Romans 15:1-13

Chad Myhre

Romans • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

Romans 15:1–13

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SLIDE 2

Romans 15:1–3 ESV

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

Rom 15:

Romans 15:1–2 ESV

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

SLIDE 3

Romans 15:3–4 ESV

Romans 15:3–5 ESV

For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

SLIDE 4

Rom 15.3-

Romans 15.

Romans 15:4–6 ESV

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:5–6 ESV

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

SLIDE 5

Romans 15:7 ESV

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

INTRO:

God wants his church, to live in harmony with one another. This has been the theme behind the last two messages.

-Yes, we disagree.

-Yes we bring with us, the baggage of our past lives and our past experiences.

-Yes, we have differing convictions and opinions about things.

-And even when we feel strongly about our opinion or conviction, we also see, that God deals with different people differently when it comes to issues of conviction.

-Some of us hold to ideas that divide us politically… or maybe we are divided on a religious issue… or a questionably moral issue.

-Most likely, we will find things with each other, that we disagree with..

We are called to be a community of faith, living in harmony with one another… all the while, being both incapable of such a thing… and incompatible to boot.

In our logic, we would say that this is an unreasonable thing. This doesn’t make sense. This is a recipe for disaster.

And we would be right. It’s not logical.. It is, in fact, a recipe for disaster… which is why, much of church history is a disaster...

And we don’t have to go back to the crusades, or the inquisition, or unified church and state to see how it’s a disaster..

We can look at some of our own experiences… Some of us have been through church splits… horrible divisions… passionate battles… gut wrenching conflicts...

Incompatible people… incapable of harmony… came together to be a community of faith… and they allowed the inevitable natural conflict to germinate and take root in their midst.

And the reality is… God knows what He’s mixing together. God knows that his recipe for every community of faith is susceptible to volatility. He knows that he’s dumping vinegar and baking soda into the same pot. He knows that he’s dropping a pack of Mentos into a bottle of diet Coke.

Scientifically… his recipe should bubble over like a middle school science fair project…

But God is in the business of confounding the world with the miraculous…

So, to this volatile mix, that is Christian fellowship.... He adds the testimony of His Grace… - a healthy dose of the HS.... and a constant stirring of His Word.

To the Roman church, an extensive lesson of grace has already been delivered… they heard about God’s grace on many levels as the first 11 chapters of this letter was written to them.

By now, they are seeing how they, as individuals, and as a church… are to be shaped by that grace.

Add to that, the internal work of the HS, and the ongoing testimony of the scriptures… - and the result is…

a miracle.

Not only a miracle, but a message. God wants the church to demonstrate love and harmony in the midst of broken and incompatible people… - So that, His miraculous presence will be recognized, and He will be glorified.

This is the thrust of today’s passage. The outer layer of this story, focuses on harmony. God wants His believers to experience it and display..

And hee tells us how we can experience it… by actively serving one another, by the discipline of endurance, and by the encouragement of the scriptures..

And finally, we will see again, the purpose that God has in all of this. Because of the redemptive work of Jesus… Those who were religiously incompatible to the Jews, have been brought into a place of common faith.

God changed things so drastically… that both Jews and Gentiles were able to break the historical barrier between them, and find unity with one another.

The end result? God is glorified… not only in the worship of both Jews and Gentiles together.... but He is glorified because He has done something miraculous. He has brought together the incompatible… and created the harmonious.

read again: vss 1-3

SLIDE 6

Romans 15:1–3 ESV

First point:

SLIDE 7

We find harmony in serving one another ()

Verse one represents the principle we’ve been talking about for the past two weeks. In fellowship, those with stronger convictions tend to judge those with freedom… and those with freedom tend to despise those with strong conviction.

The examples that Paul used to demonstrate this principle centered around the eating of meat and the observance of religious holidays.

The applications in our present day might be different…

Paul emphatically begins this with the word ‘we’. By doing this, he is building repore with some of his readers… recognizing that there are some in the church, like him, who matured in their understanding of faith and how the grace of Jesus applies.

When the great leader calls other leaders to themself… it builds camaraderie. With this one word ‘we’… and the context of it.. Paul is both, giving his personal example… and demonstrating, that is is perfectly reasonable that other leaders do as he is doing.

This is what good leaders do… -They demonstrate servanthood, and call others to their side. They don’t demand it… they don’t pontificate it… they don’t separate themselves from it.

Though a leader’s responsibility might take them from the fields to the office… -True leaders are those who have demonstrated a willingness to do whatever is necessary to fulfil the end goal.

Paul has demonstrated this. His freedom to serve his own needs and his own wants… - has been set aside. His entire ministry has been a demonstration of this… - And we looked at passages last week that highlighted this.

Paul knew that he had an obligation to meet those who were weak in their faith… in the place where they were at.. - He did his best to become all things to all men… in order to save some.

Now he’s making it clear… to those that he calls to himself… that they too share this same obligation. He lays this principle out well in Gal 6.

SLIDE 8

Galatians 6:1–3 ESV

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Gal 6:1-

Galatians 6:2 ESV

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

SLIDE 9

Galatians 6:4–7 ESV

But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

Gal 6:4-

Galatians 6:4–6 ESV

The heart of this passage is verse 2… but I read it all to give us the context.

Bear one another’s burdens. Why? Because it fulfills the law of Christ.

If you’re wondering what the law of Christ is… Jesus made it clear in

SLIDE 10

John 13:34 ESV

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

add to that:

SLIDE 11

1 John 4:21 ESV

And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

This is the noble task that Paul is calling his fellow believers to.

-To restore those who are fallen, in gentleness.

- To bear one another’s burdens

-To be mindful of their own state, and their own condition, with humility

AND.. -To be honest, not so much about the labor, but rather, about the fruit of that labor… so as not to coax out compliments from others… but to quietly rejoice to themselves about the things God has done through them

Helping a fallen brother/sister back to a place of restoration… is indeed, a labor of love. It is a fulfillment of the commandment of Christ..

The same applies… to those who are strong, bearing with the failings of the weak.

The contrast to which.. is the pleasing of self.

That’s how verse one ends. - You can please yourself… that is: do what you want to do, for your own pleasure, for your own want, for your own comfort…

Or, you can choose to set yourself aside, giving up the things that please self… and do what is profitable to help a weak brother/sister.

Later on, in vs 5, the goal… the anchor of this passage is established. - God is calling us as believers, to live in harmony with one another… in accord with Christ Jesus.

Verses 4-7 will shed further light on how we accomplish this..

But verses 1-3 finalize a principle that Paul has been taking a significant amount of time to establish…

We will need to endure… we will need the SCRIPTURES… - But, in addition to that, we need to simply love one another.

How do we do that? By taking care of our fellow neighbor, in the midst of our Christian community… by building them up!

And yes… sometimes that’s hard. That means I might have to make personal sacrifices..

Yes, that’s true… which is why we are reminded of, and encouraged by… Christ’s example in vs. 3.

Here again is another example where… we don’t have to ask, “What would Jesus do?” - We don’t have to filter the potential actions of our perfect omnipotent God through our own moral compass and through our own limited understanding.

We don’t have to do that… we can simply ask: What Did Jesus Do? - - Well, right here, we have the answer… in vs. 3 - Christ did not please himself.

_ Let’s move on to our second point.

Here we have the answer: When it came to an opportunity to serve others… He did not please himself.

SLIDE 12

We find hope for harmony through endurance and learning ()

SLIDE 13

Romans 15:4–7 ESV

We have already established that God has given us a difficult task… and that is, we as incompatible people… are to live in harmony as a testimony of His grace. To what end? That God would be glorified… not only in our worship… not only in our service… not only in knowledge of the Bible..

But, that He would be glorified, in the harmony we experience, in spite of our many differences… with one another.

The previous chapter and the previous verses have already shown us some of the ways that we can serve each other, in order to experience this harmony..

But this passage brings more to the table. While serving and humility are necessary actions in Christian fellowship… we need, as a guide, the instruction of the scriptures to define these things for us.

Not only that… but we also need endurance.

Humbling yourself and serving others… will make you weary. You will often be reminded, that serving others is not easy…

Which is why… endurance is a such a vital part of this. If we don’t make a commitment to endure, we will eventually… stop enduring. As we will see in an earlier passage from Romans… endurance is a very important practice of the maturing Christian.

gives us a little insight into endurance. It is produced in suffering… it produces character, and character produces hope.

In today’s passage… we see that the end result is, once again… hope.

How does one attain this hope? - Well this time, in addition to the endurance… we have the encouragement of the Scriptures.

I don’t know about you… but there are very few questions where I am unable to find some kind of answer for… in the scriptures. The Bible opens my eyes… the Bible shows the reasons behind the commands… the Bible makes trust worthy promises. The Bible calls us to do difficult things… but with that difficulty, it also shows us wisdom and the reward behind our deeds of endurance.

In … the hope that is produced in us… is the hope in the glory of God. This is the kind of hope that does not disappoint, because God will be glorified.

Here in … the hope that is produced, is again, about the glory of God, as we see at the end of vs. 6… But this time we are given a little more context.

This time, god is glorified… when the believers endure, and when the believers are encouraged in the word.. -to do what? It says in vs. 5… and this is going to sound familiar… - WHEN THE CHRISTIANS LIVE IN HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER IN ACCORD WITH CHRIST.

What do these Christians living in harmony do? - In unity… with one voice… they glorify the God and Father of Jesus. THEREFORE… since we have such a great calling… such a great responsibility… such a great purpose… - when we come together… - let us be welcoming to one another… because Christ has welcomed us.

All of this, is a reminder… that being in fellowship with one another isn’t easy. But the big message is this: OUR KOINONIA… OUR ASSEMBLING TOGETHER… It isn’t about us. It isn’t about our wants. it isn’t about our preferences.

God doesn’t call you to a church based on your music preferences. God doesn’t call you to a church based on your opinions. God doesn’t call you to a church based on your generational identity. God doesn’t call you to a church because you prefer long sermons or short sermons. God doesn’t call you to a church because you like church buildings over school auditoriums. God doesn’t call you to a church because you want to feel like your are part of something that is hip and happening.

Most Christians pick a church, based on these kinds of opinions… because they are under the misconception that church is their personal public service and entertainment facility. They are under the misconception that church is supposed to be all about them.

And finally… you can get your music preference.. you can get your opinions satisfied.. you can find more people who are part of your generation… you only have to listen to a 15 minute sermon… and

And even as… this has become the mindset of consumeristic American Christianity… -THIS IS NOT GOD’S DESIGN. - God has called us together… not based on common preference… but rather, He has called us together, in diversity, to demonstrate the miracle of Christian harmony to the world, and in this, God is glorified.

This is a high call that we have. What we do here, not just during the singing and the studying… but in the talking, sharing, fellowship, praying for each other… and serving each other…

…this high call becomes evident. God is glorified. God is pleased. This is such a big deal to God… that He brought salvation to both sides of a divided world… - in order that… both of them… these incompatible people… these Jews and these Gentiles.. would find a miraculous harmony in Jesus...

which leads to our third and final point.

SLIDE 14

We find joy in harmony, because of what Christ has accomplished ()

SLIDE 15

Romans 15:8–10 ESV

For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

Rom 15:8

SLIDE 16

Romans 15:11–13 ESV

And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Rom 15:

The Jews looked for a Messiah that was exclusively theirs. They looked for the Messiah, that would overthrow the government, and put them in charge at his right hand.

But the Messiah who came, didn’t do that. He didn’t defeat the Romans. He didn’t elevate the nation of Israel over the entire world. He didn’t set up a throne here on earth.

Instead, he confounded their expectations… He came in humility, as a servant.. and He accomplished a work so great… that it paved the way, for all humans… both Jews and Gentiles… - to experience salvation… to become unified, as common, redeemed children of God.

This is what Christ accomplished on the cross. Salvation, for anyone who comes in faith, for anyone who repents of their selfish life, for anyone who believes, and confesses Jesus and Lord.

So… through the Gospel… two divided, incompatible people groups… were made one.

And now… these divided groups… with a life long history of conflict and division… are called together, with all their differences… to worship God in harmony. Not a segregated church of Gentiles on side of the city, and a segregated church of Jews on the other side of the city.

We have become a church of segregation. We segregate by race… by age… by preference… by opinion.. by tradition.. by doctrine…

But Rome didn’t have this. They did not segregate. And because of this… it afforded the world around them the opportunity to see something miraculous. These people, served each other… these people endured together. These people shared in the encouragement of the scriptures… These people worshipped God together, in one voice.

To give you a contemporary idea of how miraculous this was, back in that time.. in Rome… where both Jews and Gentiles gathered in harmony… Think of it this way. Imagine, if you will… all of our elected senators and congressmen… both Democrat and Republican… coming together, with the press, and with the radio talk show hosts… serving one another in humility, loving one another… and worshipping God in harmony.

I’m sure you agree… THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

But that did happen in the early church… that did happen, in Rome. That did happen, before the mission of the church was corrupted by personal preference. Before churches started splitting and dividing over things like… clothing, music, race, and personal comfort. This is how amazing the Gospel is. It saves drastically diverse people… and calls them to worship in harmony.... so that - God will be glorified.

But we, all too often… choose comfort over this calling.

We, all to often… choose segregation over servanthood

We, all to often… choose good feelings, over God’s glory.

Let me close by sharing a couple more scriptures..

SLIDE 17

James 2:1–4 ESV

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

SLIDE 18

Galatians 3:28 ESV

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

In chapter 14, this whole message began with the call to serve one another. Those who are strong in your faith to do, or not do… serve those who are weak in their faith to do, or not do.

If you don’t know where to start… start here. Instead of focusing on the things you don’t like about other people… -Instead of leaving another church in exchange for better stuff… Instead of dividing yourself into groups of like minded people… -

just look for a way, to serve those people you have differences with. Look for a way to show love to them. Look for an opportunity, to humble yourself.

For in doing so, you have taken a step towards a miraculous experience… where God is glorified… in your unlikely experience… of Christian harmony.

Romans 15:1-13

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We find harmony in serving one another ()

We find hope for harmony through endurance and learning ()

We find joy in harmony, because of what Christ has accomplished ()