"We Have Been 'Set Apart', Not 'Set Aside'!"
A sermon preached on the Fourth Sunday of Advent on Sunday, December 23 at Edgemont Chrsitian Church (Disciples of Christ), by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp. The sermon is based on Romans 1:1-7.
Since Miriam’s birth, Christmas has taken on a whole new realm of excitement and wonder for Amber and I. In fact, as Miriam has grown older, it has been interesting to see how her attitude has changed toward Christmas, from one of confusion and bewilderment to one of excitement and thrill. I am anxious to go through this same cycle with Elijah. But now that Miriam is older, it is fascinating to watch her as she plays with different toys and dolls. Christmastime is interesting, because whenever there are new toys around, she gravitates toward those new toys and she will "set aside" those toys or dolls that she has had for a while. And, of course, after the newness wears off, she will play with all of the toys as equals again.
In our Scripture Lesson this morning, the Apostle Paul is writing to the Christians in Rome, and he wants to emphasize that the Gentiles have not been "set aside," that they have not been left out of the gospel message but rather, it is their message too. And Paul, tells the Christians in Rome that he himself has been "set apart" to deliver the good news to them.
There’s something about good news that causes us to automatically want to share it. Whether it’s the good news of "I’m engaged" or "I got a raise" or "We’re having a baby" – there’s something about it that makes us want to shout it from the rooftop. We want to tell others. And, you know, that was the way Paul felt when it came to the gospel. He wanted to tell others, he wanted to share it with everyone. It was just too good of a news to keep to one’s self or to one group or class of people. And, you know, such should be our response to the gospel. We should want to share it! We should have that same excitement and enthusiasm when it comes to evangelizing and telling others about the gospel.
I’ve shared with your before that Paul would have been considered an English teacher’s nightmare. Paul had a tendency, when writing to get so caught up in what he was writing that before he knew it, he had one major "run-on sentence." This is a quality and characteristic of Paul’s that I can appreciate. I often have Amber critique my writings because I am famous for my use of "run-on sentences". But we find within Paul’s opening sentence here in the first chapter of his letter to the Christians in Rome, that he gives his introduction, as well as his mission statement and then finally, his testimony of who Jesus is and his role in bringing salvation to all people.
We see that first of all, Paul wants to establish that he has been "set apart" by God for a specific ministry - for a specific purpose. This would include him in the long line of prophets and others in the Hebrew Scriptures whom God "set apart" for God’s work. To his credit, Paul begins by claiming the status of a servant of Jesus Christ, indicating that he is writing to serve Christ and his Church. Then, I think, Paul wants to give them his credentials by calling himself an apostle, literally meaning "a messenger" - "one who is sent to proclaim a specific message," one who is a "representative" - a "delegate".
Second, in verses 3 and 4, Paul borrows a confession that was probably very familiar to these early Christians, which describes who Jesus is, and it is a two-fold affirmation, if you will. From the human viewpoint, this confession affirms Jesus’ linage from David, a crucial point for anyone who was knowledgeable in the Hebrew tradition. This was essential when it came to affirming Jesus’ roles as Messiah, Priest and King. From the spiritual viewpoint, this confession makes it clear that through the Resurrection, Jesus was declared to be the Son of God. I find it interesting that Paul mentions nothing of Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit; but rather, what constitutes Jesus as the "Son of God," for Paul, is the fact that he had been raised from the dead by the power of the Spirit. You see, Paul uses this confession to be clear about Jesus’ identity.
Paul then tells the Christians in Rome that he is proclaiming the gospel of God’s own Son, and that through his proclamation, Paul is hoping to "bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name." Paul, who was "set apart" by God, is calling for the Gentiles to accept the invitation to become part of the gospel story. God has not "set aside" the Gentiles, but rather God has "set apart" Paul to be God’s messenger to the Gentiles. It is through Christ, that the Gentiles can see clearly where they are included in the story.
While God "set part" the Jewish people as God’s chosen people in the First Testament, God never intended their chosenness to be exclusive. You see, God chose them to represent God to the other nations. Just as we are called to do.
I once read that on the wall of Charles Spurgeon’s bedroom was a plaque with Isaiah 48:10 on it: "I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction." "It is no mean thing to be chosen of God," Spurgeon wrote. "God’s choice makes [us a choice people]… We are chosen, not in the palace, but in the furnace. In the furnace, beauty is marred, fashion is destroyed, strength is melted and glory is consumed; yet here eternal love reveals its secret and declares its choice." And you know, friends, that’s the message of the gospel, isn’t it? That’s the message of Advent and Christmas. When we consider the Christmas story there’s nothing beautiful, or fashionable, or powerful or glorified about it. Rather, it is a story of humility and weakness, poverty and simplicity. Yet, it is a story of love – God’s love for God’s world. It is the message of Emmanuel – God with us! God coming to us, at our level, to choose us as God’s chosen people, that we might in turn reveal God’s love to others.
Just as Miriam "sets apart" certain toys for specific occasions, so God sets us apart for certain areas of service. As we come to the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we are reminded that God’s love is much broader than we can ever imagine or comprehend. The Jews thought that God’s love was exclusively and solely for them, but through Jesus Christ it becomes clear that God’s love is a boundless and inclusive love - in which all are welcomed, accepted, invited, and loved.
My friends, God never sets God’s people aside – rather, God sets God’s people apart. And Advent is a reminder to us that God has set us apart that we might become God’s messengers - those who proclaim God’s message of love to all people. You see, friends, that’s what is truly means to celebrate Christmas! It means to become one who affirms the Christ of Christmas - a Christ for all!
In our Scripture Lesson this morning, the Apostle Paul is writing to the Christians in Rome, and he wants to emphasize that the Gentiles have not been "set aside," that they have not been left out of the gospel message but rather, it is their message too. And Paul, tells the Christians in Rome that he himself has been "set apart" to deliver the good news to them.
There’s something about good news that causes us to automatically want to share it. Whether it’s the good news of "I’m engaged" or "I got a raise" or "We’re having a baby" – there’s something about it that makes us want to shout it from the rooftop. We want to tell others. And, you know, that was the way Paul felt when it came to the gospel. He wanted to tell others, he wanted to share it with everyone. It was just too good of a news to keep to one’s self or to one group or class of people. And, you know, such should be our response to the gospel. We should want to share it! We should have that same excitement and enthusiasm when it comes to evangelizing and telling others about the gospel.
I’ve shared with your before that Paul would have been considered an English teacher’s nightmare. Paul had a tendency, when writing to get so caught up in what he was writing that before he knew it, he had one major "run-on sentence." This is a quality and characteristic of Paul’s that I can appreciate. I often have Amber critique my writings because I am famous for my use of "run-on sentences". But we find within Paul’s opening sentence here in the first chapter of his letter to the Christians in Rome, that he gives his introduction, as well as his mission statement and then finally, his testimony of who Jesus is and his role in bringing salvation to all people.
We see that first of all, Paul wants to establish that he has been "set apart" by God for a specific ministry - for a specific purpose. This would include him in the long line of prophets and others in the Hebrew Scriptures whom God "set apart" for God’s work. To his credit, Paul begins by claiming the status of a servant of Jesus Christ, indicating that he is writing to serve Christ and his Church. Then, I think, Paul wants to give them his credentials by calling himself an apostle, literally meaning "a messenger" - "one who is sent to proclaim a specific message," one who is a "representative" - a "delegate".
Second, in verses 3 and 4, Paul borrows a confession that was probably very familiar to these early Christians, which describes who Jesus is, and it is a two-fold affirmation, if you will. From the human viewpoint, this confession affirms Jesus’ linage from David, a crucial point for anyone who was knowledgeable in the Hebrew tradition. This was essential when it came to affirming Jesus’ roles as Messiah, Priest and King. From the spiritual viewpoint, this confession makes it clear that through the Resurrection, Jesus was declared to be the Son of God. I find it interesting that Paul mentions nothing of Jesus’ conception by the Holy Spirit; but rather, what constitutes Jesus as the "Son of God," for Paul, is the fact that he had been raised from the dead by the power of the Spirit. You see, Paul uses this confession to be clear about Jesus’ identity.
Paul then tells the Christians in Rome that he is proclaiming the gospel of God’s own Son, and that through his proclamation, Paul is hoping to "bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name." Paul, who was "set apart" by God, is calling for the Gentiles to accept the invitation to become part of the gospel story. God has not "set aside" the Gentiles, but rather God has "set apart" Paul to be God’s messenger to the Gentiles. It is through Christ, that the Gentiles can see clearly where they are included in the story.
While God "set part" the Jewish people as God’s chosen people in the First Testament, God never intended their chosenness to be exclusive. You see, God chose them to represent God to the other nations. Just as we are called to do.
I once read that on the wall of Charles Spurgeon’s bedroom was a plaque with Isaiah 48:10 on it: "I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction." "It is no mean thing to be chosen of God," Spurgeon wrote. "God’s choice makes [us a choice people]… We are chosen, not in the palace, but in the furnace. In the furnace, beauty is marred, fashion is destroyed, strength is melted and glory is consumed; yet here eternal love reveals its secret and declares its choice." And you know, friends, that’s the message of the gospel, isn’t it? That’s the message of Advent and Christmas. When we consider the Christmas story there’s nothing beautiful, or fashionable, or powerful or glorified about it. Rather, it is a story of humility and weakness, poverty and simplicity. Yet, it is a story of love – God’s love for God’s world. It is the message of Emmanuel – God with us! God coming to us, at our level, to choose us as God’s chosen people, that we might in turn reveal God’s love to others.
Just as Miriam "sets apart" certain toys for specific occasions, so God sets us apart for certain areas of service. As we come to the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we are reminded that God’s love is much broader than we can ever imagine or comprehend. The Jews thought that God’s love was exclusively and solely for them, but through Jesus Christ it becomes clear that God’s love is a boundless and inclusive love - in which all are welcomed, accepted, invited, and loved.
My friends, God never sets God’s people aside – rather, God sets God’s people apart. And Advent is a reminder to us that God has set us apart that we might become God’s messengers - those who proclaim God’s message of love to all people. You see, friends, that’s what is truly means to celebrate Christmas! It means to become one who affirms the Christ of Christmas - a Christ for all!
posted by Pastor Christopher @ 1:57 PM
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