002-Romans 13-Living for Jesus

Everybody this is Ryan Smith Welcome to our thread cast for a Common Thread church. I'm trying something new and this podcast will be recorded through it. And but also I think we're going to be doing this kind of has a sermon slide as well so that you can watch this as an audio listen to it as an audio like a regular podcast or you can view it in kind of a digital form or video form with some slides that go with it as well on our our faith 5 Pages. We'll see how this goes. I don't know just kind of today's kind of practice when if you will but we are in a conversation where we're walking through the book of Romans in the Bible.

Plays out the Theology of church his his kingdom that he's establishing but in chapter 12 through 16, and we get kinds of why we need geology geology this idea what it actually means to live to walk to breathe as a Jesus follower. And so drop the book of Romans for Paul on how to live like a Jesus follower is this concept of replacing power and privilege with peace. Remember the biggest empire and army to ever walk the earth. Is this Roman Empire and is always and the world answer has always been the people in power and privilege are the ones who Rule and so does with power and privilege they run the show. Dethrone him. Then you need to have more power and privilege in those that already do right. And so it's this vicious cycle but Jesus comes along and says it's not working it never has and I have a new way. So this Romans chapter 13 today. What is the score of look like? This is so exciting is it wasn't icing using the hear this message and so they started dedicate themselves to this new kingdom this new way of living Christians if you will and they they call themselves the way and so To dedicate yourself to the way you literally had to leave something right Temple synagogue all the lies that revolves around that and you're entering into something. If you're Gentile you may be leaving Pagan temples Pagan religions are considered himself God or appointed by God. And so so if you were committing to the way you were leaving something, but if you were leaving something you wanted to know what you were going toward. What's your what's your this was the concept of church. This is what the church was. It was what I am leaving this one. I'm going to this thing that we sent it was the coming together people dedicating their lives. And as you can imagine when you dedicate your life something you want to know about it. What am I doing?

Go to be our team uniform if you will and and and for some it was really the question of how is our team going to take over those in power and privilege is a Chapter 13 is kind of Paul addressing this and and kind of answering their questions and they kind of know what I'm going to do is I'm going to read through that first section verses 1 through 7 and kind of lettuce here. What's what's being addressed subject to the governing authorities for there is no Authority except by God has rebelled against what God has instituted those who do so will bring judgment on them self. Do you want to be free? from Fear of the one in authority and do what is right and you will be commended for the one in Authority is God servant for your God but if you do wrong be afraid for rulers are the sword for no reason they are God's Service agents of Wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer conscious this is also why you pay taxes for authorities are God's servants who give their full-time to governing give to everyone what you owe them if you owe taxes pay taxes if revenues in Revenue if respect respect if honor then honor to use passages out there right and usually Miss used by people in authority and so

What are you here? What do you think about you do for me? I grew up for policemen were always safe individuals people that if you needed something you always went to but there's a lot of people who grew up right people stated that the police when were people that they could hurt you or take advantage you or take things away from you right the same as with government or when you hear what I hear when you hear those words. And so this passage you can barely catch can be misused especially by people in Authority. You think about regime write his ideas. Don't fight against what we're doing or the Church of Germany use this passage during the time of Hitler and that's that's what allowed the Church of Germany to join into. I can read this passage and read into it or you think about today and in today's politics especially here in the United States when your party is in power to fight against the right, but what's interesting about this we use this passage of the party doesn't power that we don't like or or whatever we forget this passage, right or were called to use as Pastor say we need to talk about our heritage and we talked about King George and and the ideas of the English we had the Revolution and we use it back and forth and you didn't ways that that makes it easy for us and and sometimes we miss you this passage, right and so is always in poor. To know any idea contest his ideas what was going on when the writer wrote this book wrote these words. How did they apply at you? You have to ask those questions. And in Romans were going to keep contacts the concept of context is going to keep coming up over and over we're going to discuss what that means. So you need to remember this was written to church home in homes in Rome Rome Italy during the time and you need to understand that that that during the time Nero Nero was in charge of row. And so this there was all kinds there's a tightness in the time of Injustice and Imperial arrogance where those in power to controller power and and they make sure that they always stayed in power that they were blessed with whatever they wanted. They always got in return they kept Play friends in power as well. And those that were not part of the Imperial upper echelon, if they are always keeping it at the lower their keep it as slaves there. And so there's this this this concept is going on. Now. You understand that persecution hadn't started yet for Christians by Nero later on in a Christian to become cruelly.

Tormented beaten persecuted literally killed in horrific ways. The writing of this hasn't started just yet. But that doesn't mean the situation is good because some people read this context this this this was in the midst of the most amazing powerful gun ever to rule the world of the most prolific army ever and the Pax Romana there their they're Roman peace through Power and what's going on talk about taxes and understand these are article taxes, especially for someone who was not a Roman citizen. The other is what they called. taxes and indirect taxes indirect taxes were the taxes that you pay over that area and they were so I can find some people say that that a a normal person that there is a lot of riots to begin in the actually controlling begin is he promised that he was going to get rid of indirect taxes as you can imagine he never promised and so so this is what's going on and it at the time of the writing is this is experiencing and so No. The writers are saying hey the new people to two gods. Are we going to take against them in and already did not pay taxes, right? And so I understand what this passage is message is not saying that everyone in power was placed there by God what you did hear that. This isn't covered every single every single president. Is there by God's power but I think this is what I interpret endorsement of government the idea that there is a need for government. I'm in so I think that's something we need to look at if you dive deeper into this. So what is this? What is this? message about Jesus is always been about fighting has always been about presenting a way that is unique and it is rebellious and it is replacing Eternal Kingdom, but Jesus always said we're not going to do it the way the world is always done. He presents a third way if you will be so the disciples always been those with power and privilege are beaten by those with a bigger Army. Whatever might be this always done through this cycle and and God comes in and brings his son and says a new era has begun new era is breaking in and we're not going to keep that we're not going to replace it with power and privilege State politics political world is ideas that when the Republicans are taking place than the Democrats come over they take over the senate in the house and then so now we're in power and then

Sears in the we're going to take it's a cycle.

And just as long as that's not what it's about. So what is it about and and it comes back to the idea that we are going to replace power and privilege, but we're replacing it with this concept of Peace. He says let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one. Another forever loves others has fulfilled the law. The show Begins by saying if if you have overdosed I still want to be good since we want to be people. We don't want to be as troublemakers to to the existing government because we spell message to take over and saw your message. Is this concept we do. Oh love the Commandments. You shall not commit adultery. Still you shall not covet whatever other Commandments are maybe he says it is all those things. There's some Depp in this one your neighbor as yourself. Amigos on we're going to Define this concept of Peace as love does no harm to another part is we understand that neighbor is not just someone we like they were selling a specific technical my neighbor that lives next door to me, but the concept of neighbor is a people that we come in contact with and so he says this concept of love your neighbor means that we are not continuing the Vicious Cycle of power taking over power with power right there for love is the Fulfillment of the law to do these things. We are to love now Mane concept hair. All you need is love right and privilege with peace through love says love is going to be the agent that drives P. So we're we're replacement with this concept of peace now. This Love that they're talking about this way this is going to be our our weapon love is this concept attractive privilege is through how we live and not by the power of the night that we swing How do you live this out? This is ridiculous. Write a review. Think about the Roman Empire and it's saying Jesus saying hey, we're going to replace this team did the Roman Empire not with Sheri. It's not with horses not with with shields and stones and swords and Spears and it in the mighty RV roof replaced with love doesn't make sense. That doesn't work. Right and so when they're talking about love what kind of love what is it that this was so unique about this love this going to actually do this is going to replace power. I love I love I love cheese. I love I love sunny days, right? There's a concept of that looks like it's just kind of like I used it flippantly. So they had that concept of love. But then also there is the concept of Bluffs right interested that I love this idea of things that didn't make me physically feel good. And I love the concept of these these in my heater flesh craving for sexual desires, right? There's that type of love but deeper than that dries. I'll I love myself and whatever makes me happy. Whatever is my rights. Whatever does good for me. Whatever for text me that is that is what I love most as I do that make me happy, right and that can be a concept that is so vast. I'm at drai's that's the love that we understand is that it is good love it makes me feel good. And that's truly the love that the world knows. The Paul goes on and says this is that we're talking about it's not that love and if you've had a new study Bible study the Greek word for love on this there's like four or five words that they use for love and when they you write the word love in this passage that use one specific word and we'll talk about it as a Gothic. Who goes on I'm going to read a little bit more. He goes onto to finish off this passage. He says. And do this understanding the present time the hour has already come for you to wake up from your Slumber because our Salvation is nearer now than when we first believed his kingdom this Kingdom that were talking about just so you know, this kingdom is not one of these Eternal teams in right places. What we're talking about is now at this present time the hour is now wake up from your Slumber. Don't just put off being here supposed to be and I hope that one day. But now wake up because today is the day this is what he says in verse 12 nearly over the day is almost here. So let us put aside the Deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. So these Deeds of Darkness. What are they? What is it? any kind of time briefly describe it here in verse 13 says let us behave decently as in the daytime Ascension and jealousy is this list is not a specific list is this is really describing at night bad things happen the way they get that they grasp that concept but to be honest right perspective, but is this concept of light in darkness and in all these these evil things crowding drunk in a sexual morality debauchery distention and jealousy sometimes or is it because you're not supposed to

being jerks are being rude or having a hater or jealousy our hearts

it's the love of self those things are things that you love to do because it makes you feel good it makes you do what you do because you love yourself because that's not what God came is about anymore he says rather clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh

As of this references back to the love your neighbor, how do you love your neighbor? You do it through agape love is like you just loved the world. It's a self giving it allows you to put your stuff last in to give yourself to people that Jesus gave himself to us. That is the love that will change the world. That is the third way to live that is the revolution that fights power and privilege that we fight power and privilege not with more power and privilege privilege with the love that gives yourself more than it receives.

That's not easy.

But that's what changes that's the revolution that has changed the world. That's what allows people to produce this existence of the Roman Empire is no longer comes and goes but this Jesus Kingdom being is still around and why is it because it's totally

it's what Romans 13 offers us is this idea that we are to be people who replace power and privilege. with love was not just love of self or a lustful kind of love but I love that is self giving it. So that's the challenge that I leave the key today. What are you doing? How do you live this out for us? A Common Thread something that dries your what are we doing as we talked about the triangle follower of Christ that you address the up part of your life again part of your life me out and for us as our relationship with the Divine with God is our relationship with those in our Inner Circle those that are like us over. There may be at, threatened in the out or are those outside of our Inner Circle those that are in our community right? And so I would challenge you today. How can you replace power and privilege privilege in your life? Three-piece through love. How do you love your neighbor that changes the concept of power and pool images that you exist in entryway love how can you develop a concept of loving God more in your life? What does that look like for you? And I'm not going to give examples. I want you to dive into that. And then how do you how are you going to love people in your inner circle? What's it mean for you to be self giving two people could be people in your in your little house. Maybe it's family members, or maybe it's people that you come in contact with every day. Maybe two people at Common Thread. But how are you going to love agape? Love those in your inner circle and maybe more importantly, how are you going to love through the out? How are you going to love your neighbors? How you love your community? But here you need to hear this as well. How are you going to love your enemies? Because this is included in the out it's not just loving the ones that are easy to love but love that changes. The world is a love that also is loves your favor and does no harm to them.

What is that look like for you to leave our new format that we're doing with faithlife week and we're going to have its there's some place to have discussions on there. And so I'm going to ask it to maybe for the discussions items will be your how are you going to love? And those three areas the up in and out of your life and maybe that's where we can hear from each other. What is that going to look? Like? How do we put this into practical terms? I hope this is getting you something to wrestle with that. You see that what it means to be a part of God's kingdom is not that we're trying to overthrow. Not that we're trying to make the president the president. We like or the mayor of the mayor that we like or even the laws. We are replacing power and privilege through peace through love. I love what does that look like for you? Hope you have a great day grace and peace.