Next week Tony will begin a new series that will prepare us for the celebration of Christmas. Today Ed wants to do two things … talk a bit about stewardship … and finish our study of Romans. [Note: Ed's thought on stewardship are found in a separate post titled, Stewardship on November 20.]
Now we must attend to Romans: In a minute I will turn you loose on Romans 14:1-23, but first a word of preparation:
This section of Romans is a very important section for us to read because it has to do with how Christians will relate to one another when they differ in terms of personal convictions. To understand this scripture best, we need to remmeber that two very different groups populated the early church: some were converts from Judaism … others were converts from belief in the polytheism of the Greek/Roman traditional religions (Zeus and Aphrodite and crew) or one of the Greek mystery religions.
Some of the converts from Judaism believed that the dietary restrictions of Judaism should still be observed as part of the Christian faith.
Some of the converts from Greek cults believed that it was still important to observe dietary restrictions (the Pythagoreans did not eat meat)
Some converts from Judaism continued to observe the Sabbath and other Jewish feast days.
Some converts from paganism and some Jewish converts did not want to drink wine or eat meat that had been offered as sacrifice to idols.
Paul was part of a group that believed that Christ had freed us from the need to justify ourselves before God by observing certain diets or rituals. In his sacrificial death, Christ had freed us from these burdens.
The various groups described faced different temptations:
Those who kept rigorous dietary and ritual practice were tempted to look down on those who did not [They were strong because they keep the practice; others were weak because they did not.]
Those who felt they had been freed from dietary and ritual laws were tempted to look down on those who still felt they need to do this stuff. [They were strong because they did not need this crutch any more; others were weak]
Now with this background, read Roman 14: 1- 23. However, as you read, think a bit about convictions that you have with whom you differ with brothers and sisters … in this room, in this church, in other churches
Read Romans 14: 1 – 23As you read, make notes in the following columns.
Thoughts, surprises, insights, questions Think about these questions:
• According to Paul’s teachings, how should we treat one another regardless of our convictions
• What is Paul’s answer to the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
• How do we find out if something we are doing is a stumbling block to other Christians?
• What should we do if another Christian’s choices are causing us to stumble?
• Paul is dealing with dietary laws and ritual practice. Were you able to think of other convictions on which you have seen Christians differ?
In view of the short time remaining and the fact that we need to finish Romans today, I will briefly summarize Romans 15:
1 – 6: An exhortation to create within the Christian community in Rome six essential characteristics: consideration of others, study of scriptures, encouragement, hope, harmony and praise. It begins with this notable verse:
It is the duty of the strong to bear the burden of those who are not strong.
7-13: An appeal that within the church we eliminate the bounds of nationality and race and become as one. Built around by quotes from Old Testament in which writers predicted that God’s blessings would flow from the Jews to all the nations. This prediction was important to Paul as he launched his ministry to the Gentiles
14-33: Paul defines his ministry and indicates his next steps. He says that his goal has always been to proclaim the gospel in places where the gospel has not been heard. He has finished his work in Greece and Turkey and wants to move west. He will first visit the church in Jerusalem with a love offering from the Gentile congregations, he then hopes to come to Rome … to visit, to rest, and to obtain support to travel on to Spain. He then asks for prayers that his offerings in Jerusalem would be accepted and that he would be “rescued from unbelievers in Jerusalem.”
What we know: He went to Jerusalem, presented his offering, was later arrested and tried by unbelievers, and appealed to Rome. Ultimately he arrived in Rome as a prisoner … and to the best of our knowledge, he died in that state;
Romans 16: A beautiful chapter of greetings in which we hear a role call of the heroes of the Roman church.
Phoebe …wealthy woman who delivered the letter and probably provided some of the support for Paul
Priscilla and Acquila: banished from Rome by Claudius, met Paul in Ephesus, traveled to Corinth with him, now back in Rome
Rufus [Mark 15:21 Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, called upon to carry cross of Jesus … this member of the church at Rome was likely the son of Simon.]
6 of 20 greetings go to women … one of whom is called an apostle and three of whom are saluted because they serve the Lord to point of exhaustion
Some evidence that slaves in the greatest houses in Rome are in the Roman church
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Summary: Romans 13: 8-14
This lesson started out with a test on the previous week’s lesson. The Test was administered as follows: Ed told a story and then asked the penetrating question, “what does the story had to do with last week’s lesson?”
The Story:
Some 18 years ago I hired Steve, a young computer engineer from Auburn University, to teach computer science at Armstrong. Shortly after he arrived, we became jogging buddies and that relationship has continued even as our responsibilities and positions on campus have diverged. Last summer after a run, we discussed my taking him and his two sons, Matthew, aged 11 and Chris, aged 15, on a fishing trip in coastal waters. I agreed, but only after Steve convinced me that he understood the framework within which we would operate: When you go fishing with Ed Wheeler, you never catch fish.
So one day in mid-August, we loaded my boat and headed down the Intercoastal. Surprisingly, we had a good day. We got a couple of keeper sized trout on board, pulled in a few big sharks, and had some very large sharks rip our lines up. However, late in the day, the 11 year old had still not caught a fish. I was so very pleased when just minutes before time to depart he caught a little 8 inch trout. Although Georgia Law requires that trout be 13 inches to take home, I was feeling a little grandfatherly and said, “Matthew, because this is your first fish, we will take it home for your supper.” Matthew smiled brightly in anticipation… but from the other side of the boat I heard his father speaking quietly but firmly, “Ed, we need to put the fish back in the water.” As I was releasing the little trout, I realized that not only had Matthew been taught an important lesson that day, but so had I.
My question: What does this story have to do with last week’s lesson. (Review Romans 13:1-7).
In preparation for completing our reading of Romans 13, I have this story for you:
In summer AD 386, a young professor of rhetoric in the Italian city of Milan was in despair. He had been born in North Africa to a Christian mother and pagan father, had been provided an excellent classic education, found his way to Rome where he received academic and political promotions, and now occupied an enviable position in Milan that could lead to either political ascension or academic ascension. However, on this day, he had reached a crisis point in his life. Despite the prayers of his mother, he had lived a debauched life since adolescence, enjoying all the many diversions available in the big cities of the Roman empire. He was famous for having flippantly prayed, “Grant me chastity and continence, Lord, but not yet … not yet.” But now in his early thirties and despite great prospects, he could no long detect any sense of direction in his life. He was pacing in the garden when he heard the voice of a child saying, “Take and read … take and read.” He looked for the child and found none. Then he went to table where a friend had been reading a pile of manuscripts including letters of the Apostle Paul. He grabbed a letter and begin reading the first lines his eyes saw … and the lines were Romans 13: 13-14. In this moment his heart yielded to God and Augustine was converted. He returned to North Africa where he became one of the great preachers and religious leaders and philosophers of the ancient world. His name was Augustine and we often hear him referenced as St. Augustine or Augustine of Hippo.
Read Romans 13: 8 – 14 As you read, make notes in the following columns.
Thoughts, surprises, insights, questions (don’t forget to read Augustine’s two verses, 13 and 14) Think about these questions:
• What is one of the greatest examples of love that you have personally witnessed?
• Does Christ’s promised return affect the way you live your life? Should it?
• Paul uses the metaphor of “Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ” as a summary statement for his exhortations. What does this metaphor mean to you?
The Story:
Some 18 years ago I hired Steve, a young computer engineer from Auburn University, to teach computer science at Armstrong. Shortly after he arrived, we became jogging buddies and that relationship has continued even as our responsibilities and positions on campus have diverged. Last summer after a run, we discussed my taking him and his two sons, Matthew, aged 11 and Chris, aged 15, on a fishing trip in coastal waters. I agreed, but only after Steve convinced me that he understood the framework within which we would operate: When you go fishing with Ed Wheeler, you never catch fish.
So one day in mid-August, we loaded my boat and headed down the Intercoastal. Surprisingly, we had a good day. We got a couple of keeper sized trout on board, pulled in a few big sharks, and had some very large sharks rip our lines up. However, late in the day, the 11 year old had still not caught a fish. I was so very pleased when just minutes before time to depart he caught a little 8 inch trout. Although Georgia Law requires that trout be 13 inches to take home, I was feeling a little grandfatherly and said, “Matthew, because this is your first fish, we will take it home for your supper.” Matthew smiled brightly in anticipation… but from the other side of the boat I heard his father speaking quietly but firmly, “Ed, we need to put the fish back in the water.” As I was releasing the little trout, I realized that not only had Matthew been taught an important lesson that day, but so had I.
My question: What does this story have to do with last week’s lesson. (Review Romans 13:1-7).
In preparation for completing our reading of Romans 13, I have this story for you:
In summer AD 386, a young professor of rhetoric in the Italian city of Milan was in despair. He had been born in North Africa to a Christian mother and pagan father, had been provided an excellent classic education, found his way to Rome where he received academic and political promotions, and now occupied an enviable position in Milan that could lead to either political ascension or academic ascension. However, on this day, he had reached a crisis point in his life. Despite the prayers of his mother, he had lived a debauched life since adolescence, enjoying all the many diversions available in the big cities of the Roman empire. He was famous for having flippantly prayed, “Grant me chastity and continence, Lord, but not yet … not yet.” But now in his early thirties and despite great prospects, he could no long detect any sense of direction in his life. He was pacing in the garden when he heard the voice of a child saying, “Take and read … take and read.” He looked for the child and found none. Then he went to table where a friend had been reading a pile of manuscripts including letters of the Apostle Paul. He grabbed a letter and begin reading the first lines his eyes saw … and the lines were Romans 13: 13-14. In this moment his heart yielded to God and Augustine was converted. He returned to North Africa where he became one of the great preachers and religious leaders and philosophers of the ancient world. His name was Augustine and we often hear him referenced as St. Augustine or Augustine of Hippo.
Read Romans 13: 8 – 14 As you read, make notes in the following columns.
Thoughts, surprises, insights, questions (don’t forget to read Augustine’s two verses, 13 and 14) Think about these questions:
• What is one of the greatest examples of love that you have personally witnessed?
• Does Christ’s promised return affect the way you live your life? Should it?
• Paul uses the metaphor of “Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ” as a summary statement for his exhortations. What does this metaphor mean to you?
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Summary:Romans 13: 1- 7
The Christian and Government: Romans 13: 1- 7
In Romans 13: 1 - 7 Paul praises the function of secular government … and indeed, declares that the authority for the government comes from God. In thinking about this passage it might be useful to remember the following things:
• The Roman empire was a marvel. Although there had been great empires that preceded Rome, there had been no previous civilization in the West that had provided the infrastructure (roads, water supplies, sewer systems) that Rome had provided. Nor was there another civilization that had created a legal system that was uniformly applied over a wide area and that guaranteed the safety of its roads to the extent that private citizens could travel long distances.
• Paul had personally benefited from the existence of the Roman government. On more than one occasion he had been rescued from a mob by Roman authorities after reminding those present that he was a Roman citizen.
• The universal “peace” that Rome had provided enabled the kind of missionary travel that made it possible for Paul’s work to be successful.
• In our recent history, we have been able to watch what happens when secular authority fails. Life in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union was abysmal in the absence of communist bureaucracy. For the common folk, life’s uncertainties overshadowed gains in freedom they may have achieved. Indeed, the citizens of Russia seem to be allowing a police state to be re-established by Putin, largely in response to the misery in the period under Yeltsin.
• One could argue that life in Iraq has been harder for ordinary citizens in the absence of government that it was during the terribly corrupt government of Saddam. Predictability, even when bad, is often better than chaos.
• Even though the persecution of Christians had not yet reached the crescendo it reached in decades to come, Christians continued to preach support for government in the next two centuries. Writers such as Tertullian and Justin Martyr in the second century, when some of the worst persecution occurred, continued to urge their readers to offer prayer for the “peace and pardon for all who are in authority.”
Read Romans 13: 1-7 As you read, make notes in the following columns
Thoughts, surprises, and insights Questions
If we used these seven verses alone as our measure of how we respond to government, we might imagine that we should never oppose a governmental mandate.
• Can you think of circumstances in which you might contemplate such opposition?
• Is there a difference between “submitting to authorities” and unconditionally obeying them?
• Can you think of examples from history in which Christians defied the mandates of their governments?
After class was over, Ed wished he had summarized the conversation a bit before ending it. Below you will find some summary comments. Observe that they are heavily laden with Wheeler’s opinion.
Summary a la Wheeler:
• Wheeler certainly supports the Apostle Paul in his assertion that God often uses nations, governments, and people to accomplish his purposes … even when they are not aware of God’s part and God’s goal in what they are doing. Much of God’s good work in this world is done by persons and agencies who are not aware that they are serving God.
• Devin’s observation that God wills order over chaos for his people gives additional understanding for the Apostle Paul’s strong support of existing governments.
• The Apostle Paul’s observations that Christians serve God by honoring the laws of the land in which they live and paying taxes (and, in a democracy, voting) should make some inconvenient obligations easier to complete.
• On the other hand, the history of the last 2000 years is ripe with circumstances in which Christians, in response to their understanding of God’s will, found it necessary to oppose their governments [Christians who hid Jewish persons from Nazis in 1930’s and 40’s, Puritans who fled England to find better place to establish the Christian communities that they desired, Christian abolitionists in 1850’s who refused to return slaves to masters despite the rulings of the U. S. Supreme Court, Chinese citizens who persisted in attending house churches despite official prohibitions …]. These examples remind us that we live in a tension between faithful service to the government under which we live … and obedience to God’s coming kingdom in which our citizenship surely lies.
In Romans 13: 1 - 7 Paul praises the function of secular government … and indeed, declares that the authority for the government comes from God. In thinking about this passage it might be useful to remember the following things:
• The Roman empire was a marvel. Although there had been great empires that preceded Rome, there had been no previous civilization in the West that had provided the infrastructure (roads, water supplies, sewer systems) that Rome had provided. Nor was there another civilization that had created a legal system that was uniformly applied over a wide area and that guaranteed the safety of its roads to the extent that private citizens could travel long distances.
• Paul had personally benefited from the existence of the Roman government. On more than one occasion he had been rescued from a mob by Roman authorities after reminding those present that he was a Roman citizen.
• The universal “peace” that Rome had provided enabled the kind of missionary travel that made it possible for Paul’s work to be successful.
• In our recent history, we have been able to watch what happens when secular authority fails. Life in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union was abysmal in the absence of communist bureaucracy. For the common folk, life’s uncertainties overshadowed gains in freedom they may have achieved. Indeed, the citizens of Russia seem to be allowing a police state to be re-established by Putin, largely in response to the misery in the period under Yeltsin.
• One could argue that life in Iraq has been harder for ordinary citizens in the absence of government that it was during the terribly corrupt government of Saddam. Predictability, even when bad, is often better than chaos.
• Even though the persecution of Christians had not yet reached the crescendo it reached in decades to come, Christians continued to preach support for government in the next two centuries. Writers such as Tertullian and Justin Martyr in the second century, when some of the worst persecution occurred, continued to urge their readers to offer prayer for the “peace and pardon for all who are in authority.”
Read Romans 13: 1-7 As you read, make notes in the following columns
Thoughts, surprises, and insights Questions
If we used these seven verses alone as our measure of how we respond to government, we might imagine that we should never oppose a governmental mandate.
• Can you think of circumstances in which you might contemplate such opposition?
• Is there a difference between “submitting to authorities” and unconditionally obeying them?
• Can you think of examples from history in which Christians defied the mandates of their governments?
After class was over, Ed wished he had summarized the conversation a bit before ending it. Below you will find some summary comments. Observe that they are heavily laden with Wheeler’s opinion.
Summary a la Wheeler:
• Wheeler certainly supports the Apostle Paul in his assertion that God often uses nations, governments, and people to accomplish his purposes … even when they are not aware of God’s part and God’s goal in what they are doing. Much of God’s good work in this world is done by persons and agencies who are not aware that they are serving God.
• Devin’s observation that God wills order over chaos for his people gives additional understanding for the Apostle Paul’s strong support of existing governments.
• The Apostle Paul’s observations that Christians serve God by honoring the laws of the land in which they live and paying taxes (and, in a democracy, voting) should make some inconvenient obligations easier to complete.
• On the other hand, the history of the last 2000 years is ripe with circumstances in which Christians, in response to their understanding of God’s will, found it necessary to oppose their governments [Christians who hid Jewish persons from Nazis in 1930’s and 40’s, Puritans who fled England to find better place to establish the Christian communities that they desired, Christian abolitionists in 1850’s who refused to return slaves to masters despite the rulings of the U. S. Supreme Court, Chinese citizens who persisted in attending house churches despite official prohibitions …]. These examples remind us that we live in a tension between faithful service to the government under which we live … and obedience to God’s coming kingdom in which our citizenship surely lies.
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