Pursue Shalom
Notes
Transcript
A Brief Summary
A Brief Summary
We covered the first half of chapter 14 and discussed that although our traditions differ from other congregations, we should continue to show love to one another. Specifically we mentioned that the two specific areas that would cause a stumbling block between Jewish and Gentile believers is the food that is eaten and the days that are celebrated. And lastly, Paul reminded his audience that: Romans 14:12 “So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
It is important for us to review this, because the first word of vs13 is “Therefore...”
Therefore let us not judge one another from now on, but rather decide this—not to put a stumbling block or a trap in the way of a brother. I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Yeshua, that nothing is unholy in itself; but it is unholy for the one who considers it unholy. For if your brother is grieved on account of food, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy by your food the one for whom Messiah died. Therefore do not let what is good for you be spoken of as evil— for the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, but righteousness and shalom and joy in the Ruach ha-Kodesh. For the one who serves Messiah in this manner is pleasing to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for shalom and for the building up of one another. Stop tearing down the work of God for the sake of food. Indeed all things are clean, but wrong for the man who by eating causes stumbling. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything by which your brother stumbles. The faith you have, keep it to yourself before God. How fortunate is the one who does not condemn himself for what he approves. But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because it is not of faith. And whatever is not of faith is sin.
Judge Not
Judge Not
Paul has spent the entire chapter comparing and contrasting those who are weak in faith and those who are strong in faith. And the strength or weakness of faith is based upon what a person eats or doesn’t eat, and when a person worships or doesn’t worship. He now quotes from Yeshua and tells the believers in Rome to not judge one another.
The first message of Yeshua that Paul quotes is something that Yeshua said during the Sermon on the Mount in Matt. 7:1-5
“Stop judging, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the beam is in your own eye? Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
The measure that we use in judging others will be measured against us. Do we want people to test us in our areas of weakness? Then we need to be gracious to others, because that is how we want to be treated.
Stumbling Block
Stumbling Block
Next Paul stresses that we should not put stumbling blocks in front of others. Once again, Paul is quoting Yeshua. Yeshua taught his Talmidim in Luke 17:1-2
Then Yeshua said to His disciples, “Stumbling blocks are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom they come! It would be better for him to have a millstone put around his neck and to be hurled into the sea, than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble.
Paul is specifically addressing those who are strong in the faith and feel the freedom to eat meat and to celebrate on any day of the week. However, we must not allow freedom or any other reason to cause someone else to stumble. We all have a calling to walk in love and not to tempt people in areas where we are stronger and they are weaker.
I have a personal example of this. When we were just starting out as a congregation we were meeting on Friday evenings. We would come together and have a meal and open the Shabbat. As was our custom we would share a glass of wine together a part of the blessings and with the meal. We did this for a while, but one day someone came to me and shared that they had formerly struggled with alcohol, but now he was trying it again. I was heart broken. My freedom had caused someone else to struggle in an area of weakness. From that time on, to this day we have served grape juice. I do not ever want to cause someone else to struggle.
Pursue Shalom
Pursue Shalom
In every area of our lives, and in every relationship, we are called to pursue shalom. We should live our lives in such a way that we help build each other up. Paul has already said in Romans 12:18 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in shalom with all people.”
Once again Paul is reiterating what Yeshua taught in Matt. 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Not only are we called to live a peace, but we are called to help bring peace between people. I realize that this is not always possible. But in every way that we can, we should seek to bring peace, walk in peace, and lead people to the Prince of Peace, Yeshua the Messiah!
