Romans 15:1-6

Introduction

Reach People; Glorify God

Romans 15:1-6

Romans Series

15 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me., 4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.

Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ro 15:1–6.

15 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Ro 15.

We have a mandate from God to reach people and to glorify God in all things.

We have an obligation. (The Responsibility)

In the Greek in this verse 1, there seems to be “ought or obligation” in “Ὀφείλομεν”. Not a, “we should do this”, but more of a sense of “this is our responsibility and not a choice”. God is not asking us, he is telling us that is our responsibility. More literally, we can translate this as, “We who are strong (dunatos where we get the word dynamite) are (or have an obligation to) to carry the weakness of the weak. This obligation doesn’t lead to salvation or the means of our salvation, but rather this obligation is produced because of salvation that comes from the Lord. Therefore our obligation is not for self, but for God though it affects us and those around us. When we say yes to God, it affects the world around us. When one of us is called and obeys the Lord, it can affect one’s job, one’s home, one’s family, and one’s livelihood.

He concludes this sentence idea with the last phrase, “and are not to please ourselves”. This is consistent with the Christian ethic of selflessness, grace, and humility. The principle in context is that Paul is reminding the Church at Rome that when they are focused on their strength, their desires, their wants, and their opinions, it will always lead to missing out on what God wants.

Sometimes, we too, can miss out on the goodness of the decree of God because of the shortness of the depravity of man. Paul was reminding the Romans that they will fall short when they focus on themselves rather than reaching the lost, making disciples, and glorifying God. For example, did you know that we can build a crowd, build buildings, develop large budgets, have a great presence online and in the community? If we do that apart from God’s plan, it makes us no different than any secular organization. We can want what we want and totally miss out on what God wants.

Yet on the personal level, each of us is to consider how we might collectively carry one another when we do not have the strength to stand, the ability to go on, and when we are discouraged, we can encourage one another in our darkest hours.

This is contrary to the world’s teaching. The world says to focus on self, cut out those who aren’t strong. It says to only surround yourself with people that you want to be like. This is counter to the mission of Christ. We would all have numerous testimonies of how a saint in the Lord loved us enough to help carry us even when we could not go on. It was not they, but Christ in them.

As we apply this text to our context, here at Central, we too have an obligation. Our obligation is to bear (carry, go with, endure) the weakness of brothers and sisters in Christ. This is one thing that you cannot when you do not gather together. Someone can watch online, but it is another to have brothers and sisters praying for you, caring for you, and seeing you face to face. For those that are empty nesters, and your children are away, you understand this more than most. The difference between seeing an image of your loved one and holding their hand, feeling their embrace, seeing them face to face, and spending time together has no substitute. This is because you and I are meant to belong together as brothers and sisters in Christ.

We have a neighbor. (The Reach)

Verse 2 states that we have a neighbor. In that command, we are individually to please our neighbor for their good and to build them up. The dual function of outreach is not that we are seeking to just convert, but we are called to make disciples. In our reaching, there is a mandate that we seek to please and live at peace, but that we are also focused on their eternal good and building them up to that cause.

When we reach our neighbors, we are modeling the action of Christ. When we pursue the Great Commision we resemble the missio dei. The mission of God. As the Lord drew and saved us, we in return became a vessel for Him to use to reach and draw others.

In context, Paul is not asking us to just seek to please those in the world. This could be connected within the Church, but primarily a neighbor is someone that is outside of your household. Yet, the implication is the same. We are to seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus no matter the circumstance.

If Christ is in your house your neighbors will soon know it.

Dwight Lyman Moody (Evangelist)

We have encouragement. (The Refresh)

Oracle not in the sense of divination, but in the communication from God to us.

We have one purpose. (The Reason)