Matthew C. Mitchell's Blog, page 95

Nasturtiums

#13. What hinders prayer?

Christian Prayer Catechism: Question #13

Q. What hinders prayer?

A. A problem in my relationship with God or with others will hinder my prayers.

If I harbor unconfessed sin or live in disobedience, I cannot expect God to bless my prayers (Psalm 66:18-20, Matt 6:12, Psalm 19:12, etc). The same is true if I am not living a life of love for those around me, especially those in covenant with me (ex. 1 Peter 3:7).

Winter Squash Leaf

Twenty One Years of Treasure and Favor

"The man who finds a wife finds a treasure and receives favor from the LORD." Proverbs 18:22 (NLT)
Happy anniversary to my treasure and delight. You have been God's undeserved favor to me.
Photo by Isaac Mitchell. I love how he captured the light.

The Happy Husband

Oft, oft, methinks, the while with thee
I breathe, as from the heart, thy dear
And dedicated name, I hear
A promise and a mystery,
A pledge of more than passing life,
Yea, in that very name of wife!

A pulse of love that ne'er can sleep!
A feeling that upbraids the heart
With happiness beyond desert,
That gladness half requests to weep!
Nor bless I not the keener sense
And unalarming turbulence.

Of transient joys, that ask no sting
From jealous fears, or coy denying;
But born beneath Love's brooding wing,
And into tenderness soon dying.
Wheel out their giddy moment, then
Resign the soul to love again;

A more precipitated vein
Of notes that eddy in the flow
Of smoothest song, they come, they go,
And leave their sweeter understrain
Its own sweet self-a love of thee
That seems, yet cannot greater be!

Samuel Taylor Coleridge [poemhunter.com]

#12. Why are some prayers unanswered?

Christian Prayer Catechism: Question #12

Q. Why are some prayers unanswered?

A. No prayers are unanswered; God always answers, “Yes, No, or Wait.”

In this sense, Christian prayers are always answered every time. In another sense, of course, we don’t always know what the answers are or when the “Yeses” will come. Waiting on God for these is a big part of how God uses prayer in our sanctification (Ps. 130:5-6, Isa. 38:9-20). One purpose of so-called “unanswered prayer” is how it motivates us to persevere in prayer. W. Bingham Hunter says, “Unanswered prayer may be God’s way of staying in touch with you” (Class Notes).

[Matt's Messages] "God's Servants"

“God’s Servants”
All Roads Lead to Romans
June 14, 2015 :: Romans 13:1-7 

The last 6 messages in Romans were all about how God is in the business of changing us. We surrender our whole selves to Him. He transforms us into the people He wants us to be.

And the last message was about what I think might be the hardest change for us to undergo: God’s transformed people love...their enemies.

We don’t repay evil for evil. Instead, we overcome evil with good.

How did you do on that this last week?

Today’s message flows out of that but also onto a different subject.

I’m going to call it, “God’s Servants.”

And if you haven’t read ahead, you might be surprised to find out who Paul says are God’s servants in Romans 13.

It’s not most of us, here, but another group.  “God’s Servants.”

So, in Romans 13, who are the servants of God?

It’s the government, isn’t it?

It’s the “governing authorities” (in v.1) or the “rulers” in verse 3 or just “the authorities” in verse 5.

Paul calls these governing authorities “God’s servant(s)” in verse 4, twice. And again  in verse 6. Did you catch that? There are different Greek words for “servant” in verse 4 and in verse 6, but the general idea is the same.

These folks are the government.

In Paul’s day, they were the Caesar, the Proconsuls, the Senators, the Governors, Tribunes, Magistrates, and many other lower level government authorities.

In our time and place, they are the state and federal lawmakers, the judges and magistrates of the justice system, and those that enforce the law, the executive branch of government, the police, and so on.

The governing authorities.

Paul says that those folks, whether they know it or not, are servants of God.

So if last week’s passage was about how transformed followers of Christ are to relate to their enemies, this week’s passage is about how transformed followers of Jesus are to relate to their rulers, to those that govern them.

And to do so, remembering that God calls them His own servants.

I’m going to draw three main points from these seven verses. All of them are applicational.

#1. SUBMIT TO THE AUTHORITIES.

Submit to the governing authorities. Verse 1.

“Everyone [including Christians] must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

Submit to the authorities.
Image CreditNow, I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always feel like doing that.

Let me tell you one of the times when I least feel like it.

When I see one of these!

Man, 25 is so slooow.

I don’t always feel like submitting myself to the governing authorities.

I think that’s one of the reasons why Paul includes this paragraph in his application section on the gospel.

Remember, chapters 12 through 15 are the application of the gospel of grace that Paul has been teaching since chapter 1.

And it’s possible that believers who have received this gospel of grace might get the mistaken idea that they are now above or beyond human authorities.

“I don’t have to obey the law, I’m a believer in Jesus.

I live under grace, not under law. I don’t have to listen to the police or the magistrate or the President of the United States.

I only listen to Jesus! He’s my Commanding Officer.”

Amen, to Jesus being our Lord.

But our Lord has temporarily delegated some authority to other humans.

Yes, sinful humans. Imperfect humans. Often foolish humans.

But, placed by God in positions of authority and calling for our submission. Verse 1 again.

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

Paul says it twice so that we get it.

The authorities over us are placed there by God.

Now, they don’t always know that, but we now do.

And it’s not just the good authorities that are placed over us by God, but also the not-so-good authorities.

Does anybody know who was the Caesar when Paul probably wrote this letter to the Romans?

It was an evil man named “Nero.”

Someone once pointed out that these days we name our sons “Paul” but our dogs “Nero.”

Now, this was probably written during the relatively good part of Nero’s reign. That was the part where he was still somewhat popular and had not yet set his city on fire nor killed Christians for sport nor hung them up as human torches to light the city and make an example.

This was before that, but he was still an oppressive ruler before that who demanded high taxes and was power-hungry and attention-hungry. He was a tyrant.

I just read a chapter about Nero in a book on church history that I’m reading. He might not have been insane like Caligula was, but he was incredibly dangerous to everyone that wasn’t him. He probably had his mother and stepbrother killed. When he died, the Roman Senate proclaimed him an enemy of Rome.


But Paul says that he was God’s Servant.

Well, Paul isn’t saying that Nero was a particularly good servant of God.

Just that he was in a position established by God and called by God to rule.

Whether he knew it or not. Whether he acknowledged it or not. Whether he did it well or not.

The rest of the Bible tells the same story. Pagan kings like Nebuchadnezzar are told that they are in the position they are in because it is God’s will.

Our Lord Jesus told that same thing to Pontius Pilate at his trial.

“The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

And we, as Christians, are called to submit to them.

Now, what does that mean?

To submit means to place yourself under someone else. It’s a posture. It’s an attitude. Most of the time, it issues into obedience, but it’s more the step before obedience where you recognize that someone else is in authority and you place yourself under their authority.

And not because you feel like. Sometimes you won’t. But because “the authorities that exist have been established by God.”

And God is your ultimate authority!

Now, I think it’s important to say here that human authorities are only temporary and never absolute in their authority.

This is not calling us to do absolutely whatever a human government might ask us to do.
The Bible is clear that when there is a true conflict between human law and God’s law, that Christians are to disobey that human law and obey God’s law.

The apostles were told in Acts chapter 5 by the authorities, to stop preaching the
Word of God.

But they went on preaching the Word of God!

And when they were confronted with their rebellion, Peter said, “We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29).

So, there is a higher authority that we must obey when the two authorities are in conflict.

But when they are not in conflict, the higher authority says that we should submit to the lesser authority. (And be ready to bear the consequences.)

Whether we feel like it or not.

Because if we rebel against their authority, we are rebelling against God’s. v.2

“Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.”

That follows, doesn’t it? If God has placed this authority over you, then to rebel against it, is to rebel against God.

Submit to the authorities.

Don’t commit crimes.

Now, you might hope that we shouldn’t have to say that here at church, but Paul is saying it to the Roman Christians so we probably need to hear it, too.

Don’t commit crimes.

Find out what the law is and follow it.

That’s the general stance, posture, attitude, approach that we ought to have.

Christ-followers should be some of the best citizens in any country we live in.

It’s part of our witness.

The Apostle Peter said in his first letter, “Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:13-15).

They are watching us.

People are watching us Christians and watching to see if we follow the law or try to get away with stuff.

If we submit to the authorities, we can silence the ignorant talk of foolish men and maybe lead some of them to Christ!

Don’t commit crimes.

#2. DO WHAT IS RIGHT. V.3

“For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”

Now the point here is that Paul is calling Christians like us to do what is right.

When the government is working the way it should (and Paul knows that it doesn’t always work the way it should, but when it does), then you won’t be scared of the authorities because they are concerned with lawbreakers, with criminals.

The government “bears the sword,” that is has the power of coercive weapons, for a reason–to bring wrath and justice on the wrongdoer.

Now, here’s where I think this intersects with last week’s passage.

Last week, we learned that we are not to become vigilantes and pursue our own justice.

We don’t become Avengers for ourselves.

And someone might come to the conclusion that this means that evildoers can just get away with whatever they want to in this world, at least as far as injustice against Christians is concerned.

“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

But you’ll have to wait until eternity for that.

No. That’s not how it works.

God’s justice does come, however imperfectly, in this world, as well.

He has servants to bring that justice. V.4 again.

“For [the governing authority] is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment [or vengeance] on the wrongdoer.”

What is the application, again?

Do what is right.

You’ve got nothing to fear if you do what is right.

That’s what God is after here. He’s not actually explaining everything we might want to know about government and how it’s supposed to work and how it actually does function.

I wish He did! I have a lot of lingering questions after studying this passage this week. I wish it said more about what to do when the government does the opposite of verses 3 and 4.
What do Christians do when the government punishes those who do right and commends those who do evil?

What do you do if you live in Nazi Germany, for example?

Paul is not naive. He knows that government doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to. He knows what the governing authorities did to Jesus!

But he’s not teaching on that right here. He’s teaching on how we are, as Christians, to follow our rulers when they are not asking us to do something wrong.

He’s telling us to do the right thing.

And not just because we can get into trouble if we don’t. V.5

“Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment [wrath] but also because of conscience.”

Because it’s the right thing to do.

And we know it.

Do what is right.

And you can do that no matter who your rulers are.

Paul is calling these Christians to do it under Nero.

You and I can certainly do it under elected leaders in our democratic republic.

It’s really nice to live in the United States of America where our government is largely elected through democracy. We have a lot more say in who our governing authorities are than Paul and the Roman Christians did.

That means, of course, that we also have a lot less to grumble about.

And it should be much easier for us to live out Romans 13 than someone in a more difficult political system.

It doesn’t matter who the rulers are, we as Christians, are called to do what is right.

And here is what Paul says is right:

#3. GIVE WHAT YOU OWE. V.6

“This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

Paying our taxes is one of the chief ways that we show that we are submissive to our governing authorities.

Paul say that we should pay our taxes, not only because of possible punishment but also because of our consciences.

We know that paying our taxes is the right thing to do.

But it’s not very fun, is it?

Anybody here love April 15th?

It might be somebody’s birthday, but the for most part, we all dread Tax Day.

Even tax-preparers who make their living off of it, tend to hate Tax Day!

But when we pay our taxes, we are funding God’s servants to do their ministry.

We are paying the public officials to carry out their God-given tasks.

Now, you and I might be unhappy with how they use our tax-money. And amazingly, we actually have a say in that in our democratic society. Paul couldn’t imagine having a say in what was done with his taxes!

We might be unhappy with how they use our tax-money, but the real question is how will God feel about how they use our tax-money?

I wouldn’t want to be in some authorities’ shoes when they have to given an account to our Lord for how they used the tax-money!

If you are God’s servant, you will have to give an accounting for what you did with the authority God granted you.

That’s true of church leaders, and it’s true of parents. And it’s true of police officers and it’s true of judges, and lawmakers, and presidents.

Those with delegated authority will have to answer for what they did with that authority.

Our job, if we are under authority is to give them what is due them. V.7 again.

“Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

The “revenue” here, from what I understand, is indirect taxes. There are direct taxes like property taxes and income taxes. Revenue would be like sales taxes and excise taxes and tolls, that sort of thing. If you owe them, pay them.

Christians should not be delinquent in paying our taxes.

Our Lord taught us that, didn’t He?  I think that Paul is echoing him here from when Jesus said, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”

Christians should be quick to pay our taxes.

But it’s more than that isn’t it?

We are called to show respect and honor to those in authority over us.

Whether we feel like it or not.

For some reason, we tend to think that public officials are fair game for our disrespect and dishonor and that simply is not true.

The world does that!

The world calls leaders names.

The world shows as much disrespect for anyone they don’t like and especially those in authority.

But we are not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing our minds.

“Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

I know that for many of you, it was difficult for you to respect and honor President Bush when he was in the White House.

For many others of you, it has been difficult for you to respect and honor President Obama while he occupies that role.

It doesn’t matter who is in the chair. We, as Christians, should render our respect and honor to the chairholder.

I am ashamed of some of the things I’ve heard and seen supposed Christians say about our president.

It’s destructive to our witness.

That doesn’t mean that you have to agree or like whoever is in that chair.

But we are called to respect and honor and pray for our leaders, whether we chose them or not.

We owe them that.

Not because they are so great in and of themselves, but because they are God’s servants.  Give what you owe.

That’s as far as we’re going to get today. You can see that in verse 8, Paul takes this idea of owing in another direction. He calls us, again, to love.

We’ll get to that next time.

But this time, I want to circle back to that one little word in verse 5 that begins with a “c.”

Conscience.

What does your conscience say today?

Is your conscience clear?

Or is your conscience pointing something out to you that needs repenting of?

Is there some way that you need to change in your submission to the governing authorities?

Is there some area where you know that you are not doing what is right?

Is there something you owe that you have not been paying?

What does your conscience say?

We could do the right thing just out of fear of punishment, but Christians have a higher motivation. We want to please our Lord.

And our Lord loves to work through our consciences to show us where we are in the right and where we need to change.

Where might you need to change?

Is there a dishonoring statement on your social media that you need to repent of and take down?

Is there a bit of taxes that you’ve been evading?

Is there an attitude of unholy rebellion that needs to be turned away from?

We believe in grace.

We preach grace here.

We only get grace through what Jesus did for us on the Cross.

And we invite everyone to come get that grace!

But that grace doesn’t make us lawless. It actually helps us to submit to authority.

To submit to God’s Servants who are here to do us good.

Let us both receive that grace and use it to fuel our obedience to do what is right and give what we owe to everyone.

***

Messages in this Series:

01. All Roads Lead to Romans
02. I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel
03. The Bad News
04. Hope for Holy Sexuality
05. The Even Worse News
06. The Worst News
07. Justified
08. Father Abraham
09. The Blessings of Justification
10. How Much More
11. New You
12. Slaves Of...?
13. A Life-Changing Relationship with Jesus Christ
14. No Condemnation
15. If the Spirit Lives in You
16. The Spirit of Sonship
17. We Know
18. For Us
19. Who?
20. God's Word Has Not Failed
21. Israel Stumbled
22. God Raised Him From the Dead
23. God Always Keeps His Promises
24. Therefore
25. How to Think of Yourself
26. A Transformed People (Part One)
27. A Transformed People (Part Two)
28. A Transformed People (Part Three)
30. A Transformed People (Part Four)

Nasturtium Bud

#11. Does prayer work?

Christian Prayer Catechism: Question #11

Q. Does prayer work?

A. No, prayer does not "work," but God works when His people pray!

We need to constantly fight against the idea that prayer is a mechanical system that somehow wrangles God into conformity with our will. On the other hand, we need to constantly remember that God wants us to ask for things and uses our asking to effect His will (Matthew 7:7). In this sense, prayer does "work"–"The prayer of righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16). We also need to remember that prayer is much more than asking but that asking is a major part of prayer.

"Apprecia-Bill" at EFCA Now

Bill, me, and my friend Isaac at the most
 recent Allegheny District ConferenceEFCA Now has published an article I've written about Bill Hamel, the retiring president of the EFCA.

It begins like this:

I’ve been an EFCA pastor now at the same church for nearly two decades, and Bill Hamel is the only EFCA president I’ve ever known. The weekend I candidated, in 1998, happened to coincide with the Allegheny District Conference in the next town over, where recently elected Bill was the main speaker. So, I got to meet the rookie president right when I was being called to be a rookie pastor. I’ve been watching him in action ever since.

A month after that first meeting, Bill was present at my graduation from TEDS; and then a month after that, I saw him at my first EFCA National Conference. And he remembered my name every single time. He’s just that kind of a guy.

I’ve kept my eye on Bill over these last 17 years and consider him a role model from afar. While he’s never sat me down and directly mentored me, I’ve learned a lot from simply observing how he pastors as he presides.

Then I list some of the qualities about Bill that I have grown to appreciate including his accessibility, humility, and discernment.

One of the paragraphs I originally wrote about Bill's humility that didn't fit in the final article was about being how Bill sees himself as a "nose tackle" in ministry:

I’ve noted Bill’s humility in his team-building, as well. Bill gathers gifted people and then gives them a platform for ministry. It would be easy for the President to take the best spots and slots at things like EFCA One, but I’ve seen Bill consistently maneuver others to the forefront and spotlight. That is a sign of strength, not weakness. I love that there is no one sole “face of the EFCA.” On a smaller scale, I have sought to develop our ministry team here so that I’m not the sole face or voice of Lanse Free Church. It’s not easy, but Bill has provided an good example. I’ve heard him liken his role to that of a nose-tackle in football. I don’t know much about football, but from what I understand, it means that he doesn’t get much of the glory (like a quarterback might) and that he takes the brunt of most of the hits for the team, but he does it for the good of the whole team. Humility.

Read the whole thing.

[Matt's Messages] "A Transformed People (Part Four)"

“A Transformed People (Part Four)”
All Roads Lead to Romans
June 7, 2015 :: Romans 12:17-21 

The first thing I want to say to today is that I have missed you all very much.

The last time I preached from this pulpit was May 17th. If you can believe that. And that Sunday, I had a fever. And I was fixing at that time (though I had no idea) to go to the hospital with diverticulitis and a perforated colon.

So the next Sunday, Donnie Rosie filled in for me as I convalesced. And I still didn’t get to stand in the back and shake your hands. It’s been about a month since I got to greet most of you personally. I’ve missed you, and it’s great to be back.

Last Sunday, I was up at Miracle Mountain Ranch with my 3 sons and four other guys from our church at the Father/Son Retreat that Donnie Rosie and his dad Don Rosie host up there each year.

We all had a phenomenal time up there. My boys are already talking about going again next year. We enjoyed riding the horses, taking the confidence course, shooting .22's and shotguns at clay pigeons and lots of great food and time getting to know other guys from other places.  I got to share from the Bible around the campfire [and juggling fire!] and we also heard from Don Rosie, Donnie’s dad.

Thank for you for releasing me last weekend to go. Donnie wrote me a little note that I’d like to share with you, “Dear Matt, Thank you for taking the time to spend sharing with this group. It was everything that I hoped it would be for these men. Maybe we can do it again some day. - Donnie.” Thank you all for making that possible.

Thank you for your prayers for me. I was concerned about sleeping in a tent. By the way, my boys and I set a new record for setting up the family tent...the longest time ever! It was our first time doing it without Mommy. We’ll be a lot faster next time.

I always struggle with sleeping in a tent, and this time it was just a week after I had been in the hospital for three days.

But I slept pretty good each day and I felt good, too. Thank you for praying for my health. I go to see a doctor this Wednesday to see if there are follow-up steps that I need to take to ensure my health into the future. I appreciate your prayers.

Now, the second thing I want to say is, “Do you remember what we’re learning in Romans 12?”

Because it’s been a looong time since we were in Romans together.

The title of my message is “A Transformed People (Part Four),” but I’m a little worried that you won’t remember what was in parts one through three!

So, let’s review.

The book of Romans is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the Christians who were living in Rome in the middle of the first century.

The church in Rome was made up of both Jews who had become Christians and Gentiles who had become Christians and they were struggling with one another. There were some tensions between them. We don’t know all of what those tensions were, but Paul is definitely trying to bring the together by seeing how the gospel brings them together.

And Paul hopes to visit them sometime soon and then using Rome as a base of support, launch from Rome to places West, even Spain to take his gospel to places where it has never yet been preached.

So, Paul began in chapter 1 to lay out his presentation of the gospel of grace. A gospel of which he says he is unashamed. Remember Romans 1:16?

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

And we’ve taken 28 Sundays to see Paul unpack that gospel.

It began with bad news, right?

Because of unrighteousness, the wrath of God is being revealed.

Because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

That’s true of both Jews and Gentiles. All have sinned. All are unrighteous and deserving the wrath of God.

The wages of sins are death.

But the good news is that God has supplied the righteousness we need through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ.

Romans 3:21

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

That’s apart from the law!

Justification is by faith in Christ alone.

That’s Paul’s gospel. And it’s glorious!

Now, don’t worry, I’m not going to re-preach Romans 4 through 11 to you today as well, but it’s important to remember when we are studying Romans 12 that it’s all built on the glorious gospel of Romans 1 through 11.

Romans 12 begins with these words, and they are our “Hide the Word Verse” for this month.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy [in view of the glorious gospel of grace presented in Romans 1 through 11], to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.”

Because of God’s mercy, we are to give our whole selves to God.

And that will change us. Verse 2 says:

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

The gospel of grace will change you. It should change you. It must change you if you believe it.

We are to become a transformed people.

No longer conformed to the pattern of the world.
No longer living like the rest of the world lives.
No longer pressed into the mold that our unbelieving friends are pressed into.
No longer conformed.

But now transformed by the renewing of our mind in the word of God.

And that transformation, that change, affects every area of our life.

Is this coming back to you now?

It’s been almost a month since we were talking about this together.

Each week of this mini-series on “A Transformed People,” we read verses 9 through 21 and then just studied a couple of the verses at a time.

And I’d like to do that again. I’ll read verses 9 through 21, but our focus today will be on the very last paragraph of the chapter, verses 17 through 21.

Paul has saved the hardest transformation for last.

[Scripture Reading, Prayer]

Today is Graduation Sunday, and I thought about skipping over Romans yet another week and preaching a special message just for our graduates like I sometimes do.

But not only do I want to get us back to Romans as soon as possible, but I can think of no better counsel to give our graduates than what I just read. Romans 12. Especially verses 1 and 2 and verses 9 through 21.

Sheila, Tricia, Hannah, and Jordan, if you live out Romans 12, then you will experience a God-blessed life.

This is how God wants you to live as Christian adults in a broken and increasingly hostile world.

Romans 12 is a great place to go for a Graduation Sunday message.

But to live out Romans 12 will truly take transformation.

Because none of this comes naturally.

Some of us might be more naturally inclined to live out pieces and parts of Romans 12 than others, but to do it all will require the Spirit of God to transforms us into the image of the Son of God.

Because none of this comes naturally.

But, in my opinion, the hardest part to live out is today’s paragraph, the last paragraph, verses 17 through 21.

Paul is echoing the words of our Lord Jesus from what we call His Sermon on the Mount. And he’s saying, in essence, that a transformed people will love their enemies.

A transformed people will love their enemies.

That, my friends, does not come naturally.

What is natural is to hate our enemies.

To hate those who are opposed to us.
To hate those who persecute us.
To hate those who are against us.

And to actively seek their defeat and destruction.

But our Lord Jesus said “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44).

I think that’s probably the hardest thing that Jesus has ever asked us to do.

And Paul is just reminding us of it in Romans 12.

This is how real Christians live.

Christians transformed by the gospel love their enemies.

Now, Paul proceeds to teach on this in two major steps.

#1. WE DO NOT REPAY EVIL FOR EVIL.

A transformed people will not repay evil for evil. Verse 17.

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.”

This means no paybacks.

Someone does you dirty, you don’t do them dirty in return.

No tit for tat.

No eye for an eye.

No getting them back for that.

We do not repay evil for evil.

We often want to, but a follower of Christ does not retaliate in kind.

Is that difficult to live out?

You bet it is. When we are harmed, the natural response is to harm someone in return.

To get them right back.

That’s what’s natural.

But God is calling us to live supernaturally.

To live in view of the mercy of God.

To be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Now, the second half of verse 17 says, “Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.”

I think that means to try to live out the generally accepted norms in society when it comes to conflict. Not everyone will agree on everything, but if most people agree on  something, try to live it out.

And most people believe that it’s good to avoid conflict whenever possible. V.18

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Don’t be itching for a fight.

The goal should be to live peaceably with your neighbors whether they are Christians or nonChristians. Whether they are with you or opposed to you.

Whether they are your friends or even your enemies.

As much as it depends upon you, live at peace with everyone.

Now, that means two things. One is that it’s not always possible to achieve this goal.

Some people will be your enemies.

Sheila, Tricia, Hannah, and Jordan, you’ve gotten through high school, you already know this. Some people will be your enemies.

Christians, some people will be your enemies.

No matter what you do.

In fact, our Lord Jesus told us that some people will hate us just because we believe in Him.

No matter how loving you are, some people will hate you.

That’s a reality we must come to grips with in our day and age.

Some people will be our enemies.

However, this verse also is saying that we don’t have to return the favor.

It takes two to tango.

So, we don’t have to show up to every fight to which we’re invited.

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

It’s not always possible, but we as followers of Jesus need to do everything that we can do to avoid repaying evil for evil.

We are to work diligently at being peacemakers.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Now, that’s peacemakers, not peacefakers. That’s not teaching that we are to pretend that everything is right and hunky-dorey when it most certainly isn’t.

But we are to strive for peace, as much as it depends upon us.

We are to do our part.

And not to retaliate. V.19

“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

We do not repay evil for evil.

“Do not take revenge.”

“Do not grab your own justice.”

King James says, “Avenge not yourselves.”

Don’t become an Avenger for yourself.

Man, that’s hard.

I don’t know about you, but I love to seek justice for myself.

If I perceive myself as wronged, my first reaction is always to defend myself and promote my own justice. And if I don’t check myself, it’s to want that evil done to me to be done to that person who brought it on me.

And to volunteer for the job of bringing it.

But Paul says that I’m not be my own Avenger.

There is an another Avenger who will do it better than I ever could.

And it’s not Captain America. Verse 19 again.

“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Leave room for God’s wrath. Get out of His way.

He’ll settle the scores. He’ll right the wrongs. You don’t have to be a vigilante for yourself.

“‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

“Yeah, but sometimes, it doesn’t seem like it’s working!”

Sometimes it seems like we have to take it in hand because God is not bringing it.

But God’s justice is perfect and so is His timing.

It’s not wrong to want justice. It is wrong to take it into your own hands.

We do not repay evil for evil.

It’s not our job.

It’s God’s job to avenge, and He will do it perfectly. It’s our job to leave room for God to do His. Amen?

But Paul takes it this all one step further. And it’s a harder step to take.

Because, as Christians, we are not called to simply not-retaliate. We are called to actively seek the good of our enemies. We are called to love our enemies.

#2. WE OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD. V.20

“On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

That’s going the extra mile, isn’t it?

That certainly doesn’t come naturally.

The world says that, sure, we should avoid conflict if possible so there is less conflict in the world.

But God says to not only avoid conflict but to actively seek the good of our enemies.

“On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.”

If he has needs, seek to meet them.

Go beyond justice to graciousness. Generosity.

Now, by the way, that’s crazy.

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if [your enemy] is thirsty, give him something to drink?"

Won’t that put you in even more danger?

Yes, it actually might.

But that’s how Christians live. We love our enemies.

We do good to them.

We seek their good even as they seek evil for us.

Is that hard to live out? Oh yes it is.

But it’s what we are called to.

Paul quotes Proverbs 25 here in saying that lovingly caring for the needs of our enemies will “heap burning coals” on their heads.

Now, I’m not sure exactly what that means. There are two main interpretations prevalent through church history.

One is that the burning coals are our enemies’ consciences which are painfully pointing out to them how they have wronged us. When they see us love them in return, their consciences will sorely remind them of the evil they have done and they will regret it and repent of it.

That’s possible, and I like it.

The other main interpretation points out that burning coals are always judgment or punishment in the Old Testament, so this is saying that as we return good for evil, it heaps up more punishment on our enemies so that when God avenges us, there is more ammunition for that justice.

That could be right, as well.

Either way, our showing active love to those who hate us, is the right things for a transformed people to do.

We are to go bigger than them.

We don’t just suffer injustices; we actually love those who perpetrate them against us. V.21

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

That’s how we get the victory. We gain the victory by loving our enemies.

And showing the world the love of Christ.

Now, this raises for me a host of questions in how to apply it in various difficult situations. And I don’t have all of the answers.

There are a lot of “what about this?” and “what about that?” that this teaching raises for me.

I don’t have all of the answers.

But I do know that we aren’t supposed to argue these verses away.

We are supposed to live them out.

We are called to overcome evil with good.

Sheila, Tricia, Hannah, Jordan, Christians are called to overcome evil with good.

Lanse Free Church, we are called to overcome evil with good.

Now, that sounds really good, but it’s really hard to do.

To not repay evil for evil, and even more to repay evil with good.

What does that look like in your situation right now?

At very the least, it looks like verse 14, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

What comes out of your mouth about your enemies?

What shows up on your Facebook account about your enemies?

What do you tweet about those who persecute you?

What have you said that needs to be repented of?

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

And it’s more than just our words. It’s our actions, too.

What are the genuine needs of our enemies? And how can we meet them?

Realizing that it’s God’s job to settle the scores.

Who are you enemies right now and what might you be called to do show them love?

Maybe it’s someone who has persecuted you on the job.
Maybe it’s someone who is pestered you on social media.
Maybe it’s that person who unfriended you.
Maybe it’s your ex-boyfriend or your ex-girlfriend or your ex-wife or ex-husband.
Maybe it’s someone of the opposite political persuasion as you.
Maybe it’s someone of another religion.

How do we as Christians relate to Muslims?

How do we as Christians relate to members of ISIS?

ISIS is most certainly the enemy of Christians.

They have announced that loud and clear.

And while we do not love the organization of ISIS, we as Christians are called to love the members of it.

Who is your enemy?

And how are you called to love them?

Maybe it’s not as big as all that, but God has brought to your mind an enemy that you are called to not just refrain from hurting but to actively show counter-cultural, counter-natural love to.

Who is your enemy?

And how are you called to love them?

I don’t have all of the answers to that question for each of us.

But I know that God is calling us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we come to love our enemies.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

That sounds good, but it’s really hard.

How are we going to do that?

We do it by remembering how Jesus did it to us and for us.

Remember chapter 5, verse 8?  “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

While we were still God’s enemies, Christ died for us.

1 Peter 2:23.  “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. [The True Avenger.] He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”

Jesus loved His enemies to save us and to show us that it can be done.

Renew your mind with that.

Jesus loved His enemies to save us and to show us how to do it ourselves.

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

Let us allow the Spirit of God to transform us as a people so that we follow Jesus in those steps.


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Messages in this Series:

01. All Roads Lead to Romans
02. I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel
03. The Bad News
04. Hope for Holy Sexuality
05. The Even Worse News
06. The Worst News
07. Justified
08. Father Abraham
09. The Blessings of Justification
10. How Much More
11. New You
12. Slaves Of...?
13. A Life-Changing Relationship with Jesus Christ
14. No Condemnation
15. If the Spirit Lives in You
16. The Spirit of Sonship
17. We Know
18. For Us
19. Who?
20. God's Word Has Not Failed
21. Israel Stumbled
22. God Raised Him From the Dead
23. God Always Keeps His Promises
24. Therefore
25. How to Think of Yourself
26. A Transformed People (Part One)
27. A Transformed People (Part Two)
28. A Transformed People (Part Three)