Living To Your True Potential (Part 2) Series

ROMANS 12:9 – 21. LIVING TO OUR TRUE POTENTIAL (PART 2).

LAST WEEK WE LOOKED AT THE LIVING TO OUR TRUE POTENTIAL (IN THE WORLD IN THE CHURCH) THE CALL UPON US WAS ONE OF PERSONAL CONSECRATION TO GOD IN THE LIGHT OF HIS MERCY. WE ARE CALLED TO BE A TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD, RATHER THAN CONFORMING TO THE WORLD’S PATTERN. THIS IS GODS WILL FOR US. ALSO WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CHURCH WE WERE CALLED TO DEVELOP AND ALLOW THOSE GIFTS WHICH HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO EACH ONE TO FUNCTION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE WHOLE CHURCH.

SO THOSE VERSES WERE REALLY ALL ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING IN THE WORLD (TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE) AND IN THE CHURCH (TO USE OUR GIFTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ONE ANOTHER).

THIS WEEK PAUL POINTS OUT THAT LIVING TO OUR TRUE POTENTIAL IS GOING TO EFFECT OUR OWN PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT – IT IS GODS WILL THAT WE DEVELOP IN THE GRACES – YOU SEE ITS NOT ENOUGH JUST TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN THE CHURCH, LIVING TO OUR TRUE POTENTIAL INVOLVES A WHOLE LOT MORE, IT INVOLVES DEVELOPING OUR PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR IN THE CHURCH WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH OUTSIDERS.

• AS SOMEBODY ONCE SAID ABOUT BEHAVIOR AND BELIEF - IF YOU DON’T LIVE IT, YOU DON’T BELIEVE IT. SO IMAGINE YOUR AT THE DOCTORS AND YOU ARE ABOUT TO HAVE A 12 POINT PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR HEALTH CHECK

1) DON’T BE A HYPOCRITE V9 . ( UN HYPOCRITICAL DERIVES FROM GREEK ACTOR (2CO6:6 1PET1:22)

MOST OF US HAVE LEARNT HOW TO PRETEND TO LOVE OTHERS WHETHER ITS IN THE CHURCH OR OUTSIDE – WE’VE LEARNT HOW TO SPEAK KINDLY WITHOUT OFFENDING OTHERS, HOW NOT T O HURT FEELINGS OF OTHERS, WE CAN APPEAR TO BE INTERESTED IN OTHERS WHEN IN REALITY WE ARE SIMPLY PRETENDING – WE CAN EVEN MANIFEST COMPASSION WHEN WE HEAR OF NEEDS OF OTHERS OR MANIFEST INDIGNATION WHEN INJUSTICES ARE CARRIED OUT – BUT IN THE HEART THERE IS NO REALLY CONCERN ITS ALL SHALLOW , A SMOKE SCREEN - ITS ACTING – SIMPLY KEEPING UP APPEARANCES. IT BECOME A SELF LOVE BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS CONCERNED AT WHAT OTHERS WILL THINK OF ME....

THE CALL FOR OUR LOVE IS TO BE GENUINE TO BE REAL - IT GOES BEYOND POLITENESS AND PRETENCE, SINCERE LOVE DEMANDS OUR TIME, OUR MONEY, OUR ENERGIES, OUR PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND OTHERS. IT INVOLVES STANDING UP FOR THE TRUTH AND THE REJECTION OF ALL THAT IS SINFUL OR DOUBTFUL TO BE TOTAL AND TO CLING TO WHAT IS GOOD. NEVER BE ASHAMED OF YOUR LOVE FOR WHAT IS GOOD BUT CLING TO IT.

1) REMEMBER WE ARE FAMILY V10

HE HAD SPOKEN EARLIER ABOUT THE IMAGE OF THE BODY FOR THE CHURCH, BUT NOW HE USES THE IMAGE OF FAMILY ‘BROTHERLY LOVE’ FOR ONE ANOTHER... IN CHRIST WE ARE FAMILY 1TIM 5:1-2 DO NOT REBUKE AN OLDER MAN HARSHLY, BUT EXHORT AS IS HE WERE YOUR FATHER. TREAT YOUNGER MEN AS BROTHERS, OLDER WOMEN AS MOTHERS, AND YOUNGER WOMEN AS SISTERS, WITH ABSOLUTE PURITY.

PAUL CALLS US TO BE DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER LET THE SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH BE ONE OF FAMILY AFFECTION - WE NEED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS WE LOVE OUR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS (PHILADELPHIA LOVE FAMILY LOVE) JESUS SAID IF YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES YOU WILL HAVE LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER , HE ALSO SAID, AS I HAVE LOVED YOU SO YOU MUST HAVE LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER.

IT WAS LACKING IN ROME, HENCE PAULS EXHORTATION. BUT ROME IS NOT ALONE WE ALL NEED TO EXPAND OUR FAMILY TIES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE CHURCH. WE ALL NEED TO GROW IN SINCERE BROTHERLY LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER TO BE LIKE CHRIST. HOW CAN BROTHERLY LOVE BE MANIFESTED AMONGST US? WHEN WE HONOUR ONE ANOTHER BEFORE OURSELVES.

2) BE SPIRITUALLY ACTIVE V11

IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH - KEEP YOUR ZEAL FOR THE LORD AGLOW DON’T BECOME IDLE - SPIRITUALLY INACTIVE - THIS IS PAULS EXHORTATION , DONT NEGLECT THE SPIRIT, DON’T NEGLECT THE WORD, DON’T NEGLECT PRAY , NEGLECT MISSION , NEGLECT FELLOWSHIP , NEGLECT SERVING, IF WE DO WE WILL RESULT IN US DRIFTING AWAY INTO SPIRITUAL INACTIVITY. INTO A DEADNESS.

YOU MAY HAVE COMMENCED WITH SPIRITUAL ZEAL AND COME OUT SERVING THE LORD BUT OTHER THINGS HAVE TAKEN AWAY THAT FIRST LOVE AND YOU HAVE DRIFTED AWAY.

PAUL EXHORTS US TO NEVER BE LACKING IN ZEAL , HE CALLS US TO KEEP YOUR SPIRITUAL FERVOUR (AGLOW WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD) . WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT OUR RACE IS NOT A SPRINT BUT A MARATHON. AND WE ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER WE ARE NOT THE SPECTATORS BUT THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE RACE IS SET BEFORE US.

2TIM 4:7 I HAVE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, I HAVE FINISHED THE RACE, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH . NOW THERE IS IN STORE FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTOUSNESS, WHICH THE LORD THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE , WILL AWARD ME ON THAT DAY – BUT NOT ONLY TO HIM BUT TO US ALSO WHO HAVE CONTINUED BEING SPIRITUALLY ACTIVE FOR THE LORD.