Go! And Respond with Grace - Romans 12:17–21
Imagine standing at the foot of a beautiful mountain. The sun is shining, the breeze is gentle. Then, someone throws a stone at you. In that moment, your instinct is to throw it back. But what if, instead, you smiled, picked up the stone, and built a shelter with it?
Welcome to the radical grace of the Gospel.
Romans 12:17–21 (NLT):
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honourable.
18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Proverbs 25:20 (NLT): “Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound.”
Proverbs 25:21–22 (NLT): “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.”
Proverbs 25:25 (NLT): “Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty.”
Sermon Introduction: The Radical Call of the Gospel
This message today is not about what the world teaches, but what Jesus demonstrates.
The world tells us to return evil for evil, to repay insult with insult. But the cross teaches us that mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13), that grace conquers sin, and that love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8).
We are called to go and respond with grace. And today, we will learn from Scripture how that looks in practice.
1. Repay No Evil – Reflect Christ (Romans 12:17)
“Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honourable.”
The Apostle Paul writes to believers in Rome—persecuted, marginalised, living under the oppression of the Roman Empire. His call is counter-cultural: do not retaliate.
The Greek word for “evil” here is kakos – meaning moral wickedness or injury. Paul is saying, even when someone hurts you, don’t return the same kind of hurt.
Instead, he calls us to what the NLT translates as being “honourable,” from the Greek kalos – beautiful, noble, and morally excellent.
Charles Stanley: “The best way to silence critics is to live in such a way that no one will believe what they say.”
Charles Stanley reminds us that our character is our testimony. Like Jesus, we must walk in integrity—even under fire.
In your workplace, family, or even online, how do you respond to offence? As ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), we reflect Him most clearly when we don’t mirror the world but model Christ.
2. Do All You Can – Pursue Peace (Romans 12:18)
“Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”
The Hebrew root for peace is shalom – not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of wholeness, completeness, harmony.
Paul doesn’t say peace will always be possible. But he does say: do all you can.
The Bridge Builder
There’s a story of two brothers who had a falling out. Years of silence built a wall between them. One day, one brother built a bridge instead of a wall. When the other saw it, he crossed. They wept and embraced.
That’s shalom in action.
Tim Keller: “Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of God in the midst of it.”
Keller gets to the heart: peace flows from the presence of Jesus. When we live Spirit-filled lives, peace becomes possible.
3. Let God Handle Justice (Romans 12:19)
“Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.”
The word for “revenge” (ekdikesis in Greek) means to vindicate, to exact punishment.
But God alone is holy, just, and impartial. Our justice is often corrupted by anger and pride.
The Lord quotes Deuteronomy 32:35: “I will take revenge; I will pay them back.”
This reflects divine retribution—only God has the authority to judge sin perfectly.
R.T. Kendall: “Total forgiveness is when you no longer want the wrongdoer to be punished.”
That’s hard. But that’s holy. Forgiveness isn’t excusing sin—it’s surrendering our right to vengeance, because Jesus surrendered His life for us.
4. Feed Your Enemies – Conquer Evil with Good (Romans 12:20–21)
Paul references Proverbs 25:21–22. The imagery of “burning coals” isn’t about vengeance. In Jewish culture, it symbolised shame leading to repentance.
When we respond to hate with love, it disarms the sinner and displays the Gospel.
“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”
The Greek verb for conquer is nikao – to overcome, to be victorious. It’s where we get the word “Nike.”
We’re not called to survive evil—we’re called to defeat it with grace.
Max Lucado: “Revenge builds a lonely house. Space enough for one person. The lives of its tenants are reduced to one goal: make someone miserable. They do. Themselves.”
Lucado warns us: when we try to destroy others, we destroy ourselves. But grace liberates everyone.
5. Good News Is Refreshing (Proverbs 25:25)
“Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty.”
We live in a world parched by bad news. When we bring good news—the Good News—it refreshes souls.
The Hebrew for “cold water” (mayim qara) evokes relief in the desert.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is exactly that: living water (John 4:14).
Gospel Presentation: The Good News That Refreshes
Jesus came not to repay evil for evil, but to rescue us from the penalty we deserved. At the cross:
He bore our sin (Isaiah 53:5)
He died our death (Romans 6:23)
He rose again, victorious over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3–4)
This is the Good News: we are saved not by retaliation, but by redemption.
Call to Action: Go! And Respond with Grace
Today, God is calling you to:
Forgive where you’ve held onto pain.
Build bridges, not walls.
Let God handle justice.
Be refreshment to others.
Share the Good News with someone this week.
Invitation to Salvation:
If you’ve never received this grace yourself, now is the time. Jesus stands ready to forgive, to save, to transform.
Repent. Turn from sin. Believe that Jesus is Lord and Saviour. Trust in His finished work.
John 1:12 (NLT): “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Pray:
“Lord Jesus, I believe You died for me. Forgive my sins. Make me new. I receive Your grace. I give You my life. Be my Saviour and my Lord. Amen.”
Benediction / Exhortation:
Go now into your homes, your schools, your workplaces. Go not as warriors of vengeance but as ambassadors of peace. Be honourable. Be gracious. And let your life be a testimony that evil is conquered not by force, but by the relentless love of Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NLT): “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation.”
