Let's ask God to speak to us now.
Father,
as we open your word,
open our minds, open our hearts,
we might hear you.
We might understand
what you're calling us to be
and to do.
Make it clear, Father, how we should respond
as we work through this passage of Scripture.
To each one of these attitudes
that we need to have, develop, demonstrate
toward other people
and especially those who oppose us.
Help us, Father, to hear
and respond wholeheartedly
in obedience.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
How hard is it for you to love someone who loves you?
It's a no-brainer, isn't it?
It's easy.
People love you.
You just love them back automatically.
Well, how difficult is it to relate to someone
who is very much like you?
I mean, they share your same beliefs,
your same values.
They live a lifestyle similar to yours.
You just naturally know how to talk to them,
do things with them.
You can just relate well,
understand one another.
But what about people who are different from you?
Isn't it harder to love somebody
who is very different from you
in the way that you look at life and live life?
Well, what about people who oppose you?
People who don't like you.
People who are against you
because you're a Christian.
They don't believe like you.
They don't think like you.
They don't live like you.
Do you put forth an effort
to love them
and to show them
by the way that you treat them?
What we're talking about
in relating to difficult people,
especially people who oppose us,
who would even persecute us
because we're Christians,
to relate to them in a positive way,
to love them,
to not retaliate.
That's one of the most difficult things
in the world to do, isn't it?
It's just contrary to how we are
with a sinful human nature.
What we're going to see in a passage this morning,
Romans chapter 12,
go ahead and turn.
We're going to see in this passage this morning
that God calls us
and expects us
and will equip us,
enable us
to relate well,
to love
such people.
We've been looking at Romans chapter 12
over the past several weeks.
What we've been doing is looking at what is involved
in living like a Christian
in a lot of different ways
in our relationship with God.
We saw in verses 1 and 2.
We saw what's involved in living like a Christian
in our understanding of ourselves,
of our church,
and of our gifts,
talents,
abilities.
We started looking at what is involved in living like a Christian
in our relationships with other people
verses 9 through 13.
Now,
most of what we saw there
was relating to people
who are Christians,
relating to church family members.
It wasn't exclusively that,
but that was really the focus of those verses.
Well,
today,
we're going to look at the rest of chapter 12.
We're going to look at
what all is involved in living like a Christian
in our relationships with people
who oppose us,
who oppose us because we're Christians.
Now,
there's,
it's not exclusively
everything we're going to look at,
and I'll point it out,
it'll be obvious.
Everything's not about how we relate to people
who are opposed to us,
but most of this is.
And as we go through this,
you're going to see that it's hard
but I want you to understand,
this is the Word of God to us
as God's people.
Let's read.
Romans 12,
beginning in verse 14.
Bless those who persecute you.
Bless
and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice.
Weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be haughty.
Or prideful.
But associate with the lowly.
Never be wise in your own sight.
Repay no one evil for evil.
But give thought to do what is honorable
or right in the sight of all.
If possible.
So far as it depends on you,
live peaceably with all.
Beloved,
never avenge yourselves,
but leave it to the wrath of God.
For it is written,
vengeance is mine,
I will repay,
says the Lord.
To the contrary,
if your enemy is hungry,
feed him.
If he is thirsty,
give him something to drink.
For by doing so,
you will heap burning coals
on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good.
How should we relate to people
who oppose us?
Well, first,
be gracious.
Verse 14,
he's telling us,
be gracious.
Look at how he describes this.
Bless those
who persecute you.
Bless and do not curse.
Curse.
That's the response of grace,
isn't it?
Grace is undeserved,
but it's not natural,
is it?
Look at it.
Bless those who persecute you.
Bless and do not curse them.
People who persecute you,
the last thing in the world
you want to do,
really,
is bless.
You want to curse
and do more.
If you're honest,
don't you?
Because they're out to get you.
They're out to hurt you
because of your faith
in the Lord,
because of your belief
in the truth
that God's revealed to us
in His Word.
Jesus says something
very similar.
Paul tells us something
that's not natural.
Jesus says something
that's even more
not natural
in the Sermon on the Mount.
In fact,
Jesus said this
on more than one occasion
in different forms,
but look at it
in Matthew chapter 5.
Jesus said,
love your enemies
and pray for those
who persecute you.
Bless rather than curse.
Love rather than hate.
Pray for
those who persecute you.
Here's what I want us
to understand.
Again,
this is not easy
and it is unnatural,
but as we've been
talking about
throughout this whole series
on Romans chapter 12,
when God saves a person,
God puts His Spirit
in us.
Becoming a Christian
is not, quote,
just a decision
that somebody makes.
You'll never find that
in any place
in the Bible.
Becoming a Christian
is a work of God.
God.
When God saves us,
He puts His Spirit
in us.
He brings about
a new birth,
regeneration.
He changes the way
that we look at life,
the way that we think
about life,
the way that we feel
about life.
And the Spirit of God
who lives in us
will enable us
to do the things
that we're reading
about here,
about being gracious
even to people
who persecute us.
So this is sort of
the first thing
as we go through
this list.
Everything's going to be
basically this hard
or harder
that we're called
to be and do
as Christians.
And it's not that
we just work up
the ability
to do this.
And He's not talking
about some people
it's easier to do
this than others.
This is the Word of God
to the people of God.
This is how we're
to live in this world
as God's people
even in the face
of persecution.
Bless, don't curse.
Love, pray for them.
That takes the supernatural
help of God's Spirit
and then we must
cooperate with Him
and actually do those things
in situation by situation.
Let's look at the next one.
Be empathetic.
Now what He's saying here
in verse 15
this is a more general statement
that would apply
to everybody.
It'll apply to other Christians
as well as those
who would persecute you.
Look at it in verse 15.
Rejoice with those
who rejoice
and weep
with those who weep.
To be empathetic
means to feel
with another person.
To try to understand
what they are going through
and share those feelings.
Look at the situation
from their perspective.
Try to put yourself
in their shoes.
How would you feel?
Feel with them
is what He's talking about.
Now to do this
we've got to set aside
our own feelings
and how we would
how we think we would feel
in that situation.
In other words
if there's someone
and you can tell
they're just heartbroken
there's tears
there's
just real sorrow
and you find out
what the situation is
and you think to yourself
well if that happened to me
it wouldn't bother me
they must just be weak.
No.
What Paul is saying here is
it's not about you.
When there's another person
that you're involved
in a relationship with
a friend
even an enemy
and you see
that there is something
that has bothered them
hurts them
He is saying
what you need to do
is come along beside them
put yourself
in their position
looking at it
from their perspective
weep with them.
Be a friend
to them
and walk with them
through that.
Same thing about
rejoicing
let's just think about this
which is it easier to do
to rejoice
or weep with someone
think about it
just for a moment
isn't it easier
to weep
with those who weep
than to rejoice
with those who rejoice
I mean
most people
when you see somebody
who's just really broken
I mean
they're just
they're emotionally spent
broken hearted
your heart goes out to them
you just
you feel sorry for them
that's not really
a Christian response
that's a human response
if you can't feel
for people
who are broken
something's wrong
with you
there's something
missing there
about
just you
as a human being
but it's not always
easy to rejoice
with those
who rejoice
it's not always
easy to congratulate
someone
for their success
especially
if you think
you deserve it
ahead of them
think about
somebody at work
they get a promotion
or they get a raise
and they're all excited
about it
but you think
I should have got that promotion
that money should be mine
somebody plays a sport
with you
and they get some kind
of recognition
win a trophy
or named
some most valuable
or something
and they're all excited
about it
but you think to yourself
I should be the most valuable
I should have gotten that
see a lot of times
when people rejoice
it's hard for us
to rejoice with them
because we're jealous
because we're envious
of them
you know there may be
a point as to why
when Paul wrote this
in verse 15
he said rejoice
with those who rejoice
first
because we have a problem
doing that
God calls us
to learn
to empathize
with people
in both the good times
and the bad
and Paul really
stresses
in another place
that we need to do this
with one another
fellow Christians
look in 1 Corinthians
chapter 12
verse 26
he says
in talking about the church
just like we saw
last week
in Romans 12
about
we're all part
of one body
many members
we're parts
of the body
look in 1 Corinthians 12
if one member
suffers
all suffer
if one member
is honored
all rejoice
together
in just about
every Sunday school
class in this room
there's a time
in your class
where you bring up
concerns
that you have
that you want
your fellow classmates
to know about
some of them
are announcements
some of them
are prayer requests
but 9 times
out of 10
what you bring up
are sad things
hurtful things
bad things
and in this
context
you usually
bring up
things
for people
to weep
with you
or somebody else
who's weeping
why is it
that's mainly
all we ever
bring up
why is it
we don't bring up
the good things
why can't we
come to our
Sunday school
classes
and announce
how God
has worked
in our life
or how some
good things
have happened
to us
and we're
happy about it
we're excited
about it
and get everybody
to rejoice
with us
as we rejoice
what would be
wrong with that
nothing
what would be
right with that
everything
I think it'd
be a whole lot
more positive
atmosphere
in our Sunday
school classes
if you had
to balance
that
you can only
bring up
so many things
for us to
weep with
without bringing
up things
for us to
rejoice with
that might
help us to
work on
some envy
some jealousy
that we can
have for one
another
not just in
the church
family
although it
happens
to be
anywhere else
I'll give you
one more
example about
this
one person
could get up
in Sunday
school class
and talk about
how their car
just died
engines blown
I can't get it
fixed I'm in bad
shape
you weep with that
person because
their car is
broken
somebody else
comes in and
say I bought a
new car yesterday
why can't you be
happy for them
why do you have to
be jealous because
they bought a new
car you can't afford
one
you see
Paul's talking
he's being serious
here I'm being
funny but he's
being serious
as a part of being
brothers and sisters
in Christ we're
supposed to rejoice
with one another
when there's
something good
going on but we
need to also
suffer with one
another when
there's suffering
going on both
are important in a
healthy body
family and it's
important in all of
our relationships
we need to show
this weeping with
those who weep
rejoicing with
those who rejoice
to unbelievers
believers because
this is a great
way to build a
relationship and
witness to someone
you know you may
have some people at
work but they
don't really think a
whole lot of you
because you're a
Christian they think
you're some kind of
hypocrite they think
that you are you
know you don't
really practice what
you preach they
don't have anything
to do with you
maybe somebody in
school with you
you really want to
be a witness to
them they don't
have anything to
do with you
they won't let you
talk to them about
what you believe
they won't let you
share the gospel
with them but what
about when something
happens in their
life and they are
hurting you think
they're going to
tell you if you
come up and say I
sure am sorry you
put your arm on
them you touch them
maybe even say I'm
going to pray for
you you think
they're going to
reject that not
like they might but
not likely and
when they something
is good going in
their life in their
life and you join the
celebration with them
you don't have to
like it you don't
have to agree with
it but you become a
friend who is
rejoicing with those
who rejoice it'll
build some relationship
it'll build some
bridges may even tear
down some walls walls
of hostility if we'll
learn to be empathetic
note the next statement
about how we should
relate to people be
humble we're going to
look at several little
things here in verse
16 I want you to
notice verse 16 live
in harmony with one
another all says
something like that a
lot in his letters
live in harmony with
one another be of one
mind talk about members
of the church church
family be united do not
be haughty don't be
arrogant don't be proud
but associate with the
lowly never be wise in
your own sight don't
think more highly of
yourself than you ought
to we've already seen
in this chapter live in
harmony do not be haughty
associate with the
lowly never be wise in
your own sight this verse
applies to our
relationships both in and
outside the church John
Stott former pastor
conference speaker writer
he explains the meaning of
this verse very well I
want you to look at what
he said few kinds of
pride are worse than
snobbery snobs are
obsessed with questions of
status with dividing
society into upper and
lower classes and middle
people they forget that
Jesus fraternized freely
and naturally with social
rejects and called his
followers to do the same
with equal freedom and
naturalness think about
that we need to learn in
this country we need to
learn in churches to guard
against being class
conscious and along that
same line being
condescending toward people
we think are beneath us
Kent Hughes had a good
illustration of this from
the life of former chief
justice Charles Evans Hughes
when Judge Hughes was
appointed to the Supreme
Court of the United States
he was a Christian he was a
Baptist and so when he
moved to Washington DC he
joined a local Baptist
church in that church they
had the habit of certain
every now and then they
would introduce new members
having come to the front
one Sunday the Sunday he was
going to be presented at the
end of the service several
people came forward the first
one that came forward his
name was Ah Sing he had
moved from San Francisco to
Washington DC to open up a
laundry service he was a
Chinese laundromat well he
came first he spoke to the
pastor and then he went over
on this side at the end just
like here several other people
came forward just like he did
they spoke to the pastor and
each one of them went to the
far other side than this man
Ah Sing after several people
had come all standing over
here the judge came he came
last he came and spoke to the
pastor and Hughes said he did
this in a very deliberate
intentional significant way he
made his way over to that man
that Chinese laundromat Ah Sing and
stood beside him identifying with
him very very overtly the point is
even in church we have a tendency
to just get in circles with people
that we think and think and feel and act
and talk just alike and sort of
isolate ostracize those that we
consider to be different we as
Christians we cannot have and be right
with God this elitist mindset and think
that we're above anyone we cannot have
have this class conscious mindset and be
looking down at people and by the same
token think that some people are above us
have a chip on our shoulder toward them
now our Lord calls us to love all kinds of people
to build relationships with all kinds of
people reach out to all kinds and bring all
kinds into the church I want to make it real
clear I don't think I have to make it clear I
think everybody understands but just in case
one person doesn't when we leave here today
we're going to scatter and go a lot of
different places in this county and beyond
this coming week
if in your work or in your school or in
your play or whatever wherever you go
whatever you do if you have people you're
trying to share the gospel with reach or
they're Christians looking for a church home
I want you to know that whoever on the face
of the earth you're involved with
you are not they're not only welcome but
you're encouraged to bring them to our
church and they will be accepted they will
be accepted warmly by most people and if
anybody does not like them coming the one
that don't like them coming can leave and a
bunch of people here will join me we'll open
the door for you if that's the person's
attitude because the church of Jesus
Christ it is open to all human beings
we want to be inclusive we want to be
warm and receiving of people who want to
or are willing to come here and hear the
word of God and we pray will be changed
by the word of God and become true a true
child of God we need to be humble our Lord
God and the Lord calls us to be this as we move
on to this passage the focus now going to be
more on those who oppose us how we should
relate to them let's look at verses 17 and 18
under the caption do what is right look at
those verses again verse 17 repay no one evil
for evil but give thought to do what is honorable or right in the sight of all if possible so far as it depends on you live peaceably with all
Paul is saying here do what is honorable or do what is right regardless of what others do to you when the day is over don't look at how other people have treated you you look at how you have treated others how you have responded even to their mistreatments you know we're not judged by how people treat us but we are
by how we treat others we're not ever judged by what other people do but we are held accountable for what we do I'm sure a lot of you parents and grandparents and others who work with children even teachers
you've told your children
do what's right
it doesn't matter what other people do
you know the right thing you know what it is that God expects you to do you know what it is that we want you to do I've told my grandson sitting here the important thing for you to do you do what is right you know what you know is right do what you've been taught is right what God says is right
and don't worry about other people you're responsible for you let them be responsible for themselves we need to learn to do that as adults we need to learn to not be reactors to how people treat us so much we need to learn to act and act in doing the right thing you know if we just can't get along with some people that are the right thing we need to learn to act and act in doing the right thing
thing. You know, if we just can't get along with some people, verse 18, we need to make sure that
it is not our fault. I want you to look at that verse again. He says, if possible, so far as it
depends on you, live peaceably with all. Sometimes I think we, me, you, we use that as an excuse.
Let's just all admit it. There's some people in life we don't like. There's some people in life that we
have a hard time getting along with. And so it's just sort of easy, natural for us to look for a way
out where we don't have to treat somebody right. And so I know this verse.
I'm very familiar with it. Look at it again. If possible, so far as it depends on you,
live peacefully with all. And the implication is, is if they're just hard to get along with,
if they won't respond well to you, write them off. That's not really the emphasis here.
The emphasis is on us as Christians, if possible. It means we're trying. We're putting forth the
effort. We're trying to make it possible. If possible, so far as it depends on you,
the monkey's on our back. We've got some responsibilities. And it's only when we are
trying to make it possible, and we're doing our best to relate to someone, to reconcile with someone,
it's only then, if they won't cooperate, then we can let it go. Even when we let it go,
we need to keep the door open in case God works in their life, in case they just change.
They become more responsive. But there are some situations. There are some people who don't
like you and will never like you, who do not want to relate to you and will not relate to you.
And so you're not responsible in those situations. That's what this verse is talking about. Now,
what we're talking about, all of this is just very difficult. It's not easy. And as Paul writes this,
he's not even implying that it's easy. But this is one way we're to live in this world and be
faithful witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ, be honorable witnesses, doing what's right, even if
people don't agree, even if people do not like it. Now, as we move on, the last three verses,
this is the most difficult. As I've gone through this, thought about this, it's all difficult to me.
But this is going to be even more. So let's look at it. Verses 19 through 21, be restrained.
We're called, as we live in the world, this world, people who oppose us, exercise restraint.
Now, Paul tells us how we do this. Number one, we must trust God. Look at verse 19.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God. For it is written,
vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. We've got to learn to trust God to work in the life
of the person who has wronged us to bring about what needs to be done. Bottom line, we can always
trust that God's going to make things right one day. Paul pointed that out to the Thessalonians.
I put it even, I wrote a little note in my Bible a long time ago. Beside this verse that we're looking
at, verse 19, I put down 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, 2 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians chapter 1,
verse 6 and following. I want you to look at these verses with me.
We're looking at verse 19 of Romans. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath
of God. For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. We can trust God.
Here's more details about that. God is just. He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you
and give relief to you who are troubled and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is
revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not
know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction
and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might on the day he comes to be
glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you
because you believed our testimony. That's the last verse.
Enemies of God and enemies of God's people, one day when the Lord Jesus Christ returns,
they will be dealt with by God very harshly. They'll be eternally condemned.
Justice will prevail when all is said and done. Now, what this does not mean is your enemies,
you just sort of smile and think God's going to put them in hell one day and I'm glad of that.
That's not the point. In the end, people who do not respond to the grace of God, in the end,
people who do not respond to your patience and your blessing and your prayers and your love.
We're supposed to work with people, pray for people, try to reach out to people who are even our enemies.
But if they reject it, the day will come that they will reap what they've sown.
God will settle all scores. His justice will prevail without exception.
We can count on that. Let God be our avenger.
Second thing about being restrained, we need to do positive good.
Look in verse 20.
To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
For by doing so, you will heap burning coals on his head.
In doing good to the person who does wrong to you,
he says we'll heap burning coals on his head.
And the idea is we'll heap burning coals of shame and remorse on his head
that will hopefully cause him to wake up, to realize what he's done,
to cause her to repent, to seek your forgiveness, to seek God's forgiveness.
A good example of this is found in the life of David.
King Saul was seeking to kill David.
David had an opportunity to kill Saul.
David had an opportunity to do to Saul before Saul did to him,
but he would not do it.
And when Saul found out, it humbled him as his words revealed.
Look at it.
1 Samuel 24.
As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul,
Saul said,
Is this your voice, my son David?
And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
He said to David,
You are more righteous than I,
for you have repaid me good,
whereas I have repaid you evil.
And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me
and that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands.
Now if you know the story, Saul didn't,
it wasn't a life-changing event.
But Saul was humbled for a while.
He was remorseful for a while.
Now, David's kindness,
David's not doing what he could and killing Saul,
it did make a difference.
Got his attention,
humbled him and recognized he was wrong
and David was right.
Third thing,
we must overcome evil with good.
Look at the last verse.
Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good.
Here's what we're being told here.
Don't let your enemies drag you down to their level.
We as Christians need to learn to take the high road always
and seek to overcome their evil
with Christian goodness and love.
That's to be our goal.
What we're called to do in this passage,
as I said at the beginning,
is impossible on our own.
We cannot do this.
We're not wired to do this on our own.
But if we are Christians,
even though it's still hard,
we're still tempted to lash out,
get revenge,
if we're Christians,
the Spirit of God within us
will convict us
to do what Paul's telling us to do here.
Do the kind of things that Jesus said to do
about loving our enemies
and praying for those who persecute us,
by the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us,
we can live like a Christian,
even in our relationships with people
who hate us and oppose us.
It very well may be that God will use your loving attitudes,
your grace,
your patience
to turn your enemy into a friend,
or even better,
to turn them to faith in Jesus,
to call them to become a real child of God.
But even if that doesn't happen,
we will still have the joy and satisfaction of knowing,
if we do the right thing,
that we have been faithful to God.
When it comes to living like a Christian in this world,
all we're really called to do is be faithful to God.
That's how He measures success.
Being faithful to Him,
to His Word,
with the help that He gives us.
When all is said and done,
that's what matters most.
Not what other people have done to you,
but how you have lived before God
and before other people.
That's what God holds us accountable and responsible for.
Let's pray together.
Dear God,
help us now
to deal with
our attitudes,
words,
adverse actions
and the kind of situations
that we've been looking at this morning.
Father,
if there's some
attitude adjustments
that need to be made,
make it clear to us.
If there's just a whole
mindset
that needs to change,
show us.
Father,
if there are people in this room
that this whole
passage
has not made sense to them
because your Spirit
does not dwell in them,
show them,
Father,
they're not Christians.
Disturb them,
Father,
over that
and so work
to bring about
that change
of their heart
and mind.
Work in them,
dear God,
to cause them
to want to
humble themselves
before you
and seek
your forgiveness
by turning
from their sins
and trusting
in Jesus
as their Savior
and Lord.
Father,
if there's Christians
in this room
who need to go
to someone
and seek
forgiveness,
seek to be reconciled,
show them.
But,
Lord,
help us all
to desire
and to look
to you
to give us
the what with all
we need
to truly
live like a Christian
in this world
and our relationship
with you,
with other people,
even with people
who are our enemies.
And in an attitude
of prayer,
you just listen
to the Lord
and respond to Him.
That's all He's
wanting you to do
is listen
and obey.
I'd be happy
to pray with you
here at the front
if you want to
step out
during this time.
Let's just be still
and quiet
and listen to the Lord.