WHERE IS YOUR LOVE?
Preached at North Baldwin Baptist Church
Standish, Maine on 12 September 2004
Ø Prayer
Ø Thanksgiving
Ø Pastor Will Kindred
Ø Acknowledge Wife and Daughter
Text: Romans 13:8-10
[v.8] Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
[v.9] For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[v.10] Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
Ø I won’t keep you long. I tell you what; we will be out of here this morning as soon as I’m done.
Ø I heard one preacher pray ... Lord, fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and nudge me when I have said enough.
Illustration:
There was a bus driver and minister standing in line to get into heaven. The bus driver approached the gate and St. Peter was on duty that morning ... and St. Peter said, "Welcome, I understand you were a bus driver. Since I’m in charge of housing, I believe I have found the perfect place for you. See that mansion over the hilltop ... it’s yours.
The minister heard all this and began to stand a little taller. He said to himself, "If a bus driver got a place like that, just think what I’ll get." The minister approached the gate and St Peter said, "Welcome, I understand you were a minister. See that shack in the valley? St Peter had hardly gotten the words out of his mouth when the shocked minister said ... "I was a Minster, I preached the gospel, I helped teach people about God. Why does that bus driver get a mansion, and I get a shack? Sadly, St. Peter responded, "Well, it seem when you preached people slept. When the bus driver drove, people prayed."
Well I said all of that to say ... I hope that while I’m driving this bus this morning that you will be praying with me and not sleeping... will you do that?
Text: Romans 13:8-10 ... Walk with me
What happening here in these verses of scripture ... well, let me start by giving you a brief introduction as what is taking place here in the Book of Romans.
Well, what is the purpose of the Book of Romans? Well, to help us understand that let us flip back to Romans 1:16-17 ... where we find Paul saying ...
[v.16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
[v.17] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.
We see here where God offers the gift of His righteousness to everyone who comes to Christ by faith. You see ... Paul wrote Romans to reveal God’s sovereign plan of salvation (1-8), to show how Jesus and Gentiles fit that plan (9-11), and to exhort them to live righteous and harmonious lives (12-16).
Now ... Romans was not the first of Paul’s epistles, but it was appropriately placed at the beginning of the Pauline corpus not only because it was Paul’s longest work, but because it provides the doctrinal foundation upon which the other epistles are built. It has been said that the Book of Romans is the most systematic and detailed exposition of theological truth in the Scriptures.
Romans concentrate on the doctrines of ha-mar-tiology (Doctrine of sin) and soteriology [so-teeree-ollee] (Doctrine of salvation).
Well, what is all of that telling us ... well it is in the book of Romans that we find in chapter 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." In other words, both Jews and Gentiles are sinners, so God has graciously extended His offer of salvation to all who will place their faith in Christ.
If we were to survey the book of Romans, we would find that it is divided into three parts:
- The Revelation of the Righteousness of God (1-8)
- The Vindication of the Righteousness of God (9-11)
[Show somebody or something is blameless: to clear somebody or something of blame, guilt, suspicion, or doubt]
- The Application of the Righteousness of God (12-16)
[Relevance: the relevance or value that something has, especially when it is applied to a certain field or area]
That’s where I would like us to focus this morning. Part 3: The Application of the Righteousness of God. It is here that we will find that as Christians we have certain duties.
- Romans chapter 12:1-2 we learn of our responsibilities toward God.
- Romans 12:3-21 teaches us of our responsibilities toward society.
- Travel on to chapter 13:1-7 where we learn of our responsibilities toward higher power or government.
Paul here centers on the very heart of the problem -- the human heart. Because the heart of man is sinful, God established government. However, laws cannot change the heart; man’s heart is still selfish and can be changed only by the grace of God.
So, as we continue travel down the road of the Book of Romans, we come to chapter 13:8-14, which is our text, and we learn here of our responsibilities toward our neighbor.
Text: Romans 13:8-10 ... Walk with me
[v.8] Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Well ... what is Paul saying. To help us understand that lets understand this. In chapter 13:1-7, Paul is saying ... you are to respect authority and give tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor ...
... but he tells us in verse 8 to " Owe no man anything, ..."
Well let’s examine this scripture. [v.8] Underline owe: well that’s the Greek word opheilo (of-i-lo), and it come from the tense opheileo (of-i-leh-o) which simply means to owe money, to be in debt for, that which is due, the debt.
In other words ... Paul is saying here in this scripture ... yes, you are to respect authority and give tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor ... but while you are doing that, don’t get yourself in financial debt. Now some people believe that it is a sin to have any debt. However, the Bible does not forbid borrowing or legal financial transactions that involve interest.
What the Bible does forbid is the charging of high interest, robbing the brethren, and failing to pay honest debts (see Ex. 22:25–27; Neh. 5:1–11). Matthew 25:27 and Luke 19:23 [The parable of the loaned money] indicate that banking and investing for gain are not wrong. Certainly, no one should get into unnecessary debt, or sign contracts he cannot maintain. However, to make Romans 13:8 apply to all kinds of legal obligations involving money is, to me, stretching a point.
Watch this ... owe no man anything BUT
Allow me to park right here for just a second and deal with this.
Oh the buts of scripture ... I encourage each and every one of you to pull out your concordance one day and search the scripture for BUT GOD.
Why, because the buts of scripture are powerful
Let me tell you what I mean ... you see, I read over in Acts "... how they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher.
Ø But ... [Acts 13:30] But God raised Him from the dead:
Ø Back over in [Romans 5:8] But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Oh ... the buts of scripture ...
Look at your text ... owe no man anything BUT
Well ... lets break it down. The Greek word here for BUT is ei me [i-may]. We know but as a conjunction as a word that hooks up one word or phrase with another. But can also mean except ...
Ø So, in other words don’t owe man anything EXCEPT love
So, I ask you this morning, WHERE IS YOUR LOVE?
Well ... preacher why is love so important
[v.8] "... for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."
We need to understand that loving one another is the basic principle of the Christian life. You see we need to understand that we cannot get anywhere in this life without love. In fact, we would have been lost without love. You see ... the Bible tells me that I am saved because of love ... of yes I am.
I don’t know about yours ... but my Bible says "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
In fact, LOVE it is the “new commandment” that Christ gave to us [John 13:34-35] Jesus said
"[v.34] A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. [v.35] By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Well ... some of you may be asking how is love fulfillment the law? You see ... when we practice love, there is no need for any other laws, because love covers it all! If we love others, we will not sin against them. In fact ... Jesus said in [John 14:15] If ye love me, keep my commandments.
So I ask you again this morning ... WHERE IS YOUR LOVE?
Walk with me [v.9]
For this, [for what: for LOVE] Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; [watch this] and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Well what are we talking about here ... Turn with me to Exodus 20.
Notice the first four commandments
[3.] Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
[4.] Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,
[7.] Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain;
[8.] Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Ø I like to call them our vertical commandments because they deal with our relationship to God.
Now lets examine the last six ... and I call them our horizontal commandments because they deal with our relationship with one another.
[12] Honour thy father and thy mother:
[13] Thou shalt not kill.
[14] Thou shalt not commit adultery.
[15] Thou shalt not steal.
[16] Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
[17] Thou shalt not covet
Now that you understand the Ten Commandments ... let us flip back to out text Romans 13:9
For this, [for what: for LOVE] Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; [watch this] and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Note: Paul says nothing about the Sabbath; the Sabbath Law was actually part of the Jewish ceremonial code and never applied to the Gentiles or to the church. Nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the epistles for Christians to obey, but the commandment about the Sabbath is not repeated.
So, what is verse 9 telling us ... let me help you.
Turn with me to Matthew 22
[v.35] Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
[v.36] Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
[v. 37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
[v. 38] This is the first and great commandment.
Ø So in other words ... Jesus just took the first four vertical commandments, which dealt with our relationship with God and wrapped them up into one word LOVE.
Watch this ...
[v. 39] And the second is like unto it [what, the first one, well what is the first one: LOVE; don’t believe me, watch this ... look at what Jesus says], Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Now what I want you to understand and keep in mind this morning is that the NT definition of a neighbor has nothing to do with street addresses or geography.
Let me show you ... turn with me to Luke 10:25–37
[v.25] And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? [v.26] He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
[v.27] And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. [v.28] And He said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. [v.29] But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? [v.30] And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. [v.31] And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. [v.32] And likewise, a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. [v.33] But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, [v.34] And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine [alcohol was used medicine], and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. [v.35] And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. [v.36] Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? [v.37] And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Ø in other words don’t be a respecter of person issue as discussed in James 2:8-9
You see ... Jesus show us that the issue is not “who is my neighbor?” but “to whom can I be a neighbor to for the glory of Christ?” You see ... this is not a matter of law, but a matter of love.
Let us go back to our text Romans 13:
[v. 39] And the second is like unto it [unto what, the first one, well what is the first one: LOVE; don’t believe me, watch this ... look at what Jesus says], Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Ø Now see Jesus taking the last six horizontal commandments, which deal with our relationship to one another and wrapped them up into one word LOVE.
You see ... with God’s love you can’t get under it, with God’s love you can’t go over it, and you can’t go around it ... God Love is the center of everything.
Watch this ...
[v.40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
You see ... God so love the world that He hang all of my sins on Jesus. God so loved the world He hang all of the law that I could not keep on Jesus.
What are you saying preacher ... let me help you
Colossians 2:14 "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;"
Well, what does that mean preacher ... that means, "For God so loved the world, that He [did something about it, what did He do] gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
So my question to you this morning is ... WHERE IS YOUR LOVE?
Walk with me
[v.10] Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
Well, I know that may of you have come to realize through your years of living that it is often difficult for us to love those who reject the Gospel and ridicule our Christian testimony.
Well, if you are operating in the flesh ... then this is true. You see ... love for your enemies can only come from the Spirit. Only in Christ can a person meet this or any of the other requirements of the Law.
Romans 8:3-5
"[v.3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son [you see that’s love] in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [why] [v.4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [v.5] For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit."
So my question to you this morning is ... WHERE IS YOUR LOVE? (repeat)
Ø There may be a wife here who constantly asks the question of where is the love in her marriage.
Ø There may be a child here who constantly asks the question of where is the love of my absent father.
Ø There may be a man here who constantly asks the question of where is the love of my wayward son or daughter.
WHERE IS YOUR LOVE
Ø Where is the Love when friends forsake you.
Ø Where is the Love when you are down to your last dime ... and the people who said they would always be there, and they won’t even give you a cup of water.
I reminded here of a beautiful picture of love found in Act 7:59-60 of which the author of the book of Romans Paul, then called Saul was an eye witness.
[v.59] And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. [v.60] And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
You see ... NOW THAT’S LOVE
Jesus told us in John 15:13. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
I’m reminded of the greatest love story ever told.
Isaiah 53
[v.1] Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
[v.2]For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
NOW THAT’S LOVE
[v.3] He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
WHERE IS YOUR LOVE
[v.4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
WHERE IS YOUR LOVE
[v.5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes, we are healed.
NOW THAT’S LOVE
[v.6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
NOW THAT’S LOVE
[v.7] He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
[v.8] He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
NOW THAT’S LOVE
[v.9] And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
[v.10] Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
[v.11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
NO THAT’S LOVE
[v.12] Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Well I came to tell you that LOVE is found in Jesus.
- You see L-o-v-e (love overcomes very easy)
- Because of what Christ has done for us on Calvary
we should not find it hard to forgive our enemies.
- Because of what Christ has done for us, we should not find it hard to love your wife as yourself
- Because of what Christ has done on Calvary, we should not find it hard to love that wayward son or daughter.
You see ... what Christ did on Calvary is stretched His hands, and bowed His head and LOVED the world to Himself.
Because of what Christ has done on Calvary ... those of you who have accepted Him as you personal Savior ... have eternity.
We are told by society that we need to be more attractive, wealthier, more popular, and more successful to really be loved. However, we know as Christians that God has loved us enough already to come and die on the cross for us. We don’t need to be more anything to be loved by God! So, if God loves me, who am I to disagree? We have been created by God and God has declared us worthy of love! And because God is so generous in giving us abundant love, we are able to generously give love to others.
We’ve seen in this simple phrase – love your neighbor as yourself ... that love is not simply a feeling, love is not simply do’s and don’ts, love is not simply doing no harm to others, love is not simply doing good things for those we like. Christian love is more than all these things. Christian love is more than what we do or say or believe -- Christian love is a lifestyle. What an amazing witness to the world we can offer when we live a lifestyle of love.
God loved us, and we can share God’s love with others. This simple and beautiful message of God’s love can be summed up in one of my favorite hymns, Freely, Freely:
- God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name,
- I’ve been born again in Jesus’ name,
- And in Jesus’ name I come to you,
- To share his love as he told me to.
- He said, “Freely, freely you have received,
- Freely, freely give.
- Go in my name, and because you believe,
- Others will know that I live.” Amen.
Where is the LOVE ... it is found in Jesus.
Ø PRAYER
Ø INVITATION
Benediction
Hebrews 13:20-21
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.
