Easter 4 year A Sermon
Roman’s Series part 2 Romans 1:18-32
It’d be easy to get hung up on the sexy bits of this reading wouldn’t it…and to completely miss Paul’s point.
But there’s no chance we’re going to do that today…
given the fundamental importance of this part of Paul’s message… to us as Christians… and to everyone on earth for that matter.
Last week in the first of our studies on Paul’s letter to the Roman’s… we discovered as an apostle… it was Paul’s responsibility… to receive and articulate… defend and proclaim…the gospel…[pause] the good news of Jesus Christ. And Paul accomplished much of this…
in his letter writing.
As well…we learned it’s our responsibility as Christians …to share the good news in our own time and place…
to share the Gospel of
Word slide
the power of God… for the salvation of
everyone who believes. And Graham showed us how Paul gave us his six point Gospel sharing kit…
to help us spread the good news. Paul tells us
Word slide
1. The origin of the gospel is God
2. The confirmation of the truth of the gospel is Scripture
3. The substance of the gospel... is Jesus Christ
4. The scope of the gospel is all nations
5. The purpose of the gospel is... the obedience of faith and
6. The goal of the gospel is the honour of Christ’s name
Easy peasie …right? Armed with a clipboard and these six points… we can triumphantly leave church today … as well equipped evangelists…to carry on the work of Jesus in the world.
Blank slide
Not so fast…this knowledge is not enough…
Paul wants the Roman’s to realize…wants us to realize…
that before we can share the good news…
we have to understand in our hearts… the bad news…
the truth about ourselves ...the truth about the human disease… for which Jesus and his message are the medicine…
We have to snap out of our denial…we have to stop protesting our own innocence… if we really want to receive … the gospel of grace that will transform our lives.
We…the church…not the great unwashed…not the pagans in Rome…not the rest of secular society in Aotearoa New Zealand…we…have to really get the bad news…
before we can understand and share the good news.
And today Paul gives us the bad news…with both barrels right between the eyes [pause]…
not one of us is innocent…and because of this…
there are dramatic and divine repercussions.
How do we know this? Paul asks…We know this…
because the evidence is right before our eyes…
Slide words
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven…
right now. And just how the wrath of God is being revealed… Paul will tell us further on…
but first we have to accept… the distress and discomfort…
of knowing our unconditionally loving… all merciful…
all compassionate… all forgiving God…is furious with us.
We simply can’t negotiate… God’s exasperation and fury… out of the gospel story… nor may we tone it down.
This isn’t about God throwing down lightening bolts or displaying sudden irrational fits of rage. It’s about God’s just indignation…God’s anger…God’s pain God’s heart break…at the behaviour
of his wayward children.
Next…. Paul tells us… what angers God most…
We go on to read…The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven first
Slide words
against all the god…less…ness
You see…Because God wants a loving relationship with us…the most effective way to hurt and anger God…
is to behave as though God doesn’t exist. Why?
It’s obvious. Is it possible to face in two directions at the same time? No. Is it possible to exist in a state of love and reverence for God and turn away at the same time. No.
Put another way…
Is it possible… to face God fully in faith and commit sin?
I don’t think so…Paul didn’t think so…
Because that’s what the Greek word for sin means…anomie…missing the target…aiming off target
And the target is God…your relationship with God. You’re either aiming your life and your love at God…
and God’s way of love… or you’re missing the target.
What else makes God furious…
Not only god less ness but also
Slide words
the wickedness of those who suppress the truth
by their wickedness. [pause]
Paul tell us People knowingly suppress the truth about God. … … Because
slide words
‘what may be known about God is plain to them, because God’s made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world… God's invisible qualities— God’s eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen…
being understood from what has been made,
so that humankind is without excuse. [pause]
Blank slide
God’s eternal power and divine nature—
are clearly seen in all creation…and that includes us…that includes human beings.
So…Paul is saying it’s evident to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear…not only that God exists, but that God is the Creator, who loves and cares for his creation…and Paul believes there is absolutely no excuse for denying this.
This is unbelievably important! Sin isn’t just an arbitrary list of do’s and don’ts laid down by a strict God…to spoil our fun…All our sins… are actions against God and God’s good creation.
Next... Paul strengthens his case against humanity...
Even though creation itself... is a
constant revelation of God...available for all to see...
and even though this must produce.. a knowledge of God... deep inside every one of us... [pause]
in our God given freedom... humans still turn away.. .and
Slide words
‘neither glorified God nor gave thanks to him...
their thinking became futile...
and their foolish hearts were darkened.’
Blank slide
When people look away from the light...
they ignore the truth that is right before their eyes...
they look elsewhere... for objects of worship
Slide words
‘Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory... of the immortal God...
for images made to look like mortal man...
and birds and animals and reptiles. [pause]
Fundamental to Paul’s understanding of the good news is the bad news that human kind is willing to elevate almost anything above God.
To aim at any target other than God.
To worship and adore and serve... anything but God.
Blank slide
Remember how at the very beginning of this passage Paul says God’s wrath is being revealed...well now…
after explaining why God is so angry and hurt
Paul tells the Romans…Paul tells us…
just how exactly…God’s wrath is being revealed
Word slide
‘Therefore... God gave them over...
in the sinful desires of their hearts
Notice Paul doesn't say... God gave them up.
Some people think that's what Paul means. No...
Paul says "God gave them over..."
That means God allows us to reap the results of our own sin.
Blank slide
God chooses not intervene in our choices...in love…
God gives us freedom to reject him and his will for us …and in costly love…costing God… pain and anger… God allows us to experience the full consequences…
of our actions…in effect… God’s love and God’s wrath…can’t be separated.
And as far as human beings are concerned…it’s the very pain… the very consequences of our actions… that constitute a self… conferred… penalty...
Though costly for us and for God…
the beauty of this arrangement… is that
when our self inflicted pain becomes unbearable…
we find ourselves at rock bottom…
our own resources exhausted.. prompting us to finally… to question our choices...and realise that we simply can’t do life very well without God’s help.
And it’s the painful experience of the consequences of our actions... that leads us to see clearly how we have
Slide words
‘exchanged the truth of God... for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator...’
Blank slide
Remember earlier... Paul tells us God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—
have been clearly seen, and understood... from what God has created? Well next... Paul explains what our failure to respect God’s hand in all creation...leads to
It leads to seeing creation... including other people ...not as revelations of God’s creative power...
but as objects...existing only to satisfy
our human desires.
And nowhere is this objectification of God’s good creation more evident... than in human sexuality. What Paul calls ‘our sinful human desires...
sexual impurity...and shameful lusts.’
When we objectify other human beings for our sexual purposes... when we use them...or dominate...
or abuse power over them...
then we have exchanged the truth of God...
revealed in those we exploit...for a lie.
And this gets so bad Paul tells us... even
Slide words
‘women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way... the men also abandoned natural relations with women... and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men...and [as a consequence] received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.’
Self serving objectification of others... incurs heavy physical... emotional and spiritual penalties...[pause]
Now Paul could have left it at godlessness...lying and sexual sin...but he does not...[pause]
Failing to respect and revere the revelation of God in creation... leads to a long list of human sin...
Slide words
‘since they didn’t think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God...he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not... to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness...
slide words
evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful;
they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless.
Blank slide
And God is furious…because each of these actions… demeans and exploits… harms and abuses…
the revelation of God’s eternal power and divine nature...displayed in creation.
Which one of us can plead not guilty?
Paul wants us to understand... that to say ‘there’s nothing wrong with me’ means…
we simply don’t get the Gospel… to say there’s nothing wrong with me…means we can do just fine by ourselves… we don’t need God… [pause]
Slide words
‘Although they know God's righteous decree...
that those who do such things deserve death...
they not only continue to do these very things...
but also approve of those who practice them.’
Blank slide
And please notice... Paul isn’t blaming...
some outside force for tempting us...
or entrapping us into sin,
Paul is laying the burden of guilt... right at our feet.
You can’t get what the Gospel means unless you snap out of your denial…you can’t get what the Christian faith is... or grace or salvation...
if you can’t accept your own tendency to turn away from God...your own sin...and therefore...
your own need for forgiveness. [pause]
Then and only then... Paul tells the church...
are you in any position...to share the Gospel of grace effectively.
One famous pastor warns his congregation
‘If you are a perfect person, please do not come back
to this church any more. It is a hospital for sinners.’
And another... reminds us ‘In the evening of life... we shall be judged on love...and not one of us is going to come off very well... and were it not for my absolute faith in the loving forgiveness of my Lord... I could not call on him to come.’
[pause]
Having explored today the dangers of denying our own sin...and our reluctance to judge ourselves...next week...
in the third part of our Roman’s series...
we’ll explore the danger of judging others...
In the mean time... may we turn our faces to God...
and may our lives be transformed... by the grace and forgiveness... we don’t deserve... but which is freely given.
Questions for reflection
Why is the bad news about ourselves so fundamental to understanding the good news Jesus brings?
Why would understanding the bad news about ourselves help us to share the good news more effectively with others?
Roman’s Series part 2 Romans 1:18-32
It’d be easy to get hung up on the sexy bits of this reading wouldn’t it…and to completely miss Paul’s point.
But there’s no chance we’re going to do that today…
given the fundamental importance of this part of Paul’s message… to us as Christians… and to everyone on earth for that matter.
Last week in the first of our studies on Paul’s letter to the Roman’s… we discovered as an apostle… it was Paul’s responsibility… to receive and articulate… defend and proclaim…the gospel…[pause] the good news of Jesus Christ. And Paul accomplished much of this…
in his letter writing.
As well…we learned it’s our responsibility as Christians …to share the good news in our own time and place…
to share the Gospel of
Word slide
the power of God… for the salvation of
everyone who believes. And Graham showed us how Paul gave us his six point Gospel sharing kit…
to help us spread the good news. Paul tells us
Word slide
1. The origin of the gospel is God
2. The confirmation of the truth of the gospel is Scripture
3. The substance of the gospel... is Jesus Christ
4. The scope of the gospel is all nations
5. The purpose of the gospel is... the obedience of faith and
6. The goal of the gospel is the honour of Christ’s name
Easy peasie …right? Armed with a clipboard and these six points… we can triumphantly leave church today … as well equipped evangelists…to carry on the work of Jesus in the world.
Blank slide
Not so fast…this knowledge is not enough…
Paul wants the Roman’s to realize…wants us to realize…
that before we can share the good news…
we have to understand in our hearts… the bad news…
the truth about ourselves ...the truth about the human disease… for which Jesus and his message are the medicine…
We have to snap out of our denial…we have to stop protesting our own innocence… if we really want to receive … the gospel of grace that will transform our lives.
We…the church…not the great unwashed…not the pagans in Rome…not the rest of secular society in Aotearoa New Zealand…we…have to really get the bad news…
before we can understand and share the good news.
And today Paul gives us the bad news…with both barrels right between the eyes [pause]…
not one of us is innocent…and because of this…
there are dramatic and divine repercussions.
How do we know this? Paul asks…We know this…
because the evidence is right before our eyes…
Slide words
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven…
right now. And just how the wrath of God is being revealed… Paul will tell us further on…
but first we have to accept… the distress and discomfort…
of knowing our unconditionally loving… all merciful…
all compassionate… all forgiving God…is furious with us.
We simply can’t negotiate… God’s exasperation and fury… out of the gospel story… nor may we tone it down.
This isn’t about God throwing down lightening bolts or displaying sudden irrational fits of rage. It’s about God’s just indignation…God’s anger…God’s pain God’s heart break…at the behaviour
of his wayward children.
Next…. Paul tells us… what angers God most…
We go on to read…The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven first
Slide words
against all the god…less…ness
You see…Because God wants a loving relationship with us…the most effective way to hurt and anger God…
is to behave as though God doesn’t exist. Why?
It’s obvious. Is it possible to face in two directions at the same time? No. Is it possible to exist in a state of love and reverence for God and turn away at the same time. No.
Put another way…
Is it possible… to face God fully in faith and commit sin?
I don’t think so…Paul didn’t think so…
Because that’s what the Greek word for sin means…anomie…missing the target…aiming off target
And the target is God…your relationship with God. You’re either aiming your life and your love at God…
and God’s way of love… or you’re missing the target.
What else makes God furious…
Not only god less ness but also
Slide words
the wickedness of those who suppress the truth
by their wickedness. [pause]
Paul tell us People knowingly suppress the truth about God. … … Because
slide words
‘what may be known about God is plain to them, because God’s made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world… God's invisible qualities— God’s eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen…
being understood from what has been made,
so that humankind is without excuse. [pause]
Blank slide
God’s eternal power and divine nature—
are clearly seen in all creation…and that includes us…that includes human beings.
So…Paul is saying it’s evident to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear…not only that God exists, but that God is the Creator, who loves and cares for his creation…and Paul believes there is absolutely no excuse for denying this.
This is unbelievably important! Sin isn’t just an arbitrary list of do’s and don’ts laid down by a strict God…to spoil our fun…All our sins… are actions against God and God’s good creation.
Next... Paul strengthens his case against humanity...
Even though creation itself... is a
constant revelation of God...available for all to see...
and even though this must produce.. a knowledge of God... deep inside every one of us... [pause]
in our God given freedom... humans still turn away.. .and
Slide words
‘neither glorified God nor gave thanks to him...
their thinking became futile...
and their foolish hearts were darkened.’
Blank slide
When people look away from the light...
they ignore the truth that is right before their eyes...
they look elsewhere... for objects of worship
Slide words
‘Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory... of the immortal God...
for images made to look like mortal man...
and birds and animals and reptiles. [pause]
Fundamental to Paul’s understanding of the good news is the bad news that human kind is willing to elevate almost anything above God.
To aim at any target other than God.
To worship and adore and serve... anything but God.
Blank slide
Remember how at the very beginning of this passage Paul says God’s wrath is being revealed...well now…
after explaining why God is so angry and hurt
Paul tells the Romans…Paul tells us…
just how exactly…God’s wrath is being revealed
Word slide
‘Therefore... God gave them over...
in the sinful desires of their hearts
Notice Paul doesn't say... God gave them up.
Some people think that's what Paul means. No...
Paul says "God gave them over..."
That means God allows us to reap the results of our own sin.
Blank slide
God chooses not intervene in our choices...in love…
God gives us freedom to reject him and his will for us …and in costly love…costing God… pain and anger… God allows us to experience the full consequences…
of our actions…in effect… God’s love and God’s wrath…can’t be separated.
And as far as human beings are concerned…it’s the very pain… the very consequences of our actions… that constitute a self… conferred… penalty...
Though costly for us and for God…
the beauty of this arrangement… is that
when our self inflicted pain becomes unbearable…
we find ourselves at rock bottom…
our own resources exhausted.. prompting us to finally… to question our choices...and realise that we simply can’t do life very well without God’s help.
And it’s the painful experience of the consequences of our actions... that leads us to see clearly how we have
Slide words
‘exchanged the truth of God... for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator...’
Blank slide
Remember earlier... Paul tells us God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—
have been clearly seen, and understood... from what God has created? Well next... Paul explains what our failure to respect God’s hand in all creation...leads to
It leads to seeing creation... including other people ...not as revelations of God’s creative power...
but as objects...existing only to satisfy
our human desires.
And nowhere is this objectification of God’s good creation more evident... than in human sexuality. What Paul calls ‘our sinful human desires...
sexual impurity...and shameful lusts.’
When we objectify other human beings for our sexual purposes... when we use them...or dominate...
or abuse power over them...
then we have exchanged the truth of God...
revealed in those we exploit...for a lie.
And this gets so bad Paul tells us... even
Slide words
‘women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way... the men also abandoned natural relations with women... and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men...and [as a consequence] received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.’
Self serving objectification of others... incurs heavy physical... emotional and spiritual penalties...[pause]
Now Paul could have left it at godlessness...lying and sexual sin...but he does not...[pause]
Failing to respect and revere the revelation of God in creation... leads to a long list of human sin...
Slide words
‘since they didn’t think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God...he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not... to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness...
slide words
evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful;
they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless.
Blank slide
And God is furious…because each of these actions… demeans and exploits… harms and abuses…
the revelation of God’s eternal power and divine nature...displayed in creation.
Which one of us can plead not guilty?
Paul wants us to understand... that to say ‘there’s nothing wrong with me’ means…
we simply don’t get the Gospel… to say there’s nothing wrong with me…means we can do just fine by ourselves… we don’t need God… [pause]
Slide words
‘Although they know God's righteous decree...
that those who do such things deserve death...
they not only continue to do these very things...
but also approve of those who practice them.’
Blank slide
And please notice... Paul isn’t blaming...
some outside force for tempting us...
or entrapping us into sin,
Paul is laying the burden of guilt... right at our feet.
You can’t get what the Gospel means unless you snap out of your denial…you can’t get what the Christian faith is... or grace or salvation...
if you can’t accept your own tendency to turn away from God...your own sin...and therefore...
your own need for forgiveness. [pause]
Then and only then... Paul tells the church...
are you in any position...to share the Gospel of grace effectively.
One famous pastor warns his congregation
‘If you are a perfect person, please do not come back
to this church any more. It is a hospital for sinners.’
And another... reminds us ‘In the evening of life... we shall be judged on love...and not one of us is going to come off very well... and were it not for my absolute faith in the loving forgiveness of my Lord... I could not call on him to come.’
[pause]
Having explored today the dangers of denying our own sin...and our reluctance to judge ourselves...next week...
in the third part of our Roman’s series...
we’ll explore the danger of judging others...
In the mean time... may we turn our faces to God...
and may our lives be transformed... by the grace and forgiveness... we don’t deserve... but which is freely given.
Questions for reflection
Why is the bad news about ourselves so fundamental to understanding the good news Jesus brings?
Why would understanding the bad news about ourselves help us to share the good news more effectively with others?
Why is understanding how God's eternal power and divine nature are revealed in Creation the key to understanding what sin is?
Is it possible to face God in love and reverence and sin at the same time?
