You Are Not Alone

Introduction

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What colour?

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Living in Unity

The Psalmist David writes:

Psalm 133:1

Psalm 133:1 NIV

1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Living together is the characteristic of our Triune God. Living together is good before the eyes of God. Living in unity is the mandate of the church.

Today, Paul is teaching us one of the elements of how we should live together. No one should be left out because of criticism and being judged because all of us belong to God. So today, the title of my sermon is “You are not alone.”

When Jesus prayed, he was not only praying for the unity of His disciples alone but also for us:

John 17:20-21

John 17:20–21 NIV

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

But within this unity, as we may also call the Body of Christ, lies differences. Paul paints us a picture of a body:

1 Corinthians 12:17-18

1 Corinthians 12:17–18 NIV

17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

From these two extremes, the Bible tells us to exist together under one roof. But in the world today, it is the complete opposite. We live in an ever-more divided society and our human nature has a tendency to judge one another if the other doesn’t conform with our customs or standards. The perspective of the world has a huge effect to the unity of the church even to the point of damaging it!

This was exactly what was happening in the church at Rome. By the love of Christ, it brought together two groups of people – Jews and Gentiles Christians. They were very different, and tension began to build up. You see, the Gentiles of the Roman church were having difficulty welcoming back the Jewish believers. Remember that Emperor Nero had sent them away from the city. Now, the church is figuring how to coexist together; a group that favours the grace of God (Gentiles) and another, favours the obligation of observing the Law which they though were pleasing to Christ (Jews).

Some only ate vegetables, and some are meat-eaters. Labels were being thrown around, some are called “weak”, and some would be called “strong.”

Imagine the vegetarian group is hosting a party and the meat-eating group brings sirloin steaks. In a perfect world, we’d have salad and meat but if both parties don’t see the benefits of each other, it will always going to be vegetables or meat.

The easy way out for a church in this problem would be to form two churches, “The church of the Carnivores” and “The church of the Vegetarians.” Sorry to burst your bubbles, but that is not what Paul teaches in this passage.

Learn to ACCEPT

The first word that Paul uses is “Accept.” What does accept one another mean? Is it like in a form of “accepting” payments from someone, literally meaning receiving something?

Well, the original Greek word for accept is,

“Proslambanō” in the sense of acquiescing in their existence, even in their right to belong; more even than to ‘receive or accept in one’s society, into one’s home or circle of acquaintances’[1]

What does that mean? It means you want to fellowship with that person. It means you want to have genuine love for that person.

So, Paul tells us to have fellowship and love the other “…whose faith is weak.”

Is this determined by the number of years that you have received Jesus as your personal Savior? Does it mean that a brother or sister is physically weak? No and No. But instead, Paul is talking about their conviction. What does that mean? It means what each person think is right or wrong before God.

Here are some examples. You don’t need to put your hands up, but I think these are some of the things that will help us understand what conviction means.

Should a Christian watch TV? Netflix, YouTube videos?

Should a Christian wear heavy make up?

Should a Christian drink alcohol?

What about smoking? Is it an absolute no, or would you argue that even Charles Spurgeon smoked, so I can?

How about being a trendy Christian?

What are your thoughts about tattoos?

How a pastor dress at the pulpit?

What about sarcasm?

So, this is conviction.

Conviction is holding on firmly of an opinion.

We must then learn how we deal issues where either party does not agree on matters that are debatable. When some see’s it one way, and the other will say “no way.” Just like the vegetarian and the meat-eating church. The list that I mentioned are just some “disputable matters.” But why is Paul teaching us to live a life of fellowship and in love with each other? Because it is very easy to spark arguments and fights between the two parties. Here in the NIV, we use the word “quarreling.” The NASB translation uses “judgement” which I think works better.

When someone doesn’t agree with what you think over these disputable matters or opinions, we will begin to label them and to judge them. “You must be weak; you only eat vegetables!” or “You disgust me in eating meat!” You see, before we pass judgement onto one another which then eventually leads to quarreling,

We are different. We are diverse. We have to understand that not each of us have the same upbringing and family backgrounds. We have different histories in our journey with Jesus Christ and we are all brought up differently with different backgrounds.

But if you think about this, isn’t that the beauty of the body of Christ? That we are all different? So that is why Paul is speaking to us to welcome fellow believers even if they have a different opinion. Eugene Peterson says,

“Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.”[2] - Eugene Peterson

And do you know what is the opposite of what Paul’s teach will become? Criticism.

What criticism will lead into is isolation and failing to live in unity in the body of Christ.

In Christ, you are not alone. In Christ, you belong to a greater unit than just yourself. In Christ, your presence and ideas are just as important as others. In Christ, your conviction is just as valuable than other brothers or sisters.

Here’s a story,

The story is told of an old man whose grandson rode a donkey while they were traveling from one city to another. The man heard some people say, “Would you look at that old man suffering on his feet while that strong young boy is totally capable of walking.”

So then the old man rode the donkey while the boy walked. And he heard some people say, “Would you look at that, a healthy man making the poor young boy suffer. Can you believe it?”

So the man and the boy both rode the donkey, and they heard some people say, “Would you look at those heavy brutes making that poor donkey suffer.” So they both got off and walked, until they heard some people say, “Would you look at the waste—a perfectly good donkey not being used.”

… No matter what you do, someone will always criticize it.[3]

Criticism is dangerous. Criticism can become a habit and you’ll not even know that you are doing it. There’s an old Chinese proverb, “If everyone sweeps in front of his own house, then the whole street will be clean.” (各人自扫门前雪，莫管他家瓦上霜) But if we unite, we can make an impact.

Although we all have ideas about how other people should behave, or what they should say. The Bible clearly teaches that every individual will have to account for him or herself and no one else, before Christ.

Jesus - His Lordship Over Us

Romans 14:7-9

Romans 14:7–9 NIV

7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

What is important here is to know that you are not alone, all that you do, if you do it for the glory of God, “…God has [already] accepted them.”

If you choose to eat vegetables, eat it for the glory of God and thank God for celeries. If you choose to eat meat, thank God for T-Bone steaks. We don’t need to strike opinions on these disputable matters, it is God who we answer to.

Romans 14:7-8

Romans 14:7–8 NIV

7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Everything in between, whether is living or dying, we are living for God and not each other.

But here’s a word of warning. It doesn’t mean you can go do everything and anything for the purpose of saying, “For the glory of God!” That’s silly and dangerous. As long as you are alive and well, Christ must have Lordship over all that you think, feel, and do.

Romans 14:9

Romans 14:9 NIV

9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

There are many areas of the bible that are indisputable, and it is not for us to debate over. For example, from the New Testament, the existence of Jesus, his death, his burial, the empty tomb, the resurrection and ascension of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. “By this gospel, you are saved.” (1 Cor. 15:2)

1 Corinthians 15:14-19

1 Corinthians 15:14–19 (NIV)

14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

These are the indisputable facts of our faith.

Conclusion

Don’t divide on these issues.

References:

[1]Stott, J. R. W. (2001). The message of Romans: God’s good news for the world (p. 359). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. [2]Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Ro 14:1). Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.

[3]Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (2004). Practical Illustrations: Romans (p. 24). Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.