Pursuing Harmony in a Culture of Grace
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What makes us different?
What makes us different?
If people hung out with you this week, at home, at work, at church, at the store, at your kids baseball/basketball games…how would your life be different because of your faith in Jesus?
We have a rocking band.
The thrust of this whole section is we should be different because of Jesus.
We we are not pretentious.
“By the mercies of Christ present yourselves as a sacrifice.”
“Don’t be conformed, but be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWAL of your mind.”
We have great programs (children, youth…)
HOW ARE WE DIFFERENT?!?! because of Jesus...
There are lots of good people hear.
Paul gets practical in this passage.
Paul gets practical in this passage.
Some may say the teaching is good...
Those aren’t bad things, but our desire should not be to be a better church than all the rest.
Our desire, our aim, ought to be the kind of people that
The issues faced in this circumstance were said to be “opinions”.
the “weak” here are the ones who feel strongly that they should follow the dietary restrictions and traditional Jewish days of observations as a part of their Christian faith
The “strong” are feel freedom from those dietary restrictions and days of importance.
Paul doesn’t intend to communicate the “weak” are the wrong ones necessarily, but it seems to be clear that he is in the “strong” camp.
The issue is not that their is a disagreement amongst the church, but the way this particular disagreement has affected the community within the church.
FIGHT for what MATTERS. (14:1-12)
FIGHT for what MATTERS. (14:1-12)
We are so prone to fight over things that ultimately have no eternal significance.
There is a reality to community: we will not always agree.
the “weak” here are the ones who feel strongly that they should follow the dietary restrictions and traditional Jewish days of observations as a part of their Christian faith
Conflict and disagreement are inevitable, but much of what we WASTE our time arguing and fussing about matters very little in the scope of the Kingdom of God.
Actually, most of our fighting is rooted in selfishness.
1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
james 4 1-2
Paul makes this clear later in the passage:
20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.
The “strong” are feel freedom from those dietary restrictions and days of importance.
roman
Paul doesn’t intend to communicate the “weak” are the wrong ones necessarily, but it seems to be clear that he is in the “strong” camp.
The issue is not that their is a disagreement amongst the church, but the way this particular disagreement has affected the community within the church.
The issue in this passage is not an easy issue in the since that people were passionate about their own convictions.
3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.
Those that felt the conviction to follow dietary laws and observe important Jewish dates were convinced of the holiness of their belief.
rom 14
But those that felt freedom in regards to those things felt equally convinced in their convictions.
Paul even says:
6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
rom 14
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
This issue is that this debate, this disagreement should not be so divisive.
What Paul is not saying is that nothing in church life should be divisive.
There are absolutely hills for us to die on in the context of church relationships, but we must seek discernment in regards to what demands our attention.
Dr. Albert Mohler labeled this as Theological Triage.
Triage meaning referring to urgency as is used in the medical field to decide what condition is most urgent to be seen.
A Helpful way of looking at Theological Triage is in 3 categories:
Level 1: Absolutes
Level 1: Absolutes
These are close-handed issues.
Things we cannot waiver on or concede.
Central Gospel issues like
The exclusivity of Christ
The doctrine of the Trinity
The need of salvation for all mankind
The death, burial, and bodily resurrection of Jesus
The truthfulness of the bible
And many more
These are things that are worthy of a fight and must be protected in the context of the church for the purpose of being faithful Christians.
Level 2: Convictions
Level 2: Convictions
These are issues that are not central to being Christian, but do lead to deep division.
Examples would include:
The purpose and method of baptism
The validity and purpose of certain spiritual gifts.
Certain understandings of biblical governance or authority.
You might be a Christian brother, but we can’t be in the same church family.
Level 3: Opinions
Level 3: Opinions
These are issues that we may disagree on, but there is no reason for us to divide over them.
This is the category Paul was placing the issue in the Roman church into.
These are methods, theological understandings, and ethical convictions that faithful, God-honoring believers can disagree on, but not divide over.
Much of our disagreements fit into this category.
Questions
Questions
Paul is saying to the Romans “Stop fighting over something that ultimately doesn’t matter.”
In a world that is divided by so many things, when we allow ourselves to be divided by lesser issues we are harming our ability to impact the culture around us through out unity.
It isn’t easy to disagree when we are passionate about an issue, but we must learn to fight for the things that matter for the sake of the Gospel and out of love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Stop FIGHTING for YOURSELF. (14:13-23)
Stop FIGHTING for YOURSELF. (14:13-23)
Jesus says we should take up our cross DAILY and follow him.
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
luke
Paul says the same thing in
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
We live in a culture of conditional relationships (if you are nice to me, I’ll be nice to you).
Our generosity is dependent on certain criteria. (how well do they keep my drink filled…they got themselves in this mess, why should I have to bail them out…they have never been all that generous to me…)
It happens in our marriages doesn’t it.
You ever get caught sulking because your spouse didn’t do something you think they should have?
Or they said something you didn’t like. So you just get quiet and make them suffer.
Maybe you without intimacy because they aren’t being thoughtful or kind to you.
And because there is no intimacy, you are being cold and detached from her.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Let’s EMBODY the Gospel in how we LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Let’s EMBODY the Gospel in how we LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Steve Timmis “The Church is that which embodies the Gospel and then COMMENDS (preaches) the Gospel. Our Gospel WORD is [should be] an explanation of the phenomenon which is our Gospel Community.”
1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
rom 15 1
We are OBLIGATED, as Christians, to seek what is best for others.
Do you hear how absolutely counter-cultural and counter-intuitive this is.
2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
“The things you feel like your free to do, don’t do it for the sake of your brother.”
When you are strong in our world, you exploit the weak for your own gain.
But Paul is saying “deny yourself for the good of your neighbor.”
Give up something that you rightfully deserve so that your neighbor is supported.
That is radical in our world.
This principle is earth-shaking when you broaden it to other areas of our Church community:
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
Forgive those who hurt you, even if they don’t deserve it.
Give to those who take advantage of you.
Serve those who do not say thank you.
Careful those who will never repay you.
Then Paul grounds his imperative (what you should do) in an indicative (who you should be).
3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
Be like Jesus!!
How we treat one another determines how impactful we will be in the culture we are called to reach.
Steve Timmis “The Church is that which embodies the Gospel and then COMMENDS (preaches) the Gospel. Our Gospel WORD is [should be] an explanation of the phenomenon which is our Gospel Community.”
Timmis is saying that the Gospel we preach should be so impactful in our own lives that it shapes the community that we live in.
If you believe the forgiveness of God in Christ is a gift you have been given, not because you are worthy or because you earned it, but only because God loves you, then how could you not forgive your brothers and sisters?
If you believe God gives you all that is necessary for life, not because He owes it to you or because you have done something to attain it, but He gives out of His abundant grace and kindness. Then how come it is so difficult for you to be generous with all you have?
What about
We wealthy westerners love the tithe because it means we get to keep the 90%.
What about grace? Why would anyone confess their sin, admit their brokenness in a culture of judgement and hiding? We are so hesitant as people to confess our sins to one another because we are afraid of what might come.
We have built a culture of “good people” rather than a culture of radical grace.
God wants us to be RADICALLY DIFFERENT because of the RADICAL GRACE of JESUS.
This is not easy because it means we are going against the grain of culture and against the grain of our natural inclinations.
But it is necessary.
What would it look like?
What would it look like?
What would it look like if we loved, forgave, served, gave, and cared for one another without regard for our selves?
How beautiful would that kind of church be?
Maybe it is a dream and maybe I am wearing rose-colored glasses, but it is not something we should seek to be, pray that God would do amongst us?
Is it not worthy of our aspirations?
5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
rom 15
The heart of the problem is not other people, it is us. You and me.
If we have received amazing grace then we must live and breath it.
If we have received radical forgiveness then we must practice it.
If we have received unconditional generosity then we must give it.
What kind of people would that be?