Romans 12:9-21
OPENING:
In a sense, Paul is telling us how to act or behave towards others, on God’s behalf. This is how the Lord wants us to behave while in waiting for His Second Coming.
The Main point to get across here is Love. To love one another. These different things Paul mentions for us to do all ties into Love. If you have Love (a true Godly love) everything else will fall into place.
God loves His children. He loves us regardless of size, weight, height, race. Regardless of how much money we have, how many materials we own, how many people we know. He loves us regardless of how many mistakes we make. WE ARE SINNERS. God loves us despite this. He loves you and wants you to come home. This is why He has placed His word in our hands, so that we may follow His commandments and reach the place where we may spend eternity with Him.
God cannot help but love His children because God is love. He is not merely a characteristic of love; God, Himself, is love.
Example: Glass of water. Water is water. It cannot be anything else but water. Henceforth, God is Love, He cannot be or do anything else but love.
LOVE
Dictionary defines it a few different ways.
1. Intense attraction for another person
2. sex or sexual intimacy
3. a love affair (which to me is saying adultery)
4. infatuation (hobbies, materials, opposite sex)
ALL ARE WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!
These definitions come from dictionaries this world uses. So this is telling me that the world defines love as stated above. It is an example of how this world twists and molds love into something completely ridiculous and very ungodly.
Also, Love is being taken out of many different things:
Marriage
- love is taken out of most marriages. Or at least the love that God produces in a marriage. Marriage today is more paper than reality. When God’s love dwindles in a marriage, it takes happiness with it. Then the worse starts happening. (Adultery, Lying, Fighting, Spending time apart, more of a burden than a blessing)
Schools
- love is being thrown out of schools. Having love in the schools means keeping God’s Holy Word in it and teach it. Having love in the schools means saying a prayer rather than a pledge. Having love in the school is taking time-out to praise Him for giving you a school and the privilege of being able to be a role model to children.
- Bibles are no longer a part of the system. It’s all about evolution now. If you ask me, we need more Pastors and Evangelists to come and take part in our schools so that they can sit the teachers down along with the children and EVOLVE them into realizing that GOD ALMIGHTY is the Creator.
Government
- love is being booted out of government as well. Ten commandments are being taken out of our constitution. I’ve even heard of talk trying to change our Ten Commandments. Good luck getting that one across on judgement day. They concentrate more on issues like money, taxes, money for weapons and war. These people are swamped with the press each day. Think of how wonderful it would be if one of these blind politicians stepped up to the plate and help spread God’s good news.
Church
- believe it or not, Satan himself is trying to pull love out of the church. WE ARE ALL GOD’S KIDS. HENCEFORTH WE ARE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS. It is our duty as a Christian and as His child to love one another regardless of anything.
- Churches today have members having quarrels with members.
- Churches today have drunken Pastors and Pastors not living what they preach.
- Churches today have gossip. Spreading rumors against they’re brothers and sisters.
- I never thought there would come a day when a member of the church is suing their church, and while they’re suing the church they’re singing in the choir.
Deeper than the Church: FAMILY
- Do we love our family?? Speaking of parents, brothers/sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, immediate blood, etc.
- Do we have disputes?? Of course, everyone is not going to get along all the time. That’s just reality, but do we hold a grudge. Do we sin in our anger?? Just because you are bothered by someone from time to time doesn’t mean the love you have for them is gone. So you had a quarrel, forgive and forget. To forgive and forget is what makes you God’s child. Some say they forgive but they’ll never forget. That just ain’t gonna fly. If you forgive, than you must forget. Christ blankets your sins with His precious blood and forgets them for they are no longer seen. Why should we be any different than our Lord?? Forgive and forget people, forgive and forget.
- Do we hold grudges?? Why? Is it worth the petty trouble. No it is not because you have much more important things to do, like prepare for His Coming. Money, Materials, All of this is in vain because you can’t take any of it with you.
- Majority of arguments have to do with materials, or money. Which are items of the world. Ironically enough if you take out the worldly items, you have no more argument. Since you can’t take out the items, you must let God’s love take the argument away.
Do we really have a love for money or materials??
- the answer is no. You cannot have a Godly love for worldly possessions.
- This is called INFATUATION – to inspire with a foolish love.
- When you find yourself with lots of money, normally Satan helps you become infatuated and you want more and more.
- Same with materials.
Should never cleave to something that will become a hinder in your Christian journey.
Let us go to the Word.
5 different scriptures to read
1. EPHESIANS 3:14-21
- this passage tells us that when Christ comes into our lives, we are no longer cleaved to this world but are filled or (grounded and rooted) with the love of Christ
- And when you are filled with the love of Christ, your brethren will recognize and hopefully it will be contagious.
- Also says that to know the love of Christ passes knowledge you will have the desire to learn and obey His commandments.
2. JOHN 13:34-35
- an example of how your love toward one another may rub off on others.
- Others will know that you are of God, “if we have love for one another”
3. MARK 12:30-31
- Love the lord thy God being the first commandment
- Love your neighbor, being the second.
- There is none other greater than these.
- Duty as Christian to keep these commandments
4. 1 PETER 4:8-9
- Basically says let your love have fervent, or glow in a sense among others.
- Mentions helping out your neighbor with grudging. Giving is a gift to God, showing loving kindness to His children.
ROMANS 12:9-21 (VERSE BY VERSE)
*IMPORTANT BEHAVIOR OF A CHRISTIAN
VERSE 9: “Let love be without dissimulation; abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”
- having no love/hate relationships God loves all and so shall we.
- if you have those that tend to bother you from time to time, overlook any negatives
- we all have negatives, focus on the positives and have patience (Children)
Remember that we are ALL SINNERS, but He still loves us just the same.
VERSE 10: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”
- cannot love your brother/sister while cursing them and telling them to go jump in the river.
- Have brotherly love, being kind and emotional or sympathetic when needed.
- This is where the Christian glow shines.
VERSE 11: “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.”
- don’t be lazy ( all have our up and down days) but always keep the glow in your spirit and keep the light shining for the Lord.
VERSE 12: “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.”
- Praise Him in faith and trust, knowing of His Second Coming
- In temptations and trials, always be patient and lean on Him, for the battle is already won
- It is worth the wait and the battle.
- ALWAYS CONTINUE YOUR PRAYERS AND KEEP FAITH
VERSE 13: “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.”
- always give to a brother in need, for it shows the love and care you have for them
VERSE 14: “Bless them which persecute you; bless and curse not.”
- love those that hate you, curse you, and ridicule you, for these are the lost sheep that you seek after and pray for.
- Having the love of Christ within comes with concern for those souls in danger.
VERSE 15: “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”
- always have praise together and cheer on those being blessed in the spirit.
- Encourage one another in staying in the word.
- Those that need support and a crying shoulder, we must be there, ALWAYS.
VERSE 16: “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in you own conceits.”
- we are all God’s children regardless of size, shape, color, height, weight, fame, talent, etc.
- we are all in the same boat with the same God with the same goal
VERSE 17: “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.”
- Honesty is an obligation
- Can’t get away with much, God sees all , knows all
VERSE 18: “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
- keeping the peace among brethren is very importants
- we must not have any oughts with brothers
VERSE 19: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, vengeance is min; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
- this being my favorite
- don’t let anger control you
- paybacks/doing things in spite are very unnecessary
- God will handle it - have no worries
VERSE 20: “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give hi drink; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.”
- this plants the seed in minds
- in the long run, makes enemies think
- respect gainer
VERSE 21: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
- turn bad situations into good situations
- doing good deeds sets an example for other
- also a seed planter
CONCLUSION:
Let us clear our minds of everything right now. We’re talking about God’s love.
Do you ever take time to sit, as we are now, and think of all that He gives you.
Think of all the blessings He has bestowed upon you.
Think of how very much He loves you and the promises He makes to you in His word.
This is our problem. We don’t take time to think about this.
CHRISTIAN LOVE
- when we sit and meditate, we feel a sense of comfort and security. That’s is our Lord Jesus, showing that He is very much alive in us if we just seek Him.
- I myself feel a pressure, not a pain, in my chest, right where my heart is. And when I feel this, it makes me wanna shout and preach. And what brings tears and happiness to your eyes is the FACT that you know He is there, smiling down upon you, and loving you more than you can imagine.
TELL SOMEONE YOU LOVE THEM – FILLS WITH JOY AND CREATES SMILES
GONNA HAVE PLENTY OF LOVE UP IN HEAVEN, MIGHT AS WELL GET SOME PRACTICE IN DOWN HERE
END………..
