Romans 2
2 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.
11 For God shows no partiality.
12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
Mamertine Prison where both Peter and Paul lived. You can go in and see the prison cells.
The Roman world when I was a child, was so so so far away. Those people ran around having riots and making up political points to scream about. They even made things up. And the morality was alllll over the map.
Romans built wonderful roads, straight, good paths and had ways for water to be delivered to homes. Well a few little quirks there, the water was carried with lead and the poison was killing the nation.
So in the middle of all this organization, there was utter chaos.
Groups of ethical people. Groups of groupies and users. Groups of soldiers. Groups of laborers. Groups of welfare recipients. And groups of foreigners.
And in the middle of alll this organization was Paul and Peter.
How are you going to take a mess and bring Joy and Love and Jesus?
How was a man in prison going to lead the Light of Christ to the Romans? Next time you feel as if you are insignificant. Realize Paul and Peter spend only a few years in ministry and some of that was being avoided and more was from prison.
Romans 2 is soooo DRY. And look what Father GOD is saying. It's not your yesterdays. It's not your flaws, this is the willingness to do what Martin Luther Did. What Jesus does. Today.
And when you get ready to do this with your worries. Jesus is going to Bring You Up To Him.
On a day filled with stresses and situations and the tug and pull of plain o life. You can condense your troubles, the societal ills, your relationships, your future and all of Romans 2 and see what Jesus is saying.
He sees us. All of us. And He says what matters is Love. What matters is to give Love. And the rest all washes away if we Trust Jesus to be God.
Father God,
Like they do in Rwanda. At the end of worship - take all of yourself, put it all out there, lay it all down at the feet of Jesus. Just you and Just Jesus.
All of our difficulties - We lift to the Cross of Jesus.
All of our troubles - we lift to the Cross of Jesus.
All those we love - we lift to the Cross of Jesus.
And our Jesus, our hero, our Beloved in God, He did not stay on that Cross. Jesus Lives. Jesus is alive and Jesus is going to help. Believe Jesus.
Amen. We say with Praise and Thanksgiving for what Jesus does. Jesus is the Lord. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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