The Importance of Thinking (Part 2)

Thanks for tuning in to No Compromise Radio with pastor and author Dr. Mike Abendroth. Today on No Compromise Radio we'll be hearing Pastor Mike open the Word of God in a recent message he preached at Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.

Now let's join Pastor Mike in progress as he preaches through the scriptures verse by verse with No Compromise.

Thinking Corporately as the Body of Christ

Number five, he now leads into some talk about ministry. Think corporately. If you'd like to think about Romans 1 through 11 properly, you think logically, defensively, offensively, soberly, and now corporately.

We live in a very individualistic age, so much so that when we read the word Y-O-U in scripture, we think it's singular every single time. If we had the King James, at least it would say ye, and then we would know.

Or if we had the southern translation, the Georgia translation, it would say y 'all, y 'alls. But when we read you, we just go, yep, that's me. That's the way we used to think. But now in light of how God has changed us, in light of we're the body of Christ, we need to think like a body, and so it says in verses four and five, for as in one body, we've moved away from our totality, our body in verse one, to the body of Christ figure of speech.

For as in one body, we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function. So we, though many, see we've got diversity of members, even though unity of body, do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Proper Christian thinking is this, Lone Ranger mentality has to go. Mutuality of various members. Remember 1 Corinthians 12, the foot should not say, because I'm not a hand, I am not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any less a part of the body, and if an ear should say, because I'm not an eye, I'm not part of the body, it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

If you'd like to think properly, then you should think corporately, not independently. How do I profit other people? It's not my ministry, it's the Lord's ministry. And now he moves into service, number six.

How do you think as a Christian? In light of the mercies of God, God's mercies, in Romans 1 to 11, think responsibly. Think like a steward. You've been entrusted with something, what do you do with that trust?

Think responsibly. Verse six, and now verse seven and eight as well, talk about ministry. When God saves you, you should minister to his body. I think all of you, if you're a Christian, if Jesus' body were here today, you would say, I want to go serve him and minister to him.

And sometimes I have people here at the church, and I'm up front ready to preach again, they'll come up and they'll say, can I get you anything, can I get you a water, do you need a cough drop, do you need a theological acumen pill, they ask me all kinds of questions, they ask me.

They're kind, they're nice, and I appreciate that. If they do that to me, sinful fallen Mike, if the Lord was there, wouldn't you want to go serve him? I would, but Jesus' body isn't on earth, it's in heaven.

Now this is the body that we have to serve, except it's not quite as fun to serve these as it is him. But he does say in verse 6, having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, he says elsewhere in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, God the Spirit sovereignly gives grace, spiritual gift grace to every Christian at salvation, let us use them.

If you've been saved, you need to use your spiritual gifts. And then he gives not an inclusive list, but he just gives a general list that the folks at Rome would know. If prophecy, if you can speak directly and infallibly for God, then you want to do that in proportion to our faith.

If service, our ministry, if you're able to minister to folks, you want to minister to their physical and material needs. The one who teaches in his teaching, if you've been given the gift and you can explain God's truth simply, clearly, plainly, then you want to do that.

Why? For the good of the body, because it's been given to you, because you realize God saved you. And if you've dedicated your soul and your life to him, this is what he expects. The one who exhorts, that's from encouragement to admonishment in his exhortation.

The one who contributes or gives, make sure you're giving with generosity and with good motives. The one who leads or rules pertaining to the government and the church with zeal. The one who does acts of mercy, giving to those in need, do it with what?

Cheerfulness. So much different than this mentality. That's good enough for a government job. The whole point here is if God saved you and given you spiritual gifts, don't you want to excel? Don't you want to serve?

You're equipped to serve. He just didn't say serve. He saved you. The spirit of God indwells you. He's given you spiritual gift and he's given you an opportunity. I ask you the question, do you serve the local body?

That doesn't mean you have to serve in this building. If it's not within the square circle area of the Iwana circle, it doesn't count. But the body of Christ, if you don't serve the body with your gifts that you have as a Christian, you're not thinking properly.

It's going to be bad for you pragmatically because you're built to serve and if you try to not serve, your life doesn't go so well. But more than that, for the honor and glory of God, for the example you have, what did Jesus say?

My will is to do his work. My food is to do the will of him who sent me. Jesus said, I have set an example for you that you do as I have done after he washed the disciples' feet. Matthew 20, just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to what?

Serve and to give his life a ransom for many. Friends, it is my desire in light of Ephesians 4 that Harry read. Our job as an elder board is, there are many different aspects to it, but one aspect is to equip you for the ministry.

You are the ministry and our responsibility is to equip you. So you say to yourself, well, I'm new at the church and so I don't quite have a formal ministry yet, but I've always served and I'm just looking for that opportunity.

Great. I'm not talking to you. But if you're a Christian and you're a member here and you've been here long enough and you have no ministry, you want to search out that ministry and don't let yourself say, well, you know, the elders never asked me to do anything.

Well, maybe shame on the elders, but God has required you to do something. And if God has told you to do something, I wouldn't let some fallible elder stand in my way. I want to serve. It doesn't have to be a formal ministry.

How can I love other people? What I would like done for me, I'm going to do for them. That's exactly what Paul is talking about. And you know the neat thing? When you serve other people, you ultimately serve the Lord.

Matthew 25, the king will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. I didn't say this at first service, but I'll say it now. There are times when we, the elders, say we can't get anybody to do the ministry.

We need Sunday school teachers. People aren't stepping up. We need people to help us, the lawn mowing thing the other day, someone said, you know, we can't get lawn mowers because everybody, there's a few faithful people, but most people just flake.

And I say to myself, well, that shouldn't be because even if you don't have the gift of teaching, or leading, or ruling, and even if you do, I can even push a mower. I can even know what to do. Spark, gas, go.

So what's my point? My point is, when you're idle, you pursue something else. When you're a Christian, and you've been gifted, you look for opportunities to serve. That's thinking properly. Number seven, and finally, how do we think as a Christian?

Living Outwardly Toward Society and Enemies

Logically, defensively, offensively, soberly, corporately, responsibly. And now I needed another adverb. And so what Paul is trying to do here is he's saying you have duties not just to the church body, but outwardly to society and to enemies.

That's what he's after here in verses 9 to 21. So I'm just going to call this outwardly. Some of these spill into church life, but mainly it's society and then enemies. How do we treat people in society?

And you're going to find out very quickly, it's not move to Montana. It's not move to Norway, or Iceland, or get away from everybody else. Fascinatingly, what is the dedicated life of Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2?

How should we live towards society and enemies? Paul now gives a bunch of reasons. And I think there's 20 present tense commands for society and about five for enemies. This is all ongoing stuff, and this is a whole study in and of itself, but I'll just make some comments on most of these, first towards society, then towards enemies.

And here's the really neat thing before we start. When you look at this list and you feel pressure like, how could I ever live up to that? I think you should say to yourself, the Lord Jesus Christ, in so many ways, has epitomized these things.

And when God sees me, he doesn't see my failings in love without hypocrisy. He sees Christ Jesus, great love without hypocrisy, cloaked over me. When you say to yourself, you know what, sometimes I don't hold fast to what is good, the son has paid for those sins.

And you should also say, even though I struggle in some of these areas, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit, dwells in you and can empower you to do these very things. The first one is, let love be genuine, agape love.

The world's love is immoral or amoral, and here this kind of love is genuine. It's where we get the word genuine, it means don't be a hypocrite, don't serve with a mask on, be authentic or undisguised without pretense.

Thomas Watson, a great Puritan, said, faith deals with invisibles, but God hates love that is invisible. You say, well, Jesus loved the church and he gave himself for her. I think I should respond in kind.

He goes on, abhor what is evil. Just because you're loving people in society, it doesn't mean you can't say, I abhor what they think, what they do. The words of President Tence, keep on abhorring what is evil.

Have a bitter horror in your heart for this detested evil. He's not saying, you know, buy into what they do. You should love homosexuals who are enslaved to homosexuality, but you should hate the sin of homosexuality.

Cling to what is good. This is marriage covenant language. Be fastened together, be cemented together. If I was teaching a kid's group right now, I'd have a big old gallon jug of Gorilla Glue. Why? Because super glue they don't mix in such big gallons.

Something about the name Gorilla Glue, doesn't it sound good? You're in the world serving other people, you're loving them like Christ loved enemies. You got to really abhor what's evil, but make sure it's not just hating the evil, but you just cling to the good.

He goes on, love one another with brotherly affection. This is a different kind of love. This is family love, Philadelphia love, brotherly love. Be kindly affectionate towards these people in society.

Shouldn't Christians be the one like this? And then what does he say there? There can be a competition here, a friendly Christian competition that's godly. Let's outdo each other in showing honor to people.

How much honor did you give to unbelievers this week? Well, this is how much honor I gave. That might border on pride, but the language there is that. Give preference to one another, outdo one another.

Lead the way is the literal Greek in showing deference to other people. Of course, not relying on our adequacy, but Christ. He says in verse 11, do not be slothful in zeal. Don't lag behind, literally.

Don't be slow. Don't be like molasses and zeal. Be fired up for the gospel, serving people. Be fervent in spirit. I love this word. When you put water on the oven and turn it up, at what temperature does it boil?

Well, it depends what kind of Fahrenheit or Celsius, right? This is boiling, hot, internal spirit that wants to serve. And that's exactly what it says next, serve the Lord. Because if you've got it down that Jesus loved you and gave himself for you, Galatians 2, then you're enthusiastically wanting to serve.

Rejoice in hope. I love the way it says this. It doesn't just say rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. In the Greek, it says, in hope, rejoicing, in tribulation, enduring, in prayer, persevering.

The Christian should be full of joy even though the world is caving in. Look at it. Rejoicing, being cheerful, being glad, present tense. Why? Because of our circumstances? No, because of the promises of God, because of the power of God, the sovereignty of God.

John Stott said Christians should be the most positive people in the world. Romans 5 has already said, we exalt our joy in God. Feelings will follow. Take a look at the next one, be patient in tribulation.

We realize the world is against Christianity and there are struggles, but we persevere, we're patient. In light of God's mercies to you, be patient in tribulation. What's he saying next? Be constant in prayer, are devoted to prayer.

I loved what Wheaton College old president William Edmund said. He said this to his college students to put the last two together, chin up, knees down. That's the idea, to be devoted. Oh, here's a neat one, verse 13, contribute to the needs of the saints.

We did not live in our current situation here in America back in these days. No social security, no Medicare, no Medicaid, no unemployment insurance, no food stamps, no any of that, no welfare government.

Here we have what? If people are going to be taken care of, Christians need to do that. What else? Practicing hospitality. This is super convicting. Ready for the conviction? I like to think of hospitality this way.

Let's get a bunch of our friends over and sit around and, I don't know, have some Velveeta and salsa dumped in or something. I don't know, that was my old college days. Special five-star salsa. Let's just get together.

But you know what? This doesn't have anything to do with that. That's a good thing to do, well, except for the Velveeta. But this is track down opportunities to be kind to, the text literally says, strangers, strangers.

Chasing down a criminal in a cop car, 1 Adam 12. Here, it's tracing, tracking down, pursuing with that kind of intensity, opportunities to be hospitable. I once knew of a couple here at Bethlehem Bible Church that they made a little extra food every Sunday so they could go up to visitors and say, would you like to come over for some lunch?

Because most of the time, the visitors would think, this is some kind of cult or something, I don't know what's in there. But sometimes they would take them up on it. How'd you like to go to a church and be asked to go over to somebody's home for lunch?

Bless those, verse 14 goes on, to say who persecutes you. Keep on blessing them. Keep on saying things that aren't imprecatory psalms. And he repeats that in the next section. Bless and curse not. Don't say, God, I want harm to come to them, get them.

Rejoice with those who rejoice. And as Chrysostom said, this next one is a lot easier than the first one because the first one, our envy gets in the way. Weep with those who weep. That word weep has an emphasis on there's a sound to the weeping.

It's not just little tears that are kind of whimpering tears, it's a loud wail. Weep with those kind of people. Live in harmony with one another. Be of the same mind, in other words, doctrinally. Don't be haughty, but associate with the lowly.

Never be wise in your own sight. Mr. Moody, I was talking to somebody one time, a vain young man, and he said, Mr. Moody, I'm a self-made man. Mr. Moody said, young man, you have relieved the Almighty of a great responsibility.

So, no wonder Isaiah said, woe to those who are wise in their own eyes. No wonder Solomon said, don't be wise in your own eyes. And now we move to enemies. How do we treat our enemies? And by the way, Christian, buckle up in our society because the enemies are coming by the hordes and they're already here.

How do we act? Number, well, it doesn't matter what number, this is the first section towards the enemies. Repay no one evil for evil. Don't act like Khrushchev who said, my sole difference with Christ is that when someone hits me on the right cheek, I hit him on the left so hard that his head falls off.

Never pay back evil to anyone. Calvin said, revenge is a passion unbecoming children of God. No wonder Jesus said, I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. No wonder Peter says, you have been called for this purpose since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his step.

What does the text say? Doesn't say, we don't get mad, we get even. It goes on to say, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. Here's what it means. Think ahead of time. So when the world persecutes you, you already know what you're going to do.

So it's not a knee-jerk thing. I'm persecuted, so I'm going to get you back. No, I'm persecuted, but I've already got a resolved mental way that I'm going to attack this problem. So I don't reciprocate evil for evil.

I'm going to think about it ahead of time so I'm not vindictive. Well, he goes on to say, on the positive side, how to treat your enemies. If possible, there are times it is impossible. So far as it depends on you, there's a time where you've done everything you can, but they still won't reconcile.

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Jesus did say, did he not, blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. The God of peace, and the gospel of peace, and the prince of peace, if possible, requires of you, as far as it depends on you, to be at peace with all men.

I wonder if there's anyone in your life where you haven't gone to the nth degree, as far as it depends on you, to patch things up. Biblical restoration is mandatory. Loose ends are required by you in light of sovereign grace to be patched up as much as it depends on you.

This text basically means, Lord, there's nothing else I can do to get this person to be at peace with me. Verse 19, how do you treat your enemies? Well, you don't take revenge on them, you leave room for God's wrath.

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, and remember the culture Paul was living in where they like to kill Christians soon enough. For it is written, and now he quotes maybe from Deuteronomy, 2 Samuel, Nahum, it's repeated in Hebrews, vengeance is mine.

For it is written and it stands written. I will repay. Not we will repay, not we're going to get them, but I will repay. That takes such pressure off of us. God will right every wrong. So what do you do to your enemies?

I'll tell you, mark this, listen up, everyone, you serve them anthrax. You were sleeping until just a minute ago, now you must serve them anthrax. It is a biblical command. You don't believe me, do you?

Verse 20, you will. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. He's thirsty, give him something to drink. For by doing so, you will heap anthrax on his head. Anthraxus is the Greek word and it means hot burning coals because when you have the disease anthrax, it feels like you have hot burning coals in your body.

See, now you believe me. What does this mean though? Kind of sounds a little like revenge, doesn't it? Anthrax. See, maybe if you say the Greek word, then it maybe sounds better. I'm going to give him anthraxus.

Don't send it in the mail though, this has to be in person. This is a way of making your enemy ashamed of himself or herself. They pour out so much anger on you and you respond with kindness and they're shamed.

This is what it means by overcoming evil with good. You just can't get over it. We don't fight fire with fire, we fight fire with kindness and then they receive the internal anthraxus fire. I've had some arch enemies in my life and I learned this from my pastor, John MacArthur.

When he had arch enemies, he would regularly send them a gift. And there have been times in my ministry where the people that have most hated me in this gospel ministry, that by the grace of God, Kim and I have done that very thing.

Heaping coals of fire on the head. By the way, if I get a bunch of gifts this week, I'll assume the best. But honestly, I've given this advice to many people. There's some big blow up and big thing going on, then why don't you just go get your pocketbook out, go buy something nice for the person, send it and saying, thinking about you, praying for you, I love you and send it.

That's exactly what this verse is talking about. And why couldn't you? No, why wouldn't you in light of Romans 1 through 11? You drown out evil with good. Look at verse 21, do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

If this is a good thing to do with unbelieving people in society and real enemies, how about just even within the body of Christ, kindness and love? No wonder when Jesus talked about forgiveness to the disciples, they immediately responded with, Lord, increase our faith.

Christianity is a thinking religion, relationship, if you will call it that. Here's my assignment for you this week. Would you read Romans chapter 1 to 11 this week and would you say to yourself, Lord, I commit myself to you.

If you've already done that, say it is like a rededication service. You don't need to come up to the front of the church. I will rededicate myself to you. I'm all in. Take my life. I don't care where you send me, what I do, what I gain, what I lose.

I have one life to live. And if it would honor you to use somebody as frail and finite and sinful as me, then I'm all in. Take me. I do.

Think about it. No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts. Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life-transforming power of God's Word through verse-by-verse exposition of the sacred text.

Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 8 .30 and 11 a .m. and Sunday evenings at 6 p .m. We're located on Route 110 in West Boylston, Massachusetts. You can check us out online at bbchurch .org or by phone at 508 -835 -3400.

The thoughts and opinions expressed on No Compromise Radio do not necessarily reflect those of WVNE, its staff, or management.