Reformation Hope Church Brookfield WI Dr Wayne Sedlak

Be not Conformed...Be Transformed

by the Renewing of Your Mind"

(Proverbs 1, Romans 12:1-9)

In Romans 12 and Proverbs 1 the Word of God

calls us to live lives of virtue. Virtue? A word not used

much in our day. A fitting definition for our purposes would

be 'the practice of moral excellence and duties from a

sincere love to God and His laws.' Proverbs 1 encourages

us to seek God's wisdom, the basis of the virtues listed by

Paul in Romans 12.

Romans 12:1 calls us to offer our bodies as living

sacrifices. We show God our thankfulness by actively serving

Him; by actively living lives of virtue. If we adhere to His wisdom

(Proverbs 1:23), we renew our minds (Romans 12:2),and our

lives are transformed into ones of virtuous service. Proverbs 1

warns us against disdaining wisdom, while Romans 12 reminds

us of our "reasonable service" to our gracious Father and King.

May God grace us to study the virtue and genius of Christ, that we

may "prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of

God" (Romans 12:2) and enjoy His blessings (Proverbs 1:33).

In Memorium: Our Sermon today is taken from Romans 12. We learn that the Church today is a torment to herself, a grief to to her friends and scorn to her enemies. The Black Regiment called for a weighing of one's own sin and a call to repentance of an entire generation. Grief brings a searching of the mind and faith a resolve of soul. Are we a people clothed in holiness? Are our hearts prepared to handle the holiness of God? Does our virtue set us apart wholly devoted to be a living sacrifice? Our American heritage would teach us so.

Romans 11:29 states, "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." What does this mean? Does it have meaning beyond Romans 11? Beyond the unrepentant call of God to the Jews as He used the severe cutting of this natural branch (Romans 11:21) and the unnatural ingrafting of the Gentiles to provoke the Jews to jealousy? Was Romans 11:29 a warning only for that time--a warning that God will do whatever is necessary to have the Jews obey His call?

Romans 11:29 can be applied throughout all time.

Years before the time of Romans 11, the callings of God to Moses, Samson, and David were not repented of even though each of these men resisted the calling of God. Instead, God did whatever was necessary until each man fulfilled his particular calling of God in spite of their sin and disobedience. Were these times pleasant for the men? NO! We Christians today need to heed Romans 11:29. God promises to gift us for our callings, but warns us in this verse that the calling of God is without repentance. What will it take for the Jews to turn to Christ? What is it going to take for you to do your calling?

Are you a thrill seeker? Lover of the sensational? Into UFO's and aliens? Do we, like people of old, seek signs and wonders instead of God's prophetic Word? Do we turn away in unbelief (Romans 11:20), so distracted by the "miracles" of our day that we don't recognize the Christ--the Prophetic Word in human form? Do we give our attention to announcements like "the world will end May 26th!" rather than listen to the steady call of the prophetic Word (I Thess.5:1-8; Romans 11:21-22)?

God--through His prophetic Word--calls us, giving us hope as He has "not appointed us to wrath" (I Thess.5:9). The prophetic Word gives us understanding (Romans 11: 11-14) and warnings (Romans 11: 20-21) so we may remember that God is not a plaything (Romans 11:22). God's prophetic Word is designed to call the church; calling us to be sober and watchful (I Thess.5:6).

It calls us to

not be afraid, but to be prepared. Are you grounded in the prophetic Word, or will Satan distract you, using the weird and the macabre to culture a false worldview in your soul?

(I Corinthians 2, II Cor. 10:1-11, Hebrews 11:1-10)

Christians are called to understand the invisible hand of

God; His ruling power in the midst of persecution or reformation.

God's invisible hand moved the Roman Emperor Constantine to

stop the horrible persecution of Christians in the fourth century.

Constantine spurred reformation when he issued the famous Edit

of Milan in 313 A.D., ending the persecution of Christians. Constantine,

by making the freedom to worship a legal right, was used by God to

encourage reformation of the Roman Empire by Christianity.

Do we see God's invisible hand in today's persecution?

Is reformation in the wings? Will He use a "Constantine" of today

to stop persecution in North Korea, China, or Indonesia? Will He

use an American "Constantine" to encourage reformation here?

Whether we live under persecution or have a "Constantine" and

are on the brink of reformation, we must remember that the invisible

Christ walks among His people. He calls us to walk by faith and to

understand His invisible government. We, as His people, have

received the Spirit of God (I Cor. 2:12), given so we may know His

ways. By that Spirit we are called to judge all things (I Cor.2:15)

and to move society unto reformation

(Romans 11:1-11, I Kings 19:1-21)

Do you ever feel all alone as a Christian? Or that there are just a

few people that truly love God and live for Him? In Romans 11 Paul

reminds us that God always reserves a remnant. Paul uses Elijah as

an example. Elijah believes he is all alone and in danger (Romans 11:3).

But God answers Elijah, and Paul reminds the Christians at Rome, that

"there is a remnant according to the election of grace" (Romans 11:4-5).

Why did Elijah doubt God back in I Kings 19? Because of his

circumstances. As God showed Elijah (I Kings 19:15-18), so Paul

reminded the brethren in Rome--God uses the circumstances to call

forth the remnant. In Paul's case it was the Gentiles (Romans 11:12).

Romans 11 reminds us today that God alone gives grace to the remnant.

He alone opens eyes and ears. He culls--winnows out--those of the

remnant, often using hard circumstances to do so. May we not doubt as

Elijah did, but trust His promise--"...at this present time also there is a

remnant according to the election of grace" (Romans 11:5).

Judgement Begins in the House of God

(Romans 10:13-21, I Cor. 1:14-31, I Peter 4:7-19)

Peter warns us that "the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God" (I Peter 4:17). Through the preaching of the Word (usually done in the house of God) the Holy Spirit will "reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:7-11).

True preaching brings a merciful judgment--we are made to see our sin, and we meet our Saviour. Of course, if our pulpits are ashamed to preach His Word, then can we trust that that God is present?

Romans 10:15 reminds us that preachers must be sent if the gospel is to be preached; the house of God must be built (Haggai 1).

When the Word is preached in the house of God, our core beliefs are judged. The judgment of our souls will, hopefully, then take us out of the house of God--out of our churches--and into society, bringing God's love and righteous judgment to society. This can only happen when we build the house of God with pastors preaching the whole of His Word Then people can come, like the psalmist in Psalm 73:17, have their thoughts cleansed, and gain understanding of the world.

What would you rather have: Gold or Sound Admonition from your pulpit? Study well for your neighbor. Learn soundness of words, a soundness of speech that cannot be defeated and that is a well of understanding with which to guide others. Be a steward of great truths, and use them as our Lord did to bring answers that cannot be condemned.

Do you know how to suture? Not the medical stitching of skin, but the art of healing wounds caused by sin? Barnabas and the Apostle Paul's great faith resulted in much "suturing". When many Christians were not trusting the Apostle Paul--the newly converted Saul who had severely persecuted many Christians--Barnabas, by faith, spent time with the Apostle Paul; getting to know Paul at the risk to his own life. Barnabas had to be sure of the Apostle Paul's faith so that he could confidently present Paul to the apostles without endangering them (Acts 9:27). Thus Barnabas began "suturing"

many wounds caused by Saul. And the Apostle Paul, with a deep love embedded in his heart by faith (Romans 10:8-10), began "suturing" the Jews, uniting them to Christ.

Do you have the faith of the Apostle Paul and Barnabas? By faith Barnabas gave much (Acts 4:33-37). By faith the Apostle Paul suffered beatings and perils, but still reached out to Jewish persecutors with the same love that save him. The Apostle Paul and Barnabas' faith didn't allow for quitting! Let us persevere in our "suturing"

with the same faith of Barnabas and the Apostle Paul.

"What the Pulpits Aren't Addressing"

(Romans 1:15-25, Romans 10, Romans 16:25-27)

"For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Romans 10:2). Have you analyzed the preaching you hear, Sunday after Sunday? Is it enough for preaching to cover the gospel, to call us to prayer, to encourage charity? Romans 10:2 warns that preaching must go beyond stirring zeal in the hearts. Godly preaching must teach of God's righteousness and how man is to submit to it (Romans10:2-3).

Romans 10:10, "For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and

with the mouth confession is made to salvation." Preaching should not

be ashamed of Christ and His Kingship but seek to hold today's issues to the standard of His righteousness and encourage man to submit to it (Romans 10:7).

Do our pulpits preach about attacks on civil liberties, about our courts,about the chaos in our capitols? Does preaching call us to have the courage it takes to confess God and implement His laws in the face of earthly men (Joshua 1:6-9).

Will our pulpits be silent and the people ashamed of Christ, offended by Him (Mark6:1-6, Romans 10:21)? Or will they find their voices to call a disobedient and contrary people (Romans 10:17-21) to righteousness.