thinking that what we do is gonna matter all that much..."

What is it for you? Some painting by a great master like Leonardo or Michelangelo? Perhaps it is the human body itself or a piece of music. Whatever it is, not only does it take your breath away but it gives you this humbling sensation whoever created it must have a mind more vast and superior to your own.

In Romans 9-11 we run into this kind of thing. Paul calls it the mystery*. It is something so amazing, so complex and yet so simple, too. This mystery is filled with irony and paradox. It’s big, beautiful, designed by an incredibly superior mind and it is nothing less than God’s unfolding plan to save the creation itself.

Paul has been taking us to this point throughout the entire book of Romans. In our last discussion we examined chapter 9 and discovered Paul’s incredible sadness for his Jewish brothers and sisters who had not accepted Jesus as the Messiah. He continues with this thought in chapters 10 and 11. Paul talks about how Israel sought after the justice and righteousness of God but they missed it.

Let’s do a little background here, ok? Throughout these three chapters we see phrases describing how Israel sought after God’s righteousness and how the Jews earnestly sought after God’s justice but did not obtain it. What is this all about? You have to go back to Deuteronomy 30, a passage Paul will quote later in this passage. Moses is describing how Israel will go into exile if she proves faithless to God’s covenant. But after she is in exile there will come a time when God will circumcise their hearts**—he will clean them from the inside and restore them. Although the Jews had returned from Babylonian exile—they still thought of themselves as under exile because they were under the rule of the pagans. So the Jewish people still sought after God’s deliverance. They longed to be delivered from Roman oppression. They earnestly sought after God’s righteousness. They thought the way to do it was to emphasize their differences from the Gentiles. To use the rituals and commands of God as a means of exclusion, to set themselves apart from the nations.

But the righteousness described by Moses is summed up in Jesus. In 10:4 Paul describes Jesus as the “end of the Law” or the goal of the Law, or better yet, the embodiment of the Law. He then paraphrases Moses’ statement from Deuteronomy 30—

Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: “The man who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the deep?” (that is to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:5-9 NIV)

You want to discover the justice of God? You don’t have to go up to heaven to bring the Messiah down! You don’t have to raise him from the dead either! (You're too late, anyway--that's already happened!) The justice of God is as near as your heart, it’s on the tip of your tongue! Accept Jesus as the Messiah! Call him Lord (as opposed to calling Caesar "Lord"). God will save you by your trusting acceptance of Jesus!

He then nails his point: It doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile—there is only one God! He blesses all who calls on his name—in fact, they will be saved!

And here (vv. 14-15) we see Paul’s ultimate concern, his ultimate passion: the mission of God. How can Jew or Gentile call on the name of the Lord if they’ve never heard? How can they hear if no one tells them? How can anyone tell them if there is no one to send him or her? We’ve good news to tell—it is a beautiful thing to announce that good news!

Paul is not suggesting the good news has been unavailable. The message has gone out—but the Jews, who earnestly sought God’s righteousness, have rejected it and those who weren’t even looking for God’s justice, the Gentiles, accepted it! What irony!

The surprises keep multiplying! Paul asks in 11:1—Did God reject the Jews? Is Israel now unreachable? Absolutely not! After all, Paul himself is an example. He is a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin. God has rescued him. There is also a parallel in Hebrew history: the prophet Elijah. Elijah was running for his life from the wicked queen Jezebel. He cries out for God to take his life because all of the prophets have been killed, Israel worships idols such as Baal and Asherah, and he is the only one left who is faithful to God. But God tells him: There are 7,000 other Israelites who have not bowed down before Baal. There is always a remnant that trusts God. There is still hope for Israel.

Although the Jews rejected Jesus, they have not stumbled beyond recovery. Now are you ready for something really bizarre? Israel’s rejection of Jesus and Israel’s being rejected by God parallels the rejection of Jesus himself. Through Jesus’ rejection and crucifixion God opened the door of salvation for others. He was rejected so others could be accepted. Paradoxically, by rejecting Jesus—and by being rejected of God, the Jews opened the doors for the Gentiles! Listen and see if you can catch the parallels in 11:12-15:

But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection is reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (NIV)

Paul hopes the Jews will see the Gentiles enjoying the benefits of God’s covenant that they were supposed to be enjoying! As a result perhaps some of the Jews will say, “Wait a minute! That’s our promises and benefits. We’re now on the outside! We need to turn to Jesus and re-enter the covenant of God!” Maybe the door that opened to the Gentiles will be the door the Jews will re-enter!

But there is a problem. It is the problem of reverse discrimination. The Roman people tended to look down upon the Jews as barbaric and exotic. They thought they were second class citizens and inferior. It would be easy for the Roman Christians to think the Jews were no longer reachable and were totally rejected by God. In this way the Gentiles would become God’s chosen people to the exclusion of the Jews. But this is merely reversing what had been going on for centuries in Israel! Paul says, Wait a minute! The trunk and roots of Christianity is in Israel. You are like a wild olive branch that’s been grafted into a cultivated tree. Yes, some branches were trimmed, but don’t get arrogant thinking you’re better than the trimmed branches. If God would not spare the natural branches because of their arrogance, do you think he’ll spare you? Besides, the mystery of God is that all people: Jew, Gentile, rich and poor, slave and free, men and women would be part of the new Israel of God. That’s God’s design. The mission is to bring all peoples to God—not to try to exclude people!

So what is the point of all of this, then? I think, quite simply, it is God’s desire to reconcile as many people to himself as possible, to reconcile people to each other; to rescue his creation. He planned this from the beginning in an incredible way. God used even people’s prejudices and rejection to make possible the great reconciliation.

And what do we do as a result of all of this? Perhaps the best thing we can do is first ask ourselves some questions: Is there any group: racial, social, cultural, or whatever category you chose whom I avoid reaching? Is there any group of people I consider less than me—that I would feel much more comfortable if they weren’t in my neighborhood, visiting my church, or playing with my kids? Are there certain races I view as dangerous? I lock my car door the instant I see someone of this particular color or descent?

I can’t help but think of a graduate student at a school of Theology. He was a white guy. One day he volunteered to help move some furniture out of a warehouse in mid-town Memphis. He wore his dirty and torn up clothes. He had a couple of days growth on his face. He was standing on the street corner when an African-American couple pulled up. The woman in the passenger seat took one look at this guy and locked her door! He wanted to say: But lady, I'm a ministry student! I'm just helping people out right now…Then it occurred to him how often he did the same thing based only on someone’s color.

Ouch.

In the 90s there was a young lady who dressed in the "goth" style (I guess it's called Emo, now!). She dressed all in black, wore dark make up, black lipstick, and black fingernail polish. She went to a religious conference for young adults. The popular evangelical youth speaker walked up to her after the conference was over and said, “I feel God is telling me you have a lot of darkness in you and you need to come to Christ…” She leveled a piercing look and said, “How dare you judge me by my looks? Do you know I’ve been a Christian for several years now? I pray and study my Bible every day. I lead a Bible study for goth girls and have led many to Christ. In fact, I’ve brought several of my girls with me today.”

Ouch--again.

God has been working throughout the ages to reconcile people to him and to each other. What he has done is so powerful, so complex, so beautiful—like the Grand Canyon, it's breath taking. He calls us to join him in this mission to bring reconciliation to the world; to bring people to him through Jesus and to bring people together in peace. What a beautiful invitation! Not only is he creating a masterpiece, but he’s making us a part of it.

Now that's something to take your breath away.

What can we say to all of this? I think Paul says it best at the end of this section (Romans 11:33-36):

Oh, the depth of the riches

of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments,

and his paths beyond tracing out!
Who has known the mind of the Lord?

Or who has ever been his counselor?
Who has ever given to God

that God should repay him?
For from him and through him

and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever!

Amen.

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*Paul uses the word Mystery in his other writings, too. In Ephesians 3:6 he spells it out succinctly: This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
**So, Paul isn't the first one to come up with this idea of circumcision in the heart!