SERMON OUTLINE:
• Respect each other’s opinions even if you disagree (14:1-5)
• Accept each other for who we are in Christ (14:6-12)
• Avoid offending one another as much as possible (14:13-23)
• Always seek to please one another (15:1-7)
• Accept all those whom God has accepted (15:8-13)
SERMON BODY:
Quote: American author & humourist Mark Twain used to say:
• “He put a dog and a cat in a cage together as an experiment,
• Just to see if they could get along. They did,
• So, he put in a bird, pig and goat.
• They, too, got along fine after a few adjustments.
• Then he put in a Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic.
• Soon there was not a living thing left”.
• Sadly, Bible history and church history bear record to Mark Twain’s observation.
• That so often Christians do not get along with each other,
• And even in the same denomination they can and do fall out!
Ill:
• That should not surprise us,
• Remember, even the twelve disciples argued among themselves.
• And they even did it while Jesus was right there with them!
Ill:
• The apostle Paul had a falling out with Barnabas over John Mark,
• As to whether they should take him on the mission field.
Ill:
• And some of the New Testament churches.
• Broke the heart of the apostle Paul with their disputes and divisions.
• So, sadly Christians do fall out with each other,
• A sign of maturity is to try and heal the relationship,
• Unity is so very, very important,
• That is one reason I read Psalm 133 earlier in the service.
Ill:
• It was the German philosopher Schopenhauer (Sh-up-en-how-er),
• Who compared the human race to a bunch of porcupines?
• Huddling together on a cold winter's night. He said,
"The colder it gets outside, the more we huddle together for warmth; but the closer we get to one another, the more we hurt one another with our sharp quills. And in the lonely night of earth's winter eventually we begin to drift apart and wander out on our own and freeze to death in our loneliness."
• TRANSITION: What is true for the human race,
• Sadly, can at times be said of the people of God (the Church!).
• In theory and in our songs, we want unity, to ‘huddle together,’
• But often we are together we can then hurt each other with our ‘sharp quills’.
• The result, instead of drawing ‘closer together’ we can easily, ‘drift apart’
One of the beautiful things about the body of Christ is its diversity.
• Just look around at the different ages here this morning.
• We may well have different political views,
• Our taste in music, sport and politics will differ.
• Our social or ethnic backgrounds may have been very different,
• And along with the positive things that diversity brings,
• It also brings many challenges.
• In these chapters the Apostle Paul encourages us as believers,
• To accept one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.
(1). respect each other’s opinions even if you disagree (14:1-5)
“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.”
BIG IDEA IN THIS SECTION:
• The apostle Paul talks about Christians who are strong and weak.
• Not physically but strong and weak in other ways.
• The weak in the faith are simply those who may have a weak conscience,
• Or perhaps are easily offended.
• We are told to, welcome that type of Christian,
• But not to constantly be quarrelling with them over different opinions.
• The section is about disputable matters,
• Not essentials!
Ill:
• Make one fist and one open hand with your two hands.
• In the closed fist are the essentials of the Christian faith,
• These are the beliefs that you cannot disagree with,
• The traditional, Orthodox beliefs about God Christ and the Bible etc.
• e.g. The trinity.
• e.g. The virgin birth,
• e.g. The sacrificial death of Jesus.
• e.g. The physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
• Now that is not a complete list!
• Just some examples of what is essential to the Christian faith.
• Change any of those and you are no longer Christian.
Now in my other hand, which is open, are the secondary issues:
• They are still important,
• But we might have a difference in opinion.
• These differences will not stop you being a Christian.
• e.g. The style of music is the service (modern or traditional).
• e.g. The dress code (suit tie, dress etc. or casual clothing jeans, shorts etc.)
• e.g. What you believe regarding in the spiritual gifts (cessationism versus continuationism),
• e.g. The role of women and their ministry.
• e.g. The various forms of outreach of the Church.
• TRANSITION:
• So, hold tight to the closed fist which are the essentials of the Christian faith,
• Keep loose, the other open hand, which are the secondary issues:
Question: What is the disputable matter in the passage?
Answer: Concern diet and religious special days.
• Some believed that certain days like the Sabbath or other religious holidays,
• Were to be considered more sacred than others.
• They also held to certain dietary rules e.g. like not eating meat.
• Probably because in this culture,
• The meat purchased in the marketplace,
• Had already been offered to idols and then sold in the marketplace.
• And some Christians did not want to eat meat that had been offered up to idols.
• Other Christians held a different point of view,
• They believed that all days were the same.
• And that when you ate your food, you gave thanks to the true God for it.
• So, that meant there was no problem with eating it and enjoying it.
Question: Who was right and who was wrong?
Answer:
• Both are right because these issues are issues on which the Bible is not clear.
• What we would call, "grey areas,"
• When something is not black or white.
• And in the big picture it doesn’t matter which view you hold.
• God has given you have the freedom to choose in these areas.
• So, follow your conscience.
Note: What is important is…
• To avoid looking down on those who don’t share your convictions.
• Because the other person is not your servant, but God’s!
• And that person does not answer to you, but to God.
• And furthermore, we see that God has accepted them both.
• So, we are to be Godlike and accept the other person as well.
• We dare not look down on the one whom God has accepted.
So, the next time you are tempted to look down on someone:
• Because they do not share your freedom.
• Or because they don’t share your strict convictions.
• Remind yourself that you are not better than them.
• Nor are they better than you.
(2). Accept each other for who we are in Christ (14:6-12)
“Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
‘“As surely as I live,” says the Lord,
“Every knee will bow before me.
every tongue will acknowledge God.”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.”
BIG IDEA IN THIS SECTION:
• Every Christian believes that Jesus Christ died for all of us (vs 9a).
• Every Christian believes that Jesus Christ was raised again for all of us (vs 9b).
• Every Christian believes that Jesus Christ reigns as Lord over all of us (vs 11).
• Every Christian believes that Jesus Christ will judge all of us (vs 12).
Quote:
“Somebody once said that a person wrapped up in themself makes a very small package.”
• We live in a world where there are millions of tiny packages out there,
• People all wrapped up in themselves, in their own world, in their own rights.
• Their motto is, “What's in it for me?”
Ill:
• Me Church video
• (it’s American but I am sure you will appreciate the humour and application).
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/cGEmlPjgjVI?si=7InmNQ-YE7RRWkBr
• TRANSITION:
• We live in a world where there are millions of tiny packages out there,
• People all wrapped up in themselves, in their own world, in their own rights.
• Their motto is, “What's in it for me?”
• When that mentality invades the Church,
• It will always be detrimental.
• Church is not about the individual,
• It is about the collective, the family, the body of Christ.
Ill:
• Lord Erskine was a Scottish peer in the 17th century.
• One time he complained to his publisher about the delay in printing his autobiography.
• He was told that the printers had sadly run out of capitals of the letter ‘I’.
• TRANSITION:
• Church is not about the individual,
• It is about the collective, the family, the body of Christ.
We show we are family by our acceptance of one another:
• That acceptance should not be on the basis of our opinions or personality.
• Instead, our acceptance of one another,
• Should simply be on the basis of who we are in Christ.
That is why the apostle Paul mentions in these verses,
• That Christ died for all of us (vs 9).
• That he is Lord over all (vs 9).
• That we as believers in Christ, will all stand before Christ in judgment (vs 12).
• Never forget,
• It is the same Jesus that we serve.
Pause to say:
• When we stand before God in judgment, it will not be for salvation,
• Because that was taken care of 2,000 years ago, one Friday afternoon, at 3.00pm.
• When Jesus Christ cried out in a loud voice, “It is finished!”
• (Matthew chapter 27 verse 48-50 & Mark chapter 15 verses 36-37)
Ill:
• This cry consists of a single word in Greek, “tetelestai.”
• The word may be translated “it stands complete” or “it is finished.”
• It is a word an artist would use when after weeks of effort and hard work,
• Would look at their painting and say, “finished,” or “completed”.
• As a carpenter Jesus may well have used this word often,
• Whenever he had finished making a chair or table or plough for a client,
• He would be able to stand back, look at it and say, “finished,” or “completed”.
• TRANSITION:
• When we stand before God in judgment, it will not be for salvation,
• Because that was taken care of at the cross!
However, the New Testament teaches that every Christian will be judged.
• And we will be judged for how we lived in this life,
• Particularly in relation to one another.
• When we stand before God,
• It is not going to matter whether or not we won an argument,
• Or whether our opinion is right or wrong.
• The thing that will matter is our attitude, our character.
• How do we react toward brothers and sisters who have different opinions than we do?
Quote: The New American Commentary says,
“In the long run the validity of faith is established by the quality of life it produces. What people do is the most accurate indicator of what they really believe.”
(3). avoid offending one another as much as possible (14:13-23)
“Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling-block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
BIG IDEA IN THIS SECTION:
• Offend each other or simply avoiding each other is easy!
• It takes a lot more work to be sensitive and recognizing people.
Ill:
• Former British Prime Minster Winston Churchill,
• And the Irish playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw
• Never really got on and saw eye-to-eye with each other.
• George Bernard Shaw invited Churchill,
• To the opening-night performance of one of his plays.
• Shaw sent two tickets, "one for yourself and one for a friend - if you have one."
• Churchill responded by saying, “I cannot attend,”
• But asked if he could have tickets for the second-night performance - "if there is one."
• TRANSITION: You and I know from experience.
• Offending people is easy, you could say it comes naturally!
• It takes much more effort to be sensitive to others,
• And try to avoid offending them.
• There will be times, when you just simply cannot make someone happy.
• No matter what you do, they are unhappy or offended.
• This is where a lot of love, grace, and patience come into play.
So, the apostle Paul encourages his readers to focus on the things that matter most.
• We are to focus on the things that unite us,
• And not on the things that divide us.
• We do this for the good of the whole body.
Note: verse 17 is a classic verse of the New Testament.
• For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,
• But of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
• The kingdom of God is not about rule keeping,
• But rather it is about being right with God,
• And doing the right thing for each other.
• True faith brings peace among brothers and sisters.
• True faith brings joy among brothers and sisters.
• That's the kingdom of God.
• In this case, the rule of thumb is let your conscience be your guide.
• Remember we are talking about grey areas, not black and white issues,
• When the Bible is silent on an issue,
• i.e. eating meat, or worshipping on certain days,
• We can follow our conscience,
• When the Bible is clear on an issue, we always follow the scripture.
• But remember other Christians are observing you,
• So always try to balance freedom and knowledge with love.
Ill:
• I have a Christian friend who is a former alcoholic.
• When I have been with him in a public place, a pub or restaurant,
• I will order a soft drink and not an alcoholic drink,
• The reason being I don’t want to stumble him.
• But on another occasion with different friends,
• I am quite at ease to have a beer when I watch the football,
• Or a glass of wine with a meal.
• The difference is not ‘the alcohol,’ but the people or situation.
• I want to enjoy my freedom in Christ,
• But at the same time, I want to make sure I don’t stumble a fellow Christian.
(4). Always seek to please one another (15:1-7)
“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
2 Each of us should please our neighbours for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
BIG IDEA IN THIS SECTION:
• We should try our best to please each other.
• To make that our goal?
• Put away your pride,
• And seek to do what is best for others and not just what is best for our selves.
Note:
• In these verses the apostle Paul quotes from the Old Testament,
• The 69th Psalm, is a Messianic Psalm,
• A Psalm that predicts the suffering of the coming Messiah,
• Hundreds of years before he was born.
• We know he was talking about Jesus Christ,
• And Jesus is always the ultimate and best example.
• We know that rather than pleasing himself,
• Jesus gave up his personal preferences for the good of others – i.e. mankind.
Ill:
• Think of the events leading up to the cross.
• When Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane prior to his arrest,
• He asked God the Father,
• “If it would be possible for that cup of suffering to pass from Him”.
• However, he also prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
• If Jesus didn’t insist on his way,
• Then who are we to insist on our way!
Ill:
• YouTube Clip: 2 bucks tangled together (edit).
• https://youtu.be/GsvSXTxAT1g
• TRANSITION:
• Sadly, too many Churches have been stuck by the ‘My Way’ mentality.
• They might not be fighting but that mindset traps you fast.
• God wants us ‘as far as it is possible’ to live in harmony.
• That does not happen automatically,
• It takes a lot, a very large amount of work!
• But our motivation and example is Jesus Christ.
• Who did not please himself,
• But thought about the welfare of others i.e. You & Me!
(5). Accept all those whom God has accepted (15:8-13)
“For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:
‘Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles.
I will sing the praises of your name.’
10 Again, it says,
‘Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.’
11 And again,
‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles.
let all the peoples extol him.’
12 And again, Isaiah says,
‘The Root of Jesse will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations.
in him the Gentiles will hope.’
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
BIG IDEA IN THIS SECTION:
• Paul was telling his readers that God accepts both Jew and Gentile.
• He accepts all who come to him by faith.
• Therefore, as believers in Christ,
• We too must also accept all who come to faith in Christ.
• We may not agree with them on everything,
• But we must accept them, because Christ has accepted them.
Ill:
• On social media we are used to people ‘photo bombing,’
• That is when they upload not one but maybe twenty or thirty photos at a time.
• To share their experience.
• TRANSITION:
• “Verse bombing” is what the apostle Paul does in these verses,
• He is going to quote a number of Old Testament Scriptures to illustrate his point.
• Remember he is pulling these verses out of his head, out of his heart.
• He didn't have a concordance or Google to help,
• These are verses he has learnt and now they are coming back into his mind.
• These verses are a challenge to us all to have a working knowledge of Scripture.
• We need it for evangelism, for teaching and for our own blessing.
Note: The apostle point in these verses are a simple one,
• God’s plan of salvation includes Gentiles as well as Jews.
• God's plan of salvation has always included outsiders, not just Jewish people.
• Jesus is not just the Jewish Messiah; he was the Savior of the world.
• And in God's mind and God's heart,
• Gentiles were always part of the plan.
Ill:
God’s promise to Abraham (Genesis chapter 18 verse 18).
“Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation,
and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.”
• Gentiles like you and me were always part of the plan.
• And the apostle has already covered that in chapters 9, 10, and 11.
• And so, this is a sort of rehashing that,
• Reinstating that now that Jesus came to serve Jew and Gentile.
Note:
• The application is not difficult to understand,
• But can be very difficult to apply.
• He accepts all who come to Him by faith.
• Therefore, as believers in Christ,
• We must also accept all who come to faith in Christ.
• We may not agree with them on everything,
• But we must accept them because Christ has accepted them.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=NDvIotI3TSCPo0e0eGVX9DaeElHDZPeO
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/brlcRmQ9cgw
