This past Sunday morning I woke up early and was spending time in prayer and preparation as the sun rose and began to cut through the light fog drifting through my yard. Tracks of sunlight happened to illuminate one of the apple trees in my yard, bathing it in light as if a spotlight was directed upon it alone. I reflected on the life of that apple tree and how long before I ever moved in, someone had carefully grafted a branch onto the root of a hardy apple variant that could withstand our harsh Minnesota winters.
This root became the source of nourishment and life for the branch as it grew, producing branches and fruit of a variety different from the natural fruit of the root. Horticulture provides a fascinating parallel to life in Christ Jesus.
In Romans, Chapters 9-11, the Apostle Paul writes about the condition of God’s chosen people (Israel) in regards to Jesus the Messiah. Just as today, there were many Jews 2,000 years ago who did not believe Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah. This disagreement among Jews was so heated that it was the reason all Jews were kicked out of the capital city of Rome prior to Paul’s letter. For Jewish Christ-followers, this estrangement must have been a source of tremendous personal and familial grief. Perhaps you have experienced in your own life a child or a spouse who has turned away from the Christian faith and wants nothing to do with Jesus. You know what that pain feels like.
At the same time, Jewish Christ-followers were finding that the Holy Spirit was bringing an increasing number of Gentiles eager to put their trust in Jesus. Truly, it appeared that God was doing something new and with it came hardship as well as joy. The Apostle Paul saw what was happening and found a perfect metaphor in the beautiful groves of olive trees that surrounded Rome. Paul recognized that the Master Gardener was hard at work.
In preparation for this Sunday’s message,read Romans 10:16-11:36.
Paul's Letter to the Church in Rome: Sufficiency of Christ in Defense of the Gospel
July 24, 2022 • Pastor Chris Pappenfus • Romans 10:16—11:36
Living in the light
August 7, 2022 • Pastor Chris Pappenfus • Romans 13
This last Sunday, Becca Gamboa led us through the ABCs of our Spiritual Transformation as outlined in Romans, Chapter 12. Transformation is Amazing as it Begins within, Continues Cooperatively, Demands our Devotion, and is subject to ongoing Examination. From here, the author of Romans (the Apostle Paul) wants the Jesus-followers in Rome to recognize that this transformation will have an effect on the way they live their lives. As difficult as it may be for us to imagine, there was no such thing as a casual/cultural Christian in Paul’s time. To be a Jesus-follower in the first century was counter-cultural, both within the broader Greco/Roman culture and the Jewish communities throughout the Mediterranean. Where all people of the Roman empire were expected to declare, “Caesar is lord,” Christians confessed, “Jesus is LORD.” While prevailing cultural norms favored a pantheon of religious rituals, Christians preached exclusive salvation in Christ Jesus alone, drawing opposition from both Jews and Gentiles alike. In the face of such a reality, no one would blame Christians for wanting to either blend into their surroundings or withdraw and try to “live off the grid.” Instead, Paul instructs them to put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12) and cloth themselves with Christ (Romans 13:14). In Chapters 12-15, Paul admonishes the believers in Rome to truly live transformed lives and provides them with specific examples of how to do this in their everyday lives. In preparation for this Sunday, reread Romans 12 and continue through Romans 13.
Transformations
July 31, 2022 • Becca Gardner • Romans 12
This Sunday, we will be spending time in one of the most beloved chapters in the letter to the Romans. A chapter that talks about transformation, the duty of Christians, and how living a life for Christ should look so different from the culture in which they live. Paul urged the Christians in Rome to stop copying what they saw others doing around them. Today, this continues to be relatable, as we tend to play the dangerous game of comparing ourselves to others, thinking that we must be okay if we are doing "better than so and so." Let us come ready for a fresh perspective on the words that the Apostle Paul penned in Romans 12 (or rather, his scribe, Tertius). Be prepared to feel challenged, as we recognize the continued call to not be like this world, but to love those in it well. In preparation for this Sunday’s message, read Romans 12.
Paul's Letter to the Church in Rome: Believe and Be Saved
July 17, 2022 • Pastor Chris Pappenfus • Romans 9—11
Throughout the summer, the sermon series has focused on the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Christian Church in Rome. Thus far in Romans, Paul has insisted that faith, rightly placed in Jesus Christ, is all that is needed to be made righteous in God’s eyes. Sanctification is the result of God’s grace and not a prerequisite. The gift of God in Christ Jesus is not based on our righteousness, but on God’s mercy. Through his faithful obedience, Jesus has set right what sin had corrupted. Jesus is the “New Adam;” having restored what the first Adam destroyed. Therefore, we are no longer slaves to sin, but are instead, bound to Christ. The Roman church was a mixture of Jewish and Gentile believers who were coming into conflict concerning adherence to the Law of Moses. By the time Paul wrote this letter he had a reputation among all Christians as the “Apostle to the Gentiles.” So, it would be understandable that Jewish Christians might feel like Paul is insensitive to their convictions or even failing to present the true Jesus; who was, after all, a Jew! In Romans Chapters 9-11 Paul shares his love for his Jewish brethren and conviction that God has not abandoned Israel or forsaken His Covenant with them. Instead, Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise that began with Abraham and included the Law of Moses and all the prophets. Just like the judges and prophets of the Old Testament, Paul recognizes where his own people have fallen short of the covenant and desperately desires all to put their trust in Jesus. Paul’s assertion is simple: God has not forgotten or abandoned the Jews, but he has instead welcomed all people through faith in His Son, Jesus. Paul writes, “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same LORD is LORD of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” (Romans 10:12-13). But this faith is not without consequence for those who believe. In fact, the Spirit of God compels us to proclaim the Gospel of Salvation in Christ Jesus to all people. Christians are not so heavenly-minded that they are of no earthly good. Instead, we recognize the necessity of Christ for all people and labor to see all people come to faith in Jesus. In preparation for this Sunday read Romans 9-10.