Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

There has always been division in the Church, but this seems as such a profound time for division of the Church, particularly in America.

We are in a time where culture has come up and slapped each member in the face, especially in these past 2 to 3 years.

Where people became twitter thugs, more people took to social media to socialize and distribute ideas, where everyone’s voice could be heard, creating and echo chamber that emboldens one self cementing their ideas a ‘right’, without regard for their brother or sister in Christ, whether they are right or not.

Rome had similar issues.

Paul wrote this letter to Rome somewhere around AD 57 (between 57 and 59) and at this time the Roman Church was made up of Gentiles and returning Jewish Christians (Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome around AD 49)

The Roman Church that the Jewish Converts left was not the Roman Church they returned to.

The Gentiles did not have the same things to bring to their Christianity as the Jews Christians did, this led to division.

Laws that were important to the Jews were not important to the Gentiles.

The consideration of things to avoid for the Jew did not have the same impact to the Gentiles.

Who was in the right?

Does it matter?

When does it matter?

So one of the purposes of Paul’s letter was to exhort the factions in the Roman Church to consider each other, to love each other, to realize that they live for each other and will do so for an eternity.

There are two groups that Paul has been dealing with in chapter 14.

The weak and the strong and based on the information about these groups that Paul provides, it might make sense that these lines are divided by those still holding to Jewish laws and those who aren’t.

The weak are characterized by their adherence to things that are not primary issues.

These are secondary and tertiary issues of that time, such as eating or drinking.

The strong are characterized by their understanding of their liberty in Christ, so they do not adhere to some of the secondary issues that the ‘weak’ adhere to.

Paul notes that neither the weak or the strong should pass judgment on one another any longer.

There is something to the fact that an air of superiority can spur an air of arrogance, a lack of humility and thus cause one to discard the other as they are seen as unfit or unworthy because they are not as ‘strong as you are’ or because ‘they participate in areas or things that you deem not correct’.

Examples of this are all around.

Golf Course

TV Shows

Work

Paul notes this as something that can and should be stopped (any longer), so if this is something that you are taking part in, there is an opportunity to turn from that, to change your ways and no longer pass judgement on your brothers and sisters.

Because, again, Paul is writing to Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Paul also takes this opportunity to transition to the next area that he wants to discuss where his concerns turn to the actions of the ‘strong’.

He notes this as an adversative.

‘Do not do this, but do this instead’.

Instead of passing judgment (looking externally at others and making a decision about them) rather decide (look internally at yourself and make a decision about your actions).

The decision he says to make is not to trip anyone up.

Stumbling Block - Let me be more specific Paul’s wants ensure that we as brothers and sisters in Christ ‘do not place anything in the way of another walk in faith.

We do not want to cause pain to one’s walk in faith, we do not want to put an obstacle in someone faith walk’.

Hindrance - We do not want to deter them from continuing to pursue Christ, present anything to them what will knock them off course.

We do not want to do this because of a secondary or tertiary item.

We see this time and time again, with cultural things such as music and dress, with politics and social status, with what is perceived as being a good Christian, but it is only someone’s preference.

We are to decide as ‘strong’ Christians not to put any stumbling blocks or hindrances in another’s way.

I like how Paul says what he knows without a shadow of a doubt.

Paul says I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus.

If that doesn’t shout I know what I know, I am convinced that it is right, there is nothing that you can do to tell me that I am wrong about it.

There are some of us who are like that as well.

We know what we know, we understand forward and backward and understand that we can take proper stance with Christ in it.

What about our brother or sister, what if they do not know, what if you want to take your opinion and area that you have liberty an area of conscience and force it on your brother or sister who does not feel as you do.

The Jew and Gentile did not come to their belief in Christ with the same baggage, so there are some things that a Jew would bring with them that a gentile wouldn’t.

There are also some things that a Gentile would bring that a Jew would not.

So even though you know what you know, the weaker brother does not see it that way, and to attempt to force them to live as you do, would grate at them, would have them bring things into question, because they are not where you are, they did not have the same baggage.

Paul equates all of this to love.

That one ethic that is meant to identify followers of Christ.

When do we show the love that Christ shared with us.

That humbling love that we see in Philippians 2, where Jesus took on the form of a servant.

Where we see the love likened to the Father who gave his only begotten son, so that we might have love, John 3. Paul states this ethic earlier in the book of Romans.

If your brother is grieved.

What do you give up so that one of your brothers or sisters will not be distressed.

We like to play cards, you get a group of us together (I will not say any names, but mine) and a bid whist game is almost sure to break out.

But what do we do if someone, a believer struggles with cards and they are around.

Do we cause them distress, or grieve them, by playing anyway.

No.

We put that cards away and engage in some other activity.

I like my bead bracelets, it is the only piece of jewelry that I usually wear when going out.

I one time had a sister tell me that I was supposed to put my beads in the moonlight, so they could get the healing properties that they needed.

I know this is simply a piece of jewelry that I am placing no more value in it than it looks nice and Iike them.

I could keep wearing them, because I know they are nothing more than beads.

To her they were more, what did I do.

I stopped wearing them.

I did not wear them to Church anymore and just recently, within the past year began to wear them again, but the point is that I realized this could grieve her, this could be a stumbling block for her so as Paul penned by inspiration of the Holy Spirit I put them aside.

The point is that Christ died for all and we should not be known as those who cannibalize our own.

We do not look to destroy our brother or sisters, we do not look to discredit the work of Christ for that person by making them feel less than.

So that even that good thing, that thing that there is no issue with doing, may even be making a point, but to some it can be seen as evil.

To some it can be seen as unloving.

Thus ruining your witness to the world.

DR Story.

Sleep by 9 no drinking, oh and the toilet paper.

I like the definition that Tony Evans put forth for the ‘kingdom of God’

“The kingdom of God is the authoritative execution of His comprehensive rule in all creation.”

- Kingdom Man

This means that God has total rule over the entirety of His kingdom, which is His creation.

The kingdom that is at hand, coming and the kingdom that Jesus says in your midst in Him.

The Kingdom that we are a a part of and the full revelation of the coming kingdom.

God carries out what He wants in His kingdom, invites who He wants to His kingdom and runs His kingdom the way that He wants to.

We see this in Jesus.

So when it comes to the kingdom, Paul is saying that the kingdom of God is not about what you eat or what you drink.

Fine you have freedom, you understand you liberties, you know what you know, but the kingdom is not concerned with those things as much as it is righteousness and peace and joy.

Where righteousness is

δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosúnē) - The quality or characteristic of upright behavior, uprightness, righteousness

We are made righteous in Christ and that uprightness should carry into our everyday lives, in particular with those who share that righteousness through Christ.

Where peace is

εἰρήνη (eirḗnē) - A state of well being

We have peace in Christ, Peace with the Father has been provided or us through Jesus Christ, we should have peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Where joy is

χαρά (chará) - the experience of gladness

We have a joy that passes all understanding in Christ.

A joy that permeates our lives regardless of out circumstances, trials and tribulation, we should share that joy with one another.

Each of these is kingdom focused, and our brother and sisters are part of the already and not yet kingdom of God.

Each of these is available to us in the Spirit, the Spirit that indwells us at the moment of salvation.

The moment that we believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are righteous, we have peace and we have access to joy.

Each believer has that and each believer should share that in love.

The one that adheres to these items, who considers the things of import in the kingdom of God, as shown by serving nChrist.

These are those who are pleasing to God and those who will not have good, spoken of as evil.

Paul closes like he opened this section.