Caustic or Christ-Like?
Notes
Transcript
Caustic or Christ-Like?
Caustic or Christ-Like?
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 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.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
In days like these, we wold like to go back to law...
an eye for an eye...
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Jesus, during his sermon on the mount brought us to a new level…
In the age of grace, the bar was not lowered, it was raised - Higher expectations not lower...
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 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.
40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
The teaching of our Savior was during a time of Roman Rule in the bible lands… Jerusalem, all Judah and Samaria were under the rule of the emperor of Rome - a foreign country - Godless rulers, Godless rules and regulations...
Oppression was normal in the 1st century during the Savior’s life… During the Apostles lives...
During Paul’s life - who penned Romans and would eventually become a martyr at the hand of Nero...
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 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.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
recompense… reward / repay / return -
...to no man: Evil for Evil
Trump
Biden
Shumer
Pelosi
Harris
Newsome
Brother / sister
Father / mother
friend / foe
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
The last thing this world needs, is for those who walk in the light to take on the attributes of darkness...
Tonight, we are just going to take a short walk in the park and have a talk…
no great theological exegesis…
no motivational message
tonight, I want to just walk through some basic tenants of the scripture to help keep us grounded in our faith...
Caustic or Christ-Like?
Caustic or Christ-Like?
Let the evil be evil
it is not becoming
it is not appropriate for believers to become or to act in any evil manner
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
“For ye were sometimes darkness (past tense) but now ARE YE LIGHT in the Lord: WALK AS CHILDREN FO LIGHT” vs 8
The Fruit of the Spirit vs. 9
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
9 fruits of the Spirit
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Fruit of the Spirit is in all
GOODNESS
RIGHTEOUSNESS
TRUTH
This world needs a Spirit filled Believer to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit and it will lead to:
Goodness
Righteousness
Truth - because thats what the fruit will manifest...
it doesn’t manifest / reveal our goodness -
the fruits of the Spirit reveals:
GOD’S GOODNESS
GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS
GOD’S TRUTH
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Let the evil be evil
Live Honestly
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Provide - make provision for...
21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
12 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.
Let the evil be evil
Live Honestly
Live Peaceably
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Notice the disclaimer - “if it be possible...”
it is not possible to live peaceably w/ the lawless -
but as much as lieth in you… live peaceably with all men
Let the evil be evil
Live Honestly
Live Peaceably
Look to Jesus for vengeance
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
The perfect example - Our Savior
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.
9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
In all of this… the result will be...
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Caustic or Christ-Like...
Don’t succumb to the natural desires -
Let’s live in such a way that the children of light will walk in the light...