An Open Door...

Monday, November 21, 2011, 2011 - “After Thoughts & Other Thoughts”- “Greeting with Gratitude” – Romans 16:1 – 16

We did it!! Yea!! If you are reading this, you made it through reading and blogging through Romans! Congratulations! Do something extra nice for yourself today. You’ve been faithful! Happy Dance!!

As Paul closes this letter, we are able to see that the people in Rome were not nameless, faceless people for him. Paul knew quite a few of them and loved them…counted on them. He had reminded them that they all needed God’s grace and love in their lives. They all needed to be forgiven. They all belonged to Christ. They were to respect, honor and love each other as Christ had respected, honored and loved all.

We are the 2011 ‘model year ‘of the church. As such, may you continue to be strong, courageous, loving and kind as you follow Jesus.

Thursday, November 17, 2011 – Romans 16:25 - 27

Don’t ever think you could out-argue Paul!! Even in an impressive benediction, he unwaveringly reaffirms his basic premise that both Jewish Christians and Gentile/Greek Christians are part of God’s mysterious plan in Christ. Their stories are interlaced in the prophetic writings of the Old Testament.

Christ’s life, death and resurrection have brought all back into right standing with God. The Christians in Rome, whether Jewish or Gentile/Greek, are blessed to have faith in Christ. The glory belongs to God forever and ever. AMEN.

(This concludes our reading of the Book of Romans. YOU MADE IT THROUGH!! CONGRATULATIONS!! HAPPY DANCE!! See you one more time next Monday for 'After Thoughts & Other Thoughts'.)

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 – Romans 16:17 - 23 or 24

In concern for the Christians in Rome, Paul gives brief closing instructions: watch out and keep away from those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way. Watch out for smooth talkers and flatterers. In other words, don’t leave your brain at the door…keep thinking…keep checking what you are being told and see if it goes against the grace Paul has emphasized. Paul wants them to be wise and to trust themselves to discern what is sound teaching and who are faithful teachers.

Paul spends time in passing on ‘hellos’ from those who are with him…building and renewing connections among the early Christians.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 – Romans 16:1 - 16

When Paul commends Phoebe to the Romans in the first two verses, he is doing for her what his co-worker and friend, Barnabas, did for him years ago.

After Paul/Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he decided to follow Jesus. He immediately began preaching in Damascus that Jesus was the Son of God. Later when Paul went to Jerusalem, the Jewish Christians around Jerusalem found it difficult to trust this guy who had been hunting them down and persecuting them.

At that point, Barnabas stepped forward and commended Paul to them (Acts 9:27: “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.”) Because of Barnabas’ commendation, Paul was trusted and let into the life of the church in Jerusalem.

In Romans 16, Paul is passing on that favor for Phoebe who is believed to be the person taking Paul’s letter to Rome and reading it to the believers there. She is a leader in the church in Cenchreae and has been a benefactor to Paul. He knows her, trusts her and commends her to the Romans.

Monday, November 14 - “After Thoughts & Other Thoughts”– “Accept One Another” – Romans 15:5 - 13

A hymn we sang last Sunday sticks in my head when I read today's scripture passage. The hymn was written in 1974 by Fred Kaan and references Jesus speaking to the disciples in John 15:12 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." The words and thoughts of this hymn are my hopes and prayers for us today wherever we are and whatever we are doing:

Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us;

teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.

Be present, Lord, among us, and bring us to believe

we are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live.

 

Teach us, O Lord, your lessons, as in our daily life

we struggle to be human and search for hope an dfaith.

Teach us to care for people, for all, not just for some,

to love them as we find them, or as they may become.

 

Let your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved

in living situations to do the truth in love;

to practice your acceptance, until we know by heart

the table of forgiveness and laughter's healing art.

 

Lord, for today's encounters wit all who are in need,

who hunger for acceptance, for righteousness and bread,

we need new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on;

renew us with your Spriti; Lord, free us, make us one!

Friday, November 11, 2011 – Romans 15:23 - 33

Paul is on his way. He is going to get to them. The churches where he has been preaching have taken an offering for those in Jerusalem. Paul is taking the money to Jerusalem, and then he will head their way. He asks for their prayers as he goes to Jerusalem. He looks forward to being with them in joy as they refresh each other.

Paul knows that going to Jerusalem is dangerous for him. And, in truth, he is arrested in Jerusalem. A long saga begins and eventually ends with Paul being taken to Rome. You can read about it in Acts chapters 21 – 28.

Thursday, November 10, 2011 – Romans 15:14 - 22

Paul is pretty busy in these few verses…he is wrapping up the letter and echoing earlier parts of the letter.

He affirms the Romans. He believes they are doing a good job in following Christ (echoes of Romans 1:8 & 12). However, he has written bluntly and directly to them about things of which he wanted to remind them.

He has worked extensively with Gentile/Greek communities throughout the region. By God’s grace he has witnessed the work of that grace through the gospel/good news of Jesus Christ in the lives of the people. He has been careful not to build on someone else’s work. He has intentionally kept going where people have not known about the gospel.

He has been hindered, on more than one occasion, on getting to be with them personally (echoes of Romans 1:13). God’s Spirit has empowered him. He has fully and faithfully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011 - Romans 15:1 - 13

The use of a particular word struck me in this passage. In each of the first three verses is the use of the word ‘to please’. By definition, from Strong’s concordance, the Greek word means, “1) to please 2) to strive to please 2a) to accommodate one's self to the opinions desires and interests of others”.

These verses use this word in terms of how the strong should treat the weak. The strong are to bear the failings of the week and not to please themselves. The strong are to please their neighbors. Why? For their good and to build them up!

Have you ever been told you were a ‘people pleaser’? I can’t begin to tell you the times I have had colleagues in ministry comment on us, as clergy, wanting to please everyone in the church…to be a people pleaser. Yet, I’ve often wondered about this. In Romans, Paul encouraged the Romans to honor and respect each other. In today’s reading, he told the strong to seek to please the weaker believers so that they could do good to the weaker and encourage them in their faith.

So, I’m thinking that if we ‘people please’ in order to strengthen others, to respect and honor them, then we’re OK. But, maybe, ‘people pleasing’ takes a negative turn when we do it for ourselves so that others will like us or accept us more. Do you see the difference? The first is other-focused. The second is self-focused…

...just wondering…

Tuesday, November 8, 2011 - Romans 14:1 - 23

In Chapter 14, Paul’s injunctions from chapter 12 to love each other and honor the other above the self met the realities of living in Rome. Jewish Christians had different ideas about when to worship and what foods to eat than the Gentile/Greek Christians.

The Gentile/Greek Christians thought themselves to be better than the Jewish Christians because they didn’t believe in any restrictions regarding food or on what day to worship. The Jewish Christians thought they were better because they DID have beliefs about worshipping on certain, special days and about not eating certain foods. Both groups judged the other…to which Paul cries ‘foul’!

Unity in the body of Christ was paramount. The Christians in Rome were to respect each others’ differences because each tried to follow Christ and be faithful to him as their Lord.

To have peace among themselves and to mutually edify/build up/strengthen each other was the goal. They were to be so ‘other focused’ that they would abstain from behaviors that would cause someone else to stumble. Love and unity was Paul’s insistent hope for them.

Monday, November 7, 2011 - “After Thoughts & Other Thoughts” on Sunday, November 6, 2011 – “Love in Action” – Romans 12:9 - 21

Sometimes I struggle to like the Apostle Paul because he can be so blunt and tough minded. Other times he is thoughtful of others and kind. At those times, I want to hug him!

In worship today, we read the scripture passage three times. One phrase caught my attention in a whole new way and made me want to hug Paul!

In verse 19, Paul is delivering a word that is hard to hear about not taking revenge. But, he softens it by calling the Romans ‘my dear friends.’ He cares deeply that they not seek revenge when wronged or hurt. Paul knows that those words of instruction will be quite difficult for them to hear. He gently tempers his instructions by calling them his friends…his dear friends…a truly huggable Paul moment!!