Title: Getting Along Despite Our Differences (Food Fights)
Text: Romans 14:1-12
Thesis: With God’s help, Christians can walk hand in hand when we do not see eye to eye.
Introduction
I’ve only been in one food fight and it was an impromptu event. It occurred at our kitchen where we lived in Fullerton, California. We had a nice formal dining room but we usually ate in the kitchen where there was something of a breakfast nook. It was cozy.
One Sunday we were eating a perfectly wonderful dinner... There was a quiet moment when all of our eyes met and in one serendipitous moment the food fight was on. Green beans. Mashed potatoes. Dinner rolls. Butter. Pickles. Condiments. If it was on our plates or in serving bowls it was an airborne projectile. It was an awful mess but fortunately fairly confined... but suffice it to say, there was a lot of food spattered all over the place.
Occasionally I enjoy watching a cooking competition on the Travel Channel called American Grilled. Basically they travel around the country trying to discover the best and boldest flavors competitors can fire up on their outdoor grills. It is definitely a competition and the winner walks away with $10,000.
Even the promos of the various area competitions suggest it’s a griller’s food fight.
• Meat Me In St. Louis
• Battle on Beale Street (Memphis)
• Beef in the Heart of Texas
• Pensacola Beach Brawl
Our text today speaks to another kind of food fight... not an amiable chili cook-off competition but a dispute over what good Christians should and should not eat.
I. Accept and Respect Each Other, Romans 14:1
“Accept other believers who are weak in faith and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.” Romans 14:1 LNT (Reference “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.” Romans 14:1 NIV and “Him that is weak in faith, receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.” KJ
Our text today is part of a larger story that includes two groups of people in the Church at Rome. There were “the weak in faith” (14:1) and “the strong in faith (15:1).” The weak in faith were those who were Jewish people who had become Christians and as such, had brought along sensitivities that were rooted in their Jewish background. The strong in faith were those who had become Christians who had either outgrown their sensitivities or simply did not share those sensitivities. Romans 14 is a straightforward approach as to how the church is to deal with disputable matters.
So strength of faith and weakness of faith does not refer to what a person believes (theology) but rather to a person’s convictions (practice). Paul’s references to weakness of faith and strength of faith do not refer to their commitment to Christ. Their “belief” is not what Paul speaks to; he speaks in reference to their “practice” or personal “convictions.”
It is generally understood that the stronger in faith found themselves with freedoms in Christ that the weaker in faith did not. The weaker in faith thought of the stronger in faith as liberals and the stronger in faith thought of the weaker in faith as legalists. And… both thought they were better Christians than the other.
However you perceive it, the Apostle Paul identified himself with those who are stronger in faith and urged the strong in faith to be considerate of those more legalistically inclined. He said, “We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this.” Romans 15:1a
As I mentioned earlier, our text today is part of a larger text that serves as an encouragement for all to live together in harmony.
• Romans 14:1-12 rebukes for criticizing and condemning others.
• Romans 14:13-23 urges consideration for differences.
• Romans 15:1-6 pleads for patience, encouragement and help to live in harmony with each other.
The reason Paul so strongly urges the two factions to live together in harmony is because, essentially their differences in faith and practice were over disputable matters.
There are indisputable matters.
A. Indisputable Matters
The Apostle’s Creed:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Christian Church; The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen
Contemporary Indisputable Matters:
1. The Inspiration of Scripture
2. The Deity of Christ
3. Salvation by grace through faith
4. The Second Coming and Eternal Life
Just as there are indisputable matters, there are disputable matters.
B. Disputable Matters (Out text specifically speaks to three.)
1. Eating meat vs. eating vegetables, Romans 14:2-3 (Carnivores / Meat Eaters and Herbivores /
Vegetarians)
2. The observance of the Sabbath and other holy days, Romans 14:5-6 (Jewish Sabbath / Saturday and
Resurrection Christians / Sunday)
3. Drinking wine, Romans 14:17 and 21 (Partakers and Abstainers)
Some of you may be wondering what relevance this conversation has to today. Let me illustrate by citing an example of how many churches have struggled with something as simple as how to practice the Lord’s Supper. If you grew up in one tradition you received a piece of unleavened bread or a cracker as the Body of Christ and if you grew up in another tradition you received a nicely cut little square of Wonder Bread. If you grew up in another tradition you received a wafer. So is the Body of Christ a cracker, a piece of bread or a wafer and is it gluten free?
If you grew up in one tradition you received a tiny shot of wine as the Blood of Christ. In another tradition you received Welch’s Grape Juice. And if you were part of a politically correct tradition you realized that serving wine as the Blood of Christ could cause an alcoholic to relapse so you switched from Mogen David to grape juice. And if you were pretty sure that the Blood of Christ was supposed to be wine then you were pretty sure you had not received the Body and Blood of Christ at the Lord’s Table if you were served Welch’s.
Years ago when we lived in Red Oak, I was to serve communion at a health care center in our community on a Sunday afternoon. My plan was to pick up a small bottle of grape juice at the only place open on Sunday, which was a convenience store. I got to the convenience store, went to the cooler and discovered to my dismay that there was no grape juice. None! The closest thing to even the color of grape juice was some kind of blend in a bottle of Snapple. So I bought the Snapple and we served wafers and Snapple at the Good Samaritan that afternoon.
The residents were smacking their lips and loving it! It was the best Blood of Christ they had ever tasted.
Like so many things we think matter… it did not matter! I would guess that if we were to give in to our carnal natures we could get in a ruckus about the freedom of speech, gun control, prayer in public schools, prayer in public civic meetings, home schooling, public schooling and Christian schooling, appropriate attire or dress, politics, we could likely stir up a little worship war over music preferences and… you get the idea.
Commentators say that what Paul is urging his friends in Rome to do (and us as well) is understand that there are indisputable matter and there are disputable matters. And the disputable matters do not matter to anyone but the person who has the conviction.
In the mind and understanding of the Apostle Paul things like being meat-eaters or vegetarians or Saturday worshippers or Sunday worshippers or partakers or abstainers are matters indifference. “Disputable or indifferent matters are neither commanded nor forbidden.”
The text is clear. Accept and respect those whose convictions differ from your own. Of things in the disputable category Paul basically says, “We cannot divide and destroy over things that are not essential to the kingdom of God.” (Steve Matthewson, How to Glorify God When We Disagree, 6/14/2010)
In verses 2-4 Paul gets right at the crux of the matter. When people do not accept and respect each other’s convictions, we tend to judge the other person.
II. Let Jesus Be the Judge of the Other, Romans 14:2-4
“Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.” Romans 14:4
Some were looking down on others…
A. Some were looking down on the others. (to feel or express contempt for the others)
“Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t.” 14:3
It is easy to shake one’s head in wonder at the convictions of others. In fact it is easy to feel a little superior to those who are so uptight and have convictions about things for which you do not. I fully understand the implications. What Paul meant when he referenced “looking down” on others is this, “Do not despise the weaker Christian’s sensitivities. Do not pity the weakness of the weak. But rather accept and respect your fellow believer.”
The key point being, how can a strong Christian look down on a weak Christian with contempt when God has accepted that person?
Others were condemning their fellow believers.
B. Some were condemning others. (Gk. Krino = pronouncing doom on the other person)
“Those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.” 14:3
The language is very clear. One group was critical of the other group but the other group actually was condemning of those with whom they differed. In this text the intent is to condemn or consign that person to eternal doom. In other word, you can’t be a Christian if you do those things.
The key point being made is how can a weak Christian condemn a person God has accepted?
Christians have only one Master, i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ and we are all to leave the judging to Jesus… contempt and condemnation are inappropriate behaviors in the Christian community. Jesus and only Jesus, is the judge.
So rather than allow differences to divide us, we ought to let our common desire unite us,
III. Let Our Common Aim Unite Us in the Lord Rather than Allow Our Differences to Divide Us, Romans 14:5-9
“Those who think one day is more holy than another, while others think every day is alike… Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor Him.” Romans 14:6
I am sure everyone in Rome who read Paul’s letter understood what he was getting at. We don’t. So we have to reconstruct things a bit to gain perspective. But we think there were Christians from a Jewish background who still held to their Jewish understanding of Sabbath… sundown on Friday through Saturday. Others of non-Jewish heritage may have embraced the Lord’s Day as a commemoration of the resurrection or Sunday.
Paul seems to be wondering why this should be disputable. It is an indifferent matter. If you worship on Saturday you worship to honor the Lord and if you worship on Sunday you worship to honor the Lord. Everyone is aiming to honor the Lord so what’s the big deal?
When I was a kid we were so jealous of the Catholic kids because they could go to church on Saturday night. Good Christians went to church on Sunday morning between the hours of approximately 9 and noon. You did not go Saturday night! If you really loved Jesus you would worship on Sunday morning. And if you really loved Jesus you would go back to church Sunday evening…
Interestingly the whole Sunday morning between 9 and noon things and the Sunday evening thing is rooted in early American and rural American necessity. You could not go to church before you milked your cow and fed your chickens. We don’t have cows to milk or chickens to feed but we still go to church between 9 and noon.
Some churches meet during the week. Some meet on Saturday. Saturday meet on Saturday night. Some meet on Sunday at 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. or Sunday afternoon or evening. Some meet in homes and some in rented rooms in the bank basements or converted big box stores or quaint clapboard chapels or magnificent cathedrals and everything in between.
Paul says, “Hey! Lighten up. You are all attempting to do the same thing in honoring and pleasing God.
“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God and others will approve of you, too. Let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.” Romans 14:17-19
Paul might well have included I Corinthians 10:31 in this text: “So whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31
Paul’s final corrective has something of a bite.
IV. Remember Your Own Judgment, Romans 14:10-12
“So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, you will all stand before the judgment seat of God.” Romans 14:10
Paul uses very powerful language in making the point of every person’s individual accountability before God. “Every knee will bend to me and every tongue will confess and give praise to God… yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.” Romans 14:11-12
Our text wraps up pretty quickly… almost like a tightly wrapped little package.
A. Every believer is ultimately answerable to God
B. Judgment is God’s alone
• Matthew 7:1-5 – We will be judged by our own standard of judgment
• I Corinthians 3:12-15 - Our works will be judged to see what is of lasting value
• I Corinthians 4:5 – God will give us his commendation
Conclusion
In March of 2000 Candlewick Press published a children’s book by Kate DiCamillo, “Because of Winn-Dixie.
It was the summer Opal and her father, the preacher, moved to Naomi, Florida. That’s where Opal found Winn-Dixie, a big, old, ugly, suffering but friendly dog. Her father had always taught her to help the less fortunate and Winn-Dixie was less fortunate.
That summer Winn-Dixie is the catalyst for Opal meeting and making many new and unusual friends. One is Otis. Otis had spent time in prison but was now working in a pet store where he loved the animals and the animals loved him back. He would release the pets from their cages in the evening and then play beautiful music to woo them back.
One day while sitting on the porch with and old woman named Gloria, Opal says, “Gloria, you know Otis? You know he’s a criminal? He’s been in jail.”
“Baby girl, “Gloria says, “come on. I want to show you something.” Gloria brings Opal to a large tree in her back yard where hundreds of bottles various shapes hang from the branches. There is a gentle breeze and the bottles kind of clink against each other.
Opal is amazed, “Why all the bottles?”
“To keep the ghosts away.”
“What ghosts?”
“Ghosts of all the things I’ve done wrong.”
“You’ve done that many wrong things?”
“Oh, more than that.”
“But you’re not a bad person.”
“Doesn’t mean I haven’t done bad things.”
“But there’s whiskey bottles on there.”
“That’s right, I know that. I’m the one who drank them. But you know these days I don’t drink nothing stronger than coffee.”
“Did the whiskey make you do all those bad things?”
“Oh, some of them but I would have done some of them anyway. Anyway, I learned what is most important now.”
“What’s that?”
“Oh, it’s different for everyone but you know we should judge Otis by the pretty music he makes and how kind he is to the animals. ‘Cause that’s what we know about him now…” (PreachingToday.com)
We all have our own bottles hanging on our own trees to remind us who and what we are and what we’ve done and hopefully maybe even how far we’ve come by the grace of God.
“Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other.” Romans 14:12-13
Alternative Conclusion:
This morning I want to leave you with four biblical handles for dealing with your own personal convictions and the convictions of others:
Slide Convictions: Yours and Theirs
1. Enjoy your freedom in Christ, Romans 14:22
“You may believe there is nothing wrong with what you are doing (a disputable or matter of indifference) but keep
it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is
right.” Romans 14:22 (Colossians 2:16-23)
2. Honor your own convictions in Christ, Romans 14:23
“But if you have doubts about whether you should eat something (a disputable or matter of indifference), you are
sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your own convictions. If you do anything you believe is
not right, you are sinning.” Romans 14:23
3. Always act out of respect and consideration for the other, Romans 15:1
“Be considerate about those who are sensitive about these things (disputable or matters of indifference). Romans
15:1
4. Make harmony your aim, Romans 14:19
“Let each of us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.” Romans 14:19
