Let's go ahead and pray before we start here.
Jesus, we just are here to do exactly what the song just said.
! We're here to worship you. We're here to praise you.
We're here to make much of you. We're here to understand more of your word
and thereby be able to glorify you more in our life.
We just ask for help to do that.
And we ask for your word to go forth in truth, Lord.
And you said that you're going to have worshipers that worship you in spirit and in truth.
Lord, I pray that the songs we sing would just aliven our spirits
and just get us, Lord, in tune with just the Holy Spirit today
and just listening and attentive and just able to focus.
And I pray that, Lord, these words would enable us to worship in truth.
And, God, we would leave this place truly honoring and glorifying you
more and more this upcoming week in our life
and more ready to do that
and to just take on whatever might be ahead of each of us.
We love you so very much.
And I'm so very grateful for this opportunity.
And I pray this would be done in your name. Amen.
So, I've always kind of been a fan of the abnormal.
Abnormal people, for sure.
And so, a couple years ago, I actually watched this movie called Rain Man.
Probably some of you guys have seen it.
It's about this idiot savant who has this amazing ability to basically count.
And just for mathematics, and he just remembers numbers.
So, his brother in the movie, Tom Cruise, actually uses him to go count cards in Vegas.
And that's the non-godly aspect of the movie.
But it kind of got me interested.
And so, I actually went and looked up who this movie was based on.
And there's this guy, a real guy named Kim Peek, who literally is an idiot savant
and remembers 98% of everything he's ever read or seen.
So, he could quote to you any verse of the Bible on point.
He can tell you every single county and every single state, every single area code.
He memorized the Encyclopedia Britannica at the age of three.
He, he's just, it's an amazing, amazing mind that this guy has.
It's fascinating to me.
There's another idiot savant that I actually looked up.
And this guy, he has, his skill is kind of in numbers as well, but also in languages.
And so, for, and he has, he has more of like the ability to communicate.
Like the, the, the Kim Peek guy can't really, he can't communicate hardly at all.
But this other guy, he has more of the, more of an ability to communicate.
So, he actually, in order to raise awareness for autism and for this idiot savant syndrome,
he memorized the mathematical constant pi, right, 3.14 or whatever.
He memorized that to the 25,000th place and quoted it back in five and one half hours perfectly.
I mean, it's just amazing, right?
I mean, just incredible how the, how the, that kind of a brain works.
So, how is that relevant, right?
I'm going to, I'm not going to twist that into the sermon.
I mean, the Apostle Paul wasn't an idiot savant, but he was abnormally intelligent.
Okay?
He was abnormally intelligent as a thinker.
And his mind worked on a lot of different levels.
Levels that you and I probably can't really grasp or get to.
He himself, in fact, in his defense of his apostleship to the Corinthians,
said, even if I'm unskilled in speech, he's like, I'm not a great orator.
I can't really speak well.
Even if I'm unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge.
He was brilliant, right?
And God used that brilliance of Paul to write 13 of the deepest, most inexhaustible books of the Bible.
13 letters, really.
And Peter, in fact, no doubt, having recently read through the Paul's letter to the Romans,
which is what we're in today,
in 2 Peter 3, he says this,
regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation.
It's the patience of God that leads us to salvation, he says.
Just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you.
As also in all his letters, speaking in them these things.
And then he says, in which are some things difficult to understand.
Right?
So Peter himself is like, I mean, Paul's pretty deep.
He's like, I've had trouble myself understanding.
I've had to reread him myself, you know?
So there's an element of Paul in his writing that we're not supposed to necessarily grasp at first glance.
And he's doing things with his intelligence in his writing that's meant to really kind of strike us at different levels.
So why is it important for us to understand why Paul is smart?
Okay?
Because smart people who are good teachers, and Paul was a great teacher,
they tend to possess this one similar trait that I think I found.
They drive home their points, not by stating and then restating the same thing over and over and over and over and over.
It just gets repetitious.
What really intelligent speakers and teachers do is they drive home their point by using synonyms.
By using different ways of saying the same thing.
Right?
That's what they do.
And so, for instance, let me just give you an example.
So, John Piper listened to this sermon.
Actually, it was a radio broadcast a couple years ago.
And he was kind of answering this secular radio personality's questions about Katrina.
And she came to the interview with John Piper basically just wanting to ask one question.
And she asked the same question repetitively throughout the entire time that they're talking.
It was like 45 minutes.
And she basically just says, how can bad things happen to good people?
Right?
And so, John Piper, the thing that was so cool about it, is that when he responds, he essentially says the same thing every single time, which is, nobody's good but God.
He essentially says that same basic principle over and over and over, but he says it in like nine different ways.
And so, at the end of the interview, like the radio personality is like, this was the best interview of all the people that we've talked to from different religions and different sects, whatever it might be.
Like, you have really kind of communicated the most clearly.
And again, it was just because he was saying the same thing, very simple truth, just through one or two or three or four or five, in his case, like nine different ways.
It was brilliant.
And so, Paul does this all the time.
He kind of, in a sense, what Piper did, so, was he takes the listener and he kind of convinces you that you're receiving something fresh.
You're receiving something new.
But really, it's the same truth, just redressed.
And that's what Paul is doing in our text today.
He's taking the same thing he's been saying, that he always says, and as I begin to kind of cross-reference the passage today,
it's amazing how often you see him communicating the same exact truth.
But he's just redressing it in a new way, in a fresh way.
So, that's what we're going to look at this morning.
And really, this is kind of what I wanted to say.
Well, let's read our passage first, I guess.
So, go to Romans 15 for me.
This is, I was supposed to do one through six, but Nathan does not yet know I'm only doing one through three.
So, we're not going to make it that far today.
So, Romans 15, this is verse one through three.
It says this,
So, when I first started reading this passage, I really had a difficult time understanding what I was supposed to say,
or how I was supposed to basically draw to this text something that's really not there, just at face value.
Because it seems pretty simple to me.
Just, obviously, submit yourself to other people's consciences, other people's, you know, give preference to them, that kind of thing.
But really, the main theme that he's trying to basically drive home, through not just this section of Scripture,
but through the last three chapters, is this idea of unification, of unity in the body of Christ.
And it is a pervasive theme in Scripture.
It's all over the Scripture.
This unity idea.
And it's literally, and I just want to say this at the beginning,
I think it's the greatest weapon that we have,
as a body of Christ,
trying to bring the kingdom of God to bear on this earth.
Our unity, our oneness, our togetherness,
on the things that we do,
is so strengthening.
Think about a family, right?
We have some great families in here that are good examples of this.
If you have a strong family, right?
You have a husband and a wife that are together.
You have children that respect and love their parents.
You have parents that love and respect and honor and serve their children.
Then you have this unit that really is, I mean, it's almost unbreakable.
It's so, it's impenetrable in so many ways.
And so that's exactly kind of the idea that I think Paul,
and of course God, and through Christ,
and through the words that God's inspiring Paul to write here,
is trying to communicate, is we have got to be unified.
We've got to be unified.
Okay?
God is greatly concerned with the unity of His people.
One author said it this way.
By salvation, He has effected a real spiritual oneness.
He has created a commonness based on sharing the same eternal life, right?
It's common to all of us.
This reality of conversion should impact the life of the church
by being the impetus for practical unity.
It's interesting because I didn't know what the word impetus meant either.
So I was like, I went and looked it up.
And the definition of impetus literally in the dictionary says,
the force or energy with which a body moves.
That's what it means, right?
So the conversion, our like-minded conversion, our oneness, right?
And the idea that we're joined together in Christ
is really meant to kind of drive us on
and to energize us in our spiritual life together as a body.
And I think that's, again, what He's really trying to kind of,
He's using all these different ways of saying
and getting to the point of we've got to be unified
through the last three chapters.
We're going to try to kind of cover some of that
and make sense of it here.
We are together.
The body of Christ,
we are propelled forward in life and in our mission
by a common force.
That is, by our union with Christ.
And it's our union with Christ
that gives us union with one another.
That's what we have in common.
It's Christ.
That's the common denominator.
And just like, kind of like two siblings, right?
Who are different in every single way
and yet they love one another
because they have the same blood,
they have the same name,
they come from the same home, right?
There's just a certain union and bond
that comes from being family.
That's the same exact thing here.
We've been ushered into the same bloodline as Christ.
And so therefore we have to begin acting out
our faith in that same way, together,
instead of separate.
This is really, and let me just say this as well,
this is really an idea
that a lot of American Christians especially
don't really identify with
because there's so much emphasis put
in our place in our society on individualism,
on being your own person,
your own man, your own woman,
having your own relationship,
whatever it might be.
There's not a lot of,
like in this time,
like this day and age,
in the first century,
there was a ton of emphasis put on family
because if you didn't have,
if you weren't working together as a unit,
as a family,
you really were,
I mean, you know,
probably very poor,
probably, you know,
again, not really making ends meet,
whatever it might be.
So there was so much emphasis
put on that familial tie.
And that's where he, I think,
is really communicating well
to these early Christians
and we need to be mindful of that as well.
So really, I think,
the underlying theme throughout Scripture
as a whole is unity.
Okay?
This is the,
like I know that we're conditioned
to think it's redemption
and it is redemption,
but I think unity kind of is a synonym
in this case.
Think about it, right?
Our first and foremost,
our unity with God
through Christ or redemption.
And then secondly,
our unity with others,
which is the second, right,
and the greatest commandment.
Loving God with all our heart,
soul, mind, and strength
and loving our neighbor as ourself.
So those are kind of the two unifying themes
of the entire Scripture.
It's gigantic.
So I'm just going to read you guys
some Scriptures here.
Take notes if you want.
I'm just going to read them off.
These are just some verses
that kind of identify this for us.
This is when I began cross-referencing
and finding all these different places
that say it.
So in Jeremiah 32,
verses 38 and 39,
God says this,
They shall be my people
and I will be their God
and I will give them one heart
and one way
that they may fear me always
for their own good
and for the good of their children
after them.
In Zephaniah 3, 9,
God says of both Jews
and Gentiles alike,
I will give to the people's
purified lips
that all of them may call
on the name of the Lord
to serve Him
shoulder to shoulder.
Shoulder to shoulder, right?
Like side by side,
like brothers or like soldiers.
So there's this idea of unity.
I'm going to give them
this new heart,
this new idea of who I am,
this new vision for Christ
and then by that,
I'm going to unify them together
with one heart,
one mind,
one soul
and they're going to become
this powerful army,
this powerful brotherhood,
this powerful family
that's going to overcome
the wicked one,
that's going to overcome
the power of the devil,
that's going to escape
the perversion of this generation.
But it's together.
It's all of our forces in one.
Christ says it differently
in the New Testament.
He says in John 10, 16,
I have other sheep,
he's speaking of Gentiles,
which are not of this fold.
I must bring them also
and they shall hear my voice
and they shall become
one flock
with one shepherd, right?
One flock
with one shepherd,
united together.
In other words,
one author said
the God's eternal plan
is that all who believe
in Him
will become outwardly
what they are inwardly,
unified in Him
through faith in His Son.
Another one,
Jesus,
before His arrest,
actually,
He was speaking to the disciples.
This is in John 17.
It's the high priestly prayer.
It's such a powerful text.
So this is right before,
I mean,
the last thing Jesus
is basically saying
to the disciples
before He goes to the cross.
He gets up
and He basically prays this
in verse 11 of chapter 17
in the book of John.
He says,
I am no more in the world
and yet they themselves
are in the world
and I come to you.
He's speaking to His Father.
Holy Father,
keep them in Your name,
the name which You have given Me,
that they may be one
as we are one.
Right?
So what does He pray?
He prays,
God,
make them one,
make them unified
as we are unified.
He's praying for that.
That's what His purpose is.
That's what He wants them to hear.
And the last thing that He says,
I want you guys
to be together on this.
I want you guys
to focus on the mission,
that great commission
that I'm calling you to,
together.
It's powerful.
And then of course,
we got Paul's examples
and this is all over the place.
I started reading
the cross references
for Paul himself.
To the Ephesians,
he says in chapter 4,
1-5,
he says,
I therefore,
the prisoner of the Lord,
entreat you to walk
in a manner worthy
of the calling
with which you have been called.
With all humility,
with gentleness,
with patience,
showing forbearance
to one another in love,
being diligent
to preserve
the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.
Right?
So what is he saying?
I want you guys
to be humble.
I want you to be gentle
towards one another.
I want you to be patient.
I want you to show forbearance.
I want you to be strong
for the sake,
right,
all for the purpose
of being diligent
to preserve
the unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.
this theme
is everywhere.
He says of the Galatians,
for you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All of you guys
are sons now.
For you all who are,
for all of you,
wait,
all of you who were
baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves
with Christ.
There is neither Jew
nor Greek.
There is neither slave
nor free man.
There is neither male
nor female.
You are all one
in Christ Jesus.
Jesus.
It is pervasive.
The last thing I will say
to again drive home
this point,
Philippians 1.27,
only conduct yourselves
in a manner worthy
of the gospel of Christ
so that whether I come
to see you
or remain absent from you,
I may hear
that you are standing firm
in one spirit
with one mind,
striving together
for the faith
of one gospel.
Right?
It is amazing.
It is all over the place.
So why is it so vital
for us to be unified?
That was my next question.
Why is it so important
for us to be together
on this stuff?
What does it mean for us?
Why does God care?
There is three,
I think,
simple reasons.
The first reason
is because the devil
is a wolf.
Okay?
He is a wolf
who strategically feeds
on the sheep
who stray
from the fold.
That is the way
the Bible paints
a picture of him.
He is like a wolf,
right?
He is deceptive.
So,
I lived with Clay Naylor
for about a year,
okay?
During which time,
I watched
more nature shows
than I have ever watched
in my entire life.
And I promise you,
this is kind of
how it always goes,
okay?
Like when the one,
you know,
you or the one,
you know,
lamb,
whatever it might be,
the one straggler
kind of gets separated
from the flock,
that's when the wolf
or whatever,
whatever the predator is,
pounces.
It happens every time.
Right?
Every single time.
And so that's the same idea.
Like there's strength
in numbers, right?
Even dumb animals
understand instinctually
that I'm going to pray
on the guy
that's by himself.
Satan is like this,
right?
He prays on the people
that are by themselves.
So the first reason
why we have to be unified
together is because
of your safety.
As believers,
we need to be protected
by one another,
which is one of the reasons
why I think,
you know,
missionaries that are
doing mission elsewhere
overseas in dangerous places
where fellowship like this
is scarce,
they come together
in very unique ways.
I mean,
like when you're under
persecution,
like the church
of the scriptures was,
right?
Like when that initial
first century church,
they came together,
they were so strong
because they had to be unified
because they knew
they couldn't survive
the elements themselves.
They had to be together.
Okay?
The more the devil
can separate us,
the greater his chances
are of devouring us.
Number two,
second reason why
it's vital for the church
to be unified.
Apart from outright sin,
okay,
adultery,
murder,
whatever it might be,
apart from outright sin,
nothing shatters
the fellowship,
stunts the growth,
and ruins the witness
of the congregation
of Christ
so much
as disunity
or disharmony
among its members.
Nothing
has greater potential
to really ruin
our witness
as a church body
than disharmony
and disunity.
I hate it when I hear
churches have divided.
You know?
I mean,
I've heard that churches
have divided over
the color of the carpet.
I mean,
it's insane what happens
in some of these churches
these days.
Satan has got them
so twisted
to think that these things
are so important.
I mean,
like maybe,
of course it's not
the color of the carpet
for us,
but I mean,
there's things
within certain congregations
very nearby
that have tons
of disunity
as a result
of peripheral doctrine.
Right?
They're so hard-lined
on certain things
that they're not willing
to even have fellowship with
and enjoy a pleasant
conversation with
and encouraging Christ
somebody that is
of a different
belief system
on perhaps,
I don't know,
baptism or eschatology,
whatever it might be.
And that just shouldn't
be the case.
It just shouldn't be
the case.
You know?
So, I mean,
Satan is very clever
in how he does this
and so getting us disunified
is another vital reason
why we have to be unified
because Satan will
definitely take advantage
of that.
Satan doesn't care
about you and me.
He doesn't care
at all about you and me.
He cares about
shaming Christ
through you
and through me.
Okay?
So he doesn't care
what it takes
but he lays the temptations
at our feet, right?
He tempts us,
he tries to ensnare us
in pride or greed
or lust or envy
so that he might strike
a blow against Christ.
Okay?
Think about it this way.
The greatest way
to enrage a man,
the greatest way
to really enrage a man
is to go after his family,
right?
So he's not going to
necessarily attack
just Christ.
He wants to attack you,
the people that Christ loves.
He wants to attack his family
because that's going to
strike the greatest blow
against him.
Third reason why
we have got to be unified
as a body
is because nothing
strengthens the fellowship,
stimulates growth,
and purifies the witness
of the congregation
so much as unity
among its members.
Okay?
Just turn it on its side.
It's the same exact thing
as the last thing,
it's just the opposite.
The thing that the early church
had going for them
was a unique level
of unity
and all togetherness,
right,
that rose kind of above
this persecution
of the day.
Nero was, I mean,
coming down on these Christians
as hard as he possibly could.
He was lighting up
his garden parties
with, you know,
burning bodies
of Christians
being crucified.
It was an extreme time.
Extreme time.
Right?
And so,
in the midst of all of that,
the church,
in that they kept,
not only, you know,
kept alive,
I mean,
they were alive for sure,
but they were actually vibrant.
They were actually growing.
They were powerful.
They were becoming a force
to be reckoned with.
And even torture
and that kind of stuff,
extreme measures,
couldn't even dissuade them
from following Jesus.
And that's because
they had this unique union.
I mean,
you can read about that.
In fact,
let's go ahead and do that.
Let's go to Acts 2.
Let me just show you guys
exactly what I'm talking about here.
Because,
let's just,
you know,
like,
I mean,
they were obviously
a great example
of what it meant
to be unified,
so what characterized them?
What characterized
these first century Christians
that we need to emulate
if we can?
This is Acts 2,
beginning in verse 42.
And it says this,
And they were continually
devoting themselves
to the apostles' teaching
and to fellowship,
to the breaking of bread,
and to prayer.
So they were always together.
And everyone kept feeling
a sense of awe.
Many wonders and signs
were taking place
through the apostles.
And all those who had believed
were together.
And they had all things
in common, right?
And it just keeps on going
and describing more and more
of that.
Go over to chapter 4.
Let me show you something else.
I want to read verse 32
and 33.
It says,
And the congregation
of those who believed
were of one heart and soul,
and not one of them
claimed that anything
belonging to Him
was His own.
But all things were
common property to them,
and with great power
the apostles were giving
witness to the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus,
and abundant grace
was upon them all.
Right?
So there was this sense
in which they just,
they didn't consider
their possessions
to be that,
you know,
like they weren't,
it's not like
I have this one thing
that there's nobody
in the world that can touch.
I mean,
like if somebody needs
this more than I do,
money or my time,
or, you know,
if they need my service,
if they need me to,
you know,
wash them or bathe,
whatever it might be,
like they were willing
to go out of their way
in that early century
because there was
such an example of this
in the apostles, right?
I mean,
they had great leadership.
They saw the apostles
laying down their life,
being beaten in the synagogues,
you know,
or being in the courts.
So they were seeing,
you know,
them dedicate their time,
their energy
to praying for the people.
They were so focused
on just setting that example
for, you know,
the way in which
we follow Christ.
And so everybody
was following in like manner.
It was beautiful.
You know,
so we've got to begin
to set the example
for our families,
but also the example
for our younger brothers
and sisters in Christ,
and also the example
just for, you know,
people that are coming up
in the ranks.
I mean,
just, you know,
young people that are being saved,
youth that, you know,
we want to set a good example
for how we should follow Christ
and how we should really consider
our possessions
to not be that valuable
as long as we can give glory
to Christ
if He requires us
to give them
or our time,
whatever it might be.
We don't all have money.
Some of us have just,
you know,
a listening ear,
whatever it might be
that you have to offer
to the Lord.
So this is what made them
inseparable.
It was just this unity
with Christ.
It was beautiful.
So anyway,
that's just kind of an intro
into the verses.
I think that's kind of
the foundation here, right?
I'm not going to take up
too much more time,
but, you know,
so that's essentially
what Paul has been up to,
okay?
In the first three chapters,
or in the last three chapters,
I should say,
12, 13, and 14,
he has been basically
getting at this idea of,
hey,
let's just read the first part.
Go to Romans 12
for just a second.
Let's just,
I just want you to see
where I saw this.
So he says,
in verse 1 of 12,
I urge you therefore,
brethren,
by the mercies of God.
So he's like,
hey,
in light of your salvation,
present your bodies
as a living
and a holy sacrifice
acceptable to God,
which is your spiritual
service of worship.
Do not be conformed
to this world,
but be transformed
by the renewing
of your mind
that you may prove
what God's will is,
that which is good,
that which is acceptable,
that which is perfect.
Keep on going.
For through the grace
given to me,
I say to every man
among you,
not to think more highly
of himself
than he ought to think,
but to think so as
to have sound judgment,
as God has allotted
each measure of faith.
Then he says this,
For just as we have
many members
in one body,
and all the members
do not have the same function,
so we who are many
are one body in Christ
and individually members of it.
Okay?
So he goes immediately
from this idea of,
Hey,
you have been saved
by grace.
You have been washed
by the blood of Christ.
You have been transformed
by that.
You have been set apart
by that.
You have now inherited
your joint heir
with Christ.
You get heaven.
You get forgiveness
for sins.
You get separation
from hell
and separation from God
is no longer
a reality for you,
right?
In light of these
amazing truths,
I want you to set apart
your body
as unto the Lord.
Whatever it requires,
whatever cost that means
for you,
I want you to give yourself
wholeheartedly to Christ.
Then he says,
Hey, I want to remind you
though,
you've got this body.
And the way to really
do this effectively
is to be together
and like-minded
and to be one
and to really enjoy
each and everybody
else's gifts,
right?
Because that's going
to strengthen you
in your sacrifice
of your own self
to Jesus.
It's going to help
educate you as to
how to do it better
because you can see
other people in your
community doing
the same thing,
right?
He begins to paint
this picture
so he goes into
eventually,
he goes immediately
into this idea
of like,
you know,
some people have
these gifts
and you know,
they need to be
serving in these ways.
Then he goes into
some more general stuff
and he says,
you know,
hey,
all of you guys
should be devoted
to one another
in brotherly love.
You should give
preference to one another
in honor.
You should,
you know,
be always diligent
to do so.
What else does he say?
He says in 16
of chapter 12,
be of the same mind
toward one another.
Do not be haughty
in mind
but associate
with the lowly.
Accommodate the lowly.
Do not be wise
in your own estimation
but in the estimation
of Christ,
right?
So he just,
I mean,
he's literally,
he's saying the same thing.
You can see that
intelligence of him,
right?
He's communicating
the same truths
but he's just doing
it different ways
so that we see it
from different angles.
And he's helping
to drive home
the same point,
be together,
be unified,
be with Christ
and the people of Christ.
So he just goes
on and on and on
and then eventually
he brings us to 15.
So here we are again
at 15.
Let's just reread it
and we'll dive into
the particulars
of this passage.
Now we who were strong
ought to bear the weakness
of those without strength
and not just please ourselves.
Let each,
let each of us
please his neighbor
for his good
to his edification.
For even Christ
did not please himself
but as it is written,
the reproaches of those
who approached you
fell upon me.
Okay?
So in verses 1-3
Paul calls believers,
calls all of us
to please one another.
Okay?
To be about
pleasing one another.
To give preference
to one another.
To accommodate
one another.
Right?
To give you
the number one spot
and not myself.
By following
the example of Christ.
That's all he's
trying to communicate.
Please one another
by following
Christ's example.
So let's read
verse 1 yet again.
Now we who were strong
ought to bear the weakness
of those who are
without strength
and not just please ourselves.
Those who are strong
are those who are
more mature
in their faith.
Okay?
That's exactly
what that phrase
essentially means.
It's who because
of the practice
and experience
in their life
with Christ
have had their senses
trained to discern
good and evil.
That's what
characterizes the strong.
They know right from wrong.
They know the important
things from the
unimportant things.
Right?
They've been able to
they've been learned
how to detect that.
They understand
that they have
liberty in Christ.
Okay?
The strong do.
They have liberty in Christ.
You have freedom in Christ.
Freedom from the old covenant.
You know,
freedom from the dietary
system in their case.
Freedom from the strict
commandments of the
Old Testament
that were specific
to sacrifices
and days and festivals
and all these kind of things.
But what they don't have
and what you who are in here
who are mature Christians
do not have
okay?
What none of us have
that are mature
is the right to express
those freedoms
without regard
for those without strength.
Okay?
Without regard
for the weak.
Okay?
In Christ
you have a lot of freedom.
I mean I've heard
John MacArthur
painted as simple as
literally
abide in Christ
and do whatever you want to do.
That's as simple
as following the will of God is.
Like abide in Christ
do whatever you want.
You have so much freedom.
You can choose
what you want to do
how you want to do it.
But of course
within limits
it's not sin
but all righteous things.
But the reality is
there may be some things
that we have liberty to
that not everybody
in Christ
feels a liberty for.
Right?
They don't understand
that liberty yet.
And so we
what he's saying is
those that are strong
do not have a right
to express
those liberties
without any regard
for the weaker brother.
right?
There's certain things
that are unacceptable
because so and so
is in the room
or because so and so
looks up to you
or because you have
such and such a position
in the church
or whatever it might be.
Right?
Like I know
for instance
I know that Nathan
has zero problem
with alcohol.
Right?
I mean
it's not a sin to drink.
Okay?
But he has said
you know what
because I know
that that tends to have
a bad you know
I don't know
what's the word?
Stigma.
Yes.
Whatever.
A bad stigma
with people.
Therefore
right?
I'm not going to do that.
And he has submitted himself
he's submitted that liberty
in a sense
to us
in saying
I want to lead by example.
I want to submit that
to you guys
and say
I don't want to do this
for the sake of my brothers
in Christ.
I don't want to lead
anybody to stumble.
Because that may be
a serious no-no
for a lot of us
that have had problems
with drinking.
Right?
Whatever it might be.
So we've got to be
very sensitive here.
Those who are strong
then he says
ought
to bear the weaknesses
of those
without strength.
The word ought
there is really
interesting.
It's
literally in the Greek
it has the basic meaning
of owing a debt.
Okay?
So when he's saying
you ought to
he's saying
you owe the debt
to your brothers
in Christ
to do it this way.
Another
it kind of
communicates
owing a debt
or having a strong obligation.
Listen to where
the same word is used.
The same word
is used
in Hebrews 5.3
to describe
the high priest's
responsibility
to offer sacrifices
for the sins
of the people.
That's how serious
an obligation
this is.
Right?
You guys
not giving offense
to a brother.
You guys
giving preference
to a brother
or a sister
in Christ.
It's got the same
weight to it
that the obligation
on a high priest
had
to actually
offering sacrifices
daily
for the sins
of the people.
That is serious.
That's very serious.
Okay?
So the question
again that we really
have to come with here
is how do we bear
one another's weaknesses?
How do we bear
one another's burdens?
And there's just
really three things
I'm going to say
quickly here.
The first way
that we actually
bear one another's burdens
!
Is by not pleasing
ourselves.
Okay?
Not just pleasing
ourselves.
Look at the end
of verse 1.
He says
and not just
please
let me read
the whole thing.
So now we
who are strong
ought to bear
the weaknesses
of those
without strength
and not just
please
ourselves.
Listen to this
quote.
We have learned
to deny ourselves.
This was our
first lesson.
None of us
lives to himself.
This is a thing
in which all the
people of God
are one.
They're unified
in this idea
he says.
However they differ
in other ideas
and other things
though some are weak
and others are strong
yet both agree
in this
not to live
to themselves.
Not one
that has given up
his name to Christ
is allowedly
a self-seeker.
It is contrary
to the very
foundation
of true Christianity.
We neither
live to ourselves
nor die to ourselves.
We are not
our own masters
nor our own proprietors.
We are not
at our own disposal.
Matthew Henry.
Okay?
Powerful statement.
Right?
When you become
a Christian
I hope the first
thing that you did
was say
I'm done
with me.
I'm no longer
living for myself.
Right?
The first thing
that we learn
first thing
that Jesus says
to do
Matthew or Mark
8
deny yourself.
Right?
Deny yourself.
What does that mean?
It essentially means
to give preference
no longer
to your own
desires and ambitions
but rather
to Christ's
desires
and ambitions.
We give preference
now to Christ's
desires
and Christ's
ambitions
and Christ's
likes and dislikes.
Right?
So what is
Christ's desire?
Christ desires
oneness
like he has
with the Trinity.
Right?
He has this oneness.
Right?
So he wants to
save people
and bring them
into himself
for the sake
of making them
one.
Entering them
into a oneness
relationship
with them.
That's what he
desires more
than anything.
That's why he
came to die
was to bring us
together.
To reconcile us
back to God
into fellowship
yet again.
Right?
It's that oneness
that God cares
about.
That unity
that God cares
about.
And what Christ
is ambitious
for
is more.
Right?
More unity
enjoyed by more
people from
more nations
and more tribes
and more tongues
and more peoples.
He's really
about one thing.
Relationship.
Unity.
Togetherness
with God.
Right?
He prays that.
Go read
John 17.
And he's ambitious
for more.
Until he takes
us away.
Right?
He said,
I want you to
keep doing this.
I want you to
go and as you
go wherever you
are, I want you
to make disciples.
I want more
fellowship.
That's what he's
about.
Secondly,
we bear one
another's burdens
not only by
not pleasing
ourselves
or not living
for ourselves,
I could better
say that,
but by pleasing
our neighbor
for his good
to his edification.
That's what
verse 2 says,
right?
Let each of us
please his neighbor
for his good
to his edification.
Very straightforward
there.
So many new
believers,
a lot of new
believers,
have very,
very sensitive
consciences,
very sensitive
consciences.
And this is by
God's grace,
right?
They're new to it
all, right?
So they're uncertain
of how to act
and how to think,
of how to carry
themselves.
And the last
thing that you
want to do,
the very last
thing you want
to do,
okay,
as an older
believer,
as a more
mature believer,
the most ruinous
thing that you
could possibly
do to a new
convert is to
teach them
to ignore
their conscience.
okay,
it's a defense
mechanism that
God has given
to each and
every person
in here,
okay,
for the sake
of helping
you to be
protected from
things that
would for you
be ruinous,
okay?
And here's the
beautiful thing
about the
conscience.
The conscience
is what gives
each and every
Christian in here
variety.
The conscience
is really unique
because what it
does is it
basically adds
variety to
Christianity.
So for instance,
what may be
permissible for me,
what may be
right for me,
may not be for
you.
What may be
right for you,
may not be for
me.
Right?
There's certain
things that may
be just fine in
the kingdom of
God for you,
but not so for
me.
And so what
Satan loves to
do is he
loves to say,
this is the
one way that
you must go.
And there's no
sense of variety
in that,
no sense of
being led by
the Holy Spirit
in that,
it's just a
sense of
following,
it's going
back to that
old way of
just basically
following the
leader and
getting caught
up in a lot
of righteous
doing and not
a lot of
righteous living.
Okay?
So we need to
stop judging
each other
based on this
idea of the
conscience.
It's a very
freeing thing to
be able to
listen to the
Holy Spirit as
a new Christian
or even as a
mature Christian
and say,
the Lord would
have me not
do this today.
You know?
I feel like I
need to really,
I need to,
for me,
like this past,
this morning,
I'll be honest,
like,
I was like,
I need to wake
up early.
I need to pray,
I need to be with
the Lord,
I need to read
the word,
I need to prepare
this, you know,
sermon further.
Right?
Now,
it's a
conscience thing.
It wasn't like
I have,
the Bible doesn't
say,
wake up early
when you preach
sermons,
but for me,
it was,
I needed to
listen to my
conscience,
right?
Other people,
it's,
you know,
different things.
So the worst
thing we can
possibly do early
on is teach a
young believer
to not hear the
Lord,
to not listen to
Christ,
to not listen to
God.
That is so
ruining,
so ruining.
Okay?
Let me just
kind of paint a
little illustration
of how Satan
works.
He loves to
disharmonize the
church,
and by doing
that,
what I mean is
he likes to
weaken the
conscience of
the church as
a whole.
His best work
isn't really done
in forcing us
to make a
sharp left
or right turn,
but gradually
veering us off
our course
until we just
crash ourselves.
He isn't doing
this.
He's not putting
things in your
way so that
you're going this
way,
then of course
you have to
turn that way.
It's more like
he just kind of
gets you off a
little bit,
and eventually
you find yourself
in a place that
you never thought
was possible.
You find yourself
not reading the
word for a
month.
You find yourself
not praying at
all because
you're too busy.
You find yourself
never witnessing
again.
You know,
it's like,
how did I,
I mean,
you look back a
year and you're
like,
how did I get
here?
What happened?
How did I,
you know,
it's just,
and that's
that gradual
just ignoring
the conscience
and getting
veered off
course.
It's exactly
what the devil
does.
Okay?
He tries to be
very silent in
the way that he
tempts,
not overt.
so the question
just to kind of
put it back on
us,
right?
How many of
us are
backslidden?
How many of
us are ignoring
our conscience?
Know the right
thing to do
and don't do
it,
right?
I mean,
look at what
the very end
of chapter 14
says here,
22 and 23.
The faith which
you have,
have as your
own conviction
before,
have as,
I love this,
have as your
own conviction
before God.
Happy is he
who does not
condemn himself
in what he
approves,
but he who
doubts is
condemned if
he eats because
his eating is
not from faith.
Whatever is not
from faith is
sin.
It's not about
just doing
something,
it's about
actually believing
and listening to
Christ and doing
what he calls
us to do.
That's the idea.
One other verse
I wanted to
quickly read you
guys,
and I promise
you we're
almost finished
here.
Well,
just take the
note down.
for 1 Corinthians
9,
19-22.
It's the one
that says,
you know,
he says basically
for the sake of
Jews I became
like a Jew,
for the sake of
those that are
under the law
I became like
those that are
under the law.
He just kind of
goes back and
forth and says
that I do
whatever it
takes to
basically submit
myself to
the consciences
and the
weaknesses of
my brothers in
Christ and
sisters in
Christ for the
sake of winning
them.
He has this
end goal in
mind which is
to win them
over to
Christ,
to convince
them,
to persuade
them by
his behavior,
by his life,
by his words,
that Christ is
beautiful and
worth their
time.
And he's
willing to
sacrifice anything.
And he even
says at one
point that if
meat causes a
brother of mine
to sin,
I'm never
going to eat
meat again.
Like, I mean,
I don't care what
it takes.
Like, I'm just
going to be
about the work
of my Lord.
God, I'm just
going to be
prepared.
Then thirdly,
this is the
last thing I'll
say briefly.
We bear one
another's weaknesses
and burdens by
considering Christ.
This is the
greatest way, by
considering Christ.
This is kind of
our motivation.
This is what
fuels us.
Listen to this
again by Matthew
Henry.
He says,
Even Christ
didn't please
himself.
He did not
consult his own
worldly credit,
ease, safety,
nor pleasure.
He had nowhere
to lay his head.
He lived upon
alms, would not
be made a king,
detested no
proposal with
greater abhorrence
than that of
master, spare
thyself, did not
seek his own
will, washed his
disciples' feet,
endured the
contradiction of
sinners against
himself, troubled
himself, did not
consult his own
honor, and in a
word, emptied
himself, and made
himself of no
reputation.
And all this for
our sakes, to
bring in a
righteousness for
us, and to set
us an example.
His whole life was
a self-denying,
self-displeasing
life.
He bore the
infirmities of
the weak.
That's the example
of Christ, right?
To us.
He did this
repetitively, laying
down his life one
day after the next
for the sake of
people.
Paul says, I die
daily, getting
the same point
home.
That's what I do.
So of all the
people that could
have chosen to
please themselves,
it was obviously
Christ, right?
He had, of course,
before even eternity
passed, he had
fellowship that was
full, and that was
completely happy in the
Father, and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.
He needed nothing.
He lacked nothing.
But he set all that
aside, and he humbled
himself, and he bore
every possible burden,
and every possible
infirmity, and every
possible weakness of
sinful man upon
himself.
And he bore all of
our sin, and our
shame, and our
weakness, that we
might live to God.
Right?
That we might live
to God.
What does that
mean, though?
What does living to
God actually mean?
It's doing as Christ
did for you to
others.
Living to God is
exactly the same
thing as Christ,
it's exactly the
same, it looks
exactly the same
way that Christ
lived.
It's doing exactly
what Christ did for
you to others.
That's what he's
called us to.
This is the action
of the gospel.
This is what we
do.
This is the narrow
and the hard way,
it's the path that's
less taken, but we
must take it.
If we don't, then
we're going to die in
our sins, and our
selfish life that we
so loved here will
tear us apart for all
eternity in hell.
There's nothing more
empty than a life of
selfishness, and
there's nothing more
full than a life of
selflessness.
Christ came that we
might have life and
have it abundantly, it
comes at a price, which
is your selfishness and
nothing less.
That's what he asks of
you, it's for your
selfishness.
That's what it is.
As a church body, we're
going to thrive and we're
going to flourish together
in unity only when we
learn to be selfless
toward one another,
seeking to outdo one
another and showing
honor, right?
Truly and willingly
bearing one another's
burdens, be it
monetary, be it
emotional, spiritual,
physical, or mental.
So, let's just follow
all in the words of
Christ.
In Galatians 6.2, this
is through Paul, he
says, bear one another's
burdens and thus
fulfill the law of
Christ.
It's that simple.
So, I'm just going to
pray for us and we'll
be done.
Took up more time than
I was hoping, but I
told you it's only three
verses, so there's no way
I could have covered six.
Let's just pray.