1. Die Heretic
A man said: I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. I immediately ran over and said, "Stop! Don't jump!"
"Why shouldn't I?" he said. I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!" "Like what?"
"Well ... are you religious or atheist?" "Religious." "Me too! Are you Christian or Jewish?" "Christian."
"Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?" "Protestant." "Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?" "Baptist."
"Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?" "Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?" "Reformed Baptist Church of God."
"Me too! Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?" "Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!" To which I said, "Die, you heretic scum!" and pushed him off.
a. One of the turn offs of some elements of Christianity is the harsh, judgmental spirit that pervades some groups.
b. Thom Rainer recently reported that the Millennials (those reaching adulthood around 2000 or being born between 1980 and 2000 + or -) are leaving churches because of worship wars. It is not that they are choosing sides over traditional or contemporary; they are leaving over the bickering and attitudes that do not reflect Jesus.
c. How many of our children have left our Fellowship over the years because of harshness -- even if the argument was correct?
d. How many potential members have left congregations because they thought that church was a peaceful place and found out there was conflict --just like- in all the other places of their lives?
e. [Preaching friend in the 70's told me that when the issue over institutions came up, he was at first on the non-institution side due to the silence of the scripture. However, he said he noticed the harsh spirit in that group and changed sides.
2. So, what do we do to handle our differences when matters matter to us?
3. Romans 14-15 give us the answer.
4. How do we deal with issues similar to this one? No clear cut scripture is given.
I. Be Respectful of One another-- (14.1-12)
A. The Strong and the Weak Have Equal Status Before God
1. Old timer Jews -- newcomer Gentiles
2. A danger toward arrogant spirit (tip off of immaturity)
3. Really strong Believers are imitators of Jesus:
a. Patient, Long-suffering
b. Servants
c. Teachers --
1) "God loves you just like you are, but too much to leave you there."
2) We like to make our own discoveries; strong believers guide the weak
B. Don't Quarrel Over Opinions
dialogismos; from 1260; a reasoning:--argument(1), disputing(1), dissension(1), doubts(1), motives(1), opinions(1), reasonings (2), speculations(1), thoughts(3), what ... were thinking(2).
Conclusions we come to which are based on reasoning and can lead to dissension, disputes, etc.
C. Do Not Pass Judgment on Others (10-12)
In a sailing vessel, the mate of the ship, yielding to temptation, became drunk. The captain entered in the log of the ship the record for the day: "Mate drunk today."
When the mate read this entry, he asked the captain to take it out of the record. He said that when it was read by the owners of the ship, it would cost him his job, and the captain well knew that this was his first offense. But the captain refused to change the record, and said to the mate, "This is the fact, and into the log it goes."
Some days afterward, the mate was keeping the log. After he had given the latitude and longitude, the run for the day, the wind and the sea, he made this entry: "Captain sober today."
The angry captain protested when he read the record, declaring that it would leave an altogether false impression in the minds of the owners of the vessel, as if it were an unusual thing for him to be sober. But the mate answered as the captain answered him, "This is the fact, and into the log it goes."
Many times we may say something about someone to someone and not give the whole picture or tell the whole story. Consequently, the listener doesn't get a proper picture of that person.
One of the problems that I see in Christianity and in our churches is judging one another and we often judge one another completely inaccurately. When I've heard that someone has criticized me behind my back and then it got back to me, I have thought, "If they only knew the truth" or "if they only knew my heart then they wouldn't have said those things about me."
But this is true for all of us. We are far too quick to judge a person. We may see only a part of the picture of that person's life and criticize them in the hearing others and damage their reputation or character. And it can't be taken back.
1. Quick to jump to conclusions and pass judgments, even hoping to condemn; krinō; a prim. vb.; to judge, decide:--act as ... judge, concluded, condemn, condemning, pass judgment
2. He or she is not your servant!
D. Practice Serving
1. An Abiding Principle -- The elder shall serve the younger; stronger, weaker (Genesis 25.23; Romans 9.12)
LORD to Rebekah: "Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples, born of you, shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger."
2. Each side says, "Do I have to give in?" The answer is YES!
3. Another Principle -- 14.7; Genesis 4.
* Responsible for the souls of others by actions and attitudes
* We Sit TOGETHER in heavenly places -- Ephesians 2.6
* One suffers all suffer -- 1 Corinthians 12.26
II. Grow Up and Be Christ-Like (14.13-15.7)
A. No Stumbling Blocks or Hindrances (14.13)
* Blind -- Leviticus;
* Concept of stumbling so as to leave the faith
* Entrapments -- skandalon; a stick for bait (of a trap), generally a snare, a stumbling block, an offense.
B. Mature Outlook -- Hebrews 5.11-14
11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
1. A Desire to GROW UP
2. A Desire to Help Others Grow Up
3. A Pursuit of Peace -- Romans 14.17-19
1. I love those kids
I heard about an elder at a very large congregation in Kentucky who was attending a Youth event at his church. A woman walked up to the elder during a worship time for the kids and said, "I hate that music. You should do something about it." The elder replied, "You know, I don't like that music, either; but those kids like that music and I love those kids, so I think we will leave it alone."
2. Here is a real question:
Who is the strong and who is the weak?
* The strong serves the weak in order to make them stronger
* Temptation is to cast them off -- too much trouble, a bother (lack of love)
* Jesus did not do that -- he took the weak and made them strong -- the Disciples were outcasts, weak in the eyes of the religious leaders of their day -- household names today
* Paul -- weak in his misunderstanding -- pursued by Jesus and became strong -- so strong he understood that externals were not all that significant
3. Here is the key question:
Who will be more like Jesus in these matters?
* Jesus takes us out of comfort zones -- "I am uncomfortable with _____." This puts the emphasis on SELF, not Jesus, not others.
o Something in me wants comfort and familiarity -- Jesus moves us on --
o Peter and storm
o Disciples and the world
o FREEDOM FROM THE BOXES WE PUT OURSELVES IN
* "We have always done ________." May be valid, may not be valid depending on scripture.
4. Welcome/Accept One Another -- 15.7 To take in addition:--accept(3), accepted(2), received(1), taken(1), taking along(1), took(1), took ... aside(3).
