"Romans 4-8"
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Disney's The Lion King tells the story of a lion named Mufasa, the great king of the Savannah, and his son, Simba, who should've succeeded him as king after Mufasa died. But Simba shirks his duty. He wanders around having fun with no worries until a wise baboon named Rafiki approaches him and says, "You don't even know who you are!"
Simba says, "And you do?" to which Rafiki replies, "You're Mufasa's boy."
"You knew my father?" Simba asks.
"Correction," Rafiki says, "I know your father." And Rafiki leads him to a pond and points to Simba's reflection to show him that his father is still alive in HIM. But Simba must remember who he is before he can fulfill his purpose.
Like Simba, we can lose our way when we forget our identity in Christ. So our readings this week remind us of who we are. Where do you find your identity?
A New Lineage
We often find some of our identity in the family we come from, and in Monday's reading (Rom. 4), we discover that we are part of a different family. As Gentile believers, we have a new lineage that goes back to a great forefather, Abraham. At the beginning of the Bible, in Genesis 3-11, we read about the destructive influence of sin on the world. Then God picked this one man, and his family, through whom to bless the whole world (Gen. 12). Jews, who took great pride in their ancestor Abraham, might expect that God would declare Abraham righteous based on keeping the Law of Moses. But instead, Abraham has this relationship with God based on his faith (Gen. 15:6), long before Moses received the law! Now we who believe God are his children (cf. Gal. 3:7). How does this chapter affect the way you think of your part in the story of the Old Testament?
A New Relationship
On Tuesday (Rom. 5), Paul contrasts Christ with Adam — who brought sin and death into the world. How are Christ and Adam different? How does Christ start something new in us? Why should we be confident in our relationship with God now (Rom. 5:8-10)? Can trials be a good thing in Christ (Rom. 5:3-5)?
A New Way of Life
When we forget who we are, we forget how we should live. On Wednesday (Rom. 6), we will read the importance of obeying the right master. What two masters must we choose between? What do you learn about baptism (Rom. 6:3-5)?
A New Present and a New Future
On Thursday (Rom. 7), we will see a bleak picture of human life in the flesh, including a tragic relationship with God's good law. But that all turns around in the glorious last verses of the chapter and the beautiful picture of our new life we'll read on Friday (Rom. 8). Romans chapter 8 is one of those passages worth reading more than once, savoring, even memorizing. What does it mean to be led by the Spirit of God? Why can we now call out to God as our "Abba, Father," the name Jesus used when praying (Mark 14:36)? What kind of future awaits us? What assures us that God is with us now?
