Romans 12:9-16 “Christian Living” 20160605 RSUMC

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. [NRSV]

Down in My Heart

Do you remember that Camp/ VBS Song: I’ve Got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy, down in my heart! Where? ” Down in my heart!”

It is a great reminder of where the core of the Christian life begins.
To be a follower of Jesus Christ might very different than being a Christian

Paul is building a case for the life and Christain community that is ours to emulate.

Let your love be genuine.
I love fresh lemonade verses I love you even when you misbehave.
Hate evil.
Strong words: Let’s be clear about evil. Don’t vilify the person, hate the unGodly things, attitudes, look past the words, to the other persons’ heart.
Hold on to Good.
It’s going to be a bumpy ride; not every handle is one you need to hold.
Devotion to God models our love of others.
Start at the beginning, love God first, greatest commandment.
Honor others, first.
Think from the other side first before you post or speak.
Life for God with a Passion
Don’t leave home without a case of Zeal for God.
Don’t be lukewarm or worse.
Keep the Spiritual fires warm while serving the Lord

So, if you are telling, teaching, explaining what it means to be a Christian:

1. Christian living begins in the heart.

Genuine heart hates evil, but holds on to Good, models devotions, respects we are different, but is passionate about living for God.

Attitudes in Action

Second to our Heart are the thoughts and ideas in our head.

Facebook and all social media are easy targets to see where people, who may have great hearts for God, but choose to forget or not to listen to their heart.

Here is the test:

If you find you can share Joyful Hope on Facebook, sign in!
If you can use it to patiently see the world through others’ perspectives, log on!
If you can use the media to offer your heart’s passionate prayers? Get social.
If not, don’t sign in, don’t log on, get to heating up your God’s Spirit in you instead.

1. Christian living begins in the heart of God
2. Christian living filters God’s voice through the world’s voice.

Our Witness in Community

To live in a Christian is to draw on the heart relationship we have with God, filter through what is joyful, hateful, shameful, grace-filled, good and profane and use this perspective in the world. Too many people are Christ-like in their hearts OR minds but get derailed using these tools in the world beyond themselves.

Paul’s list of sharing our witness in a relationship with others.
+? “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.”
Interesting, Paul begins with helping the “Lord’s People” in need.
+ Practice hospitality
Have an open heart and mind that welcomes others.
+ Bless those who persecute you.
Know that not everyone will return kindness and love and grace.
-Do not curse, rather bless
Take the high, Godly, Good Road, don’t blame, bless and grow away from evil.
+ Rejoice with others
Celebrate when the news is good, and Joy is clear
+ Mourn with others
Be open to comfort, even when you are not the one hurting
+ Live in Harmony
Find ways to get along without having to agree with everyone.
– Do not be proud
Remember God loves and saves you, AND everyone else.
– Don’t be conceited, Associate with the poor and wealthy
Be a friend to those who are easy and difficult to live with.

Being a Christian is easy if you rare filling out a survey.
More people are identifying themselves as less Christian these days.

What does it look like when we say we are Christian but have lost hold of the heart of God?
What does it feel like when we say we are Christian people but have forgotten or never learned how to find our way home and settle for where we are rather than where we belong?
What does it sound like when we have our faith all worked out in our head, and heart but other folks don’t see, hear or experience God around us?

Paul reminds the church at Rome and Rock Spring:

It takes all three, growing in the heart of God, filtering through good and evil, to model our relationship with everyone.

Thank goodness we come to the table to start our journey today.

Here is our grace to begin anew and fresh.

Come.

Christian living begins in the heart of God
Christian living filters God’s voice through the world’s voice.
Christian living must interact with the community and reflect God at work through us.

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