Why?
Rom 12: 1-2; 9-21 NIV
Purpose: We can face anything in our lives, even
the answer or not answer to our
whys, if we have Christ within us.
12 Therefore, I
urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as
a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper
worship.
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s
will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is
evil; cling to what is good.
10 Be devoted
to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
11 Never be
lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
12 Be joyful
in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
13 Share with
the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless
and do not curse.
15 Rejoice
with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
16 Live in
harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with
people of low position.[c] Do not be
conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be
careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
18 If it is possible, as far as it
depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but
leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will
repay,”[d] says the
Lord.
20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good.
Footnotes:
- Romans 12:6 Or the
- Romans 12:8 Or to provide for others
- Romans 12:16 Or willing to do menial work
- Romans 12:19 Deut. 32:35
- Romans 12:20 Prov. 25:21,22
This is the Word of
God
for the people of God.
Praise be to God.
Amen.
Why?
Rom 12: 1-2; 9-21 NIV
Purpose: We can face anything in our lives, even
the answer or not answer to our
whys, if we have Christ within us.
Outline
I. Introduction
II. Why our
whys are important?
III. The importance of a right thinking when we ask why
such and such. Right thinking just
comes when the mind is placed on godly issues.
IV. Interpretation of the biblical text
V. Conclusion[s]
VI. CD third song
Why?
Rom 12: 1-2; 9-21 NIV
Purpose: We can face anything in our lives, even
the answer or not answer to our
whys, if we have Christ within us.
Questions have
been always very important for humanity. Through the answer of questions we
have progressed and grown. For example, when Alexander Fleming in 1928, was
trying to find an answer for the bacteria of the Staphylococcus, he discovered penicillin by accident.[1] Fleming
was questioning, Why does the
staphylococcus is killing so many people? Why these patients and no others? In
this case, the answer for the question
Why for Alexander Fleming was so important that the answer brought
healing for infections in that moment and in the years to come for so many. Other
case was Henry Ford. When we developed the assembly line of mass production. I bet that Ford was thinking why just rich
people can afford cars? Searching for his answer, Henry Ford reached to
produce hundred of cars to the point that this product became accessible for
common people not just for the rich.[2] Other
person with why's in her mind was Ann Judson, who was the first American
missionary woman who left United
States
This past
Tuesday when I was with some of our ladies in the Bible Study, they asked me if
I would preach about the world why, why
as a question. I answered them yes. However, I told them that it was going to
be a challenge for all of us.
It is a real
challenge for two main reasons. First, to try to understand human affairs, in
this case why in our lives, is challenging because we have to deal with our
mind and our feelings. Most people don't want to talk or to hear about
themselves. Second, in order to get to the bottom of the subject we have to
open our Pandora boxes, our inner-selves. The majority of us, we gladly choose
to postpone the conversation for later or for never, and we just deviate the
subject.
On the other
hand, God wants us to heal, to grow, and to become a whole and healthy
individuals who can help Him in this broken world.
So, as I have
said in other sermons and other times, it is interesting to know how our human
mind functions. In fact, it is a mystery that the discipline of Psychology
deals with theories, no facts, and in the science field, the human mind has not
totally been understood. However, we can
resolve a lot of our life puzzles through our spiritual healing and our
spiritual healing starts with our mind!!!
Here, we have
the Apostle Paul telling us how to deal with our why's in life. He is giving us
a very practical recipe that we can summarize in two steps:
1) Offer to God our bodies as a living
sacrifice. Our mind
is part of our body. When we give God our mind, we are going to give Him
instantly our feelings and our actions
2) Renew our minds. That means in order to renew our
minds, we have to remove our impractical, toxic, and stressful thoughts, the
thoughts that we are stuck with and it seems that they do not have an answer,
they have to replace them for other thoughts. These thoughts have to be thoughts that are according to God's will. But, for us who needs more clarity, what thoughts
are according to God's Will? Interesting enough, the thoughts that are
according to God's Will are the thoughts that have to be related with His
business, not just our business. We have
to redirect our attention. Instead of thinking in our concerns, then we need to
think in God's concerns.
[Climax of the sermon]
Sure enough,
God has telling us over and over, seek first His Kingdom and His
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew
6:33). What things are going to be given to us? what we shall eat or clothe or
a place to live or if something is happening to one of our beloveds. In short, God is going to take care of our
business, if we take care of His business first.
Here
is the turning point and when things can turn difficult for us, because in
order to redirect our attention we have to change our why's for how's. Because when we redirect our why's for
how's, then we are asking God no for an
explanation or a reason, the answer maybe come in the future. Through our how's we are asking God for
actions, and action plan. For example, why am I sick God? turn into how can
I live better with this disease?; why the economy is so bad? into how can I do
well in this economy?; why is there such injustice in the world? into how can I
help with justice in my life and surroundings? In this way, we are telling God, ok, dear Father, give
me the directions of what to do. In this precise moment, we are focusing in
the solution instead of the problem. It is the moment when our thinking
turns from worrying to doing. Here, it is when we turn our thinking from wrong
to right. Therefore, godly thoughts
comes when we turn our why's in to how's. This is what Paul is telling us
in this Letter to the Romans.
The importance of a right thinking when we ask why
such and such. Right thinking just
comes when the mind is placed on godly issues.
why am I sick? why does
the economy is so bad? why is there injustice in the
world? why is my sister or my brother mean to me? change for how, here in our minds, how can I live better with my
disease? how can I do well in this economy? how can I help with injustice?
My
dear ones, the more we change our why's for how's, the more we are becoming as
Jesus Christ was. The more we change our why's for how's, the more we are able
NOT to worry for our future. The more we change our why's for how's, the more
we are able to understand our present and live in permanent peace and joy. And
the more we change our why's for how's, the more we are able to understand our
mind, ourselves, and our feelings and be grateful to God.
Listen to the CD third song.
[1] http://www.wisegeek.org/how-was-penicillin-discovered-and-developed.htm
(Accessed on 1/6/2016).
[2]https://www.bing.com/search?q=how%20did%20Henry%20Ford%20discover%20the%208V%3F%20&qs=n&form=QBRE&pq=how%20did%20henry%20ford%20discover%20the%208v%3F%20&sc=0-25&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=9BC5E76F0709480EB0D57A124AB524E5
(Accessed on 1/7/2016).
[3] http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/ann-judson-1st-american-woman-missionary-11630365.html
(Accessed on 1/7/2016).
No comments:
Post a Comment