ROMANS 28


     We will begin this lesson in Romans 12:13 "Distributing to the
necessity of saints; given to hospitality."

     Acts 9:39 "Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come,
they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by
him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made,
while she was with them."  We see that Dorcas had certainly fulfilled
the lesson in the Scripture above. She saw a need and took care of it.
Many believe that this same Dorcas paid for a great deal of Paul's
necessities. We do know from this Scripture, that she was a very
giving person. She was loved dearly by her sisters and brothers in
Christ as you can see above. I will include several more Scriptures
here that will demonstrate how important it is to God for us to be
concerned about the needs of the saints, and in this we can, also, see
how important it is to be hospitable, as well. Galatians 6:10 "As we
have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all [men], especially
unto them who are of the household of faith."  I Timothy 5:10 "Well
reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she
have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she
have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every
good work."

     Romans 12:14 "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse
not."

     One of the most important teachings on this particular subject is
found in Jesus' own words in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:44
" But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do
good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use
you, and persecute you;"  A Christian's greatest desire should be to
be like Jesus. The one thing that set Jesus aside from other people
was that He loved us enough to die on the cross for us while we were
yet in sin. He blessed us when we really deserved to be persecuted.
I Peter 2:23 "Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he
suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that
judgeth righteously:"

     Romans 12:15 "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with
them that weep."

     The shortest verse in all the Bible is a good example of weeping
with those who weep. Jesus had great love for His friends, Mary and
Martha, and His sorrow was sharing in their pain at the loss of their
brother. Jesus knew that Lazarus would rise and He was not weeping for
Lazarus. John 11:35 "Jesus wept."  The truth of the matter is that we
need to share in the griefs of our friends and, also, to rejoice with
them in their victories. We must not be jealous of their victories.
We need to be happy for them when they succeed. I Corinthians 12:26
"And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one
member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it."

     Romans 12:16 "[Be] of the same mind one toward another. Mind not
high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your
own conceits."

     I Peter 3:8 "Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion
one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous:" We
see from both of these Scriptures, that we are not to have someone as
a friend just because they are wealthy or highly thought of in the
community. In other words, we are not to have them for a friend
because of what good they can do for us, but perhaps because we might
be able to help them. If we think too highly of ourselves, we think
the world and all it's people owe us something. We need to be thinking
how we can help, rather than always wanting to be helped. The best
Scripture that comes to mind pertaining to this is found in 1
Corinthians chapter 13. In this chapter speaking of charity, it is
really speaking of great love for your fellow man. I Corinthians 13:1
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not
charity, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." I
Corinthians 13:2 "And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and
understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all
faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am
nothing." I Corinthians 13:3 "And though I bestow all my goods to feed
[the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not
charity, it profiteth me nothing." I Corinthians 13:4 "Charity
suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth
not itself, is not puffed up," I Corinthians 13:8 "Charity never
faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether
[there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it
shall vanish away." What I see in this is, if what you are doing is
being done for the wrong reason, even if it is a good deed, it will do
you no good. God is more interested in why you are doing something
than how much you do. Your heart must be in it to please God.

     Romans 12:17 "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things
honest in the sight of all men."

     Recompense means to give away. We could see in this that God does
not want us to get even for the things people have done to us. God
wants us to turn the other cheek when we have been dealt a blow on one
side. Matthew 5:39 "But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but
whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other
also." I Thessalonians 5:15 "See that none render evil for evil unto
any [man]; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves,
and to all [men]."

     Romans 12:18 "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live
peaceably with all men."

     We see from the Scripture above, that it is not always possible
to live in peace with all men. Paul found this to be very true. He was
stoned, whipped, and even left for dead when all he was trying to do
was good. Sometimes it seems the more good you do the more you are
attacked by your fellow men. Jesus is the King of Peace. If we are
truly His followers, then we want to have peace, as well. There is a
peace that we can have and it is a peace in our heart that no one can
take away from us. Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of God rule in
your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful." This is a peace that we have within when in the world
around us there is no peace.

     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."

     Proverbs 25:21 "If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat;
and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:" Proverbs 25:22 "For
thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward
thee." In both of these Scriptures above, we see that God will take
care of those who are abusive to us. We do not have to fight someone
who is out to destroy us, God will do it for us. A real simple way to
say this is kill them with kindness.

     Romans 12:20 "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he
thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire
on his head."

     This is the very same Scripture we read in Proverbs above. You
see the God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New
Testament. Matthew 5:44 "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless
them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them
which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" Matthew 5:45 "That ye
may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh
his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the
just and on the unjust." These Scriptures here in Matthew are the Lord
Jesus speaking because these are printed in red in the Bible. If we
are to be like Jesus, then we must love people who do not deserve our
love. He loved us while we were yet in sin. He gave His body on the
cross for you and me, not because we deserved it, but because He loved
us. We must love in spite of, rather than because, to be like Him.

     Romans 12:21 "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with
good."

     Evil is of the devil. Christians are not of the devil, but of
Christ. Jesus did not fight back. He submitted Himself to the
humiliation of the cross. His goodness was so great that even in His
pain on the cross, He said Father forgive them for they know not what
they do. His goodness has lived on for thousands of years. We must
follow His example. In Jesus' own Words, we read how we are to handle
those who oppress us in Luke 6:27  "But I say unto you which hear,
Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you," Luke 6:28 "Bless
them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you."
Luke 6:29 "And unto him that smiteth thee on the [one] cheek offer
also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not [to take
thy] coat also." Luke 6:30 "Give to every man that asketh of thee; and
of him that taketh away thy goods ask [them] not again."


                             Questions 28

1.  In Romans ch.12 v.13, we are not to give to the wants, but to the
    ______.
2.  In Acts ch.9 v.39 why were they crying for Dorcas?
3.  In Galatians ch.6 v.10 as we have _____________, let us do good.
4.  Bless them which __________ you.
5.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to do what to our
    enemies?
6.  Jesus blessed us when we deserved to be __________.
7.  What are we to do when others rejoice?
8.  Quote the shortest verse in the Bible.
9.  Why was Jesus weeping?
10. What two ladies were very close friends of Jesus?
11. What lesson is taught in 1 Corinthians ch.12 v.26?
12. Romans ch.12 v.16 says, Be not wise in your own ________.
13. In 1 Peter ch.3 v.8, we are told to be what two things?
14. Instead of always wanting someone to help us, what should we be
    thinking?
15. What is the love chapter in the Bible?
16. What is another word interchangeable for love?
17. God is more interested in _______ than ______.
18. What does recompense mean?
19. Are we to get even for the wrongs done to us, explain?
20. Is it always possible to live in peace?
21. Who is the King of Peace?
22. Where is the peace of God to rule?
23. We find that vengeance is whose?
24. If we are real good to our enemies, what happens to them?
25. We are to kill them with what?
26. How can we be the children of our Father in heaven?
27. Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with ____.
28. What showed the great goodness of Jesus on the cross?
29. To be like Jesus, we must love __ _____ __ instead of ________.
30. What are we told to do when someone strikes us on the cheek?


                                 Notes