Beyond Christmas and Birthdays - Romans 1:11-12

How much do you invest in the people in your life do you remember them only on special occasions a shortsighted man sees only Chris only birthday he sees only mortgage payments and school bills feeding gifts are temporary. Gifts are impersonal.

They don't personally connect with those in his world the affection of a godly man creates in him a desire for him to carve his name is another one wrote not on marble on hearts. There's nothing wrong with that. Remembering people at Christmas around her birthday is a good thing but we need to remember that there's something far more significant.

We can give besides physical gifts God gives us the opportunity to impact the hearts of the people around us were to look more closely at how and why we should invest in others. This is wisdom for the hard with Stephen Devi Stevens continuing through a series called the affections of a godly man. He's calling the lesson you're about to hear beyond Christmas and birthdays. In our current series of studies directed primarily to men. We have been uncovering the affections of a godly man and we have discovered that a godly man has an affection first and foremost for God. He has an affection for God's people and he is an affection for God's purposes. Furthermore, we have discovered that a godly man struggles to Neil on behalf of the people in his life and the people beyond his immediate sphere of influence. We have discovered in the second paragraph of this letter called Romans, a godly man who speaks with tender words and affectionate terminology. This heartfelt longing that he has come to people that he is never met before, but in spite of that, he reveals that he's been praying about and for them constantly. We have discovered in Paul the truth that a godly man has a deep passion to leave a lasting spiritual legacy.

He is a man who defines success not in terms of his resume, but in terms of his relationships for Paul himself said first of all that which I consider most important. First of all I long to see you. Yes, the average man today how we would define success and he would pull out a long list is stock portfolio. Maybe the kind of car he drives how many square feet. His house has many garages are attached.

The kind of people that fall under his line of direct command. The average father you ask him about what successful fathering would be, he would probably say something that his daughter got through college without getting pregnant or his son got through school and getting some other man's daughter pregnant and and he never got arrested for drunk driving or never got on drugs and he'll consider himself successful. If he put food in our tummies and clothing on our backs and a roof over their head and gasoline in their car.

My friends, that is used and that is your perception you have yet to begin. As one author said you are doing nothing more than arranging chairs on board the Titanic.

You want to be building a life book. If you think providing things for your loved ones only involves physical things you missed the most important things in life if when you think of giving gifts. You only think of Christmas and birthdays and an anniversary. You have missed the most important gifts of all think for a moment with me about the gift of God's own son. God's affection for the world, evidenced itself in his love, and the kind of gift that he gave the Bible says for God so loved the world that he what he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.

That verse tells us that several things about the giftgiving pattern of God. First of all, that the gift of God was freely supplied for God so loved the world that he gave like present under a Christmas tree beside her birthday cake. There are no price tags for the receiver is no comment about paying up later as a free gift provided for by the giver gift is free.

Paul wrote in chapter 6 of Romans verse 23 the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is what eternal life through Jesus Christ our live as many people over the years as I've explained to them the nature of the gospel in the definition of salvation. I've illustrated this way. I have held my Bible toward them and I have said to them, suppose I told you that this Bible was a gift from me to you. I want to give it to you, what would you have to do to receive it and make it yours.

Or, you simply have to reach out and take it right.

But what if while you were reaching. I pull it back and I said well you know what my truck needs a good wash and wax and what you think will if you washed and waxed my truck with this be a free gift know you be my favorite church member, but this would not be a free gift. If you paid me a dollar for this Bible.

It would not be a free gift. If you paid me a penny know while going to the assembly or church is commanded in Hebrews 1025 while giving money to the cause of Christ is commanded in first Corinthian 16 to while getting baptized with water, is commanded that is the church to fulfill the command in Matthew 20 verse 19.

While these things are things you do for God because you are commanded to do them. If you want to be obedient. Salvation is offered to those who do not fulfill demands but to those who cannot fulfill demands. They are wonderful things you do for God not to get it because you have it. Be careful that you don't confuse the evidences of salvation and obedience and the prerequisites to salvation gift of God is free of any work on the part of man because it is based upon the finished work of Christ. The second thing about the giftgiving of God is that it is personally self-sacrificing, eternal life to is free because Jesus Christ paid it all. He did everything he owned them across, and he paid the penalty for your lost your covetousness, your pride, your hypocrisy, your infidelity, your dishonesty, Peter wrote he bore in his own body our sins on the tree. He paid the infinite penalty for an infinite number of sins over an infinite period of time, being the God meant he could compress infinity into a matter of three days three nights so he came when he was born on earth God in the flesh. It was a statement to mankind.

Mankind was in that.

So Joseph heard the angel's dream come to him saying there would be a baby born and he would save his people there. What sins. In other words mankind could not save itself from its sins.

The birth of that baby was just another way of saying that man was totally unable to save himself. The third thing about God's gift was that it was eternally significant, eternally significant.

Whoever believes in him will not perish but have what everlasting life.

John 316. This is the way in which God gives gifts and for a man who desires to be godly or godlike in the giving of gifts. His giving will mirror those kinds of characteristics down the book of Romans chapter 1, we discover the same kind of giftgiving in the life of the apostle Paul.

The models for us the affections of a godly man and so we pick up where we left off. The chapter 1 verse 11 for I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established. That is, that I may be encouraged together with you. Well among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine. You notice Paul's affectionate terminology hi along to see you. Another way of saying I am a homesick for you. One author wrote that Paul didn't want to come to Rome so that he could see the Coliseum income to Rome so that he could see the famous architecture and that that Imperial city didn't come to take in a chariot racer to the Long Island to see them long to be within me long to connect with them why he writes here in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you. You could translate that some gift pertaining to your spirit of the word for gift is charisma. It's the same word used by Paul in chapter 623 that I have already quoted the wages of sin is death, but the charisma of God is used speak of the gifts of Christ primarily that of salvation, gift, or the charisma of God through Christ. Charisma is used to refer to general blessings given by God to his people who walk obediently with them. It's also used to refer to those areas of ministry or service. We call those spiritual gifts whereby we are able to edify and encourage one another and bring advancement and glory to the cause of Christ. Paul says here I have a charisma that I want to give to you know we don't know which particular venue is referring to. I would agree with one that Paul is probably using the word in its largest possible sense, Paul may be in effect saying to some who would be in the sound of the reading of his letter. I want you to receive the charisma of eternal life through Jesus Christ to others.

He might be saying I want to come so that you may have those special gifts as you obediently walk before God on the basis of what you learn.

As I teach you, maybe he is, in effect, referring to simply that that he wishes to come to them so that he can exercise his charisma.

He can exercise his spiritual gift in leading and teach, we don't know but what would the lasting impact of this kind of godly charisma. This kind of gift be upon them. He says in the last part of verse 11 that you may be established. This is a favorite word of Paul's word established uses it in Romans 1625 of the believer being established by the gospel uses it in first Thessalonians 313 of Christ establishing people's hearts in holiness. He uses the word in second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 17 of the believer who is comforted and established in their hearts for every good work, Peter uses the word in first Peter 510. For the believer who is suffering in Christ. But his heart is established in view of their coming home in heaven. He also uses the word in second Peter 112. For the believer who was established in the truth, and thus not deceived another word translated established comes from the Greek word, starring so which we get our transliterated word steroid or steroids it means to build up to strengthen sometimes a medical doctor will prescribe steroids to help someone who is struggling with weaknesses or some disease. Obviously, steroids have been dangerously misused by some athletes who want to bulk up quickly, but Paul to use it on our own contemporary terminology and thought was telling them. In effect, that he wanted to come to them so that he could put them on a spiritual weight program that is so that he could balk them up. He could add spiritual muscle to their faith that we already learned that this body of believers was famous for their faith, he said I thank God for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.

Their faith was famous, but evidently it wasn't yet firm. So Paul is in effect telling them that he is coming to them because they aren't ready to handle persecution, they cannot fully stand against deception.

They're not ready for the hardships of life. He knew that their feet could potentially slip and so we wanted to come to them and as it were injected into them spiritual steroids of truth. Paul knew they were in danger.

1998 Steve for our road in his book to men, entitled anchorman, the story of Jim Hayhurst in his 20-year-old son Jimmy. They were part of the Canadian team that was making the long ascent up Mount Everest as they were trekking across the Himalayas on the first stage of the climb they had to cross one of the many rivers flowing down the lower part of Everest. That's when Jimmy slipped on a rock and fell into the fast rushing river. He wrote my son feverishly twisted and tumbled as the river played with him like a ragdoll. He tried to grab onto a rock, but the river was simply moving too fast.

Suddenly he stopped his backpack had caught on a rock in the middle of the river in just 4 feet in front of him.

The river tumbled over a cliff and dropped nearly 1000 feet to the valley below Jim Road. If I started toward him.

I might dislodge another rock I might change the direction or pressure of the water that held him firmly against that rock you might slip off the rock he was holding onto that held them above the waterfall and so I stood 20 feet away from my son and watched him hang at the edge of a thousand cliff.

Jim recounts how his son Jimmy was able to shift his weight and turned toward them and reach for the rope. They threw him. He was eventually pulled to safety by the rope. This is what Paul is doing here. He knows the Roman believers are going to face grave danger, but he can't get to them.

He isn't going to arrive in Rome for some time so intently can come to them. He throws them. This row called the letter to the Romans, Paul knew that slippery rocks were directly in their path and you might say man were they ever fortunate. I mean it would be so wonderful if I had the apostle Paul come and throw me around because walking on slippery ground and in that would keep me from plunging into trouble. I'm sure the truth is, my friends, he has come to you.

If you have a Bible in your hand, the letter was thrown to them, but it has been thrown by God's gracious design to you as well. I suggest you as it were tied around your waist. Keep it near you.

Keep a handle on it though.

Just keep it near you, but read it and memorize parts of it and meditate on it it will have the same effect on you that it had on the men and the women and the young people that it was written to nearly 2000 years ago. You will be as it were.

Stay. Rinse owed you will be established. You will be strengthened, you will add balk to your beliefs. You will add spiritual muscle to your manhood.

That is, I believe what is missing among men today. It is that spiritual side of manhood that comes from the word of God impacting their lives. Paul goes on to say to them what I think is a rather startling phrase.

Verse 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the others. Faith, both yours and mine that is a startling phrase. Can you imagine what this meant to the Romans he saying to them I can't wait to come and be with you because your faith is going to encourage mine to put it into a contemporary context, just think of someone that you admire who is a spiritual leader or mentor rated so many listen to on the radio or somebody his maybe it's somebody that you listen to like I have recently like a John MacArthur or another. When loops are a Chuck Swindoll or Tony Evans or some of those kind of menu. Just add the name in your own mind, but imagine getting a personal letter from them saying to you. I can't wait to be with you because I know when I'm with you my faith is going to be strengthened for the cause of Christ. Compliment what incredible encouragement. This must have been to these believers. What this is. This is what I would call godly praise.

I can't wait to be with you because I know if I can just get there. You're gonna stoke my fire for God, this is Paul writing to read recently that the Duke of Wellington who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo but demanding statesman and military leader. He had come to the end of his life and was having conversation with a dear friend of his.

He was asked if he had life to live over again would he do anything and he said after thinking for a while. Yes, I would. I would give more praise.

Recent USA Today article indicated that when teenagers are under stress or facing a crisis the first place, they turn to for comfort and soulless as their music second-place, they turn to their friends. Third place they turn to is the television father's barely made it on the list somewhere down at number 48.

Maybe that's because were prone to communicate with terminology and an attitude like we know everything and they do not know any guilty. Here's Paul who was a walking theological encyclopedia saying I can't wait to meet with you because I'm missing something in my walk with Christ and you're going to have it for me. What godly praise.

I think of J. Paul Getty Junior read about him recently. His father was, of course, one of the wealthiest men of the world.

Paul Junior was raised in California primarily by his mother. He rarely if his father once when he was in high school, he decided to write his daddy a letter some things on his heart that he wanted to share. So we sat down and wrote that letter he told later to his biographers a letter that meant everything to him and he sent it off a few weeks later he got the letter back from his father. Only his father had simply marked all the grammatical and spelling errors with a red pencil. There was absolutely no personal response attached from his father, J.

Paul Getty Junior said is an older man I never gotten over that letter, Paul is the one you realize this is you read his letter slip back into time and how that must've touched them. He's the one man that could've pulled out a big red pencil and noted all the deficiencies of the Romans and all other theological errors and all the things that they were deficient in in any could've made it clear that I chime in on that teach you everything, but instead he adds immediately upon that promise. All but come to be encouraged by you. Each of us by the others. Faith, both yours and mine. Let me quickly tie up the loose ends here of the study by giving four similarities between the gifts of Paul in the gifts of godly men who desire to live like first your gifts will support the cause of Jesus Christ. This is a way of overcoming stinginess in the life of a man what have you given that you do not control. One of the reasons why. Perhaps it's hard to give something away because you have no control over it.

Once you've given it away and what did your gift earlier in the service reflect as to your heart attitude toward God whom you say you have affection for, as you look back over your shoulder and that checkbook register. I wondered if you gave less to the cause of Jesus Christ and you spent on your dog or cat I challenge you to find out.

Manu has affection for the things of God will have affection for the purposes and the cause of God and he will give to that, and secondly the giftgiving of a godly man strengthens the spiritual walk of those in his world. This is a way of overcoming self-centeredness when I thinking just about our world, our little lives in in our bodies and are things we are thinking about the spiritual nature of those entrusted in your life who live in an immediate family are an extended family or under your influence in the workaday world. Third, the gifts of a godly man will speak encouragement to the hearts of others. This is a way of overcoming self adulation. It's hard to praise yourself and praise somebody else at the same time.

It's hard to talk about yourself and talk about somebody else at the same time just can't do it. The gifts of a godly man will speak encouragement to the hearts of others and finally the gifts of a godly man stretch the faith of others. This will overcome shortsightedness.

The temptation to live for.

They hear in the now shortsighted man sees only Christmas only birthdays he sees only mortgage payments and school bills and heating bills is gifts are temporary. Is gifts are impersonal. They don't personally connect with those in his world, but the affection of a godly man creates in him a desire for him to carve his name is another one wrote not on marble but on hearts not on some brass plate you attached is some corporate door, but in the lives of people that have been entrusted to your immediate influence Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and microbiologist died in 1895 he was responsible for uncovering the number of things he discovered several vaccinations. He formulated them against things like chicken color and anthrax and especially the. The dreaded rabies. Thousands of people in his day are Fred died of every year when he was convinced that he had formulated the correct vaccine for rabies.

He was going to attempt to experiment on himself but at that moment in his life. A young boy by the name of Joseph Meisner in his village was bitten by a rabid dog. Joseph's mother came to Louis Pasteur and begged him please give this to my son. He said to her it's untested I don't care is only hope to live is your vaccine so for the next 10 days. Louis Pasteur gave Joseph Meisner regular doses of this vexing Joseph Meisner survive completely cured of this dreaded disease. Years later, when Louis Pasteur was planning for his own. He was asked what he wanted, carved into his headstone. He thought for some time and he said no. I only want three words inscribed on my headstone.

They have been indeed inscribed on his headstone. They read to this day. Simply Joseph Meisner, Joseph Meisner-what kind of impact do you even desire lives go way beyond Christmas and birthdays give gifts that are born out of true affection. Gifts that truly lasts forever great reminder for all of us to to be investing our life into the lives of others. Thanks for joining us today here on wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi if you want to listen to today's lesson again or share it with a friend. It's posted on our website and on our smart phone app.

The lesson is called beyond Christmas and birthdays and you'll find it in both places install the wisdom for the heart app or go to wisdom online.org it's our desire here at wisdom for the heart to be investing in your life. We know that God can use the faithful teaching of his word to change you. Let me share with you some correspondence that we've received any call said this note is long overdue.

I want to personally thank Pastor Devi and the wisdom for the heart, ministry for enriching my life with the valuable teaching of God's word. You have not only impacted my life but the lives of the woman I've had the privilege of teaching weekend and week out here in Alabama.

Your ministry is making a difference in the hearts and lives of people in our community. Thank you and shine on.

I appreciate you well. We appreciate you sharing that with the Sani.

Robert wrote to say we love your children's books for our own children, keep them coming. Well, we will continue to develop print resources as God enables us to be watching for what's next Robert and here's one more. Thank you so much for your ministry of clearly teaching the word. I have listen to the podcast for years while commuting. Working out at the gym and mowing the yard. It is awesome to take advantage of those times for spiritual purpose and turn my mind to the Lord. Your ministry has had a huge impact on my life and helping me understand the Bible and I counted a tremendous blessing that God has enabled me to be part of Gideons 300 that came from Micah and by the way the Gideons 300 that he refers to is our ministry partner group who support us on a monthly basis if you'd like to invest in what God is doing through this ministry. Call us today at 86 648 Bible once again that's 866-482-4253. If you'd like to send Stephen a note.

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