For Our Enemies
Notes
Transcript
Announcements
Good morning!
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15th Anniversary
This morning we are celebrating our church’s 15th birthday.
Gateway is about to get it’s learners permit.
Some of you have been coming to Gateway more recently may not know the story of our church. Some of you have been a part of this church from the very beginning.
Gateway started out as a church plant in the early part of 2010 in Auburn, WA. I have not always been the pastor, shocker. Dave Odell and his wife Kara planted Gateway with some close friends and now the church has seen 15 years of God’s faithfulness.
And the fun part is Dave and Kara are here this morning to celebrate with us. Mike and Annmarie Mathews, and Brian and Carrie Doherty - original members of Gateway Chapel, would you guys along with the Odells come on up here.
Dave - would you introduce yourself to those who don’t know you, and would you share with us alittle about what Gateway was like in the eary day.s
Mathews & Dohertys - what’s a memory you’d like to share with us?
Dave - what’s something you want the church to know as we celebrate 15 years?
Intro
The puck dropped last Saturday night in an international hockey game between the US and Canada.
And within 9 seconds, there were not 1, not 2, but 3 fights.
Even for hockey, that’s a lot.
We live in a cultural moment where blessing those who persecute you goes against the grain, doesn’t it?
Now I know that’s hockey and if hockey players don’t fight than what’s wrong with the world.
But it was the first fight in an international hockey game in over 20 years.
Another example of the nature of our cultural moment…if you watched the Super Bowl you saw that really awkward commercial with Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady about ending hatred.
It ended with Snoop Dogg saying, I hate that we live in a world where we have to talk about this on a commercial.
Yes Snoop, we all agree.
Gospel culture is distinct from our hostile cultural moment.
Whether it’s at a hockey game, on a commercial, social media, in the news, hostility is alive and well.
One reason is when our blood boils, it’s good for business. The rematch of the US-Canada game was the most watched hockey game ever on ESPN.
We may say ‘Stop hatred’ on a commercial, but it’s the hatred that keeps people tuned in.
And it’s not just something that happens on a national level, it happens in our own hearts.
When we get dismissed, criticized, or mistreated, do we think to do what’s honorable before we hit back?
When we get cut off in traffic, do we bless that truck or like me do you start judging them by their bumper stickers?
The apostle Paul and the Roman church didn’t have highways or hockey but they knew hostility and tension.
The church in Rome was a tapestry of Jews and Gentiles who - apart from Jesus - didn’t agree on much.
There were rifts in the church.
People had likely dropped the gloves multiple times.
What does gospel culture look like there?
How is gospel culture possible there? Or, here?
In our text of Romans 12:14-21, we’ll see that gospel culture is for others, even our enemies.
Gospel culture is for others, even our enemies.
Let’s look at what Paul says in verses 14-21 and then consider it’s possible.
Body
We’re in Romans 12-15.
We’re calling the series Gospel Culture. What does the gospel look like on an average Sunday?
This series is the sequel to our series in January in Judges. In Judges, God’s people do what’s right in their own eyes, they don’t listen to God as their king, and things go from bad to worse.
But Jesus has come, and in him we can be transformed.
Dave began our series three weeks ago by showing us in Romans 12:1-2 that in light of God’s mercy we are to abandon ourselves to God and be transformed to be more like him.
Not through working hard for Jesus, but by dying to ourselves. By keeping God’s mercy in view every day.
Fletcher preached verses 3-8.
Christ has given us exactly what we need as a church. I need your gifts, you need mine. Let’s serve the church with the grace God has given us.
Then last week we heard how gospel culture is genuine love.
If we don’t genuinely love each other, nothing we do matters. Without genuine love, we’re like noisy gongs or like your neighbor playing loud music at 11pm.
God’s love for us was not fake, so our love for each other must be sincere.
In Romans 1-11 Paul shows how the church is unified - Jews and non-Jews or Gentiles - through faith in Christ. The gospel brings us together.
We are one through faith and that faith ought to produce obedience.
So what does that look like when it runs into opposition?
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Gospel culture blesses even those who oppose it.
Perhaps Paul is addressing persecution from outside the church.
That was a major theme in Revelation, but not in Romans.
It’s quite possible persecution was coming within the church - Gentiles pressuring and belittling Jews or Jews complaining about Gentiles.
Kind of like for us - our greatest threat as a church is not persecution from non-Christians, it’s our own internal battles.
Verse 14 echoes the teaching of Jesus.
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Jesus taught this and lived it. He prayed for those who killed him - men who were supposedly on the inside.
This teaching is found in the OT, too.
4 “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.
Gospel culture is not new. It’s been God’s plan all along.
But now, through the Holy Spirit, we have the power to do it!
Gospel culture is for others, even our enemies.
Maybe you’re thinking - I don’t have enemies!
And that’s true - this is not Alexander Hamilton and you’re challenging someone to a duel.
But we have those we disagree with, and in our day and age, that quickly turns to enemies.
Those who vote differently than us, those who make different life choices. People at your work who drive you up the wall, your supervisor, people in your family.
When I say enemy - who comes to mind?
Notice, Paul says bless and do not curse.
How do we know we have gospel culture? Our words. Do we use our words to build up, or to bring down?
Verse 15
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Picture the hockey player who checks the player from the other team and stands over them while they’re flat on the ice.
Your pain is my joy.
Schadenfrede.
There’s your German vocab for the day.
It’s hard to find people who will rejoice with you in the triumphs of life.
But that’s gospel culture. Celebrating with others even if they get what I want.
Imagine a Jew who has worked tirelessly to obey the Torah and now watches an uncircumcised Gentile experience the blessings of God.
Celebrate with them.
It’s a beautiful thing when we cry together. We’ve done that here.
Remember we’re still within earshot of verse 9 - genuine love. This is genuine love played out.
Verse 16
16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
The wording here in Greek is almost like think towards each other.
Be renewed in your mind so you think alike.
This is not weird cultish groupthink - it’s avoiding pride.
Think about others. Gospel culture is for others, even our enemies because of the renewal of our minds.
If I’m full of myself, I have no room for you, and definitely not my enemies.
The ESV bible has a footnote in the middle of verse 16 that says it could also read ‘give yourself to humble tasks.’
In other words - it’s thinking and acting as a living sacrifice. Doing things few will notice.
Hospitality to a stranger
A kind word
Service at a church
Jesus did this.
He lowered himself and took the form of a servant to humble himself to the point of death on the cross for the sake of his enemies.
PAUSE
Gospel culture is for others, even our enemies. And that extends beyond the bounds of the church.
Verses 17 and 18
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Both 17 and 18 use the word all and it’s literally every human.
So this gospel culture extends beyond the bounds of the church community.
Pay back no one malice, insult, mean tweet, gossip for more of the same.
If a neighboring business starts speaking poorly of us, let’s refrain from returning the favor and say only what’s true and kind about them.
Why? Because everyone is watching and gospel culture is meant to be seen.
Persecution was one of the main fuels of the gospel in the early church.
Martyrdom gave Christians a platform to show their obedience to Christ even to death.
People wondered - why are these people so compassionate towards the poor and widows and giving up their lives for a man who was executed?
And the foolishness of the gospel spread.
Verse 18 reminds us that we live in a broken world.
So far as it depends on you, leave peaceably.
I can’t control the other person.
In one of my seminary classes we talked about navigating conflict and one thing we ask ourselves when entering conflict is ‘What did I bring to this disagreement?’
Maybe you’re in conflict with someone right now - and maybe it won’t be resolved. But so far as it depends on you, what can you do to be at peace?
GOSPEL CULTURE IS FOR OTHERS, EVEN OUR ENEMIES.
BUT YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY’VE DONE!
THEY ALWAYS DO THIS TO US, WHY CAN’T WE DO IT TO THEM?
IF WE DON’T DO SOMETHING TO HURT THEM, THEY’LL JUST GET AWAY WITH IT! HOW WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
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.” 20 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 heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Notice the first word
Beloved.
You are the ones loved by God.
Gospel culture is born of identity as children of our enemy-loving God.
Therefore,
Put the weapon down
Leave it to God.
I can’t imagine what this is like for some who have been wronged, hurt, betrayed.
Are there times for legal action and justice within the church? Of course.
And yet being the beloved of God allows us freedom from the endless Judges cycle of violence and hostility.
That cycle always ends in us destroying ourselves.
Beloved, leave it to God.
Why?
Paul says for it is written, and he cites Deuteronomy 32:35.
What I noticed this week is that Deut 32:35 is about God’s judgment against his own people.
It’s God’s promise to judge and discipline is people and send them to exile if they disobey him.
So I think Paul has church conflict in view here.
If someone wrongs you in the church - leave it to God because he knows how to discipline his children.
Leave judgement to the judge.
God is more upset about sin in the church than we are. And he knows how to deal with it.
Have you been wronged? Dismissed? God knows.
This is not Karma, this is a loving God who knows his children misbehave and need correction.
We leave vengeance to God, and rather, in verse 20 we feed, we refresh and care for our enemies.
We shock them with goodness.
I think about the churches who get picketed and then bring water bottles out to those yelling at them.
Hey - just let me hate you!
Can I get you an aquafina?
When we perpetuate hostility, anger, hatred, judgment - evil prevails.
When we demonize politicians and those who vote for them, evil conquers.
We declare the victory of God as we live out gospel culture that is for others, even our enemies.
BUT HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? CERTAINLY THE AMERICAN CHURCH IS NOT DOING THIS PERFECTLY, OR ELSE WE WOULDN’T’ NEED A COMMERCIAL WITH TOM BRADY AND SNOOP DOGG REMINDING PEOPLE NOT TO HATE EACH OTHER.
JUST BECAUSE WE’RE A CHURCH DOES NOT GUARANTEE WE WILL HAVE GOSPEL CULTURE.
SO HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
Conclusion
To be for others, even our enemies, we have to die.
Gospel culture is death.
That leads to life.
Jesus said - If you want to follow me, pick up your cross daily.
Paul said - in light of God’s mercy in Jesus - present yourself as dead people.
Abandon your agenda, your need to win, my opinions of others, and leave it to God.
In a word, die. Because only through dying can we live.
Who is our example, but Jesus?
The only person who perfectly blessed his persecutors.
Praying for them at his execution.
The only one who rejoiced and partied with sinners and wept with the grieving.
He didn’t think of himself as the God-man in a way that kept himself from us - but he lowered himself to serve us and die for us.
He was hated, mocked, and betrayed - but he simply did good wherever he went. And it cost him his life.
He could have called a legion of angels and dealt the greatest mic drop moment in world history - made Pilate, Judas, and Caiaphas look like fools - but he kept his mouth shut and left justice to God as he bled and suffocated on the cross.
Do you want to end hatred? Are you sick of the hostility and vitriol in this world? Do you want to experience abundant, joyful life?
For us to end hatred as the commercial says - someone has to lose. Someone has to take the last punch. And Jesus did that for us. And he showed us the way home - turning the other cheek because we trust God will deal with evil.
When we trust God enough to die to ourselves, he will raise us up, just like he did for Jesus.
Have you given up your life for him?
To be for others, even our enemies, we must trust that God is for us.
Paul wanted the Jews to know - it’s okay if the Gentiles think you’re weird - God loves you.
You’re the beloved.
Paul wanted the Gentiles to know - it’s okay if the Jews are frustrated by you - God enjoys you.
I long for this kind of gospel culture security in my own soul. There’s a steadiness to the people who can say - come what may, God loves us.
What would change in your relationships within the church if you really trusted that God loves you?
In Jesus, our needs are met.
We’re loved.
Accepted.
Forgiven.
Valued.
Esteemed.
Honored.
Treasured.
Adored.
The all-power ruler of the universe is actively moving all of history for our good.
So when that email comes through, or that person says something - that love gives us enough distance to respond with grace.
How desperately I need that in my life. How about you?
I was watching an interview about Dallas Willard.
The late Dallas Willard, author, pastor, philosopher. Amazing man.
A friend of Willard’s who spent a lot of time with him said that things didn’t bother Dallas like they bothered other people.
Our planes delayed 2 hours - are you kidding me?
Dallas would say - Hmm. Let’s get some chocolate.
Gospel culture can be for others, even our enemies, because God is for me. I’m okay.
If our identity is tied up in what other people think, then we will respond based on what people think - or what we think they think.
But if my identity is that I am beloved - I can bless, honor, and feed my enemies.
Have you trusted that God loves you and given yourself to him?
Maybe you’re like me and discipleship looks like growing to trust that more and more each day.
Every Sunday we celebrate communion.
In Jesus, the hostility between Jews and Gentiles, republican democrat, Sumner Bonney Lake is gone.
He is our peace.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
Communion is a time where we reflect on how Jesus has made us right with God and we ask - am I right with others? Is there something God is calling me to do to restore relationship with someone else? Do it today. Don’t wait.
If you can, take communion with someone else today and pray for unity for our church.
Thank God for the gospel culture that is present and has been present for these 15 years and ask that it would grow.
Ask that the Lord would protect us from looking like a hockey game and make us look more and more like Jesus.
