His Perfect Love

Guest (Male): When someone persecutes you, how do you respond? Maybe like many, your flesh takes over and you seek to retaliate. But there is a better way that Romans spells out for us. Here's Pastor Matt.

Matt VanderVen: He says, bless them. Can you do that right now? Can you bless those who persecute you? Jesus asked us to do it. He commanded this as one of the 20 here. We can't pick and choose what we want to follow.

And if you're here this morning and you're saying, I don't know that I can do this, okay. Be transparent, be real. But Jesus can give you that strength to do it. Jesus can help you overcome the addiction. Jesus can turn around and meet you where you are. It's not you, it's Jesus in you. That's what he said here. Bless those who persecute.

Guest (Male): Hey, glad you joined us today for His Perfect Love and our continuing study of Romans from Pastor Matt VanderVen. As the world gets darker by the minute, the Christian is to stand out as a light in a dark world.

What does that look like? Well, we get a good picture of what should be seen in the life of the believer in Romans chapter 12. Today, Pastor Matt highlights our response. It involves blessing those who persecute us, and that's where we begin.

Matt VanderVen: Bless those who persecute you. Now here we go, we've just crossed the section. Remember, 9 through 13, it's all about our actions, but 14 to 20, here's our responses. I told you, this is where it gets heavy. Some of you are like, I got 9 through 13 licked. I'm good. Well, then pay attention to 14, everybody.

Now remember when this was written. When was this written? A couple thousand years ago. What was going on then? You had emperor worship. This is Rome. We're talking about emperor worship. What happened if you weren't willing to worship the emperor? Specifically, by the time this was written, who was already in power? Nero, and after Nero came Domitian. You know your church history.

So clearly when Jesus is writing this, when God is speaking this, when Paul is speaking this in our hearts, and he says, bless those who persecute you. Today we go out and we say to someone, hey, you need Jesus Christ. Well, I don't like that stuff. Oh, you hurt my feelings. I call the whambulance and I walk away.

Meanwhile, back then, 2,000 years ago, if you wouldn't worship an emperor, you were martyred. You were killed. It still happens today. 200,000 Christians specifically every year are martyred for the namesake of Jesus. Look at the voice of the martyrs. Not just adults, children. Children, adults, everyone in between like that.

And here Jesus says, bless those. And in the Greek, this isn't like, you're blessed, I'm done, glad that's over. This is a continual blessing. Bless them upon bless them upon bless them. It's a continual without ceasing, it doesn't stop. Think about that. Bless those who persecute you. This is heavy. This is not easy. This is not something we just go, oh yeah, they just murdered my son, okay, bless you. No.

The only way I can do this is Jesus. In my flesh, what do I want to do? You know what I want to do. What do you want to do? Somebody hurts somebody here. You know my background. You know what I think about that. We don't let anything happen to the children, right? We protect them. The people that serve here, we know that.

Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. Now remember when this was written back then, they also believed in hexes at the time. So this is also speaking of the occult and activities. He's not talking about swearing as we would say in our modern vernacular.

He says, bless them. Can you do that right now? Can you bless those who persecute you? Jesus asked us to do it. He commanded this as one of the 20 here. We can't pick and choose what we want to follow. And if you're here this morning and you're saying, I don't know that I can do this, okay. Be transparent, be real.

But you know what? Jesus can give you that strength to do it. Jesus can help you overcome the addiction. Jesus can turn around and meet you where you are. It's not you, it's Jesus in you. That's what he says here. Bless those who persecute. You know what this causes you not to do? It causes you not to be prideful.

It's really difficult. Isaiah 14. How many times did Lucifer, standing in the very throne room of God as a worshiper, playing his instrument as a worshiper standing before as a cherubim right before God? Before he uttered a word, in his heart, he had already betrayed the Father because he had a haughty spirit, a spirit of pride. He wanted to be like God Most High.

How do you get haughty or prideful when somebody's persecuting you? It causes you to be what? Meek. Strength under control, doesn't it? To do that, to bless somebody, you have to have a strength that is under control. It delivers you. It's the antidote. It's the antidote to the very thing that led to the destruction of Lucifer himself.

And he's not content until everybody else is with him. It's a battle for the mind. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Some of you grew up like me, probably. You didn't cry when you were young. I didn't cry. In my family, that wasn't done. I come from a military family like that. My dad was in the Navy, my brother 23 years. You just didn't do that.

When I accepted Jesus, I started weeping like a baby. My wife will tell you, she makes me watch those Hallmark movies. I'm standing at the pulpit, I cannot lie. So some of them are actually interesting. I will go there. But when you start watching them and she's over there teary-eyed and you know she looks at me and I'm like, this is stupid, why are we watching this junk? Let's go hunt and kill something.

Let's go back in the military. Give me a gun. What's going on? I don't know what it is, I got something in my eye. But what is this idea? Rejoice. How about this? When somebody comes in, hey man, you're not going to believe it, I just won. Look, don't play the lottery. I just won the lottery, or I just got this or that, or this is going really well for me. I just got a new promotion I was there a day, and I just got a ten-dollar raise.

And you're like, that's really good, I'm living paycheck to paycheck. I'm so happy for you. You know what I mean? Are we really happy for that person? Are we really rejoicing? Are we hugging them? Yesterday we had beautiful news. You know, I'm watching one of my sisters, she's sitting there next to me as we were serving for the Seder, and she's looking at this baby.

And I could just see it in her eyes, the way she was looking at the baby. And she turned and she was just like this. And I proceeded to do what a pastor should never do. "Are you pregnant?" That never ends well, usually. But I was Spirit-led. I said, "Are you pregnant?" She said, "Yes, I am." And I was like, thank you, Lord.

I was like, praise the Lord. And I started rejoicing, and the whole table, we're all hugging. And you know what I said? Come up here for a second. Israel, hold on, I know we're in the middle of the Passover Seder. Hang on guys, Becky's having a baby. Jason and Becky are having a baby. Praise the Lord. And everybody's excited and this is all going on. And then I'm like, alright, now we'll return to our regularly scheduled Seder.

But do we rejoice? Do we have that heart to do that? Do we have that heart in our hearts to sort of start to rejoice like that and be happy? Do we do that? Are we so centered, are we thinking of other people? Are we rejoicing? I'm rejoicing, praise the Lord. But are we willing to weep? There should be no lack of tears here.

My God wept. Jesus wept. If Jesus can weep, I can weep, you can weep. And you know what I love about this fellowship? It's when I see brothers and sisters put their heads on each other's shoulder and another arm comes around them and they begin to be comforted. A cancer diagnosis is pretty hard to receive sometimes. A mother or father passing on is hard sometimes. A child? Beyond difficult.

But we come together and we cry together. We rejoice together. This is all God's design and desire for us. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things. Don't be worried about getting rich. Don't be worried about collecting additional material things. He says, don't set your mind on those things, set your mind on Christ.

Not that there's anything wrong with having nice things. Praise the Lord, he blesses many of you. Blesses me, we're all blessed here. We really are. We're living in the United States of America. We are blessed, all of us. He says, but associate with the humble, with the meek. You know what I love about Calvary Chapels? There is no "I've arrived" or there is no preferred seating section for those that are wealthy.

There are people in this fellowship that own companies. There are people here that have important jobs at the businesses all around this area. The infrastructure, the whole thing, doctors, nurses. You know what? When we come in here, man, we just praise God. We just love Jesus and nobody's better than anybody else. And if we can help somebody, we help them. If somebody has a need, we try to meet the need.

Because you know what? That person that might be affluent, things are going well, there could be a time where they have a need. And you know what? We're not going to turn around and go, oh well you're normally affluent and you don't have. No. What are we going to say? Praise the Lord, here you go, be blessed. Shalom, peace, enjoy, be blessed.

And don't you love that? I love that about Calvary Chapel. There's no assigned special seating area, right? There's no like as it says in the Bible, oh you're well to do, you should have some of the best preferential seating here. Oh no. You come as you are. I believe that's what it's going to be like in heaven. I'm not against denominations, I'm not for them either. I don't think God and Jesus are going to go, oh you were at Calvary Chapel, oh come on over here.

No, it won't matter. It's all about Jesus. It's not about what church you attended. It's about was the word taught and did you praise God? That's all that's ever going to matter. Do you love Jesus? Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. Why would he say that?

Because again, 2 Corinthians 3:2, somebody may never read a Bible, but they're going to read your life. They're going to read your life. From that, they may get saved. You don't know how the Lord is using you right now. You don't. Some of you know I used to have a motorcycle, right? Loved my motorcycle. You know how many times people would stop me? Oh you have a Softail Deluxe.

Next thing you know, we're talking about Jesus. I got an old 1956 Ford pickup truck now and I'm working on restoring it. Do you know the conversations that are going to happen? Because the Lord's going to draw someone right where I'm at in that moment. Isn't that awesome? Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, you're at work and somebody comes into your office and says, "Hey, can I talk to you about something?"

Don't think that is coincidental. Look at that as a divine appointment. If you're standing in line at the grocery store and you're wicked tired because all day long you just put in a ten to twelve hour day. But you're stopping there quick to pick up some chicken on the way home because you're going to go home and make dinner for the family. And immediately you get behind the slowest person in line. It always happens to me.

And I'm there and I'm like, alright Lord. But then God reminds me of this passage right here in Romans and he reminds me of that passage in 2 Corinthians 2. That person may never read a Bible, but they'll interact with me and I may be the only Bible they read. Your living epistle to be known and read by men and women. Just think about that and the power of that. Think about the power of how God can use your life, not because you've arrived, in spite of you.

In spite of me, God can do that. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. I love how he says it. If possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved. Have you heard that word in a while? All of you here, women, look at me for a minute with your eyes. Women, have you heard that word beloved in a while?

That you're beloved, all of you, you're beloved. Every single one of you. You are God's heart. You are the apple of his eye. He loves you. You are daughters of the God Most High. He lives in you. He enjoys the fellowship with you. He loves you. He created you to have koinonia, to have relationship. Men, look at me, beloved men, beloved. You are sons of the God Most High.

The work he's done in your lives, the way that he loves you, the way that he calls you to pastor your home, the way that he disciplines you and holds you up for that lovely bride next to you to be a covering and a protection. Do you know that Jesus loves you just the way you are? That he's not waiting for some process to begin loving you more? But because you're his son.

I don't care what you do. I don't care if you're a pastor here. You're a son of God before you were ever a pastor. You're a son of God before you were ever a minister. You're a son of God first, men. You're a child of the living God if you're a born again believer in Christ. Beloved, don't just hear that in your mind on days when you're waking up and don't look at those trashy magazines.

Oh I'm too fat, too skinny, too whatever. Don't look at any of that nonsense. Just hear beloved, beloved, beloved as you walk out of your door. When you're at work, beloved, because that's how your Lord and Savior addresses you. You are his beloved. He sees you with his son's righteousness. Do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath.

Circle wrath there. For it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Some people struggle with this. What do you mean? Well, Revelation chapter 6, it says that wrath will be poured out, doesn't it? In the end times. Who pours out that wrath? Is it the Antichrist? No, it's Jesus that pours out that wrath. And what was that wrath for? Divine judgment.

Revelation chapter 6, it's the wrath that Jesus pours out. Jesus came the first time in a system of grace. But when he comes back, the wrath of the Lamb is poured out, righteous indignation in judgment. That's why it's important people know the gospel. People need to understand that wrath is coming. Now I know some of you might be here and say, well wait a minute, I'm a post-tribulationist.

I believe it'll be at the end. We're pre-tribulationists most of us here. We believe that we'll be harpazo or raptured in the Greek before the great tribulation comes. And I'll tell you something about my position. If I got it wrong, guess what? I'm okay. It doesn't change a single thing for me. If you're post-tribulationist and you got it wrong, well you missed it, right?

You weren't ready, you weren't waiting. You weren't expectant. Does that mean that you'll still go through tribulation? Maybe not, but the point is I can always change my perspective and point of view. You can't change yours. And I believe everything in the Bible, specifically 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5, teach that the church will not be given unto what? Wrath. God's not grammatically challenged.

He says that he would what? Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath. Why? Because it's not for you and me to judge. It's not for you and me to judge. For it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Deuteronomy chapter 32, verse 35. If your enemy is hungry, feed him. So many people have problems with this passage. I can tell you that most of the scholars you read in the commentaries, when this is the problem with getting too comfortable with commentaries, friends.

What is the best commentary? The Word of God, right? But a lot of the commentaries out there, I even heard many of the well-known Calvary Chapel pastors, they'll teach us they'll come to the same thing and say, we really don't know what it means. I'm sorry, I don't agree with that. I think we know exactly what it means. Go over to Israel today. Go look at the Bedouins and you'll know exactly what this means.

Extrabiblically, we know what this means. He says, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he's thirsty, give him a drink. Does that sound like vengeance or does that sound like a blessing? Where does he say before give blessings, right? We read that in Bible. He says what? When you're thirsty, Jesus says, well, you know, why didn't you give me a drink? He says, "Lord, I didn't see you." He says, "When I'm that person standing on the corner and I'm thirsty and you ignored me, that was Jesus."

He gives us exhortation on that, conviction. For in so doing, you will do what? In so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. So wait a minute, I thought it was a blessing, then that happens and you're like, what? You're going to take coals? Don't be carrying around buckets of coals looking to go, well, I told you, and put it on them, right? Start them on fire.

None of that, right? What's he saying here in the context? If you go over to Israel even today, I was just talking about it with Laura. Laura was in Israel for 14 years. She just got back. We were just talking about it before service. She says, you know you can go over there today and still see the same thing, the Bedouins. They carry around on top, like kind of like a ring, and they have coals in there.

And what they do turn around and do, because you know sometimes at night it can get cold, especially the Bedouins, they're out in the wilderness area, it can get cold at night. So what they'll do is they'll take and they have a clamp and they grab one of the coals and they'll give it to someone else. And if you give that coal to someone else, what does coals do? It has heat, fire, a need.

He's talking about needs here, isn't he? If you're thirsty, drink, right? If you're hungry, feed them. Those are needs. You're cold, let me get you warm. You can see it today, it was the same thing a couple thousand years ago. So they'll do it. They'll take it out, they'll put it in there. Next time you go to Israel, look for it. Go out and ask your tour guide, take me out to the Bedouins. Let's see the Bedouins.

Anyway, they'll take the coal and you do what? You take that coal and you'll give it to somebody else. It's a blessing. It's considered a blessing or an honor to someone. That's what he's saying here. For in so doing, you will heap coals of fire on his head. You will bless him. You'll bring him warmth. You'll bring him encouragement. You'll meet a need. That's what he's saying.

Verse 21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. That's where we're going to close this morning. Just think about that. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. If God tells us don't be overcome with evil, is it possible to be overcome? Yes. Is he exhorting us here not to be overcome? Yes. By what? Good.

And what did he refer to good earlier? Remember earlier, go back in verses 9, 10, 11. What did he say about good? He said you were to do something about good. That's why I made a big deal about it and we talked about adhesion and not Velcro. What are you to do with what's good? Cling to it. You were to cling to it. So how do you turn around and overcome evil? You cling to what is good. Do you see that?

He starts the passage off in that section with telling you to cling to what is good, verse 9. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. He gave you the prescription. He then shows you the application of the prescription right in verse 21. Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. And how else could you do that unless you followed verse 9 and you cling to what was good in the beginning? Do you see it? He bookended the passage for us. What a beautiful place to stop for today.

Guest (Male): Pastor Matt VanderVen on His Perfect Love. We're developing our study in Romans, and if you enjoyed today's message, we'd like to know. Email us at our website, hisperfectlove.org. And be sure to include your prayer requests. And while you're there, you'll notice a place to listen to Pastor Matt's sermons, including all of Romans. That's at hisperfectlove.org.

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We want all of our listeners to have access to the Word of God. So if you're in need of a Bible, we'd like to get one into your hands. Just email us through our website and ask for the free Bible offer. Here's our web address again: hisperfectlove.org. This has been His Perfect Love with Pastor Matt VanderVen. Thanks for listening. We'll catch you back here next time when we'll share another study in Romans.

His Perfect Love is brought to you by Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore.