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Home Sermons 2011 Jesus Revolutionary (Part 2 of 'Living the Christian Life')
 
Jesus Revolutionary (Part 2 of 'Living the Christian Life') PDF Print E-mail
Written by David Charlton   

Scripture

Matthew 5:44
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
 Matthew 22:37-40
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."
 Romans 12:9-21
Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 20 No, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
 
 Core Idea, Purpose & Summary

Core Idea: Jesus’ love makes us revolutionaries

Challenge: To challenge Christians to love others in a way that makes them revolutionaries for Jesus.

Summary: Jesus is a revolutionary because everything He teaches is counter-cultural. His most revolutionary teachings concern love. Jesus clearly teaches that we are to love our enemies by not only praying for them but actively seeking their good. By doing that, we are to touch their hearts and bring change to the world, one person at a time. The more we do this, the more the world will change. In this way, we become revolutionaries.

The Sermon

I. Introduction: The Beatle’s song “Revolution”

     A. The song, “Revolution” is played. (The lyrics are found at the end of the outline)

     B. Written in 1968 as the Beatle’s 1st overtly political song: A response to the student
          protests to the Vietnam War
     C. Although the Beatles may not have intended this, parts of this song
          accurately describe the revolutionary nature of following Jesus
  • You say you want a revolution. Well, you know we all want to change the world: Jesus brings about a revolution with what He teaches
  • But when you talk about destruction, Don't you know that you can count me out : As followers of Jesus, our strategy doesn’t involve violence but love
  • Don't you know it's gonna be all right all right, all right: Yes, everything is going to be alright because Jesus will make everything right.
  • You say you got a real solution. Well, you know, We'd all love to see the plan: We have the only solution to all our social ills, Jesus Christ

     D. Jesus is the ultimate revolutionary

  • His teachings are counter-cultural
  • Not only are we to not harm our enemies but we are to actively seek our enemy’s good
  • In this way, we change the world, one person at a time – that’s revolutionary
II. Jesus and His revolutionary teachings: Romans 12:9-21 - This passage starts off
    mildly revolutionary but progressively becomes more and more revolutionary – it
    becomes totally contrary to what the world teaches and could bring about world
    transformation…one person at a time
     A. Verses 9-13a: Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10
          love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11
          Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in your
          hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of
          the saints,
  • Not very revolutionary
  • We are told to love and honor one another within the church…pretty much what the world teaches…love and honor people in your own group
     B. Verses 13b-16: practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and
          do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
          16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the
          lowly; never be conceited.
  • Practice hospitality: Starting to get revolutionary…be hospitable to strangers…help people in general…good stuff but too radical
  • Verse 14: Now we are getting more revolutionary: Do not curse but bless those who persecute us…This means praying for those who mistreat us…radical but doable.
  • Verse 16: Be willing to associate with anyone…yes, definitely getting more revolutionary…think of the group of people you would feel most uncomfortable hanging out with…that’s who God wants you to associate with
     C. Verses 17-19: Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the
          sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. 19
          Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is
           written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
  • Not only are we to pray for those who mistreat us, we can’t do anything mean back to them. Yes, definitely more revolutionary
  • As Christians, we must ensure we seek justice and not revenge – There’s a difference
     D. Verse 20: No, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for
          by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head."
  • Not only are we to pray for and not mistreat those who persecute us, we are to actively seek their good. We are to help and serve those who persecute us.
  • Can’t get much more revolutionary than that.

     E. Verse 21: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

  • The summation of the revolutionary nature of Jesus’ message
  • We are at war with Satan and evil. Our strategy is love

     F. Do you see the progressively revolutionary nature of this passage?

  • Be respectful, kind and helpful to people in your church and family
  • Be respectful, kind and helpful to strangers
  • Pray for people who mistreat you
  • Be sure to seek justice, not vengeance
  • Don’t harm those who mistreat you
  • Do good for those who mistreat you
  • Fight evil with good. Fight hate with love.

III. A revolutionary story

     A. My first wife was killed by a young (19 year old) drunk driver

     B. The State Attorney kept me inform of the case. When she reached a possible plea
          bargain with the drunk driver, she called me to get my opinion.
  • The person would get a light sentence in this plea bargain (3-4 years in prison)
  • Did I want justice or revenge? Was 3-4 years justice? If I asked for the maximum sentence (20 years) would that be justice or revenge?
  • I advised the State Attorney to go with the plea bargain.
  • This person was only 19 YOA and had no malice in his heart when he killed my wife. Twenty years in prison could turn a young man who made a highly irresponsible decision into a harden criminal.

     C. With God’s grace, I heaped burning coals on his head

  • I was able to proclaim forgiveness and God’s love at his sentencing
  • I was able to write him about God’s love
  • I have no doubt I heaped burning coals on his head. It is very likely that these burning coals brought him to repentance and faith in Christ. (He demonstrated repentance at his sentencing and his letters indicate he was seeking the Lord.)

IV. Real Change

     A. Barak Obama promised change…whether or not you buy that is up to you

     B. Jesus, however, promises us real change because His change takes place in the
          Heart…that’s genuine revolution
     C. As people’s hearts change, society changes…The Civil Rights movement brought
          about great political and legal changes but real change doesn’t occur until racism
          is cleansed from our hearts…only Jesus can do that
     D. As His followers, God uses us to touch people’s hearts as we seek to love our
          neighbors. We become Jesus’ revolutionaries

V. Conclusion: Do you want to be a revolutionary for Jesus?

     A. It begins with repentance and trust in Jesus.

     B. As we walk with Jesus, we change and love our neighbors, to include our
         enemies
     C. In this way, God uses us to reach our neighbors…the world changes one person
          at a time

     D. The Beatles song is really about us being Jesus Revolutionaries

 Lyrics to “Revolution” by the Beatles

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money
for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
Ah

ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...

You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free you mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
all right, all right, all right
all right, all right, all right
 
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