That is, there are some roommates that can teach you more about life in the dorm, than any college professor can teach you in a classroom. One thing they certainly can teach you a lot about is patience.
When you have a roommate in the dorm:
• When you want to study, he wants to play the radio
• When you want to sleep, he wants to stay up and study
• When you would like to have someone to talk to, he wants sleep
• When you put a book down, he picks it up, and only God knows where it is when you are ready to start studying again
• When you want to wear your favorite shirt, he is wearing it out on a date
• When you are ready to shave, you find that you have no shaving cream because he used it up
Living with a roommate in college can be a tremendous time of adjustment and learning, especially when it comes to patience. The reason that I say that these are some of the greatest lessons we can learn, is because life itself is like this. Everyone has problems, but everyone does not know how to deal with them. Some think the solution to problems is to run from them, and pretend they do not exist.
We cannot run from our problems, we have to deal with them.
• Some people have a difficult time in their MARRIAGE, because they do not know how to deal with the problems of marriage. They go from marriage to marriage, never learning how to adjust and deal with their problems
• Some people have a difficult time on their JOBS, because they do not know how to deal with problems on the job. They go from job to job, because they have never learned how to deal with their problems.
• Some people have a difficult time in CHURCH, because they do not know how to deal with problems. They go from church to church, because they have never learned how to deal with their problems.
In chapter 14, Paul said we are to receive those who are weak in the faith.
In chapter 15, after dealing with how we are to RECEIVE the weak in the faith, he tells believers that we also are to HELP the weaker brethren. Of course, he is addressing this to the stronger Christians.
The weaker brother can’t help the weaker brother, because he can’t help himself. If he can’t help himself, how can he help someone else?
• This would be like a marriage counselor that has been married ten times, wanting to give advice to others about how to keep their marriage together.
• This would be like a fellow drowning, and a fellow who does not know how to swim jumps in and tries to save him.
The strong, mature Christians have reached the place in their lives where they care about themselves, but they also care as much for others. In order to care about the weaker brother, we have to have compassion for them. Let's look at...
I. THE COMPASSION OF A STRONG BELIEVER
Look at verses 1-7 we read, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”
Christian people should be the most compassionate people on earth. There are two ways that Christians should show compassion.
(1) WE SHOULD SHOW COMPASSION TO THE SINNER
The only hope that the lost world has, is that we Christians will be compassionate, and show them what God’s Word says they must do to be saved. We certainly should have compassion for the SINNER. But also-
(2) WE SHOULD SHOW COMPASSION TO THE SAINTS
Some professing Christians will express concern for the SINNER, but they do not have any compassion for the SAINTS.
For example, they will send a missionary thousands of miles to help someone they have never seen, that lives in another country, but you cannot get them to walk across the street to show compassion to a SAINT of God that needs some help.
The book of James talks about this. James says that if we really have the kind of faith we are suppose to have, it can be seen in how we deal with others.
Look at James 2:14-17 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
WHAT IS JAMES SAYING? He is saying that the Christian life is not ALL WORDS. It is words, but also it is ACTIONS that reflect that we are more than just words.
If we are going to be Christ-like, we are going to have to show COMPASSION. Christ is our example of how we are to care for others. Look at verse 7, we read, “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”
When we are not Christ-like in our approach to each other, look at-
A. THE HARM OF BELIEVERS
Look at verses 1-3, "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me."
The "weak" Christians are described in chapter fourteen. Chapter 15 tells us how we are to receive them.
For example, often people will say of these weak Christians, "Our church would be better off without them."
Now some would say, they would never say such a thing! But listen, sometimes we do not have to say it with our mouths, our actions speak louder than our words, and we can say it with our lives.
The fact is that you can go into churches all across this nation, and some people who profess to be saved will meet a person in the hallway, and not say one word to them.
This deliberate action they choose to take, speaks louder than any words they could ever speak. It says, “YOU ARE A NOBODY, and I am not going to waste my time talking to you!”
Why would professing Christians DO and SAY such unkind things? In chapter fourteen, Paul showed us why people do such things. THESE ARE THE WEAKER CHRISTIANS THAT CAUSE SO MANY PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH.
Illus: Have you ever met an adult that still acted as a child? That is, to look at them they looked like an adult, but they still acted and thought like a child.
It is so sad when we meet someone like this, because they make life difficult for themselves and for others that they meet.
In the church, you will also find people who have been saved, but they have never grown in the Lord. For example, ten years ago:
• They were gossiping, and they are still gossiping about others
• They were back-stabbing people, and they are still back-stabbing people today.
• They were constantly trying to cause problems in the church, and they are still doing the same today.
• They were sitting on the back row, and they are still sitting on the back row.
They have not grown in the Lord one iota! These are usually the IMMATURE CHRISTIANS.
We can only hope and pray that they will grow up before they completely waste their entire lives. But often when they are like this, no one can tell them anything. THEY THINK THEY KNOW IT ALL! They remind us of many teenagers.
Illus: Teen life is difficult for many teenagers, because they are making that transition in life from being a teenager to becoming an adult.
This is difficult for two reasons:
1. When they feel they are a child, they feel the need to listen to Mom and Dad
2. When they feel they are an adult, all of a sudden they know everything, and do not need the advice of anyone
They cannot understand how their parents can be as old as they are and not know any more than they know.
Then one day, when they grow up and become mature adults, they realize how little they knew, and hope that in their lifetime they will be able to acquire as much knowledge as their parents have acquired.
It is a good thing that families do not do with their teenagers what the church does with its weak members - GET RID OF THEM!
Illus: A young pastor had a problem, and so he went to talk to a pastor friend who had been in the ministry for many years. The young pastor explained that he had a man in his church who was making life miserable for everyone. He said that the man knew very little about the scripture, yet he acted as if he was appointed by God to tell everyone else how to live the Christian life. The older pastor said, "Let me ask you something, do you think he is saved?" The young pastor said, "Yes, I really believe he knows the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior." The older pastor said, "If you think he is saved, what you need to do is start discipling him."
The young pastor left, not too enthused with the advice he got, but decided he would try it. Almost a year later he came to the pastor and said, "I want to thank you for something. Do you remember that advice you gave me, to work with the man in my church who was giving us a lot of problems?" He said, "Yes, I remember." The young pastor said, "I took your advice and began to disciple him, and today he is the best Christian in my church. He gives more, and does more than anyone else!"
There is a need for mature Christians to receive the weak, and there is also a need of assisting them in their weakness, and we do not see a lot of this going on in God's church today.
Look at verse 1 again, we read, "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Notice, Paul lists two things in this verse:
• There is something we should do - “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak.”
• There is something we should not do - “and not to please ourselves.”
Our natural tendency, when we see immaturity, is to want to pick up a spiritual stick and “Wham” the devil out of them. But we Christians have to be as wise as parents are.
Illus: When a child is small, God’s Word admonishes us to not spare the rod. The best way to deal with small children is to do what God’s Word says in Prov. 23:13, “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.”
Now I know some parents think they know more than God, but that is what God says that should be done.
But there comes a time in that child’s life when they reach a certain age, that you have to learn how to deal with them in another way.
• In Romans 14, Paul tells us that when it comes to the weaker brother, we are to RECEIVE THEM
• In Romans 15 Paul tells us that when it comes to the weaker brother, we are to HELP THEM bear their burdens
If we are going to help them grow in the Lord, we have to be willing to do this.
Illus: A missionary can go to the foreign field and establish a church. He will take everyone who comes to his grass hut that he calls the church building.
• If anyone makes a profession of faith in Christ, the missionary is delighted
• If he then finds out that person has ten wives and twenty idols in his home, he does not run the new convert off, he disciples him so he will become a better Christian
We need to do this on the mission field, and also in our churches. Only God knows THE HARM that believers have caused those who were weak in the faith by not RECEIVING them, or HELPING them.
Look at verse 1. The word "bear," is "bastazo” (Pronounce as , bas-tad'-zo) which means carry, take up, to give support with kindness, patience, understanding, and care.
We are not just to tolerate them the way we tolerate someone else's child. We are to help them bear their burden. We are to be more concerned with doing what is FOR HIS GOOD, than what is best for OUR GOOD.
Look at verse 2, we are to support the weaker brother by building him up. "Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification."
We must follow Paul's example in Romans 14.
Illus: If a weaker brother feels something is wrong, we should be willing not to do it rather than to take a chance of causing him damage, even if we think it is okay. Paul thought it was all right to eat meat offered to idols, but before he would offend his brother, he said he would be willing to not eat meat.
Paul shows us that this is exactly what Christ did. Look at verse 3, "For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me."
Illus: Remember when Christ was in the garden?
• He did NOT pray, "Father, remove this cup of sacrifice and denial from me."
• He DID pray, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not I will, but as thou wilt."
Jesus is our example. He laid aside His will, and bore our sins, so that we who reproached God, would not have to go to Hell. Wouldn't it be marvelous if all Christians were Christ-like instead of being so selfish?
A great deal of HARM has been done to the body of Christ because Christians would not lovingly help those who were weak in the faith.
B. THE HARMONY OF BELIEVERS
Look at verses 4-6, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
In these verses of scripture, Paul shows us that a STRONG CHURCH does not have members who do what they personally desire, but ones who study the scriptures and do what God's Word tells them to do.
Illus: We have too many professing Christians in churches today, expressing what they think is right and wrong, without having one scripture to support their views.
In verse 4, Paul says the scriptures, "...were written for our learning..."
Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Tim. 3:16), and said, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
Notice, in verse 5 it speaks of, "...the God of patience...". WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?
Because, if we are going to help the weak, we have to remember where would we be if God had not been patient with us. But God is a God of Patience. It takes a lot of patience to deal with people.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?
The problem is that we do not all THINK ALIKE. But if we stay in the Word of God, God’s Word will eventually get us to the place where we all will be able to do two things:
(1) THINK ALIKE
Look at verse 5, we read, “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:” The scripture says, we become, "...likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus."
(2) BRING GLORY TO GOD
Look at verse 6, we read, “That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Notice, when the scriptures bring us together, we are ready to be used to bring GLORY TO GOD.
Notice that strong Christians are not trying to please themselves, but rather they want to please God by pleasing others.
May the Lord help us reach the place that we can have -
II. THE CONSECRATION OF A STRONG BELIEVER
The consecration of a mature Christian will win the lost to Christ, and win an enemy as a dear friend. Again, Christ is our example.
A. CHRIST'S EXAMPLE
Look at verses 7-12, "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. 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: 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. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. 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." The word "receive" in verse 7 means: "To take a person in as the closest of friends." This is what the Lord Jesus did:
• In verse 8, He received the Jews and ministered to them with all their weird ways
• In verse 9, He received the Gentiles with all their weird ways and ministered to them
A strong church does the same thing. The people receive one another the same way Christ received people unto Himself. They take people who are weak in the faith, and make them their dearest friends, and minister to them so that they become strong.
In verses 9-12 he said this was what the Psalmist and Isaiah spoke of. Christ was our example, and now we are to execute what He has put forth for us to follow.
B. CHRISTIANS' EXECUTION
Look at verse 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."
A strong church recognizes that they cannot do this within themselves. Notice, verse 13 tells us where we get the strength to do this - "...through the power of the Holy Ghost."
Conclusion:
I. THE COMPASSION OF A STRONG BELIEVERS
A. THE HARM OF BELIEVERS
B. THE HARMONY OF BELIEVERS
II. THE CONSECRATION OF A STRONG BELIEVERS
A. CHRIST'S EXAMPLE
B. CHRISTIANS' EXECUTION
Note: You Can hear Dr. Odell Belger preach on the internet. Go to Youtube Lykesland
