Romans 16
June 14, 2022
“Greet one another with a holy kiss.” (v16)
A holy kiss is not something that is part of our worship services (or culture) anymore. But in the context of the first century church, a kiss on the cheek was a sign of friendship and equality. In other words, one of the application points of the gospel is that men and women, from every ethnicity and every socio-economic class – are equal (though still different) in value. This is why there is no room in the church (or our hearts) for prejudice, racism or any air of superiority. The gospel cuts through all of that junk!
Father, I praise You for the power of the gospel - that it’s not only torn down the wall of hostility between us and You, but the wall between ethnicities, genders and classes. I praise You - that through the reconciling work of Christ, You are now the Father of ALL who put their trust in Christ – whether Jew or Gentile, male or female, white collar or blue collar. And because You are now the Father of this kaleidoscope of people – we are now brothers and sisters in Your family. By Your Spirit, then, may we confess and crucify any spirit of prejudice, racism, or air of superiority residing in our hearts. Even if we don’t practice the “holy kiss” anymore, may our church live out what it represents!
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
-
Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
-
Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
-
➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
