Sermon Tone Analysis

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Theme: Yeah they'll know we are Christians by our love.

Theme: Yeah they'll know we are Christians by our love.

Date: 03/05/2017 File Name: Romans_2016_37a.wpd

ID Number:

Date: 03/05/2017 File Name: Romans_2016_37a.wpd

ID Number:

It is Thursday evening.

Jesus and his disciples have just enjoyed their last meal together.

It’s a meal none of them will forget; the evening’s events being etched into their memories.

After the meal they leisurely walk to the Garden of Gethsemane, and along the way Jesus provides one last teaching session.

He begins with a comforting word to his disciples about preparing a place for them in Heaven, and concluded with a glorious prayer for himself and his disciples.

All of this is recounted in chapters 14-17 of John’s Gospel.

It is Thursday evening.

Jesus and his disciples have just enjoyed their last meal together.

It’s a meal none of them will forget; the evening’s events being etched into their memories.

After the meal they leisurely walk to the Garden of Gethsemane, and along the way Jesus provides one last teaching session.

He begins with a comforting word to his disciples about preparing a place for them in Heaven, and concluded with a glorious prayer for himself and his disciples.

All of this is recounted in chapters 14-17 of John’s Gospel.

In these chapters, he reminds the Disciples of the results of faith in him.

1st, Faith in Jesus results in a radical change.

When Christ enters a sinner’s life by repentance and faith, there is a radical change.

It may not appear physically obvious to friend or neighbor or family, but the change is as radical as radical can be.

You’ve gone from death to life!

It’s why Jesus compares our salvation to being born again!

• 2nd, Faith in Jesus results in a radical challenge.

Because there has been this radical change in us — which is Christ in us the hope of glory — there is the challenge of relating to a culture and world system that sees us as the enemy.

The love between the Christian and our Christ alienates us from the world.

Like Christian passing through Vanity Fair we advert our eyes from the goods and wares of the world, and the vendors become incensed that we won’t purchase their products.

Our challenge is to communicate to the world why our love for Jesus keeps us from purchasing what the world wants us to buy.

2nd, Faith in Jesus results in a radical challenge.

Because there has been this radical change in us — which is Christ in us the hope of glory — there is the challenge of relating to a culture and world system that sees us as the enemy.

The love between the Christian and our Christ alienates us from the world.

Like Christian passing through Vanity Fair we advert our eyes from the goods and wares of the world, and the vendors become incensed that we won’t purchase their products.

Our challenge is to communicate to the world why our love for Jesus keeps us from purchasing what the world wants us to buy.

3rd, Faith in Jesus results in a radical conflict.

Precisely because we don’t “buy into” the world’s ways, the world’s philosophies, and the world’s activities, the world will never understand us.

In some cases that lack of understanding will become hostility; in some cases they will kill us.

In Jesus tells the disciples, “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.'

If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also ... They will treat you this way because of my name ... “ The world doesn’t like us because we will never put the world first.

You may have a lot of trouble in this world because you won’t put your company first, because you won’t put your race first, because you won’t put your political party first, or even because you won’t put your family first.

You can’t, because you see, there’s a Lord, and his name is Jesus, and he’s your first love and your greatest loyalty.

So there’s a radical conflict which is caused by a radical change, and that radical change presents a radical challenge for us to enter into the world and to testify to what Jesus has done for us.

And when you do, don’t be surprised when there is a radical reaction.

It is that radical reaction that the Apostle refers to in .

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

(, NIV84).

The New Testament simply assumes Christians will be mistreated, and maligned, and martyred.

We’ve been looking at .

It’s a passage that reveals love in action.

How will the world know we are Christians?

Peter Scholtes wrote in his 1966 hymn, “They’ll know we are Christians, by our love, by our love.

Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

They’ll know we are Christians by our love for Godly character.

That was part one of this three-part message.

They’ll know we are Christians by our love for each other.

That was part two.

Last week we learned that ...

▸ We are to live in harmony with one another

▸ We are to lend happily to one another

▸ We are to lift hardships from one another

According to the Apostle Paul, there is a third way to put love into action ...

III.

THEY'LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE FOR OUR ENEMIES

III.

THEY'LL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE FOR OUR ENEMIES

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

(, NIV84

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.

18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

(, NIV84)

1. how we deal with those who hate us is a measure of our Christian faith

a. now, please be aware that Paul is referring to those who hate you because you’re a Christian

Christian

b. being persecuted because you’re an obnoxious jerk or the schoolyard bully doesn’t count

count

A. THE FAITHFUL WILL BE PERSECUTED

A. THE FAITHFUL WILL BE PERSECUTED

ILLUS.

Today there is an escalating hostility toward orthodox Christianity throughout Western culture.

In 2010, Chicago's Cardinal Francis George, speaking before a gathering of priests about the dangers of the secularization of our society, said, "I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square.

His successor will pick up the shards of a ruined society and slowly help rebuild civilization, as the church has done so often in human history."

While it’s too soon to know whether the Cardinal’s words are prophetic, he was completely accurate about the growing secularization of American culture, and the growing hostility toward the Confessing Church.

Western culture.

In 2010, Chicago's Cardinal Francis George, speaking before a gathering of priests about the dangers of the secularization of our society, said, "I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square.

His successor will pick up the shards of a ruined society and slowly help rebuild civilization, as the church has done so often in human history."

While it’s too soon to know whether the Cardinal’s words are prophetic, he was completely accurate about the growing secularization of American culture, and the growing hostility toward the Confessing Church.

"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

(, NASB95)

NASB95)

1. throughout its pages, the New Testament assumes the world’s hostility toward God’s people

people

a. the Apostle assumes it in verse 14

b.