• Tenth
Sunday after Pentecost
with
Romans 10:5-15
www.FirstChurchBville.com
FirstChurchBville@gmail.com @FirstUMCBville @kerrfunk
Some weekend events I'll address later:
• White supremacist rally and torches and
vehicular homicide
in Charlottesville, VA Aug 11-12, 2017
in Charlottesville, VA Aug 11-12, 2017
• From the journal of Ron Reid, 1946-2017:
Love Pray Thank Every Day. And laugh.
Love Pray Thank Every Day. And laugh.
•
A few points from Romans 10:5-15
1, The Law is great but no one can keep it perfectly.
2, Salvation is a gift from God.
It is entirely grace, entirely God’s choice.
It is entirely grace, entirely God’s choice.
This
means a few things: neither the highest nor the lowest earns salvation, therefore
there is no highest there is no lowest
(see Romans 10:12)
(see Romans 10:12)
Salvation
is a gift from God… means
I am not the gatekeeper. I am not the giver of grace.
You are not the gatekeeper. You are not the giver of grace.
I am not the gatekeeper. I am not the giver of grace.
You are not the gatekeeper. You are not the giver of grace.
Righteousness
is given imputed, imparted,
graced by God, not by following the Law.
We receive grace and righteousness by faith.
(see Romans 10:10).
graced by God, not by following the Law.
We receive grace and righteousness by faith.
(see Romans 10:10).
We’re all in the same boat with respect
to the grace of God.
•
Now. This theoretically is all review. Admittedly it is challenging to apply
God’s leveling of hierarchy. So now: the events of this weekend.
•
City of Charlottesville VA planned to remove a statue of General Robert E. Lee
from a downtown public park (Emancipation Park, formerly Lee Park). People and
groups gathered to protest the removal of the statue. The gathering was called
“Unite the Right” and it included thousands of people gathering in
Charlottesville.
On
Friday night there were people carrying torches, shouting white supremacist
slogans and surrounding a predominantly black church that was holding a worship
service, and it wasn’t because they wanted to go in and pray… (aside: remember today’s reading from
Romans? There is no us and them. The same Lord is Lord of all. I don’t see that
in these peoples’ actions, do you?)
On
Saturday there were other people
gathering in Charlottesville, people gathering to protest the Unite the Right rally, speaking for equality and
against racism and violence.
On
Saturday one person (a 20yo white man) deliberately drove his car into a crowd
of the counterprotesters, killing one and injuring two dozen or more.
This is not how Christians (or
Americans, or humans) should act. And
humans (and Americans and Christians) need to stand against this kind of
violence.
•
Check out our baptismal covenant.
United Methodist Hymnal, p. 33 #1 and #2. p. 34 #4, #6, #8
33.1 we are incorporated into God’s mighty acts of salvation
33.2 we acknowledge what God is doing…
...we affirm our commitment
34.4 we renounce spiritual forces of wickedness, we reject evil.
we accept the freedom and power God gives to resist evil…
…Christ has opened the church
to people of all ages, nations, races…
34.6 …Christ’s representatives in this world
35.8 …reaffirm rejection of sin and commitment to Christ.
community of love and forgiveness…
...growth, trust, faith… prayer…
United Methodist Hymnal, p. 33 #1 and #2. p. 34 #4, #6, #8
33.1 we are incorporated into God’s mighty acts of salvation
33.2 we acknowledge what God is doing…
...we affirm our commitment
34.4 we renounce spiritual forces of wickedness, we reject evil.
we accept the freedom and power God gives to resist evil…
…Christ has opened the church
to people of all ages, nations, races…
34.6 …Christ’s representatives in this world
35.8 …reaffirm rejection of sin and commitment to Christ.
community of love and forgiveness…
...growth, trust, faith… prayer…
•
We do not and can not and will not tolerate evil,
we will stand and speak against evil,
we will stand and work for the oppressed
we remember that we have been given grace
and we are called to be representatives.
we will stand and speak against evil,
we will stand and work for the oppressed
we remember that we have been given grace
and we are called to be representatives.
•
A final thought: today’s reading from Matthew 14,
Peter walking on water.
Peter walking on water.
Q: Why wasn’t Jesus in the boat?
A: Jesus had sent the disciples ahead of him while he prayed.
A: Jesus had sent the disciples ahead of him while he prayed.
Q: Why was Jesus praying?
A: He’d found out about John the Baptist’s beheading.
A: He’d found out about John the Baptist’s beheading.
Q: Why was JtB beheaded?
A: Because JtB spoke against a Power (Herod)
and against abuse of power.
JtB stood for righteousness,
even if it was risky, even if unpopular.
A: Because JtB spoke against a Power (Herod)
and against abuse of power.
JtB stood for righteousness,
even if it was risky, even if unpopular.
And
the disciples worshiped Jesus, who was with them in the storm, the very
presence of God.
"Let my heart be broken with the
things that break the heart of God." Bob Pierce
Hymn
2220 We Are God’s People. Not for lording ourselves but for serving world,
teaching love.
Benediction
2 Cor. 13:11 –
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree
with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with
you.
Romans 10:5-15
(CEB) (with notes)
5 Moses writes about the righteousness that comes from the Law: The person who does these things will live by them.[Lev. 18:5] 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith talks like this: Don’t say in your heart, “Who will go up into heaven?” [Deut. 9:4, 30:12] (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or “Who will go down into the region below?” [Deut. 30:13] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart [Deut. 30:14] (that is, the message of faith that we preach). 9 Because if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and you have faith in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 Trusting with the heart leads to righteousness, and confessing with the mouth leads to salvation. 11 The scripture says, All who have faith in him won’t be put to shame. [Isa. 28:16] 12 There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord is Lord of all, who gives richly to all who call on him. 13 All who call on the Lord’s name will be saved. [Joel 2:32]
14 So how can they call on someone they don’t have faith in? And how can they have faith in someone they haven’t heard of? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the good news. [Isa. 52:7] ò
5 Moses writes about the righteousness that comes from the Law: The person who does these things will live by them.[Lev. 18:5] 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith talks like this: Don’t say in your heart, “Who will go up into heaven?” [Deut. 9:4, 30:12] (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 or “Who will go down into the region below?” [Deut. 30:13] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart [Deut. 30:14] (that is, the message of faith that we preach). 9 Because if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and you have faith in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 Trusting with the heart leads to righteousness, and confessing with the mouth leads to salvation. 11 The scripture says, All who have faith in him won’t be put to shame. [Isa. 28:16] 12 There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord is Lord of all, who gives richly to all who call on him. 13 All who call on the Lord’s name will be saved. [Joel 2:32]
14 So how can they call on someone they don’t have faith in? And how can they have faith in someone they haven’t heard of? And how can they hear without a preacher? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the good news. [Isa. 52:7] ò
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