Communauté et discipulat

The Ultimate Freedom (Rom 12:14-21)

2011.07.24Rev. Eddie Byun

True freedom comes when we treasure God's grace, because we can only give to others the grace we have first received from God. Through that grace we bless, forgive, and overcome evil with good, even toward those who have hurt us.

Treasuring grace is the only source of blessing our enemies (14)

We cannot bless those who persecute us in our own strength, because we can only give what we have first received. Everything good in our lives is a gift from God, and we came into this world with nothing. When we see that we did not deserve His grace and cherish it, our hearts are renewed and our prayers change. Instead of asking God to curse our enemies, we pray that He would bestow favor on them. Treasuring grace is the only way we can give grace to those who have hurt us.

Grace moves us to weep and rejoice with others (15)

We are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep. True love identifies with other people's joys and pains in the right way. Our family is still grieving the loss of our baby, and many people did not know what to say to us. Simple words are enough: 'I am so sorry for your loss' and 'I love you and your family.' We should avoid cold or careless remarks, and we should not rush to quote Scripture at the grieving. They need to experience the gospel through our love.

Humility produces harmony and stops us from repaying evil (16-17)

Living in harmony begins with humility, because pride divides while humility leads to unity. We must not think we are better than others because of education, wealth, or status, since every person is made in the image of God and is worthy of honor. Repaying no one evil for evil requires a renewed mind, because the flesh always rationalizes revenge. Steve Watt, a Wyoming state trooper shot in the eye by bank robber Mark Farnham in 1982, was held captive by bitterness until he surrendered to Christ. Then he wrote letters of forgiveness to Mark, and both men were set free.

Trusting God as righteous judge frees us from revenge (18-19)

As far as it depends on us, we are to live peaceably with everyone, even when reconciliation does not come and the other person never repents. We must never avenge ourselves, because vengeance belongs to the Lord, who will repay in due time. Holding a grudge reveals that we doubt God as a righteous judge. Steve trusted God to deal with every sin, his own and Mark's, either at the cross or in hell, and that trust released him from imagining revenge. Bitterness is bondage, but forgiveness sets people free.

Overcome evil with good by following God's lead (20-21)

Feeding an enemy who is hungry and giving water to one who is thirsty overcomes evil with good. Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, so that we may be sons and daughters of our Father, who sends rain on both the just and the unjust. Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian and Holocaust survivor, found that she could not forgive a former guard until she lifted her hand and asked God to supply the feeling. Her act of will brought her true freedom, and it shows that we can follow God's lead through faith.

Apply to Life

  • Let us treasure God's grace in our hearts so that we can bless those who have hurt us.
  • Let us pray for those who persecute us and ask God to bestow favor upon them.
  • Let us rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who grieve, saying 'I am so sorry for your loss' and 'I love you.'
  • Let us release our desire for revenge and trust God as the righteous judge.
  • Let us overcome evil with good by forgiving those who have hurt us and following Christ's lead.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

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