Jesus' Billions
Jesus’ Billions
Romans 13:8-14
On May 22 1985, Richard Pryor starred as Montgomery Brewster, a minor league relief pitcher with the Hackensack Bulls, who was handed the American Dream on a very hot plate. The movie opens with the death of Montgomery’s unknown rich uncle whose will presented Montgomery with two options: he could take $1 million with no strings attached, or he could take a $30 million challenge which could result in $300 million. Brewster, who had never made more than $11,000 a year, chose to risk the sure thing for the potential of a big payout. He received $30 million with the stipulation that he had to spend it all in 30 days. He could only give 5 percent to charity, and he could only lose 5 percent gambling. After 30 days he could have no possessions, no houses or cars, and he must get value for any services he hired. If he doesn’t spend the $30 million, the money would go to his adversaries. Lastly, he could not tell anyone what he was doing.
Brewster finds out that spending money is both easier and harder than he anticipated. By the end of the film, just the thought of spending money sickens him, and he realizes how fickle friends can be when the money runs out. Of course, as predictable 1980s Hollywood goes, Brewster did eventually spend all the money and receive the $300 million.
The 1985 film, Brewster’s Millions, was the 8th adaptation of the 1902 novel written by George McCutcheon. The book Brewster’s Millions has been adapted across various cultures with remakes in England, China, India, and Brazil. Now, I wouldn’t recommend you watch the film or even watch the upcoming sequel premiering on December 5th and titled, Brewster’s Millions: Christmas, but I do want you to consider the premise. Montgomery Brewster had so much money he almost couldn't spend it. His uncle had given him so much that it was almost as if he had limitless reserves. How would you like to inherit $300 million in 1985, which would be $877 million in today’s dollars? How generous would you be? How would you live? Inheriting that much money would change your life,or at least it should. If you were asked to pick between a limited sure thing or the opportunity for limitless return, which would you choose?
We are living a real-life version of Brewster’ Millions. Too often, we choose the “sure thing” of temporal pleasure in this life over the opportunity for eternal pleasure in God’s presence. But we have not been offered an inheritance from a rich uncle. Rather, our elder brother, Jesus Christ, through His life, death, and resurrection, has offered us an inheritance worth far more than $300 million dollars. That inheritance is unfading, limitless. We are living a real-life version of Jesus’ Billions but, just like in the film, the inheritance comes with conditions. We are not asked to give only money away but also to give away our love. Just as Brewster was tested in order to learn the real value of his inheritance, we are tested each and every day to live for our inheritance. If we choose to live each day for the promise of God’s future inheritance in and through Jesus Christ, our lives will radically change. We demonstrate that we have been qualified to receive our future inheritance in two main ways, walking with love and walking in the light.
Walk in Inherited Love
The Apostle Paul is writing to the Romans to remind them of the great salvation they have in the gospel. In Romans 1 he says,
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jews first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16
Paul has clearly articulated the Gospel in the first eleven chapters of Romans. The Gospel of God is found in the perfect life, the sacrificial and substitutionary death, and the victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everything in the Christian life is tied to the Gospel. The power of God in salvation is experienced and seen when Christians live in love.
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:8–10
Paul continues his line of thought from the previous paragraph regarding how Christians should relate to governing authorities. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. If you owe taxes, pay them. If you owe revenue, give it. If you owe respect and honor, give it. Then, in verse 8, Paul summarizes the entire Christian life.
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8
What phrase summarizes the entire Christian life? Love each other.
Paul goes on to quote the second tablet of the Ten Commandments, which refers not to how one relates to God, but to how one relates to others. If you love God, then you will obey the law and love your neighbor.
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Romans 13:9 (emphasis added)
The entire Christian life can be summed up in this one sentence: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. In Matthew 22, one of the Pharisees asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment of the Law? And Jesus replied,
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:37–40
The Gospel of Jesus Christ not only affects how we relate to God, it must also affect how we relate to one another.
Paul has already spilled much ink talking about the law in Romans. In chapter 7, he writes about the law and sin before giving us the conclusion in the Gospel at the beginning of Romans 8,
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1–4
The Father sent Jesus Christ in the likeness of man so that He could die for man. He died condemning sin and making a public display of what sin deserves. All sin deserves death. But in dying for sin and rising from the dead, He sent the Holy Spirit so that we would not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. We now can fulfill the law by the power of the Spirit. Notice the similarities in how Paul speaks about fulfilling the law in Romans 8:4 and 10.
in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Romans 8:4
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:10
We fulfill the law by loving one another. We fulfill the law by walking in the Spirit. We love one another by walking in the Spirit. When we walk in the Spirit, we love one another. Our love is a sign that we have been born again.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7
Owe no one anything except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. This is what God requires of us. But it is not just what He requires of us, it is what He purchased for us.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus became sin for us so that, in Him, we might become the righteousness of God. This righteousness is both a positional righteousness, meaning we have been declared righteous because of what God has done for us in Christ, and a practical righteousness, lived out as we love one another.
In Matthew 18, Jesus shares a parable with His disciples to drive home this point. When we understand how God has loved us in Christ and has forgiven our sins, we will respond to others in love based on what God has already done for us.
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:21–35
What do you owe God? Everything. Because He has loved you, you love one another. Because He has forgiven you, you forgive one another. Because He has shown you mercy, you show mercy to one another.
Beloved, no picture of God’s love for you is more practical and powerful than loving one another. Because Jesus has forgiven your sins, you should always forgive the sins of others. Because Jesus loves you without limits, you can always love someone who wrongs you. Because of the love that Christ has shown us, our bank accounts are always full of love that we can show to others. He laid down His life for us, so we lay down our lives for one another. He loved us, so we love one another.
The aim of our lives is to love God and love our neighbors. When we love our neighbors, we fulfill the law of God.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34–35
How we love others shows that we have received our inheritance. Regularly ask yourself this simple question, “Is what I am doing or thinking loving?” The concept is easy, but the application is difficult. Many of us live as if the Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as they have done to you.” We treat others as they have treated us. But that is not what Jesus said in Matthew 7,
So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12
If you want others to love you, love them. Do unto others as God has done to you. The battle to love is a battle of the mind.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:5
We must set our minds on loving people.
Let me apply this in a few ways. First, you always have love in your bank account because of what Jesus has given you. Whenever you are offended, or hurt, or maligned, or put down, or overlooked, or neglected, you can respond in love because your love for them does not depend on how they treat you. Your love depends on how God has treated you. Because He has loved you, you can love others in any situation.
Second, do not put yourself first. When we put ourselves first and think about what we deserve from others, the seed of bitterness often rises in our hearts. When we feel we are not treated as we deserve, we often retreat from relationships and think we have a reason not to love, “If they treat me this way, then I have the right to treat them in the same way.” No. Owe no one anything except to love each other. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Because you have been purchased with the love of Christ, you must respond with the love of Christ.
Now, we could debate what love looks like. Sometimes love looks like discipline and firm words. Sometimes love looks like overlooking an offense. Sometimes love looks like bearing with someone in patience. Sometimes love looks like confronting someone in their sin. Sometimes love looks like forgiving their sin and not holding it against them. St. Augustine said,
What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.
The question is not should I love, but how should I love? How can we grow in love? Who are you not loving? In what ways are your thoughts toward others unloving? What do you need to repent of, and who do you need to repent to, for your lack of love?
Lastly, Paul is not merely speaking to individuals, he is speaking to a collection of individuals as a church. How is the church loving one another? I don’t know all the ways that the church in Rome loved one another, but I do know ways Park Baptist Church is loving one another, and I want to affirm how well we care for one another. In the last month, I have heard about an increase in our hospitality. I have heard about people sacrificing their time to serve each other by visiting the homebound and caring for children. I have heard about new relationships being built and strengthened. Remember, the love we have for one another is a bright light that shows the world that Jesus is real.
Although we love one another, I am also praying that our church grows. I am praying for deeper friendships in the body, heart-to-heart, soul-to-soul connections. I am praying that we would welcome new people into our gatherings with open arms. I am praying that we would grow in our corporate evangelism. In what areas do we need to grow in love? Pray for those things. Our love is supernatural. It is a sign that we have been qualified to share in Jesus’ inheritance.
Inherited Light
As Christians, we should be holy. We do not belong to darkness but to light.
Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Romans 13:11–14
Paul reminds the church why they should strive for holiness. Salvation is near. Paul is referring to the coming of Christ, when we will experience our full salvation and receive our inheritance. The Romans would have woken up before the sun had risen when the sky was just beginning to brighten. Paul wants his readers to picture the time of day when the night is fading and the day is just beginning. He is referring to this one day as an example of the age. The new day of the kingdom of God is coming, and when that day comes, what do we do? We put off the works of darkness and put on light.
Paul goes on to give the Romans three sets of behaviors. The church is not called to live in orgies and drunkenness, in sexual immorality and sensuality, and in quarreling and jealousy. The first set refers to wild partying, carousing, and drinking. Picture a club where people are reveling in alcohol and trying to pursue sensuality. The second set, sexual immorality and sensuality, may appear in the first set but is not confined to groups of people. Sexual immorality is associated with darkness and must be avoided at all costs because those who practice sexual immorality will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Brothers and sisters, flee from all forms of sexual immorality. Run from pornography and coarse joking. Run from any arousal of the flesh that does not honor your spouse. Singles, fight for purity. If you are married, honor your marriage and love your spouse uniquely as you promised on your wedding day.
In my years as a pastor, I have seen much heartache and brokenness as a result of sexual immorality. Beloved, hear me. Flee all forms of it. Lock down your phones. Avoid books or articles or movies or shows that will stir your affections to worldly things. The cost is too high. Do not trade the inheritance of the saints for momentary pleasure.. Do not trade an eternal inheritance with God for fleeting, temporary fleshly impulses. Cast off the works of darkness, and clothe yourselves with light.
The last set that Paul groups with sexual immorality is quarreling and jealousy. If you are jealous of someone else’s gifts or beauty or status, you can’t love them. Jealousy prohibits love for others because it rejoices in love for self. Jealous people love themselves more than they love God or others. They want to be the center of the story. Jealousy can’t love because it does not rejoice in the wisdom of God in giving gifts to others. Trust His wisdom and His plan. You may not have someone’s brains, but they may not have your work ethic. You may not have someone’s eloquent speaking ability, but they may not have your servant's heart. God is the giver of gifts. We must trust Him.
Quarreling is often a sign that you are not trusting those in authority over you. Children, do not argue with your parents. Instead, give them your faithful obedience. Those who quarrel are often overly critical of others, or must have their own way, or are unable to listen to counsel. Those who make a practice of quarreling and jealousy, along with those who practice sexual immorality, will not inherit the Kingdom of God. These are all symptoms of a heart that does not trust God.
So we know the problem, but what is the solution? The solution is putting on Jesus Christ. When we clothe ourselves with Christ, when we think about all He has done for us in the Gospel, we won’t desire to live for the flesh. If we set our minds on the things that are above where Christ is, we will live holy and honorable lives. We will live for eternity and not live to gratify the desires of the flesh. Let me drive this point home by reading several verses that may crystallize this concept in your minds.
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Ephesians 5:3–5
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19–21
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9–10
Paul repeats this over and over to the church because some people in the church are deceived. They think they can practice the works of darkness and still receive the inheritance of the saints in light. Beloved, it’s simply not true. If you are someone who professes Christ but lives in darkness, you need to repent. If you have never professed Christ and are living in darkness, you need to repent.
Today, the application for all of us is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. We must meditate on the person and work of Jesus Christ. We know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God, but we also know that what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6 is true,
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. I Corinthians 6:11
We cannot earn our inheritance by loving others and walking in the light. These are merely byproducts of receiving our inheritance. Jesus knew all your sins, and He still died for you. Friend, if you are living in sin today, please know what Jesus knows. He knows about your works done in darkness. He knows about your sexual immorality. He knows about your jealousy and quarreling. He knows about all the things you have done to dishonor His name. Yet still, knowing all those things, Jesus Christ came to die for you. He came to be beaten, mocked, and spit on for you. He came with arms open wide and chose to have His hands pierced for you. He came to hang on a cross, gasping for every breath, so He could take the full penalty for your sins. He poured Himself out for you. For your sake, He became sin that you might become the righteousness of God. Friend, will you receive this love?
Beloved, what love! What grace! What mercy! Thousands upon thousands of your sinful thoughts and actions met with complete and total forgiveness for all who will put on Jesus Christ. Your elder brother, the Lord Jesus Christ, put on flesh and dwelt among sinful people. He suffered, bled, and died for you and, on the third day, He rose. Meditating on the person and work of Jesus Christ is how you love and walk in the light. If you have been born again to believe in Jesus Christ, you will demonstrate that you are qualified to receive your future inheritance by displaying love and walking in the light now.
Brewster was given his millions, but you have been given so much more. Jesus Christ has put limitless love into your bank accounts. No matter what anyone does to you, you can love, because you have been given a limitless love through the Spirit. No matter what you have done to God or others, you can be forgiven because God sent his Son to love you. Beloved, God wants you to fulfill the law by loving one another and by walking in the light.
In conclusion I want to ask two questions, “Are you loving your neighbor?” and, “Are you walking in the light?” If you can't say yes to both, cast off darkness and put on Jesus Christ. You still have time. The hour has come for you to wake from sleep. Do it now; do not delay.
If you can say yes to both, you can be confident that you have been qualified to share in the inheritance of your elder brother, the Lord Jesus. You are qualified, not because of your good works, but because of His love for you. There is more love in Christ than sin in us, and because you have received Jesus and His limitless inheritance of love, you don’t need to worry about ever running out of it. Generously spend the abundant love you have been given as you walk in the light as He is in the light.