It’s About Harmony – Romans 15

A text – Romans 15:4-13

⁴ For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. ⁵ May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, ⁶ so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. ⁸ For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the ancestors ⁹ and that the gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will confess you among the gentiles and sing praises to your name”;

¹⁰ and again he says, “Rejoice, O gentiles, with his people”;

¹¹ and again, “Praise the Lord, all you gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him”;

¹² and again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the gentiles; in him the gentiles shall hope.”

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit

A reflection:

This is a letter to believers living in Rome – Rome, the crossroads of a vast empire formed by the conquering of many nations of diverse peoples who had gods for this and gods for that. Paul is saying our God is One God, and our God specializes in encouragement and hope! Our God had inspired the writing of scriptures so that we can have hope. That hope gives us something the Roman Empire could never give: harmony.

Listen to Paul describe here the life we can live in harmony with one another – even harmony between Jews and Gentiles! New Testament scholar and theologian Dr. Dirk Lange says this: “It is not a harmony that we have created through self-defined interests — that belongs to the harmony any organization in the world can create (from the rotary club to the golf club to the hockey association). The harmony ‘in accordance with Jesus Christ’ is the harmony given through the Holy Spirit. A harmony that comes from welcoming the unexpected, dying, and being raised daily to new life, to new beginnings.” Harmony among strangers – strangers who might (without this hope) hate or fear one another.

And why harmony, even with unbelievers? So that we might raise our voices together in praise to God. God created everyone. God loves everyone. Everyone may join in praising God – together in harmony. That kind of thing sounds unfamiliar to us – even impossible to imagine. But what if it were true and possible? What if that kind of harmony and praise is exactly what God longs for from us? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be a part of something so amazing? The angels tell the shepherds that they bring news of a great joy that shall be to ALL people. Everyone gets invited to celebrate together.

This advent, let’s behave with others as though we are all about to break into song together. How would that change the holidays for us? How might it change the world?

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. All of us. Help us to remember that Jesus came to bring every human being closer to your love. Help us to be an instrument of your love and your peace. Amen.