Under Obligation Romans 15:1-13

Consider this story told by Bernard L. Brown, Jr., president of the Kennestone Regional Health Care System in the state of Georgia.

Brown once worked in a hospital where a patient knocked over a cup of water, which spilled on the floor beside the patient's bed. The patient was afraid he might slip on the water if he got out of the bed, so he asked a nurse's aide to mop it up. The patient didn't know it, but the hospital policy said that small spills were the responsibility of the nurse's aides while large spills were to be mopped up by the hospital's housekeeping group.

The nurse's aide decided the spill was a large one and she called the housekeeping department. A housekeeper arrived and declared the spill a small one. An argument followed.

"It's not my responsibility," said the nurse's aide, "because it's a large puddle." The housekeeper did not agree. "Well, it's not mine," she said, "the puddle is too small."

The exasperated patient listened for a time, then took a pitcher of water from his night table and poured the whole thing on the floor. "Is that a big enough puddle now for you two to decide?" he asked. It was, and that was the end of the argument.

-The Strong in the Faith have an obligation to seek the growth and good of the weak in the faith vv. 1-13

I. The Attitude of Obligation vv. 1-2

In our passage, Paul continues his discussion of the strong and the weak in the faith

Those he calls strong are most confident in the Gospel; they are experienced in grace and demonstrate maturity

Those who are weak in the faith are marked by an insistence on adherence to ritual and regulation, rather than a trust in the sufficiency of grace

How should the strong treat the weak?

They are under an obligation to bear with the weak, those with less demonstrated maturity in the faith and more dependence on forms than experience of freedom

The strong must seek the good of the weak, seeking to build them up in the faith

This is true of those who are spiritually weak in the faith. They need our influence

This is true of those who are physically weak, in body. They need our aid.

This is true of those who are mentally weak, and marked by irritability and foolishness. They need our patience.

Most importantly, the strong in the faith must consistently give way to the failings of the weak

This is not because the weak are right or good, but because it is necessary for their upbuilding

In the life of the church, we need to recognize that this call to bear with the failings of the weak is important, but it is also a marker of immaturity. Don’t celebrate this weakness as though it represents a higher form of righteousness! Immaturity and authority cannot go hand in hand!

II. The Example of Obligation vv. 3-4

Mature believers have a great example to look to in this, the example of Jesus:

He did not pursue His own good or His own rights

Instead, He endured reproach!

He was confronted with the wickedness and foolishness of sinners and endured it

He was persecuted for His faithfulness, but it ultimately brought redemption

He faced it all with incredible patience and we who are His are called to share in His example

Make no mistake, this is a difficult way to live, but it is worthwhile!

When we look to the Scriptures and to the example of Christ, we gain four things:

Instruction- how to live with perseverance

Endurance- power to persevere

Encouragement- reason to persevere

Hope- certainty that perseverance will be worthwhile

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Symbols of Hope

A widely-circulated query from a British missionary society to one of its congregations in Uganda during dreadful days asked, “What can we send you people? You are being persecuted. Your archbishop has been martyred. What can we send you?”

The reply: “Not food, not medicine, but two-hundred-fifty clerical collars.” The communique continued: “You must understand, when our people are being rounded up to be shot, they must be able to see their priests.”

III. The Purpose of Obligation vv. 5-7

Paul moves forward with a benediction, words of blessing

God is the God of endurance and encouragement; He fuels our perseverance in obligation to weaker brothers

This perseverance allows us to live in harmony with each other, all in tune with Christ

This unity in Christ has an important purpose

It fuels worship; we worship best when we worship God as one people united in Christ

This is the distinction between dissonance and harmony

Our harmony in Christ is either a reflection of His glory or it is a distraction from it!

IV. The Hope of Obligation vv. 8-13

Christ lived with an obligation; He bore with the failings of weak people

Yet, we see in His example that it produces three important fruits:

God’s promises to the patriarchs in His covenant are fulfilled in Christ; where they failed, He succeeded

God’s mercy to the Gentiles is demonstrated in the sacrifice of Christ; all peoples are united in one family through His sacrifice

As servants of God, we are able to share in the joy, peace, power, and hope of God, because of what Christ has done for us:

We have a joy that cannot be taken away

We have a peace that cannot be shaken

We have a power that is supernatural

We have a hope that cannot be swayed

It is all because Christ gave Himself for us and we live now in Him!

If our life and hope is in Christ, we can live according to His example; we will find that the life of obligation was worth it!

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Worth More than a Navy

Decades ago a British naval officer, Admiral Hunter, was court martialed for allegedly “endangering one of his vessels.” At the trial, evidence was presented that the particular ship had been seriously damaged. The admiral’s defense was: “Gentlemen, all the evidence you have heard is true, but you have not heard the reason why the vessel was injured. I ordered the vessel to be put about. Why? There was a man overboard, and I had hoped to save him; and, gentlemen, I deem that the life of an individual sailor in Her Majesty’s navy is worth all the vessels that float upon the seas.”