WEBVTT 00:00:01.819 --> 00:00:03.799 Well, I almost feel like we're on a shakedown 00:00:03.799 --> 00:00:07.500 cruise this morning. We've done a lot of things 00:00:07.500 --> 00:00:09.820 for the first time, and I think it would be good 00:00:09.820 --> 00:00:13.359 for us to stand. Would you do that? You know, 00:00:13.380 --> 00:00:16.539 this is the first time in about two and a half 00:00:16.539 --> 00:00:18.839 years that we've all been together at one place, 00:00:18.859 --> 00:00:21.120 is Grace Church Roseville. Why don't you look 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:23.500 around and find someone whose face is strange? 00:00:23.620 --> 00:00:26.679 I mean somebody who you don't know, and shake 00:00:26.679 --> 00:00:30.480 hands with them. Welcome them to the service. 00:01:01.549 --> 00:01:06.730 Thank you. Thank you. From the sounds of it, 00:01:06.730 --> 00:01:15.250 there are a lot of strange faces. The pages of 00:01:15.250 --> 00:01:19.189 history are stained by the record of man's greed 00:01:19.189 --> 00:01:23.609 and self -centeredness, his rebellion and hatred 00:01:23.609 --> 00:01:29.590 directed against God and good. That hostility 00:01:29.590 --> 00:01:32.430 was never more exposed than in the suffering 00:01:32.430 --> 00:01:38.709 and the death of Jesus Christ. And the world 00:01:38.709 --> 00:01:43.769 will likewise hate God's people. May I remind 00:01:43.769 --> 00:01:47.090 you what Jesus said in John 15. If the world 00:01:47.090 --> 00:01:52.390 hates you, you know that it hated me before it 00:01:52.390 --> 00:01:57.010 hated you. He said, if they persecuted me, they 00:01:57.010 --> 00:02:02.709 will also persecute you. When we feel the hot 00:02:02.709 --> 00:02:07.530 pincers of anger or hatred from another person, 00:02:07.989 --> 00:02:11.810 it is well for us to stop and ask a question. 00:02:12.889 --> 00:02:17.370 Why am I going through this experience? Is it 00:02:17.370 --> 00:02:20.909 because of something that I have done out of 00:02:20.909 --> 00:02:25.819 my own foolishness? Is it my overbearing personality, 00:02:26.199 --> 00:02:30.000 perhaps? Is it a failure in some responsibility? 00:02:32.539 --> 00:02:35.240 Have I committed a thoughtless act and therefore 00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:42.379 the air of this anger and hatred? If I can pass 00:02:42.379 --> 00:02:44.900 the test on those questions, then I need to look 00:02:44.900 --> 00:02:49.560 a little deeper and say, well, am I experiencing 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:54.719 this suffering because I'm a Christian? I remind 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:58.120 you of what Peter said. To the degree that you 00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:01.479 share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing. 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:06.719 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:11.219 are blessed, he said. Only let none of you suffer 00:03:11.219 --> 00:03:16.259 as a murderer, thief, evildoer, or troublesome 00:03:16.259 --> 00:03:22.219 meddler. If any man suffers as a Christian, Let 00:03:22.219 --> 00:03:26.879 him not be ashamed. There are times, dear people, 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:30.740 when we will suffer for the simple reason that 00:03:30.740 --> 00:03:34.280 we love Jesus Christ and desire to obey his word. 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:39.400 What are we to do with those who hate us for 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:44.560 Jesus' sake? Our text today in Romans 12 gives 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:48.539 us an answer to that. We're going to conclude 00:03:48.539 --> 00:03:52.039 chapter 12 of Romans today. Next week we will 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:56.599 preach regarding the Christmas story and then 00:03:56.599 --> 00:03:59.900 take a little bit of a break in Romans. But today 00:03:59.900 --> 00:04:02.240 we're going to finish this chapter as we look 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:05.240 at the principles that tell us how to deal with 00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:12.780 an enemy. Verse 17 of Romans 12. Never pay back 00:04:12.780 --> 00:04:17.120 evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:21.120 in the sight of all men. If possible, so far 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:24.939 as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:30.339 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave 00:04:30.339 --> 00:04:33.139 room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:37.019 Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 00:04:38.259 --> 00:04:41.860 But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if 00:04:41.860 --> 00:04:45.319 he is thirsty, give him a drink, for in so doing 00:04:45.319 --> 00:04:49.060 you will heap burning coals upon his head. Do 00:04:49.060 --> 00:04:52.639 not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with 00:04:52.639 --> 00:04:56.399 good. It seems to me that in the text that we've 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:58.759 just read, there are five principles that tell 00:04:58.759 --> 00:05:03.160 us what to do with an enemy. If a person could 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:05.639 get a hold of these five principles and really 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:08.600 put them into practice in his life, it might 00:05:08.600 --> 00:05:11.240 well change his interpersonal relationships. 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:15.980 Principle number one is found in the first statement 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:20.949 in verse 17. Pay back evil for evil. How much 00:05:20.949 --> 00:05:24.329 more naturally do we quote the verse in Leviticus 00:05:24.329 --> 00:05:27.209 24 .20 that says, an eye for an eye and a tooth 00:05:27.209 --> 00:05:33.110 for a tooth, right? And yet when God gives that 00:05:33.110 --> 00:05:36.589 verse, he is talking about the administration 00:05:36.589 --> 00:05:43.370 of public justice, not private revenge. Would 00:05:43.370 --> 00:05:47.129 you please mark that? An eye for an eye and a 00:05:47.129 --> 00:05:50.230 tooth for a tooth and that principle of retaliation 00:05:50.230 --> 00:05:53.850 is actually for public carrying out of justice 00:05:53.850 --> 00:05:57.370 and not for carrying out of private vengeance. 00:05:59.490 --> 00:06:02.329 The Lord Jesus Christ makes that clear. If you'll 00:06:02.329 --> 00:06:05.370 turn back to Matthew chapter 5, you will see 00:06:05.370 --> 00:06:07.750 some comments that he had to make regarding that 00:06:07.750 --> 00:06:13.990 very verse. Matthew 5 verse 38. You see, the 00:06:13.990 --> 00:06:16.310 Jews of his day had applied that principle to 00:06:16.310 --> 00:06:20.610 their personal relationships, and they paid back 00:06:20.610 --> 00:06:25.949 evil for evil. Verse 38, you have heard that 00:06:25.949 --> 00:06:28.269 it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for 00:06:28.269 --> 00:06:32.490 a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist him 00:06:32.490 --> 00:06:35.470 who is evil, but whoever slaps you on your right 00:06:35.470 --> 00:06:40.980 cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone 00:06:40.980 --> 00:06:44.319 wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:48.100 have your coat also. And whoever shall force 00:06:48.100 --> 00:06:51.540 you to go one mile, go with him too. Give to 00:06:51.540 --> 00:06:54.120 him who asks of you, and do not turn away from 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:57.180 him who wants to borrow from you. That's the 00:06:57.180 --> 00:06:58.860 verse we ought to quote to the bank this week. 00:07:01.699 --> 00:07:06.660 What is Jesus saying here? He is saying in several 00:07:06.660 --> 00:07:09.240 words what the Apostle Paul has said in a few 00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:12.509 words, that we are not to pay back evil for evil. 00:07:12.629 --> 00:07:16.089 There is a higher principle involved in our lives, 00:07:16.129 --> 00:07:18.810 and that is the principle of love and forgiveness. 00:07:20.149 --> 00:07:22.930 I want to emphasize that this does not annul 00:07:22.930 --> 00:07:27.509 God's principle of justice, because that is of 00:07:27.509 --> 00:07:29.649 God as well as the principle we're looking at 00:07:29.649 --> 00:07:34.649 now. But verse 17 has to do with our personal 00:07:34.649 --> 00:07:38.230 relationships. We are not to pay back evil for 00:07:38.230 --> 00:07:41.990 evil. That should not be strictly applied to 00:07:41.990 --> 00:07:46.009 human government, by the way. Human government 00:07:46.009 --> 00:07:48.430 cannot live according to the principles of the 00:07:48.430 --> 00:07:51.810 child of God because human government is man's 00:07:51.810 --> 00:07:56.389 government over unregenerate man. But the principle 00:07:56.389 --> 00:07:58.410 we're looking at here is a principle for the 00:07:58.410 --> 00:08:02.449 child of God. Do not pay back evil for evil. 00:08:02.990 --> 00:08:06.329 Rather, we are to exhibit forgiveness and mercy. 00:08:07.180 --> 00:08:12.000 even as our Father God has to us. Aren't you 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:14.579 glad that God has not dealt with us only according 00:08:14.579 --> 00:08:21.420 to his justice? If God would mark out our sins 00:08:21.420 --> 00:08:24.139 according to perfect justice and forget mercy, 00:08:24.519 --> 00:08:29.819 there's not one of us who would stand. Ah, someone 00:08:29.819 --> 00:08:35.039 says, but I've been wronged. Yes, we will be 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:37.559 wronged in life. There's no guarantee for the 00:08:37.559 --> 00:08:40.860 Christian that he will not experience a lack 00:08:40.860 --> 00:08:45.019 of fairness, perhaps even often. But commentator 00:08:45.019 --> 00:08:48.720 Linsky says that it's surprising that we don't 00:08:48.720 --> 00:08:51.460 receive more evil than we do, considering the 00:08:51.460 --> 00:08:55.279 baseness of our own sins. That helps put it in 00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:59.360 perspective a little bit. So what do you do with 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:01.850 an enemy? Well, in the first place, you conduct 00:09:01.850 --> 00:09:04.370 yourself and your relationship to him not on 00:09:04.370 --> 00:09:08.669 the basis of retaliation, but mercy and forgiveness. 00:09:09.929 --> 00:09:12.529 Then principle number two is the last part of 00:09:12.529 --> 00:09:15.509 verse 17, where it says, Respect what is right 00:09:15.509 --> 00:09:18.149 in the sight of all men. The revised version 00:09:18.149 --> 00:09:20.970 says, Take thought for what is noble in the sight 00:09:20.970 --> 00:09:25.730 of all. The Greek verb here means to think beforehand, 00:09:25.909 --> 00:09:30.980 and the idea is to be preoccupied with it. The 00:09:30.980 --> 00:09:33.779 New International Version says, be careful to 00:09:33.779 --> 00:09:37.059 do what is right. And why are we to do this? 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:41.500 Is it for our sakes? No. Not so much for our 00:09:41.500 --> 00:09:45.899 own sakes as for the sake of the gospel. You 00:09:45.899 --> 00:09:47.820 see, the point is here that we are to consider 00:09:47.820 --> 00:09:51.879 each situation in life as to its impact on our 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:57.259 witness. We are to be marked as people who are 00:09:57.259 --> 00:10:03.840 true, good, noble, pure. Because, you see, that 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:06.980 substantiates our verbal witness for Jesus Christ. 00:10:08.019 --> 00:10:11.440 And so he says, take thought, respect what is 00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:16.419 right in the sight of all men. Now this principle, 00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:20.879 folks, affects the music that we listen to, the 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:24.759 material that we read, the programs that we watch 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:28.179 on television, the places of entertainment that 00:10:28.179 --> 00:10:33.919 we go. the events that we attend, the companionships 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:39.080 that we cultivate. In all areas of life, we are 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:41.860 to respect what is right in the sight of all 00:10:41.860 --> 00:10:44.759 men. You see, the real point is that when we 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:48.700 live that way, no slanderous attack of the enemy 00:10:48.700 --> 00:10:52.899 will succeed. And the message that we preach 00:10:52.899 --> 00:10:55.440 or witness personally will not be dishonored 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:59.980 if we live this way. That's why the Apostle Paul 00:10:59.980 --> 00:11:03.519 says in 2 Corinthians, we have renounced the 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:07.299 hidden things because of shame, not walking in 00:11:07.299 --> 00:11:11.279 craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but 00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:14.899 by the manifestation of truth, commending ourselves 00:11:14.899 --> 00:11:18.100 to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:23.600 In chapter 8, he relates the love offering that 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.039 he has collected for the poor saints in Jerusalem. 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:29.620 And regarding the administration of that, he 00:11:29.620 --> 00:11:34.019 says in chapter 8, verses 20 and 21, taking precaution 00:11:34.019 --> 00:11:38.100 that no one should discredit us in our administration 00:11:38.100 --> 00:11:42.440 of this generous gift, for we have regard for 00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:46.159 what is honorable. And that word, that verb, 00:11:46.379 --> 00:11:49.000 have regard, is the same one as in our verse 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:53.120 in Romans 12, 17. We think beforehand regarding 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:56.570 what is honorable. Not only in the sight of the 00:11:56.570 --> 00:11:58.730 Lord, he says, but also in the sight of men. 00:12:00.269 --> 00:12:02.769 He says we want to do this in such a way that 00:12:02.769 --> 00:12:05.350 not only God knows we're doing it right, but 00:12:05.350 --> 00:12:07.750 people who are watching from the outside will 00:12:07.750 --> 00:12:09.710 know that we have cared for this in an honorable 00:12:09.710 --> 00:12:13.750 manner. And so Peter joins in and says, Keep 00:12:13.750 --> 00:12:18.830 your behavior excellent among the pagans, so 00:12:18.830 --> 00:12:21.809 that in the thing that they slander you as evildoers, 00:12:22.350 --> 00:12:25.330 they may, on account of your good deeds as they 00:12:25.330 --> 00:12:29.669 observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 00:12:31.789 --> 00:12:34.610 I guess the question that it is important for 00:12:34.610 --> 00:12:39.370 us to face is, am I giving ammunition to the 00:12:39.370 --> 00:12:41.649 enemies of Christ by the way that I'm living? 00:12:44.110 --> 00:12:49.110 In the way that I pay my bills, in the way that 00:12:49.110 --> 00:12:54.039 I conduct my business, In the stories that I 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:56.559 tell, in the conversations that I listen to, 00:12:56.740 --> 00:13:00.779 am I doing what is right in the sight of all 00:13:00.779 --> 00:13:03.840 men, or am I doing otherwise, and thus giving 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:08.620 ammunition to the enemies of the gospel? Because 00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:10.860 you see, there's nothing that will destroy one's 00:13:10.860 --> 00:13:20.279 witness like hypocrisy. You, sir, business executive. 00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:25.840 Do you carry out your business dealings on the 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:31.659 basis of God's principles? Or you say, wait a 00:13:31.659 --> 00:13:34.679 minute, the boss at work is tough on me. He says 00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:37.100 I've got to do it another way. My friend, you 00:13:37.100 --> 00:13:40.159 are better off sweeping streets then and obeying 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:43.320 God's word than staying in that office where 00:13:43.320 --> 00:13:48.039 you have to compromise God's principles. To obey 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:51.220 is better than to sacrifice, right? to hearken 00:13:51.220 --> 00:13:57.440 than the fat of rams. I remember a good friend 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:02.840 of mine who in his business advertised a certain 00:14:02.840 --> 00:14:09.080 item to get people into his store. Normally what 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:12.639 he sells would go for $1 ,000 and much higher. 00:14:13.539 --> 00:14:18.519 But he offered in this ad a certain item for 00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:24.799 like $250. What it was was a piano. And when 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:26.440 he came into the store and looked at the piano, 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:28.000 it was in the back room. He didn't keep it out 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:31.200 in the front. It was a piano completely out of 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:34.659 tune, all scratched up, and the keys were missing 00:14:34.659 --> 00:14:38.059 ivories. And he said, now here's the piano that 00:14:38.059 --> 00:14:40.440 we're selling for $250 if you'd like to have 00:14:40.440 --> 00:14:42.320 it. And he would play it, and you'd want to put 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:45.899 your fingers in your ears. But he said, now we 00:14:45.899 --> 00:14:48.440 have some pianos out here that you might really 00:14:48.440 --> 00:14:50.299 be interested in. He would take them out to the 00:14:50.299 --> 00:14:56.600 $1 ,000 pianos. I question that practice. Is 00:14:56.600 --> 00:15:00.100 that doing what is right in the eyes of all men? 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:05.720 The old bait and switch routine? We ought to 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:08.419 have nothing to do with questionable or shady 00:15:08.419 --> 00:15:17.990 practices or conversations or deals. What do 00:15:17.990 --> 00:15:21.549 we do with an enemy? We live such godly and righteous 00:15:21.549 --> 00:15:24.809 lives before him that he's unable to poke holes 00:15:24.809 --> 00:15:29.090 in our testimony. Principle number three is found 00:15:29.090 --> 00:15:32.210 in verse 18 where he says, be at peace with all 00:15:32.210 --> 00:15:36.450 men. Again, Linsky suggests here that in Christ's 00:15:36.450 --> 00:15:39.649 interest we ought to be militants, but in our 00:15:39.649 --> 00:15:45.029 own interests, pacifists. Jesus said, blessed 00:15:45.029 --> 00:15:48.399 are the peacemakers. They shall be called the 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:52.259 sons of God. That's certainly a verse that is 00:15:52.259 --> 00:15:55.919 broadly publicized and often taken out of context 00:15:55.919 --> 00:16:01.259 these days. What is peace anyway when it says, 00:16:01.340 --> 00:16:05.659 be at peace with all men? Well, peace is not 00:16:05.659 --> 00:16:10.299 the absence of strife. You see, that could be 00:16:10.299 --> 00:16:14.179 merely a truce. I know of a husband and wife 00:16:14.179 --> 00:16:17.080 who've lived in the same home for 15 years now. 00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:20.360 She in the upstairs, he in the basement apartment, 00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:22.879 and all they say to each other, the phone is 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:27.659 for you. You couldn't really say there's strife 00:16:27.659 --> 00:16:30.720 in that home because they don't talk. You certainly 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:36.200 can't say there's peace. Nor is peace found in 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:41.210 the idea of peace at any price. That's not God's 00:16:41.210 --> 00:16:44.649 idea of peace. Rather, peace comes from righteousness 00:16:44.649 --> 00:16:47.210 in relationships that brings enemies together. 00:16:48.470 --> 00:16:51.789 Peace is produced by exposing the problems and 00:16:51.789 --> 00:16:56.389 getting the conflict settled. That's why we can't 00:16:56.389 --> 00:17:01.389 have peace in Lebanon. We can have truces that 00:17:01.389 --> 00:17:04.710 last for a few minutes to a few hours. We can 00:17:04.710 --> 00:17:08.940 have ceasefires, but no peace. Why? Because there 00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:12.660 is not yet a settling of the issues underlying 00:17:12.660 --> 00:17:17.220 the whole tension. When God talks about peace, 00:17:17.339 --> 00:17:21.460 he means peace. The Bible is not advocating peace 00:17:21.460 --> 00:17:24.700 at any price. The Bible is not advocating glossing 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:28.259 over of problems. Rather, God is telling us here 00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:30.720 that we ought to get to the basis of the conflict 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:34.259 and settle those conflicts and build bridges 00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:37.509 so that true peace can exist. But I want you 00:17:37.509 --> 00:17:41.750 to notice that God is a very practical God. In 00:17:41.750 --> 00:17:46.269 verse 18, he says, if possible, so far as it 00:17:46.269 --> 00:17:50.029 depends on you, be at peace with all men. You 00:17:50.029 --> 00:17:55.170 notice the two qualifiers? In the first place, 00:17:55.210 --> 00:17:58.210 he says, if possible, because you see, God knows 00:17:58.210 --> 00:18:05.809 that sometimes people are impossible. And then 00:18:05.809 --> 00:18:09.390 he says, as far as it depends on you, that's 00:18:09.390 --> 00:18:13.750 the limit of your responsibility. In other words, 00:18:13.869 --> 00:18:22.349 so be in harmony with your enemies. So be in 00:18:22.349 --> 00:18:27.029 harmony and at peace with your enemies that they 00:18:27.029 --> 00:18:32.230 will not attack you. And if there is disharmony, 00:18:32.250 --> 00:18:36.420 don't be the instigator of it. As much as it 00:18:36.420 --> 00:18:40.500 lies within your power, if possible, be at peace 00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:48.319 with your enemies. Verse 19 gives us the fourth 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:53.579 principle. He says, never take your own revenge, 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:57.920 beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God. 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:02.920 Avenge not yourselves. How unnatural is that? 00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:06.779 Because, you see, from childhood we learn otherwise. 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:12.500 We learn to strike back. We learn to seek to 00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:16.119 get even. The old sinful nature takes care of 00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:19.740 that. And we believers still have the principle, 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:24.960 the power of sin indwelling us. But you see, 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:29.119 in the scales of life, the balance is too delicate 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:34.720 for our clumsy judgments. We are liable to be 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:39.599 either too lenient or too severe. And so he says, 00:19:39.740 --> 00:19:42.480 avenge not yourselves, but leave room for the 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:46.440 wrath of God. The word room is an interesting 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:50.099 one. It's used in Ephesians 4 .27 where it says, 00:19:50.279 --> 00:19:54.339 leave no place for the devil. Don't give him 00:19:54.339 --> 00:19:58.000 any room. The idea means a place of operation. 00:20:00.809 --> 00:20:03.609 Don't give him an opportunity to function in 00:20:03.609 --> 00:20:07.210 your life. And here what he says on the positive 00:20:07.210 --> 00:20:10.509 side is that we are to leave room. We are to 00:20:10.509 --> 00:20:14.450 leave a place for God's wrath to function. You 00:20:14.450 --> 00:20:16.750 see, vengeance is the work of God. That's what 00:20:16.750 --> 00:20:18.950 the verse there tells us from Deuteronomy 32. 00:20:20.890 --> 00:20:24.069 That is his territory. Don't trespass on it. 00:20:25.450 --> 00:20:30.240 Judgment is the prerogative of God. And God's 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:32.960 wrath will come, whether now or later, it is 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:36.880 certain to come. You see, God has not balanced 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:42.279 any accounts and closed them out yet. But he 00:20:42.279 --> 00:20:46.940 will. And therefore, when somebody has done something 00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:50.960 wrong to us, we are to allow God to take care 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:55.700 of it. But the flesh argues with that. Someone 00:20:55.700 --> 00:20:59.309 says, yeah, but... My enemy deserves what I'm 00:20:59.309 --> 00:21:05.730 going to do to him. But on the other hand, would 00:21:05.730 --> 00:21:09.650 you concentrate on what you deserve from the 00:21:09.650 --> 00:21:13.190 hand of God, but for his mercy and forgiveness? 00:21:15.329 --> 00:21:18.390 And will you concentrate instead of what he deserves, 00:21:18.549 --> 00:21:24.680 rather than what God requires of you? Yeah, somebody 00:21:24.680 --> 00:21:26.740 else says, but I think we ought to stand up for 00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:30.519 our rights. What we really ought to do is let 00:21:30.519 --> 00:21:35.579 God have control of our rights and not keep them 00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:40.279 for ourselves. Someone else says, but it stands 00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:44.140 to reason. It just makes sense that, yeah, yeah, 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:46.200 it probably does to man's reason. But you say 00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:51.400 man's ways are not God's ways. Bruce says that 00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:55.769 we should. Have a patient mindset allowing, quote, 00:21:55.809 --> 00:22:00.390 the law of divine retribution to operate, whether 00:22:00.390 --> 00:22:06.809 now or on the day of wrath, close quote. Beloved, 00:22:06.809 --> 00:22:11.470 be patient. If you have an enemy who's undermining 00:22:11.470 --> 00:22:14.549 you, who's attacking you, who's making life difficult 00:22:14.549 --> 00:22:18.529 for you, do not take vengeance on that enemy, 00:22:18.730 --> 00:22:25.160 however capable you may be. But with a patient 00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:31.859 mindset, leave wrath to God. The fifth principle 00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:35.240 is found in verses 20 and 21, where he says, 00:22:35.339 --> 00:22:38.339 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil 00:22:38.339 --> 00:22:42.380 with good. You see, the idea is that kindness 00:22:42.380 --> 00:22:48.039 may mellow an enemy. And while God waits patiently 00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:50.680 before bringing his vengeance upon the enemy, 00:22:50.920 --> 00:22:54.150 there may be a turning. There may be a transformation 00:22:54.150 --> 00:22:58.509 in that enemy so that he becomes a friend. Love 00:22:58.509 --> 00:23:01.650 operates even in the face of hatred, if it's 00:23:01.650 --> 00:23:05.230 God's love, because God demonstrated his love 00:23:05.230 --> 00:23:08.630 for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ 00:23:08.630 --> 00:23:12.890 died for us, not when we were his friends, when 00:23:12.890 --> 00:23:18.789 we were his enemies. He loved us. If your enemy 00:23:18.789 --> 00:23:23.069 is hungry, give him something to eat. If he's 00:23:23.069 --> 00:23:26.750 thirsty, give him something to drink. Be kind 00:23:26.750 --> 00:23:32.089 and overcome his evil with good deeds. He tells 00:23:32.089 --> 00:23:34.529 us that in doing that, we heap coals of fire 00:23:34.529 --> 00:23:39.849 upon his head. What are the coals of fire? Well, 00:23:39.890 --> 00:23:42.069 William Newell says that if we say it's anything 00:23:42.069 --> 00:23:44.369 less than hell, we are unfaithful to the word 00:23:44.369 --> 00:23:49.569 of God. I disagree with him. I believe in a literal 00:23:49.569 --> 00:23:51.289 hell. I don't think that's what it's talking 00:23:51.289 --> 00:23:55.329 about here. The coals of fire here seem to be 00:23:55.329 --> 00:24:01.990 symbolic and refers to the shame, the remorse 00:24:01.990 --> 00:24:08.930 that is caused by the good deeds that you conduct 00:24:08.930 --> 00:24:13.329 for your enemy. Perhaps it will bring him to 00:24:13.329 --> 00:24:18.289 repentance, to a change. Keep heaping the coals 00:24:18.289 --> 00:24:22.730 of fire in his head. This is illustrated back 00:24:22.730 --> 00:24:26.029 in the book of 1 Samuel. Turn back there with 00:24:26.029 --> 00:24:38.809 me. To the 24th chapter. You will recall that 00:24:38.809 --> 00:24:47.109 David was anointed to be the king of Israel by 00:24:47.109 --> 00:24:51.180 Samuel the prophet. The only slight problem was 00:24:51.180 --> 00:24:54.880 that there was already a king. His name was Saul. 00:24:57.420 --> 00:25:01.579 Saul immediately declared David his enemy. He 00:25:01.579 --> 00:25:06.420 was a threat. And Saul sought to kill David. 00:25:07.660 --> 00:25:10.440 He would lead excursions seeking to hunt him 00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:15.509 down. It says in verse 1, Now it came about when 00:25:15.509 --> 00:25:17.970 Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, 00:25:17.970 --> 00:25:20.789 he was told, saying, Behold, David is in the 00:25:20.789 --> 00:25:24.890 wilderness of En Gedi. And then Saul took three 00:25:24.890 --> 00:25:27.849 thousand chosen men from all Israel and went 00:25:27.849 --> 00:25:31.190 to seek David and his men in front of the rocks 00:25:31.190 --> 00:25:35.950 of the wild goats. And he came to the sheepfolds 00:25:35.950 --> 00:25:38.269 on the way where there was a cave, and Saul went 00:25:38.269 --> 00:25:43.029 in to relieve himself. Now David and his men 00:25:43.029 --> 00:25:45.410 were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave. 00:25:46.210 --> 00:25:54.170 I think this scene is absolutely hilarious. And 00:25:54.170 --> 00:25:57.789 while all this was taking place, there in the 00:25:57.789 --> 00:25:59.710 shadows, in the darkness of that cave, David 00:25:59.710 --> 00:26:01.730 and his men were watching, and there was a little 00:26:01.730 --> 00:26:05.869 conversation going on. And one of the men said, 00:26:05.970 --> 00:26:11.349 David, David, behold, this is the day. Of which 00:26:11.349 --> 00:26:13.470 the Lord has said to you, Behold, I am about 00:26:13.470 --> 00:26:15.509 to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall 00:26:15.509 --> 00:26:19.009 do to him as it seems good to you. Doesn't that 00:26:19.009 --> 00:26:22.750 sound like a great verse to quote? Only one problem 00:26:22.750 --> 00:26:25.910 that never occurs in the Word of God. Here's 00:26:25.910 --> 00:26:27.869 one of these verses from Hezekiah, you know. 00:26:29.349 --> 00:26:31.410 Where'd you hear that? Oh, I don't know. It's 00:26:31.410 --> 00:26:33.049 somewhere in the Old Testament, I think, David. 00:26:36.809 --> 00:26:39.849 So David, at that prompting, got up and took 00:26:39.849 --> 00:26:43.369 his sword and cut the edge of Saul's robe secretly. 00:26:44.250 --> 00:26:47.009 Apparently he had laid his outer robe down toward 00:26:47.009 --> 00:26:52.250 the mouth of the cave. Notice the kind of man 00:26:52.250 --> 00:26:54.690 David was. And it came about afterward that David's 00:26:54.690 --> 00:26:57.250 conscience bothered him because he had cut off 00:26:57.250 --> 00:26:59.390 the edge of Saul's robe. Now here's the guy trying 00:26:59.390 --> 00:27:03.289 to kill him. He simply cuts off the edge of his 00:27:03.289 --> 00:27:06.940 robe and now his conscience is smitten. And David 00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:09.380 said to his men, far be it from me because of 00:27:09.380 --> 00:27:12.420 the Lord that I should do this thing to my Lord, 00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:14.960 the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:17.460 him since he is the Lord's anointed. Do you notice 00:27:17.460 --> 00:27:22.000 twice the Lord's anointed? David recognizes that 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:26.460 God puts men into power and that even though 00:27:26.460 --> 00:27:28.980 Saul had declared himself an enemy, Saul was 00:27:28.980 --> 00:27:33.519 nonetheless the anointed of God. David says, 00:27:33.559 --> 00:27:37.680 I'm not going to touch him. And David persuaded 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:40.500 his men with these words and did not allow them 00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:43.500 to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left 00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:47.059 the cave, and went on his way. And after he had 00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:50.259 gotten that little piece from the cave, David 00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:53.099 went outside and yelled after him, My Lord, the 00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:59.440 King! Saul turned around and looked, and David 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:03.279 bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:07.170 himself. And David spoke to him, Why do you listen 00:28:07.170 --> 00:28:09.970 to the words of men, saying, Behold, David seeks 00:28:09.970 --> 00:28:14.869 to harm you? Behold, this day your eyes have 00:28:14.869 --> 00:28:17.809 seen that the Lord had given you today into my 00:28:17.809 --> 00:28:21.509 hand in the cave. And some said to kill you, 00:28:21.609 --> 00:28:24.930 but my eye had pity on you. And I said, I will 00:28:24.930 --> 00:28:27.609 not stretch out my hand against my Lord, for 00:28:27.609 --> 00:28:30.549 he is the Lord's anointed. Now my father, see, 00:28:30.690 --> 00:28:33.309 indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand. 00:28:34.599 --> 00:28:37.359 For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:41.380 did not kill you, know and perceive that there 00:28:41.380 --> 00:28:44.680 is no evil or rebellion in my hands. And I have 00:28:44.680 --> 00:28:47.279 not sinned against you, though you are lying 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:50.519 in wait for my life to take it. He says, may 00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:54.519 the Lord judge between us. Verse 14, he says, 00:28:54.700 --> 00:28:58.660 after whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom 00:28:58.660 --> 00:29:02.579 are you pursuing, a dead dog? A little flea? 00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:05.059 In other words, he's saying, who am I? What can 00:29:05.059 --> 00:29:08.500 I do to you, king? I'm like a dead dog, a single 00:29:08.500 --> 00:29:13.539 flea. It came about, it says in verse 16, that 00:29:13.539 --> 00:29:15.380 when David had finished speaking these words 00:29:15.380 --> 00:29:18.059 to Saul, that Saul said, is this your voice, 00:29:18.059 --> 00:29:23.240 my son David? Then Saul lifted up his voice and 00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:26.819 wept. And he said to David, you are more righteous 00:29:26.819 --> 00:29:30.720 than I, for you have dealt well with me, while 00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:34.240 I have dealt wickedly with you. You have declared 00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:37.440 today that you have done good to me, that the 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:39.319 Lord delivered me into your hand, and yet you 00:29:39.319 --> 00:29:44.880 did not kill me. And so we see that David, by 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:48.900 his good, overcame evil. Unfortunately, the remorse 00:29:48.900 --> 00:29:52.480 which Saul expresses here did not last very long. 00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:57.259 But nonetheless, the principle is observed here, 00:29:57.400 --> 00:30:03.299 that we do not overcome evil with evil. but will 00:30:03.299 --> 00:30:09.700 overcome evil with good. Can I ask you a question 00:30:09.700 --> 00:30:15.900 today? Who is your enemy? Are you plotting revenge 00:30:15.900 --> 00:30:22.599 on someone? Will you instead give that to God? 00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:30.720 Bill Parker, who lived in Dunkirk, Maryland, 00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:37.210 was on... his way to work last June 30th to install 00:30:37.210 --> 00:30:43.410 some carpet. He stopped at a red light. Approaching 00:30:43.410 --> 00:30:47.970 from behind came Stephen Uland, who was drunk. 00:30:49.609 --> 00:30:53.089 He did not stop but rammed into the back of Bill 00:30:53.089 --> 00:30:58.089 Parker's automobile, killing him instantly. Just 00:30:58.089 --> 00:31:06.589 23 years old. This week, Stephen Uland went before 00:31:06.589 --> 00:31:13.230 the judge for his sentencing. The parents of 00:31:13.230 --> 00:31:20.230 Bill Parker requested mercy for this motorist 00:31:20.230 --> 00:31:24.930 who had killed their son. Instead of being jailed, 00:31:24.930 --> 00:31:28.250 he was sentenced to work at a medical center. 00:31:28.910 --> 00:31:31.690 which treats Maryland's worst accident cases. 00:31:33.309 --> 00:31:36.150 The article in Associated Press goes on to say, 00:31:36.230 --> 00:31:39.490 Joseph and Doris Parker made their plea in a 00:31:39.490 --> 00:31:43.049 victim impact statement. The couple requested 00:31:43.049 --> 00:31:45.910 a county circuit judge to require Ulan to perform 00:31:45.910 --> 00:31:48.849 community service rather than serve a prison 00:31:48.849 --> 00:31:53.670 term. The Parkers said their family believed 00:31:53.670 --> 00:31:56.710 meaningful community service would serve as a 00:31:56.710 --> 00:32:01.359 better punishment term in jail, although he was 00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:04.000 responsible for the death of their son, one of 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:08.000 eight children. Hopefully, the parents said, 00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:12.579 we, Bill's parents, have instilled in his brothers 00:32:12.579 --> 00:32:16.779 and sisters the Christian ethics of forgiveness. 00:32:18.259 --> 00:32:22.759 We hope that Stephen Ulan understands and has 00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:26.339 true contrition in his heart and in the end will 00:32:26.339 --> 00:32:31.890 be a better person. I do not know the spiritual 00:32:31.890 --> 00:32:34.089 condition of those parents, but one thing I do 00:32:34.089 --> 00:32:38.569 know, that they have put into practice in a most 00:32:38.569 --> 00:32:42.450 extreme and difficult circumstance what we've 00:32:42.450 --> 00:32:45.470 talked about this morning and how to treat an 00:32:45.470 --> 00:32:50.269 enemy. Rather than taking revenge on your enemy, 00:32:50.329 --> 00:32:53.230 what kindness will you show? What noble deed 00:32:53.230 --> 00:33:01.900 will you do? Let's bow together in prayer. With 00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:04.220 our heads bowed, our eyes are shut, and as the 00:33:04.220 --> 00:33:09.680 Spirit of God applies this to us, may I again 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:12.539 remind you of Romans 5 .8, that God demonstrated 00:33:12.539 --> 00:33:17.079 his love for us, and that while we were yet sinners, 00:33:17.339 --> 00:33:23.740 his enemies, Christ died for us. My friend, you 00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:26.970 may not be a Christian here today at all. You 00:33:26.970 --> 00:33:30.250 may still be in your sin, but I want you to know 00:33:30.250 --> 00:33:35.250 that God loves you. Yes, wrath is being stored 00:33:35.250 --> 00:33:40.089 up. Yes, unless you repent, you will perish in 00:33:40.089 --> 00:33:43.890 your sin. But for now, my friend, this is a day 00:33:43.890 --> 00:33:47.670 of grace for you. And even though you may have 00:33:47.670 --> 00:33:51.089 been God's enemy all of your life to this point, 00:33:51.130 --> 00:33:55.559 today God will receive you and forgive you. Be 00:33:55.559 --> 00:34:03.079 merciful and wipe out your sin and remove the 00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:06.539 vengeance you deserve because of your wickedness. 00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:11.139 Will you today trust Jesus Christ? Will you open 00:34:11.139 --> 00:34:14.300 your heart and receive him into your life and 00:34:14.300 --> 00:34:20.179 be saved? Dear child of God, there are some of 00:34:20.179 --> 00:34:21.860 you who are here today or who are eaten up with 00:34:21.860 --> 00:34:27.570 bitterness. The anger and hostility about the 00:34:27.570 --> 00:34:29.989 way you've been treated by your enemies is destroying 00:34:29.989 --> 00:34:36.030 you spiritually and maybe even physically. Will 00:34:36.030 --> 00:34:41.409 you today give that to God? Will you repent and 00:34:41.409 --> 00:34:45.030 say, Lord, now I understand how I need to treat 00:34:45.030 --> 00:34:49.010 my enemy. Give me grace and courage and strength 00:34:49.010 --> 00:34:55.289 to do that. Father, I pray that today we will 00:34:55.289 --> 00:34:57.710 not only be hearers of the word, but doers of 00:34:57.710 --> 00:35:05.070 it. May we practice it in our lives. I pray that 00:35:05.070 --> 00:35:07.769 we will make room for the lordship of Jesus Christ. 00:35:11.210 --> 00:35:15.030 That we'll not shut him out of our hearts, but 00:35:15.030 --> 00:35:17.989 rather allow him to enter, and having entered, 00:35:18.150 --> 00:35:24.670 to reign. I pray that you will bring about the 00:35:24.670 --> 00:35:28.710 commitments, the changes, the decisions that 00:35:28.710 --> 00:35:32.030 need to be made this morning so that we may walk 00:35:32.030 --> 00:35:35.909 in obedience to your word. In Jesus' name, amen.