How To Live Like a King's Kid IV
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10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
How To Live Like a King’s Kid (Romans, Part 4)
Week 1 – people change the truth of God into a lie (“I’m my own god!”)
Week 2 – all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
Week 3 – persuaded that what God has promised He is able to perform
Week 4 - the joy of the Lord
Romans is written by Paul
who had been imprisoned in Philippi (Acts 16:23-24)
chased out of Thessalonica (Acts 17:10)
smuggled out of Berea (Acts 17:14)
laughed at in Athens (Acts 17:32)
regarded as a fool in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:18, 23)
and stoned in Galatia (Acts 14:19)
But he remained eager to preach the gospel in Rome!
However, he never got to go to Rome until near the end of his life.
That “delay” is why we have the book of Romans, written in advance to a group of believers he had never met.
When he did finally travel to Rome it was by being arrested as a criminal in Jerusalem, and then sent to trial as a prisoner.
22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.
11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.
13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.
After a time of house arrest, Paul ends up in prison ...
13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Not only was Paul incredibly upbeat but…
But in spite of his circumstances, Paul can write verses like this:
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
What is Paul’s secret?
It is certainly something we need to know!
Many of God’s children live below their privileges as King’s Kids.
That’s why we’re studying the book of Romans – it tells us how to access the royalty that is already within us through the power of God’s Spirit.
PAUL WAS CERTAINLY NOT HAPPY, BUT HE DID HAVE JOY!
Nowhere does God advise us to pursue happiness
Because happiness is not a Biblical concept (plus, you can never ‘catch’ happiness!).
The word “happiness” is only used 22 times in the Bible (NT – 6X, OT – 16X), and it NEVER means what we have been conditioned to think of today!
In the Bible, “happy” doesn’t mean, “having everything go my way.”
It means, “blessed or favored by God.”
In contrast to happiness, the Bible uses the words JOY, JOYFUL or REJOICE over 160 times.
It teaches us that joy only comes from the Spirit of God living within us!
Happiness is external - Joy is internal
Happiness is temporary - Joy is permanent
Happiness is based on chance - Joy is based on choice
Happiness is based on circumstances - Joy is based on Christ
A lot of religious people are neither happy nor joyful.
That’s why they spend their time “policing” the rest of the church – they want to ensure that everyone else goes through the misery they have endured for years.
BUT SERVING GOD IS NOT MISERY – SERVING GOD IS FUN!
Kids quoting the Lord’s prayer ...
Our Father, who does art in heaven, Harold be thy name.
And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from email.
Why can’t serving God be fun??
Stories from church...
Pizza delivery man at side door of sanctuary during sermon
Lady bringing in a bucket of KFC and a 2 litter of DP, eating dinner on the back row
I’ve seen lizards crash alter calls
Ron Pringle preaching about David and Goliath. Swinging his arm around like he was slinging the sling and punched the end of the microphone which punched him in the mouth, bloodying his lip. He would not stop preaching, blood running all over. We teased him saying we didn’t know if he was David or Goliath!
The next Sunday, Ron Pringle spit his cert out praying for a lady, it landing and sticking to her head and his attempts to brush it off her forehead only scooted it around!
I’ve seen fist fights among friend and total strangers
Wrestled a rifle from the hands of a friend
Had drug deals in the middle of Home Bible Studies
Had Mormon’s come and study our service for weeks on end, trying to identify what made us a cult
And trinitarian seminary classes come and try to identify what made us so different
I’ve been in dead, dry Wednesday night services where everyone seemed to be asleep (maybe even the preacher) and out of nowhere it started to rain. Rained so hard, everyone stopped and looked at each other. Threw the preacher off… Bro. David bowers started singing that old song, “I feel the rain, I feel the rain. The former and the latter rain together, and I not talking about the weather. The Holy Ghost rain is falling down on me!” The whole place blew up. People running, shouting, crying, repenting, receiving the Holy Ghost. To this day, I don’t think I’ve ever been in a better Wednesday night service!
Service God should be FUN!
34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
That’s why there is JOY in serving God. I’m not mad at God, and God’s not mad at me. Think about it ...
Jesus gave His life for us when we were “without strength” – the word means “helpless,” incapable of doing anything for ourselves.
Human beings are not sinners because they sin; rather, they sin because they are sinners.
We were not righteous (“innocent”), we were not even good (“worthy”), we were sinners (“offensive to God”).
God’s love is unwavering because it is not based on how lovable we are, but on the constancy of his own character
His supreme act of love came when we were at our most undesirable.
MUCH MORE THEN – if God loved us that much then, how much more does He love us now that we are doing our best to serve Him?
CHRISTIANITY IS NOT JUST ABOUT DEATH – IT’S ABOUT LIFE!
Jesus’ death saved me (PAST) ... but Jesus’ life saves me (PRESENT)!
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?
1 And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: For the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation.
3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.
9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; And let thy saints shout for joy.
44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.
23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?
God is on my side
In Him I will abide
If I can trust Him, He will provide For God is on my side
God is on my side
God is on my side
In Him I will abide
If God be for me, I can survive For God is on my side
God is on my side
God is in control
He will heal your soul
With restoration, He’ll make you whole For God is in control
God is in control