5.11.51 11.15.2020 When Grace comes to town God’s World Will Need Us Romans 13

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. 8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

This. Is. God’s Word For us

You may hear these as hard words at a frustrating time. You may politely resist. On the other hand your response might be

I don't wanna.

I'm not gonna.

You can't make me.

Engage: Guess what...God is not Mary Poppins and this is not a spoonful of sugar. This is the inspired word of the immortal, invisible, Creator-Sustainer of the universe and He does not give two hoots and a holler for your opinion. If, However you call upon His Son for salvation. If Jesus is your Sovereign. If you address Him as Lord, Lord. Then God does expect your obedience.

Expand: When grace comes to town our world will need us. It will need us to be an example of Godliness. It will need our words of compassion. It will need our mercy. It will need our goodness. It will need our presence. It will not need, nor will it be blessed by a sense of entitlement, an attitude of grievance or a spirit of antagonism.

Excite:

Nero was the Emperor.

Nero Killed Paul

Paul wrote these instructions to the Roman Church with respect to the man that would later behead him. Suck it up buttercup no one ever said it was easy. Eternal significance rarely is.

Explore:

The World needs us to meet the obligations to which God has called us.

Explain: This text is not about recommendations God is offering, opinions He wants us to consider, or options to weigh. These are obligations.

The first of these obligations...

1. Obey Reverently. 1-2

1.1 He is providentially responsible for all of it.

1.2 He is holding you responsible for obeying.

2. Do Good. 3-4

2.1 Develop a virtuous conscience. 5

2.3 Decide responsibly, 6-7

3. Love Richly. 8-10

3.1 It is what we owe.

? Owe love… how? Remember that John 3.16 thing?

3.2 It summarizes the whole counsel of God.

4. Walk Rightly 11-14

4.1 Because time is always drawing short.

4.2 Because behavior matters

It is time for us to understand that

jealousy=promiscuity=sensuality=quarreling.

We have to stop pointing our bony finger of accusation at those who do what we would never do, whilst ignoring our own destructive, sinful behaviors

4.3 Because Jesus empowers us to do so.

I'm Not Gonna...

When A child gets the I'm not gonnas we try to correct them. To align their behavior with what we expect. God help you when you read Romans 13 and declare to the Almighty "I'm not gonna." Now, that may seem harsh. You might say "I'm entitled to my opinion." Correct. However, God is somewhat less impressed with your opinion that you are. And He will hold you responsible no matter how hard you stomp your foot, how long you hold your breath, or how far you stick out your tongue.

In another context Jesus mentioned something about not being able to serve two masters....Now once again-time to choose.

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