Practically Supernatural

Who’s job is it to do the work? Me

In Romans 12-15, Paul uses the phrase ‘You’ or ‘Your’ 68 times. He uses the phrases ‘they’ or ‘their’ only 15 times, and only 2 of those verses are actually even related to what another person should do, and both of those verses on the same subject. Most of the uses of ‘they’ or ‘their’ in Romans 12-15 relate to how WE should treat other people.

So Paul devotes a HUGE amount of this text to talking about what WE should do. How much WE are responsible for these things. Now, God doesn’t leave us alone in this. He helps us to renew our minds to love each other better. He makes us more like Jesus, so that we can tell people more about Jesus.

Romans 15:5–6 NIV

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who Defines Success? God.

This is a tougher one. Because we obviously believe it. But when the rubber hits the road - do we ACTUALLY hold God’s measure of success or our own?

Here’s a few practical areas that we can examine ourselves. and in each area, Paul gives a good example, and a promise of victory.

Romans 12:3–5 NIV

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. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

So, what Paul is saying here is this - don’t put yourself in a higher position.

Every one of us is a member of this same body. And as a member, every one of us has a part to play.

And the parts that we play exist for the others in the body.

Our measure of success is ‘how much does this work for me?’

God’s measure of success is ‘How much do you work for others?’

We like the part that says ‘we form one body’ and we talk about unity. We skip the part that says ‘each member belongs to all the others’. Because that’s the responsiblity that comes with unity.

That’s us saying, ‘yes, we’re united, and guess what - you belong to the others. It’s your role here to help others’.

And the victory that God gives us here is, that we can actually form one body. That we can be the body of Christ. We think that health in the body comes from making sure things are being done for us. But Christ is saying, if you want health, make sure to serve.

Romans 14:1–4 NIV

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

This is the topic of what kinds of food should the jewish people eat. But there’s lots of different topics. But this is generally what people were doing. They were having an internal conviction - that we shouldn’t eat this kind of food, that we shouldn’t do this kind of thing - and they were attempting to make it into an external rule - other’s shouldn’t eat this kind of food, or do that kind of thing

And paul gives them the benefit of the doubt - he just assumes that each person is acting on what God has legitimately spoken to them about. unfortunately, this also sometimes comes from people simply wanting to be in control. But still - Paul allows for the possibility that God was doing two different kinds of things with people.

And the promise on this one is this - that the Lord will be able to make that person stand. And that’s important. Because if we look at ourselves, we’re honestly doing what we’re doing to make sure things keep standing. We push ‘we have to do this, cause it’s something really important to me, and I don’t want our church to fall’.

Our measure of success is ‘how do I make sure others do the thing that matters between me and God?’

God’s measure of success is ‘how do I make sure others get the chance to do the thing that matters between God and them?’

And this is going to involve sacrifice. Because honestly, it’s only a problem what somebody else values when it conflicts with what you value.

And it IS God’s priority that you honor what you’re given for you. But it’s also God’s priority that you help others honor what God has given them, EVEN IF it conflicts with yours.

The victory here God designed is this - that health comes from us hearing the other person’s heart, the other person’s convictions, and saying, ‘I’m going to make sure you can do that’. And if we do that, the bible promises - they will be able to stand. And we will too.

Romans 15:1-3, 7

Romans 15:1–3 NIV

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”

Romans 15:7 NIV

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

This kind of hits at the heart of the difference between natural relationships and supernatural ones. Natural ones ultimately exist to serve us in some fashion. They exist to please us.

But Paul is saying, no, that’s not God’s way. Even Jesus, the one person in the universe who actually deserves to be able to say ‘all of this exists to please me’, He didn’t do it that way.

Our measure of success is ‘How do I make sure I receive?’

God’s measure of success is ‘How do we make sure others receive?’

And I think this last one drives home a really strong message. I think it hits at the underlying point that marks a difference between natural relationships and supernatural relationships. Because the key here is - the victory that Paul promises here doesn’t SOUND like it’s a victory for us.

What he says is this - if we do this, if we work to please our neighbours above ourselves, to accept each other no matter what - that GOD will receive praise.

The big win of supernatural relationships is that God gets glory - not us

Supernatural relationships take us off the throne, and they put God on it. They want God’s victories, rather than our own. They want God’s priorities, rather than our own.

So what are we going to do with this information? There’s 3 questions I want you to ask yourself. Here are 3 good, base questions to start making that shift from natural relationships to supernatural relationships. And the great thing is, these are applicable anywhere in life - church relationships, friendships, marriages, coworkers, you name it.

How can I serve others?

How can I honor others?

How can I please others?

AFTER PRAYER: Don’t forget to join the after party!