Christian Life Church
May 19, 2024 at 8:30am & 10:00am
Romans 12:17-21 NIV Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Locations & Times
Christian Life Church Columbia
2700 Bush River Rd, Columbia, SC 29210, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
The Strange Case of the Burning Coals
(or How to Successfully Resist Evil) 5/19/2024
Romans 12:17-21 NIV Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I. Understand “heaps of burning coals.”
II. Understand “Resistance.”
A. James 4:7 NIV Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
B. Matthew 5:39 NIV But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
C. Note: we are not forbidden to get out of a bad situation or to improve our situation if possible.
D. 1 Corinthians 7:21-22 NLT Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22 And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.
III. Understand God’s “Prerogatives.”
A. Genesis 12:3 NKJV I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
B. Hebrews 10:30-31 NKJV For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
C. Nahum 1:1-2 NKJV God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; 2 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.
D. Deuteronomy 32:35 NKJV Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in duetime; For the day of their calamity isat hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.’
E. Romans 12:17-21 NLT Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
20 Instead,“If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
IV. Understand the nature of our “weapons.”
A. They are not carnal/fleshly.
B. They are extremely powerful.
C. They are usually counter-intuitive.
D. 1 Peter 3:8.9 NIV Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
E. Romans 12:14 NIV Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Christian Life Lessons
Resisting Evil God’s Way
1. The weapon/grace of opposite behavior
Romans 12:21 NLT Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Matthew 5:38-47 NLT“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. 43“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.
2. The weapon/grace of kindness
Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
3. The weapon/grace of persistence
Galatians 6:8-10 NLT Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
(or How to Successfully Resist Evil) 5/19/2024
Romans 12:17-21 NIV Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I. Understand “heaps of burning coals.”
II. Understand “Resistance.”
A. James 4:7 NIV Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
B. Matthew 5:39 NIV But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
C. Note: we are not forbidden to get out of a bad situation or to improve our situation if possible.
D. 1 Corinthians 7:21-22 NLT Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22 And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.
III. Understand God’s “Prerogatives.”
A. Genesis 12:3 NKJV I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
B. Hebrews 10:30-31 NKJV For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
C. Nahum 1:1-2 NKJV God is jealous, and the Lord avenges; The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; 2 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.
D. Deuteronomy 32:35 NKJV Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in duetime; For the day of their calamity isat hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.’
E. Romans 12:17-21 NLT Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.
20 Instead,“If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
IV. Understand the nature of our “weapons.”
A. They are not carnal/fleshly.
B. They are extremely powerful.
C. They are usually counter-intuitive.
D. 1 Peter 3:8.9 NIV Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
E. Romans 12:14 NIV Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Christian Life Lessons
Resisting Evil God’s Way
1. The weapon/grace of opposite behavior
Romans 12:21 NLT Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Matthew 5:38-47 NLT“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40 If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. 42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow. 43“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.
2. The weapon/grace of kindness
Ephesians 4:29-32 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
3. The weapon/grace of persistence
Galatians 6:8-10 NLT Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.