Sermon Tone Analysis

How Difficult it is to be Right!

Ephesians 4:1-3

Purpose: To see how imperative it is to maintain mutual respect for one another even though we might differ significantly on various issues.

Date: 3~/10~/07-Benson; 3~/17~/07-Midvale Park

 

I would be surprised if any one would raise their hand to indicate that they are wrong on issues they feel strongly about.

Each of us have come to our own conclusions and opinions about right and wrong over an extended period of time, through a variety of experiences, through our own study and meditation as well as our observations of others who we have admired or even been hurt by.

Our conscience is bound in a variety of issues ranging from moral issues such as we should save the sexual relationship for only the person to whom we are married.

But we may have equally conscientious convictions regarding issues of diet and exercise which may not assume such importance.

Since most of us have formed our strongly held opinions after considerable reflection we are pretty sure we are correct in our thinking.

That doesn’t mean that we are right but certainly we think we are right.

We have certain authorities we refer to whether they be scriptural or those whose opinions we highly regard.

So how are we going to get along with one another when each of us feels we are right and we may have differing opinions?

It is difficult!

But Paul addressed this problem in Romans 14:1-19.

Paul was dealing with a very specific situation.

One of the issues he was dealing with was the issue of food offered to idols and whether it should be eaten or not.

Some felt it was a non issue because the idols were nothing so by offering food to idols it did not change their food value.

Others felt restricted from eating because they had such a fresh connection with idolatry and had conscientious convictions about not eating such food.

While we are not dealing with such lofty moral issues as sexual purity we are dealing with issues that are matters of conscience.

While the KJV uses the phrase, “doubtful disputations” it does not mean that they were unimportant matters.

In fact he recognizes that the issue revolves around the issue of conscientious convictions.

He dealt with this issue because it was a difficult issue.

It was a difficult issue then and it is a difficult issue now although we may not be dealing with the same presenting circumstances.

It is difficult being right because

•         It can pander to our pride of opinion.

•         It can make us like a porcupine, difficult for others to live with.

•         Being right and humble at the same time is hard to pull off.

•         We might want to correct others who we think are wrong.

•         We may think everyone else should agree with us.

•         We may think we should be able to persuade everyone else that our position is right.

•         It leads us to think we may be right in other areas where we may be dead wrong.

•         We may think that we are above being corrected.

If it weren’t for God’s grace that helps us deal with those differences that are created we would be hopelessly locked in conflict, misunderstanding, self-righteousness.

We would be polarized pockets of opinions.

We might say to ourselves that inspiration is on our side.

We might say to ourselves that we have all the facts.

We might say that the other party has an immature attitude.

So how does God’s grace enable us to deal with such differences of opinions so that our fellowship is not fractured by deep fissures in our relationships?

How do we maintain the bond of peace without making the ones we differ with feel like we are attacking them?

How do we maintain unity when our opinions are so different?

A month ago we looked at Jesus’ invitation where he said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Jesus was humble without being weak.

He was right without being arrogant.

He was right and people still loved Him and loved being around him except those people who thought they were right all the time and in positions of power to maintain their control.

He was right and the people around Him could be wrong but they still loved being around Him even when they didn’t realize how wrong they were.

His disciples didn’t feel He was judgmental toward them when their flaws were being pointed out.

Jesus was not critical.

He accepted people as they were.

Yet they were transformed over time to become like Him so that even the leaders and the Sanhedrin observed that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).

He rubbed off on them through the process of admiration and intimacy.

There was a song we used to sing years ago that applies here:

*Put your hand in the hand of the man* \\ *Who stilled the water* \\ *Put your hand in the hand of the man* \\ *Who calmed the sea* \\ *Take a look at yourself* \\ *And you can look at others differently* \\ *Put your hand in the hand of the man* \\ *From Galilee.*

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*© Gene MacLellan*

 

This morning I have chosen as my text a passage from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 4:2,3.

In this passage Paul appeals to the church to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

This hammers home Paul’s counsel to the Romans on the same issue: Romans 14:19 “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

This is tremendously important to the success of the church.

Not only does Paul tell us the target to aim at but he tells us the spirit in which we are to pursue our goal: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

So how are we to deal with differences of opinion?

Are all issues and questions of equal magnitude?

What are the transcendent issues?

Is it possible that I can be both right and wrong?

Is there something that I need to learn from the exchange of ideas?

How can I show respect for those who I differ with?

How can I win the confidence of those I differ with?

Is the opinion of the one I differ with less significant than mine?

Is it possible for me to be wrong, wrong in the interpretation of the facts I have gathered or wrong in the attitude I may have toward those I differ with?

Is it more difficult or less difficult to be right?

What is more important who is right or in what spirit those who differ exchange their ideas?

So how are we to pursue unity of the faith through the bond of peace?

We should make sure we understand each other’s point of view.

We need to make sure we are not talking past each other.

We need to make sure we are not participating in the dialogue of the deaf where we are so intent on getting our message across that we do not listen to what the other person is saying.

It would be well if we could hear the message so clearly that we can repeat it with clarity back to the person we are having a dialogue with.

It seems that would make communication much more effective.

When we demonstrate sincere interest and understanding of the other party don’t you think that will foster the same spirit on their part?

But there is another mistake and that is attributing to the other person a diminished capacity as a Christian.

Another name would be judgmentalism.

We need to affirm the authenticity and equality and genuineness of the other person’s Christian experience regardless of how different our opinions are.

It is clear from Romans 14:5 that we need to respect one another’s conscientious convictions and not diminish the value of the persons who hold them.

Is it possible for those who eat meat and those who are vegetarians experience mutual respect and admiration toward each other?

Can unity be experienced between those who have televisions in their homes and those who do not?

Can there be harmony between those who dress conservatively and those who do not dress conservatively according to the more conservatively dressed?

Can peace exist between those whose musical choices vary significantly from one another?

Can we live with each other without being critical of one another when some wear wedding rings and the others may not?

Someone might quote Amos 3:3 which says, “Can two walk together except they be agreed?”

That is a great verse but we need to consider what the setting is for that verse.

If you read it carefully it is describing the relationship between God and his people.

They were poles apart so Amos was sent by God on his prophetic mission where he rebuked the sins that sprang from material prosperity, the extravagances, the revelries, the debauchery of the rich, who were able to do this by oppressing the poor and by perverting judgment, through bribery and extortion.[1]

It wasn’t a matter of doubtful disputations as is the case in Romans 14 where you have two groups of people with conscientious convictions about the appropriateness of what they were doing.

When John heard that there were some who were casting demons out in the name of Jesus he appealed to Jesus: Mark 9:38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

Jesus did not side with John but surprised him by saying, “Do not stop him,” Jesus said.

“No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.

41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.”

Then Jesus went on to say how terrible it would be for one of us to cause the other to sin because of the position we might take that would wound: “And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.

It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.

45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.