KNOW, LIVE, BE-KNOW GOD-ROMANS: The Drum Beat Of The Church
The Drum Beat Of The Church
Romans 15:14-16:27
WE’re looking to Romans to know “what is God like” and John covered chapters 11-14 which brought with them some serious issues, theological truths, and truth about God. He showed us a unity in Christ that we have - today we’ll see a unity gathered together in the church and we’ll see that God’s Church is His kingdom, in Christ.
That’s important, and while it may seem obvious I think it’s not what we’re drawn toward.
If Jesus is king and Jesus is Lord - that means something. It means that Jesus’ rule is supreme, the question then is are we seeking obedience to Jesus as king and leader and priest, and Lord?
Hebrews 7:11–13 (ESV)
Jesus Compared to Melchizedek
11 Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?
12 For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.
13 For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.
Jesus priesthood in the order of the Tribe of Judah - not through the priestly line of Aaron appointed by God. When Jesus came and fulfilled that law and new law and priesthood was forged. - Its one in the grace of God through the satisfied holy law in Christ, now when we are in Christ with Christ as Lord we’re joined to God through Jesus’ sacrifice we live in a new law, one of love and we gather not in synagogue under a priest sacrifices and ceremony - but rather under Jesus, THE priest, and our Lord - and we live under His law.
Paul in Romans is both proclaiming this new law of life, this law of Grace, and this Gospel of Jesus as he works to build continually the kingdom of God - and today we’ll see him talking about the drumbeat of the church - which is important to our modern church who has gathered many drums to beat.
Romans 15:14–16:27 (ESV)
Paul the Minister to the Gentiles
14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.
Paul is writing to a church in Rome - people gathered together redeemed to God in Christ. This is often called an Ekklēsia or a group of people called out of a larger group to a specific purpose. Paul is satisfied in the brethren the community, the believers because they were full of goodness and knowledge able to instruct one another.
That’s to be us church, we’re redeemed and as we’re knowledgeable of scripture and of God’s will in scripture and obedient to Jesus’ will - then we’re able as a community of people to instruct each other - that’s our aim, good, obedient, instructing.
The world would hijack the church, and simultaneously tell her - a) we don’t want you hide in that corner, as it tells us we’re failing at doing what we’re supposed to.
I had some friends that bought a robot dog once line when these things were new and we had this renewed since that robots would be cool and so this $2000 Sony Aibo dog would learn to be your friend and play - but he was brought out at parties and people just messed with him. They’d tell him to sit; then yell at him when he did - eventually the dog got so confused it just twitched in the corner.
Church we live in a world that isn’t a fan of Jesus church - but gives her instruction and judgment - and chasing those commands around will leave us twitching in the corner.
We’ve forgotten some of what king Jesus said in a few key places:
John 15:18 (ESV)
The Hatred of the World
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
Matthew 10:22 (ESV)
22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake.
Romans 15:15–16 (ESV)
15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God
16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
There were truths that while they may have known (by way of reminder) they needed to be re-oriented on or reminded of. And so too us in our culture and day - we need to remember that we’re marching to the drumbeat of Christ - not simply ourselves beating on drums.
We say things that sound buzzy sometimes like:
- Christianity is a relationship, not a religion – ok.
- The church is not a building.
And these things may be true (when qualified and rightly understood) but they’re not the mission of the church - and so if we become about just beating that drum, then we lose the mission of the church - and we need to be reminded of grace, reminded to be in the service of God, and reminded to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Christians, we cannot take our drumbeat from the world around us. We cannot determine what we’ll do next, what we’ll say, how we’ll answer people by what they believe to be true - the world around us is becoming increasingly hostile to Gospel truth - and so we need to become increasingly sure of it - we need to be like the church in Rome through whom all the world received the gospel, who was equipped to instruct one another and full of all knowledge - though who occasionally needed a re-centering.
Church maybe if you’re someone who is a believer you’ve felt like asking ‘am I doing this right’ or ‘am I doing what I’m called to’ - Check out Paul here:
Romans 15:22–25 (ESV)
Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome
22 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you.
23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you,
24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.
Paul for so long wanted to come to Rome and here for the first time mentions Spain (which he’ll never make it to) but you know what I love about Paul he had goals and was pushing on, I wonder about us. Are we seeking to have knowledge about God, are we seeking to instruct one another, are we open to re-centering?
Paul appeals tot he church against people causing division and wrong doctrine.
Romans 16:17–18 (ESV)
Final Instructions and Greetings
17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Church there are people out there who sound like they know what they’re talking about - who sound like they love God, and we MUST be watchful for them, as Paul says - they do not serve Christ.
Remember we don't beat drums we march to the drumbeat of Christ - the new priest after God’s order in the tribe of Judah - who brings with Him a new law a change.
Romans 16:19-20 (ESV)
19 For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
These are things we don't add in our daily lives, but I think we would benefit from.
- What if obedience to Christ was our goal? How would our lives look differently?
- What if we were wise to what is good steeped in scripture? How would our lives look differently?
- What if we recognized that there were things in the world that are truly evil? Would we look out for them?
- What if we learned that Christ was with us? How would we live our daily lives differently?
What if our Christianity followed Christ himself, and not what the world around us would like to see from us?
What if we sought to be students of this word, I suggest that it would change us - when we knew scripture better - we’d have a better answer to the issues of the world around us, and a greater assurance of truth as we’re mocked and sometimes relegated from certain social circles because of it.
You’ll be ousted as different at work, when you’re daily a Christian.
You’ll be less supported in certain political situations, when your daily a Christian.
You’ll be less accepted in academia, when you’re daily a Christian.
And so you’ll need to be assured of truth to march to it.
Romans 16:25–27 (ESV)
Doxology
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages
26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—
27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
God is wise and God is truth - we’ll see that when we’re in those writings. When you’re feeling weak in the world, and obedience is your goal - but you’re not accepted in social / political / work circles be strengthened according to the gospel and preaching of Christ and march to His drum.
Celebrate the mystery of Jesus the new priest after Judah not Aaron who brings new law and who drives his Church, be called into the community of the saints in the Church as it says in
John 13:35 (ESV)
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
What was the point of all of scripture - and the commands of the eternal God revealed to everyone, what is our mission church to support God’s bringing about the obedient of faith?
In Christ, we point people to grace and salvation and obedience to repentance, we do that together as community and apart as we’re scattered and we come together on Sundays to celebrate God, to be trained up in that word of truth, to be re-encouraged to go out into a dead world with life
And so, are you discouraged, are you down, are you depressed - I get it, this world is broken fractured and will be crushed, things are abysmal - however and here is what I hope you see today about God - and knowing what He is like - God is truth, in a world of lies, and like a father calls together His children in peace, adopted together people not perfect but in awe of His son who is, and who lives, and who lives in us and who calls us to march to the beat of His call - as His church in a lost world.
I don’t want to be buzzy; I want to be clear this morning about God’s call to you in this world.
Have you experienced a moment in your life where you encountered the truth of a loving God who gathers His family together - his sons and daughters in adoption?