Sermon Tone Analysis

Essential Instructions for Christian Life

The Book of Romans

Romans 14:1-9

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared November 6, 2021)

MESSAGE:

*We all need guidance in life.

King Duncan found a list of Kid's Instructions on life, and here are my two favorites: 9-year-old Rocky said, "Always wear a hat when feeding seagulls."

And 12-year-old Joel said, "Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a baseball bat." (1)

*That's pretty good advice, right?

But we've got much better guidance here in God's Word.

Tonight's Scripture gives us some essential instructions for Christian life.

1. AND THE FIRST IS: DON'T MAKE MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLEHILLS.

*This is God's message for us in vs. 1-3, where Paul said:

1. Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.

2. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.

3. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.

*Verses 1-3 in The Message paraphrase say:

1. Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do.

And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with -- even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department.

Remember, they have their own history to deal with.

Treat them gently.

2. For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume all Christians should be vegetarians and eat accordingly.

3.

But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat?

God, after all, invited them both to the table.

*Verse 1 in the KJV says, "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations."

God wants us to avoid "doubtful disputations."

In other words: Don't argue about things that don't matter, because there is a good possibility you will do more harm than good.

*Don't make mountains out of molehills.

In vs. 5-6, God's Word mentions another example:

5.

One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike.

Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.

6.

He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.

He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

*God doesn't want us to dispute about doubtful things.

He doesn't want us to make mountains out of molehills, but sometimes we tend to do just that.

*This problem arose in part because there was a mixture of Jews and Gentiles in the early church.

Well, the Jewish Christians naturally wanted to cling to the old ceremonial ways, such as circumcision, strict dietary laws and observing the Jewish holy days.

The Gentile believers weren't inclined to do that, and most important, it wasn't God's plan for His church.

*This was such a controversy that the mother church in Jerusalem held a council, and listen to what Peter said at this meeting.

Acts 15:5-11 says:

5.

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.''

6.

So the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter.

7.

And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.

8.

So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did to us,

9. and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

10.

Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

11.

But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.''

*Well, thank God for the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

But this disagreement between Jewish and Gentile Christians continued to fester in the early church, and this wasn't the only kind of argument among those believers.

*All during the Lord's 3-year ministry, the Apostles argued about which of them was the greatest.

They even did it on the night before the cross!

Luke 22:23-27 tells us that after the first Lord's Supper:

23.

They began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing (that is, who would betray Jesus).

24.

But there was also rivalry among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

25.

And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'

26.

But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.

27.

For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?

Is it not he who sits at the table?

Yet I am among you as the One who serves."

*Doubtful disputations in the Lord's Church: I also think of the terrible disagreement between Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15:36-41, the church divisions recorded in 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, and the disagreement between Euodia and Syntyche recorded in Philippians 4:1-3.

There Paul pleaded for loving harmony and said:

1.

Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

2. I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.

3.

And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.

*Doubtful disputations: There is no telling how many churches have divided and died because some of the members demanded to be in charge.

"This is MY church, and we're going to do it MY way!"

*Scott LeFebvre told about a church that completely died, and it happened in part because of an incident in the church kitchen.

A new family had come to take part in their first pot-luck dinner.

The wife cheerfully brought her red Jell-O salad to the kitchen.

Then she headed to the fellowship hall to join her family.

*Later, when everybody started down the serving line, her husband innocently asked, "Where's our salad?"

She replied, "There must be some mistake.

I'll find out what happened."

So, his wife went to the kitchen to check.

And she got there just in time to see a lady dumping her salad down the garbage disposal.

"What are you doing?"

She asked.

"That's my salad!"

*Without batting an eye, the woman looked up and said, "You're new to this church.

You'll soon learn we use only real whipped cream around here, not Cool Whip."

Then she hit the switch and the salad gurgled down the drain.

But eventually, so did the church.

(2)

*Many Christians have completely dropped out of church because of ugliness like that.

And I've heard testimonies from some about how horribly they had been treated by other people in church.

What a tragedy!

That's why God's Word often tells us to love one another.

And Paul tells us not to make mountains out of molehills.

*Years ago, Mary and I drove up to a church near Farmerville.

They were having a reception for some friends who were celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

That day, I met their new pastor.

He had been there for 4 months, and he told me that he was their fourth pastor in 5 years.

*Four pastors in 5 years!

How did that happen?

I guarantee you that part of it was people making mountains out of molehills.

And God doesn't want us to do that.

2. HERE'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT INSTRUCTION FOR CHRISTIAN LIFE: DON'T JUMP TO JUDGE OTHERS.

*This is God's message for us in vs. 3-4, where Paul said:

3. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.

4. Who are you to judge another's servant?