09.06.2020 SER "Let's Live God's Greater Story"

If you walk this historic Appian Way today, 12 miles outside of Rome, there is a painted figure of a young Roman shepherd, painted on the walls of the catacombs of St. Callixtus, four levels below the surface. It is one of the earliest pieces of Christian art. It was painted years after Paul wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome, when things were getting worse, not better. The military power of Rome had turned against Christians. They were killed in persecution, slaughtered in sport. Somehow, as things in Rome became darker for Christians, other things became clearer. These early Christians, suffering persecution, began painting figures on the walls of their graves, expressions of their faith in God’s mercy and power. In the darkness of the catacombs, they painted the light of salvation.

Here, in the tombs, these early Christians buried their martyrs, who were killed and cast off by the powers of the world. On the walls of these tombs these early believers painted their Savior, confessing the wonderful power of God, a power that saw and claimed the persecuted, the killed, the powerless, and the rejected. This figure, with a lamb across his shoulders, is the great Shepherd of the sheep, the Messiah, prophesied by Isaiah.

Isaiah 40:11 (NIV) — 11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

This Good Shepherd, Jesus sees their suffering and he comes to find them, to bind up their wounds, and gather them together, and give them the promise of life everlasting. He carries them upon his shoulders, raises them up and brings them into a new creation and to a joy that never ends. Here, in these mazes of death, the early Christians confessed Jesus to be the way, the truth, and the life.

During the height of Roman rule, all roads may have led to Rome, but ever since the death and resurrection of this Jesus Christ, Christians have been walking by faith the road that leads to life in Jesus Christ our Lord. (Proverbs 19:23, Matthew 7:14, Acts 11:18)

He is the one who has come to claim his people in everlasting love and has promised to return and bring his people into a new creation. In the light of this world, Jesus may not look like a ruler but, in the darkness of death, he reveals his power, his promise of life everlasting and of a world without end, and he calls all people to follow him.

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In some respects, life is so different today for Christians. In many respects it is no better, for the crowds are not following Jesus, rulers are not bending their knees before Him, even though he still is the Savior of the world. Our world still rejects him as the promised Messiah. Religious scholars question his words and promises and the accounts of his resurrection. Academics claim that his followers are blind, foolish, even stupid. Yet, in spite of the world’s rejection, Jesus has come for you so that through his death and resurrection, he can lead us out of the way that ends in death eternal, to the way that leads to life eternal life.

John 1:12 (NIV) — 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Rejoice, with me in your baptism, for through Your baptism Christ welcomes you into His kingdom. Your sin is buried with him in baptism, Christ’s blood covers all your sin, and the Spirit of Him who raised Christ from death, raises you to live a new life in His grace, mercy and love. He’ll be your shepherd here in this life until the day when he returns to bring you home with all the faithful followers of the lamb into life everlasting.

Do you realize what this means? We are a people who stand in two kingdoms. We have one foot here in this world, and one foot in the kingdom of our Lord.

Colossians 1:13–14 ESV He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

2 Corinthians 10:3–6 (NIV) — 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

So how then shall we life? We shall live as people with dual citizenship – obedient to both.

Hebrews 11:13, 16 (NIV) — 13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth…16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

We will live by faith as “foreigners and strangers on earth.” We will live by faith until we are not here, for Heaven is our home.

Twice when we accepted God’s call to serve other congregations, our move required “temporary” housing. For a brief time, we lived out of boxes, and stored a portion of our possessions until we found a home, something more permanent. No pictures went on the walls. Nothing was put away. For brief time we lived as short-timers knowing that this was a temporary situation.

But doesn’t that describe how we live our here in this world as Christ’s followers?

We are IN the world. We are here until we are not. Heaven is our home. We can’t afford to get so attached to this life, that when our Lord returns, we aren’t ready to go. Our bags need to be packed, and we need to to be dressed and ready at a moment’s notice. But until Christ returns…

Let’s live here! Let’s live bold, courageous, Christ-exalting, Christ-confessing lives engaging the world.

Let’s not live in darkness, but as kingdom children, living in the light of our faith, in hope. After all,

• No one can take your faith in Christ away!

• No one can steal your hope of everlasting life in Jesus’ name.

• God’s love for you is unchanged. You live in Christ’s love. Regardless of your “temporary” circumstances, and nothing can separate you from the love of God. You are so loved by the Father because of Christ our savior.

• Christ has won the victory over sin, satan and death. While we live in the ”shadow” of death, death is no longer your master, you are free to live your life in Christ boldly.

Let’s live here subject to the governing authorities because they are divinely placed for our good while we are here.

Romans 13:1 (NIV) — 1 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.

God is still in control. He establishes governments to keep evil in check and to bring order to out of chaos. God authorizes governments to do his bidding.

Just as we submit to our Lord and Savior, Jesus, Christ our King, we willingly submit to those in authority, for they are…

Romans 13:4 (NIV) —God’s servant for your good.

Let’s live a life of prayer for those in authority, Paul urges,

1 Timothy 2:1–4 (NIV) — 1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

We pray for those in authority to provide justice and fairness for all. We pray for our government to allow the Gospel to be proclaimed and believed so that grace and mercy may be found by all, BECAUSE God wants all to be saved.

We oppose governments when a governing will forces opposes God’s will for His world and the salvation of mankind.

Acts 5:29 (ESV) — 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Let us live as Christ’s ambassadors for that is who we are.

2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV) — 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

God leaves us here, in this temporary kingdom and life, to shine His light, share His love, and proclaim His gospel. Life is best here, when sin and evil are in check. The more the of Christ’s light and love we shine in our world, the more goodness and mercy follow our days here in this world. Therefore,

Matthew 5:16 (NIV) let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Let’s live here in a better world today! How?

Romans 13:11–14 (NIV) So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.