Hearing from God in Sterizo: Romans 1:11-12

It isn’t a type-o. It is a revelation… at least for me it was.

“For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” Romans 1:11-12

The word translated in the King James as may be established is stērizō. It sounds like stereo because it is like it. In fact stereos (in the Greek) is a synonym for it.

Everything sounds better in stereo than it does through one speaker only.

And that is what Paul is getting at.

Are you like a certain ruler? (Luke 18:18-23)

In Luke 18:18-23 we read of an exchange between Christ and a man who remains describes simply as “a certain ruler.”

When reading scripture, it is the very subtle things that can mean so much.  Whenever a person is actually named, we take note, because that name can mean something.  And so, when people are only described in scripture we should do the same.

Because that description can be for everyone.

And so we need to look at what the description is and then ask ourselves, “Do I ever fit this description.”

The word for “ruler” is archōn

It can be translated as a ruler, commander, chief, or leader.  It is translated magistrate once in the New Testament and that is in the Luke 12:58. 

A magistrate is one who judges a situation and determines a fair course of action.  Sometimes the fair course of action doesn’t seem fair.

Do you ever see yourself as a leader?  Do you ever see yourself having to act as the magistrate?  As a husband; a father; a businessman?

If you have you can appreciate that the certain ruler may have been at the point of wanting to know…

The two most powerful sentences: Matthew 6:12

I usually try to build anticipation before “showing my hand.”  But today I will simply say…

The two most powerful sentences are…

 Please forgive me.

And

I forgive you.

I love you seems over used and misappropriated… we use it to express how much we enjoy lasagna and then assume it is an expression of taste rather than commitment and sacrifice.

I am sorry takes no responsibility… as when we when express our sympathy over someone losing a job or a loved one.  On one hand we think that simply to say it is to meet our obligation, and on the other we realize it does not suffice to express our feeling of empathy, of shared pain.

But please forgive me… that comes from a place of humility… it recognizes responsibility, it recognizes position… it recognizes that we become indebted to others when we wrong them.  When we say please forgive me we acknowledge our sin… our debt.  We admit that we have become bound.  We place ourselves in a position of vulnerability, a place that says “I am now at your mercy.”