Love in the Waiting

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Romans 12:9-21

Romans 12:9–21 ESV

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 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.” 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.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Today we finish our advent series, In the Waiting

We’ve been walking through what we are supposed to be doing in the waiting

As we are looking back at the first advent and the waiting that the people of Israel had while they were in expectation of the coming messiah

We celebrate the birth of Christ

We also are looking at what that has to do with you and I today

AS we are in the waiting. Waiting for that next thing that. Waiting for things to calm down. Waiting for the phone call. Waiting for Jesus to come

Today we are going to talk about Love in the Waiting

What does it look like to live in love during seasons of waiting.

One thing that we haven’t covered yet and I probably should’ve started with it, but it is awesome to tie it all together

When we are in the Waiting as believers we are not called to passively wait

I hope this is something that has come through these past sermons

Our waiting carries with it an active waiting

We are called to occupy, to work, to live in the moment that God has given us and not simply resign ourselves to passively sitting until something happens.

When the people of God were waiting for Jesus’ birth, the faithful ones were not simply sitting idly by and expecting the fulfillment of israel to happen to them

They were living out the mission of the people of God to Seek Justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with thier God

They were watching and trusting and living meaningful lives that testified to the trust that they had in the promises of the God who said the deliverer is coming

When Jesus was preparing his disciples before his crucifixion, he told them that while he was gone they are to Love one another

They aren’t supposed to build a fortress and hoard weapons and watch for the end times, but they were supposed to occupy this life

THey were supposed to use the gifts that they’d been given in this life

They wer supposed to love one another and share the Kingdom of God to those who were far from him

Love in the waiting sounds like an R&B song, but it is one of the deepest truths that we have

What did Jesus do between the beginning of his ministry and his crucifixion?

He could’ve just waited to be crucified. Surely the atonement would’ve still carried the weight of our sins

No, he lived a life marked by his compassion for the broken and his love for those he served

In our passage from today, paul is writing to the believers in Rome and he’s giving them some awesome insights into what it looks like to live lives surrendered to Jesus

He begins v9 witha sort of statement that the rest of this segment could be used as an explanation for

He says Let love be genuine

that is real

How do you do that?

He explains it in the next 10 or so verses.

[Go through the passage]

This is what love looks like in the waiting

Love is not hiding out and keeping yourself hidden from the masses so that you can keep yourself preserved for Jesus return

Love isn’t removing yourself from life and just saying that you love people

Love is being motivated by the love that Jesus first showed us and living out of that love

Love in the waiting is alive and active

It’s listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit as he guides us deeper into service and relationship

Love is rejoicing in hope

it is being patient in tribulation… not only because it’s what’s best for you, but that ‘s a way you get to demonstrate the love of Christ for those around you

Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep

That is stop trying to divide yourself up between us super smart people over here and those stupid heathens over there

Stop comparing. Stop arguing. Love people by meeting them where they are

Stop fighing and squabbling. Feed those who are hungry… especially if they are an enemy

Most of all. The way that you love in the waiting is by not being overcome by evil, but by overcoming evil with good

That is not good vibes, not good thoughts, that is the only true good which is JEsus Christ. Only by living a life submitted to the love of Christ can we overcome evil with good

That is not giving in to the temptation to despair

That is not giving in to the distractions that seek to immobilize you

That is not giving in to the lie that you should just do whatever makes you feel good because God is taking too long

But in the waiting God is calling us Church

he’s calling us to live loved. And to love others while we are here

He’s put you here in this season. In this advent . This time of anticipation and preparation

Not so that you would sint paralyzed by the possibility of what’s coming

But so that you would live in hope, peace, joy, and love in the waiting

That you would let love be genuine because Christ genuinely loves you

Maybe you’be been listening to this and you are struggling to understand why you need to love others

Maybe you’ve been hurt or damaged or discarded and you’ve got no real base of understanding to operate from when it comes to love

Today Christ is calling you to enter into his love

To allow him to love you.

Maybe you know all this stuff and somewhere along the lines you just got caught up in the fever pitch of the times

You’ve been living fearful and worried instead of in love

All you have to do is repent.

That is turn from the identity you’ve been living that was sold to you by the world and reclaim who you are in Christ

No matter where you are in this last week of advent before we celebrate the birth of Christ… please don’t let the words of the Lord fall on a hard heart

Whatever God is trying to do inside of you, simply submit to him and let him lead you

Respond in grace

Let’s pray