Rev. Doug Floyd

Pentecost +16 – The Love of Christ in Action
Rev. Doug Floyd
Romans 12-16

Throughout the summer, we’ve been focused on the Psalms. At the same time, our lectionary was focused on Romans as the second lesson from June until today. This marks the last Sunday from Romans. I figured I might as well take the last Sunday in Romans to discuss it. Entering Romans this late is like walking into the theatre during the last ten minutes of a movie. Thankfully, most of us have seen this film many times before, so I’ll just catch us up. Then we can end Romans on a high note.

Paul opens with this glorious proclamation of the Gospel:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”” (Romans 1:16–17, ESV)

Praise the Lord! We are walking from faith to faith. As the letter proceeds, Paul proceeds to talk the goodness of God, the sinfulness of humanity, and the promise of restoration. Just when we come to the end of ourselves and realize that we simply cannot do it, we simply cannot walk in the way of righteousness and truth, Paul exclaims,

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1–2, ESV)

Christ Himself is leading us by the power of His Spirit into a life of glory as adopted children of God. By His grace, we are growing up into His very resurrection of life, and this life is renewing all things in Christ. We are immersed into a God’s love relentless love, and nothing can separate us from this love. Finally, Paul, bursts into a song of praise overjoyed by God’s goodness and grace,

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:33–36, ESV)

Chapter 12 opens with “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1–2, ESV)

In a way, he is saying, because God is so good, because He loves you with an everlasting love, because of all the many ways He has shown His love and continues to work out His love in you., present your bodies as a living sacrifice.

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has ended the need of animal sacrifice to approach God. We come freely to the throne of grace, and we offer a sacrifice of praise. We offer our very bodies in this worship: not to be burned up in the fire but to be filled with the fire of His love and worship Him, serve His people, and live out His love in the world around us.

In other words, we are called to live out the Great Commandment: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:30–31, ESV)

In every age, the world or culture around us is rooted in self-worship and striving for self-glory. We are called to let all that go, as we live and love other believers by giving ourselves and our gifts to serve and bless one another. In turn, the people of God pour their love and gifts into our lives. Then this love overflows to our enemies, our governing authorities, our fellow citizens, and our world. Paul writes,

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” (Romans 13:8, ESV)

He reminds us that love of God and neighbor “is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:10, ESV). This seems simple and yet, we often struggle. We are surrounded by enticements of culture: better cars, better jobs, better bodies, and more. It is not wrong to buy things or to have nice things, but it is dangerous when these things, these enticements separate us from love. How many marriages have been sacrificed to success or selfish lust. Suddenly, we have turned from the Creator to the creation, and the pursuit of self-satisfaction overrides the very grace of love God has given us in the Spirit.

Let us be lovers.

Bruce Cockburn sings, “We are lovers in a dangerous time.” He continues,

“These fragile bodies of touch and taste
This vibrant skin, this hair like lace
Spirits open to the thrust of grace
Never a breath you can afford to waste”[1]

Let us not waste a single breath. Let us be lovers.

In chapter 14, Paul reminds a that we should show grace to one another even when their convictions may be different than ours. In His day, meat in the marketplace was often meat that had been sacrificed to idols and now it was for sale. Some people become vegetarians in order to avoid eating this meat. They think they are being more holy but actually Paul says that their faith is weak. In verse 13, Paul says, “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” (Romans 14:13, ESV)

This can be confusing. We who are strong should not cause our brother or sister to stumble.This is not talking about a sin, but about a conviction. Some people don’t drink alcohol. Some people don’t work on Sunday. Some people worship on Saturday.

RC Sproul helps to clarify this text. He writes, “Paul is not saying that the stronger brother must be bound by the religious scruples of the weaker brother. Though the stronger brother is to bend over backwards not to offend or to hurt the weaker brother, the stronger brother is not to allow the weaker brother to exercise moral tyranny over the church. Take the matter of circumcision. In the early stages of his ministry, Paul saw no great significance in circumcision, and if people wanted to be circumcised out of mere tradition or family custom, he’d circumcise them. Then the Judaizers came into the church and insisted that circumcision was an absolute requirement for every Christian. At that point Paul stood up to the weaker brothers and said that he would refuse to circumcise, because they were trying to take their scruple and make it a binding law upon the whole community. That’s what we have to guard jealously against in our community.”^[2]

Sproul tells the story of going out to eat with a group of Christians. When the server asked about wine, one lady in the group spoke up and said, ‘No, thank you, none of us wants wine because we are Christians.’^[3] Sproul says “I remember feeling totally embarrassed by that remark. I wanted to go after the wine steward and say to her, ‘I am sorry that that woman was so rude to you. I want you to understand that it is not a universal law among Christians that no Christian is allowed to drink wine. There are many Christians who drink wine.’^[4]

We don’t force the weaker brother or sister to our freedom but we don’t submit to their conviction either. This can negate the doctrine of grace.

Paul tells those who do eat meat not to belittle those who refuse to eat meat. In fact, don’t try to make them eat meat. Let them be. Honor their conviction. This does not mean those who eat meat are wrong if the vegetarians don’t eat meat.

It is the same with days of worship. Even today, some worship on Sabbath (that is Friday night to Saturday night). Others worship on the Lord’s Day (that is Sunday). Both are free to follow their conviction. Some follow the Jewish feasts, others follow the Christian year, and still others do not observe these calendars but simply celebrate each Lord’s Day as Resurrection Day. Each of us work out our faith in fear and trembling.

We can drive through our community and find churches where people shout and dance, or where people worship without instruments, or where people meet in beautiful buildings, or even where people rent a space for the service. Let us rejoice that Christ is worshipped and pray for the blessing of God on all the churches across the city. May goodness of in Christ be proclaimed and may the love of God prevail among His people.

In chapter 15, Paul prays,

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Romans 15:4–7, ESV)

Paul encourages the people of God to focus on Gospel. That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the promise of God to redeem and restore the human heart through the cross of Christ. We have been redeemed, we are being redeemed, and we will be redeemed. All glory and honor to God. If we can keep this Gospel before us, we can rejoice and we can freely love those who may differ in their politics, their worship styles, their dietary patterns, and their life of discipleship. If they are in error, we trust Christ can lead them into all truth. Likewise, if we are in error, we trust Christ to lead us into all truth.

This Good News of God’s Redeeming grace, should explode from our lips in shouts of Alleluia. We join Paul as He ends this glorious Psalm of praise by singing out,

“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 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— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Romans 16:25–27, ESV)

[1] Bruce Cockburn, “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” <https://cockburnproject.net/songs&music/liadt.html>

^[2] R. C. Sproul, The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1994), 236–237.

^[3] R. C. Sproul, The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1994), 237.

^[4] R. C. Sproul, The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1994), 237.