A Harmonious Humanity
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
Interest will get you going; grit will help you continue; but only love will make you endure.
From a human perspective the most important attribute that God possesses is His love. If God didn’t love us—nothing else that makes up His being would be important to us. We would know nothing about love without God. I John 4:8 states that God does not merely love or contain love but “is” love. He is the source of love and is the perfect example.
If we could emulate one characteristic of God, we should start with love, for that is where God always begins.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
Peter has been sharing principles about having the right kind of relationship with our political leaders, our employers, and our spouses.
To be right in our relations to those around us, there is the driving factor in Scripture of love.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
We know that the word charity in that verse is the same as love...
Peter endeavors to sum up this issue about our relationships with others in these verses I’ve read to you tonight, beginning with the word “Finally” which is the conclusion of this thought, not the conclusion of the letter. We are only half way through the letter. He’s still got a whole lot to say!
Sometimes when the preacher says, “In closing” he is not near finished! Some preachers love to close!
Anyways, tonight I want to talk to you about one of the biggest challenges we face in life though, and that is getting along with the people around us.
It’s been said that the world would be a great place if it weren’t for people!
How in the world are we supposed to all get along? Well, a little love never hurts.
Last week, we looked at “An Honorable Home” and tonight, we are looking at “A Harmonious Humanity.”
How are we supposed to have a harmonious humanity?..Let me share three things we need to do...
I-Develop a Reconciling Spirit
I-Develop a Reconciling Spirit
8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
Peter is exhorting the Christians to be of one mind. He is not telling Christians to be of one mind with a lost world that doesn’t know the Lord or His word. We cannot be in harmony with everybody in the world and be in harmony with the Lord. This world is at odds with God! The people of the world are dead in their trespasses and sins.
• They think carnal thoughts,
• they conduct themselves in carnal ways,
• they love carnal pleasures,
• and they do not have the mind of Christ.
Peter is not telling the church to get along and go along with any and everybody. He is talking here to the body of Christ.
Let me share with you a story I read while studying for this message...
“During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp.
When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups and there was much tension. Finally they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining his own heart in the light of Christ's commands. Then they came together. Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend who was there, "What did you do then?" "We were just one," he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred.
When love prevails among believers, especially in times of strong disagreement, it presents to the world an indisputable mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ.
Most of us are ready to fight when threatened and some people seem to be always ready to get a good fight going. God however, commands us to have a spirit of reconciliation. Starting fires is not a good idea—putting them out is a much better idea.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Is there a relationship that you could help fix this week? God has done some fixing in your life. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people would act like God? If we would make the first move toward those who are at odds with us and demonstrate a spirit of reconciliation, we might be surprised at what God would accomplish.
So, to have a harmonious humanity, we must develop a reconciling spirit, but then we must...
II-Destroy a Ruinous Speech
II-Destroy a Ruinous Speech
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
While sometimes we wouldn’t literally fight with someone, we go to war with our words which bruise and damage the inside rather than the outside.
This is a crucial principle in maintaining good relationship with people. Peter states that if we want to enjoy our lives and happiness, we need to “refrain” our tongue from evil and guile. This is a command.
The word refrain means, “to cease, to restrain a thing or a person from something.” We are to restrain our tongue from evil. The word “evil” refers to that which would cause trouble, injury, harm, or destruction to other people. God says, “Put a lid on this kind of speech.”
The word “guile” refers to a bait or snare…we would say “deceit” today - So, we are commanded to cease from all evil and deceitful speech! It should never leave the mouth of a child of God!
Peter is quoting from Psalm 34 right here:
13 Keep thy tongue from evil,
And thy lips from speaking guile.
3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life:
But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
I’m confused by many so-called Christians today, and I know none of us are perfect, but you can sit and hear all sorts of ruinous speech come from their mouths…Cursing, talking about people, bad-mouthing someone, let me tell you, according to the Bible, we aren’t supposed to have a mouth like that!
John Goetsch writes,
“When I was a young boy, there was a lady living across the street from our church by the name of Mrs. Watson. She would stand on her porch on Sunday morning and cuss at people who attended our church. My parents were the custodians of the church, and so I would mow the grass on Saturdays. She would march across the street and let me have it every week using words I had never heard before. One day several years later, my mother called and informed me that the church was praying for Mrs. Watson. I said, “Why?” She informed me that she had cancer. When I asked what kind of cancer, my mother said: “Cancer of the tongue.” A few months before she died, the doctors had to cut her tongue out of her mouth in an attempt to preserve her life!
Whenever I am tempted to say something unkind or ungodly, I am reminded of Mrs. Watson and a verse of Scripture I memorized many years ago: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).”
So, we see in these verses that we must have a reconciling spirit, and we must destroy ruinous speech, the third thing we must do is...
III-Displace a Repulsive Sin
III-Displace a Repulsive Sin
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
Developing the right kind of relationship with other people involves having the right kind of goals and priorities. People get themselves into trouble because they chase after the wrong things and the wrong kind of people. Peter tells us to avoid, shun, or eschew evil. Get out of the way when you see evil coming.
Eschew means, “to avoid something because you despise and loathe it.”
It is not enough for us to avoid sin because sin is wrong; we ought to shun it because we hate it.
Destroy the sin in your life and take aggressive action to do good.
27 Depart from evil, and do good;
And dwell for evermore.
14 Depart from evil, and do good;
Seek peace, and pursue it.
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
We are to do that which is good and to seek and ensue peace.
The word “ensue” means, “to run as fast as you can to catch a person or thing; to run a race swiftly in order to reach the finish line.”
This is a command in Scripture!
Conclusion
Conclusion
If you want to develop good relationships with people, first of all, you’ll need a relationship with Jesus! It’s only through Him that we are able to live the life expected of a Christian, in our flesh, we are powerless...
But going back through these verses, here is what we need to do:
Develop a Reconciling Spirit
Destroy a Ruinous Speech
Displace a Repulsive Sin
The principles that are listed here require that we have discipline and self control. Some of these principles are difficult to put into practice, but with God in our lives, we can do it!