The Church in Noble - Cornerstone
October 26, 2025
      • Bible Trivia
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      • Romans 12:21NASB95

  • Here I Am To Worship
  • Doxology
  • I've Got Peace Like A River
  • They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love
  • Onward, Christian Soldiers

      • Romans 12:17–21NASB95

  • Mirroring Jesus

    ILLUST:
    2006 Nickel Mines, PA, shooter in Amish schoolhouse, killed 5 - forgiven by the Amish community, funeral, donations, etc.
    2019 - Brandt Jean was murdered by Amber Guyger. The victim’s brother asked to hug the convicted killer in court, and begged her to give her life to Christ
    Erika Kirk - I forgive him
    Romans 12 - the outward demonstration of the surrendered believer
    READ: Romans 12:17-21
    Philippians 2:5 NASB95
    Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
    What follows 2:5 is how Jesus did what is commanded of us here
    Not repaying evil for evil
    Not taking revenge
    Not being overcome by evil
    Because Jesus triumphed over evil!
    And if He did, you can
    Actually, BECAUSE He did, you can, you will
    Passage begins and end with statements regarding evil

    Evil - defined

    The absence of God
    Opposite of God - Contrary to God
    Opposite of good, contrary to good
    Contradicting the holiness of God
    The passage here:
    NEVER / DON’T:
    Pay back evil for evil
    Take your own revenge
    be overcome by evil
    BUT…
    Respect what is right
    Be at peace with all
    Love your enemy
    Feed, Drink, Kindness when the opposite is the human desire (left to our own devices)
    Overall - let God be God
    And let’s imitate Christ
    Mirroring Christ
    Let’s look at the commands, the counter-commands

    1)Never pay back evil - Respect what is right

    Never pay back evil with evil
    (NOT) “be the bigger person” - “just suck it up and bury it”
    NO…these can be so empty
    Truth - Make the right decision, choices, that ALL will recognize are Godly
    This is NOT necessarily “do what the world would do, so they agree with you”
    BUT…”choose the Jesus way” - ALL will know it is right
    When we are wronged
    We want to retaliate
    When we are hurt
    We want to hurt
    Hurt people hurt people
    Forgiven people forgive people
    It takes the work of Christ, the Spirit - to refrain from evil
    When you are gossiped about
    You want to launch your own
    When you refuse to pay back evil with evil
    You find out who your friends are, because they are right there with you
    And you please the LORD

    2) Be at peace with all

    Caveat - so far as it depends on you
    basically, “If possible”
    You will NOT always be at peace with everyone
    Just make sure you are not the reason for the lack of peace
    Do not be the one instigating trouble
    You will find it difficult to follow Jesus
    …and be at peace with the lost
    …and be at peace with lukewarm Christians
    Because the surrendered believer is frustrated with the world and the lost who love the world
    And we need to reach them for Jesus
    You will do everything right, and still not achieve peace with someone
    You can’t control the other person
    Something you CAN control?
    Being at peace
    Being at peace with the Father - through Jesus
    Peace with the Father - completely possible!
    You CANNOT truly be at peace with someone who is not at peace with the LORD
    So… do your part, be at peace with God
    And pray for others to be likewise

    3) Never take revenge - Leave room for God’s wrath

    Why?
    Because - Vengeance is the Lord’s - God’s responsibility
    How do you feed your enemy?
    How do you give the enemy a drink?
    QUOTE from 2 Kings 6:22, Prov. 25
    Elisha - angels surround them, Elisha prays for enemy to be blinded, then brought to Samaria, then eyes opened, and they are fed, cared for, instead of killed
    Chick-Fil-A owners, when protested against - brought free chicken and lemonade to them
    YOU - will know when you get the chance
    That “enemy” - ask how you can pray
    (REM: the lost are enemies of God, Biblically)
    That “enemy” - send a gift, do a favor
    Peace may come - it may not
    Heaping coals - describe
    Offer heat to the person who wronged you
    They may feel shame - good shame - knowing your kindness was not deserved
    Vengeance is the Lord’s - God’s responsibility
    Look at Revelation 16, Revelation 20: 11-15
    As much evil is in the world, truth is, it could be incredibly worse
    The Church is to be keeping it in check, with the Holy Spirit
    2 Thessalonians 2:7 NASB95
    For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
    FINAL THOUGHT

    4) Overcome evil with good

    The answer to evil - Good
    The answer to evil - Jesus Christ
    Jesus Christ has overcome the world
    Jesus Christ has overcome evil
    Without Jesus - you WILL be overcome by evil - separate from God
    HISTORICAL RESPONSES TO EVIL - The work of Satan
    Genesis 3 - sin - God clothed and offered faith
    Genesis 6 - wickedness - Flood, God offered safety, salvation to any
    Exodus - deliverance from evil bondage
    OT Prophets - proclaiming the offer to repent, to turn from evil
    THE MESSIAH - THE ANSWER to EVIL
    Philippians 2:5-12 lays it out best (READ)
    Jesus knew the ONLY way to overcome evil was His humble sacrifice
    The cross - the evil of sin and its penalty defeated, overcome
    The empty tomb - the evil of death, defeated, overcome
    Until He returns - we have Help - John 14:16
    John 14:16 NASB95
    “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
    For a little while yet, we must endure evil, but it will not overcome us
    Jesus made sure we understand that - to trust Him, is to trust what He has accomplished
    John 16:33 NASB95
    “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
    The Romans 12 Christian - living courageously, confidently in Christ
    Mirroring Jesus
    The Romans 12 surrendered believer - lives here with peace and assurance
    John 14:27–28 NASB95
    “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’
    Romans 12 - the template of expectation for every believer…
    …is only possible because of Jesus
    Living and holy sacrifice to God, Surrendered, Not conformed, renewed mind, faithful use of gifts, loving, humbly blessing others, even those who reflect the evil of this world
    Not overcome by the evil so prevalent, but overcoming evil with goodness
    That’s Jesus
    That’s the Romans 12 Christian

      • Philippians 2:5NASB95

      • 2 Thessalonians 2:7NASB95

      • John 14:16NASB95

      • John 16:33NASB95

      • John 14:27–28NASB95

  • When We See Christ
  • King Of Kings

      • Romans 12:19NASB95

The Church in Noble - Cornerstone
cornerstone@wabash.net
618-723-2779
https://cccnoble.faithlifesites.com
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