One Another (8): Live in Harmony
(Romans 12:14-16)
I. Introduction
A. Here an old preacher story that is also true— I read it on internet! (OK, it’s an old story)
1. Church had two factions that couldn’t seem to agree on anything (sounds true so far)
a. What color to paint classrooms, who to preach a meeting, what hymnal to use, etc.
b. Every decision meant a new argument and every week meant a brand new fight
2. Solution: No one had energy to start church– became two churches in same building
a. Each group had their own meeting times, own song leader and own bank account
b. They had two of everything— communion supplies, class literature, bulletins, etc.
1) This was when buildings were heated by coal— so they had two coal piles.
2) One of teens put up hand-lettered sign, “One Lord, one faith, two coal piles”
B. Jesus said others will know we are His disciples by our love for each other (John 13:35)
1. Short before He died, Jesus prayed that his followers would be one (John 17:20-21)
a. Christians are to be known by their love for one another and unity that reflects God
b. So why is it that for much of our history we’re more known for “two piles of coal?”
2. Exercise: Suppose we all tell just one story of a church fight that you know about.
a. Everyone gets to tell just one story. You must personally know the story is true
1) After your story, we go to the next person. If you don’t have a story, you pass.
2) Question: Do you think that we would run out of stories or run out of time?
b. I began with the “coal pile” preacher story because the true ones are depressing!
3. Why have we been so wretched and worthless at living together in harmony?
a. When you get down to it, I think we’ve been way too invested in getting our way
1) We see ourselves as Moses, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me” (Ex 32:26)
2) We invest every issue with the weight of “the doctrine of Christ” (2 John 9)
b. We insist we are the ones who “have the truth” and separate from any who differ
4. Irony: By insisting we’re right, we do what Jesus says is wrong—fail to love in unity
C. We continue our series “One Another Community” looking at 30 one another commands
1. We’ve looked at love and serve and pray and forgive and be patient with one another
2. Today we come to the command to “live in harmony with one another.” (Rom 12:16)
3. Point that is stressed about living in harmony with one another—deal with our pride
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II. Live in Harmony with One Another: Context
A. Context: In this section of Romans, Paul explains the implications of grace (Rom 12:1)
1. The “therefore” here shows a transition from his lengthy discussion of God’s grace
a. So “in view of God’s mercy” what? We need to offer ourselves—obedience.
b. We can’t be like world; we undergo transformation (metamorphosis) (Rom 12:2)
2. He will discuss in what follows our transformation/metamorphosis to be like God
B. What does that mean? His first point is that we need to grip on ourselves (Rom 12:3a)
1. Paul is going discuss the different gifts that the Spirit gives to benefit the church
a. All except prophecy are normal gifts (teach, serve, encourage, give, leadership)
b. All don’t have the same gift, but all must use their gift to build up the church
2. Warning: Don’t think you’re more important/valuable because of gift (Rom 12:3b)
a. That’s why before he talks about our gifts, we warns us about our attitudes
1) We tend to think the most important gifts are the most public—that’s Biblical
2) That’s biblical— it’s the same mistake made by Bible churches like Corinth!
b. You are not more important just because your gift seems to be needed more
c. ALL the gifts are needed by the church! So get a grip… and get over yourself!
3. Opposite of seeing yourself too highly is seeing through the lens of “sober judgment”
a. Word “sober judgment” comes from a Greek word meaning “to be of sound mind.”
1) Jesus cast out the demons and the man was “in his right mind” (Mark 5:15)
2) Paul uses the same word in contrast to being “out of our minds” (1 Cor 5:13)
3) Titus was to teach the young men to be “self-controlled” (2:6). Same word.
b. Back in our text, being in our right mind means keeping our ego “under control”
1) This humility isn’t being self-conscious, self-doubting, timid or insecure
2) Humility is being as invested in needs of others as in yourself (Phil 2:3b-4)
c. Before Paul talks of living in harmony, he tells us not to think too highly of self
4. Much of what follows in this text has to do with living in community (Rom 12:9-21)
a. Your Bible may give title “Love in Action” (NIV) or “Marks of True Christian”
b. Paul will mention a series of important implications of living out God’s grace
c. They all relate in one way or the other to our theme of “One Another Community”
1) Two of our 30 “one another” commands we’re studying appear in Rom 12:10
2) We looked at in an earlier lesson what is said about showing hospitality (12:13)
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III. Living in Harmony with One Another (Romans 12:14-16)
A. Section begins with Paul telling us how to treat those who “persecute” us (12:14)
1. The word “persecute” literally means “to pursue.” as in someone is out to get you
a. It is the word Jesus uses “Blessed are those who are persecuted” (Matt 5:10)
b. Also the word Paul uses telling Timothy “pursue righteousness” (1 Tim 6:11)
c. It’s the word used in previous verse, “Practice [pursue] hospitality” (12:13)
2. Have you ever been persecuted? Probably not it the formal sense like Paul was
a. But you have had people who seemed determined to get on your last nerve
b. A boss, co-worker, neighbor, friend or someone at church is “out to get you”
1) And just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you!
2) What are you supposed to do? Well, you aren’t supposed to respond in kind!
3. We can’t be so focused on ourselves that you respond to every slight or meanness
a. Paul goes into detail on this in the next section of chapter (Rom 12:17-21)
1) Paul: “Do not repay evil for evil.” (12:17) “Do not take revenge” (12:19)
2) He puts responsibility for living in harmony with hard people on US! (12:18)
b. What does God expect of us with difficult people? Swallow our pride? Exactly!
B. What moves us toward being in harmony is moving away from ourselves (Rom 12:15)
1. We are the body of Christ, and that implies a level of connection (1 Cor 12:12ff)
a. What happens if I hit my thumb with hammer? (Only happens if I use a hammer)
b. The rest of body isn’t dispassionate, “That’s only one thumb; I have another.”
c. Whole body responds—the hand grabs, the feet hops, my mouth gets into act
2. Disharmony happens when you and I are too focused on ourselves— selfishness
3. When we can weep and rejoice over others, we’re way down the harmony road!
C. So living in harmony is possible only to extend we can get rid of pride (Rom 12:16)
1. The word for “live in harmony” here is actually the word for “think” or for “mind”
a. Paul uses word twice in same verse to describe church relationships (Phil 2:2)
b. A series of synonyms here— “Have one mind, one love, one mind and one mind”
c. He uses same word again when he points to the example of Christ (Phil 2:5)
2. So what is the opposite of living together in harmony? Being proud (Rom 12:16)
a. “Proud” is same word “harmony” (or “mind”) with the word “lofty” or “high”
b. So “Live in harmony, not high-minded!” You can have one or other, not both!
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IV. Conclusion
A. OK, I know, I know— enough with all the word-study, but this stuff is just too perfect
1. If we just understood Paul words, church would do so much more smoothly!
a. But then harmony is not everything going smoothly or everyone always agreeing
b. I think we misread 1 Cor. 1:10 and think that harmony depends on us agreeing
1) Agree on everything? Good luck! Agree on ANYTHING is better goal!
2) No, we must agree on the one thing Paul knew and preached! (1 Cor 2:2)
2. When we sing in harmony, we don’t sing the same thing (that singing in unison)
a. Harmony is your singing blends with my singing (my singing, good luck with that)
b. Harmony is what happens when we sing off of the same sheet of music
B. In church, harmony is what happens when we decide to keep our pride in check
1. Harmony is what happens when we rejoice and mourn with one another
a. Harmony is when we refuse to respond in kind to slight, real or imagined
b. Harmony is what happens when we together have no other Gods but Christ
2. We need to realize at some point that living together in harmony is God’s will
a. “They will know we are Christian by our love.” Or they’ll know we’re not.
b. We’re going to sing that message as an invitation—not the way it’s written
1) We’ll sing the third verse the way it’s meant to be sung (like in camp)
2) “We’ll guard each one’s dignity and crucify our pride, and they’ll…”
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