Cultivate Love; Be Victorious (04302023)
Pastor Joseph Campbell
Declare the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 34:58
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NCCSA Elementary Fine Art
NCCSA Elementary Fine Art
Academic Testing:
Joann George (3rd) - Science 2nd
Brighten Wheeler (4th) - 2nd in Math and Science
Joanna Uit de Flesch (6th) - 1st History
Art:
Brookelyn Russel (5th) - 1st place in Mixed Media
Bible Sword Drill (Team):
3rd grade - 3rd place
6th grade- 2nd place
Music:
3/4 grade vocal solo (4th) - Isabella DeArmond - 1st place
3/4 grade Piano Solo (3rd) - Naomi Millwood-1st place
Small Vocal Ensemble - 2nd place
Choir - 3rd place
Poetry Recitation:
3/4 grade- Raelynn McClure (4th) - 1st place
3/4 grade - Eliana Iurco (3rd) - 3rd place
Spelling:
4th grade- Brighten Wheeler- 3rd place
6th grade- Jonna Uit de Flesch- 1st place
Loose Change Offering: Kinyonga Family
Loose Change Offering: Kinyonga Family
Teacher Appreciation / Connection Group Leaders
Teacher Appreciation / Connection Group Leaders
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Preschool Connection Group (Mr. and Mrs. Rideout)
Children’s Bible Hour (Miss Brooks and Mrs. Holstead)
7 Star Teens (Mr. and Mrs. Harrielson)
Compass Connection Group (Mr. and Mrs. Conner)
HD: His Design Connection Group (Mr. and Mrs. Griffeth)
Ladies of Purpose (Mrs. Kim Moon)
J.O.Y. (Just Older Youth) Connection Group (Pastor Campbell - but I want to honor Mr. and Mrs. Peterson as they took the J.O.Y for the past month to allow me to lead the Starting Point Connection Group.)
Our Connection Group leaders serve as an extension of the pastor’s ministry.
The purpose of our Connection Groups:
Reaching people.
Teaching people (the truth).
Ministering (serving) people.
Involving people.
Assimilating people.
Text Reading: Romans 12:9-21.
Text Reading: Romans 12:9-21.
Title: Cultivate Love; Be Victorious
Title: Cultivate Love; Be Victorious
Cultivate Love
Cultivate Love
If you’ll recall, I began this message quite awhile ago when we came to Acts chapters 8:
As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
I then showed you the following:
_______________ made havock of the church!
_______________ made havock of the church!
And I asked the question:
Should your name be placed in the blank?
I pray to God that my name will never need to be put in that blank!
I pray to God that your name never needs to be put in that blank!
From there, we turned our attention to Romans chapter 12, and I made the statement that, in order to keep our names out of that blank, we needed to cultivate love particularly amongst our church family.
Let’s Review:
Be sincere in your love toward others. (Romans 12:9)
Hate evil; rejoice in the truth. (Romans 12:9)
Remember that we are a family…be kind. (Romans 12:10)
Remember that we are a family…value one another. (Romans 12:10)
Stoke the fires of service. (Romans 12:11)
Comfort and encourage one another. (Romans 12:12)
Meet the needs of others. (Romans 12:13)
Respond to hate with love. (Romans 12:14)
Rejoice with them that rejoice; Weep with them who weep. (Romans 12:15)
Be of the same mind one toward another. (Romans 12:16)
As we each - individually - draw closer to the Lord, we are going to draw closer to one another which, I believe is going to allow us to be of the same mind one toward another.
Therefore, we each must strive to grow in our walk and relationship with Jesus Christ and then encourage one another to grow in their walk and relationship with Jesus Christ.
Mind not high things, but…Condescend to men of low estate. (Romans 12:16)
The relationships which we share with one another has no room for pride. Instead, we have been called to serve one another.
Be not wise in your own conceits. (Romans 12:16)
Conceit: excessive pride in oneself
Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
Be humble and exalt Christ!
There is no room for pride within a church family. There is only room for One - Jesus Christ!
Recompense to no man evil for evil. (Romans 12:17)
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
At times, in our relationships, we are going to be called upon to do that which is unnatural!
Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (Romans 12:17)
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
In the context of our relationships, seek to glorify God by keeping your focus on Christ.
Live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18)
How? Surrender to the filling and the control of the Holy Spirit!
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Have you been putting those things into practice?
One of the best places for you to put those things into practice is through a Connection Group here at South Charlotte Baptist Church.
Now, we come to vs. 19 of Romans chapter 12 as we seek to bring this message to a close.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Dearly beloved - Paul is talking to Christians.
Cultivate love...Avenge not yourselves.
Cultivate love...Avenge not yourselves.
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
The word avenge means:
Vindication - to defend yourself and your rights
Retaliation - to return like for like
Revenge - to inflict pain or injury in return for an injury received
But Paul says not to do those things! Instead remember...
Vengeance belongs to the Lord!
God can do a much better job defending you and your rights.
Therefore, we must let go.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
I have said this many times: Forgiveness is more for the one who has been wronged than it is for the one who has committed the wrong.
When we truly forgive, it is our way of releasing the offence and our “right” for justice and giving it to God!
Then, once we have let go of our “right” for justice, then we can:
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Cultivate love…give!
Cultivate love…give!
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Have you ever wondered why that verse is so difficult to live?
We must remember that vs. 19 comes before vs. 20!
Before we can give, we must let go of our “right” for justice; we must let go of the offence and give it to the Lord.
Then, and only then can we fulfill the Golden Rule.
The Book of Romans Avoiding Revenge (Verses 19–21)
If we practice Paul’s teaching, as given above, the real victory will be ours. There are these two alternatives, you see. We could respond to abuse like our human nature would incline us, with retaliation. But in so doing we ourselves would become evildoers, and thus we would be overcome by evil. Evil would triumph. Or we can respond, as Paul has urged us, with meekness and patience, “punishing” the persecutor only by our deeds of loving service to him. In so doing, the good has prevailed: first in ourselves, and then—hopefully—even in the winning of the enemy to our faith.
Even if we don’t win our enemy over, we can be satisfied in knowing that we have been obedient to God and really, that’s all that matters!
If you still find this all a little too difficult to grasp, consider:
Hebrews 12:3–4 (KJV 1900)
For consider him that endured such contradiction [dispute, hostility] of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Exploring Romans: An Expository Commentary D. Live Positively (12:19–21)
It was in this very way that God reacted to Calvary. The cross represents the very highest manifestation of the hatred in the heart of man toward God. At the same time it represents the very highest manifestation of the love in the heart of God toward man. That very spear which pierced the Saviour’s side drew forth the blood that saves.
Cultivate Love; Be Victorious
Cultivate Love; Be Victorious