In the past weeks, as we’ve studied Chapter 12, we’ve seen Paul’s instruction as to how faith responds to God. The reasonable response in light of what has been accomplished…the answer to the question. “Why do I not sense the palpable presence of Power Himself in my days, in my life…?” “Why is it that I could care less about reading the Bible or studying the Bible or spending time in prayer, just talking to God…?” “What am I doing wrong?”
Verses 1 and 2 answered that for us. Then Paul went on to teach of how faith responds to the church. The reasonable response man…to the family of God in light of what Jesus has done…in glimpsing an understanding of His mercy, grace and love…the answer to the question, “why is my ministry stalled?” Or, “what is my ministry in the first place?” “Hold up, what’s ministry!” “Why do I feel as if I don’t do enough?” “Why do I feel as if folks are better than me?” “Why can’t I seem to fit in?” “What am I doing wrong?” Verses 3 – 8 answered that for us…
Now with a thorough understanding of doctrine, (Chapters 1 – 11), and after walking us through how we are to respond in light of that doctrine to God, and how we are to respond to the church, now Paul finally says, “you’re ready for the scoop man of how you go out there and respond in faith to the world.”
Yes how you handle the day and yes how you rise above and absolutely conquer issues and strife and worries and complications and obstacles and predicaments…how to soar man…how to win as Paul would say, “run this thing out in such a way as to win, man” in 1 Corinthians 9…but more importantly how you and I are to fulfill a) the commandments of Jesus; to place God first and then our neighbors even before ourselves thus pressing in on the mind of Christ and walking worthy of the upward calling of Christ; fully pleasing to the Lord and b) to make disciples man. This is it!
“If this is it, doo wop, please let me know!” I love that old 80’s song…and I’m letting you know! This is it! Jesus said go and be salt, have some flavor, preserve them man…be a light…light up the darkness…but how Lord?! Romans Chapter 12! Jesus said to go out to all the world and yes make disciples, yes baptize them but here’s the batteries…teaching them to observe all things (to see the truth man…to understand the truth and then to walk out the truth) and then the final piece of the primary pattern of passion….”do this,” Jesus said, “and lo I am with you always!”
Christian, here are your marching orders. Here is your war room briefing.
Romans Chapter 12 Verse 9
•“Let love be without hypocrisy.” How many did I just lose right there? Hypocrisy, the claim of one to have beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform. Oh man. Lord, how we need You. “No worries, mate…lo, I am with you always.” “But Lord I’ve messed up so much. I told them that I’m Your follower, I told them about church, I even told them what I learned at service the other day and then I went off man when they offended me…”
•“Son, I said I’m with you…the question is, are you with Me?” “Well, yes Lord I am…” And Jesus responds, “then do as my Word says. Abhor what is evil…hate it…and cling to what is good. I’ve given you good…I’ve showed it to you…first hand, one on one…when I showed you the cross…humility son. Submit yourself to truth, breathe in courage and take up your cross.”
•“Yes, Lord.” > “Um, Joe, are you busy? I just wanted to tell you that I’m ashamed of how I acted. I’m so sorry to have been like that. Please forgive me…” And the Bible says that a kind word turns away wrath (Proverbs 15:1). And all of the sudden, whether they accept it or not, whether you were even wrong in your perspective or not…doesn’t matter…you’re free and you are filled with the presence of God…
•Abhor evil Paul tells us. Man we don’t even dislike evil. You get that? Know that nature you have? That sin nature? Do you think it abhors evil…please. This is an act of the will man…this is an act of revelation homes…as you walk with the Lord and understand doctrine…as you present yourself a living sacrifice, as you walk in your gifts in the church, man reality emerges and you begin to see sin for what it is…and its reach…and the cravings of the flesh become so very dull compared to the strength of the Spirit…but understand man…this is to be learned through steps 1 and 2…go out in the world without having your mind right through the first two parts of chapter 12 and tell me you abhor evil…I don’t buy it!
Romans Chapter 12 Verse 10
•What on earth is so confusing about that verse? Irreconcilable differences, give me a break! Talking about how you’re a Christian and yet your most intimate relationship, the one between you and your wife, between you and your husband is a mess? Romans 12 Verse 10. Are you certain that Jesus is your Lord? “Love, honor and preference to eachother.” The Word of God just fixed every marriage in this room!
•Oh but we’re talking about the world, aren’t we? So that boss who is a hot head, that neighbor who is oblivious…love, honor, preference? Well isn’t that what the Lord did…when He took up His cross…when they beat Him down and mocked Him by putting a bag over His head and punching Him and then saying, “prophecy oh King, who was it that hit you?” And what did He do? He died for them!!! And you want to talk about how you’re neighbor has got you so messed up because his dog keeps stealing your newspaper! BACK TO STEP ONE MAN!
•“What am I doing wrong?” THIS man….And Paul even hooks us up with a step down into the nitty gritty of it…
Romans Chapter 12 Verses 11 – 13
•I heard a story this week of a missionary candidate who was to appear before an examiner. A veteran missionary…one who had been in the battle, serving the folks, long days and short nights, he was to make the determination if this young candidate was ready for the field. So he instructed the candidate to be at his house at 5am. The candidate arrived at 4:55am.
•“Wait for me,” the examiner said as he ushered the candidate into his study. Three hours later the examiner returned and said, “how do you spell baker?” “B-a-k-e-r,” answered the young candidate. “What’s two plus two,” responded the examiner. “Four,” answered the candidate.
•The examiner thanked the candidate for coming and showed him out. When meeting with the mission board, the examiner stated, “I highly recommend this candidate. He is ready. I asked him to arrive at 5. He arrived before 5. I tested his patience and made him wait three hours in my study and he didn’t say a word. I insulted his intelligence by asking him ridiculous questions to which he humbly and readily responded…he will do well on the field.”
•You see we’re interested in credentials and qualifications, but the Lord is interested in character. Be fervent for the Lord Paul says no matter how simple or insignificant that service might appear to be…because in doing so you might just be qualifying yourself for even greater service…and by not doing so…possibly disqualifying.
•Parents ask you to do something, “why me?” Disqualified…stumped and dead ended right there. Neighbor needs your help…grumble grumble grumble…yea I’ll help you just as soon as I get my paper back from your dog! Dead ended right there! “What am I doing wrong?” Are you absolutely GIVEN to hospitality?
•Hint…if steps 1 and 2 are right…yes you are….
Romans Chapter 12 Verses 14 – 16
•Whoa whoa whoa WHOA! Christianity is for the weaklings…? Christianity is a crutch!? Walk this out with me! This is strength on display man. This is the power of someone who has nothing to prove and only a Savior to love…a Lord to rep, man! “Bless those who persecute you; rejoice when they get the new ride, the new job…instead of you…seek humility and reject personal wisdom!?” Entirely contrary to our nature isn’t it?
•I mean this is proof this is God’s word and not man’s! Who would write this? “Hey, I want to write a best seller…” Yea, not going in this direction! Yet the number one book ever, over 6 billion in print, in nearly 2,500 languages, not the New York Best Seller the universal best seller ever! Why? Because eternity is tattooed on the heart of every human being…a need to be free…an absolute craving for the transcendental superior…Christianity is the opposite of weakness…it is for the champion.
•For the courageous. For the one who has the intestinal fortitude to deny what will feed their sin disease and suffer for the sake of someone else’s ethereal and eternal freedom, man. Not so that they can feed their sin disease…that’s the very definition of political correctness but man we take up our cross just as Jesus did and we show them grace, we show them love, we do not shy from the truth yet we never wield the sword of truth outside of the very mission of righteousness and love…
Romans Chapter 12 Verse 17
•Paul already said to abhor evil; here is a necessary step in that mysterious scrath ‘n sniff. “Scratch ‘n sniff?” Yea, in other words, there is MUCH to be learned but you won’t learn a dag on morsel of it until you actually do it! Until you actually set out to abhor evil! And the first step to abhorring evil, hating evil that is, repaying no one with evil…is to identify it.
•We waste so much time trying to figure out what’s wrong with eachother when God has called us to examine ourselves! David said, “search ME oh God!” Man, clear vision and immediate discernment of direction as to what on earth to do in this or that situation comes with the identification of evil and the rejection of it…and all of that is mirror work man…
•Where are you with the Lord? Is your life about you or is it about Him? Do you believe Him? Do you accept Him as your Savior AND your Lord? Will you do as He says…and man that’s easy, we should do what He says simply for the wisdom of it all…we don’t have to agree or even like it…my kids hate veggies, so what. They want to play in the busy street, so what. Do what daddy says man or your body will be frail and squishy…no nutrients…and do as daddy says so that your safety is just that, safe.
•God said to Satan in the book of Job, “He fears God and hates evil…or abhors evil…” And so to abhor evil, you must fear God…you must grow in Him man and understand His awesomeness, His otherness and then mirror work complete, get into the church and then church work working…pound the pavement man! Marching orders received Paul!
Romans Chapter 12 Verse 18
•This implies that it is not possible to live peaceably with some people right!? “There is a time for war,” says Ecclesiastes 3:8 and we are to be ready, prepared, willing, able, trained, strong and filled with powerful energy against it man to run out and meet them but we must make sure when we charge them that we are on the side of righteousness man…in other words we have received direct command to do so from our Commander and He is well pleased in even the condition of our heart as we engage…but we will engage!
•To be ready, prepared, willing, able, trained, strong and powered up at all times and ready to engage yet to bless those who persecute you is the very demonstrated definition of meekness. Strength under control man…power harnessed and useful to the Master…a picture of Jesus man…
Romans Chapter 12 Verses 19 – 20
•This is exactly how Jesus Christ acted towards us. That while we were sinners, His enemies, completely turned from Him and in rejection of Him, He took my cross, my punishment and my shame of my sin was heaped upon Him and man…He is worthy to receive my worship!
•That neighbor that annoys you, that coworker that disrespects you, the husband that has grown aloof, the wife that has become apathetic…the friend who betrayed you, the ex-wife that defames you…DO NOT SHARE IN THEIR MISERY but set your heart to abhor evil, to cling to good, to honor God, to represent Jesus and to free them from their misery. Pray the Lord of the harvest man (Matthew 9:38) that He may grant repentance (2 Timothy 2:25) for truly the harvest IS plentiful but those that have the strength to labor in the fields are so very few (Luke 10:2).
Romans Chapter 12 Verse 21
•“Lord, what am I doing wrong?” “Son, you’re bent on being defeated by evil. Learn good.” Message received Lord. I’m so thankful for the clear, practical, sensible…reasonable instruction of Paul.
•As he taught us doctrine, the why behind the what, so very essential to understand as we walked through chapters 1 – 11. Now he’s stepped us through one of the most, if not the most, critical, vital, essential chapters of the Bible concerning growth in the Lord. First, get our relationship right with God. Nothing happens horizontally in our lives until our relationship vertically is correct.
•Then, get active man. Serve your brothers and sisters in the Lord. Use your gifts…all of them. Develop them, get powered up and then get out into the world…they already know that religion is wrong, secular Christianity is a joke…they already know that…angry preachers and self-help schemes…the world, especially this “knowledge” generation, see’s right through that man…go show them something real.
•But first, get real yourself. Do not be overcome with evil man…quit being defeated. Grow in your love of Jesus man…”What am I doing wrong?” I’m not loving the Lord. Simple as that…all the strife, every problem, every worry, every emotional strain, every blow of the Bible bazooka, Lord help me love You more and to crush Satan under my feet.
Romans 12 vs 9-21
Calvary Chapel Cherry Creek
September 29, 2013 • Pastor Matt Korniotes
Romans 16 vs 1-27
December 1, 2013 • Pastor Matt Korniotes
Romans Chapter 16 Verse 1 •Cenchrea was a bustling port located in Corinth. And Corinth was an ancient city-state within Greece. Why is that important? Because Paul is bold man. He is out to please only God…why would I say that? Because most likely, Phoebe is Greek. Most likely she is a gentile. In fact Phoebe is another name for Diana and Corinth’s most famous deity was who? You got it, Diana! •Matt, I’m still not seeing it. Well there’s one more piece to this brazen puzzle. Paul calls her a deaconess! That word servant there in verse 1, in the Greek, is diakonos and so with this one sentence…he has once again blown the top off of religion and specifically Judaism. Why? How? Because here we see clearly that women were in formal positions of ministry in the early church! •According to the writings of the church fathers, deaconesses visited the sick, helped young women grow in the Lord, and tended the poor…all the while by virtue of the office assigned to them by the church. The office of deaconess! •And what does Paul say, “I commend to you…” That is a magnificent word (commend) too! It is synistemi which literally means, “I stand with her, I ask you to do the same!” Powerful! This is Paul man…the great church planter, the miracle apostle! And he shatters the male chauvinism that was inherited by Judaism and inherent within the early church, even within the “church” today…shatters it into pieces! •And notice her qualification…the same qualification of any servant of Jesus Christ… Romans Chapter 16 Verse 2 •The word is helper. See that? Not that she has a powerful message, that she can show signs, that she has a gift…her qualification is that she is a helper…more specifically…a strengthener, a guardian, a protector, a provider…that is what that word means literally in the Greek. •Man folks want position and they want to lead because they have the capacity and the talent…but do you have the heart? Jesus said the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life…Mark 10:45. You might be brilliant, you might be a gifted speaker, you might have all the knowledge of the Word of God but look man, you do not serve Jesus Christ until your ministry is to strengthen those around you, guard them, protect them and provide for them. •God is not interested in growing your ministry. He’s interested in serving His children. But Matt, did you see how they treated me? Do you know what they say and how they say it? How they act and blah blah blah…whom do you serve? You, or the Lord? If it’s you…those things are paramount. If it’s Jesus, those things are unimportant…Now Paul will make provision in a moment for those that conduct themselves contrary to the Word of God continually, continually, continually…I call them, “not safe.” Why? Because they drive discord and division…drive it man…and what Paul will say is, “steer clear,” we’ll see that in a moment…but while you are clear of them guess what you are to be doing servant of the Most High…protecting them! Guarding them, providing for them and strengthening them in the eyes of others…and in prayer! •That is what I look for here. Many have come to me over the years with a message, with a ministry…with a request to serve formally…and immediately I access their file in my memory and I survey…are they strengthening others, are the protecting, guarding, providing for others? That is the qualification for ministry, that is the qualification of serving the Lord man…in your home, at work, at the store, at the park…and Paul makes that clear for us here…This is wisdom you pastors. You church planters. Anyone out there maybe reading these notes or listening in on the Podcast…protect your flock homes…lest the wolves creep in unnoticed and steal the little grapes…(reference to the Song of Solomon). •Now Paul launches off into a listing of 32 friends. 33 including Phoebe. Amazing. Can you name 33 folks in this room? Check this out, just a little tid-bit of practical knowledge here, a leader strives to remember folks’ names…Means something to them…and makes them mean something to you… Romans Chapter 16 Verses 3 – 7 •Paul mentions Priscilla and Aquila who are actually mentioned six times throughout his letters in the Bible and what’s cool is that four out of six times he names Priscilla first. This was a husband and wife ministry team and to name the wife first was a clear message. Why? Because in this culture, at this time, that was entirely unacceptable. The man would always be named first. But notice, many scholars believe that it was Priscilla who had the gift man…the gift of leadership and by Paul’s writing and his sure love for them, look he wasn’t going to offend them, no profit in that, and so we can confidently conclude that Aquila was not threatened by Priscilla’s ministry but rather he supported her…strengthened her, guided her, protected her and provided for her… •Now it seems Priscilla is front stage…does that make her the spiritual leader…not at all man…the position of leader is the position of humility man…and so this doesn’t set Priscilla over Aquila by Paul writing this but rather it elevates her, his wife, a female to a position of equality…isn’t that radical man!? Paul does it all the time! •In fact, it’s here again. I don’t know if you caught it. Verse 7. Paul names Junia which is a female name and Paul calls her an apostle! Awesome! So, in the church, can women be deacons…yes of course! Can women be ministry leaders? Yes of course! Can women be missionaries or apostles? Yes of course! How can we say that? Because we see it clearly right here in the Bible! The most perfect litmus check. Romans Chapter 16 Verses 8 – 13 •Apparently momma lived in Rome. Romans Chapter 16 Verses 14 – 16 •Guys, don’t get any ideas. This word for kiss here is literally the word for a fraternal greeting…so don’t try that as a cheesy pick up line! •Now after saluting, Paul turns to a warning… Romans Chapter 16 Verses 17 – 18 •Now, who in here has never offended someone else? And who in here has never been the cause of conflict? Right…not one of us. So what is Paul saying here? Should everyone just avoid everyone? The answer is in the Greek. The word for “cause” is poieo which literally means, “that’s what it do, man.” Ok let me try in the non-New-Matt-translation. Literally Paul is saying here, those that just roam about and can’t help themselves but just start scandals man…they are authors of division among folks…Jude helped us out in his epistle saying “they are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts…emotions is what he means… •So your brother offends, forgive him. But Paul says something wise here…inspect fruit man…and cling to what is good, abhor what is evil…remember that back in Romans 12? Paul states love for real in verse 9 and then be kind, affectionate and honoring in verse 10. But what’s right in the middle of that? This word abhor! Why? How? It almost doesn’t make sense. Well let me help. For love to flourish, there must be humility man…for kindness to not be sickening…you ever had someone who just despises you be kind to your face…makes you want to puke a little bit doesn’t it? Why, because it’s fake! •For honor and affection and kindness and love to be real and genuine, compromise must be rejected man…if you really want to serve Jesus, don’t speak evil of your brother! Cut it out! It’s going to get back to them. It’s going to offend and divide and really the only reason you’re doing it in the first place is to serve not Jesus, but your own lust! Repent from that! •But Paul says mark one (how? Judgment man! But I thought we weren’t supposed to judge? No no no, we are judges…that’s the point. The Spirit of God is within us! We aren’t to krino…to condemn but man judging is what we do. Check this out…inspect fruit, identify fruit. That is how we judge. What the world really is saying, is don’t offend me. Because if I judge you cute, you call it wisdom!) Paul says mark em man…mark one who makes this their job man…and ekklino them…turn aside from them…for several reasons. First, they don’t serve our Lord Jesus Christ. They might serve their homeboy Jesus. They’re cosmic Chris Cringle Jesus. They’re commodity Christianity Christ…but they don’t serve Jesus! Because as Jesus was mocked, spat upon, hated, cursed, slapped, flogged, abused and abused and abused…never did He turn to Peter or to John and crack a joke about Gameliel….never did He complain about Caiaphas…never! And you say you follow Him? How would you ever know that you are off track man…if I share in your folly? I choose to turn aside from that… •Second, if you follow the doctrine of Jesus Christ, you’re heart is simple. Paul doesn’t mean dumb there in verse 18, what he means is sincere. And sincere people are sometimes easily led down the prim rose path…sometimes easily pulled aside. In your sincerity to want to learn more about the Lord or to be students of the Word, don’t allow those who teach a different Jesus to come into your home. Don’t spend time arguing with them, evangelize them and depart, why? •Protection. Satan is clever man and many who have thought themselves strong theologically have succumbed to those who are inspired satanically. Another reason, prioritization. Invest your energy into the fields that are white and ready for the harvest man…Jesus said that in John 4:35…in the lives of those who are open to the truth…get with the seekers, step away from the suckers. •Finally, just don’t share in foolishness. Stuff that won’t survive past this dismal dark world. Stuff that would never happen standing in front of the Ancient of Days in His throne room. Are you really a real deal Christian? Then why on heaven and earth is today any different than that day! •Paul sums it up for us in verse 19. Romans Chapter 16 Verse 19 •What he says here is to be skilled in what is good, and unmixed with what is evil. Totally different word for simple than he used before. And the result? Offense? No. Division? No. Peace and Grace… Romans Chapter 16 Verse 20 •In no time…peace and grace man…peace and grace. Romans Chapter 16 Verses 21 – 22 •Tertius obviously penned this epistle under Paul’s dictation. In other words, Paul spoke it, Tertius recorded it. Romans Chapter 16 Verses 23 – 27 •From his own testimony as a bondservant of Jesus, to theological discussions such as salvation, grace, God’s sovereignty and righteousness…to historical examples and lessons from the lives of Abraham, Moses and Adam…to who we are, you and I, as saved, rescued sinners man…made well by the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ…all the way to intense practical lessons…throughout Romans, the message has always been…God is able man…and God alone, wise.
Romans 15 vs 14-33
November 24, 2013 • Pastor Matt Korniotes
Romans Chapter 15 Verse 14 •Real quick, see the pattern there? The end of it is admonishment. Which in the Greek means exhortation, or warning. We might think of it as instructing or guiding…telling folks what to do…see what I’m saying? But notice the beginning of it? Paul says, “I am confident that you are full of goodness.” Agathosyne in the Greek…and what it really means is kindness. Only used in three other places in the Bible. Twice in the context of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5 and Ephesians 5 and once in referring to the work of faith and power in 2 Thes 1. •So the beginning of it, it what it…admonishing man…is fruit! Whatchu mean? Like apples and oranges? No man…love, gentleness, kindness…then comes the knowledge and it is only then, after those two things…you arrive at leadership! Admonishment, exhortation and warning. Does that make sense? Because we often get that wrong…”I know what’s right, I got the knowledge…let me holler at ya.” But that is not the Biblical arrangement…Exhortation, admonishment, encouragement, correction, leading begins with being full of goodness… •And so Paul here is confident in their kindness, in their knowledge and he is saying here that he would expect that they could teach these truths themselves to eachother yet… Romans Chapter 15 Verses 15 – 16 •He says I’ve spoken boldly to you on some things, some tough truths, not only because I know you can handle them but because that is what I’ve been sent to you to do. See that? Because of the grace of God so that I might minister and in that ministry grow you in Jesus that your lives as a living sacrifice, an offering, might be found to be acceptable being sanctified by the Holy Spirit…See that? He says look Romans, I got something for you in this letter. Go and seek, listen and learn, download it man and install…get the app homies…because in order to roll with God, get with righteousness, know power and the secrets of eternity, you gotta be sanctified by the Holy Spirit. •What’s that? Yea, another scratch and sniff given by Paul. Right there in verse 16. To be acceptable, the work we do, the prayers we pray, the ministry we have…must be sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Oh sanctified, what a churchy word…it simply means to be holy man…to be consecrated, separated, dedicated…to be fully rooted and focused on the Person of Jesus Christ. Wait, I thought Paul said sanctified by the Holy Spirit, not Jesus… •He did but what is the ministry of the Holy Spirit? To proclaim Jesus man! John 15:26, Jesus said, “When the Helper comes, the parakletos, the Holy Spirit, whom I shall send to you from the Father (here’s the Trinity in one verse!), the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He (a person!) will testify of Me!” And so yes, I know what Paul says here and I ask that you follow the scratch ‘n sniff! What he is teaching here is that for the work, the ministry, the marriage, the counsel, the day at work, the service at church, the prayer, the minute, the hour, the life…for it to be acceptable, answer this question in the affirmative…was it done for Jesus man? •Paul says that’s why I’ve come to you Romans in this letter. Not like last time when I tried to win you over with intellect. Remember that, Acts Chapter 17? When Paul preached in Athens only he didn’t preach the gospel, he preached an academic lesson…and no church was established! Not this time! This time it’s pure admonishment, filled with knowledge, rooted in goodness, sanctified by the Holy Spirit and fully acceptable to God…therefore…look at verse 17… Romans Chapter 15 Verses 17 – 18 •You see, he’s learned from the last time. I will not dare do it again he says. From here on out man, take it or leave it, I’m only going to teach that which I have learned myself…and what I have learned myself. And that’s quite simple…Jesus Christ came and declared that He was the Messaiah, the Savior…God in the flesh, stepped down into this mess of creation to save it…and then He taught ultimate wisdom, showed signs and wonders and foretold His death and resurrection…He said He’d take my sins to the cross…not just cover them with an animal sacrifice but do away with them entirely with His perfect sacrifice…and then He did it all…did it all! And lives today! •And notice this word obedient does NOT mean BOW DOWN! It means look there’s a truth, respond to it. If I tell you to step away from that ledge you’re about to die and you do it, would that not also be obedience? Obedience is not a bad word. It is not a demeaning or condescending word. It’s a word that means wisdom in light of the truth of an Almighty God! Romans Chapter 15 Verse 19 •Mighty signs, wonders and powers Paul says…yea Matt that sounds like my story man, that sounds like my life, what God has done, what God is doing…slow your roll hard charger…finish the verse. I know you got a story, I know you know it well, but Paul does not link mighty signs, wonders and powers to his story. What does he say here? “So that from HQ, Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum, which was a major Roman province, I have fully preached my powerful testimony…nope. The gospel of Jesus Christ. •The power is in the gospel man…the power to change hearts. Mighty signs, wonders, powers. Sometimes our stories can insulate, our testimonies…they’re very powerful, no doubt, especially to those who have known us B.C., but simply point to the cross. Paul made that mistake in Acts 17…won’t do it again in Romans 15… Romans Chapter 15 Verses 20 - 21 •People have used this verse in the past to lay down territory…but that is really taking this verse out of context. He’s talking about reaching folks for the gospel…he just finished says “everywhere.” So he’s not talking really about geography but about primary ministry. Primary ministry? Yes! •In other words he doesn’t want to fish in an aquarium! He wants to go and find and catch new fish! Know what I’m saying? People say, oh we can’t plant a church here because there is one right on that corner there…non-sense! Are you telling me that it would be a bad thing to have a strip mall with 20 churches? It would be like heaven!! •I mean we love having Antioch so close to us that they even use this building!!! No we’re not talking geography here. We cannot have too many good Bible believing, Jesus loving churches! What we’re talking about here is that God has sent us to His lost sheep so if you start a new work, go get ‘em! What would be tragic is if those strip mall churches started to argue over folks…what ridiculousness! They want to go, let ‘em go…there’s more fish in the sea man! Only a few in the aquarium… •And so Paul says, I want to seek need, see need, find need and then fill the need…I don’t want to create need…know what I’m saying? That is the heart of the one in love with Jesus man…for sure! Romans Chapter 15 Verses 22 – 26 •Most scholars believe that Paul was writing this from Corinth. Not the most inviting place for him. His heart is to go back to Rome by way of Spain. But first he says that he is going back to Jerusalem. Why? Because they are King’s Kids and they are rolling in the luxury baby…name in and claim it! Prospering with the prosperity of the gospel there in the mother land…NOT AT ALL! •Notice what Paul says here…they’re poor over there man…does this not totally refute the false doctrine of the prosperity gospel? Here are saints and what are they…poor! You see the gospel is not to make you a monetary monarch but that you would find true value, (not the hardware), that you would find out what is right, what is worthy, what is real riches man…the peace of your little one as they sleep, the extra-terrestrial satisfaction and joy of making peace or accepting that you’ve been wronged and serving anyway! The kindness of the touch of a friend, the grace and love and mercy of a God who laid down His kingdom so that you could be free…something on our own we could have never accomplished… •We were hopeless…no matter the digits in the bank…no matter the stack of titles, the education, the possessions…hopeless man…a ticking time bomb that one day would go off and we would be eternally lost…and God in His great love and compassion and broken heartedness for what sin has done to us…what our own choice has done…where it has taken us…made a decision. To give us His riches…so no this prosperity gospel, word of faith false gospel…is not Biblical…we see saints right here, right after the time of Jesus, at HQ…poor…does that make them any less a saint? •Of course not man…the word faith, prosperity gospel will leave men in charge of men and that is the root of it all…it’s a power grab. If the formula is that your bank account is equally apportioned to your faith and your righteousness in Christ then guess what? If I can show you more than you got…I’m better…bow down! Foolishness, weakness man…doesn’t matter what any of us have or have not…we all have access to Jesus! •So Paul’s heart is to go back to Rome…did he go back to Rome, yes of that we are sure. Did he ever make it to Spain? Church tradition says that he did but we have no record of that in the Bible although one thing Paul did say in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have finished my course.” Romans Chapter 15 Verse 27 •Notice the Biblical pattern. The spiritual things precede the material things…many times we get that backwards don’t we? We place material things ahead of spiritual things…Good practical way to ask yourself that…what’s the first thing you do when you come up on some material like paper (money?) Does your mind go to serving the Lord first with those tools or does it go to paying this or getting that? •Just a simple test there to discover our own hearts…we need those. Without a test, there is no testimony…no lesson learned, no truth received…faith that is not tested, cannot be trusted…Paul gives us the right order here… Romans Chapter 15 Verses 28 – 32 •Wow, so we see here that Paul had some beef at HQ. Why? Well he tells us…some of them don’t believe him. They’re suspicious of him…why? Because of what they’ve seen man…he was like Jason, Freddy, Chucky to those Christians back in the day…and some folks are skeptical. Notice his heart. Tell them, defend me, send them a letter, text ‘em…nope…pray for me. That they may see? Nope…that they may be served by me…wow. Powerful. •Why, because Paul is not after popularity or prosperity or permission or approval…he’s looking for peace man… Romans Chapter 15 Verse 33 •Blessed are the peacemakers, Jesus said in Matthew 5:9, for they will be called children of God. No others. No other is called that in Matthew 5…the peace makers….Jesus was a peace maker…He continues today…Would you receive Him today, and receive peace? Just call out to Him. Repent of your sin in wisdom. Obey His call and get off that ledge and enter into the joy of His salvation. In Jesus name.
Romans 15 vs 1-13
November 10, 2013 • Pastor Matt Korniotes
Romans Chapter 15 Verses 1 – 2 •Keep in mind, who was the weaker brother in Chapter 14? The legalist! The religious! Shocking, right! I would think that the stronger Christian is the one who has the most dos and don’ts because that’s discipline…actually, that’s only the appearance of discipline. •The fleshly man loves rules. Why? Because with rules and lists and checklists…come accomplishment and accolade. Attention and position…man. So what appears to be discipline and righteousness is actually self-centered and self-righteousness. Is it easier to just serve someone man? To set aside even your own needs for the sake of the needs of others? Is that easier? Heck no! •And so genuine discipline, real discipline…the hard stuff…is love man. It’s the weaker brother who moves and lives in legalism and rigidity. Who has rules and regulations surrounding him that are not scriptural commands, but personal opinions or conclusions and Paul tells us here, the harder path, the narrow way is to love, man. •“No way! They are such a jerk. All they do is look down on me continually. Everytime I want to go out to eat, they want to go to Sweet Tomatoes! I can’t take it!” Hold up, Paul would say. I didn’t say the harder path, the path of true discipline, the narrow way is to love them…it’s to love Jesus man…it’s to fix your eyes upon the Lord and in serving them, you serve Him… Romans Chapter 15 Verses 3 – 6 •I have written in the very front of my Bible something that helps me to understand what it is God wants to teach me everytime I open this book. It reads, “The Author of this book, His M-O (modus operendi) was and is to give His life for others.” And so Paul says look, as a Christian many times you will be called to live by the standards that other men have set and you don’t have to…yet if you walk in love, remembering the M-O of the Author of this book, then you will grow in your relationship with Him! You will grow closer to Him… •And so read this book, learn of the patience and comfort of the Lord through the pages of scriptures and be filled with hope…and then, flex man…all that hope in you will just come pouring forth when you take all that you have learned and convert it to wisdom! Put it into play! Roll out! And then what? Verse 5! The God of patience and comfort will grant you love man! He will enlarge your heart to lead man! •See that word patience? This doesn’t mean that you go about your entire rest of your life being a vegetarian with the weaker brother! This means that through the sufficiency of your relationship with Jesus, being comforted by the Word, you patiently love man and your light shining brightly, your saltiness just enriching, will set folks free man and in time, maybe a lot of time, maybe a little time…but in time toward one-another, PEACE man! Unity! Like-mindedness…they will grow man! And in it all, you will find that all along, it was your heart that needed enlarging, it was you that needed growth…And then together you will glorify God! •Now if they don’t grow, guess what. With one mouth, one mind you will be worshipping Jesus and you the stronger will realize that meat means nothing to you compared to glorifying God with your brother. Does that make sense man? That axe you want to grind. That opinion that you feel so strongly about. When God is being praised, when unity arrives…man all of that becomes what it should be…meaningless anyway. Because what really matters is that God receives them man…right where they’re at. •And no worries. Before too long you’ll have the opportunity to correct them in love. The relationship will be so strong, the light so bright, that one day they’ll come to you and say, “how is it that I should handle this…or react to that…” Oh baby BABY! Well let me show you what the scriptures say! You will get a chance to teach them truth man and you know what Jesus said, “your personal convictions will set them free!” NO! “Your amazing piety and high esteem will set them free!” NOT! No, He said in John Chapter 8, “then you shall know the truth, and the TRUTH will make you free!” •Therefore have the heart of the Author, if you are indeed the strong. Have the M-O of the One who wrote this book…to give His life man…for the freedom and salvation of others!!! Romans Chapter 15 Verse 7 •Why is it that I can’t see the 12 foot 4x4 in my eye but I can so easily see the sliver splinter in yours? It’s not a matter of discernment or attention or acute focus…”oh, it’s a gift, Matt…I can just tell you what’s wrong with people.” Not really. It’s really a matter of love. I just love myself so much that I don’t pay much attention to my own short comings. The world will sing out “love is blind” but not so…lust is blind. Love sees it all man and lays down its right to accuse…to harm…and simply loves… •Look what Jesus did…perfect in all His ways yet He Himself submitted to the law, submitted to sinful men…that’s crazy! Why? For the liberty of others man! And…because we were weak….right? Lines right up here doesn’t it? Romans Chapter 15 Verses 8 – 12 •What a major statement Paul is making to the world! To the Jew, GASP, Jesus came so that the Gentiles might glorify God! To the Gentile, GASP, Jesus came so that they might glorify God! Major game changing statement here. But Paul, don’t lay your trip on me man…you just said that I can believe what I want…oh no man, don’t get it wrong…in the gray areas of scripture man we serve and we love…if we err, let us err on the side of grace… •But where the Bible is clear and concise and quite loud, man we exhort, rebuke, convince and teach but even that, we do in love and unreligious genuine faith from a life that has “found it out” man, not just learned it, but found it out…!!!!…Turn over to 2 Timothy Chapter 4 for just a moment and read with me verse 2. •See that phrase embedded by the Holy Spirit? “With all long suffering…” When you teach, serve. When you rebuke, serve. When you exhort, serve. And when you convince man…let it be with your service!!!! And so Paul here, doesn’t state what he believes. He is laying no trip. What does he do? He backs up precisely the point he made with peculiar parts of God’s Word! The Bible! Scripture! •That’s the key! That is where the power is man…the power to convince, to rebuke, to exhort, to teach…to love man…to serve! •And what does he say to the world using the scriptures? “You’re wrong, see it my way!” No! He says, “sing!” “Rejoice!” “Praise!” “Because there is hope!” THAT is what we say to ourselves, but to others we so often say, “Dumb, Dumb, give me gum gum!” We so often withhold softness and encouragement and go right for direction and correction! Why? Because we are pressing our point! Protecting our personal peace. Not loving, not serving, not honoring or representing Jesus accurately… •The craziness of it all is that will leave us impatient and uncomfortable around that other person…huh? All the way back in verse 5 of Chapter 15…”Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.” •Well Matt we are like minded…we hate eachother…nice…but Paul said, “according to Christ Jesus.” So, do it your way…according to the passing pleasure of sin and you’ll have what only you can provide…impatience (I’m great at giving myself that) and discomfort…but do it God’s way man and see the truth…that love is the more mature way, grace is the stronger path and that knowing God and being close to God will leave you dripping with both…do it God’s way and take a step back for a minute and realize in courage that you’re not as close to Him as you think…and open your heart to receive His heart for them and guess what…you’ll get what you’re really after man…joy. •Look at the next verse… Romans Chapter 15 Verse 13 •Zinger! Winner! We heard before “God of patience. God of comfort.” Now we hear “God of hope.” A little secret here. A little Bible mathematics here…God of patience, God of comfort, God of hope. The result of comfort and hope is patience. The result of patience and comfort is hope. The result of hope and patience is comfort. The result of believing…placing your trust in Jesus and forgiving…placing your trust in Jesus and simply loving, simply serving, simply believing God’s Word…all three man… •And once secured…once you see the forest for the trees man…a few more words of awesomeness to add to your quiver, “abound.” Not just survive. Man, God did not give all the He had so that you and I can “make it!” What a ridiculous religious carnal satanic notion!!! Abound man! Not just tolerate that person but abound in love for them! Not just tolerate your job but abound in hope! Not just appease your wife or your husband or your parents but abound in patience for them! Not just have your relationships copacetic and unbothersome but abounding in comfort as you come together again and again! •If you’re lacking in any of that…time to consider the cross man. What God paid for your freedom is directly related in impact and proportion to the very freedom that was bought…so what’s the problem? The 4x4 in your own eye man…your own pride man…your own internal scream deep down that I should do it your way man! Which keeps you right where the enemy would have you…stagnate in your spiritual sophistication… •Your capacity, your potential…powerful and limitless but absolutely incompatible with your flesh…and so if you find your capacity and potential less than comforting…guess what is most likely very strong in your heart, soul, mind and strength? Your flesh… •Not belief. Right here look, in believing you abound and in believing you are filled with irrational, extra-terrrestrial power why? Because in believing, truly believing, you open your heart to receive the heart of God…and the power of the Holy Spirit mushroom clouds in your life man… •Will you settle for less? I pray you do not. I pray you see your worth to your Father in heaven…and their worth too…precisely, eternally equal…and that that He would give everything for you AND for them….and that truth that would fill you with courage to give everything to Him! That truth would set you free…