"Make Payments On Your Debt" | Rally to Love Others | Romans 13:8-14

Introduction

Welcome to the rally Sunday at BUMC. I am glad you join us for this gathering to worship God and appreciate each other. A special thanks and appreciation to Sis. Regina Blount, our excellent office administrator, who, by the grace of God, put the details of this Sunday together, and all of you who brought in the food for our fellowship time immediately after the service.

Have you attended a “Rally” social or political? a coming together of people for a common purpose.

Come with me to a rally. A rally to love others. The purpose is to awaken our consciousness of our indebtedness to each other, and not to default on “Making Payments on Your Debt”

What Debt Do I own You?

You may tell me this morning, Pastor, I know I have credit card debt, Student loan (for your or children's schooling) debt, mortgage debt, or carload debt, but I don't owe you anything. I check my credit report regularly and I do not owe you nothing.

KINGDOM DEBT REPORT

Let’s check your kingdom credit report. Romans 13:8-14

Romans 13:8–14

8 Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself., 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

11 Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.

Illustrations

(“You Have Blessed My Life”)

Years ago when William Burt, a Methodist bishop, retired, he received a bound book of autographed tributes from those who had served with him on a certain board of the denomination. The following letter is a tribute concerning his Christian influence: Dear Bishop Burt: Your years have passed like sunlight. They were beautiful, and filled with service in the old world and in the new. God has been with you, and you have been with God. Would you might live a hundred years to bless mankind, but wherever you are, in earth or heaven, you will like the place. You make it good to live where you are around. You have blessed my life, and I want to live with you forever in the skies.

Your brother everywhere, William A. Quayle

Debt to love others

All of our debts should be repaid in full but there is one debt that can not be fully paid off. The debt to love one another. Why do Paul call love a debt? a financial term or obligation? which means when someone borrows money? I don’t know but Maybe, its because we are permanently indebted to Christ who poured out His awesome love on us. Any the only way we can begin making repayment is by loving others in turn. “No greater love than this:to lay down his life for his friends.” -John 15:13

Practical Love

We will never be call to die for someone, but there are countless ways by which with the help of the Holy Spirit of God to practice sacrificial love: Giving a listening ear to someone, helping others in need, positively encouraging, being present with someone during a times of sickness, death in the family, giving your time, money, prayers and service to help others in need. Doing all of this with the spirit of joy and humility with gratitude to God.

Maybe you will say, I don’t know if I have the capacity or the resources to pay such debt. I will will strongly agreed with you. we can not do this on our own, we do not have the ability or what it take love people unconditionally in all their humanness( good, bad and ugly) NO we can not. If your loving others account is low or zero balance I know a way to have access to unlimited credit line: Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Put God first place in your life. That’s the source from which you can drew from to me payment.