Romans 13:8-14

Intro

Read Romans 13:8-14

Romans 13:8–14 ESV

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Love is the unpayable debt

Read Romans 13:8-10

Romans 13:8–10 ESV

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

to really grasp what paul is saying here at the beginning of verse 8 we need the context

Last week we looked at mans relationship with the authorities

and go back to verse 7

Romans 13:7 ESV

7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Paul wants us to pay our debts

But something is differnet with Love

Owe no anything except to love each other

The debt of loving others is the one that we will never repay

Not the one that we shouldnt repay

But the one we cant repay

We cant love others enough to pay off our debt of Love

Why because Christ first loved us so we must love others

We must continue to strive to love more like Christ love for us

Never perfect but always the goal

Loving each other has a sanctifying effect for us

It is how we fulfil the law

Notice here at the end of 8 then into verse 9

the one who loves another fulfills the law

The paul lists off 5 of the 10 commandments

Love the lord your God and the second love your neighbor as yourself

Love of neighbor is the debt we can not repay but in our attempts to repay it we will be sanctifying ourselves

By loving keeping these commandments

A simple concept that is far harder than we realize

Paul makes it seem so simple

Love does no wrong to neighbor therefore love fulfills the law

A simple statement that is almost impossible to acheive

Who loves at all times?????

How often are we selfish

How often to we get angry

How often do we covet

How often are we discontent

Love of neighbor is the unpayable debt because we will never do it perfectly this side of heaven

But that doesnt mean we throw out this command

A command as old as the law itself

We must strive to repay the love debt Christ has given us

Love is for today

Read Romans 13:11-12

Romans 13:11–12 ESV

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

This seems like an odd statement

Sleeping and waking day and night

What Paul is communicating here urgency

The time for us to love well is now and with each passing breath it becomes even more important

Salvation is nearer now then ever

and it only grows closers

Our own time of wandering in darkness is past

Now let us proclaim the Love of Christ because we have received it and want to give it

We must put away the darkness that was our selfishness and love

The armor of light is love

Think about it what is it that brought you out of darkness

This crushing weight of sin

I will never be able to have freedom

And here comes Christ because of the great love he had for us he saves us

Let’s proclaim this

baptisms are a great example of this

We love Today because we know that we are running out of time!!!

Put on Christ Love

Read Romans 13:13-14

Romans 13:13–14 ESV

13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

How do we show Love

Paul continues defining this for us

Walking properly in the light means not engaging in these things

One thing I notice about this list is the first things on here are cheap substitutes for love

We think Love is sexual its not that

Why do we quarrel and get jealous because we feel we arent loved enough

This is not how Christian’s act

We should understand what Love is

Love in Action: The Call to Live Rightly

Bible Passage: Romans 13:8–14

Summary: In Romans 13:8-14, Paul urges believers to fulfill the law through love, emphasizing that love is the ultimate commandment. He calls for a life marked by righteousness and warns against the darkness of sin, highlighting the importance of living as people of the day.

Application: This passage encourages teens to understand the significance of love in their relationships and day-to-day interactions, reminding them to put aside selfish desires and to intentionally choose actions that reflect Christ's love. It offers practical guidance on how to navigate issues of peer pressure, social media, and moral decisions with integrity.

Teaching: The sermon would teach that love is not merely a feeling but an action demonstrated through obedience to God's commandments. It emphasizes living in a way that honors God and serves others, preparing us to be lights in a world that often promotes darkness.

How this passage could point to Christ: In the broader biblical context, Jesus is the embodiment of love and the fulfillment of the law. His life and teachings redefine our understanding of love, calling us to a deeper commitment that transcends mere rule-keeping to a life of sacrificial love for others.

Big Idea: The big idea of this sermon communicates that genuine love for God and others is the foundation of a righteous life, empowering us to live in the light and resist the temptations of darkness.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider using Logos to explore the cultural context of Paul's letter to the Romans, focusing on how love was viewed in first-century Rome. Examine commentaries that discuss the relationship between love and the Ten Commandments, and investigate how the themes of light versus darkness are presented throughout scripture, particularly in the writings of John.

1. Love as the Law's Fulfillment

Romans 13:8-10

Perhaps begin by exploring how Paul emphasizes the fulfillment of the law through love. This section can encourage teens to see love not as merely an emotion but as an actionable commitment to God’s commands. By demonstrating the direct connection between love and obedience, we can help them view love as a guiding principle that leads us to live rightly. This approach could frame love as the antidote to peer pressures that encourage selfish or harmful behaviors.

2. Light: Our Everyday Armor

Romans 13:11-12

Consider urging the audience to recognize the urgency of embracing righteousness like putting on new clothes. Paul’s vivid imagery of shedding darkness and putting on the armor of light might inspire teens to actively choose righteousness over sin. This metaphor can be a tangible way to discuss the inner transformation necessary to live as children of light in a world filled with darkness, addressing the temptations presented by society and media.

3. Live Clothed in Christ

Romans 13:13-14

You could focus on Paul’s call to ‘clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ’ as a day-to-day decision to embody Christ’s love in actions. This final point could implore teens to resist the ‘deeds of darkness’ by embracing Christ’s character. Expanding on this, discuss practical applications of living in the light amidst the cultural influences they face. This section may challenge them to cultivate habits that reflect Christ in interactions at school and home.