Apologies for the audio quality, sermon notes are posted below for you to read.

January 30, 2022

Romans 15:1-7

This passage is a continuation of Paul’s passionate appeal to the church in chapter 14 to warmly welcome each other into their lives. In that chapter, Paul told the strong in understanding and faith to be friendly toward someone who was weaker, but not because they want to correct their opinions they disagree with, but actually are matters of conscience and not indisputable biblical truth. Rather, if you are one whose understanding of God’s grace is strong, you are to seek to build up those who are weaker in understanding and faith, being careful to not judge them or tempt them to violate their consciences. Verse 19 says it like this: “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” There were no chapter divisions until they were added by Stephen Langton in the year 1205, so we don’t have to think they were inspired; in fact, sometimes they are not helpful. In chapter 14 Paul has given instructions on how the strong in faith and the weak in faith are to treat each other and gives some reasons for approaching each other with those attitudes. In the first verse of this chapter Paul identifies himself with the strong and says the strong have an important obligation to help the weaker.

He gives us the underlying, four foundational truths which undergird this kind of relational behavior where we welcome each other warmly into each other’s lives. The first truth is that because Jesus did not please himself, we as his followers are not to seek to please ourselves. Jesus said it clearly, as in John 6:38: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” Paul quotes from Psalm 69 saying that the Messiah would take on himself the shame, disgrace, and disapproval directed at the Father. He did it because the love for his Father motivated him to absorb the abuse those he came to save would heap upon his Father: he took the abuse on himself to keep the dishonor from falling on the Father. He experienced sinners’ hatred of God because of his passion to uphold the glory of his Father. And not only that, but his zeal to please his Father included his sin-bearing, substitutionary suffering on the cross to bring eternal pleasure to his chosen people, his Bride. The Apostle John understood that we were to follow Jesus in this kind of extreme, radical denial of self-pleasing living: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”                                                                                              Because Jesus did not live to satisfy himself, neither should we. That’s the first truth.

The second truth is a statement of the absolute importance of the Word of God in our lives. What Paul has just written from Psalm 69 is a powerful reminder that all of scripture is God-breathed; all of it, Old and New Testaments, is written for our benefit. It is intended to instruct us so that “we might have hope” (vs 4). This hope is anticipation, the expectation of enjoying the presence of God forever. That kind of hope is the fruit of “endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures” (vs 4). Endurance, persevering faith in the midst of the ups and downs of life, comes from “the God of endurance.” He gives the endurance; that’s why Paul prays for it for the Romans. Certainly we should pray that for others and for ourselves. He is also the God of encouragement, inspiring with courage and confidence. How does he do that? Through the Scriptures. I asked some Hope Academy this past week if they believed the Bible to be true; they all said yes. I then asked them how many of them had read the whole Bible; none had. I pointed out that in claiming to believe the Bible, it’s helpful to have read it so you have some idea of what you believe. There are some people who don’t seem to have interest in studying the Bible; maybe if they read more of it, they would have questions that would motivate them to study it.                                                                                                                                                                We need the Word of God in us to have life-long hope and certainty. That’s the second truth.

The third truth is that this kind of harmonious unity within the body of Christ can come only from God himself. Living to please ourselves, even while pretending to be selfless, comes naturally to us. To live like Jesus did, not seeking to please himself, but to please the Father, requires God’s supernatural grace working in us. That’s why Paul prays that God would grant this “in accord with Christ Jesus” (vs5). We are to move toward this as we consider, contemplate, mull-over, pray for deeper response to Jesus and his saving work on our behalf. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “Beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”                                                                                                                                                      Look to Jesus. He will help you with the grace you need. That’s the third truth.

These three truths can be summed up in Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi. “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. Have this mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus.”

The fourth truth is that the beauty of harmonious unity in the Body of Christ is all for the glory of God. Yes, there is satisfying blessing and relational joy for us, but all the glory is God’s; he gets all the credit and honor for the transforming of our lives and loves. All things are “from him and through him and to him” (Rom 11:36). Our worship, our children’s bible classes, the nursery, women’s bible studies, home groups, prayer meetings, men’s and women’s breakfasts, Hope Academy, Hope Again, Leap of Praise, the missions we support – all of them exist to put the glory of God on display, to show his greatness, his holiness and grace. That is why we want to welcome each other warmly into our lives; that’s why we want relationships that are aimed at unity, even when there is disagreement about some things. That’s why “pleasing our neighbor for his good, to build him up,” may mean an uncomfortable conversation when something seems amiss. That’s why we may defer to the preferences of someone else and not insist on our way. That’s why we bear one another’s burden, sharing their grief or their joy. That’s why we may overlook an offense, forgive, and believe the best. That’s why we pray for each other. To God be the glory! That’s the fourth truth.

I close with a quote from a sermon John Piper gave to his church. “We will not have succeeded if we are known as a friendly place. We will be on our way to true success if we are known as a people besotted with the glory of God. If our children speak of the glory of God. If our young people love the glory of God more than the glory of sport or music or fashion. If our career people pursue the glory of God more than the glory of financial success. If our older people rejoice in the hope of the glory of God just over the horizon.”

Yes, let us seek to welcome each other into our lives, worship and work together in an increasingly harmonious unity…and all for the glory, honor, and exaltation of God!