LBC Sermons & Messages

Romans 12:9-13

Today we are back in Romans chapter 12. We will finish up the list of attitudes that the Father wants us to have to work together as one body. Remember that there is a progression to the attitudes. In verse number 12, we are told to rejoice in hope.

We are told to rejoice, not be happy, in the hope that Christ gives. When we rejoice in hope we can be patient in tribulation and tribulation brings us to our knees in prayer. We cannot control circumstances but circumstances must not control us.

We have a reason to make a conscience decision to rejoice. We can rejoice for our hope is not based on earthly things. Our hope is not based on silver, gold, homes, retirement, or other things that pass away. Our hope is built and based upon the very person of Jesus Christ who changes not. Therefore, we can rejoice when the economy goes down. We can rejoice when the future looks bleak. We can rejoice when we think the day cannot get any worse for we are God’s period. So, where is your hope today? Where will your hope be tomorrow or for the rest of the week? Make sure it is in the unmovable, unshakeable One.

When it comes to rejoicing, being patient and praying Paul is a good example. He was beaten, rejected and thrown in prison for his preaching and yet he was patiently rejoicing and praying all the time. Also, notice that most recorded prayers are selfless.

So, is God calling you through some tribulation now? Romans tell us to rejoice in the hope of Christ which far outweighs any earthly hope we could have. Even when we do not feel like it, rejoice for it is a choice. Then, be patient and get on your knees and seek the face of the One who created you and gives you breath.

Verse 13 of Romans chapter 12 tells us to distribute to the necessity of the saints and to be given to hospitality. They are closely tied together but different. Let us look at the distributing to the saints.

Once again, these are not suggestions but commands. We are commanded to distribute to the necessity of the saints. Notice the word necessity. When we think of giving we usually think of money but this is not always the necessity of the saints. Sometimes it is love, truth, an open ear, prayer, time, or something else that money cannot buy.

Also, notice that we are to distribute to others which carries with it the idea that we are given by God to give away. We are funnels that God desire to use to distribute His blessings to His children. We need not get big headed thinking that we are something because we have much but rather we are blessed to give more away. To whom much is given, much is expected. The more we have, the more we worked for but no matter how you look at it, it is all God’s and it is He who gave it to us.

Now, this brings up the question, how much do I give because I only have so much? First let us remember that we are all in this together. It does not fall on the shoulders of one to be the funnel but all. Also, in context, we are to give to the saints. We can bless this world, but we first need to make sure the needs of the church are being met. This is not selfish but rather for health reasons. The healthier we are, the more we can reach out to the lost and dying world. So, let us selflessly bless each other serving the L

Ephesians 3:14-f.f.

What is love? What is true love and how does one know that they are loved? Movies try to show what love is but they all have a tainted definition of love and songs are none the better. Love is not a phrase that is so easily tossed around. Love is not an emotion. Love is action. How does one know they are loved? They know they are loved but what another does for them, not gives them. The children’s song that is so true says, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” How does it tell us.

The Bible does tell us many times that God loves us, but the true and complete message of God’s love is found the giving of His only begotten Son. In Ephesians 3 we are told that we can know the Love of God. Ginosko is the word used and it means to understand, feel, or perceive.

True love is found in Christ. He selflessly left the splendors of heaven, His home, to come to earth and die for us. This is the first half of true love. John 3:36 tells us that the wrath of God was satisfied in Christ. He took the pain and suffering from a holy God for us. He was our perfect sacrifice who completely gave Himself for us and then He called it joy. This gift gives us the opportunity to have a home in heaven, something that none of us deserve. However, this is what true love does. True love selflessly gives to the undeserving.

True love does not just die, rather it lives for others. This is the second half of true love. Christ did not just purchase our salvation with His death; he also purchases our freedom with His life. True love pushed Christ to lay down His life and He continues to lay it down for us. Who are you loving and living for?

How does God show us true love? First, He paid for us. Once again, this is the base of true love. It is hard to die for someone, but it is even harder to live for them on a continual basis. Christ not only died for us, John 3:16 but he took the full wrath of the Father for us as we could not, John 3:36. On the cross, Christ said, “it is finished.” This was because the full price had been paid for our salvation. The wrath of a Holy Father was satisfied.

Secondly, Christ, God the Son, is our propitiation or offering, I John 4:9-10. We now are made pleasing to the Father. When God looks at us, he sees the blood of Christ. Without the blood of our blessed Savior, we would never be pleasing to God. We can now boldly enter into the presence of God through the blood.

God the Spirit also makes intercession for us, Rom. 8:26, 27. God loves us so much that the Spirit searches out our hearts and brings our petitions to God even when we cannot put it into words. I do not think it is a stretch to even say that He takes our requests to God even before we know we have the requests. Heb. 7:22-f.f. tells us that He is the perfect high priest making continual intercession for us with the Father.

Christ now lives Amen! Because He rose from the dead, we now have victory over death and the grave, I Cor. 15:54-57. We now do not have to be afraid of death for it has been defeated. We can now live our lives truly without fear for the One who so love us.

So, will we? Will we love God in return or will we love ourselves. I think many would die for Christ, but God wants us to live for Him. To live for Him, we must die to self, Luke 9:23, and take the cross of Christ. Let’s turn this world upside down with the Love of God.

Romans 12:9-13

Last week we had Teen Challenge come to our church and what a great time of testimony and song we had. God is so good to us in so many ways. The one message though that keeps coming to mind is the idea of freedom and liberty in Christ. This perfectly fits where we are in Romans 12. Now you may ask yourself what this has to do with the attitude of service. Well, liberty has everything to do with service. Let me explain.

Too many people think that liberty has to do with what we can do now that we are children of Christ. They think that they can do what they deem godly because they have liberty. This is true in one sense because we are now no longer guilty but we are forgiven from sin and the penalty thereof.

If you read I Cor. 8, you see the idea that we have freedom in Christ and we can do what God wants us to do. However, the chapter ends on a much different note. It ends with one not doing what he wants because it may offend a brother. This sheds more light on what complete liberty in Christ means. It is not about what we can do or about us at all but rather who Christ can be through us.

Gal. 5 encourages us to not use our liberty as occasion to the flesh and to not be entangled in this world’s devices but to us our liberty to serve one another in other words to just be godly. 1 Pet. 2 encourages us to use our liberty to serve others not self. Liberty has little to do with what we can do but rather who God can be in us. So, will you and I be selfish Christians with base line liberty or will we dive deeper into the liberty that comes with God alone? When we serve others, we serve God and that is the key to true liberty which produces joy, Romans 12:12.