Please turn in your copy of God's Word to Romans, chapter 12.
! We'll continue our journey, our march together, verse by verse, through the book of Romans.
! And we have come now to the practical part of the text.
As Paul has in the first 11 chapters, given us the great doctrine of the gospel,
the gospel that comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, forever,
he's turned now at the end of 11 and the beginning of 12 to help us, to show us what that now looks like in practice.
What are the practical implications of all of these great truths?
And lest we forget, he begins by saying, verse 1, verse 2,
that we are to, now as our reasonable service, as the obvious thing we should be doing in response to the glorious truth of the gospel,
we should be giving ourselves, all of us, as a living sacrifice.
Offering ourselves up to his service.
And we do that by the renewing of our mind, so that we'll be transformed, so that we'll know what is good and acceptable and perfect.
And I've been asserting to you that he doesn't leave that in the wind for us,
but that he goes on to talk about what is good and acceptable and perfect.
He lays out for us the model of Christian living.
We've talked about verse 9, about letting love be genuine.
Genuine love.
Unhypocritical love.
The love that is characterized by abhorring evil and holding fast to good.
That this is the summary.
This is the probably oversimplified summary of what godliness looks like.
What a life offered holy to god looks like is a life that expresses that reality in genuine, unhypocritical love.
And as we've tried to look at and kind of break down, we've got this overarching exhortation to genuine love,
merciful, self-sacrificial, subservient love.
We've tried to break down these exhortations and look at them piecemeal, as challenging as that is often,
as we look at the scriptures, to see that he calls us to genuinely love the saints, verses 10-13.
Last week we talked about genuine love to all people, generally, in verses 15 and 16.
And so we see the scope then of the church and the world.
But then he narrows it back down for us a bit to talk about the group that would be most difficult to love genuinely.
And that is your enemies.
You see this in verse 14 and then 17-21, which I recognize is a bit of an odd way to break this up.
I wrestled immensely on doing it this way.
But I think you'll see the tie-in.
I hope you'll see the tie-in together in just a moment.
So let's read together, beginning in verse 14 through the end of the chapter.
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, 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 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 so doing you will heat burning coals on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil,
but overcome evil with good.
Let's pray together.
Father God, we thank you for the blessing of your word.
It is a grace to us.
Thank you also for the church,
the office of pastor,
the gift in varying levels to teach.
And because the realities of the gospel exist,
we all have,
those of us who have placed faith in Christ,
your spirit abiding within us.
So I pray this morning that by your spirit,
I will preach well.
I will unfold the meaning of this text well.
And that by your spirit,
we will hear it.
And we will have it applied to our hearts
that they might be tenderized
towards those we may consider our enemies.
I pray this in Christ's name.
Amen.
So verse 14, we have the exhortation to
bless those who persecute you.
Bless and do not curse them.
The most difficult group of people to love.
Those who hate you.
Those who persecute you.
Those who ridicule.
Who potentially,
as you may be sent out all over this world,
physically would harm you,
imprison you,
beat you.
Right?
The call is a high call.
It's not particularly complicated.
It's a fairly simple concept,
but it is incredibly profound.
It flips humanity,
who the fallen human state is,
it flips it around.
Right?
Because what we tend to do as people
is we tend to stand our ground
and defend our rights.
Somebody pokes us,
we hit them back.
Right?
And that is not the calling to the Christian.
Right?
The calling to the Christian
is to turn the edge of the cheek.
The calling to the Christian
is to go the extra mile.
Right?
The calling to the Christian
is to give what hasn't even been asked for
to those who are persecuting us.
And you'll remember last week,
if you weren't here,
we talked extensively about
verse 15 and 16 and 17
about humility,
about proper,
actual, real humility
and what that looks like
and how real humility
accompanies faith.
If you are a Christian,
if you are in fact a Christian,
you must be humbled.
A humble person recognizes
that apart from the saving work
of Jesus Christ,
we are nothing.
Our nature has been utterly spoiled by sin.
There's no good thing left in us.
Now because of Christ,
we are sons and daughters
of the Most High.
There's infinite value in that.
But apart from that,
we're nothing.
Faith and humility
work together
hand in hand.
And if you're humble,
you also recognize
that you really have
no rights.
We are Americans.
I believe everyone in here
is an American citizen.
And as Americans,
we have rights.
Certain things that are given to us
inalienable,
glad I said that right.
I was worried
as it was coming to my mouth.
Inalienable rights
granted to us
by our founding documents.
Praise God for that.
We live in a great country.
The best country,
I would argue.
And there's lots of debate
right now about our rights
being taken from us.
And they shouldn't be
to be political for a moment.
They shouldn't be.
But in reality,
in all actuality,
we have no rights.
What we deserve,
what has been granted to us
apart from Christ,
is eternal death
and destruction.
Separation from God forever.
That's what we have a right to.
We've purchased that
with our sin.
In all of our sinful activity,
we have said to God,
I hate you,
and what the return of that is,
is his wrath.
That's what we have a right to.
In Christ,
we have all sorts of
beautiful, wonderful gifts
and treasures
found in God.
But the temptation
to curse those who persecute us,
to do evil back to them,
to utter evil in their direction,
is the result of us believing
that we deserve better.
So humility
is what permits us
to bless those
who persecute us
and not curse them.
And I know that not all of you
were here last week,
but I hope you've been seeing the tie
between 14
on through 16
and now
into verse 17.
As he expands
more of what he means,
as he says,
repay no one evil for evil,
but give thought to do
what is honorable
in the sight of all.
This is not a concept
that's foreign to the Scriptures.
Paul wrote again
in 1 Thessalonians 5.15,
See that no one repays anyone evil
for evil,
but always seek to do good
to one another
and to everyone.
Peter wrote the same.
1 Peter 3.8.9,
Finally, all of you
have unity of mind,
sympathy,
brotherly love,
a tender heart,
and a humble mind.
So humility.
Do not repay
evil for evil
or reviling for reviling,
but on the contrary,
bless.
For to this you are called
that you may obtain
a blessing.
Now,
he is addressing
particularly,
in this case,
persecutors, right?
Verse 14,
Bless those who persecute you.
But we certainly can apply
the principle out
beyond that.
I would venture to say
that no one here
probably really has
a persecutor in mind
as they're thinking
of these Scriptures.
I hope that as you're
broadening your faith
and you're getting out there
and you're sharing it
and you're being more radical,
that people start to
not like you
because you're always
preaching the Gospel to them.
That should be a reality
in your life.
I hope, maybe,
that you're drawing
some kind of persecution
into your mind
as you live holy
in front of students
on campus,
at your workplace.
People begin to shun you.
They don't want to talk
to you anymore.
You're holier than thou.
I'm hoping this kind of stuff
is drawn to your mind.
But beyond that,
I think all of us
can probably think of
an enemy
all of us probably
have that person
that we just really have
some distaste for
that have in some way
brought an injury
to us.
They've talked bad about us,
tarnished our reputation,
have caused some
ill fate to happen
in one of our classes
or maybe at work.
I have some of these people.
People I haven't gotten
along with too well
throughout my life.
what am I called to do
in Christ
as I deal with
these people?
I am to
give thought
to do
what is
honorable.
I am meant
to bless them.
In this is love.
Remember,
we're talking about
genuine love.
In this is love.
that while we were
enemies of God,
Christ died
for us.
We're meant
to be
Christ-like.
We're meant
to exalt
Christ
in our living.
So the
reasonable act,
this is what Paul
is saying to us,
the reasonable response
to the gospel truth
in our life
is that we
bless,
we genuinely
love
those who
hate
us.
it's the
reasonable thing
to do.
Not particularly
complicated.
Just the thing
we should
be doing
is expressing
love
in this way.
Giving thought
to what is
honorable,
which means
in the Greek
intrinsically good,
proper,
obviously right,
outward.
It's expressed
goodness.
It's not just
that you
bottle it up
and you don't
let out
what's really
going on
inside your
head.
It's not
just that you
bite your
tongue,
but it's that
you actually
express
goodness.
That you're
obviously
right-acting
outwardly
towards people
who hate
you.
It's meant
to be done
in such a way
that it's
honorable in
the sight
of all.
That people
marvel at
who we are
as Christians.
this speaks
to those of
you who
will go
around the
world
and will
be persecuted
severely
for your
faith.
But it
certainly
speaks of
us now.
As so
many Christians
try to
stand their
ground,
defend their
rights,
be right
about everything
all the
time.
We ought
to be a
people who
are characterized
by our
genuine
love,
even for
those who
hate us.
if
possible,
so far
as it
depends on
us,
we're
meant to
live
peaceably
with all.
And I,
I mean,
obviously I
love God
and his
spirit and
his moving
and Paul's
writing,
so as I
say this,
know that.
I love
Paul's
writing.
Paul always
very,
very carefully
articulates
what he
means,
and I
appreciate that
about him.
Right?
He gives
us our
caveat at
this point.
If possible,
so far as it
depends on you,
live peaceably
with all.
There's not
a chance that
every situation
is going to
be peaceable.
You're going
to have
people who
are going
to come
at you,
and you're
to do
everything you
can to
sort that
situation,
to live
peaceably.
Peaceable
relationships
take two
sides.
There's just
no way you
can work in
the heart
of someone
else.
But as
far as it
depends on
you,
your part
in it,
you are
to live
peaceably.
It reminds
me of when
Jesus is
giving the
woes to
the Pharisees,
and he
talks to
them about
how they
should clean
their cup
and their
plate first.
We have
no business
cleaning up
the plates
and cups
of other
people.
We're to
clean our
own cup,
our own
plate,
as far as
it depends
on us,
that we
live peaceably
with all.
So are
you in a
situation now
where there's
disunity,
there's a
disruption in
peace in a
relationship you
may have?
You need to
ask yourself
this question,
have I done
everything I
can possibly
do to have
peace with
this person?
I am not
a political
person.
I don't enjoy
the politics
of relationships.
some of
you who
are in
the
dating
realm
right
now
would
say
I
hate
games.
Just
don't
enjoy
that.
I'm a
straight
shooter.
You tell
me how
you feel,
I'll tell
you how
I feel,
what I
say is
what I
mean.
That's
the kind
of person
I am.
And often
when I get
pulled into
some situations
that I
really shouldn't
even be
involved in
to begin
with,
I have
to remind
myself
of this.
You know
a situation
where somebody
has maybe
said something
about you
and somebody
else has
taken it
and they've
run with
it and
they're
thinking
badly
of you
and you
think to
yourself,
this shouldn't
even be a
problem.
I don't know
if you do
that,
but I do.
I'm like,
I'm going to
spend my
time on
this,
are you
kidding me?
Maybe I
can just
ignore it
and it
will go
away.
Somebody
is showing
you some
disdain
for something
they heard.
This
scripture has
meant a lot
in my life
as I've
dealt with
situations
like that
to ask
myself,
have I
done
everything I
can do
to be
at peace
with these
people?
Have I
gone the
extra step?
Have I
expressed
outward
goodness
in the
situation?
Not
stayed
neutral,
but actually
involved
myself
and engaged
the people
that I
might have
peace
with them?
It's going
to require
an effort
on our
part
to do
this.
And we
turn then
in verse
19.
So as
we are
seeking the
peace,
as we
are
expressing
outward
goodness
to those
who are
persecuting
us,
Paul then
comes along
and quotes
from Deuteronomy
32-35
a comfort
to us.
As we're
not going
to be able
to sort
every situation
out.
As we're
not going
to be able
or shouldn't
be defending
every tit
and tat
of our
rights.
He writes
beloved,
those who
are found
in Christ,
never
avenge
yourselves,
but leave
it to the
wrath of
God.
For it
is written,
vengeance
is mine,
I will
repay,
says the
Lord.
So here
is the
final
judgment
Paul is
speaking about
here.
Paul says
in Nathan's
simple terms,
don't worry
about it,
I'll sort
it out
in the
end.
Love,
outwardly
express
genuine
love to
those who
are your
enemies,
those who
persecute
you,
and just
trust that
in the
end,
it'll get
sorted,
they'll get
what's due
them,
and you'll
get what's
due you.
This
ability
to trust
in the
goodness
of God
in all
of these
situations,
to be
able to
overflow
love on
people that
from a
worldly
standard
don't
really
deserve
it,
is
one of
the
marks
of a
true
Christian.
That's
what
Paul is
saying
here to
us.
Actually,
if you're
subtitled the
way I
am,
marks
of the
true
Christian.
It's
where we
start in
verse
9.
Matthew
6,
14 and
15.
this is
the
Sermon
on the
Mount.
Jesus
says,
For if
you forgive
others
their
trespasses,
your
heavenly
Father
will also
forgive
you.
But if
you do
not
forgive
others
their
trespasses,
neither
will your
Father
forgive
your
trespasses.
Is
Jesus
saying
to us
that the
salvation
of your
soul
is
dependent
on
your
works?
No,
He
is not.
But what
He is
saying
to us
is that
if you
have been
forgiven
in
Christ,
the
natural
reaction,
the
obvious
outcome,
the
outflow
of that,
of a
changed
heart,
will be
forgiveness
for others.
Isn't that
exactly what
Paul is
saying to
us now?
Glorious
truth of
the
gospel.
Obvious
thing is a
self-sacrificing
love for
God,
right?
that
works
itself
out
in
genuine
love
and
doesn't
hold
wrong
against
other
people,
that
blesses
those
who
persecute,
that
outwardly
expresses
love
for
them,
that
doesn't
repay
evil
for
evil,
that
doesn't
worry
about
how it
sorts
in the
end.
So the
question for
you becomes,
if you
are doing
the opposite
of this,
if you
feel like
when somebody
wronged you,
you have to
get back
at them,
are you
a Christian?
It's a
test.
It's a
measure
of your
faith.
Now,
we all
fail at
things like
this.
So just
because you
don't do
this in
a moment
doesn't
make you
not a
Christian.
We
certainly
sin,
yet we're
secure
in God's
hand.
But take
a look
at your
life.
It's
the
overarching
theme
in this
particular
regard
that you
get back,
that you
want to
deliver evil
for evil,
that you
want to
stand for
your rights,
that you're
all about
you,
your
kingdom.
Because if
anybody invades
your kingdom
and tries to
dethrone you,
you have to
defend it.
The true
Christian says
God's on
the throne.
Vengeance
is his.
He'll
repay.
I'm not
too worried
about it.
I live
in a
theocracy.
I live
in a
theocracy
where I
have no
rights
except to
serve my
king,
and he
will deal
accordingly.
Listen
to Hebrews
chapter 10,
beginning in
verse 26.
The author
of Hebrews
writes,
For if we
go on
sinning
deliberately
after receiving
the knowledge
of the truth,
there no
longer remains
a sacrifice
for sins,
but a
fearful
expectation
of judgment
and a
fury of
fire that
will consume
the
adversaries.
Anyone who
has set
aside the
law of
Moses dies
without mercy
on the
evidence of
two or
three witnesses.
How much
worse punishment
do you think
will be
deserved by
the one who
has trampled
underfoot
the Son
of God
and has
profaned
the blood
of the
covenant
by which
he was
sanctified
and has
outraged
the Spirit
of grace?
For we
know him
who said,
Vengeance
is mine,
I will
repay,
and again
the Lord
will judge
his people.
This is
Deuteronomy
32,
35.
It is a
fearful thing
to fall
into the
hands
of the
living God.
So that
language
wasn't super
simple,
so hear
what he's
saying to
you.
If we
go on
sinning,
saying
that we're
Christians,
saying that
we walk
in the
light,
and yet
we persist
in our
sin.
He used
the example
of the
Old Testament.
If we
are breaking
the law
of the
commandment,
we have
two or
three witnesses
we're
condemned.
How much
more,
if we go
on sinning,
having the
revelation
of Jesus
Christ,
we're
trampling
underfoot
the Son
of God,
we've
profaned the
blood of
the covenant
by which
we're
sanctified.
We've
outraged
the Spirit
of grace.
He's
saying,
how much
more
will God
repay?
It is a
fearful
thing to
fall into
the hands
of the
living God.
So my
encouragement
in this
is that you
examine
your life.
love.
I would
say that
all of
us need
to do
better
at
exuding
love,
at living
in light
of the
gospel,
at genuinely
being concerned
for and
caring for
our enemies,
rejoicing
with them,
and weeping
with them.
There's a tie
in there.
We have a
true humility
recognizing that
we really have
no rights.
But ask
yourself,
do you have
the capacity
for it?
Has your
heart been
changed at
all?
Out of the
outflow of
your heart,
this is
possible.
Who you
are at
your very
core,
and without
Christ at
your core,
you're utterly
sinful.
You're
incapable of
doing anything
to please
God.
Even your
best effort
is distasteful
to Him.
ask yourself
that question
this morning.
The beautiful
thing is that
either way,
there's a
simple answer.
Whether you
stand firm
knowing you're
a Christian,
knowing though
that you
struggle with
this,
that you
must press
harder to
love your
enemies,
or recognizing
maybe for the
first time,
I'm not
saved.
I've been
doing this
church thing
for a long
time,
I've got
knowledge in
my head,
but I'm
not actually
a Christian.
The answer
to both
problems is
to repent
and believe.
Turn from
your sin
and place
your faith
in Jesus
Christ.
Let me tell
you,
that's going
to look
practical
sometimes.
Repentance
is certainly
a change
in heart.
It's certainly
a recognition
that we've
sinned against
the Most Holy
God,
and it's a
turning away
from that
to the good
things of
God.
But those
good things
of God
are often
practical,
particularly
in this
arena.
Christians,
you may
find as
you repent
that there
are some
things that
you need
to go get
sorted.
You need
to go do
your part
for the
peace in
a situation.
You may
be drawn
to a
situation in
your life,
in your
mind,
that God
is calling
you to
work out.
Please let
your repentance
be complete.
Don't just
turn from
the sin.
I should
really be
nicer to
that
individual.
Go be
nice to
them.
Go exhibit
genuine
love.
Paul says
it well
in verse
20.
I like it
when I do
accidental
segues.
Verse 20.
He says,
to the
contrary,
rather than
repaying evil
for evil,
rather than
hating back
your enemy.
He quotes
from Proverbs
25,
21,
and 22.
If your
enemy is
hungry,
feed him.
If he is
thirsty,
give him
something to
drink.
For by so
doing,
you will
heap burning
coals on
his head.
He says,
do the
very opposite.
That's what
we've been
talking about.
Genuinely
love.
Don't
replay evil
for evil.
Genuinely
love them.
Feed them.
Give them
something to
drink.
And then
an interesting
phrase.
For by
so doing,
you will
heap burning
coals on
his head.
Now,
I'd like to
admit that I
did not have
the time this
week to
give this
the scholastic
attention I
would have
liked to.
However,
there's much
debate over
exactly what
he means
by this.
It is a
quote.
Proverbs
25.
It's verse
22.
Right?
For you
will heap
burning
coals on
his head
and the
Lord will
reward you.
That's exactly
how that
reads in
the ESV.
Right?
So,
we're called
then in
our genuine
love to
do these
things,
these outward
expressions,
these honorable
things for
those who are
our enemies
for,
because,
so that,
in doing
it,
we're going
to heap
burning
coals
on their
head.
I found
one commentator.
You guys
know I like
to use the
Johns,
John MacArthur,
John Piper,
and Jonathan
Edwards.
So,
the Johns,
one of the
Johns said
that there's
an ancient
Egyptian
tradition
that if
you wanted
to be
publicly
repentant,
that you
filled a
pan with
coals and
you put
it on
your head
and you
walked
around to
show people
the searing
of your
mind,
the burning
of the
guilt of
something that
you had
done.
One of the
other Johns
said that he
has never
found in
any record
anywhere that
that's a
reality.
Respect both
of them a
lot.
So,
I just
really don't
know in
that case
what exactly
they mean.
So,
one of the
Johns says
that the
act of
heaping
burning
coals on
the head
is a
conviction
to.
Right?
So,
we have
enemies that
are treating
us one
way and
we do
the opposite.
We show
them this
genuine love
and it
becomes a
conviction
for them.
It exposes
their evil.
Our
goodness
exposes
their evil
and therefore
becomes a
conviction
to them.
The other
says that it
has to do
with God's
judgment.
That other
places that this
phrasing is used
in Greek
literature,
it has to do
ultimately
with final
judgment.
What I
would say
to you
is that
probably
both are
true.
Because it
stands between
these two
verses.
Does it
not?
It stands
between
19
where he
quotes,
Paul quotes
Deuteronomy
32-35,
vengeance is
mine,
I will
repay,
says the
Lord.
And it
moves to
verse 21,
do not be
overcome by
evil,
but overcome
evil with
good.
And maybe
rather than
saying that
it can mean
two things,
we should
really mean
that it
means one
thing,
and that
is that
it brings
these
individuals
to a
realization
of the
wrath of
God,
which is to
them the
conviction
of their
sin.
Maybe.
I bet if I
got the
Johns in a
room,
they would
agree with
me.
We'll see.
That'll never
happen.
Never mind,
we won't
see.
But just
the same,
I think
that's where
he's headed.
So,
quoting from
Proverbs,
we have
these acts
of selflessness,
this giving
to those
who really,
by all
human terms,
we ought
not be
feeding and
giving drink
to.
We really
probably should
be letting
them starve
and die
of thirst,
but we're
instead going
to show
them this
genuine
expression
of love.
And verse
21 says,
do not
be overcome
by evil,
but overcome
evil with
good.
And I think
there's our
connection of
why we ought
to think that
this should
be a conviction
to them,
that it should
be an
exposing element
in their
life.
And verse
21 has
two implications,
that we
shouldn't be
overcome by
the evil
done to us,
we shouldn't
permit it to
overwhelm us,
right,
because God
will judge,
we know that
we have a
good and a
just God,
that we are
his people,
that all
things are
working for
our good
back in
chapter 8
now,
right,
that we
are eternally
secure in
his hands,
that nothing
can take us
from his
hand,
chapter 9,
right,
so we
shouldn't allow
the evil
done to us
to overwhelm
us.
We shouldn't
permit that
to happen,
because God
has made
promises,
and his
promises are
good,
they're yes
and amen
in Jesus
Christ.
first,
but secondly,
and I think
maybe more
importantly,
we also
must not
allow ourselves
to be
overcome by
our own
desire to
respond with
evil,
right,
but instead
we should
overcome the
evil with
our good,
right,
so don't
let your
enemy's
hostility
produce
hostility in
you,
but let
your love
triumph over
his hostility,
whether or
not you
see that
as a
reality now,
it will
in fact
one day
be true,
God will
sort it
in the
end.
Do not
let another
person's
sin make
you sin,
right,
stand as
those
redeemed,
changed by
the gospel
of grace,
right,
changed,
we're different
than the world,
and therefore
we ought to
respond differently.
It is our
reasonable
service,
right,
verse 2,
it's our
reasonable
service.
It's not a
crazy thing
he's asked
us to do,
it's a
reasonable
response
to the
goodness
of the
gospel.
I'm going
to read
to you
just a
short
excerpt
from a
great book,
if you
don't have
this,
you can
get it
for free
from
Voice of
the
Martyrs
called
Tortured
for Christ,
and it's
written by
a man
named
Richard
Wurmbrand
who
founded
Voice of
the
Martyrs,
lived in,
I'm going
to forget
the country,
I believe
Romania,
during
communist
oppression,
and was
imprisoned
multiple
times
for his
faith.
It's a
very simple,
really good
read,
I'd really
encourage you
to pick
it up,
but let me
just read
you a
little
excerpt,
as he
writes
about a
man named
Grecu,
and he
has been,
Grecu has
been being
continually,
slowly,
beaten to
death
by his
captor,
a man
named
Rek.
So they're
intentionally
keeping him
alive and
prolonging the
sentence of
him being
beat to
death.
They're
medicating
him and
feeding him
and then
beating him
to within
an inch of
his life
and then
bringing him
back and
beating him
again.
And
listen to this,
just listen to
this record.
He writes,
during the
beatings,
Rek said
something to
Grecu that
the communists
often said to
Christians,
you know I
am God.
I have power
of life and
death over
you.
The one who
is in
heaven cannot
decide to
keep you
in life.
Everything
depends upon
me.
If I wish
you live,
if I wish
you are
killed,
I am
God.
So he
mocked the
Christian.
I would
imagine that
Grecu knows
his scriptures
at this point,
that in his
mind he
says,
vengeance is
mine,
I will
repay,
says the
Lord.
Right?
Listen to
what he
does,
his response.
Brother
Grecu in
this horrible
situation gave
Rek a very
interesting answer
which I heard
afterward from
Rek himself.
He said,
you don't
know what a
deep thing
you have
said.
Every
caterpillar is
in reality a
butterfly if it
develops rightly.
You have not
been created to
be a torturer,
a man who
kills.
You have been
created to
become like
God with the
life of the
Godhead in
your heart.
Many who
have been
persecutors like
you have
come to
realize,
like the
Apostle Paul,
that it is
shameful for a
man to commit
atrocities,
that they can
do much
better things.
So they
become partakers
of the divine
nature.
Jesus said to
the Jews of
his time,
ye are
gods.
Believe me,
Mr.
Rek,
your real
calling is to
be godlike,
to have the
character of
God,
not a
torturer.
What did
he do?
Express the
ultimate form
of love as
he's being
beaten in a
presentation of
the gospel to
his very
beater.
Probably not the
right word,
right?
Is that how you
would respond in
that situation?
It's hard to
imagine it.
It's hard to
think that that's
the way we would
respond in that
situation.
I think rather we
would be furious
that we're in the
situation, that our
rights have been
taken from us,
that this man
is doing this
to us is so
unfair.
How dare he?
Given the
opportunity, what
would I do
back?
How would I
defend myself?
Grecu preaches
the gospel to
him.
And here's the
result.
At that moment,
Rek did not pay
much attention to
the words of his
victim, as Saul
of Tarsus did
not pay attention
to the beautiful
witness of Stephen
being killed in
his presence.
But those words
worked in his
heart, and
Rek later
understood that
this was his
real calling.
You remember, he
said he learned
this story from
Rek himself.
Rek became a
believer as a
result, and if
you read on,
Grecu died at
his hands.
This is the type
of love we're
meant to have.
It's profound.
It really is.
It's simple.
It's a reasonable
act of service.
But this is the
expression of life
changed by the
truth of the
gospel.
Do you believe
this morning
the gospel?
If you do, this
will be your
response.
And I think it's
going to work its
way out in
different little
ways.
Small example,
when that guy
cuts you off on
the road,
what's our
response?
Even just our
emotional response
like that.
Right, I was
in this lane.
What's your
problem?
Can't see me?
Good one.
Yep.
What is the
outflow of our
hearts?
I think we all
need to examine
where we stand
positionally and
how, to what
degree, do we
actually embrace
the gospel.
I pray as we
will in a minute
that you'll
repent and
believe.
If you are a
Christian, that
you will recognize
this weakness
that I believe we
all can do
better at.
Maybe for
particular situations
that you need to
go rectify.
Part of your
repentance is to
actually go do
what you can do
to make the
situation better.
Some of you may
not actually be
Christians in this
room.
I pray that you
would allow God
to work in your
heart.
That you would
hear his call
and that you
would respond
appropriately.
If you grew up
in church and
you think that
there's a special
time that that
has to happen,
you're really
wrong.
I don't stand
between you and
God.
I'm just another
Christian.
We're all saints.
You have full
access.
The temple
curtain was torn.
It's symbolic.
You get to step
right in there.
God's working on
your heart.
Just step in
there.
Repent.
Confess.
Confess that
you're a sinner
and you need
him.
That you're dead
and you need
the life that
is in Christ.
I'm here to
help you later.
After the fact.
Come talk to me.
Let's get you
involved in
discipleship.
Let's get you
engaged in the
church.
There's great
grace to us
that we have
to grow together.
Don't think you
have to wait
for an invitation
to do it.
You're being
invited right now.
Respond to the
gospel.
Respond.
The Spirit
is inviting you.