Renew: Overcoming Evil with Good
Introduction: A Message That Stuck
I want to invite you to think back to your teenage years. Do you have some good memories? When I was about thirteen or fourteen, I went with my church youth group to a convention with about 1,500 students gathered in the Duckworth Centre at the University of Winnipeg. I still remember one moment from that weekend. The speaker had us stand in sections and shout out Romans 12:11: “Never be lacking in zeal! But keep your spiritual fervour! While serving the Lord!” It was loud and energetic, but it left a mark on me. And, as it turns out, my wife was there too, even though we wouldn’t meet until years later. Something was deposited in both of us: a call to live a life dedicated to Jesus. But the truth is that zeal looks different in different seasons of life. As a teenager, it might look like energy and enthusiasm. In young adulthood, it might look like meaningful conversations. In midlife, it often looks like raising a family. In retirement, it becomes investing time and reflecting on the goodness of God. And for many in our church who are in their later years, the question becomes: How do I finish well? How do I continue—not lacking in zeal—but serving the Lord with joy? That question brings us to Romans 12:14–21.
A Renewed Mind Under Pressure
In Romans 12:1–2, Paul calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. But here, in verses 14–21, he shows us what that renewed life looks like when it is tested. Paul is very realistic. Following Jesus does not mean your problems disappear. You will be wronged. You will be insulted. You may even face opposition or persecution. And when that happens, the instinct of the old self is to respond in kind. If you curse me, I curse you. If you hurt me, I hurt you. But Paul calls the church to something different. He calls us not to symmetrical responses, but asymmetrical ones. Instead of mirroring evil, we respond with good. Instead of retaliation, we respond with blessing, empathy, peace, and trust in God.
And everything in this passage builds toward one central statement: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21, NIV). That is the thesis. That is the invitation. So the question I want to ask is this: How are you doing? I hope you are not just “doing fine,” but doing good—actively participating in the work of good that Paul describes.
- Life with Your People: Community in Harmony
Paul begins with our life together: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15, NIV). This is a call to emotional solidarity. To be attuned to one another. Not just sharing space, but sharing life. I’ve seen this lived out here at First Mennonite Church. We pray together at our Sunday services for people in need. That is part of what it means to be the body of Christ.
I remember when my wife and I first started dating. She was in Winnipeg, and I was here in Saskatoon. We could have just texted or called, but instead we wrote letters—real letters, with stamps and envelopes. We were learning to listen, to understand each other. There was a line from a U2 song I used to listen to while writing those letters: “I want a trip inside your head… to hear the things you haven’t said.”
That is the kind of attentiveness Paul is talking about.
During a Prayer and Share time as a church, I had the opportunity to listen deeply to many of you. And one thing that stood out was how much this congregation values being a caring community. That is part of our congregational DNA. Paul goes on to encourage us: “Live in harmony with one another… do not be proud… do not be conceited” (Romans 12:16, NIV). If I could summarize it simply:
Empathy + humility = unity.
- Life in Public: A Witness of Integrity
Next, Paul turns outward: “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone” (Romans 12:17, NIV). This is about our public witness. When I was in Bible college here in Saskatoon, I spent most of my time surrounded by other Christians. But every day I would go to the university to run track, and suddenly I was in a completely different environment. That became an opportunity to live out my faith in front of people who did not share it. Paul continues: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18, NIV). That doesn’t mean we control everyone else. It means we take responsibility for our side of the street. Your apartment floor, your workplace, and your neighbourhood should be a more peaceful place because you are there. I see this lived out in simple ways: checking on neighbours, sharing coffee, making phone calls, dropping off bulletins. These are not small things. This is love in action.
- Life with Enemies: The Radical Way of Jesus
Finally, Paul brings us to the hardest part: “Bless those who persecute you… do not curse” (Romans 12:14, NIV). And again: “Do not take revenge… ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19, NIV). This raises a crucial question: Who is the boss? Because If I am the judge, then I have to carry the burden of justice. But if God is the judge, then I am free to let go of vengeance and trust Him. Paul even says: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him… do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:20–21, NIV). How we treat those who do not treat us well is a true test of how well we are living out the radical commitment to be like Jesus! I learned something about this in a season when I was serving as a missionary. We had to raise our own support—what I sometimes jokingly call an “eat what you kill” budget. Over time, we eventually raised a few hundred thousand dollars, often though it mostly came in small amounts. One day, I received a letter from a partner organization—one that I trusted deeply—saying they were ending all their partnerships. That support was gone. Emotionally, it felt like being chopped down. But after taking time to pray and gain perspective, I realized something. This wasn’t an attack. It was simply life. And what felt catastrophic was actually manageable. A new church partner or a few small individual donations could replace that monthly support that was now gone.
Jesus is our Model
Sometimes, when we feel wronged, we interpret it as persecution. But not everything is persecution. Sometimes it’s just life happening. And if we let our emotions take over, we can end up responding in ways that don’t reflect Jesus. In moments like that, we need to remember Jesus. As He was being crucified, He said: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” He entrusted justice to the Father—and chose love instead.
Conclusion: Love as Our Strategy
So here is the truth I want to leave you with: Leaving justice to God frees me to pursue peace.
Paul is not naive. He knows evil is real. But he also knows that if we respond to evil with evil, the cycle continues. But if we trust God—if we release our need to control justice—then we are free. Free to bless.
Free to do good. Free to love. And even if it doesn’t change the other person, it keeps us from being conquered by evil. So, let me ask you again: How are you doing? My hope is not just that you are doing well. My hope is that you are doing good—living out a renewed mind, overcoming evil with good, and making love your vocation in every season of life.
Anabaptism at 500: Renewal Through Trust and Yieldedness
Proverbs 3:5–8; Matthew 18:1–5
Pastor Calvary deJong
Introduction: Yield Signs and Life with God
When I was growing up in Winnipeg’s blue-collar neighbourhood of Transcona, big red four-way stop signs seemed to mark nearly every corner of our former railway town turned suburb. Later, when I moved to Saskatoon, I noticed something different—many intersections in historic neighbourhoods like City Park, Nutana, and Riversdale had yield signs instead. Rather than forcing every lane of traffic to stop, vehicles were able to flow more freely because one direction was willing to yield the right of way to the other. These triangular traffic signs illustrate a larger principle for life: yielding means recognizing the world doesn’t revolve around me. This is more than traffic engineering—it’s a picture of discipleship. The early Anabaptists used the German word Gelassenheit to describe this posture of yieldedness: a calm release, a surrender of self-will, and a trustful openness to God. It wasn’t passivity. It was active obedience—choosing to set aside personal preference to follow Christ and love others.
As we continue our series, “Anabaptism at 500,” we remember that the Radical Reformation didn’t begin with programs or structures, but with people whose lives were radically reoriented around Jesus. Renewal came as they trusted God completely and yielded their whole lives to Him. That same call comes to us today.
Trusting God, Not Ourselves (Proverbs 3:5–6)
Proverbs invites us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” In Hebrew poetry, this is an example of parallelism—two lines that echo and sharpen each other. The first is positive: place your whole weight upon God’s wisdom and character. The second is negative: refuse to prop yourself up with your own limited perspective. Together, the lines remind us that trust is more than mental agreement—it is dependence.
To lean on our own understanding is to insist that we know best. By contrast, yielding means giving God the right of way in every decision, resting the full weight of our lives on Him. Verse 6 continues the thought: “In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Here, submission is to yield. To put trust in action—acknowledging Jesus as Lord in every aspect of life. The promise is not that the road will be easy, but that it will be straight—aligned with God’s good purposes. Yieldedness shows up in the details of daily life. Every time we pray before making a decision, every time we set aside our own agenda to listen for God’s leading, every time we choose faithfulness over self-reliance, we are practicing the way of trust.
The Way of Childlike Humility (Matthew 18:1–5)
The disciples once asked Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” They assumed the kingdom of God worked like every other system of worldly power—with ladders to climb and honours to win. But Jesus turned their assumptions upside down. He placed a child in front of them and said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Children in that culture had no real status or power. They were vulnerable, overlooked, and dependent. Yet Jesus said greatness belongs to those who take the lowly position of a child—those who yield, trust, and welcome others with humility. True greatness in the kingdom is not about achievement but about surrender. This challenges us in a culture that constantly tells us to push forward, take charge, and prove ourselves. Jesus calls us to yield, to trust, to be willing to stoop low. The Kingdom of heaven belongs not to the self-promoting but to the surrendered.
Michael & Margaretha Sattler and the Cost of Yieldedness
The story of Michael Sattler and his wife Margaretha illustrates the radical nature of Gelassenheit. Sattler helped draft the Schleitheim Confession (1527), the first Anabaptist confession of faith, which boldly declared that baptism belonged only to repentant believers. It condemned infant baptism as “the highest and chief abomination of the Pope,” and called Christians to reject violence. These convictions were not abstract theology—they were embodied surrender. The cost was severe. Michael was arrested, tortured, and executed, praying for his persecutors as flames rose around him. Margaretha, too, was drowned for her faith. Their witness shows us that yieldedness is not merely an inward posture—it is a costly, outward faith that may lead even through suffering. And yet, in their surrender, they testified to a greater trust: that the Lord who calls us is faithful, even unto death.
Yieldedness in Everyday Life
Not all acts of yieldedness are as dramatic as martyrdom. Sometimes they take the form of daily choices. Sociologist Donald Kraybill tells of the Amishin the modern-day USA, descendants of the Anabaptists, who resisted putting bright orange triangles on their buggies because it conflicted with their values of simplicity and humility. They were willing to face fines rather than compromise their convictions.
Our lives look very different from the Amish—we use technology, drive cars, and engage the modern world. But the call remains the same: to yield daily decisions, priorities, and desires to Christ. Yieldedness today might mean letting go of control in family conflicts, resisting the urge to always demand our own way, or learning to listen deeply before we speak.
The Gospel Invitation: Jesus Our Example
Here is the good news: Jesus has already walked this path of yieldedness. In the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the cross, He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.” He yielded to the Father fully—even when it meant suffering. He did it so that we could be forgiven and free. And by His Spirit, He gives us strength to walk the same road. Yielding is not something we can achieve by willpower alone. Left to ourselves, we cling to control. But when we yield to Christ, we discover the paradox of the kingdom: when we release, we receive; when we stoop low, God lifts us up; when we yield, we find true freedom. This is the renewal that Jesus offers.
Questions for Reflection & Action
- Where am I leaning on my own understanding instead of trusting the Lord?
- How is Jesus inviting me to take the lowly position of a child?
- What would it look like for me to practice Gelassenheit—yieldedness—in my daily relationships?
Prayer of Response
Lord Jesus,
You call us to trust You with all our hearts and to lean not on our own understanding.
Thank You for walking this road of yieldedness before us, praying “Not my will, but yours be done.”
By Your Spirit, renew us to live with surrendered hearts—so that our lives may testify to Your kingdom.
Amen.
Anabaptism at 500: Renewal Through Repentance
Scriptures: Psalm 51; Mark 1:14–15; 1 Corinthians 5:1–5; 2 Corinthians 2:5–11; 2 Corinthians 7:8–11
Pastor Calvary deJong
Introduction: When You Are the Villain
We love to picture ourselves as the hero in our own story. As the one who perseveres through hardship or shows kindness at just the right moment. But if we are honest, each of us is also capable of playing the villain in our own story. I learned that lesson in Grade 9 gym class when I was too competitive in volleyball and used my words to cut down a classmate, and was sent down to the principal’s office. Afterwards, my dad marched me over to the girl’s house along with flowers and a card with a handwritten apology. That was a memorable experience that I will never forget! It taught me something: repentance is more than embarrassment or fear of punishment. It is a turning of the heart, and the Bible calls that turning repentance.
As we continue our series Anabaptism at 500, we ask: What does repentance mean for us today? For the institutional church during the days of the Reformation? And how does this ancient practice remain the heartbeat of personal renewal and communal life?
Lessons From History: Institutional Repentance in the Reformation
By the sixteenth century, the church in Europe was in desperate need of repentance. Indulgence preachers promised forgiveness in exchange for donations. Many Catholic priests were poorly trained, and others were openly corrupt. Ordinary believers were shut out from Scripture, which was narrowly available in Latin. The very church that was supposed to call the world to repentance itself needed to repent. As a result, three responses to these very challenging circumstances emerged:
- The Magisterial Reformers (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli) insisted the church must be reformed by the Word of God. They broke from the Catholic church, declaring ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda—“the church reformed, always in need of reformation.”
- The Counter-Reformation sought renewal within Catholicism. At the Council of Trent (1545–1563), abuses by the Catholic clergy were confronted, priestly education strengthened, and some reforms enacted, though much of the ecclesial structure remained unchanged.
- The Radical Reformers, the Anabaptists, pressed further. Repentance could not remain a decree on paper or remain a matter of state religion. It had to be embodied in the life of the believer and the witness of the community. Baptism followed confession of faith, discipleship meant reconciliation with others, mutual accountability, and restitution where harm had been done. Menno Simons called it “a penitence possessed of power and works.” For Anabaptists, repentance was never just institutional reform. It was the visible reality of people turning toward Christ together in obedience and love.
Biblical Foundations of Repentance
- David’s Cry for Mercy (Psalm 51)
Exposed by Nathan after his adultery with Bathsheba, David confessed, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love.” He admitted his guilt before God, pleaded to be washed and cleansed, and prayed, “Create in me a pure heart.” Repentance is not cosmetic—it is a prayer for deep transformation.
- Jesus’ Call (Mark 1:14–15; Luke 15:11–32)
Jesus announced, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news.” In other words, repentance is the sane response to God’s nearness. When criticized for eating with sinners, Jesus said He came not for the healthy but for the sick, and he told of a father running to welcome a prodigal son. Repentance is not merely an invitation to forgiveness but the way to joy.
- The Corinthian Example (1 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 2; 7)
The Corinthian church tolerated a shocking sin—a man sleeping with his father’s wife. Paul rebuked them for this because sin spreads, weakens the witness of the Church, and therefore must be confronted. Yet by the time of 2 Corinthians, the offender had repented. Thus, Paul writes back now, urging the Corinthian church to forgive the wayward brother and reaffirm their love for him, lest sorrow overwhelm him. Paul taught them to distinguish worldly sorrow (grief at being caught, regret without change) from godly sorrow (grief that leads to repentance, life, and restoration).
Application: Repentance as a Way of Life
Repentance is not something we graduate from once we “become a Christian.” It is both the beginning of faith and the daily practice of discipleship. It is how we sustain our walk with Christ. In my own life, my first apology to a classmate was motivated more by a desire to avoid further discipline than by genuine sorrow. But later, when I realized the hypocrisy of mocking a classmate at school while leading worship on guitar at my church’s youth group, godly sorrow pierced my heart. That moment led not just to changed behaviour but to inner transformation—and that is the sincere repentance God desires.
The same is true for our church communities. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in Life Together, reminds us that true Christian fellowship is not the absence of differences or conflict but the ongoing practice of repentance and forgiveness in the context of community. Without it, relationships become brittle and churches divide. But with it, the church becomes a family where prodigals are welcomed home. Repentance is not punishment—it is the way home. It is how joy returns, and it is the path of renewal for our lives, our relationships, and the future of our church.
Questions for Reflection & Action
- Where am I tempted to explain away my failures instead of naming them before God?
- Am I experiencing worldly sorrow (fear, shame, regret) or godly sorrow (true heart-change)?
- What would it look like for our church to be marked by repentance and restoration, not just tolerance or avoidance?
Prayer of Response
Merciful God,
Forgive us where our hearts wander and our actions fall short.
Wash us, renew us, and create in us clean hearts.
Thank You that in Christ, repentance leads not to shame but to joy.
Teach us to live not in worldly sorrow, but in godly sorrow that produces life.
Make our church a community where forgiveness flows, where repentance is welcomed, and where prodigals find a home at Your table.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
