“Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on – shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. – Acts 27:10-11

Been there, done that. How often do we ignore the advice of others or the prompting of the Holy Spirit because we feel we have a handle on the situation? We know what is best and believe we can handle anything that might come our way. There have even been times in my life when someone pulled me aside and warned me there could be trouble ahead if I continue with my plans. In that moment, I had a choice – listen or do things my way. The officer had the same choice.

When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale. – Acts 27:13-15

There are times in our lives when what first appears as a light wind becomes of wind of typhoon strength and before we know it, we have lost control of our direction. No matter how hard we try to turn things around and go in the other direction, we fail and find ourselves giving up.

We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind.

The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone. – Acts 27:16-20

In the midst of the storm, have you ever tried to keep it together on your own, like the sailors who used ropes to try to keep the ship from falling apart? Have you ever lowered anchor in order to control the situation? Things continue to get worse until there is no more light – no more hope.

No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.” – Acts 27:21-26

Oh, we could all use an occasional “I told you so” but I much prefer the rest of Paul’s message – Take courage! You’ve made a mess of things and there will be consequences, but I am right here standing beside you and will keep you safe in the midst of the coming shipwreck. Like Paul, I choose to believe God – that it will be just as He said!

Thank you, God, for taking the messes we have made in our life and keeping us safe in the storms. We give up control of the situation and place this ship in your arms. Thank you for your promise to stay with us and take care of us, even in the midst of the consequences and mess we have made. You are so good to us and we love you! Amen.

An ABRUPT CHANGE – That is what Paul and those on the ship to Italy experienced. It was not a good time for water travel because it was late in the Fall and a change in weather was to be expected. Paul advised the men that there would be trouble ahead if they sailed – shipwreck, loss of cargo and danger to lives. But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul (Acts 27:11b).

Even though common sense said it was a bad idea, and even though Paul had predicted trouble if they went forward with their plan, the men did not want to spend their winter in Fair Havens. They wanted to make it at least as far as the harbor in Phoenix. Oh, how often I push forward with my own plans even though I know it is unwise!

When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. But the weather CHANGED ABRUPTLY, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale (Acts 27:13-15).

This reminds me of the times when we see the error of our ways or the foolishness of our decisions. We try to change course or survive our bad decisions, but our efforts make very little difference. It seems like everything is going well, according to our plan, and then some circumstance ABRUPTLY CHANGES and we find ourselves in the middle of a storm.

Scripture says those on the boat were afraid. They tried everything. They threw cargo overboard, they bound ropes around the hull of the ship in order to strengthen it, and they even threw some of the ship’s gear overboard. They lowered the anchor and drug it in hopes of slowing the boat down but they were driven by the wind. The terrible storm raged on, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone (Acts 27:20).

DRIVEN BY THE WIND – When we give up, we often let the circumstances and the decisions of others around us drive our life. We have stopped trying to win the battle and we just let life happen. But that is not God’s desire for us. He wants to be the One driving our life – determining our direction and guiding our decisions.

Well, Paul’s story ended well. God granted safety to everyone sailing with Paul. Paul led them in a time of prayer and the next morning they saw a bay with a beach. They attempted to make it to shore but the boat ran aground in the shallow water. They jumped out of the boat and headed to shore – some swam and some floated to shore on debris from the ship (Acts 27:39-44).

Sometimes we are able to “swim” to the shore God has provided but sometimes God uses the debris from our shipwreck to get us to where He wants us to be. We find ourselves in a situation that was never God’s plan for us, but He rescues us and provides an escape when we turn to Him for help. Sometimes it is those things that were never meant to happen that God uses to take us from the disaster we have created to the haven of rest He has prepared.

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgment. – 2 Timothy 1:7

Thank you, God, for your goodness and for your grace. I praise you for you are a God who rescues, even when I am the cause of my need to be rescued. You are patient and you are kind. Lord, today I ask that you direct my path. I desire to follow your lead and sail down the path you have for me. I love you, Lord. Amen.

Yesterday, we looked at two very difficult days that Paul experienced. He had arrived back in Jerusalem from his third missionary journey, bringing gifts from the new Gentile believers to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. As was the custom in those days, Paul headed to the Temple for the purification ritual. When the seven day ritual was almost complete, Paul was confronted by some Jews from the province of Asia. They started a riot and drug him out of the Temple. The crowd became so violent that the Roman soldiers stepped in and rescued Paul, lifting him high above their shoulders to protect him (Acts 21:26-35).

With the Roman commander’s permission, the crowd was hushed and Paul stood on the steps to speak to the people. He had every right to be hurt and angry, but instead he used this opportunity to share his testimony, to tell his story. They listened quietly until he told them how the Lord had called him to minister to the Gentiles. This made them angry and they starting yelling, throwing off their coats and tossing handfuls of dust into the air (Acts 21:37-22:23).

The commander brought Paul inside and ordered him lashed with whips to make him confess to whatever crime he had committed, for surely he had done something to cause this kind of anger against him. When the commander realized Paul was a Roman citizen, he changed his approach and the next day took Paul to defend himself before the Jewish high council, which did not go well. When the commander learned of a plot to kill Paul, he put together an army of 470 soldiers to safely transport Paul to Caesarea where he could explain his situation to the governor (Acts 22:24-23:35).

Paul sat in prison for five more days, waiting for his accusers to arrive. Finally Paul stood before Felix and listened to the lawyer Tertullus present a false case against him. Now it was time for Paul to speak for himself, so he stood before the courtroom and shared his testimony, he told his story. Not ready to declare Paul guilty of anything, the governor dismissed the courtroom and sent Paul back into custody. But God gave Paul favor with Felix, and Paul’s friends were allowed to visit him and take care of his needs while he was in custody (Acts 24:1-23).

A few days later, Felix sent for Paul to come and share his testimony, to tell his story, to Felix’s wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Felix was frightened by all Paul had to say about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment. He sent for Paul often so that they could continue their talks. Two years of this confinement went by as Felix kept Paul in prison in order to appease the Jewish leaders, and MAYBE because he liked having Paul to talk to (Acts 24:24-27).

Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus and soon stood before the new governor. With his accusers from Jerusalem making serious accusations against him, Paul stood strong in his faith and shared his testimony, he told his story. It was obvious that the new governor wanted to please the Jews for political reasons, so Paul appealed to Caesar so that Festus could not send him back to Jerusalem to stand trial. Before going to Rome, Paul was given one more opportunity to give his testimony, to share his story, before King Agrippa and the king’s sister, Bernice, as well as Governor Porcius Festus.

“…I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. In fact, that is why the 12 tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?

“And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’” – Acts 26:6-18

Paul spoke BOLDLY before the King. Agrippa interrupted him, “Do you think you can persuade m to become a Christian so quickly?”

Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.” – Acts 26:26,28-29

Lord, give me a heart like Paul’s that would still be thinking of the salvation of others, even after spending more than two difficult years in prison. Give me a mouth that would speak boldly for you. Give me the courage to share my testimony, to tell my story, at every opportunity.

Heavenly Father, protect your people from false accusations and unfair treatment. Provide a way out for us when difficulties and hardships come our way. Give us favor with government officials and preserve our religious freedom, but prepare us for the moments in which our faith is on trial. We love you so much, Father God. Amen.

Paul, the man who had persecuted Christians and pursued them like prey, is now the victim of the same kind of persecution. He had this incredible encounter on the road to Damascus, which became a life-changing experience. He repented of his sins, was baptized and responded to God’s call on his life. And he lived happily ever after…

No, that is not exactly what happened. Paul experienced wonderful times where the message of Jesus Christ was accepted, people were healed, and new believers were baptized. But there were also very difficult times for Paul. More than once he was mobbed, arrested, beaten and imprisoned. The crowd even followed behind him shouting, “Kill him, kill him!” (Acts 21:36)

So here is the age-old question: Why do bad things happen to good people? Paul is an excellent example. If Paul had submitted to the Lordship of Christ and was giving his life to preaching the gospel of Jesus, why was he experiencing such horrible persecution?

I know of a wonderful Christian woman who had a massive stroke two weeks ago. Today our Church family and friends in Texas will gather at her funeral. Her husband, whose faith is strong, is now without his best friend and forever love to walk this journey of life with him.

Another Facebook friend spent the weekend at the Children’s Hospital with her son as he received yet another round of chemo. She is a pediatrician but there’s nothing she can do to protect her son from leukemia.

I have a Christian friend who was in a terrible accident last summer. She spent weeks in the hospital fighting for her life with a strong desire to heal for the sake of her husband and young son. She has been gone for a year now and is missed by her husband who loves her so much and a little boy who is left with some wonderful memories of a mother who adored him.

I could go on for pages – infidelity, divorce, disease, heartbreak, persecution, unemployment, financial hardships, loss and grief. The reality is that we live in an imperfect world. We may serve a perfect God but there’s no guarantee we will never experience a difficult time. But I’m encouraged by how Paul’s story ends in this passage.

Paul had experienced two very difficult days. What started out as a morning trip to the Temple to start the purification ritual, ended up with false accusations and a mobbing, which turned into a full-blown riot. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple. As the Jews were trying to kill Paul, Roman officers arrived and arrested him, placing him in chains. The crowd was so violent they had to lift Paul over their shoulders to protect him. Paul tried to defend himself against their false accusations but the crowd interrupted him (Acts 21:26-22:23).

That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.” – Acts 23:11

In the midst of the persecution, God made His presence known to Paul.
In the midst of the difficulties, God spoke words of encouragement to him.
Knowing the desire of his heart, God revealed to Paul that he would survive this experience and have the opportunity to preach the Good News in Rome.

Isn’t God wonderful? No, He doesn’t always shelter us from hard times but He never leaves us alone. He brings comfort in the midst of struggles and encouragement to strengthen us for tomorrow. Praise God for the spirit of power, love and sound judgment that He gives us in place of our fears.

For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love and sound judgment. – 2 Timothy 1:7

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, HELP YOU LIVE in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. – Romans 15:5

Not a list of rules. Not a standard to live by. Not a measurement of our righteousness. God calls us to holy living by helping us to live a holy life. This is not of our strength, but of His; not to be done on our own but through the Holy Spirit living within us. Then we give into the urgings of the Spirit instead of the urgings of the sinful nature.

In chapter 15, Paul is instructing the Romans to live in complete harmony with each other, to accept one another. If we do this out of our human ability and despite our own opinions and perceptions of other people, we get the glory and most likely fail in the end. When we allow God to help us live this kind of life Paul is describing, God is glorified (5:7) and the body of Christ can succeed in living in harmony with each other.

I pray that God, the SOURCE of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope THROUGH the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13

You hear the word “hope” thrown around a lot these days. It is one of my favorite words or concepts. We use the word “hope” throughout the ministry of Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center – hope for those facing an unplanned pregnancy when they come to us overwhelmed and scared, hope for the future of the mother and hope for the future of her unborn baby. We even named our parenting education program H.O.P.E. – Helping Others Parent through Education. Our website is www.hopeforafuture.com based on Jeremiah 29:11.

Why do we use this word as much as we use the word “life” – because we know that God is the only source of hope in her situation. If we can be there to help her trust in God for her future and the future of her unborn baby, He will fill her completely with joy and peace until she is overflowing with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. We see it happen every week – not of our strength or the result of our human effort but because of God’s help – to God be the glory!

I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. So I have reason to be enthusiastic about ALL CHRIST JESUS HAS DONE THROUGH ME in my service to God. Yet I dare not boast about anything except WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE THROUGH ME… – Romans 15:16b-18a

Paul goes on to show many examples of things God can do through us when we devote our lives to Him:

My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else (15:20).

For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially (15:26-27).

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been HELPFUL TO MANY and especially to me (16:1-2).

Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila…they once RISKED THEIR LIVES for me…also give my greetings to the church that MEETS IN THEIR HOME (16:3-5).

Give my greetings to Mary, who has WORKED SO HARD for your benefit (16:6).

Greet Ampliatus, my DEAR FRIEND in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our CO-WORKER in Christ, and my DEAR FRIEND Stachys (16:8-9).

…to dear Persis, who has WORKED SO HARD for the Lord. Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has BEEN A MOTHER TO ME (16:12-13).

God, we give today to you. We empty ourselves out of our own attempts and our own strengths and abilities and ask that you fill us with your Spirit and work through us to day. Help us to be open to however you want to use us, whether that’s working hard or giving generously to those in need or being helpful to many or simply helpful to one who really needs a friend or a co-worker in Christ today. Show us those who need us to be there for them today. May our life be defined today by ALL THAT CHRIST JESUS HAS DONE THROUGH US. Amen.

Paul continues to give great life applications of the gospel in the next chapters. None of these are unfamiliar to us but helpful to remind ourselves. As we did yesterday, let’s remember that this is not a set of behaviors and customs to copy but rather a transformation of ourselves by God into a new person, changing the way we think and the way we live. So, as God daily transforms us and we grow in our faith, what will our lives begin to look like? They will begin to look like INTEGRITY. They will begin to look like LOVE.

We worship God and serve Him only, but we submit and show respect to governing authorities (Romans 13:1). We do so not out of fear of punishment but because it is the right thing to do. It is integrity.

We give to everyone what we owe them (including love) and owe nothing to anyone (13:7-8). This includes paying any taxes we owe to the government and refers to showing those in authority the respect and honor we owe them.

Owe nothing to anyone – except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of the law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These – and other such commandments – are summed up in this one commandment. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. – Romans 13:8-10

We remove the dirty clothing of indulging in evil desires and put on the shining armor of right living (13:12,14b). Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy (13:13). The first part of that list seems pretty easy to avoid – I have no desire for those things. But notice how Paul lumps quarreling and jealousy in with wild parties, drunkenness, promiscuity and immoral living. We can have victory over all of these things if we “clothe ourselves with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ” (13:14a).

Paul goes on with this idea of refraining from quarreling, putting it in the perspective of not judging or condemning one another. When we are clothed in the presence of Jesus, we accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong (Romans 14:1). Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval (14:4). So God will do the judging and He will help them while we do what? Love one another – that is all we are obligated to do.

So, out of love for one another, we stop condemning each other and decide instead to live in such a way that we do not cause another believer to stumble or fall (14:13). Paul goes into the example of what we eat and drink, how followers of Christ have different opinions of what is right to put into our bodies. I think of the issue of alcohol. I feel strongly about my stand against alcohol, therefore it would be wrong for me to drink – I believe it would cause me to stumble and others who would see what I was doing. Now I have a lot of close friends fully devoted to God who do not hold my same convictions. What do I do with this? Paul makes it clear – I don’t condemn them, I don’t look down on them. Each of us will give a personal account to God and He will be our only Judge (14:10-12).

I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. – Romans 14:14-23

We do what we believe is right and avoid doing anything we have doubts about or that might cause someone else to stumble, serving Christ with a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. So I may have to give up something I have no personal convictions about simply because the Holy Spirit is asking me to put the needs of others before myself. Or, going back to our first point today, out of submission to the authorities of the Church in which I worship, I may give up something or avoid doing something.

We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself…May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. – Romans 15:1-3,5-7

The rest of his letter to the Romans, Paul applies the gospel he has just explained. There is a lot of helpful information in chapter 12 on what our life should look like, but we have to be careful that we do not see it as a new set of rules to obey. Let’s go back to two verses we looked at yesterday – the first two verses of chapter 12.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. – Romans 12:1-2

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world…

That can be defined two different ways. We first think of it as the sinful and selfish ways of the world. We are given the Spirit so that we no longer have to be slaves to sin and give in to the urgings of the world. But let’s look at it another way. Don’t copy what the world says is socially acceptable and good. That’s self-righteousness. If we try to be a good person and avoid being a bad person, we are just that – a good person, but still a slave to sin.

… but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

God’s gift of the Spirit living in us changes us into the person He created us to be. It’s not a list of rules to follow but a God to follow, not a set of socially acceptable norms but a life-altering sacrifice where our body / our life is no longer our own but we submit to His will – which is good and pleasing and perfect.

So instead of listing all the great life applications Paul gives us in Romans chapter 12, let’s pray this Scripture together. Let’s agree on these things for you and for me. I need this prayer this week because there are some situations in which the enemy is trying hard to conquer what God intends for good. I don’t know what you are facing this week, but I pray this prayer for you.

Heavenly Father, we offer our lives to you again. We ask that you continue to transform us into new people. Open up our hearts and minds and make us into new people by changing the way we think. Show us your will for our lives – your good, pleasing and perfect plan.

Give us a humble spirit so that we do not think too highly of ourselves but instead honestly evaluate and measure ourselves by the faith you have given us. Help us to see ourselves as part of the body of Christ with a gift you have given us. Use us and our gifts for your purposes this week.

Lord, show us when we are simply pretending to be something we are not. Help us to go beyond our human efforts to be a loving person and, instead, truly love with YOUR love. Break our hearts at what breaks your heart and give us a hate for the things you hate, holding tightly to what is good. May we love each other this week with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other, rather than judging or speaking poorly of each other. Help us not be lazy, that is a focus on ourselves instead of on you. Help us to work hard and serve you enthusiastically. When things get rough, may we rejoice in our confident hope, be patient in trouble and keep on praying. When we see God’s people are in need, may we be ready to help them and eager to practice hospitality.

Lord, you call us to live in harmony with one another and we know that this requires a transformation by you into a new person. Do a work in us that causes us to pray blessings on those who persecute us instead of curses. May we be happy with those who are happy and sincerely weep with those who weep. Take away any pride or thoughts that cause us to think more highly of ourselves than others or to think that we know it all.

May we not pay back evil for evil but instead do things in such a way that everyone can see that YOU are honorable. May we do all that we can to live in peace with everyone – but more than that! More than “all we can” but may we live with all that YOU can. So rather than taking revenge, we leave the righteous anger to you, God.

If our enemies our hungry, give us a heart that desires to feed them.
If our enemies are thirsty, may our first response be to give them something to quench their thirst.

We are your servants, your children. Fill us with your Spirit and do a transforming work in us in which evil cannot conquer but that evil is conquered by good. Together we ask for all of these things in your precious holy name, Amen.

Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have the right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? – Romans 9:20-21

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. – Romans 12:33-36

Our God is so magnificent! Our Creator is so marvelous and His creation displays His glory and His power! It speaks of how BIG He is and how STRONG He is and how BEAUTIFUL He is! Who am I to question His plan? Who am I to argue with Him? I am a mere human being. He is the potter and I am the clay.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. – Romans 12:1-2

There’s two ways of thinking. There is the thought that I invite God to be a part of my life when I believe and confess (Romans 10:9) and then there is the thought that I give myself to God and now I am a part of His life. I either include God into my life or I step into His. God either becomes a part of my story or I become a part of His.

And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their descendants will also be holy – just as the entire batch of dough is holy because the portion given as an offering is holy. For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too. But some of these branches from Abraham’s tree – some of the people of Israel – have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, have been grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in the rich nourishment from the root of God’s special olive tree. – Romans 11:16-17

Again, two ways of thinking. I am a root with many branches – my family, my job, my hobbies, my friends and now I have a God branch and a church branch. OR God is the root and I am now one of His branches. I am not who I used to be with a little God mixed in, I am in a new creation – transformed into a new person. I am now a branch of His. I don’t fit God into my schedule by setting time aside for Him, I give Him my schedule and let Him have all of my time.

Not only am I now a branch of His tree, I am also a member of the body of Christ. Other Christians don’t suddenly become a part of my life, existing for my benefit, but I become one of many who mutually work together for the cause of Christ. Side by side, hand in hand, we do what God has called us to do. We are one body, not competing for position but sincerely serving one another as we serve Christ.

Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. – Romans 12:3-8

God does not become a part of my life to make my life better, He calls me to be a part of His life for His glory and for the benefit of His plan. It’s not about me and my life story, it’s about the Giver of Life and how I fit into His story.

Yesterday in church, Pastor Lloyd Brock preached about influence at Pekin First Church of the Nazarene. He had John & Cheryl Sherwood come up and share their testimony of influence. Having both grown up in this church, they were able to speak of the many people who had influenced them since they were children. They then spoke of the many ways in which God has allowed them to be used by Him in the lives of others, to be an influence to those around them. Their testimonies of growing up in the church, raising their family in the church, and investing back into the ministry of the church were beautiful!

Then at 11am, we went over to the church that Pekin 1st started 9 years ago – the product of their influence. We went to Bridgeway’s annual “Party at the Park” and enjoyed an incredible service, which included powerful worship, baby dedications, cardboard testimonies, and baptisms. The first woman to be baptized had just accepted Christ this week. After coming up out of the water, she threw her arms up in the air in celebration of the new life she was experiencing. We heard testimonies of “I was…but now I am…” and my heart celebrated the many victories, including the victories of those Pastor Jeff Stark led to the Lord at the end of the service. It was an incredible morning!!!

Whether we grew up in the church or experienced salvation later in life, Paul’s letter to the Romans helps us understand our salvation and the gospel of Jesus Christ. He warns us not to fall into the mindset of earning our salvation by our church attendance or the following of a set of rules or by simply being a good person.

They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshipping him and receiving his wonderful promises. – Romans 9:4-5

They were born with the privilege of being an Israelite, a child of God. They had been taught the law and the importance of following the law their whole lives. They grew up learning the prophecies of Isaiah and others who told of the coming of the Messiah. Yet, they missed it. They were so determined to keep things the way they had always been that they missed their opportunity to worship the Christ Child, to follow Jesus, to be healed, to grieve his death and celebrate his resurrection.

Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said,

“I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall.
But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” – Romans 9:30-33

They missed it. The promised Messiah was right there in front of their eyes and they missed it. Christ had come to accomplish the purpose for which the law was given so that those who believe in Christ can be made right with God and they chose the law instead (10:4).

I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. – Romans 10:2-3

Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way. Can you relate? Have you ever been there? Lord, show me if that is where I am at right now – clinging to my own way instead of chasing after Yours. Lord, help all of us who grew up in the Church, grew up studying your Word, and yet try to get right with You in other ways than by trusting. Open our eyes to the times when we say, “I wish God would answer my prayer” or “I wish God would talk to me” or “I wish God would take care of this situation” when You are here in our presence doing all You have promised to do.

For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all its commands. But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” In fact, it says,

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. – Romans 10:5-10

Lord, give us a fresh faith. Show us the ways in which our walk with you has become simply going through the motions of what we have always been taught. Give us a fresh understanding of what it means to believe in our heart. Take our eyes off our insistence that we are doing everything we are supposed to do and open our eyes to what you want us to do. Make us a people of influence in the lives of those around us, as we praise you for those who have had an influence on us. Amen.

What then shall we say about these things? (Romans 8:31). Paul is wrapping up his explanation of the gospel in his letter to the Romans before he goes on to apply the gospel. He starts out chapter 5 talking about God’s love, gives evidence of what God has done for us out of His great love, and then concludes with the strength of God’s love – that nothing can ever separate from the love of God.

Out of His great love for us, God gave us His one and only Son, so that we could be in right standing with Him.

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (5:8).

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God (5:11).

…Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone (5:18b).

Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord (7:24-25).

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin…and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life (6:6-7,22)

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death (8:1-2).

Out of His great love for us, God gave us the gift of the Spirit so that we could have a relationship with Him.

For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love (5:5b).

And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives life because you have been made right with God…Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. But if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live (8:10-13).

Out of His great love for us, God gives us hope for the glory that is to come.

Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, WHEN we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment (5:2-5a).

And since we are His children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share in his glory, we must also share his sufferings. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later (8:17-18).

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will (8:26-27).

God loves us, yet we will experience trials. God has chosen us and calls us his children, yet there will be hard times and problems. God takes these difficulties and uses them to develop and strengthen us. He gives us the Spirit to help us in our times of weakness. When we don’t know how to pray, He gives us the Spirit to pray for us – seeking out God’s will and not our own, praying in harmony with His larger plan and not ours. And we can sit back and trust that what He works out will be for our good because His love for us is SO great!

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (8:28).

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger or threatened with death?…No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow – not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below – indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:35-39