Christ on Display / Romans 12:9-21
Growing Up in the Home of Jesus
If you have your Bibles, open them to Romans chapter 12. We’re going to take a running start here in just a moment at verses nine and following. But before we do, I have a question: how many of you grew up in a home with siblings? I would assume most of you, right? Even those of you watching this weekend on video—how many of you grew up in homes with siblings?
Now, how many of you were the older siblings who were the “darling child”? Any of you have that? You know what I’m talking about, right? Where mom and dad were always hazing the other kids, saying, “Why can’t you be more like so-and-so?” No matter what you did, you’d get all As and a B, and they’re like, “Dude, what’s with the B? Your brother never got Bs.”
I want you to just think for a moment, in a very practical, “take your lunch to school” kind of way, about the home of Jesus. What was it like for James and the boys to grow up with Jesus as the older brother? You talk about “why can’t you be more like your brother”—they probably heard that every single day. James throws a rock and breaks the neighbor’s window? “Oh, come on, James. Jesus never breaks windows. Why can’t you be more like him?” You can just imagine the tension those guys felt.
As you read through the Gospel accounts, you find that early on, they don’t believe he is who he says he is. As late as John chapter seven, they’re trying to set Jesus up to get killed. They say, “Hey, they want to kill you in Jerusalem. You should totally go!” It’s the kind of thing typical brothers would do. They didn’t believe. But then, they began to see. They realized he wasn’t just the “good son”; he was the perfect Son. He wasn’t just the one who got better grades; he was the one who lived sinless. They eventually placed their faith in Him as their Messiah.
Later, James writes a book from the perspective of growing up in the home of Jesus. If you’ve ever read the book of James, it is incredibly practical. But he writes it with significant and very convicting assumptions that play into where we’re heading this week.
James 2:14-18 (NASB)
What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’ and yet you do not give them what is necessary for [their] body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, [being] by itself. But someone may [well] say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’
James makes a very practical argument: a professed faith that is not authenticated by how you live is of no value. He’s not making a theological statement about works-based salvation. Paul is crystal clear that we are declared righteous before God by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. There are no works we add to please God. But James, after growing up in the home of Jesus, makes the argument that if you say you’re a follower of Jesus and you do not demonstrate that faith, the proclamation alone is invalidated by your life.
Authenticating Our Faith
It’s with that in mind that Paul is writing here in Romans 12. He carries the assumption that a professed faith not authenticated by how we live is a useless faith. Jesus even said that the Father is glorified when we bear much fruit, and so prove—or authenticate—that we are His disciples.
John 15:8 (NASB)
’My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and [so] prove to be My disciples.
The world would suggest to you that your faith is personal and private. The world wants you to have just enough religion to feel good about yourself, but not enough religion to affect the way you live on a Friday night. The world says your faith is none of your neighbor’s business. It says that what you do in business is “just business,” and what you do at church is the “spiritual stuff,” and the two should never meet.
The world would say that if someone calls you out—like, “Hey dude, you’re throwing down beers with the boys, but I thought you said you were a Christian?”—you should just say, “It’s none of your business. Quit throwing stones in a glass house. Who are you to judge?”
That is the mold the world tries to shove us into: a religious mold that confesses with the mouth and has good orthodoxy (right belief), but has no orthoproxy (right practice). But God says something totally different. He says don’t be conformed to those patterns, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Romans 12:2 (NASB)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
God says our faith is not compartmentalized. Our faith is not just a religious expression when we assemble; it is evidence to the world of the doctrine we proclaim. We are designed to reflect the glory of God and to put Christ on display. To proclaim Jesus and then live contrary to what He asks is a direct affront to the essence of being a follower of Jesus.
We don’t “become Christians” as if we’ve arrived at a destination. No, we follow Jesus, waking up every single day with a profound opportunity to reflect Him. We do not have breath today to please ourselves or to accumulate more money in our bank accounts. We live to put Christ on display.
A Sincere and Devoted Love
In verses nine and following, Paul moves from the discussion of spiritual gifts into a staccato list of twenty-plus proverbial statements. It’s fascinating that in both 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, as soon as Paul finishes talking about spiritual gifts, he immediately moves to the subject of love. He starts in verse nine by saying, “Let love be without hypocrisy.”
Romans 12:9 (NASB)
[Let] love [be] without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
The word “hypocrisy” was a term used for actors in ancient times; it literally means to speak from behind a mask. Paul is saying: let your love be sincere. Let it be genuine, without pretense. The concept of “sincere” literally means “sun-tested.” In those days, if you bought a ceramic pot that had been broken and glued back together, you would hold it up to the sun. The sun would reveal the wax used to fill the cracks and fake the appearance of wholeness. Something “sun-tested” was proven by the light to be authentic. Our love ought to be that.
Why start with love? Because love is a characteristic of God. As John tells us, the one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Paul then tells us to “abhor what is evil.” To abhor is to detest, to hate, to loathe. In a biblical context, evil is anything outside the design or intent of God. We should push away from anything that is a deviation from His intent.
James 4:4 (NASB)
You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
God and the evil of this world do not cohabitate well. We are called to abhor what is evil and “cling to what is good,” adhering to what is beneficial and useful. Every day, every moment, we have an opportunity to say, “No, I reject that evil,” and “Yes, I receive this good.”
In verse 10, he gets practical about how we interact. He says to be devoted to one another in “brotherly love.” This isn’t just a general feeling; it assumes intimacy. It assumes you are both known and know others. It’s a familial love. And notice there are no qualifiers. It doesn’t say be devoted only to the people you like or the people who are like you. Do you think in a room like this we agree on everything? Not a chance this side of heaven! But we can be devoted to one another in a way that says, “I respect you and love you as a display of Christ, even if we disagree.”
Romans 12:10 (NASB)
[Be] devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
He says to “give preference to one another in honor.” The world says to make others give preference to you, as if the entire world should yield to you. What God says is more like a four-way stop gone bad. You know when everyone stops at the same time and you play the wave game for thirty minutes? “No, you go.” “No, you go!” Giving preference is the idea of outdoing one another in showing honor. It’s you saying, “You’re awesome,” and them saying, “No, you’re awesome!” The world says, “You’re awesome,” and you say, “I know.” That’s not what God says. He says to outdo each other in kindness.
Fervency and Hope
Verse 11 tells us not to lag behind in diligence. This means not being slothful or lazy, but having an earnest commitment to our obligations. The world would say, “Go passive. Have a bland faith that is palatable to everyone.” But God says our faith should be passionate.
Romans 12:11 (NASB)
not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
We are to be “fervent in spirit.” This means to be stirred emotionally and enthusiastic about the things of God. Have you ever heard someone talk about their faith and thought, “I’d like to choke myself with that Bible”? They say, “Yeah… God’s been… real good… I guess.” Dude, is that it? Is this a funeral? You’re talking about the holy, loving Creator of the universe who made dirt breathe and cared enough to go to the cross for you! Get fired up about something!
Paul says we are “serving the Lord.” The word for serving is doulos, which means to be a slave—specifically one who willingly subjects themselves to the authority of another. That’s not always a comfortable place to be, which is why verse 12 tells us to be “rejoicing in hope.”
Romans 12:12 (NASB)
rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,
When you see “hope” in your Bible, it almost always refers to the second coming of Jesus. This world is not our home. The world tells us to get comfy, to accept slow compromises over time like the proverbial frog in the kettle. But we have a promise that Jesus our King will return. This world is jacked up! If this was the full expression of the kingdom, we’d need an upgrade. Thankfully, we have a hope that this isn’t as good as it gets.
In the meantime, we are “persevering in tribulation.” We shouldn’t seek out suffering, but we shouldn’t shun it either. Discomfort is often where the gold is found. The times you learn the most about God are the times you cried yourself to sleep, or when your journal was filled with questions like, “God, how long?” Those are the moments where your faith is put on display.
How do you survive that? By being “devoted to prayer.” We are often prayerless because we are comfortable. We have two-story houses and down comforters and solar panels. We pray like “first-world” people: “God, thanks for this, and I want that.” But the prayer Paul is talking about is an SOS. It’s the Titanic is sinking and you are desperate for God.
As you pray, God begins to change you. Prayer seldom changes the circumstances “out there,” but it always changes the person praying. It softens your heart to see the needs around you.
Hospitality and Empathy
Verse 13 says to contribute to the needs of the saints. This means entering in relationally, feeling empathy, and being moved to action. It means sharing their needs with them.
Romans 12:13 (NASB)
contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
He also says to “practice hospitality.” In that culture, this was vital because the “Motel 6s” of the day were shady, red-light district places. Christians would invite travelers into their homes to keep them safe. There is a sacredness to opening your home.
My wife and I years ago got fascinated with the idea of convivium—a Latin term for a sacred meal shared with friends. We started inviting random groups of people over—people you’d think would never get along—and something magic happens at the dinner table. The world says to go home and shut the world out. God says to open your home and invite the world in. Real friendship happens when you sit at a dinner table together.
Verse 14 gives us a hard one: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
Romans 12:14 (NASB)
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
We get the word “eulogy” from that word for bless. It means to speak well of. When someone hates on you, you don’t respond with hate. Darkness cannot cast out darkness; only love can do that. If you walk with Jesus, you will be persecuted. I don’t know what they told you when you came to faith, but you were promised peace with God, but also suffering and persecution.
John 15:20 (NASB)
’Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
In the Roman world, persecution meant being thrown to lions. In our culture, they’re burning us at the stake online or in the office, trying to silence the Christian voice. The goal is to steal your joy and disqualify your witness. But as Martin Luther King Jr. famously suggested, the measure of a man is where he stands in moments of challenge and controversy.
Verse 15 tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. The world says if someone else is doing well, you need to fight to do better than them. God says to celebrate them. It is the highest expression of family love to celebrate another person’s success with zero jealousy, and to show up in silence to weep with them when tragedy strikes.
Romans 12:15 (NASB)
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Humility and Peace
Verse 16 says to be of the same mind toward one another. The world says to be right and to be loud about it. God says to find commonality. Our commonality isn’t found in a shared culture, but in a shared Savior.
Romans 12:16 (NASB)
Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
He says, “Do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly.” Don’t be the person who is always barking, always growling at the news, always thinking you’re the smartest person in the room. I hate to break it to you, but you might actually not be right. Your opinions that you are so fired up about? There is a chance you are wrong. If that thought scares you, you really need to underline verse 16. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Humble yourself. Listen to the hurting. Listen to the oppressed. Sometimes a listening ear does more than a barked opinion ever could.
Verse 17 tells us never to pay back evil for evil. The ends do not justify the means. Two wrongs don’t make a right. The world says to get even, but God says to respect what is right in the sight of all men. Even to those who don’t deserve it, speak the truth, but season it with love.
Romans 12:17 (NASB)
Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
Verse 18 is a “first-class condition,” which means it assumes the affirmative. Paul says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.”
Romans 12:18 (NASB)
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
This verse could save you thousands of dollars in counseling: You cannot control other people. You can’t change your spouse, your neighbor, or your coworkers. You do what you need to do. If you need to apologize, apologize. Do it even if they don’t return the favor. You can’t control what they post or feel about you. So much as it depends on you, be at peace. It’s like the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Overcoming with Good
Finally, Paul tells us never to take our own revenge. Leave room for the wrath of God.
Romans 12:19 (NASB)
Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath [of God], for it is written, ‘VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,’ says the Lord.
When you’re wronged, you’ll be tempted to exact vengeance. When a guy cuts you off in traffic, you want to “wave” at him with a certain finger. Don’t do it. Vengeance belongs to God. He is exceedingly loving, but He is also a God of justice, and He is very good at keeping score. Let Him do it. If you try to “sick ’em,” don’t be surprised if God starts talking to you about your own heart.
Instead, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink.
Romans 12:20 (NASB)
‘BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.’
You aren’t in this world to defend your rights or your honor; you are here to reflect Christ. When you respond to a verbal shot with kindness instead of returning fire, the conflict is no longer “engaging” for the other person—it becomes embarrassing for them. You heap burning coals on their head by showing them grace they didn’t earn.
Paul closes in verse 21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:21 (NASB)
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Bitterness is like a cancer. If you let it take root, it will take you over. We have to submit to God and recognize that the world’s system is not the way to reflect Jesus. In a dark world, we have to reject the world’s mold and be transformed.
A faith that is not demonstrated in how we live is a useless faith. It’s an unloaded weapon. It’s clouds without rain. Christ has called us not just to proclaim Him with our lips, but to live for Him every single day. That is a life that puts Christ on display.
Closing Prayer
Father in heaven, I thank You that You’ve given us insight into what walking with You looks like. I pray for courage and for an awareness that we don’t just “decide” to live this way on our own, but we connect ourselves to You.
This whole passage pivots on the first two verses of this chapter—that by Your mercies, we offer ourselves as living sacrifices. We ask that You would do the work of transformation in us. As we are connected to Christ through the Gospel, and as the Spirit of God does the heavy lifting of cleaning our lives from the inside out, bring these truths to mind. Help us to no longer live as the world says, but as God says. We thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen.