HOW DO YOU THINK & ACT?

Romans 12:9-16

9) “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10) Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; 11) Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12) Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13) Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14) Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15) Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16) Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.”

Introduction

A preacher once told about three kids who made a new club. They had three rules. Nobody acts big. Nobody acts little. Everybody acts medium. Pretty good advice!

In the verses that precede this section of Romans twelve, Paul talks about
being living sacrifices and that it starts inside. We become what we think about
(and what we think about ourselves). Now this is part two of being a living
sacrifice—living sacrifices living together.

I.      Love Must Be Sincere (v. 9).

(This is a Greek word that you know, anhupocritos, not
hypocritical, not fake.)

A.  Love and pretense cannot exist together.

B.  It has little to do with sentiment, but a lot to do with determination,
commitment, decision.

 II.     Love Hates Evil. It Clings to Good (v. 9).

A.  Love is not real if it fails to discriminate between evil and good.

B.  If I love you, I won’t lead you off toward something ungodly.
Standards work. A standard-less society does not work. Love clings to
good things, and quickly turns away from low things.

III.     Love Is Being a Devoted Friend (v. 10).

IV.    Love Honors Another Above Yourself (v. 10).

A.  This may be the hardest on the list.

B.  To do this I have to have enough sense of my worth as a child of God
and as a possession of the Son of God that I don’t have to scratch and
battle for the upper hand with you.

V.     Love Is Zealous, with Spiritual Fervor (v. 11).

Right in the middle of this is a spiritual reminder; “serving the Lord.” If
we need to outdo others, outdo them in devotion to Christ.

VI.    Love Is Joyful (Because of Hope) (v. 12).

VII.   Love Is Patient in Affliction (v. 12).

It holds out. We will not be delivered from all misfortune, but in the
midst of misfortune we will be sustained.

VIII.    Love Is Faithful in Prayer (v. 12).

We mentioned mother. This one has mother written all over it. One
father of adult children prays for his sons and their wives every day. That
might get him up to a third of his wife’s prayers for them.

IX.    Love Shares with God’s People Who Are in Need (v. 13).

It shares with godless people too, as it can. But God’s people are a first
priority.

X.     Love Practices Hospitality (v. 13).

Is your house a place where children clamor to come, where
missionaries and traveling friends can always find a bed, where a lot of
folks in the church family have pulled up under your table, where brothers
and sisters can find an ear, a chair, and a prayer?

XI.    Love Blesses Those Who Persecute (v. 14).

XII.   Love Rejoices with Those Who Rejoice (v. 15).

It will do that even with those who have achieved a success that you
want, but may never enjoy yourself.

XIII.  Love Mourns with Those Who Mourn (v. 15).

It lifts up part of the pain.

XIV. Love Stretches Its Social Range Past Its Comfort Zones (v. 16).

Conclusion

Remember, all letter long, Paul reminds us that this is God-guided through the Holy Spirit living that we cannot produce on our own. We need a Savior (Jesus) who died on the Cross. We need the Holy Spirit. We may have them.