Title: We who are Strong
Scripture: Romans 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 his neighbor for his good, to build him 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 endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth 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.
I come from a very big family, six kids and four of them girls. So there was always a boy or two at the door on Friday or Saturday night. And, they always seemed to give me a hard time.
I remember when I was about eight or nine, my family went off to the ‘county fair’ to look at the exhibits and ride the carnival rides. We were met there by my oldest two sisters’ boyfriends and they went off to throw baseballs at kewpie dolls, eat cotton candy, and hold hands. The younger kids stayed with mom and dad, but that was okay. We got to go see the rabbits and the horses, which was always a big deal for me.
I remember we came out from looking at the horses and we were walking down through the carnival. We came upon that game where you take a big hammer and hit a seesaw target that would then send a weight up a pole to try to ring the bell at the top of the tall background. As you follow the pole up to the top there are different references to tell you just how strong you are, if you get it to that point. Today they have miniature versions of that game, but instead of hitting a target with a hammer, you hit a padded punching bag, and the machine tells you how strong you are.
So, how strong are you? Are you strong in spirit or in mind or in both? Are you strong in body and spirit but weak in mind, or are you strong in all three? Are you weak when it comes to physical temptations and strong when it comes to mental stress?
Paul wants you to know that if you are weak in any of these areas that you shouldn’t despair, because those that are strong should be stepping in to help.
Just how are they strong? How do they work? How do they help? Paul recounts a list for the strong:
The strong: Bear with the failings of the weak
The strong: Seek to please for the good of others
The strong: Study the scriptures
The strong: Have hope and faith
The strong: Have a spirit of unity
The strong: Encourage fellowship and followship of Jesus
The strong: Are accepting of others
The strong: Bear with the failings of the weak
Paul calls on the strong Christian to bear with the failings of the weak. He calls on you that are strong in the Lord to lift up those around you.
To bear with in the scripture means support, sustain, uphold, and to back those that are weaker. In the King James Version, that first in chapter 15 is,
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Now, I mention the KJV here because it seems to say something a little different than the NIV. The NIV seems to be telling us to tolerate or simply put up with the weaker member. Which, to me, is only a passing thought, and a matter for patience. But, the KJV, tells us to take on the infirmities or the condition of the weaker person. There isn’t any other way around bear the infirmities of the weak. We must support, uphold, back, and sustain those that are weaker.
Remember what Paul has told us in 1st Corinthians 9:22:
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.
He took on the infirmities of those around them for the glory of God and to win people into God’s kingdom.
Which brings up a very important point? When you are talking with people, into which kingdom are you trying to win them?
Next point.
The strong: Seek to please for the good of others
Have you ever stopped what you’re doing sometimes and question why you just did something? I think that is a good habit to have. Because if your answer to your own questioning is selfish one, then, we need to look to this verse that Paul has given us.
2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up
Are you doing something for the good of your neighbor? Are the things that you do for the purpose of building them up, or for tearing them down? If there is ever any doubt, it is always a good idea to stop and ask that very important question, why did I do that? What was my purpose in doing that, or saying that? And, if the answer is something else than what Paul says, “Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up” then we should rethink our actions.
Sometimes we do need a rest or we do need to do something that is specifically designed to help ourselves, or even our health. But, even then, those times are for you to build yourselves up so that later you may be of service to others. So, in actuality, it is not selfish at all but for the for the good of your neighbor, to build him up.
The strong: Study the scriptures
Now this is a very interesting bit of scripture. Here, Paul is advocating scripture memory. He is telling us to study the scripture for our own spiritual and mental health:
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us,
How can I be a Christian if I don’t know what Christian is supposed to do, or how he is supposed to act? That is what the scriptures are for. This simple statement is not up for debate, it is straightforward. The Bible is a teaching tool.
(2 Timothy 2:15) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
And in the KJV it says:
(2 Timothy 2:15) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
How in the world are we supposed to rightly divide the word of truth if we don’t even know what it is? That is why Paul tells us,
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us,
The strong: Have hope and faith
Colossians 1:27 is my favorite scripture verse. It says there,
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Verse four of Romans chapter 15 says,
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Those that are strong have gone through the scriptures and found the promises. Those that are strong have gone through the scriptures and found the assurances. Those that are strong have gone through the scriptures and found the covenants. But, most importantly, those that are strong have gone through the scriptures and found
through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures
hope.
Hope is essential to the Christian and to the Christian nation! Listen to some of these verses
(Matthew 12:21) In his name the nations will put their hope."
(Acts 2:26) Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope,
(Acts 23:6) Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead."
(Acts 26:6) And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today.
(Acts 26:7) This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me.
(Romans 4:18) Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
(Romans 15:12-13) And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him." 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.
Those are the scripture verses that the strong in hope and faith have dug out and claimed for themselves. Those are the scripture verses that the strong in hope and faith have claimed for their very own.
How many scripture verses have you claimed for yourself? Your answer will tell you just how strong you are…
The strong: Have a spirit of unity
Paul tells us in verse five of Romans, chapter 15,
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
Around the world, there is one thing that will ruin organizations, any organization for that matter, and that is dis-unity.
Now, notice how Paul said this….
Verse four says,
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Then in verse five, he says
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
May the God who give endurance and encouragement… Back in verse four he said, through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures! One place he says scriptures, then he says God. Why the change? There is no change. These scriptures are the very words of God! It tells us that in scripture!
(2 Timothy 3:16-17) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What’s that got to do with unity? Well, if we are all studying the Bible to become strong, if we are all deep in the scriptures, then, and only then, will we be unified! We must study!!!!
One final thought on unity, and this is an implied meaning that comes from 2 timothy 3:16-17,
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
How can I teach, unless I thoroughly know and understand the material that I’m going to teach? How can I even dare to correct someone when I don’t know the scripture myself? How can I speak out when I don’t know what the Bible says on a matter?
How can we be unified, when we don’t know scripture corporately? That is a challenge for us. That is the challenge and charge to every Christian that dares to call themselves a Christian. But, I think we’re up to the challenge and the charge, don’t you?
The strong: Are accepting of others
A person that is strong in the Lord is accepting of others. Hey, now that I think about it, if Christ could accept me, even me!, then I should be more accepting of those around me. Shouldn’t we all be more accepting? Listen to what it says…
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
We come back to the very reason of our existence, to praise God and give Him all the Glory!
