Bailout money
This week is on Romans 12:17-21:
I've taught on these verses before, but they're so startling that I find myself returning to them a lot. Repaying evil for evil is what most of the world is built on. If someone crashes into your car, you sue them for twice what it's worth. If someone punches you in the stomach, you punch them in the face. If someone says bad things about you, you say worse things about them. Even animals play this game. Jesus doesn't play it.
Do what is right in the eyes of everyone. That doesn't mean to try to please everyone. It just means not to get noticed for the wrong reasons. Pay your taxes. Be polite. Don't steal. When people think of Christ, they think of his ambassadors. Are you the guy cornering the poor businessman in an alleyway and detaining him until he accepts a fistful of papers from you about Jesus, while yelling in his ear about how he's going to hell unless he becomes exactly like you? Are you the guy with the Jesus fish on his car who drives like a drunken fool and flips off anyone who tries to pass him? Are you an honest businessman, or do you cheat people in order to make money? People judge Christ based on his circle of friends.
As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Maybe you have to let that idiot car cut in front of you. By the grace of God you can afford it. Maybe you have to let that dispute about your neighbor's noise levels go. You can afford it, thanks to God's grace. Maybe the guy who stiffed you on six months' rent and then skipped town can keep his money. Those are all decisions you can make to bring peace to the world. There are better things for you to do than run yourself ragged with an invoice in one hand and a sword in the other. God pays our debts to him. Is it that unreasonable that we take the same steps for those who owe us?
Do not take revenge. Revenge is an entire genre of action movie. People love revenge. Revenge sells. Vengeance belongs to God. Only he can see clearly enough to know who really needs to be punished for what they've done. We're supposed to feed our enemies, not feed on them. Can you imagine offering a burglar a couple bratwursts off of the grill when you walk in on him raiding your electronics? I'd be much happier shooting him! And if he's thirsty, we're supposed to get him something to drink. Give him what he needs, even if he clearly doesn't deserve it.
If someone has an issue with you, pay the difference. If you have an issue with someone else, pay the difference. That's what Jesus did with us. When those Romans were whipping him, he could have been badder than Chuck Norris on all of them without getting a scratch. When confronted with our sin, he could have given us what we deserved, but he didn't. Jesus paid the price to a bunch of people who clearly don't deserve it.
Don't be overcome by the evil that is normal thinking. Overcome that evil by being Christ-like. Be the Christ-example and demonstrate the grace that binds you to him. Bail out the failing miserable world around you with the joy and grace that Jesus has offered us in limitless quantity.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I've taught on these verses before, but they're so startling that I find myself returning to them a lot. Repaying evil for evil is what most of the world is built on. If someone crashes into your car, you sue them for twice what it's worth. If someone punches you in the stomach, you punch them in the face. If someone says bad things about you, you say worse things about them. Even animals play this game. Jesus doesn't play it.
Do what is right in the eyes of everyone. That doesn't mean to try to please everyone. It just means not to get noticed for the wrong reasons. Pay your taxes. Be polite. Don't steal. When people think of Christ, they think of his ambassadors. Are you the guy cornering the poor businessman in an alleyway and detaining him until he accepts a fistful of papers from you about Jesus, while yelling in his ear about how he's going to hell unless he becomes exactly like you? Are you the guy with the Jesus fish on his car who drives like a drunken fool and flips off anyone who tries to pass him? Are you an honest businessman, or do you cheat people in order to make money? People judge Christ based on his circle of friends.
As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Maybe you have to let that idiot car cut in front of you. By the grace of God you can afford it. Maybe you have to let that dispute about your neighbor's noise levels go. You can afford it, thanks to God's grace. Maybe the guy who stiffed you on six months' rent and then skipped town can keep his money. Those are all decisions you can make to bring peace to the world. There are better things for you to do than run yourself ragged with an invoice in one hand and a sword in the other. God pays our debts to him. Is it that unreasonable that we take the same steps for those who owe us?
Do not take revenge. Revenge is an entire genre of action movie. People love revenge. Revenge sells. Vengeance belongs to God. Only he can see clearly enough to know who really needs to be punished for what they've done. We're supposed to feed our enemies, not feed on them. Can you imagine offering a burglar a couple bratwursts off of the grill when you walk in on him raiding your electronics? I'd be much happier shooting him! And if he's thirsty, we're supposed to get him something to drink. Give him what he needs, even if he clearly doesn't deserve it.
If someone has an issue with you, pay the difference. If you have an issue with someone else, pay the difference. That's what Jesus did with us. When those Romans were whipping him, he could have been badder than Chuck Norris on all of them without getting a scratch. When confronted with our sin, he could have given us what we deserved, but he didn't. Jesus paid the price to a bunch of people who clearly don't deserve it.
Don't be overcome by the evil that is normal thinking. Overcome that evil by being Christ-like. Be the Christ-example and demonstrate the grace that binds you to him. Bail out the failing miserable world around you with the joy and grace that Jesus has offered us in limitless quantity.
Comments
Post a Comment