What We Are All About, Part 4
Romans 12:9-21
If you have been following the Milwaukee Bucks this season you have seen something demonstrated vividly. Before the season began, the Bucks were picked by many to do extremely well. Perhaps even make the semi-finals or the championship game of the NBA. The team had acquired some great, young talent toward the end of last season and during the off-season. They have a great coach in George Karl. So this talented, well -coached team breaks out into the 2000-2001 season – with 7 losses in their first 10 games!
What was the problem? They weren’t working as a team. There were a lot of very talented, very ego-centric players on the team who refused to pass, refused to hustle, would not play the role the coach assigned to them, and as a result they found it impossible to win. Coach Karl had to sit his starting 5 players. He extended practices to 2-1/2 hours after each loss, and publicly shamed his star players who went home right after practice when the rest of the team stayed late to keep working on their shooting and ball handling. He was tough, he was angry; he expected hard work and commitment from his players and nothing less. So what happened? Well, the team has now won 22 of their last 28, they have a 4 game lead in their conference, and suddenly they are the team to beat – the team everyone expected them to be, from the start. What made the difference? The players are basically the same – the coach is the same, the ball and hoop are all the same size. What caused this group of losers to become the hottest team in basketball? They learned to work and live and succeed as a team.
Barn Raising Clip from The Witness, staring Harrison Ford.
It’s an amazing thing to watch, when people work together in harmony toward a common purpose. At it’s best, we as a church should resemble the Amish folks in that movie clip. Gathering together, each one using the skills that God has entrusted to them to do their part to reach the common goal. We talked last week about the importance of each person in the church being submissive to God primarily, and then submissive to one another, serving as God has called us to in the local church. For some, it means being up on the top beam, swinging a hammer. For others, it’s cleaning up the shavings after the wood has been trimmed. Still others prepare refreshments – but each role is vitally important to the completion of the task.
As a church, it is immeasurably more important that we behave as a team, for what we strive to build is of far greater value and of incredibly greater consequence than a barn or a winning Basketball team. That which we work together to build and expand is the Kingdom of God in the hearts of men and women, boys and girls. Even the strongest and most notable buildings will one day deteriorate and be overshadowed by a newer and taller structure. The most successful team in history will be nothing more than the reflections of old men, or footnotes in a book of statistics one day. But the life- changing message that the church brings to the world has an impact that affects eternity! Last Sunday morning, before the first song was even sung, two young people prayed in the front row, and gave their hearts to Jesus. In that instant they impacted eternity.
And that is what the goal of the church is – to take the life-changing message of God’s love to those who do not yet know Him. But unless we live and work together as a team, united by One Lord, One Hope, One Baptism, we will be like the Bucks at the beginning of the season. But when we work together, great things happen.
This week I read a story of a man who was walking past a bookstore one day, and his eye was drawn to a book that read “How to Hug.” The book was large, and thick. It had an elegant hard cover. He was kind of a romantic type, so he figured he’d go in and check it out. He was disappointed to find that it was a single volume of a set of encyclopedias, that covered topics from “How” to “Hug!”
Now hear me, sometimes churches can be like that. People come in expecting to find love, and all they get is an encyclopedia on theology. We don’t want to be like that. Our desire is to give real life messages from a real God that affect real people. And that’s what the Bible does! Many people think that the Bible is full of archaic ideas, ancient stories and outdated values. But the Bible has practical truth that affects every day life, if we will let it!
Let me show you. Today we are going to go back to Romans chapter 12, (page 764) where we were last week. We are going to look at the remaining few verses of that passage, because in it Paul gives us some practical ways to work as a team. To work together as a church to accomplish what God has called us to do. And I believe that you will see that this is not an encyclopedia on theology, the stuff here is very practical! In fact, in my Study Bible, this passage comes under the title “Behave like a Christian.” Now that is practical!
Look at Romans 12, beginning with verse 9.
“Love must be without hypocrisy.” The NIV reads, “Love must be sincere.” I guess if we are going to talk about how to live, there’s no better place to start. A sincere love is the foundation for all that will follow. Some of you will remember that I have shared before the origins of the English word “sincere.” It comes from the Latin sincerus, which means "without wax." Back in the days of the Roman Empire, merchants would often sell pots made of clay or porcelain. If a crack appeared in one, they would fill it with wax the same color as the jar, so a buyer would not be aware that it was cracked. So the wise buyers learned to put these jars out in the sun, and if the jar was cracked, the wax would melt and the crack would be revealed. So the honest merchants would mark their pots sincerus – “without wax.” That’s the thought that is carried in the Greek word that Paul uses here, "Let love be without hypocrisy." “Love must be sincere.” The Revised Standard Version translates it, "Let love be genuine." Phillips says, "Let us have no imitation Christian love."
If we are going to be real people, living real life honoring a real God, then this is where it must begin. The church of Jesus Christ must be the one place where people can sense, and experience genuine, sincere love – without filler, without hypocrisy, without conditions. This should be nothing new. Jesus said, “by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another.” Our sincere love for each other and for all people should be of such a nature that people are simply drawn to us, and drawn to the Father, like a magnet draws steel.
This week, Trish Powers took the time to do up a very nice February window display for us. It celebrates love. There are red and white hearts and flowers, and planters, and it is all so beautiful. Then she printed up banners with verses on them about love. Loving each other and loving God. You know what? The church should be the one place where people come looking for love. Do you remember the country song from years ago “Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places”? People look in all sorts of places for love, don’t they? Well, the church is the one place they should find it!
That is the kind of church we are called to be in this passage: Verses 9 through 13 set forth love as it is demonstrated within the family of God, the church. Verses 14 through 21 describe how Christian love looks when it is out in the world. Let's take each of these two sections separately and see what is covered by each of them. First, love in the church is described in Verses 9-13:
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. [10] Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; [11] not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; [12] rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; [13] distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
This describes love among Christians. Notice that it consists of six things, which Paul brings out very clearly. In order to understand them, let's look at them one by one: when he says, "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." He is talking about people. That is, hate what is evil in people, but don't reject the person because of the evil. The person is good. God loves him. He or she is made in the image of God. Therefore, true love learns to hate evil but not to reject the good. I grant you that this is difficult to do. This is the very thing Reggie White talked about several years ago to the Wisconsin legislature and was criticized for. You see the world does not understand how we can love a person, and hate what they do – but that is exactly what we are called to do. But notice that hypocritical love, love that pretends to be Christian, does the opposite.
Hypocritical love rejects the person because he doesn't behave according to an acceptable standard. We have seen it in the John Ashcroft hearings in the Senate. The very people who expound tolerance and acceptance cannot accept or tolerate one who happens to hold Christian values. It is sad when the world does this, but even worse, you can find entire churches that do this. In fact, this is one of the things in the church that has turned off more people than anything else. People come and hear the great words of the New Testament about love and peace and joy, and expect to find them exhibited, but instead they find all the world's attitudes -- rejection and prejudice, and even contempt and disdain for people. The church cuts them off and sets them aside, not wanting to have anything to do with them because they don't meet a certain standard of performance or appearance. It is hypocrisy to reject persons because you don't like their behavior.
But you can go to the other extreme in this too. It is also hypocritical to condone sin because you accept the person. Christians often realize that it is wrong to cut people off and have nothing to do with them because they are not behaving rightly. But some Christians accept these people and say nothing about their evil or sin, and even defend it on occasion. We are seeing something of this today in the matters of homosexuality and alcoholism, and divorce. People want to defend these sins, as though they were right, simply because they want to accept the person. "Hate what is evil [loathe it]" -- but "cling to what is good." This week the Boy Scouts have been subjected to incredible pressure to condone the action of homosexuality – allowing homosexuals as leaders – but they have refused, stating that it simply goes against their moral code. The church needs to be supportive of this type of stand. We certainly love those who are trapped in sin, and we desire to see them freed, but we can never condone their sinful deeds. That’s how Christians behave.
Secondly Paul says, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love." This doesn't refer to just anyone that is in need or in trouble; it specifies your brother or sister. We are to love and care for each other in the church as member of one family. That’s how Christians behave.
Third, Paul says that true love regards others as more deserving than yourself: "Honor one another above yourselves." I like Phillips' translation here. He says, "Be willing to let other men have the credit." If you really don't care who gets the credit, then you can just enjoy yourself and do all kinds of good deeds. Just be glad that it is done, and don't worry about who gets the credit. Again, our flesh doesn't like that. It is very eager to be acknowledged and promoted and recognized. But the Word tells us that real love will not act that way. That’s how Christians behave.
Fourth, real love retains enthusiasm despite setbacks: "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." I think that one of the most noticeable marks of a Christian walking in the Spirit is that he retains enthusiasm, always rejoicing, rejoicing in hope. He never lets his spiritual zeal flag or sag, but maintains it. After all, the one thing that the Lord cannot put up with, as he tells us in the letters to the churches in Revelation, is lukewarmness {cf, Rev 3:16}. It is nauseating. He will spew you out of his mouth if you are indifferent, neither hot nor cold, just going along with the crowd. Jesus says that lukewarmness is very distressing to him. That’s how Christians behave.
Fifth, true love rejoices in hope: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." The way to rejoice in hope is explained by the two others things mentioned here. You can rejoice in hope because you are patient in affliction, and you are patient in affliction because you have been faithful in prayer. That is what makes you patient. So, when trials come, the thing to do is to begin with prayer. As Paul tells us in Philippians, "In everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make your requests known unto God," {cf, Phil 4:6 KJV}. Take them to him. If you are faithful in prayer, you will be able to be patient in affliction. You won't be dropping out, or copping out, or quitting, but you will be staying in there, waiting until God works it out. That’s how Christians behave.
Then, six, true love responds to needs. "Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." In these days when we have so much social help available -- unemployment insurance, Social Security, welfare, Medicare, etc. -- we tend to forget that there are still human needs and that we have a responsibility to meet them. I think we need to be reminded at times that people are still hurting and that it is a direct responsibility of Christians to care for one another's needs. There are great needs in our church. Single parents who really need a hand, families who are struggling to make ends meet. People for whom an hour spent fixing a leaky faucet would mean the difference between despair and joy. That’s how Christians behave.
That’s how Christians behave in the church. There are six ways to do it. Let me review them quickly for you:
True love rejects sin but not persons. It remembers relationship is the ground of concern. It regards others as more deserving than themselves. It retains enthusiasm despite setbacks. It rejoices in hope by being patient in affliction and faithful in prayer; and it responds to needs in direct and personal ways, and especially by practicing hospitality.
The rest of this chapter details how we are to behave as Christians to those who are not part of the church.
First, love speaks well of its persecutors. That is a tough one, isn't it? "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." That is getting right down to where the rubber meets the road, isn't it? That means you don't go around badmouthing people who are not nice to you. You don't run them down or speak harshly about them to others, but you speak well of them. You find something that you can approve, and you say so to others.
Second, true love adjusts to other people's moods: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." When somebody in your office is feeling low and gloomy, don't come in and sit down and whistle away. When they obviously don't respond, don't say, "What's the matter with you? How come you're so down all the time? Why don't you be cheerful like me?" There is nothing worse than a cheerful person when something has gone wrong for you. No, Paul says, adjust yourself. Mourn with those who mourn, and rejoice with those who rejoice. I think he puts rejoicing first because that is so hard to do sometimes -- especially if it awakens our envy or self-pity. If there is something someone else has achieved that we think we ought to have, it is hard to go up to that person and say, "I'm so glad for you." But that is what love does, and it is possible to do it -- for those who walk in the Spirit.
Third, true love does not show partiality to persons. Paul says very precisely, "Live in harmony with one another. Don't be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Don't be conceited." That is amplified in these words, "Don't seek high-up people, but associate with ordinary people."
Fourth, love is not sneaky or underhanded (Verse 17). Paul tells us not to give back evil for evil, but to plan to do right, out in the open, before all. "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the sight of everybody." I think that Paul is telling us not to take silent revenge for imagined or real insults, and not to resort to subterfuges to get even.
I remember hearing of some officers during the Korean War who rented a house for themselves and hired a Korean houseboy to work for them. He was a cheerful, happy soul, and they were young and had a lot of fun playing tricks on him. They would nail his shoes to the floor, and they would put water up over the door so that when he pushed it open the bucket would fall on him. They played all kinds of tricks, but he always took them in such a beautiful, good humor that they finally became ashamed for themselves. They called him in one day and said, "We've been doing all these mean things to you and you have taken it so beautifully. We just want to apologize to you and tell you that we are never going to do those things again." He said, "You mean no more nail shoes to floor?" They said, "No more." He said, "You mean no more water on door?" They said, "No more." "Okay then," he said, "no more spit in soup!"
So you see, it is possible to take silent revenge. But the Word of God warns us against doing it. Don't be sneaky and underhanded about your actions, it says, but "be careful to do what is right in the sight of everybody." Fifth, true love seeks to live at peace with everyone: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." There are people who just will not allow you to be at peace with them, but don't let it start with you. Remember the old song, It Takes Two To Tango? I think that last word ought to be tangle. It takes two to tangle. If you refuse to tangle, at least the conflict does not depend on you and is not traceable to your actions and your attitudes. That is what love really does.
Then, finally, love does not try to get even. Listen to these words again. "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." Revenge is one of the most natural of human responses to hurt or injury or bad attitudes. We always feel that, if we treat others according to the way they have treated us, we are only giving them justice. We can justify this so easily. "I'm only teaching them a lesson. I'm only showing them how I feel. I'm only giving back what they've given me." But any time you argue that way you have forgotten the many times you have injured others without getting caught yourself. But God hasn't forgotten.
You say, "What do you expect me to do? Somebody hits me -- do you expect me just to sit there and do nothing? Oh, no. There is something you can do. Look what it is: "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."
Two things will happen if you refuse to avenge yourself and let God do it: First, you will be enabled to act positively instead of negatively. That will result in what Paul, quoting Proverbs {25:21-22}, calls "heaping burning coals on his head." This doesn't mean that you are going to get even by another process -- burning his head. No, this refers to the ancient way of lighting fires. They didn't have matches in those days, so if you wanted to light a fire in your home, you couldn't go and borrow a match. But you could go and borrow some coals from your neighbor. Of course, you took along an earthen jar that would not burn. Then you would ask your neighbor if you could borrow some coals to light your own fire. Now, if he was a good neighbor, he would fill the jar and you would carry the padded jar home on top of your head. This became a picture of an ample, generous response to a neighbor's need. Because of that, it became a metaphor for responding so generously to your neighbor that it made him ashamed of himself for his attitude toward you. That is what Paul is suggesting here. The second result of leaving vengeance to God is that you win the battle. If there is a conflict going on, you will win it if you respond with doing good instead of evil.
Abraham Lincoln once said, "The best way to overcome an enemy is to make him your friend."
Three times in this passage the apostle has stressed the fact that you are not to return evil for evil. In Verses 14, 17, and 21 he states it. So, throughout this passage it is underscored that the major way we express love in the world is by not reacting in vengeance when we are mistreated. That’s how Christians behave.
So here we have a picture of what it means to behave like a Christian. This is what the genuine article looks like, loving each other, working together, supporting each other, meeting each others needs, responding with love to the world around us. Living in peace with others, loving sinners so much that they hardly notice that we hate their sin.
Doesn’t that sound like a great church? Who wouldn’t want to be part of a group like that?
May God make it a reality here, as we seek to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.
Prayer.