Keys to a Wonderful Church Life
Part 3: Building on the Foundation of God's Love
The Book of Romans
Romans 12:9-16 (Reading vs. 1-16)
Sermon by Rick Crandall
(Prepared August 30, 2021)
BACKGROUND:
*Most of us know that Romans 12 marks a big shift in the Book of Romans. In chapters 1-11, Paul explained the truth about our terrible sinfulness and our desperate need for God's salvation. Paul made it clear that salvation can only come by grace through faith in our crucified and risen Savior Jesus Christ. This is the heart of the good news about Jesus. He died on the cross for all of our sins. But three days later, Jesus rose again from the dead, and now He will give eternal life to everyone who will receive Him as their Lord and Savior.
*But how are we supposed to live this new life we have as Christians? That's what Paul began to discuss in this chapter. Tonight in vs. 9-16, God's Word shows us how God wants us to build our lives on the foundation of His love. Let's get started by reading Romans 12:1-16.
MESSAGE:
*Over the past couple of weeks, we have looked at some keys to a wonderful church life. And last week we saw that the foundation for it all is God's love. As His Word says in vs. 9, "Let love be without hypocrisy."
*This verse is talking about God's kind of agape love. It's the kind of love we see in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. And there the New Living Translation says:
4. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud
5. or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
6. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
7. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
*Most of all, agape love is the kind of love we see on the cross of Jesus Christ. Now our Risen Savior wants us to build our lives on the foundation of His love. Tonight's Scripture shows us how to do it.
1. FIRST: GOD WANTS US TO BE AUTHENTIC AND AFFECTIONATE.
*This is part of Paul's message for us in vs. 9-10, where he wrote:
9. 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;
*God wants us to be authentic and affectionate toward one another, but that can be hard to do, because sometimes we're like porcupines, and we tend to stick each other. (1)
[1] SO GOD WANTS OUR LOVE TO BE AUTHENTIC.
*Again in vs. 9, He says, "Let love be without hypocrisy." The KJV says: "Let love be without dissimulation," and "dissimulation" means hypocrisy, deceit, cheating, or double-dealing. That's why the NIV simply says, "Love must be sincere."
*Again, the original word for "love" here is "agape." It's the kind of love, affection, and good will God that has toward us, not because we are good, but because He is good. This is the kind of love God wants us to have for other people.
*This kind of love is very important to God, so it shows up over 250 times in the New Testament. It is found in John 3:16, "For God so LOVED the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
*We also find agape love in places like Ephesians 2:4-7, where Paul wrote: "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great LOVE with which He LOVED us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
*It's also the kind of love in John 13:34-35, where Jesus told His followers: "A new commandment I give to you, that you LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that you also LOVE one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have LOVE for one another.''
*Here in vs. 9, Paul tells us to "let love be without hypocrisy." You see, God doesn't want us to be two-faced with each other. He doesn't want us to have phony love for each other. No. God wants us to have growing, genuine agape love for each other! He wants our love to be authentic, but there is much more.
[2] HE ALSO WANTS OUR LOVE TO BE AFFECTIONATE.
*God wants our love to remind people of home at its best, so vs. 10 tells us to "be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another."
*This word translated as "kindly affectionate" or "devoted" in the NIV is only found this one place in the New Testament. But it was a common word back in that day, because it's talking about the affectionate kind of love between husbands and wives or parents and their children. This is the same kind of affectionate love God wants us to have for each other.
*John Piper explained that "God intends for us not merely to do to others as we would have them do to us. He wants us to feel toward other believers a certain way. It is true that love is more than feelings. It is true that there are good ways we should treat each other even when we are feeling upset with one another. But God is not content with us feeling hard toward each other, even if we are treating each other decently.
*The command for believers in vs. 10 is for us to have 'tender affection toward each other in family love.' C. S. Lewis compared this affection to the love that arises through natural attachment, as with a child, a friend, a dog, (or a cat for some of us), or even a place where we like to go. God wants us to feel a tender affection for each other." (2)
*It's not enough for us to grit our teeth and be nice to one another. God commands us to have real affection for each other. And we can have this kind of remarkable relationship with each other, because of our relationship with Christ.
*Christians: We are born again with the loving nature of Jesus Christ! And Romans 5:5 tells us that "the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." So, whenever we don't have this tender affection for each other, we need to confess this to the Lord. We need to repent. And as Paul said in vs. 2, we need to "be transformed by the renewing of our minds."
*God wants our love to remind people of home at its best, so He tells us to be authentic and affectionate toward one another.
2. GOD ALSO WANTS US TO BE HUMBLE AND HARD-WORKING.
[1] HE WANTS US TO BE HUMBLE.
*We have already talked about humility in vs. 3-5, but this is so important that Paul talked about it again in vs. 10. Here he wrote, "Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another." The NIV says: "Honor one another above yourselves."
*The Living Bible says, "Take delight in honoring each other." The Message" paraphrase says, "Practice playing second fiddle." And Alan Carr explained that "here, we are commanded to put others ahead of ourselves. It is shameful what some people will do to get their own way in a matter. God's way is that we seek our brother's best in every situation."
*God wants us to overflow with humble love, so Paul stressed this truth again in vs. 16, where he said, "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion."
*Again, Alan Carr explained, "None in this family of faith should feel that they are better than another. We are all cut from the same cloth, saved by the same blood, and headed to the same Heaven. We are to stand together as one, working for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ." God wants us to be humble. (3)
[2] HE ALSO WANTS US TO BE HARD-WORKING,
*So, vs. 11 in the KJV tells us not to be "slothful (or lazy) in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord." The New Living Translation says, "Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically." That's true in our labor for the Lord at church, and it's true when we go out on mission. But it is also true anywhere we work. Christians ought to be the best employees a company has, the most positive and the most hard-working.
*In vs. 11 Paul also tells us to be "fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." The word picture for "fervent" is something boiling, bubbling, or glowing red hot. God does not want us to be lukewarm Christians! He wants us to be on fire for Jesus Christ, overflowing with hard-working love for the Lord. God wants us to be humble and hard-working.
3. HE ALSO WANTS US TO BE HOPEFUL AND HELPFUL.
[1] GOD WANTS US TO BE HOPEFUL.
*And we see the hope in vs. 12, where Paul told believers to be "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer." People need hope, but they will never find real hope without Jesus Christ!
*Christians: Thank God, we have hope! We have hope that can find joy in the worst of times, hope that can be patient in every tribulation, and hope that makes us steadfast, faithful, diligent in prayer, even when we don't see the answer right away.
*As believers, we have the sure hope of God's forgiveness, and His presence. We also have hope of God's protection, His cleansing, His rest, His purpose, and His plan for our lives.
*As Christians we also have hope of eternal life and a home in Heaven! One definition of the original word for "hope" is "joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation." And God's Holy Spirit gives us these great expectations.
*One of the most moving displays of Christian hope I have ever seen happened in Ukraine. It was during a mission trip I got to be part of in the summer of 1997. We were on the deck of a ship in the city of Sevestopal with a group of young Ukrainian Christians. The leaders of that group were three former drug dealers who had been wonderfully saved by Jesus Christ, and they were called by God to start churches in that city.
*These people were so poor. The average income over there was $50 a month when you got paid, and lots of months they didn't get paid. But there they stood singing with all their hearts:
"Give thanks with a grateful heart.
Give thanks unto the Holy One.
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son.
And now let the weak say, 'I am strong.'
Let the poor say, 'I am rich,
Because of what the Lord has done for us.' -- Give thanks." (4)
*Their hope was a giant inspiration to me, but really, it's the same hope we have in Jesus Christ. Praise God! God wants us to be hopeful.
[2] BUT HE ALSO WANTS US TO BE HELPFUL.
*First, God wants us to help the saints, our brothers and sisters in Christ, so in vs. 13, Paul said we should be "distributing to the needs of the saints." But that's not all. In vs. 13, Paul also tells us to be "given to hospitality."
*That word "hospitality" means love for strangers, showing sincere love to strangers. God wants us to love strangers too! And when he says be "given to hospitality," it's the idea of pursuing it as we were if in a chase or a hunt. God wants us to be on the hunt for opportunities to be hospitable to other people.
*And sometimes God gives us the blessing of receiving hospitality from strangers. Some of the greatest hospitality I ever received came from some of the poorest people I ever met. It happened in Ukraine 1994. We went to a country village named "Little Paradise," but that village was no paradise we would want to live in. It was the poorest place we saw in Ukraine -- and that's poor.
*After house church that evening, they took us out to a narrow, porch-like area to feed us. A rough wooden table about 15 feet long filled the porch. There were rough wooden benches on both sides. Soup, fish, and bread were spread down the table, along with more flies than I have ever seen in one place in my life.
*Not a few flies or a few dozen, but hundreds of flies. There were so many that it was hard to get a bite from the plate to your mouth without eating a fly. All I could think about when I sat down was those flies.
*Part of the table was covered with a tablecloth. As I slid between the wall and the bench, I went on down past the tablecloth. But the church-members there insisted that I make my way back to the part covered with cloth. That was the part reserved for the guests.
*I didn't care. All I could think about for a while was the flies. But then I noticed the people sitting at the uncovered part of the table. They were all eating in pairs, sharing cups, bowls and plates. We guests were the only people who had our own cups and bowls.
*Those believers had next to nothing, but out of sincere, Christ-like love, they gave their best to the strangers who had come to see them. And the most wonderful thing is that it made them happy. They were happy to be hospitable for Jesus Christ. It put a big smile on their faces.
*If the people in "Little Paradise" could serve the Lord with that kind of hospitality, then surely we can too! God wants us to be hopeful and helpful.
4. HE ALSO WANTS US TO BE SYMPATHETIC AND SAME-MINDED.
[1] GOD WANTS US TO BE SYMPATHETIC WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
*So, in vs. 14, He starts with the highest hurdle of all: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."
*John Gill tells us that "bless" here is the idea of lifting the persecutors up in prayer before the Lord, lifting them up with genuine concern for their souls, that they would recognize the error of their ways, turn to the Lord, and receive the salvation that only He can give. (5)
*I have got to tell you that I am still working on that, and there is no way we can do it without God's agape love flowing through us. But it can be done. Acts 6-8 tells the story of Stephen the deacon on trial before the high court of the Jews. Stephen had done nothing wrong. He was on trial for His life simply for boldly proclaiming the truth about Jesus Christ. And Acts 7:58-60 records the Christ-like way that Stephen died:
58. . . They cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.''
60. Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin.'' And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
*That was God's agape love shining through His servant, and God wants His love to shine through us too! God wants us to be sympathetic to our enemies.
*He also wants us to be sympathetic to our neighbors, so in vs. 15 He simply says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep."
*"Rejoice with those who rejoice." Our God is so very good to us that no matter how hard things get in this world, there are always great reasons to rejoice with those who rejoice. I think of a young couple getting married, a new baby in the family, someone recovering from sickness, and countless other blessings the Lord sends our way. More than that, I think of the spiritual blessings God sends our way: a prodigal child coming home, someone getting saved, renewal, revival and more. These are always great reasons to rejoice with those who rejoice.
*Most of all, we can rejoice with those who rejoice in the Lord. In Philippians 4:4, Paul the prisoner was writing from Rome with chains on his wrists, yet he urged us to "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"
*We can't always rejoice in our health or our looks. We can't always rejoice in our finances, our family, our jobs, or our grades. We can't always rejoice in our houses, our cars, our toys, or our accomplishments. But we can always rejoice in the Lord! And we can always rejoice with those who rejoice in the Lord! Praise God!
*But Paul also said, "Weep with those who weep." It is a holy thing to see. And I have seen it countless times over the years, as Christians shared the pain of someone else's loss. This is the kind of love that often grows in a small group like a Sunday School class, so I urge you to get involved in a group like that. You will find love to help carry you through the darkest days of your life.
*God wants us to be sympathetic with other people.
[2] BUT HE ALSO WANTS US TO BE SAME MINDED WITH EACH OTHER.
*That's why vs. 16 says, "Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion." The NIV puts vs. 16 this way: "Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."
*What does it mean to be same-minded? Well, the word picture is "thinking the same thing." That doesn't mean we will all like the same kind of ice cream or agree on every little thing. It does mean that we will have the same attitude of love and respect for each other even when we disagree. It even means we will have a better opinion of each other than we have of ourselves.
CONCLUSION:
*Paul covered a lot of ground in these few verses, but we can sum it all up by saying that God wants us to love other people the same way He loves us. That's how we can build our church on the foundation of His love.
*Let's ask the Lord to help us, as we go back to God in prayer.
(1) Wayne Brouwer, Holland, Michigan. "Leadership," Vol. 17, no. 2 - Source: Bible Illustrator for windows - Topic: Forgiveness - Index: 1314-1316 - Date: 4/1998 - Title: "Fellowship Among Porcupines"
(2) Adapted from KERUX SERMON COLLECTION - ID Number: 674 - PREACHER: Rev. John Piper - LOCATION: Bethlehem Baptist Church; Minneapolis, Minnesota - DATE: 6/4/1995 - MAIN TEXT: Romans 12:9-13 - Title: Love One Another With Brotherly Love"
(3) "The Sermon Notebook - Thinking About the Brethren" by Alan Carr - Romans 12:9-21 - http://www.sermonnotebook.org/romans/Romans 12_9-21.htm
(4) "Give Thanks" by Henry Smith - copyrighted in 1978 by Integrity's Hosanna! Music - recorded by Don Moen - released in 1986 by Integrity, Hosanna! Music, and Sparrow.
(5) JOHN GILL'S EXPOSITION OF THE BIBLE by Dr. John Gill, D. D. - 1697-1771 - Published in 1746-1766, 1816 - Romans 12:14 - Downloaded to e-Sword by Rick Meyers - Copyright 2000-2019
