Sermon series: BEHAVING LIKE A CHRISTIAN

Subject: Serving in the Family of God

Romans 12:10-13
"Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality."

When a person, by faith, receives Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, they become a part of the Family of God, the Body of Christ, the People of God, the Church. By divine adoption, we are made a part of God’s eternal family!
The Westminster Catechism describes adoption as "an act of God’s free grace where-by we are received into the number and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God." It is the "reception into a family of one who does not belong to it by birth." Our divine adoption was purchased at a dear price...the blood of Jesus Christ. When God determined to adopt us, He sealed the deed with divine blood. Free grace, then, runs through the whole privilege of adoption and brings us a greater mercy than Adam had in Paradise. He was son by creation, we are sons of God by adoption! We are now a part of the Family of God...we are God’s people.
Our present responsibility as adopted ones is to extol and magnify God’s mercy and live for His pleasure. As His sons, we must bear His likeness. Those who belong to distinguished families do their utmost, by noble living, worthy actions and dignified mien, to uphold the honor and reputation of their forebears, and not in any way disgrace the family’s good name. Because of our glorious family connections, through wondrous grace, "What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" (2 Peter 3:11)
This question is answered in the Romans 12 passage which we have chosen to study for our summer’s lessons.
We must never forget...we are the people of God!
No description of the church so emphasizes the dignity, value, and privilege of its members as the phrase ‘the people of God.’ In today’s world, feelings of loneliness and alienation are everywhere to be found, leaving a flood of depression and despair.

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What is at the root of this tragic state of affairs? A fundamental cause is that there is little or no sense of ‘belonging’. The emergence and often breakdown of the isolated, nuclear family has meant that the wider sharing in a community has largely been disbanded.
In contrast, the heart and core of God’s message to man through the Scriptures is that He desires a people--a community--to share His life. It is God’s unmistakable purpose to have a people of His own, and by His amazing grace it is the utterly undeserved privilege of all who belong to Christ to belong to this community, the people of God. It is God’s intention that as His people we should glorify Him in the world. He has commissioned us to reveal Him through our corporate life as His ‘own people’ to a world that does not know Him! Jesus Himself said, ‘You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)
It is always true that our lives speak more loudly than our words. By using the illustration of light, Jesus was showing the powerful impact true Christian living can have. What the world needs to see is the wonder and beauty of God-possessed personalities; men and women with the life of God pulsating within, who practice the presence of God and consequently make it easy for others to believe in God.
Our text in Romans 12 gives us some very specific directives as to how we live out our Christian faith in our church and our world.
"Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love..."
In the Greek language (the original language of the New Testament) there are four words for LOVE, agape, philia, storge, and eros. The last word, eros, refers to sexual love and does not occur in the New Testament, no doubt because this kind of love had become so debased among the heathen. The first word, agape, is the great New Testament word for God’s love and for the love of Christians for God and one another. It is the word used in verse 9. The remaining two words, philia and storge, are used in verse 10, which means all three of the New Testament words for LOVE are used in verses 9 and 10. But they occur in combinations. In the Greek text the first words of Paul’s command

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are "in brotherly love." That is PHILADELPHIA in Greek, the word for love being combined with the word for brother. The second combination is the Greek word PHILOSTORGOI, rendered devoted in the New International Version. These words mean that "in respect to the love of our Christian brother and sister, we are to be marked by a devotion that is characteristic of a loving, close-knit, and mutually supportive family."
The "body" concept graphically portrays that Christians are "members one of another". Each believer (no matter what his or her status in life) is necessary and vitally important in God’s order of things. The "family" concept gives us an ever greater appreciation of what a functioning church should be. The concept of the "family" adds a dimension of warmth, tenderness, concern, and loyalty--in short, human emotion and devotion.
The term BROTHERS is used to refer to the "Christian family" approximately 230 times, throughout the New Testament, beginning in the Book of Acts. The word "BROTHERS" literally means "FROM THE SAME WOMB." It is distinctly a "family term." It means we have all been "born again" into God’s forever family. We are vitally related to each other through a common heritage. "In love He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 1:15).
Showing affection and love to other Christians and treating them as brothers and sisters in Christ does not happen automatically. If it were automatic, we would not have so many exhortations to do so!
Our first step must be to take seriously what the Bible says about brotherly love. "Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more" (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10).
"Keep loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." (Hebrews 13:1-3)
"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, with all your hearts. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God" (1 Peter 1:22-23).

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"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:8-9)
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." (2 Peter 1:5-7)
Paul, in the context in which he exhorted Christians to "be devoted to one another in brotherly love", also exhorted that we "rejoice with those who rejoice" and "mourn with those who mourn." This, of course, involves emotion; deep feelings of joy as well as deep feelings of sadness. Some Christians find it difficult to identify with other believers at the "feeling" level. Some individuals have been so deeply hurt by others they are afraid to express their feelings. They are not willing to take a chance of being hurt again. But, we must work towards a mature perspective on human relationships. Christians must be vulnerable. Don’t let a bad experience rob you of God’s best. Act upon what you know to be right, and God will help you and bless you for your effort.
Let’s not forget....
Christians are our family, of course, regardless of their background, race, nationality, occupation, wealth, or education--or even whether we are attracted to or like another believer. It is irrelevant.
The contemporary church will never have the power of the early church until today’s Christians love one another as a close-knit family.
Here is Luke’s description of the early family of believers...the people of God: "And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread [including the Lord’s Supper] and prayers.
And a sense of awe (reverential fear) came upon every soul, and many signs were performed through the apostles (the special messengers).
And all who believed (who adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus Christ) were united and [together] they had everything in common;
And they sold their possessions (both their landed property and their movable goods) and distributed the price among all, according

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as any had need.
And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including the Lord’s Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts, constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all the people; and the Lord kept adding [to their number] daily those who were being saved [from spiritual death]." (Acts 2:42-47 Amplified)
Paul continues in our text..."in honor giving preference to one another."
Jesus Christ, when He walked among men, set the supreme example in honoring others above Himself. On one occasion, a short time before His death, He taught the disciples a powerful truth. At an evening meal together, Jesus, knowing full well "that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God," filled a basin with water and stooped to wash His disciples feet. After He had finished the task, He shared with them a lesson I’m sure they never forgot. "Do you understand," He asked, "what I have done for you?" Then He went on to answer His own question. "You call Me ‘Teacher and Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:12-15)
It’s my opinion that some Christians confuse principle and practice in this story, and to this very day they engage in "foot-washing". But I believe Jesus Christ wanted us to learn the principle. Though cultures change, though modes of transportation have evolved, and though we usually walk on sidewalks with shoes on our feet--one thing has not changed! Paul confirmed this when he said that we as Christians are to "honor one another above ourselves". This, it seems, is what Jesus was illustrating in the foot-washing episode.
On another occasion Jesus spelled this truth out even more clearly. He took the religious leaders to task for their pride and arrogance. "Everything they do is done for men to see," He said. "They love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have men call them ‘Rabbi.’" Then Jesus turned to His disciples and drove home the lesson they had to learn if they were to be mature men of God who could be used in His service. "The greatest among you will be your servant.

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For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:5-12)
The Apostle Paul, though he never sat at the feet of Christ while He taught on earth, nevertheless learned this lesson well. He also applied this truth in his ministry to the New Testament churches. Thus he wrote to the Philippians: "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5).
What was that attitude? Paul carefully spelled it out! Christ demonstrated towards all mankind the greatest act of unselfishness, humility, and self-sacrifice ever known to the universe: "Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:6-8)
To make sure the Philippians understood what he meant by imitating Christ’s attitude and actions, he introduced the paragraph about Christ’s act of humility and unselfishness by saying: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4)
There are some Christians who have difficulty "honoring others" because they feel in need of honor themselves. In fact, they are the kind of people who can never get enough honor and attention. They feed on it! Remember, you can never lose by sincerely honoring others. God will not forget, and neither will those you honor.
Here is a prayer to pray...it is the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: "Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace, where there is hatred, let me sow love--where there is doubt, faith--where there is despair, hope--where there is darkness, light--where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled--as to console, to be understood--as to understand, to be loved--as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."
Paul continues in our Romans 12 text, giving us directives as to how we should live our Christian lives in our world and our church. In verse 11 he writes: "Not lagging in dilli-

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gence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." The New International Version reads: "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor."
The Amplified Bible reads: "Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord." A more literal rendering would be: "In regard to what you ought to be doing, don’t be lazy." This is directed against weariness in well-doing (Galatians 6:9), and it is a real problem when trying to live the Christian life for any length of time. It is easy to get discouraged. It is hard to keep on steadily.
Our King James Version renders this verse differently. It reads: "Not slothful in business."
To most people ‘business’ suggests commercial dealing only, which is why newer versions drop that word. But it is helpful to think of it in this way.
Think of the ‘business’ of being a Christian! It is a puzzle to me how anyone can take on the most important business of all, the business of being a follower of Jesus Christ, and do it in a passive, apathetic, part-time, or slovenly manner! Yet many do! What we should do is follow after Jesus Christ with all our hearts and minds and with all the energy at our disposal. We should work at being the best Christian. Robert Chandlish writes about this wisely: "Your sanctification must be made a matter of business. It must be cared for and prosecuted in a business-like way; not indolently and slothfully, as if it were a process that might be left to itself, but industriously, sedulously, diligently, with regularity and punctuality, as you would manage a worldly concern, on the common principles of worldly energy and worldly care and worldly zeal."
Think of the ‘business’ of being a Christian father or mother. Raising a family takes work and Christian love demands that this too be done steadily and without being lazy. Children will not raise themselves in godliness. Left to themselves, they will grow up like an unattended garden, full of weeds and other wild things. It takes work to raise children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
Hear the ancient instruction to the fathers and mothers of Israel:
"Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord [the only Lord].
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might.
And these words which I am commanding you

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this day shall be [first] in your own minds and hearts; [then] you shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the minds and hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets (forehead bands) between your eyes.
And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
Our text in Romans 12:12 says: "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.
In the Bible, HOPE always has to do with what God has promised but that we have not seen or received yet. The hope of the glory of God in which the apostle here affirms that Christians ought to rejoice, is provided as an important part of the believer’s armor--a helmet to cover his head to defend him against the attacks of spiritual enemies. (1 Thessalonians 5:8) It supports him when [he is] ready to be cast down...It soothes the bitterness of affliction when the believer is resting on the promises of God. The Christian must be essentially an optimist. Just because God is God, Christians are always certain that "the best is yet to be." Just because he knows of the grace that is sufficient for all things and the strength that is made perfect in weakness, the Christian knows that no task is too much for him.
Jews are to meet tribulation with triumphant fortitude. Someone once said to a gallant sufferer; "Suffering colors all life, doesn’t it?" "Yes," said the gallant one, "it does, but I propose to choose the color."
When Nebuchadnezzar cast Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the burning fiery furnace he was amazed that they took no harm. He asked if three men had not been cast into the flames. They told him it was so. He said, "But I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; arid the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods." (Daniel 3:24,25) A man can meet anything when he meets it with Christ. We are to persevere in prayer. When a man ceases to pray, he despoils himself of the strength of Almighty God. No man should be surprised when life collapses if he insists on living it alone!
What wonderful and practical directives Paul has given to us in these short verses. When these instructions are lived out in our living, the world around us will be attracted to our Savior and Lord.