It’s About The Kingdom

It’s About the Kingdom

Romans 15:1-6

Max Lucado in his book A Gentle Thunder, tells a story about a man who encountered

another man carrying a Bible. “Are you a believer?” “Yes,” he said excitedly. I've learned that you can't be too careful who you fellowship with, so I began to ask him some questions. “Do you believe in the virgin birth?” “I do.” “Do you believe in the deity of Christ?” “No doubt.” Could it be that I was face-to-face with a real Christian brother? Nonetheless, I continued my checklist. “Do you believe in the return of Christ?” “I believe it is imminent.” “What about the Bible?” “It is inspired,” was his immediate answer. I was getting excited. “Are you a conservative or a liberal?”

He was getting interested in me, too. “I'm a conservative.” I asked him as my heart began to beat faster, “What denomination are you a part of?” He said, “I am a member of the Southern Congregationalist Holy Son of God Dispensationalist Triune Convention.” I was excited, because that was my denomination. I asked him,

“Which branch of that denomination are you?” He said, “I'm a part of the pre-millennial, post-tribulation, non-charismatic, King James, one-cup communion branch.” My eyes misted over. That was my branch as well. I had only one other question. “Is your pulpit wooden or Plexiglas?” “Plexiglas,” he replied.

I recoiled in horror. “Get away from me, you heretic,”

Is that what God is all about?

Is that what being a follower of Jesus is all about?

Someone asked the experts about what kind of church is going to be most effective today. Listen to some of the answers: The church must be more missional, more contemporary, more media savvy, more emerging, more social-justice focused, more seeker sensitive, more liturgical. We have been told that the church of the future will be multisite, small and organic, simple, large, conservative, liberal, postmodern, ancient-future, Celtic, cellular, neomonastic and incarnational.

I’ve got to tell you, about half of those words didn’t make it through spell check

on my computer. And before you complain about the big words, I didn’t understand what they meant either. In other words, I don’t know what the experts are trying to tell us. But, when I turn to God’s Word, I don’t have that problem.

Look beginning in Romans 15:1ff.

1. Under Obligation

Paul starts by saying for those of us who are mature Christians. He is speaking to those who are trained in righteousness. Then he uses a very interesting word. In the NASB it is rendered “ought.” But the Greek word is better interpreted as “under obligation.” For those of us who are mature, trained in righteousness, we are under obligation to bear the weaknesses of those who are not mature. The word bear means to literally carry. For those of us who are mature, trained in righteousness, we are under obligation to bear the weaknesses of those who are mature. And it doesn’t mean just a few of us. It means everybody among the mature. Our focus, which is the focus of the “Kingdom of God,” is not to please ourselves. We are obligated by God Himself to build up those who are not as far along in the Christian journey as we are.

I’ll tell you, we have people who have been trained to the nth degree. We’ve taken all the classes, we have studied the Bible, we have learned how to walk with God, we have sought God first understanding that He is in control of all of our circumstances.

2. Cater to the needs

of those who are not mature.

Look at verse 2: READ

Boy this really doesn’t sound like most churches today. Too many people today believe that the church exists to provide them with comfort. And if anyone infringes upon my comfort, well, they better get ready for a fight!

Isn’t it ridiculous the things we quarrel over. In another church I had a man come to me and say that he left his previous church because they changed the words to the hymn “Amazing Grace.” He said they would start singing, “Praise God, praise God, praise God, praise God, praise God, praise God, praise God.”

A couple of weeks ago, we were at 1st Bapt. San Angelo and the worship leader

began singing Amazing Grace. In the middle of it, the music changed and we sang:

My chains are gone

I've been set free

My God, my Savior

has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy rains

Unending love, Amazing grace

My chains are gone

I've been set free

My God, my Savior has ransomed me

And like a flood His mercy rains

Unending love, Amazing grace

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow

The sun forbear to shine