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About Kurt Steinbrueck

http://faithwesleychapel.com

Posts by Kurt Steinbrueck:

Romans 14:13-14, 22-23 “This Isn’t a Sin…Except When You Do This”
Kurt Steinbrueck
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Romans 14:13-14, 22-23 “This Isn’t a Sin…Except When You Do This”

Romans Bible Study

Romans 14:13-14, 22-23 "This Isn’t a Sin…Except When You Do This"

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean…

…The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Video Notes: 

  • We tend to think of sin as an act someone does which leads to the idea that the act is either always sinful or always good. Certainly, there are acts like that, but there are also actions which are sinful or not depending on the situation or context.
  • Something is sinful if it’s not done from faith. In other words, the “stronger” Christian here has faith that God has made all food clean. If the “weaker” Christian does not believe this, but still eats the food he considers unclean, he is sinning. He is sinning because he is not acting in faith. He is sinning because he believes he is sinning.
  • It is also sinful to force someone to violate their conscience by doing the act you know is free to be done and it is sinful to cause the weaker Christian to stumble and slander you by doing the things you are free to do but they think you aren’t in front of them. Romans even warns that you may destroy their faith altogether.
  • So, anything done apart from faith is sin. This, by the way, is also why even the “good” deeds of non-Christians are still sinful. Even though the act, itself, may be generally good, it is not done from faith.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Romans 14:5-6 “Why Don’t Christians Follow the Sabbath? “
Kurt Steinbrueck
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Romans 14:5-6 “Why Don’t Christians Follow the Sabbath? “

Romans Bible Study

Romans 14:5-6 "Why Don’t Christians Follow the Sabbath? "

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

Video Notes: 

  • Holy Days
    • Sabbath – Mark 2:23-28, Hebrews 4:1-11 – Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath and the fulfillment of the Sabbath. He is rest…our Sabbath.
    • Passover – 1 Corinthians 5:7 – Jesus is our Passover lamb.
    • Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) – 1 John 2:2 – Jesus atoned for our sins
    • Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) – Call to repentance. This call is continual in Christ.
    • Sukkot (Feast of Booths) – John 7:37-39 – Harvest festival. God’s provision of food (harvest or manna) and water (rain or from a rock). Jesus is our provider and our living water.
  • The Holy Days of Israel served three main purposes.
    • They point back. The Sabbath pointed back to the 7th day rest of creation. The Passover pointed back God’s saving work in the exodus. Sukkot pointed back to when Israel lived in tents in the wilderness.
    • The focus in the present. The Sabbath focuses on God’s rest and worship. The Passover reminded Israel they were God’s chosen people. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, focused the people on God’s forgiveness and grace.
    • The point forward to Jesus who fulfilled the purpose and meaning of these Holy Days.
  • Would it be wrong to worship on Saturday and follow the rules of the Sabbath? No. In fact, this is what many Messianic Jews, Jews who believe in Jesus, do. 
    • That is why Galatians has such a different tone than Romans on this topic. In Romans, all members of the church still believed they were saved by grace through faith in Jesus. In Galatians, people had come in teaching that the Christians had to follow the Jewish laws in addition to believing in Jesus for their salvation.
  • So, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Sabbath and our Sabbath rest. All foods are now clean. And Jesus was the fulfillment of the Passover. So, Christians are free to worship on Sundays…or Mondays, or Tuesdays, etc.
  • Why do Christians worship on Sundays? Easter. Every Sunday is an Easter celebration.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Romans 14:1-12 “The Worship Wars”
Kurt Steinbrueck
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Romans 14:1-12 “The Worship Wars”

Romans Bible Study

Romans 14:1-12 "The Worship Wars"

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
    and every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Video Notes: 

  • Our passage for today and throughout this week is Romans 14:1-15:7 which addresses things of Christian freedom in the church and how we are to deal with them when we disagree about what to do with our freedom. Specifically, in Romans 14 and 15 it addresses the day of worship, special holy days, and food (clean or unclean), but the concepts discussed apply to any matter of Christian freedom within the church where God has neither commanded nor forbidden something. So, I thought it would be helpful to address a topic related to this, the “worship wars”.
  • This generally refers to the battle between traditional and contemporary worship. Within the Lutheran church, this largely focuses on music, but also includes elements of the liturgy. 
  • Formula of Concord Ep X 7 – We believe, teach, and confess that no church should condemn another because it has fewer or more external ceremonies not commanded by God, as long as there is mutual agreement in doctrine and in all its articles as well as in right use of the holy sacraments, according to the familiar axiom, “Disagreement in fasting does not destroy agreement in the faith.”
  • Our unity is in our doctrine and administration of the holy sacraments, baptism and communion. Beyond that, the elements of the worship service are to some extent what is referred to as adiaphora.
    • Adiaphora refers to things not commanded or forbidden by God and thus things that are in the realm of Christian freedom.
      • Think of things like how often you pray the Lord’s Prayer, whether you read the ESV, NET, NIV, or King James Bible, etc. 
      • On the one hand, we should rightly condemn forcing matters of adiaphora as though they were commanded by God. We should not burden people’s conscience where God gives freedom.
      • On the other hand, adiaphora doesn’t mean we just turn off our minds. We are to think carefully about these things, seek God’s wisdom, and think beyond ourselves. Part of that careful thought is how our doctrine speaks to our worship practices and other matters of adiaphora/Christian freedom as well as the context in which we minister, both the context of our larger church body and the context of our local church and culture in an around it.
  • I’m going to try to talk about this in general in a way that would apply to all Christians bodies, but will use the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod as the example because that is my context and I’m most familiar with it.
  • I’m also going to focus on how we can have the conversation in a Godly and helpful way, maintaining Biblical unity as we discuss matters of Christian freedom as well as conversation determining whether things are adiaphora.
  • Since much of the focus of the “worship wars” was music, let’s start there.
  • We tend to use terms like contemporary and traditional, but does that mean the only issue is the how recently a song was written or where it was written?
  • So, what questions can we ask?
    • Are the songs or styles of songs we sing commanded in the Bible? If not, then this is adiaphora/Christian freedom which means we need to think and pray carefully about the songs we sing.
    • We know the New Testament churches sung psalms and spiritual songs, but we don’t know what the spiritual songs were.
      • As you think through these things, it’s important to note the difference between descriptions and commands in the Bible.
    • How does our doctrine guide us in the songs we sing? What are we singing in the lyrics? Does it agree with our doctrine? Does it teach our doctrine? Does our doctrine speak to a style of music?
    • It’s also good to consider how singable the song is and whether it lends itself to corporate singing.
    • With each aspect of the worship wars we consider, we also need to keep in mind what Romans 14-15 tells us. We need to consider how our choices affect our brothers and sisters in Christ and, at least for a time, those comfortable in their Christian freedom (the strong) may need to sacrifice for the sake of the those who aren’t (the weak).
    • So, when choosing the songs we use in worship, we want to consider the lyrics and our doctrine, whether the song is singably good for corporate worship, our cultural context, and how the use or lack of use of certain kinds songs effects our brothers and sisters in Christ.
  • Are the instruments we use to play songs or hymns commanded by God?
    • What instruments have been used in the past?
    • What about the cultural context of the local church? I think of churches in Africa which may have some different song styles and instruments. It may seem more obvious there, but a poor rural area in the South isn’t the same cultural context as a wealthy suburb of the North East which or the inner city in Chicago or church in San Francisco. What about the contexts of different generations?
    • When considering the instruments (or lack thereof) we use in worship, we should consider the practicality of its use, whether it is conducive for a worship setting, our cultural context, and how the use of the instruments will affect our brothers and sisters in Christ.
  • What about liturgy, the order of service?
    • Even non-liturgical churches have some form of liturgy.
    • Are the parts of the worship service commanded? Are there parts of the service described in the Bible (keeping in mind the difference between commands and descriptions)?
    • How does our doctrine inform our worship? For example, in the LCMS, we hold a high view of confession and absolution/forgiveness, so we have that as part of our worship service.
    • What liturgy are other churches in your denomination using and how important is it to use the same liturgy in every church? 
      • Is there already diversity in the liturgy?
      • Do all elements of the liturgy need to be included?
      • Does the context of the local church matter? How might local culture affect what would be good for the liturgy or should it?
    • When considering the liturgy of our service we should look at what the Bible describes in worship, let our doctrinal beliefs guide us, consider our context, and consider the affect of including or excluding something from the liturgy on our brothers and sisters in Christ.
  • Regardless of where each one of us stands on the use of liturgy, hymns, songs, and instruments, we should start with the assumption that the people who disagree with us are not the enemy, they are brothers and sisters in Christ who want what is best for the church. With that attitude, we can then have loving conversations that seek to reach agreement. Where the Bible speaks plainly, we should be in agreement submitting to God’s Word. Where God has not commanded or forbidden, we should allow for Christian freedom with prayerful, thoughtful, wisdom. Where we can’t find agreement, let’s learn to disagree agreeably with love and respect and realize that, if this is truly a matter of Christian freedom, both practices can be God pleasing, just as in Romans both those who followed the food laws and those who ate freely, those who observed the Sabbath and holy days and those who worshipped on Sundays with different holy days were both done in faith and were both pleasing to God.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Order of Service for September 17
Kurt Steinbrueck
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Order of Service for September 17

Order of Service for September 17, 2023

You are invited to worship with us at 11:00 am on Sunday, September 17,  2023.

Below, you will find the Order of Service so you can follow along and participate in the worship service. If you would prefer, you can also download a bulletin here:

Regular Bulletin

Large-Print Bulletin

Before we start, please share the live stream on your favorite social media site and invite your friends.

Worship Service for September 17, 2023, at 11 AM

Welcome

Opening Song – The Wonderful Cross

When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.

 

Chorus:

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross,

Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live.

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross,

All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name.

 

See from his head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down.

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown.

 

(Chorus)

Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small

Love so amazing so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

 

(Chorus)                                                                                                                  © 2000 worshiptogether.com Songs

Invocation

Responsive Psalm (32)

P: Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
C: Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

P: For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.
C: For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

P: I acknowledged my sin to You, and I did not cover my iniquity;
C: I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

P: Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to You at a time when You may be found;
C: Surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach Him.

P: You are a hiding place for me; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with shouts of deliverance.
C: Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Confession and Forgiveness:

P: Let us not keep silent. Let us acknowledge our sin to God our Father for this is a time when God has promised He can be found. Surely, He will forgive the iniquity of our sins as we repent in faith.

(Time of silence for reflection and confession)

P: Let us confess, together, our transgressions to the Lord.
C: Heavenly Father, we confess that we are sinners.  We have sinned against you and our neighbors. We have not loved you with our whole heart and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not lived out our faith in our community. We justly deserve Your punishment.  For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.  Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name.  Amen.

P: Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins.  As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I, therefore, forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. He is your hiding place; He preserves you from trouble; He surround you with shouts of deliverance.
C: Amen

Song of Praise and Thanksgiving: O Praise The Name (Anástasis)

I cast my mind to Calvary Where Jesus bled and died for me.
I see His wounds, His hands, His feet.
My Savior on that cursed tree.

His body bound and drenched in tears.

They laid Him down in Joseph’s tomb.

The entrance sealed by heavy stone, Messiah still and all alone.

Chorus:

O praise the Name of the Lord our God.

O praise His Name forevermore.

For endless days, we will sing Your praise,

Oh Lord, oh Lord our God.

 

Then on the third, at break of dawn,

The Son of heaven rose again.

O trampled death, where is your sting.

The angels roar for Christ the King.

 

Chorus:

O praise the Name of the Lord our God.

O praise His Name forevermore.

For endless days, we will sing Your praise,

Oh Lord, oh Lord our God.

He shall return in robes of white.

The blazing sun shall pierce the night.

And I will rise among the saints, My gaze transfixed on Jesus’ face.

(Chorus 2x)                                                                                                                    © 2015 © Hillsong Music Publishing

Old Testament Reading – Genesis 50:15-21

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

Gospel Reading – Matthew 18:21-22

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise be to You, o Christ.

Children’s Message (Children dismissed to Children’s Church)

Sermon Hymn – They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love

Verse 1:
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored.

Chorus:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love,
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

Verse 2:
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land.

(Chorus)

Verse 3:
We Will work with each other, we will work side by side;
We will work with each other, we will work side by side;
And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each other’s pride.

(Chorus)                                                                               © 1966 F.E.L. Publications. Assigned 1991 Lorenz Publishing Company

Sermon – “Do We Have to Do That?”

Romans 14:15-15:3

For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

Prayers: Text in prayer requests to (813) 326-5255

Nicene Creed (stand)

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried. And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer (stand)

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen

Offering (sit)

Benediction – The online service ends. The closing hymn video is on the Livestream page bulletin at FaithWesleyChapel.com with lyrics below. See announcements below as well.

 

Closing Song: Now All The Vault Of Heaven Resounds (sit)

Now all the vault of Heav’n resounds,

In praise of love that still abound,

“Christ has triumphed! He is living!”

Sing, choirs of angels, loud and clear.

Repeat their song of glory here.

“Christ has triumphed! Christ has triumphed!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”

 

Eternal is the gift He brings.

Therefore, our heart with rapture sings,

“Christ has triumphed! He is living!”

Now, still, He comes to give us life,

And by His presence stills all strife.

Christ has triumphed! He is living!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

 

Adoring praises now we bring

And with the heavenly blessed sing,

“Christ has triumphed, Alleluia!

Be to the Father, and our Lord,

To Spirit blest, most holy God,

All the glory, never-ending!

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.“                                                                           © 1989,1994 Lorenz Publishing Company

 

Offering

 

 

 

 

Closing Song:

Plan Your In-Person Visit for Next Week

News and Announcements

 

Hey Youth!!
Do you know any worship songs you’d like to sing as part of our youth service? Let Pastor Kurt know.

Do you want to sing or play an instrument? Let Pastor Kurt know.

We want you to be a part of the service.

 

Upcoming Events

Today, After the Service – Confirmation

Faith Lutheran Church

September 26, 7 PM – Growth Group (Cancelled)
Renee’s Home – (Ch 2-3 of the book, A Week in the Life of Corinth)

 

Plan Your In-Person Visit for Next Week

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Faith Lutheran Church, Wesley Chapel, FL
Worship services on Sundays at 11am
27221 Foamflower Blvd. Wesley Chapel, FL 33544
(813) 602-1104

Romans 14:1-12 “Do Not Judge?”
Kurt Steinbrueck
0

Romans 14:1-12 “Do Not Judge?”

Romans Bible Study

Romans 14:1-12 "Do Not Judge?"

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
    and every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Romans 14:15-15:3

For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

Video Notes: 

  • Not “weak” as in about to fall from the faith, but weak in that they lack understanding or feel unable to move away from, in this case, the Jewish practices, practices they may well have done their whole lives.
  • Welcome him, doesn’t quite encompass the idea here. It’s to fully integrate them into the worship life of the church.
  • The issues at hand are the O.T. Jewish laws and customs, like clean foods and holy days. Thus, the “weaker” Christians are likely Jewish or Greek proselytes who are having difficulty letting these go.
    • This is similar to, but not the same as the issue in 1 Corinthians and Galatians.
  • The “strong” were not to despise (hold in contempt) the “weak” and the “weak” were not to judge the “strong” (judge as lawbreakers).
  • They were all to receive the other unto themselves because God had received them unto Himself. IT’S GOD’s CHURCH!!
    • In fact, God didn’t just receive them unto Himself, He do so at great cost in Jesus Christ’s suffering and death. How much more should we be willing to suffer in order to receive our brothers and sisters in Christ.
    • Romans uses the language of servants. The person is God’s servant, not yours. That person’s standing, therefore, is God’s choice, not yours, and is solely determined by whether God establishes them…which He has.
  • Both practices can be God pleasing, just as in Romans both those who followed the food laws and those who ate freely, those who observed the Sabbath and holy days and those who worshipped on Sundays with different holy days were both done in faith and were both pleasing to God.
  • We belong to Jesus whether we live or die. We also belong to each other in Christ (Romans 12:5) This was accomplished in Jesus death and resurrection which resulted in all authority in heaven and earth being given to Him.
    • The point here, however, is more than the universal lordship of Christ. It is the relationships, both our relationship with God and with each other. What is true of me is true of you, even if we disagree on something.
  • So, there is no judging each other.
  • We are then reminded that we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. This is not about “facing the consequences.” It’s reminding us who the judge is. Jesus is the judge…not you or me.
  • Isaiah 45:23
  • All will stand before the judgment seat of God. For those in Christ, their sins having been forgiven, their righteousness coming from Christ, and their works made pleasing to God through the Holy Spirit will hear Jesus say, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34). Those who do not believe, who have rejected God’s salvation in Christ, and still stand in their sins, will hear Jesus say, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). It’s not our place to judge someone’s salvation.
    • Keep in mind also that this is about judging according to our own standards, not God’s. We are to judge actions as good or evil based on God’s Word. That judgment is appropriate and commanded. We are not to judge where God has given freedom.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Romans 13:11-14 “Living in the Light”
Kurt Steinbrueck
0

Romans 13:11-14 “Living in the Light”

Romans Bible Study

Romans 13:11-14 "Living in the Light"

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.

Video Notes: 

  • The time is now. We live in a significant and decisive time where God’s salvation has come to us in Jesus Christ. The next big event is Jesus’ return.
  • Right now, “The night has advanced toward dawn” This is a beautiful illustration of our current state. It points to that time when the sky is turning from night to day, but the dawn has not yet come. It’s a beautiful “now, but not yet” illustration.
  • So, what do we do? What do you do when you wake up? You take off your pajamas, your night clothes, and you put on your day-time clothes. We live in the light, not the darkness.
    • Darkness and light are an image the Bible uses several times.
      • To love God, obey His commandments, and walk in the newness of life is light.
      • To love the world and live in sin is the darkness. It finishes by saying to make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. So, all sin is included. Also, the sense of making provisions has to do with providing for the opportunity and strengthening.
    • Instead of the works of darkness, we are to put on the armor of light, put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
      • Love.
      • Ephesians 6:11-20.
    • In fact, it says that we are to walk as in the daytime, meaning we are to live as though Christ’s return had already happened.
  • This is not “I have to”, this is “I get to”.
    • The Bible describes Christ’s return and the eternal life to follow as the marriage feast. So, when we are told to “wake up” think of it as a friend waking you up on the morning of your wedding.
    • Galatians 3:27
    • This means our lives can look different than the life of the non-Christian.
    • If you reflected on your life as you heard these things and realized that your life doesn’t look all that different, it’s time to wake up. Life can be so much more. You have been given the newness of life in Christ, walk with Him. The morning has dawned. The sun/Son has risen. Open your eyes. This is the day the Lord has made. You have the promises of God. You have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. You have love, peace, joy, hope, and eternal life. Let us rejoice and be glad!

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Romans 13:11 “Salvation Is Nearer than You Think”
Kurt Steinbrueck
0

Romans 13:11 “Salvation Is Nearer than You Think”

Romans Bible Study

Romans 13:11 "Salvation is Nearer than You Think"

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.

Video Notes: 

  • Besides what? Besides loving others by following the Law out of love.
  • You know the time (Kairos). Not just any time, but a significant time, a point of change, an opportune and decisive time.
  • Wake from sleep.  This isn’t the sleep of unbelief as this passage is being written to Christians, but it’s encouraging Christians to walk in the new life we have been given in Christ.
  • Why? Because the significant time has come and Salvation is nearer than us now than we first believed.
    • The salvation that is nearer than we first believed is the imminent return of Jesus Christ and our full salvation where death is destroyed, sin is no more, and we dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
    • Matthew 25:1-13 We don’t know the day or the hour.
    • So, there’s the encouragement that Christ’s return is near. It’s the next big event in God’s salvation story. This spurs us on to love and holy living. However, it’s not just the future event of Christ’s return.
    • It says we’re in the Kairos, the significant time. It is now. It was ushered in by Jesus’ death and resurrection. God’s salvation is at hand now! We live like this because we are living in that salvation time, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, because we have been given new life, even now.
    • This is a now, but not yet passage. Yes, our the fullness of our salvation is coming at Jesus’ return, it’s the next thing, but even now we live in that salvation.
  • This is the mindset of the Christian. We are living in our salvation which motivates us to live for Jesus. Jesus’ return is soon, too, which adds urgency to our life of faith. We don’t know the day or hour. So, it’s time to wake up. It’s time to start living the new life Jesus has given us.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Romans 13:8-10 “Love Fulfills the Law”
Kurt Steinbrueck
0

Romans 13:8-10 “Love Fulfills the Law”

Romans Bible Study

Romans 13:8-10 "Love Fulfills the Law"

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.

Video Notes: 

  • This ends the section on what genuine love is.
  • The Law is only truly fulfilled when it’s done out of love for God (in response to what God has done) and in love for others. This is different from obeying the Law under coercion or to get righteousness/eternal life.
  • This is not saying that anyone does fulfill the Law, but that the Law is love. Only one person has fulfilled the Law, Jesus. He is Love.
  • The commands are indicative, not imperative, further indicating these are voluntarily done by the believer out of love and in response to the love God showed us in Jesus Christ.
  • The order is different than we are used to, but the same as in James and many other writings. It may have been a popular order. Also, there are no references to commands on what we do towards God. This makes sense, though, because this whole section of Romans is about how we treat other people.
  • I think it’s worth pointing out that it says, love your neighbor as yourself. This, clearly, doesn’t mean you should love your neighbor and not yourself, both are included.
  • So, love fulfills the Law. The reciprocal may be easier for us to understand. If we follow the Law, we are loving our neighbor. This helps because the concept of what love is can be difficult. Our culture has some very different definitions of love from what the Bible teaches love is. (Romans 12:9-13:10, 1 Corinthians 13).
  • Finally, we need to remember the “therefore” of Romans 12:1 is still in effect. All this talk about what love is and how we ought to do it is not how we get right with God or stay right with God. That’s already done through faith in Jesus.
  • This is what we call the 3rd use of the Law. God’s Law guides the us in how to live out the new life we have in Christ. It’s a blessing for us and our neighbor, but does not contribute to our salvation.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Romans 13:8 “Owe No One Anything?”
Kurt Steinbrueck
0

Romans 13:8 “Owe No One Anything?”

Romans Bible Study

Romans 13:8 "Owe No One Anything?"

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Video Notes: 

  • Romans 13:8 – NIV “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.” 
  • The key phrase that helps us interpret the entire passage is found in verse seven, “Render to all what is due them.” The rest of the passage simply clarifies this concept.
  • This doesn’t mean we can never borrow money, but that we should never have outstanding debts.
  • Exodus 22:25 and Psalm 15:5
  • Matthew 5:42
  • We were just told to give to everyone what they are owed, honor, respect, taxes, and revenue. Now, we are told to pay all other debts on time and that the only thing which remains outstanding is our love for others. We “owe” that to everyone in Christ and there is always more love to give.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Romans 13:1-10 “Politics in the Church”
Kurt Steinbrueck
0

Romans 13:1-10 “Politics in the Church”

Romans Bible Study

Romans 13:1-7 "Politics in the Church"

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 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.

Video Notes: 

  • The passage of Romans 13:1-7 addresses the primary purpose of the secular governments and our responsibility as Christians to live subject to these authorities as individuals. Notice that while individuals are addressed, there’s no mention of the church as a whole or as an organization doing something. 
  • The Two Kingdoms (estates, governments, authorities) – Both are the reign of God. (Not left and right politically)
    • Kingdom of the Right
      • Gospel, grace, forgiveness, love, etc.
      • Spiritual
      • Eternal
      • Sacred
    • Kingdom of the Left
      • Law, order, rules, discipline/punishment
      • Physical
      • Temporal
      • Secular
    • The church largely operates in the Kingdom of the Right, though there are some elements of the Kingdom of the left (finances, etc.).
    • The state largely operates in the Kingdom of the Left. The state’s primary concern is peace and the well-being of its citizens.
    • Christians exist in both Kingdoms and seek to honor and serve in both Kingdoms.
  • When it comes to politics in the church, there are two ways in which politics can exist in the church that I want to talk about today. Politics from the church as an organization and politics from individuals within the church.
    • Let’s start with politics from the church as an organization.
      • The church has no mandate or Biblical example of engaging in politics. We also aren’t forbidden from it. So, we must seek wisdom.
        • It ties the church to things of this earth which it can’t control rather than the things of God.
        • The church already has a mission. It isn’t political. It’s to make disciples of all people. To spend our efforts on temporal politics rather than the eternal matters of God’s Word, would be to miss the mission.
        • When the church engages in secular politics, the two Kingdoms are blurred. This almost always ends in the church being associated with Law rather than Gospel. This makes the mission of the church harder.
        • Politics are divisive. The Gospel is for all people. When the church becomes political, it starts to push away those of differing politics once again making the real mission harder.
      • I think the wise thing, generally, is for the organizational church to avoid politics with one very important and clear exception…where the Bible addresses the issue clearly.
        • The reality is that there are many moral/Biblical issues which have also become political issues. The church needs to teach and preach the full council of God’s Word. We cannot stop teaching about a part of the Bible just because it’s become a political issue. The church can and should address these issues, but address them within the context of the real mission of the church, to make disciples of all people, baptizing them and teaching them all that God has commanded.
    • What about politics with the people of the church?
      • Christians are going to have political opinions like any one else. Participating in our political system or serving in a position of the government is something that can be good and beneficial and means by which we serve our neighbor, though isn’t required. What should we do with those political opinions, though? I think there is room for these discussions, but again, we need to seek wisdom. 
        • Remember that you are ultimately a citizen of heaven. The politics of the day will come and go, but heaven is eternal.
        • The Bible ought to inform our opinions on topics addressed in the Bible.
        • Remember you are an ambassador of Christ. More important than winning a debate or changing someone’s mind about a political issue, is that the person know Jesus.
        • Assume the other person loves the country and wants good things.
        • Remember that we are to give honor and respect the people in authority due to their position.
        • Treat the other person/people with love and respect in your words and actions.
        • It’s good to come to an agreement, but that’s not always going to happen. When it doesn’t, disagree agreeably. 

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

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