Paul 6 – So What?
Can be listened to here
Gate Pa – Year A 21st
Sunday of Ordinary Time,
Readings:
Psalm Psalm:
124
First
Reading: Exodus 1:8 – 2:10
Second
Reading: Romans
12:1-8
Gospel: Matthew
16:13-20
What I want to say:
Summarise Romans and Paul so far and explore
the “How to live this out” – expand into next weeks reading, which includes our
passage/whakatauki
What I want to happen:
People
to reflect on how they live out Paul's framework of living in the fulfilled
covenant
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
So week six in our series looking at Paul and
his letter to the churches in Rome.
what I have been using to explore Paul’s
writings is not the only way to read Paul – is the way that makes most sense to
me and a lot people I have read over last couple of years.
quick recap
a. Paul is a Jew ––
o not a “lets keep every word of torah” kind of
Jew
o but a “lets renegotiate how we read scripture
and torah in particular” kind of Jew -> radical Jew
o sees the world through Jewish eyes
b. Paul pretty important for us
o while sometimes tempting to try and ignore him
o about ¼ NT written by him – not counting
Hebrews
o over half Acts Apostles
c. He like most fellow Christians understood
gospel within Jewish way seeing world and understanding history.
o so getting into heaven was not the goal for
him
è fulfilment of the covenants with Israel
through the messiah
o all about restoration of humanity to pre-fall
state in Garden of Eden
o and renewal of creation –
-
that
is theological question that Paul is working on.
d. Paul is writing to churches in Rome
o divided church
o divided between Jewish Christians and Gentile
Christians
e. offering way understand what Jesus has done
that allows them to live and work together despite their huge differences.
f.
see
in structure of letter
o chapters 1-4 are all about the problem – story
of Adam and how all humanity came to be under sin –
o chapters 5-8 – hear how in the covenant with
Israel God promises to restore humanity and renew creation ->
§ God is faithful to covenant
§ in Jesus God has been faithful to covenant
§ God has fulfilled covenant through
faithfulness of Jesus
§ talks about how through this faithfulness God
invites all humanity to be part of God’s work to restore humanity and renew
creation.
§ at the heart of Romans is Pauls assertion that
humanity has been restored and creation renewed through God’s faithfulness –
God’s faith not ours
g. raises really important question - what about
Israel –> chapters 9-11 address
o it is a really really important section
o validity of Pauls argument rests on this issue
§ who or what is God faithful to?
§ can we trust this faithfulness if Israel seem
to have been rejected?
o issue heard clearly stated last week
“1I ask, then,
has God rejected his people?
Paul responds – Hell no!
assurance comes with a warning – too often
ignore
“You stand only through faith.”
faith is not our faith but God’s faithfulness
reads “You stand only through God’s faithfulness.”
-
everything
is in God’s hands
o not hands Israel
o not hands Jewish church
o not hands gentile church
o not our hands
o God’s hands
o so be humble, this is not about you!
o this is about God and God’s faithfulness and
mercy
-
“So
do not become proud, but stand in awe.”
2. So what
Leads us at last to the last section of the
letter
chapters 12 – 15
where Paul pulls it all together
apart from a few shout outs at the end to some
of people who he and his scribe knows
I going to read next weeks reading – rest of
chapter 12
understand
why as I read it
want you to ask yourself as you listen
given everything that I have said so far
-
what
is Paul trying to do here
-
what
is Paul saying?
Romans 12 - The Message (MSG)
4-6 In this way we are like the various parts
of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the
other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen
people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as
a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So
since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and
marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what
we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with
each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
6-8 If you preach, just preach God’s Message,
nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to
your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get
bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid
to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work
with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed
by them. Keep a smile on your face.
9-10 Love from the center of who you are;
don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be
good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
11-13 Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled
and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit
in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in
hospitality.
14-16 Bless your enemies; no cursing under
your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when
they’re down. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with
nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.
17-19 Don’t hit back; discover beauty in
everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on
getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll
take care of it.”
20-21 Our Scriptures tell us that if you see
your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a
drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the
best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.
-
what
is Paul trying to do here
-
what
is Paul saying?
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