“The High Cost of Getting Even!” Romans 12:17-21

Original Edition (1963) Updated Edition (2000)

This rancher was a “genius”… He tied four sticks of dynamite to the animal’s tail, lit the fuse and turned him loose…

to learn we stand to lose when we make it our place to seek revenge Purpose: to learn we stand to lose when we make it our place to seek revenge

I We Lose PHYSICALLY A. The World Makes This Clear

The world’s idea behind anger goes something like this: …

Modern psychiatry says: temper tantrums, seeking revenge, getting event etc. all necessary for self preservation… survival of the fittest.

I We Lose PHYSICALLY A. The World Makes This Clear B. Doctors Make This Clear

John Hunter [famous British physiologist] (lived 1728 – 1793) “The first scoundrel that gets me angry will kill me.” Sometime later in 1793 Hunter was having an argument at St. George’s Hospital over the admission of students. In the midst of this argument he had a heart attack and immediately died. John Hunter [famous British physiologist] (lived 1728 – 1793)

Dr. S.I. McMillen MD “When Jesus said, ‘Forgive seventy-times seven,’ He was thinking not only of our souls bbut the saving of our bodies from ulcerative colitis, toxic goiters, high blood pressure, and scores of other diseases…”

I We Lose PHYSICALLY A. The World Makes This Clear B. Doctors Make This Clear C. Jesus Makes This Clear

Jesus commanded the loving of our enemies for a reason Jesus commanded the loving of our enemies for a reason! (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-28)

II We Lose SPIRITUALLY A. We Lose Our Testimony for Christ

This is for the purpose of winning and restoring them – bringing them to repentance/faith in Christ…

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

II We Lose SPIRITUALLY A. We Lose Our Testimony for Christ B. We Lose Souls for Eternity

When seeking revenge we are in danger of losing our own souls, not to mention those about us whom we can be used to win to the Lord!

II We Lose SPIRITUALLY A. We Lose Our Testimony for Christ B. We Lose Souls for Eternity C. We Must Give Place to God’s Wrath

Our Lord’s mind is unclouded by wrong passions… His judgment will be just because He is just…

Carnegie tells of the time he made a trip to Yellowstone National Park…

Conclusion and Summary: …Ask Jesus’ Lomeli if there isn’t a high cost in getting even. Thus, is there any wonder why our text makes clear – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”