Romans 1:1-7 Death, Where Is Your Victory?

Romans 1:1-7  Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.  Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.  And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.  To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Some will listen and some will not.  Some will hear and some will not.  Some will heed and some will not.  The gospel is for whosoever will.  Whosoever will believe on his name will be saved.  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  (John 3:16)  From beginning to end, the Bible is about salvation, about a deliverance from death to eternal life, a gift God has promised us through Jesus Christ, his son.  The Children of Israel, of Jacob's loins, were led into slavery.  Pharaoh, the king of that age, ruled them with an iron hand.  They became his slaves, caught under his complete control.  Yet through one miracle after another, God delivered them from the hands of the Pharaoh.  God's chosen, the Children of Israel, were led out of the land of captivity by Moses.  Moses, raised in the household of Pharaoh, a prince of this world, rejected his position in the secular land of Egypt, and fled to the wilderness.  There, God talked to him from a burning bush.  He told him that he must go back to the land of Egypt and lead his ethnic brothers and sisters out of the hands of Pharaoh.  By performing many miracles, Moses persuaded Pharaoh to let the people go.  The last miracle God allowed that put the cap on the people's deliverance was the killing of the firstborn in Egypt.  All households that did not have sacrificial blood over their doorposts were visited by the death angel.  He killed the firstborn male, destroying the legitimate heir who would inherit the wealth of the household.   Such an action broke down the natural order of things, collapsing the dreams of the family, for the choice one of the family, the firstborn, was killed.  The biblical account says, At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.  Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.  (Exodus 12:29-30)   But the blood of the lamb over the doorposts bought freedom for the people of Israel by releasing them from the hands of Pharaoh.  They were no longer under the authority of the world but under God's rule.  

We Christians are now the chosen ones.  Once under the bondage of the devil, he owned the rights to our souls.  He alone was our father, for we served him and lived out our lives in captivity, serving sin every day of our lives.  We know because the Bible is clear that the wages of sin is death, but thankfully, the verse does not stop there: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  God had a freedom plan for his people.  A descendant of David, born of a virgin, announced by angels: along came Jesus, called of God, filled with the Spirit, doing only the will of his Father.  He came to a lost world, announcing freedom for whosoever will.  He performed many miracles, just as Moses performed miraculous deeds.  He performed so many miracles that the Bible says no man from the beginning of time had done the miracles He performed.  The people saw this light, but could not understand the purpose of his ministry.  Some thought, He was going to set up an earthly kingdom.  They cried Hosanna when He entered Jerusalem riding on a humble colt.  They thought He might throw off the yoke of the Romans.  But He came not to set them free from the earthly authority of man.  No, He came to set them free from the ruler of this world, the devil.  He came to place his blood over the door of each household who would believe in him.  He was ready to have mankind throw off the yoke of finiteness, to enter an eternal rest in his household, as the Children of God, not Children of Jacob or Israel.  The blood was spilt on the hill of Calvary.  That blood rolled down the wooden cross, but whoever accepts the shed blood of Christ by faith will escape the world of bondage.  They will inherit the name of the chosen, Children of God.  We who have taken Christ's work instead of our works, his salvation power in place of our weakness, will inherit a holiness that brings us to the Father.  Christ's holiness is evident because He was resurrected, winning the victory over death and the grave.  He did not face the consequence of sin, which is death.  No, He is alive, He was elevated to heaven.  We who are alive IN CHRIST have that same power of eternal life in us presently, at this time, as you are reading this breakfast.  What a great joy must come to your heart when you realize the truth of that message.  As we read in the Word: Death has been swallowed up in victory.  Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

Yes, from the beginning of the Bible, the theme has been the same: to save eternally the human race that was made in God's image. The angel that announced Christ's birth to the shepherds said, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."  (Luke 2:10-11)  All are chosen if they place their faith in the Holy One of Israel.  Abraham was given the promise of being the father of many nations.  By his willingness to believe God, to have faith in God's promise, he became the father of all who would believe as he did: believe in God's words and works, rather than believe in his own ideas and works.  Abraham became the father of those who live by faith.  We, in our day, live IN CHRIST by faith.  We are lights for God in the darkness.  To them (the saints) God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  (Colossians 1:27)   We have not seen the full reality of our faith yet, but someday we will see the truth of our faith.  We will be changed.  Yes, Paul wrote we would be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye.  (1 Corinthians 15:52)   We do not know in what reality or form, but we do know Jesus, after his resurrection, asked to eat fish.  If He were an amorphous ghost, the disciples would have seen this masticated fish floating around in the air.  No, Jesus was not in ghost form.  I believe that story is in the Bible for us to realize our eternal form will be something different from willowy forms floating around in the ether.  No, we will have a form, a recognizable form, probably not having to eat fish to sustain our lives.  But, whatever, we are the chosen, chosen to sit in God's throne room in the presence of our Lord.  We are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.  This world is not our home.  Egypt is not our home.  The devil is not our father.  Because of the mercy and grace of God, we are now the Children of God through faith in the Son of God and his works.  What a plan!  The angels could not envision the plan of salvation.  But this plan was in the heart of God from the beginning of time.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

1 Corinthians 16:15-23 Love God, Love Others!

1 Corinthians 16:15-23  You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints.  I urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it.  I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.  For they refreshed my spirit and yours also.  Such men deserve recognition.  The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings.  Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.  All the brothers here send you greetings.  Greet one another with a holy kiss.  I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand.  If anyone does not love the Lord — a curse be on him.  Come, O Lord!  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

Paul's concluding remarks in this letter to the Corinthian church express the importance of a number of people.  He relates how different members in the body have been essential to the church's founding and spiritual well-being.  He notes first that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints.  Stephanas and his household must have paved the way for others to come to Christ by functioning well with the gift of helping others.  Paul was thankful for their dedicated work in expanding the gospel by serving others, expressing Christ's love to people.  He also emphasizes his appreciation for Fortunatus, Achaicus, and Stephanas who helped him and the church in Corinth: they have supplied what was lacking from you.  For they refreshed my spirit and yours also.  They fulfilled the ministry of encouragement in the body of Christ, undoubtedly inspiring the community of believers to stay strong in their faith.  Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand that others were involved in their spiritual vitality.  He mentions the good wishes of other churches in the Corinthians' struggle to bring Christ to a difficult culture.  The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings.  He also wanted them to know that Aquila and Priscilla, founding members of the Corinthian church, were still interested in the well-being of the church.  Even though they were now leaders and teachers in a church in Ephesus, they still expressed concern for the Corinthians.  The body of Christ in Ephesus, Macedonia, and Asia proper were standing as one with the church in Corinth.  As Paul had taught them, all Christians were connected in a fantastic way as Christ's body.  Jesus prayed: My prayer is not for them alone.  I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.  May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.  May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.  (John 17:20-23)  Paul taught them as intricate parts of Christ's body, each possessed and displayed different characteristics for the manifestation of God.  The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)  By closing his letter with thanks to the people who helped make his mission to Corinth successful, Paul again emphasizes the importance of the body of Christ.

We often fail to realize the significance of the many parts of Christ's body on Earth.  We downgrade our part in the furtherance of the gospel when we do not feel significant in the local community of believers.  We sometimes feel inadequate, lacking the boldness and zeal that a Christian should have for Christ and his church.  We must guard against this attitude, for in reality, we have been placed in the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, the governing agent in the body.  We do not attain a position in the body, we are placed in the body.  We might not be fully aware of what God is doing with us, but we are all part of his beautiful expression on Earth.  Because of faith in Jesus and his works, we are new creatures, part of God's supernatural presentation to the world.  As living witnesses of God's reality, our expressions of love reveal God's presence to a sick and dying world.  Definitely, the world will know Jesus and the Father by our love.  As Jesus clearly said, By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  (John 13:35)  In today's focus, Paul highlights people who have expressed their love to the Corinthians through their actions: work, prayer, encouragement, and so on.  Their acts indicate believers following the Holy Spirit, fulfilling their roles in Christ's body.  Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?  If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.  (1 Corinthians 12:14-19)  Paul commends the different parts of the body while praising those who helped him with the furtherance of the gospel in Corinth.  Each part was needed to bring Christ to the community and to develop maturity in the Corinthian believers.  No part was less than the other: all were needed for the sake of the gospel.

As we end our breakfasts on 1 Corinthians, let us consider our place in Christ's body.  All of us have a specific role in making Christ visible to those we contact each day and in the surrounding community.  As new creatures in Christ, we display God's reality and his beautiful attributes to the world.  None of us can consider ourselves as expendable, not needed in the body.  We might not occupy roles that are easily seen or valued, but the Holy Spirit considers our roles essential to the body of Christ.  As in our biological bodies, we are made up of parts that we may not even appreciate for their importance.  However, these parts might be crucial in maintaining our vitality, strength, and longevity.  Of course, as with our biological selves, some parts of the body of Christ are honored and some not as much appreciated.  Visible parts are honored more than invisible parts.  Often in the church, the mouth is honored above all others: apostles, preachers, teachers, counselors, and the like.  Love should be the engine that drives Christianity.  If the visible parts or the more honored parts do not sacrificially love others, the world will not see Christ.  In those cases, love is not the guiding influence.  Instead, fleshly desires have eroded the love they should have displayed as they function in the body.  Of course, Christ desires every part of his body to express his love for the world, those most honored and those less honored.  Christ loved the world so much He died for the sins of all mankind.  The angels announced good tidings to the world at Jesus' birth.  When they came to the shepherds, the angel said, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  (Luke 2:10)  Christ came to give eternal life to all who accept his sacrifice for sin.  To all who will receive his good works for their works.  To all who will submit their self-oriented flesh to God's authority.  The Good News has come to the world.  Christian friends fulfill your place in the body by following your spiritual inclinations.  Pray about your role.  Love others as you want to be loved.  Sacrifice your needs for the needs of others.  If no one recognizes your works or position in the body of Christ, remember that the Holy Spirit placed you there, your life will be better, and God will see your good works.  As you remain faithful to your calling, someday you will hear: Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!  (Matthew 25:23)  

Please note we will be taking a break for the next 2 or 3 weeks.  Hope you spend some time on your own in the Word.  God bless you!