(#434) Romans 12 - God Expects Us to Treat Enemies Like He Would

Class Outline:

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Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…a Christian Church that makes a difference.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  At Barah Ministries, our God is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We make a difference by teaching the Word of God from God’s perspective, and not from man’s perspective.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

God Expects Us to Treat Enemies Like He Would

 

What is an enemy?  An enemy is someone who is not your friend.  An enemy is someone who angers you, who mistreats you, who disappoints you, who frustrates you, who threatens you, or even someone who kills you. An enemy is someone who does all the things just mentioned to those who are important to you.  An enemy is an opponent…someone in opposition to you. An enemy is someone who feels hatred for you, who fosters harmful designs against you, or who engages in antagonistic activities against you.

 

God has an enemy.  His name is Satan.  Human history was created because of a divorce, between God the Son and the anointed cherub who covers…Satan.  In today’s lesson, we’ll be introduced to God’s enemy, and as we wind up our study of Romans, Chapter 12, we’ll realize that God expects us to treat our enemies as He would.  Welcome to a place where you can see history through God’s eyes, where you can decide to be on the right side of the Creator-creature conflict, and where you can learn to enjoy the things an enemy contributes to your success.

 

Let’s begin by hearing a song written and produced by our Song Worship

Leader June Murphy about the Creator-creature conflict…it’s called I

WILL.

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

I WILL

June Murphy

 

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, when we were your enemy, spiritually dead and spiritually bankrupt, as ungodly and unrighteous unbelievers…you gave us your love without conditions…you demonstrated this unconditional love by sending your uniquely born Son, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to die for us…to pay for all our sins…to  make possible a reconciliation between You and all Your creatures…and You raised Him from the dead three days after subjecting Your Son to the worst death in the history of mankind… crucifixion…as a sacrifice for us…

 

Father teach us to love as You do…teach us to think of our enemies as You do…teach us to obey Your direction…give us a heart to love our enemies…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s

name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

God Expects Us to Treat Enemies Like He Would

 

We continue our study of the final passage of Romans, Chapter 12 at Verse

18.  When God tells us the DO’s and DON’Ts of this life, He is telling us how to live the amazing resurrection life He planned for us in eternity past.  Let’s listen to the final part of this final passage of Romans, Chapter 12…and let’s get into our study of the final few verses to see what we can learn about loving our enemies.

ROMANS 12:18

If possible…so far as it depends on you…be at peace with all men.

 

ROMANS 12:19

Never take your own revenge, beloved…but leave room for the wrath of God…for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine…and I will repay,” says the Lord.

 

ROMANS 12:20

“But if your enemy is hungry, feed him…and if he is thirsty, give him a drink…for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

 

ROMANS 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

Let’s reflect on what happened in angelic history that made human history necessary…let’s look back to the time when a God who had no enemies had all of His creatures turn on Him…Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 1…

 

GENESIS 1:1

In the beginning (not really the beginning) God (the Son…Jehovah Elohim) created (BARAH-ed) the heavens and the earth.

 

God the Son is the Creator.  He spoke the universe into existence.  He made something from nothing.  John, Chapter 1, Verse 3…

 

JOHN 1:3

All things came into being through the Lord (God the Son), and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

 

When God created the heavens and the earth…the entire universe…He also created creatures called angels…before He created the heavens and the earth…and they witnessed the creation of the universe.  Job, Chapter 38, Verse 4…

 

JOB 38:4

Job…where were you when I (the Lord, God the Son) laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell Me…IF you have understanding…

 

Job, Chapter 38, Verse 7…

 

JOB 38:7

When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God (the beneha Elohim…the angels of God) shouted for joy?

 

At the snap of a finger, with one big bang, a perfect God created the only thing He can create…perfection…a perfect universe…the heavens and the earth…and the angels watched and cheered.  The angels and their Lord were on the same page…and then something happened.  Genesis, Chapter 1, Verse 2a…

 

GENESIS 1:2a

BUT the earth BECAME formless and void (in Hebrew…the expression tohu wabohu)…and darkness was over the surface of the deep…

 

What was perfect became chaos…what was light became dark…how did a perfect universe become formless and void?  Jeremiah, Chapter 4, Verse 23…

 

JEREMIAH 4:23

I looked on the earth…and behold…it had become formless and void (in Hebrew…the expression tohu wabohu)…and I (Jeremiah) looked to the heavens…and they had no light.

 

Jeremiah, Chapter 4, Verse 26…

 

JEREMIAH 4:26

I (Jeremiah) looked…and behold…the once fruitful land became a wilderness (formless and void)…and all its cities were pulled down before the Lord…before His fierce anger.

 

What is it that made the Lord so mad?  Sin.  God’s most important creature sinned.  Ezekiel, Chapter 28, Verses 12 to 19…

 

EZEKIEL 28:12

“Son of man, take up a lamentation ( a funeral song) over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God (the Son…Jehovah Elohim), “You (Satan) had the seal of perfection…you were full of wisdom (a brilliant genius) and you wereperfect in beauty (stunningly gorgeous).”

 

EZEKIEL 28:13

“You were in Eden, the garden of God…every precious stone was your covering:  the ruby, the topaz and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; and the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, was in you.  On the day that youwere created they were prepared (by God the Son).”

 

EZEKIEL 28:14

“You were the anointed cherub who covers (the bodyguard angel),

and I (the Lord God…the Son) placed you there.  You were on the holy mountain of God (the third heaven); you walked in the midst of the stones of fire (in the throne room of heaven).”

 

EZEKIEL 28:15

“You were blameless (absolutely righteous) in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness (sin) was found in you.”

 

EZEKIEL 28:16

“By the abundance of your trade (rekulah) you were internally filled with violence, and you sinned; therefore I (the Lord God) have cast you as profane from the mountain of God.  And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub (the angelic bodyguard), from the midst of the stones of fire.”

 

EZEKIEL 28:17

“Your heart was lifted up (in arrogance) because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.  I cast you to the earth; I put you before kings, that they may see you.”

 

EZEKIEL 28:18

“By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade (rekulah) you profaned your sanctuaries (by trafficking slander against God).  Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you (you will be consumed in the Lake of Fire); it has consumed you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the eyes of all who see you.”

 

 

EZEKIEL 28:19

“All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you (shocked at your fate); you have become terrified and you will cease to be forever.”’”

 

What was Satan’s sin?  Isaiah, Chapter 14, Verses 13 and 14…

 

ISAIAH 14:13

“But you (Satan) said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the third heaven;

I will raise my throne above the stars of God (the angels in the second heaven), and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north (the first heaven).

 

ISAIAH 14:14

“‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds (I will take over the function of God); I will make myself like the Most High.’”

 

Thus began the Creator-creature conflict.  Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 25…

 

ROMANS 1:25

For unbelievers exchanged the truth about God (the Lord Jesus Christ) for a lie…and worshiped and served the creature (Satan) rather than the Creator, the One who is blessed forever. Amen.

 

The angelic creatures did the same thing.  They believed Satan’s lies about God even though they knew them to be false…and all the angels turned on God.  Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 10…

 

ROMANS 3:10

…as it is written “There is no creature who is righteous, not even one…”

 

Human history, which is an exact duplication of angelic history, was created to resolve this pre-historic conflict.  You are a part of the resolution.

 

What is God telling is to do when He says…in Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 18…

 

ROMANS 12:18

If possible…so far as it depends on you…be at peace with all men.

 

It is not always possible to be at peace with everyone.  Yet the Lord is telling His believers in Christ to be the opposite of the world.  As believers in Christ we face constant and relentless tribulation, yet we are to relax in the face of it, just as Jesus did.  Matthew, Chapter 10, Verses 34 to 36…

 

MATHEW 10:34

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

 

MATHEW 10:35

“For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law…”

 

MATHEW 10:36

“…and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.”

 

There will be times when we are not at peace…especially in our own families.  Why?  A duplication of the prehistoric Creator-creature conflict.  As parents, we want children, we want the best for them, we are charged with raising them, and yet many of our children rebel against us.  The teen years are a classic example.  Why the rebellion?  It is a duplication of the Creator-creature conflict.  We get to experience as parents, what a perfect God experienced with His angels...rebellion and rejection.

 

We are to wait and to watch and to let the Lord work out for us. Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 19…

 

ROMANS 12:19a

Never take your own revenge…beloved…

 

We are to love our enemies and treat well those who treat us badly.  The motto of Scotland doesn’t capture this loving sentiment…

 

SCOTLAND’S MOTTO

“Nemo me impune lacessit”

No one treads on me unpunished!

 

Our God encourages us to avoid personal revenge.  The Lord could have easily sought revenge against His creatures…yet He chose not to do so.  When an enemy mistreats you, you may want to right the scales of justice yourself. Instead, the Lord commands that we make room for Him to bring about justice.  Exodus, Chapter 14, Verses 13 and 14…

 

EXODUS 14:13

But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear!  Stand by and see the salvation

of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today…for the Egyptians whom you have seen today…you will never see them again forever.”

 

EXODUS 14:14

“The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”

 

What a great thing when we have the Sovereign God of the Universe fighting our enemies.

 

ROMANS 12:19b

…but leave room for the wrath of God…for it is written, “Vengeance belongs to Me, and I will compensate (your enemies),” says the Lord.

 

Compensate means the Lord will “pay back” our enemies.  What is vengeance?

 

VENGEANCE

Dealing out “just desert” to evil action…a deserved punishment

 

The one who trusts in God will not think it necessary to seek revenge.  Many times vengeance comes from what the Lord allows…not from direct action…fore example, letting the Creator-creature conflict ply our is the ultimate revenge, Satan and his forces do not have the ability or the integrity to carry out a plan. An all-powerful God, if He chooses, can thwart any creature plan.

 

What a great thing to count on a God who has all the information in every situation. God is ALWAYS fair.  God is ABSOLUTELY righteous.  So it follows that His vengeance is ALWAYS fair and ABSOLUTELY righteous.

Psalm 7, Verse 11…

 

PSALM 7:11a

God is a righteous judge...

 

Hebrews, Chapter 10, Verse 30…

 

HEBREWS 10:30

For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again,

“The Lord will judge His people.”

 

Second Thessalonians, Chapter 1, Verse 6…

 

SECOND THESSALONIANS 1:6

‘For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you…’

 

Even when we see our enemies getting the vengeance fro the Lord, it really isn’t sweet.  Luckily, God never gives us what we deserve…so it must follow that we, as believers in Christ, would never want anyone to get what they deserve…even though they will.

 

When we get back from the break, we’ll take the offering, and we’ll finish up our study of Romans, Chapter 12.

 

BREAK

Five Minutes

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

God Expects Us to Treat Enemies Like He Would

 

Giving is a sacrifice.  We appreciate what you sacrifice every time you give to Barah Ministries.  God will reward your faith.  Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with this week’s offering message.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

FIRST THESSALONIANS 5:13-14

…and that you esteem them (the Pastor and the elders of the church) very highly in unconditional love because of their work.  In addition, live in peace with one another.//We urge you, brethren (believers in Christ), admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

 

OFFERING

FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE

Dave McClure, Instrumental

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

God Expects Us to Treat Enemies Like He Would

 

Welcome back!

 

If not for God’s mercy, there would have been no Creator-creature conflict.  But God offered reconciliation to His enemies…to all the creatures who have turned their backs on Him.  Here’s the Rhett Walker band to tell us what happens when we accept God’s mercy in their song WHEN MERCY FOUND ME.

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

WHEN MERCY FOUND ME

Rhett Walker Band

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

God Expects Us to Treat Enemies Like He Would

 

How does God expect us to treat our enemies?  Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 20…

 

ROMANS 12:20a

“But if your enemy is hungry…feed him…”

 

Praying for your enemy is done in secret…feeding your enemy is done in public.  Luke, Chapter 6, Verse 35…

 

LUKE 6:35

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return;

and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

 

What does it mean to love your enemies?  It doesn’t mean you have to be their friends.  But God expects us to treat them with respect…to treat them with compassion…to see things through their eyes…to do the easiest thing, which is to pray for them…to be kind to them…He wants us to see people the way He sees them.

 

ROMANS 12:20b

“…and if your enemy is thirsty…give him a drink…for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

 

Ezekiel, Chapter 33, Verse 11 says…

 

EZEKIEL 33:11

“Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked…but rather I want the wicked one to turn from his way and to live. Turn back (repent…have a change of mind)…turn back…from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’”

 

Many refuse divine mercy.  God still offers it…and if they continue to refuse it, they give Him no choice…Psalm 140, Verse 10…

 

PSALM 140:10

“May burning coals fall upon them…may they be cast into the fire…into deep pits from which they cannot rise.”

 

Psalm 11, Verse 6…

 

PSALM 11:6

Upon the wicked He will rain snares…fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.

 

God makes His mercy known…Second Corinthians, Chapter 2, Verses 14 to 17…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 2:14

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph (the triumphal

procession) in union with Christ…and manifests through us believers in Christ like the sweet aroma of incense…spreading the knowledge of God in every place.

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 2:15

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God the Father among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 2:16

…to the one an aroma from spiritual death to the second death in the Lake of Fire (the path of destruction)…to the other an aroma from spiritual life to the resurrection life (The Way).  And who is adequate for these things (which God asks of us)?

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 2:17

For we are not like many…peddling the word of God (for sale)…but we work as from sincerity…but we work as if sent from God…we speak in union with Christ in the sight of God.

 

ROMANS 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil…but overcome evil with good.

 

God is directing us to stop stealing and to start giving!  Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 28 and 29…

 

EPHESIANS 4:28

He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

 

EPHESIANS 4:29

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

 

God expects us to treat enemies like He would.  How would He treat them?  Without partiality!  And as you learn to love your enemies the way God loves His enemies then you will be sons of the Most High…reflecting Him…imitating Him.  What a glorious day that will be for the whole world!

GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

The closing moments of our study are for anyone who does not have a personal relationship with the Sovereign God of the Universe, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We want you to know that GOD WANTS YOU.

 

If you’re going to place your confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, you probably should get to know Him as soon as you can.  While there are many things to know about Him, here are the critical few things to know…

 

The Lord Jesus Christ loves you UNconditionally…First John, Chapter 4, Verse 8…

 

FIRST JOHN 4:8

The one who does not love unconditionally does not know the Lord, for the Lord IS unconditional love.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ wants you to be saved…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 2:3

This is good and acceptable in the sight of the God who is our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 2:4

…who desires all men to be saved and for all men to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t want you to go to hell…the Lake of Fire… Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9…

 

SECOND PETER 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvation, as some accuse Him of, but instead He is patient toward you unbelievers…not wishing for any of you to perish (in the Lake of Fire) but for all of you to come to repentance (a change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

The Lord Jesus Christ forgives you…Isaiah, Chapter 43, Verse 25…

ISAIAH 43:25

“I, even I (the Lord), am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake (through the blood of the Cross)…and I will not remember your sins.”

 

The Lord encourages us to forgive…

 

COLOSSIANS 3:12

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience…

 

COLOSSIANS 3:13

…bearing with one another…and forgiving each other…whoever has a complaint against anyone…just as the Lord forgave you…so also should you forgive.

 

How can you get to heaven?

 

This loving, forgiving, patient God, who wants you to be saved, is willing to save you right this minute.  Right where you sit, RIGHT NOW, you can tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is the moment of eternal life for you. Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said to the doubting apostle, Thomas, “I am the way (to salvation), and I am the truth (through the Word of God), and I am the resurrection life…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me.”

 

So heed the warning in John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…

but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

The best way to get to know the Lord Jesus Christ is by studying His Word…here is June Murphy to sing about it in her song…YOUR WORD TAKES ME.

 

CLOSING SONG

YOUR WORD TAKES ME

June Murphy

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

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