The Challenge of Living Out Love
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We’ve seen some Highpoints along this tour of the book of Romans . . now we come to incredible teaching for how we are to respond to what God has done in Jesus Christ.
After looking at the declaration of righteousness by faith in Ch 4&5, the path of sanctification in 6-7 and then the absolute security of God’s love in Ch 8, we come to personal implications of all this for how we live in Ch 12 . . esp this week in 9-21.
To see what verses 9-21 have for us, we need to review how Paul started this chapter:
Radical New Thinking
Radical New Thinking
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
In response to the God who has Given Himself to us . . we are Called / Urged to Give ourselves to Him (as LIVING sacrifices).
And has we saw a couple of weeks ago, it all has to start in our Heads! We need to THINK RIGHTLY . . a Transformation that flows from the Renewing of our MINDS. We have to reject the patterns (values/foolishness) of the World’s thinking . . especially our inflated ideas of ourselves! We need to SOBER up and face the Truth of who we are. Just like the Corinthians who each thought their own gift was the most important, we can “think more highly of ourselves than we ought” . . and deny our need for others.
A new way of Thinking calls us to . . a
Radical New Way of Living
Radical New Way of Living
Here’s what it looks like:
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
So what do we see here? Let me summarize what I notice . . We are called to:
A sincere, devoted love honoring others over ourselves. vs9-10
A sincere, devoted love honoring others over ourselves. vs9-10
A sacrificial care for others. v13
A sincere, devoted love honoring others over ourselves. vs9-10
A sacrificial care for others. v13
A zeal in serving that does not give up. vs11-12
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
A sincere, devoted love honoring others over ourselves. vs9-10
A sacrificial care for others. v13
A zeal in serving that does not give up. vs11-12
An acceptance of Your Fellowship as Your Family. vs15-16
This IS a Beautiful Vision — to live out God’s love with the Family of God. It IS a great Calling and a huge challenge!
It actually is SO big . . I’d have to say IT IS IMPOSSIBLE! I don’t find a command to “rejoice with those who rejoice” as enabling me to genuinely celebrate. It simply exposes my deep-seated selfishness and independence.
I remember listening to J. Vernon McGee recounting the hymn verse, something like:
Oh to dwell with the Saints above . . that will be Glory
But to dwell with the Saints here below is another story.
But, as if Loving the Family of God was not hard enough, it becomes an even GREAT Challenge:
Love Those who HATE You
Love Those who HATE You
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I LOVE the IDEA of this:
— Live in Peace
— Leave room for God’s wrath
— and especially, Overcome Evil with GOOD! I LOVE that . . but again, how can I be commanded to NOT take revenge when I have been wronged? That fights against every natural impulse in me.
All a sort of expansion of the teaching earlier:
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
So, not only DO NOT RETALIATE! but, Give GIFTS to those who hurt you?!?!?!?
Where is there Hope for living out this Challenge to Love as Jesus loves?
We can’t just start feeling different and acting like we care . . when our hearts are hardened against God’s ways . . and others, but . .
We CAN turn from our Sinful, Rebellious FALSE thinking and start agreeing with God’s Thoughts!
We CAN turn from our Sinful, Rebellious FALSE thinking and start agreeing with God’s Thoughts!
We need transformed minds . . that FACE THE TRUTH as God has revealed it: the Truth of God’s goodness and our Fallen souls, AND the personal and relational agony in which we live.
Our Thinking IS a BIG problem!
We Analyze as if We were in Control
We Strategize as if We could Control Others
But, if we’re honest, we know we are not designed to be “God”
(Rich Mullins, I believe, sang . . “we’re not as strong as we think we are). I am so blessed by that recognition.
Are we done with acting like we and our lives are not as sweet-smelling as we’d like?
If we think that prayer is going to get us out of the conflict, we are misinformed.
If we think that an immersion in the Psalms will insulate us from the abrasive news of the day, we are mistaken.
Eugene H. Peterson, God’s Message for Each Day: Wisdom from the Word of God (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2006).
Maybe once we face the Pain of Evil honestly . . and our own weakness, we can see the same Vista Paul saw . .
Unsearchable Ways; Unparallelled Mercy
Unsearchable Ways; Unparallelled Mercy
For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
What kept Paul going through such incredible sacrifice and suffering?
Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
YES, for Paul, as well, it is God’s MERCY that moves him.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
In “View of HIS MERCY” . . when has His incredible Grace just melted our stubborn hearts?
When have His WAYS left us Awestruck and Speechless?
When has some new understanding of His great Heart of Compassion simply blown us away?
Our closing song is a Prayer that we would be changed. Let’s sing it as that!