Expositional teaching Romans 15:1-7

Romans 15:1–7 KJV 1900

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Who are the strong and what make us strong?

We often communicate our self in this way.

Because our sin life is separate from one another. For example, I am not judged on (insert members name) sin.

We think that entirely dissociates us from each other.

Now the translation here uses the word infirmities. I our language that word is said to mean someone who is mentally or physically weak. However, it was not alone a mental or physical illness that the Holy scripture is using here.

The original Greek word used by our brother Paul was

ἀσθένημα (as-then'-ay-mah)

That word translates to be “our flaws or our weak points”

Who among us could say that they have no weak points?

you see Paul was encouraging God’s people by simply stating an expectation.

They were to bear the weakness, the failure of one another.

You see all of us who are members of this church. We took on each others weakness and failure.

Now do not hear me wrong, on an individual basis we will not be judged by the sins of someone else.

However, what is possible is our church not receiving God’s blessings because we have unconfessed failures and weak points.

You see we do not want someone to think that we are tied to something negative.

So instead of standing up we let it slide.

This can happen on a very intimate level.

An example of such, let us say that one came for membership in this church. Perhaps we knew that they were currently living in sin, yet we said nothing because we do not want to be the trouble maker.

In turn that individual becomes a member of this church and they are living in sin while a strong active member of our church.

Here is the problem, God does not bless un-confessed sin.

When there is un-confessed sin within the church, how can God use it?

Now this isn’t just our church it is any church.

So how do we as the strong as Paul says, stand with the weak.

You see as the strong in Christ it is our job to build the week up.

One word we could tie to that which we need to do more of is discipleship

Now do not hear me wrong, we are not people pleasers.

However, we are to stand with those who are week and help them to be made strong.

Do you feel as though you were always as strong in your faith as you are in this moment?

Zechariah 13:9 KJV 1900

And I will bring the third part through the fire, And will refine them as silver is refined, And will try them as gold is tried: They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: And they shall say, The Lord is my God.

You see we ourselves must be refined.

What causes someone to be refined?

How did you find other believers helped God to refine you?

You see as seasoned believers it is our responsibility to step beside our less spiritually mature brothers and sisters and disciple them

To disciple them simply is that we are not judgmental, yet we are firm. We speak in love and kindness by helping to lead them to the ways of God

What do you think of when I say the word discipleship?

This brings us to this. nothing that Jesus ever did was for selfish ambition.

In verses 4-5 Paul calls us to live by the example of Jesus Christ.

Another example of what Paul was talking about was when those in the fellowship of believers live in harmony together.

The unfortunate reality is that often times we are not living in harmony.

What does harmony mean? Does it mean we have to always agree?

We do not have to always agree to live in harmony.

However, there are some firm standards we need to follow

We have to be able to be wrong.

We have to act in love.

we have to display wisdom.

we have to not be a gossip or angry when we do not get our way.

If we break any of these things when we are in disagreement, we can quickly be guilty of separating the harmony of God’s people.