Conquering the Giants
Message two of four
REVENGE
April 15, 2012
Michael Wiley
Romans 12:9-19
Introduction:
“Welcome to the Hamptons, a glittering world of incredible wealth and privilege, where smiles hide secrets - and nothing is colder than revenge. It's easy to see why the Hamptons are so exclusive. But no matter how guarded they are, they can't keep the truth out forever.” (http://abc.go.com/watch/revenge/SH55126554)
That’s the opening comment on the website for the new ABC drama, “Revenge.”
It’s the story of a young girl who returns to the Hamptons to exact – you guessed it – revenge on all the people who wronged her father when she was growing up there.
I haven’t watched the show personally, but I do understand it’s appeal. It is in our nature to “Go Get Em” “Get Em Back,” and “Give People What’s Coming toThem.”
TRANSITION
Today, we are in our second message in the series, “Conquering the Giants.” Last week we knowck out FEAR. This week we will look at REVENGE.
Why do I call Revenge a Giant? Because the attitude of Revenge can consume you. A Giant in your life will control you, beat you down, stand in front of you so you cannot grow in your spiritual walk. We’re doing this series because we want to be free of the Giants in our lives. We want to stand up and stand against those Giants as little David did, slinging stones one-by-one to knock em out!
Listen: Revenge eats your soul, consumes your mind and Revenge usurps the power and authority of God and makes you God! What? Really? How does Revenge make me god? That’s where we’re going, but first let’s answer this question:
Why do we get hung up on revenge?
I have a good friend who lives up in NY now. Jon is a Private Investigator. Jon’s primary job for over ten years now is to follow and film people who have workmen’s comp claims. Large companies hire investigators to follow people they are paying workmen’s comp to. So, if in your claim, you said you could no longer, bend over, or lift over five pounds because of your injury, Jon is going to try and film you bending over or lifting over…
One day he was following a guy that was off work do to injury on the job of a large electric company. He filmed him cutting wood with a chainsaw in his back yard, racking his yard, playing with his dog, he then followed him to the electric company. The guy had to drop off some paperwork or something. As the guy was leaving the building, Jon filmed the guy running his car key down the side of four of the electric company’s trucks.
Why would this guy do that? Because something down deep inside of him said, “You will feel better if you key their trucks!”
Psychologists say the number one reason people exact revenge is so they will feel better. BUT, studies show that Revenge does not make you feel better.
WHY? Because in order to exact revenge on someone, you have to stoop to their level to do it.
The Bible Guides Us Here
Turn with me to Romans 12, we are going to start with verse nine. If there ever was a job description in the Bible of a Christian, this is it.
9 “Let love be genuine.”
Verse nine is the foundation of what Paul is saying here. In other words, if your love IS genuine then everything else Paul is about to say will naturally follow.
What does follow is a list of things that should describe a Christian.
In verse 17-19 Paul says, 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 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.”
How does Revenge make you god? There it is. Paul is quoting form the OT Mosaic law, reminding them that the Lord God will take vengeance. The Word says that Vengeance belongs to the Lord. When you take vengeance on someone, you are usurping God’s authority and making yourself god!
You may be thinking, “What about an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth?” Doesn’t the Bible say I can hurt them if they hurt me? NO! That teaching is for the judicial system, teaching them to punish people justly and fairly.
We have all been hurt, and at one point we have all wanted to get revenge. It might have been a friend who stabbed you in the back, or it might have been an ex boyfriend or ex girlfriend who cheated on you. We all can identify with it. When we are wronged, often our first reaction is to get even. It's a natural desire to want someone to hurt like they made you hurt.
In our fallen world, it is often deemed acceptable by some to tear people down verbally or to get back at them if we feel hurt. We feel as though the revenge is justified. You may think it will make you feel good inside to see someone suffer like they made you suffer. Like they say, Revenge is sweet...Or is it? The reality is that by taking revenge in your own hands makes you hold onto the pain and ends up hurting you more...the desire is doing you no good. A grudge destroys you with hatred and bitterness and revenge only escalates hostilities.
That’s why it can be a Giant in your life! Your own revenge can destroy you!
There have been times in my life where I was severely wronged by people I loved. I learned that getting even is actually self-destructive.
Then Paul quotes from Proverbs 25, 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…”
Here’s where it gets serious. I mean, to follow what the Lord says here in the first part is to do nothing. “Don’t take vengeance!”
But it doesn’t stop there. We are called to still treat them right and help them if they have a need.
I’ve got people in my own life that have not only stabbed me in the back, but twisted the knife once it was in. You have those too?
I’ve learned to swallow my anger, turn it over to God and still treat them right when I see them. We live in a small community. I’m going to see them. I can still shake their hand with a smile. I would still stop and help them if I saw them on the side of the road.
Listen, that doesn’t mean I have to let them back in to my closest circle of friends. I still would never trust them as far as I could throw them.
You know the old saying, Hurt me once shame on you. Hurt me twice shame on me.
If someone has hurt you, taken your money, or anything else, this Scripture doesn’t tell us we have to restore our confidence and trust in him or her. But it is telling us we have to let God be God and love them.
Then Scripture says, “for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Remember Paul is writing to the church in Rome. This is a Roman saying that came from an Egyptian custom where the offender would have to walk around with a container of burning coals on his head to show everyone his or her shame.
What is the best thing we can do when we are wronged?
Here’s the answer: Forgive them! Pray for them! Love them!
By giving an enemy a drink, we're not excusing their misdeeds. We're recognizing them, forgiving them, and loving them in spite of them.
Why Should We Forgive Our Enemies?
1. Forgiveness may break the cycle of retaliation and lead to mutual reconciliation
2. It may make the enemy feel ashamed and change his or her ways
3. By contrast, repaying evil for evil hurts you just as much as it hurts your enemy
In 1 Peter 3 the Bible says, "Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it. For the Scriptures say,
"If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil." (1 Peter 3 9-12)
Conclusion:
Even if your enemy never repents, forgiving him or her will free you of a heavy load of bitterness. Sometimes forgiving a personal attack shows more strength than lashing out in revenge. Trying to prove one's power and authority often proves only one's fear and self doubt. When tempted to return evil with evil, leave revenge to God and spare yourself the dreadful consequences of sin-God will bless you for it. Put your energy into moving on and the rest will take care of itself. (http://www.squidoo.com/what-the-bible-says-about-getting-revenge)
