Romans 12:1-21
"Defeat Evil with Good"
We would be in denial if we were to say that there is not something terribly wrong with our world.
We would be delusional if we were to deny the existence of evil.
This past week, the world watched in horror the desperation of children and civilians who have come under attack in Gaza.
251 children were killed this past week alone.
I found this story on CBS News.com:
"Now in Gaza, the question is the mental wounds that will emerge after the bombs stop falling."
"I call it psychological massacre cases,' said Gaza psychologist Sami Owaida. 'There will be shock.'"
"Owaida has a grim prediction -- made as bombs fell nearby -- for how the shell-shocked and depressed with cope."
"You commit suicide and you die or you will stay alive just to get revenge for your families who were killed,' he said."
"Revenge brings us to Emran Krayka, an outgoing 15-year-old who likes tennis and computers.
His bombed-out family now lives under blankets on a sidewalk.
They are among what some now estimate as many as 400,000 internal refugees."
"The Israelis teach their children,' he said, 'that we will kill them, so they take revenge on us.'"
"This war has inspired his new ambition, which he shares with chilling calm."
"I will be a suicide bomber,' he said.
'I will blow myself up in Israel.'"
"From the angry mind of a teenager, a glimpse into the seeds of hatred sowed in one war that may well fuel the next one."
A couple of weeks ago, 298 souls were shot out of the sky as Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 became a victim of war and terror.
Here at home, 1.5 million American children live in homelessness.
And in our state alone, a child is abused or neglected every hour.
At the same time, the American Church is in decline.
That means less and less people are finding that the Church is relevant or meaningful to their lives.
Instead, many outside the Church see the Church as part of the problem, as we argue over sex, politics and so forth.
Many become discouraged and disillusioned by those who call themselves "followers of Christ," as well, when we spend our time and resources trying to conform to the world rather than doing things that put ourselves outside the norms of human behavior, the consumer mindset, and a "me, me, me" way of life.
This past week a friend was telling me about a church that has soda fountains, you know--like in fast food restaurants or convenience stores--in the lobby as you walk in...
...as well as a coffee bar, complete with cappuccino machines.
They have professional rock bands to lead worship, amazing light shows, count downs before worship starts--in order to get the crowds riled-up and emotionally charged.
This stuff costs big money.
A year or so ago there was quite a stir when a church spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars on a construction project.
Many folks inside and outside the church asked questions such as: "Could this money have been put to better use?"
Others thought it was fantastic.
In any event, it was argued that a lot of hungry mouths could have been fed, an entire homeless shelter could have been built and maintained, persons could be taught job skills, the list is endless--as to how that much money could have been spent.
A couple days ago, I was speaking with the person who runs one of the only options for homeless families in Chattanooga.
She said, "If I could have had just one of those $100,000 dollars...oh what we could do!"
(pause)
But, who knows, maybe that church was right to spend the money on what they spent it on.
And, even if they weren't, none of us are "qualified" to throw stones.
In any event, there can be no doubt that the world is in trouble and the Church is in trouble.
And when the Church, which is called to be the Body of Christ, is "out of sync"...
...well, the world is really, really out of sync.
We have lost now, several generations of people.
The Baby Boomers were the first to start trailing off in their church attendance and involvement.
Then, my generation--Generation X--there are many less of us who are part of the church.
And the Millennials???
The 18-24 year olds...
...where are they?
They aren't interested in arguing over sexuality or politics.
They want to do something they see as worthwhile, something important...
...but right now they aren't seeing it in the Church.
When Jesus began His ministry He gave what was basically His Mission statement.
It can be found in Luke 4:18-19: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me.
He has sent me to preach good news to the poor,
to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind,
to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Jesus talked a lot about the poor, and He fed a lot of hungry people.
He spent lots of time with the marginalized--women, prostitutes, crooks, degenerates, the least, the lost, the sick, the hurting, the insane.
And, for the most part, they became His followers.
The rich, the well-bred and well-fed...
...for the most part...
...didn't want to have anything to do with Him.
And the religious people had Him put to death.
So, here we are.
Paul says, "brothers and sisters, because of God's mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God."
It's interesting that Paul doesn't say we are to "present our bodies as living sacrifices"...
...instead "we" are to "present our bodies as a living sacrifice."
In other words--words that he uses in verse 5: "though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, individually we belong to each other."
And so, as the Church of Jesus Christ, as we live out our lives as followers of Christ, the reality is that the world doesn't revolve around us as individuals.
We are "together" in this journey, in this mission to reach a lost and broken world for Christ.
And we all, as parts of the Body of Christ, have a very important part to play if the Church--the Body of Christ--is going to overcome the evil in this world with good.
One evening I sat in my office with a couple who had decided to leave the church I was serving and join a different church, a more affluent church.
"These people you all are ministering too," they told me, "they are in such a mess."
"Their lives are so heartbreaking that we just can't stand it."
"Therefore, we can't worship here any longer."
They wanted to go some place where they didn't have to face the realities of a lost and broken world.
They wanted to go some place where they wouldn't have to think about the least and the lost...
...the ugliness of things.
I don't know where they chose to go worship.
I don't know if their new church has a long line of soda fountain drinks to choose from when you walk in the door, or a free Starbucks.
I don't know if the worship service is kind of like going to watch an exciting movie in a darkened theater.
What I do know is that genuine Christianity, when it is lived out--is not neat, tidy and clean.
It isn't like going to Disney World and eating cotton candy with Mickey Mouse.
We are called to "Love without pretending..."
...to "bless people who harass us"...
...to "Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying."
We are to "consider everyone--and that means EVERYONE--as equal, and not to think we are better than anyone else."
We are called to "associate with people who have no status."
(pause)
Notice how all these things are "action oriented."
Christianity is not a "spectator sport."
It's not just a building we go to every Sunday to get a quick fix.
It's not a set of rituals we go through once a week in order to fulfill some requirement.
It's not a magic potion meant to make us more beautiful, increase our social standing or help us climb the ladder of financial success.
It's not even something we do to "make ourselves feel good."
Although, it usually does "make us feel good" if we actually do jump right into ministries to the poor, the hurting, the dehumanized.
It brings us an inner peace.
It brings us closer to Jesus.
Actually, it makes us a lot like Jesus.
And when we become a lot like Jesus, others sit up and take notice.
When we become a lot like Jesus, others want to become a lot like Jesus as well...
...well, not everybody, mind you.
Not everybody wants to be a lot like Jesus.
Not everybody wants to touch lepers.
Not everybody wants to love unconditionally without judgment.
Not everybody wants to hang out and offer a drink of water to someone who is completely different in nationality and lifestyle.
Not everybody wants to hang around a bunch of misfits and outcasts.
Not everybody wants to reach out and minister to the mentally deranged.
Not everybody wants to feed the hungry.
Not everybody wants to give to the poor.
Not everybody wants to sacrifice luxury for the sake of others.
But these are all things that Jesus did.
Jesus didn't say much about sex or politics, but He did say this:
"All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.
All who want to save their lives will lose them.
But all who lose their lives because of me will find them."
The person I was speaking to last week who runs the program for homeless families with children said that she can't count the number of times she has walked out of a church, looked up to the sky and prayed to God, "I know that the sign says this is a church, but is this really a church?"
Paul writes, "Don't pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions...
...If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people.
Don't try to get revenge for yourselves...
...Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink.
Don't be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good."
This is what Jesus did.
His Church is called to do no less.
Everyday we have a choice.
We can do nothing.
We can be the people who turn a blind eye to the realities of the pain and brokenness around us...
...we can be the folks who sit with our proverbial 'fingers on the triggers;' ready to shoot off at anyone who isn't as good as us, or who disagrees with us, or who harms us in some way.
Or, we can be a people who live transformed lives, not conformed to the ways of this world.
We can sacrifice our own self-centeredness and instead celebrate the blessed, gifted image of God in others.
We can overcome evil with good.
We can share, and love neighbor, stranger, and enemy alike.
How we choose to live makes all the difference.
It's the difference between war and peace.
It's the difference between life and death.
It's the difference between stories about 298 souls being shot out of the sky, or stories of 298 souls being claimed by Christ.
When you turn on the news tomorrow or next week or a year from now, which story do you want to hear?
Amen.
