Loving God, Loving People, Living Free
Thursday April 25th, 2019
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Pastor Ethan's Weekly Message to our Extended Church Family
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Well, another Easter weekend has gone by. I absolutely love Easter, everything about it, but I must honestly say that I also love Easter (the celebration, not the message) when it's in my rear-view mirror. So, with last Sunday rapidly fading into the distance, it's time to turn to things ahead. And by things, I mean Romans chapter 13.
Ok. Paul, you're starting to get on my nerves here. It's easy to listen to constructive criticism that other people need to hear. It's really a pain when Paul seems to be speaking directly to me. Or, as a good friend likes to put it, when he starts meddling. And here, as we continue to explore the ethical (practical life application) ramifications of Christ as our life, Paul starts to get personal. If there is one 'flesh pattern' I love to indulge, it is a thick slice of discontent (that's the polite word) with government. And right in the middle of my sumptuous feast of contempt, Paul throws out this:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God... Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
Romans 13:1,5
Reading through the first seven verses of Romans chapter 13, the question that immediately comes to my mind is 'just what governing authorities is Paul talking about!?' Is Paul living in an alternate universe where government (at least 'top level' government) is ethical, honest, and functioning as God's servant for good? It gets even harder when Paul wraps up his thought with the words 'respect' and 'honor', as descriptors of a believers attitude towards the government. Respect for the government Paul? Really? Have you watched the news lately?
Let me dial that back just a bit. If I could hop in a time machine to live anywhere in any time period, my choice would still be right now, in a democracy like America, flawed may it be. But that's not really the point. In this passage- which theologians have argued about and tried to ignore since the day it was written- Paul doesn't wish for a perfect, benevolent government that honors God and deserves the submission of it's people. No. Paul is talking about how we- as people who have been brought from death to life In Christ- are to view and relate to the authorities in our lives, and the authority in Paul's life was early imperial Rome. Between Paul's writing of Romans and the end of his life, the two Roman emperors were Claudius- known among other things for expelling all the Jews from Rome- and Nero, who may have been the cruelest self-obsessed psychopath in all antiquity. One of Nero's stellar moments was kicking his wife, Poppaea, to death after an argument. Aside from that he wasn't too bad, except maybe when he likely burned down Rome, blamed the Christians, and launched a persecution whose brutality is hard to describe. Yeah, that Nero.
It is within this reality that Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, urging them to live as good citizens of a governmental system, that as evil as it was, still operated under the authority of God. For us today, this challenging passage has much to teach us, from the question of how we understand and apply scripture within its original (and current) context, to an essentially Christian ethic of living that will set us apart from the prevailing pattern of this world. I know my flesh, and I know that derision and contempt for government is not an expression of who I am in Christ. And as much as I hate to admit it, Paul's words here may be the most immediately important of all the ethical teaching in chapters 12-15. That said, this passage brings up important questions of application that need to be considered and wrestled with- and we will take it to the mat this Sunday.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday if you are in town, and hope you are well wherever you may be!
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Colossians 1:16
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.
Titus 3:1-2
Alive in Christ with you,
Pastor Ethan
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This Sunday's Message: Respect for Government. Really?
Focus Scripture: Romans 13:1-7
Messages in this series
Week 1, April 28th: Respect for Government. Really?
Week 2, May 5th: Law, Love and One True Debt
Week 3, May 12th: How Then Shall We Live?
Week 4, May 19th: The Weak and the Strong
Week 5, May 26th: We Are All in This Together
Week 6, June 2nd: Why We Do What We Do
Week 7, June 9th: One Mind, One Voice
Week 8, June 16th: Hope Overflowing
Visit the 'sermons' tab at www.trinityvail.com for Pastor Ethan's weekly study/reflection guide, scripture reference links, message audio links, and more. Ethan’s message audio is also available through various podcast apps on both your iPhone and Android devices. Just search for “Trinity Vail Valley Ethan” in your podcast app.
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If you are coming into town soon and would like to learn about Trinity's upcoming events, visit our 'coming events' tab at trinityvail.com, or just click HERE!
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Trinity Church
P.O. Box 2676, 90 Lariat Loop
Edwards, CO 81632
Phone:(970) 926-1759
Fax:(970) 926-1754
Email: trinity@trinityvail.com
Website: www.trinityvail.com
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