Romans 1:18-25 Pentecost 8
Pastor Ron Koehler
Grace-Tucson, AZ
July 19, 2026
When People Trade God Away Picture an 8th grade boy, back in 1978, who spent before-school time and recess (and maybe a little class time) trading football cards. Let’s— hypothetically—say that he just needed card #390, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson of the Houston Oilers, to complete the whole 1978 TOPPS set. And imagine him being so happy to complete that set (with the player you have to thank for touchdown celebration dances becoming a thing) that he traded all his “doubles” to get that one card—and that among that stack of cards he gave away to get Billy “White Shoes” Johnson was a Hall of Fame Dallas Cowboy running back Tony Dorsett rookie card . Now, if I was the one—hypothetically—who still had a 1978 TOPPS Football set, I could pull that Billy “White Shoes” Johnson card #390 and sell it on eBay at the going rate of…$1.79. Seven weeks ago, a gem mint Tony Dorsett rookie card sold for $24,322. It might not be overly difficult to imagine me—hypothetically—looking back and being a lot less happy about that trade now. Now, this 1978 8th-grade trade was not a life or death trade, but there are trades that are life or death. The Apostle Paul tells us about the most devastating trade in the history of the world. It is the trade that humanity made. It is the same trade made by many today. A little earlier, you heard Jesus tell a story about wheat growing among weeds until the harvest—people who trust in God living right alongside those who reject God until the Lord comes on the Last Day. So, Christians witness hostility and apathy toward God from people around them. And we might wonder, How can people reject what seems kind of obvious—that there is a God? In Romans chapter 1, the Apostle Paul wrote why that is and about what happens When People Trade God Away. The Tragic Trade Mom asks you to get something from the kitchen for her and you yell out, “I can’t find it.” So, mom comes into the kitchen and immediately points to it. It was right in front of you. You’re looking for your reading glasses only to discover that they’re on your head. It’s kind of funny when things like that happen. Paul writes about something similar, but it’s not funny in the least. It’s tragic. What can be known about God is evident among them, because God made it evident among them. Have you ever thought about how every sunrise speaks about God? There is a beauty that is clearly created by someone, something, bigger than human beings. And the consistency of it! It happens every day without fail and always has—in a way that no human being can make happen! There is creativity and power and wisdom put on display for everyone to see. Every. Single. Day.