Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of from Romans 12 but before we do that I wanted to ask you a question.
How many times in your life has it happened to you during school when you’re walking down the hallway and someone purposely trips you. Everybody starts to laugh and humiliate you as you fall to the floor. It probably gets you pretty upset doesn’t it? Maybe you were in a classroom and somebody was throwing spitballs at you and they were getting caught in your hair. What did you do? Did you lean over and punch them in the stomach or maybe throw a book at them? Our Lord Jesus teaches us the way of non-retaliation. He teaches us not to return evil for evil. If somebody hurts you on the right cheek, turn to him the other. Our human nature desires to retaliate while the Lord Jesus teaches us a completely different way.
Retaliate means to inflict a punishment in retaliation for a harm or injury that has been done to a person or persons or to take revenge for or on behalf of another, such as to avenging a crime.
It is defined again as to respond to a wrong by returning the wrong with an equally wrong action. It’s to pay back an injury in kind.
The word avenge means inflicting punishment as an act of retributive justice, like to avenge a murder by bringing the criminal to trial.
It is clearly taught in the scriptures that vengeance belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:19 – Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
When people hurt and cause the children of Jesus Christ to suffer, vengeance is coming. After all, look what Christ did to pharaoh in the days of Moses. He lost his child, the slaves and His entire military.
When it comes to judgment, the Lord Jesus Christ will repay. He is the true and living God who rules the hearts of all mankind and Jesus is not mocked. Jesus fights the battles for us.
2 Chronicles 20:15 – And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
So it’s not a matter of becoming a vigilante or expecting man’s judgment to help, because God is going to take care of it. The Lord Jesus will repay.
1 Samuel 17:47 – And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.
When the elect of Jesus Christ have to suffer it’s a righteous thing for God to cause them to suffer.
2 Thessalonians 1:6 – Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
Our God is to be loved, feared and respected with immense honor. As he fought the battles for the Israelites he continues to fight the battles for born again christians today.
Ezekiel 25:17 – And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.
Jesus fights the battle!
Exodus 15:3 – The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
Deuteronomy 32:35 – To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
Psalms 94:1 – O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.
1 Samuel 24:12 – The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
Jesus could have retaliated against those who wanted Him crucified. He could have called out legions of angels but chose longsuffering and mercy. People cannot understand mercy and forgiveness until they truly understand in their hearts what Jesus did for us at the cross.
1 Pet 2 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
Eph 1:19-21
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
Jesus is truly the greatest Authority over the entire Heaven and Earth who as King of kings and Lord of lords chose not to retaliate against those who wronged Him until someday his enemies will be made His footstool.
Vengeance belongs to HIM.
Let’s think about those things for today and Lord willing we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤
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