Transformed Love

William Jonathan Weems

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Our battle is not against this world

Notes

Transcript

The last month, week, decade

It has been building. We have reason to be angry, mad, upset, sad, concerned, and confused. Our capitol was over run by an angry mob. Now wherever you stand on the political spectrum that should bother you.

My heart broke as I looked at my daughter Wednesday night and imagined the world my daughter may have to grow up in. My heart broke as I looked back at the last week, month, year decade and the division that has been so rampant in our country and in our world.

My heart broke as I have thought about words I have said or maybe did not say or things I have done or may not have done that could have contributed to increasing division and hatred.

I have found myself getting angrier and angrier at the situation, at people, and at our government. I don’t have a clue anymore what is fact or fiction when it comes to world events, science, and especially politics.

However, One thing has not changed. In fact, if anything, it has become clearer and I have become more steadfast. That is my faith in God and his plan.

Social Media

Argumentative Conversation

Not listening

Reacting not responding

So many scriptures have come to mind and heart. The sermon on the mount Matthew 4-6, joy in tribulation James 1, The armor of God and our battle against the evil one Ephesians 6. What true love is 1 Corinthians 13 and so many others.

But one passage really hit me. As I mentioned in the newsletter, Katherine reminded me of Romans 12. I was blessed as a child to memorize Romans 12:1-2 and I have held onto those verses since then.

They introduce this chapter and are the foundation going forward.

Romans 12:1–2 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

It all starts with a new mind, a new way of worship (sacrificing of ourselves) new way to live, and most of all transformation. We have to start there. Then and only then will we be able to understand, follow and discern the will of God.

So, before we go anywhere else today I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on that right now. Are you ready to be different? Are You ready to be transformed? Or are you ready to remain in the pattern of the world?

We are not going to cover the entire chapter, and I really encourage you to spend time this week reading over Romans 12 several times. God will speak. But this morning let’s look closely at a few verses.

I want to read it all to you first then we will break it down. So hear the word of God from Romans 12:9-21.

Romans 12:9–21 NIV

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 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.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Love It is what being a follower of Christ is all about. It is what living like Jesus is. It is our only calling. It is not optional or when we feel like it. We are to love all the time So Romans 12:9-21 is another love passage. It isn’t used in as many weddings as 1 Corinthians 13, but it goes hand in hand and if anything is even more challenging, but wow does it fit in today.

The opposite of the pattern of the world in many ways.

Love must be sincere.

Agape love

Fruit of the Spirit*

Real not fake. Not forced. From God. Fruit of the holy spirit. It does not come from ourselves. It comes because of Jesus. It comes from trusting in Jesus.

Hate what is evil

Notice hate what is evil, not who is evil. God is not telling us to stop fighting what is evil. There is definite evil in this world. Murder, abortion, child abuse, genocide, racism and so many others, but the world and far too often many of us Christians, have expanded "evil” to anything that we disagree. Or even worse have taken this to mean hate people. And Jesus, flips this. We are to hate what is evil, but we don’t get to hate the people. In fact, as we look through this you might find in someways we are to be more intentional in our how we show them love.

But first Paul describes what love should look like.

Be devoted to one another in love

devoted- Philostorios loving tenderly affectionate like a family love. philos love like a family.

Honor one another above yourselves

Value, or price others above yourself. God does not say they are more valuable than you but rather we are to live like they are. Doesn’t that mean we should respect them, treat them with dignity, not degrade them.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

God does not call us to stop standing up for right, but rather he tells us to do it differently than the world. Don’t lack in zeal, eagerness and diligence but make sure you keep your spiritual excitement by serving the Lord.

Fruit of the Spirit*

No matter what is happening, we can be joyful, again does not mean happy, but at peace and rest in the promise we have of eternal life through Jesus. No matter wha that should be our focus

Patient in affliction

Fruit of the Spirit

Perseverance to endure. Why, because we are joyful in our hope. How, by trusting God. Relying on him and his faithfulness. Knowing that even if we don’t make it through the affliction, we are His.

Faithful in prayer

Fruit of the Spirit*

Faithfulness

That is the intent of prayer. Prayer is communication with God which is what builds our relationship and our trust in Him, so that the Holy Spirit living in us can continue to transform us.

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need

Kindness Fruit of the Spirit*

You are so amazingly good at this as a congregation. This morning at RockPile. Checking on each other. The amount of cards and letters sent out. The baskets delivered.

Practice hospitality

Be welcoming. This is a transition verse. Up to this point the message is how we are to encourage, love and treat each other, but here there begin some tough verses. Things that are not normal to the world. Things completely caused by transformation from the Holy Spirit.

Bless those who persecute you, Bless and do not curse

Bless to speak praise or favor. Eulogeite- We get the word Eulogy from this word. Think on that one. We are supposed to speak good about those that persecute you.

I cannot even imagine, how hard that must have been for the early church to hear. The church in Rome which was under persecution already. Many were in jail for their faith. Many had already been martyred for their faith. Many had been beaten for simply believing in Jesus. But those people, and us today, are called to bless them, not to curse them.

Now God did not tell us to praise what and why they were doing bad things, but he did tell us to bless the one doing it. Jesus told us to pray for those who persecute us. WOW!

But I want to stress something here. Again this can come only by being transformed by the renewing of our mind as we continue to be living sacrifices.

I am right there with many of you on this one. I want to tear down the people that do bad things. I want and do get caught up in the bashing of people I don’t like or do things I don’t like, but being a disciple of Jesus isn’t easy. It is a total transformation from the pattern of this world.

But maybe the next few passages help us know how to do it.

Rejoice with those who rejoice

Whether someone persecutes you or is your best friend, you can rejoice when they are rejoicing for good things.

Mourn with those who mourn

The same with mourning. Let me tell you I am mourning for Rockpile church and for the Netzer family right now, and we should be.

God also shows us a way to bless those who are different than us, by mourning with them. What a great opportunity to share the gospel with someone to be there for them when they are in mourning.

Live in harmony with one another

Simply live with your neighbor. Harmony is a beautiful word. It does not mean to live exactly like a person, it means to allow each other to compliment the other. In singing, the harmony is a different set of notes that enhances the melody.

As followers of Christ we are called to live in support of each other. Not trying to overpower them with RIGHTness but showing them Righteousness by the way we live.

Because we are supposed to be transformed.

Do not be proud, be willing to associate with people of low position

None of us are better than anyone else. We are all sinners and we have all fallen short of the glory of God. Everyone needs love. And pure, SINCERE love can only come from God. So, we are called to associate with everyone.

Do not be conceited

I have been a born again Christian for at least 40 years. I have gone to seminary, I have worked in full time paid ministry for over 20 years. I have led Bible studies, I have preached, I have been with people who have given their life to Christ, BUT I have nothing to brag about. I am so far from where I need to be. I have so much more to learn and put into practice as a disciple of Jesus. I am no better than anyone. I need the Holy Spirit working in me, transforming me and making me new everyday and so does everyone. We have nothing to boast about on our own. We can only boast in what Christ has done in and through us.

Do not repay evil for evil

Words, actions, posts, attitudes. God makes it simple. Just don’t repay evil for evil. This is so important, it is about to be said again.

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone

Self Control Fruit of the Spirit*

Goodness Fruit of the Spirit*

What are those things? Love, kindness, taking care of your neighbor and others. Encourage, build up. Work hard. Don’t brag. Be like CHRIST!

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, LIVE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE

Fruit of the Spirit*

Peace is something we are called to actively do. Not sit back and wait for it to happen, but do what is necessary to keep peace. But again this comes from our reliance on the Holy Spirit.

Peace also comes from not doing some things we want to do. Like yelling about the limb hanging over your yard or lashing out at someone you disagree with.

Do not take revenge

That means even in our words.

Leave room for God’s wrath for it is written It is mine to revenge I will repay.

God has it. God is working on them just like he is working on you. God may be using your responses of the fruit of the spirit to bring them to Christ. Thank God he did whatever it took to bring me to him.

Again God tells us what it looks like to be transformed.

If your enemy is hungry, feed him

Not just those you love or like. And more than physical food. Give them the bread of life Jesus.

If he is thirsty, give him something to drink

Again the same. All so we can have the opportunity to share with them the living water.

In doing this you will reap burning coals on his head

They will have to deal with it. Can you imagine the headache of confusion your enemy will get by someone that should hate them serving them not just once, but continually.

PS this is an old testament quote from Proverbs 25. So much for those that say God changed from the Old Testament to the new testament.

But all is summed up in the next part when Paul repeats himself.

Do not overcome evil by evil

Because it just does not work. It does not make a change. It perpetuates evil. And we are called to so much more. We are called to:

Overcome evil with good

We cannot stay quiet or sit on the sidelines. We do need to say and do things. We need to allow the Holy Spirit in us to overcome evil with good.

God is telling us it is not just about not doing something, but it is about actively doing good to those who are actively doing bad.

Isn’t that the gospel.

I want to end today with a statement that turned out to be my friend Matt Netzer’s last post on facebook before going to heaven. This applies so much more to just social media posts it applies to how we as Christians should act.

Here you go:

Everyone wants to speak out on the riots, on Trump, on Biden, on race, on lockdowns and masks, on the elections, on conspiracies, on Democrats, on Republicans.... everyone has a thought, a judgment, a post just itching to be made. Just like we did all 2020. I know, I'm there with you, I've made and deleted about a 1000 statuses, and that's probably a good thing since I've also changed my mind about 1000 times as my own emotions have fluctuated.

But really, the posts are made, and the needle doesn't move. In fact it usually just leads to more fighting. Turns out everyone having an instant platform has not been beneficial for the most part, I'd say the social media experiment has largely failed. Heck, social media may even be one of the biggest culprits for the anger and violence in our country.

I wonder, as believers, if we prayed more than we posted... if things might look different? That question in itself is not meant to be a judgment as much as a "refocus", and it's not meant to be a catchy "gotcha" slogan, but rather I hope we do better in 2021 than we already have only seven days in. I'm making a call to myself and to my own church to pray more and post less. I truly believe that social media, and all the noise it brings, is actually serving to hinder the only real thing that is going change hearts and bring any kind of healing to our brokenness.... so make sure you, AT LEAST, pray before you post. In fact, pray before you even read through all the posts (if reading through posts is even a good idea at this point, which remains to be seen). I realize that this IS a post, and you're reading it, so this is a strange statement indeed... so maybe stop reading it and pray?

2 Chronicles 7:14

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Matt Netzer

Isn’t that a modern day restatement of what Paul was saying to us. Instead of reacting in hate, respond with good. But none of this can happen without the Holy Spirit working within us.