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Romans 12:17-21 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Please turn in your copy of God's Word to Romans, chapter 12.
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! We'll continue our journey, our march together, verse by verse, through the book of Romans.
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! And we have come now to the practical part of the text.
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As Paul has in the first 11 chapters, given us the great doctrine of the gospel,
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the gospel that comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, forever,
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he's turned now at the end of 11 and the beginning of 12 to help us, to show us what that now looks like in practice.
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What are the practical implications of all of these great truths?
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And lest we forget, he begins by saying, verse 1, verse 2,
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that we are to, now as our reasonable service, as the obvious thing we should be doing in response to the glorious truth of the gospel,
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we should be giving ourselves, all of us, as a living sacrifice.
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Offering ourselves up to his service.
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And we do that by the renewing of our mind, so that we'll be transformed, so that we'll know what is good and acceptable and perfect.
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And I've been asserting to you that he doesn't leave that in the wind for us,
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but that he goes on to talk about what is good and acceptable and perfect.
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He lays out for us the model of Christian living.
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We've talked about verse 9, about letting love be genuine.
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Genuine love.
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Unhypocritical love.
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The love that is characterized by abhorring evil and holding fast to good.
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That this is the summary.
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This is the probably oversimplified summary of what godliness looks like.
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What a life offered holy to god looks like is a life that expresses that reality in genuine, unhypocritical love.
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And as we've tried to look at and kind of break down, we've got this overarching exhortation to genuine love,
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merciful, self-sacrificial, subservient love.
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We've tried to break down these exhortations and look at them piecemeal, as challenging as that is often,
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as we look at the scriptures, to see that he calls us to genuinely love the saints, verses 10-13.
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Last week we talked about genuine love to all people, generally, in verses 15 and 16.
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And so we see the scope then of the church and the world.
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But then he narrows it back down for us a bit to talk about the group that would be most difficult to love genuinely.
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And that is your enemies.
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You see this in verse 14 and then 17-21, which I recognize is a bit of an odd way to break this up.
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I wrestled immensely on doing it this way.
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But I think you'll see the tie-in.
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I hope you'll see the tie-in together in just a moment.
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So let's read together, beginning in verse 14 through the end of the chapter.
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Bless those who persecute you.
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Bless and do not curse them.
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Rejoice with those who rejoice.
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Weep with those who weep.
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Live in harmony with one another.
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Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.
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Never be wise in your own sight.
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Repay no one evil for evil,
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but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
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If possible, so far as it depends on you,
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live peaceably with all.
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Beloved, never avenge yourselves,
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but leave it to the wrath of God.
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For it is written,
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Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.
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To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him.
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If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
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For by so doing you will heat burning coals on his head.
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Do not be overcome by evil,
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but overcome evil with good.
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Let's pray together.
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Father God, we thank you for the blessing of your word.
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It is a grace to us.
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Thank you also for the church,
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the office of pastor,
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the gift in varying levels to teach.
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And because the realities of the gospel exist,
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we all have,
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those of us who have placed faith in Christ,
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your spirit abiding within us.
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So I pray this morning that by your spirit,
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I will preach well.
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I will unfold the meaning of this text well.
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And that by your spirit,
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we will hear it.
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And we will have it applied to our hearts
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that they might be tenderized
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towards those we may consider our enemies.
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I pray this in Christ's name.
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Amen.
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So verse 14, we have the exhortation to
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bless those who persecute you.
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Bless and do not curse them.
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The most difficult group of people to love.
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Those who hate you.
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Those who persecute you.
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Those who ridicule.
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Who potentially,
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as you may be sent out all over this world,
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physically would harm you,
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imprison you,
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beat you.
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Right?
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The call is a high call.
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It's not particularly complicated.
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It's a fairly simple concept,
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but it is incredibly profound.
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It flips humanity,
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who the fallen human state is,
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it flips it around.
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Right?
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Because what we tend to do as people
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is we tend to stand our ground
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and defend our rights.
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Somebody pokes us,
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we hit them back.
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Right?
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And that is not the calling to the Christian.
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Right?
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The calling to the Christian
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is to turn the edge of the cheek.
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The calling to the Christian
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is to go the extra mile.
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Right?
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The calling to the Christian
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is to give what hasn't even been asked for
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to those who are persecuting us.
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And you'll remember last week,
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if you weren't here,
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we talked extensively about
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verse 15 and 16 and 17
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about humility,
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about proper,
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actual, real humility
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and what that looks like
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and how real humility
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accompanies faith.
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If you are a Christian,
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if you are in fact a Christian,
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you must be humbled.
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A humble person recognizes
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that apart from the saving work
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of Jesus Christ,
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we are nothing.
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Our nature has been utterly spoiled by sin.
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There's no good thing left in us.
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Now because of Christ,
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we are sons and daughters
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of the Most High.
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There's infinite value in that.
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But apart from that,
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we're nothing.
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Faith and humility
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work together
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hand in hand.
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And if you're humble,
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you also recognize
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that you really have
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no rights.
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We are Americans.
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I believe everyone in here
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is an American citizen.
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And as Americans,
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we have rights.
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Certain things that are given to us
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inalienable,
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glad I said that right.
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I was worried
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as it was coming to my mouth.
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Inalienable rights
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granted to us
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by our founding documents.
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Praise God for that.
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We live in a great country.
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The best country,
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I would argue.
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And there's lots of debate
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right now about our rights
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being taken from us.
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And they shouldn't be
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to be political for a moment.
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They shouldn't be.
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But in reality,
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in all actuality,
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we have no rights.
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What we deserve,
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what has been granted to us
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apart from Christ,
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is eternal death
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and destruction.
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Separation from God forever.
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That's what we have a right to.
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We've purchased that
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with our sin.
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In all of our sinful activity,
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we have said to God,
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I hate you,
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and what the return of that is,
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is his wrath.
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That's what we have a right to.
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In Christ,
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we have all sorts of
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beautiful, wonderful gifts
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and treasures
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found in God.
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But the temptation
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to curse those who persecute us,
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to do evil back to them,
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to utter evil in their direction,
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is the result of us believing
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that we deserve better.
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So humility
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is what permits us
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to bless those
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who persecute us
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and not curse them.
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And I know that not all of you
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were here last week,
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but I hope you've been seeing the tie
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between 14
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on through 16
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and now
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into verse 17.
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As he expands
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more of what he means,
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as he says,
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repay no one evil for evil,
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but give thought to do
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what is honorable
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in the sight of all.
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This is not a concept
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that's foreign to the Scriptures.
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Paul wrote again
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in 1 Thessalonians 5.15,
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See that no one repays anyone evil
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for evil,
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but always seek to do good
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to one another
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and to everyone.
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Peter wrote the same.
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1 Peter 3.8.9,
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Finally, all of you
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have unity of mind,
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sympathy,
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brotherly love,
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a tender heart,
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and a humble mind.
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So humility.
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Do not repay
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evil for evil
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or reviling for reviling,
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but on the contrary,
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bless.
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For to this you are called
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that you may obtain
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a blessing.
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Now,
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he is addressing
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particularly,
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in this case,
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persecutors, right?
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Verse 14,
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Bless those who persecute you.
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But we certainly can apply
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the principle out
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beyond that.
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I would venture to say
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that no one here
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probably really has
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a persecutor in mind
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as they're thinking
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of these Scriptures.
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I hope that as you're
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broadening your faith
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and you're getting out there
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and you're sharing it
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and you're being more radical,
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that people start to
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not like you
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because you're always
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preaching the Gospel to them.
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That should be a reality
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in your life.
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I hope, maybe,
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that you're drawing
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some kind of persecution
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into your mind
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as you live holy
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in front of students
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on campus,
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at your workplace.
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People begin to shun you.
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They don't want to talk
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to you anymore.
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You're holier than thou.
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I'm hoping this kind of stuff
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is drawn to your mind.
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But beyond that,
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I think all of us
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can probably think of
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an enemy
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all of us probably
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have that person
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that we just really have
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some distaste for
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that have in some way
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brought an injury
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to us.
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They've talked bad about us,
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tarnished our reputation,
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have caused some
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ill fate to happen
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in one of our classes
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or maybe at work.
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I have some of these people.
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People I haven't gotten
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along with too well
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throughout my life.
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what am I called to do
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in Christ
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as I deal with
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these people?
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I am to
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give thought
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to do
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what is
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honorable.
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I am meant
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to bless them.
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In this is love.
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Remember,
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we're talking about
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genuine love.
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In this is love.
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that while we were
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enemies of God,
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Christ died
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for us.
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We're meant
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to be
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Christ-like.
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We're meant
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to exalt
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Christ
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in our living.
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So the
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reasonable act,
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this is what Paul
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is saying to us,
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the reasonable response
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to the gospel truth
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in our life
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is that we
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bless,
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we genuinely
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love
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those who
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hate
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us.
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it's the
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reasonable thing
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to do.
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Not particularly
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complicated.
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Just the thing
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we should
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be doing
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is expressing
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love
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in this way.
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Giving thought
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to what is
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honorable,
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which means
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in the Greek
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intrinsically good,
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proper,
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obviously right,
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outward.
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It's expressed
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goodness.
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goodness.
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It's not just
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that you
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bottle it up
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and you don't
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let out
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what's really
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going on
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inside your
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head.
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It's not
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just that you
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bite your
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tongue,
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but it's that
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you actually
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express
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goodness.
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That you're
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obviously
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right-acting
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outwardly
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towards people
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who hate
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you.
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It's meant
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to be done
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in such a way
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that it's
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honorable in
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the sight
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of all.
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That people
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marvel at
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who we are
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as Christians.
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this speaks
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to those of
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you who
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will go
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around the
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world
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and will
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be persecuted
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severely
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for your
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faith.
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But it
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certainly
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speaks of
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us now.
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As so
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many Christians
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try to
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stand their
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ground,
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defend their
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rights,
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be right
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about everything
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all the
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time.
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We ought
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to be a
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people who
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are characterized
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by our
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genuine
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love,
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even for
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those who
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hate us.
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if
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possible,
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so far
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as it
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depends on
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us,
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we're
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meant to
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live
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peaceably
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with all.
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And I,
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I mean,
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obviously I
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love God
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and his
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spirit and
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his moving
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and Paul's
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writing,
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so as I
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say this,
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know that.
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I love
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Paul's
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writing.
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Paul always
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very,
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very,
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very carefully
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articulates
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what he
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means,
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and I
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appreciate that
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about him.
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Right?
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He gives
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us our
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caveat at
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this point.
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If possible,
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so far as it
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depends on you,
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live peaceably
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with all.
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There's not
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a chance that
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every situation
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is going to
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be peaceable.
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You're going
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to have
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people who
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are going
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to come
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at you,
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and you're
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to do
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everything you
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can to
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sort that
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situation,
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to live
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peaceably.
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Peaceable
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relationships
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take two
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sides.
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There's just
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no way you
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can work in
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the heart
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of someone
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else.
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But as
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far as it
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depends on
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you,
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your part
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in it,
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you are
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to live
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peaceably.
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It reminds
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me of when
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Jesus is
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giving the
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woes to
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the Pharisees,
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and he
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talks to
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them about
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how they
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should clean
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their cup
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and their
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plate first.
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We have
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no business
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cleaning up
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the plates
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and cups
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of other
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people.
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We're to
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clean our
15:16
own cup,
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our own
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plate,
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as far as
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it depends
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on us,
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that we
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live peaceably
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with all.
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So are
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you in a
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situation now
15:26
where there's
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disunity,
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there's a
15:27
disruption in
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peace in a
15:29
relationship you
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may have?
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You need to
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ask yourself
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this question,
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have I done
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everything I
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can possibly
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do to have
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peace with
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this person?
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I am not
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a political
15:41
person.
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I don't enjoy
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the politics
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of relationships.
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some of
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you who
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are in
15:47
the
15:48
dating
15:48
realm
15:48
right
15:48
now
15:49
would
15:49
say
15:49
I
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hate
15:49
games.
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Just
15:51
don't
15:51
enjoy
15:51
that.
15:52
I'm a
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straight
15:52
shooter.
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You tell
15:54
me how
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you feel,
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I'll tell
15:55
you how
15:55
I feel,
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what I
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say is
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what I
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mean.
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That's
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the kind
15:58
of person
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I am.
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And often
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when I get
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pulled into
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some situations
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that I
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really shouldn't
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even be
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involved in
16:03
to begin
16:03
with,
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I have
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to remind
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myself
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of this.
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You know
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a situation
16:09
where somebody
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has maybe
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said something
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about you
16:10
and somebody
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else has
16:11
taken it
16:11
and they've
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run with
16:12
it and
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they're
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thinking
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badly
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of you
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and you
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think to
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yourself,
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this shouldn't
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even be a
16:16
problem.
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I don't know
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if you do
16:17
that,
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but I do.
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I'm like,
16:19
I'm going to
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spend my
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time on
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this,
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are you
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kidding me?
16:21
Maybe I
16:22
can just
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ignore it
16:23
and it
16:23
will go
16:23
away.
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Somebody
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is showing
16:26
you some
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disdain
16:27
for something
16:28
they heard.
16:30
This
16:31
scripture has
16:31
meant a lot
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in my life
16:32
as I've
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dealt with
16:33
situations
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like that
16:34
to ask
16:35
myself,
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have I
16:37
done
16:37
everything I
16:38
can do
16:38
to be
16:38
at peace
16:39
with these
16:39
people?
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Have I
16:40
gone the
16:41
extra step?
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Have I
16:43
expressed
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outward
16:44
goodness
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in the
16:46
situation?
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Not
16:47
stayed
16:48
neutral,
16:48
but actually
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involved
16:49
myself
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and engaged
16:51
the people
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that I
16:52
might have
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peace
16:54
with them?
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It's going
16:56
to require
16:57
an effort
16:57
on our
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part
16:58
to do
16:59
this.
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And we
17:02
turn then
17:02
in verse
17:03
19.
17:05
So as
17:06
we are
17:07
seeking the
17:08
peace,
17:08
as we
17:08
are
17:09
expressing
17:10
outward
17:11
goodness
17:11
to those
17:12
who are
17:13
persecuting
17:14
us,
17:15
Paul then
17:16
comes along
17:16
and quotes
17:17
from Deuteronomy
17:18
32-35
17:19
a comfort
17:20
to us.
17:23
As we're
17:24
not going
17:25
to be able
17:25
to sort
17:25
every situation
17:26
out.
17:27
As we're
17:28
not going
17:28
to be able
17:28
or shouldn't
17:29
be defending
17:30
every tit
17:31
and tat
17:32
of our
17:32
rights.
17:36
He writes
17:36
beloved,
17:37
those who
17:39
are found
17:39
in Christ,
17:40
never
17:40
avenge
17:41
yourselves,
17:42
but leave
17:42
it to the
17:43
wrath of
17:44
God.
17:44
For it
17:44
is written,
17:46
vengeance
17:46
is mine,
17:47
I will
17:48
repay,
17:50
says the
17:50
Lord.
17:51
So here
17:52
is the
17:53
final
17:54
judgment
17:54
Paul is
17:56
speaking about
17:56
here.
17:57
Paul says
17:57
in Nathan's
17:59
simple terms,
18:00
don't worry
18:00
about it,
18:00
I'll sort
18:01
it out
18:01
in the
18:02
end.
18:04
Love,
18:06
outwardly
18:06
express
18:07
genuine
18:08
love to
18:09
those who
18:10
are your
18:10
enemies,
18:11
those who
18:11
persecute
18:12
you,
18:12
and just
18:14
trust that
18:15
in the
18:15
end,
18:16
it'll get
18:16
sorted,
18:17
they'll get
18:18
what's due
18:18
them,
18:19
and you'll
18:19
get what's
18:21
due you.
18:24
This
18:25
ability
18:25
to trust
18:28
in the
18:28
goodness
18:29
of God
18:30
in all
18:30
of these
18:31
situations,
18:31
to be
18:32
able to
18:33
overflow
18:35
love on
18:36
people that
18:36
from a
18:37
worldly
18:38
standard
18:38
don't
18:39
really
18:39
deserve
18:40
it,
18:41
is
18:42
one of
18:43
the
18:43
marks
18:43
of a
18:44
true
18:44
Christian.
18:44
That's
18:44
what
18:45
Paul is
18:46
saying
18:46
here to
18:46
us.
18:47
Actually,
18:47
if you're
18:48
subtitled the
18:48
way I
18:49
am,
18:50
marks
18:50
of the
18:51
true
18:51
Christian.
18:51
It's
18:51
where we
18:52
start in
18:52
verse
18:52
9.
18:54
Matthew
18:55
6,
18:56
14 and
18:57
15.
18:57
this is
18:58
the
18:59
Sermon
18:59
on the
18:59
Mount.
19:00
Jesus
19:00
says,
19:01
For if
19:01
you forgive
19:02
others
19:02
their
19:03
trespasses,
19:04
your
19:04
heavenly
19:04
Father
19:04
will also
19:05
forgive
19:06
you.
19:07
But if
19:07
you do
19:07
not
19:07
forgive
19:08
others
19:08
their
19:08
trespasses,
19:09
neither
19:10
will your
19:10
Father
19:10
forgive
19:11
your
19:11
trespasses.
19:13
Is
19:14
Jesus
19:14
saying
19:15
to us
19:15
that the
19:16
salvation
19:16
of your
19:17
soul
19:17
is
19:17
dependent
19:17
on
19:18
your
19:18
works?
19:20
No,
19:21
He
19:21
is not.
19:22
But what
19:23
He is
19:23
saying
19:23
to us
19:24
is that
19:25
if you
19:25
have been
19:26
forgiven
19:26
in
19:27
Christ,
19:27
the
19:28
natural
19:28
reaction,
19:30
the
19:31
obvious
19:32
outcome,
19:34
the
19:34
outflow
19:35
of that,
19:36
of a
19:36
changed
19:36
heart,
19:37
will be
19:38
forgiveness
19:38
for others.
19:41
Isn't that
19:42
exactly what
19:42
Paul is
19:42
saying to
19:43
us now?
19:44
Glorious
19:45
truth of
19:45
the
19:45
gospel.
19:46
Obvious
19:47
thing is a
19:48
self-sacrificing
19:49
love for
19:49
God,
19:50
right?
19:50
that
19:51
works
19:51
itself
19:51
out
19:51
in
19:52
genuine
19:52
love
19:52
and
19:53
doesn't
19:53
hold
19:54
wrong
19:54
against
19:55
other
19:55
people,
19:56
that
19:56
blesses
19:57
those
19:57
who
19:57
persecute,
19:58
that
19:58
outwardly
19:59
expresses
19:59
love
20:00
for
20:01
them,
20:01
that
20:01
doesn't
20:02
repay
20:02
evil
20:03
for
20:03
evil,
20:05
that
20:05
doesn't
20:06
worry
20:06
about
20:07
how it
20:07
sorts
20:08
in the
20:08
end.
20:09
So the
20:12
question for
20:13
you becomes,
20:15
if you
20:15
are doing
20:16
the opposite
20:17
of this,
20:19
if you
20:20
feel like
20:21
when somebody
20:21
wronged you,
20:22
you have to
20:22
get back
20:23
at them,
20:24
are you
20:26
a Christian?
20:28
It's a
20:29
test.
20:29
It's a
20:30
measure
20:30
of your
20:32
faith.
20:34
Now,
20:34
we all
20:35
fail at
20:36
things like
20:36
this.
20:38
So just
20:38
because you
20:39
don't do
20:39
this in
20:41
a moment
20:41
doesn't
20:42
make you
20:42
not a
20:43
Christian.
20:43
We
20:43
certainly
20:44
sin,
20:44
yet we're
20:44
secure
20:45
in God's
20:46
hand.
20:47
But take
20:47
a look
20:47
at your
20:48
life.
20:50
It's
20:50
the
20:51
overarching
20:51
theme
20:52
in this
20:53
particular
20:54
regard
20:55
that you
20:56
get back,
20:57
that you
20:57
want to
20:58
deliver evil
20:58
for evil,
20:58
that you
20:59
want to
20:59
stand for
20:59
your rights,
21:00
that you're
21:00
all about
21:01
you,
21:02
your
21:03
kingdom.
21:04
Because if
21:05
anybody invades
21:06
your kingdom
21:06
and tries to
21:07
dethrone you,
21:08
you have to
21:09
defend it.
21:11
The true
21:12
Christian says
21:12
God's on
21:13
the throne.
21:14
Vengeance
21:15
is his.
21:16
He'll
21:16
repay.
21:17
I'm not
21:18
too worried
21:18
about it.
21:18
I live
21:19
in a
21:19
theocracy.
21:21
I live
21:22
in a
21:22
theocracy
21:22
where I
21:23
have no
21:24
rights
21:24
except to
21:25
serve my
21:26
king,
21:26
and he
21:27
will deal
21:27
accordingly.
21:30
Listen
21:31
to Hebrews
21:33
chapter 10,
21:34
beginning in
21:34
verse 26.
21:35
The author
21:37
of Hebrews
21:37
writes,
21:38
For if we
21:38
go on
21:39
sinning
21:39
deliberately
21:40
after receiving
21:41
the knowledge
21:41
of the truth,
21:43
there no
21:43
longer remains
21:44
a sacrifice
21:45
for sins,
21:46
but a
21:46
fearful
21:47
expectation
21:48
of judgment
21:48
and a
21:49
fury of
21:49
fire that
21:50
will consume
21:51
the
21:51
adversaries.
21:53
Anyone who
21:53
has set
21:54
aside the
21:54
law of
21:54
Moses dies
21:55
without mercy
21:56
on the
21:56
evidence of
21:57
two or
21:57
three witnesses.
21:58
How much
21:59
worse punishment
22:00
do you think
22:01
will be
22:01
deserved by
22:02
the one who
22:03
has trampled
22:03
underfoot
22:04
the Son
22:04
of God
22:05
and has
22:05
profaned
22:06
the blood
22:06
of the
22:07
covenant
22:07
by which
22:07
he was
22:08
sanctified
22:08
and has
22:09
outraged
22:10
the Spirit
22:11
of grace?
22:12
For we
22:12
know him
22:13
who said,
22:14
Vengeance
22:14
is mine,
22:15
I will
22:16
repay,
22:17
and again
22:17
the Lord
22:18
will judge
22:19
his people.
22:20
This is
22:20
Deuteronomy
22:20
32,
22:21
35.
22:21
It is a
22:22
fearful thing
22:23
to fall
22:24
into the
22:24
hands
22:25
of the
22:26
living God.
22:29
So that
22:29
language
22:29
wasn't super
22:30
simple,
22:31
so hear
22:31
what he's
22:32
saying to
22:32
you.
22:33
If we
22:34
go on
22:35
sinning,
22:36
saying
22:37
that we're
22:38
Christians,
22:39
saying that
22:40
we walk
22:41
in the
22:41
light,
22:41
and yet
22:42
we persist
22:42
in our
22:43
sin.
22:45
He used
22:46
the example
22:46
of the
22:46
Old Testament.
22:47
If we
22:47
are breaking
22:48
the law
22:49
of the
22:49
commandment,
22:49
we have
22:50
two or
22:50
three witnesses
22:50
we're
22:51
condemned.
22:52
How much
22:52
more,
22:53
if we go
22:54
on sinning,
22:55
having the
22:56
revelation
22:56
of Jesus
22:57
Christ,
22:58
we're
22:59
trampling
22:59
underfoot
23:00
the Son
23:00
of God,
23:01
we've
23:02
profaned the
23:03
blood of
23:03
the covenant
23:03
by which
23:05
we're
23:05
sanctified.
23:06
We've
23:06
outraged
23:07
the Spirit
23:08
of grace.
23:09
He's
23:09
saying,
23:10
how much
23:10
more
23:11
will God
23:13
repay?
23:13
It is a
23:16
fearful
23:16
thing to
23:18
fall into
23:19
the hands
23:19
of the
23:20
living God.
23:23
So my
23:24
encouragement
23:25
in this
23:25
is that you
23:27
examine
23:28
your life.
23:29
love.
23:31
I would
23:32
say that
23:32
all of
23:33
us need
23:33
to do
23:33
better
23:34
at
23:35
exuding
23:36
love,
23:37
at living
23:38
in light
23:39
of the
23:39
gospel,
23:40
at genuinely
23:41
being concerned
23:43
for and
23:43
caring for
23:44
our enemies,
23:46
rejoicing
23:47
with them,
23:47
and weeping
23:48
with them.
23:49
There's a tie
23:50
in there.
23:51
We have a
23:52
true humility
23:53
recognizing that
23:53
we really have
23:54
no rights.
23:59
But ask
24:00
yourself,
24:01
do you have
24:02
the capacity
24:03
for it?
24:04
Has your
24:05
heart been
24:05
changed at
24:06
all?
24:08
Out of the
24:09
outflow of
24:09
your heart,
24:10
this is
24:11
possible.
24:12
Who you
24:12
are at
24:12
your very
24:13
core,
24:14
and without
24:14
Christ at
24:15
your core,
24:16
you're utterly
24:16
sinful.
24:17
You're
24:17
incapable of
24:18
doing anything
24:18
to please
24:19
God.
24:20
Even your
24:20
best effort
24:21
is distasteful
24:23
to Him.
24:24
ask yourself
24:26
that question
24:27
this morning.
24:28
The beautiful
24:29
thing is that
24:30
either way,
24:31
there's a
24:31
simple answer.
24:33
Whether you
24:33
stand firm
24:35
knowing you're
24:36
a Christian,
24:37
knowing though
24:37
that you
24:37
struggle with
24:38
this,
24:39
that you
24:39
must press
24:40
harder to
24:41
love your
24:42
enemies,
24:43
or recognizing
24:44
maybe for the
24:45
first time,
24:46
I'm not
24:46
saved.
24:48
I've been
24:48
doing this
24:48
church thing
24:49
for a long
24:49
time,
24:49
I've got
24:50
knowledge in
24:50
my head,
24:51
but I'm
24:51
not actually
24:52
a Christian.
24:53
The answer
24:54
to both
24:54
problems is
24:56
to repent
24:57
and believe.
24:59
Turn from
25:01
your sin
25:01
and place
25:02
your faith
25:02
in Jesus
25:03
Christ.
25:05
Let me tell
25:06
you,
25:06
that's going
25:07
to look
25:07
practical
25:07
sometimes.
25:09
Repentance
25:10
is certainly
25:10
a change
25:11
in heart.
25:13
It's certainly
25:14
a recognition
25:15
that we've
25:16
sinned against
25:17
the Most Holy
25:17
God,
25:18
and it's a
25:18
turning away
25:19
from that
25:20
to the good
25:20
things of
25:21
God.
25:21
But those
25:22
good things
25:22
of God
25:22
are often
25:23
practical,
25:24
particularly
25:24
in this
25:25
arena.
25:27
Christians,
25:28
you may
25:28
find as
25:30
you repent
25:30
that there
25:32
are some
25:32
things that
25:32
you need
25:33
to go get
25:33
sorted.
25:35
You need
25:35
to go do
25:36
your part
25:36
for the
25:37
peace in
25:38
a situation.
25:40
You may
25:40
be drawn
25:42
to a
25:43
situation in
25:43
your life,
25:44
in your
25:44
mind,
25:45
that God
25:45
is calling
25:46
you to
25:46
work out.
25:48
Please let
25:48
your repentance
25:49
be complete.
25:51
Don't just
25:51
turn from
25:53
the sin.
25:54
I should
25:54
really be
25:55
nicer to
25:55
that
25:55
individual.
25:56
Go be
25:56
nice to
25:57
them.
25:58
Go exhibit
25:59
genuine
26:00
love.
26:03
Paul says
26:04
it well
26:04
in verse
26:05
20.
26:07
I like it
26:08
when I do
26:08
accidental
26:08
segues.
26:10
Verse 20.
26:10
He says,
26:11
to the
26:11
contrary,
26:13
rather than
26:14
repaying evil
26:15
for evil,
26:16
rather than
26:17
hating back
26:18
your enemy.
26:21
He quotes
26:21
from Proverbs
26:22
25,
26:24
21,
26:25
and 22.
26:26
If your
26:26
enemy is
26:27
hungry,
26:28
feed him.
26:29
If he is
26:30
thirsty,
26:31
give him
26:31
something to
26:31
drink.
26:32
For by so
26:33
doing,
26:33
you will
26:34
heap burning
26:34
coals on
26:35
his head.
26:36
He says,
26:37
do the
26:37
very opposite.
26:39
That's what
26:40
we've been
26:40
talking about.
26:41
Genuinely
26:41
love.
26:42
Don't
26:42
replay evil
26:42
for evil.
26:43
Genuinely
26:43
love them.
26:45
Feed them.
26:46
Give them
26:46
something to
26:47
drink.
26:48
And then
26:49
an interesting
26:50
phrase.
26:51
For by
26:52
so doing,
26:53
you will
26:53
heap burning
26:54
coals on
26:55
his head.
26:56
Now,
26:57
I'd like to
26:57
admit that I
26:58
did not have
26:58
the time this
26:59
week to
27:00
give this
27:01
the scholastic
27:01
attention I
27:02
would have
27:02
liked to.
27:05
However,
27:06
there's much
27:08
debate over
27:08
exactly what
27:09
he means
27:09
by this.
27:11
It is a
27:11
quote.
27:12
Proverbs
27:13
25.
27:13
It's verse
27:14
22.
27:15
Right?
27:15
For you
27:16
will heap
27:16
burning
27:16
coals on
27:17
his head
27:17
and the
27:18
Lord will
27:18
reward you.
27:19
That's exactly
27:19
how that
27:20
reads in
27:21
the ESV.
27:22
Right?
27:23
So,
27:23
we're called
27:24
then in
27:24
our genuine
27:25
love to
27:26
do these
27:28
things,
27:28
these outward
27:29
expressions,
27:30
these honorable
27:31
things for
27:31
those who are
27:32
our enemies
27:32
for,
27:34
because,
27:35
so that,
27:36
in doing
27:36
it,
27:37
we're going
27:37
to heap
27:37
burning
27:38
coals
27:38
on their
27:39
head.
27:40
I found
27:41
one commentator.
27:42
You guys
27:43
know I like
27:43
to use the
27:43
Johns,
27:44
John MacArthur,
27:46
John Piper,
27:46
and Jonathan
27:47
Edwards.
27:48
So,
27:48
the Johns,
27:49
one of the
27:49
Johns said
27:51
that there's
27:52
an ancient
27:52
Egyptian
27:53
tradition
27:53
that if
27:54
you wanted
27:56
to be
27:56
publicly
27:57
repentant,
27:58
that you
27:58
filled a
27:59
pan with
27:59
coals and
28:00
you put
28:00
it on
28:00
your head
28:01
and you
28:01
walked
28:01
around to
28:02
show people
28:02
the searing
28:04
of your
28:04
mind,
28:05
the burning
28:07
of the
28:08
guilt of
28:08
something that
28:09
you had
28:09
done.
28:11
One of the
28:12
other Johns
28:12
said that he
28:12
has never
28:13
found in
28:13
any record
28:14
anywhere that
28:15
that's a
28:16
reality.
28:18
Respect both
28:19
of them a
28:19
lot.
28:20
So,
28:20
I just
28:20
really don't
28:21
know in
28:21
that case
28:22
what exactly
28:23
they mean.
28:24
So,
28:25
one of the
28:26
Johns says
28:26
that the
28:27
act of
28:28
heaping
28:28
burning
28:28
coals on
28:29
the head
28:29
is a
28:31
conviction
28:31
to.
28:32
Right?
28:33
So,
28:33
we have
28:33
enemies that
28:34
are treating
28:35
us one
28:35
way and
28:35
we do
28:36
the opposite.
28:37
We show
28:37
them this
28:38
genuine love
28:39
and it
28:39
becomes a
28:39
conviction
28:39
for them.
28:40
It exposes
28:41
their evil.
28:42
Our
28:43
goodness
28:43
exposes
28:44
their evil
28:45
and therefore
28:47
becomes a
28:48
conviction
28:51
to them.
28:53
The other
28:54
says that it
28:55
has to do
28:55
with God's
28:56
judgment.
28:57
That other
28:57
places that this
28:58
phrasing is used
28:59
in Greek
28:59
literature,
29:00
it has to do
29:00
ultimately
29:01
with final
29:02
judgment.
29:03
judgment.
29:05
What I
29:06
would say
29:06
to you
29:06
is that
29:07
probably
29:08
both are
29:09
true.
29:11
Because it
29:11
stands between
29:12
these two
29:14
verses.
29:16
Does it
29:16
not?
29:16
It stands
29:16
between
29:17
19
29:18
where he
29:19
quotes,
29:19
Paul quotes
29:19
Deuteronomy
29:20
32-35,
29:21
vengeance is
29:21
mine,
29:21
I will
29:22
repay,
29:22
says the
29:22
Lord.
29:23
And it
29:24
moves to
29:25
verse 21,
29:26
do not be
29:27
overcome by
29:28
evil,
29:28
but overcome
29:28
evil with
29:30
good.
29:31
And maybe
29:32
rather than
29:32
saying that
29:33
it can mean
29:33
two things,
29:34
we should
29:34
really mean
29:34
that it
29:35
means one
29:36
thing,
29:37
and that
29:38
is that
29:39
it brings
29:40
these
29:41
individuals
29:41
to a
29:42
realization
29:43
of the
29:45
wrath of
29:45
God,
29:46
which is to
29:46
them the
29:47
conviction
29:47
of their
29:48
sin.
29:50
Maybe.
29:51
I bet if I
29:52
got the
29:52
Johns in a
29:52
room,
29:53
they would
29:53
agree with
29:53
me.
29:55
We'll see.
29:57
That'll never
29:58
happen.
29:58
Never mind,
29:58
we won't
29:58
see.
30:01
But just
30:02
the same,
30:03
I think
30:03
that's where
30:03
he's headed.
30:04
So,
30:05
quoting from
30:05
Proverbs,
30:05
we have
30:06
these acts
30:09
of selflessness,
30:10
this giving
30:11
to those
30:12
who really,
30:14
by all
30:14
human terms,
30:15
we ought
30:15
not be
30:16
feeding and
30:17
giving drink
30:18
to.
30:18
We really
30:19
probably should
30:20
be letting
30:20
them starve
30:21
and die
30:23
of thirst,
30:23
but we're
30:24
instead going
30:25
to show
30:25
them this
30:25
genuine
30:26
expression
30:26
of love.
30:29
And verse
30:30
21 says,
30:30
do not
30:31
be overcome
30:32
by evil,
30:33
but overcome
30:33
evil with
30:34
good.
30:35
And I think
30:36
there's our
30:36
connection of
30:37
why we ought
30:37
to think that
30:38
this should
30:38
be a conviction
30:39
to them,
30:40
that it should
30:40
be an
30:40
exposing element
30:42
in their
30:43
life.
30:45
And verse
30:45
21 has
30:45
two implications,
30:47
that we
30:47
shouldn't be
30:48
overcome by
30:49
the evil
30:50
done to us,
30:51
we shouldn't
30:52
permit it to
30:52
overwhelm us,
30:53
right,
30:53
because God
30:54
will judge,
30:55
we know that
30:56
we have a
30:57
good and a
30:57
just God,
30:59
that we are
30:59
his people,
31:00
that all
31:00
things are
31:01
working for
31:01
our good
31:02
back in
31:02
chapter 8
31:03
now,
31:03
right,
31:04
that we
31:04
are eternally
31:05
secure in
31:06
his hands,
31:06
that nothing
31:07
can take us
31:08
from his
31:08
hand,
31:09
chapter 9,
31:10
right,
31:11
so we
31:11
shouldn't allow
31:12
the evil
31:12
done to us
31:13
to overwhelm
31:13
us.
31:14
We shouldn't
31:15
permit that
31:16
to happen,
31:18
because God
31:19
has made
31:19
promises,
31:20
and his
31:20
promises are
31:21
good,
31:21
they're yes
31:22
and amen
31:23
in Jesus
31:23
Christ.
31:24
first,
31:24
but secondly,
31:27
and I think
31:27
maybe more
31:27
importantly,
31:29
we also
31:30
must not
31:30
allow ourselves
31:31
to be
31:31
overcome by
31:33
our own
31:33
desire to
31:34
respond with
31:35
evil,
31:37
right,
31:37
but instead
31:38
we should
31:39
overcome the
31:40
evil with
31:41
our good,
31:43
right,
31:44
so don't
31:45
let your
31:45
enemy's
31:45
hostility
31:46
produce
31:47
hostility in
31:47
you,
31:48
but let
31:48
your love
31:49
triumph over
31:51
his hostility,
31:52
whether or
31:54
not you
31:55
see that
31:55
as a
31:55
reality now,
31:56
it will
31:57
in fact
31:58
one day
31:58
be true,
31:59
God will
32:00
sort it
32:00
in the
32:01
end.
32:02
Do not
32:02
let another
32:04
person's
32:05
sin make
32:06
you sin,
32:09
right,
32:09
stand as
32:10
those
32:11
redeemed,
32:12
changed by
32:14
the gospel
32:14
of grace,
32:16
right,
32:16
changed,
32:17
we're different
32:18
than the world,
32:19
and therefore
32:19
we ought to
32:20
respond differently.
32:21
It is our
32:22
reasonable
32:23
service,
32:26
right,
32:26
verse 2,
32:27
it's our
32:27
reasonable
32:28
service.
32:30
It's not a
32:30
crazy thing
32:31
he's asked
32:31
us to do,
32:32
it's a
32:33
reasonable
32:33
response
32:34
to the
32:35
goodness
32:35
of the
32:36
gospel.
32:37
I'm going
32:38
to read
32:38
to you
32:38
just a
32:39
short
32:39
excerpt
32:39
from a
32:40
great book,
32:41
if you
32:41
don't have
32:41
this,
32:42
you can
32:42
get it
32:42
for free
32:43
from
32:43
Voice of
32:44
the
32:44
Martyrs
32:44
called
32:45
Tortured
32:46
for Christ,
32:46
and it's
32:47
written by
32:48
a man
32:48
named
32:48
Richard
32:49
Wurmbrand
32:49
who
32:49
founded
32:50
Voice of
32:51
the
32:51
Martyrs,
32:51
lived in,
32:53
I'm going
32:53
to forget
32:53
the country,
32:55
I believe
32:55
Romania,
32:56
during
32:57
communist
32:58
oppression,
32:59
and was
32:59
imprisoned
32:59
multiple
33:00
times
33:00
for his
33:01
faith.
33:01
It's a
33:01
very simple,
33:02
really good
33:03
read,
33:03
I'd really
33:03
encourage you
33:04
to pick
33:05
it up,
33:05
but let me
33:05
just read
33:06
you a
33:06
little
33:06
excerpt,
33:07
as he
33:08
writes
33:09
about a
33:10
man named
33:11
Grecu,
33:13
and he
33:14
has been,
33:14
Grecu has
33:14
been being
33:15
continually,
33:16
slowly,
33:17
beaten to
33:18
death
33:18
by his
33:19
captor,
33:20
a man
33:20
named
33:20
Rek.
33:23
So they're
33:24
intentionally
33:24
keeping him
33:25
alive and
33:25
prolonging the
33:26
sentence of
33:27
him being
33:28
beat to
33:28
death.
33:28
They're
33:28
medicating
33:29
him and
33:30
feeding him
33:30
and then
33:31
beating him
33:32
to within
33:32
an inch of
33:32
his life
33:33
and then
33:33
bringing him
33:34
back and
33:34
beating him
33:35
again.
33:36
And
33:36
listen to this,
33:37
just listen to
33:38
this record.
33:39
He writes,
33:40
during the
33:40
beatings,
33:41
Rek said
33:41
something to
33:42
Grecu that
33:43
the communists
33:43
often said to
33:44
Christians,
33:45
you know I
33:46
am God.
33:48
I have power
33:48
of life and
33:49
death over
33:50
you.
33:50
The one who
33:51
is in
33:51
heaven cannot
33:52
decide to
33:52
keep you
33:52
in life.
33:54
Everything
33:54
depends upon
33:55
me.
33:55
If I wish
33:56
you live,
33:58
if I wish
33:59
you are
33:59
killed,
34:00
I am
34:01
God.
34:02
So he
34:02
mocked the
34:03
Christian.
34:04
I would
34:05
imagine that
34:06
Grecu knows
34:08
his scriptures
34:08
at this point,
34:09
that in his
34:10
mind he
34:11
says,
34:12
vengeance is
34:13
mine,
34:13
I will
34:14
repay,
34:14
says the
34:15
Lord.
34:15
Right?
34:16
Listen to
34:17
what he
34:17
does,
34:17
his response.
34:18
Brother
34:18
Grecu in
34:19
this horrible
34:19
situation gave
34:21
Rek a very
34:22
interesting answer
34:23
which I heard
34:23
afterward from
34:24
Rek himself.
34:26
He said,
34:27
you don't
34:28
know what a
34:29
deep thing
34:29
you have
34:30
said.
34:31
Every
34:31
caterpillar is
34:32
in reality a
34:33
butterfly if it
34:34
develops rightly.
34:36
You have not
34:37
been created to
34:38
be a torturer,
34:39
a man who
34:39
kills.
34:40
You have been
34:41
created to
34:41
become like
34:42
God with the
34:43
life of the
34:43
Godhead in
34:44
your heart.
34:45
Many who
34:46
have been
34:46
persecutors like
34:47
you have
34:48
come to
34:48
realize,
34:49
like the
34:50
Apostle Paul,
34:51
that it is
34:51
shameful for a
34:52
man to commit
34:52
atrocities,
34:53
that they can
34:54
do much
34:54
better things.
34:56
So they
34:56
become partakers
34:57
of the divine
34:57
nature.
34:58
Jesus said to
34:59
the Jews of
35:00
his time,
35:01
ye are
35:01
gods.
35:02
Believe me,
35:03
Mr.
35:03
Rek,
35:03
your real
35:04
calling is to
35:05
be godlike,
35:06
to have the
35:06
character of
35:07
God,
35:08
not a
35:09
torturer.
35:10
What did
35:10
he do?
35:11
Express the
35:12
ultimate form
35:13
of love as
35:15
he's being
35:15
beaten in a
35:16
presentation of
35:17
the gospel to
35:17
his very
35:18
beater.
35:21
Probably not the
35:21
right word,
35:22
right?
35:25
Is that how you
35:25
would respond in
35:26
that situation?
35:28
It's hard to
35:29
imagine it.
35:30
It's hard to
35:31
think that that's
35:31
the way we would
35:32
respond in that
35:33
situation.
35:35
I think rather we
35:35
would be furious
35:38
that we're in the
35:38
situation, that our
35:40
rights have been
35:40
taken from us,
35:41
that this man
35:43
is doing this
35:44
to us is so
35:45
unfair.
35:45
How dare he?
35:47
Given the
35:47
opportunity, what
35:48
would I do
35:48
back?
35:49
How would I
35:49
defend myself?
35:53
Grecu preaches
35:54
the gospel to
35:55
him.
35:56
And here's the
35:57
result.
35:58
At that moment,
35:59
Rek did not pay
36:00
much attention to
36:00
the words of his
36:01
victim, as Saul
36:02
of Tarsus did
36:03
not pay attention
36:04
to the beautiful
36:04
witness of Stephen
36:05
being killed in
36:06
his presence.
36:07
But those words
36:08
worked in his
36:09
heart, and
36:10
Rek later
36:11
understood that
36:12
this was his
36:13
real calling.
36:15
You remember, he
36:16
said he learned
36:17
this story from
36:19
Rek himself.
36:20
Rek became a
36:21
believer as a
36:22
result, and if
36:22
you read on,
36:24
Grecu died at
36:25
his hands.
36:28
This is the type
36:29
of love we're
36:30
meant to have.
36:31
It's profound.
36:32
It really is.
36:33
It's simple.
36:34
It's a reasonable
36:35
act of service.
36:35
But this is the
36:37
expression of life
36:39
changed by the
36:41
truth of the
36:41
gospel.
36:43
Do you believe
36:45
this morning
36:46
the gospel?
36:48
If you do, this
36:49
will be your
36:50
response.
36:51
And I think it's
36:52
going to work its
36:53
way out in
36:53
different little
36:54
ways.
36:54
Small example,
36:56
when that guy
36:56
cuts you off on
36:57
the road,
36:59
what's our
37:00
response?
37:01
Even just our
37:01
emotional response
37:02
like that.
37:04
Right, I was
37:05
in this lane.
37:06
What's your
37:06
problem?
37:07
Can't see me?
37:11
Good one.
37:12
Yep.
37:15
What is the
37:16
outflow of our
37:17
hearts?
37:20
I think we all
37:21
need to examine
37:22
where we stand
37:23
positionally and
37:24
how, to what
37:25
degree, do we
37:27
actually embrace
37:28
the gospel.
37:30
I pray as we
37:31
will in a minute
37:32
that you'll
37:34
repent and
37:35
believe.
37:35
If you are a
37:36
Christian, that
37:37
you will recognize
37:38
this weakness
37:40
that I believe we
37:41
all can do
37:41
better at.
37:43
Maybe for
37:44
particular situations
37:45
that you need to
37:46
go rectify.
37:47
Part of your
37:48
repentance is to
37:48
actually go do
37:50
what you can do
37:51
to make the
37:51
situation better.
37:55
Some of you may
37:56
not actually be
37:57
Christians in this
37:57
room.
37:58
I pray that you
37:59
would allow God
38:00
to work in your
38:00
heart.
38:01
That you would
38:02
hear his call
38:03
and that you
38:03
would respond
38:04
appropriately.
38:06
If you grew up
38:07
in church and
38:07
you think that
38:08
there's a special
38:09
time that that
38:09
has to happen,
38:10
you're really
38:10
wrong.
38:12
I don't stand
38:12
between you and
38:13
God.
38:14
I'm just another
38:15
Christian.
38:16
We're all saints.
38:18
You have full
38:19
access.
38:20
The temple
38:21
curtain was torn.
38:22
It's symbolic.
38:23
You get to step
38:23
right in there.
38:25
God's working on
38:26
your heart.
38:27
Just step in
38:28
there.
38:29
Repent.
38:29
Confess.
38:30
Confess that
38:30
you're a sinner
38:31
and you need
38:32
him.
38:33
That you're dead
38:34
and you need
38:34
the life that
38:36
is in Christ.
38:37
I'm here to
38:38
help you later.
38:40
After the fact.
38:41
Come talk to me.
38:42
Let's get you
38:43
involved in
38:43
discipleship.
38:45
Let's get you
38:45
engaged in the
38:46
church.
38:46
There's great
38:47
grace to us
38:48
that we have
38:48
to grow together.
38:50
Don't think you
38:51
have to wait
38:52
for an invitation
38:54
to do it.
38:55
You're being
38:55
invited right now.
38:56
Respond to the
38:57
gospel.
38:58
Respond.
38:58
The Spirit
38:59
is inviting you.