The culture of the kingdom of Rome was the strongest and most powerful yet known on the earth. As this culture made it way into the church, it would have to be addressed as belonging to the world’s ideology – a way of life that Jesus calls His followers to reject.
Preliminaries:
- Rome represents the epitome of power
- The kingdom of man will grow progressively divided, unstable, and corrupted
- The syncretism of power with the people of God leads to division, instability, and corruption
Observations: In the kingdom of man…
- Power is convinced through boasting
- Power is conditioned through insults
- Power is commended through strength
- Power is conceived through pride
In the Kingdom of God…
- Humility is fostered by boasting about weakness
- Humility is forced through suffering
- Humility is found in service to others
- Humility provides the foundation for receiving grace
Conclusions:
- True power only comes from Jesus Christ
- The idolatry of Roman power is an infection of pride
- Pride will rob you of grace
Application:
- Confess your sins, that you would learn to make much of your Savior
- Use your life in service to others
- Pray for those in authority to live a life of humility
Daniel 2:40
“Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others.”
Lord Acton
“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority; still more when you superadd the tendency of the certainty of corruption by authority.”
Matthew 20:20-28
“Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
1 Timothy 2:1-2
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”