Peace...And a Cup of Coffee

I bristle and have for my entire ministry when I hear the term culture war. We're not at war with our culture. We're not angry with our world.

We don't hate this world. We are begging this world, as Paul wrote, to be reconciled with God. No matter what the challenge is, No matter how hot the fire, we respond with grace. We want them to be saved.

We are the ambassadors carrying forward the terms of peace. Sometimes it feels like Christians are at war with the world. We feel attacked and threatened by the moral decline in our culture. And in return, the world feels judged by Christians instead of feeling loved by us. How are we supposed to navigate this tension? How are we supposed to treat others who disagree with us on things so fundamental to who we are as believers? How can we foster relationships that promote gospel opportunities and allow us to share our faith winsomely? We'll explore this today on Wisdom for the Heart.

Here's Stephen Davey with a lesson called Peace and a Cup of Coffee. Notice the beginning of the verse. Here's the first condition, Romans chapter 12 verse 18. Look at the first couple of words, if possible, if possible, be at peace.

Why would why would Paul start off by writing that condition? Well, because peace isn't always possible. The gospel sometimes brings a sword.

It divides the family. Truth may hurt. And some people, frankly, because of who you are as a Christian, would rather argue with you than make peace or receive peace from you. They'd rather fight you than reach a settlement. You didn't try it to do it. You didn't want to do it, but they're on the job. All you did was bow your head and invite the guy across the table to pray with you before lunch and he reacted with incredible fury. And who do you think you are? And now you can't even eat your sandwich in peace.

You didn't ask for it. It just happened because of who you are and what you believe. It might be a neighbor. Listen, every time I preach, every time I preach, I potentially add to a growing list of enemies. And I hear from them periodically, not inside here, of course, out there being on the internet and radio. I've now got a letter a couple of weeks ago from a man who demanded I go back on the radio and apologize for what I said about what he believed or what I said.

And then a few days ago, another letter with a lot of material that I needed to read so that I could correct my statements about this particular cult this individual was in and apologize. A couple of days ago, a lady from another state called in, tried to find me. I wasn't there.

I don't stay there. Besides, I would have been in hiding if I'd known she'd called. But at any rate, she called and demanded an apology for what I said about animals.

I think it was cats. I think that was the issue. But it's in the Bible. I don't preach it.

So what can I do? The truth is, the further along we go, the more people there are out there who are not interested in peaceful relations with Christians who hold to the truth of Scripture. And you've discovered the same thing in your own testimony, which is why it's so important to notice that Paul writes, if possible. Notice the second condition.

If possible, so far as it depends on you. Now why write that? Well, because it isn't always dependent on you. In fact, notice what Paul writes next. Look at verse 19. Never take your own revenge, beloved. Leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is mine.

I will repay, says the Lord. You pursue peace with people that you know as unbelievers are going to stand before God one day. He never really becomes your enemy because you understand that as long as he's breathing, he is your mission field. So in the meantime, offer them as much of a peaceful and gracious response as you can. You're offering them the gospel of peace. You're approaching them with your feet shod, with the preparation of the gospel of peace. You're offering them this peace treaty that Christ paid for. And the Holy Spirit through you is offering to them. And the Holy Spirit then works through you as the messenger of peace, demonstrating through your life that attribute of fruit, which is only found in him, for he gives you the fruit of peace. Galatians 5.22. So God isn't saying to these Roman believers or us, you know, just keep away from the world. You got to be at peace, so you need to stay away from them. You need to buy some land and maybe some other Christians go in with you and you build a little commune.

You stay away from the world, they don't like you, and so you need to just escape. That isn't biblical. In fact, that became institutionalized in what we think of as monasteries.

I'm going to find peace alone. That's not what Paul is suggesting. This is our mission field. This is why we've been placed on the planet by the grace of God. In fact, notice verse 20. But if your enemy, notice that, not a stranger or your neighbor, if your enemy is hungry, feed him.

If he's thirsty, give him water to drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals of fire upon his head. Maybe you're thinking, I like that burning coals part.

Now he's speaking my language. Not really. If you look carefully at this verse, you can understand the positive responses. Can't you, as a believer, of feeding your enemies, of giving water to your enemies? But this last response of heaping coal seems out of place.

It seems negative. And we don't understand it, and we don't understand it because we've never carried around coals on top of our head. But in Paul's day, they did. They didn't have matches above the kitchen sink, you know, to start a fire. They didn't have matches out by the grill on the deck. If somebody didn't keep their fire going, or at least keep some coals hot in their little clay ovens inside their homes upon which they cooked and which heated their homes at night, they wouldn't be able to keep warm and they wouldn't be able to eat. If for some reason, perhaps as a result of being away or maybe being ill, maybe some of the herd got loose and they spent a day chasing them down, and they got back and their coals had turned to dark, cold ash. The quickest way to solve the problem would be to go to a neighbor for some live coals from their stove. And if the neighbor was kind, they'd put, you know, a couple of coals into a container that you might have brought, and then you'd balance it on your head in that typical fashion and you'd go back to your own. It'd be really kind if you're in the place of providing the coals to give your enemy a coal or two from your oven.

If you did, that would help them. However, there may be some distance they'll have to travel. They may not make it home with hot coals. And even if they did, it's going to take a long time to get that fire back started so they can cook and their little huts are still going to be cold. So Paul is telling us to respond here not just with kindness but with abundant grace. Notice you are literally heaping coals of fire in that container they're going to balance on their head as they walk home.

So when they get back home, no time at all, they got the fire going and they got the oven hot and they have food ready and then their little huts are warm. See the implication for the believer that Paul is making here is that you're to heap grace upon them. And it's going to be hard, it might not solve everything, it may not fix everything, but it's going to be hard for someone to remain your enemy when you graciously help them rebuild their fire. Robert Chapman who pastored during the days of Spurgeon, Spurgeon said he was the saintliest man he'd ever met. He was a single man all of his life, pastored a little tiny church in England and he lived in a community where one of the grocers just hated him because of his gospel. In fact he would walk by that man's little shop and that man if he was near the door would spit at Robert Chapman.

He said nothing kind about him for years. On one occasion Robert Chapman had guests unexpectedly and he needed groceries and this couple and family that was staying with him volunteered to go buy it and he said well I'll tell you what I want you to travel across town because I want you to buy groceries from this man's stand and they did. They needed them delivered and this grocer said and to whom shall I deliver them and they said to Pastor Chapman and it was such a stunning thing to this man. You talk about heaping coals of fire on this grocers head that that man did indeed come to Chapman confess and hear the gospel and he was saved.

It may happen but I can tell you how it would be less likely to happen. If our neighbor shows up and we throw coals at him, heap them, help them rebuild their fire effectively rebuild their lives. One author wrote it this way we're not reactionaries to our culture we are peacemakers and I would agree and it's important for the church to understand that we're not panicking. We can talk about the sin and the immorality of our culture as we prepare to deliver the gospel to it and be very aware with what's happening. We are preparing and we are praying and we are serving and we're working in our jobs. We're living in our communities with such distinctive lives that offer grace that the unbeliever scratches their head.

We're not offensive just to be offensive. Sometimes the truth offends but we're not angry or resentful just as Paul never shares any resentment or any kind of personal anger against Nero. In none of his letters will you find that.

In fact let me show you. Turn to the right and head to First Timothy. First Timothy chapter 2. We looked at this in an earlier promise we're making as members of this church to pray for our leaders and those in authority over us but now I want to go to the next phrase that I left out purposely because I wanted to get to it now. Go back to verse 1. First Timothy chapter 2 and verse 1. First of all then or here's your priority I urge that in treaties and prayers petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men. That's great. Who are you thinking of Paul? Well for kings. Oh that's Nero and all who are in authority.

That's the Senate. In order, now here's what I want you to see, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life with all godliness and dignity. A tranquil and quiet life and maybe you're in and out of airports every day and you're traveling you're working 60 you know 70 hour weeks and you're thinking I would love a little tranquility.

You know maybe you're chasing you know two elementary school kids around the house and you haven't had a quiet moment in six years and except at 2 a.m. and even that's not guaranteed and you're thinking tranquility. The woman who blogs now serving on the mission field talked about how as a teenager and I read it she said her family would take these cross-country trips on summer vacation and that just kind of took me back to our family of six driving from Norfolk Virginia to Minneapolis Minnesota and we'd do it in 24 hours and I thought it was just because we liked to and then I realized there wasn't any money to spend the night anywhere and so we would literally drive we'd start in the evening and get there the next evening. Well four boys and a mom and a dad and she described this and it took me back there but she said they had this little trick. What they did as they traveled across country to keep the peace she wrote we each were allowed to take a turn choosing a cassette to play in the card tape deck.

Now this is going to date her cassette it's a little rectangular thing with two holes in the middle for those of you who are young. No one in the family was allowed to complain about the choice of cassette that one of the siblings chose or parents they get their turn as well but they had to listen quietly and try to enjoy it. She said everybody you know always anxiously awaited their 90 minutes their turn. She said especially my father. He always put in a 90 minute tape that was still blank 90 minutes of silence.

I could have used that cassette a long time ago. Well is that what Paul was talking about? You know pray for the king and I'll leave you alone and you'll have silence. It'll be helpful to know that Paul isn't out of touch with the first century or the 21st century in fact these words are from the Holy Spirit. The peace and tranquility that Paul is referring to here is that internal focus on the sovereignty of God over kings and over nations and over authorities and certainly culture at large that nothing in life can happen outside his divine purposes. So surrendering to his sovereign purposes as they roll out to us with thanksgiving from this text is the principle that produces internal tranquility and quietness.

Nothing in your life surprised God. Even though outside there is nothing but swelling of waves and wind and surf on your little boat. Reminded me of the Apostle Peter who was in that boat with the other disciples in the middle of a storm. You remember if you're old enough in the faith of the narrative where Jesus comes walking on top of the water and having crossed that water now in a boat some time ago I just picture what it must have been like for Peter to call out and say that's you Lord let me come to you and Jesus said come on and he clambers over the side of that boat and walks on top of the water and then he looks around maybe it's a big gust of wind or some spray in his face and he focuses on the circumstances and he begins to sink and then he prays that short but very effective prayer Lord save me and the Lord reaches down and pulls them back up and they walk back together and it occurs to me that he learned what we have to learn and relearn and then relearn all over again even though perhaps because of our own failure the water tends to go over our heads it is still underneath his feet. Everything in life that seems to be over your head is under his sovereign feet. This inner tranquility Paul writes to Timothy it ought to be marked by two things godliness and dignity in other words a godly demeanor a gracious bearing it doesn't mean you're a kill joint you can't laugh and enjoy life it's not gonna don't be crass course off color be dignified live up to your calling as a believer this is good and acceptable in the sight of God verse three notice who desires all men to be saved this is the desire of every believer who reflects the character of God and this is why this disposition is so important these people are not our enemies they're our mission field we want them to be saved we are the ambassadors carrying forward the terms of peace with God they may not like it because it calls for total and unconditional surrender but we offer the terms we're not fighting the world I bristle and have for my entire ministry when I hear the term culture war we're not at war with our culture we're not angry with our world we don't hate this world we are begging this world as Paul wrote to be reconciled with God no matter what the challenges no matter how hot the fire we respond with grace we are feeding we're delivering water the bread of life the water of life and tangible water and bread too we're pointing people to the one who came to pay the ransom for the treaty that we can now have with God through his blood and cross work no matter how hot it gets our mission doesn't change when you came into the auditorium unless you came in perhaps maybe one of these doors I'm not sure you you received a coffee bean and you put it in your pocket or your purse pull it out and take a look at it in an online pastor's journal that I subscribe to one pastor told the story of a young lady who was complaining to her father in his church and he shared the story and I thought this would be a great place to to conclude with these promises as it relates to our personal life our church life and our community life so let me share with you she said to her father you know I all these problems I'm having it's like I solve one and and I and I have another one start and all of us who are older say well you know that never changes we have made a commitment though I don't know if you're like me to deal with only one crisis at a time that's the plan she says I'm just weary of it her father who was a chef and they were talking in the restaurant took her back to an area in the kitchen where he filled three pots three small pots with water and he placed each pot on on high heat high fire soon the pots came to a boil in one he placed some carrots in another he placed some eggs and in the third he placed a handful of coffee beans and then just talked to her as if he wasn't really doing anything and they chatted for a while and and then rather impatiently she said okay dad what's up with the pots on the stove he went over and turned off the burners he fished out the carrots and he placed them in a bowl and he fished out an egg put it in a little bowl and then he poured some of the coffee into a cup and turning to his daughter he said he said sweetie tell me tell me what you see she said well I see carrots and an egg and coffee and he said no look look closer and he handed her a fork and he said he said investigate the carrots what are they like and she pressed on them and of course they were mushy and soft he said break that egg and she broke it and it was no longer runny and soft but it was hard and he said now the third and she took a sip of that rich coffee and just kind of smiled but she still said that you know what's what's the point of this he explained to her that each of these elements had faced the same fire same adversity the same challenge but each of them had reacted to it differently the carrot went in strong firm but after being subjected to the heat it became flimsy and mushy and weak the egg was fragile its thin outer shell it protected however its soft interior but after sitting in the boiling water its insides had grown hard the coffee beans were unique by being in the boiling water subjected to fire and heat they had changed the flavor of the water now the room was filled with an aroma and the taste of rich coffee the father looked at his daughter and asked which one are you going to become and I believe this is Paul's same question here because of heat and adversity and challenge and chores and responsibilities instead become an influence by means of what we are on the inside who dwells within us I want you to take this coffee bean and place it on your desk or your counter at home or work put it somewhere where you'll see it often let it serve as a reminder that God never intended your circumstances or your culture to change you but for you to influence your culture by means of the aroma of God through Christ in fact Paul would write to the Corinthians this wonderful text he said this but thanks be to God who always leads us in a procession of triumph in Christ and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of God 2 Corinthians 2 this is our distinctive purpose in the world this is not the time or the place to retreat you know to go back to life when it was simple this is a time for us to face the fire the pressure but with this kind of demeanor this kind of spirit this kind of disposition we are peacemaking dignified concerned humble people and we by the grace of God fill our world with the rich aroma of Christ more than ever before beloved this has to be our promise and our commitment to our culture this is our promise to them who are outside of this peace treaty with God and they see in us something distinctive and different and ask they smell the aroma taste the flavor of our lives we deliver to them the terms of peace and they come to know Christ like we know him and they give him glory and great honor may that be our testimony as well with that Stephen concludes this lesson and this four-part series called going public going public is a call to action for believers who want to obey God's command to influence the world for Jesus if you want to do that well I hope this series has helped you I want to make sure you know how you can access this series to listen again maybe the Lord has brought others to your mind who would benefit from these four lessons here are some options for you going public is posted to our website and you'll find us online at wisdom online dot org at the top of the home page is a menu item called teaching and if you look for our topical lessons and then click on Christian life you'll find this series once you do you can listen to all four messages and read Stephen's word-for-word manuscript we also have it available as a digital download if you want to download the audio files to your computer finally we can prepare a CD set for you if you prefer to have it that way now if you haven't been to that site in a while you might be surprised because it's been completely redesigned all of the resources that you're used 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