A blessing to all (Romans 12)

This is a sermon based on Romans 12:14-21. It has been adapted for written form.

The passage can be found here (Bible Gateway).

The world loves a good revenge story

I wonder if you remember the famous scene in Gladiator where Maximus takes off his helmet, revealing himself to his enemy, saying,

It comes at such a pivotal moment in the story and sets the scene for what is about to transpire. It's damn good storytelling, heavy with emotions no doubt carried by many who faced the violence of Ancient Rome.

A more recent example of revenge on our screens is the character of Luca Changretta from Peaky Blinders. There's something about how his name rhymes with vendetta that makes me think we were never meant to trust him to do anything else:

In the movies, it makes for edge of your seat anticipation and fine storytelling, but sadly, it's not an invention of cinema.

There are entire cultures bound to this code - you hurt my family, I'm coming for all of yours, and I won't stop until they have all paid.

Enter the Christian.

We probably wouldn't make for good cinema:

I probably wouldn't watch that movie.

But you know what? I probably wouldn't respond like that if someone wrongs me. Not naturally anyway. See when someone hurts me, I kind of want to hurt them back. Sharing is caring, right? I like sharing. Share the pain.

I don't want to "bless them". What a weird response. What a strange idea. Surely it would be better if we were all less soft and gentle. Imagine you're at morning tea after church and someone bumps into you and spills hot coffee on you. You ought to pick up the whole cup and throw it at them, right? Right...? Of course not.

I don't think I need to convince the modern churchgoer that Jesus' way of blessing our enemies instead of hurting them is better. It's a better way to live. We get it. We believe it. But it is unnatural, and it can be really hard to actually live out.

This part of Romans 12 follows a section that is more or less dealing with how we, as members of God's church, should relate to one another within the church. Where it has an inward focus, this particular section looks outward and deals especially with how we should treat those outside the church.

How we treat our family and those who are with us matters. But how we treat everyone else should be of a particular importance. How we treat those we find most difficult to love says a lot more about us than how well we love those close to us.

Joseph Goebbels, a key figure in Nazi Germany and the horrors of the Holocaust prided himself on being a family man. It's uncomfortable to say this, but even bad people love those close to them. That alone doesn't set you apart from everyone else.

But when you are as devoted to the outsider as you are to your own, that is amazing. That is worth talking about.

In the end, Joseph Goebbel's devotion to destruction led to the destruction of his family. So much for being a family man.

But enough on big, bad evil. Let's bring this back to us.

Have a look at the passage again, starting at verse 14:

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

Paul's logic in Romans up until now is this: we are saved by the death and resurrection of Jesus. The promise of the cross is a life beyond suffering - and if you have any doubts about that, Jesus' resurrection seals it.

That is to say, despite all the evil in the world, the ever-present troubles, the unfathomable suffering- there is a life to come that will be totally freed from it. If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, that future is your reality. And in Romans chapter 12, we are told to live with that reality now. That is the reality that shapes our lives, and, in this passage, how we treat the outsider. Christ Jesus has given us the ultimate act of kindness in response to the ultimate evil. And if he has done that for you, then in response, you can treat others with kindness, even if they have been unjust and evil in their actions to you.