11-27-2011 Does your life speak well of God? Romans 15:1-13
I believe if our life speaks well of God then it must be spoken well of by others.
We should be spoken well of by church members, co workers, friends, family members...because when we represent Jesus we are to be Christ like. We may just be the only Christ like figure some will ever see.
You always heard that the first impression is what people will remember.
I believe a lot of times the reason it's hard to witness to others is because they have had a bad experience with a Christian before.
Maybe in a business deal or a friend backslid after trying to get their friend to come to Christ...and they were thinking....if he is a Christian...I don't want to be one.
A lot of times some will put on a Christian front...it is a dangerous thing to do besides turning the people they know away from following Christ.
The sad thing is that most of the time we don't think about our actions around strangers or sometimes even people we know.
But, when we don't think of others...we are not thinking what God thinks of us. That's what matters.
************Prefer Others
Romans 15:1-4 (KJV)
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
The more we mature as a Christian...the more we should want to speed up maturity in the new Christians....we should have compassion on those who just came to Christ.
I have found in my own ministry that new Christians or ones who just got saved...bring with them their own ideas about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and Christianity.
How are we to handle that?......with love and understanding.
Paul is saying we should bare with them.....
Remember what Paul said back in Chapter 14 of Romans and verse 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Remember we talk about how the Jews felt about eating meat and Paul said to make for peace...in other words think of their feelings don't be self centered and eat meat in front of them when they don't believe in eating meat....time will come when the truth shall set them free as the Bible says...set them free from their own condemnation.
Most people have their own idea of how God is...some look at Him a only a judge and some look at our Lord as a grandfather figure.
....verse 4 we learn the OT was there for their learning about God and His way and His love for us...also it told about Jesus being born....so that's where we go to know the answers ....not what we bring with us and how we think God is.....God tells us how He is and what He expects from us and how we can live a life pleasing to Him...we can't assume things about God and shouldn't teach others how we think God is....we need to go where the truth is and that's the Bible ...OT and NT....I think the problem in some never growing and just believing what they think to be true is they never read Gods word.
*************Live in harmony
Romans 15:5-6 (KJV)
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is a very good illustration here about the song years ago about "like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.
They showed they did on TV but, I read an article about that Coke commercial and Quincy Jones produced it with all those stars singing together and Quincy told each one to leave their ego and attitude at the door of the studio.
That's what get in the way today of churches and denominations....deferent's of options ...ego and attitudes.
What did Paul say....he knew that Jews and Gentiles alike would have those deferent's of options.
Verse 6 in chapter 15 of Romans That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
**********Accept others
Romans 15:7-11 (KJV)
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
Paul said to receive one another...receive means to be friends..just as Christ received us.
Do some have a spiritual attitude toward others? like they did in Rome in Pauls day?...God loves me and I can't see how He can love you....I have been blessed and you have not....I can read the Bible backwards and you can't and so on.....this is bad for any relationship...but t still goes on.
Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Holy roller or what ever...we need to come together in one thing...For God so love the world...John 3:16
Romans 15:12-13 (KJV)
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Coming of Jesus was the hope in the OT that came to pass in the NT
Love in Christ Jesus, Ronnie Miller
www.themillersbiblestudy.com
