WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:07.519 This podcast is a ministry of Grant Parkway Baptist Church, helping people know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:13.199 For more information about Grant Parkway, visit GrantProquay.org. 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:15.199 Be zealous, God, for you. 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:18.800 Let it start in here and let us be zealous to listen to your spirit. 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:20.480 Not to me, but to your word. 00:00:20.640 --> 00:00:26.559 And God, would you just come alive today for those that need to desperately see you and touch you and feel you? 00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:35.359 And would you remain alive today for all of us that may be forgotten how beautiful you are. 00:00:35.679 --> 00:00:38.560 And how beautifully written your text truly is. 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:41.119 Would you open up our eyes and our ears? 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:46.479 Would you open up our hearts, God, that we may see and feel and hear you and you alone. 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:47.520 We trust you, God. 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:48.960 It's in Christ's name we pray. 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:49.840 Amen. 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:51.600 You can be seated. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:55.920 We are continuing on in our uh our series on the book of Romans. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:06.640 If you've been with us at all over the last uh year or so, we've been in Romans, we've been a little bit in Advent, but we're we're we're trekking through until Easter when we finish Romans 12 to 16. 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:08.719 That's where we picked up come this new year. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:22.400 And if you've missed it, on your red and white bulletin and up on the screen, as I did apparently, I was reminded today, but should have picked up on it earlier, that this this section of Romans, Romans 12 to 16, we're basically just saying this is everything. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:37.200 And we're gonna understand why today, because in the section of Romans that we're in, Romans 12, verse 9 to 21, if you don't have your Bibles, please turn there if you do, but if you don't, there is a Bible at the end of your row, and it's page 948 of that Bible. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:40.799 Romans 12, 9 to 21, 13 verses. 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:44.560 In those 13 verses, there are 30 commands. 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:46.640 And we're gonna hit every one of them. 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:47.680 Are you ready? 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:51.599 I think we got one amen, and the rest of you laugh at me. 00:01:51.920 --> 00:01:52.400 Lovely. 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:54.400 We're off to a rousing start. 00:01:54.480 --> 00:02:00.480 Uh but there are there are 30 exhortations, encouragements to the believer to live and be ready. 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:04.400 And so what I want to talk to you about today is the busyness of love. 00:02:04.959 --> 00:02:09.120 Not the business of love, the busyness of love. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:12.080 It is to be busy, it is to be active. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:21.280 Um I don't know about you, but but um whether it's Christmas or any other time of year, uh, I feel a bit inundated with my own to-do list, uh, much less anyone else's. 00:02:21.360 --> 00:02:32.800 Uh and so there's someone else that's that's like my kids, they've they've got to get picked up at this certain time, and I usually don't have to deal with that, but the days that I do, it's like they've got to be picked up, they gotta be taken, you gotta have schedules, you gotta have alarms set in the house so that you remember all these things. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:34.800 You gotta set yourself some reminders. 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:35.919 We're we're busy. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:37.759 We are a busy, busy culture. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:43.599 I have to constantly remind uh uh one person that we have over on a pretty uh consistent basis to have dinner with us. 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:45.520 Hey, you don't need to be on your phone all night. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:48.639 Everybody that you need to talk to is right here in this room. 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:58.080 Okay, so so it we're busy, and we busy ourselves with with, I don't know, with looking at whoever else is not busy, but pretending. 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:07.039 But if there's one thing that we're to be busy in, Paul will tell us, and God will tell us through his servant Paul, we gotta be busy in love. 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:09.919 Busy in love. 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:15.520 Uh do you remember the first time that your spouse told you that uh they loved you? 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:20.240 I realize I'm asking many of you to go back uh at least three years. 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:22.639 Do you remember that time? 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:24.800 I remember, I remember when my kids told me they loved me. 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.680 Oh, my my my heart melted, right? 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:30.080 Uh and your heart probably melted the same way. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:30.879 And you know what? 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:36.400 Ever since that day, that other person, your spouse, has been showing you that you that they love you. 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:37.439 Hopefully. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:38.240 Hopefully. 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:40.400 If not, we'll have a marriage class soon. 00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:50.000 Uh but hopefully they've been doing their best to show you, to prove to you, to demonstrate to you that the words they said decades ago still remain true today. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:58.960 Could you imagine if you were married to someone that said they loved you and then never demonstrated any act of love to demonstrate their love towards you? 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:00.560 That wouldn't be love at all. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:12.879 And so what we'll talk about today is this busyness of love, that it's got to be busy demonstrating what we feel and what we think and working its way out into our hands. 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:15.599 An active pursuit of love. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:20.319 Again, if you've been with us at all, we've we've we've trekked through it, and Clyde made mention of this. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:29.360 The first 11 chapters are pretty, pretty heavy theological, pretty heavy in doctrine, meaning Paul just keeps writing to us, here's all the things that God's done for you. 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:36.560 Romans 9, he's predestined you, he's brought you in a relationship with you, he sealed you in Romans 8, he died for you in Romans 5. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:41.439 I mean, he is pursuing people that are constantly running the opposite direction. 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:46.319 This is a busy God because he's busy and demonstrating his love. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:57.839 And so it's no wonder that we turn the page in Romans 12, and all of a sudden he starts to say, Oh, by the way, I got 30 commands for you to do in 13 verses, and it's not too much to ask. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:02.800 He doesn't apologize for it, he just says, Yeah, I want you to do this, I want you to do this, and this, and this, and this. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:04.879 A lot more of this is after that. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:14.399 And so let's read Romans 12, 9 to 21, to get our arms around what exactly is God calling us to be and do as his kids. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:26.800 Verse 9 says this let love be genuine, abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good, love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one another in showing honor. 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:31.439 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:40.160 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer, contribute to the needs of the saints, and seek to show hospitality. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:41.519 Thirteen down. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:43.439 However many more left to go. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:45.680 Okay, I'm a pastor, I'm not a mathematician. 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:49.360 Verse 14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:50.000 15. 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:54.319 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:56.240 Live in harmony with one another. 00:05:56.399 --> 00:05:59.040 Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:01.839 Never be wise in your own sight. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:08.079 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to what is honorable in the sight of all. 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:12.319 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:21.120 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:24.240 To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:26.399 If he's thirsty, give him something to drink. 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:30.240 By doing so, you will heap burning coals on his head. 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:36.000 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:50.959 If you notice anything that kind of begins and ends this passage, is this talk about overcoming, conquering, and hating evil and clinging and holding fast and overcoming evil with good. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:57.600 It kind of bookends this section, this whole idea of hating evil and loving good. 00:06:57.920 --> 00:07:07.600 And so that kind of helps us understand what Paul is talking about and sets the stage for basically three big points with 30 commands kind of interspersed in all that. 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:12.879 The first uh first big point is this is that love is not hypocritical. 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:18.720 Genuine love, the kind of love that comes after us from heaven to earth. 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:23.519 Genuine love is not hypocritical, but it is hateful. 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:25.600 That sounds a little weird. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:28.240 Yes, I just saw many of your eyebrows go, huh? 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:29.519 Uh yes. 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:31.920 Let me unpack that for just a little in just a little bit. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.319 Let me, the first part is the hypocrisy of disingenuous love. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:39.600 Let's talk about love, it is not hypocritical, but it is hateful. 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:45.839 The first part in verse 9, the very first part of verse 9 says, Let love be genuine. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:51.279 Let it be without hypocrisy, let it be without pretense. 00:07:51.759 --> 00:07:54.639 That's exactly what the word literally means. 00:07:54.720 --> 00:08:01.120 And so before going into what genuine love is, non-hypocritical love, we got to figure out what hypocritical love is. 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:07.439 Uh, this week I had the pleasure of hanging out with one of some of our men out at Power Breakfast that we do about once a month. 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:11.199 And I sat with somebody I didn't normally sit with, and I got to hear a little bit of their story. 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:21.199 Uh, this person owns a jewelry store, and uh over the decades, he's kind of come to know and come to understand that there's basically two types of people in this world, in his world. 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:24.319 The ones that are coming in and buying jewelry from his jewelry store. 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:25.920 There's basically two kinds of people. 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:29.279 The first one is the one that actually loves other people. 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:34.320 And so they come to his store and they're picking out a piece of jewelry because they really want to bless somebody else. 00:08:34.480 --> 00:08:37.519 They really want to show that they value the other person. 00:08:37.679 --> 00:08:41.120 And so he got that person that comes in and buys something from him. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:47.600 And then the other person that comes in and buys something from him is the person that buys a piece of jewelry uh because they want to fake it. 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:53.120 Because they're basically just gonna give something to someone else because they're gonna maybe shave off a little wrath. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:58.320 Maybe they did something bad, and so they're gonna buy their spouse maybe a little piece of jewelry. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:00.080 Remember uh Kobe Bryant? 00:09:00.159 --> 00:09:00.879 Remember that guy? 00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:02.080 Anybody heard of him? 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:03.120 Remember what he did? 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:04.240 Does anybody know what he did? 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:10.000 So he he did some really bad stuff and then recommitted his love to his wife? 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:10.559 How? 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:13.039 Buying a big fat ring for her. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:15.440 Yeah, I don't, yeah. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:17.039 So that's what he did, right? 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:20.559 And so so that's that's the kind of love that's that's hypocritical. 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:29.519 That's the kind of love that Paul says, hey, you can't just love or give something to somebody else to make yourself feel good or to kind of take off some of the wrath that maybe you're getting from someone else. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:30.879 That's hypocritical. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:32.559 That's wearing a mask. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:36.399 So it may look, maybe that doesn't relate to you, but it looks like this in the church. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:42.000 We're nice, we're cordial, uh, and we never really open up to one another. 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:48.879 Or maybe uh the genuine part of us that wants to love is just you have no mask, there's nothing that you're hiding, and you know what? 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:53.360 We're gonna, we're gonna, everything that's on the inside is gonna come out on the outside. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:58.879 Uh I'm not great at that all the all the time, and so I read books, uh, books like this. 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:01.120 Uh it's called Loving People. 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:03.120 Uh I know. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:04.799 I know what you're thinking. 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:08.159 Big surprise that you gotta read that book. 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:11.120 But nonetheless, uh I would recommend this book to everybody. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:12.639 I'm not done with it yet, but it's a great book. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:14.799 And let me just encourage you with something he says in here. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:22.159 He says, every minute that you spend trying to love someone better is a minute absolutely well worth it. 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:24.720 Even if you fail, even if you mess it up. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:29.440 It's absolutely worth it because you're growing, you're learning to love other people. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:42.799 And so he, John Townsend, great unbelievable guy and author and counselor and all these stuff, he basically defines genuine love like this: love is seeking and doing the best for another. 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:48.000 Love is seeking, it is doing the best for another. 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:53.120 And it's not masking, it's not not telling you I love you, and then not doing anything about it. 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:59.360 It's absolutely having these transparent relationships, like I have with my oldest daughter who's um five now. 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:00.799 Uh her name is Reese. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:04.960 And uh lately I've been taking them to bed a lot, and so uh and so it's been great. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:08.639 Um, and sitting down with him and praying with him and reading the Bible with him at night. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:23.519 And we were reading, I think, Jacob and Esau, and and how Esau's heart was changed after he was coming after him, and and he just for you know was forgiven of his sins and all these different things we were talking about, and I don't remember exactly what how it came up, but I said, Hey Reese, how many sins do you think that you need to be forgiven of right now? 00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:26.720 She looks at me, she goes, Oh, probably like a million. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:30.320 And I was like, Yeah, you get it, girl. 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:32.159 And uh and I was like, you know what, Reese? 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:35.120 I said, Daddy needs to be forgiven of a lot of sins too. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:38.080 She goes, Yeah, like your t should like your temper. 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:44.080 Oh man, just cut me out from the knees. 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:46.240 But I said, and you know, I was like, you know what, Reese? 00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:47.120 You're exactly right. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:49.600 If there's one thing that that traps me, that would be it. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:50.799 She goes, you know what, Daddy? 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:51.679 Me too. 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:53.919 Boy, I lose my temper with Ellie. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.440 Oh, it's so hard. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:57.519 I mean, she was thinking about it and getting angry. 00:11:57.600 --> 00:11:58.399 And I was like, you know what? 00:11:58.480 --> 00:11:59.759 We need to pray. 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:02.799 Pray for me and also for you. 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:05.279 But it's something that right, so we're transparent. 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:07.440 I'm apparently too transparent with my five-year-old. 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:10.320 Apparently, she knows way too much about me, more than I ever thought. 00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.399 Uh, but but it's it's a love that's genuine. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:14.879 She wasn't condemning me, she wasn't judging me. 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:18.960 I was I was deathly afraid of what she was gonna say after she said, like your temper. 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:21.120 But instead, she goes, Me too. 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:22.799 I'm with you. 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:25.679 This is, I mean, I wasn't expecting that. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:30.799 All of a sudden you're just living, you're just you're just being genuine, you're you're just pursuing God with all you got. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:34.960 Yes, you're flawed, yes, you're jacked up and messed up, but you're pursuing God no matter what. 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:36.240 She understands that. 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:39.120 And then she just understands that from being around it. 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:45.039 This is what it means to live in a genuine, non-hypocritical love. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:51.440 Going back to that definition that John Townsend said, he says it's seeking and doing the best for another. 00:12:51.600 --> 00:13:01.120 If I just had to boil that down, uh, what was great with Reese for me is that she just saw that I was apparently in need of being related to, and she did something about it. 00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:03.360 Maybe that's what we need to do for each other. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:07.120 If we're gonna have genuine love, if we see something, do something. 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:08.480 It's not complicated. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:10.080 We complicate it, we make excuses. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:13.279 Well, maybe they don't need it, or maybe they got somebody else taking care of it. 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:17.200 If you see it or perceive a need, go and fill the gap as the church. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:18.559 That's what we're called to do. 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:23.200 You can call us at the church and text us or whatever, and we'll help facilitate whatever it takes. 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:26.159 But if you see something, do something. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:32.080 Because genuine love is seeking and doing the best for another. 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:34.559 If you notice anything, it's very active. 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:38.159 It is active in two things in this context, which is what's up on the screen. 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:41.840 It is active in hating, and it is active in holding fast. 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:43.840 You might ask yourself, well, what do you mean? 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:51.120 Well, if we keep reading in verse 9, it says, abhor what is evil and hold fast to what is good. 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:52.240 This is what it looks like. 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:59.200 This is underneath the umbrella of genuine love, this is what it looks like to be a genuinely loving person. 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:06.080 First thing out of the box, abhor what is evil, love, hold fast to what is good. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:11.279 That word for abhor, because we don't ever use it, literally means to hate exceedingly. 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:15.440 To hate evil exceedingly. 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:17.919 Do you hate evil exceedingly? 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:22.080 Or do we kind of just tolerate it in our own lives as much as each other? 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:24.639 Do we hate evil exceedingly? 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:28.399 And that's the one part of it, and then the other part of it is to hold fast. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:39.759 That word is usually reserved in the New Testament for a sexually intimate relationship that you would hold fast inside of marriage, obviously, and between a man and a wife. 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:42.879 I have to define that because our culture seems to say otherwise. 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:45.039 This is what it means biblically, okay? 00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:50.720 And so to be glued together, to be so intimately connected that that's what it means. 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:58.960 Just hold tight, hold fast, cling tightly, be glued up together to anything that God calls good. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:01.679 Hate evil. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:06.799 Cling, hold fast to what is good. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:14.159 And at the end of that, in verse 21, it says, Don't be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:25.519 The means by which you and I are gonna conquer evil in our lives is by pursuing and holding fast and never giving up on the goodness of God. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:28.159 This is how we are called to do that. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:37.519 I had a friend of mine who recently I went to lunch with, and uh, he was just struggling with an area in his life, and he's like, Man, just I can't shake it. 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:39.440 I just can't shake this sin off of me. 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:42.080 I don't know what the problem is, but I cannot shake it. 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:44.720 And I said, he's like, dude, just pray for me, please. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:46.159 I said, I'll pray for you. 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:54.240 But before we get done with this lunch, I'm gonna go get some soft serve ice cream, and then I'm gonna come back because Jason's Dell, you can't go there without some soft serve. 00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:54.639 Amen. 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:55.440 Yes. 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:58.559 So you gotta have some free soft serve, and we had that, and we're sitting there talking. 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:03.039 I said, but before we leave, let me read this verse to you because I think it'll be an encouragement for you. 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:06.960 It's out of Colossians 1, 13 and 14, which says this. 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:10.080 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness. 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:17.759 See, someone is looking for deliverance, someone was looking for victory, and this is what God word, God's word says about the victory that's already been won. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:28.000 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son, in whom we have the redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:31.200 A lot of us think, man, we gotta hate evil. 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:39.200 Maybe that means like, you know, going and performing some exorcism on people and anointing with oil, and he did tell me to tell retell this story while speaking in tongues. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:40.559 Maybe that's what it means. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:44.480 I didn't speak in tongues, and I'm not gonna speak in tongues because I can't. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:46.720 But he he just said, you know what? 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:53.120 When I was asking him for permission to share that story, to share this little bit, he said, you know what, you can share it all you want, because let me tell you something. 00:16:53.279 --> 00:16:59.519 Since that day, I've used that verse, this week alone, I've used that verse two or three times with my friends. 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:04.160 They're looking to be, they're looking to be delivered, and God says, But I've already delivered you. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:10.240 All you gotta do is live in it, cling to that which God has already purchased on your behalf. 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:15.039 Maybe that's just as easy as it gets for us. 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:27.599 Maybe we just need to hide God's word in our hearts where all of a sudden we're sitting down with our friend over lunch or you're going over to dinner or whatever, and something comes up, and you go, you know what, man, that whole deliverance word that that rings a bell in me. 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:30.640 Let me go to Colossians 1.13 while I go get some soft serve. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:31.440 Oh, there it is. 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:33.200 Yeah, I need to read that to him. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:38.559 Maybe that's what it means to live in love in a genuine way. 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:42.559 Before we move on, let me just ask you this question. 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:45.519 Where does let love be genuine? 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:55.119 Where does this non-hypocritical, no pretense type of love, where does genuine love fall on your to-do list this week? 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.519 Where does that fall on your to-do list this week? 00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:02.480 Have you thought about how you're gonna show genuine love to whoever it is that God puts in your path? 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:04.799 Because Paul will tell us, you gotta consider this. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:06.559 You gotta think ahead of time. 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:08.559 This isn't just gonna happen out of you. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:14.000 This comes with a plan to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that which you have. 00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:15.519 So we gotta be prepared. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:16.240 Where is it? 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:17.119 Is it Monday? 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:24.319 When are you gonna start thinking about how is it that I can show this genuine love to whoever God puts in my way? 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:28.240 And let it not be canned, but let you just be fervently serving the Lord. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:32.880 Let you just be absolutely just thinking about it and praying about it with the Holy Spirit. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:33.599 Where is it? 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:34.640 How can I do it, Lord? 00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:35.839 Show me the way. 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:40.720 Brings us to our second point because we might say, okay, we're called to do that. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:42.720 Who am I supposed to do that to? 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:48.799 Paul cuts us off of the past and he says there's two types of people that genuine love is busy towards. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:53.759 The first one, genuine love is busy towards our friends. 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:55.920 Now, this is the easy part. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:02.559 Uh Romans uh 12, verse 10 uh will tell us that we have to love one another. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:13.200 And before I read that, genuine love, this love without hypocrisy, is made real in our pursuit and our love of God as we pursue and love people. 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:17.200 You've heard of the greatest command, love God and love others. 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:23.759 It's repeated over and over and over again throughout the Bible, just in different words. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:31.680 And so verse 10 says this love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one another in showing honor. 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:46.640 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer, contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:47.839 Go to 15. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:53.279 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, live in harmony with one another. 00:19:53.440 --> 00:20:02.240 Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly, either the lowly things, lowly tasks, serve well, or the lowly people, people that don't associate with them. 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:05.599 Never be wise in your own sight. 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:08.079 Loving people. 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:23.599 God says it over and over again that we're called to just put the faith that we have, this vertical love that we have horizontally, and continue to pursue what it looks like to live a Christian life in the midst of a pretty hostile world. 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:27.920 But nonetheless, called to pursue and love our friends. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:34.000 If you see something, if you see a way that we can love them, that you can love them, do something about it. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:37.039 This part of the text is pretty straightforward. 00:20:37.279 --> 00:20:38.160 A bunch of commands. 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:41.519 Like when you just read over that, you weren't thinking, I wonder what that means. 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:43.519 Like, what does it look like to love one another? 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:45.039 You kind of know what it means. 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:48.559 You can see it, you can you can kind of sense it, you know what it is. 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:52.559 And so instead of going back through all these commands one by one, I just wanted to do this. 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:56.079 Instead of explaining it, I want to invite all of us to apply it. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:00.319 If you know anything about my teaching or preaching style, I like to ask questions. 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:09.279 Uh, and so this is uh a great opportunity to just kind of invite us to think about what it would look like for me to apply one or two of these this week. 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:14.400 And so I got seven questions to consider as you walk through all these different commands. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:18.720 In the first part of ten, it says, love one another with a brotherly affection. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:23.599 Paul apparently considered uh the Paul, uh the church to be a family. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:32.799 He considered us to be part of a family with our dad being in heaven and each other being brothers and sisters. 00:21:33.119 --> 00:21:36.400 And he said, This love should course through the body. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:44.000 You remember last week when Neil talked about that we are all members of the same body, and we were spiritual gifts, and we're kind of all in this thing together. 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:56.240 He said, Love should course through the veins of the body of Christ like blood through our bodies, giving life, giving strength, giving function to one another and mutual dependence. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:58.559 He thought the church was a family. 00:21:59.200 --> 00:21:59.759 And I don't know. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.079 How your holidays were. 00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:06.480 Mine were a little split, a little uneven, kind of quiet because of it. 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:15.759 And even though the person that was absent is very boisterous, very loud, can say crazy things in my family, I still missed that person. 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:19.920 Their absence had an effect on how we celebrated. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:22.799 And I still missed that other person. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:26.799 So we were to apply that, that kind of thing to the church. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:29.039 Would you be missed if you weren't here? 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:33.119 Do you treat the church like it's family? 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:41.279 You come here, you give here, you do all kinds of things here, but when you're gone, do other people miss you? 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:43.119 Do we notice your absence? 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.720 And if we don't, why not? 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:50.160 Are you involved in a small group in such a way that you are missed when you're not there? 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:52.559 This is certainly what families do. 00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:54.160 This is how families function. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:23:01.039 Do we treat the church like a family or just like something else we got to do to get our week going off on the right foot? 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:05.759 The second part of 10 says, outdo one another and showing honor. 00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:09.839 What are some things that get in my way of being zealous? 00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:10.559 Excuse me. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:15.359 Do I look for ways to honor others, to give them credit, or do I seek credit? 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:26.960 If we're going to outdo one another and showing honor to one another, do I look for ways to give honor and credit to someone else, or do I seek credit for myself? 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:34.160 Verse 11 says, Don't be lazy in zeal, but set a fire in the spirit, serving the Lord. 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:37.519 It literally means to be boiling over in spirit. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:40.799 Last night I cooked spaghetti and I boiled over. 00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:44.000 That a great, great illustration right there. 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:46.799 It's boiling over, setting a fire. 00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:50.880 This is what the words mean that Paul is talking about in verse 11. 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:56.880 Question that I just gave away, but what are some things that get in my way of being zealous for God? 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:01.440 What are some things that get in my way of being zealous for God? 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:04.160 And what do I need to do to remove them? 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:06.640 Verse 12, it says three things. 00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:07.839 Rejoice in hope. 00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:11.680 Be patient in suffering, be constant in prayer. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:16.000 Of these three, which needs to be celebrated and which needs more focus? 00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:18.240 Now, at this point, you're still trying to write down the second one. 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:20.000 Let me just say, you don't have to write all these down. 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:22.400 If you want a list of these questions, you can come up to me afterwards. 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:23.039 I'll give them to you. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:24.559 You can email me, I'll give them to you. 00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:31.279 I can say this that because our community groups are going to meet either tonight or this week, we're going to be talking about this kind of stuff in our community groups. 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:32.480 You can go there. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:34.319 You can start unpacking this type of stuff. 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:35.279 This is what we do. 00:24:35.519 --> 00:24:42.480 This is the kind of stuff that we talk about in our lives and in our community groups because we don't want to just be people that are stagnant in the faith. 00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:45.680 We're pursuing God to be able to be loving people. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:47.920 That was verse 12, right? 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:54.720 Verse 13 says, Contribute to the believers that are in need and seek to show hospitality. 00:24:55.039 --> 00:25:00.240 The question that I came up with there is, how can I pursue showing hospitality to those in my church? 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:01.759 Maybe, maybe. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:13.279 Now 10 o'clock, I can kind of see some empty seats, but maybe this is a way that everybody that comes to the 10 o'clock service can start to show hospitality to one another, is that we move, you know, we do the same thing at 8:30 and 11:30. 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:14.640 Did y'all know that? 00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:16.880 Apparently not. 00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:18.960 Because no one is responding to me. 00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:28.640 But maybe we can seek to show hospitality to the newcomers and to each other, maybe by moving to either the 8:30 or the 11:30, and then go to a Bible community at 10. 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:29.839 Wouldn't that be great? 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:33.119 Maybe that's an easy way to show hospitality to one another. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:38.640 You got an email from Neil saying, hey, maybe y'all just need to move up a little bit to make room for others. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:43.359 I saw some people doing that actually in this service, moving up to the front row. 00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:47.920 Yeah, okay, you don't want to be spit on and all that, but still making room for others. 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:50.240 I call the front row the splash zone. 00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:52.400 You ever been to SeaWorld? 00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:53.920 That's what they do. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:56.160 But maybe that's a way to do it. 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:59.200 I've been stopped two or three times today saying, hey, how's this person doing? 00:25:59.359 --> 00:26:00.319 How's that person doing? 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:01.759 Can I get them meals? 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:07.440 That's an easy way to seek, to show hospitality. 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:13.920 Verse 15 rejoice, uh, rejoice with those whom rejoice, weep with those who weep. 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:16.799 Uh who do I need to celebrate with this week? 00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:20.240 Who is weeping that needs my presence? 00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:26.160 I love what one of the church fathers said about this uh this particular uh command, John Chrysostom. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:30.400 He said this that the more difficult, the more difficult command is listed first. 00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:33.680 Because we are all prone to shed a tear with those who are crying. 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:40.480 But envy and competition sometimes keeps us from truly rejoicing with those that rejoice. 00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:42.160 Ouch. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:46.079 Maybe that's what we need to do is pursue someone that just got a raise. 00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:49.200 And even though you don't have a job, you can go and go, man, I just want to rejoice with you. 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:52.960 I can't take you out to lunch, but maybe you can, but I just want to rejoice with you nonetheless. 00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:56.720 Rejoice with those and rejoice. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.839 Weep with those who weep. 00:26:57.920 --> 00:26:59.519 Verse 16 live in harmony. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:00.720 Do not be haughty. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:03.599 Never be wise in your own sight. 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:11.279 Basically just saying, if you're the only person that thinks you're right all the time or that you think you're wise all the time, you have a prideful, prideful heart. 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:15.440 Never, never be wise only in your own sight. 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:17.440 Maybe you need to ask somebody this question. 00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:21.839 Maybe you go to a community group tonight and say, Do you perceive me to be a humble person? 00:27:22.400 --> 00:27:24.160 I ain't asking that in my community group. 00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:25.680 I'll tell you that right now. 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:28.640 Do you, do others perceive me? 00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:32.079 Do others consider me to be a humble person? 00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:41.440 The list could keep going, but the reality is this is that Paul has no problem just shooting these commands at us saying, hey, it's time to go. 00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:43.920 God's done all kinds of crazy and great things for you. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:46.480 It's time to actually be who you say you are. 00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:48.240 Here's opportunity. 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:51.359 To whom do you need to show this kind of love towards? 00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:52.480 Is there an acquaintance? 00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:53.440 Is there a friend? 00:27:53.599 --> 00:27:54.799 Is there a coworker? 00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:56.079