A Thoughtful Life, Part 2.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] Amen. [0:01] Alright, go ahead and have a seat. [0:02] Welcome to Village Church. [0:03] If this is your first time here, my name is Steve. [0:05] I’m one of the pastors here at Village Church and as always I’m thankful to see each and [0:09] every one of you.

[0:10] If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Romans chapter 14. [0:13] We’re going to be starting in verse 10 this morning, but before we get into that, when [0:18] you came in this morning you may have been a little confused as to the table with the [0:24] plethora of goods all over them this morning and what that is, is kind of a preview of [0:28] what’s going on tonight at Village Palooza. [0:31] So first I want to invite you to come back tonight for our night of worship and auction

[0:36] for international missions, but some of it has started this morning with the silent [0:41] auction items that are in the foyer as well as in the back of this auditorium. [0:47] And what you need to do is we’re trying to raise money and one great key for that is [0:53] you spending it on the auction items. [0:56] So after the service you can go ahead and start looking at the items on all the tables [1:00] and if it’s a silent auction item it will have a piece of paper with it and the key

[1:05] to a silent auction is if you see an amount of money that’s written that is someone’s [1:10] bid on it and the next line you put your bid, but understand that your bid needs to be [1:14] higher than the previous one or you’ve already lost. [1:19] So I do want to forewarn you about that. [1:21] It does need to be a higher bid. [1:23] And what we’re doing is we twofold purpose.

[1:28] First we take a few trips internationally to engage with missionaries as well as help [1:34] them in their work every year and this aids us in raising some money for those trips [1:40] to be able to give scholarships to people who go on those trips. [1:44] But secondly it’s also used in conjunction with our partnership with the International [1:49] Mission Board. [1:50] So a great portion of what is raised is going to go just directly to the IMB and the cooperative

[1:57] program that we take part of with them, but also it’s going to go help us send people [2:02] out specifically to do missions work in Oaxaca, Mexico as well as in East Asia with our strategic [2:08] partnerships in those areas. [2:11] But I want to ask you guys to please be generous. [2:16] We do need you to be willing to give and purchase some of these items. [2:21] Now we’ve got some great items.

[2:23] I’m already looking forward to fighting people. [2:26] I don’t look at it as an auction. [2:28] I look at it as a battle of the wills. [2:30] And so I’m going to be battling some of you this evening. [2:33] It’s going to be a great time of that for some of these great items. [2:37] But before that you can go and look at some of the great items and baked goods.

[2:41] Those always are a lot of fun for people that love to eat, of which I am one, obviously. [2:46] And you can go ahead and purchase some of those or bid on the silent auction items. [2:51] But please do that for us and please come out tonight. [2:55] It’s going to be a great time of singing songs to Jesus, hearing testimonies of how God is [3:02] working through Village Church in different areas of the world, as well as how He’s working [3:06] in the lives of people who are going and have been.

[3:10] But it’s also going to be a great time for you to actually put your money where your [3:15] heart needs to be. [3:16] And that is to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. [3:21] So please come, please sacrifice some money. [3:24] And the good news is, is you’re going to get something for that money. [3:27] So it’s a twofold thing.

[3:28] Even if you’re selfish, you can come and have a good time tonight. [3:32] But you do need to come and you do need to spend money or we won’t be friends anymore. [3:37] Just kidding, sort of.

[3:41] In Romans 14, God is speaking through Paul. [3:45] And what has happened in Romans is we have gone from Paul expounding on objective facts [3:53] about what is the gospel of Jesus Christ. [3:56] And he spends many, many chapters, specifically 11 chapters, just expounding on the trustworthiness [4:03] of the gospel, our need for the gospel, just the specific works that Jesus does in the [4:08] gospel.

[4:09] And now he’s moved into a section that really specifically in Romans 14 is a look at the [4:16] situational ethics that are going to come in your life as you follow Jesus. [4:23] But overwhelmingly throughout the entire book of Romans, what I hope you have seen is that [4:29] your life matters to God. [4:31] You know, the cross of Jesus offers more than enough evidence to show that God does care [4:37] about you.

[4:39] His concern for you is so extensive that he sent his son to pay the penalty for your [4:44] sin so that your relationship with him could be reconciled. [4:48] Your sin has offended a holy God. [4:51] And in love, he has gone out of his way to remove any barrier for you having a relationship [4:59] with him. [4:59] And so in working that reconciliation, we see his great love for us, his great concern

[5:06] for us, and Jesus pays the penalty for our sin. [5:10] But then in his resurrection is revealed that it’s not just about the afterlife that [5:16] God is concerned with, but your every single day. [5:20] And in this section of Romans, Paul is delving into the everyday matters of understanding [5:26] that the heart of God is for people. [5:28] Therefore, so should your heart be.

[5:31] When you are making decisions about what to do with your life and what to pursue in your [5:36] life, friends, frankly, based on Romans, you need to weigh how it shows your trust [5:41] in the gospel. [5:43] And last week specifically, we dealt with the issue of what are you finding your righteousness [5:47] in? [5:48] Is it an activity that you do or a position that you hold?

[5:51] If you believe in the gospel of Jesus, then your righteousness is in Jesus and nothing [5:56] else. [5:57] This doesn’t just affect you, though. [5:59] It affects absolutely everyone around you. [6:02] What you are finding your righteousness in determines how you lead, encourage, and judge [6:07] other people.

[6:09] Therefore, when it comes to disputable matters that one through nine introduced us to, finding [6:15] your righteousness in Jesus alone will change how you deal with others in areas of dispute. [6:21] As we seek to help people grow in following Jesus, it must be with the realization that [6:26] everything that I do reveals something about what I think about God. [6:31] Therefore, my choices matter. [6:35] And so does the way that I interact with the choices that other people make.

[6:39] I need to ensure that what I am doing is building the work of God rather than tearing it down. [6:47] That’s what Paul’s going to start addressing starting in verse 10. [6:50] So let’s take a look at what Paul wrote to the church at Rome.

[6:55] Paul writes,

[7:13] So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. [7:19] Therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never [7:25] to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another brother. [7:31] Number one this morning, we need to understand that you need to be more concerned with God’s [7:36] judgment than with the judgment of others. [7:39] You need to be more concerned with God’s judgment than the judgment of others.

[7:43] I mean, Paul is very specific in this passage. [7:46] You will stand before Jesus to give an account for your life. [7:51] Every single one of us will. [7:53] We will one day stand before Christ and he will take a look. [7:58] He will judge every deed that we have done in the body, whether it be for him or whether [8:06] it not be for him.

[8:07] And not only you, but every single person that has ever existed will one day stand [8:15] before Jesus in judgment. [8:19] And so Paul starts by asking a simple question based on that fact. [8:23] Why are you so worried about what everyone else is doing? [8:29] In verses six through nine, Paul stated that everything that a person does, he does it [8:33] to God.

[8:34] And he then immediately asks why you pass so much judgment because the gospel reveals [8:40] that God will judge everyone. [8:43] And so there’s two things at play here. [8:45] First is what I would think of as the most obvious part, that you are not the giver [8:50] or denier of a person’s righteousness. [8:54] Therefore, stop acting like keeping everyone righteous is your job.

[8:59] God will judge them. [9:01] This is what you need to keep everyone aware of and be aware of that God can handle being [9:08] everyone’s judge. [9:09] He doesn’t really need your assistance. [9:13] I mean, God did not give himself this task. [9:16] He did not appoint himself the task of there’s coming a day when everyone will stand before

[9:20] me and I will judge every single person. [9:22] And then look and say, I think my dreams might be too big here. [9:27] I don’t know if I’m going to be able to do this. [9:30] I could really use Steve’s help. [9:33] I need to hire a personal assistant and he can schedule my judgments for me and he can [9:38] keep an account for me so that he can tell me what everybody’s done.

[9:44] But oftentimes in our life, we act as if God needs our help. [9:48] But he doesn’t. [9:49] He’s the judge. [9:51] He can handle it. [9:52] He’s going to deal with it. [9:54] And so when we go about looking at every, every single person’s life, every minute

[9:59] detail of what they’re eating, what they’re drinking, what their Sabbath rest is like, [10:03] how they’re doing everything, what we’re doing is we’re actually looking at everybody’s [10:07] life just like we did in last week in Romans 14, one through nine. [10:11] And we’re basing everybody else’s righteousness on what we think their life should look like. [10:17] As when we make ourself the judge, immediately it ceases to be about the righteousness of [10:21] Jesus and whose righteousness it becomes all about.

[10:23] Well, I can only judge based on my righteousness if that’s the standard.

[10:29] But there’s a second thing at play here, and it might be a little more less obvious, [10:34] but it should be very obvious to you, because when we read a passage like this, you’re [10:39] probably thinking, I’m so glad someone finally said that. [10:42] People need to stop judging me.

[10:45] Now, that’s not what Paul wants you to see. [10:48] Paul wants you to feel very judged, because the second thing that he’s saying here is [10:52] that if you are so worried about what is going on with everyone else’s diet, Sabbath [10:59] activity, it probably reveals that you need to take more time to inventory your life.

[11:07] The underlying thing in this passage is not just that you need to stop making yourself [11:12] the righteous judge of absolutely everyone else. [11:15] You need to realize that you need to judge yourself. [11:21] You will stand before God one day. [11:26] Therefore, you should probably start taking some inventory as to what’s actually going [11:31] on in your life.

[11:34] Do you know that you have personal responsibility for your life with God? [11:39] It’s you. [11:41] When the day comes and you stand before God, he is not going to call into the room [11:48] everyone that you’ve ever blamed for everything and say, oh, I understand why you blew it [11:52] there. Oh, I understand why you disobeyed me there. [11:55] Oh, I get the excuse that you made when I called you to this thing of obedience and

[11:59] you were like, oh, but you don’t understand my situation. [12:02] I don’t have to give my life over to God in that regard because of this guy, that guy. [12:05] No, it’s going to be you.

[12:08] You’re going to stand before God. [12:10] He’s not going to bring your parents in to make excuse for you. [12:12] He’s not going to bring any teacher in that you’ve been blaming for anything. [12:14] He’s not going to bring that person in that hurt your feelings so bad, which is why you [12:18] disobeyed God in every regard. [12:19] No, it’s going to be you.

[12:22] And so you have personal responsibility for your own life. [12:26] Yes, you can take comfort in realizing that it is not your responsibility to judge [12:32] everyone. I mean, that’s a very relieving thing. [12:35] It offers me great relief to think, man, it’s not my job. [12:40] But it more so reveals that you need to worry about your life. [12:44] God is concerned with how you live.

[12:48] I mean, it’s a fantastic reality to think to yourself, you know, my life matters to God. [12:53] I am not an insignificant person in God’s reality. [12:56] I’m not some deistic person who thinks that God just kind of set me going and then he [13:00] backed off and he’s an absentee landlord. [13:02] No, God really cares about me and my life matters to him. [13:07] But the part that we kind of ignore in that reality is that because my life matters to

[13:13] God, God is concerned with how I live my life. [13:19] He cares about all of the details. [13:22] He cares about all of the decisions. [13:24] He cares about every single thing that I do. [13:27] And he is personally involved and he is personally speaking. [13:30] He is personally communicating and he’s personally leading me in specific directions in

[13:36] my life. [13:37] Therefore, I do have a responsibility to listen to him. [13:41] And so when I seek to apply things like Romans 14, one through nine, we usually focus on [13:47] how it applies to others. [13:50] The reality that you need to understand this morning is that this is a warning passage [13:54] about your life with God.

[13:57] That’s why he immediately transitions when he says no one lives to himself, but rather [14:03] he lives to God. [14:05] He dies to God. [14:07] And then he immediately says, and you will stand before God to be judged.

[14:14] So in saying, don’t be so worried to judge everybody else. [14:22] He says you need to turn that judgment around because you will stand before God.

[14:31] The question that must be asked is does your life reveal a faith that pursues the life [14:37] of Christ and the righteousness of God based on the choices you have and are making? [14:45] You do not exist on an island.

[14:49] What comes out of your life does serve as a testimony of what is actually going on in [14:54] your life, what you value, what you believe and what you are putting your faith in. [15:02] You will be judged for what you do and the effect that it has on other people. [15:09] I mean, Jesus, in speaking about the judgment in Matthew 12, 36, Jesus himself says, he [15:14] says, I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every careless [15:20] word they speak.

[15:22] And that shows us two things. [15:25] First, it does show the weight of our words. [15:28] So they are not insignificant to God. [15:32] Therefore, the things that I say are significant. [15:35] The things that I speak are significant. [15:38] But I don’t believe that that is Jesus’s main thrust, because what I think is going on

[15:42] in this passage is that Jesus is actually pointing to. [15:45] You think the things that you say are just these insignificant matters. [15:49] But Jesus is so involved. [15:50] God is so concerned with your life that even the words that you say matter to God and [15:57] will be judged. Therefore, you need to understand there is no insignificant aspect in [16:02] your life. All of the details matter.

[16:05] God’s concerned with all of it. [16:07] So when we flippantly act like certain areas don’t matter, we are downplaying the role [16:13] of our lives. And this does concern others. [16:17] Your judgment of others and legalisms does push people away from God. [16:20] But the undergirding thought is that you will stand before God for how your decisions [16:25] either preached the gospel to people or preached an anti-gospel to people.

[16:32] Look at what he says in 13. [16:34] He says, therefore. [16:36] So because of this judgment that we know that we personally will stand in front of, and so [16:41] we take inventory. [16:44] Let us not pass judgment on one other any longer, but rather decide to never put a [16:49] stumbling block, our hindrance in the way of the brother.

[16:51] So what Paul’s doing is he’s flipping things around because when you are so worried about [16:57] what everyone else is doing, what you’re naturally going to do is look at all the [17:01] stumbling blocks that everyone’s putting in your path. [17:04] It’s like, oh, you’re preventing me from succeeding here. [17:06] Oh, you’re preventing me from getting further here. [17:09] Oh, you’re preventing me from having the life with God that I want to there.

[17:12] And Paul’s actually saying when you begin to assess your life, when you begin to take [17:17] personal responsibility for who you are, for the life that you have, you cease to see [17:23] life through the stumbling blocks that everyone else is putting in your way. [17:27] And you become mature enough to then engage and say, what stumbling blocks am I putting [17:32] in someone else’s way?

[17:35] See, Paul is calling you to a radical standard of maturity where you take responsibility [17:39] for what you do to other people.

[17:42] I’m saying life in Christ is no longer about what everyone does to harm you, what everyone [17:50] does to limit you, what everyone does to hold you down, what everyone does to oppress you. [17:54] But rather, life becomes about how you are used by God in other people’s lives. [18:01] How are you causing your brother to stumble? [18:04] How are you holding someone back by this action or attitude? [18:06] What type of stumbling block are you putting in someone’s path to prevent them from having

[18:12] the relationship with God that you could aid them to actually have? [18:17] This passage is all about making disciples of Christ. [18:22] And when you do not take personal responsibility for that, you cannot have the life that God [18:29] has designed for you. [18:31] Because his life is about making disciples. [18:35] It is about living to remove the stumbling blocks from other people’s lives that you

[18:41] may be putting in everybody’s lives. [18:42] Could you imagine a church full of people who were more concerned about the stumbling [18:45] blocks that they laid down themselves rather than the stumbling blocks that everybody was [18:49] laying down in front of them?

[18:53] That would be a church that was consumed with loving their brothers and sisters. [18:57] That would be a church that would be consumed with loving their neighbors. [18:59] That would be a church that is consumed with the personal responsibility to disciple one [19:06] another. [19:08] So that is what he is engaging here. [19:10] So number two, you need to use your freedom in Christ to make disciples of Christ.

[19:16] You need to use your freedom in Christ to make disciples of Christ. [19:19] Look at what he starts saying in verse 14.

[19:23] In 13 he tells us, he says, remove stumbling blocks. [19:25] Don’t be a hindrance to the way of your brother. [19:29] And then in 14 he says, I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean [19:36] in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it is unclean. [19:41] For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. [19:46] By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

[19:50] So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. [19:54] For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness [19:58] and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. [20:01] Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. [20:06] So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

[20:14] So Paul wants us, note the terms he uses, he wants us to feel a great tension in this [20:20] passage. [20:20] This is far bigger than what am I allowed to do and what am I not allowed to do. [20:26] Oh, I’m free in Christ to do that. [20:27] Fantastic. [20:28] Oh, I can drink.

[20:29] Throwing a kegger tonight. [20:30] Fantastic. [20:31] Romans 14, I understood the context. [20:34] And so we turn this into this battle between weaker brother and stronger brother, just [20:38] trying to edge everybody out and being just a little bit more liberal than the last guy. [20:43] Romans 14, everything is clean.

[20:45] I truly believe that we have done a great disservice to the exegesis of Romans 14 and [20:51] using it simply to excuse or refuse certain lifestyle choices and certain activities. [20:57] I truly believe that if the apostle Paul were presented with the way in which we treat Romans [21:02] 14, he would believe all of us have missed the point.

[21:06] You think this is about whether or not you should drink beer?

[21:11] You didn’t understand I was talking about loving each other in this passage. [21:17] You didn’t understand that I was actually talking about making disciples in this passage. [21:22] You didn’t understand that I was actually talking about when your brother is struggling, [21:27] you make a sacrifice and aid him in his struggle and refuse your Christian liberties for the [21:34] love of someone else.

[21:37] See the tension in this passage is the great responsibility of being free in Christ. [21:44] Verse 13 ends with this great declaration and within it we see the framework within [21:51] which to build freedom in Christ. [21:55] And that freedom forms a heart of Christ for others rather than judgment, sacrifice.

[22:04] See the life that Jesus comes and in the gospel according to John, Jesus is quoted [22:10] as saying, I have come to judge. [22:13] And we don’t want Jesus to say things like that because that’s terrifying. [22:16] He’s the creator of the universe. [22:18] If he judges me based on his standards I’m done. [22:21] I have no excuse.

[22:23] But then note what he does. [22:25] In his judgment he takes every ounce of it onto himself and sacrificed for the sake [22:32] of others. [22:34] And this is the calling that Paul is informing us about in Romans 14. [22:40] Because of the sacrifice of Jesus the penalty has been paid. [22:44] We are free from condemnation.

[22:47] Make no mistake. [22:48] Jesus has made all things clean. [22:52] And the quality of the Bible says that faith in him is the distinctive of holiness in our [22:55] lives. [22:56] Therefore it isn’t about what you eat and what you drink. [22:59] The passage is clear.

[23:00] Make no mistake in that regard. [23:02] This though is not a call to do whatever because you can. [23:07] That’s usually what we do. [23:09] Freedom in Christ. [23:11] I can do whatever I want. [23:13] No you can’t.

[23:15] No you can’t. [23:16] And the qualifier for this is found in verse 18. [23:19] Look at what he says.

[23:24] He says whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. [23:32] You see friend to be free in Christ you must make yourself a servant of Christ. [23:39] Therefore your life is only clean to the extent that your life is in Jesus. [23:46] You see we need to understand that we have made a great history at least recently of really bad [23:53] examples of what it means to bring glory to God. [23:56] You know last week we talked about first Corinthians 8, first Corinthians 9 and first

[24:00] Corinthians 10 and we stopped in verse 24 talking about the issue of sacrificing for the sake [24:05] of weaker brother. [24:06] But this week I want to talk a little bit further about a famous verse a very popular verse. [24:11] When I was growing up it was my youth groups like life verse or something. [24:16] We had it all over t-shirts and it was first Corinthians 10 31. [24:19] If you spent any time in church you’ve probably been here.

[24:21] So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do do all to the glory of God. [24:27] I have to read it because I memorized it in the King James version and so I’m trying not to say [24:32] the King James English every time I say it. [24:34] I mean it was just this verse was pounded into us. [24:36] And so what ends up happening with that is we just kind of make that verse an island to itself. [24:40] We ice to eat the text and so now we’ve got weightlifting to the glory of God trail hiking to

[24:45] the glory of God auto mechanics to the glory of God guys don’t bicep curls and he’s like hey are [24:51] you doing that to the glory of God. [24:53] Oh t-shirt doesn’t it say I am.

[25:01] But what we really ultimately are doing is we’re inserting a phrase into the text that isn’t [25:06] really there. [25:08] So we’re inserting the phrase where we make it whether you eat or drink or whatever you want to do [25:14] do all to the glory of God. [25:16] That’s not what the verse says. [25:19] You’re like if there’s only a way we could decipher what he means by that.

[25:24] If only Paul had written three previous chapters about it and a couple of verses after it we could [25:30] know and we could decipher the meaning. [25:33] It’s pretty easy just go to verses 32 and 33 and he explains himself. [25:37] Note what he says he says give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God. [25:42] Just as I try to please everyone and everything I do look at this not seeking my own advantage.

[25:50] But that of many that they may be saved. [25:54] And there’s two things at play and bringing glory to God because it can drive you nuts. [26:01] Some of you if you have your phone out you’re canceling your gym membership because I made fun of [26:05] lifting weights. [26:06] Don’t do that. [26:06] You can do it to the glory of God.

[26:08] You’re fine. [26:08] OK.

[26:11] But when I’m doing these activities we don’t think through them. [26:15] We don’t live very thoughtful lives. [26:17] If we’re asked well how in the world are you bringing glory to God in this thing that you’re doing. [26:22] I mean basket weaving to the glory of God. [26:24] What does that even mean friend.

[26:27] First off does the activity terminate on itself. [26:31] Can you go past the activity to the creator of the activity to actually have a motivation of worship. [26:37] Can you eat the meal and think to yourself it doesn’t just taste good. [26:42] Therefore I like it. [26:43] No there is a creator of this meal who has provided this meal for me and therefore the meal doesn’t terminate on [26:55] me the meat.

[26:57] Therefore it is good because God has said it’s good. [27:00] That’s an attitude of worship. [27:02] But even more than that you need to be introspective of your life enough to think to yourself it can only [27:09] bring glory to God if the vision for that thing has been captivated by the gospel of Jesus. [27:16] Am I living the way that I’m living so that I can be like Paul in First Corinthians 10 where I’m not [27:24] seeking my own advantage but that of many so that more may be saved.

[27:30] If you have that as the vision for your life it will change the house and the wise of so many things. [27:39] So many things. [27:41] Most often this is simply a thing of motivation. [27:46] So why are you living the way that you’re living. [27:48] Why are you doing the things that you’re doing. [27:50] Why are you overcome by the attitudes that you are so often overcome by.

[27:57] Are you bringing glory to God in the things that you’re doing.

[28:02] You see this is specifically about seeking the advantage of others. [28:06] See that’s real freedom. [28:09] You actually look at the life you’re living and saying is anyone other than me really benefiting from my life.

[28:18] It can be a devastating question to ask.

[28:23] But it’s a question that must be asked by the follower of Jesus. [28:27] Because our Savior did not live a life in which he was just seeking his own advantage. [28:31] But in seeking the glory of the Father he was seeking to set the captives free. [28:36] He was seeking to save people. [28:37] He came to seek and to save that which was lost. [28:39] So if you think that you can go through this life and the majority of your life being to your benefit

[28:44] and you can just give him the crumbs off of your table to seek the advantage of others. [28:48] Then you are mistaken my friend.

[28:52] Your life needs to be about others. [28:56] There’s another thing at play at the end of that verse and that’s the reality that just because it makes peace doesn’t mean it’s mutually up building. [29:03] So a lot of I said Jesus that we bring to this text we don’t really exegete it very well as we look at it. [29:08] So in this text at the end of it he says in verse 19 he says let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up building. [29:17] And we say OK so this is mainly about seeking to live peaceably with others. [29:23] Yes it is about seeking to live peaceably with others so long as that peace brings glory to God by making disciples.

[29:30] Note that the peace is qualified by the mutual up building. [29:35] Peace is only as valuable as it brings people closer to Jesus. [29:41] You can pursue peace in ways that aren’t mutually up building. [29:47] Hebrews 12 is very helpful I believe in verse 14 when it says strive for peace with everyone and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. [29:59] Quite often when we seek peace just for the sake of peace what we have is something that doesn’t up build anyone. [30:08] It just keeps us from having disputes.

[30:11] You see this whole passage wasn’t written so that you could avoid disputes. [30:17] This passage was written because the disputes are coming. [30:20] I mean Jesus himself says I have not come for peace I’ve come to bring a sword. [30:25] I’ve come to put father against son I’ve come to put brother against brother I’ve come to hold families will be less peaceful in the way they regard one another because of me coming. [30:37] Why because Jesus can bring division into your life when you trust him and you follow him and those closest to you do not trust him and do not want you to follow him. [30:51] That’s the stumbling block that cannot be removed.

[30:55] I mean Jesus is called the rock of offense by Peter.

[31:01] So what Paul is getting us to is this Jesus is the stumbling block that cannot be removed nor should he be removed because he is the hope for people to know God. [31:12] Therefore remove every insignificant one because if they can’t get over the insignificant ones to get to the significant stumbling block of Jesus Christ then you are not making disciples. [31:25] You’re living an anti gospel life.

[31:29] So Paul is concerned that there is an entire church that is making insignificant details the main issue and simply making enemies of Christ by things that have nothing to do with Christ. [31:42] But we’ve got the opposite problem. [31:45] Oftentimes we seek to make so many friends and have so much peace that when Jesus becomes the stumbling block we are very quick to remove him to friend. [31:56] That is not mutually up building.

[32:01] That does not promote holiness friend understand disputes are often necessary. [32:07] And in those issues they will aid people to grow. [32:11] They will aid you to grow.

[32:16] Thirdly this morning your pursuits then need to build the work of God. [32:21] Your pursuits need to build the work of God.

[32:25] Verses 20 through 23 I believe are the most complicated of the entire passage.

[32:32] Here’s what Paul writes. [32:34] This is do not for the sake of food. [32:37] That cuts me right to my heart. [32:39] I don’t have to go any further. [32:41] Not because I’m fat.

[32:45] But because of how trivial that seems to me at face value.

[32:50] At the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit has to pen those words shows how selfish we are.

[33:00] Do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God.

[33:11] There’s so much at play in those few words.

[33:15] So dietary restrictions aren’t really I mean we spent a lot of time on them last week and we made some great jokes. [33:20] But the reality that we need to deal with this morning is is that whether or not we can eat barbecue really isn’t a divisive issue in our time. [33:28] And it’s never really caused a church split. [33:31] So that’s not really the issue that we’re dealing with. [33:33] But in that church that was the issue. [33:35] It was dietary restrictions.

[33:37] It was Sabbath rest. [33:39] It was festivals to the glory of God. [33:41] And so Paul is looking to the stronger brother here. [33:44] He’s not speaking to the weak.

[33:48] And he says do not for the sake of what you want to eat in front of someone who’s struggling with a former life thinking that it is a sin destroy the work of God. [34:01] And so he’s letting me know that my life down to what I eat is significant and does have a role to play in my love for others. [34:09] But then secondly he’s saying that my actions my attitudes and my words carry so much weight that it can be described as destructive in another person’s life with their faith.

[34:26] So now we’re beginning to comprehend we’re beginning to understand why Paul was so quick to say before you judge someone else judge yourself. [34:36] Because your words and your actions carry a great deal of weight in the lives of the people around you. [34:43] Do not for the sake of food.

[34:50] So it begs the question what is it in your life that is present preventing you from engaging in serious discipleship.

[34:57] What is it in your life that is preventing you from aiding others to grow closer to Christ. [35:03] What is the sticking point. [35:05] What is the food in your life.

[35:12] Because I do not want my life to destroy the work of God.

[35:25] I wanted to build the work of God.

[35:28] It goes on he says everything is indeed clean but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

[35:39] It is good not to eat meat or drink wine. [35:43] OK for some of you that’s a tough one.

[35:48] So Paul is presuming in this passage that some people were drinking wine to the glory of God. [35:54] I just want to be clear there.

[36:00] Or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. [36:04] The faith that you have keep between yourself and God. [36:07] Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. [36:11] But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats because he excuse me because the eating is not from faith. [36:18] For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. [36:24] So there’s a few things at play in this passage.

[36:27] I want to deal with the weaker brother first in this passage. [36:32] I want you to understand that it does not build faith to defy your conscience. [36:36] It does not build faith to defy your conscience.

[36:40] Again Paul challenges the strong. [36:43] But he wants the strong to understand something for the sake of the weak. [36:46] And that is it would not build someone’s discipleship to have them defy their conscience. [36:51] So someone comes from a background of where everything under the sun is sin. [36:56] And the hope isn’t that you can get them to compromise on that. [37:01] So I mean there were some people that were just raised in traditions where they’re just convinced that if they wear the wrong pair of pants on Tuesday.

[37:08] Then they’ve sinned against a holy and righteous God. [37:12] And it’s going to be a process of unlearning that for them to be able to wear different pants on Tuesday. [37:20] And the job of the stronger brother isn’t to come into their wardrobe and say grow up you weakling.

[37:29] Today is the day where you wear shorts instead of pants.

[37:36] Rise up and follow Jesus. [37:38] And they’re like oh God. [37:41] OK. [37:43] They walk out I mean sweating. [37:44] They’re like God is going to get me.

[37:48] Scared to death. [37:50] They’re like oh I didn’t die. [37:52] I guess I should compromise on more things.

[37:55] And so we think to ourselves right. [37:57] And we won that one right. [37:59] No you probably lost.

[38:02] Because your goal wasn’t for them to defy their conscience. [38:06] Because if you can define I’ve heard stories I’ve seen it actually happen where someone on even something that I thought was the dumbest thing I’d ever heard. [38:15] They just compromised because everyone told them that they needed to do this or they needed to do that or they needed to eat this or they needed to drink that or they needed to wear this type of outfit instead of that type of outfit. [38:26] And they were just legalistic and needed to get over their legalisms. [38:29] They were like OK I’ll compromise. [38:30] And so once they compromised that they didn’t think it through.

[38:34] They didn’t weigh their faith. [38:36] They didn’t search the scriptures. [38:38] They didn’t go to someone more mature to them more mature than them and have them explain specifically why the thing that they were wanting to do. [38:45] Wasn’t sinful. [38:46] So since they compromised on something with no thought the next time temptation for actual sin came into their lives they were like that must be fine too. [38:56] So they engaged in lives of sin and their faith was destroyed.

[39:02] You say it doesn’t happen. [39:02] I tell you I grew up with many. [39:06] That’s the story of many people from my childhood. [39:08] And they are not following Jesus today because they didn’t think through their faith. [39:11] And the work of God in their lives was destroyed.

[39:20] You need to have faith that your conscience is right or wrong. [39:25] The call here is for life on life discipleship so that people can grow to understand. [39:31] This is not an issue of getting people just to do stuff because whatever I’m free in Christ.

[39:40] So specifically let’s think of just an example to work with here in our final few moments. [39:46] I mean I can clearly tell you from searching the scriptures from growing up in a life of following Jesus the drinking alcohol is not a sin. [39:54] Jesus has made it clean.

[39:58] It’s not about whether you drink or don’t drink. [40:00] And so I say that and some of you are like yep kegger to the glory of God. [40:03] Stop it. [40:05] It’s not what I’m talking about.

[40:07] But some of you I make a statement like that and I just wanted to be blunt with it because you’re already struggling with that comment for one of two reasons. [40:18] First reason is you were raised in a tradition that taught you that alcohol was sinful and being raised in that tradition. [40:27] You’re thinking to yourself I’m not comfortable with that. [40:30] I wouldn’t be comfortable drinking a beer. [40:32] I wouldn’t be comfortable with a glass of wine. [40:34] I don’t think that I could do that to the glory of God.

[40:36] And you’re like sweating it out right now. [40:38] You’re like does my discipleship group have to meet in a bar now.

[40:42] Do I need to go get a six pack. [40:43] What do I do.

[40:47] You don’t need to do any of that.

[40:52] You’re fine the way that you are. [40:54] Don’t defy your conscience. [40:56] Search the scriptures. [40:58] Come talk to me. [40:59] Talk to your discipleship group. [41:00] Talk to your village group leader.

[41:02] And really look at the scriptures and look at the calling of God and really decide for yourself what it looks like to be faithful in the area of alcohol. [41:11] But there’s a second brother involved in that too that we seldom speak about in our current culture which has made this a forefront issue specifically in our tribe.

[41:21] But those are the brothers and sisters that struggle with alcoholism that struggle with real addiction.

[41:26] And most of you don’t know who they are. [41:28] I know who most of them are even in our own camp.

[41:33] And it grieves me with how flippant we treat our freedom in Christ when there are people really struggling with. [41:39] I mean I will be somewhere and they’ll be there and I know they’re struggling and I know they’re fighting and I’m working with them to keep struggling and everybody’s like hey why don’t you have one. [41:49] Man we’re free in Christ we can do it. [41:51] I mean you’re posting every hot meter ever imaginable. [41:54] And I know that there are people that are really struggling because it has become an overwhelming thing in their lives and it’s a disease and they are one thing away from breaking and sinning against God and drunkenness.

[42:12] I tell you our lives are so flippant in areas that we don’t struggle with while we’re surrounded with people who are struggling and that’s because we do not have a very thoughtful life with Christ.

[42:27] It’s a friend I tell you your freedom in Christ must understand that uncleanness doesn’t reside in food or drink. [42:36] It resides in conscience and motive.

[42:41] Verse 22 brings up the issue of judgment once again. [42:46] To be the type of person who has no reason to pass judgment on himself is what this is talking about. [42:52] We read that and we’re like Steve you started out by telling us we needed to judge ourselves doesn’t disagree with you. [42:57] No because what Paul is actually talking about in verse 22 and these strange words that we don’t usually use about our lives is that you are the type of person who’s pursuing the gospel and living a life that is above reproach in his pursuits. [43:13] Therefore you have no reason to pass judgment on yourself because your pursuits define your approval. [43:19] You’re a servant of Christ and your pursuits are captivated by helping others.

[43:28] You see Paul is building unity in the gospel in Romans 14. [43:32] He’s defeating self centered living to build gospel centered living. [43:37] And so if you’re asking me a question Steve do I need to gauge what I do in my life based on the needs of others. [43:43] I mean that sounds extreme. That is exactly what I’m getting at. [43:50] Because most of us have this attitude that is so ungodly so un-gospel like where the struggles and the needs of others by what we eat or drink or even what we wear and we look at them and we say that’s your problem.

[44:06] The only type of person that has that type of attitude is someone who’s not pursuing the gospel. [44:12] And so it’s not they that need to get over it. It is you friend that need to get over yourself. [44:20] Yes the burdens and the stumbling blocks of your brothers and sisters in Christ are your problem. [44:28] And you need to be vitally involved in sacrificing your freedoms for the sake of making disciples every single day of your life. [44:38] The problem ultimately is that you are a selfish person seeking your own advantage rather than the advantage of others. [44:46] And that is exactly the type of life that the gospel demands we cease to live.

[44:53] When you are in Christ friend you will live to see how every detail of life shows the worth of Jesus to you. [45:03] But when you live just to do stuff because you feel okay with it that is not freedom in Christ. [45:12] That’s just selfish living. Freedom in Christ actually considers how the decisions that you make and the things that you exhibit to others actually affects them. [45:25] And you need to build your life to point others to Jesus. You need to consider your actions. You need to think through your convictions. [45:37] Life for Jesus always involved others. And it still involves others. [45:45] So maybe your decisions should take others into account.

[45:50] Jesus’ decision to die and rise again was about building disciples. [45:55] So everything that we do must be about that pursuit.

[46:03] That is how we bring glory to God. [46:07] That is how we eat and drink to the glory of God. That is how we live to the glory of God. [46:11] And that is how we pursue the glory of God. [46:14] And here is the key guys. There is no other path.

[46:20] And I so frequently falter. I so frequently struggle with the selfishness just to do because I know I can. [46:30] That is why I must keep at the forefront of my vision every single day and every single moment the gospel. [46:36] I must consider the life of Christ. I must cease to consider myself a victim because Christ is the victor. [46:45] I must continue down a path of constantly looking and say how does my life affect the lives of those around me.

[46:53] As the band comes forward and as we close and sing to Jesus I want to invite you in these moments. [47:01] This is why I love our Sunday gatherings. I love our Sunday gatherings because I cannot come together with you without being confronted by the gospel. [47:12] Specifically in communion and the Lord’s Supper. [47:15] And when we eat and when we drink what we are doing is we are actually eating and drinking to the glory of God quite literally. [47:23] Because we are saying I believe that this represents the body and I believe that this represents the blood of Christ my Savior. [47:30] And as I eat and as I drink I am confronted that my life must have him as my primary motivation.

[47:38] Must have him as my ultimate goal. Must have him as my ultimate righteousness. [47:45] And so this morning if you are a follower of Jesus I want you to remember that you are not condemned. [47:53] That Christ has made you clean. Christ has made all things clean for those who follow him. [47:58] And come celebrate eat drink and then walk and live so that others may know that freedom. [48:10] When you are ready come.