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Romans 12:14-21; Luke 6:27-33

THE RESPONSE OF GRACE. Romans 12:14-21; Luke 6:27-33. A SUMMARY OF THE CORE EXPECTATIONS OF SUPERNATUAL LIVING Romans 12:14-21. What Jesus is requesting is impossible without God’s grace. Grace is God’s undeserved favor.

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Romans 12:14-21; Luke 6:27-33

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  1. THE RESPONSE OF GRACE Romans 12:14-21; Luke 6:27-33

  2. A SUMMARY OF THE CORE EXPECTATIONS OF SUPERNATUAL LIVING Romans 12:14-21 What Jesus is requesting is impossible without God’s grace. Grace is God’s undeserved favor. By grace we are forgiving others and loving them in spite of their sins against us just like Jesus did and does for us. • OUR GRACE RESPONSE TO ALL – v.v. 14-16 • OUR GRACE RESPONSE TO OUR ENEMIES – v.v. 17-19 • OUR VICTORY OF GRACE – v.v. 20,21

  3. I. OUR GRACE RESPONSE TO ALL PEOPLE Romans 12:14-16

  4. A. WE ARE COMMANDED TO BLESS ALL PEOPLE v.14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” An echo of Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-33. Jesus explained what Agape love was capable of. This love is something the world does not have. Stephen said, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Acts 7:60. I Peter 2:21-23

  5. B. WE ARE COMMANDED NOT TO RETALIATE AGAINST OTHERS v. 14 “bless and do not curse.” We are not to wish them loss or harbor ill-will toward them, but are to bless them and do them good. We are not to desire the outpouring of divine vengeance, but are to bless them desiring their salvation. We should have let go of all persistent attitudes of resentment, hostility and retaliation. We should utter no evil or condemning words.

  6. ENTER INTO THE FEELINGS OF OTHERS “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” v.15 We need to be sensitive to the disappointments, hardships, and sorrows of others. We have a duty of sympathy and empathy, to enter into the heartache of others. Compassion means to suffer with others.

  7. LEARNING FROM JOB’S FRIENDS A comforter’s ability to help is not so much his talent for using words, but rather his capacity to be sympathetic. “When I ask patients and their families, ‘Who helped you in your suffering?’ I hear a strange,… answer.. The person described rarely has smooth answers or a winsome, personality. It is someone quiet, understanding, who listens more than he talks, who does not judge, or even offers much advice. ‘A sense of presence.’ ‘Someone there when I needed him.’ A hand to hold. An understanding, bewildered hug. A shared lump in the throat.” Dr. Paul Brand

  8. C. WE ARE NOT TO BE PARTIAL OR PROUD v.16 “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.” We are to think the same thing toward one another. Being of the same mind is being in agreement with one another because we have the mind of Christ. Believers are to agree among themselves.

  9. MISSION AND PURPOSE STATEMENT Everett Assembly of God church is a congregation of caring people, prayerfully seeking to further the kingdom of God by providing a loving environment for the family, empowering individuals to reach their God given potential through the love and salvation found in Jesus Christ. OUR PRINCIPLE The Bible is our primary source and guide teaching and training us to seek God’s will. We will continually desire the leading of the Holy Spirit to empower us to live out our daily lives in a practical and loving manner.

  10. II. OUR GRACE RESPONSE TO OUR ENEMIES Romans 12:17-20 “Never pay back evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.” v.17

  11. A. THE FIRST COMMAND IS TO NEVER TO PAY BACK EVIL FOR EVIL TO ANYONE We are never to move beyond the verbal curse prohibited in verse 14 to an act of revenge. Vindictiveness is the desire to get even with someone for a wrong suffered (I Thess. 5:15; I Cor. 4:12f).

  12. OLD TESTAMENT LAW “an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth…” is civil law and is not intended for personal revenge. Its intent was to take away over retaliation for any offense from occurring by those whose vengeance is fueled by hurt and anger toward a guilty party. A right attitude includes keeping our “affairs right in the sight of all.” Lives well-ordered by consecration to God and a love for all including persecutors, will grant us an opportunity to gain respect.

  13. B. THE SECOND COMMAND SAYS WE ARE TO PROMOTE PEACE NOT ONLY AS PEACE KEEPERS, BUT AS PEACE MAKERS “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” v.18 “If possible” implies that peace is not a compromise of good or truth, and is not to be pursued at any price. We promote peace and tolerance without betraying the will of God. Paul says, “so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”

  14. Whether between nations or individuals • A peaceful relationship cannot be one-sided. • Our responsibility is to make sure that our side of the relationship is right, that our inner desire is genuinely to be at peace with all men, even the meanest and most undeserving. • We should be willing to build peaceful bridges to those who hate us and harm us. • We must forsake any grudge, settle any bitterness and fully forgive from the heart.

  15. LIVING AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE • Can mean giving up the right to get in an argument, even when you can prove you are right. • It takes wisdom to know when making your point is useful to the other person; and when it just feeds their desire to have a conflict. Paul says, avoid unnecessary conflict “if possible.” • If the other person is simply out of bounds in word or action be assertive, be direct, and be tough. Letting someone walk all over you might be feeding their sin habit.

  16. C. THE THIRD COMMAND TELLS US THE VENGEANCE IS GOD’S DOMAIN, NOT MAN’S “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is mine, ‘I will repay,’ says the Lord.” v.19 We are to leave the punishment to the wrath of God (Deut. 32:35). God has given us the weapon of kindness.

  17. III. OUR VICTORY OF GRACE Romans 12:20-21

  18. A. THE VICTORY OF GRACE MEANS WE TREAT OUR ENEMIES IN WAYS THAT SHOULD WIN THEM OVER TO CHRIST “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” v.20 Not returning evil for evil does not fulfill our responsibility. We are asked to minister to our enemy. To withhold vengeance requires doing nothing. But to actually return good for evil requires action that overcome our natural tendencies and feelings.

  19. WHEN SOMEONE HURTS YOU DEEPLY “heap burning coals upon his head.” • We befriend them • Breaks the cycle of retaliation • Opens the way for reconciliation • May help the enemy feel ashamed for his evil hurts and change his ways • It frees me from the heavy load of bitterness Forgiveness involves attitudes and actions.

  20. “heap burning coals upon his head” Egyptian Custom When a person wanted to demonstrate public shame and guilt, he would carry on his head a pan of burning coals to represent the burning pain of his conscience. When we love our enemy and genuinely seek to meet his needs, his good conscience will shame him for his hatred. The best way to get rid of our enemies is to turn them into friends. Redemptive Revenge

  21. B. THE VICTORY OF GRACE MEANS WE PAY EVIL WITH GOOD “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” No alternative, no neutrality, no middle way is given to us. If we curse (v.14), repay evil for evil (v.17), or take revenge (v.19) then because these are evil responses, we have given into evil. Our own evil responding is infinitely more detrimental to us that the evil done to us by others.

  22. IF WE REFUSE TO RETALIATE • We will bless our persecutors v.14 • Practice the public good v.17 • Become active in peace-making and peace-keeping v.18 • Leave all judgmentalism to God v.19 • Love and serve our enemy and perhaps win him over to God v.20 We have overcome evil with good.

  23. To repay evil for evil is to be overcome by evil.To repay good for evil is toovercome evil with good. The way of the cross is God’s masterpiece of love and grace.

  24. 19th Century FeudHatfield’sandMcCoy’s Only God has the wisdom and patience needed to punish evildoers properly, and to bring them to justice.

  25. The spirit of the world says…“Get even with those who mistreat you.”The Spirit of Christ says…“Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you.”Matthew 5:44 To live like Christ is not natural; it’s supernatural.

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